Cutaneous postural vasoconstriction is modified by exogenous but not endogenous female hormones in young women

Previously reported attenuation of skin postural vasoconstriction in women during the luteal menstrual cycle phase may be due to a progesterone-mediated decrease in myogenic or veno-arteriolar (VAR) mechanisms. Skin perfusion was measured in the shin and foot dorsum by Laser Doppler Fluxometry during leg dependency that increased vascular transmural pressure below (myogenic constriction only) and above (myogenic and VAR) the 25 mmHg threshold for activation of the VAR, and during venous distension to activate the VAR alone (cuff inflation to 50 mmHg). In six young women with normal menstrual cycles, vasoconstrictor responses to all interventions did not differ between days 7–13 (follicular) and 18–23 (luteal) of the normal menstrual cycle when progesterone levels were low and at their peak respectively. In eight women taking combined oral contraceptives (OC) and tested during pill consumption days, reductions in foot skin perfusion were smaller (P = 0.05) than in the luteal phase of the normal cycle for leg dependency below (−36.9 ± 5.2% OC vs. −52.5 ± 7.8% luteal, mean ± S.E.M.) and above (−43.7 ± 3.4% OC vs. −55.1 ± 4.8% luteal) the VAR threshold, and for venous distension (−53.1 ± 2.6% OC vs. 66.4 ± 5.5% luteal). In women with normal menstrual cycles, impaired postural vasoconstriction may be confined to those who experience pre-menstrual symptoms rather than a direct effect of endogenous hormones. Reduced vasoconstriction in the dependent foot during OC use is consistent with the known vasodilator action of exogenous hormones and its long-term effects     

慢性束缚应激对大鼠行为及前额叶皮质细胞外信号调节激酶磷酸化的影响

目的 探讨慢性束缚应激模型大鼠的行为及前额叶皮质中磷酸化细胞外信号调节激酶（ERK1／2）表达的变化。方法 将雄性SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组和束缚应激组，每组8只。将束缚应激组大鼠放入特制的束缚器中限制其活动，6k／d，连续21d。比较应激前后大鼠旷场行为和Morris水迷宫行为学的改变，用蛋白免疫印迹技术和免疫组织化学方法观察应激后大鼠前额叶皮质P—ERK1／2表达的变化，并与正常对照组比较。结果 （1）行为学改变：应激后，束缚应激组大鼠的水平活动度[（4265±864）mm]少于正常对照组[（8562±502）mm]，中央停留时间[（39．1±4．3）s]长于正常对照组[（24．6±1．6）s]，均P〈0．01；束缚应激组大鼠在Morris水迷宫实验的目标象限活动时间[（57．2±1．7）s]和穿越站台次数[（2．0±0．8）次]均少于正常对照组[分别为（70．7±3．6）s和（6．2±1．0）次；均P〈0．01]。（2）p-ERK1／2蛋白水平：应激后束缚应激组吸光度（A）值[（0．767±0．006）]低于正常对照组[（0．813±0．015）；P〈0．05]。（3）p-ERK1／2阳性细胞数：应激后束缚应激组[（76±5）个]少于正常对照组[（110±14）个；P〈0．05]，且树突染色浅淡。结论 慢性心理应激明显影响动物的活动度和记忆能力；前额叶皮质中p-ERK1／2表达的减少，提示ERK信号转导通路可能参与了应激发生的机制。     

冷束缚应激大鼠室旁核Fos表达的检测

目的：探讨应激对下丘脑室旁核中Fos表达的影响，以期揭示应激性溃疡发病的神经内分泌机制。方法：采用SD大鼠冷束缚应激模型，用免疫组织化学方法检测应激前后大鼠下丘脑室旁核Fos的表达。结果：应激后室旁核Fos阳性细胞数量显著增多（t=26.7,P＜0．001）。结论：室旁核可能参与了应激性溃疡的病理过程。     

多分类有序反应变量logistic回归应用条件的检验

目的 对多分类有序反应变量logistic回归的应用条件寻求科学合理的检验方法。方法 使用卡方分布的理论，SAS软件及抽样调查方法。结果 设计出多分类有序反应变量logistic回归应用条件的卡方检验方法，推导出反应变量取各水平的概率计算公式及卡方检验中理论值、自由度的计算公式，并在作者主持的国家医师资格临床实践技能考试研究中取得了成功效果。结论 多分类有序反应变量logistic回归得到完善和补充，具有较大的理论和实际意义。     

Functional magnetic resonance imaging based on changes in vascular space occupancy.

During brain activation, local control of oxygen delivery is facilitated through microvascular dilatation and constriction. A new functional MRI (fMRI) methodology is reported that is sensitive to these microvascular adjustments. This contrast is accomplished by eliminating the blood signal in a manner that is independent of blood oxygenation and flow. As a consequence, changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV) can be assessed through changes in the remaining extravascular water signal (i.e., that of parenchymal tissue) without need for exogenous contrast agents or any other invasive procedures. The feasibility of this vascular space occupancy (VASO)-dependent functional MRI (fMRI) approach is demonstrated for visual stimulation, breath-hold (hypercapnia), and hyperventilation (hypocapnia). During visual stimulation and breath-hold, the VASO signal shows an inverse correlation with the stimulus paradigm, consistent with local vasodilatation. This effect is reversed during hyperventilation. Comparison of the hemodynamic responses of VASO-fMRI, cerebral blood flow (CBF)-based fMRI, and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI indicates both arteriolar and venular temporal characteristics in VASO. The effect of changes in water exchange rate and partial volume contamination with CSF were calculated to be negligible. At the commonly-used fMRI resolution of 3.75 x 3.75 x 5 mm(3), the contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) of VASO-fMRI was comparable to that of CBF-based fMRI, but a factor of 3 lower than for BOLD-fMRI. Arguments supporting a better gray matter localization for the VASO-fMRI approach compared to BOLD are provided.     

Recombinant human erythropoietin in the treatment of cancer-related anaemia

Abstract: The efficacy and safety of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) were tested when given subcutaneously (s.c.) in an escalating dose of 2000–10,000 units (U) daily in 60 patients with cancer-related anaemia (CRA). A positive response, defined as an increase in haemoglobin more than 2 g/dl and independence of blood transfusions, was observed in 23 of 48 evaluable patients (48%) within a median of 8 wk. In detail, rhEPO corrected anaemia in 11 of 14 patients (79%) with malignant lymphoma, in 8 of 15 patients (53%) with multiple myeloma and in 4 of 10 patients (40%) with a solid tumour. The median dose of rhEPO in successful cases was 5000 U daily. Four patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and 5 with myelodysplastic disorder failed to respond to rhEPO. No patient had any severe side effects. Pretreatment serum erythropoietin levels appeared to be a weak predictor for response to rhEPO treatment. In conclusion, rhEPO seems to be safe and effective in correcting CRA in certain groups of patients.     

The Effect of Quisqualic Acid-Induced Lesions of the Nucleus Basalis Magnocellularis on Latent Inhibition

Latent inhibition (LI) is a reduction in the rate of acquisition of a Pavlovian conditioned response that results from prior nonreinforced preexposure to a conditioned stimulus (CS). LI has been suggested to reflect the operation of mechanisms involved in stimulus selection for subsequent cognitive processing. The present experiment was conducted to assess the effect of bilateral lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) on LI employing a conditioned emotional response paradigm. Bilateral lesions of the NBM were produced by administration of 0.12 M quisqualic acid and resulted in decreased cortical acetylcholinesterase staining, as well as a 40% reduction in cortical choline acetyltransferase activity. Following lever press training, preexposed animals received 40 presentations of a 60-s tone CS. Nonpreexposed animals received no tone presentations. Acquisition of conditioned suppression was then assessed over the course of 4 tone-shock (0.6 mA, 0.5 s) pairings. Control, preexposed animals displayed a retarded rate of acquisition in comparison to nonpreexposed controls, thereby demonstrating that the parameters used in the present experiment produced LI. In contrast, lesioned animals preexposed to the CS acquired conditioned suppression as readily as non-preexposed lesioned animals. However, the acquisition of conditioned suppression in both lesioned groups was found to be similar to that displayed in the preexposed control group. This pattern of results was interpreted as being attributable to a lesion-induced impairment in the ability to maintain stimulus processing, rather than a deficit in the ability to filter a stimulus. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.     

Behavioral conditioning of endotoxin-induced plasma iron alterations

The cascade of physiologic mechanisms in response to infection, the acute-phase response, is recognized as playing a major role in host defence. One such response is the hypoferremia that is consistently reported to occur during bacterial infection. This study aimed to determine whether the alterations in plasma iron were conditionable using the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm. The regime involved the pairing of a novel-tasting saccharin solution with bacterial endotoxin. Seven days after the initial pairing of these stimuli (the test day), the saccharin solution was represented. Animals exposed to this condition displayed a significant reduction in the level of plasma iron. Animals treated with an intraperitoneal dose of 400 μg/Kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) displayed lower conditioned iron levels than rats infused with 100 μg/Kg LPS; however, this difference was not significant. These results showed that in addition to other acute-phase responses (fever and anorexia), plasma iron alterations are able to be manipulated through behavioral manipulations.     

应力松弛接骨板对骨几何形态和力学性能影响的实验观察

作者采用粘弹性材料制成垫圈置于接骨板螺孔与螺丝钉之间，构成应力松弛接骨板系统。实验证实，有垫与无垫接骨板在固定早期对模拟骨的应力遮挡作用相同，固定８周后垫圈出现明显变形和破坏，使有垫接骨板的应力遮挡率从第１０周起明显低于无垫接骨板。有垫接骨板固定的胫骨骨质疏松明显轻于无垫组，固定２０周后，有垫组的胫骨髓腔径明显小于无垫组，骨皮质厚度和胫骨抗弯强度均明显大于无垫组（Ｐ＜０．０５～０．０１）。说明应力松弛接骨板系统早期具有与坚强接骨板相同的固定作用，后期其应力遮挡效应可逐渐减小，避免严重的骨质疏松和骨力学性能下降。     

The influence of anaesthetic techniques and type of delivery on peripartum serum interleukin-6 concentrations

Background: Interleukin-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with a wide range of physiological activities. It plays an important role in the immuno-neuro-humoral axis during stress and surgery.
Methods: Serum interleukin-6 in parturients was measured on hospital admission, immediately after birth and 12 and 24 hours later. All parturients had uncomplicated pregnancies, and delivered vaginally without (n=31) or with (n=20) epidural analgesia, or underwent Caesarean section under epidural (n=20) or general (n=10) anaesthesia.
Results: Serum interleukin-6 assayed immediately following Caesarean section was low, but peaked 12 hours later, irrespective of the anaesthetic technique or other foetomaternal characteristics. Patients who delivered vaginally showed the highest interleukin-6 levels immediately after delivery. These were positively correlated with serum interleukin-6 on admission and duration of labour. Serum interleukin-6 was significantly higher in parturients who had epidural analgesia, and was significantly lower in those receiving intravaginal prostaglandins compared to those without prostaglandins.
Conclusion: The interleukin-6 response after Caesarean section can be explained by a generalized acute phase response to surgery, with no anaesthetic, maternal or neonatal interference. The rapid increase in peripartum serum interleukin-6 levels after vaginal delivery reflects, in part, cervical ripening or labour, their physiological triggers and psychological or physical stress. Regional anaesthesia, duration of labour and exogenous prostaglandin administration can modulate the peripartum interleukin-6 response and subsequently the physiological effects of this cytokine.