An additional motor-related field in the lateral frontal cortex of squirrel monkeys

Our earlier efforts to document the cortical connections of the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) revealed dense connections with a field rostral and lateral to PMv, an area we called the frontal rostral field (FR). Here, we present data collected in FR using electrophysiological and anatomical methods. Results show that FR contains an isolated motor representation of the forelimb that can be differentiated from PMv based on current thresholds and latencies to evoke electromyographic activity using intracortical microstimulation techniques. In addition, FR has a different pattern of cortical connections compared with PMv. Together, these data support that FR is an additional, previously undescribed motor-related area in squirrel monkeys.     

A case of aplastic inferior vena cava with right hypofunctional kidney

We report a rare case of anomalous inferior vena cava (IVC) in a 46-year-old woman hospitalized for the examination of right hypofunctional kidney. She had no history of trauma or pyelonephritis and there were no abnormalities in laboratory findings except serum creatinine value. Excretory urography showed no excretion of contrast medium from right kidney and retrograde pyelography revealed moderate hydronephrosis of right kidney but the obstruction of the ureter was not recognized. Abdominal computed tomographic scan showed a total trace of IVC and inferior venacavography demonstrated complete obstruction of the IVC from its origin with collateralization of upper lumber veins and vertebral veins. Surgical exploration was performed and demonstrated that IVC was a trace from the postrenal segment to hepatic segment. Two right renal veins were draining into the upper lumber vein and the right ureter was compressed slightly by lower renal vein, dilated ovarian vein and fibrotic connective tissue.     

A case of intrascrotal pseudocyst

A 37-year-old male visited our hospital with the chief complaint of a mass about the size of a hens egg in the right scrotum. Before hospitalization, he had noticed the abnormal intrascrotal mass. The mass gradually enlarged with pain, so he was admitted on May 23, 1982. Under the diagnosis of intrascrotal tumor, the mass was removed. It was a cyst with enriched geratinoid contents enclosed with thick granulation tissue and adhered to the tunica vaginalis externally. Pathological findings revealed it to be an intrascrotal pseudocyst. Discussion is made in relation to the histological genesis of this lesion.     

Development of a monitoring system for heroin-assisted substitution treatment in Switzerland

Objectives  

Switzerland introduced heroin-assisted treatment as a routine treatment for drug addicts. As a result the evaluation instruments were changed from a detailed scientific project to a routine monitoring system. The process for developing this monitoring system is described.     

Coming soon

Advertisement

Coming soon     

Genetic aberrations detected by comparative genomic hybridization predict outcome in patients with endometrioid carcinoma

Endometrial cancer progression is determined by a complex pattern of multiple genetic aberrations, but how these aberrations affect prognosis is unknown. In this study, we undertook a genome-wide screening to detect genetic changes by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in 51 tumors from patients with primary endometrioid carcinoma of the uterine corpus. The observed genetic changes were subsequently correlated with the progression of the disease and the clinical outcome in each case. The average number of genetic aberrations (copy number gains and losses) was significantly greater in non-surviving patients than in disease-free patients (12. 6 vs. 2.7, P < 0.0001). According to multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015), cervical involvement (P = 0.007) and one or more copy number losses at 9q32-q34, 11q23, or Xq12-q24 (P = 0.023) were significantly predictive of death from the disease. Interestingly, lymph node metastasis was significantly associated with copy number gains at 8q22-q23 and 8q24-qter (P = 0.003 and P = 0.025, respectively). Moreover, cervical involvement was also correlated significantly not only with gains of 8q22-q23 and 8q24-qter but also with loss of 11q23 (P = 0.04, 0.0003, and P = 0. 009, respectively). These results suggest that analysis of genetic changes may help predict clinical outcome and the presence of metastatic disease as well as assist in therapeutic decision making for patients with endometrioid carcinoma.     

Feedback control in high shear granulation of pharmaceutical powders.

A novel system has been developed to control granule growth in high shear granulation. The system basically consisted of an image-processing device and a fuzzy control system. A computer-controlled image processor, an air purge unit, a high-energy xenon lighting system and an image probe with a CCD camera comprised the image processing device. A fuzzy control system using a linguistic algorithm employing if-then rules with a process lag element taken into consideration has been developed to accurately control granule growth without any excessive growth. This newly developed system was applied to actual high shear granulation of pharmaceutical powders and validity of the system was investigated. It was found that the system could control granule growth with high accuracy, regardless of changes in physical properties of starting materials and the operating conditions.     

Non-genomic ecdysone effects and the invertebrate nuclear steroid hormone receptor EcR--new role for an "old" receptor?

The ecdysteroids (Ec), invertebrate steroid hormones, elicit genomic but also non-genomic effects. By analogy to vertebrates, non-genomic responses towards Ec may be mediated not only by distinct membrane-integrated but also by membrane-associated receptors like the classical nuclear ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) of arthropods. This is supported by a comparison of physiological properties between invertebrate and vertebrate steroid hormone systems and recent findings on the subcellular localization of EcR. The measured or predicted high degree of conformational flexibility of both Ec and the ligand binding domain (LBD) of EcR give rise to a conformational compatibility model: the compatibility between conformations of the cognate receptor's ligand binding domain and structures or conformations of the ligand would determine their interaction and eventually the initiation of genomic versus non-genomic pathways. This model could also explain why specific non-genomic effects are generally not observed with non-steroidal agonists of the bisacylhydrazine group.