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  • Electronic Resource  (487)
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  • 1970-1974
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  • Magnetic resonance imaging  (144)
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  • Rat  (115)
  • apoptosis  (112)
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  • Electronic Resource  (487)
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  • 1995-1999  (487)
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  • 1
    ISSN: 1530-0358
    Keywords: Endoanal ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Vector volume ; Manometry
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract PURPOSE: This study compared conventional water-perfused and vector volume anal manometry in female patients with neurogenic fecal incontinence and chronic anal fissure and in healthy female volunteers. We used endoanal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to measure internal and external sphincter lengths and thicknesses and contrasted these with the manometric findings in the different anorectal conditions. METHODS: One hundred thirty-three female subjects were studied over an eight-month period, including 33 control volunteers, 83 patients with neurogenic fecal incontinence, and 17 patients with chronic anal fissure. Conventional manometry was contrasted with automated vector volume-derived parameters. Endoanal magnetic resonance images were obtained using a previously described internal coil with a 0.5 T Asset™ scanner measuring quadrantal internal sphincter thickness and averaged coronal internal and external sphincter lengths. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant relationship between parameters measured by conventional manometry and those variables derived from vector volume manometry at rest and squeeze. There was no difference in sectorial vector-derived pressures within any anorectal condition and no correlation between quadrantal internal sphincter thickness measurements and sectorial pressures at rest. Patients with chronic anal fissure and neurogenic fecal incontinence had constitutionally shorter superficial and subcutaneous external sphincters than healthy control subjects (P〈0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is no association between manometric findings and morphologic sphincter measurement; however, the shorter distal external sphincter in patients with fissure might render the lower anal canal relatively unsupported after internal sphincterotomy in the female patient.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 2
    ISSN: 1530-0358
    Keywords: Rectal cancer ; Transrectal ultrasonography ; Computerized tomography ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract PURPOSE: The preoperative assessment of rectal cancer wall invasion and regional lymph node metastasis is essential for the planning of optimal therapy. This study was done to determine the accuracy and clinical usefulness of transrectal ultrasonography, pelvic computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging in preoperative staging. METHODS: A total of 89 patients with rectal cancer were examined with transrectal ultrasonography (n=89), pelvic computed tomography (n=69), and magnetic resonance imaging with endorectal coil (n=73). The results obtained by these diagnostic modalities were compared with the histopathologic staging of specimens. RESULTS: In staging depth of invasion, the overall accuracy was 81.1 percent (72/89) by transrectal ultrasonography, 65.2 percent (45/69) by computed tomography, and 81 percent (59/73) by magnetic resonance imaging. Overstaging was 10 percent (9/89) by transrectal ultrasonography, 17.4 percent (12/69) by computed tomography, and 11 percent (8/73) by magnetic resonance imaging; and understaging was 8 of 89 (8.9 percent) by transrectal ultrasonography, 12 of 69 (17.4 percent) by computed tomography, and 6 of 73 (8 percent) by magnetic resonance imaging. In staging lymph node metastasis, the overall accuracy rate was 54 of 85 (63.5 percent) in transrectal ultrasonography, 39 of 69 (56.5 percent) in computed tomography, and 46 of 73 (63 percent) in magnetic resonance imaging. The sensitivity was 24 of 45 (53.3 percent) in transrectal ultrasonography, 14 of 25 (56 percent) in computed tomography, and 33 of 42 (78.5 percent) in magnetic resonance imaging; and specificity was 30 of 40 (75.0 percent) in transrectal ultrasonography, 25 of 44 (56.8 percent) in computed tomography, and 13 of 31 (41.9 percent) in magnetic resonance imaging. The accuracy in detection of positive lateral pelvic lymph nodes under magnetic resonance imaging (n=8) was 12.5 percent. The accuracy in detection of posterior vaginal wall invasion was 100 percent in transrectal ultrasonography (n=7) and 100 percent in magnetic resonance imaging (n=3), but 28.5 percent in computed tomography (n=7). CONCLUSIONS: Both transrectal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging with endorectal coil exhibited similar accuracy and were superior to conventional computed tomography in preoperative assessment of depth of invasion and adjacent organ invasion. Because transrectal ultrasonography is a safer and more cost-effective modality than magnetic resonance imaging, transrectal ultrasonography is an appropriate method for preoperative staging of rectal cancer. Further efforts will be needed to provide a better staging of lymph node involvement.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 3
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Trauma und Berufskrankheit 1 (1999), S. S92 
    ISSN: 1436-6274
    Keywords: Schlüsselwörter Wachstumsalter ; MRI ; Beckenfraktur ; Wirbelsäulenfraktur ; Key words Childhood ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Pelvic fracture ; Spinal injury
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Description / Table of Contents: Abstract According to the literature, from 1950 to 1995 the overall risk for children of sustaining a fracture of the spinal column or the pelvic ring doubled, the main reason being the increasing incidence of high-energy trauma caused by newly popular sporting activities such as skateboarding, inline skating and mountain biking. Nonetheless, even specialized pediatric level I trauma centers in Europe and the United States of America report an incidence of below 5% for severe spinal injuries and fractures of the pelvis. Although these specific injury patters are seen relatively infrequently, whenever present they are still highly indicative of high-velocity injury mechanisms, frequently revealing a combination of injuries – each of which would be serious in itself – involving the body cavities and the soft tissues of the trunk an extremities. In summary, spinal cord injuries and pelvic ring fractures are rare but can be serious: cervical and spinal cord injuries without radiological abnormality appear to be more frequent than in adults, and the availability of nuclear magnetic imaging technologies has helped in the diagnosis of unsuspected cord injury in children. In addition, retrospective analysis of purely nonoperative management of highly unstable C-type injuries of the spine and the pelvic ring reveal some unsatisfactory results, so that specifically for these injury morphologies the alternative of an operative strategy might be considered. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss various injury patterns in which an operative concept could be considered, particularly for a multiply injured child.
    Notes: Zusammenfassung Verletzungen des Rückenmarks und Sprengungen des knöchernen Beckenrings liegen im Kindesalter auch im Krankengut spezialisierter Zentren unter 5%. Besonders beachtenswert erscheint hierbei, daß Rückenmark- und besonders Halswirbelsäulenverletzungen v. a. beim Kind häufig keine ossäre Mitbeteiligung der Wirbelsäule zeigen und erst durch kernspintomographische Diagnostik erfaßt werden können. Desgleichen zeigt sich bei der retrospektiven Auswertung, daß ein pauschales, rein konservatives Management aller Verletzungstypen, d. h. v.a. der sog. C-Verletzungstypen an der Wirbelsäule und am Becken, z. T. unbefriedigende Behandlungsergebnisse zeigt und daher zunehmend bei bestimmten, im weiteren näher besprochenen Verletzungskonstellationen ein eher operatives Grundkonzept diskutiert wird. Neue Erkenntnisse zur Diagnostik und Therapie der Wirbelsäulen- und Beckenverletzung beim Kind liegen insofern vor, als 1. neuere epidemiologische Erhebungen heute eine präzisere, d. h. nicht nur empirisch gesicherte Unterscheidung der selten von eher regelmäßig anzutreffenden Verletzungstypen und Frakturmorphologien erlauben, 2. durch vergleichsweise „neue“ Sportarten wie „Scate-boarding“ und „Mountain-biking“ ganz generell eine statistisch belegte Zunahme von Hochrasanztraumen und komplexen Verletzungsmustern beim Kind beobachtet werden kann sowie 3. generell v.a. beim mehrfachverletzten Kind heute eine eher aggressivere Gangart, d. h. ein in bestimmten Einzelaspekten eher operatives Versorgungskonzept angestrebt wird. Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit sind 1. eine Analyse der als besonders bedeutsam erkannten Verletzungsformen sowie 2. eine Darstellung der heute in Veränderung begriffenen Behandlungskonzepte v.a. beim mehrfachverletzten Kind.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 4
    ISSN: 1436-2813
    Keywords: thyroid tumor ; apoptosis ; TUNEL ; MIB-1
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract To clarify the growth mechanisms of thyroid tumors, we examined apoptotic cells in 61 thyroid tumors, consiting of 14 adenomas, 35 papillary carcinomas, 4 follicular carcinomas, and 8 undifferentiated carcinomas, using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate digoxigenin-nick end labeling (TUNEL). The proliferative activity was also evaluated immunohistochemically using the monoclonal antibody to Ki-67 antigen (MIB-1) in the same tumors. The apoptotic index (AI) was expressed as a percentage of the TUNEL-positive cells in the tumor cells, and a proliferation index (PI), being the percentage of Ki-67 positive cells, was calculated for each tumor. The overall level of AI was very low in all histotypes of the thyroid tumors analyzed, the mean AI being 0.5±0.4 in adenoma, 0.4±0.3 in differentiated carcinoma, and 1.8±1.5 in undifferentiated carcinoma. The PI in the thyroid tumor subtypes was significantly lower in adenoma and differentiated carcinoma, at 0.5 ±0.7 and 1.1±0.7, respectively, than that in undifferentiated carcinoma at 14.5±3.7 (P〈0.05). There was no correlation between clinicopathological factors and AI or PI in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Our findings suggest that apoptosis occurs infrequently in thyroid tumors, and that proliferative activity markedly differs according to the thyroid tumor subtypes. Moreover, the ratio between proliferating cells and apoptotic cells may reflect thyroid tumor progression.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 5
    ISSN: 1436-2813
    Keywords: Key Words: thyroid tumor ; apoptosis ; TUNEL ; MIB-1
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: P 〈 0.05). There was no correlation between clinicopathological factors and AI or PI in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Our findings suggest that apoptosis occurs infrequently in thyroid tumors, and that proliferative activity markedly differs according to the thyroid tumor subtypes. Moreover, the ratio between proliferating cells and apoptotic cells may reflect thyroid tumor progression.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 6
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Journal of neural transmission 106 (1999), S. 1-21 
    ISSN: 1435-1463
    Keywords: Keywords: Paraquat ; Parkinson's disease ; transcription factor ; AP-1 ; apoptosis ; cycloheximide ; genistein ; SOD ; catalase ; oxidative stress.
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Summary. Drugs and certain environmental toxins may be responsible for the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. We have used paraquat as a model toxin for this study since paraquat has been shown to make its way to the nerve terminals and cause cell death of dopamine neurons by oxidative injury. We have shown by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay that paraquat, together with low concentrations of chelated iron (Fe++/DETAPAC), induced the activation of transcription factor AP-1 binding activity to DNA. Under similar conditions we also found by both a DNA laddering assay procedure and by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay (TUNEL assay) that paraquat also induces apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, both apoptotic cell death and AP-1/DNA binding activity induced by paraquat were blocked by cyclohexamide and genistein, indicating that both the AP-1/DNA binding activation and apoptosis induced by paraquat are closely related. Moreover, cells were also protected from paraquat toxicity in the presence of antioxidant defense enzymes SOD and catalase. The results support the hypothesis that oxidative stress may be contributing to the apoptotic cell death of dopaminergic neurons, leading to the manifestation of Parkinson's disease. Since paraquat was an important herbicide in the mid 20th Century, our results have the important implication that exposure to environmental toxins such as paraquat may induce Parkinson's disease.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 7
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Surgical and radiologic anatomy 21 (1999), S. 139-141 
    ISSN: 1279-8517
    Keywords: Anatomy ; Human ; Cross-section ; Computer-assisted instruction ; Education ; Medical
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The NPAC visible human viewer (NPAC VHV), graphical interface written in JAVA, freely accessible by the Web, allows the display of anatomic cross-sections of the Visible Human Project developed by the National Library of Medicine. In April 1997, the Medical Media Library of Lyons undertook the construction of a French-language mirror site of the NPAC VHV. The aim of this work is to evaluate first year utilisation of this site. From May 1st, 1997 to April 30th, 1998, the mirror site was consulted 34,752 times. In 45.14% of cases, the request came from France, in 4.42% of cases from Belgium, in 3.98% from Canada and in 2.12% from Switzerland. Other connections came either from a country responsible for fewer than 1% of connections or from unidentified computers. Data analysis showed a peak of connections between 15:00 and 17:00, and an increased number of connections from September to March 1998. The NPAC VHV is housed in 5 sites in the world. It is a software very simple to use. As the figures have no legends, it is more appropriate for group teaching than for self-teaching.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 8
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Italian journal of neurological sciences 20 (1999), S. 55-58 
    ISSN: 1126-5442
    Keywords: Key words Rhombencephalopathy ; Radionecrosis ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Hyperbaric oxygen ; Heparin ; Buspirone
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract We report the case of a patient who underwent radiotherapy of the neck because of an epidermoid carcinoma in Rosenmüller's fossa. Eleven months later, T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a bulbo-pontine lesion, and the clinical course and sequential MRI results led to a diagnosis of radionecrosis-induced rhombencephalopathy. At a distance of more than three years, the lesion is no longer visible on MRI images but the severe neurological deficits remain. The clinical picture has not been improved by treatment with prednisone, hyperbaric oxygen, symptomatic therapies or anticoagulants.
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  • 9
    ISSN: 1126-5442
    Keywords: Key words Hepatolenticular degeneration ; Affective disorders ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Antidepressive agents ; Interpersonal psychotherapy
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract We describe a case of Wilson's disease with late psychiatric onset. Major depressive disorder was the first clinical manifestation at the age of 38 years. After pharmacotherapy with antidepressive agents, a manic episode was oberseved. Extrapyramidal hand tremor and micrography were the first neurological signs. Emotional lability occurred during worsening of extrapyramidal signs. Diagnosis was based on urinary and serum copper levels, ceruloplasmin serum level, Kayser-Fleischer ring, and liver biopsy that detected cirrhosis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed basal ganglia hyperintensity on T1-weighted images, and hypodensity in the central part and hyperintensity in the peripheral part of the lentiform nucleus on 72-weighted images. Hyperintensity on T2-weighted images was also observed in the dorsal part of the midbrain. 123I-iodobenzamide single photon emission computed tomography (IBZM-SPECT) detected a normal distribution of the drug in the brain, with better signal in the right side and deficit of D2-dopaminergic receptors in the basal ganglia, Abnormal manganese erythrocyte level was observed. Treatment was based on penicillamine, zinc salts, low-copper diet, antidepressant agents, interpersonal psychotherapy and neurorehabilitation.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 10
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Emergency radiology 6 (1999), S. 282-289 
    ISSN: 1438-1435
    Keywords: Key words Radiology ; Computed tomography ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Soft-tissue sign ; Arm
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract More modern imaging techniques allow us to supplement the information available on soft-tissue signs seen on radiographs. This improves our diagnostic capability, as demonstrated here in the upper extremity.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 11
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Amino acids 17 (1999), S. 139-148 
    ISSN: 1438-2199
    Keywords: Amino acids ; Polyamine oxidase ; Polyamines ; Gender ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Summary Variations in level of polyamines and their related enzymes are frequently observed in response to some treatments which affect in a different way male and female. The possibility of a gender-related difference in the oxidation of polyamines was investigated in rats by measuring the activity of polyamine oxidase, a ubiquitous enzyme of vertebrate tissues, which transforms spermine into spermidine and spermidine into putrescine. The study was carried out on thymus, spleen, kidney and liver of young rats of both sexes, and female rats showed a lower polyamine oxidase activity than male rats in all the tissues. We also found higher values of spermidine acetylation in female than male rats in thymus and liver. Owing to these gender-related differences, a higher spermidine N-acetyltransferase/ polyamine oxidase ratio was found in female than in male rats. A second gender-related difference was a higher spermidine/spermine ratio in female than in male, the only exception being the thymus. These basal differences possibly account for the gender-related differences of polyamine metabolic enzyme activities in response to some treatments, including drugs or hormones.
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  • 12
    ISSN: 1438-2199
    Keywords: Amino acids ; Taurine ; Osmoregulation ; Rat ; Osmolarity sensor protein ENVZ
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Summary Although the involvement of taurine in osmoregulation is well-documented and widely accepted, no detailed mechanism for this function has been reported so far. We used subtractive hybridization to study mRNA steady state levels of genes up- or downregulated by taurine. Rats were fed taurine 100mg/kg body weight per day for a period of three days and hearts (total ventricular tissue) of experimental animals and controls were pooled and used for mRNA extraction. mRNAs from two groups were used for subtractive hybridization. Clones of the subtractive library were sequenced and the obtained sequences were identified by gen bank assignment. Two clones were found to contain sequences which could be assigned to the osmolarity sensor protein envZ, showing homologies of 61 and 65%. EnvZ is an inner membrane protein in bacteria, important for osmosensing and required for porine gene regulation. It undergoes autophosphorylation and subsequently phosphorylates OmpR, which in turn binds to the porin (outer membrane protein) promoters to regulate the expression of OmpF and OmpC, major outer membrane porines. This is the first report of an osmosensing mechanism in the mammalian system, which was described in bacteria only. Furthermore, we are assigning a tentative role for taurine in the osmoregulatory process by modifying the expression of the osmoregulatory sensor protein ENVZ.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 13
    ISSN: 1438-1435
    Keywords: Key words Spinal cord ; Birth injury ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract We present the acute MR findings in an infant with a complicated traumatic delivery, asphyxia, spinal cord injury, and a radiographically apparent cervical spine fracture-dislocation. MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging allowed early characterization and localization of the extent of spinal cord injury.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 14
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Amino acids 17 (1999), S. 301-313 
    ISSN: 1438-2199
    Keywords: Amino acids ; Taurine ; Transporter ; Rat ; Brain ; Heart
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Summary In pro- and eucaryotic life, cellular and subcellular compartments are separated by membranes and the regulated and selective passage of specific molecules across these membranes is a basic and highly conserved principle. We were interested whether taurine, a naturally occuring amino acid, would be able to induce or suppress expression of transporters with the Rationale that taurine was shown to detoxify a series of endogenous toxins and xenobiotics of various chemically non-related structures. For this purpose we used a gene hunting technique, subtractive hybridization, subtracting mRNAs of taurine-treated rat brain and heart from untreated controls. Subtracted mRNAs were then converted to cDNAs, amplified, sequenced and identified by gene bank data. We found five transporter transcripts, the phosphonate transport ATPase PHNC, multidrug transporter homolog MTH104, protein-exportmembrane protein SECD, oligopeptide transporters oppA and oppD, in the brain and two: ABC-transporter BRAF-2 and cation-transport ATPase PACS, in the heart. Homologies of the sequences found were in any case 〉50% thus permitting the identification of transporters with high probability. The biological meaning could be that a naturally occuring amino acid, taurine, modulates complex transport systems. The most prominent finding is the upregulation of a multidrug transporter transcript, explaining a mechanism for the nonselective detoxifying action of taurine.
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  • 15
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Neurosurgical review 22 (1999), S. 112-116 
    ISSN: 1437-2320
    Keywords: Key words Ganglioma ; Brain tumor ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Epilepsy
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The authors present the case of a 33-year-old patient with a bifocal ganglioglioma located in the right superior temporal gyrus. He had a history of tonic–clonic seizures and developed intermittent nausea and vertigo later on. Magnetic resonance imaging showed two distinct, small lesions in the right temporal lobe. Both tumors were removed microsurgically with ultrasound guidance. Intraoperatively, two distinct tumors were found. Histological diagnosis of both tumors was of ganglioglioma WHO II. Postoperatively, the patient was free of symptoms. Bifocal occurrence or the coincidence of two distinct gangliogliomas is a very uncommon finding. So far, it has not yet been reported in benign gangliogliomas.
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  • 16
    ISSN: 1437-2320
    Keywords: Key words Cerebellopontine angle ; Constructive interference in steady-state imaging ; Diffusion-weighted imaging ; Epidermoid tumor ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Surgical treatment
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract We describe the usefulness of three-dimen-sional Fourier transformation-constructive interference in steady-state (CISS) imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of intracranial epidermoid tumors. Two surgically proven epidermoid tumors in the cerebellopontine (CP) angle were not identified in conventional T1- and T2-weighted images because of a signal intensity similar to that of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CISS images clearly demonstrated displacement of the cranial nerves and a shift caused by a lesion in the cistern, but the signal intensity of the tumor by CISS was not sufficiently different from that of CSF to demonstrate the tumor directly. Using DWI, the tumor in the cistern was shown clearly by its increased signal intensity. Together, CISS and DWI compensated for each other's disadvantages, and this combination was useful in guiding surgical treatment of epidermoid tumors in the CP cistern.
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  • 17
    ISSN: 1437-2320
    Keywords: Key words Brain tumor ; Cerebral hydatidosis ; Chitinoma ; Echinococcosis ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Solitary brain affection is rare in echinococcosis. We report the case of a 35-year-old woman presenting with symptomatic grand-mal epilepsy due to a right frontal, partially cystic space-occupying lesion. Pre-operative computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested a cystic astrocytoma. However, histological examination yielded the diagnosis of a `chitinoma', a rare subtype of solid cerebral hydatid disease (echinococcosis). It mimicked a primary brain tumor and, therefore, posed a diagnostic problem. We present the – to our knowledge – first MRI scans in a case of a histologically proven chitinoma.
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  • 18
    ISSN: 1437-1596
    Keywords: Key words Poisoning ; Benfuracarb ; Carbofuran ; Human ; Blood ; Urine
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine , Law
    Notes: Abstract We describe here three cases involving acute fatalities due to benfuracarb ingestion and the forensic toxicological implications. Benfuracarb, a carbamate insecticide and its main metabolite carbofuran, were detected using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry (GC/MS) after extraction with ethyl acetate and then quantified using gas chromatography (GC) equipped with NPD. The blood levels of benfuracarb and carbofuran were in the range of 0.30∼2.32 μg/ml and 1.45∼1.47 μg/ml, respectively. Benfuracarb was not detected in urine, but carbofuran was detected in the range of 0.53∼2.66 μg/ml.
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  • 19
    ISSN: 1572-8773
    Keywords: cadmium ; apoptosis ; RT-PCR ; p53 gene expression ; testes ; rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Chemistry and Pharmacology
    Notes: Abstract Reverse transcription (RT) PCR technique was used to investigate the mechanism of apoptosis induced by Cd and the change of its related genes in testes and prostate of rats. Adult male rats were given a single (s.c.) injection of CdC l2 0, 2.5, 5.0, 10 μmol/kg. 48 h and 72 h after administration of Cd, animals were sacrificed. The results indicated that Cd can induce apoptosis in testes via p53-independent pathway. No apoptosis occurred in prostate in any of the Cd-exposed groups. There was a clearly negative relationship in testes between p53 gene expression and Cd exposure and this dose-response relationship was observed both at 48 h and 72 h. There was a very small increase of this gene expression in the dorsolateral lobe of the prostate in Cd exposed groups. The other apoptosis related gene, bcl-x, was not detectable in either control or Cd-exposed group in testes and dorsal prostate. Although the MT-I gene was expressed in testes or dorsal prostate both in control and exposed groups, no overexpression of MT-I gene was found after administration of Cd . The expression of MT-I in the ventral prostate was not detected in the control group, but a weak expression was found after Cd exposure. Since p53 is a tumo r suppressor gene which can inhibit tumorigenesis, the consequence of a Cd-induced decrease of p53 in testes may have a relation to the known risk of Cd tumorigenesis in this tissue.
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  • 20
    ISSN: 1569-8041
    Keywords: AML ; apoptosis ; etoposide ; γ-GCS ; glutathione ; oxidative stress
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Background: Etoposide mediates its cytotoxicity by inducing apoptosis. Thus, mechanisms which regulate apoptosis should also affect drug resistance. Oxidants and antioxidants have been shown to participate in the regulation of apoptosis. We were interested in studying whether responsiveness of acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cells to etoposide is mediated by oxidative stress and glutathione levels. Patients and methods: Two subclones of the OCI/AML-2 cell line which are etoposide-sensitive (ES), and etoposide-resistant (ER), were established by the authors at the University of Oulu, and used as models. Assays for apoptosis included externalization of phosphatidylserine (as evidenced by annexin V binding), and caspase activation as indicated by cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (Western blotting). Peroxide formation was analyzed by flow cytometry. Glutathione and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) levels were determined spectrophotometrically and by Western blotting, respectively. Results: Etoposide-induced apoptosis was evident 12 hours after treatment in the ES subclone, but was apparent in the ER subclone only after 24 hours. The basal glutathione and γ-GCS levels were higher in the ER than the ES subclone. Etoposide increased peroxide formation in both subclones after 12-hour exposure. Significant depletion of glutathione was observed in the ES subclone during etoposide exposure, while glutathione levels were maintained in the ER subclone. In neither of the subclones was induction of γ-GCS observed during 24-hour exposure to etoposide. Furthermore, the catalytic subunit of γ-GCS was cleaved during apoptosis, concurrent with depletion of intracellular glutathione. When glutathione was depleted by treatment with buthionine sulfoximine, a direct inhibitor of γ-GCS, the sensitivity to etoposide was increased, particularly in the ER subclone. Conclusions: The results underline the significance of glutathione biosynthesis in the responsiveness of AML cells to etoposide. The molecular mechanisms mediating glutathione depletion during etoposide exposure might include the cleavage of the catalytic subunit of γ-GCS.
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  • 21
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Annals of oncology 10 (1999), S. 495-503 
    ISSN: 1569-8041
    Keywords: antisense ; apoptosis ; bcl-2 ; lymphoma ; leukaemia ; phase I
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 22
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Annals of oncology 10 (1999), S. 1011-1021 
    ISSN: 1569-8041
    Keywords: apoptosis ; chemosensitivity ; cytotoxicity ; p53
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Background: Although hematologic malignancies and some solid tumors such as germ cell tumors and pediatric malignancies can be cured by cytotoxic treatment, the most prevalent solid tumors are relatively resistant to these interventions. Apoptosis is involved in the cell kill of anticancer drugs and p53 is believed to be of principal importance in this process. However p53 also plays a role in cell cycle arrest and DNA repair, cellular processes that can decrease the sensitivity to chemotherapy. Therefore, p53 may play a dual role after exposure to cytotoxic treatment, activating either mechanisms that lead to apoptosis or launching processes directing to DNA repair and survival of the cell. Design: In this article, we review in details the p53functions involved in the mediation of chemosensitivity. The preclinical and clinical data published in the recent years about the relation between p53 and chemosensitivity are discussed and the potential pitfalls associated to most of these studies, and that may account for the contradictory results produced so far are also mentioned.
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  • 23
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    Annals of oncology 10 (1999), S. 31-38 
    ISSN: 1569-8041
    Keywords: apoptosis ; lanreotide treatment ; neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumors ; octreotide ; somatostatin analogs
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumors express somatostatin receptors (ssts) in 80%–90% of cases and somatostatin analogs have become increasingly important in the management of these patients. Most of the presently available somatostatin analogs (octreotide, RC-160, and lanreotide) bind to the sst2 and sst5, and in higher doses to sst3 of the ssts 1–5 described. Clinical improvement during somatostatin analog therapy is mainly mediated via a direct inhibitory effect on hormone production from the tumors, seen in 30%–70% of the patients. Also indirect non-tumor mediated effects on peripheral target organs contribute to the subjective improvement, achieved in 30%–70% of patients. Recently, significant improvement of quality of life has been demonstrated with long-acting depot formulations. There is little or no effect on tumor growth during octreotide therapy; tumor shrinkage has been reported in 10%–20% of patients, but stabilization of tumor growth can be achieved in about half of the patients with a duration of 8–16 months. Recently, induction of apoptosis has been described with high doses of lanreotide (12 mg/d). Eventually, however, all patients escape from somatostatin analog therapy with regard both to hormonal production and tumor growth, and the mechanism behind the tachyphylaxis is not yet known. Studies of optimal dosage and modes of administration, development of new slow release formulations, the potential value of high-dose somatostatin analog therapy and novel somatostatin receptor subtype specific analogs are important directions for the use of somatostatin analogs in the future. In addition, assessment of somatostatin receptor status for each patient and studies of tumor biology, e.g., inhibition of exocytosis, antiproliferative effects and induction of apoptosis during treatment will help to optimize treatment and provide new insights into mechanisms of action of somatostatin analogs.
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  • 24
    ISSN: 1432-1912
    Keywords: Key words Asphyxia ; Nitric oxide ; Electron spin ; resonance ; Adrenocorticotropin ; Resuscitation ; S-Methylisothiourea ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Anaesthetized rats, endotracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated with room air, were subjected to a 5-min period of asphyxia by turning off the ventilator. The ventilator was then turned back on and, simultaneously, the animals were treated with either the adrenocorticotropin fragment 1–24 [ACTH-(1–24), 160 µg/kg in a volume of 1 ml/kg i.v.] or an equivalent volume of saline. Nitric oxide (NO)-haemoglobin formation was detected ex vivo in arterial blood by electron spin resonance spectrometry; arterial blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) were monitored for a 60-min observation period, or until prior death. During asphyxia, there was massive formation of NO (red cell concentrations 40–80 µM), associated with a dramatic fall in mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure, marked bradycardia and ECG signs of ischaemic damage, as well as an isoelectric EEG. Treatment with ACTH-(1–24) produced a prompt (within 15 min) and long-lasting drop in NO blood levels, associated with an almost immediate (within 1 min) restoration of cardiovascular function and with a more gradual recovery of EEG, which became normal after 30–40 min; all parameters remained stable throughout the 60-min observation period. In saline-treated rats, on the other hand, there was a further increase in NO blood levels, as detected 3 min after treatment, and all died within 5–8 min. Moreover, pretreatment and treatment with S-methylisothiourea sulphate (SMT, 3 mg/kg i.v.), a relatively specific inhibitor of inducible NO synthase, inhibited NO formation, but did not affect the mortality rate (100% within 5–8 min). The present results provide the first evidence that prolonged asphyxia is associated with high blood concentrations of NO, and that the life-saving effect of melanocortin peptides in severe hypoxic conditions is associated with a complete normalization of NO blood levels. However, the lack of SMT protection in this experimental model seems to rule out the possibility that the ACTH-(1–24)-induced resuscitation is due to an effect on NO overproduction.
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  • 25
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    Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology 359 (1999), S. 117-122 
    ISSN: 1432-1912
    Keywords: Key words Ethanol ; Restraint stress ; NMDA receptor complex ; Memantine ; Drug discrimination ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract There is a large body of experimental evidence that both stress and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists may alter acute behavioural effects of ethanol. Notably, an uncompetitive, low-affinity NMDA receptor antagonist, memantine, has been recently claimed to possess anti-craving properties in rats with a long-term history of ethanol consumption. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of restraint stress and memantine on the dose-response curve of ethanol discrimination. Rats were trained to discriminate 1 g/kg ethanol from saline in the two-lever drug discrimination procedure. When ethanol discrimination was acquired, the subjects were exposed to 30-min sessions of acute restraint stress, and different doses of ethanol (0.25, 0.5 or 1 g/kg) or saline were administered. In subsequent experiments the effects of memantine (2.25 or 4.5 mg/kg) on the cueing effects of ethanol were tested. Neither the stress sessions nor memantine influenced the ethanol discrimination dose-response curve. Moreover, the stress did not alter the rate of responding. However, both doses of memantine tended to increase the rate of responding when given in combination with lower doses of ethanol (0.25–0.5 g/kg). In contrast, 4.5 mg/kg memantine decreased the response rate when combined with 1 g/kg ethanol. These results suggest that: (1) pre-exposure to acute restraint stress or memantine does not affect the dose-response curve of ethanol discrimination; (2) memantine given in combination with low doses of ethanol may stimulate operant behaviour in the food-reinforced drug discrimination procedure.
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  • 26
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    Experimental brain research 125 (1999), S. 389-396 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Neck muscles ; Vibration ; Proprioception ; Sound localization ; Space perception ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The effect of transcutaneous vibration of the posterior neck muscles on the lateralization of dichotic sound was investigated in human subjects. Two-alternative forced-choice (left/right) judgements were made on acoustic stimuli presented with different interaural level differences via headphones during neck-muscle vibration. A shift of the subjective auditory median plane toward the side contralateral of vibration was found, indicating that the sound was perceived as shifted toward the side of vibration. The mean magnitude of the vibration-induced intracranial shift was 1.5 dB. The results demonstrate a neck-proprioceptive influence on sound lateralization and suggest that this proprioceptive input is used for a central-nervous transformation of auditory spatial coordinates onto a body-centered frame of reference.
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  • 27
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    Experimental brain research 125 (1999), S. 435-439 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Transcranial magnetic stimulation ; Plasticity ; Synchronization ; Motor system ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  We used focal transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine the effects of 120 synchronized thumb and foot movements on the motor output map of the right abductor pollicis brevis muscle (APB) (experiment 1). To evaluate the performance, the latencies between the onset of the electromyographic activity (EMG) of the two muscles were measured. As control, 120 asynchronous thumb and foot movements were performed (experiment 2). Exclusively in experiment 1, the center of gravity (CoG) of the output map moved medially in the direction of the foot representation area (mean 7 mm, P〈0.05) and returned into its original location within 1 h. In experiment 2, the CoG remained unchanged (mean displacement, 0.68 mm into a lateral direction; not significant). The effect in experiment 1 was independent of an improvement in performance. We conclude that a short-lasting training of synchronous movements induces modulations of motor output maps which probably occur due to interactions between hand and foot representation areas in the motor cortex.
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  • 28
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    Journal of comparative physiology 185 (1999), S. 297-304 
    ISSN: 1432-1351
    Keywords: Key words Odor coding ; Learning ; Enhanced sensitivity ; Rabbit ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The olfactory system is faced with a particular problem – the high dimensionality and inherent unpredictability of the chemical world. Most natural odorants encountered in everyday life are complex mixtures of many different volatiles. This means that from the outset the olfactory system has to contend with a great and often unpredictable diversity of molecules, making it difficult for stable primary features of the chemical world to be mapped onto the sensory surface. One solution to such unpredictability is provided by learning. Learning confers flexibility, enabling individuals of a given species to acquire and make use of the most appropriate information in a particular environment. Two examples of this are presented: learning of maternal odors in neonatal rabbits, including evidence that the sensory surface itself may be influenced by environmental conditions so as to enhance sensitivity to molecules of particular ecological relevance, and cross-cultural human studies suggesting that experience with everyday odors influences not only the way these are evaluated, but also their perceived intensity. It is concluded that an adequate understanding of odor coding and olfactory function will not be possible without taking such experience-dependent factors into account.
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  • 29
    ISSN: 1433-0407
    Keywords: Schlüsselwörter Intrazerebrale Blutung ; Magnetresonanztomographie ; Hämosiderin ; Key words Intracerebral hematome ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Hemosiderin
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Description / Table of Contents: Summary Increased use of gradient echo T2*- weighted gradient echo sequences in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of patients suffering from primary ICH called attention to foci of signal loss which were suggested to represent remnants of cerebral microbleeds. In a post mortem correlative MR and histopathological study we provide support for this notion. We found areas of signal loss on gradient echo T2*-weighted sequences in 7 out of 11 brains of patients who had died of intracerebral hematoma. Histopathologically, these areas represented hemosiderin deposits indicating previous extravasation of blood. To provide data about the prevalence of these MRI findings in a healthy elderly population a subgroup of participants of the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study was analyzed. We detected foci of signal loss on gradient echo T2*-weighted sequences in 18 out of 280 volunteers (6,4%). MR-based evidence of previous microbleeds may indicate a potentially higher risk of suffering from intracerebral bleeding which could have therapeutic implications for the treatment of acute stroke and for secondary prevention. This hypothesis will have to be tested in future prospective trials.
    Notes: Zusammenfassung Vermehrte Anwendung T2*-gewichteter Gradienten-Echo-Sequenzen bei Magnetresonanztomographie- (MRT-) Untersuchungen von Patienten nach einem intrazerebralen Hämatom machte auf kleine, hypointense Areale aufmerksam, von denen bisher nur angenommen wurde, daß sie abgelaufene Mikroblutungen darstellen. In einer Post-mortem-Studie mit MRT und vergleichenden histopathologischen Untersuchungen zeigen wir Daten, die diese Hypothese stützen. Bei 7 von 11 Patienten, die an primärem intrazerebralem Hämatom verstorben waren, fanden sich hypointense Areale in T2*-Gradienten-Echo-Sequenzen. Histopathologisch zeigten diese Areale Hämosiderin-Ablagerungen, welche auf abgelaufene Blutungen hinweisen. Um Aussagen über die Prävalenz dieser MRT-Befunde in einem Kollektiv klinisch unauffälliger Probanden mittleren Alters machen zu können, wurden Teilnehmer derÖsterreichischen Schlaganfall-Vorsorge-Studie untersucht. Bei 18 von 280 Probanden (6,4%) fanden sich Signalhypointensitäten in T2*-Gradienten-Echo-Sequenzen. Der MR-tomographische Nachweis abgelaufener Mikroblutungen könnte ein Hinweis auf ein erhöhtes zerebrales Blutungsrisiko sein, was therapeutische Konsequenzen für die primäre Therapie und Sekundärprophylaxe beim Schlaganfall haben könnte. Hierzu sind noch weitere prospektive Studien notwendig.
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  • 30
    ISSN: 1433-0458
    Keywords: Schlüsselwörter Schädelbasis ; Innerer Gehörgang ; Tumor ; Hämangiom ; Kernspintomographie ; Computertomographie ; Key words Skull-base tumors ; Internal auditory meatus ; Hemangiomas ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Computed tomography
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Description / Table of Contents: Summary Hemangiomas of the skull base are rare neoplasms and are easily misdiagnosed as acoustic neuromas when occurring in the internal auditory canal. Among these tumors, ossifying hemangiomas are characterized histologically be newly formed bone tissue within their substance. We describe a 26-year old female patient who presented with left-sided sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a bright space-occupying lesion of the internal auditory canal with extension to the geniculate ganglion. Bony erosions of the internal auditory canal were proved by high-resolution computed tomography. A hemangioma was suspected preoperatively and was resected via a middle cranial fossa approach. Histologically, new bone formations were found in a cavernous hemangioma. In general, radiologic findings can suggest a hemangioma of the internal auditory canal and help to differentiate it from acoustic neuroma. Based on the histological findings of intratumoral bone formation, the hemangioma in our patient was classified as an ossifying hemangioma. However, reactive bone formation at the borders of a tumor in the internal auditory canal can also be mistaken as new intratumoral bone formation.
    Notes: Zusammenfassung Hämangiome der Schädelbasis sind insgesamt seltene Tumoren, die im Bereich des inneren Gehörgangs insbesondere mit dem wesentlich häufigeren Akustikusneurinom verwechselt werden können. Das ossifizierende Hämangiom repräsentiert eine Sonderform in der Gruppe der Hämangiome und ist histopathologisch durch intratumorale Knochenneubildungen gekennzeichnet. Es wird von einem kavernösen Hämangiom des linken inneren Gehörgangs bei einer 26jährigen Patientin berichtet, welches zu einer progredienten sensorineuralen Hörminderung und Tinnitus geführt hatte. Bei T2-gewichteter kernspintomographischer Darstellung einer signalreichen Neubildung im inneren Gehörgang mit computertomographisch evidenten Knochendestruktionen am Gehörgangsboden war präoperativ die Abgrenzung von einem Akustikusneurinom möglich. Über einen transtemporalen Zugang konnte die vaskuläre Neubildung reseziert werden. Histopathologisch waren Knochenneubildungen in einem kavernösen Hämangiom zu erkennen. Die radiologischen Befunde ermöglichen präoperativ die Abgrenzung eines Hämangioms vom Akustikusneurinom. Aufgrund des Nachweises von Knochenneubildungen in den histologischen Schnittpräparaten des Tumors ist die Einordnung des kavernösen Hämangioms als ossifizierendes Hämangiom naheliegend. Neben der Wertung der histologisch nachgewiesenen Knochenneubildungen als intratumorale Ereignisse muß auch an die Möglichkeit einer in den Schnittpräparaten vorgetäuschten intratumoralen Knochenneubildung durch den Anschnitt reaktiver Knochenneubildungen am destruierten Gehörgangboden gedacht werden.
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  • 31
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    Der Nervenarzt 70 (1999), S. 679-687 
    ISSN: 1433-0407
    Keywords: Schlüsselwörter Perfluorcarbon-Emulsionen ; Perfluorcarbone ; Neuroprotektion ; Ischämie ; Reperfusionsschaden ; Kernspintomographie ; Tumorversorgung ; Key words Perfluorocarbon emulsions ; Perfluorochemicals ; Cerebral protection ; Ischemia ; Reperfusion injury ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Tumor oxygenation
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Description / Table of Contents: Summary For the ussage as blood substitutes perfluorocarbons (PFC) have been developed as artificial oxygen carriers. In addition they may have potency for protective use in ischemic tissue. Formulation improvement achieved higher oxygen carrying capacity and better compatibility than the first generation of PFC. Preclinical studies have been performed in animal heart and brain. Former and progressed emulsification for intravascular use have been investigated for infarction and reperfusion injury. This investigations are reviewed and the potencies for the use of PFC in neurology, neurosurgery, diagnostics today and in the future are emphasized.
    Notes: Zusammenfassung Perfluorcarbone (PFC) sind künstliche Sauerstoffträger, die ursprünglich als Blutersatzstoffe entwickelt wurden. Auf Grund ihrer spezifischen Eigenschaften ist darüber hinaus ihr Einsatz bei ischämischen Perfusionsstörungen von potentiellen Nutzen. Neuere Perfluorcarbonpräparationen verfügen über eine höhere Sauerstofftransportkapazität und sind mit weniger Nebenwirkungen behaftet als die PFC der ersten Generation. Ältere und neuere PFC-Emulsionen, die für die intravaskuläre Applikation geeignet sind, wurden und werden im Tierversuch für den Einsatz in ischämischen Gebieten des Herzens und des Gehirns untersucht. In dieser Arbeit werden präklinische Studien bei Infarkten und Reperfusionsschaden beschrieben und potentielle Nutzungsmöglichkeiten dieser Substanzgruppe für diese Indikationsstellung diskutiert.
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  • 32
    ISSN: 1433-0407
    Keywords: Schlüsselwörter Intrakranielle Blutung ; Magnetresonanztomographie ; T2*-gewichtete Gradienten-Echo-Sequenz ; Hypertensive zerebrale Mikroangiopathie ; Zerebrale Amyloidangiopathie ; Zerebrale Kavernome ; Key words Intracerebral hemorrhage ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Cerebral amyloid angiopathy ; Hypertensive cerebral microangiopathy ; Cerebral cavernoma
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Description / Table of Contents: Summary In four patients presenting with acute nontraumatic intracerebral or intraspinal hemorrhage, T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI showed numerous residual hemosiderin deposits due to old intracerebral hemorrhages that were missed on initial CT and spin-echo MRI. The demonstration of additional chronic bleedings and their anatomical distribution provided important diagnostic information. In a hypertensive patient, the hemosiderin deposits were most pronounced within deep brain structures suggesting hypertensive cerebral microangiopathy. In a second patient, the cortico-subcortical distribution of the hemorrhages was typical of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. In a third patient, the diffuse distribution including spinal bleeding, the marked calcification, and the characteristic appearance on spin-echo MRI were consistent with multiple cavernomas. In another patient with cerebral and spinal hemorrhage, T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI revealed new subclinical hemorrhages during follow-up. Based on these findings, we recommend that T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI of the brain should be performed in all patients with acute intracranial and spinal bleedings.
    Notes: Zusammenfassung Bei 4 Patienten mit akuten intrazerebralen oder intramedullären Blutungen konnte die T2*-gewichtete Gradienten-Echo-Magnetresonanztomographie (“Häm”-Sequenz) multiple intrakranielle Hämosiderinablagerungen als Beleg für in der Vergangenheit abgelaufene Hirnblutungen nachweisen. Diese klinisch stummen Blutungen waren sowohl der Computertomographie als auch der Spin-Echo-Magnetresonanztomographie entgangen. Bei 3 Patienten ermöglichte das Verteilungsmuster der als Signalauslöschungen dargestellten Hämosiderinablagerungen eine bessere Eingrenzung der Blutungsursache. Bei einem Patienten mit arterieller Hypertonie legten die vorwiegend in den tieferen Hirnstrukturen lokalisierten Blutungen eine hypertensive zerebrale Mikroangiopathie nahe. Bei einem Patienten mit rezidivierenden Lobärhämatomen sprach die kortikosubkortikale Lokalisation der Blutungen für das Vorliegen einer zerebralen Amyloidangiopathie. Bei einer Patientin mit spinaler Blutung stellten wir aufgrund des diffusen Verteilungsmusters, der starken Verkalkungstendenz und des heterogenen Signalverhaltens der Blutungsherde in der Spin-Echo-Magnetresonanztomographie die Diagnose multipler zerebrospinaler Kavernome. Bei einem Patienten mit zerebralen und spinalen Blutungen erlaubte die “Häm”-Sequenz keine diagnostische Einordnung, erwies sich aber als sensitives Instrument in der Verlaufskontrolle. Bei allen Patienten mit spontaner intrazerebraler oder intraspinaler Blutung sollte im Rahmen der bildgebenden Diagnostik eine “Häm”-Sequenz durchgeführt werden.
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  • 33
    ISSN: 1437-7799
    Keywords: Key words Desferrioxamine ; Cadmium ; Metallothionein ; Nephrotoxicity ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Background. Desferrioxamine (DFO) a chelating agent, is used to treat metal toxicity caused by iron and aluminum in patients on hemodialysis. We hypothesized that DFO could also be used to treat cadrium-induced nephropathy. Animal experiments were therefore performed to explore whether DFO removed cadmium (Cd) from the kidneys of rats with a Cd burden. Methods. Rats received subcutaneous injections of Cd chloride (3 mg Cd/kg per day, days 0–7) followed by DFO (50 mg/kg per day, days 8–14). Levels of Cd were determined in liver, kidneys, and plasma. Enzymes assays and histopathological examination were performed in kidneys. Results. In liver, Cd injections elevated Cd levels; subsequent injections of DFO lowered the Cd levels compared with levels after injections of Cd alone. In kidneys, Cd injections increased levels of total Cd and Cd bound to cellular membranes (Mem-Cd), and decreased leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activity (a marker of renal injury); subsequent injections of DFO elevated levels of total Cd and Mem-Cd, and lowered LAP activity compared with fundings after the injection of Cd alone. After the injections of Cd alone and DFO following Cd the renal levels of Cd were below the critical concentration required to cause renal injury, since no histopathological changes were observed in the kidney. Conclusion. DFO administration to Cd-burdened rats removed Cd from the liver, but led to accumulation of Cd in the kidneys, particularly in the cellular membranes. These results suggest that if DFO is given long-term to Cd-burdened patients, the Cd level in kidneys, particularly in renal cellular membranes, could reach concentrations that could cause manifest renal injury.
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  • 34
    ISSN: 1437-9813
    Keywords: Key words Congenital diaphragmatic hernia ; Rat ; Glucocorticoid ; Antenatal therapy ; Insulin-like growth factor I and II ; Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract There is increasing evidence to suggest that insulin-like growth factors (IGF) I and II play a crucial role in fetal lung development. Expression of IGF-I and II has been demonstrated to be predominant during fetal life and decreases prior to birth. Antenatal glucocorticoids are reported to improve lung immaturity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of antenatal glucocorticoid administration on IGF-I and II expression in nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in rats. A CDH model was induced in pregnant rats following administration of 100 mg nitrofen on day 9.5 of gestation (term = 22 days). Dexamethasone (0.25 mg/kg) was given intraperitoneally on days 18.5 and 19.5 of gestation. Cesarean section was performed on day 21. The fetuses were divided into three groups: I, normal controls; II, nitrofen-induced CDH; and III, nitrogen-induced CDH with antenatal dexamethasone treatment. mRNA was extracted from whole lung and a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to evaluate the relative amounts of IGF I and II mRNA. Levels of mRNA were expressed as a ratio of the band density divided by that of β-actin, a housekeeping gene known to be expressed at a constant level. Immunohistochemistry using anti-rat IGF I and II antibody was also performed in each group. Levels of IGF I mRNA were significantly increased in group II (0.50 ± 0.08) compared to group I (0.34 ± 0.10) or group III (0.32 ± 0.06) (P 〈 0.05). Levels of IGF II mRNA were also significantly increased in group II (0.95 ± 0.20) compared to group I (0.42 ± 0.07) or group III (0.31 ± 0.09) (P 〈 0.05). Strong IGF I and II expression was observed in the hypoplastic CDH lung (group II), mainly in the bronchiolar epithelium. IGF I and II expression in group I and III lungs was either absent or weak. The finding of significant reductions in IGF I and II mRNA and protein levels in dexamethasone-treated CDH lung suggest that dexamethasone may accelerate the fetal stage of lung development.
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  • 35
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    Pediatric surgery international 15 (1999), S. 201-205 
    ISSN: 1437-9813
    Keywords: Key words Esophagus ; Atresia ; Notochord ; Adriamycin ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Esophageal atresia (EA) is often accompanied by vertebral defects and other anomalies. The adriamycin rat model of EA has disclosed the embryology of the malformation and shown that the vertebrae and notochord are also abnormal. This study describes the nature of notochord malformations in rat embryos exposed to adriamycin. Time-mated rats received either 1.75 mg/kg adriamycin or vehicle i.p. on gestational days (E) 6 to 9; E-12, E-12.5, and E-13 embryos were harvested, embedded in paraffin, and serially sectioned at 3 μm in transverse plane from the head to the stomach for subsequent PAS staining. The findings in both groups were compared at the three endpoints. Control embryos had neither tracheoesophageal nor notochord malformations. On day 12, only 11/36 adriamycin embryos were normal; 7/36 had abnormal notochords, 11/36 had EA, and 7/36 had both. The corresponding figures for 12.5 days were 12/27, 0/27, 7/27, and 8/27 and those for the day 13 7/23, 5/23, 3/23, and 8/23. The malformed notochords were thickened, bifurcated, or trifurcated in the sagittal plane. The simultaneous presence of notochord and esophageal malformations suggests a direct link between both defects, but our observation of isolated occurrence of both shows that they reflect two expressions of the profound disturbance of embryonic para-axial organization responsible for the cluster of malformations rather than a cause-effect association.
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  • 36
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    Pediatric surgery international 15 (1999), S. 457-460 
    ISSN: 1437-9813
    Keywords: Key words Blunt testicular injury ; Rat ; DNA flowcytometry ; Antisperm antibodies
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Injury to the testis breaching the tunica albuginea is known to affect fertility. Blunt testicular trauma with an intact tunica albuginea has been reported to have no effect on contralateral testicular histology and Johnsen testicular maturation score. However, sensitive techniques like DNA flowcytometry have not been utilized so far to evaluate contralateral testicular germ-cell changes. Sixty-four male Wistar rats aged 20 days were randomized into groups I (control), II (unilateral blunt testicular trauma, UBTT), III (UBTT and excision of ipsilateral testis at 6 h), and IV (UBTT and cyclosporine for 30 days). Fertility, DNA flowcytometry of contralateral testicular tissue, and anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) were evaluated. Fertility and haploid-cell percentage of the contralateral testis were significantly decreased compared to controls in early adulthood (100 days). Around 150 days of age, as ASA decreased significantly, fertility and contralateral testicular haploid-cell population recovered and were comparable to the controls. Excision of the traumatized testicle around 6 h after injury or administration of cyclosporine for 30 days protected fertility and the contralateral testis. In contrast to group II rats, ELISA for ASA was negative in group III and IV rats. UBTT affects the contralateral testis and fertility. ASA mediate this damage. Orchidectomy performed around 6 h after trauma or short-term cyclosporine therapy prevents the damage.
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  • 37
    ISSN: 1437-9813
    Keywords: Key words Unilateral undescended testis ; Rat ; Testicular injury ; DNA flowcytometry ; Anti-sperm antibody
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract This study was designed to evaluate whether creation of a unilateral undescended testis (U/L UDT) in rats by direct fixation of the testis can lead to changes in the contralateral (C/L) descended testis, and if so, whether this inherent problem of the model could be eliminated by anchoring the divided gubernaculum to indirectly fix the testis. Thirty male newborn rats were divided into three groups of 10 each and the procedure done on the 2nd day of life to create U/L UDT according to the group allocated: group I: sham-operated; group II: anchoring the gubernaculum after gubernaculectomy; group III: Direct suture fixation of the testis. Fertility, C/L testicular weight (TW), Johnsen score, seminiferous tubular diameter (STD), DNA flowcytometry, and serum anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) were studied. Fertility, C/L TW, Johnsen score, STD, and haploid cell population were significantly reduced in group III compared to group II, while significantly higher titers of ASA were found in group III. Gubernaculectomy and anchoring the gubernaculum to the anterior abdominal wall is a better technique of creation of experimental UDT, as direct fixation of the testis is potentially detrimental to the C/L normal, descended testis.
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  • 38
    ISSN: 1437-9813
    Keywords: Key words Cholangiography ; Choledochal cyst ; Cholestasis ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreaticography (MRCP) was used to visualize the biliary tract in two children, aged 7 weeks and 10 years, with a choledochal cyst. MRCP was successful in both cases and the findings were confirmed by intraoperative cholangiography.
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  • 39
    ISSN: 1432-2161
    Keywords: Key words Joint ; Knee ; Anatomy ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Posteromedial corner ; Intra-articular contrast
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Objective. The objective of this study was to illustrate the magnetic resonance (MR) image appearance of the structures of the posteromedial ”corner” of the knee with particular emphasis on the anatomy and differentiation between the medial collateral ligament and the posterior oblique ligament. Design. Six cadaveric knee specimens underwent MR imaging, before and following instillation of intra-articular contrast material. The knees were sectioned in the axial, coronal, and coronal oblique planes and the gross morphology of the posteromedial corner and surrounding structures was studied and correlated with the MR images. Patients. The human cadaveric specimens were from two female and four male patients (age at death, 72–86 years; average, 78 years). Results and conclusions. The contrast-enhanced sequences and the coronal oblique images allowed for improved visualization of the structures.
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  • 40
    ISSN: 1432-2161
    Keywords: Key words Bone tumor ; Chondrosarcoma ; CT ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Tumor of the ankle ; Tumor of the foot
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The foot is an uncommon location for chondrosarcoma. The presentation, diagnosis, pathological findings, surgical treatment and follow-up of three patients with chondrosarcoma in this rare location are presented. Though nonspecific, MR imaging findings were of aid in the diagnosis and treatment planning of these patients. If the diagnosis of this tumor is rapidly made, a tumor excision instead of limb amputation may be sufficient treatment at surgery.
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  • 41
    ISSN: 1432-2307
    Keywords: Key words Peroxisomes ; Hepatocellular tumors ; Immunocytochemistry ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  A significant reduction of catalase activity, a peroxisomal marker enzyme, occurs in human hepatic neoplasias, but no information is available on other peroxisomal proteins. We have studied by means of immunohistochemistry four specific proteins of peroxisomes (catalase and three enzymes of lipid β-oxidation) in human hepatocellular tumors of various differentiation grades from adenoma to anaplastic carcinoma. In all tumors, except the adenomas, the tumor cells contained fewer peroxisomes than extrafocal hepatocytes and the reduction of antigenic sites in the tumor types generally correlated with the degree of tumor dedifferentiation as assessed by classical histopathological criteria. Two poorly differentiated tumors had no detectable peroxisomes at all. There were no major differences in the intensities of the immunocytochemical staining for all four studied peroxisomal antigens in different tumors, suggesting that the neoplastic transformation affects the biogenesis of the entire organelle and not merely the individual peroxisomal enzyme proteins. Some tumors exhibited a distinct peripheral distribution of peroxisomes. In cases with associated liver cirrhosis, the hepatocytes in the adjacent liver showed marked peroxisome proliferation, forming large perinuclear aggregates, occupying occasionally the entire cytoplasm. Taken together, our observations indicate that peroxisomes are significantly altered in both hepatocellular tumors and liver cirrhosis and, thus, could be responsible for some of the metabolic derangements observed in those disease processes.
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  • 42
    ISSN: 1432-2307
    Keywords: Key words p21 ; p53 ; Colon ; Immunohistochemistry ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The WAF1/CIP1 gene product, p21, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, is a critical downstream effector in the p53 pathway. The expression of p21 in human neoplasms is heterogeneous, and may be related to p53 functional status. We evaluated p21 immunoreactivity in 103 colorectal carcinomas (CC) in relation to the p53 gene and protein alterations and clinico-pathologic parameters. High p21 expression (more than 10% reactive cells) was seen in 39% of cases. p21 staining was heterogeneous and often detected in clusters of tumour cells; in some tumours p21 staining was more pronounced in superficial areas. No relation was seen between p21 immunoreactivity and site of the tumours (right vs left), TNM stage and grade. p21 expression was related to p53 status as evaluated with IHC or with SSCP analyses, low p21 expression usually being associated with p53 protein overexpression (P=0.048) and p53 gene alteration (P=0.005). The strongest associations were seen when the combined p53/p21 immunophenotype was compared with p53 gene alterations (P=0.0002). These data support the hypothesis that p21 expression in CC is mainly related to p53 functional status, suggesting that p21 expression could be an interesting adjunct in the evaluation of the functional status of the p53 pathway in CC.
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  • 43
    ISSN: 1432-2307
    Keywords: Key words Pyruvate kinase isoenzymes ; N-Nitrosomorpholine ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The expression of the pyruvate kinase (PK) isoenzymes L and M2 was analysed in the livers of rats treated with the hepatocarcinogenic agent N-nitrosomorpholine (NNM) in the drinking water. In control animals L-PK expression was restricted to liver parenchymal cells, whereas M2-PK was detected in bile duct epithelial, blood vessel wall, endothelial and Kupffer cells. In rats treated with NNM proliferating oval cells were consistently L-PK negative and M2-PK positive, while the ductal cells of cholangiofibroses were clearly L-PK positive and coexpressed M2-PK. However, no morphological differentiation of ductal cells into hepatocyte-like cells was observed. In the clear and acidophilic cell foci storing glycogen in excess strong staining for L-PK was observed. In glycogen-poor foci induced by NNM a shift from L-PK to M2-PK expression takes place.
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  • 44
    ISSN: 1432-2307
    Keywords: Key words Medullary thyroid carcinoma ; Basement membrane ; Laminin ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) originates from C cells, which secrete calcitonin (CT), their specific marker. C cells are located in contact with the basement membrane (BM) of the thyroid follicles, which is partly made up of the laminin-2 isoform synthesized by thyrocytes. During oncogenesis, proliferation of the C cells, invading the centre of the follicles, leads to a break in their normal contact with the BM. As specific interactions of cells with BM components, especially laminins, are important for proliferation and differentiation, we investigated the relationships of normal and neoplastic C cells with laminin in the Wag/Rij rat model of human MTC. Immunocytochemical studies showed a progressive loss of the laminin layer underlying the hyperplastic C cell nodules around the large dedifferentiated tumours. The α2, β1 and γ1 chains of the laminin-2 isoform were synthesized and secreted by rat MTC 6–23 cell cultures and the tumours induced by subcutaneous injection of these cells. In situ hybridization combined with anti-CT immunocytochemistry showed a low expression of α2 mRNA on differentiated C cells and thyrocytes, but an overexpression on immunonegative spontaneous MTC and induced intrathyroid tumours. The high level of α2 gene expression, together with tumour dedifferentiation, suggests a relationship with malignancy.
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  • 45
    ISSN: 1436-2813
    Keywords: Key Words: nitric oxide ; DNA damage ; apoptosis ; tumor necrosis factor-α ; mitochondrial respiration
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: S -nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine protected cul-tured L929 cells from apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) plus actinomycin D, as determined by the detection of DNA fragmentation and morphological changes. NO also prevented an enhancement of the production of reactive oxygen intermediates by TNF-α plus actinomycin D, as assessed by the oxidation of dihydrorhodamine 123 and hydroethidine. Because the inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by rotenone or antimycin A suppressed the increased oxidation of both dihydrorhodamine 123 and hydroethidine, it was suggested that TNF-α accelerated the leakage of reactive oxygen intermediates from the mitochondrial electron transport system. Polarography showed that NO reversibly inhibited mitochondrial respiration at either complexes I–III, II–III, or IV, thus suggesting the inhibition of cytochrome oxidase. Taken together, these findings indicate that the decreased mitochondrial formation of reactive oxygen intermediates in the presence of NO might have a protective effect against TNF-α plus actinomycin D-induced apoptosis.
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  • 46
    ISSN: 1436-2813
    Keywords: angiogenesis ; p53 ; apoptosis ; lung adenocarcinoma ; hematogenous metastasis
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The purpose of this study was to clarify which factors are important as predictors not only of patient survival but also of hematogenic metastasis in 15 patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma who underwent curative operation. The relationship between tumor angiogenesis, apoptosis, and p53 oncogene was also studied. A total of 15 patients were divided into two groups: surviving group (n=7) and nonsurviving (metastasis) group (n=8). We studied the medical charts, operative records, pathologic reports, and tumor specimens taken at surgical resection. We measured the apoptotic index using the ApopTag kit and the intratumoral microvessel count using an anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody. In addition, immunohistochemical staining for the expression of p53 was conducted simultaneously. The clinicopathological characteristics, including age, sex, tumor size (pT), and histological differentiation, were not significantly different between the surviving and the nonsurviving group. The microvessel count was significantly higher in nonsurviving group than in the surviving group. The apoptotic index and the expression of p53 was not significantly different between the two groups. An inverse correlation between the apoptotic index and microvessel count, and a positive correlation between the expression of p53 and microvessel count, were observed. Angiogenesis may be an important prognostic factor in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma.
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  • 47
    ISSN: 1436-2813
    Keywords: Key Words: angiogenesis ; p53 ; apoptosis ; lung adenocarcinoma ; hematogenous metastasis
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: n = 7) and nonsurviving (metastasis) group (n = 8). We studied the medical charts, operative records, pathologic reports, and tumor specimens taken at surgical resection. We measured the apoptotic index using the ApopTag kit and the intratumoral microvessel count using an anti-CD34 monoclonal antibody. In addition, immunohistochemical staining for the expression of p53 was conducted simultaneously. The clinicopathological characteristics, including age, sex, tumor size (pT), and histological differentiation, were not significantly different between the surviving and the nonsurviving group. The microvessel count was significantly higher in nonsurviving group than in the surviving group. The apoptotic index and the expression of p53 was not significantly different between the two groups. An inverse correlation between the apoptotic index and microvessel count, and a positive correlation between the expression of p53 and microvessel count, were observed. Angiogenesis may be an important prognostic factor in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma.
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  • 48
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    Urological research 27 (1999), S. 41-47 
    ISSN: 1434-0879
    Keywords: Key words Ureter ; Histology ; Polyuria ; Diabetes mellitus ; Nephrectomy ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The influence of increased functional load on the macroscopical and histological appearance of the ureter was investigated. Sixty rats were divided into five groups: (1) sucrose-fed rats with non-osmotic polyuria; (2) diabetic rats with osmotic polyuria; (3) uninephrectomized rats; (4) sham-operated control rats; and (5) control rats. The 24-hour urinary volume was measured on days 7, 14 and 21. Growth of the kidney, ureter and bladder was investigated and the histological appearance of the ureter was further evaluated. Diabetic and sucrose-fed rats had comparable polyuria with a seven-fold increase in urinary output. The urinary volume for the remaining kidney was doubled in uninephrectomized rats. After 3 weeks, diabetic rats had increased weight of the kidney, ureter and bladder, sucrose-fed rats had increased weight of the bladder, whereas uninephrectomized rats had increased weight of the kidney and ureter. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the ureter wall from control rats increased from the proximal to the distal portion. The size of the whole ureter from diabetic rats was dramatically increased, the CSA of the wall of the distal ureter portion being four times that of the controls. The CSA of the ureter wall from sucrose-fed rats was increased only in the distal portion, whereas the ureter from uninephrectomized rats was increased only in the proximal portion. The results demonstrate the importance of differentiating between different portions of the rat ureter when examining histological sections of this organ. Moreover, polyuria per se is shown to induce growth of the bladder and of the adjacent distal part of the ureter, whereas uninephrectomy and diabetes caused growth of the kidney and the upper parts of the ureter, in addition to the growth induced by polyuria.
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  • 49
    ISSN: 1434-0879
    Keywords: Key words Nonbacterial prostatitis ; Animal model ; Partial urethral obstruction ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The pathogenesis of nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP) is not understood mainly due to the lack of appropriate experimental models. We developed a new experimental model of NBP by inducing a partial obstruction of the urethra (PUO) in the rat. Male Wistar rats aged 12 weeks were used. PUO was produced by a nylon ligature on the urethra over a rubber tube. The tube was slipped out after the ligature had been tied. Two rats were examined histologically 6 h, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days after PUO. In another group, two rats were killed at 1, 3 and 7 days after the release of the PUO that had been left in place for 3 days. On day 3, another eight rats with PUO and eight control rats had 2 ml of urine in the bladder replaced by the same volume of lucifer yellow (LY; 10 μg/ml, MW 500), microperoxidase (MP; 20 μg/ml, MW 1900), horseradish peroxidase (HRP; 10 μg/ml, MW 40 000), or saline as control, respectively. Lymphocytic infiltration and interstitial edema were noted in the prostate following PUO, being most prominent on day 3. After the release of the PUO, these inflammatory changes gradually disappeared. Only LY was noted within the prostatic stroma of the rats 2 h after bladder instillation. Intraprostatic urinary reflux may be an etiologic factor in NBP. The present study showed that lower urinary tract obstruction caused NBP in the rat. Penetration of prostatic tissue by low-molecular-weight substances in the urine may trigger NBP.
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  • 50
    ISSN: 1434-0879
    Keywords: Key words Alpha-1-microglobulin ; Calcium oxalate ; Crystallization ; ELISA ; Human ; Urine
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract In the past few years, alpha-1-microglobulin (α1m) has been copurified from human urine with bikunin, a potent inhibitor of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystallization in vitro. In this study, we have purified α1m without bikunin contamination and investigated its possible role in CaOx crystallization by in vitro and in vivo studies. Alpha-1m was purified with an anti-α1m antibodies CNBr-activated sepharose column. Two molecular species of α1m of respectively 30 and 60 kDa were purified. For each protein, two blots of 30 and 60 kDa cross-reacted with anti-α1m antibodies, suggesting that these two forms were derived one from the other. Both protein species inhibited CaOx crystallization in a dose-dependent manner in two in vitro tests. In the first test, the presence of α1m of 30 kDa (8 μg/ml) in a medium containing 0.76 mM CaCl2 (with 45Ca) and 0.76 mM Ox(NH4)2 inhibited CaOx crystallization by 38% as estimated by supernatant radioactivity after 1 h of agitation. In the second test, CaOx kinetics were examined for 3 to 10 min in a turbidimetric model at 620 nm. The presence of α1m of 30 kDa in a medium containing 4 mM CaCl2 and 0.5 mM Na2Ox inhibited CaOx crystallization by 41.5%, as estimated by the slope modification of turbidimetric curve. Alpha-1m can be considered as another inhibitor of urinary CaOx crystal formation, as shown by the present in vitro studies. Using an ELISA assay, we found that urinary α1m concentration was significantly lower in 31 CaOx stone formers than in 18 healthy subjects (2.95 ± 0.29 vs 5.34 ± 1.08 mg/l respectively, P = 0.01). The decreased concentration of α1m in CaOx stone formers could be responsible in these patients, at least in part, for an increased risk of CaOx crystalluria.
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  • 51
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    Urological research 27 (1999), S. 476-482 
    ISSN: 1434-0879
    Keywords: Key words Urinary bladder ; Enterocystoplasty ; Cecocystoplasty ; Innervation ; Nerve growth ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Incorporation of bowel into the bladder (enterocystoplasty) has been widely used to increase bladder capacity. It has been reported by others that the response of smooth muscle from the cystoplastic segment of the intestine shifts from that of the intestine (relaxation to α-agonists and ATP) to that of the bladder (contraction to α-agonists and ATP). This suggests a functional integration of the intestinal muscle into the bladder; the mechanisms are unknown. The aims of the present study were (1) to elucidate if there are signs of bladder nerves sprouting across the anastomosis into the intestinal segment, and (2) to study what happens with the intrinsic innervation of the intestinal segment. As a model, we used cecocystoplasty in rats. The bladder was opened and a patch of cecum with intact vascular supply was anastomosed to the bladder. After two to 11 months the rats were sacrificed and the bladders mounted as wholemounts and stained for acetylcholinesterase-containing nerves, or embedded in paraffin for histology. A pronounced degeneration of the myenteric plexus was found in the cecal segments. In some areas, this had proceeded to the extent that the ganglia were isolated ovoid lumps of cells with no apparent connection to other ganglia. Areas lacking ganglia and nerve trunks but still with muscle could be found in all specimens. Abundant axon bundles were demonstrated sprouting from the cut bladder nerves close to the anastomosis. The bundles spread out in a fan-like pattern or were organized as fewer thicker nerves. There were many nerve bundles entering the cecal segment where they branched and the diameter decreased till they no longer became visible. Some nerves reached surviving lumps of myenteric ganglion cells. The results show that the bladder nerves sprout into the anastomosed cecal segment. It is reasonable to assume that these nerves are responsible for the changes in receptor pharmacological properties of the cecal smooth muscle towards that of bladder muscle.
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  • 52
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    Urological research 27 (1999), S. 174-179 
    ISSN: 1434-0879
    Keywords: Key words Apoptosis ; Ischemia-reperfusion ; Blood flow ; Ischemia ; Prostate ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The mechanisms involved in the castration-induced involution of the ventral prostate (VP) are not fully understood. It was recently reported that castration decreases blood flow in the VP in rats and that this occurs before the apoptotic involution of the organ. However, it is unknown whether a decrease in blood flow may trigger apoptosis in the VP, and this was therefore examined in this study. The right iliac artery was clamped for 1 h in adult male rats. After 24 h of reperfusion, the VPs were frozen or fixed. In situ end-labeling (ISEL) was used to identify apoptotic cells, and testosterone repressed prostatic message-2 (TRPM-2) was measured. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry was used to identify proliferating cells. Clamping the right iliac artery reduced blood flow in the right VP to 0.17 of that in the contralateral lobe. This relative ischemia resulted in a threefold increase in the volume density of apoptotic epithelial cells on the treated side, but left cell proliferation unaffected. Testosterone substitution did not change this pattern. This study suggests that a transient period of relative ischemia may induce apoptosis in the rat ventral prostate. This may be of importance for the understanding of castration-induced prostatic involution.
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  • 53
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    Anatomy and embryology 199 (1999), S. 265-280 
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Cat ; Rat ; Immunocytochemistry ; NADPH-diaphorase ; Thalamus
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  To gain insight into the cellular organisation of the zona incerta, we have examined the chemoarchitectonic properties of this ”uncertain zone”. The brains of Sprague-Dawley rats and common cats were processed for immunocytochemistry or NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry using standard methods. For the immunocytochemistry, antibodies to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), parvalbumin, calbindin, tyrosine hydroxylase, somatostatin, serotonin and glutamate were used. Two general patterns of distribution in the zona incerta were seen. First, labelled cells were restricted largely to one of the cytoarchitectonically defined sectors of the zona incerta. For instance, GABA, GAD and parvalbumin-immunoreactive cells were found principally within the ventral sector, NADPH-diaphorase and glutamate-immunoreactive cells within the dorsal sector and tyrosine hydroxylase- and somatostatin-immunoreactive cells within the rostral sector. Second, labelled cells were scattered somewhat across all incertal sectors, with no clear region of concentration. This pattern included the calbindin- and serotonin-immunoreactive cell groups. These results indicate that the zona incerta is made up of many neurochemically distinct cell groups, some of which respect the well-defined cytoarchitectonic boundaries of the nucleus, whilst others do not. This rich neurochemical diversity in the zona incerta suggests that this nucleus may have differential effects on the different structures that it projects to.
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  • 54
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    Anatomy and embryology 199 (1999), S. 45-56 
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Skin ; Proteoglycan ; Development ; Human ; Fetal
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The extracellular matrix of human fetal skin differs substantially from that of adult skin. Fetal skin contains sparse amounts of fibrillar collagen enmeshed in a highly hydrated amorphous matrix composed of hyaluronan and sulfated proteoglycans. Both fetal and adult skin contain two major interstitial proteoglycans that are extracted by chaotrophic agents and detergents. These are the large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan versican and the small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan decorin. For this study, proteoglycans extracted from fetal and adult skin were compared on Western blots to determine the relative amounts of versican. Decorin present in the same samples provided an internal standard for these studies. Fetal skin differed from adult skin in that it contained a significantly higher proportion of versican than did adult skin. Immunohistochemical studies compared early-fetal with mid-fetal skin and found that versican was a significant component of the interstitial extracellular matrix at both of these stages of skin development. However, by the mid-fetal period, interstitial versican became restricted to the upper half of the dermis, although versican also continued to be highly expressed around hair follicles, glands, and vasculature in the lower half of the dermis. Fetal skin extracts differed from an adult skin extract by the presence of a 66-kDa protein immunologically related to versican and by the absence of a 17-kDa core protein of a proteoglycan related to decorin. Both of these molecular species may represent degradation products of their respective proteoglycans. Monoclonal antibodies which detect epitopes in native chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains recognized versican extracted from fetal skin. However, the tissue distribution of these antigens did not entirely conform to that for versican core protein, suggesting that versican in different regions of the skin may be substituted with glycosaminoglycan chains with different microchemistries. The results of these studies indicate that human fetal skin is structurally different from adult skin in terms of both the distribution and the composition of the large, aggregating chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan versican.
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  • 55
    ISSN: 1432-0533
    Keywords: Key words Amantadine ; Human ; N-methyl-d-aspartate ; Phencyclidine ; Postmortem brain
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Low doses of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor antagonists induce morphological alterations in neurons of the cingulate gyrus and retrosplenial cortex of the rat. Neuronal cell death may result at higher doses. These effects are a major concern with regard to the introduction of new NMDA receptor antagonists into clinical trials. Amantadine is an uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist, which has been in clinical use for many years. In the present study we have looked for possible morphological alterations like necrosis in postmortem human brain tissue of patients previously treated with amantadine. Formalin-fixed tissue samples were taken from the hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex of 8 patients on previous amantadine medication and of 11 controls. Histopathological examination of sections was performed blind. All brains except one revealed either nonspecific age-related or cerebrovascular changes or other neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or Lewy body disease. In conclusion, histopathological examination of the hippocampus, retrosplenial cortex, and cingulate gyrus of human brain did not reveal changes suggested to be specific for previous amantadine treatment.
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  • 56
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    Anatomy and embryology 200 (1999), S. 521-531 
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Development ; Internal capsule ; Nucleus basalis ; Rat ; Thalamus
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  This study defines several features of the early connections of the developmentally transient perireticular thalamic nucleus of rats. The neocortex of developing rats was injected with either DiI, biotinylated dextran, WGA-HRP (wheatgerm agglutinin conjugated-horseradish peroxidase), fluorescent latex beads or cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) and their brains were processed for tracer detection with standard methods. In general, tracer injections into various regions of the developing neocortex revealed no labelled neurones within the perireticular nucleus, although some of these tracers (WGA-HRP, dextran) labelled many of the amoeboid microglial cells that are found within this nucleus. There were, however, many retrogradely labelled neurones in a region adjacent to the perireticular nucleus, within the nucleus basalis of the basal forebrain (medial edge of globus pallidus). Their identity was confirmed as neurones of the nucleus basalis since they were all were similar in morphology and somal size to neurones that were immunoreactive to NGFr (nerve growth factor receptor), an antigen found only among neurones of the nucleus basalis and basal forebrain. Moreover, double labelling experiments revealed that most, if not all, of the cortically labelled neurones were NGFr-immunoreactive also. Thus, in conclusion, our results suggest that the perireticular nucleus does not project to the neocortex; the only neurones in the general vicinity of the perireticular nucleus that have a cortical projection form part of the nucleus basalis.
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  • 57
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    Anatomy and embryology 200 (1999), S. 533-540 
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Coronary vasculogenesis ; Angiogenesis ; Coronary artery ; Development ; Rat ; Embryonic heart
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The aim of this work was to address spatiotemporal and morphologic patterns of coronary artery development in rats, based on immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies of hearts at different stages of prenatal development. Griffonia simplicifolia I lectin and α-smooth muscle antibody were used to demonstrate endothelial cells and/or their precursors and smooth muscle cells, respectively. Ultrastructural examination was performed on ED14–16 hearts to study the morphology of the developing coronary arteries in different regions of the truncus arteriosus and adjacent myocardium. On ED14 endothelial-like cells present within the mesenchyme surrounding the outflow tract penetrated the aortic wall and the truncoconal proximal myocardium. On ED15 these penetrating cells formed vascular clusters, which were the first signs of presumptive vascular channels. Development of the coronary artery proceeded by coalescence of discontinous vascular clusters, formation of the lumen (vascular channels) and establishing a connection of the proximal part with the aorta. The second layer of cells around vascular channels (embryonic media) consisted of mesenchymal cells that were attracted to the immature vessel and were first seen on ED15. At this time no lumenized connection of the coronary artery with the aorta has been seen. After the lumenized connection of the coronary artery with the aorta had been established perivascular cells of the media started to differentiate into vascular smooth muscle, as was shown by α-smooth muscle actin-staining. Further development and differentiation of the media and adventitia proceeded distally (towards the apex).
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  • 58
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Morphogenesis ; Histochemistry ; Lectins ; Carbohydrates ; Salivary glands ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The developmental expression of salivary glycoconjugates was investigated in the rat submandibular and sublingual glands by conventional and lectin histochemistry. By the time of the first differentiation of secretory structures, in spite of similar morphological features, a different histochemical reactivity was detected, accounting for a relevant content of neutral glycoconjugates in the submandibular gland and the occurrence of both neutral and acidic glycoconjugates in the sublingual one. The use of lectins allowed the main changes of secretory components to be noted around gestational day 18. DBA and WGA lectins seemed to act as pre- and post-natal development markers while Con A lectin was indicative of post-natal differentiation. Taken together, data from lectin histochemistry indicated the transitional occurrence of glycoconjugates, probably involved in temporally restricted functions, as well as the co-existence of different secretory components that might also reflect maturational changes of single products.
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  • 59
    ISSN: 1432-0533
    Keywords: Key words Purkinje cell ; Cerebellum ; Development ; Inositol 1 ; 4 ; 5-triphosphate type 1 receptor ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out on the Purkinje cells from 21 autopsied fetal and early postnatal normal cerebella using a monoclonal antibody against the inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate type 1 receptor (IP3R1) as a cytochemical marker of Purkinje cells. In normal adult cerebella used as positive controls, the cell bodies, axons, and dendrites, including spiny branchlets of the Purkinje cells, were specifically stained by the antibody. In the fetal cerebella examined, the IP3R1 immunoreactivity was first detected in the soma of multilayered cells just beneath the molecular layer at 16 weeks of gestation. The IP3R1 immunoreactivity gradually increased in area of positive staining from soma to dendrites and spiny branchlets, and the dendritic outgrowth rapidly progressed during 6 months after birth. The Purkinje cell maturation was more advanced in the vermis than in the hemisphere, more in the posterior lobe than in the anterior lobe, and more at the bottom of the folia than at the top. Partial absence of the Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex was observed in three cases. Heterotopias including Purkinje cells were often noted in the cerebellar white matter in five cases.
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  • 60
    ISSN: 1432-0533
    Keywords: Key words Clomethiazole ; Rat ; Spinal cord-injury ; Neuroprotection
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Clomethiazole (CMZ) has a neuroprotective effect in experimental focal and global forebrain ischemia. This neuroprotective effect may depend on its ability to enhance GABA receptor activity. We have studied the effect of pretreatment with CMZ on motor function recovery and nerve cell damage after spinal cord injury (SCI). Rats were randomized and 30 min before SCI they received a single intraperitoneal dose of CMZ (150 mg/kg) or saline. The spinal cord was injured with a 50 g (4.5 g/mm2) load, applied over the exposed dura, through a curved rectangular plate (2.2 × 5.0 mm) for 5 min at T8–9. The animals became paraplegic 1 day after injury. The rats were evaluated for recovery of hind limb motor function. All animals recovered to some extent over the observation period of 12 weeks. However, hind limb motor function was significantly better in the animals pretreated with CMZ. At 12 weeks the rats were killed and perfused/fixed for morphological investigations. Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) immunostaining was used to stain neurons and dendrites and Luxol-fast blue to stain myelinated tracts of the white matter. The injured segment of the spinal cord showed severe atrophy, distortion, cavitation and necrosis of grey and white matter. Compared to uninjured controls the transverse sectional area was reduced to 32.7 ± 4% in untreated animals but only to 38.5% ± 4.1 in CMZ-treated animals. MAP2 staining showed that, compared to uninjured controls, grey matter was reduced to 7.4 ± 2.7% in saline-treated injured animals and to 22.7 ± 5.4% in CMZ-treated rats. Our results thus show that in this model CMZ improves hind limb motor function and attenuates the morphological damage to the spinal cord.
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  • 61
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    Anatomy and embryology 200 (1999), S. 413-417 
    ISSN: 1432-0568
    Keywords: Key words Receptor cell ; Axon ; Vomeronasal organ ; Regeneration ; Rat ; HRP-WGA
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Chemosensory neurons in the vomeronasal epithelium (vomeronasal neurons) regenerate following experimentally induced degeneration. Transection of the vomeronasal nerves leads to retrograde degeneration of vomeronasal neurons followed by replacement of the cell population. The projection of the axons of regenerated vomeronasal neurons was examined by horseradish peroxidase(HRP) histochemistry and electron microscopy. HRP-wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was placed on the surface of the vomeronasal organ of the rat. Dense distribution of HRP-labeled fibers was observed in the vomeronasal nerve and glomerular layers in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) of the intact rat. At one week after transection, HRP-labeled fibers were not found in the AOB, and no labeled fibers could be observed on the medial surface of the olfactory bulb where the vomeronasal nerve traversed. Three weeks after transection, labeled fiber bundles were observed on the medial surface of the olfactory bulb in all animals. No labeled fibers were detected in the AOB. From 12 to 32 weeks after transection, projection of HRP-labeled fibers was identified in the AOB in 8 out of 26 rats (the incidence of projection was 30%). But the number of projection fibers on the operated side was much smaller than on the control side. Electron microscopy confirmed that the HRP-labeled terminals make synaptic contacts with neurons in the AOB.
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  • 62
    ISSN: 1432-069X
    Keywords: Key words Chronic diabetic wounds ; Human ; fibroblasts ; Wound healing ; Cell culture ; Proliferation
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Patients with diabetes mellitus experience impaired wound healing often resulting in chronic foot ulcers. Hospital discharge data indicate that 6–20% of all diabetic individuals hospitalized (mostly with type 2 diabetes) have a lower extremity ulcer. Maintaining glucose levels at acceptable levels (below 10 mmol/l) is considered to be an important part of the clinical treatment, but the exact mechanism by which diabetes delays wound repair is not yet known. We studied this phenomenon by determining the potential of fibroblasts isolated from the ulcer sites of four patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus to proliferate in vitro. Controls were fibroblasts isolated from normal skin of the upper leg of five healthy age-matched volunteers and of six non-insulin-dependent diabetes patients. Proliferative capacity was analysed by evaluation of plates after trypsinization and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Fibroblast morphology was studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. Diabetic ulcer fibroblasts, measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation, proliferated significantly more slowly than the nonlesional control fibroblasts (P 〈 0.00047) and age-matched control fibroblasts (P 〈 0.00003). After culturing the fibroblasts for a prolonged period in high-glucose (27.5 mM) and low-glucose (5.5 mM, i.e. physiological) medium, this difference in proliferation rate between diabetic ulcer fibroblasts and nonlesional diabetic fibroblasts remained (P 〈 0.0001 for high-glucose and P 〈 0.0009 for low-glucose on day 7). Fibroblast proliferation in all three groups was slightly lower in high-glucose than in low-glucose medium, although not significantly at any time-point. Light microscopy showed diabetic ulcer fibroblasts to be large and widely spread. Transmission electron microscopy of cultured diabetic ulcer fibroblasts and nonlesional diabetic skin fibroblasts revealed a large dilated endoplasmic reticulum, a lack of microtubular structures and multiple lamellar and vesicular bodies. These results show a diminished proliferative capacity and abnormal morphology of fibroblasts derived from diabetic ulcers of non-insulin-dependent diabetes patients.
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  • 63
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    Archives of dermatological research 291 (1999), S. 247-252 
    ISSN: 1432-069X
    Keywords: Key words T cell activation ; Nickel ; Human ; Interferon-gamma
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Contact hypersensitivity to nickel is the most common form of allergic contact dermatitis. To gain insight into the induction of this frequent disease, T cell reactivity towards nickel was investigated in “nonallergic” individuals defined as those with no skin manifestations and a negative patch test towards NiSO4. Surprisingly, we found that nickel induced proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 16 of 18 adult individuals tested. This activation was specific, and no stimulation of PBMC was observed using control stimulants at equimolar concentrations. Furthermore, the NiSO4-induced activation required the presence of professional antigen-presenting cells. To describe the functional capacity of the nickel-inducible T cells, cytokine release was investigated in both nickel-allergic and nonallergic individuals. The T cells from both groups released interferon-γ but no interleukin-4 upon stimulation with nickel, suggesting that the functional capacities of these cell populations were similar in nickel-allergic and nonallergic individuals. Thus, at this level, no qualitative differences could be demonstrated between T cells obtained from nickel-allergic and nonallergic individuals.
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  • 64
    ISSN: 1432-069X
    Keywords: Key words ORS cells ; Melanocytes ; Human ; Organotypic cultures ; Melanosomes
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Because outer root sheath (ORS) cells are valuable substitutes for interfollicular epidermal keratinocytes, we wanted to determine whether epidermal equivalents generated from ORS cells and containing cultured melanocytes can serve as an in vitro model for skin pigmentation. In such epidermal equivalents prepared with ORS cells and melanocytes from donors of phototypes II, III and VI, a stratified epithelium resembling normal epidermis developed within 14 days, as documented by histological, ultrastructural (e.g. basement membrane-like structure, keratohyalin granules, keratinosomes) and immunohistochemical (e.g. keratins, integrins, gp80, involucrin, filaggrin) criteria. The melanocytes were localized in the basal layer and accounted for 10% of the total cell number. Heavily pigmented melanocytes from black donors contained regular melanosomes in all stages of maturation, whereas melanocytes derived from white donors contained predominantly melanosomes of stages I and II. Melanosome-laden dendrites were readily detected extending from the heavily pigmented melanocytes, while they were less conspicuous in melanocytes from white donors. The extent of melanosome transfer was independent of the racial origin of the ORS cells. Melanosomes could also be transferred “through racial barriers”. Melanosomes, mainly of stages III and IV, were detected in the ORS cells, being distributed either as single or compound melanosomes, again irrespective of the racial origin of the ORS cells. In conclusion, pigmented epidermal equivalents generated from ORS cells offer practical advantages over other in vitro pigmentation models: (1) the ORS cells are easily and repeatedly available from any donor regardless of age; (2) primary cultures of ORS cells are free of contaminating melanocytes, a bias if using interfollicular epidermal keratinocytes; (3) a high degree of epidermal differentiation is maintained for 3 weeks in fully defined medium, enabling labelling and stimulation experiments to be performed and compounds interfering with melanin pigmentation to be tested.
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  • 65
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    Diabetologia 42 (1999), S. 711-718 
    ISSN: 1432-0428
    Keywords: Keywords Malnutrition ; ageing ; beta-cell mass ; apoptosis ; glucose tolerance.
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Aims/hypothesis. In a recently developed rat model, maternal food restriction from day 15 of pregnancy until weaning induced low birth weight and a 70 % reduction of beta-cell mass in the offspring at day 21 after birth. Subsequent renutrition from weaning was insufficient to fully restore beta-cell mass in young adult rats. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term consequences of early malnutrition on beta-cell mass and function. Methods. Oral glucose tolerance tests were done in 3- and 12-month-old animals and beta-cell mass and apoptosis were determined by morphometrical measurements on pancreatic sections. The specific impact of postnatal malnutrition was studied by comparing control animals (C group) with animals malnourished during their fetal life only (R/C group), and animals malnourished during fetal life and until weaning (R group). Results. In 3-month-old R/C animals beta-cell mass reached 8.0 ± 1.5 mg with no further increase until 12 months (8.1 ± 1.5 mg), compared with 9.3 ± 1.9 mg in control rats. Twelve-month-old R/C animals showed normal plasma insulin responses and borderline glucose tolerance. In R animals, apoptosis reached 1.9 ± 0.4 % of the beta cells at 3 months, compared with 0.7 ± 0.5 % in control rats, and beta-cell mass did not increase between 3 and 12 months (4.7 ± 0.8 mg at 12 months). In aged control and R animals, apoptosis affected 8 % of the beta cells. At 12 months only, R animals showed profound insulinopenia and marked glucose intolerance. Conclusion/interpretation. In conclusion, perinatal malnutrition profoundly impairs the programming of beta-cell development. In animals with decreased beta-cell mass the additional demand placed by ageing on the beta cells entails glucose intolerance since beta-cell mass does not expand and apoptosis is increased. [Diabetologia (1999) 42: 711–718]
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  • 66
    ISSN: 1432-0428
    Keywords: Keywords Type I diabetes ; interferon-γ ; transgenic mice ; apoptosis ; insulin secretion ; tumour necrosis factor.
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Aims/hypothesis. To examine whether interferon-γ destroys islet beta cells directly or indirectly through lymphocyte activation, or whether direct action of interferon-γ on beta cells by itself induces diabetes without insulitis. Methods. To avoid possible nonspecific breakdown of beta cells by transgenic overexpression of interferon-γ by the insulin promoter, we generated transgenic mice expressing interferon-γ under the control of rat glucagon promoter (RGP-IFN-γ-Tg mice). Results. The absence of insulitis in RGP-IFN-γ-Tg mice enabled us to investigate the direct effects of paracrine interferon-γ. In RGP-IFN-γ-Tg mice, serum concentrations of interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were 50 and 6 times higher than those in their littermates, respectively, and glucose-responsive insulin secretion decreased to one-half the level of that in the littermates. Transgenic interferon-γ induced remodelling of beta cells where apoptosis of many beta cells was compensated by their vigorous regeneration and diabetes did not occur in most of the RGP-IFN-γ-Tg mice. Conclusion/interpretation. Interferon-γ alone is insufficient for the complete destruction of beta cells in vivo, and factors other than interferon-γ including activated lymphocytes or other cytokines, are necessary in addition to interferon-γ for the development of Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. [Diabetologia (1999) 42: 566–573]
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  • 67
    ISSN: 1432-0428
    Keywords: Keywords Nicotinamide ; cytokine ; islet ; insulin ; apoptosis ; diabetes.
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Summary Nicotinamide intervention trials are presently undertaken to prevent Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes in high risk subjects. They are based on studies in rodents reporting nicotinamide protection against beta-cell injury in vitro and in vivo. This study examines whether nicotinamide can protect human beta cells in vitro. At concentrations (2 and 5 mmol/l) to protect rat beta cells against necrosis by streptozotocin or hydrogen peroxide, nicotinamide prevents hydrogen peroxide-induced necrosis of human beta cells. As with rat beta cells, nicotinamide fails to protect human beta cells against apoptosis induced by a combination of the cytokines interleukin-1β , interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α. In rat beta cells, nicotinamide (2 to 20 mmol/l) was also found to induce apoptosis, in particular during the days following its protection against necrosis; this cytotoxic effect was not observed with human beta cells. These data demonstrate that nicotinamide can protect human beta cells against radical-induced necrosis, but not against cytokine-induced apoptosis. This effect is not associated with a delayed apoptosis as in rat beta cells. [Diabetologia (1999) 42: 55–59]
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  • 68
    ISSN: 1126-5442
    Keywords: Key words Carbon monoxide poisoning ; Delayed neurologic sequelae ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract The clinical and neuroradiological outcome of carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication was evaluated prospectively in 30 patients over a follow-up period of 3 years. Among the patients studied, 22 had been acutely exposed to CO while 8 were chronically exposed. One month after CO poisoning, 12 of the 22 patients with acute intoxication showed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities: 6 also had neurological sequelae and 6 were asymptomatic. The remaining 10 patients showed neither MRI abnormalities nor neurological sequelae. During the 3-year follow-up, 4 of the patients with both MRI abnormalities and neurological sequelae improved in both clinical features and MRI findings. One of the 6 asymptomatic patients with MRI abnormalities developed a progressive cognitive impairment 2 months after acute intoxication, with a concomitant severe worsening of the MRI lesions. Among the 10 patients with neither MRI abnormalities nor neurological sequelae, only 1 developed neurological sequelae after a clear period of 4 months. In the group of patients who experienced chronic CO intoxication, only 1 presented with a neuropsychiatric syndrome which improved at follow-up. Brain MRI showed white matter lesions which remained unchanged at control scan after 1 year. In conclusion, we observed that some patients with severe CO poisoning and neurological sequelae may fully regain normal functions after approximately 1 year. The presence of MRI lesions 1 month after CO poisoning did not accurately predict the subsequent outcome. The observation of a clear period longer than the usual 2–40 day interval in 2 patients should be considered for careful planning of follow-up and for prognosis in CO-poisoned patients.
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  • 69
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    Italian journal of neurological sciences 20 (1999), S. 183-186 
    ISSN: 1126-5442
    Keywords: Key words Behçet's disease ; Optic neuropathy ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract Orbital magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated increased signal of the optic nerve in short time inversion recovery (STIR) images of two young women with unilateral visual blurring. In both, recurrent oral and genital ulcerations and papulopustular lesions appeared within the next 14–15 months, respectively, allowing a diagnosis of Behçet's disease. Optic neuropathy may be an early manifestation of Behçt's disease and clinical follow-up is crucial for its diagnosis.
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  • 70
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    Zeitschrift für Lebensmittel-Untersuchung und -Forschung 208 (1999), S. 183-188 
    ISSN: 1431-4630
    Keywords: Key words Sulphadimidine ; Fermented sausage ; Carbon-14-labelling ; Rat ; Bound residues
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
    Notes: Abstract  Sulphadimidine (SDM), a drug frequently administered to pigs, is partially converted into other compounds by processing meat to produce raw, fermented sausage. With the aid of 14C-labelled SDM, evidence was obtained that part of the radioactive matter was covalently bound to the matrix. Part of these bound residues could be released in vitro by 4 M HCl at 21  °C or by 0.024 M HCl at 37  °C. Female rats were also able to release bound SDM residues and to excrete these in their urine, in amounts approaching those obtained by treatment with 4 M HCl. Both the parent compound and its main metabolite, N 4-acetyl-SDM, were observed in the urine of rats.
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  • 71
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    Immunogenetics 49 (1999), S. 438-445 
    ISSN: 1432-1211
    Keywords: Key words PA28 ; Proteasome ; Gene structure ; Evolution ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Two proteasome activators PA28α and β, which have been implicated in antigen processing for loading class I MHC molecules, are synthesized in response to Ifn-γ. The human genes encoding these activators (PSME1 and PSME2, respectively) were analyzed by sequencing. Each gene comprised 11 exons, consistent with gene duplication during vertebrate evolution. The intron/exon organization of both genes was highly conserved, the major difference being the absence of the exon encoding the lysine and glutamic acid-rich 'KEKE' motif in PA28β. Two other genes of relevance to the immune system were located close to those for PA28 at 14q11.2 including ISGF3G, a protein involved in transcription after IFNα signalling. These sequences were also characterized.
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  • 72
    ISSN: 1432-1211
    Keywords: Key words Class II MHC sequence ; Rat ; Cloning ; RT-PCR ; Polymorphism
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Medicine
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  • 73
    ISSN: 1432-1211
    Keywords: Key words NK cells ; Human ; Surface molecule ; Lectin superfamily ; NK gene complex
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Natural killer (NK) cells constitute the third major population of lymphocytes. They possess the inherent capacity to kill various tumor and virally infected cells and mediate the rejection of bone-marrow grafts in lethally irradiated animals. A large family of NK cell receptors belong to the C-type lectin superfamily and are localized to the NK gene complex on Chromosome (Chr) 6 in the mouse and Chr 12 in the human. Genes in the NK gene complex encode type II receptors and examples include the families of NKR-P1, Ly-49, and NKG2 receptors. Examples of other C-type lectin-like NK cell receptors that occur as individual genes are CD94, CD69, and AICL. Here we report the molecular characterization and chromosomal mapping of a human lectin-like transcript (LLT1) expressed on NK, T, and B cells and localized to the NK gene complex within 100 kilobases of CD69. The cDNA encodes a predicted protein of 191 amino acid residues with a transmembrane domain near the N-terminus and an extracellular domain of 132 amino acid residues with similarity to the carbohydrate recognition domain of C-type lectins. The predicted protein of LLT1 shows 59 and 56% similarity to AICL and CD69, respectively. The predicted protein does not contain any intracellular ITIM motifs, suggesting that LLT1 may be involved in mediating activation signals.
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  • 74
    ISSN: 1432-1327
    Keywords: Key words Contrast agents ; Gadolinium complexes ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Relaxivity ; Tetraazamacrocycles
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Biology , Chemistry and Pharmacology
    Notes: Abstract  The ligand DOTASA was designed and synthesized in the aim of obtaining a kinetically and thermodynamically stable Gd(III) chelate which, through its uncoordinated carboxylate function, will provide an efficient pathway to couple the complex to bio- or macromolecules without affecting the coordination pattern of DOTA. Furthermore, it allows us to study the influence of an extra carboxylate arm on the parameters determining proton relaxivity in comparison to the commercial agent [Gd(DOTA)(H2O)]–. A combined variable-temperature 17O NMR, EPR and nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion study on the Gd(III) chelate resulted in k 298 ex=(6.3±0.2)×106 s–1 for the water exchange rate and τ298 R=125±2 ps for the rotational correlation time. The slight increase in both k 298 ex and τ298 R, as compared to those for [Gd(DOTA)(H2O)]–, is attributed to the presence of the extra negative charge. The longer rotational correlation time results in a proton relaxivity of 5.03 mM–1 s–1 for [Gd(DOTASA)(H2O)]2–, which is approximately 30% higher than that for [Gd(DOTA)(H2O)]–. The increased water exchange rate of [Gd(DOTASA)(H2O)]2– has no consequence for proton relaxivity since this latter is exclusively limited by fast rotation for both complexes. However, for slowly rotating macromolecular agents, which contain a covalently coupled DOTASA unit instead of a coupled DOTA, this increased exchange rate will have a significant positive effect.
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  • 75
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    Experimental brain research 128 (1999), S. 539-542 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Silent period ; Transcranial magnetic stimulation ; Motor cortex ; Epidural recordings ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  We investigated the nature of the silent period (SP) following transcranial magnetic stimulation by recording corticospinal volleys in a patient with implanted cervical epidural electrodes. Single suprathreshold test stimuli and paired stimuli at interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of 50–200 ms were delivered while the subject maintained a constant background contraction. The silent period duration from a single test stimulus was 357±62 ms. The test motor-evoked potentials were markedly reduced at all the ISIs tested. The I (indirect) waves induced by the test stimulus were largely unchanged at an ISI of 50 ms, suggesting that there was little change in motor cortex excitability. However, the corticospinal volleys, especially the late I waves, were substantially reduced at ISIs of 100 ms, 150 ms, and 200 ms. Our findings suggest that the early part of the SP is mainly due to spinal mechanisms, while the late part of the SP is related to reduced motor cortex excitability.
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  • 76
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    Experimental brain research 128 (1999), S. 550-556 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Selective attention ; Kinematics ; Human ; Visual pathways
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  In solving the selection-for-action problem, it is believed that attentional mechanisms enable dominance of target over non-target objects. However, under some conditions, information from non-target objects ”interferes” with the action to a relevant target. We investigated the possibility that this interference may result when the irrelevant object activates a specific subset of visuomotor pathways. Participants reached to grasp three-dimensional stimuli while actively attending to a nearby flanker object. The means by which the flanker was presented was manipulated. This relevant object was illuminated either abruptly or gradually. The parvocellular pathway in early visual processing is equally activated in both conditions. The magnocellular pathway is strongly activated by abrupt presentation and weakly activated with gradual presentation of the flanker object. Kinematics of the reach-to-grasp action to the target showed signs of interference only in the sudden illumination condition. This suggests a dissociation between dorsal and ventral cortical streams in terms of relevance for action. Our data suggests that this effect is not due to early visual-pathway differences, but instead reveals a property of a transient object-based visual attention mechanism.
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  • 77
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    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 1-7 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Temporal cortex ; Connectivity ; Human ; Interhemispheric transfer ; Talairach coordinates
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The human anterior commissure is believed, by extrapolation from data obtained in macaque monkeys, to convey axons from the temporal and orbitofrontal cortex. Reports of interhemispheric transfer and sexual dimorphism related to the anterior commissure, however, make more precise data on the human anterior commissure desirable. We investigated the connectivity of the human anterior commissure in six adults (male and female) that had circumscribed hemispheric lesions in temporal, frontal, parietal or occipital cortices or in infrapallidal white matter using the Nauta for anterogradely degenerating axons. Axons originating in the inferior part of temporal or occipital lobes, occipital convexity and possibly central fissure and prefrontal convexity were found to cross the midsagittal plane in the anterior commissure. The largest contigent of commissural axons originated in the inferior part of the temporal lobe; it displayed a roughly topographic organization, preferentially running through the inferior part of the commissure. The inferior temporal contigent seemed to reach homotopic and heterotopic targets in the opposite hemisphere. Among the latter were the amygdala and possibly the orbitofrontal cortex. The present data suggest that the human anterior commissure conveys axons from much larger territories than expected from work on non-human primates. Similarly to the human and non-human primate corpus callosum, the anterior commissure is roughly topographically organized and participates in heterotopic connectivity.
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    Experimental brain research 126 (1999), S. 200-204 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Motor development ; Anticipatory postural adjustments ; Bimanual coordination ; Children ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) are needed to perform a movement without perturbing posture. We investigated the development of APA in 3- to 4-year-old children during a bimanual load-lifting task. The task required maintaining a stable elbow position despite imposed or voluntary unloading of the forearm. Although children can compensate the consequences of unloading by using APA, their performance did not reach an adults’ level. In addition, children showed high intra-individual variability in the voluntary situation, revealed by the coexistence of both adult-like and immature patterns in kinematic and electromyographic data. In conclusion, the present study reports that APA, associated with a bimanual load-lifting task, are still being set up in 3- to 4-year-old-children. The intra-individual variability should decrease with age and be associated with a progressive mastering of the timing parameters characterizing APA.
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  • 79
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Coherence ; Entorhinal cortex ; Cortex ; Hippocampus ; Amygdala ; 192 IgG-saporin ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Changes in brain electrical activity in response to cholinergic agonists, antagonists, or excitotoxic lesions of the basal forebrain may not be reflective entirely of changes in cholinergic tone, in so far as these interventions also involve noncholinergic neurons. We examined electrocortical activity in rats following bilateral intracerebroventricular administration of 192 IgG-saporin (1.8 µg/ventricle), a selective cholinergic immunotoxin directed to the low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor p75. The immunotoxin resulted in extensive loss of choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) activity in neocortex (80%–84%) and hippocampus (93%), with relative sparing of entorhinal-piriform cortex (42%) and amygdala (28%). Electrocortical activity demonstrated modest increases in 1- to 4-Hz power, decreases in 20- to 44-Hz power, and decreases in 4- to 8-Hz intra- and interhemispheric coherence. Rhythmic slow activity (RSA) occurred robustly in toxin-treated animals during voluntary movement and in response to physostigmine, with no significant differences seen in power and peak frequency in comparison with controls. Physostigmine significantly increased intrahemispheric coherence in lesioned and intact animals, with minor increases seen in interhemispheric coherence. Our study suggests that: (1) electrocortical changes in response to selective cholinergic deafferentation are more modest than those previously reported following excitotoxic lesions; (2) changes in cholinergic tone affect primarily brain electrical transmission within, in contrast to between hemispheres; and (3) a substantial cholinergic reserve remains following administration of 192 IgG-saporin, despite dramatic losses of ChAT in cortex and hippocampus. Persistence of a cholinergically modulated RSA suggests that such activity may be mediated through cholinergic neurons which, because they lack the p75 receptor, remain unaffected by the immunotoxin.
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  • 80
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    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 271-272 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Brain ; Magnetic resonance imaging ; Microemboli ; Microischemia ; N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone ; Rabbit
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Dementia due to cerebral ischemic lesions is relatively common in the elderly. Since many of these lesions are probably caused by emboli, studying emboli-induced cerebral lesions in rabbits should, hopefully, provide information that is useful when searching for a means of preventing and treating vascular dementia in humans. Using magnetic resonance imaging we have found that N-tert-butyl-α-phenyl-nitrone (a free radical scavenger) reduced the number of emboli-induced cerebral microinfarctions in the rabbit cortex but did not have any impact on the number of infarctions found in the subcortical structures. The results suggest that significant amount of free radicals are produced in the ischemic foci located in the cortex, but not in the ischemic foci located in the subcortical structures. This finding may be of importance when considering treatments for cerebral ischemia in humans.
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  • 81
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    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 273-280 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Vestibular system ; Posture control ; Balance ; Cross-spectral analysis ; Coherency ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Galvanic vestibular stimulation serves to modulate the continuous firing level of the peripheral vestibular afferents. It has been shown that the application of sinusoidally varying, bipolar galvanic currents to the vestibular system can lead to sinusoidally varying postural sway. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that stochastic galvanic vestibular stimulation can lead to coherent stochastic postural sway. Bipolar binaural stochastic galvanic vestibular stimulation was applied to nine healthy young subjects. Three different stochastic vestibular stimulation signals, each with a different frequency content (0–1 Hz, 1–2 Hz, and 0–2 Hz), were used. The stimulation level (range 0.4–1.5 mA, peak to peak) was determined on an individual basis. Twenty 60-s trials were conducted on each subject – 15 stimulation trials (5 trials with each stimulation signal) and 5 control (no stimulation) trials. During the trials, subjects stood in a relaxed, upright position with their head facing forward. Postural sway was evaluated by using a force platform to measure the displacements of the center of pressure (COP) under each subject’s feet. Cross-spectral measures were used to quantify the relationship between the applied stimulus and the resulting COP time series. We found significant coherency between the stochastic vestibular stimulation signal and the resulting mediolateral COP time series in the majority of trials in 8 of the 9 subjects tested. The coherency results for each stimulation signal were reproducible from trial to trial, and the highest degree of coherency was found for the 1- to 2-Hz stochastic vestibular stimulation signal. In general, for the nine subjects tested, we did not find consistent significant coherency between the stochastic vestibular stimulation signals and the anteroposterior COP time series. This work demonstrates that, in subjects who are facing forward, bipolar binaural stochastic galvanic stimulation of the vestibular system leads to coherent stochastic mediolateral postural sway, but it does not lead to coherent stochastic anteroposterior postural sway. Our finding that the coherency was highest for the 1- to 2-Hz stochastic vestibular stimulation signal may be due to the intrinsic dynamics of the quasi-static postural control system. In particular, it may result from the effects of the vestibular stimulus simply being superimposed upon the quiet-standing COP displacements. By utilizing stochastic stimulation signals, we ensured that the subjects could not predict a change in the vestibular stimulus. Thus, our findings indicate that subjects can act as ”responders” to galvanic vestibular stimulation.
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  • 82
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    Keywords: Key words Locomotion ; Load ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Prior work from mammals suggests that load experienced by extensor muscles of the hindlimbs (i.e. Duysens and Pearson 1980; Pearson and Collins 1993; Fouad and Pearson 1997) or cutaneous afferents from the plantar surface of the foot (Duysens and Pearson 1976; Guertin et al. 1995) enhances activity in extensor muscles during the stance phase, and delays the onset of flexor activity associated with the swing phase. The presumed functional significance of this phenomenon is that extensor activity of the supporting limb during walking can: (a) reinforce the supporting function in proportion to the load experienced, and (b) prolong the stance phase until unloading of the limb has occurred. Whether a similar functional role exists for load-sensitive afferents during walking in the human is unknown. In this study, the effect of adding or removing a substantial load (30% of body weight) at the centre of mass was studied in healthy adult human subjects. Loads were applied near the centre of mass to avoid the need for postural adjustments which might confound the interpretation of the results. Subjects walked on a treadmill with either: (a) a sustained increase or decrease in load, or (b) a sudden unexpected increase or decrease in load. In general, subjects responded to the changes in load by changing the amplitude of the extensor electromyographic (EMG) bursts. For example, with sudden unexpected additions in load, the average increase in amplitude was 40% for the soleus across the stance phase, and 134% for the quadriceps during the early part of the stance phase. Extensor EMGs increased with both sustained and sudden increases in load. Extensor EMG durations also increased (average increase in duration of 4% for soleus with sudden loading, and 7% for sustained loading). Cycle duration hardly changed (average increase of 0.5% with both sudden and sustained loading). These results differ from those of infants subjected to a similar perturbation during supported walking. A large change in timing (i.e. an increase in the duration of the stance phase by 30% and the step cycle by 28%) was seen in the infants, with no change in the amplitude of the EMG burst (Yang et al. 1998). These results suggest that the central nervous system can control the timing and amplitude of extensor EMG activity in response to loading independently. Maturation of the two components most likely occurs independently. In the adult, independent control of the two components may provide greater flexibility of the response.
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  • 83
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Spatial function ; Water maze ; Procedural learning ; Cerebellum ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Recently, we demonstrated the prevalent role of cerebellar networks in the acquisition of the procedural components of spatial information by testing hemicerebellectomized (HCbed) rats in a classical spatial task, the Morris water maze (MWM). As procedures used in the water maze are a mixture of different components (that is, general procedures, exploration procedures, direct reaching procedures), for optimally solving a spatial task all procedural components must be opportunely managed. Thus, severely impaired procedural learning of cerebellar origin can be better comprehended by fractionating the procedural facets. To this aim, a two-step water-maze paradigm was employed. Normal rats were first trained to search for a hidden platform moved to a different position in each trial, utilizing a water maze setting in which visual cues were abolished by heavy black curtains surrounding the tank. In this paradigm, normal animals solved the task by using general and exploration procedures, but they could not use direct reaching skills. A subgroup of these pretrained animals was then HCbed and, after recovery from cerebellar lesion, was tested in a water maze with normal environmental cues available, a paradigm in which normal animals develop abilities for reaching the target with very direct trajectories. Pretrained HCbed animals, however, did not display the typical spatial deficits of naive HCbed rats, persisted in exhibiting the scanning strategy learned during pretraining, and never displayed direct reaching skills. In conclusion, cerebellar networks appear to be involved in the acquisition of all procedural facets necessary for shifting behavior within the maze until direct reaching of the platform. The lack of flexibility in changing exploration strategies displayed by pretrained HCbed rats is interpreted by taking into account the well-known cerebellar frontal interplay sculpting a specific cerebellar role in the acquisition of spatial procedural steps.
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  • 84
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    Experimental brain research 126 (1999), S. 235-251 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Motor learning and memory ; Perseveration ; Prefrontal cortex ; Reversal learning ; Basal ganglia ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The ability to inhibit previously learned visuomotor associations is essential for efficient learning of novel behaviors. While the neural basis of the system that might control interactions between competing motor memories is not known, it has been demonstrated that animals with ventral and orbital prefrontal cortex (PFC) deficits have particular difficulties in learning to withhold responses to previously conditioned sensory stimuli. Here we measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), using positron emission tomography, during learning of a novel motor task that required inhibition of a previously learned motor memory. Subjects (n=24) learned reaching movements in a force field (field A). After a variable time interval, some subjects (n=15) learned to reach in a field with a reversed pattern of forces (field B). When the time interval was short (10 min), learning in field B was coincident with a reactivation of regions that had become initially activated during learning in field A: the left putamen and bilaterally in the dorsolateral PFC. Behaviorally, this was accompanied with perseveration that lasted for hundreds of movements, suggesting an instantiation of the internal model for field A during learning in field B. Neither the reactivation nor the perseveration were observed in a different group of subjects that learned field B at 5.5 h. We found that the regions which significantly differentiated the two groups during learning of B were in the ventrolateral PFC (bilaterally): there were sharp decreases in rCBF here in the 5.5 group but not in the 10-min group. At 5.5 h motor learning again involved the striatum, but this time in the left caudate. Neither the caudate nor the ventral PFC had exhibited learning-related activity in field A. Instead, they showed changes in rCBF during the reversal of the learning problem when the previously acquired motor memory was successfully gated. The results demonstrate that: (1) perseveration of a competing motor memory may be linked to reactivation of the neural circuit that participated in acquiring that memory, and (2) the ventral PFC may play an important role in the inhibitory control of the competing motor memory.
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  • 85
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    Experimental brain research 126 (1999), S. 307-314 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Striatal dopamine depletion ; Rat ; Locomotion ; Ground reaction forces ; Gait ; Unilateral ; Kinetic ; Centre of mass
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Hemi-parkinsonian rats have preserved postural reflexes but are impaired in initiation of voluntary movements. Surprisingly, these rats can walk and run, suggesting that they can access some compensatory strategy to overcome the rigidity in their impaired limbs. The purpose of the present experiment was to investigate the locomotor compensations made by hemi-parkinsonian rats by measuring the forces exerted by the limbs on the ground throughout the stride during trotting. Rats with unilateral dopamine depletion produced by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the nigrostriatal bundle were trained to run back and forth in an alley for food reinforcement. Ground reaction forces were measured in three orthogonal directions using a force plate embedded in the runway. Rats were also videotaped so that limb movements were synchronized with force recordings. Although locomotion was obviously impaired, the affected limbs could support weight and provide some braking forces. In addition, the impaired hindlimb provided significant propulsive force, and a relatively large laterally directed force. Analysis of vertical movement of the centre of mass suggested that the impaired hindlimb was being used partly as a spring. The most significant abnormalities were seen during the diagonal couplet of the impaired forelimb and the unimpaired hindlimb, partly reflecting the important compensatory role of the unimpaired hindlimb. These results demonstrate that this method is useful in the analysis of hemi-parkinsonian gait and provide insights as to how rats can use an impaired limb to produce weight support and propulsion.
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  • 86
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    Experimental brain research 126 (1999), S. 351-358 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Tooth pulp ; Phrenic nerve ; Electrical stimulation ; C1 spinal neuron ; Digastric electromyogram ; Somatic receptive field ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Effects of electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral tooth pulp (TP) on C1 spinal neurons were determined in 33 anesthetized rats. One hundred and seven neurons responded to TP stimulation. In 10 rats, the activity of 18 C1 spinal neurons and the amplitude of a digastric electromyogram (dEMG, n=10) increased proportionally during the TP stimulation at an intensity of 1–3 times the threshold for jaw-opening reflex (JOR). Excitatory receptive somatic fields were examined in 61 neurons. Somatic field locations of many neurons (67.2%) involved the ipsilateral face, neck, and jaw. The activity of 45 neurons was increased by both noxious pinch and brushing hair. Of the 107 C1 spinal neurons responding to TP stimulation, 55 were tested to determine the effects of electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral phrenic nerve (PN) above the heart. Twenty-eight of 55 neurons tested were excited; no change in activity was seen for the remaining 27 neurons. The activity of six neurons increased as the intensity of PN stimulation was increased. Excitatory receptive somatic fields were determined in 28 neurons, and somatic field locations of 17 neurons (60.7%) included the ipsilateral face, neck, and jaw. Both noxious pinch and brushing hair excited all 28 neurons. These results suggest that there may be the convergence of face, neck, jaw, TP, and PN afferents on the same C1 spinal neurons in the rat.
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  • 87
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    Keywords: Key words Corpus callosum ; Interhemispheric transfer ; Positron emission tomography ; Split brain ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  We studied with PET the intra- and interhemispheric pathways subserving a simple, speeded-up visuomotor task. Six normal subjects and one patient with a complete section of the corpus callosum (M.E.) underwent regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements under conditions of lateralized tachistoscopic visual presentations in a simple manual reaction time paradigm. Confirming previous behavioural findings, we found that on average crossed hand and/or hemifield conditions, i.e. those requiring an interhemispheric transfer of information, yielded a longer RT than uncrossed conditions. This difference (0.7 ms) was dramatically larger (45.6 ms) in the callosum-sectioned patient M.E. In normal subjects the cortical areas selectively activated in uncrossed and crossed conditions were different. In the former condition, most activation foci were anterior to the ventral anterior commissure (VAC) plane, whereas in the latter there was a prevalent parietal and occipital activation. This shows that a simple model in which the cortical visuo-motor pathways are similar in the intra- and the interhemispheric condition, with an extra callosal route for the latter, is too simplistic. Furthermore, these results suggest that the bulk of visuomotor interhemispheric transfer takes place through the widespread callosal fibres interconnecting the parietal cortices of the two hemispheres. The pattern of activation in the two crossing conditions was markedly different in M.E., in whom interhemispheric transfer might take place via his intact anterior commissure or subcortical commissures.
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  • 88
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    Keywords: Key words Acetylcholine ; Brain slices ; Cerebral cortex ; Long-term depression ; Rat ; Synaptic plasticity
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The ability of layer I activation to facilitate the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in layer II/III horizontal connections of motor cortex (MI) was examined in rat brain slice preparations. Field potentials evoked in layer I and layer II/III horizontal pathways were recorded from radially aligned MI sites. While theta burst stimulation (TBS) of layer II/III pathways alone failed to induce LTP, simultaneous TBS of layer I and layer II/III inputs on alternate sides of the recording electrodes induced LTP in the layer II/III input in 8 out of 13 slices (mean change +20±6%; N=13). In the same cases, the layer I connections showed mixed effects: LTP in three cases, LTD in five cases, and no modification in five slices. Despite the facilitatory effect of layer I activation on layer II/III LTP induction, we found that the critical circuitry for this effect was outside layer I. Cutting the layer I fibers selectively in the slice did not prevent layer II/III LTP induction, while cuts preserving only layer I blocked layer II/III LTP after conjoint I+II/III TBS. Cholinergic fibers were evaluated as candidates for the facilitatory effect because they branch widely in both layers and they are thought to participate in synaptic modification. The cholinergic contribution to layer II/III LTP facilitation was investigated using bath application of muscarinic antagonists. Muscarinic blockade prevented facilitation of layer II/III LTP by layer I coactivation. Instead, conjoint stimulation in 10 µM atropine produced long-term depression (LTD) of layer II/III (–18±9%; N=11) as well as of layer I (–21±6%; N=11) horizontal responses. These results indicate that connections formed within layer I are ineffective in promoting LTP in the deeper-lying horizontal connections; the critical route by which layer I stimulation influenced LTP induction required the circuitry in the deeper layers, particularly the cholinergic system. Thus, it appears that diffuse cholinergic afferents provide an additional route to regulate activity-dependent synaptic modificaton in horizontal cortical connections.
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  • 89
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    Keywords: Key words Motor unit ; Contraction ; Stimulation pattern ; Rat ; Medial gastrocnemius
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The effects of irregularity in the pattern of stimulation on the tension produced by motor units in the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle were investigated. The effects of decreasing as well as increasing the interpulse intervals were observed for each motor unit in tetani fused to different degrees. For each motor-unit type, it was found that the effects of these changes depended on the extent of tetanic fusion. Decreasing the interpulse interval produced an increase in tension during the tetanus: the more fused the profile of tetanus, the smaller the tension increase. Increasing the interpulse interval resulted in a decrease in tetanic tension. This effect was most prominent when the tetanic fusion index was approximately 0.75. This phenomenon resulted from the prolongation in relaxation when tetanic fusion increased, thereby preventing a decrease in tension when the interpulse interval increased. We also investigated the effects of introducing a short interpulse interval (”doublet”) at the beginning of the stimulation. The doublets produced increased tetanic tension with a more fused profile. However, the doublet enhanced the sensitivity of the tetanus to increases in interpulse interval and decreased its sensitivity to decreases in interpulse intervals. Slow-twitch motor units appeared to be significantly less sensitive to both increases and decreases in interpulse interval than fast-twitch units. This suggests that slow-twitch units are better suited for producing long-lasting contractions with a constant tension level. Conversely, the high sensibility of fast-twitch units to changes in stimulation frequency enhances their participation in regulation of tension of the muscular contraction.
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  • 90
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    Keywords: Key words Thyroid hormone ; RT-PCR ; p75 receptor ; trkA ; trkB ; trkC ; Septum ; Hippocampus ; Rat
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  Early postnatal application of thyroid hormones to rats results in morphological changes of the septo-hippocampal cholinergic and the hippocampal mossy fiber systems. Modulation in the expression of either neurotrophins and/or their receptors is postulated to be involved in these effects. In a recent study, we showed that, after thyroxine application, the mRNA expression of neurotrophins of the nerve-growth-factor (NGF) family is significantly upregulated both in septum and hippocampus. To test whether the neurotrophin receptors (the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75 and the specific high-affinity receptors trkA, trkB, and trkC) were also affected by hormone administration, newborn rats were treated daily with subcutaneous injections of thyroxine until postnatal day 12 (P12) at latest. Control animals received corresponding injections of saline. The pups were sacrificed at defined intervals from P9 to P14. The septal areas and the hippocampi were analyzed using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for quantification of p75, trkA, trkB, and trkC mRNA levels. Analysis of variance over the total investigation period revealed no significant general increases of the gene expressions of either neurotrophin receptor, neither in the septum nor in the hippocampus, although previous results have shown marked changes in neurotrophin levels. On particular postnatal days, significant upregulation could be observed in hippocampus for trkB and trkC. From these and recent data, we conclude that modulation of neurotrophin expression rather than neurotrophin-receptor expression contributes to the morphological modifications within the hippocampal mossy fiber system and the septo-hippocampal cholinergic system.
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  • 91
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    Experimental brain research 125 (1999), S. 43-49 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Proprioception ; Visual localization ; Visual context ; Multisensory integration ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  In a previous study we investigated how the CNS combines simultaneous visual and proprioceptive information about the position of the finger. We found that localization of the index finger of a seen hand was more precise (a smaller variance) than could reasonably be expected from the precision of localization on the basis of vision only and proprioception only. This suggests that, in localizing the tip of the index finger of a seen hand, the CNS may make use of more information than proprioceptive information and visual information about the fingertip. In the present study we investigate whether this additional information stems from additional sources of sensory information. In experiment 1 we tested whether seeing an entire arm instead of only the fingertip gives rise to a more precise proprioceptive and/or visual localization of that fingertip. In experiment 2 we checked whether the presence of a structured visual environment leads to a more precise proprioceptive localization of the index finger of an unseen hand. In experiment 3 we investigated whether looking in the direction of the index finger of an unseen hand improves proprioceptive localization of that finger. We found no significant effect in any of the experiments. The results refute the hypothesis that the investigated effects can explain the previously reported very precise localization of a seen hand. This suggests that localization of a seen finger is based exclusively on proprioception and on vision of the finger. The results suggest that these sensory signals may contain more information than is described by the magnitude of their variances.
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  • 92
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    Experimental brain research 125 (1999), S. 139-152 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Reaching movements ; Direction ; Amplitude ; Initial kinematics ; Spatial variability ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The accuracy of reaching movements to memorized visual target locations is presumed to be determined largely by central planning processes before movement onset. If so, then the initial kinematics of a pointing movement should predict its endpoint. Our study examined this hypothesis by testing the correlation between peak acceleration, peak velocity, and movement amplitude and the correspondence between the respective spatial positions of these kinematic landmarks. Subjects made planar horizontal reaching movements to targets located at five different distances and along five radially arrayed directions without visual feedback during the movements.The spatial dispersion of the positions of peak acceleration, peak velocity, and endpoint all tended to form ellipses oriented along the movement trajectory. However, whereas the peaks of acceleration and velocity scaled strongly with movement amplitude for all of the movements made at the five target distances in any one direction, the correlations with movement amplitude were more modest for trajectories aimed at each target separately. Furthermore, the spatial variability in direction and extent of the distribution of positions of peak acceleration and peak velocity did not scale differently with target distance, whereas they did for endpoint distributions. Therefore, certain features of the final kinematics are evident in the early kinematics of the movements as predicted by the hypothesis that they reflect planning processes. However, endpoint distributions were not completely predetermined by the Initial kinematics. In contrast, multivariate analysis suggests that adjustments to movement duration help compensate for the variability of the initial kinematics to achieve desired movement amplitude. These compensatory adjustments do not contradict the general conclusion that the systematic patterns in the spatial variability observed in this study reflect planning processes. On the contrary, and consistent with that conclusion, our results provide further evidence that direction and extent of reaching movements are planned and determined in parallel over time.
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  • 93
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    Keywords: Key words Three-dimensional pointing ; Human ; Remembered targets
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The accuracy of visually guided pointing movements decreases with speed. We have shown that for movements to a visually defined remembered target, the variability of the final arm endpoint position does not depend on movement speed. We put forward a hypothesis that this observation can be explained by suggesting that movements directed at remembered targets are produced without ongoing corrections. In the present study, this hypothesis was tested for pointing movements in 3D space to kinesthetically defined remembered targets. Passive versus active acquisition of kinesthetic information was contrasted. Pointing errors, movement kinematics, and joint-angle coordination were analyzed. The movements were performed at a slow speed (average peak tangential velocity of about 1.2 m/s) and at a fast speed (2.7 m/s). No visual feedback was allowed during the target presentation or the movement. Variability in the final position of the arm endpoint did not increase with speed in either the active or the passive condition. Variability in the final values of the arm-orientation angles determining the position of the forearm and of the upper arm in space was also speed invariant. This invariance occurred despite the fact that angular velocities increased by a factor of two for all the angles involved. The speed-invariant variability supports the hypothesis that there is an absence of ongoing corrections for movements to remembered targets: in the case of a slower movement, where there is more time for movement correction, the final arm endpoint variability did not decrease. In contrast to variability in the final endpoint position, the variability in the peak tangential acceleration increased significantly with movement speed. This may imply that the nervous system adopts one of two strategies: either the final endpoint position is not encoded in terms of muscle torques or there is a special on-line mechanism that adjusts movement deceleration according to the muscle-torque variability at the initial stage of the movement. The final endpoint position was on average farther from the shoulder than the target. Constant radial-distance errors were speed dependent in both the active and the passive conditions. In the fast speed conditions, the radial distance overshoots of the targets increased. This increase in radial-distance overshoot with movement speed can be explained by the hypothesis that the final arm position is not predetermined in these experimental conditions, but is defined during the movement by a feedforward or feedback mechanism with an internal delay.
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  • 94
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    Experimental brain research 125 (1999), S. 265-270 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Tendon reflexes ; Biceps femoris ; Gait ; Ia afferents ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  During gait it is generally accepted that there is a reduction in amplitude of H-reflexes as compared to standing. For short-latency stretch reflexes, however, it is less clear whether a similar reduction in reflex gain is present during locomotion. Stretches of constant amplitude are hard to produce under these circumstances and for this reason some previous studies on the biceps femoris (BF) have used ”reduced gait” in which the stimulated leg is stepping on the spot while the contralateral leg is walking on a treadmill. With this method it was possible to show that BF tendon jerk reflexes are larger at end swing and therefore are likely to contribute to the EMG burst normally occurring in that part of the step cycle when the BF is rapidly stretched. In the present study two questions were addressed: first, whether the reflex is different in size during gait compared to standing and, second, whether it is modulated in size during the gait cycle not only during reduced but also during normal gait. It was found that during both types of gait there was a general reflex depression with regard to the respective control values obtained during standing at similar EMG activity levels. In previous studies on soleus and quadriceps, discrepancies between EMG activity and reflex amplitude have been ascribed to changes in presynaptic inhibition of Ia terminals mediating the afferent volley of the reflex. Based on the data presented, this may also be true for the BF. In both normal and reduced gait the reflex was similarly modulated in size, showing a maximum at the end of swing. This similarity implies that reduced gait may be useful as an acceptable alternative for normal gait in studies on phase-dependent reflex modulation during locomotion.
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  • 95
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    Keywords: Key words Hyperventilation ; Magnetoencephalography ; Somatosensory cortex ; Auditory cortex ; Somatosensory evoked response ; Auditory evoked response ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  It is well established that voluntary hyperventilation (HV) slows down electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms. Little information is available, however, on the effects of HV on cortical responses elicited by sensory stimulation. In the present study, we recorded auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and magnetic fields (AEFs), and somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEFs) from healthy subjects before, during, and after a 3- to 5-min period of voluntary HV. The effectiveness of HV was verified by measuring the end-tidal CO2 levels. Long-latency (100–200 ms) AEPs and long-latency AEFs originating at the supratemporal auditory cortex, as well as long-latency SEFs from the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and from the opercular somatosensory cortex (OC), were all reduced during HV. The short-latency SEFs from SI were clearly less modified, there being, however, a slight reduction of the earliest cortical excitatory response, the N20m deflection. A middle-latency SEF deflection from SI at about 60 ms (P60 m) was slightly increased. For AEFs and SEFs, the center-of-gravity locations of the activated neuronal populations were not changed during HV. All amplitude changes returned to baseline levels within 10 min after the end of HV. The AEPs were not altered when the subjects breathed 5% CO2 in air in a hyperventilation-like manner, which prevented the development of hypocapnia. We conclude that moderate HV suppresses long-latency evoked responses from the primary projection cortices, while the early responses are less reduced. The reduction of long-latency responses is probably mediated by hypocapnia rather than by other nonspecific effects of HV. It is suggested that increased neuronal excitability caused by HV-induced hypocapnia leads to spontaneous and/or asynchronous firing of cortical neurones, which in turn reduces stimulus-locked synaptic events.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 96
    ISSN: 1432-1084
    Keywords: Key words: Liver ; diseases ; Peliosis ; Computed tomography ; Angiography ; Magnetic resonance imaging
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract. Peliosis hepatis is an uncommon liver condition characterized by blood-filled cavities. We report the CT, angiographic and MR features of a case of peliosis hepatis with no obvious etiology and spontaneously regressing hemorrhagic necrosis. Helical CT showed multiple peripheral low-density regions with foci of spontaneous high density suggesting the presence of blood component. On MR imaging, the multiple peripheral lesions were hypointense on T1-weighted and hyperdense on T2-weighted images, with bright foci on all sequences suggesting subacute blood. Angiography showed no evidence of tumor or vascular malformation; multiple nodular vascular lesions filling in the parenchymal phase and persisting in the venous phase suggested blood-filled cavities. Pathological examination showed blood-filled spaces with no endothelial lining, characteristic of the parenchymal type of peliosis. Knowledge of the imaging features of hemorrhagic necrosis due to peliosis hepatis is important since it can be responsive to antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, differentiating hemorrhagic necrosis from hepatic abscess avoids dangerous and sometimes fatal percutaneous drainage.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 97
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 42-52 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Ocular tracking ; Oculomanual coordination ; Electromyography ; Internal model ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  When the eyes and arm are involved in a tracking task, the characteristics of each system differ from those observed when they act alone: smooth pursuit (SP) latency decreases from 130 ms in external target tracking tasks to 0 ms in self-moved target tracking tasks. Two models have been proposed to explain this coordination. The common command model suggests that the same command be addressed to the two sensorimotor systems, which are otherwise organized in parallel, while the coordination control model proposes that coordination is due to a mutual exchange of information between the motor systems. In both cases, the interaction should take into account the dynamic differences between the two systems. However, the nature of the adaptation depends on the model. During self-moved target tracking a perturbation was applied to the arm through the use of an electromagnetic brake. A randomized perturbation of the arm increased the arm motor reaction time without affecting SP. In contrast, a constant perturbation produced an adaptation of the coordination control characterized by a decrease in arm latency and an increase in SP latency relative to motor command. This brought the arm-to-SP latency back to 0 ms. These results support the coordination control model.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 98
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 287-294 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Magnetoencephalography ; V1 cortex ; V2 cortex ; V6 complex ; Horizontal meridian ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  We recorded whole-scalp magnetoencephalographic (MEG) responses to black-and-white checkerboards to study whether the human cortical responses are quantitatively similar to stimulation of the lower and upper visual field at small, 0–6°, eccentricities. All stimuli evoked strongoccipital responses peaking at 50–100 ms (mean 75 ms). The activation was modeled with a single equivalent current dipole in the contralateral occipital cortex, close to the calcarine fissure, agreeing with an activation of the V1/V2 cortex. The dipole was, on average, twice as strong to lower than to upper field stimuli. Responses to hemifield stimuli that extended to both lower and upper fields resembled the responses to lower field stimuli in source current direction and strength. These results agree with psychophysical data, which indicate lower visual field advantage in complex visual processing. Parieto-occipital responses in the putative V6 complex were similar to lower and upper field stimuli.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 99
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Experimental brain research 126 (1999), S. 289-306 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Motor control ; Trajectory formation ; Coordination ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The degrees of freedom problem is often posed by asking which of the many possible degrees of freedom does the nervous system control? By implication, other degrees of freedom are not controlled. We give an operational meaning to ”controlled” and ”uncontrolled” and describe a method of analysis through which hypotheses about controlled and uncontrolled degrees of freedom can be tested. In this conception, control refers to stabilization, so that lack of control implies reduced stability. The method was used to analyze an experiment on the sit-to-stand transition. By testing different hypotheses about the controlled variables, we systematically approximated the structure of control in joint space. We found that, for the task of sit-to-stand, the position of the center of mass in the sagittal plane was controlled. The horizontal head position and the position of the hand were controlled less stably, while vertical head position appears to be no more controlled than joint motions.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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  • 100
    Electronic Resource
    Electronic Resource
    Springer
    Experimental brain research 124 (1999), S. 469-473 
    ISSN: 1432-1106
    Keywords: Key words Form from motion ; Visual development ; Visual acuity ; Human
    Source: Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
    Topics: Medicine
    Notes: Abstract  The development of dynamic vision was investigated in 400 healthy subjects (200 females and 200 males) aged between 4 and 24 years. The test consisted of a computer-generated random-dot kinematogram in which a Landolt ring was briefly presented as a form-from-motion stimulus. Motion contrast between the ring and background was varied in terms of the percentage of dots moving coherently within the ring in four levels (100%, 50%, 30%, and 20%). The subject’s task was to indicate the position of a gap in the ring (left, right, top, bottom). Results show a clear increase in performance with age for all motion contrast levels, with the greatest changes for the lowest levels. Adult performance was reached at the age of 15 years. Luminance-based static acuity measured with the Landolt test was poorly correlated with acuity for its form-from-motion analogue.
    Type of Medium: Electronic Resource
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