Neurochemical studies on the mesolimbic circuitry of antinociception

Previous studies using the technique of microinjection into brain nuclei indicated that the periaqueductal gray (PAG), nucleus accumbens, habenula and amygdala play an essential role in pain modulation and that these nuclei possibly act through a ‘mesolimbic neural loop‘ to exert an analgesic effect, in which Met-enkephalin (MEK) and β-endorphin (β-EP) have been implicated as the two major opioid peptides involved in antinociception. In the present study performed in rabbits, intracranial microinjection was supplemented with push-pull perfusion and radioimmunoassay to determine whether the release of enkephalins (ENK) and β-EP was increased in these nuclei when the putative neural circuit was activated by morphine administered into one of the nuclei. The results showed: (1) microinjection of morphine into the PAG increased the release of ENK and β-EP in the N. accumbens, and vice versa; (2) microinjection of morphine into the N. accumbens increased the release of ENK and β-EP in the amygdala, and vice versa; (3) morphine microinjected into the PAG caused an increase in the release of ENK and β-EP in the amygdala and vice versa, although the release of ENK in PAG was statistically not significant. These results indicate that PAG, N. accumbens and amygdala are connected in a network served by a positive feedback circuitry.     

Infantile spasms. A retrospective study of 105 cases.

This paper is a summary of our observations on 105 cases of infantile spasms. The age of onset was around six months after birth, but the patients came for treatment mainly about one year after onset. Fever of unknown cause, asphyxia, birth injury, infection of the central nervous system, tuberous sclerosis, phenylketonuria and recent immunization etc. were complained. Clinically, it is characterized by head nodding, mental retardation, myoclonic jerks and various neurologic deficits. EEG findings showed classical or modified arrythmia or other epileptiform patterns. About one third of 22 cases examined had abnormal brain stem auditory evoked potentials. Among 42 patients who underwent CT scanning before ACTH treatment, 18 were normal and 7 abnormal; during ACTH treatment 3 normal and 4 abnormal; after completion of treatment, 4 normal and 6 abnormal, suggesting no further atrophy of the brain. Examination of trace elements of the hair by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method in 23 patients revealed a significant difference in lead, calcium and zinc contents between patients and 101 controls, but no statistical difference in iron and copper contents between the two groups. Sodium valproate, prednisone and ACTH appear to be effective in the treatment of infantile spasms. Eight patients fully recovered, and they can go to school without difficulty. Many patients derived various degrees of improvement to the satisfaction of their parents. Two patients were still amented and often attacked by myoclonus. The effects, side effects of these drugs, and the possible pathogenesis were discussed.

     

股骨干粉碎性骨折的治疗

近年来随着交通运输业的发展,由于高能伤所导致创伤骨科中骨折粉碎程度愈来愈重,甚至使骨骼失去完整形态,尤其在股骨干部位,治疗极其困难,开放复位损伤大且达不到满意的固定,疗效不佳。我们最大限度地使用外固定器,很好地解决了这一难题,同样适用于肱骨和胫骨骨折。1临床资料本组12例,均为男性,年龄18~40岁,平均31.3岁。左侧5例,右侧7例。其中交通事故伤8例,高处坠落伤3例,摔伤1例。闭合伤10例,开放伤2例。骨折均为粉碎性,无软组织及血管神经损伤。2治疗方法患者麻醉后仰卧于骨科牵引手术床上,注意使患肢靠外,消毒铺巾后,保持下肢中立位轻度…     

Early uptake of 99mTc-C2A in the acute phase of myocardial infarction as a prognostic indicator for follow-up cardiac dysfunction

OBJECTIVE: The C2A domain of Synaptotagmin I is a molecular probe for the specific imaging of cell death. Here we test the hypothesis that the uptake of 99mTc-C2A in the acute phase of an infarction is associated with cardiac dysfunction in follow-ups. METHODS: The left coronary artery was occluded in Sprague-Dawley rats for 0, 10, 20, and 30 min. 99mTc-C2A was injected intravenously at 2 h of reperfusion. Anterior planar images were acquired with one million counts on a gamma camera 3 h after injection. 99mTc-C2A uptake was calculated as the total counts in the left ventricle region minus blood pool signal. The in-vivo signal detected was correlated with wall motion score index at 1 and 3 weeks follow-ups measured by echocardiography. RESULTS: 99mTc-C2A uptake was higher with increased ischemic time (2244+/-852, 4054+/-1223, and 6178+/-1451 for 10, 20, and 30 min ischemia, analysis of variance P<0.001). A significant correlation was found between 99mTc-C2A uptake and wall motion score index at 1 week (R=0.800, P=0.0006) and 3 weeks (R=0.810, P=0.0008). CONCLUSION: In this ischemia/reperfusion model, 99mTc-C2A uptake in the acute phase was associated with functional abnormality at 1 and 3 weeks. This demonstrates the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of 99mTc-C2A as a novel imaging agent.     

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经皮穿刺颈椎髓核成形术治疗多间隙颈椎间盘突出症

目的:探讨经皮穿刺颈椎髓核成形术(percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty,PCN)治疗多间隙颈椎间盘突出症的临床疗效及其对颈椎稳定性的影响。方法:对我院2003年7月～2005年6月因颈椎间盘突出症住院行PCN治疗的64例患者进行回顾性研究,根据手术间隙分为两组:单间隙组(A组)34例,多间隙组(B组)30例。临床效果评价采用JOA评分标准(17分制并计算改善率),颈椎稳定性评价采用Katsumi标准。比较两组的临床效果及颈椎稳定性。结果:随访6～24个月,A组平均14.1±3.7个月,B组平均13.9±3.8个月,A组术前JOA评分为9.19±2.64分,术后为14.37±1.42分,改善率为66.3%;B组术前JOA评分为8.89±2.31分,术后为14.33±1.28分,改善率为67.1%,与术前比较均有显著性差异(P<0.001),两组患者的JOA评分改善率无显著性差异(P>0.05)。两组患者术后颈椎稳定性与术前比较均无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论:PCN治疗多间隙颈椎间盘突出症效果优良,对颈椎稳定性影响小,不会造成颈椎失稳。     

Histamine and tryptase modulate asthmatic airway smooth muscle GM-CSF and RANTES release.

Degranulating mast cells are increased in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) of asthmatics, where they may influence ASM function. The aim of the present study was to determine whether histamine and tryptase modulate ASM cell granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) release and also to examine which receptors are involved in this release. Confluent, quiescent ASM cells from asthmatic and nonasthmatic donors were treated with histamine (1 microM-100 microM) with and without histamine receptor antagonist pre-treatment, or the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 agonists tryptase (0.5-5 nM) and SLIGKV (100 and 400 microM). The cells were then stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta and/or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (10 ng.mL(-1)) or left unstimulated for 24 h. Release of GM-CSF and RANTES was determined by ELISA and prostaglandin (PG)E(2) measured by enzyme immunoassay. Neither histamine nor tryptase induced ASM GM-CSF or RANTES secretion. However, histamine increased IL-1beta-induced GM-CSF release and markedly reduced TNF-alpha-induced RANTES release by both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cells to a similar extent, but did not modulate PGE(2) release. All changes involved activation of the histamine H1 receptor as they were partially or fully blocked by chlorpheniramine, but not ranitidine. Tryptase, via its proteolytic activity, also potentiated GM-CSF, but not RANTES, release from asthmatic and nonasthmatic ASM cells induced by both cytokines. PAR-2 involvement in the tryptase potentiation was unlikely because SLIGKV had no effect. In conclusion, mast cells, through histamine and tryptase, may locally modulate airway smooth muscle-induced inflammation in asthma.