Stimulation by mitogens and neuronal membranes of lymphocytes from patients with motor neurone disease

Stimulation of lymphocytes from motor neurone disease patients by either concanavalin A or PHA was shown to be significantly depressed relative to that from normal controls, as assayed by incorporation of [3H]thymidine or [3H]leucine or by glucose uptake. Corresponding significant differences were not shown by assays based upon incorporation of [3H]uridine or of lactate release. Lymphocytes from 4 out of 14 motor neurone disease patients showed a blastogenic response to membranes from rat spinal cord cells, compared with those from 0 out of 9 normal controls. These results not only suggest the possibility of an impaired cellular immune control in MND patients but also indicate the presence of lymphocytes sensitised specifically to neuronal membrane components.     

^1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy screening for animals with acute cerebral infraction suitable forthrombolytic therapy

BACKGROUND: As a non-invasive technique which can provide comprehensive biological information, 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) may provide valuable reference data for irreversible recovery or reversible changes in ischemic tissue after stroke. OBJECTIVE: To monitor and evaluate the effect of the urokinase thrombolytic therapy after experimental acute cerebral ischemia by 1H-MRS technology and investigate its adaptability. DESIGN: Randomly controlled animal study. SETTINGS: Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science. MATERIALS: Eleven healthy adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, weighing 260–300 g and of both genders, were supplied by Experimental Animal Center of Tongji Medical Collage, Huazhong University of Science and Technology [SCXK (e) 2004-007]. 4.7T superconducting nuclear magnetic resonance meter was provided by Brucker Company. METHODS: The experiment was carried out in Shenzhen Hospital of Peking University and National Key Laboratory of Pattern and Atom & Molecular Physics, Wuhan Physics and Mathematics Institute, Chinese Academy of Science from August 2003 to December 2005. ① The rats were randomly divided into 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =6) and 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group (n =5). Six rats in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded with clot embolus for 30 minutes and 5 rats in 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group were occluded for 60 minutes. 10 000 U/kg urokinase was dissolved in 2 mL saline and the operation lasted for 5 minutes. ② 1H-MRS was performed before thrombolysis and at 3 hours and 24 hours after successful embolization. The metabolic changes of N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid (NAA)/phosphocreatine (PCr) + creatine (Cr), choline phosphate (Cho)/PCr+Cr and lactic acid (Lac)/PCr+Cr in the region of interests were analyzed. ③ The T2W image was conducted 24 hours after the thrombolytic therapy with TR=500 ms and TE=25 ms. ④ The subjects were sacrificed immediately after 1H-MRS and the brain tissues were cut into pieces and stained with HE method; in addition, pathological changes were observed under optic microscope. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Metabolic changes of NAA/PCr+Cr, Cho/PCr+Cr and Lac/PCr+Cr in the region of interests; ② T2W image at 24 hours after the thrombolysis; ③ pathological observation of brain tissue. RESULTS: Eleven rats were all involved in the final analysis. ① Metabolic changes in the region of interests : In 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac peak emerged immediately after the embolism, but the ischemic zone decreased 3 hours after the thrombolytic therapy (0.252±0.01, 0.603±0.01, P < 0.01). Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was 0.290±0.01 at 24 hours after thrombolysis, which was higher than that at 3 hours after thrombolysis (P < 0.01). The NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ratio decreased significantly at 3 hours after the thrombolysis as compared with that before thrombolysis (0.922±0.16, 1.196±0.01, P < 0.05). In 60-minute self-thrombo-embolism group, the Lac/(PCr+Cr) ratio was higher at 3 hours after thrombolysis than that before thrombolysis (0.846±0.12, 0.601±0.11, P < 0.05) and the NAA/(PCr+Cr) decreased at 3 hours after the embolism. Fluctuation of NAA/ (PCr+Cr) ranged from 0.68 to 0.75 before thrombolysis and from 0.71 to 0.75 at 3 hours after thrombolysis. ② T2W image: T2W image showed that 2 subjects in 30-minute self-thrombo-embolism group whose Lac/NAA was higher than 0.7 suffered from intracranial hemorrhage. This meant that the subjects with Lac/NAA > 0.7 were more likely to suffer from intracranial hemorrhage. ③ Histological and morphological examinations: Optic microscope demonstrated that interspace surrounding nerve cells was widened at ischemic center; neurons were swelling; nucleus was stained lightly; pyknosis and mesenchymal edema were mainly observed in lateral cortex of brow and vertex and in lateral part of corpus striatum. CONCLUSION: ①Compound parameters in ischemic area before thrombolysis should be regarded as an important predicting marker for thrombolytic therapy, effect evaluation and termination. ② 1H-MRS combining with other imaging technique is a detecting way for screening cases who are suitable for thrombolytic therapy.     

Dorsal intramedullary spinal epidermoid cysts: Report of two cases and review of literature

Intramedullary epidermoid cysts of the spinal cord are rare tumors, especially those not associated with spinal dysraphism. About 50 cases have been reported in the literature. Of these, only seven cases have had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. We report two cases of spinal intramedullary epidermoid cysts with MR imaging. Both were not associated with spina bifida. In one patient, the tumor was located at D4 vertebral level; while in the other, within the conus medullaris. The clinical features, MRI characteristics and surgical treatment of intramedullary epidermoid cyst are presented with relevant review of the literature.     

小骨窗术和碎吸术治疗脑出血的临床应用研究

目的对比研究颅内血肿小骨窗清除术和颅内血肿(钻孔)碎吸清除术治疗脑出血的疗效。方法87例脑出血患者分为小骨窗组(行颅内血肿小骨窗清除术)、碎吸组(行颅内血肿碎吸清除术)和对照组(行内科保守治疗)。分别比较小骨窗组、碎吸组、保守组治疗前后的GCS评分及3组的GCS评分差。采用t检验、χ2检验和单因素方差分析比较。结果小骨窗组、碎吸组与保守组的GCS评分差比较均有差异(P<0.05);小骨窗组和碎吸组的GCS评分差比较也有差异(P<0.05)。结论小骨窗颅内血肿清除术、碎吸颅内血肿清除术、内科保守疗法在脑出血治疗中均能发挥一定的作用。小骨窗术和碎吸术在治疗中均能提高疗效、加快神经功能恢复,但小骨窗术较碎吸术能更好地发挥疗效、提高病人的生存质量。     

Affective neural circuitry during facial emotion processing in pediatric bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Facial emotions are central to human interaction. Identifying pathophysiology in affect processing circuitry that supports the ability to assess facial emotions might facilitate understanding of affect regulation in pediatric bipolar disorder. METHODS: Ten euthymic, unmedicated pediatric bipolar patients and 10 healthy control subjects matched for age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and IQ were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Angry, happy, and neutral faces were presented in 30-sec blocks, with a 20-sec rest period between blocks. Subjects were asked to press a button when each face appeared, to ensure that attention was maintained on-task. RESULTS: In bipolar patients, in response to both angry and happy faces relative to neutral faces, we observed reduced activation of right rostral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex together with increased activity in right pregenual anterior cingulate, amygdala, and paralimbic cortex. Bipolar patients also showed reduced activation of visual areas in occipital cortex together with greater activation in higher-order visual perceptual areas, including superior temporal sulcus and fusiform gyrus with angry faces and posterior parietal cortex with happy faces. CONCLUSIONS: Findings document a disturbance in affective neurocircuitry in pediatric bipolar disorder. Reduced activation in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex might reflect diminished top-down control that leads to the observed exaggerated activation in amygdala and paralimbic areas. Changes in occipital areas might represent an effort to gate sensory input when affective responses to the faces could not be successfully modulated. Disturbances in affect processing circuitry could contribute to emotional dysregulation and social cognitive difficulties in bipolar youth.     

评估控制性卵巢刺激中预测卵巢反应性的指标

在辅助生育技术的实施中,控制性卵巢刺激(COS)方案是根据患者情况确定的,在用药剂量和启动时间的掌握上非常重要。由于卵巢本身反应性或基础状态的不同,不同年龄及不同病因的患者有着极大的差异,用量适当可避免因启动剂量过大造成卵巢过度剌激(OHSS),或剂量过少造成低反应,卵泡     

Parental alcohol use and brain volumes in early- and late-onset alcoholics.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that alcoholics have smaller brain volumes than non-alcoholic cohorts, but an effect of family history (FH) of heavy drinking on brain volume has not been demonstrated. We examined the relationship between an FH of heavy drinking and both brain shrinkage as measured by the ratio of brain volumes to intracranial volume (ICV) as well as maximal brain growth as measured by ICV in early-onset and late-onset alcoholics. METHODS: With T1-weighted resonance imaging, we measured ICV, brain volume, and white and gray matter volume in adult treatment-seeking late-onset and early-onset alcoholics with either a positive or a negative FH of heavy alcohol use, and in healthy control subjects. We also calculated brain shrinkage using a ratio of soft tissue volumes to ICV. RESULTS: The FH positive alcoholic patients had significantly smaller ICVs than FH negative patients, suggesting smaller premorbid brain growth. Brain shrinkage did not correlate with FH. Late-onset alcoholics showed a greater difference in ICV between FH positive and FH negative patients than early-onset alcoholics. Late-onset FH positive patients also had significantly lower IQ scores than late-onset FH negative patients, and IQ scores were correlated with ICV. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that parental alcohol use might increase risk for alcoholism in offspring in part by a genetic and/or environmental effect that might be related to reduced brain growth.     

Melatonin‐evoked potentiation of the juvenile rat tail artery neurogenic reactivity depends on degree of the change in the reactivity

Aim: Dependence of the melatonin‐evoked potentiation of the rat tail artery neurogenic reactivity on degree of the change in the reactivity was studied. Method: Electrical field stimulation‐evoked contractile response of the juvenile rat tail artery segment under isometric conditions was recorded. 0.1 μm melatonin was administered after the change in the response produced both spontaneously and by acidification (pH 6.6) or alkalinization (pH 7.8) of the solution. Results: During the course of experiment, the contraction force continuously declined, being reduced by 12 ± 5, 24 ± 7 and 32 ± 6% at 20, 70, and 170 min after beginning of experiment, respectively. Melatonin applied at these time points increased the contraction by 20 ± 5, 41 ± 10, and 48 ± 8%, respectively, relative to control. This increase in potentiating effect of melatonin during the course of experiment was not because of sensitization of the segment to the hormone. Acidosis‐induced considerable decline in neurogenic contraction was counteracted by melatonin, while after alkalosis‐induced augmentation in the contraction the hormone was not effective. Melatonin increased the artery response to 0.1 μm noradrenaline. Conclusion: These data suggest that melatonin can restore an attenuated neurogenic reactivity of the juvenile rat tail artery. The effect is more pronounced with further decrease in reactivity and might be due to a change in sensitivity of the post‐junctional membrane to noradrenaline.