[Rehabilitation after flexor tendon injuries of the hand].

Background: Advances in basic research evaluating suture material, techniques, and maximum tendon load with regard to repair site failure help to decide between rehabilitation protocols after the repair of flexor tendon injuries.

Objectives: The presentation and choice of rehabilitation protocols depending on the mechanism of injury and knowledge of the influencing factors concerning tendon load. Expected outcome after flexor tendon repair.

New lead structures in the isoxazole system: relationship between quantum chemical parameters and immunological activity.

Potential immunological activities of three compounds: RM54 and its two derivatives RM55 and RM56, were evaluated in several, selected in vitro and in vivo tests such as: mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, the humoral immune response in vitro and carrageenan test. Leflunomide served as a reference drug. The studied compounds showed differential, generally immunosuppressive properties.

Theoretical study of the kinetics of chlorine atom abstraction from chloromethanes by atomic chlorine.

Ab initio calculations at the G3 level were used in a theoretical description of the kinetics and mechanism of the chlorine abstraction reactions from mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-chloromethane by chlorine atoms. The calculated profiles of the potential energy surface of the reaction systems show that the mechanism of the studied reactions is complex and the Cl-abstraction proceeds via the formation of intermediate complexes. The multi-step reaction mechanism consists of two elementary steps in the case of CCl4 + Cl, and three for the other reactions.

Theoretical study of the kinetics of reactions of the monohalogenated methanes with atomic chlorine.

Ab initio calculations at the G2 level were used in a theoretical description of the kinetics and mechanism of the hydrogen abstraction reactions from fluoro-, chloro- and bromomethane by chlorine atoms. The profiles of the potential energy surfaces show that mechanism of the reactions under investigation is complex and consists of two - in the case of CH3F+Cl - and of three elementary steps for CH3Cl+Cl and CH3Br+Cl. The heights of the energy barrier related to the H-abstraction are of 8-10 kJ mol(-1), the lowest value corresponds to CH3Cl+Cl and the highest one to CH3F+Cl.

Conformational analysis of flephedrone using quantum mechanical models.

Flephedrone is an analogue of cathinone - chemically similar to ephedrine, cathine and other amphetamines. Conformations of all isomers of flephedrone have been studied at the quantum-chemical level. Calculations have been performed using DFT and MP2 methods with two basis sets - 6-31G and 6-31G(d,p).

Mechanism of the gas-phase decomposition of trifluoro-, trichloro-, and tribromomethanols in the presence of hydrogen halides.

Ab initio calculations at the G2 level were used in a theoretical analysis of the kinetics of the decomposition of trifluoro-, trichloro-, and tribromomethanols. The high-pressure limiting rate coefficients k(diss,∞) for the thermal dissociation of CF(3)OH, CCl(3)OH, and CBr(3)OH were calculated using the conventional transition state theory. The results of potential surface calculations show that in the presence of the hydrogen halides HX (X = F, Cl, and Br), considerably lower energy pathways are accessible for the decomposition of CF(3)OH, CCl(3)OH, and CBr(3)OH.

Theoretical kinetic study of the formation reactions of methanol and methyl hypohalites in the gas phase.

CH(3)OX molecules (X = H, F, Cl and Br) can be formed in the atmosphere by the CH(3) + OX and CH(3)O + X recombination reactions. In the present study the results of a theoretical analysis of the kinetics and thermochemistry of this class of reactions are presented. The molecular properties of the reactants and products were derived from ab initio calculations.

Theoretical study of the kinetics and mechanism of the decomposition of trifluoromethanol, trichloromethanol, and tribromomethanol in the gas phase.

Ab initio calculations at the G2 level were used in a theoretical analysis of the kinetics of unimolecular and water-accelerated decomposition of the halogenated alcohols CX(3)OH (X = F, Cl, and Br) into CX(2)O and HX. The calculations show that reactions of the unimolecular decomposition of CX(3)OH are of no importance under atmospheric conditions. A considerably lower energy pathway for the decomposition of CX(3)OH is accessible by homogenous reactions between CX(3)OH and water.

Cumulative incidence of coronary lesions with vulnerable characteristics in patients with stable angina pectoris: an intravascular ultrasound and angiographic study.

Background: Development of vulnerable lesion may take place simultaneously at many sites of coronary vasculature, therefore causing multisite instability. The prevalence of the phenomenon in stable angina (SA) patients remains unknown. The aim of our study was to assess, in patients with stable angina, the prevalence of coronary plaques with vulnerable characteristics and to ascertain whether the number of such lesions may accumulate.

High-Pressure Bail-out Coronary Stenting Without Anticoagulation: Early Outcome and Follow-up Results.

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study is to assess the immediate outcome and long-term results of high pressure bail-out coronary stenting without subsequent anticoagulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between June 1994 and September 1996, 32 consecutive patients (males 24, mean age 55 +/- 9.3 years) underwent bail-out stenting at a mean deployment pressure of 15.

Prolongation in expiration evoked from ventrolateral pons of adult rats.

Activation of neurons in the ventrolateral (vl) pons was hypothesized to alter the breathing pattern because previous studies demonstrated apneusis after inhibiting neuronal activity with bilateral muscimol (10 mM) microinjections into the vl pons (17). The excitatory amino acid L-glutamate (10 mM) was microinjected (10-100 nl) into the vl pons in anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed, and ventilated adult rats (n = 8). In four of these animals, the target site was approached from the ventral surface of the pons to avoid penetrating the dorsolateral (dl) pons.

[Early and long-term outcome after coronary artery patency].

The role of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in the management of chronically occluded coronary arteries is still controversial. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusion is associated with relatively low success rates and a high incidence of restenosis. The purpose of this analysis was to determine, from the records of our institution, the efficacy and long-term outcome of angioplasty performed for chronic total occlusion defined as complete occlusion (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infraction [TIMI] grade 0).

Reversal of ischaemic systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction by successful coronary angioplasty in patients with non-Q wave anterior myocardial infarction.

The effect of PTCA on global and regional left ventricular systolic function, isovolumic relaxation, chamber and muscle stiffness were studied in 30 patients with angina pectoris, previous non-Q wave anterior myocardial infarction (AMI) and significant stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). In 11 of the 30 patients the condition was stable, but it was unstable in 19. Left ventricular angiograms were obtained before and 4.

A 'pneumotaxic centre' in rats.

Electrical and chemical lesions in the ventrolateral pons produced apneustic breathing in anesthetized, vagotomized, paralyzed, ventilated adult rats (n = 13). Apneustic breathing did not develop if the vagi remained intact and was reversed partially with vagal (proximal end) stimulation. Physiologically, these data are similar to those obtained following dorsolateral pontine lesion in rat and other mammalian species and support the hypothesis that pontine neurons influence breathing similarly across mammalian species.

[Long term observations of patients after percutaneous inferior vena cava filter placement for recurrent pulmonary embolism].

Pulmonary embolism remains an important cause of mortality despite recent advances in medical therapy. The inferior vena cava filter has been devised for treatment of pulmonary embolism. The Gunter inferior vena cava filter was inserted percutaneously in 6 patients with recurrent pulmonary embolism despite anticoagulation therapy.

[Coronary ultrasonography. More exact than coronary angiography? Description of two case histories].

Coronary angiography as the "golden standard" in diagnostic imaging, guiding and assessing the results of interventional therapy has well known limitations inherent to the two dimensional imaging of three dimensional structures. Intravascular ultrasonography provides cross-sectional images of coronary artery, allowing an accurate calculation of cross-sectional luminal area and assessment of the degree of eccentricity of plaque and its structure including fissures, dissections and intracoronary thrombi. Case 1: Coronary angiography was performed in a 60 y.

[Treatment of 3 patients with arrhythmias using "radiofrequency" ablation].

In 3 patients radiofrequency (RF) ablation of AV node (n = 2) and left sided accessory pathway (n = 1) was performed because of intractable tachyarrhythmias. RF ablation was made in the first patient (ablation of AV node) using 135 Watts during 72 sec., in the second patient (AV node ablation) 331 Watts during 185 sec.

[Complications of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)].

Between 1981 and 1990, 714 patients underwent 756 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures. A total of 52 patients (6.9%) had major in-hospital complications: 5 patients (0.

[Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with high risk bypass surgery].

The purpose of this study was to assess the immediate and long-term results of incomplete percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in high-risk coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) patients. 24 pts (male-22, female-2, age - 39-60 years) were divided into 2 groups: I-8 pts with unstable angina pectoris who were definitely not CABG candidates because of very low ejection fraction (LVEF < 24%) and/or diffuse coronary atherosclerosis; II-16 pts selected for CABG only after failed PTCA. From this group 12 pts with unstable angina pectoris and history of myocardial infarction were at higher CABG risk because of LVEF < 40% and diffuse coronary atherosclerosis.

Morphometric analysis of phrenic motoneurons in the cat during postnatal development.

The dendritic geometry of 20 phrenic motoneurons from four postnatal ages (2 weeks, 1 and 2 months, and adult) was examined by using intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase. The number of primary dendrites (approximately 11-12) remained constant throughout postnatal development. In general, postnatal growth of the dendrites resulted from an increase in the branching and in the length and diameter of segments at all orders of the dendritic tree.

Electrophysiological properties of developing phrenic motoneurons in the cat.

1. Intracellular recordings were made in 427 phrenic motoneurons from kittens (in four stages of postnatal development, ranging from 2 to 14 wk) and in 72 motoneurons from adult cats. These experiments were performed to determine how the pattern of spontaneous discharge changes in phrenic motoneurons during development and how these changes might be influenced by alterations in the electrophysiological properties of these neurons.

[Complex angioplasty (PTCA) in the treatment of coronary artery stenosis].

56 patients with more than one stenotic coronary artery were treated by complex PTCA with success rate of 96.4%. Complications occurred in 3.

The activity pattern of phrenic motoneurons during the aspiration reflex: an intracellular study.

Membrane potential trajectories and discharge characteristics were measured intracellularly in 29 phrenic motoneurons of anesthesized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated cats during hypercapnic respiration and the aspiration reflex. Fifteen 'active' cells discharged spontaneously during inspiration, and the remaining 14 'quiescent' cells exhibited no discharge in spite of strong central respiratory drive. The mean membrane potential of the quiescent cells during inspiration (-62 +/- 4 mV) was significantly lower than the threshold level determined for the active cells -52 +/- 4 mV).