Recommendations for the examination of peripheral nerve biopsies

 Peripheral nerve biopsy is now an established, valuable investigative procedure, but as it can give rise to significant residual symptoms it should only be undertaken after careful consideration of the indications and with informed consent from the patient. Nerve biopsies should only be processed and evaluated in a laboratory with the relevant particular expertise. It is generally recommended that a sural nerve biopsy be performed in combination with a muscle biopsy but not vice versa (muscle biopsies together with a nerve biopsy). Nerve biopsy is not the only means of sampling peripheral nerve tissue to study the peripheral nervous system. Examination of the innervation of the skin may be informative. The same is likely to be true for motor point muscle biopsy. Nerve biopsy is mainly used for morphology although molecular genetic techniques using fresh or archival nerve biopsies are increasingly available. Chemical analysis is undertaken mainly for research purposes. Received: 10 June 1997 / Accepted: 29 October 1997     

mPEG表面修饰的PLGA嵌段共聚物的血液相容性评价

本实验室设计合成了三种不同LA／GA比例的mPEG修饰PLGA（PELGA，含15％mPEG），为了评价它们的血液相容性，我们以硅化玻璃试管为阴性对照，未硅化的试管为阳性对照，参照国际标准（ISO10993）和《中华人民共和国国家标准GB／T16886医疗器械生物学评价》方法进行了体外评价实验。试验包括溶血率实验，血小板黏附实验，动态凝血时间实验，凝血时间实验，血浆复钙时间实验和凝血酶原时间实验等综合评价指标。结果表明，合成材料具有优良的血液相容性，材料制成的纳米粒有望应用于静脉注射。     

Effect of vinpocetine on retrograde axoplasmic transport

Vinpocetine, a derivate of vincamine, is widely used in the clinical pharmacotherapy of cerebral circulatory diseases. Herewith we report on a novel effect of vinpocetine: inhibition of retrograde axoplasmic transport of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the peripheral nerve. Blockade of retrograde transport of NGF results in transganglionic degenerative atrophy (TDA) in the segmentally related ipsilateral superficial spinal dorsal horn, which is characterized by depletion of the marker enzymes fluoride-resistant acid phosphatase (FRAP) and thiamine monophosphatase (TMP). At the same time, pain-related neuropeptides such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), are depleted from lamina I-III from the segmentally related, ipsitateral Rolando substance of the spinal cord. On the basis of these experiments it is suggested that vinpocetine may result in a locally restricted decrease of nociception, that might be useful in clinical treatment of intractable pain. Pilot self-experiments support this assumption.     

The cerebrospinal fluid transferrin/tau proteins. A study by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D) and agarose isoelectrofocusing (IEF) followed by double-antibody peroxidase labeling and avidin-biotin amplification

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) transferrin/Tau proteins were studied by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D) followed by immunoblotting and by agarose isoelectrofocusing (IEF), and subsequent double immunofixation, peroxidase staining and Avidin-Biotin Complex (ABC) amplification. The pattern of the Tau protein was similar but not equal to that of the transferrin (Tf). When a genetic variant of Tf was present in the serum, the same variant was also observed in the corresponding CSF Tf and in the Tau fraction. After neuraminidase treatment, both serum and CSF Tf moved to the Tau position on IEF and 2D. On 2D, no desialized precursors of the Tau proteins were detected, whereas the Tf precursors were always detected. No synthesis of the Tau globulin in the brain can, therefore, be inferred. In CSF not treated with neuraminidase, Tf is the only sialoglycoprotein clearly desialized, showing that the Tau fraction cannot be generated by neuraminidase action at CSF level. In fact, the treatment of serum and CSF proteins with neuraminidase produced a clear shift in the isoelectric mobility of all sialoglycoproteins. We clearly demonstrate that the Tau globulin is the result of neuraminidase activity not located in the CSF compartment. We suggest that Tf could be desialized by the action of neuraminidase at the brain level and then be "washed" into the CSF. Brain utilization of Tf, meeting the brain iron requirement, seems likely.     

Glycogen accumulation in synaptic boutons in Clarke's nucleus neuropil after sciatic nerve crush at birth

Summary Glycogen accumulation in the Clarke's nucleus neuropil of young adult rats whose sciatic nerves were crushed in the first postnatal day was investigated with the electron microscope. Glycogen was observed in synaptic boutons and in small myelinated axons. In some terminals, glycogen accumulated in membranebound structures resembling mitochondria and formed large multigranular bodies which were entirely separated from the axoplasm. The multigranular body reached the size of 1.3 m. Glycogen was present as single beta particles of about 25–40 nm in diameter and in aggregations of large alpha clusters. The astrocytic glycogen distribution was almost similar to that of the control specimens. Glycogen was not observed in other glial cells. It is probable that glycogen accumulation in synaptic terminals of partially deafferentiated Clarke's nucleus may result from impaired glycolysis due to deficient resupply of the distal axon with glycolytic enzymes caused by a defect in axoplasmic transport from the hypoplastic sensory neuronal perikarya.     

Investigations on neurotoxicity of chemical substances at the workplace

Summary A cross-sectional study was performed in order to investigate the influence of chronic lead-exposure on the peripheral nervous system. We examined 148 male workers of a storage battery manufacturing plant, who had been exposed to lead metal and inorganic lead compounds for 1 to 28 years (mean 11 years). Fifteen workers with non-occupational risks of peripheral neuropathy (former diseases, alcohol abuse, medication) were excluded from the study. The investigation program comprised: case history, physical examination, analyses of blood- and urine-samples and determination of maximal motor, mixed and sensory conduction velocity (NCV) of the ulnar and median nerve of the right forearm. Objectively no worker showed any signs of health effects related to lead exposure. The Biological Monitoring included the determination of (1) Blood-lead level (Pb-B), (2) Free erythrocyte porphyrins (FEP), (3) -Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) and (4) -Aminolevulinic acid in urine (ALA-U). Further time-weighted-average (TWA)-values of Pb-B were calculated on the basis of several determinations over the period 1975–1981. The following actual (TWA) median values resulted: Pb-B 53 g/dl (54 g/dl), ALA-U 5.6 mg/l (8.4 mg/l), FEP 2.0 mg/l (2.0 mg/l). The Biologischer Arbeitsstoff Toleranz Wert (BAT) of 70 g//dl for Pb-B was exceeded in 15 workers (11%), and of 15 mg/l for ALA-U in 30 cases (23%). In comparison with age-matched controls, the lead workers showed a mild slowing of NCV with mean values between 0.8 and 2.0 m/s. Multiple stepwise regression analyses revealed statistically significant correlations between the four NCV and age as well as Pb-B. There were better correlations by using TWA than actual data of Pb-B. Consideration of the results of the regression analyses, together with an evaluation of the individual neurophysiological status as a function of internal lead exposure, a dose-effect-relationship was found only in the case of Pb-B exceeding 70 g/dl. From our study it is concluded that chronic lead exposure resulting in blood-lead levels of below 70 g/dl is no occupational risk causing a functionally significant slowing of nerve conduction velocities.With Grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn (Project no. Va 23/19-1)     

NGF在成年猫脊髓和背根节分布的免疫组化研究

目的：探讨神经生长因子在成年猫脊髓背角和背根节的表达和意义。方法：采用抗神经生长因子多克隆抗体免疫组织化学方法,对5只雄性家猫L6节段脊髓和背根节作石蜡切片的NGF免疫组织化学染色。结果：神经生长因子免疫阳性反应主要出现在脊髓背角I,Ⅱ、Ⅲ板层外侧部的神经元胞核和胞浆中,以胞核为主,而在背根节阳性反应的神经元却寥寥无几。结论：神经生长因子可能参与脊髓神经元正常功能的维持。     

救脑宁注射液对培养神经细胞缺氧缺糖损伤的保护作用

为了探索“救脑宁”注射液对中风病的疗效机理 ,将原代培养 8～ 12d的新生大鼠皮层神经细胞进行缺氧缺糖处理 ,观察该药对缺氧缺糖损伤神经细胞的影响。结果表明 :缺氧缺糖组细胞上清液中丙二醛 (MDA)含量、乳酸脱氢酶 (LDH)活性较对照组显著升高 ,细胞超氧化物岐化酶 (SOD)活性和细胞生存率则显著降低 ,救脑宁组MDA、LDH显著低于缺氧缺糖组 ,而SOD活性及细胞生存率则高于缺氧缺糖组 (P <0 0 1)。因此 ,抗脂质过氧化损伤、提高神经细胞对缺氧缺糖的耐受性 ,可能是其疗效机理之一。     

电刺激在修复远端尺神经损伤中的应用

目的 :阐明神经束支定位法在远端尺神经损伤修复中的作用。方法 :选择 4 2例远端尺神经损伤病例 ,进行神经内束支分离 ,双极电刺激定位后束膜吻合 ,与 17例外膜吻合组对照。结果 :束支分离定位法在远端尺神经损伤修复中的成功率为 90 .5%,治疗组较对照组感觉恢复率有提高 ,但无明显差异 ( P>0 .0 5) ,运动功能恢复率显著提高 ( P<0 .0 1)。结论 :神经内束支分离定位应用于远端尺神经损伤修复是可行的 ,并能提高其功能恢复率。     

家兔急性实验性面神经损伤的组织病理观察

目的　观察家兔面神经急性损伤后髓鞘和轴索的组织病理变化。方法　用丝线结扎茎乳孔以外的面神经总干 ,观察结扎后 1天、3天及 5天面神经的组织病理改变。结果　家兔面神经受损后 ,先后在髓鞘和轴索出现轻重不等、程度不同的形态学改变。结论　结扎家兔面神经后 ,其髓鞘及轴索会出现相应的病理改变 ,且随着结扎天数的增加 ,面神经损伤亦呈加重的趋势