Glutamatergic pathways mediate transmission of pain. Strategies to reduce glutamatergic neurotransmission may have beneficial effects to mitigate nociception. Recent work revealed that overexpression of the astrocytic glutamate transporter (GLT-1) by transgenic or pharmacologic approaches produced a diminished visceral nociceptive response to colonic distension. The purpose of this study was to...

Esophageal distension causes simultaneous relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and crural diaphragm. The mechanism of crural diaphragm relaxation during esophageal distension is not well understood. We studied the motion of crural and costal diaphragm along with the motion of the distal esophagus during esophageal distension-induced relaxation of the LES and crural diaphragm. Wire...

A married woman aged 76 years gave a history of left visual loss for 2 days. There had been no pain, but streaks of light had been noted to cross the vision from left to right. There had been no previous eye trouble and her general health was good, apart from phlebitis in the left leg 6 months previously, and "head pulsations" for 10 years which had been investigated by a neurologist, no abnorm...

CASE A 63-year-old man presented with abdominal distension and shortness of breath for two days. He reported flatus and denied chest pain, anorexia, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Surgical history was notable for left hepatectomy, cholecystectomy and choledochojejunostomy with a Rouxen-Y. He was afebrile with a pulse in the 100s, blood pressure of 130/60, respiratory rate of 34, and oxygen satura...

PURPOSE To optimize direct magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography by determining the effect of dilution of gadolinium in iodinated contrast, saline, or albumin on T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and gradient-recalled echo (GRE) images, and the effect of scanner field strength. MATERIALS AND METHODS Gadopentetate dimeglumine was diluted into normal saline, albumin, or iodinated contrast (0.625 mmol/li...