Identified higher-order neurons controlling the feeding motor program of helisoma

A bilaterally symmetrical pair of neurons in the anterior region of the cerebral ganglia of the snail Helisoma trivolvis were found to have excitatory input to the feeding motor program contained in the buccal ganglia. Intracellular microelectrodes were used to stimulate and record from these cells while the motor output of the buccal ganglia was monitored with a combination of intracellular and extracellular recordings. Experimentally evoked tonic activity in an individual cerebral cell could initiate and maintain the patterned motor output from buccal ganglia, characteristic of the activity underlying buccal mass feeding movements. The rate of buccal motor output could be modified directly by varying the firing frequency of the cerebral cell. Cobaltous chloride backfills of cerebrobuccal connectives revealed that these higher-order neurons were the only large cells in the anterior portion of the ganglia to send processes into the connectives. Furthermore, they are the only cells in this region to fluoresce when processed with a sucrose-phosphate-glyoxylic acid solution, indicating that they contain an indoleamine, probably serotonin. Application of low concentrations of serotonin to isolated buccal ganglia or buccal ganglia-buccal mass preparations mimics the effects of the cerebral cells' activity on the buccal motor output, implying that serotonin is a putative transmitter for these cerebral cells.     

Cyclophosphamide as second-line therapy in multiple sclerosis: benefits and risks

Aim of this study was to determine the predictors of caregiver burden among spouse caregivers of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Forty consecutive PD patients and their spouse caregivers were included. Patients were assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoehn and Yahr scale (HY), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Stress and depressive symptoms among caregivers were evaluated using the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) scale and the GDS. Only PD severity (HY) and mental symptoms (NPI) were significantly associated to caregiver distress. A major attention must be given to the early identification of factors generating stress in caregivers in order to improve caregiver quality of life and patient’s care. M. D’Amelio and V. Terruso equally contributed to the study.     

内容依托型教学法在中医院校英语教学中的应用

专业英语教学是大学英语教学的重要组成部分,又与专业背景文化密切相关。在大学英语教学阶段,运用内容依托型教学法导入专业文化知识,有助于克服专业英语交际的障碍,为专业英语教学奠定基础。在中医院校大学英语教学阶段,依托与中医文化有关的任务布置,导入中医文化,有利于培养学生更具针对性的情境交际能力和中医文化理解力,促进中医国际化。     

Selectively targeting estrogen receptors for cancer treatment

Estrogens regulate growth and development through the action of two distinct estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα and ERβ, which mediate proliferation and differentiation of cells. For decades, ERα mediated estrogen signaling has been therapeutically targeted to treat breast cancer, most notably with the selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) tamoxifen. Selectively targeting ERs occurs at two levels: tissue selectivity and receptor subtype selectivity. SERMs have been developed with emphasis on tissue selectivity to target ER signaling for breast cancer treatment. Additionally, new approaches to selectively target the action of ERα going beyond ligand-dependent activity are under current investigation. As evidence of the anti-proliferative role of ERβ accumulates, selectively targeting ERβ is an attractive approach for designing new cancer therapies with the emphasis shifted to designing ligands with subtype selectivity. This review will present the mechanistic and structural features of ERs that determine tissue and subtype selectivity with an emphasis on current approaches to selectively target ERα and ERβ for cancer treatment.     

认知行为干预对精神障碍患者行无抽搐电休克治疗的影响

目的探讨认知行为干预对精神障碍患者行无抽搐电休克治疗的影响。方法将424例精神障碍患者随机分为两组,研究组210例,对照组214例,两组均给予无抽搐电休克治疗常规护理,研究组在此基础上进行认知行为干预。于干预前和干预后采用汉密顿焦虑量表评定被试的焦虑症状,于干预前和每次行无抽搐电休克治疗前评定被试的依从性。结果研究组干预后汉密顿焦虑量表评分较干预前显著下降（P〈0.01）,对照组与干预前比较差异无显著性（P〉0．05）;同期两组间比较,干预前汉密顿焦虑量表评分差异无显著性（P〉0．05）,干预后研究组汉密顿焦虑量表评分显著低于对照组（P〈0.05）。干预后两组无抽搐电休克治疗依从性评分均较干预前显著下降（P〈0.05或0．01）;同期两组间比较,干预前两组差异无显著性（P〉0.05）,干预后研究组依从性评分显著低于对照组（P〈0.01）。结论认知行为干预可减轻精神障碍患者行无抽搐电休克治疗前的紧张、焦虑情绪,提高患者对无抽搐电休克治疗的依从性。     

Cathepsin B抑制剂对发育期惊厥大鼠海马自噬相关蛋白表达的调节

目的 探讨新生期大鼠反复惊厥后海马自噬、凋亡相关蛋白Beclin-1,Cathepsin B和Bcl-2的表达及溶酶体蛋白酶抑制剂CBI对表达的干预作用.方法 实验在苏州大学神经科学研究所进行.日龄6 d的Sprague-Dawley大鼠90只随机(随机数字法)分为3组,每组30只:对照组、反复惊厥组及CBI组.反复惊厥组(RS)每日吸入三氟乙醚诱导惊厥发作5次,每次间隔30 min,连续9 d;对照组同样操作但不吸入三氟乙醚;CBI组于惊厥前腹腔注射cathepsin B(2 μL,0.5μg/μL),同样方法吸入三氟乙醚诱导惊厥发作.各组分别于末次惊厥后1.5 h,3 h,6 h,24 h和生后35 d 5个时间点[(n=6/(每点,每组)]取海马组织,采用免疫印迹技术检测自噬相关蛋白Beclin-1,Cathepsin B和Bcl-2的表达,采用方差分析进行统计.结果 对照组和CBI组同一时间点Beclin-1,Cathepsin B和Bcl-2的表达差异无统计学意义,惊厥组(1.5 h,3 h,6 h,24 h)海马组织中Beclin-1和Cathepsin B的表达明显高于对照组和CBI组同一时间点的Beclin-1表达(F值分别为Beclin-1:7.44,6.58,5.43,9.69,P＜0.05;Cathepsin B:4.62,2.02,3.49,4.86);而惊厥组(1.5 h,3 h,6 h,24 h)Bcl-2的表达则明显低于对照组和CBI组同一时间点Bcl-2的表达(F值分别为4.34,3.79,4.88,4.42,P＜0.05).结论 发育期大鼠反复惊厥后海马神经元自噬信号通路激活,同时抗凋亡基因Bcl-2蛋白水平显著下调,表明自噬信号途径与凋亡途径共同激活,协调参与发育期大鼠惊厥急性期兴奋毒性脑损伤的病理生理机制.

Abstract：

Objective To explore the dynamic expressions of autophagia and apoptosis associated protein Beclin-1, Cathepsin B and Bcl-2 in hippocampus and the intervention efficacy of cathepsin-B inhibitor (CBI) after recurrent neonatal seizure. Method Ninty 6-day-old SD rats were randomly (random number) divided into the recurrent neonatal seizure group (RS group, n = 30), CBI-treated seizure group (CBI group, n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). Rats in RS group were subjected to 55 attacks of seizure induced by using flurothyl during the consecutive 9 days beginning on the 6 th postnatal day (P6). In CBI group, CBI (2 μL, 0.5 μg/μL) was administered every day before seizures induced. Western blot was employed to determine the protein level at different intervals (1.5 h,3 h,6 h,24 h) after the last convulsion.Results There were higher expressions of Beclin-1 and Cathepsin B, and lower expressions of Bcl-2 expression in RS group(1. 5 h,3 h,6 h and 24 h) than those at the same time in control group (P ＜ 0.05). Beclin1 and Cathepsin B expressions were lower while Bcl-2 expressions were higher in CBI group at the intervals of 1.5 h,3 h,6 h and 24 h compared with those in RS group (P ＜ 0. 05). Conciusions Autophagic and apoptotic pathways were activated immediately after recurrent neonatal seizures as indicated by expression changes of Beclin-1, Cathepsin B and Bcl-2 in hippocampus, which suggests a synergistic effect of the two pathways in the pathophysiology of the long-term brain damage of neonateε resulted from the adverse effects of recurrent neonatal seizures.     

Lack of covalent binding of peroxisome proliferators nafenopin and Wy-14 643 to DNA in vivo and in vitro

[3H][2-methyl-2-p-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthyl)phenoxy] propionic acid (nafenopin), a hepatocarcinogenic peroxisome proliferator, when administered p.o. to normal intact and partially hepatectomized male F344 rats did not show any significant binding to DNA and RNA, but bound to proteins. The in vitro incubation of [3H]nafenopin and [3H]4-chloro-[6-(2,3-xylidino)pyrimidinylthio]acetic acid (Wy-14643), another peroxisome proliferator, with hepatic microsomes and calf thymus DNA also showed no significant binding of these chemicals to DNA.     

Do nurses and cancer patients agree on cancer patients' coping resources,emotional distress and quality of life?

The present study examines differences, associations and agreement in cancer patients' and their nurses' ratings of cancer patients' coping resources, emotional distress and quality of life. The study sample includes 90 individual patient–nurse pairs. The patient and nurse in each pair independently completed the Cancer Behaviour Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being. The results indicate a distinct pattern in which nurses overestimate patients' emotional distress and underestimate patients' coping resources and quality of life. A nurse who overestimated a patient's emotional distress and underestimated his/her resources for handling the situation was also likely to underestimate the patient's quality of life. Patient–nurse pairs who demonstrated consistent agreement differed from remaining pairs in that they had a larger percentage of nurses with advanced education and previous responsibility for their patients' care and in that they had higher frequencies of patients who had previously received care at the ward >5 days. Nurses caring for patients with cancer should be aware of the risk of making systematic misjudgements of patients' status. Increased attention to patients' internal resources may improve nurses' ability to make correct assessments and plan for individualized care.     

Cerebellar inhibition in hepatic encephalopathy

ObjectivePrevious animal work reported that hyperammonemia leads to opposing changes of GABAergic neurotransmission in terms of increase in the cerebellum and decrease in the cerebral cortex. In this study, we investigate GABAergic tone in the cerebellum in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) at different stages of the disease and its relation to critical flicker frequency (CFF) and ataxia.MethodsCerebellar inhibition using transcranial magnetic stimulation was investigated in 15 patients with different stages of HE and 15 healthy controls. All patients were assessed using CFF and the score for assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA).ResultsDecreased cerebellar inhibition (CBI) was observed in manifest HE at interstimulus interval from 5 to 7 ms. However, the degree of CBI at 7 ms correlated significantly with disease severity measured with SARA and with CFF by trend.ConclusionReduced CBI in HE patients indicates affection of the cerebellar efferent pathway. The disease severity dependent increase of CBI magnitude supports the notion of disease stage dependent increase of GABAergic neurotransmission in Purkinje cells.SignificanceThe results support previous animal experiments showing increase of GABA-ergic neurotransmission in the cerebellum and decrease in the motor cortex in HE.