A Novel Lymphocyte Signaling Defect: trk A Mutation in the Syndrome of Congenital Insensitivity to Pain and Anhidrosis (CIPA)

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis is a syndrome characterized by loss of pain and sensation. The condition frequently evolves into deep wounds and prolonged healing times. Anhidrosis is another prominent component of the disorder. Often associated with recurrent episodes of unexplained fever, it can result in patient mortality. Recent investigations point to Trk A, the high affinity receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF), as a candidate for the site of the mutation that causes the disorder. Functional NGF receptors, such as Trk A and the Trk family of tyrosine kinases, are essential for NGF signaling of human lymphocytes. In this study, we demonstrated that the presence of a trk A mutation in patient B cells results in a novel lymphocyte signaling defect. In these B cells, NGF failed to induce Trk A phosphorylation, cytoskeleton assembly, or MAP kinase activation. These abnormalities may explain some of the clinical features of the disease.     

A composite poly-hydroxybutyrate-glial growth factor conduit for long nerve gap repairs

There is considerable evidence that peripheral nerves have the potential to regenerate in an appropriate microenvironment. We have developed a novel artificial nerve guide composed of poly 3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) filled with glial growth factor (GGF) suspended in alginate hydrogel. Gaps of 2-4 cm in rabbit common peroneal nerve were bridged using a PHB conduit containing either GGF in alginate hydrogel (GGF) or alginate alone (Alginate), or with an empty PHB conduit (Empty). Tissues were harvested 21, 42 and 63 days post-operatively. Schwann cell and axonal regeneration were assessed using quantitative immunohistochemistry. At 21 days, addition of GGF increased significantly the distance of axonal and Schwann cells regeneration in comparison with that observed in Alginate and Empty conduits for both gap lengths. The axons bridged the 2-cm GGF conduits gap by 63 days, with a comparable rate of regeneration seen in 4-cm conduits. Schwann cells and axonal regeneration quantity was similar for both gap lengths in each group. However, at all time points the quantity of axonal and Schwann cells regeneration in GGF grafts was significantly greater than in both Alginate and Empty conduits, the latter showing better regeneration than Alginate conduits. The results indicate an inhibitory effect of alginate on regeneration, which is partially reversed by the addition of GGF to the conduits. In conclusion, GGF stimulates a progressive and sustainable regeneration increase in long nerve gap conduits.     

Clinical significance of suprascapular nerve mobilization

The anatomy of the suprascapular nerve is important to surgeons when focal nerve lesions necessitate surgical repair. Recent experience with a patient who had a complete suprascapular nerve lesion in the retroclavicular region (combined with axillary and musculocutaneous nerve lesions) is presented to illustrate that successful direct nerve repair is possible despite resection of a neuroma. Specifically, we found that neurolysis and mobilization of the suprascapular nerve and release of the superior transverse scapular ligament provided the necessary nerve length to achieve direct nerve repair after the neuroma was removed. A combined supraclavicular and infraclavicular approach to the suprascapular nerve provided excellent visualization, especially in the retroclavicular region. Postoperatively, the patient recovered complete shoulder abduction and external rotation with the direct repair, an outcome uncommonly achieved with interpositional grafting. Based on our operative experience, we set out to quantify the length that the suprascapular nerve could be mobilized with neurolysis. Mobilization of the nerve and release of the superior transverse scapular ligament generated an average of 1.6 cm and 0.7 cm of extra nerve length respectively, totaling 2.3 cm of additional usable nerve length overall. The ability to expose the suprascapular nerve in the retroclavicular/infraclavicular region and to mobilize the suprascapular nerve for possible direct repair has not been previously emphasized and is clinically important. This surgical approach and technique permits direct nerve repair after resection of a focal neuroma in the retroclavicular or infraclavicular region, thus avoiding interpositional grafting, and improving outcomes.     

正常人周围神经内膜中的纤维性长间距体及神经束膜细胞的超微结构

本文报道在电镜下观察了正常人腹壁神经小分支的神经束膜细胞的超微结构,并在神经内膜间质中发现了纤维性长间距体(FLS)。 1.2～5层神经束膜细胞紧密地包绕着神经束。束膜细胞呈扁平样排列,胞质内有丰富的微丝和吞饮小泡,基膜明显而连续。紧贴其外的和神经内膜中的成纤维细胞均无基膜。两相贴的束膜细胞之间可见缝管连接和丰富的桥粒,也可见胶原纤维。神经内膜间质中胶原原纤维细,有FLS体存在;而束膜外侧的胶原原纤维较粗,未见FLS体。 2.多数FLS体与无髓神经纤维的Schwann细胞基膜相连,个别处周围为一般胶原原纤维,未见基膜;有髓神经纤维的Schwann细胞处未见FLS体。纵切面上,多数FLS体呈纺锤状,大小不等,其长轴与相邻胶原原纤维的长轴平行,有时可见两者相互延续移行。偶见FLS体呈桥样架于两Schwann细胞之间,FLS体的暗带与两侧Schwann细胞的基膜相延续。还见2～3个FLS体并为一体,但横纹错开。FLS体的斜断面近似长方形,也呈横纹样结构,与纵断面没有很大区别。FLS体的横纹周期长约133nm,暗带约53nm,主要由电子较密的颗粒状物构成;明带约80nm,由方向大致相同的微丝网构成;横纹周期中无细横纹存在。本文并对神经束膜细胞可能的作用、FLS体与基膜的关系、FLS体的横纹周期问题进行了讨论。     

百草枯中毒致肺损伤的CT表现

目的探讨百草枯中毒致肺损伤中的CT检查影像学特征和诊断价值。方法回顾性分析15例口服百草枯中毒致肺损伤病例的CT影像学资料。结果15例患者中毒早期（1～7d）主要CT表现包括支气管血管柬增粗伴支气管扩张显示轨道征（15／15）、磨玻璃密度影（14／15）、马赛克征（12／15）、树芽征（8／15）、肺实变（6／15）及胸膜下线（6／15）等；中毒中期（8～14d）主要表现支气管血管束增粗伴支气管扩张显示轨道征（11，11）、肺实变（7／11）及磨玻璃密度影（6／11）；中毒后期（〉14d）CT表现以肺实变（1／1）和纤维化（1／1）为主。结论百草枯中毒的肺部CT表现具有一定的特征性，其影像学变化对病情发展及指导临床治疗具有重要意义。     

Wiping reflexes and nerve impulse patterns evoked by electrical stimulation of the skin in frogs.

Electric shocks applied to the skin evoke well aimed wiping reflexes in the frogs, Discoglossus pictus and Rana esculenta. In skin-grafted animals, moreover, wipes were misdirected from those areas which gave misdirected responses to tactile stimulation. Recordings from cutaneous sensory neurons revealed that only one action potential, with varying latency, was evoked per shock in any given unit. It is concluded that the capacity for sensory localization in anurans cannot depend upon specific patterns of afferent nerve impulses.     

Peripheral neuropathy and myopathy

Summary The effects of variable dietary thiamine concentrations (deficient, normal, surplus) on the development of alcoholic neuromyopathy in rats exposed for 36 weeks to 10–25% (v/v) ethanol or water (control group) as the sole drinking fluid were studied by histological and electrophysiological methods.Abnormalities in the structure of the sciatic nerve (phagocytosis, myelin abnormalities, increase in nonspecific cholinesterase activity) and tibial muscles (angular atrophic fibers, group atrophy, fibre necrosis) developed more frequently in animals on diets deficient in thiamine than in animals on diets with normal or surplus thiamine, and more frequently in animals drinking alcohol and water than in those drinking water alone. No differences were observed between the different groups in the number of perivascular sympathetic nerves, in the motor nerve conduction velocities and in the muscle fibrillation potentials.Thus, thiamine deficiency, established as a significant reduction of red blood cell transketolase activity, seems to have a deleterious effect on the peripheral nerves and muscles. The effect is enhanced by the simultaneous consumption of ethyl alcohol.     

Endogenous levels of mRNA for IFNs and IFN-related genes in hepatic biopsies of chronic HCV-infected and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients

To investigate the intra-hepatic activation of the IFN system in patients affected by chronic HCV-infection in comparison with that observed in a non-infectious liver disease such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, we measured the liver steady state mRNA levels of interferon-alpha, interferon-beta and interferon-gamma as well as of IFN-related genes (IFNAR-1, STAT1alpha, PKR, 2-5 AS, IRF-1, ICE and IL-18). In HCV-infected subjects, possible correlations of these parameters with viral load and liver injury were also analyzed. Twenty-four chronic untreated HCV-infected subjects and seven patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis were enrolled in the study. Liver biopsies were graded according to Knodell scores. Intra-hepatic mRNA levels of IFNs and related genes were assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In comparison with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, in HCV-infected subjects IFN-alpha and -beta mRNA levels were significantly lower, whereas IFN-gamma, IFNAR-1, STAT1alpha IRF-1, and IL-18 mRNA were upregulated. Moreover, IFN-gamma mRNA steady state levels were correlated positively with those of IFNAR-1, IRF-1, and IL-18, suggesting a coordinated induction of these genes. Although plasma viral load was correlated inversely with IL-18-specific mRNA, viral load was not related to liver injury. IFN-gamma and IRF-1 mRNA levels were correlated positively with ALT, but not with the grading or staging. Conversely, IFN-alpha and -beta mRNA levels were higher in livers with lower staging scores. These findings support the hypothesis that in chronic HCV infection there is an imbalance between an upregulated IFN-gamma system and a downregulated IFN-alpha and -beta system, probably due to a mixed effect exerted by HCV-specific and inflammatory non-specific factors.     

Responses of sacral visceral afferents from the lower urinary tract,colon and anus to mechanical stimulation

The discharge characteristics of sacral visceral afferents supplying the urinary bladder, urethra, colon and anus to mechanical stimuli were analyzed in the anaesthetized cat. The stimuli used were passive distension (urinary bladder, colon), isovolumetric contraction (urinary bladder), movements of the urethral catheter and mechanical shearing stimuli (mucosal skin of the anal canal). (1) In total 245 afferent units which projected in the pelvic nerve were isolated from the sacral dorsal roots. From one of the following organs, urinary bladder, colon, urethra and anus 117 afferent units were activated. By these stimuli from the bladder, urethra and anus 122 afferent units could not be activated, and as far as tested also not from the colon; in 6 afferent units the classification was unclear. (2) Afferent units from the urinary bladder and the colon responded consistently to passive distension of the respective organ. The units from the urinary bladder showed graded responses at intraluminal pressures of about 10–70 mm Hg and responded also to isovolumetric contractions of the organ. The thresholds of the units from the bladder to passive distension and contraction varied from about 5 to 20 mm Hg intravesical pressure. (3) The afferent units from the urethra and the anus did not react or showed some weak phasic and irregular responses to distension and contraction applied to the urinary bladder or to distension of the colon. They were consistently excited by low threshold mechanical stimulation of the urethra and anus, respectively. (4) The axons from the bladder, urethra and anus were presumably myelinated (conduction velocity above 2 m/s) and conducted at 10.3±6.1 m/s (n=34, mean±SD), 26.3±9.3 m/s (n=13) and 9.5±5.1 m/s (n=37), respectively. The axons from the colon conducted at about 0.5 to 16 m/s (n=20), 13 of them conducting at less than 2 m/s. About 75% of the axons which could not be activated by mechanical stimulation of the visceral organs were presumably unmyelinated (conduction velocity below 2 m/s). (5) Some ongoing activity was found in 9 out of 26 afferent units from the anus but, with one exception, the afferent units from the bladder, urethra and colon were silent. (6) It is concluded that the pelvic afferent units from the urinary bladder, urethra, colon and anus consist of distinct populations with characteristic response patterns. There is no indication from this investigation that the urinary bladder is supplied by sacral afferents which are only recruited at high intravesical pressures during passive distension and isovolumetric contractions and which are possibly associated with pain.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

妇产科手术泌尿系损伤防治方法的探讨

目的 探讨妇产科手术泌尿系损伤的特点及防治方法，为临床妇产科手术中防止泌尿系损伤提供参考。方法 对我院妇产科手术中发生的泌尿系损伤的10例临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果 10例患者中输尿管损伤3例，均为术中发现，术中行输尿管端端吻合；膀胱损伤7例，其中5例于术中发现，2例术后形成膀胱阴道瘘，行膀胱修补术，所有病例均痊愈出院。妇产科损伤泌尿系的主要原因有输尿管解剖移位，盆腔粘连严重等。结论 绝大多数妇产科手术中的泌尿生殖系损伤是可以防范的，一旦发生，应及时发现，尽早修补预后良好。