Difference in resting-state fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation between bipolar depression and unipolar depression patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) of localized brain activities in the resting-state between bipolar depression and unipolar depression patients and to find biological markers that differentiate the two groups of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with bipolar depression, 15 patients with unipolar depression, and 16 healthy control subjects that were matched in age and years of education were subjected to 3.0 T resting-state functional magnetic resonance scans. The values of whole brain fALFF were calculated and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: The fALFF-values of the right inferior temporal gyrus, left cerebellar posterior lobe, right middle temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus/insula, right inferior frontal gyrus/insula, left lingual gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus of the three groups showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Compared with the healthy control (HC) group, the fALFF-values of the unipolar depression (UD) patient group significantly increased in the right superior temporal gyrus, left insula, left inferior frontal gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus and right medial frontal gyrus but significantly decreased in the right medial occipital gyrus, left frontal lobe, right superior parietal lobule; the fALFF-values of the bipolar depression (BD) patient group significantly decreased in the left cerebellum posterior lobe, right lingual gyrus, left lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and left superior frontal gyrus and significantly increased in the right inferior frontal gyrus and left insula compared to those of the HC group; compared with those of the UD group, the fALFF-values of the BD group significantly decreased in the left middle occipital gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left medial frontal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: The brain activities of BD and UD patients in the resting-state exhibit abnormalities, which differ between the two groups of patients.

Note: Dynamic strain field mapping with synchrotron X-ray digital image correlation.

We present a dynamic strain field mapping method based on synchrotron X-ray digital image correlation (XDIC). Synchrotron X-ray sources are advantageous for imaging with exceptional spatial and temporal resolutions, and X-ray speckles can be produced either from surface roughness or internal inhomogeneities. Combining speckled X-ray imaging with DIC allows one to map strain fields with high resolutions. Based on experiments on void growth in Al and deformation of a granular material during Kolsky bar/gas gun loading at the Advanced Photon Source beamline 32ID, we demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic XDIC. XDIC is particularly useful for dynamic, in-volume, measurements on opaque materials under high strain-rate, large, deformation.

Rosiglitazone attenuates hyperglycemia-enhanced hemorrhagic transformation after transient focal ischemia in rats.

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) has been claimed to represent the most feared complication of treatment with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) therapy. In this study, we tested the effect of rosiglitazone on HT in a rat focal cerebral ischemia model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received an injection of 50% dextrose (6ml/kg intraperitoneally) and were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) 10 min later, with the regional cerebral blood flow monitored in vivo by laser-Doppler-flowmetry. Two groups were included: rosiglitazone treatment and vehicle group. In the treatment group, after 1.5h of ischemia, rosiglitazone (2mg/kg) was administered at the onset of reperfusion. Neurobehavioral scores, infarct volume, hemoglobin leakage, hemorrhage rate, the expression of collagen IV and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) were measured at 24h after ischemia. Rosiglitazone improved neurobehavioral deficits, reduced infarct volume and hemorrhage rate, and inhibited hemoglobin leakage, when compared with the vehicle group. In addition, it increased the expression of collagen IV and GLUT1 compared to the vehicle group. Our results suggest that rosiglitazone attenuated the hyperglycemia-induced HT after MCAO, possibly by preservation of GLUT1 expression.

Resonance measurement of nonlocal spin torque in a three-terminal magnetic device.

A pure spin current generated within a nonlocal spin valve can exert a spin-transfer torque on a nanomagnet. This nonlocal torque enables new design schemes for magnetic memory devices that do not require the application of large voltages across tunnel barriers that can suffer electrical breakdown. Here we report a quantitative measurement of this nonlocal spin torque using spin-torque-driven ferromagnetic resonance. Our measurement agrees well with the prediction of an effective circuit model for spin transport. Based on this model, we suggest strategies for optimizing the strength of nonlocal torque.

Comparison of changes in markers of muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise and ischemia/reperfusion.

To examine the effects of eccentric exercise (EE) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on the markers of muscle damage, 72 rats were randomly assigned to the EE group, I/R group and control group (C), respectively. The rats in EE ran downhill on a treadmill with a 16 ° inclination at a constant speed for 90 min, and the rats in the I/R group underwent 90 min of four-limb ischemia, followed by 24, 48 and 72 h of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were collected immediately, 24, 48 and 72 h after exercise or reperfusion. Quantitative analyses showed that the I/R group had a significantly larger mitochondrial volume at 24 h after reperfusion compared with the C, and there were more disrupted Z-lines in the EE group and more disrupted mitochondria in the I/R group at 24 h after exercise or reperfusion. When compared with the C, a significantly lower total antioxidant capacity and higher interleukin-6 value were observed after exercise or reperfusion. Our data suggest that although EE and I/R result in some similar changes in the muscle damage markers, there are still some differences. The EE- and I/R-induced muscle damage may be due to different mechanisms.

Lipid-rich carcinoma of the breast: a case report.

Lipid-rich carcinoma is a rare variant and accounts for < or = 2% of all breast cancer diagnoses. We report a case occurring in a 53-year-old female. The patient presented with a painless, right breast mass. Clinical examination and mammography suggested malignancy. Subsequent modified radical mastectomy revealed the diagnosis of lipid-rich carcinoma. The morphological features, differential diagnosis and treatment along with a brief review of the literature are discussed in this article. Lipid-rich carcinoma (L-RC) is a very rare variant of breast carcinomas with an aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. It presents only 1% to 2% of all breast cases. It is classified as a specific variety of mammary carcinoma because the tumour cells possess abundant vacuolated cytoplasm which is strongly positive when stained for neutral fat. Aboumrad first described it in 1963 as lipid-secreting carcinoma. However, Ramos and Taylor renamed it as lipid-rich breast carcinoma. In China, the first case was reported in 1984. Herein, we report a case of lipid-rich carcinoma occurring in a 53-year-old female patient, and the literature is reviewed.

Assessing the genetic relatedness of higher ozone sensitivity of modern wheat to its wild and cultivated progenitors/relatives.

Modern wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most ozone (O(3))-sensitive crops. However, little is known about its genetic background of O(3) sensitivity, which is fundamental for breeding O(3)-resistant cultivars. Wild and cultivated species of winter wheat including donors of the A, B and D genomes of T. aestivum were exposed to 100 ppb O(3) or charcoal-filtered air in open top chambers for 21 d. Responses to O(3) were assessed by visible O(3) injury, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative growth rate, and biomass accumulation. Ozone significantly decreased light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (-37%) and instantaneous transpiration efficiency (-42%), but increased stomatal conductance (+11%) and intercellular CO(2) concentration (+11%). Elevated O(3) depressed ground fluorescence (-8%), maximum fluorescence (-26%), variable fluorescence (-31%), and maximum photochemical efficiency (-7%). Ozone also decreased relative growth rate and the allometric coefficient, which finally reduced total biomass accumulation (-54%), but to a greater extent in roots (-77%) than in the shoot (-44%). Winter wheat exhibited significant interspecies variation in the impacts of elevated O(3) on photosynthesis and growth. Primitive cultivated wheat demonstrated the highest relative O(3) tolerance followed by modern wheat and wild wheat showed the lowest. Among the genome donors of modern wheat, Aegilops tauschii (DD) behaved as the most O(3)-sensitive followed by T. monococcum (AA) and Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (AABB) appeared to be the most O(3)-tolerant. It was concluded that the higher O(3) sensitivity of modern wheat was attributed to the increased O(3) sensitivity of Aegilops tauschii (DD), but not to Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (AABB) during speciation.

Modulation of immune response with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin-induced anergic T cells in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

BACKGROUND: Platelet glycoprotein (GP)-reactive CD4+ T cells are essential for the stimulation and maintenance of antiplatelet autoantibody production in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Blocking costimulatory signals could result in platelet-specific T-cell anergy. METHODS: GP-specific CD4+ T cells from patients with ITP were made anergic using cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig). The CTLA4-Ig-induced GP-specific anergic T cells were investigated for their inhibitory function on GP-reactive T-cell proliferation and antibody production with in vitro culture systems. To further analyze their tolerizing mechanisms, we cocultured GP-anergic T cells with dendritic cells (DCs) from patients with ITP. RESULTS: Our studies demonstrated that the anergized GP-specific T cells have profound effects on both GP-specific T-cell proliferation and antibody production. These anergic T cells exerted their suppressive effects mainly in a cell contact-dependent manner, and they were not constitutively suppressive but required specific antigen stimulation to make DCs tolerogenic. The anergic T-cell-modulated DCs could induce the autoreactive T cells to be tolerant, and this effect was not restricted to T cells of the same specificity. CONCLUSION: Our studies demonstrate the efficacy of CTLA4-Ig in suppressing the pathologic autoimmune responses in ITP. These findings provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms of anergy induction in chronic ITP.

Amelioration of graft ischemia-reperfusion injury by breviscapine in rat small bowel transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the effects of breviscapine to ameliorate graft ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in a rat small bowel transplantation model. METHODS: Thirty-six recipients were randomly divided into three groups (n = 12): operative controls, in which grafts were implanted immediately after harvesting; an I/R control group with grafts preserved in cold lactated Ringer's solution at 4 degrees C for 4 hours before transplantation; and a breviscapine group wherein the graft was treated in the same way as the I/R control group but breviscapine (25 mg/kg/d) was injected intraperitoneally into both the donors and the recipients for 3 days before the operation of and into the recipients after transplantation. We compared the pathological scores for I/R injury, apoptosis index, and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the graft. RESULTS: Breviscapine diminished the pathological change caused by I/R injury (breviscapine vs I/R control on 24 hours after operation, 1.50 +/- 0.55 vs 2.17 +/- 0.75; P < .05), decreased the apoptotic index (breviscapine vs I/R control at 24 hours after operation, 27.33 +/- 0.167 vs 73.83 +/- 0.077; P < .05), and reduced the graft tissue content of MDA (breviscapine vs I/R control on 24 hours after operation, 1.717 +/- 0.131 vs 3.167 +/- 0.196; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Breviscapine may protect the transplanted small intestine against I/R injury during transplantation in rats.

Donor lymphoid organs are a major site of alloreactive T-cell priming following intestinal transplantation.

We hypothesized that lymphoid organs within intestinal allografts contribute to their immunogenicity. Consistent with this hypothesis recipient T cells rapidly migrated to the lymph nodes and Peyer's patches of syngeneic and allogeneic intestinal grafts such that at 24 h approximately 50% of the lymphocytes isolated from donor lymphoid organs were of recipient origin. However, only in the lymphoid organs of allografts did recipient T cells display an activated phenotype, proliferate and produce IFNgamma. Rejection of allogeneic intestines lacking lymphoid organs was dramatically impaired in splenectomized, lymph node-deficient recipients compared to lymph node bearing, wild-type allogeneic intestines. This demonstrates the important role of donor lymphoid organs in the rejection process. Furthermore, recipient T cells proliferated more extensively and produced more IFNgamma in donor lymphoid organs than in recipient lymphoid organs, indicating that donor lymphoid organs play a dominant role in initiating the recipient anti-donor immune response following intestinal transplantation.

Effects of ulinastatin on postoperative systemic inflammatory response of recipients of rat small bowel transplantation.

AIM: We sought to evaluate the effects of ulinastatin on postoperative systemic inflammatory responses of recipients of rat small bowel transplantations (SBT). METHODS: Twenty-four recipients of rat heterotopic SBT were randomly divided into a control group and a treated group. Ulinastatin (50,000 U/kg(-1)/d(-1)) was injected intravenously 30 minutes before graft revascularization. Measured variables included plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP) on postoperative days 1 and 3. RESULTS: Administration of ulinastatin attenuated the postoperative increases in plasma concentrations of TNF, IL-6, and CRP. CONCLUSION: Ulinastatin attenuated the postoperative systemic inflammatory response of rat recipients of SBT.

Simplified techniques in rat heterotopic small bowel transplantation.

AIM: Establish a simplified heterotopic small bowel transplantation (SBT) in the rat. METHODS: Ninety pairs of male Wistar rats were used as donors and recipients. The whole small intestine with a vascular pedicle composed of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and portal vein (PV) was harvested as the graft. Revascularization was accomplished by end-to-side anastomosis between donor SMA and recipient infrarenal aorta and cuffed end-to-end anastomosis between donor PV and left renal vein of recipient. The distal end of graft was exteriorized to form an enterostoma. RESULTS: Average time of an operation was 130 minutes and the mean warm ischemia time of grafts was 30 minutes. The technical success rate of this model was 100% and 7-day survival was 95.6% (86/90). CONCLUSION: This simplified technique was effective and practical to improve the outcome of rat heterotopic SBT.

Pancreatic schwannoma: CT findings.

Schwannomas of the pancreas are rare tumors. We report a case of solitary schwannoma of the pancreas without von Recklinghausen disease. A 72-year-old man underwent routine abdominal ultrasound before cholecystectomy because of chronic cholecystitis and multiple gallstones, and ultrasound showed a small solitary tumor in the pancreas. Spiral computed tomography showed a 1.0-cm, well-defined homogeneous hypodense lesion with mild inhomogeneous enhancement and peripheral enhancement at the junction between the head and body of the pancreas. These computed tomographic findings are different from those in previous reports.

Microsurgical techniques in rat heterotopic small bowel transplantation: analysis of 450 cases.

BACKGROUND: We sought to review 450 rat small bowel transplantation (SBT) operations having a modified microsurgical technique to discuss the key steps for a successful operation. METHODS: Four hundred fifty rat heterotopic small bowel transplantations were performed in 3 stages: the first 80 cases were a training stage, the following 330 cases were for formal experiments, and, in the last stage, 40 cases were to analyze the relationship between the duration of cold preservation and recipient mortality. For all cases, revascularization of the graft was accomplished by an end-to-side anastomosis between the donor superior mesenteric artery or aorta and the recipient infra-renal aorta, and cuffed end-to-end anastomosis between the donor portal vein and the left renal vein of the recipient. The duration of each operation, graft warm ischemia time, and recipient survival rate were compared. RESULTS: In the first stage, the graft warm ischemia time was about 90 minutes where as it was only 35 minutes in the second stage. The longterm survival rates (>5 days) of recipients were 8.8% and 97.3%, respectively. In the 3rd stage, long cold preservation period significantly increased recipient mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Graft warm ischemia time was a key issue associated with recipient mortality; a well-trained, simplified microsurgical anastomosis between graft superior mesenteric artery and recipient aorta accomplished in a shorter time rendered intravenous transfusion not essential for the recipient.

Amelioration of ischemia-reperfusion injury of transplanted small intestine by ulinastatin: effects on accumulation and adhesion of neutrophil.

BACKGROUND: The graft protective effect of ulinastatin (UTI) against ischemia-reperfusion injury in small bowel transplantation (SBT) was verified with a rat SBT model. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of UTI on the accumulation and adhesion of neutrophils. METHODS: Twenty-four recipients of rat SBTs were randomly divided into a control group and a UTI group. UTI was injected intravenously into the donor (before harvest of the graft) and into the recipient (50,000 U/kg/d). Variables included graft pathological score; myeloperoxidase content (MPO); expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the graft and plasma concentration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the recipient. RESULTS: The pathological changes of control group grafts were more significant than those of the UTI group. The content of MPO and expression of ICAM-1 in transplanted small intestines were lower among the UTI group as were plasma concentrations of TNF. CONCLUSIONS: UTI may ameliorate graft ischemia-reperfusion injury in SBT through decreasing accumulation and adhesion of neutrophils.

Current-induced excitations in single cobalt ferromagnetic layer nanopillars.

Current-induced excitations in Cu/Co/Cu single ferromagnetic layer nanopillars ( approximately 50 nm in diameter) have been studied experimentally as a function of Co layer thickness at low temperatures for large applied fields perpendicular to the layers. For asymmetric junctions current-induced excitations are observed at high current densities for only one polarity of the current and are absent at the same current densities in symmetric junctions. These observations confirm recent predictions of spin-transfer torque induced spin-wave excitations in single layer junctions with a strong asymmetry in the spin accumulation in the leads.

Room-temperature ferromagnetic nanotubes controlled by electron or hole doping.

Nanotubes and nanowires with both elemental (carbon or silicon) and multi-element compositions (such as compound semiconductors or oxides), and exhibiting electronic properties ranging from metallic to semiconducting, are being extensively investigated for use in device structures designed to control electron charge. However, another important degree of freedom--electron spin, the control of which underlies the operation of 'spintronic' devices--has been much less explored. This is probably due to the relative paucity of nanometre-scale ferromagnetic building blocks (in which electron spins are naturally aligned) from which spin-polarized electrons can be injected. Here we describe nanotubes of vanadium oxide (VO(x)), formed by controllable self-assembly, that are ferromagnetic at room temperature. The as-formed nanotubes are transformed from spin-frustrated semiconductors to ferromagnets by doping with either electrons or holes, potentially offering a route to spin control in nanotube-based heterostructures.

Current-driven excitations in symmetric magnetic nanopillars.

We study experimentally the current-driven magnetic excitations in symmetric Co/Cu/Co nanopillars. In contrast with all the previous observations where the current of only one polarity is capable of exciting a multilayer system saturated by an externally applied magnetic field, we observe that both polarities of the applied current trigger excitations in a symmetric multilayer. This may indicate that in symmetric structures the current propels high-frequency magnetic oscillations in all magnetic layers. We argue, however, that only one layer is excited in our multilayers but, interestingly, currents of opposite polarities excite different layers. This hypothesis is supported by modeling the spin accumulation in symmetric magnetic multilayers.

Time-resolved reversal of spin-transfer switching in a nanomagnet.

Time-resolved measurements of spin-transfer-induced (STI) magnetization reversal were made in current-perpendicular spin-valve nanomagnetic junctions subject to a pulsed current bias. These results can be understood within the framework of a Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation that includes STI corrections and a Langevin random field for finite temperature. Comparison of these measurements with model calculations demonstrates that spin-transfer induced excitation is responsible for the observed magnetic reversal in these samples.