Three‐Dimensional Reconstruction of the Optic Canal‐Based on Multislice Helical CT: A Comparison Analysis with Skull Dissection of 40 Postmortem Cases

Decompression operation of the optic canal via the nasal path under endoscope is widely used, but it is both a challenging and controversial method. Unsatisfactory results were largely associated with otolaryngologists' limited understanding of the real anatomical situations of the optic canal before operation. To provide otolaryngologists with the real situations and data preoperation, multislice helical CT was used to reconstruct the images of the optic canal. Using multislice helical CT‐aided three‐dimensional reconstructive methods in combination with direct anatomic measurement, we dissected and analyzed the shape of the optic canal and its anatomic relationship with the adjoining structures in 40 intact postmortem skull samples. The In‐Space technique clearly showed the structure and the related region of the optic canal. The virtual endoscopy technique showed superbly the spatial appearance and topography of the inner optic canal and also gave the inner structure of the optic canal optically. There was no statistic difference in three‐dimensional reconstructive data with that obtained by anatomical measurements and thus can be used to directly instruct the clinic operation. These results demonstrate that a combined In‐Space technique with virtual endoscopy can accurately define the subtle structure and the related region of the optical canal. In conclusion, multislice helical CT‐based three‐dimensional reconstruction is of important value for clinical operations. Anat Rec, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Temporal response properties of lumbar-projecting vestibulospinal neurons to roll tilt in decerebrate cats

In decerebrate cats, rotation about the longitudinal axis of the animal, leading to sinusoidal stimulation of labyrinth receptors, produces a tonic contraction of limb extensors during side-down tilt ( responses) and of dorsal neck extensors during side-up tilt ( responses). These changes in posture are mediated, at least in part, by lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) neurons, with response characteristics to stimulation of macular and/or canal receptors that have so far been evaluated at the level of either unidentified vestibulospinal (VS) neurons or vestibulo-collic neurons projecting to the upper cervical cord. In the present study we investigated the dynamics of the responses of VS neurons projecting to the lumbosacral segments of the spinal cord to increasing frequencies of tilt (from 0.026 to 0.32 Hz, ±10°). All the recorded units showed an average phase lead with respect to position of +25.6±5.5° (SE) at the tilt frequency of 0.026 Hz. Most of these neurons (n=32) were particularly activated during side-down tilt ( responses) and showed either a stable phase or an increase in phase lead of the responses with increasing frequency of tilt. At the tilt frequency of 0.026 Hz, the smaller the phase lead of the responses, the larger was the response gain. Moreover, the smaller the phase lead of the responses at that frequency of tilt, the smaller the increase in gain but the larger was the increase in lead of the responses obtained by increasing the stimulation frequency up to 0.32 Hz. Through this set of finely organized changes in unit response characteristics, the overall output of this population of neurons increased, while the phase angle of the responses reached the mean value of +64.9±2.6° (SE), thus becoming more related to the velocity than to the positional signal. The remaining units (n=7), which were mainly activated during side-up tilt ( responses), displayed an increase in phase lag of the responses to increasing frequency of stimulation, which reached the mean value of-118.9±14.5° (SE) at 0.32 Hz. The differences in the dynamic properties of these VS neurons projecting to the lumbosacral cord, with respect to those of previously recorded populations of VS neurons, are discussed.     

Microfilamentous type VI collagen in the hyalinized stroma of the hypertrophied ligamentum flavum

Summary Thickened ligamenta flava obtained from 14 patients with spinal canal stenosis were examined with special reference to type VI collagen. The characteristic histological finding in the thickened area was rupture of normal elastic fibre meshwork with resultant fibrosis which usually appeared hyaline. Using an immunohistological method, collagen types VI, I and III were found to be present in the hyaline matrix. Ultrastructural study revealed many microfilamentous structures of type VI collagen admixed in loosely packed, banded collagen fibres. With differential salt precipitation of pepsin-extracted collagen the existence of type VI collagen was confirmed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and Western blotting analysis using anti-type VI collagen antibody. Quantification of type VI collagen in pepsin-extracted crude collagen samples by an inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed an increasing amount of type VI collagen in the thickened ligamenta flava compared to the normal ligaments. Thus, increase of type VI collagen is the main contribution to the thickening of the ligamentum flavum. This may represent an adaptational and reparative process associated with disruption of elastic fibres.     

Transcerebellar inhibitory interaction between the bilateral vestibular nuclei and its modulation by cerebellocortical activity

Summary In decerebrate, unanesthetized cats, the brain stem was longitudinally cut at the midline from its dorsal to ventral surface with the cerebellum kept intact, eliminating neural interactions between the bilateral vestibular nuclei through the brain stem.Extracellular spike potentials of vestibular type I neurons identified by horizontal rotation were distinctly inhibited by contralateral vestibular nerve stimulation. This crossed inhibition was abolished by removal of the medial part of the cerebellum, indicating that the inhibition was mediated through the cerebellum. Neither aspiration of the flocculus on the recording side nor intravenous administration of picrotoxin eliminated transcerebellar crossed inhibition, suggesting that it is mediated through the cerebellar nuclei. When the fastigial, interposite and dentate nuclei were stimulated, inhibition of vestibular type I neurons was produced only from the contralateral fastigial nucleus. Cerebellocortical stimulation which inhibited fastigial type I neurons suppressed transcerebellar crossed inhibition. Effective sites for suppression of transcerebellar crossed inhibition were localized to lobules VI and VIIa in the vermal cortex on the side of labyrinthine stimulation.Intracellular recordings were made from type I neurons in the medial vestibular nucleus. Stimulation of the contralateral vestibular nerve and the contralateral fastigial nucleus produced IPSPs in these neurons with the shortest latency of 3.8 msec and 1.8 msec, respectively. The difference between these two latency values approximates the shortest latency of spike initiation of fastigial type I neurons in response to vestibular nerve stimulation. It is postulated that transcerebellar crossed inhibition is mediated through the fastigial nucleus on the side of labyrinthine stimulation.     

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     

下颌第一前磨牙根管系统和根尖孔解剖及临床意义

采用牙髓透明法对 347颗下颌第一前磨牙根管系统的数目和形态进行观察。下颌第一前磨牙根管可分为Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ型。其中Ⅰ型 (单根单管型 )占 83 86 % ,Ⅱ型 (单根双管型 )占 4 6 1% ,Ⅲ型 (单双管混合型 )占 11 2 4 % ,Ⅳ型 (双根双管型 )占 0 2 9%。应用XTT— 3A连续变倍体视显微镜对 347颗下颌第一前磨牙的根管系统形态进行观察 ,根尖分歧出现率 15 6 3% ,根尖分叉出现率 2 4 3% ,根管侧支出现率 1 0 8%。并对 347颗下颌第一前磨牙的根尖孔与根尖顶的位置关系进行观察 ,根尖孔位于根尖顶者占 88 14 % ,位于旁侧者占 11 86 %。并就上述内容的临床意义进行了讨论。     

Specific immunoglobulin measurements related to exposure and resistance to Schistosoma mansoni infection in Sudanese canal cleaners

The present work comprises a longitudinal study of Schistosoma mansoni infection in occupationally hyper-exposed canal cleaners in the Sudan and the influence of chemotherapy on humoral immune parameters. The study groups included chronically infected canal cleaners (n = 19), newly recruited canal cleaners (n = 17), normally exposed adults (n = 31), school children (n = 46) and Sudanese negative controls (n = 48). Previous studies of the same canal cleaners have demonstrated that chronically infected canal cleaners were more resistant to reinfection than newly recruited canal cleaners. ELISA was used to detect specific IgE and IgG subclasses in response to whole worm antigen (WWH) and soluble egg antigen (SEA) before and 3 months after praziquantel treatment in the groups of canal cleaners and before and 1 year after treatment in normally exposed adults. When intensity of infection was correlated with IgE antibody response, the resistant group of canal cleaners (those who stopped passing ova after treatment) showed a significant positive correlation between intensity of infection and specific IgE to WWH (Spearman''s correlation coefficient = 0·49, P < 0·05) compared with a highly significant negative correlation in the susceptible group (acquired new infection after treatment, Spearman''s correlation coefficient = 0·94, P < 0·01). Normally exposed adults and school children had significantly less specific IgE to WWH than canal cleaners, while chronically infected canal cleaners had significantly higher levels of specific IgG1 to WWH than newly recruited canal cleaners and school children, and significantly higher levels of specific IgG4 to WWH than school children. There was a significant increase in specific IgG1 and IgG4 to WWH, 3 months after treatment, in newly recruited canal cleaners and a significant decrease, 1 year after treatment, in normally exposed adults. None of the groups studied after treatment showed a significant change in their specific IgE to WWH. Normally exposed adults had significantly lower levels of specific IgE to SEA than newly recruited canal cleaners, and significantly lower levels of specific IgG1 to SEA than other infected groups. Both newly recruited canal cleaners and school children had significantly higher levels of specific IgG2 to SEA than persons in other groups. Only small differences between groups were observed with regard to specific IgG3 and IgM to SEA. Specific IgG4 to WWH and SEA showed different patterns after treatment between the resistant and susceptible groups of canal cleaners. The resistant group maintained the same level of IgG4 to WWH after treatment compared with a significant increase in the susceptible group. On the other hand, levels of specific IgG4 to SEA showed a highly significant decrease after treatment in the resistant group. In contrast, the same antibody subclass increased after treatment in the susceptible group. Generally, results show an association between IgE and IgG1 responses to WWH and resistance to reinfection. In contrast, an association was observed between IgG2 and IgM responses to SEA and susceptibility to reinfection.     

The ophthalmic artery and its branches,measurements and clinical importance

Summary Seventy-one Caucasian orbits (36 right, 35 left) were studied by dissection. The diameter of the ophthalmic a. (2 mm from the origin) was 1.54 ± 0.04 mm (male) and 1.31 ± 0.05 mm (female). In individual cases, there were no significant differences in vessel diameter between the right and left sides but, differences in vessel diameter between males and females were more commonly observed in the arteries which leave the orbit (extraorbital group), the individual vessels having a larger diameter in males. The incidence of the ophthalmic a. passing in the orbit medially under the optic n. was 18.6%. The lacrimal a. was observed to arise from the ophthalmic a. in only 82.5% of the cases examined, 15.9% of the cases showed the origin to be at the anastomotic branch of the middle meningealThis article is dedicated to Pr Dr Hoepke on occasion of his 100th birthday     

面神经锥体段的解剖学及其临床意义

在80侧成人颞骨干标本上,对面神经锥体段的埋藏位置及深度,面神经与面神经隐窝、鼓室窦三者之间的关系及其变异类型进行了应用解剖学研究。提出了耳科后鼓室进手术路中对面神经锥体段的予测方法。经90例手术验证有实用价值。