Left ventricular size and function in women receiving oral contraceptives

Echocardiography and systolic time-interval measurements were performed to assess left ventricular size and function in 15 women receiving oral contraceptives and in a control group. There was no significant difference in heart rate (78 +/- 9 verus 72 +/- 12 beats/min), blood pressure (116 +/- 8/72 +/- 7 versus 110 +/- 11/67 +/- 9 mmHg), left ventricular ejection time/preejection period (LVET/PEP) (0.31 +/- 0.05 versus 0.29 +/- 0.05), left ventricular internal dimension in diastrol (4.3 +/- 0.3 versus 4.3 +/- 0.5 cm) or systole (2.7 +/- 0.3 versus 2.6 +/- 0.4 cm), shortening fraction (0.37 +/- 0.05 versus 0.41 +/- 0.05), or mean normalized velocity of circumferential shortening (1.30 +/- 0.21 versus 1.31 +/- 0.23). Therefore, young, healthy women receiving oral contraceptives do not appear to be at increased risk with respect to abnormalities of ventricular volume or contraction.

Acute symptomatic disk prolapse. Clinical manifestations and therapeutic considerations

Intervertebral disk prolapse is a relatively common cause of acute low back dysfunction. The resultant symptoms and signs can be explained by the pathomechanics and pathophysiology of the intervertebral disk. Clinical manifestations should be used to differentiate the prolapse from more severe disk protrusions and from other types of spinal pathology, for treatment must be pathology-specific. Primary goals of management should include: resolution of the acute problem, restoration of optimal segmental mechanics, restoration of an optimal activity level, prevention of recurrent physical dysfunction, and prevention of chronic pain behavior patterns.

Tissue signatures with dual-energy computed tomography

By providing information on two parameters, dual-energy computed tomography can offer clinically useful tissue signatures for metallic deposits (Ca) or injected iodine, as well as for different normal and abnormal types of brain parenchymal tissues and CSF. Cerebral CT was performed on 36 patients and tissue differences analyzed using Hounsfield notation.

[Substrate specificity of sweet almond beta-glucosidase]

Beta-Glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-xylosidase and alpha-L-arabinosidase activities of partially purified preparation of almond emulsin were investigated using chromatography, electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel and isoelectric focusing. Beta-Glucosidase was found to exist as two components having equal molecular weight. Aggregation of the components with inactive proteins probably results in the appearance of multiple native forms which have similar specific activities. In no case separation of the beta-glucosidase activity from the accompanied activities was achieved. It is concluded therefore that these activities are exhibited by an enzyme which is not strictly specific to the C4, C6 stereochemistry for hexosides and to that of C4, C5 for pentozides.

Impaired ventilation in a patient with angiographically demonstrated pulmonary emboli

Matched regional ventilation/perfusion studies (V/Q) have traditionally been associated with ventilatory diseases, while mismatched V/Q studies have been associated more often with vascular abnormalities. The authors describe a patient with multiple pulmonary emboli who demonstrated matched ventilation and perfusion studies five hours after the onset of symptoms.