Lithium distribution across the membrane of motoneurons in the isolated frog spinal cord

Lithium sensitive microelectrodes were used to investigate the transmembrane distribution of lithium ions (Li+) in motoneurons of the isolated frog spinal cord. After addition of 5 mmol·l–1 LiCl to the bathing solution the extracellular diffusion of Li+ was measured. At a depth of 500 m, about 60 min elapsed before the extracellular Li+ concentration approached that of the bathing solution. Intracellular measurements revealed that Li+ started to enter the cells soon after reaching the motoneuron pool and after up to 120 min superfusion, an intra — to extracellular concentration ratio of about 0.7 was obtained. The resting membrane potential and height of antidromically evoked action potentials were not altered by 5 mmol·l–1 Li+

Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review

In a meta-analysis, Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues find that individuals' social relationships have as much influence on mortality risk as other well-established risk factors for mortality, such as smoking

Clinical and Echocardiographic Correlates of Health Status in Patients with Acute Chest Pain

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of echocardiographic data to predict important functional status outcomes in patients with chest pain. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A large, urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Three hundred thirty-three patients admitted from the Emergency Department for evaluation of chest pain. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients underwent two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography as well as a face-to-face interview during their initial hospitalization and a telephone interview 1 year thereafter. The interview included the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) health inventory, a generic health status instrument with a physical function subscale. The relation between clinical and echocardiographic factors and functional status was explored by univariable and multivariable linear regression and logistic regression analyses. Multiple clinical and echocardiographic factors correlated significantly with functional status measures at 1 year. For the SF-36 score at 1 year, age, male gender, white race, the presence of rales, and a comorbidity score were independently predictors in multivariate analysis; echocardiographic findings of severe left ventricular dysfunction (parameter estimate [PE] −27.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] −43.1, −12.2) and aortic insufficiency (PE −16.7; 95% CI −26.4, −7.0) added independent predictive information. Explanatory power (r(2)) for models using clinical and demographic variables was .27 and increased after inclusion of echocardiographic data to an r (2)of .35. Results in the subset of patients (n =148) with acute coronary syndromes such as unstable angina or myocardial infarction were qualitatively similar. Selected factors (rales on examination, electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ischemia, and moderate to severe mitral regurgitation) also predicted which patients would die or have a decline in their functional status. In multivariate analysis, only rales remained an independent predictor of poor outcome (odds ratio 2.4; 95% CI 1.2, 4.5). CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic data are correlated with measures of functional status in patients with chest pain, but the ability to predict future functional status from clinical or echocardiographic information is limited. Because functional status cannot be predicted adequately from either patients' characteristics or echocardiographic testing, it must be assessed directly

A fidget spinner for the point-of-care diagnosis of urinary tract infection

The point-of-care detection of pathogens in biological samples in resource-limited settings should be inexpensive, rapid, portable, simple and accurate. Here, we describe a custom-made fidget spinner that rapidly concentrates pathogens in 1-ml samples of undiluted urine by more than 100-fold for the on-device colorimetric detection of bacterial load and pathogen identification. In Tiruchirappalli, India, the device enabled the on-site detection of infection with the naked eye within 50 min in urine samples from 39 patients suspected of having a urinary tract infection. We also show that, in 30 clinical samples of urinary tract infection, the device can be used to perform an antimicrobial susceptibility test for the antimicrobial drugs ciprofloxacin and cefazolin within 120 min. The fidget spinner could be used in low-resource settings as an inexpensive handheld point-of-care device for the rapid concentration and detection of pathogens in urine samples. A custom-made fidget spinner rapidly concentrates pathogens in 1-ml samples of undiluted urine by more than 100-fold for the on-device colorimetric detection of bacterial load and pathogen identification

Correlação entre instrumentos de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e independência funcional em idosos com insuficiência cardíaca Correlation between instruments for measuring health-related quality of life and functional independence in elderly with heart failure

Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar a correlação entre as medidas de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e independência funcional em idosos com insuficiência cardíaca. Fizeram parte do estudo 146 idosos com insuficiência cardíaca em tratamento ambulatorial, que responderam ao Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (LHFQ) e à Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF). Foi utilizado o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman para verificar a correlação entre as medidas de qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e MIF, e entre estas e a Classificação Funcional da New York Heart Association (CF-NYHA). Foram constatadas correlações significantes de moderada magnitude entre as dimensões física e emocional do LHFQ e as subescalas total e motora da MIF. Os resultados evidenciaram que a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e independência funcional são conceitos correlacionados e influenciados pela CF-NYHA. Os resultados sugerem que ações voltadas à promoção da independência funcional podem otimizar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde de idosos com insuficiência cardíaca, especialmente na dimensão física. São necessários novos estudos com ampliação da amostra, inclusão de pacientes de faixa etária mais elevada e com maior gravidade da doença, para verificar a reprodutibilidade destes achados.<br>The main purpose of this study was to identify the correlation between health-related quality of life and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) in elderly patients with heart failure. 146 elderly outpatients completed the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (LHFQ) and the FIM. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to identify correlations between health-related quality of life and FIM, and between them and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. Statistically significant moderate correlations were found between physical and emotional LHFQ and total FIM and motor subscale. The results show that quality of life and functional independence are correlated concepts influenced by NYHA class and suggest that measures to promote functional independence (especially in the physical domain) can improve health-related quality of life in elderly patients with heart failure. Further research should include a larger sample and older patients with greater disease severity in order to verify the reproducibility of these findings

Do vardenafil and tadalafil have advantages over sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects up to 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 years of age. Sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil have all been shown to be similarly effective in the treatment of men with ED of vary etiologies, to have similar adverse effects profiles, and to improve quality-of-life by similar amounts. As these phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors all increase the hypotensive effects of nitrates, they are not suitable for use in patients taking nitrates for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease. All three inhibitors must be used with caution in patients taking alpha(1)-adrenoceptors antagonists for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Although nonarteritic anterior ischaemic neuropathy has been reported in some users of the PDE5 inhibitors, there is no conclusive evidence that PDE5 inhibitors cause this rare effect. Tadalafil has a longer half-life than sildenafil or vardenafil, and a longer duration of action than sildenafil and vardenafil. Most preference studies have shown tadalafil to be preferred, but there are serious limitations to some of these studies. One approach to treatment is to give each patient a short- and long-acting agent, and for individuals to decide their preference