Stereologic characterization and spatial distribution patterns of Betz cells in the human primary motor cortex

Betz cells are giant motoneurons located in layer Vb of the primate primary motor cortex. We conducted stereological analyses of Betz cells and neighboring pyramidal cells from the brains of six neurologically normal elderly humans to determine their volume, total number, and spatial distribution, and to relate these data to functional localization. The distribution of cellular volumes exhibits a bimodal pattern, delineating two different subpopulations. Betz cell volumes follow a mediolateral gradient, the largest Betz cells being located on the most medial part of the motor cortex. Additionally, the shape of Betz cells varies between the rostral and caudal parts of the primary motor cortex, supporting the notion that there are anatomically distinct zones in primary motor cortex. The total number of Betz cells per hemisphere accounts for about one-tenth of the total number of pyramidal cells in layer Vb. Analysis of spatial distribution using Voronoi tessellation revealed maximal clustering of Betz cells in a zone situated two-thirds from the midline along the mediolateral axis of the primary motor cortex. These data suggest that Betz cells have a discrete subregional distribution that may correspond to certain aspects of the functional parcellation of area 4. These results may offer a histological correlate of functional imaging studies and are relevant in the context of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Guamanian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinsonism-dementia, and in studies of normal brain aging.     

Pseudoappendicitis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides.

A 20-year-old patient was hospitalized with clinical signs of acute appendicitis. After surgery, the histological findings in the appendix and a lymphatic node suggested the diagnosis of pseudoappendicitis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides, which was isolated in pure culture from the lymphatic node. The strain of P. shigelloides was found to elaborate a heat-stable toxin and harbored two plasmids of 280 and 4 kilobases. A large plasmid has previously been implicated as a virulence marker in P. shigelloides infections.     

Detection and identification of Candida species in experimentally infected tissue and human blood by rRNA-specific fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Two 18S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes specific for Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis were used to detect and identify by fluorescent in situ hybridization these medically important Candida species in deep organs of mice after experimental systemic infection. The C. albicans-specific probe detected fungal cells in kidney, spleen, and brain sections of a mouse infected with C. albicans but not in a mouse infected with the closely related species C. parapsilosis. Conversely, the C. parapsilosis-specific probe detected fungal cells in the deep organs of a mouse infected with C. parapsilosis but not in the deep organs of a C. albicans-infected mouse. In addition, the C. albicans-specific probe was used to detect this species in human blood spiked with yeast cells by a lysis-filtration assay and subsequent fluorescent in situ hybridization. By this assay, as few as three yeast cells per 0.5 ml of blood were consistently detected. Our results demonstrate that fluorescent in situ hybridization with species-specific rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes provides a novel, culture-independent method for the sensitive detection and identification of Candida species in clinically relevant material.     

Behavioral Profiles of Genetically Selected Aggressive and Nonaggressive Male Wild House Mice in Two Anxiety Tests

Artificially selected aggressive (SAL) and non-aggressive (LAL) male house mice were tested in a hexagonal tunnel maze and light-dark preference (LD) box to determine if the bidirectional selection for aggressive behavior leads to a coselection for different levels of trait anxiety. The tunnel maze consists of an open, brightly lit central arena surrounded by a complex system of interconnecting tunnels. As in the LD box, animals which spend less time and are less active in the brightly illuminated section of the maze are considered to have higher anxiety levels. In the tunnel maze, the LAL mice showed more exploration and spent more time in the central arena than the SAL animals, but only during the final 2 min of the 6-min test. This reduced preference for the central arena was not due to general inactivity or a failure of the SAL to find the central arena and indicates a higher level of state anxiety in the aggressive animals. In contrast, no anxiety-like differences were found in the LD box, either for the percentage of time spent in the light compartment or for the number of crossings. SAL males actually showed higher levels of moving and rearing, and lower levels of freezing, than did LAL males.     

Female and male partner age and menotrophin requirements influence pregnancy rates with human menopausal gonadotrophin therapy in combination with intrauterine insemination

This study analyses the influence of female and male patient age and human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) requirements on clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates with ovulation stimulation using HMG in combination with intrauterine insemination (IUI). In this study, 363 consecutive HMG/IUI treatment cycles in 184 patients carried out at a university fertility centre were analysed in a retrospective fashion. The main outcomes measured were clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates. Increased female partner age (> or = 35) and male partner age (> or = 40) were found to negatively influence pregnancy rates with HMG/ IUI therapy. In addition, this study demonstrated a critical threshold of HMG requirements beyond which pregnancy did not occur. No pregnancies occurred in treatment cycles requiring > 25 ampoules (1875 IU) of menotrophins to achieve follicular maturity, irrespective of patient age. In conclusion, female partner age, male partner age, and HMG requirements all significantly influence pregnancy rates with HMG/IUI therapy.      

The force-velocity relationship of arm flexion in untrained males and females and arm-trained athletes

Summary The force-velocity curve (FVC) of arm flexion was established in 123 untrained males and 110 untrained females aged from 15 to 36 years, and 48 arm-trained athletes competing in different sport disciplines. The FVC was described by Hill's equation and defined by the parameters: maximal static moment (M₀), maximal angular velocity (₀), maximal power (P₀) and the concavity of the FVC (H). Within the given age range the level of the curve parameters of both untrained men and women was independent of age.On average, H was the same in all three groups. As compared to M₀ of the untrained males, M₀ of the athletes was 33% higher and M₀ of the females was 38% lower; with regard to P₀ these differences were +30% and –43% respectively. ₀ was the same for trained and untrained males, wherease ₀ of the women was 10% lower than ₀ of the men.     

Einflu\ vonBordetella pertussis auf das lymphatische Gewebe von Mäusen

Zusammenfassung Verglichen mit phänotypisch normalen Kontrolltieren fanden sich bei NMRI-Mäusen mit kongenitaler Thymusaplasie nur wenige Peyersche Plaques, die zudem nur aus diffusen Lymphocytenansammlungen bestanden. Auch die Milzfollikel waren erheblich verkleinert, wobei die periarteriolären Follikelbereiche gelegentlich zellärmer erschienen. Das wei\e Blutbild der thymuslosen Tiere war durch eine mä\ige Lymphopenie charakterisiert. Obwohl die Milzen der Mäuse mit kongenitaler Thymusaplasie keine Verringerung der Zahlen an präexistenten 19S-Hämolysin-bildenden Zellen aufweisen, waren nach Erstimmunisierung mit 4·10⁸ Schaferythrocyten nur minimale Zahlen an 19S-Produzenten und 7 S-Produzenten nachweisbar. Die sekundäre antigene Stimulierung mit 4·10⁸ Schaferythrocyten führte zu keiner nennenswerten Gedächtnisreaktion, was anzeigt, da\ die Bildung von Gedächtniszellen ein thymusabhängiger Proze\ ist. Die alleinige intraperitoneale Injektion abgetöteter Zellen von B. pertussis führte zu Hypersplenie, Leukozytose und Vermehrung der präexistenten Zahlen an 19S-Hämolysin-bildenden Zellen. Im Gegensatz zu Normaltieren, wo die Leukocytose durch eine Vermehrung von Granulocyten und Lymphocyten charakterisiert ist, fehlte bei den thymuslosen Tieren die Lymphocytenvermehrung. Der Zunahme der Blutgranulocyten entsprach eine verstärkte Granulopoese in Leber und Milz. Bei Normaltieren fand sich nach Erstimmunisierung durch simultane Applikation von 4·10⁸ Schaferythrocyten und 3·10⁹ abgetöteten Zellen vonB. pertussis eine verstärkte und verlängerte Produktion von 19S- und besonders 7S-Hämolysin-bildenden Zellen, verbunden mit einer verstärkten Präparation des lymphoretikulären Gewebes für die anamnestische Reaktion. Bei den Mäusen mit kongenitaler Thymusaplasie beschränkte sich der Adjuvanseffekt allem auf die Frühphase der immunologischen Primärreaktion, was seinen Ausdruck in einer deutlichen Vermehrung der 19S-Produzenten und einer nur geringgradigen Vermehrung der 7S-Produzenten fand.

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Influence ofBordetella pertussis on the lymphatic tissue of miceVIII. The influence ofBordetella pertussis on the primary and secondary immune potential of thymusless (nude) mice

As compared to phenotypically normal controls, in the intestine of NMRI mice with congenital aplasia of the thymus (nude) only small numbers of Peyer's patches could be detected, which consisted of relatively diffuse accumulations of lymphocytes. The splenic follicles were likewise considerably reduced in size, whereby the thymus-dependent areas occasionally appeared to be deficient in lymphocytes. Furthermore, the thymusless mice were found to have blood lymphopenia. Although the spleens of nude mice contained rather enhanced numbers of pre-existing 19S hemolysin forming cells, only small numbers of 19S producers and very poor numbers of 7S hemolysin-forming spleen cells were demonstrable after the primary immunization with 4·10⁸ sheep erythrocytes. Secondary antigenic stimulation with an equal dose of the erythrocyte antigen did not result in a noteworthy secondary immune response. This evidently indicates that the production of memory cells is a thymus-dependent process. A single intraperitoneal injection of 3·10⁹ pertussis organisms led to splenomegaly, blood leukocytosis and augmentation of the pre-existing 19S hemolysin-forming spleen cells. Whilst in normal controls the blood leukocytosis was found to be due to an increase in both lymphocytes and granulocytes, in nude mice the leukocytosis was solely caused by the increase in granulocytes, this being associated with increased granulopoiesis in spleen and liver. The primary immunization of normal controls with 4·10⁸ sheep erythrocytes and 3·10⁹ pertussis organisms led to an increased and prolonged development of both 19S and 7S hemolysin-producing spleen cells. Furthermore, the bacterial adjuvant increased the process of priming for the secondary immune response. Unlike to this, in mice with congenital aplasia of the thymus adjuvancy of pertussis organisms was restricted to the early phase of the primary immune response, as is documented by the distinct augmentation of 19S producers and a poor increase in the numbers of 7S hemolysin-forming spleen cells.

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Diese Arbeit wurde durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft gefördert.