巫山淫羊藿的化学研究

从小檗科Berberidaceae淫羊藿属Epimedium植物巫山淫羊藿Epimedium wushanense T.S.Ying的地上部分中分得两种黄酮甙单体,经理化性质鉴定及紫外、红外、质谱、氢谱、碳谱等光谱分析,确定甙Ⅰ是新化合物,命名为巫山淫羊藿甙(wushanicariin)。甙Ⅱ是已知化合物淫羊藿甙(icariin),系首次从该种植物中分离。     

Analysis of capillary and parenchymal aromatic l-amino acid decar☐ylase activity in regional brain areas during ontogenic development in the rat

The activity of aromaticl-amino acid decar☐ylase was measured in homogenates of brain tissue prepared from animals pretreated with the peripheral decar☐ylase inhibitor MK-486 (10 mg/kg) or saline 30 min before incubation. The brains were divided into 3 regions: hemispheres, diencephalon and brain stem. Developing animals were studied at 1, 4 and 21 days postnatal age, and adults at 180 days. The enzymic activity measured in saline-treated control tissue was considered representative of total decar☐ylase, and that measured in MK-treated tissue was considered representative of mainly neuronal decar☐ylase (parenchymal decar☐ylase) since brain capillary decar☐ylase is inhibited by MK-486. In all brain regions there was a gradual development of the parenchymal enzymic activity with age which changed the proportional composition of total decar☐ylase activity within the respective regions. The most rapid development of parenchymal decar☐ylase activity occurred in the brain stem, and the slowest in the hemispheres. The functional significance of a large proportion of capillary decar☐ylase in very young animals and the consequences of the development of parenchymal decar☐ylase with age were considered.     

Local Anesthetics: Importance of Mode of Application, Concentration and Adrenaline for the Appearance of Nerve Lesions: An Experimental Study of Axonal Degeneration and Barrier Damage after Intrafascicular Injection or Topical Application of Bupivacaine (Marcah®)

Local anesthetics are designed for application in or close to nerve tissue. In spite of their wide clinical use, surprisingly few investigations deal with the neural toxicity of modern local anesthetics. In this experimental study, the effects were investigated of intrafascicular or topical application of the long-acting local anesthetic bupivacaine on the rabbit sciatic nerve. Axonal degeneration was histologically evaluated and a fluorescence-microscopic technique used to detect lesions in the blood-nerve barrier. Topical application of bupivacaine in clinically recommended concentrations around the nerve caused no detectable nerve injury, while intrafascicular injections caused considerable axonal degeneration and damaged the blood nerve barrier. Axonal degeneration was the same after injection of physiologic saline solution and bupivacaine 0.5%, but it increased with increasing bupivacaine concentration and especially with the addition of adrenaline. On the other hand, the acute effects of intrafascicular injection, as visualized in the barrier experiments, changed little with the addition of adrenaline, indicating that it is the injection trauma itself which is deleterious. It is concluded that intraneural injections should be avoided and that plain bupivacaine solutions should be routinely used.     

Injury to the human median and ulnar nerves in the forearm--analysis of costs for treatment and rehabilitation of 69 patients in southern Sweden

This study analysed the costs of median and ulnar nerve injuries in the forearm in humans and factors affecting such costs. The costs within the health-care sector and costs of lost production were calculated in 69 patients with an injury to the median and/or ulnar nerve in the forearm, usually caused by glass, a knife, or a razorblade. Factors associated with the variation in costs and outcome were analysed. The total median costs for an employed person with a median and an ulnar nerve injury were EUR 51,238 and EUR 31,186, respectively, and 87% of the total costs were due to loss of production. All costs were higher for patients with concomitant tendon injuries (4 tendons). The costs within the health-care sector were also higher for patients who changed work after the injury and if both nerves were injured. Outcome was dependent on age and repair method.     

Refined myoelectric control in below-elbow amputees using artificial neural networks and a data glove

PURPOSE: To develop a system for refined motor control of artificial hands based on multiple electromyographic (EMG) recordings, allowing multiple patterns of hand movements. METHODS: Five subjects with traumatic below-elbow amputations and 1 subject with a congenital below- elbow failure of formation performed 10 imaginary movements with their phantom hand while surface electrodes recorded the EMG data. In a training phase a data glove with 18 degrees of freedom was used for positional recording of movements in the contralateral healthy hand. These movements were performed at the same time as the imaginary movements in the phantom hand. An artificial neural network (ANN) then could be trained to associate the specific EMG patterns recorded from the amputation stump with the analogous specific hand movements synchronously performed in the healthy hand. The ability of the ANN to predict the 10 imaginary movements offline, when they were reflected in a virtual computer hand, was assessed and calculated. RESULTS: After the ANN was trained the subjects were able to perform and control 10 hand movements in the virtual computer hand. The subjects showed a median performance of 5 types of movement with a high correlation with the movement pattern of the data glove. The subjects seemed to relearn to execute motor commands rapidly that had been learned before the accident, independent of how old the injury was. The subject with congenital below-elbow failure of formation was able to perform and control several hand movements in the computer hand that cannot be performed in a myoelectric prosthesis (eg, opposition of the thumb). CONCLUSIONS: With the combined use of an ANN and a data glove, acting in concert in a training phase, amputees rapidly can learn to execute several imaginary movements in a virtual computerized hand, this opens promising possibilities for motor control of future hand prostheses.