MICA1078: A novel allele identified in a Moroccan individual affected by celiac disease

A novel MICA allele, MICA¹078, has been identified during HLA/MICA high resolution typing of Moroccan patients with celiac disease. MICA¹078 shows an uncommon variation at a highly conserved nucleotide position (nt 493, G → A), resulting in one amino acid change at codon 142 (V → I) of MICA gene (compared to MICA¹002:01), located in the α2-domain, in which V142 is the common residue.     

An unusual cause of adult onset cerebellar ataxia with hypogonadism

We report an unusual case of sporadic adult onset cerebellar ataxia with hypogonadism. A 40-year-old unmarried man presented with progressive ataxia and dysarthria along with complaints of non-development of secondary sexual characteristics and erectile dysfunction. There were complaints of intermittent diarrhea. Clinical examination revealed a pan-cerebellar syndrome with features of hypoandrogenism. No eye movement abnormalities were evident. There were signs of malabsorption. Investigations confirmed the presence of auto-antibodies found in celiac disease, and a duodenal biopsy confirmed the same. Hypoandrogenism was postulated to be due to hypergonadotropic hypogonadism which has been mentioned in a few patients of celiac disease. However, the pattern seen in our patient was of a hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. This is probably secondary to an autoimmune hypophysitis seen in some patients in the absence of other clinical manifestations. Autoantibody testing should be a diagnostic necessity in any adult with a sporadic cerebellar ataxia.     

双针会师法腹腔丛阻滞对顽固性上腹部癌痛患者的镇痛作用

晚期癌痛患者17例，男9例，女8例，年龄46—85岁，体重38—63kg，VASⅢ或Ⅳ级。CT引导下经T12-L1椎间隙左、右穿刺，针尖分别抵达膈脚外腹主动脉旁及膈脚内。分别注入含造影剂（30％碘海醇注射液1ml）的1％利多卡因8ml，CT示所注药液有会师趋势或已会师包绕腹主动脉后，左、右分别注入无水酒精20、15ml，再次CT观察酒精扩散情况，以视觉模拟评分（VAS）及改良生活质量（QOL）评分评价镇痛效果。会师包绕腹主动脉的11例患者中8例（73％）镇痛效果满意至去世；另6例酒精在腹主动脉周围被转移的淋巴结分割呈斑点、斑片状，其中3例（50％）完全无痛。与腹腔丛阻滞（NCPB）前相比，NCPB后各时点的VAS评分下降，QOL评分升高（P〈0．01）。双针会师法腹腔丛阻滞可使所注无水酒精在腹腔丛恰当分布，对顽固性上腹部癌痛患者有较好的镇痛效果。     

腹腔动脉的CT解剖研究及临床意义

目的:利用多层螺旋CT血管成像(MSCTA)研究腹腔动脉的解剖特点,旨在指导介入治疗。方法:随机选择150例行多层螺旋CT肝脏三期扫描的患者,选择5.0mm×2.5mm的扫描参数,行层厚3.0mm间隔1.5mm的轴面重建,采用容积再现(VR)后处理方法。结果:腹腔动脉开口位于T12中部~L1上部平面128例占85.3%。腹腔动脉与腹主动脉的下夹角呈锐角占86.7%,呈钝角占13.3%。由腹腔动脉干分为胃左、脾及肝总动脉三支者占92%,发现8%有正常变异。肝固有动脉走行与肝总动脉呈钝角占88.4%,呈锐角占11.6%。胃十二指肠动脉与肝总动脉呈钝角占71%,呈锐角占29%。脾动脉形态常见为上弧型、上升型、水平上升型、水平型、下弧型、下弧上升型等,波浪型及回旋型少见占5.1%。结论:腹腔动脉CT解剖研究对介入工作具有重要的指导意义。     

Chemosensitivity of neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus that responded to portal infusion of hypertonic saline in rats

Neural responses in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) to topical administrations of sodium and portal infusions of hypertonic saline were investigated electrophysiologically by using multibarrel electrodes in anesthetized rats. Of 102 neurons that showed antidromic response to electrical stimulation of the ventral gastric vagus or the accessory celiac vagus, 51 neurons increased and 13 neurons decreased their discharge rates in response to the electrophoretic administration of sodium. The other 38 neurons did not respond to this stimulation. The portal infusion of hypertonic saline elicited neural responses of some DMV neurons whose axons are involved into either the ventral gastric or the accessory celiac vagus. Further, effects of the topical administration and the portal infusion of hypertonic saline were examined on 33 neurons. Typical response was characterized by an increase in discharge rate responding to both of the portal infusion and the topical administration. In conclusion, the DMV neurons receiving the afferent inputs from hepatoportal osmoreceptors may have an enteroceptor function detecting the change in osmotic pressure of their environment.     

Neurolysis of celiac plexus and splanchnic nerve under ultrasonographic guidance

Key words  intractable pain - celiac plexus neurolysis - ultrasonography     

Celiac vagotomy attenuates the ingestive responses to epinephrine and hypertonic saline but not insulin, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, or polyethylene glycol

The ingestive responses of rats given celiac vagotomy (C), combined celiac and hepatic vagotomy (CH), or low total vagotomy (removal of all tissue from around the esophagus, stomach and duodenum; LT) were compared with sham operated controls (S) in a series of regulatory challenges. The vagotomized groups responded normally to 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG; 125, 250, 500 mg/kg, IP), insulin (4, 8, 12 U/kg, IP), and polyethylene glycol (10 ml/kg: 30% w/v, SC), but displayed attenuated responses to epinephrine (40, 80, 120 micrograms/kg, IP) and hypertonic saline (10 ml/kg: 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 M, IP). These results can be interpreted as evidence that the celiac vagus carries a major component of hepatic afferent innervation. Additionally, when considered with other findings they suggest that whereas the anorectic activity of epinephrine is mostly confined to the liver, 2DG hyperphagia involves stimulation of a wider population of peripheral metabolic receptors.