A prospective, randomized trial of an emergency department observation unit for acute onset atrial fibrillation.

Study Objective: An emergency department (ED) observation unit protocol for the management of acute onset atrial fibrillation is compared with routine hospital admission and management.

Methods: Adult patients presenting to the ED with atrial fibrillation of less than 48 hours' duration without hemodynamic instability or other comorbid conditions requiring hospitalization were enrolled. Participants were randomized to either ED observation unit care or routine inpatient care.

Management of atrial fibrillation in the emergency department.

Although atrial fibrillation remains the most common cardiac arrhythmia, the treatment and disposition remain varied. An accept-able standard of practice requires an evidence-based approach. This approach has revealed that half of the patients who present with acute atrial fibrillation will convert to sinus rhythm without intervention.

Functional characterization of rat submaxillary gland muscarinic receptors using microphysiometry.

1. Muscarinic cholinoceptors (MChR) in freshly dispersed rat salivary gland (RSG) cells were characterized using microphysiometry to measure changes in acidification rates. Several non-selective and selective muscarinic antagonists were used to elucidate the nature of the subtypes mediating the response to carbachol.

Human cloned alpha1A-adrenoceptor isoforms display alpha1L-adrenoceptor pharmacology in functional studies.

The recombinant alpha1A-adrenoceptor displays a distinct pharmacological profile ('classical alpha1A-adrenoceptor') in homogenate binding assays, but displays the properties of the so-called alpha1L-adrenoceptor in functional studies in whole cells at 37 degrees C. As three splice variants of the human alpha1A-adrenoceptor have been described previously (alpha1A-1, alpha1A-2 and alpha1A-3), we have compared their functional pharmacological profiles, when expressed stably in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells (antagonist inhibition of noradrenaline-stimulated [3H]inositol phosphates accumulation). A fourth, novel isoform (alpha1A-4) has also been studied: alpha1A-4 mRNA predominates in several human tissues including prostate, liver, heart and bladder.