Fresh gas flow in the Bain circuit during laparoscopy

Twenty-two women were studied during laparoscopy with abdominal insufflation of carbon dioxide. A bain anaesthetic breathing circuit was used with a fresh gas flow (VFG) of 110 ml.min-1.kg-1, and controlled ventilation was applied with a minute ventilation (VE) of 175 ml.min-1.kg-1. Arterial blood gases were analysed at the end of the operation. Nineteen of the women (86 per cent) were found to have a PaCO2 within the range for normocapnia (i.e., 4.7-5.9 kPa (35-45 mmHg), two were hypocapnic with a PaCO2 of 4.4 and 4.5 kPa (33 and 34 mmHg) respectively and one was found to have a PaCO2 of 6.2 kPa (46.5 mmHg). It was concluded that the carbon dioxide absorbed from the abdomen during laparoscopy demands fresh gas flows that are higher than normally used in the Bain circuit if a PaCO2 within the normal range is to be obtained. A simultaneous increase in VFG and VE of about 45 per cent is sufficient to achieve normocapnia.     

电针对大鼠丘脑腹后外侧核痛反应神经元放电的影响

在大鼠丘脑腹后外侧核(VPL)中可同时记录到对躯体和内脏伤害性刺激起反应的痛兴奋神经元(PEN)和痛抑制神经元(PIN)。注射吗啡和电针“足三里”穴能使VPL中PEN电活动减弱,PIN电活动加强。这表明,VPL通过其中的PEN和PIN同时电活动参与对疼痛和吗啡及电针镇痛的调制作用。     

The gastrointestinal prokinetic benzamide derivatives are agonists at the non-classical 5-HT receptor (5-HT4) positively coupled to adenylate cyclase in neurons

Summary We have previously shown that a non-classical 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT₄) receptor mediates the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in mouse embryo colliculi neurons in primary culture. The pharmacological characteristics of this receptor exclude the possibility that it belongs to the known 5-HT₁, 5-HT₂ or 5-HT₃ receptor types. Here we report that this 5-HT receptor can be stimulated by 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy substituted benzamide derivatives. All these compounds have been reported to be potent stimulants of gastrointestinal motility and some of them are 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists. The rank order of potency of these substituted benzamide derivatives in stimulating cAMP formation was: cisapride > BRL 24924 > 5-HT > zacopride > BRL 20627 > metoclopramide. The non-additivity of benzamide and 5-HT activities suggests that 5-HT and the substituted benzamide derivatives act on the same receptor. Only ICS 205930, a recognized 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist, competitively antagonized the stimulatory effect of cisapride, zacopride and BRL 24924. However, its pK _i (6–6.3) for this new receptor was very different from its pK _i for 5-HT₃ receptors (pK _i = 8 –10). Other selective 5-HT₃ receptor antagonists with an indole group (BRL 43694 and GR 38032F), with a benzoate group (cocaïne, MDL 72222) or with a piperazine group (quipazine) were ineffective in reversing the stimulatory effect of benzamide derivatives. Exposure of neuronal cells to potent agonists at this receptor such as BRL 24924 rapidly reduces its capacity to stimulate cAMP production. For example, a preincubation of 10 min with BRL 24924 (100 mol/l) reduced by 42% the ability of 5-HT to stimulate cAMP production. Cross-desensitization occurs between the effects of 5-HT and benzamides. The unique pharmacology of these nonclassical 5-HT receptors that we propose to call 5-HT₄ is very close and even identical to the pharmacology of the high affinity 5-HT receptors involved in the indirect stimulation of smooth muscle in the guinea pig ileum. These receptors are different from the 5-HT₃ receptors also present in guinea pig ileum.Send offprint requests to A. Dumuis at the above address     

Spontaneous activity of dorsal raphe neurons during defensive and offensive encounters in the tree-shrew

The general characteristics of these telemetrically recorded neurons of dorsal raphe, such as firing rate under nembutal anesthesia, reaction to illumination changes or acoustic stimuli were comparable to those in the literature. The firing rate of the dorsal raphe neurons increased during defensive encounters (+51%±29% S.D.; p<0.005) and defensive fights (+113%±91% S.D.; p<0.02) as compared to the neuronal activity of the undisturbed resting animal. The fearful interaction of the animal with the experimenter led to the strongest increase in the firing rate (+187%±114% S.D.; p<0.002) in all animals tested. The offensive animal showed decreased neuronal activity during offensive encounters (?21%±13% S.D.; p<0.02) and offensive fights (?42%±17%S.D.; p<0.05) as compared with the neuronal activity of the undisturbed resting animal. These findings indicate the crucial importance of the animals appraisal of the situational contex for the activity of dorsal raphe neurons.     

Localization of nerve-specific protein antigens on the surface membrane of neurons and glial cells of Helix pomatia

The existence of cross protein antigens common to several species of invertebrates and vertebrates on the membrane of neurons and glial cells of Helix pomatia was demonstrated in vitro by Coons' immunofluorescence method. The presence of nerve-specific protein S-100 on the membrane of these cells was established. The antigenic heterogeneity of membranes of a population of neurons also was observed. Differences were found in the concentrations of antigens on the somatic and axon membranes. The character of distribution of specific fluorescence indicates possible qualitative and (or) quantitative differences in the content of nervespecific proteins in different areas of the neuron membrane.Laboratory of Central Mechanisms of Regulation and Control, Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR V. P. Kaznacheev.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 88, No. 9, pp. 299–301, September, 1979.     

家兔内脏大神经传入神经元的节段分布

为探明内脏大神经传入神经元在后根节内的节段分布,本研究将家兔的左侧内脏大神经中枢侧断端浸泡于HRP溶液中。其HRP标记细胞的节段范围为胸_2——胸_(12)节,并以胸_5——胸_(11)节为多。91.2%HRP标记细胞的直径在34微米以下。     

大鼠运动皮层投射神经元与Parvalbumin免疫阳性神经纤维终末的关系──免疫荧光、Confocal显微镜观察

Parvalburnin是细胞内一种钙结合蛋白。同时又可作为中枢神经系统内与GABA共存的神经元亚群的特异标记物，主要标记篮状及苔烛细胞。用PAP方谈染色可见大鼠Parvalbumin免疫阳性神经终末在运动皮层锥体神经元胞体周围形成包篮现象，但因该方法的局限性．较难明确二者的关系。为进一步了解Parvalbumin阳性终未在锥体神经元脑体、树突与轴突整体上的分布状况以及运幼皮层内不同传出神经元是否均接受同样的支配，本实验利用FastBlue送行标记、固定脑片细胞内注入LueiferYellow结合免疫荧光、Confocal显微镜观察，研究运动皮层内皮质丘脑（束旁核）、皮质效状体及皮质脊髓三种投射神经元与Parvalbumin阳性终末的关系。通过1．μ连续扫描图像的分析及立体对观察，Parvalbumin阳性终末清晰可见，与LuciferYellow标记的锥体细胞的关系也容易辨别．在三种投射神经元胞体上均可见Parvalbumin阳性终末包绕，形成明显包篮现象，但三种神经元上的终末数未见明显区别·阳性终未还分布于近端树突上，距胞体越远越稀疏：但在距脑体50μm以上的顶树突、30μm以上的基树突及其二、三级分枝的远端树突上仍偶有终末分布．此外，三种神经元轴突起始段上也有少量终末接触，但未形成明显的cartridge现象．这一结果揭示，Parvalb     

Age-dependent cerebral metabolic effects of unilateral nucleus basalis magnocellularis ablation in rats

To investigate the age-dependent functional importance of cholinergic neocortical inputs, and to explore whether cortical cholinergic denervation in aged animals might better model the cerebral metabolic changes of Alzheimer's disease, the effects of unilateral ablation of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) on cerebral glucose metabolism were studied in young and aged rats. Regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (rCMRglc) were determined, using the [14C]deoxyglucose method, in 48 brain regions of 3- and 24-month old Fischer-344 rats at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after stereotaxic injection of ibotenate into the right NBM, and in sham-operated animals at 3 and 14 days later. For both ages the peak effect of unilateral NBM ablation occurred 3 days later: in young rats, rCMRglc was significantly reduced (compared to the contralateral side) in all 24 anterior cortical areas examined (mean decline 20%), whereas in aged animals, only 9 of 24 areas showed a significant decline in glucose utilization, and the magnitude of rCMRglc reduction (9%) was smaller. Near complete recovery of rCMRglc occurred by 7 days in young and old rats. We conclude that the basalocortical cholinergic projection plays a smaller role in neocortical function of aged rats, possibly because its tonic activity is reduced. Both young and aged rats undergo cortical metabolic normalization after unilateral NBM ablation; hence the NBM-lesioned aged rat is not a better model of the progressive decline in rCMRglc that occurs in Alzheimer's disease.     

Characterization of Thymic Nurse-Cell Lymphocytes,Using an Improved Procedure for Nurse-Cell Isolation

Thymic nurse cells (TNC), multicellular complexes consisting of lymphoid cells enclosed within cortical epithelial cells, were isolated from mouse thymus by a modified procedure allowing immunofluorescent labeling and flow cytometric analysis of their lymphoid contents (TNC-L). Collagenase was the only protease used for tissue digestion, to ensure that surface antigen markers remained intact. Zonal unit-gravity elutriation was used to enrich the TNC on the basis of their high sedimentation rate, followed by immunomagnetic bead depletion to remove residual mononuclear cell contaminants and a density separation to remove debris. The TNC-L were then released from inside TNC by a short period of culture. The measured contamination of TNC-L with exogenous thymocytes was around 0.5%. Three-color immunofluorescent labeling revealed that TNC-L included, as well as a maiority of immature CD4⁺8⁺3^low thymocytes, about 12% of apparently mature CD4⁺8^-3^high and CD4^-8⁺3^high thymocytes. TNC are located in the cortex, where mature cells are rare; the occurrence of mature phenotype cells within these structures suggests that they represent a microenvironment for the selection and generation of mature T cells.     

Afferent neurons of the hypoglossal nerve of the rat as demonstrated by horseradish peroxidase tracing

Summary Cell bodies of sensory neurons of the rat's hypoglossal nerve were demonstrated by the somatopetal horseradish peroxidase (HRP) transport technique. Labelled perikarya were found within the second and third cervical spinal ganglia and in the vagal sensory ganglia.After application of HRP to the cut peripheral trunk of the hypoglossal nerve about 200 labelled cell bodies were counted in each animal. The vast majority of the axons from cervical spinal ganglion cells reach the hypoglossal nerve via the descending ramus (N. descendens hypoglossi). However, there may exist an additional pathway, probably via the cervical sympathetic trunk.Application of HRP to the medial and lateral end branches led to a labelling of much fewer spinal ganglion cells while the number of labelled vagal sensory neurons remained unchanged. Thus, it is suggested that the majority of the cervical afferents of the hypoglossal nerve originates within the extrinsic tongue musculature and the geniohyoid muscle, whereas the vagal afferents may perhaps derive exclusively from the intrinsic muscles.Histograms of the mean diameters of labelled cell bodies show a predominance of very small perikarya. This contrasts with the diameter distribution of sensory perikarya labelled after HRP application to nerves supplying other skeletal muscles. It is therefore assumed that the afferent component of the hypoglossal nerve is composed mainly of small-calibre axons.Supported by the Hartmann Müller-Stiftung, ZürichPart of this work was presented at the 74. Versammlung der Anatomischen Gesellschaft in Regensburg, March 1979