NATO and the new German Army /

"October 24, 1955."

Die Entwickelung des Wirbelkörpergelenkes der Vögel, ein Beitrag zur Sauropsidenfrage.

[16. VI. 13.].

Führer durch die Flöten-literatur : grosser Katalog enthaltend über 7500 Nummern : Ergänzungsband : Neuerscheinungen von 1898-1912 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Contribution a l'étude de la biologie des chermes...

"Annales des Sciences naturelles. Neuvième série. Zoologie ... Extrait."

Cutaneous stimulation from patella tape causes a differential increase in vasti muscle activity in people with patellofemoral pain

Patella taping reduces pain ill individuals with patellofemoral pain (PFP), although the mechanism remains unclear. One possibility is that patella taping modifies vasti muscle activity via stimulation of cutaneous afferents. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stretching the skin over the patella on vasti Muscle activity in people with PFP. Electromyographic activity (EMG) of individual motor units in vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) was recorded via a needle electrode and from Surface electrodes placed over VMO and vastus lateralis (VL). A tape was applied to the skin directly over the patella and stretch was applied via the tape in three directions, while subjects maintained a gentle isometric knee extension effort at constant force. Recordings were made from five separate motor units in each direction. Stretch applied to the skin over the patella increased VMO surface EMG and was greatest with lateral stretch. There was no change in VL surface EMG activity. While there was no net increase in motor unit firing rate, it was increased in the majority of motor units during lateral stretch. Application of stretch to the skin over VMO via the tape can increase VMO activity, suggesting that cutaneous stimulation may be one mechanism by which patella taping produces a clinical effect. (c) 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motor unit synchronization is reduced in anterior knee pain

Anterior knee pain (AKP) is common and has been argued to be related to poor patellofemoral joint control due to impaired coordination of the vasti muscles. However, there are conflicting data. Changes in motor unit firing may provide more definitive evidence. Synchronization of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) in vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) may contribute to coordination in patellofemoral joint control. We hypothesized that synchronization may be reduced in AKP. Recordings of single MUAPs were made from VMO and multiunit electromyograph (EMG) recordings were made from VL. Averages of VL EMG recordings were triggered from the single MUAPs in VMO. Motor units in VL firing in association with the VMO motor units would appear as a peak in the VL EMG average. Data were compared to previous normative data. The proportion of trials in which a peak was identified in the triggered averages of VL EMG was reduced in people with AKP (38%) compared to controls (90%). Notably, although 80% of subjects had values less than controls, 20% were within normal limits. These results provide new evidence that motor unit synchronization is modified in the presence of pain and provide evidence for motor control dysfunction in AKP. Perspective: This study shows that coordination of motor units between the medial and lateral vasti muscles in people with anterior knee pain is reduced compared to people without knee pain. It confirms that motor control dysfunction is a factor in this condition and has implications for selection of rehabilitation strategies. (c) 2005 by the American Pain Society.

Reduced inspiratory muscle endurance following successful weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation

Study objectives: Respiratory muscle weakness and decreased endurance have been demonstrated following mechanical ventilation. However, its relationship to the duration of mechanical ventilation is not known. The aim of this study was to assess respiratory muscle endurance and its relationship to the duration of mechanical ventilation. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Tertiary teaching hospital ICU. Patients: Twenty subjects were recruited for the study who had received mechanical ventilation for a 48 h and had been discharged from the ICU. Measurements: FEV1 FVC, and maximal inspiratory pressure (Pimax) at functional residual capacity were recorded. The Pimax attained following resisted inspiration at 30% of the initial Pimax for 2 min was recorded, and the fatigue resistance index (FRI) [Pimax final/Pimax initial] was calculated. The duration of ICU length of stay (ICULOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (MVD), duration of weaning (WD), and Charlson comorbidities score (CCS) were also recorded. Relationships between fatigue and other parameters were analyzed using the Spearman correlations (p). Results: Subjects were admitted to the ICU for a mean duration of 7.7 days (SD, 3.7 days) and required mechanical ventilation for a mean duration of 4.6 days (SD, 2.5 days). The mean FRI was 0.88 (SD, 0.13), indicating a 12% fall in Pimax, and was negatively correlated with MVD (r = -0.65; p = 0.007). No correlations were found between the FRI and FEV1, FVC, ICULOS, WD, or CCS. Conclusions: Patients who had received mechanical ventilation for > 48 h have reduced inspiratory muscle endurance that worsens with the duration of mechanical ventilation and is present following successful weaning. These data suggest that patients needing prolonged mechanical ventilation are at risk of respiratory muscle fatigue and may benefit from respiratory muscle training.

Management of recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Despite the standardisation of surgical techniques and significant progress in chemotherapeutics over the last 30 years, advanced epithelial ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynaecological malignancy in the western world. Although the majority of women achieve a remission following primary therapy, most patients with advanced stage disease will eventually relapse and become candidates for 'salvage' therapy. The chances of a further remission depend on factors such as the 'treatment-free interval', and there are now a large number of chemotherapy agents with activity in ovarian cancer available to the oncologist. Recent randomised studies have reported on survival benefits for chemotherapy in recurrent disease, and therefore careful and appropriate selection of treatments has assumed a greater importance. This article reviews the most current data, and discusses the factors involved in making individualised treatment decisions.

Conotoxins as research tools and drug leads

The complex mixture of biologically active peptides that constitute the venom of Conus species provides a rich source of ion channel neurotoxins. These peptides, commonly known as conotoxins, exhibit a high degree of selectivity and potency for different ion channels and their subtypes making them invaluable tools for unravelling the secrets of the nervous system. Furthermore, several conotoxin molecules have profound applications in drug discovery, with some examples currently undergoing clinical trials. Despite their relatively easy access by chemical synthesis, rapid access to libraries of conotoxin analogues for use in structure-activity relationship studies still poses a significant limitation. This is exacerbated in conotoxins containing multiple disulfide bonds, which often require synthetic strategies utilising several steps. This review will examine the structure and activity of some of the known classes of conotoxins and will highlight their potential as neuropharmacological tools and as drug leads. Some of the classical and more recent approaches to the chemical synthesis of conotoxins, particularly with respect to the controlled formation of disulfide bonds will be discussed in detail. Finally, some examples of structure-activity relationship studies will be discussed, as well as some novel approaches for designing conotoxin analogues.

Direct electrochemistry of enzymes from the cytochrome P4502C family

The human cytochromes P450 are responsible for the clearance of similar to 90% of xenobiotics yet comparatively little is known about their electrochemistry. Here we report the first direct electrochemistry of P450s from the 2C subfamily; one of the major groups of enzymes from this family. Specifically, the proteins that we have examined are recombinant human P450s 2C9, 2C 18 and 2C 19 and reversible Fe-III/II couples are seen in the absence of dioxygen. Even in the presence of trace amounts of dioxygen, a pronounced cathodic response is seen which is assigned to catalytic reduction of the bound dioxygen ligand by the ferrous P450. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women in the Queensland Parliament

Women won the right to vote in Queensland in 1905, but had to wait until 1915 and the election of the first Labor government to govern in its own right before they became eligible to stand for Parliament. Prior to 1989, women were only occasionally and randomly elected to the Queensland Parliament and until that year, only 11 women had sat in Parliament, and there were long gaps separating their representation.