Joint capsule matrix turnover in a rabbit model of chronic joint contractures: Correlation with human contractures.

To evaluate changes in matrix molecules of the joint capsule, the right knees of 24 skeletally mature female NZW rabbits were immobilized while the contralateral limb served as an unoperated control. The immobilization was discontinued at 8 weeks and the rabbits were divided among four groups (n = 6) based on the number of weeks the right knees were remobilized: 0, 8, 16, or 32. Three rabbits (six knees) that did not have operations provided normal control joint capsules. The mRNA levels for collagen types I, II, and III, and MMP-1 and -13 were significantly increased in the joint capsules of the contracture knees in all groups when compared to normal and contralateral limb joint capsules. In contrast, the mRNA levels for TIMP-1, -2, and -3 were decreased in the joint capsules of the contracture knees in all groups when compared to normal and contralateral limb joint capsules. The mRNA levels for lumican and decorin were increased in the joint capsules of the contracture knees in all groups when compared to normal capsules. Many of the changes observed in this animal model are similar to those observed in human joint capsules from posttraumatic elbow contractures, supporting the value of this rabbit model.     

小鼠原位脂肪肝移植模型的建立

目的　建立了ob/ob小鼠脂肪肝移植模型 ,探讨保证建模成功的关键因素。方法　采用小鼠非动脉化肝移植技术 ,5～ 7周肥胖小鼠为供体 ,正常小鼠为受体 ,双袖套法行原位肝移植。受体肝组织行HE染色和油红O染色 ,血清ALT、AST水平检测采用常规生化分析法。结果非脂肪肝移植组 (lean to lean)受体长期存活率 (n =10 )为 70 % ,脂肪肝移植组 (ob/obtoagematchedlean)受体存活率为 0 (n =10 ) ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 )。脂肪肝移植给体积相当的正常小鼠 ,其短期存活率为 3 0 % (n =10 ) ,所有小鼠术后存活并苏醒 ,但均未超过 2 4h。脂肪肝移植受体ALT水平为 (62 85± 2 93 7)U /L ,AST为 (5 812± 2 942 )U /L ;而正常小鼠移植组ALT与AST水平分别为 (5 96± 114 )U /L ,(1796± 870 )U/L ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,组织学检测显示大量胆管中央凝固性坏死伴出血。结论　该模型的成功建立为我们提供了一种新的肝原发性肝无功能移植模型 ,为脂肪肝移植后脂肪肝细胞受损的机制研究奠定了基础。     

大鼠体外循环模型的建立与应用

由于操作简便、节省人力物力，大鼠体外循环模型的应用愈加广泛。大鼠在小型呼吸机辅助下，应用颈静脉插管入右心房引流血液至贮血瓶，在蠕动移液泵作用下，经膜式氧合器氧合、变温器变温，通过股动脉或尾动脉插管注入动脉系统，建立体外循环回路。有血预充、减少总预充量和维持足够的转流流量是建立大鼠体外循环模型的关键。     

经鼻蝶窦手术动物模型神经内镜手术训练

目的建立一种活体动物的神经内镜经鼻蝶手术模拟训练方法。方法选择大鼠，建立一套训练计划，完成内镜图像导引下的内镜操作，电凝止血、冲洗和吸引、活检等神经内镜经鼻蝶手术的基本技巧。结果利用大鼠颅脑进行模仿内镜经鼻蝶手术，如在内镜图像导引下操作内镜的方法；熟悉内镜系统、电凝系统、冲洗和吸引设备的使用；熟悉了神经内镜经鼻蝶手术的步骤。结论作为神经内镜实验室训练的重要组成部分，通过利用大鼠颅脑进行模拟神经内镜手术，训练者可以从中获得神经内镜操作基本技巧的练习。     

Prejunctional effects of muscarinic agonists on 3H-acetylcholine release in the rat urinary bladder strip

Summary The inhibitory effects of some muscarinic agonists on tritiated acetylcholine release evoked by field stimulation were investigated in the rat urinary bladder strip. The acetylcholine stores of the preparation were labelled with ³H-choline. Electrical field stimulation caused an outflow of tritium, reflecting the release of ³H-acetylcholine. The release of ³H-acetylcholine was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by all the agonists tested: oxotremorine, muscarone, muscarine, carbachol and methylfurtrethonium. On the contrary, only muscarine and muscarone enhanced the basal efflux of tritium in a concentration-dependent fashion. Concentration-response curves were determined both at 2 Hz and at 1 Hz by using intermittent administration of the drugs. Maximal depression in release (by 78 – 82%) was observed in experiments at 1 Hz. A similar inhibition was obtained at 2 Hz frequency only when a low concentration of calcium (0.6 mM) in the medium was used. Oxotremorine was the most potent among the tested compounds with the same intrinsic activity as the other drugs. In contrast to the other agonists investigated, oxotremorine showed in about 10-fold greater potency at pre- than at postjunctional muscarine receptors in the rat urinary bladder. This difference might depend either on heterogeneity of muscarine receptors or on different mechanism(s) relating to the transducing properties of receptors at the pre- and postjunctional level. A comparison between the relative prejunctional potencies in the rat urinary bladder and in the guinea pig myenteric plexus (data from the literature) suggests that prejunctional muscarine receptors are similar in these tissues. Furthermore, the findings obtained with a low concentration of calcium in the medium may support the view that intraneuronal availability of calcium plays a significant role in modulating the prejunctional negative feed-back mechanism in the rat urinary bladder.Send offprint requests to Dr. G. D'Agostino at the above address     

Inhibition of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate (COM) crystal growth by pyrophosphate,citrate and rat urine

Summary An assay system for the measurement of the rate of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate (COM) seed crystal growth in a metastable solution of calcium chloride and sodium oxalate containing traces of ¹⁴C-oxalic acid was used to assess the inhibitory activity of pyrophosphate (10^–5 M-10^–4 M), citrate (10^–4 M-10^–3 M) and urines of normal and pyridoxine deficient rats. Both pyrophosphate and citrate were strong inhibitors of COM crystal growth and caused a 50% decrease in crystal growth rate at 1.50×10^–5 M and 2.85×10^–4 M respectively. Normal rat urine strongly inhibited the COM crystal growth, while pyridoxine deficient animals showed a significant (p< 0.01) decrease in mean inhibitory activity as compared to pair-fed controls. A lowered urinary inhibitory potential accompanied with hyperoxaluria and hypercalciuria, which is known to be associated with pyridoxine deficiency, may be a contributory risk of calcium oxalate crystallization and stone formation.     

中性粒细胞在高浓度氧诱发急性肺损伤中的作用

目的:测定鼠支气管肺泡清洗液中细胞成分,阐明高浓度氧诱发急性肺损伤的发生机制。方法:20只雄性6周龄[(226±53.6)g]Wistar鼠被分为3组:(1)对照组(空气中饲养,n=6)。(2)实验组1(暴露在90%～95%氧气中24～48h,n=7)。(3)实验组2(暴露在90%～95%氧气中72h,n=7)。实验中动物可自由进食和水。结果:与对照组相比,实验组2的支气管肺泡清洗液中总细胞数减少[(3.81±0.35)×105/ml,(2.53±0.77)×105/ml];巨噬细胞数减少[(3.80±0.36)×105/ml,(2.09±0.59)×105/ml];而中性粒细胞计数明显增多[0,(43.56±42.63)×103/ml]。实验组2的动物都出现双侧胸水。结论:中性粒细胞动员并进入肺组织是高浓度氧诱发急性肺损伤的明显特征,损伤的发生与暴露时间有关。提示早期抑制中性粒细胞进入肺组织是治疗高浓度氧诱发急性肺损伤的重要途径。     

Stimulation-induced setting of postural muscle tone in the decerebrate rat

These studies demonstrate the presence of pontomedullary areas in the rat brainstem which, when stimulated electrically, serve to set postural muscle tone in the hindlimbs. Low amplitude stimulation of the dorsal tegmental field (DTF) was found to inhibit postural muscle tone and, in some rats, was found to decrease mean arterial pressure. Low amplitude stimulation of the ventral tegmental field (VTF) was found to increase postural muscle tone and, in all cases tested, was found to increase mean arterial pressure.     

Amphetamine impairs the discriminative performance of rats with dorsal noradrenergic bundle lesions on a 5-choice serial reaction time task: New evidence for central dopaminergic-noradrenergic interactions

A series of experiments examined the effects of lesions of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNAB), induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), on the behavioural response to systemic and intra-accumbens amphetamine, using a rat analogue of Leonard's 5-choice serial reaction time task for humans. Although the 6-OHDA DNAB lesion produced a profound depletion of cortical noradrenaline (NA) (to around 5% of control levels) it did not impair any aspect of performance on this task. Both systemic and intra-accumbens amphetamine increased behavioural measures of impulsivity of responding, but neither impaired discriminative accuracy in the sham-operated control rats. However, the DNAB lesioned rats did show a discriminative impairment following both low doses of systemic amphetamine, and intra-accumbens amphetamine. The latter effect was antagonised by systemic administration of the specific dopaminergic (DA) antagonist alpha-flupenthixol. The DNAB lesion did not alter the effect of amphetamine on any other behavioural measure, including speed and impulsivity of responding. These results suggest that although DA and NA participate in qualitatively different behavioural processes, the effects of DNAB lesions on attentional processes depend on the level of DA activity within the nucleus accumbens.