The Characteristics of Supramammillary Cells Projecting to the Hippocampus in Stress Response in the Rat

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortex (HPA) axis is the central mediator of the stress response. The supramammillary (SuM) region is relatively unique among the hypothalamic structures in that it sends a large, direct projection to the hippocampal formation. It has been shown that mild stress could activate the SuM cells that project to the hippocampus. However, the role of these cell populations in modulating the stress response is not known. The present study examined the effect of stress on different populations of SuM cells that project to the hippocampus by injecting the fluorescent retrograde tracer, fluorogold (FG), into the hippocampus and utilizing the immunohistochemistry of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), serotonin (5-HT), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and NADPH-d reactivity. Immobilization (IMO) stress (2 hr) produced an increase in the expression of ChAT-immunoreactivity, and tended to increase in CRF, 5-HT, GAD, TH-immunoreactivity and nitric oxide (NO)-reactivity in the SuM cells. Fifty-three percent of 5-HT, 31% of ChAT and 56% of CRF cells were double stained with retrograde cells from the hippocampus. By contrast, a few retrogradely labeled cells projecting to the hippocampus were immunoreactive for dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and NO. These results suggest that the SuM region contains distinct cell populations that differentially respond to stress. In addition, the findings suggest that serotonergic, cholinergic and corticotropin releasing cells projecting to the hippocampus within the SuM nucleus may play an important role in modulating stress-related behaviors.

Erratum: Neuroprotective Effect of Lucium chinense Fruit on Trimethyltin-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits in the Rats

No abstract available.

Neuroprotective Effect of Lucium chinense Fruit on Trimethyltin-Induced Learning and Memory Deficits in the Rats

In order to the neuroprotective effect of Lycium chinense fruit (LCF), the present study examined the effects of Lycium chinense fruit on learning and memory in Morris water maze task and the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) of rats with trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments. The rats were randomly divided into the following groups: naive rat (Normal), TMT injection+saline administered rat (control) and TMT injection+LCF administered rat (LCF). Rats were administered with saline or LCF (100 mg/kg, p.o.) daily for 2 weeks, followed by their training to the tasks. In the water maze test, the animals were trained to find a platform in a fixed position during 6d and then received 60s probe trial on the 7th day following removal of platform from the pool. Rats with TMT injection showed impaired learning and memory of the tasks and treatment with LCF (p<0.01) produced a significant improvement in escape latency to find the platform in the Morris water maze at the 2nd day. Consistent with behavioral data, treatment with LCF also slightly reduced the loss of ChAT and cAMP in the hippocampus compared to the control group. These results demonstrated that LCF has a protective effect against TMT-induced neuronal and cognitive impairments. The present study suggests that LCF might be useful in the treatment of TMT-induced learning and memory deficit.

Significance of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic Acid(DMSA) Renal Scan for Children with Urinary Tract Infection / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Acute pyelonephritis in children may lead to permanent renal scarring with a risk of later hypertension and renal failure and so needs prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the value of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) renal scan in detecting renal involvement of acute urinary tract infection(UTI) and determining the sensitivity to find coexisting vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 192 children(97 males, 95 females) admitted with bacteriologically proven and symptomatic UTI between May 1994 and April 1997 were analysed. DMSA renal scan was performed in all cases. 70 children underwent VCUG. Findings of DMSA renal scan were analysed according to age, sex, previous history of UTI and VUR. RESULTS: 89 children(46%) were under the age of 1 year. There was a preponderance of UTI in boys under the age of 1 year(66.3%) and in girls over the age of 1 year(63.1%). Of the 192 children studied, 155 children(80.7%, 81 males, 74 females) had first episode and the remaining 37 children(19%, 16 males, 21 females) had previous history of symptomatic UTI. Abnormalities in DMSA renal scan were found in 67(43.2%) of 155 children with the first UTI and in 30(89%) of 37 children with recurrent UTI. Bilateral DMSA abnormalities were noted in 8(5.2%) of 155 children with the first UTI and in 11(29.7%) of 37 children with recurrent UTI. Of the 70 children who underwent VCUG, VUR was seen in 41(58.6%) children. Of the 41 children with VUR, 31(90.2%) children had abnormal DMSA images. VUR was demonstrated in 37(75.5%) of 49 children with abnormal DMSA images and especially in 100% of 14 children with bilateral abnormal DMSA images. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of abnormal DMSA images was found in children with recurrent UTI and children with VUR, especially high grade or bilateral reflux. DMSA renal scan is a sensitive method for evaluating the functional defect of involved kidney and predicting coexistent VUR according to its image appearance in patients with UTI.

Significance of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic Acid(DMSA) Renal Scan for Children with Urinary Tract Infection / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Acute pyelonephritis in children may lead to permanent renal scarring with a risk of later hypertension and renal failure and so needs prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the value of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA) renal scan in detecting renal involvement of acute urinary tract infection(UTI) and determining the sensitivity to find coexisting vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 192 children(97 males, 95 females) admitted with bacteriologically proven and symptomatic UTI between May 1994 and April 1997 were analysed. DMSA renal scan was performed in all cases. 70 children underwent VCUG. Findings of DMSA renal scan were analysed according to age, sex, previous history of UTI and VUR. RESULTS: 89 children(46%) were under the age of 1 year. There was a preponderance of UTI in boys under the age of 1 year(66.3%) and in girls over the age of 1 year(63.1%). Of the 192 children studied, 155 children(80.7%, 81 males, 74 females) had first episode and the remaining 37 children(19%, 16 males, 21 females) had previous history of symptomatic UTI. Abnormalities in DMSA renal scan were found in 67(43.2%) of 155 children with the first UTI and in 30(89%) of 37 children with recurrent UTI. Bilateral DMSA abnormalities were noted in 8(5.2%) of 155 children with the first UTI and in 11(29.7%) of 37 children with recurrent UTI. Of the 70 children who underwent VCUG, VUR was seen in 41(58.6%) children. Of the 41 children with VUR, 31(90.2%) children had abnormal DMSA images. VUR was demonstrated in 37(75.5%) of 49 children with abnormal DMSA images and especially in 100% of 14 children with bilateral abnormal DMSA images. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of abnormal DMSA images was found in children with recurrent UTI and children with VUR, especially high grade or bilateral reflux. DMSA renal scan is a sensitive method for evaluating the functional defect of involved kidney and predicting coexistent VUR according to its image appearance in patients with UTI.

Role of Intracellular Ca++ in Contraction and Relaxation of Rabbit Corpus Cavernosal Smooth Muscle / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: To elucidate the role of intracellular Ca++ stores in rabbit corpus cavernosal tissue, we performed organ bath study using strips from rabbit corpus cavernosum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The corpus cavernosal strips of New Zealand white rabbit (3.0-3.5kg) were mounted in organ chambers to measure isometric tension. Each rabbit corporal strips of 3x10mm in size was incubated for 12 hours to reduce spontaneous contractions. The effects of Ca++ free Tyrode solution and TMB-8 (intracellular Ca++ blocker) on electrically and adrenergically induced contractions were evaluated. And the effects of ATP, bethanechol, sodium nitroprusside(SNP) and electrical stimulation(ES) in the presence of phenylephrine(PE) prestimulation were determined prior to and following preincubation with TMB-8. The responses were monitored via an FT03 force transducer and recorded on a Grass 7D polygraph and expressed as the g tension per 100mg of tissue in contractile response and percent of maximum contraction in relaxation response. RESULTS: PE and ES induced contractions were reduced depending on time but were not disappeared in the Ca++ free solution after 30minutes. Preincubation for 15minutes with 20uM TMB-8 significantly reduced contractile response of corporal smooth muscle (p<0.05). Relaxation responses to bethanechol and ES in TMB-8 preincubated group were significantly reduced in comparison with non-preincubated group (p<0.05). But there is no statistical differences between responses to ATP and SNP in TMB-8 preincubated and non-preincubated group. CONCLUSIONS: PE and ES induced contraction and NO mediated relaxation(bethanechol, ES) of corporal smooth muscle depend, in part, on the bioavailability of intracellular Ca++ via release through TMB-8 sensitive channels.

A Case of Perineal Testis / 대한비뇨기과학회지

The ectopy of testis may be due to an abnormal connection of the distal end of the gubernaculum testis and fibrous obstruction of scrotal inlet that lead the gonad to an abnormal position. We observed a case of perineal testis that is known to be rare form of ectopic testis and report it with review of literatures.