Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging in patients with neurologic complications after cardiac surgery.

Background: Neurologic complications after cardiac surgery include stroke, encephalopathy, and persistent cognitive impairments. More precise neuroimaging of patients with these complications may lead to a better understanding of the etiology and treatment of these disorders.

Objective: To study the pattern of ischemic changes on diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI, and MRPI, respectively) in patients with neurologic complications after cardiac surgery.

Paper-based archiving of mammalian and plant samples for RNA analysis.

The ability to archive biological samples for subsequent nucleic acid analysis is essential for tissue specimens and forensic samples. FTA Card is a chemically treated filter paper designed for the collection and room temperature storage of biological samples for subsequent DNA analysis. Its usefulness for the preservation of biological samples for subsequent RNA analysis was tested.

Long PCR for VNTR analysis.

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has revolutionized the analysis of DNA from a variety of sources. With its sensitivity and ability to amplify degraded DNAs and small quantities of samples, coupled with fast turn-around-time, PCR is often the analytical method of choice for DNA profiling in forensic laboratories. RFLP methods, while requiring larger amounts of high molecular weight DNA and needing approximately 6-8 weeks of analytical time, still provide a higher power of discrimination per locus than that achieved using the loci currently available for PCR.

Assessing the impact of cerebral injury after cardiac surgery: will determining the mechanism reduce this injury?

Background: Central nervous system dysfunction continues to produce significant morbidity and associated mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Using a closed-chest canine cardiopulmonary bypass model, dogs underwent 2 h of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) at 18 degrees C, followed by resuscitation and recovery for 3 days. Animals were assessed functionally by a species-specific behavioral scale, histologically for patterns of selective neuronal necrosis, biochemically by analysis of microdialysis effluent, and by receptor autoradiography for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor subtype expression.

Determinants of cognitive change after coronary artery bypass surgery: a multifactorial problem.

Background: Several studies have investigated predictors of cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but there is little consensus as to which specific factors are predictive of poor cognitive outcomes.

Methods: We evaluated 127 patients undergoing CABG with standardized neuropsychological tests preoperatively, at 1 month and at 1 year. The outcome measure was a continuous variable reflecting change in z-scores for eight cognitive domains over time for individual patients.

Neurobehavioural sequelae of cardiopulmonary bypass.

The development of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and its effect on angina is the product of a series of technical and scientific advances. Despite these advances, however, adverse neurobehavioural outcomes continue to occur. Stroke is the most serious complication of CABG, but studies that have identified demographic and medical risk factors available before surgery are an important advance.

Prevalence of leg wound complications after coronary artery bypass grafting: determination of risk factors.

Background: The reported prevalence of leg wound complications after coronary artery bypass grafting is 2% to 24%. Decreased length of hospital stay for patients who have this surgical procedure poses new care requirements in both acute care and community settings.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of postoperative leg wound complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and the risk factors associated with these complications.

Depression and cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Depression is commonly reported after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and after cardiac surgery in general. Many earlier reports relied on non-standard assessments of depression, which may have overestimated its frequency. Cognitive decline has also been reported after CABG.

Predictors of stroke risk in coronary artery bypass patients.

Background: Stroke occurs after coronary artery bypass grafting with an incidence ranging between 0.8% and 5.2%.

Cognitive outcome after coronary artery bypass: a one-year prospective study.

Background: Cognitive deficits have been reported in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting, but the incidence of these deficits varies widely. We studied prospectively the incidence of cognitive change and whether the changes persisted over time.

Methods: Cognitive testing was done preoperatively and 1 month and 1 year postoperatively in 127 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Neuropsychologic change after cardiac surgery: a critical review.

Studies that have examined neuropsychologic change after cardiac surgery address three main issues: (1) the incidence of cognitive change; (2) the identification of factors that put patients at higher risk; and (3) the evaluation of interventions to prevent these complications. This review attempts to bring together concerns associated with various study designs and to integrate the conclusions from these studies. Thirty-five studies have been examined in this review.

Neurologic injury in cardiac surgical patients with a history of stroke.

Background: Controversy still exists as to whether patients with previous stroke are at increased risk for neurologic complications after heart operations.

Methods: We performed a prospective analysis of 1,000 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac operations requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, without hypothermic circulatory arrest. Of the 1,000 patients, 71 had previously documented stroke (study group); 2 control patients with no history of stroke were selected for each of these patients (control group, n = 142).

A comparison study of human papillomavirus prevalence by the polymerase chain reaction in low risk women and in a gynaecology referral group at elevated risk for cervical cancer.

The reported prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 in the genital tracts of women with various gynaecological conditions is highly variable. In particular, some results with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique have suggested that HPV-16 is a ubiquitous or very common virus. We undertook this study to help clarify the current confusion.

Human papillomavirus type 56: a new virus detected in cervical cancers.

A new human papillomavirus type (HPV-56) was identified by low stringency Southern blot analysis with an HPV-31 DNA probe, in a cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN). The DNA of this virus was molecularly cloned and shown to be a new HPV type based on the absence of cross-reactivity to HPV types 1 to 55 under high-stringency hybridization conditions. At low stringency, HPV-56 was most related to HPV types 30 and 45.

Nucleotide sequence of human papillomavirus type 31: a cervical neoplasia-associated virus.

The nucleotide sequence of human papillomavirus (HPV) 31 DNA (7912 bp) was determined and used to deduce the genomic organization of this cervical cancer-associated virus. Based on comparisons of the HPV 31 DNA sequence to other sequenced HPVs, HPV 31 is a typical papillomavirus most related to HPV 16 (70% identical nucleotides). The E6 and E7 open reading frames (ORF) of HPV 31 contain several potential DNA binding motifs (Cys-X-X-Cys), the locations of which are conserved in all HPVs.

Cloning and partial DNA sequencing of two new human papillomavirus types associated with condylomas and low-grade cervical neoplasia.

Using low-stringency Southern blot analysis and cloning in lambda bacteriophage, two new human papillomavirus types (HPV-43 and HPV-44) were identified and their DNAs were cloned from vulvar tissues. The isolates were characterized by restriction endonuclease mapping and shown to be new HPV types on the basis of their minimal hybridization with all other known HPV types at high stringency. Both HPVs are most closely related to types 6, 11, and 13.

Characterization of murine A-raf, a new oncogene related to the v-raf oncogene.

A 1.6-kilobase cDNA (A-raf) has been isolated from a murine spleen cDNA library which encodes part of a protein related to the raf oncogene. Its amino acid sequence has 85% homology to raf in a central portion of 100 amino acids.

Actively transcribed genes in the raf oncogene group, located on the X chromosome in mouse and human.

Murine and human cDNAs, related to but distinct from c-raf-1, have been isolated and designated mA-raf and hA-raf, respectively. The mA-raf and hA-raf cDNAs detect the same murine and human fragments in Southern blots of restriction enzyme-cleaved murine and human cellular DNA. The murine restriction enzyme fragments homologous to mA-raf cDNA cosegregate with mouse chromosome X in a panel of Chinese hamster-mouse hybrid cells, thus localizing the mA-raf locus to mouse chromosome X.

Structure and biological activity of v-raf, a unique oncogene transduced by a retrovirus.

We have molecularly cloned a unique acutely transforming replication-defective mouse type C virus (3611-MSV) and characterized its acquired oncogene. The viral genome closely resembles Moloney (M) murine leukemia virus (MuLV), except for a substitution in M-MuLV in the middle of p30 and the middle of the polymerase gene (pol). Heteroduplex analysis revealed that 2.