Scopolamine abolishes cerebral blood flow response to somatosensory stimulation in anesthetized cats: PET study

The effect of the cholinergic blocker, scopolamine on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to vibrotactile stimulation of a fore paw was studied using high-resolution positron emission tomography and H₂¹⁵O in 5 pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. Before scopolamine injection, the CBF response to the stimulation was found in the contralateral somatosensory cortex (mean ratio (contralateral/ipsilateral) control: stimulated1.02 ± 0.02: 1.17 ± 0.05; P < 0.01). After intravenous injection of scopolamine (0.35 mg/kg), the CBF response was abolished. However, the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlu) response to the same stimulation was unchanged after scopolamine injection in the same cats. We concluded that scopolamine abolishes the CBF response but not neuronal response to stimulation. We suggest that cholinergic mechanisms may play an important role for mediating CBF coupling to neuronal activity during physiological stimulation.     

肝脏螺旋CT动态增强扫描时肝动脉期肝实质一过性异常强化的研究

目的　研究肝脏螺旋CT动态增强扫描时肝动脉期肝实质一过性异常强化 (transienthepaticabnormalenhancement,THAE)的表现特征 ,探讨其产生原因及临床意义。方法　 1999年 1月至2 0 0 1年 9月 92 6例患者因各种原因接受了肝脏或上腹部螺旋CT扫描。CT扫描常规先作全肝或上腹部螺旋CT平扫 ;注射对比剂开始后 2 5～ 3 0s行肝动脉期扫描 ,65～ 70s行门静脉期扫描 ;对部分病例还行病灶局部延迟扫描 ,延迟时间为 3、5及 10～ 15min。肝动脉期共检出 82例 (男 72例 ,女 10例 ;年龄 2 6～ 78岁 )具有THAE ,着重对其在平扫和增强各期图像上的表现、与肝内或肝外病灶的关系以及门静脉系统情况做详细观察和记录。结果　 82例 (8 9% )共有 12 2处肝动脉期THAE ,其中 110处(90 2 % )平扫未显示THAE区域密度异常 ,12处 (9 8% )呈稍低密度 ;所有 12 2处THAE在肝动脉期都为均匀的高密度影 ;在门静脉期 ,10 9处 (89 3 % )转为等密度而不能分辨 ,余 13处 (10 7% )为均匀稍高密度影 (其中 10处作了延迟扫描 ,均转为等密度 )。 83处 (68 0 % )THAE呈边缘光滑的楔形或扇形 ,2 9处呈不规则形 (2 3 8% ) ,余为其他形状。THAE紧贴肝内肿瘤或其他病灶的有 46处 (3 7 7% ) ,邻近肝外肿瘤或其他病灶 2 0处 (16 4% ) ,余 5 6处 (45     

明显强化孤立肺结节血流模式的临床价值

目的利用4层螺旋CT动态增强技术定量评价不同性质的明显强化孤立肺结节的血流模式并初步评价血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)表达阳性的孤立性肺腺癌血管生成与血流模式定量CT参数的相关性.方法 78例孤立明显强化肺结节(直径≤4 cm,68例恶性,10例活动性炎性),行多层螺旋CT(MSCT)动态增强(以4 ml/s的流率注入对比剂).记录孤立肺结节增强前后各时相的CT值并计算强化值、灌注值,结节-主动脉强化值比.灌注值等于时间-密度曲线最大斜率除以主动脉强化值.其中30例VEGF表达阳性的肺腺癌患者用免疫组织化学测定微血管密度(MVD)并标定VEGF,评价肺腺癌血流模式定量CT参数(强化值、灌注值、结节-主动脉强化值比及平均通过时间)与MVD的相关性.结果恶性结节强化值(35.79±10.76) HU与活动性炎性结节(39.76±4.59) HU差异无显著意义 (t=1.148 , P=0.255).恶性结节的结节-主动脉强化值比(14.27±4.37)%及灌注值(3.02±0.96)ml-1·min-1·kg-1均低于活动性炎性结节(18.51±2.71)%,(6.34±4.39)ml-1·min-1·kg-1 (t=2.978,P=0.004;t=5.590,P<0.0001).VEGF表达阳性的肺腺癌强化值(33.06±13.57)HU、结节-动脉强化值比(14.25±4.92)%及灌注值(2.97 ±0.56) ml-1·kg-1·min-1与MVD(70.15±20.03)条/视野,均呈正相关性(r=0.781, P<0.0001;r=0.688, P<0.0001;r=0.716, P<0.0001).平均通过时间(14.86±5.84)s与MVD无显著相关性(r=0.260, P=0.200).结论恶性与活动性炎性孤立肺结节血流模式不同,恶性结节通过结节-大动脉强化值比和灌注值可有效区别于活动性炎性结节,有助于两者鉴别诊断.肺腺癌强化值、结节-动脉强化值比及灌注值反映了VEGF表达阳性的肺腺癌的MVD.强化值、结节-动脉强化及灌注值可作为VEGF相关的肺腺癌血管生成的指标.     

A simple model describes large individual differences in simultaneous colour contrast

We report experimental evidence for substantial individual differences in the susceptibility to simultaneous colour contrast. Interestingly, we found that not only the general amount of colour induction varies across observers, but also the general shape of the curves describing asymmetric matching data. A simple model based on von Kries adaptation and crispening describes the data rather well when we regard its free parameters as observer specific. We argue that the von Kries component reflects the action of a temporal adaptation mechanism, while the crispening component describes the action of the instantaneous, purely spatial mechanism most appropriately labeled simultaneous colour contrast. An interesting consequence of this view is that traditional ideas about the general characteristics of simultaneous contrast must be considered as misleading. According to Kirschmann’s 4th law, for instance, the simultaneous contrast effect should increase with increasing saturation of the surround, but crispening predicts the converse. Based on this reasoning, we offer a plausible explanation for the mixed evidence on the validity of Kirschmann’s 4th law. We also argue that simultaneous contrast, the crispening effect, Meyer’s effect and the gamut expansion effect are just different names for the same basic phenomenon.     

异搏定区域动脉灌注在阻止急性胰腺炎重症化治疗中的作用

目的探讨钙拮抗剂异搏定区域动脉灌注在阻止急性胰腺炎重症化治疗中的作用。方法45例轻型急性胰腺炎患者被随机分为3组常规治疗组、静脉治疗组及动脉灌注组。入院后,常规治疗组采取常规保守治疗;静脉治疗组行合理液体治疗,静脉注射异搏定;动脉灌注组液体补充同时采用持续动脉灌注异搏定1~2周。测定治疗后1、4及7d血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、白介素-1β(IL-1β)、黏附分子-1(ICAM-1)及P-选择素(P-selectin)水平。结果治疗后4、7d,血清TNF-α和P-selectin水平动脉灌注组较静脉治疗组及常规治疗组明显降低(P<0.05);血清IL-1β水平动脉灌注组和静脉治疗组均较常规治疗组明显降低(P<0.05);血清ICAM-1水平动脉灌注组明显低于常规治疗组(P<0.05)。结论持续区域动脉灌注异搏定可能通过减少细胞因子的产生,抑制黏附分子P-selectin和ICAM-1的上调,阻止急性胰腺炎重症化发展。     

Sex,stress, and health: Does stress predict health symptoms differently for the two sexes?

Objectives: Previous studies have been inconsistent with regard to the extent to which stress perception, rather than stressor exposure, predicts negative health symptoms. Because sex differences have been observed in all three of these variables, in this study the possibility that sex differences also exist in the relationships between them is investigated. Methods: Self‐report inventories of perceived stress, stressor exposure, and negative health symptoms were given to 107 young‐adult participants (65 females, 42 males). Results: Sex differences were observed in the associations among perceived stress, stressor exposure, and negative health symptom rates. Specifically, while higher perceived stress and higher stressor exposure rates independently predicted higher negative health symptoms rates in females, only higher stressor exposure rates independently predicted higher negative health symptoms in males. Indeed, unexpectedly, after controlling for exposure to stressors there was a trend towards higher perceived stress predicting lower negative health symptoms in males. Conclusions: While exposure to stress was a significant negative predictor of health for both sexes, perception of stress was predictive only for females. One implication of this finding is that different psychological models are needed to predict health symptoms in the two sexes. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predictors of employment in substance-using male and female welfare recipients

This study examined predictors of employment among substance-using men and women enrolled in welfare-to-work programs. Participants were 394 welfare applicants assigned to either coordinated care management or usual care for treatment services and job training and followed up for 1 year to track employment outcomes. Common barriers to work were assessed at baseline in four key domains: disabilities, situational barriers, labor capital, and motivation. Results indicated substantial gender differences in the number and profile of work barriers. Among men, work experience and job motivation were the only significant predictors of employment; among women, multiple factors from each barrier domain predicted job acquisition even when controlling for all other significant predictors. Findings suggest that welfare-to-work programs should emphasize job training and job seeking during the early stages of welfare interventions for men and for many women.     

强迫症的局部脑血流动态显像研究

目的　探讨强迫症患者各脑叶的代谢状态及脑功能异常与其发病的关系。　　方法　采用单光子发射计算机扫描 (SPECT)技术 ,对未服药的 2 2例强迫症患者于静息及症状诱发状态下行局部脑血流 (rCBF)动态显像研究。　　结果　 1 8例有rCBF异常 ,表现为皮层内局限性放射性分布稀疏、缺损区 ,异常脑叶主要为顶叶、额叶、颞叶 ,并发现脑功能异常与强迫症状的严重程度及药物治疗反应有关。　　结论　大脑顶叶、额叶等脑叶的功能异常是部分强迫症发病的神经病理学基础     

Nicotine discrimination and self-administration in humans as a function of smoking status

Nicotine’s discriminative stimulus effects may be critical to understanding reinforcement of tobacco smoking. It is not known whether regular nicotine exposure produces tolerance or sensitivity to these effects. In this study, male and female smokers (n = 11) and never-smokers (n = 10) were trained to discriminate 20 μg/kg nicotine by nasal spray from placebo (0) on day 1. On day 2, both groups were tested on generalization of this discrimination across intermittent presentations of 0, 3, 6, 12, and 20 μg/kg nicotine in random order. Quantitative and quantal behavioral discrimination tasks, used in previous research, were employed. On day 3, subjects were instructed to self-administer sprays from the 20 μg/kg nicotine versus 0 bottles in a concurrent-choice procedure. All but one subject (female smoker) learned reliably to discriminate 20 μg/kg nicotine from placebo (≥ 80% correct) on day 1. Nicotine-appropriate responding on day 2 was attenuated in smokers versus never-smokers at 20 μg/kg on the quantitative task and at 12 μg/kg on the quantal task, suggesting tolerance. There was no difference in responding at other doses. Smokers also showed attenuated responses on the subjective measure of “head rush”, which was associated with discrimination responding in both groups. Nicotine self-administration was significantly greater in smokers versus never-smokers, who self-administered nicotine below chance levels, and was inversely related to discrimination behavior in never-smokers but unrelated in smokers. Women smokers showed less change in nicotine-appropriate responding across generalization doses, reported less confidence in discriminating training doses during acquisition on day 1, and tended to self-administer less nicotine on day 3. These results indicate that smokers may become tolerant to the discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine, perhaps promoting increased use. Received: 1 October 1996/Final version: 28 January 1997