Projections and neurochemical coding of motor neurones to the circular and longitudinal muscle of the guinea pig gastric corpus

The present study identified projection and neurochemical coding patterns of intrinsic circular (CMN) and longitudinal muscle motor neurones (LMN) in the guinea pig stomach by using the retrograde tracer DiI (1,1'-didodecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocya-nine perchlorate) in combination with the immunohistochemical demonstration of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), enkephalin (ENK), neuropeptide Y (NPY), nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and substance P (SP). Populations of LMN and CMN had similar neurochemical coding and a clear polarity of projection. Taking all DiI-labeled cell bodies as 100%, ascending pathways exhibited the coding ChAT/- (CMN:14.7%/LMN: 18.3%), ChAT/ENK (15.7%/10.1%), ChAT/SP/+/-ENK (19.2%/16.4%), or ChAT/NPY (4.4%/7.6%); descending pathways had the coding NOS/- (13.8%/16.9%), NOS/NPY (9.9%/17%), NOS/ENK (4.4%/1.2%) or NOS/NPY/ENK (13.0%/5.5%). The relative contributions of these populations were not different between CMN and LMN. However, target-specific projection patterns were revealed: most LMN (82%) had longitudinal whereas most CMN (58%) had circumferential projection preferences. The results indicate that gastric circular and longitudinal muscle layers are innervated by ascending excitatory and descending inhibitory pathways in the myenteric plexus. The projection patterns of CMN and LMN were different and followed the orientation of the muscle layers. It is suggested that the specific muscle motor pathways in the gastric myenteric plexus coordinate the reflex-mediated phasic and tonic activity of gastric muscle layers.     

Congenital ChagaśDisease: epidemiology, laboratorial diagnosis, prognosis and treatment

The authors review studies about epidemiology, clinical aspects and methods used in laboratorial diagnosis of congenital Chagas'disease, emphasizing the limitations in their specificity and sensibility, and suggest alternative methods to improve the accuracy and the quality of the laboratorial diagnosis of congenital Chaga?disease, essential to an efficient treatment.     

Neurochemical coding and projection patterns of gastrin-releasing peptide-immunoreactive myenteric neurone subpopulations in the guinea-pig gastric fundus

The aim of this study was to characterise the projection and neurochemical coding patterns of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-containing subpopulations of myenteric neurones in the guinea-pig gastric fundus. For this purpose, we used retrograde tracing with the dye DiI and immunohistochemistry against GRP, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), enkephalin (ENK), substance P (SP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Cell counts revealed that 44% of the myenteric neurones were GRP-positive. Of the GRP-positive neurones, 92% were ChAT-positive and, hence, 8% were presumptively nitric oxide synthase positive (NOS). The GRP-positive subpopulations were ChAT/GRP (40% of all GRP neurones), ChAT/NPY/GRP (25%), ChAT/SP/GRP/±ENK (20%), ChAT/ENK/GRP (8%), NOS/NPY/GRP/±ENK (5%) and NOS/GRP (3%). The tracing experiments revealed the relative contributions of the various GRP-positive subpopulations to the innervation of the circular muscle and the mucosa. GRP immunoreactivity was detected in 46 and 38% of the DiI-labelled muscle and mucosa neurones, respectively. GRP was almost exclusively found in ascending ChAT-positive mucosa and muscle neurones. The populations encoded ChAT/SP/GRP/±ENK and ChAT/ENK/GRP projected predominantly to the circular muscle, whereas the ChAT/NPY/GRP and ChAT/GRP populations had primarily projections to the mucosa. GRP was colocalised with ChAT, ENK and/or SP in varicose nerve fibres innervating the circular muscle and the muscularis mucosae, whereas in the mucosal epithelium GRP was mainly present in nerve fibres containing ChAT and NPY. The data suggest that in the guinea-pig gastric fundus, the ChAT/SP/GRP/±ENK and ChAT/ENK/GRP neurones are ascending excitatory muscle motor neurones, whereas the ChAT/NPY/GRP and ChAT/GRP neurones are very likely involved in the regulation of mucosal functions.     

Comparison of color-flow Doppler scanning, power Doppler scanning, and frequency shift for assessment of carotid artery stenosis

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the accuracy of color-flow Doppler (CD) scanning, power Doppler (PD) scanning, and peak systolic Doppler frequency shift (PSF) in assessment of carotid artery stenosis with angiography used as gold standard, including the measurement techniques used in the North American Symptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial (NASCET) and the European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST). METHODS: Fifty-eight consecutive patients diagnosed for carotid artery surgery underwent color-coded duplex sonography and angiography. The duplex examination included the assessment of PSF and the videotaping of sagittal images in CD and PD mode from the proximal common carotid artery to the distal internal carotid artery. Two experienced examiners performed the studies, but once one examiner had done the taping, the other examiner was allowed only to review the tape. Separately, each examiner reviewed the tapes and determined by cursor settings each stenosis according to NASCET and ECST. For interobserver agreement kappa statistic was used. To compare with angiography (degree of stenosis 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80%) sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and overall accuracy were calculated. PSF cut-off frequencies were based on receiver operator curve analysis. RESULTS: Because interobserver agreement in CD and PD was good (chance-corrected kappa > 0.6), further analysis used the between-observer mean value for each stenosis. With the NASCET measurement technique, accuracy of Doppler techniques to distinguish a 50% stenosis was 89% for PSF, 91% for CD, and 93% for PD; for a 70% stenosis it was 83% for PSF, 84% for CD, and 81% for PD. With the ECST measurement technique, accuracy to distinguish a 70% stenosis was 86% for PSF, 88% for CD, and 86% for PD; for an 80% stenosis it was 87% for PSF, 87% for CD, and 77% for PD. CONCLUSION: CD and PD carotid artery stenosis measurements are highly reproducible, and in our hands provided accuracy equal to PSF.     

Die Bedeutung von Unden bei der Aufzucht von Frühgeburten

Ohne ZusammenfassungVorgetragen auf der III. Tagung der Nordwestdeutschen Gesellschaft für Kinderheilkunde in Hamburg, den 3. XI. 1929.     

Factors associated to infection by Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant women attended in Basic Health Units in the city of Rolândia, Paraná, Brazil

The aim of the present work was to determine the prevalence of IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and the factors associated to the infection in pregnant women attended in Basic Health Units in Rolandia, Paraná, Brazil. The sample was divided in two groups: group I (320 pregnant women who were analyzed from July 2007 to February 2008) and group II (287 pregnant women who were analyzed from March to October 2008). In group I, it was found 53.1% of pregnant women with IgG reactive and IgM non-reactive, 1.9% with IgG and IgM reactive, 0.3% with IgG non-reactive and IgM reactive and 44.7% with IgG and IgM non-reactive. In group II, it was found 55.1% with IgG reactive and IgM non-reactive and 44.9% with IgG and IgM non-reactive. The variables associated to the presence of IgG antibodies were: residence in rural areas, pregnant women between 35-40 years old, low educational level, low family income, more than one pregnancy, drinking water which does not originate from the public water supply system and the habit of handling soil or sand. Guidance on primary prevention measures and the quarterly serological monitoring of the pregnant women in the risk group are important measures to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis.     

Venison contact dermatitis

A 37-year-old meat inspector presented with a 5-month history of forearm eczema. His symptoms improved at weekends and over holidays but flared within a day of work. Scratch patch tests were strongly positive to fresh venison diaphragm and venison liver and weakly positive to venison hide and blood, and lamb blood. They were negative to other venison and lamb components. Type IV allergy tests with Standard European and fragrance batteries were negative. The eczema cleared with a change in work role, clobetasol-17-propionate cream, flucloxacillin and aqueous cream. He was then able to return to meat inspecting. Provided he was diligent about applying 'Dermashield' barrier foam and minimizing contact with irritants, his eczema has remained well controlled over the last 4 years. Attention to irritant contact dermatitis is important in the management of protein contact urticaria.