Effect of contralateral cane use on hip moment impulse in the frontal plane during the stance phase

BackgroundRecent reports have shown that the daily cumulative moment in the frontal plane (i.e., product of hip moment impulse in the frontal plane during the stance phase and mean steps per day) is a risk factor for hip osteoarthritis. This study aimed to clarify the effect of contralateral cane use on hip moment impulse in the frontal plane of the stance limb.MethodsThis study included 15 healthy subjects who walked under four experimental conditions: (1) without a cane and (2–4) contralateral cane use with 10%, 15%, and 20% body weight support (BWS), respectively. To maintain the same walking speed in all conditions, the cadence was set to 80 steps/min, and the step length was fixed. The hip moment impulses in the frontal plane (i.e., area under the hip ab-adduction moment waveform) and peak hip adduction moments in all conditions were calculated.ResultsContralateral cane use significantly decreased the hip moment impulse in the frontal plane and peak hip adduction moment compared to non-cane use. Moreover, the hip moment impulse in the frontal plane and peak hip adduction moment decreased significantly with increased cane BWS. There were no significant differences in walking speed, cadence, and step length between the four conditions.ConclusionContralateral cane use decreases the hip moment impulse in the frontal plane and peak hip adduction moment in the stance limb. These findings may help clarify how to delay the progression of hip osteoarthritis.     

Spinal canal narrowing during simulated frontal impact

Between 23 and 70% of occupants involved in frontal impacts sustain cervical spine injuries, many with neurological involvement. It has been hypothesized that cervical spinal cord compression and injury may explain the variable neurological profile described by frontal impact victims. The goals of the present study, using a biofidelic whole cervical spine model with muscle force replication, were to quantify canal pinch diameter (CPD) narrowing during frontal impact and to evaluate the potential for cord compression. The biofidelic model and a sled apparatus were used to simulate frontal impacts at 4, 6, 8, and 10 g horizontal accelerations of the T1 vertebra. The CPD was measured in the intact specimen in the neutral posture (neutral posture CPD), under static sagittal pure moments of 1.5 Nm (pre-impact CPD), during dynamic frontal impact (dynamic impact CPD), and again under static pure moments following each impact (post-impact CPD). Frontal impact caused significant (P<0.05) dynamic CPD narrowing at C0-dens, C2-C3, and C6-C7. The narrowest dynamic CPD was observed at C0-dens during the 10 g impact and was 25.9% narrower than the corresponding neutral posture CPD. Interpretation of the present results indicate that the neurological symptomatology reported by frontal impact victims is most likely not due to cervical spinal cord compression. Cord compression due to residual spinal instability is also not likely.     

Neuron transplantation into mice hippocampus alters sensitivity to barbital narcosis

The role of several hippocampal innervations in the sensitivity to barbital-induced narcosis was studied in selected mice strains. The outbred and inbred mouse strains HS/Ibg, SABRA/HUC, C57BL, CBA/LAC, and BALB/c were tested for barbital-induced sleep (315 mg/kg). The relatively short sleeping HS/Ibg (HS) and the longest sleeping BALE/c (BALE) were chosen for further investigation. Cholinergic (ACh), serotonergic (5-HT), and noradrenergic (NE) innervations were studied in HS strain; whereas BALE, which possesses both an unusually high sensitivity to barbital and unique NE innervations in the cortex and hippocampus, was employed in a detailed study of the NE innervations. Transplantation of embryonic NE cells from the mouse embryo into the hippocampus of adult HS mice increased barbital narcosis by 65% (p < 0.05), whereas transplantation of 5-HT cells decreased barbital narcosis by 54% (p < 0.001). Transplantation of ACh cells had no significant effect on barbital-induced narcosis. BALB mice were subjected to NE cell transplantation into the hippocampus and cortex. Similarly to HS, BALB receiving NE transplants into their hippocampus slept 34% longer than control after barbital challenge (p < 0.025). Noradrenergic cell transplantation into frontal cortex had no effect on barbital sleep. The results suggest that (a) enhancement by neural grafting of the NE innervation to the hippocampus accentuates and enhancement of the 5-HT innervations attenuates the sensitivity to barbital narcosis, whereas ACh innervations have no effect on the sensitivity to barbital narcosis, and (b) the unusually high sensitivity of BALB mice to barbital may not be related to its unique NE innervations.     

上睑下垂78例手术分析

用额肌悬吊术或提上睑肌缩短术治疗７８例上睑下垂病例，治愈７眼，基本治愈１２眼，矫正不足３眼，矫正过度２眼，笔者认为，术前分析病因；注意提上睑肌肌力的测定；采用适当的手术方法，是手术成功的关键。     

Characterization of dihydropyridine binding sites in the rat brain: hypertension and age-dependent modulation of [H](+)-PN 200-110 binding

The properties of [³H]dihydropyridine (DHP), nitrendipine and (+)-PN 200-110, binding to rat cerebral membranes were investigated. In normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) adult rats, the highest densities of [³H]DHP binding sites were found in the hippocampus. Frontal cerebral cortex and hypothalamus had intermediate levels and no specific binding of [³H]DHP and [¹²⁵I]iodipine could be detected in the brainstem membranes and more precisely in the nucleus tractus solitarius and in the locus coeruleus. Changes in the maximal number of DHP binding sites (B_max) were observed in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in old Sprague-Dawley rats. In adult SHR, there was a significant increase in theB_max values of [³H](+)-PN 200-110 binding in the hippocampus when compared to the values obtained in WKY. There was no difference in theB_max values between young (3 weeks) prehypertensive SHR and age-matched WKY. In senescent (26 months) Sprague-Dawley rats, theB_max values of [³H](+)-PN 200-110 binding were significantly reduced (30%) in the frontal cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, as compared with the number of DHP binding sites found in mature Sprague-Dawley rats (15 weeks).     

Frontal lobe epilepsy presented as ictal aggression

Abstract Aggressive behaviour is rarely observed as an ictal semiology. Ictal aggression can occur in lesions of frontal and limbic structures. In limbic structure lesions, the main mechanism of aggressive behaviour is hyperactivity; whereas frontal lesions may cause aggressive behaviour with an indirect mechanism in which the suppression on limbic system is lost. Here we present a patient with ictal aggression. In this case a right frontoparietal epileptiform focus was detected during the postictal period. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cortical dysplasia on the right inferior frontal gyrus. The seizures disappeared completely after pharmacological treatment.     

重性抑郁症首次发病患者额叶、海马磁共振质子波谱分析及其与认知功能的相关性

目的 探讨重性抑郁症首次发病(以下简称首发)患者生化物质改变与认知功能变化之间的关系.方法 利用质子磁共振波谱分析(1H-MRS)测量21例首发重性抑郁症患者(患者组)双侧额叶和海马N-乙酰天门冬氨酸(NAA)、谷氨酸复合物(Glx)、胆碱复合物(Cho)、肌酸(Cr)及肌醇(ml)水平,计算NAA/Cr、Glx/Cr、Cho/Cr、ml/Cr,并与21名正常对照者(对照组)作比较.此外,分别对两组进行神经心理学测试及比较.将1H-MRS所测异常生化物质与异常的认知功能测验项目进行相关性分析.结果 患者组左额叶NAA/Cr(1.8±0.6)低于对照组(2.6±1.0),且与修订韦氏成人智力量表手册中的相似分量表得分及威斯康星卡片分类测验分类数呈正相关(r=0.60,r=0.53);右侧额叶NAA/Cr(2.0±0.6)低于对照组(2.9±1.8),且与连线测验时间呈负相关(r=-0.52).上述差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 首发重性抑郁症患者抽象思维能力下降、思维灵活度下降及执行功能障碍与左额叶NAA/Cr降低相关,注意力障碍与右额叶NAA/Cr降低相关.     

采用扩散张量纤维束成像技术研究活体Broca语言功能区及其纤维环路的结构

目的 采用扩散张量成像技术揭示健康人Broea区与其他脑功能区间的纤维联系规律。方法 健康成人20名，采用Siemens Trio 3．0T MR仪及工作站行数据采集和后处理及Broea区（B45和44区）纤维追踪，分析由语言功能区发出的神经纤维分布和走行。结果 BroeaB45区纤维束平均值左侧为428束，右侧相应脑区为416束，两侧差异无统计学意义（t=0．216，P〉0．05）；B44区纤维束平均值左侧为432束，右侧相应脑区为344束，两侧差异有统计学意义（t=2．314，P〈0．05）。B45区部分各向异性左侧平均为0．336，右侧同区为0．317（t=-3．656，P〈0．05）；B44区左侧平均为0．342，右侧同脑区为0．342（t=0．093，P〉0．05）。弓状纤维束平均左侧为199束，右侧为205束（t=-0．465，P〉0．05）；平均部分各向异性左侧为0．385，右侧为0．375（t=1．912，P〈0．05）。Broea区发出纤维走行和分布，主要向前上到额叶前部内侧面皮层下，过胼胝体到对侧相应结构，向外下穿外囊向后经颞叶到枕叶，向内下穿苍白球和内囊后肢向下行。结论 Broea区及其相关的纤维结构形成重要的语言纤维环路结构，结构完整是完成语言功能的基础。     

Frontal versus transcorneal stimulation to induce maximal electroshock seizures or kindling in mice and rats

Frontal stimulation, i.e. electrical stimulation where electrodes are pressed on the skin of the intact frontal skull of mice or rats, may represent a more humane alternative to the widely used transcorneal stimulation to induce electroshock seizures. The aim of this work was to directly compare transcorneal and frontal stimulation in eliciting maximal electroshock-induced seizures (MES) in mice and the anticonvulsant effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) and phenytoin (PHT) on thus produced seizures. In addition, we stimulated mice and rats repeatedly via transcorneal and frontal electrodes to see whether kindling is produced by this procedure. Two electroshock tests were used in mice, i.e. maximal electroshock seizure threshold (MEST) test and MES generated by supramaximal stimulation (50 mA). Frontal stimulation resulted in lower convulsive threshold than in the case of corneal stimulation. Both CBZ and PHT produced dose-dependent increases in seizure threshold for both sites of stimulation, i.e. transcorneal and frontal. As regards type of electrodes, higher doses of PHT were required to increase seizure threshold in the case of frontal than transcorneal stimulation. Supramaximal stimulation (50 mA) yielded comparable ED₅₀ values regardless of the site of stimulation. Furthermore, once-daily stimulation of mice, regardless of the placement of electrodes, did not induce any changes in convulsive threshold. We also attempted to kindle mice and rats via corneal and frontal electrodes by repetitive electrical stimulation using currents which initially did not produce generalized clonic seizures. Mice were stimulated once daily for 2 s with 3 mA (corneal electrodes) or 2 mA (frontal electrodes) and rats were stimulated twice daily for 4 s at 8 mA (corneal electrodes) or 5 mA (frontal electrodes). With corneal stimulation in rats there was a clear progression of kindling development which was not the same in nature when compared with corneally-stimulated mice. Frontal stimulation did not produce kindling. Moreover, corneal stimulation was better tolerated by rats, while in mice high mortality was seen after either method of current delivery. Our data indicate that frontal electrodes can be used as an alternative to transcorneal stimulation to produce MES by supramaximal or threshold current intensities as screening procedures in antiepileptic drug (AED) development. Nevertheless, this type of stimulation cannot be used to produce minimal electroshock seizures and seems not to be useful to produce kindling in rats and mice.