Avalanches of popping bubbles in collapsing foams

We report acoustic experiments on foam systems. We have recorded the sound emitted by crackling cells during the collapsing of foams. The sound pattern is then analyzed using classical methods of statistical physics. Fundamental processes at the surface of the collapsing foam are found. In particular, size is not a relevant parameter for exploding bubbles.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted for publicatio

Piroximone, dobutamine and nitroprusside: comparative effects on haemodynamics in patients with congestive heart failure.

Four intravenous doses of piroximone, an imidazolone derivative, were administered to 12 patients with congestive heart failure to produce a four-point dose-response curve. The haemodynamic effects were compared with those of dobutamine and nitroprusside, the substances being given sequentially and in randomized order. Piroximone and dobutamine significantly and similarly increased cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume index (SVI). Nitroprusside produced no such effect. By contrast, piroximone and nitroprusside significantly and similarly decreased mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), right atrial pressure (RAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), while such changes were not seen following dobutamine. Direct comparisons between the agents were made at doses that lowered systemic vascular resistance (SVR) to the same extent. The major difference between dobutamine and piroximone was an apparent additional vasodilator activity displayed by piroximone as demonstrated by a significantly greater decrease in MPAP, PCWP and RAP for a matched reduction in SVR and a similar increase in CI. The major difference between nitroprusside and piroximone was the significantly higher increase in CI and SVI elicited by piroximone for a matched reduction in SVR and a similar decrease in PCWP and RAP. The changes in loading conditions being equivalent, the higher increase in CI is likely to be accounted for by a direct inotropic activity

Severe neonatal multiple sulfatase deficiency presenting with hydrops fetalis in a preterm birth patient

Schlotawa L, Dierks T, Christoph S, et al. Severe neonatal multiple sulfatase deficiency presenting with hydrops fetalis in a preterm birth patient. JIMD reports. 2019;49(1):48-52.Multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD) is an ultra-rare lysosomal storage disorder (LSD). Mutations in the SUMF1 gene encoding the formylglycine generating enzyme (FGE) result in an unstable FGE protein with reduced enzymatic activity, thereby affecting the posttranslational activation of newly synthesized sulfatases. Complete absence of FGE function results in the most severe clinical form of MSD with neonatal onset and rapid deterioration. We report on a preterm infant presenting with hydrops fetalis, lung hypoplasia, and dysmorphism as major clinical signs. The patient died after 6 days from an intraventricular hemorrhage followed by multi-organ failure. MSD was caused by a homozygous SUMF1 stop mutation (c.191C>A, p.Ser64Ter). FGE protein and sulfatase activities were absent in patient fibroblasts. Hydrops fetalis is a rare symptom of LSDs and should be considered in the differential diagnosis in combination with dysmorphism. The diagnostic set up should include measurements of glycosaminoglycan excretion and lysosomal enzyme activities, among them at least two sulfatases, and molecular confirmation