K~+ Channels and Their Effects on Membrane Potential in Rat Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells

In order to investigate the K~+ channels and their effects on resting membrane potential(Em) and excitability in rat bronchial smooth muscle cells (BSMCs), the components of outward K~+channel currents and the effects of K~+ channels on Em and tension in rat bronchial smooth musclewere observed by using standard whole-cell recording of patch clamp and isometric tension recordingtechniques. The results showed that under resting conditions, total outward K~+ channel currents infreshly isolated BSMCs were unaffected by ATP-sensitive K~+ channel blocker. There were two typesof K~+ currents: voltage-dependent delayed rectifier K~+ channel (Kv) and large conductance calcium-activated K~+ channel (BK_(Ca)) currents. 1 mmol/L 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, an inhibitor of Kv)caused a significant depolarization (from — 8.7±5.9mV to —25.4±3.1mV, n=18, P<0.001).In contrast, 1 mmol/L tetraethylammonium (TEA, an inhibitor of BK_(Ca)) had no significant effect onEm (from —37.6±4.8 mV to —36.8±4.1 mV, n=12, P>0.05). 4     

双水平压力调节通气与反比通气对健康及急性肺损伤犬心肺功能影响的比较研究

目的 :比较双水平压力调节 (BIPAP)通气和反比通气 (IRV)对心肺功能的影响。方法 :在两种通气模式 0、0 .5和 1.0 k Pa呼气末压 (EEP)时 ,分别测定健康犬及油酸诱发急性肺损伤犬的呼吸力学、血流动力学及血气分析各参数。结果 :无论有无急性肺损伤 ,BIPAP通气时平均气道压 (m Paw )均明显低于 IRV时(P均 <0 .0 5 )。给健康犬用 IRV通气时 ,上述 3种 EEP水平的 m Paw分别为 (0 .437± 0 .10 3) k Pa、(0 .811±0 .0 93) k Pa和 (1.36 0± 0 .119) k Pa;用 BIPAP通气时则分别降为 (0 .2 2 5± 0 .0 71) k Pa、(0 .6 11± 0 .10 5 ) k Pa和(1.10 7± 0 .0 89) k Pa。油酸诱发急性肺损伤后 ,m Paw分别由 IRV时 (0 .72 5± 0 .2 2 2 ) k Pa、(1.186± 0 .2 98) k Pa和 (1.6 0 0± 0 .10 0 ) k Pa降至 BIPAP时 (0 .35 0± 0 .12 9) k Pa、(0 .6 2 5± 0 .15 0 ) k Pa和 (1.12 5± 0 .0 96 ) k Pa;但两种通气模式中气道峰压、心排血量并无明显差异。另外 ,急性肺损伤时 ,BIPAP通气的动脉血氧分压 (Pa O2 )分别为 (9.10± 1.79) k Pa、(11.43± 1.80 ) k Pa和 (13.40± 3.2 0 ) k Pa,较 IRV时 Pa O2 (7.87± 2 .33) k Pa、(9.0 7±3.0 5 ) k Pa和 (9.71± 1.85 ) k Pa增高 (EEP 1.0 k Pa时 ,P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :     

Overactive bladder in Parkinson's disease: alteration of brainstem raphe detected by transcranial sonography

Urinary dysfunction is very common in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and manifests primarily with symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB). Affection of central serotonergic systems has been suggested to play a role in OAB. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether in PD patients with OAB symptoms a specific alteration of the brainstem raphe (BR), which contains serotonergic neurons, can be detected with transcranial sonography (TCS). Of 116 PD patients enrolled, 19 had PD-related OAB symptoms (OAB+) unlike remaining 97 patients (OAB−). Patients were examined by a sonographer blinded to the clinical data. Reduced echogenicity of BR was found in 12 (63%) OAB+ patients but only in 18 (19%) of 93 assessable OAB− patients (Mann–Whitney U -test, P  < 0.001). In OAB+ patients, lower raphe echogenicity score was associated with longer duration of OAB symptoms ( anova , P  = 0.033). Other TCS findings such as echogenicity of substantia nigra, thalami, lenticular and caudate nuclei, and widths of third and lateral ventricles did not differ between OAB+ and OAB− patients. TCS findings suggest a pathogenetic role of BR in OAB related to PD. Alterations may reflect disturbance of its central serotonergic system.     

Topical treatment with aqueous solutions of rofleponide palmitate and budesonide in a pollen-season model of allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Rofleponide palmitate is an esterified glucocorticosteroid pro-drug with a promising pre-clinical profile designed to deliver topical airway treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma in a novel manner. Thus, the rofleponide palmitate pro-drug is designed to provide topical exposure of the mucosa to the inactive lipophilic drug, which would be locally metabolized to the more hydrophilic and readily cleared drug rofleponide. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether rofleponide palmitate affects nasal symptoms and peak inspiratory flow (PIF) in a pollen-season model of allergic rhinitis and to compare any such effects with those of another glucocorticosteroid (i.e., budesonide). METHODS: During the pollen-free season, 40 patients with strictly seasonal allergic rhinitis received topical nasal spray treatment with an aqueous solution of rofleponide palmitate 400 microg and an aqueous solution of budesonide 128 microg once daily for 10 days in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover study. After 3 days of drug treatment, individualized allergen challenges were given once daily for 7 days while the treatment continued. The washout periods between each of the challenge series were 2 weeks. Nasal symptoms and PIF were recorded in the morning and evening, as well as 10 and 20 min after each allergen challenge. The mean recordings obtained during the last 3 days of the allergen-challenge series, when symptoms were established and when the treatment had lasted for 8-10 days, were used in the analysis. RESULTS: Both active treatments reduced nasal symptoms and improved nasal PIF compared with placebo (P<0.01-0.001). There was no overall difference in efficacy between rofleponide palmitate 400 microg and budesonide 128 microg. CONCLUSIONS: Topical treatment with aqueous solutions of rofleponide palmitate attenuates nasal symptoms and improves nasal PIF in allergic rhinitis. The overall efficacy of 400 microg of rofleponide palmitate is similar to that of 128 microg of budesonide in the pollen-season model used in this study.     

Brain Stem and Cervical Cord Dysraphic Lesions in Iniencephaly

Iniencephaly is a rare, lethal, axial dysraphic malformation complex diagnosed on the basis of three cardinal features: deficiency of the occipital bone, cervicothoracic spinal retroflexion, and rachischisis. The majority of the patients also have various associated viscerae malformations. An iniencephalic female fetus delivered at 35^5/7 weeks of gestation revealed severe anomalies of the central nervous system and the spine: the cerebellar vermis was hypoplastic, the medulla oblongata was flattened and broadened, and the cervical canal was widely patent dorsally. The thoracolumbar spinal cord had a duplicated central canal and lacked a dorsal fissure, representing a minor degree of diastematomyelia. The cervicothoracic spine showed severe bony anomalies including aplasia and fusion of vertebral bodies.     

梭曼中毒动物中枢神经系统病变与惊厥的关系

用神经组织学方法观察了兔、猫、狗、猴梭曼中毒急救治疗后CNS的病理变化.结果表明,CNS病变程度随着惊厥持续时间的延长而加重,抗惊剂可以保护CNS免受损伤.不同种动物梭曼引起的CNS病变基本相似,均为神经细胞的缺血性改变.主要病变包括大脑皮质、丘脑、海马、小脑和脊髓的神经细胞尼氏体溶解、核浓缩和细胞表面结痂.由于CNS病变与惊厥有密切关系,因此梭曼中毒后必须应用抗惊剂.     

Removal of laryngeal mask airway: airway complications in children,anaesthetized versus awake*

The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) must be inserted during deep anaesthesia. There are no guidelines concerning the removal of LMA, i.e., in awake or anaesthetized patients. The aim of this randomized prospective study was to compare the incidence of respiratory complications after LMA removal in anaesthetized or awake paediatric patients. Sixty children (ASA PS I or II), ranging from 4 months to 12 years of age, were studied. In patients breathing spontaneously, anaesthesia was induced and maintained with nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group 1 removal of LMA in awake patients, or group 2 removal of LMA in anaesthetized patients, i.e., in patients receiving halothane at an alveolar concentration of 2 MAC adjusted for age and oxygen for 5 min. In both groups, patients received 100% oxygen after removal of LMA. After removal the incidence of respiratory complications was highest (P < 0.05) in group 1. Therefore, in healthy children undergoing elective surgery, the authors conclude that it is safer to perform the LMA removal in anaesthetized patients.     

棉尘及吸烟对肺功能影响的观察

对８３名接触棉尘的健康者作肺功能测定，并与３９名不接触棉尘的健康者对照。其中男性均为吸烟者；女性均为不吸烟者。结果表明，ＭＭＥＦ、ＰＥＦＲ、Ｖ２５％～７５％均明显低于对照组（分别为Ｐ＜０．０１和Ｐ＜０．０５）．在男性吸烟组，ＶＣ，ＭＢＣ，ＦＥＶ１％也有明显下降（Ｐ＜０．０１），作者认为棉尘对人体的危害主要部位在小气道，吸烟者因损害严重可累及大气道。以往对棉尘反应的肺功能评估仅以ＦＥＶ１％为指标，不能反映早期的变化，有必要进一步完善。     

Expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and neuropeptide tyrosine in mouse sympathetic airway-specific neurons under normal situation and allergic airway inflammation

BACKGROUND: The traditional neurotransmitter catecholamine and the neuropeptide tyrosine in sympathetic airway nerves have been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of airway diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of allergic airway inflammation on the expression of catecholamine enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY) and tachykinins in mouse sympathetic airway ganglia. METHODS: Using neuronal tracing in combination with immunohistochemistry, the present study was designed to characterize TH, NPY and tachykinin profiles of superior cervical (SCG) and stellate ganglia after allergen challenge. RESULTS: The vast majority of fast blue-labelled SCG neurons (allergen: 97.5+/-1.22% (mean+/-SEM) vs. controls: 94.5+/-1.48%, P=0.18) and stellate neurons (allergen: 95.3+/-1.01% vs. controls: 93.6+/-1.33%, P=0.34) were immunoreactive for TH. Of the TH immunoreactive and fast blue-labelled SCG neurons, 52.0+/-1.01% allergen vs. 51.2+/-3.58% controls (P=0.83) and stellate neurons, 57.3%+/-0.97 allergen vs. 56.4+/-1.65% controls (P=0.64) were positive for TH only but not NPY, whereas 45.3+/-1.05% allergen vs. 43.3+/-1.18% controls (P=0.47) of fast blue-labelled SCG neurons and 37.9+/-0.86% allergen vs. 37.1+/-1.24% controls (P=0.62) of fast blue-labelled stellate neurons were immunoreactive for both TH and NPY immunoreactivities. There was a trend of an increase, but not significant one, in the percentage of TH-/NPY-immunoreactive and fast blue-labelled neurons in allergen-treated animals in comparison with the controls. Tachykinins, however, were not expressed by sympathetic neurons and were also not induced in sympathetic neurons after allergen challenge. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that allergic airway inflammation does not alter the expression of noradrenalin and NPY in sympathetic ganglia and also shows that sympathetic neurons do not respond to allergic airway inflammation with tachykinins induction. However, a participation of catecholamine and NPY in the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation cannot be excluded in the present study as a higher neurotransmitter output per neuron following allergen challenge could be possible.     

Rhythmic movements in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder.

Reported are two cases of video-PSG captured head-rolling occurring, in the context of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) episodes, in two patients affected with idiopathic RBD and without past personal or familiar history of Rhythmic Movement Disorder during sleep. It has been speculated that the activation of neuronal pathways which underlie REM-related loss of motor control in RBD, may involve the Central Pattern Generator neuronal networks leading to the induction of Rhythmic Movements during RBD episodes, thereby allowing the re-emergence, in pathological conditions in later life, of a motor behavior typically seen in the early stage of life.