Functional MR of the primary auditory cortex: an analysis of pure tone activation and tone discrimination.

PURPOSETo use functional MR imaging to measure the effect of frequency (pitch), intensity (loudness), and complexity of auditory stimuli on activation in the primary and secondary auditory cortexes.METHODSMultiplanar echo-planar images were acquired in healthy subjects with normal hearing to whom auditory stimuli were presented intermittently. Functional images were processed from the echo-planar images with conventional postprocessing methods. The stimuli included pure tones with a single frequency and intensity, pure tones with the frequency stepped between 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 Hz, and spoken text. The pixels activated by each task in the transverse temporal gyrus (TTG) and the auditory association areas were tabulated.RESULTSThe pure tone task activated the TTG. The 1,000-Hz tone activated significantly more pixels in the TTG than did the 4,000-Hz tone. The 4,000-Hz tone activated pixels primarily in the medial TTG, whereas the 1,000-Hz tone activated more pixels in the lateral TTG. Higher intensity tones activated significantly more pixels than did lower intensity tones at the same frequency. The stepped tones activated more pixels than the pure tones, but the difference was not significant. The text task produced significantly more activation than did the pure tones in the TTG and in the auditory association areas. The more complex tasks (stepped tones and listening to text) tended to activate more pixels in the left hemisphere than in the right, whereas the simpler tasks activated similar numbers of pixels in each hemisphere.CONCLUSIONAuditory stimuli activate the TTG and the association areas. Activation in the primary auditory cortex depends on frequency, intensity, and complexity of the auditory stimulus. Activation of the auditory association areas requires more complex auditory stimuli, such as the stepped tone task or text reading.     

慢性缺氧大鼠肺组织钙调素活性研究

为探讨钙调素在慢性缺氧性肺动脉高压发病中的作用，将４０只Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠随机分为四组，Ｉ组为正常对照组，不接受任何处理。Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ组为实验组，分别间断缺氧１、２、３周，而后采用火焰原子吸收分光光度法及磷酸二酯酶法测定四组大鼠肺组织Ｃａ＾２＋含量及ＣａＭ活性。     

小儿糖尿病血胰岛细胞抗体与胰岛素自身抗体

报道并分析20例小儿糖尿病患儿的临床资料及血胰岛细胞抗体(ICA)及胰岛素自身抗体(IAA)的测定资料。在20例患儿中,临床表现多不典型。在酮症酸中毒的治疗中小剂量胰岛素疗法方法简便,安全可靠,并发症少。本组患儿ICA阳性率55%,IAA阳性率30%,经卡方检验均显著高于对照组,推测病毒感染引起自身免疫反应,产生ICA及IAA而致本病发生。     

Case Control Study of Chronic Bronchitis in glass Bangle Workers

Eighty-nine cases of chronic bronchitis were matched against167 asymptomatic controls from the glass bangle industry ofFirozabad. Factors of age, social status, smoking habit andduration of exposure were studied. Duration of exposure wasfound to be a factor contributing significantly to the causationof disease. Requests for reprints should be addressed to: Dr B. N. Gupta, Division of Epidemilogy, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow P.O. Box 80, 226001, India     

Surgical management of bile duct injuries following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: analysis and follow-up of 28 cases

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract lesions pose a dreaded complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In a retrospective study we analyzed the clinical presentation, diagnostic and therapeutic management and outcome of 28 patients presenting with iatrogenic bile duct injuries. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1994 and 2001 we treated 28 patients with bile duct lesions following laparoscopic cholecystectomy at our center. Operation notes and charts of all patients were reviewed systematically. A follow-up examination of each patient was performed after a median of 12 months (range 1-90). RESULTS: Twenty-two patients presented with major circumferential bile duct defect lesions. Less severe injuries (n=6) were two minor bile leaks, one bile duct stricture and three tangential lesions. Twenty-six patients were referred to our institution within 16 days (range 0-226 days). Six patients were treated by nonsurgical procedures: endoscopic stenting in four and percutaneous intervention in two. In one of the remaining patients a cystic duct leak was closed via laparotomy, and in 21 a hepaticojejunostomy was performed. Reconstruction of a hepaticojenunostomy was performed in two of these patients. Patients were dismissed from the hospital after a median of 13 days (range 4-156). Four patients presenting with generalized biliary peritonitis required prolonged intensive care. One or more episodes of cholangitis were seen in five patients during follow-up examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Major iatrogenic bile duct injuries are associated with high morbidity and prolonged hospitalization. Interdisciplinary cooperation and early referral to an experienced center is crucial in the management of patients suffering from this affliction. Cholangitis is a marked problem in the follow-up.     

中老年男性下尿路症状的流行病学调查

为了了解下尿路症状在中、老年男性中的流行情况，用附加了二个症状问题的ＳＬ问卷对８７１名５２～７４岁的男子作回顾性调查，对调查结果作了年龄分组分析。结果发现：平均ＩＰＳＳ总分为４．９３分，无症状者为１２．２％，轻症者为６４．７％，中度症状者为１９．６％，重症者为３．５％。夜尿者占７２．３％，尿终滴沥占５４．４％，而症状中分值＞３分者尿终滴沥占２５．６％，夜尿占１４．６％，平均ＱＯＬ为１．７４，ＱＯＬ为０～２、３、４～６的比例分别为５２．７％、４６．０％、１．３％。ＱＯＬ与ＩＰＳＳ的相关性较好（ｒ＝０．６２），与梗阻症状群的相关性（ｒ＝０．５７）优于与刺激症状的相关性（ｒ＝０．４４）。中重度症状者中有７２．０％的人未进行治疗。     

Results of physical therapy for idiopathic clubfoot: a long-term follow-up study

Physical therapy without anesthesia or plaster casts was used to treat 338 cases of clubfoot (CF). Our technique is based on progressive sequential manipulations at birth. We first reduce the varus and later the equinus component of the CF. The gentle stretches used in this technique are complemented by active physiotherapy stimulating the muscles, and then a simple splint is suited to the foot to fix its degree of realignment. When used alone, this technique achieves 77% good and fair results. In resistant cases, complementary surgery was used. We obtained 96% good and fair results.     

Some central effects of brofaromine given repeatedly are phase-dependent

Effects of the MAO-A-inhibitor brofaromine (BRO), 10 mg/kg po after repeated (twice daily for 14 days) administration on the spontaneous behavior (exploratory and basal locomotor activities) and the exploratory activity modified by methoxamine, clonidine and d-amphetamine in male Wistar rats were studied in both light and dark phases of a diurnal cycle (L: 0700-1900 h). After single administration BRO in the light phase had no effects. In the dark phase BRO decreased the exploration (62% of control, p less than 0.01), increased the clonidine-evoked hypoactivity and amphetamine-evoked hyperactivity. The L-D differences occurred also after repeated administration. BRO in the light phase did not influence the exploration, decreased basal locomotor activity, did not change methoxamine and clonidine action and potentiated the action of amphetamine. In the dark phase, however, it did not influence the exploration and basal locomotor activity, intensified the methoxamine effect, and did not change the clonidine and amphetamine actions. The results demonstrate that the effects of BRO on behavior in rats: 1) differ from the effects caused by other antidepressants which are not MAO inhibitors; 2) are phase-dependent after both single and repeated administration.     

Reversal of diabetes in BB rats by transplantation of encapsulated pancreatic islets

Prolonged survival of pancreatic islet allografts implanted in diabetic BB rats was achieved by encapsulation of individual islets in a protective biocompatible alginate-polylysine-alginate membrane without immunosuppression. Intraperitoneal transplantation of the encapsulated islets reversed the diabetic state of the recipients within 3 days and maintained normoglycemia for 190 days. Normal body weight and urine volume were maintained during this period, and no cataracts were detected in the transplant recipients. In contrast, control rats receiving transplants of unencapsulated islets experienced normoglycemia for less than 2 wk. These results demonstrated that microencapsulation can protect allografted islets from both graft rejection and autoimmune destruction without immunosuppression in an animal model that mimics human insulin-dependent diabetes.