Ezrin gene, coding for a membrane-cytoskeleton linker protein, is regionally expressed in the developing mouse neuroepithelium

Ezrin is a member of the Ezrin, Radixin, Moesin (ERM) proteins family that are proposed to act as linkers between the cytoskeleton and plasma membrane. Ezrin regulates cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions playing a role in the regulation of cellular adhesion, movement and morphology in epithelia. Alterations in the expression of Ezrin and other members of ERM family have also been observed in brain tumours. Here we report the expression pattern of Ezrin during mouse neural development, from early stages to postnatal stages. In young and middle gestation embryos, Ezrin is expressed in the roof plate of the neural tube, in the presumptive domain of the choroidal plexus, and in some precise domains of ventricular epithelium. These domains are distributed in basal and alar neuroepithelial regions, some of them in relation to the expression of cadherins. At later gestation and postnatal stages, Ezrin expression is maintained on the mature choroidal plexus and is weakly detected in the proliferative regions of the mature brain.     

Emx1 and Emx2 cooperate in initial phase of archipallium development

Emx1 and Emx2 are mouse cognates of the Drosophila head gap gene, ems. Previously we have reported that the dentate gyrus is affected in Emx2 single mutants, and defects are subtle in Emx1 single mutants. In most of the cortical region Emx1 and Emx2 functions would be redundant. To test this assumption here we examined the Emx1 and Emx2 double mutant phenotype. In the double mutants the archipallium was transformed into the roof without establishing the signaling center at the cortical hem and without developing the choroid plexus. We propose that Emx1 and Emx2 cooperate in generation of the boundary between the roof and archipallium; these genes develop the archipallium against the roof. This process probably occurs immediately after the neural tube closure concomitant with the Emx1 expression.     

动脉硬化检测技术在健康体检中的应用研究

目的:分析动脉硬化检测技术在健康体检中的应用价值,为临床防治疾病提供依据。方法:对我院2010年2月~2012年2月期间体检的2026例体检者样本资料进行分析,观察其脉搏波传播速度及踝臂指数情况,分析其余生化指标的相关性。结果:在本组研究中,所有受检人群随着年龄增加踝脉搏波速度(Brachial Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity)的值也逐渐升高,异常检出率也增高。女性baPWV值45~54岁之间快速增加,显著高于男性(P<0.01)。性别是baPWV升高的主要影响因素,年龄及收缩压也起到一定作用。结论:动脉硬化检测技术在筛查心血管病早期风险过程中呈现较好的相关性,为临床诊疗提供较好的应用价值。     

超声引导下腰丛神经阻滞在老年患者腹股沟斜疝手术中的应用

目的:探讨超声引导下腰丛神经阻滞应用于老年患者腹股沟斜疝手术中的血流动力学变化及麻醉效果。方法:选取腹股沟斜疝手术患者39例,随机分为观察组(19例,U组)及对照组(20例,C组)。观察组患者采用超声引导下腰丛神经阻滞麻醉,对照组患者采用腰硬联合阻滞麻醉。记录两组患者麻醉开始前(T0)、注药后5 min(T1)、10 min (T2)、20 min(T3)、60 min(T4)及术毕(T5)的平均动脉血压(MAP)、心率(HR)、脉搏血氧饱和度(SPO2);评价两组患者的麻醉效果;记录麻醉后4、8、12、24、48 h的VAS评分;记录术后发生恶心呕吐,头痛、尿储留的例数。结果:C组T1、T2、T3时间点的心率高于U组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);C组T1、T2、T3时间点的MAP低于U组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);两组麻醉优良率均为100%;C组麻醉后8 h、12 h的VAS评分高于U组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);C组术中升压药使用率高于U组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);结论:超声引导下腰丛神经阻滞麻醉应用于腹股沟疝手术效果确切,血流动力学稳定,并发症较少。     

Asymmetric localization of Notch2 on the microvillous surface in choroid plexus epithelial cells

Notch family molecules are transmembrane receptors that play various roles in contact-dependent cell–cell interactions in a wide range of organs. In the brain, Notch2, but not the other members of Notch, is expressed in the choroid plexus at an exceptionally high level. We immunohistochemically examined the cellular and subcellular localization of Notch2 protein in the choroid plexus using confocal and electron microscopy. Unexpectedly, Notch2 was asymmetrically localized on the microvillous surface of epithelial cells in the choroid plexus of both postnatal and adult rats. This localization pattern of Notch2 suggests its novel and unknown role independent of contact with adjacent cells in the choroid plexus. In organotypic cultures of the choroid plexus, the addition of anti-Notch2 antibody resulted in deformation of microvilli in epithelial cells, which suggests a role of Notch2 in the maintenance of the microvillous structure in choroid plexus epithelial cells.     

Lipomas as an Extremely Rare Cause for Brachial Plexus Compression: A Case Series and Systematic Review

Introduction  Brachial plexus lipomas are extremely rare benign tumors that may cause slow progression of neurological deficits leading to thoracic outlet syndrome. Up to now, surgery remains challenging. The aim of this study is to present our surgical treatment regime and long-term neurological outcome in three cases of giant brachial plexus lipomas and to show results of systematic review. Patients and Methods  Retrospective analysis of our database “peripheral nerve lesion” to identify patients suffering from brachial plexus lipomas between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019. Systematic review was performed for literature published until March 31, 2020, analyzing PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and the Cochrane Collaboration Library independently by two authors. Results  Over the past years, three patients suffering from giant brachial plexus lipomas attended to our neurosurgical department. All patients underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound examinations, and electrophysiological testing. Tumors were removed microsurgically via anterior/posterior, supraclavicular/infraclavicular, and combined approaches. The patients were accessed postoperatively by MRI and clinical follow-up. Systematic review of the literature revealed 22 cases, which were analyzed in regard to demographics, surgical treatment, and neurological outcome. Conclusion  Brachial plexus lipomas are an extremely rare cause for brachial plexus compression. Total microsurgical removal with intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring is the treatment of choice with excellent long-term MRI and clinical outcome.     

Myenteric plexus is differentially affected by infection with distinct Trypanosoma cruzi strains in Beagle dogs

Chagasic megaoesophagus and megacolon are characterised by motor abnormalities related to enteric nervous system lesions and their development seems to be related to geographic distribution of distinct Trypanosoma cruzi subpopulations. Beagle dogs were infected with Y or Berenice-78 (Be-78) T. cruzi strains and necropsied during the acute or chronic phase of experimental disease for post mortem histopathological evaluation of the oesophagus and colon. Both strains infected the oesophagus and colon and caused an inflammatory response during the acute phase. In the chronic phase, inflammatory process was observed exclusively in the Be-78 infected animals, possibly due to a parasitism persistent only in this group. Myenteric denervation occurred during the acute phase of infection for both strains, but persisted chronically only in Be-78 infected animals. Glial cell involvement occurred earlier in animals infected with the Y strain, while animals infected with the Be-78 strain showed reduced glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactive area of enteric glial cells in the chronic phase. These results suggest that although both strains cause lesions in the digestive tract, the Y strain is associated with early control of the lesion, while the Be-78 strain results in progressive gut lesions in this model.     

The resolution of neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration: leukocyte recruitment via the choroid plexus

Inflammation is an integral part of the body's physiological repair mechanism, unless it remains unresolved and becomes pathological, as evident in the progressive nature of neurodegeneration. Based on studies from outside the central nervous system (CNS), it is now understood that the resolution of inflammation is an active process, which is dependent on well‐orchestrated innate and adaptive immune responses. Due to the immunologically privileged status of the CNS, such resolution mechanism has been mostly ignored. Here, we discuss resolution of neuroinflammation as a process that depends on a network of immune cells operating in a tightly regulated sequence, involving the brain's choroid plexus (CP), a unique neuro‐immunological interface, positioned to integrate signals it receives from the CNS parenchyma with signals coming from circulating immune cells, and to function as an on‐alert gate for selective recruitment of inflammation‐resolving leukocytes to the inflamed CNS parenchyma. Finally, we propose that functional dysregulation of the CP reflects a common underlying mechanism in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, and can thus serve as a potential novel target for therapy.     

彩色多普勒超声定位锁骨上臂丛神经阻滞在上肢骨科手术的应用

目的:探讨彩色多普勒超声定位锁骨上臂丛神经阻滞在上肢骨科手术的应用价值。方法:选择2012年5月-2013年12月行锁骨上臂丛神经阻滞麻醉的上肢骨科手术患者120例,根据锁骨上臂丛定位方法的不同分为对照组和观察组,每组60例,观察组选择彩色多普勒超声定位锁骨上臂丛神经,对照组选择和传统手法解剖学定位,比较两组患者麻醉操作时间、麻醉显效时间、持续时间,麻醉优良率及并发症情况。结果:1观察组操作时间、麻醉显效时间分别为(192.5±23.86)s,(10.45±2.39)min,较对照组的(227.75±26.18)s,(15.36±4.85)min短,两组比较差异有统计学意义(t1=48.34,P1=0.015;t2=6.28,P2=0.022);2观察组麻醉优良率为100%,明显高于对照组的86.67%,两组比较差异有统计学意义(x2=9.12,P=0.041);3观察组患者无并发症发生,对照组2例并发皮下血肿,1例药物毒性反应,1例交感神经阻滞,并发症发生率为8.33%,两组比较并发症发生率差异有统计学意义(x2=8.34,P=0.049)。结论:彩色多普勒超声定位锁骨上臂丛神经阻滞操作时间短、显效快、持续时间长,麻醉优良率高,安全性高,值得临床推广应用。