Changing patterns of binocular visual connections in the intertectal system during development of the frog,Xenopus laevis

Summary In the frog, Xenopus laevis, a system of intertectal connections underlies the visual projection from an eye to its ipsilateral tectal lobe and is involved in the topographic representation of binocular visual space. Rotation of one eye in early life may be followed by a radical rearrangement of the connections in this system. The modified pattern which later emerges is that which keeps the visual projection through the ipsilateral eye in topographic registration with the direct visual projection from the contralateral eye to the same tectal lobe. This plasticity requires visual experience.In this paper we describe the time-course and sequence of events by which this plasticity is effected. Following rotation of one eye in larval animals or in animals undergoing metamorphic climax, the earliest evidence of intertectal modification was found 3–4 weeks after metamorphosis. With increasing intervals after metamorphosis an increasing proportion of animals displayed modified intertectal systems. At intermediate intervals many animals showed partial modifications, which were interpreted as transitional stages in the modification process. Analysis of these transitional stages indicated that the sequence of events involved in the elaboration of a modified intertectal system following the experimental alteration of eye alignment exhibits features in common with rearrangements of the system that occur during normal development in response to growth-related alterations in eye alignment.     

Recommendations for the standardization of lead positions in surface electromyography

Summary Standardized lead positions for recording myoelectric signals are given for various muscles. The positions are given in terms of (1) the lead line connecting two anatomical landmarks and (2) the central lead point about which the electrodes are placed symmetrically on the lead line.This research was financially supported by the Sonderforschungsbereich 152 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Biochemical and morphological characterization of sympathetic neurons grown in a chemically-defined medium

Previous studies have demonstrated that individual neurons from neonatal rat superior cervical ganglion express a mixed adrenergic-cholinergic phenotype when grown under certain tissue culture conditions.^{9,14,15,29,30} The expression of this phenotype is critically influenced by a number of undefined components present in the culture medium.^18,23,33 In the present study, we have examined whether superior cervical ganglion neurons grown on a chemically defined serum-free medium similarly develop dual transmitter expression, or if under these conditions, neurons express only those properties characteristic of their adrenergic heritage. To address this issue, we established that superior cervical ganglion neurons could be maintained in culture for extended periods on the defined medium described by Bottenstein & Sato⁴ in the absence of supporting cells. We then studied the biochemical, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of these neurons. We found that in defined medium, superior cervical ganglion neurons continued to express, in a modified form, certain of their expected adrenergic properties, including the development of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase activities, stores of endogenous norepinephrine, synaptic vesicles with dense cores and tyrosine hydroxy lase-immunoreactive staining properties. Superior cervical ganglion neurons grown on a defined medium did not, however, acquire cholinergic traits in culture. In this paper we show that choline acetyltransferase activity did not reach detectable levels; the companion paper¹³ documents that cholinergic synapses were not formed.We conclude that superior cervical ganglion neurons, grown under serum-free culture conditions, develop certain properties characteristic of adrenergic neurons and do not express a mixed adrenergic cholinergic phenotype. A companion paper¹³ describes the electrophysiological properties of these neurons and demonstrates the frequent occurrence of electrotonic synapses in these cultures.     

带臂外侧上皮神经及其营养血管筋膜皮瓣的应用解剖

目的:为带臂外侧上皮神经及其营养血管筋膜皮瓣提供解剖学基础.方法:32例经灌注红色乳胶的成人上肢标本,对臂外侧上皮神经及其营养血管等进行了较详细的应用解剖学研究.结果:臂外侧上皮神经在均由腑神经发出,起点横径为1.5±0.4mm,在三角肌深方斜向外下3.6±1.1cm从该肌后缘中1/3浅出肌间隔,分为上支和下支,分布于三角肌后部、外侧部和臂外侧上部.该神经的营养血管起源于旋肱后动脉,起点外径为0.9±0.4mm;其行程、分支和分布均同在神经,供血范因为14.8×9.8cm~2,并与周围的皮动脉存在丰富吻合.结论:带臂外侧上皮神经及其营养血管筋膜皮 瓣可视受区需要设计成游离瓣或旋转瓣,用于修复邻近部位、手或颌面部缺损.     

上矢状窦旁桥静脉的显微解剖与影像学观察

目的:通过对上矢状窦(SSS)旁大脑桥静脉的显微解剖、影像学观察及其对照研究,为各种纵裂间手术入路中桥静脉的保护提供基础。方法:分别对30例(60侧)上矢状窦和颈内静脉内灌注蓝色乳胶的成人头颅湿标本、40侧DSA静脉相和16侧CTV进行显微解剖和影像学观察。结果:上矢状窦前部和后部分别有一缺乏桥静脉注入段,显微解剖、DSA和CTV观察上矢状窦旁桥静脉的数量分别为11.2支、8.9支和7.0支,DSA和CTV观察发现桥静脉注入上矢状窦处常显示不清。结论:熟悉和比较上矢状窦旁桥静脉的解剖学和影像学特征有利于各种纵裂间手术入路和手术过程中桥静脉的保护。     

网膜囊上隐窝的CT应用解剖

在42套腹部断面标本及50例整尸上观察到:网膜囊上隐窝呈“V”形间隙围绕肝尾状叶,前界为小网膜及肝左叶,后界是膈,顶由肝冠状韧带或膈形成,下抵胰,左邻食管;在正中矢状面上均出现肝尾状叶,且尾状叶套入或游离于网膜囊上隐窝。这些结果对在 CT 图像上鉴别尾状叶周围的积液及肿块具有重要意义。     

Electrode Positioning for Reliable Telemetry ECG Recordings During Social Stress in Unrestrained Rats

We describe a surgical procedure for optimizing the location of telemetry ECG leads in rats. The new location was aimed at obtaining an accurate representation of ECG features throughout the cardiac cycle by limiting the voltage instability usually observed during intense somatomotor activity and improving the signal-to-noise ratio. The two electrodes (wire loops) were fixed on the dorsal surface of the xiphoid process and in the anterior mediastinum close to the right atrium. The implantation procedure was fast, little invasive, and allowed animals to completely recover from intervention. The performance of the “improved” location (IL, n = 10) with respect to two subcutaneous (SC) positionings (“conventional positioning,” CSP, n = 5; “updated location,” USL, n = 5) was evaluated by comparing ECGs obtained in baseline, stress and recovery conditions and during different behavioral activities (immobility and grooming). The resident-intruder test (emotional/physical challenge) was chosen as experimental stress paradigm. The noise level of ECGs obtained from IL rats was lower than in CSP and USL animals, in all recording conditions. Percentages of correctly recognized beats (CRBs) over the total number of beats (TBs) were significantly higher in IL rats than in CSP and USL animals, both in baseline conditions (99% vs. 11% and 40%) and situations involving high somatomotor activity (stress: 97%, 5% and 16%; recovery: 97%, 7%, and 15%) (p < 0.01). The performance of IL as compared to CSP and USL was also better when percentages during grooming and immobility were considered (grooming: 93% vs. 4% and 23%; immobility: 97%, 6%, and 33%; p < 0.01).     

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.     

Development of the retinal pathway to the pretectum of the cat

The development of retinal projections to the pretectal complex of prenatal and early postnatal cats has been examined using the anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase and tritiated amino acids. As early as embryonic day 38, the entire dorsal pretectum is penetrated by retinal ganglion cell axons. At this stage the bilateral complement of retinal efferents appears to be dispersed uniformly within the pretectal anlage. A week later, on embryonic day 46, indistinct foci of peroxidase reaction product can be discerned within 2 of the primordial nuclei: the nucleus of the optic tract and the olivary nucleus. By embryonic day 56, five distinct bilateral fields of retinal fiber termination are apparent within the following regions:

(i) the nucleus of the optic tract;

(ii) the pretectal olivary nucleus;

(iii) the posterior pretectal nucleus;

(iv) the anterior pretectal nucleus; and

(v) the medial pretectal nucleus. Four days before birth, on embryonic day 61, crossed and uncrossed retinal arbors are partially segregated within the nucleus of the optic tract and the pretectal olivary nucleus.

The early postnatal retinal connection to the pretectum has an overall pattern virtually indistinguishable from that of the mature cat. The ontogeny of the retinal influx to the pretectum is similar to that of the retinocollicular projection.⁶¹ However, the development of retinal projections to the pretectum and superior colliculus appears to lag behind those to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus.⁴⁹ These differences may reflect temporal and spatial gradients in the maturation of three major classes of retinal ganglion cells.