A novel reference coordinate system to locate the inferomedial point of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction

Background

A coordinate system was previously developed to identify landmarks on the skull surface to help locate the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction in order to reduce surgical morbidity in retrosigmoid craniotomy; however, in practice we found that this system has important flaws.

Objective

To develop and evaluate a novel reference coordinate system to precisely locate the inferomedial point of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction (IMTS) and evaluate the effect of gender and skull side (left or right).

Methods

Forty-two adult skulls (84 sides) were obtained for analyses. The X-axis was defined by point A (where the upper edge of the zygomatic arch joins with the frontal process of the zygomatic bone) and point B (where the upper edge of the zygomatic arch blends posterosuperiorly into the supramastoid crest). The Y-axis was defined by the line perpendicular to the X-axis and extending across the tip of the mastoid. The x and y coordinates of IMTS (IMTS-x and IMTS-y) were measured in this coordinate system.

Results

There were 20 male skulls and 22 female skulls. The mean IMTS-x measurements were significantly higher on the right side compared with the left side in both males and females. For the left skull side, the mean IMTS-y measurements were significantly lower in females compared with males.

Conclusion

This novel reference coordinate system may be a reliable and practical method for identifying the IMTS during retrosigmoid craniotomy. There are significant differences in location of the axes with regard to gender and skull side.     

Targeted Disruption of G0/G1 Switch Gene 2 Enhances Adipose Lipolysis,Alters Hepatic Energy Balance,and Alleviates High-Fat Diet–Induced Liver Steatosis

Recent biochemical and cell-based studies identified G₀/G₁ switch gene 2 (G0S2) as an inhibitor of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), a key mediator of intracellular triacylglycerol (TG) mobilization. Here, we show that upon fasting, G0S2 protein expression exhibits an increase in liver and a decrease in adipose tissue. Global knockout of G0S2 in mice enhanced adipose lipolysis and attenuated gain of body weight and adiposity. More strikingly, G0S2 knockout mice displayed a drastic decrease in hepatic TG content and were resistant to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced liver steatosis, both of which were reproduced by liver-specific G0S2 knockdown. Mice with hepatic G0S2 knockdown also showed increased ketogenesis, accelerated gluconeogenesis, and decelerated glycogenolysis. Conversely, overexpression of G0S2 inhibited fatty acid oxidation in mouse primary hepatocytes and caused sustained steatosis in liver accompanied by deficient TG clearance during the fasting-refeeding transition. In response to HFD, there was a profound increase in hepatic G0S2 expression in the fed state. Global and hepatic ablation of G0S2 both led to improved insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed mice. Our findings implicate a physiological role for G0S2 in the control of adaptive energy response to fasting and as a contributor to obesity-associated liver steatosis.     

Evidence for A1 and A3 receptors mediating adenosine-induced intracellular calcium release in the dorsal root ganglion neurons by using confocal microscopy imaging

Adenosine exerts a key role in analgesia. In the present study, adenosine-induced Ca²⁺ responses were revealed by using confocal microscopy imaging in the rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons in vitro. Our results showed that adenosine could evoke increases in the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration in the DRG neurons. In addition, by application of selective receptor antagonists, two types of receptors, A₁R and A₃R, were identified to be involved in the adenosine-induced Ca²⁺ release from intracellular stores in neurons. Altogether, these results suggest that confocal microscopy imaging combined with fluorescent dyes could help to detect the analgesic-induced ion signaling in single cell.     

A retrospective analysis of pathological changes of testicular tissue in normal adult rats

Rat testicular model is widely used in experiments on andrology, pharmacology and reproductive toxicology. Generally, normal adult rat is considered to have normal testes. However, whether normal adult rats appeared abnormal testes have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of abnormal testes in normal adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and pathological changes in testicular tissues. Six hundred and sixteen adult male SD rats used in previous studies as controls were retrospectively analysed. Testicular tissues were stained with haematoxylin–eosin for observation of pathology. Among 616 rats, 14 rats had pathological testes, and the incidence of abnormal testis was 2.3%. In the 14 rats with abnormal testes, 10 rats were microrchidia (71.4%) and four rats showed normal testicular size. Testicular abnormality included complete interruption of spermatogenesis, partial germ cell arrest, progressive hypospermatogenesis, seminiferous epithelia vacuolation and inflammatory status. Bilateral testicular tissues had similar pathological changes in abnormal testes. The findings in this study demonstrate that the normal adult rats have abnormal testes. We should pay attention to the possibility of abnormal testes when using normal adult male rats for establishing a testicular model.     

shRNA-mediated GSTP1 gene silencing enhances androgen-independent cell line DU145 chemosensitivity

Purpose

Design short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference sequence to silence glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) gene of androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line DU145, and then to explore its effect on sensitivity to chemotherapeutics.

Methods

Target sequence was picked up to form the shRNA. DU145 cell was divided into five groups according to the shRNA added for transfection: shRNA255, shRNA554, shRNA593, negative-shRNA and blank group. Fluorescence microscope was used to pick up the shRNA with the highest transfection ratio. Western blotting and RT-PCR were taken to pick up the shRNA with the best gene silencing result. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and terminal de-oxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay were used to detect survival ratio and apoptosis ratio of DU145 administered of fluorouracil (5-FU) or paclitaxel (PA) at different concentrations before and after shRNA transfection.

Results

Three different shRNA oligonucleotides (shRNA255; shRNA554; shRNA593) targeting the coding sequence of GSTP1 mRNA and one negative control shRNA were constructed. The transfection ratio of shRNA554 (76.2 ± 0.68 %) was higher than that of shRNA255 (63.3 ± 1.04 %) (P < 0.01) or shRNA593 (72.7 ± 0.33 %) (P < 0.01). After transfection of shRNA554, the mRNA and protein of level were the lowest, P < 0.01. The survival ratio of DU145 administered with 5-FU of different concentrations (30, 60, 120, 240 μg/ml) declined after transfection (P < 0.01). Besides, the apoptosis ratio increased after transfection (P < 0.01). Similarly the survival ratio of DU145 administered with PA of different concentrations (0.2, 2, 10, 20 μg/ml) declined (P < 0.01) and the apoptosis ratio increased (P < 0.01) after transfection.

Conclusions

The gene GSTP1 silence via shRNA transfection to androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line DU145 enhances the sensitivity to chemotherapeutics.     

癫痫与心脏自主神经功能障碍

目的：分析癫痫患者发作期和发作间期自主神经功能障碍与癫痫患者突然意外死亡的关系。 资料来源：应用计算机检索Medline数据库1985-01／2004-12期间的相关文章限定文章语言种类为英文，检索词”epilepsy and autonomic”和“seizure and autonomic”。 资料选择：对资料进行初审，纳入标准：①癫痫和癫痫发作与自主神经功能状态关系。②癫痫突然意外死亡。 资料提炼：共收集到符合上述要求的文献45篇，排除27篇重复性内容。18篇符合纳入标准：其中16篇关于癫痫和癫痫发作与自主神经功能障碍，2篇关于自主神经功能障碍与癫痫患者突然意外死亡的关系。 资料综合：癫痫和癫痫发作均可引起心脏自主神经功能障碍，无论部分性发作还是全身性发作癫痫患者发作期和发作间期都存在自主神经功能障碍。而心脏自主神经功能障碍与心律失常尤其是恶性心律失常的发生密切相关。 结论：癫痫患者发作期和发作间期心脏自主神经功能障碍引发的恶性心率失常可能是癫痫患者发生突然意外死亡的重要原因。     

Cryptogenic stroke following abdominal free flap breast reconstruction surgery

INTRODUCTION

Abdominal free flap breast reconstruction is regarded as the gold standard method of post-mastectomy breast reconstruction by many. It is a major surgery which can be associated with varied systemic complications. To date, there have been no reports of cerebrovascular complications in the literature which examine the possible relation between thromboembolism and patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 54-year old female with a pre-existing PFO developed a stroke following bilateral mastectomies and immediate free flap breast reconstruction on postoperative day 5. This was attributed to an air embolus caused by central venous pressure line removal. After uneventful intra and early postoperative periods, the patient had collapsed suddenly on day 5 and become unresponsive immediately following the removal of a central venous line. Brain magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a cerebrovascular accident. This resolved within 48 h following therapeutic heparinisation. A clinical diagnosis of paradoxical embolism was made and she was subsequently referred to the cardiologists for angiographic closure of the PFO.

DISCUSSION

The case study herein reported gives an account that PFO can have considerable health implications in the early postoperative period and conceivably intraoperatively in patients undergoing major reconstructive surgeries.

CONCLUSION

Surgeons and cardiologists should be aware of this cerebrovascular complication secondary to PFO following major reconstructive surgery such as microvascular breast reconstruction. It also serves to challenge microvascular surgeons to reconsider routine use of central venous pressure lines in free flap patients who might otherwise have good peripheral vessels for postoperative fluid and antibiotic administration.     

应用活络油预防压疮的观察与护理

目的为卧床病人寻找一种方便、经济、有效的方法预防压疮.方法使用活络油与传统的50%酒精按摩,将146例卧床病人随机分为观察组(活络油预防压疮)78例,对照组(50%酒精预防压疮)68例,2组均按摩卧床病人受压部位,每日3～6次,按制定标准进行观察.结果活络油和50%酒精预防压疮的效果经x2检验,P＜0.01有显著性差异;活络油和50%酒精预防压疮的不良反应经统计学处理,P＜0.01,有显著性差异.结论活络油用于预防压疮效果显著,操作简便,成本较低,不良反应少.