ESTIMATING BODY LENGTH OF PYGMY RIGHT WHALES (CAPEREA MARGINATA) FROM MEASUREMENTS OF THE SKELETON AND BALEEN

Various parts of the skeleton and/or the longest baleen plate of 46 specimens of Caperea marginata from Australia and New Zealand were measured and related to body length. Of the 32 skull, postcranial and baleen-plate measurements available, eight were analysed and seven found to be good predictors of body length, by using a curvilinear model describing their relationship with body length. Greatest skull width, supraoccipital length and mandible length had the smallest prediction limits (± 0.28-0.33 m in small animals, ±0.44-0.58 m in large animals) when compared with postcranial measurements (scapula length, vertebra 7 centrum width). Baleen-plate length was also a useful predictor of body length (±0.32-0.77 m). There was a substantial increase in the arch of the skull as body length increased. Bulla length was not a good predictor of body length, because measurements were highly variable and because the bulla grew little during postnatal life. Physical maturity occurred at body lengths of at least 5.9 m, also the shortest length at which both epiphyses of the humerus and proximal epiphyses of the radius and ulna were fused. Weaning appears to occur at about 3-3.5 m. The following approximate relative age/length classes were erected: dependent calves, <3.6 m; subadults, 3.6-5.5 m; adults, >5.5 m. Females were significantly longer than males in the sample of 22 animals greater than 5.9 m, length of the smallest recorded physically mature animal.     

Utility of Epinephrine Levels in Determining Adrenal Vein Cannulation During Adrenal Venous Sampling for Primary Aldosteronism

ObjectiveIn patients with primary aldosteronism, adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is performed to determine the presence of unilateral or bilateral adrenal disease. During AVS, verification of catheter positioning within the left adrenal vein (AV) and the right AV by comparison of AV and inferior vena cava (IVC) cortisol levels can be variable. The objective of this study was to determine the utility of AV epinephrine levels in assessing successful AV cannulation.MethodsThis was a single institution, retrospective review of patients who underwent AVS with cosyntropin stimulation for primary aldosteronism between 2009 and 2018. Successful cannulation of the AV was defined by an AV/IVC cortisol ratio selectivity index (SI) ≥3:1. Epinephrine thresholds to predict catheter placement in the AV were determined using logistic regression. The calculated epinephrine thresholds were compared with previously published thresholds.ResultsAVS was performed on 101 consecutive patients and, based on the SI, successful cannulation of the left AV and right AV occurred in 98 (97%) and 91(90%) patients, respectively. The calculated optimal epinephrine threshold to predict AV cannulation was 364 pg/mL (sensitivity, 92.1%; specificity, 94.6%) and the calculated optimal AV/IVC epinephrine ratio threshold was 27.4, (sensitivity, 92.1%; specificity, 91.3%). Among the 14 patients with failed AV cannulation, 3 patients would have been considered to have successful AVS using AV epinephrine levels >364 pg/mL and AV/IVC epinephrine ratio >27.4 thresholds.ConclusionObtaining 2 right AV samples routinely as well as AV and IVC epinephrine levels during AVS could prevent unnecessary repeat AVS in patients with failed AV cannulation based on cortisol-based SI <3:1.     

Prox2 and Runx3 vagal sensory neurons regulate esophageal motility

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Visual and acoustic surveys for North Atlantic right whales,Eubalaena glacialis,in Cape Cod Bay,Massachusetts, 2001–2005: Management implications

North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, remain endangered, primarily due to excessive anthropogenic mortality. Current management protocols in US waters are triggered by identifying the presence of at least one right whale in a management area. We assessed whether acoustic detection of right whale contact calls can work as an alternative to visual aerial surveys for establishing their presence. Aerial survey and acoustic monitoring were conducted in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, in 2001–2005 and used to evaluate and compare right whale detections. Over the 58 d with simultaneous aerial and acoustic coverage, aerial surveys saw whales on approximately two-thirds of the days during which acoustic monitoring heard whales. There was no strong relationship between numbers of whales seen during aerial surveys and numbers of contact calls detected on survey days. Results indicate acoustic monitoring is a more reliable mechanism than aerial survey for detecting right whales. Because simple detection is sufficient to trigger current management protocols, continuous, autonomous acoustic monitoring provides information of immediate management utility more reliably than aerial surveillance. Aerial surveys are still required to provide data for estimating population parameters and for visually assessing the frequency and severity of injuries from shipping and fishing and detecting injured and entangled right whales.     

Novel mutation in N-terminal fragment of ryanodine receptor 2 causing catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia

CPVT is a rare inherited arrhythmogenic disorder characterized by bidirectional, polymorphic ventricular arrhythmias triggered by catecholamines released during exercise, stress, or sudden emotion in individuals with a normal resting electrocardiogram and structurally normal heart. Mutations in the ryanodine receptor 2 gene are the most common known etiology of this disorder. The c.1195A > G(p.Met399Val) variant in Exon 14 of RyR2 is currently classified as a Variant of Uncertain Significance. We present a case of CPVT caused by this novel disease-causing RyR2 variant and discuss its pathophysiology. The role of SSRIs in treating patients with CPVT unresponsive to mainstream therapies is also highlighted.     

急性低氧时狗左、右心室“力效应”的比较观察

在麻醉开胸狗上,于急性逐步加重低氧条件下,同步记录左、右心室压、压力变化率(dp/dt)等指标,观察左、右心室“力效应”动态变化过程。结果表明,急性低氧时,肺动脉升压效应与低氧程度呈正相关;左、右心室“力效应”并非同步。当左室“力效应”由增强转为减弱时,右室仍处于“力效应”增强过程,而且左室(-dp/dt_max)的减小先于(dp/dt_max)。严重低氧一旦使右室出现“力效应”减弱时,则标志着心泵功能崩溃。这些结果提示左室泵丧失代偿并非继发于肺动脉高压导致的右室负荷过重;心室舒张期力学的改变在心泵对急性低氧的反应上甚为重要,可用左心室进行性的“力效应”减弱作为判断心泵对急性低氧不能耐受的一项指标。