Prognostic value of somatosensory-evoked potentials in the surgical management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Study Design: Preoperative somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) were retrospectively analyzed and classified, and compared with surgical outcome.

Objective: To evaluate the value of the preoperative SEP waveform in predicting the clinical outcome after surgical management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Summary Of Background Data: SEPs have played an important role in spinal surgery.

Surgery for hyperparathyroidism in image-negative patients.

Hypothesis: Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and negative preoperative localization imaging have a different outcome than patients with positive imaging.

Design: Prospective single-surgeon case series.

Setting: Referral center.

Effects of Cd2+ on transient outward and delayed rectifier potassium currents in acutely isolated rat hippocampal CA1 neurons.

The effects of cadmium (Cd(2+)) on the transient outward potassium current (I(A)) and delayed rectifier potassium current (I(K)) were investigated in acutely dissociated rat hippocampal CA1 neurons using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The results showed that Cd(2+) inhibited the amplitudes of I(A) and I (K) in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner, with half-maximal inhibitive concentration (IC(50)) values of 546+/-59 and 749+/-53 microM, and the inhibitory effect of Cd(2+) was voltage dependent. Cd(2+) significantly shifted the steady-state activation and inactivation curve of I(A) to more positive potentials.

Mean position tracking of respiratory motion.

Modeling and predicting tumor motion caused by respiration is challenging due to temporal variations in breathing patterns. Treatment approaches such as gating or adaptive bed adjustment/ alignment may not require full knowledge of instantaneous position, but might benefit from tracking the general trend of the motion. One simple method for tracking mean tumor position is to apply moving average filters with window sizes corresponding to the breathing periods.

Developmental exposure to lead causes inherent changes on voltage-gated sodium channels in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons.

In this study, the effects of chronic lead (Pb(2+)) exposure, during day 0 of gestation (E0) to postnatal day 15 (P15), on voltage-gated sodium channel currents (I(Na)) were investigated in CA1 field of the hippocampus (CA1) neurons using the conventional whole-cell patch-clamp technique on rat hippocampal slices. We found that developmental lead exposure increased the activation threshold and the voltage at which the maximum I(Na) current was evoked, caused positive shifts of I(Na) steady-state activation curve, and enlarged I(Na) tail-currents; Pb(2+) delayed the activation of I(Na) in a voltage-dependent manner, prolonged the time course of the fast inactivation of sodium channels; Pb(2+) induced a right shift of the steady-state inactivation curve, accelerated the activity-dependent attenuation of I(Na), but made no significant effects on the time course of the recovery of I(Na) from inactivation and the fraction of inactivated channels. In addition, the co-treatment with alpha-tocopherol (VE), an effective antioxidant and free radical scavenger, completely prevented the aforementioned changes on I(Na).

Involvement of cyclin D1/CDK4 and pRb mediated by PI3K/AKT pathway activation in Pb2+ -induced neuronal death in cultured hippocampal neurons.

Lead (Pb) is widely recognized as a neurotoxicant. One of the suggested mechanisms of lead neurotoxicity is apoptotic cell death. And the mechanism by which Pb(2+) causes neuronal death is not well understood.

Enriched environment restores impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation and water maze performance induced by developmental lead exposure in rats.

Lead (Pb2+) exposure in children can induce long lasting deficits in cognitive function and has been modeled in experimental animals. Based on previous studies which demonstrated that learning impairments resulting from developmental Pb2+ exposure were reversible if the animals were provided with an enriched environment, here, we asked if environmental enrichment (EE) could also reverse long-term potential (LTP) impairment induced by lead. Rats drank 1,500 ppm lead acetate (PbAc) solution or distilled water throughout gestation and lactation.

[DT Light-Post system for prosthodontic treatment of residual root and crown teeth].

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical effect of DT Light-Post system in prosthodontic treatment for the residual root and crown.

Methods: 193 patients with 287 anterior teeth and premolars were involved, including 195 residual crowns and 92 residual roots. After complete root canal therapy, the teeth were treated with DT Light-Post system and all-ceramic crowns.

Effects of Cd(2+) on AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal CA1 area.

Cadmium (Cd(2+)) is a common pollutant that causes a wide variety of toxic effects on the central nervous system. However, the mechanism of Cd(2+) neurotoxicity remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined the effects of Cd(2+) on AMPA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission and short-term synaptic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 area, using whole-cell patch clamp technique.

Crystal structure of Natratoxin, a novel snake secreted phospholipaseA2 neurotoxin from Naja atra venom inhibiting A-type K+ currents.

Snake secreted phospholipasesA2 (sPLA2s) are widely used as pharmacological tools to investigate their role in diverse pathophysiological processes. Some members of snake venom sPLA2s have been found to block voltage-activated K(+) channels (K(v) channels). However, most studies involved in their effects on ion channels were indirectly performed on motor nerve terminals while few studies were directly done on native neurons.

Real-time prediction of respiratory motion based on local regression methods.

Recent developments in modulation techniques enable conformal delivery of radiation doses to small, localized target volumes. One of the challenges in using these techniques is real-time tracking and predicting target motion, which is necessary to accommodate system latencies. For image-guided-radiotherapy systems, it is also desirable to minimize sampling rates to reduce imaging dose.

[Influence of different amount of silane coupling agent on the flexural strength of PMMA/nanometer ZrO2 composites].

Purpose: To study the influence of different amount of silane coupling agent Z-6030 on the flexural strength of PMMA/nanometer ZrO(2) composites.

Methods: Nanometer ZrO(2) particles were modified by silane coupling agent Z-6030 with different percentages.In situ polymerization method was used to combine PMMA/ nanometer ZrO(2) composites of denture base plate.

The interaction of selenium and mercury in the accumulations and oxidative stress of rat tissues.

This study evaluates the interaction of selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg) in the accumulations and oxidative stress of rat tissues. Rats were divided into five groups including one control (n=9) and four treated groups including M-Hg (n=9), L-Hg+Se (n=11), M-Hg+Se (n=10), and H-Hg+Se (n=10) group. Treated groups of rats were instilled with different amounts of mercuric chloride (HgCl(2)) and dl-selenomethionine (SeMet) by gavage since pregnancy of their mothers.

Pharmaceutical analysis of synthetic lipid A-based vaccine adjuvants in poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle formulations.

The present study had two main objectives. First, was to compare the immune stimulatory effect of two synthetic lipid A analogues (7-acyl lipid A and pentaerythritol-based lipid A (PET lipid A)) on maturation/stimulation of bone marrow derived dendritic cells (DCs). Our second objective was to develop a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the quantitative analysis of lipid A-based vaccine adjuvants.

[In vitro studies on tissue engineered intervertebral disc].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of tissue engineered intervertebral disc for regeneration of discs.

Methods: A three-dimensional porous poly (L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold was fabricated by temperature induced phase separation method. Human fetal disc cells were isolated and cultured in vitro.

Clioquinol and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) synergistically rescue the lead-induced impairments of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal dentate gyrus area of the anesthetized rats in vivo.

Lead (Pb(2+)) exposure in development induces impairments of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) area of the anesthetized rats in vivo. The common chelating agents have many adverse effects and are incapable of alleviating lead-induced neurotoxicity. Recently, CQ, clioquinol (5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxy-quinoline), which is a transition metal ion chelator and/or ionophore with low affinity for metal ions, has yielded some promising results in animal models and clinical trials related to dysfunctions of metal ions.

The different roles of cyclinD1-CDK4 in STP and mGluR-LTD during the postnatal development in mice hippocampus area CA1.

Background: Cell-cycle-related proteins, such as cyclins or cyclin-dependent kinases, may have functions beyond that of cell cycle regulation. The expression and translocation of cyclinD1-CDK4 in post-mitotic neurons indicate that they may have supplementary functions in differentiated neurons that might be associated with neuronal plasticity.

Results: In the present study, our findings showed that the expression of CDK4 was localized mostly in nuclei and cytoplasm of pyramidal cells of CA1 at postnatal day 10 (P10); whereas at P28 staining of CDK4 could be detected predominantly in the cytoplasm but not nuclei.

[Clinical analysis of colour distribution in tetracycline teeth].

Purpose: To analyze the colour range and distribution of tetracycline teeth, and the difference from normal teeth.

Methods: 142 cases with 468 anterior tetracycline teeth and 100 cases with 200 normal anterior teeth were collected. The color was measured by a computer-aided Shade-Eye NCC colorimeter, and expressed in terms of 3 coordinate values (L,a,b) of the CIE-1976-Lab color system.

Pneumatosis intestinalis and portal venous gas without bowel ischemia in a patient treated with irinotecan and cisplatin.

Pneumatosis intestinalis and gas within the portal venous system are findings predictive of bowel ischemia. The etiologies of these alarming radiographic signs are diverse and not all causes require emergent surgical intervention. The combination of pneumatosis intestinalis, portal venous gas, and acidosis typically portends bowel ischemia and inevitable necrosis.

Influences of different developmental periods of taurine supplements on synaptic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 area of rats following prenatal and perinatal lead exposure.

Background: Previous study has demonstrated that dietary taurine supplement protected rats from impairments of synaptic plasticity induced by postnatal lead exposure. However, little is known about the role of taurine in the presence of prenatal and perinatal lead exposure. We investigated the possible effect of taurine supplement on prenatal and perinatal lead-induced synaptic plasticity deficit and determined developmental periods critical for the effect of taurine.

Intervertebral disc transplantation in the treatment of degenerative spine disease: a preliminary study.

Background: Spinal fusion can be complicated by accelerated degeneration of the adjacent segments. Artificial disc replacements have been developed, but results are variable. Successful transplantations of intervertebral disc autografts, fresh allografts, and fresh-frozen allografts-ie, a non-fusion strategy-in which the mobility and stability of the spinal segment were preserved have been done in a primate model.

Mercury-selenium association in antarctic seal hairs and animal excrements over the past 1,500 years.

Strong positive correlations between selenium (Se) and total mercury (HgT) contents in the liver of marine mammals and mercury mine workers in modern times have been documented in numerous investigations. Herein, we report a positive correlation between Se and HgT concentrations over the past 1,500 years in the seal hairs and in the lake sediments amended by seal or penguin excrements on King George Island (63 degrees 23' S, 57 degrees 00' W), West Antarctica. Because the changes in the input of Se and Hg into the marine environments of the studied sites do not seem to be synchronous, this striking correlation indicates a self-protection mechanism in Antarctic seals and penguins: Every time there is heavier Hg burden, more Se is accumulated to reduce the toxicity of Hg.

JNK1 contributes to metabotropic glutamate receptor-dependent long-term depression and short-term synaptic plasticity in the mice area hippocampal CA1.

Several recent reports implicate an important role played by c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) in long-term potentiation (LTP). However, little is known about how the isoforms of JNKs participate in synaptic plasticity. Here we showed that short-term synaptic plasticity was impaired in the hippocampal area CA1 of JNK1-deficient (JNK1-/-) mice; these mice showed normal LTP in response to a strong tetanus and no alteration of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent long-term depression (LTD) in the hippocampus.

Effects of Pb2+ on muscarinic modulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal CA1 area.

Lead (Pb(2+)) is a pollutant commonly found in the environment. It causes a wide variety of detrimental effects on developing central nervous system. However, the mechanisms of its neurotoxicity remained to be elucidated.