Recent evidence suggested that Na can be stored in an osmotically inactive form. We investigated whether osmotically inactive Na storage is reduced in a rat model of salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension. SS and salt-resistant (SR) Dahl-Rapp rats as well as Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed a high (8%)-or low (0.1%)-NaCl diet for 4 wk (n ϭ 10/group). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured at the end of the experiment. Wet and dry weights, water content, total body Na (TBS), and bone Na content were measured by dessication and dry ashing. MAP was higher in both Dahl strains than in SD rats. In SS rats, 8% NaCl led to Na accumulation, water retention, and hypertension due to impaired renal Na excretion. There was no dietary-induced Na retention in SR and SD rats. TBS was variable; nevertheless, TBS was significantly correlated with body water and MAP in all strains. However, the extent of Na-associated volume and MAP increases was strain specific. Osmotically inactive Na in SD rats was threefold higher than in SS and SR rats. Both SS and SR Dahl rat strains displayed reduced osmotically inactive Na storage capacity compared with SD controls. A predisposition to fluid accumulation and high blood pressure results from this alteration. Additional factors, including impaired renal Na excretion, probably contribute to hypertension in SS rats. Our results draw attention to the role of osmotically inactive Na storage. salt sensitive; bone sodium; Dahl rats THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SALT intake and blood pressure has been extensively studied in humans and provides evidence that subpopulations of humans are sensitive to alterations in salt intake. A well-established animal model for salt-sensitive (SS) hypertension is the Dahl rat. SS rats develop hypertension when fed a high-NaCl diet (6). Salt-resistant (SR) Dahl rats developed increased blood pressure after they received a transplanted kidney from an SS donor animal. Conversely, transplantation of SR donor kidneys into SS rats lowers blood pressure (5, 10). Despite the fact that the glomerular filtration rate is not different between both strains (2, 14), SS rats have an impaired ability to excrete Na (1, 2). However, this feature does not fully explain the development of SS hypertension (11). Thus the role of Na retention in the development of hypertension is unclear.Recent studies on long-term Na balance in humans showed that high dietary Na consumption with Na retention does not necessarily lead to expansion of the extracellular volume (8). This finding suggests that Na might be stored in an osmotically inactive form. We studied the relationship between osmotically inactive Na storage, total body Na (TBS), total body water (TBW), and hypertension in Dahl SS rats and control animals. Our initial primary hypothesis was that Dahl SS rats exhibit a reduced capacity for osmotically inactive Na storage that would predispose these animals to volume retention and thus lead to SS hypertension. The secondary hypothesis was that osmotically inactive Na storage is also deficient in...

Objective: A variety of medical robots have been developed in recent years. MRI, including M R angiography and morphological imaging, with its excellent soft-tissue contrast is attractive for the development of interventional =-guided therapies and operations. This paper presents a telerobotic device for use in CT-and/or MR-guided radiological interventions. A robotic device for precise needle insertion during MR-guided therapy of spinal diseases will be briefly described.Materials and Methods: Actuation of robots in an MRI environment is difficult due to the presence of strong magnetic fields. Therefore, the robot was constructed of nonmagnetic materials. The system frame was built from polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and fiber-reinforced epoxy, and actuated using ultrasonic and pneumatic motors. Completely MR-compatible sensors were developed for positioning control.Results: Accuracy evaluation procedures and phantom tests were performed, with the required accuracy of approximately 1 mm being achieved and no significant artifacts being caused by the robotic device during MR image acquisition.

We simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFPs) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and surface electromyographic signals (EMGs) from the extensor and flexor muscles of the contralateral forearm in eight patients with idiopathic tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (resting tremor) during the bilateral implantation of deep brain stimulation electrodes. Recordings were made at different heights (in 0.5- to 2.0-mm steps beginning outside the STN) using up to five concentrically configured macroelectrodes (2 mm apart). The patients were instructed to relax their contralateral forearm (rest condition). We analysed the coherence between tremor EMGs and STN LFPs, which showed significant tremor-associated coupling at single tremor and double tremor frequencies. Moreover, the EMG-LFP coherences were characterised by differences between antagonistic muscles (flexor, extensor) and by the spatial distribution of LFPs within the STN. Coherence at single and double tremor frequencies occurred significantly more frequently within STN than above STN (in the zona incerta). In this study, we were able to show that, within STN, tremor-associated LFP activity varied with spatial distribution and with the contralateral antagonistic forearm muscles. These findings suggest the existence of distribution- and muscle-specific tremor-associated LFP activity at different tremor frequencies and an organisation of tremor-related subloops within the STN.

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Cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) respond well to treatment with levodopa and deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). However, it has remained unclear whether levodopa and STN-DBS have differential effects on bradykinesia. We investigated 8 PD-patients with STN-electrodes in four conditions: STN-DBS and levodopa (ON(MED)/ON(STIM)), STN-DBS only (OFF(MED)/ON(STIM)), levodopa only (ON(MED)/OFF(STIM)), without STN-DBS/levodopa (OFF(MED)/OFF(STIM)). Fourteen volunteers served as controls. Subjects performed fastest possible (1) pronation/supination of the forearm (diadochokinesia) and (2) flexion and extension of the index finger (finger movements). Movements were recorded using a 3D-ultrasound-system. Maximum frequency, amplitude, and smoothness of movements were determined. During OFF(MED)/OFF(STIM), all parameters were worser than in all other conditions. In proximal diadochokinesia, OFF(MED)/ON(STIM) significantly improved the amplitude and frequency, whereas ON(MED)/OFF(STIM) had no significant effect. In contrast, we found a stronger effect of levodopa (ON(MED)/OFF(STIM)) on amplitudes of distal finger movement than on amplitudes of diadochokinesia. Combination of treatments during ON(MED)/ON(STIM) further improved both movements. However, maximum frequency remained lower in PD-patients during ON(MED)/ON(STIM) compared with controls. This study demonstrates a better effect of levodopa on distal finger movements and STN-DBS on proximal diadochokinesia. Furthermore, a complementary effect of both therapies on brain areas involved in bradykinesia can be assumed.