Humeral skeletal development and plasma constituent changes in fetuses of ewes maintained on a low calcium diet from 60 days of gestation

Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a long-term, low-calcium diet on fetal calcium metabolism and fetal skeleton skeleton development in ewes. Eleven pregnant sheep were assigned to two groups, fed either a diet low in calcium (0.26% total dry matter) or normal in calcium (0.8% total dry matter) for 2 months, starting at 60 days gestational age. The ewes fed the low calcium diet showed lower plasma levels of calcium and higher plasma levels of hydroxyproline, parathyroid hormone, and 1,25 (OH)₂D compared with the ewes fed the normal calcium diet. There were no differences in these variables between the two groups of fetuses. These observations suggest that the plasma components of calcium homeostasis measured in the fetal lamb in the present study are independent of the ewe and are not significantly affected by the presence of lowere maternal calcium for many weeks during pregnancy. Despite the ability of the fetus of the ewe on the low calcium diet to maintain relatively normal circulating plasma components of calcium homeostasis, long-term maternal hypocalcemia delayed fetal skeletal ossification as shown by histological examination of the fetal humerus. The fetal humerus from low calcium-fed ewes showed a lower proportion of bone versus cartilage (45.6±5.9 versus 57.4±4.6%, mean ±SD) lower ash content (15.4±1.5 versus 17.4±1.0%), and lower specific gravity (1.19±0.2 versus 1.22±0.02) (P<0.05) than the humerus from fetuses of normal calcium-fed ewes. This study shows that the long-term calcium intake of the ewe does affect fetal skeletal development, despite a lack of observable effects on fetal plasma concentrations of calcium or known calcium regulating hormones such as 1,25(OH)₂D or parathyroid hormone.     

CT angiography in carotid stenosis

Purpose: Prospective evaluation of the accuracy of CT angiography (CTA) with different postprocessing for extracranial carotid artery in comparison with DSA. Method: one hundred patients were studied with standarized CTA. For postprocessing, MPR, MIP, and 3D reconstruction based on segmentation with upper and lower threshold were used. Intravascular density profiles were considered. All CTA studies were correlated with intra-arterial angiography. The degree and classification of stenoses was determined using the guidelines established by the NASCET collaborators. Results: Measurement of stenosis was possible by MPR in 82.5 %, by MIP in 85 %, and 3D in 100 %. Correct classification was found in 65.5 % for MPR, 66 % for MIP and 88.5 % for 3D. The sensitivity for severe stenoses was 74 % for MPR, 82 % for MIP, and 93 % for 3D. The specificity of these methods was 98 %, 96 %, and 97 %, respectively. All carotid occlusions were correctly identified, no carotid artery was wrongly classified as occluded. Conclusions: CT angiography allows reliable examinations in carotid artery stenoses and occlusions. 3D reconstruction based on threshold segmentation is superior to MPR and MIP. In some circumstances, e.g., carotid occlusion, further investigation by invasive procedures is not necessary.      

微量元素锌在佝偻病治疗中的效果观察

目的 :探讨补充锌 +维生素D +钙剂治疗佝偻病的效果。方法 :随机分为 3组 ,每组各 5 3例。对照组给予常规治疗 (即维生素D +钙剂 ) ,治疗 1组先给予锌治疗 1个月后 +常规治疗 ,治疗 2组同时给予锌 +常规治疗。 3个月为 1疗程。治疗前后检测血清微量元素及骨碱性磷酸酶 (BALP)等项目。结果 :治疗 1、2组疗效好于对照组 ,差异非常显著 (P <0 0 1) ;治疗1组疗效好于治疗 2组 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 0 5 )。结论 :治疗大多数伴低锌的佝偻病先补锌 1个月 ,再加常规治疗 ,疗效更佳。     

Enhanced stimulus-reward learning by intra-amygdala administration of a D3 dopamine receptor agonist

The amygdala is considered to be a critical neural substrate underlying the formation of stimulus-reward associations, and is known to receive substantial innervation from dopaminergic neurons located within the ventral mesencephalon. However, relat- ively little is known about the function of the mesoamygdaloid dopamine projection in stimulus-reward learning. Recently, we have found post-session intra-amygdala microinjections of d-amphetamine to enhance appetitive Pavlovian conditioning as assessed in a discriminative approach task. In the present study, we have examined the effects of dopamine receptor agonists possessing relative selectivity for the D₁, D₂ and D₃ receptor subtypes in order to examine more fully the role of the mesoamygdaloid dopamine projection in stimulus-reward learning. Thus, subjects were trained to associate an initially neutral stimulus (CS⁺) with 10% sucrose reward (US). A second, control stimulus (CS⁻) was also presented but never paired with sucrose reward. In order to measure specifically the conditioned response to CS⁺/CS⁻ presentation, responding during CS and US presentations was measured separately. Immediately following each training session, subjects received bilateral intra-amygdala infusion of 0.1, 1 or 10 nmol/side of SKF-38393, quinpirole or 7-OH-DPAT. Infusions of SKF-38393 or quinpirole were without effect on CS⁺ approach. However, post-session intra-amygdala infusions of 7-OH-DPAT enhanced selectively CS⁺ approach in a dose-dependent fashion. No dose of any drug affected CS⁻approach, US behaviours, or measures of extraneous behaviour. Subsequent acquisition of a novel conditioned instrumental response was also unaffected. Thus, the present data indicate a selective involvement of the D₃ dopamine receptor subtype in the modulation of stimulus-reward learning by the mesoamygdaloid dopamine projection. Received: 12 December 1996 / Final version: 9 April 1997     

Improved intracranial lesion characterization by tissue segmentation based on a 3D feature map

Our aim was to develop an accurate multispectral tissue segmentation method based on 3D feature maps. We utilized proton density (PD), T₂-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE), and T₁-weighted spin-echo images as inputs for segmentation. Phantom constructs, cadaver brains, an animal brain tumor model and both normal human brains and those from patients with either multiple sclerosis (MS) or primary brain tumors were analyzed with this technique. Initially, misregistration, RF inhomogeneity and image noise problems were addressed. Next, a qualified observer identified samples representing the tissues of interest. Finally, k-nearest neighbor algorithm (k-NN) was utilized to create a stack of color-coded segmented images. The inclusion of T₁ based images, as a third input, produced significant improvement in the delineation of tissues. In MS, our 3D technique was found to be far superior to that based on any combination of 2D feature maps (P < 0.001). We identified at least two distinctly different classes of lesions within the same MS plaque, representing different stages of the disease process. Further, we obtained the regional distribution of MS lesion burden and followed its changes over time. Neuropsychological aberrations were the clinical counterpart of the structural changes detected in segmentation. We could also delineate the margins of benign brain tumors. In malignant tumors, up to four abnormal tissues were identified: 1) a solid tumor core, 2) a cystic component, 3) edema in the white matter, and 4) areas of necrosis and hemorrhage. Subsequent neurosurgical exploration confirmed the distribution of tissues as predicted by this analysis.     

胃复春片对慢性胃病患者窦D细胞的影响

目的：探讨胃复春片治疗慢性胃病患者前后生长抑素内分泌细胞(D细胞)数量变化。方法：用免疫组化酶链亲合素过氧化酶复合技术(SABC)对患者治疗前后胃粘膜组织的D细胞染色，观察治疗前后D细胞的形态和数量变化。结果：经胃复春片治疗后，患者胃窦粘膜D细胞阳性数及强阳性率均明显下降，有显著意义。结论：胃复春片对慢性胃病患者生长抑素D细胞有调整作用。     

[H](+)S 14297: A novel, selective radioligand at cloned human dopamine D3 receptors

The selective dopamine D₃ receptor antagonist [³H](+)S 14297 ((+)-[7-(N,N-dipropylamino)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphtho(2,3b)dihydro,2,3-furane]), labelled to high specific activity (145 Ci/mmol), bound to cloned human dopamine D₃ receptors but displayed negligible binding to cloned human D₂ receptors. [³H](+)S 14297 exhibited rapid association and dissociation, high affinity saturable binding (K_d = 7.0 nM) and a competition binding profile highly correlated with that of [¹²⁵I]iodosulpride (r = 0.98).     

脐动脉血流速波、产前胎心监护及脐动脉血气分析与新生儿结局的对比研究

测定１１５例足月妊娠者（正常妊娠６２例，高危妊娠５３例）脐动脉血流速波（ＵｍＡＳ／Ｄ），同时作产前胎心电子监护（ＮＳＴ），其中３７例于分娩时抽取脐动脉血作血气分析。对上述三种方法预测新生儿结局的效果进行比较。结果表明：ＵｍＡＳ／Ｄ、脐动脉血的ｐＨ值较ＮＳＴ对新生儿结局不良有较好的预测性，异常ＵｒｎＡＳ／Ｄ与新生儿酸中毒有密切关系。     

Evidence that the enhancement of dopamine function by repeated electroconvulsive shock requires concomitant activation of D1-like and D2-like dopamine receptors

In this study, the behavioural response to dopamine D₁-like receptor agonists (SKF 38393, SKF 81297 and SKF 77434) and D₂-like receptor agonists (quinpirole and RU 24213), administered alone and in combination to rats treated repeatedly with electroconvulsive shock (five ECS over 10 days) or sham, was tested. Agonist-induced behaviour was monitored by automated activity meters and direct observation using a checklist scoring method. Repeated ECS (compared to sham controls) had no significant effect on the behavioural response to SKF 38393 (7.5 mg/kg SC), SKF 81297 (0.2 mg/kg SC), SKF 77434 (0.1 mg/kg SC), quinpirole (0.1 and 0.25 mg/kg SC) or RU 24213 (0.3 mg/kg SC), when administered alone. In contrast, repeated ECS markedly increased locomotion (activity counts and scores) induced by the non-selective dopamine agonist apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg SC) and by co-administration of a D₁-like agonist plus a D₂-like agonist [SKF 38393 (7.5 mg/kg SC) plus quinpirole (0.25 mg/kg SC), SKF 81297 (0.2 mg/kg SC) plus quinpirole (0.1 mg/kg SC), and SKF 77434 (0.1 mg/ kg SC) plus RU 24213 (0.3 mg/kg SC)]. This ECS-induced enhancement of dopamine-mediated behaviour was observed for up to 3 weeks after cessation of ECS treatment. In addition, ECS also enhanced the locomotor response to intra-accumbens SKF 38393 plus quinpirole (0.4 and 1.0 μg/side, respectively). These results provide evidence that the enhancement of dopamine function by repeated ECS requires concomitant stimulation of both D₁-like and D₂-like receptors, and that this effect is long-lasting. Received: 24 January 1997 /Final version: 5 March 1997     

大蒜对焦炉工生物膜损伤和细胞免疫保护作用初探

采用大蒜对焦炉工在不脱离生产情况下，进行为期半年的实验服用，观察其对生物膜损伤和细胞免疫功能的保护作用。结果表明：服用大蒜制剂后焦炉工的唾液酸（ＳＡ）和脂质过氧化（ＬＰＯ）比服用前降低（Ｐ＜０．０１），谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（ＧＳＨ－Ｐｘ）有所增高，但Ｐ＞０．０５，在细胞免疫方面，表现为酸性α－醋酸萘酯酶（ＡＮＡＥ）和活性Ｅ－花环％（Ｅａ）的增高（Ｐ＜０．０１）。对照组的细胞免疫功能及生物膜损伤情况均无改善，提示：大蒜对焦炉工的生物膜和细胞免疫均有一定的保护作用。