Effects of dopamine and norepinephrine on neuronal activity of the olfactory tubercle

The effects of iontophoretic administration of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) on olfactory tubercle (OT) neurons that respond to lateral hypothalamus (LH) or locus coeruleus (LC) electrical stimulation were studied. NE and DA decreased the frequency of OT neurons which were increased or decreased by the LH stimulation. An increased firing of OT neurons following NE or DA administration was less frequently observed. NE administration decreased the firing of OT neurons that responded to LC stimulation. These results suggest that the LC fibers which reach the OT use NE as a neurotransmitter. DA administration also suppressed the unitary discharge of OT neurons responding to LC stimulation. The increase in frequency of OT neurons observed following LH stimulation cannot be attributed to DA. The possibility that other suspected neural transmitters are involved in this effect is discussed.     

Median nerve injury as a result of medial brachial fascial compartment syndrome

A case of brachial plexus injury after brachial arteriography is reported. Percutaneous catheterization of the brachial artery for angiography and intervention is performed when contraindications for the femoral approach exist. Access-related complications include injuries to the infraclavicular brachial plexus. This is often a result of a hematoma within the medial brachial fascial compartment leading to a compartment syndrome. Early recognition and prompt surgical management is vital to prevent permanent nerve damage.     

Analysis of 1 year virtual histology changes in coronary plaque located behind the struts of the everolimus eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold

Serial intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) after implantation of metallic stents has been unable to show any changes in the composition of the scaffolded plaque overtime. The everolimus-eluting ABSORB scaffold potentially allows for the formation of new fibrotic tissue on the scaffolded coronary plaque during bioresorption. We examined the 12?month IVUS-VH changes in composition of the plaque behind the struts (PBS) following the implantation of the ABSORB scaffold. Using IVUS-VH and dedicated software, the composition of the PBS was analyzed in all patients from the ABSORB Cohort B2 trial, who were imaged with a commercially available IVUS-VH console (s5i system, Volcano Corporation, Rancho Cordova, CA, USA), immediately post-ABSORB implantation and at 12?month follow-up. Paired IVUS-VH data, recorded with s5i system, were available in 17 patients (18 lesions). The analysis demonstrated an increase in mean PBS area (2.39?±?1.85?mm(2) vs. 2.76?±?1.79?mm(2), P?=?0.078) and a reduction in the mean lumen area (6.37?±?0.90?mm(2) vs. 5.98?±?0.97?mm(2), P?=?0.006). Conversely, a significant decrease of 16 and 30% in necrotic core (NC) and dense calcium (DC) content, respectively, were evident (median % NC from 43.24 to 36.06%, P?=?0.016; median % DC from 20.28 to 11.36%, P?=?0.002). Serial IVUS-VH analyses of plaque located behind the ABSORB struts at 12-month demonstrated an increase in plaque area with a decrease in its NC and DC content. Larger studies are required to investigate the clinical impact of these findings.     

The Lipofuscin-Iron Association in Pigmentosis Tubae

Pigmentosis tubae (PT) is a rare condition characterized by the presence of numerous lipofuscin-laden macrophages in the lamina propria of the fallopian tube. Two women, who also had endometriotic ovarian cysts, showed polypoid pigmented tubal mucosae. In addition to lipofuscin, occasional cells showed spotty positivity for iron. Ultrastructural examination of the tubal mucosa showed the lipofuscin-containing bodies, which were similar to lipofuscin-containing lysosomes found in other pigmented conditions. Cytoplasmatic ferritin and hemosiderin in siderosomes were observed in macrophages and endothelial cells of the lamina propria. The present study is the first to demonstrate the presence of iron-containing particles and lipofuscin in the residual bodies of PT. The origin of the excess iron is not clear, but erythrophagocytosis and an abnormal tubal environment could play a role. Iron-promoted lipid peroxidation may alter the lysosomal membranes and contribute to the excessive accumulation of lipofuscin in these cells.     

Divergence of canonical danger signals: The genome-level expression patterns of human mononuclear cells subjected to heat shock or lipopolysaccharide

Background

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) serve a sentinel role allowing the host to efficiently sense and adapt to the presence of danger signals. Herein we have directly compared the genome-level expression patterns (microarray) of a human PBMC model (THP-1 cells) subjected to one of two canonical danger signals, heat shock or lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Results and Discussion

Based on sequential expression and statistical filters, and in comparison to control cells, we found that 3,988 genes were differentially regulated in THP-1 cells subjected to LPS stress, and 2,921 genes were differentially regulated in THP-1 cells subjected to heat shock stress. Venn analyses demonstrated that the majority of differentially regulated genes (≥ 70%) were uniquely expressed in response to one of the two danger signals. Functional analyses demonstrated that the two danger signals induced expression or repression of genes corresponding to unique pathways, molecular functions, biological processes, and gene networks. In contrast, there were 184 genes that were commonly upregulated by both stress signals, and 430 genes that were commonly downregulated by both stress signals. Interestingly, the 184 commonly upregulated genes corresponded to a gene network broadly related to inflammation, and more specifically to chemokine signaling.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that the mononuclear cell responses to the canonical stress signals, heat shock and LPS, are highly divergent. However, there is a heretofore unrecognized common pattern of gene network expression corresponding to chemokine-related biology. The data also serve as a reference database for investigators in the field of stress signaling.     

Sperm pathology: a step beyond descriptive morphology. Origin, characterization and fertility potential of abnormal sperm phenotypes in infertile men

Sperm pathology is presented as the discipline of characterizing structural and functional deficiencies in abnormal spermatozoa. This concept complements that of sperm morphology mainly concerned with the appearance of spermatozoa. These two notions collaborate in providing correlations of prognostic value with sperm fertilizing capacity, explaining the mechanisms of sperm inefficiency, suggesting strategies to improve fertilization and opening a door to molecular genetic studies. Phenotypes of genetic origin involving sperm heads, flagella and the neck region are presented describing their clinical manifestations, sperm structure, cytochemistry and genetic background. When available, animal models are used to highlight possible genetic mechanisms. Sperm pathologies secondary to andrological conditions or environmental factors are described, stressing the non-specific nature of the sperm response to noxious agents. The available literature on the prognostic value of sperm pathologies in ICSI is also reviewed. Flagellar anomalies bear a good prognosis, but those affecting the acrosome, sperm chromatin and the neck region entail an increasing chance of failure, which highlights the differential roles played by specific sperm components in fertilization, implantation and early embryonic development. A final discussion is devoted to genetic counselling and the risks involved in using immotile or abnormal spermatozoa in assisted reproduction.