大鼠脑内心钠素的免疫组织化学观察

本文用兔抗心钠素Ⅲ特异血清,用ABC法观察了大鼠脑内心钠素的分布。结果表明心钠素在脑内广泛存在。密集的心钠素免疫反应阳性神经元,主要见于下丘脑视前区、室周核及下丘脑前核等处。密集的心钠素免疫反应阳性纤维布于下丘脑室旁核,终纹床核及终板血管器官等处。心钠素在脑内的分布状态提示心纳素可能具有中枢性调节水电解质平衡及心、血管的功能,此外,亦可能参与下丘脑—垂体系神经内分泌调节的作用。     

Precipitants in 42 cases of erythema multiforme

A total of 42 children with erythema multiforme (aged 0.1 to 15.8 years, median 6.1 years) were treated between 1978 and 1997 at the Department of Paediatrics, University of Bern, Switzerland. Antecedent infections were noted in 30 cases: Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection (n = 14), acute upper respiratory tract disease (n = 10) and herpes simplex infection (n = 6). Four cases were associated with antecedent medication (n = 3) or immunization (n = 1). In 12 of the 30 patients in whom erythema multiforme followed an infectious disease, drugs described in the literature as inducers of erythema multiforme had been given for symptoms not suggestive of the condition. In the remaining eight children no precipitating agent could be detected. Conclusion In this survey infections were found as a definite or at least presumptive trigger of erythema multiforme in 71% of cases. Drugs (including immunization) implicated as triggers of erythema multiforme played a definite causative role in 10% and a presumptive role in a further 29% of patients. In 19% of patients an associated condition was not diagnosed. Received: 1 September 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 16 April 1999     

Ontogeny of neurotrophin receptor trkC expression in the rat forebrain and anterior hypothalamus with emphasis on the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

There is little information about neurotrophic regulation in the developing rat hypothalamus. In the present study, we therefore examined the expression of neurotrophin receptor TrkC in the developing forebrain and hypothalamus. In situ hybridization of coronal sections revealed that on the 15th day of gestation, trkC messenger RNA expression is homogeneously distributed over the neocortex, septum, thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, rhinencephalon and the amygdala. Exceptions were the anteroventral nucleus of the hypothalamus and the striatum, which showed higher levels of trkC messenger RNA expression, and the germinal zones which were devoid of trkC messenger RNA. After birth, the homogeneous staining pattern changes into a heterogeneous staining pattern like that found in adulthood. TrkC expression is observed in the area of the suprachiasmatic nucleus as early as E17 and continues until adulthood. The presence of the TrkC receptor in the E17 suprachiasmatic nucleus suggests that neurotrophin-3 plays a role in development of this structure and that application of neurotrophin-3 could stimulate neuronal survival and neuritic outgrowth in a suprachiasmatic nucleus transplantation model.     

Socio—cultural factors influencing insecticide treated bed net utilization in a malaria endemic city in north—central Nigeria

ObjectiveTo ascertain the socio-cultural factors influencing the rate of utilization of insecticide treated bed nets (ITNs) in a malaria endemic city of Makurdi, north central Nigeria.MethodsThe study was cross-sectional in nature using systematic sampling method to identify households. Both quantitative and qualitative data was generated from adult women using structured and semi structured questionnaires, and focused group discussions (FGDs) to obtain information on rate and patterns of utilization of ITNs. Information such as age, educational level, marital status, awareness or otherwise of the existence of malaria, and factors influencing rate of ownership and utilization of ITNs were obtained. FGDs were used to obtain qualitative information on rate of utilization of ITNs not captured in the questionnaires. Data obtained was analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical software.ResultsAmong the respondents interviewed, 97.0% (2 013/2 075) were aware of existence of malaria and 87.0% of these (1 751/2 013) would associate it with mosquitoes. The rate of ownership of any bed net, ITNs and untreated bed nets (UTNs) was 25.1%, 17.0% and 8.3%, respectively. Utilization of ITNs among children was 30.0% (112/373) and UTNs 12.9% (48/373). Positive contributors to ITNs utilization were literacy, enhanced economy, experience of marriage, and being gainfully employed (P<0.05); while negative contributors were ignorance, poverty and some cultural beliefs and values.ConclusionsA more synchronized advocacy should be carried out on the potential benefits of ITNs utilization and sustained. Also ITNs should be made available to the people of the community at minimal or no cost.