Medullospinal vasomotor neurones mediate hypotension from stimulation of prefrontal cortex.

Electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex in anaesthetised, paralysed rats evokes transient hypotension. In this study we have endeavoured to determine whether this evoked response is mediated by the spinal cord-projecting vasomotor neurones of the rostroventrolateral medulla (RVL). The responses of RVL-spinal vasomotor neurones to electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex caused a period of inhibition of the neuronal activity in the majority of cases (11 out of 13 neurones tested, 85%) and a short period of excitation in the remaining 2 neurones (15%). The prefrontal cortex-evoked inhibition of RVL-spinal vasomotor neurones was eliminated by iontophoretic application of bicuculline, a GABAa receptor antagonist, to the RVL-spinal vasomotor neurones. Microinjection of 50 nl of bicuculline methiodide into the same area of the RVL where the neurones have been identified converted the prefrontal-evoked hypotension into a vasopressor response. These findings indicate that the hypotension evoked by stimulating the prefrontal cortex is mediated by GABAergic inhibition of the RVL-spinal vasomotor neurones.     

An electrophysiological correlate of protein kinase C isozyme distribution in cultured cerebellar neurons.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of at least seven closely related molecules (isozymes) that vary in terms of their requirements for activation and their distribution among cells of the brain. A striking example of this differential distribution is seen in the cerebellum, where Purkinje cells express PKC-I, an isozyme that is strongly activated by both phorbol ester (PE), and low doses of cis-unsaturated fatty acid (c-UFA), while granule cells predominantly express PKC-II, an isozyme that is strongly activated by PE but not c-UFA. Both Purkinje and granule cells have large, easily recorded voltage-gated K currents. These currents are attenuated by PKC activators in several other varieties of neuron. We hypothesized that the effects of these two PKC activators would be predicted by the distribution of the relevant PKC isozyme, and that the delayed outward rectifier current, IK, would be attenuated by both PE and c-UFA in Purkinje cells, but only by PE in granule cells. This hypothesis was confirmed in perforated-patch recordings. The attenuation produced by both activators could be blocked by application of a specific PKC inhibitor, RO-31-8220, and could not be mimicked by inert forms of PE or c-UFA. To our knowledge, this study represents the first report of an electrophysiological correlate of PKC isozyme distribution.     

Acquisition of a growth-inhibitory response to phorbol ester involves DNA damage.

TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate), a potent tumor promoter, has been shown to stimulate or inhibit cell growth depending on the cell type investigated. We recently found that RT101 cells, a transformed mouse JB6 epidermal cell line, acquired a greater growth inhibition response to TPA during conventional subcultivation. The growth of low-passage RT101 cells was slightly inhibited by TPA in monolayer culture but stimulated in soft agar. In contrast, the growth of high-passage cells was greatly inhibited by TPA in both monolayer culture and in soft agar. Inhibition was dose dependent, directly correlated with protein kinase C-activating activities of tumor promoters, and was found to be reversible. TPA-treated high-passage cells were greatly reduced in volume, showed extensive abnormal mitoses, and were more susceptible to detachment. High-passage cells were also found to be less tumorigenic as indicated by in vivo tumorigenicity assay in nude mice. TPA treatment rendered cells still less tumorigenic in the case of both cell lines. The mechanism for acquisition of increased sensitivity to TPA of RT101 cells during subculture was investigated; it involved nonrandom DNA damage and detachment of nonviable cells. The results suggest the possibility that early-passage RT101 cells contained two subpopulations, one TPA-sensitive and one TPA-resistant population. Conventional subcultivation may have selected for the former subpopulation. The sensitive subpopulation may have been irreversibly inhibited as a result of TPA-induced cell killing, possibly apoptosis.     

输尿管镜治疗输尿管结石185例

目的探讨输尿管镜气压弹道碎石治疗输尿管结石的效果。方法2004年2月～2005年3月，我们对185例输尿管结石（其中伴肾绞痛96例）采用输尿管镜取石或气压弹道碎石进行总结和分析。结果失败12例，其中6例改开放手术，6例术后3d行体外冲击波碎石。一次碎石成功率93．5％（173／185），其中上段结石为75．0％（24／32），中段为95．8％（46／48），下段为98．1％（103／105）。肾绞痛者成功率为100％（96／96）。术中输尿管损伤率2．9％（5／173），其中3例（1．7％）中转开放手术。术后肾绞痛1例。全组随访6～12个月，平均10．2月，无复发。结论输尿管镜气压弹道碎石安全有效，并发症少，是治疗输尿管中下段结石的首选方法，尤其对肾绞痛者疗效更好。     

浅谈多媒体教学中存在的问题及对策

分析了目前多媒体教学中存在的一些问题，提出了一些提高多媒体教学质量的途径和方法。     

大鼠壁细胞的黏膜刮取式分离方法

采用黏膜刮取式方法，分离大鼠胃黏膜细胞。用相差显微镜、HE染色、电镜、荧光显微镜、免疫细胞化学染色等方法，对壁细胞进行观察和鉴定，并测定了壁细胞直径。结果成功地分离了大鼠胃黏膜细胞，同时证实，壁细胞在所分离的细胞中直径最大。     

Innervation of the trapezius muscle: is cervical contribution important to its function?

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the cervical plexus and the accessory nerve to the function of the trapezius muscle. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Eighteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. The neurotomies were performed in the left sides and the right sides served as within-subject controls. In group A, the accessory nerve was transected. The C2-5 were transected in group B, and both of the accessory nerve and C2-5 were cut in group C. The electrophysiologic, myophysiologic, and histologic changes of the muscles were measured. RESULTS: There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the three groups in the recovery rates of the transverse area of the muscles. The CMAP recorded from the experimental sides in group B were similar to the control sides. The values of the maximum tension of the tetanus contraction between the two sides showed no differences either (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The accessory nerve supplies the most important motor input to the trapezius. Motor innervations of the cervical plexus are not very significant.     

Computerized tomography based on DEI refraction information.

Conventional computerized tomography (CT) technique is based on the absorption contrast. In recent years, X-ray phase-contrast CT (PCCT) has been developing rapidly. It uses the phase information to reconstruct the object and provide high contrast and spatial resolution. Diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) method is one of the three phase-sensitive X-ray imaging techniques. DEI method employs an analyzer crystal to extract the object's refraction information which can be used for CT. However, when DEI refraction CT is combined with the conventional CT algorithm, it should be satisfied that the refraction information of an arbitrary point in the object is invariable at every projection view. In this paper, the invariance condition of refraction information is analyzed and two feasible methods are provided for reconstruction. Using these two methods, two samples of weak absorption are reconstructed with the experimental data obtained at Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility (BSRF).     

Odontoma: a clinicopathologic study of 81 cases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Odontoma is the most common odontogenic tumor. It includes 2 types, the compound and complex odontomas. There has not been a series study of the clinical and histologic features of odontomas from Taiwan. This study evaluated the clinicopathologic features of odontoma in Taiwanese. METHODS: Cases of odontoma treated from 1998 to 2002 identified from medical records were included. The microscopic features, radiographic features, and clinical history of the patients were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 81 odontomas in 81 patients (36 males and 45 females) were included. There were 62 compound and 19 complex odontomas. The mean age of the patients was 18 years with the majority of odontomas occurring in the first (32%) and second decade (38%) of life. Odontomas had a marked predilection for the maxilla (70%) and for the anterior region of the jaw (83%), particularly for the anterior maxilla (62%). Sixty four (79%) of the 81 odontomas were associated with 80 impacted teeth, including 71 permanent teeth, 2 deciduous teeth, and 7 supernumerary teeth. Of the 71 impacted permanent teeth, the maxillary central incisor (27%) was most commonly affected, followed by the maxillary canine (26%) and mandibular canine (24%). Histologic examination revealed enamel matrix in 90%, dentin in 100%, cementum in 88%, pulp tissue in 96%, fibrous capsule in 93%, ghost cells in 83%, reduced enamel epithelium in 86%, and nests of odontogenic epithelium in 58% of odontomas. Dentigerous cyst was associated with 9% of odontomas. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, odontomas occurred most often in the first and second decade of life. Although complex odontomas are usually found in the posterior jaw, in this Taiwanese series they were most commonly found in the anterior maxilla. Odontoma is frequently associated with an impacted tooth and occasionally with a dentigerous cyst. No recurrence of odontomas was found after surgical excision with follow-up of 1 to 15 years.     

脉络膜黑色素瘤脱色素处理后Caspase-3的免疫组化研究

目的 观察凋亡基因Caspase-3在脉络膜黑色素瘤(choroidal melanoma)中的表达及分型与细胞凋亡的关系。方法 收集20例脉络膜黑色素瘤标本，对其进行Caspase-3免疫组织化学染色，观察表达情况及染色强度。结果 Caspase-3在脉络膜黑色素瘤有较好的表达，在梭形细胞型中5例／6例呈阳性表达，在混合型中6例／8例呈阳性表达，在上皮样瘤细胞型中3例／4例呈阳性表达，在坏死型中1例／2例呈阳性表达，且在各型之间没有显著性差异(P＞0．05)。结论 凋亡在脉络膜黑色素瘤中存在；Caspase-3在脉络膜黑色素瘤的发生发展中起重要作用。