Blood pressure response to renal nerve stimulation in patients undergoing renal denervation: a feasibility study.

During renal sympathetic denervation (RDN), no mapping of renal nerves is performed and there is no clear end point of RDN. We hypothesized high-frequency renal nerve stimulation (RNS) may increase blood pressure (BP), and this increase is significantly blunted after RDN. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of RNS in patients undergoing RDN. Eight patients with resistant hypertension undergoing RDN were included. A quadripolar catheter was positioned at four different sites in either renal artery. RNS was performed during 1 min with a pacing frequency of 20 Hz. After all patients successfully underwent RDN, RNS was repeated at the site of maximum BP response before RDN in either renal artery. Mean age was 66 years. During RNS, BP increased significantly from 108/55 to 132/68 mm Hg (P < 0.001). After RDN, systolic BP response at the site of maximum response to RNS was significantly blunted (+43.1 vs +9.3 mm Hg, P = 0.002). In three patients, a systolic BP increase >10 mm Hg was observed after RDN. In conclusion, RNS resulted in an acute temporary BP increase. This response was significantly blunted after RDN. RNS may potentially serve as an end point for RDN.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is associated with impaired pictorial memory task acquisition and retention in children.

The aim of our study was to evaluate whether obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with impaired acquisition and recall of a pictorial-based memory tasks in children. 54 children with OSA and 17 controls matched for age, sex and ethnicity underwent a sleep study (overnight polysomnogram). Before the sleep study subjects completed a 15-min pictorial memory task acquisition consisting of four trials, followed by a free-recall period to assess retention after 10 min and the following morning upon awakening. Children with OSA had a higher obstructive apnoea/hypopnoea index (6.3+/-1.5 events.h(-1) TST) than controls (0.6+/-0.1 events.h(-1) TST) (p<0.0001). Mean learning scores in controls over the four consecutive trials were incrementally better than in children with OSA for the four-trial set (p<0.0001). Both immediate (p<0.0001) and overnight recall performances were worse among OSA children (p<0.0001), who also exhibited declines in recall performance that was absent in controls (p<0.001). Differences in pictorial task acquisition trajectories suggest that children with OSA require more time and an increased number of learning opportunities to reach immediate and long-term recall performances that are reduced compared with controls. Thus, both acquisition and retention of newly learned material are compromised. These findings confirm and expand on the presence of known cognitive deficits in children with OSA.

Sailing and sports medicine: a literature review.

Sailing medicine has been mainly addressed by healthcare professionals who happen to sail. Although there has been an increase in the number of studies of various aspects of sailing over the last 15 years, efforts to advance evidence based knowledge of sailing and sports medicine face unique obstacles. Recent interest in research by groups such as Olympic and America's Cup teams has produced beneficial changes.

Influencing the binding selectivity of self-assembled cyclodextrin monolayers on gold through their architecture.

Cyclodextrin derivatives modified with seven thioether moieties (1) or with one thiol moiety (2) bind to gold. Monolayers on gold of 1 or mixed monolayers of 2 and mercaptoundecanol were characterized by electrochemistry, wettability, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Monolayers of 1 are well-ordered, but the order in the mixed monolayers depends on the ratio of 2 to mercaptoundecanol. With sufficient alkyl chains to fill the space under the cyclodextrin moiety of 2, the monolayers are densely packed. Guest recognition at these monolayers in water was studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. For simple organic guests, monolayers of 1 showed the same selectivity and binding strength as beta-cyclodextrin in solution: however, the selectivity towards steroidal bile salts differs from solution. The mixed monolayers of 2, in which the cyclodextrin is less substituted and has more flexibility, bind steroidal guests (6a-6e) with the same selectivity as beta-cyclodextrin in solution.

Complexation and (templated) synthesis of rhenium complexes with cyclodextrins and cyclodextrin dimers in water.

Several small, lipophilic rhenium complexes form inclusion complexes with native beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and beta-CD dimers. Association constants larger than 10(9)M(-1) were obtained using dimers. The use of beta-CD also enabled the synthesis of these rhenium complexes in water, in excellent yields, through complexation of the otherwise insoluble corresponding ligands. The influence of the reaction time and temperature on the configuration of the reaction products has been investigated in depth for one of these complexes. Using a beta-CD dimer, it proved possible to specifically template the formation of one configuration. The strength of the complexes of the rhenium complexes in cyclodextrin dimers may allow radiolabeling of biomolecules.

Redefining papillorenal syndrome: an underdiagnosed cause of ocular and renal morbidity.

PURPOSE: To report ocular and renal findings specific to the inheritable entity called papillorenal (also known as renal-coloboma) syndrome and relate these to a common cause. DESIGN: Observational case series and genetic study. PARTICIPANTS: Two unrelated probands presenting with absent central retinal vessels and 11 available family members. TESTING: Doppler ultrasonographic imaging of the optic nerves and kidneys, fluorescein angiography, and genetic testing for PAX2 mutations were performed. In selected cases, indocyanine green angiography, scanning laser ophthalmoscope perimetry, Retinal Thickness Analyzer measurements, visual evoked potentials, and magnetic resonance imaging were also performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Better defined characteristics of the papillorenal syndrome. RESULTS: Numerous cilioretinal vessels were present with rudimentary or absent central retinal vessels. Superonasal visual field defects, typical for papillorenal syndrome, corresponded to inferotemporal areas of anomalous retinal and choroidal perfusion and hypoplastic retina. Renal hypoplasia was discovered in two affected members of one family (with previously unsuspected renal failure in one case), and recurrent pyelonephritis was discovered in four affected members of the other family. No PAX2 mutations were detected. CONCLUSIONS: In the papillorenal syndrome, the hereditary absence of central retinal vessels may be missed, leading to confusion with isolated coloboma, low-tension glaucoma, and morning glory anomaly. Greater awareness of this syndrome will avoid unneeded glaucoma therapy, allow earlier recognition of renal diseases, and allow genetic counseling. We propose that the papillorenal syndrome is a primary dysgenesis that causes vascular abnormalities predominantly affecting the eye, kidney, and urinary tract, leading to hypoplasia of these structures. The absence of defects in the PAX2 gene in these families suggests that mutations in other genes may also be responsible for this syndrome.

Cyclodextrin dimers as receptor molecules for steroid sensors.

The dansyl-modified dimer 9 complexes strongly with the steroidal bile salts. Relative to native beta-cyclodextrin, the binding of cholate (1a) and deoxycholate (1b) salts is especially enhanced. These steroids bind exclusively in a 1:1 fashion. For other bile salts (1c-1e) both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes were observed with stabilities similar to those of native beta-cyclodextrin. This indicates that only one cavity is used, with a small contribution from the second. The difference is attributed to the absence of a 12-hydroxy group in the second group of steroids. Comparison with a dimer that lacks the dansyl moiety (6) shows that this group especially hinders the cooperative binding of la and 1b. The smaller interference in the binding of the other steroids indicates that self-inclusion of the dansyl moiety hardly occurs. This weak self-inclusion is supported by fluorescence studies. The dansyl fluorescence of dimer 9 is less blue-shifted than that of other known dansyl-appended cyclodextrin derivatives; this is indicative of a more polar micro-environment. Addition of guests causes a change in fluorescence intensity.