The authors examined two groups of 50 patients each who had been given an average dose of 0.24 microgram/min Hexoprenaline or respectively 1.8 micrograms/min Fenoterol as beta-mimetics for premature labor. The patients who received Fenoterol were also given Verapamil as additional medication in a ratio of 1 : 40. In addition to blood pressure, heart rate, urine elimination and serum or urine osmolarity, the hemodynamic parameters stroke volume, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance were investigated. Stroke volume was measured by means of impedance cardiography. Giving equipotent doses, Hexoprenaline/Fenoterol dose ratio of 1 : 8, there was a slower and smaller increase in heart rate over 24 hours with Hexoprenaline, with identical suppression of uterine contractility (external tocography). This was also reflected in the cardiac output, while there were no differences in the stroke volumes. Inhibition of diuresis was lower with Hexoprenaline. This might be due to the fact that since there is no organ specificity for beta-1 or respectively beta-2 receptors and the patterns of distribution differ, Hexoprenaline has a somewhat less pronounced action on beta-1 receptors than Fenoterol, though the same beta-2 action.

Drug Therapy, Combination↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Lung function disorders in Sjögren's syndrome].

Pulmonary function tests were performed in 15 patients with Sjögren's Syndrome (SS). All patients presented with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well as with sicca syndrome. The mean values of residual volume, compliance and diffusion capacity were found to be abnormal. Vital capacity was abnormal in 40 percent of patients with SS, residual volume in 46 percent, compliance in 60 percent, and diffusion capacity in 66 percent respectively. The lung function was apparently affected more severely in SS than in rheumatoid arthritis. Thus in addition to the well known changes of lung function occuring in rheumatoid arthritis, progressing fibrosis might also contribute to a more extensive impairment of the lung function in SS. Although symptoms of chronic bronchitis and coughs were prevalent in our patients, obstruction was only observed in a comparatively small number.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Non-enzymatic, low temperature fluorescence in situ hybridization of human chromosomes with a repetitive alpha-satellite probe.

In all DNA-DNA in situ hybridization (ISH) procedures described so far in the literature, the production of single-stranded target DNA sequences plays a decisive role. This can be achieved either by enzymatic treatment at physiological temperatures or by the separation of double-stranded DNA sequences. Denaturation by heat and chemical agents (e.g. formamide) is regarded as a prerequisite for the non-enzymatic ISH process. However, additional mechanisms of a non-enzymatic ISH procedure are conceivable which do not require high temperature treatment combined with formamide. Here, we report on a non-enzymatic, non-formamide, low temperature, fluorescence, in situ hybridization (FISH) procedure which allowed a microscopic visualization and quantitative fluorescence analysis of the binding sites of a repetitive DNA probe. Following only probe denaturation at 94 degrees C, hybridization was performed at 52 degrees C for 30 min, i.e. at nearly physiological temperatures. Moreover, increasing the hybridization time to 3 hours indicated that hybridization sites became also visible at 37 degrees C. Since the protocols are based on recently described Fast FISH developments, the technique will be called Low Temperature Fast-FISH (LTFF).

Cell Nucleus↗