An electron microscopic study of apoptosis in the granulosa layer of ovarian follicles in rats treated with continuous illumination

Polycystic ovarian syndrome was induced in adult rats by treatment with continuous illumination to study follicular atresia. Granulosa cells of regressing antral follicles showed characteristic features of apoptosis ultrastructurally: condensed nuclei, apoptotic bodies, and phagocytosis of the apoptotic cells and their fragments by neighboring cells. In this study, moreover, it was observed that an intact granulosa cell was able to ingest another granulosa cell of normal appearance, presumably indicating an early stage of follicular atresia. The phagocytosing granulosa cell surrounded another granulosa cell to be phagocytosed by elongated cell processes. Gap junctions developed between the phagocytic cell and the phagocytosed cell. The phagocytic cell possessed abundant free ribosomes, well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, but few lysosomes. The ingested cell was similar in appearance to the phagocytic cell. In addition, granulosa cells were also observed ingesting karyopyknotic cells and degenerative organelles, both displayed in large vacuoles filled with fragments of nuclei and organelles. These findings suggest a process of apoptosis in the granulosa cells during follicular atresia. This study was presented at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Clinical Electron Microscopy Society of Japan, Fukuoka, September 1–3, 1988.     

Stability of Late Event-Related Potentials: Topographical Descriptors of Motor Control Compared with the P300 Amplitude

The P300-amplitude evoked with an acoustic oddball-paradigm is considered the most stable late event-related potential (ERP). This amplitude-index has become a standard parameter in electrophysiology. Recently, a robust ERP-parameter (NoGo-anteriorization, NGA) has been introduced, which reflects spatial brain electrical changes in relation to execution and inhibition of a motor response elicited with a Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The current study refers to the stability of this new topographical ERP-parameter compared to the stability of the classical P300-amplitude. For that purpose, 12 healthy subjects were investigated with both paradigms during recording of a 21-channel EEG. Analysis of the resulting ERPs revealed a very high stability for both, topographical and amplitude index: In every single subject, the brain electrical fields were characterized by a more anterior location in the NoGo- compared to the Go-condition (=NGA) and by higher amplitudes after target compared to distractor condition. T-tests, analyses of the effect size and of the power revealed equivalent differences between the two contrasting conditions for the topographical compared to the amplitude index. These results indicate that the stability of the topographical ERP-parameters elicited with the CPT is sufficient for an electrophysiological standard-index. The possibility to elicit a robust and specific spatial brain activation with the CPT is an ideal completion to the classical P300 amplitude effect and, therefore, hopefully will be a useful expansion of the standard paradigms in electrophysiological laboratories.     

Development of a non-invasive treatment system for urinary incontinence using a functional continuous magnetic stimulator (FCMS)

A system composed of a functional continuous magnetic stimulator (FCMS) and a saddle-type coil has been developed for non-invasive treatment of urinary incontinence, especially stress incontinence and urge incontinence. The FCMS conditions were as follows: 2 kW maximum electrical power consumption, 800 V maximum capacitor voltage, 720 μs pulsewidth (180 μs rise time), and 5–30 Hz frequency. A frequency between 5 and 10 Hz is used to treat urge incontinence and a frequency between 25 Hz and 30 Hz is used to treat urge incontinence. The coil (120 mm long, 90 mm wide and 50 mm thick) fits the most suitable region for this treatment, the region from the anus to the perineum. The coil is cooled to maintain a coil temperature between 20 and 25°C so that it can be used efficiently and safely. In experiments with anaesthetised dogs, it was confirmed that the urethral pressure increased when the circumference of the perineum received continuous magnetic stimulation of 720 μs pulsewidth (180 μs rise time), 10Hz frequency and about 520 V capacitor voltage. This result suggests that magnetic stimulation can be effective as a urinary incontinence therapy.     

关节镜治疗难治性髌前滑囊炎30例临床分析

目的探讨改进关节镜下治疗难治性髌前滑囊炎的疗效。方法自2009年6月~2014年5月对我院30例复发髌前滑囊炎患者,男22例,女8例。囊肿最大为8cm×12cm,最小为4cm×5cm,全部病例均在关节镜下手术治疗,平均手术时间为30分钟,术后固定2周。膝关节疼痛评价按采用视觉模拟评分法(visual analogue scale,VAS)评分、膝关节关节活动度(ROM)对术前、术后3、6、12、24、36个月随访时功能进行评价。结果术后随访,全部患者均无感染,无肿胀,关节活动正常,全部病例术后膝关节疼痛显著缓解,活动显著改善。仅有1例患者残留有膝前疼痛,1例患者局部皮肤有麻木感。结论关节镜下保守治疗髌前滑囊炎,美容效果和功能效果满意,适合临床开展。     

利用脉搏波特征参数连续测量血压的方法研究

通过研究血压与脉搏波特征参数的关系，提出了一个选择多个与血压相关的脉搏波特征参数,通过回归分析建立适合不同人的特征方程，进行血压的连续测量的新方法，为了验证测量结果的准确性；研制了张力计。实验结果表明：该方法具有较高的测量精度，可以应用于临床危重病人的血压监护和一般医学研究中，经过进一步地改进和完善后可应用于载人航天和日常动态环境。     

Red cell transfusion in medicine: Future challenges

Many side-effects of red blood cell transfusion have been described. They include iron-overload, as well as allo- and autoantibody formation against red cells. During storage, erythrocytes undergo complex structural and biochemical changes. It has been suggested that accelerated and/or aberrant forms of the physiological erythrocyte aging process underlie the red cell storage lesion. This storage lesion may contribute to side-effects of transfusion as endothelial damage by release of internal erythrocyte constituents, (pro)inflammatory consequences, hampered microcirculation and oxygen delivery. Understanding the process that determines the fate of red blood cells after transfusion may contribute to the prevention of side-effects after red blood cell transfusion. This should be the focus of research on red blood cell transfusion in clinical transfusion medicine.     

Cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention in school-age children

Three hypotheses tested relationships between cardiac responses mediated via the vagus and sustained attention in a population of normal school-age children. These hypotheses addressed the theoretical relationships among resting cardiac vagal tone (using the Porges estimate of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, V), performance measures of sustained attention, and cardiac reactivity during sustained attention. Thirty-two fourth and fifth grade children performed a continuous performance task while their electrocardiograms were monitored. Children with higher resting levels of V performed better on the first 3-min block of the continuous performance task. Additionally, levels of V were significantly reduced across the blocks of the 9-min task for all children. No relationships were found between resting levels of V and change in either V or heart period during task performance. These findings support two of the three hypotheses proposed by Porges regarding individual differences in cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention.     

Components of predation defense behavior in chickens: evidence for endogenous rhythmicity

The manifestation of diurnal periodicity and the extent of its control by the photoperiod was assessed in three predation defense reactions which constitute either components or outcomes of a predator-prey interaction sequence. Two-hundred White Leghorn chicks were reared from hatching for one week in either 24L or 12L and then tested at one of two clock hours previously demonstrated to define peak and trough response for one of the components. Putative evidence was found for an endogenous source of the periodicity manifested in all reactions. Maintenance schedule did not entrain the periodicity, but simple room entry and handling elicited anti-predator reactions, the extent of which varied as a function of clock hour. A general model of predation defense behavior was proposed.     

解剖钢板结合连续被动运动功能锻炼治疗胫骨平台骨折

目的 评价解剖钢板结合连续被动运动(CPM)功能锻炼在治疗胫骨平台骨折中的应用价值.方法 2003年5月至2005年10月本院34例胫骨平台骨折行解剖复位、解剖钢板内固定并在术后进行CPM功能锻炼.结果 术后对患者行X线检查示骨折实现解剖复位或接近解剖复位.23例患者经5～30个月随访骨折均愈合,无植骨坏死发生.CPM功能锻炼后运动功能恢复优良率为82.6%(19/23).结论 采用关节面的解剖复位、解剖钢板及牢固固定后配合术后CPM功能锻炼对于胫骨平台骨折有很好的疗效.     

Amphetamine does not affect the partial punishment effect (PPE)

The effects of amphetamine on the partial punishment effect (PPE) at one trial per day, were examined. Two groups of animals were trained to run in a straight alley. The continuously reinforced (CRF) group received food reward on every trial. The partially punished (PP) group received food reward on every trial but in addition, received footshocks of a gradually increasing intensity in the goal box on a random 50% of the trials. In the test stage, all animals received both food and footshock on each trial. dl-Amphetamine 1.5 mg/kg was administered in a 2 × 2 design, i.e. drug-no drug in training and drug-no drug in test. The partially punished animals exhibited increased persitence in running to the goal box during test, and this partial punishment effect was unaffected by amphetamine.