Increase of prolactin mRNA in the rat hypothalamus after intracerebroventricular injection of VIP or PACAP

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), the structurally homologous pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and the pituitary hormone, prolactin (PRL) enhance rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). VIP and PACAP are both inducers of PRL gene expression and release in the pituitary gland. Little is known about PRL regulation in the brain although it is hypothesized that the REMS-promoting activity of i.c.v. administered VIP may be mediated via the activation of cerebral PRL. To test whether VIP or PACAP in fact increase intracerebral mRNA, the peptides (VIP: 30 or 300 pmol; PACAP: 220 pmol) were injected i.c.v. into rats at dark onset. 1 h later, cDNA was synthesized from purified hypothalamic mRNA. Standardized amounts were analysed for PRL using the polymerase chain reaction followed by Southern blotting and hybridization. Compared with β-actin mRNA levels, both VIP and PACAP increased PRL mRNA levels in a dose-dependent fashion though VIP was more effective on a molar basis. The previously reported alternatively spliced PRL mRNA (lacking exon 4) was not detected. The data support the hypothesis that the REMS-promoting activity of central VIP and PACAP might be mediated by cerebral PRL.     

Release of heat-loss responses in paradoxical sleep by thermal loads and by pontine tegmental lesions in cats

Thermoregulatory heat-loss responses at high ambient temperatures were studied in intact cats and those with bilateral electrolytic lesions in the pontine tegmentum during wakefulness (W), slow-wave sleep (SWS), paradoxical sleep (PS) and PS without atonia induced by the lesions. Panting (respiratory rate 90/min) was present W, SWS, and in some cases, during PS. The percentage of the PS episodes with panting was directly related ambient temperature. In intact cats at 30 °C, panting occurred in 8% of the PS episodes; at 35 °C, in 52%, and at 40 °C, in 77%. The percentage of PS episodes with panting higher in the pontine-lesioned cats (90% at 35 °C), probably another indication of the altered thermoregulation of such animals. Thermoregulatory responses to heat load, and thermoregulation in general, have previously been shown to be suppressed in PS. Because hypothalamic thermosensitive neurons lack thermal responses during PS, the partial activation of heat-loss responses observed here may depend upon the function of extrahypothalamic brainstem areas.     

Separation discrimination with embedded targets

Previous research has shown that separation discrimination thresholds are independent of the internal spatial scale (local spatial frequency) of the targets whose separation is being judged. The experiments reported here tested the generality of this conclusion for separation discrimination of targets that were embedded in an array of identical objects, where crowding could enhance the importance of the scale at which the individual target locations are encoded. No effect of the local spatial scale of the targets was found under these conditions.     

5地市720名高中学生睡眠状况相关因素分析

目的了解省级示范高中学生睡眠状况及相关因素对学生睡眠的影响，为相关部门制订针对性改进措施提供依据。方法采用睡眠状况自评量表（self-rating scale of sleep，SRSS）对省级示范高中学生进行睡眠状况问卷调查，用SPSS 10．0 FOR WINDOWS进行数据的统计与分析。结果发现720名省级示范高中学生睡眠状态异常者占65．42％，显著高于全国常模（45．6％）。其中轻度睡眠问题占57．36％，显著高于全国常模（35．6％）。学业负担过重、缺乏良好的学习习惯、住宿条件差、家庭状况不好、家校距离远和心理问题是导致省级示范高中在校学生睡眠状态异常的主要因素。结论应促进高中生身心健康，提高其学习能力，改善其睡眠状况。     

The effect of oral appliance therapy on blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of oral appliance (OA) therapy on ambulatory blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Eleven OSA patients who received OA therapy were prospectively investigated. Ambulatory blood pressure was measured for 20 h from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 noon the next day using an ambulatory blood pressure monitor. The Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) was measured in the pretreatment and posttitration periods. The OA was titrated to reach a therapeutic jaw position over 2 to 8 months, and posttitration measurements were repeated. At posttitration, the RDI was significantly decreased from a mean (SD) of 24.7 (20.1) to 6.1 (4.5). Significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were found for the 20-h periods, and systolic blood pressure (SBP), DBP, and MAP while asleep. The mean values were 79.5 (5.5) to 74.6 (6.0) for DBP and 95.9 (5.4) to 91.2 (5.9) for MAP, for over a 20-h period, and 118.4 (10.0) to 113.7 (9.1) for SBP, 71.6 (8.0) to 67.2 (7.9) for DBP, and 88.4 (8.0) to 83.9 (7.5) for MAP, while asleep. This study suggests that successful OSA treatment with an OA may also be beneficial to lower blood pressure in OSA patients, as previously suggested for nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy. This study was conducted in the Division of Orthodontics, The University of British Columbia, Canada     

0～5岁儿童睡眠时间流行病学调查

目的:了解成都市0～5岁儿童不同年龄阶段的睡眠时间及其影响因素。方法:采用随机抽样的方法抽取成都市2个城区1276例儿童,对其家长或看护人进行睡眠状况的问卷调查。结果:成都市0～5岁儿童白天睡眠时间和总的睡眠时间随年龄增加逐渐减少,不同性别间睡眠时间无显著差别;影响睡眠时间的主要因素有儿童年龄、喂养方式、入睡方式以及母亲年龄和睡眠总时间等。结论:目前成都市小年龄阶段儿童睡眠时间较少,需引起重视;对儿童睡眠时间影响较大的主要是社会环境因素,从小培养良好的睡眠习惯和良好的睡眠环境是保证儿童充足睡眠的重要前提。     

Pharmacology of KB‐R7943: A Na+–Ca2+ exchange inhibitor

The Na⁺–Ca²⁺ exchange (NCX) system plays a pivotal role in regulating intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration in cardiomyocytes, neuronal cells, kidney and a variety of other cells. It performs a particularly important function in regulating cardiac contractility and electrical activity. One of the leading NCX inhibitors is KB‐R9743 (KBR) that appears to exhibit selectivity for Ca²⁺‐influx‐mode NCX activity (reverse mode of NCX). In this article we reviewed pharmacology of KBR and provide a brief summary of studies with other NCX inhibitors, such as SEA0400 (SEA) and SN‐6 (SN). Potential clinical usefulness of KBR and other NCX inhibitors is still controversial but the reviewed findings may be helpful in designing more selective and clinically useful NCX inhibitors for the treatment of cardiac, neuronal and kidney diseases.     

哺乳妇女单次注射迪波盖司通~长效避孕针后血清和乳液中MPA浓度变化

目的:探讨中国妇女哺乳期使用迪波盖司通后血清和乳液醋酸甲羟孕酮(MPA)浓度变化。方法:10名产后哺乳妇女单次注射迪波盖司通(含MPA150mg),在注射后的第1、2、4、6、8、10和12周采集血样和乳液样本,用放射免疫方法测定MPA。结果:血清MPA浓度于注射后第1周最高,到第2、4周时下降明显,第4周后浓度下降趋势逐渐缓慢。乳液MPA浓度在第1周为最高,第2周比第1周降低了约1/2,之后10周平均浓度变化波动在5.09-8.15ng/ml之间。观察期间乳液/血清MPA浓度比值和曲线下浓度面积比值均为0.55。对象之间和同一对象不同时间点乳液/血清MPA浓度存在明显个体差异。结论:哺乳期使用迪波盖司通,将导致血液和乳液中含有一定量的MPA。     

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停为高胰岛素血症及糖代谢异常的独立危险因子

目的：探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（ＯＳＡ）与肥胖、高血压、高血脂及糖代谢异常之间的关系。方法：１６３例患者均行整夜多导睡眠仪及口服糖耐量（ＯＧＴＴ）检查；以ＯＧＴＴ时胰岛素反应曲线下面积（ＡＵＣｉｎｓｕｌｉｎ）作为胰岛素抵抗的指标，应用多元逐步回归分析ＯＳＡ患者呼吸暂停指数（ＡＩ）与胰岛素抵抗、高胰岛素血症及糖代谢异常之间的关系。结果：①直线相关分析表明，ＡＵＣｇｌｕｃｏｓｅ（血糖反应曲线下面积）及ＡＵＣｉｎｓｕｌｉｎ均与ＡＩ呈显著相关；②分别以ＡＵＣｇｌｕｃｏｓｅ及ＡＵＣｉｎｓｕｌｉｎ为依存因子建立的多元回归方程中均包括ＡＩ；尤其在后一方程中，ＡＩ对ＡＵＣｉｎｓｕｌｉｎ的贡献率仅次于身高体重指数。结论：ＯＳＡ为高胰岛素血症及糖代谢异常的重要危险因子，且其作用独立于肥胖、糖尿病家族史及年龄等混淆因素