Quantitative three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound predicts the outcome of placental chorioangioma.

The relationship of large and vascularized chorioangiomas to adverse pregnancy outcome is well recognized. We present a patient with a large placental tumor and signs of impending fetal cardiac failure. The angioarchitecture of the tumor depicted by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound enabled us to accurately diagnose a placental chorioangioma. During the follow-up period, quantitative flow data obtained using 3D power Doppler indicated altered hemodynamics in the tumor and concomitant improvement in the condition of the fetus, enabling us to manage the mother conservatively. Spontaneous delivery occurred at 38 weeks without any complications. This report demonstrates the potential value of 3D power Doppler in prenatal diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancies complicated by large, vascularized chorioangioma.     

The outcome of ganglion clipping in hyperhidrosis and blushing

A total of 114 patients with various sympathetic disorders underwent endoscopic sympathetic block over different thoracic ganglions by the clipping method. The advantages of this method include the recognition of the clipped level, changeability, and reversibility. However, 4.4% of patients were unilaterally clipped at the wrong level.     

Cigarette smoke toxicants alter growth and survival of cultured mammalian cells.

Our purpose was to determine the effects of six cigarette toxicants (pyridine, nicotine, 2-ethylpyridine, 3-ethylpyridine, p-cresol, and pyrazine) on three types of cultured mammalian cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs], human microvascular endothelial cells [HMVECs], and NIH 3T3 cells) using a cell proliferation/survival assay. Synchronized cells were cultured in proliferation or survival medium containing various doses (10(-18)M-10(-2)M) of the tested chemicals. After 48 h, cells were counted using a hemacytometer. The no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL), lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL), and the efficacy were determined for each compound in the cell proliferation and survival assays. Pyridine and p-cresol did not show significant effects with any cell types, except at high doses. Derivitization of the pyridine ring altered its potency, especially when an ethyl group or nitrogen was added. In survival medium, nicotine stimulated proliferation of all three cell types at doses found in smoker's serum (10(-8)M-10(-7)M). For HUVEC and HMVEC, 2-ethylpyridine, 3-ethylpyridine, and pyrazine inhibited proliferation in proliferation medium and induced cell death in survival medium at attomolar and femtomolar doses. All chemicals, except pyridine and pyrazine, stimulated NIH 3T3 cell proliferation at low doses and induced cell death at high doses. LOAELs and efficacies revealed that endothelial cells from a developing organ (umbilical cord) were more sensitive to these chemicals than endothelial cells from an adult organ (lung). 3-Ethylpyridine and pyrazine, which induced cell death at low doses, are added to consumer products and should be subjected to further toxicological testing.     

An in vivo investigation into bond failure rates with a new self-etching primer system.

Self-etching primers have recently been introduced to simplify the orthodontic bonding process. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of such a product with conventional 2-stage etching and priming with 37% o-phosphoric acid and a conventional unfilled primer. Twenty consecutive patients having orthodontic bonds placed were selected to participate in this cross-mouth control study. Diagonally opposite quadrants were randomly allocated to either the self-etching primer group or the conventional etching and priming group. A total of 364 teeth were bonded with a light-cured diacrylate adhesive; bond failures were then monitored over 6 months. There were 20 bond failures (10.99%) in the self-etching primer group and 9 bond failures (4.95%) in the conventional etch and priming group over this period. The results were analyzed with the McNemar test and 95% confidence interval. The difference between the failure proportions was -0.06 with an associated 95% confidence interval of -0.121 to 0.001. This study produced weak evidence to suggest that bond failures with a self-etching primer will be higher than those with conventional etching and priming. This increased likelihood of bond failure must be weighed against the time advantage of the self-etching primer when used at the initial bonding appointment.     

快速眼动睡眠剥夺后大鼠脑内神经元骨架蛋白及超微结构的变化

目的探讨经历不同时间快速眼动（REM）睡眠剥夺对大鼠皮质及海马各区神经元形态结构的影响。方法选择微管相关蛋白（MAP2）和神经丝（NF）作为正常神经元结构的标识物，利用免疫组织化学法和Western blot技术观察REM睡眠剥夺1、3、5、7 d4个时间点大鼠皮质及海马MAP2和NF表达的时空变化规律。同时运用电镜技术观察睡眠剥夺后神经元超微结构的变化。我们的实验是用改良的多平台睡眠剥夺模型进行REM睡眠剥夺，结合免疫组织化学染色技术和蛋白质电泳以及电镜超微结构分析。结果REM睡眠剥夺后5d大鼠皮质、海马CA1及齿状回神经元结构蛋白MAP2和NF表达较对照组明显减少（P〈0．05）；电镜神经元核仁偏位，胞质中出现少量肿胀的线粒体和内质网；部分神经轴突的髓鞘溶解与浓集。环境对照组、REM睡眠剥夺5d和7d组，皮质中超微结构改变的神经元所占比例分别为1．2％、3．6％和5．8％。结论REM睡眠剥夺能够导致大鼠脑内神经元的超微结构发生异常变化。     

Mapping brain size and cortical gray matter changes in elderly depression.

BACKGROUND: In elderly depression, volumetric brain imaging findings suggest abnormalities of the frontal lobe, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. No studies to date have mapped cortical abnormalities over the entire brain surface in major depression. Here, we conducted detailed spatial analyses of brain size and gray matter within the cortical mantle in elderly patients with major depression. METHODS: High-resolution, three-dimensional, structural magnetic resonance imaging data and cortical pattern matching methods were used in 24 depressed elderly patients and 19 group-matched controls to measure local brain size and proportions of gray matter at thousands of homologous cortical surface locations. RESULTS: Prominent brain size reductions were observed in the depressed subjects in the orbitofrontal cortex bilaterally. Cortical gray matter measurements revealed significant gray matter increases in the orbitofrontal cortex, adjacent to focal trend level significant decreases of gray matter in the same region. Depressed patients also exhibited significant gray matter increases in parietal cortices, as well as the left temporal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Complex cortical changes may contribute to the brain size reduction of the orbitofrontal cortex and to the gray matter abnormalities detected in orbitofrontal cortex and temporoparietal cortices, thereby providing a potentially new window into the pathophysiology of elderly depression.