Axonal trajectory of single group Ia and Ib fibers in the cat spinal cord

Intracellular staining with HRP of physiologically identified group Ia and Ib afferent fibers in the adult cat lumbosacral cord revealed that group Ia and Ib fibers take a similar course in the dorsal funiculus, but the collaterals emerging from them show a different topographical distribution and a different mode of branching in the gray matter. Ia collaterals terminate in laminae VI, VII, IX, and sometimes VIII, whereas Ib collaterals terminate only in lamina VI, or both VI and IX. In lamina IX, two large motor-type neurons received terminations of both Ia and Ib fibers at the same time.     

教育心理学和教学效益相关性的研究

本研究在罗马尼亚Oradea大学医药学院进行，始于1998年，结束于2003年。研究的出发点为该学院的学生们提出不少的教师，包括一些国内外知名的学者和医生，因缺乏教育心理学知识，不能很好地理解学生，组织教学和传授知识。因此，本研究设置了问卷调查，学院向教员开设了教育心理学课程(1998年10月～1999年7月)，与学生和教师座谈，统计并比较学生的考试成绩，特别地跟踪研究全国年度(1999年～2003年)医学证书汇考结果。研究结果客观地证实了教育心理学能够提高学习(工作)效益和成果，因为教育心理学知识使得教师(和医师)更好地与学生(或病人)沟通、理解和组织、合作。     

Danazol and stanozolol in long-term prophylactic treatment of hereditary angioedema

Treatment with 17 alpha-methyltestosterone and with some synthetic androgens prevents attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE). However, the potential hepatotoxicity of 17 alpha-alkylated androgens raises the problem of long-term prophylactic use of these agents. Therefore we compared the efficacy in preventing HAE attacks of 17 alpha-alkylated steroids (danazol and stanozolol) with non-17 alpha-alkylated derivatives (quinbolone, nandrolone decanoate and mesterolone). As the latter group proved ineffective, it seems that a drug's efficacy in preventing HAE attacks is connected to its 17 alpha-alkylation. Moreover, our long-term observations with the minimum effective dose of danazol seem to indicate the absence of important collateral effects.     

Quantitative assays of pharmacologic aerosols used in studying asthma

To more nearly accurately quantitate the dose of pharmacologic agents delivered to human and animal airways via aerosols, we have developed a monodisperse aerosol containing either methacholine or histamine that permits a light scattering device (tyndallometry) to measure accurately the quantity of inspired and expired particles. These aerosols (described in previous studies) are simultaneously tagged with a radioactive label (technetium 99m) to permit the use of external gamma camera imaging. Present work focuses on the development of assay techniques to measure the quantity of methacholine delivered in these aerosols. The lack of specific radioimmune or radioenzyme assays coupled with the cross-reaction of organic contaminants with conventional chemical reagents for measuring methacholine required the development of separative techniques to isolate the methacholine from the organic aerosol contaminants. With aqueous extraction and column separation we have been able to completely isolate the methacholine from these contaminants. This allows the application of standard spectrophotometric assays for methacholine to quantitate the methacholine in the resulting solution. These separative techniques will permit the use of these aerosols in quantitative studies of airway reactivity.     

Simple two-electrode biosignal amplifier

A simple, cost effective circuit for a two-electrode non-differential biopotential amplifier is proposed. It uses a ‘virtual ground’ transimpedance amplifier and a parallel RC network for input common mode current equalisation, while the signal input impedance preserves its high value. With this innovative interface circuit, a simple non-inverting amplifier fully emulates high CMRR differential. The amplifier equivalent CMRR (typical range from 70–100 dB) is equal to the open loop gain of the operational amplifier used in the transimpedance interface stage. The circuit has very simple structure and utilises a small number of popular components. The amplifier is intended for use in various two-electrode applications, such as Holter-type monitors, defibrillators, ECG monitors, biotelemetry devices etc.     

Children conceived using ICSI do not have an increased risk of delayed mental development at 5 years of age

BACKGROUND: Concerns about possible adverse outcomes for children conceived using ICSI were highlighted in 1998 when 1-year-old ICSI children were found to be at increased risk (relative risk = 9.2) of delayed mental development compared with children conceived naturally or using IVF. As the findings were biologically plausible, it was considered important to reassess child development when a more accurate measure of long-term cognitive ability could be obtained. METHODS: The mental development of 97 ICSI, 80 IVF and 110 naturally conceived (NC) children at 5 years of age was assessed using intelligence quotients (IQ) obtained from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. RESULTS: The mean full-scale IQ was 110 +/- 18 for ICSI, 111 +/- 13 for IVF and 114 +/- 13 for NC children (P = 0.21, non-significant). ICSI children were not at increased risk for delayed (full-scale IQ <85) cognitive development (ICSI 5.2%, IVF 2.5%, NC 0.9%; P = 0.18, non-significant). The only significant independent predictor of below-average full-scale IQ on multivariate analysis was lower maternal education level. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the genetic influence of parental cognitive ability is more important than the mode of conception in determining the long-term intellectual ability of children conceived using ICSI.     

Comparative nasal absorption of allergens in atopic and nonatopic subjects.

Based on sensitization following intranasal antigen administration, previous investigations have suggested greater absorption of allergens through the nasal mucous membranes of atopic than of nonatopic subjects. In this study mucosal absorption was assessed more directly by determining the capacity of allergens applied intranasally to elicit cutaneous Prausnitz-Küstner (P-K) reactions in nonatopic persons as compared with asymptomatic atopic subjects sensitive to other allergens. Two series of reaginic human serum dilutions were injected intracutaneously in recipients backs, and 48 hours later one series was challenged intracutaneously with test allergen. After the responses had been recorded, concentrated allergenic extract was sprayed into the nose and the second series of P-K sites observed for reactivity. Sometimes these P-K sites were rechallenged intracutaneously the following day to determine passive transfer neutralization. Two allergens were studied: bovine ribonuclease (RNase) and peanut extract. Two sera containing peanut reagins and one with RNase antibodies were each used in 10 to 11 atopic and 9 to 11 nonatopic recipients. The atopic group failed to show greater or more rapid absorption of either allergen through the nose based on the highest serum dilution reacting after nasal challenge. the speed of the reaction, the ratio of the titer by nasal challenge to the intracutaneous titer, or passive transfer neutralization. Controls showed that the results were not influenced by systemic absorption of allergen employed for intracutaneous tests. Drinking the amount of peanut extract applied intranasally did not elicit P-K reactions.     

Trimellitic anhydride-induced airway syndromes: Clinical and immunologic studies

This report describes a spectrum of respiratory symptoms in workers exposed to trimellitic anhydride (TMA), a biologically reactive chemical used in the plastics industry. Fourteen workers who had worked on a unit which synthesized TMA were evaluated by clinical and immunologic methods. Respiratory syndromes induced by TMA inhalation included asthma and rhinitis of the immediate type, late onset asthma with systemic symptoms, and airway irritation. TMA was shown to couple rapidly to human serum albumin, forming an immunoreactive hapten-protein complex. The workers' immunologic reactivity to this complex could be quantitated and correlated with the three respiratory syndromes. The asthma-rhinitis syndrome was mediated by IgE antibody specific for the TMA hapten. The syndrome of late onset asthma with systemic symptoms was accompanied by elevated levels of TMA-specific IgG antibody. Rheumatoid factor in high titer was found in one worker with IgE-mediated asthma and in two workers with asthma of late onset. Lymphocyte reactivity of TMA-HSA was demonstrated in three workers representative of the three clinical syndromes. Leukocyte histamine release was demonstrated to TMA-HSA in one worker with high levels of IgE antibody specific for TMA-HSA who had severe symptoms of acute rhinitis and asthma.