Evidence that blood pressure remains under the control of arterial baroreceptors in renal hypertensive rats

The purpose of the present study was to determine the range of the influence of the baroreflex on blood pressure in chronic renal hypertensive rats. Supramaximal electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve and section of the baroreceptor nerves (sinoaortic denervation) were used to obtain a global analysis of the baroreceptor-sympathetic reflex in normotensive control and in chronic (2 months) 1-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive rats. The fall in blood pressure produced by electrical baroreceptor stimulation was greater in renal hypertensive rats than in normotensive controls (right nerve: -47 ± 8 vs -23 ± 4 mmHg; left nerve: -51 ± 7 vs -30 ± 4 mmHg; and both right and left nerves: -50 ± 8 vs -30 ± 4 mmHg; P < 0.05). Furthermore, the increase in blood pressure level produced by baroreceptor denervation in chronic renal hypertensive rats was similar to that observed in control animals 2-5 h (control: 163 ± 5 vs 121 ± 1 mmHg; 1K-1C: 203 ± 7 vs 170 ± 5 mmHg; P < 0.05) and 24 h (control: 149 ± 3 vs 121 ± 1 mmHg; 1K-1C: 198 ± 8 vs 170 ± 5 mmHg; P < 0.05) after sinoaortic denervation. Taken together, these data indicate that the central and peripheral components of the baroreflex are acting efficiently at higher arterial pressure in renal hypertensive rats when the aortic nerve is maximally stimulated or the activity is abolished.

Velocardiofacial syndrome with facial and pinna asymmetries

This study reports some of the most important clinical features of the velocardiofacial syndrome (hypoplastic zygomatic arch, prominent nose with square nasal root, bilateral epicanthus, downslanting palpebral fissures, and learning disabilities) in a Brazilian boy presenting face and pinna asymmetries. These findings may facilitate the diagnosis of this syndrome.

Masseteric electromyographic silent period duration in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction

The present study compared the duration of the electromyographic silent period (SP) of the masseter muscles elicited by chin-tapping in normal asymptomatic adults (N=39) and in a group with sympstoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD)(N=3).EMG activity was recorded from right (RM) and left (LM) masseter muscles using bipolar surface electrodes coupled to a DISA 1500 EMG-system.During maximal clenching, ten taps were applied downwards to the chin with a reflex hammer. The mean SP durations obtained for the normal group were 25.45ñ4.20 ms (RM) and 25.33ñ4.18ms (LM), whereas the TMJD group presented significantly greater values (P<0.01,Student t-test) of 41.89ñ12.94ms (RM) and 42.40ñ12.99ms (LM).The upper limits of normality calculated for RM and LM were 32.36 ms and 31.21 ms, respectively. Eighty-four percent of patients with TMJD showed SP durations above these limits. The results indicate that the measurement of masseteric SP duration may be used as an objective diagnostic method of TMJ disorders, provided that borderline values are interpreted with caution along with clinical impressions

Consonantal intraoral air pressure characteristics in Brazilian postoperative cleft palate speakers with velopharyngeal disorders

1. In the present study we measured intraoral air pressure (Po) during the production of the stop consonant/p/, in a syllabic contes, in normal and surgically repaired cleft palate subjects. po was measured by placing a sensing catheter between the lips in the oral cavity. The catheter was connected to a pressure transducer and the output signals were amplified and transmitted to a recorder. 2. When compared to normal individuals, cleft patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) and oral articulation for/p/presented significantly lower Po levels (P<0.01) but pressure curves of normal shape. 3. In cleft palate patients with VPI and glottal coarticulation for/p/, Po was absent or markedly reduced; in the latter case, the Po curve was of a characteristically irregular shape. 4. These results suggest thata measurement of Po during the production of a selected consonant appears to be a suitable instrumental method for identifying VPI and discrininating an oral stop from the compensatory glottal stop often observed in postoperative cleft palate speakers