Impaired motor imagery in patients with essential tremor: a case control study.

Motor imagery (MI), which refers to the process of mental representation of movements, has not been studied in patients with essential tremor (ET). We investigated the presence of impaired MI in ET patients compared with healthy controls. A group of drug-naive and nondemented ET patients and age-matched controls were studied using transcranial magnetic stimulation, while they were specifically instructed to try and imagine themselves performing two motor tasks. The various clinical and electrophysiological variables were evaluated and compared. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant difference between ET patients and controls with respect to mean motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes (F(1,38) = 31.92, P < 0.005) during MI. The process of MI effectively facilitated MEP amplitude in controls but not in ET patients, regardless of side of stimulation or motor tasks. We provide evidence to demonstrate impairment of MI in a group of ET patients compared with healthy controls. The basis for this novel finding is unclear, and further studies are warranted to determine whether it is related to cerebellar or motor cortical dysfunction.     

Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor or Related Factors Promote the Differentiation of Neuronal and Astrocytic Precursors within the Developing Murine Spinal Cord

Previously we have shown that leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) potentiates the development of murine spinal cord neurons in vitro , suggesting that it, or related factors, may play an important regulatory role in neuronal development. We have further investigated this role and show here that the generation of neurons in cultures of embryonic day 10 spinal cord cells is inhibited by antibodies to the β subunit of the LIF receptor. Since there are more undifferentiated precursors in antibody-treated cultures than in control and LIF-treated cultures, it is concluded that the primary action of LIF, or related molecules, is to promote neuronal differentiation, not precursor survival. In addition, the failure of LIF to support neuronal survival in the period immediately following differentiation suggests that the increased numbers of neurons generated with LIF are not attributable to its neurotrophic action. By selecting neuronal precursors on the basis of their inability to express class I major histocompatibility complex molecules, it was shown that LIF acted directly upon these cells and not via an intermediary cell. LIF also appears to be involved in regulating the differentiation of astrocytes, since it increases the number of glial fibrillary protein (GFAP)-positive cells present in the cultures and since the spontaneous production of GFAP-positive cells is blocked by antibodies to the LIF β receptor. These findings suggest that LIF or related factors promote the differentiation of neural precursors in the spinal cord, but that they are not involved in preferentially promoting precursors down a specific differentiation pathway.     

Impaired Glucose Tolerance in Pregnancy - Is It of Consequence?

Summary: This study was done to determine if impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy was associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and if so, whether the increased morbidity was due to the confounding factors of increased maternal age and maternal obesity. It was a retrospective analysis to compare 944 women with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in pregnancy with 10,065 women without abnormal glucose tolerance. The incidence of impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy was 8.6% in this study. Even when maternal age and obesity were excluded, the IGT group had significantly higher risks of labour induction (relative risk, RR, 1.15); Caesarean section (RR: overall 1.43, elective 1.72, emergency 1.31); Caesarean section for dystocia/no progress (RR 1.60); macrosomia (RR 1.69,1.76,1.61 for birth-weight =97th, 95th, 90th percentiles respectively) and shoulder dystocia (RR 2.84) when compared to the nondiabetics (NDM). The risks of hypertensive disease (RR 1.22) and Caesarean section for fetal distress/thick meconium-stained liquor (RR 1.53) were also higher in the IGT group but these increases were not statistically significant when maternal age and obesity were excluded. There was no significant difference in the rates of low Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes between the 2 groups.     

A phase II study of sulofenur,a novel sulfonylurea,in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

Summary A total of 16 patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with sulofenur (LY 186641), a novel oral sulfonylurea. All subjects had received previous chemotherapy. Anaemia occurred in all 16 patients, 14 of whom required a blood transfusion, and 2/16 patients received methylene blue for breathlessness due to methaemaglobinaemia. Treatment was discontinued in 2/16 cases due to rising liver enzyme values, which reverted to normal on cessation of the drug. There was no nausea or alopecia. Only two minor responses were seen. Plasma drug levels were insufficient to result in antitumour activity as extrapolated from animal data. Further studies that attempt to increase the bioavailability and improve the therapeutic index are warranted.     

Gd-BOPTA增强MRI对小肝癌的诊断价值

目的　比较Gd BOPTA增强MRI与MRI平扫、Gd DTPA动态增强MRI在诊断小肝癌 (SHCC)方面的差异 ,进一步提高小肝癌检出率和诊断准确性并观察其不良反应。资料与方法　手术或穿刺病理证实为SHCC患者 2 5例。采用GESigna 1.5T磁共振扫描仪。行SE序列T1WI、FSE序列T2 WI及Gd DTPA快速动态增强多期扫描。Gd BOPTA增强扫描亦采用静脉团注快速动态增强扫描 (同Gd DTPA) ,并在团注后 15min、6 0min行SE序列T1WI和FMPSPGR序列T1WI扫描各 1次。观察MRI平扫、Gd DTPA快速动态增强和Gd BOPTA增强扫描及延迟扫描对病灶的检出率、包膜显示情况以及病灶的强化特征并行统计学分析。观察其不良反应。结果　 2 5例患者共发现病灶4 2个。对SHCC病灶的检出率 ,MRI平扫为 6 9.0 5 % ,Gd DTPA增强为 85 .71% ,Gd BOPTA增强 (动态 延迟 )为95 .2 4 % ,和Gd DTPA增强之间无统计学差异 ,和MRI平扫有统计学意义。病理检查发现 30个病灶有包膜。Gd BOPTA增强对SHCC包膜的显示 ...     

改良Indiana膀胱术的远期疗效观察

目的:评价改良Indiana膀胱术的远期疗效.方法:对26例改良Indiana膀胱术术后患者的膀胱可控性、尿动力学、肾盂输尿管扩张、上尿路感染情况、血清电解质和肾功能进行随访.结果:26例随访1～7年,平均3年.白天可控率96.2%;贮尿囊容量为380～640 ml,平均542 ml;贮尿囊内压力为1.215～3.224 kPa,平均1.921 kPa.B超、IVP造影示3 例输尿管扩张,经随访无加重.血清电解质及肾功能正常.结论:改良Indiana膀胱术远期疗效可靠,并发症少,是一种较理想的尿路分流术式.     

癌基因c-fos、c-jun蛋白在鳞状细胞癌皮损中的表达及意义

目的　探讨癌基因c fos、c jun的表达与皮肤鳞癌发生和发展的关系。　方法　采用免疫组化法对 6 0例皮肤鳞癌的c fos、c jun的表达情况进行检测 ,并与正常皮肤组织进行对照。　结果　c fos、c jun在正常皮肤组织不表达 ,在皮肤鳞癌中的表达阳性率分别为 6 1.7%和 4 8.3% ,其表达水平与癌组织的分化程度有关 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,肿瘤的分化程度越高其表达水平越高。　结论　c fos、c jun的表达水平可作为判定皮肤鳞癌分化的指标。     

Ultrastructural identification of cholinergic neurons in the external cuneate nucleus of the gerbil: acetylcholinesterase histochemistry and choline acetyltransferase immunocytochemistry

Summary Using acetylcholinesterase histochemical and choline acetyltransferase immunocytochemical localization methods, this study has provided conclusive evidence for the existence of cholinergic neurons in the external cuneate nucleus of gerbils. By light microscopy, both acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase labelling was confined to the rostral portion of the external cuneate nucleus. Ultrastructurally, acetylcholinesterase reaction products were found in the nuclear envelope, cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi saccules of some somata and large dendrites as well as in the membranes of small dendrites, myelinated axons and axon terminals. These neuronal elements were also stained for choline acetyltransferase; immunoreactivity was associated with nuclear pores, nuclear envelope, perikaryal membrane and all the membranous structures within the cytoplasm. Of the total choline acetyltransferase-labelled neuronal profiles analysed, 79% were myelinated axons, 15% dendrites, 4% somata and 2% axon terminals. The immunostained axon terminals consisted of two types containing either round (Rd type; 62.5%) or pleomorphic (Pd type; 37.5%) vesicles. Both were associated directly with choline acetyltransferase-positive dendrites. In contrast to the paucity of choline acetyltransferase-labelled axon terminals, numerous choline acetyltransferase-positive myelinated axons were present. It may thus be hypothesized that most, if not all, of the external cuneate nucleus cholinergic neurons are projection cells; such cells may give rise to axonal collaterals which synapse onto their own dendrites for possible feedback control. Choline acetyltransferase-positive dendrites were contacted by numerous unlabelled presynaptic boutons, 60% of which contained round or spherical synaptic vesicles (Rd boutons) and 40% flattened vesicles (Fd boutons), suggesting that these neurons are under strong inhibitory control. The preferential concentration of cholinergic components in the rostral external cuneate nucleus may be significant in the light of the highly organized somatotopy in the external cuneate nucleus and its extensive efferent projections to medullary autonomic-related nuclei. Our results suggest that the cholinergic neurons may be involved in somatoautonomic integration.