[Microanatomy and functional MRI study of arcuate fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus].

Objectives: To explore the microanatomy and functional MRI(fMRI) of arcuate fasciculus(AF) and superior longitudinal fasciculus(SLF),and to analyze their functions. Methods: Ten normal adult cadaveric head specimens (20 cerebral hemispheres) were fixed with 10% methanal at the Translational Research Institute for Neurological Disorders of the Wannan Medical Collegefrom February to December 2022.The Klingler fiber dissection technique was utilized to perform white matter fiber dissection,with a magnification ranging from 6 to 40.The study focused on the microanatomical structures of the AF and SLF,aiming to explore their relationships with deep brain fibers.Furthermore, six healthy adult volunteers who underwent fMRI of the brain were included.The collected diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were processed and integrated with the microanatomical findings for a comprehensive analysis. Results: After removing the gray matter of the cerebral cortex,the superficial U fibers were exposed.The long association fibers that beneath the U fibers were the AF and SLF,which were the main long association fibers in the superficial layers of the brain.The AF could be divided into dorsal and ventral parts,while the SLF could be divided into Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ.SLF Ⅰ lied within the upper bank of the cingulate sulcus,travels medial to the callosal sulcus.The SLF Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and the AF were located on the lateral surface of the brain.By removing the gray matter of the insular cortex and the extreme capsule,exposing the external capsule and claustrum.Subsequently,the AF and SLF Ⅱ,Ⅲ were dissected,revealing the corona radiata and sagittal stratum,along with other deep brain fibers.During the dissection,it was observed that there was a close connection between the AF,SLF Ⅱ,and the deep brain fibers.Furthermore,in the regions above the lateral fissure of the cerebral hemisphere,there was no direct connection of long association fibers between the gray matter cortex and the deep U fibers in the coronal plane.These findings were further supported by DTI studies. Conclusions: The AF and SLF are the major long association fibers that located in the superficial layers of the brain,and closely connect to the gray matter cortex and U fibers,even closely relate with deep brain fibers.In the regions above the lateral fissure of the hemisphere,only the AF and SLF Ⅱ and Ⅲ serve as superficial long association fibers in the anterior-posterior direction.These fibers are likely involved in the transmission of brain functional information between the top and bottom gray matter cortex in the coronal plane above the lateral fissure.

[Feasibility analysis on reducing iodine delivery rate of coronary CT angiography with 100 kVp to 60% of 120 kVp standard].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of reducing the iodine delivery rate (IDR) of coronary CT angiography(CCTA)with 100 kVp to 60% of 120 kVp standard. Methods: A total of 205 patients (105 males and 100 females, aged from 23 to 87 years) underwent CCTA due to suspected coronary artery disease in Department of Radiology of Peking University Third Hospital from February to July 2022 were enrolled. Those patients were divided into five subgroups according to their body weight: <50 kg, 50 to 59 kg, 60 to 69 kg, 70 to 79 kg and ≥ 80 kg, respectively. All the cases were scanned with 100 kVp tube voltage and combined with mixed iterative reconstruction technology KARL 3D. The IDR injection protocol was set to 60% of the 120 kVp IDR standard (10% lower than the guideline), and the IDR of each group was 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4 gI/s, respectively. The CT attenuations (CT value) and noise (SD value) of the aortic root, proximal left anterior descending branch and the distal segments of the right coronary artery, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast noise ratio (CNR) of proximal left anterior descending branch and the distal segments of the right coronary artery, the whole subjective image quality scores of the coronary artery, and effective dose (ED) of CCTA in the five groups were compared. The One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-walls test was used for statistical analysis. Results: There was no significant difference in CT attenuations and noise of aortic root, proximal left anterior descending and the distal segments of the right coronary artery, SNR and CNR of proximal left anterior descending branch and the distal segments of the right coronary artery, and subjective image quality scores among the five groups (all P>0.05). The difference of the dosage of contrast medium and ED among the five groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The dosage of contrast medium in the five groups were 30, 34, 38, 43 and 48 ml, and the ED in the five groups was 2.24 (1.88, 2.56), 2.62 (2.24, 3.17), 2.70 (2.48, 3.20), 4.13 (3.85, 4.40) and 4.44 (4.01, 5.02) mSv, respectively. Conclusion: It is feasible to reduce the IDR injection protocol of coronary CT angiography with 100 kVp to 60% of the standard injection protocol with 120 kVp, which is worthy of promotion.

First Report of Pythium splendens Associated with Severe Wilt of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) in Oman.

Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops in Oman. In the fall of 2004, sudden wilt was observed in muskmelon grown in a field at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat. The disease was characterized by rapid collapse of vines and muskmelon plants at the fruit production to maturation stage, associated with brown-to-dark brown rotted primary and secondary roots. The disease resulted in death of more than 85% of muskmelon plants in that field. On potato dextrose agar (PDA), with published methods (1), Pythium spp. were consistently isolated from crowns and roots of plants showing wilt symptoms. Further identification of five isolates of Pythium with sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA (1) using ITS1 and ITS4 primers produced a nucleotide sequence 806 bp long, which was identical among all isolates. Comparison with sequences deposited at the National Center for Biotechnology Information revealed 100% nucleotide similarity to a previously published sequence (Accession No. DQ381808) of isolate P091 of P. splendens from cucumber from Oman, for which identification has also been confirmed by morphological characteristics. The sequence of one isolate of P. splendens (P222) was assigned GenBank Accession No. EF546436 and deposited at CBS under Accession No. CBS121855. In pathogenicity tests conducted in a greenhouse, P. splendens induced damping-off symptoms on 7-day-old muskmelon seedlings and also reproduced the same wilt symptoms observed in the field when 2-month-old muskmelon plants were inoculated with 3-day-old P. splendens grown in PDA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of association of P. splendens with wilt of muskmelon in Oman. Reference: (1) A. M. Al-Sa'di et al. Plant Pathol. 56:140, 2007.

[Endoscopic dissection of perforating veins: surgical and pharamacoeconomic aspects].

Analysed herein are the outcomes of endoscopic dissection of perforating veins (EDPV) in a total of 113 patients presenting with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Of these, 71 patients suffered from varicose disease (VD) and 42 subjects had postthrombophlebic disease (PTPD). 54.9 % of the patients were in CEAP class C5-6. All of them underwent EDPV combined with simultaneous phlebectomy or crossectomy. The control group consisted of 26 patients who endured the classic operation by the Linton technique. All those engaged underwent ultrasonograp-hic angioscanning, with part of them being subjected to distal phlebography. Postoperative complications were observed in 2.65 % of the Study Group patients subjected to the EDPV procedure combined with phlebectomy, and in 34.5 % of those who had endured the Linton's operation. Both subjective and clinical assessment of surgical outcomes made it possible to define the obtained results as good in 82.3% of cases, as fair in 14.16%, and in four patients with PTPD, the results were defined as poor. The hospital stay following surgery in the Study Group patients amounted to 7.3+/-0.54 bed days, while in those of the Comparison Group it was 21.2+/-0.74 bed days. The obtained findings make it possible to conclude that the scope of surgical interventions in patients presenting with CEAP class C4-6 CVIs should in the majority of cases amount to simultaneous EDPV and radical venectomy. Such policy reduces the duration of the hospital stay 2.7-fold, with a 1.76-fold decrease in the treatment costs.

Syntaxin 1A is expressed in airway epithelial cells, where it modulates CFTR Cl(-) currents.

The CFTR Cl(-) channel controls salt and water transport across epithelial tissues. Previously, we showed that CFTR-mediated Cl(-) currents in the Xenopus oocyte expression system are inhibited by syntaxin 1A, a component of the membrane trafficking machinery. This negative modulation of CFTR function can be reversed by soluble syntaxin 1A peptides and by the syntaxin 1A binding protein, Munc-18. In the present study, we determined whether syntaxin 1A is expressed in native epithelial tissues that normally express CFTR and whether it modulates CFTR currents in these tissues. Using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence, we observed syntaxin 1A in native gut and airway epithelial tissues and showed that epithelial cells from these tissues express syntaxin 1A at >10-fold molar excess over CFTR. Syntaxin 1A is seen near the apical cell surfaces of human bronchial airway epithelium. Reagents that disrupt the CFTR-syntaxin 1A interaction, including soluble syntaxin 1A cytosolic domain and recombinant Munc-18, augmented cAMP-dependent CFTR Cl(-) currents by more than 2- to 4-fold in mouse tracheal epithelial cells and cells derived from human nasal polyps, but these reagents did not affect CaMK II-activated Cl(-) currents in these cells.

First Report of Leaf Rust by Puccinia triticina on Wheat in Oman.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), cultivated for forage and grain production, is an important crop in the Sultanate of Oman. In April 2005, leaf samples of an unknown local variety showing rust symptoms were collected from Rustaq, 100 km southwest of Muscat. Circular-to-oval, red-brown pustules, typical of uredinia, occurred mostly on the upper surface of leaves on plants nearing maturity. Telia with teliospores were observed on leaf sheaths. The disease was widespread in many fields and was likely to be limiting the yield. Urediniospores typical of Puccinia triticina Erikss. (=P. recondita Rob. ex Desm. f. sp. tritici) were roughly subglobose, measuring 18 to 28 × 20 to 25 µm, echinulate, with 3 to 8 scattered germ pores; teliospores were 2-celled, 34 to 50 × 15 to 17 µm, apex is chestnut brown, lower cell is light yellow, no germ pores (1,2). Pathogen identity was confirmed by nuclear ribosomal large subunit and internal transcribed spacer region-2 DNA analysis (voucher sequence deposited in GenBank, Accession No. DQ664194, voucher specimens deposited in the U.S. National Fungus Collections, BPI 872158 and 872159). Wheat is grown during the winter months in Oman and harvested in May. Although the disease was observed again in 2006, pathogen survival mechanisms are not presently clear, and current research is attempting to confirm its presence on alternate hosts, including grass weeds, and determine the distribution of the pathogen on local wheat land races and imported varieties. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report of P. triticina on wheat in Oman. Reference: (1) D. B. O. Savile. Fungi Can. 309:1, 1986. (2) M V Wiese. Compendium of Wheat Diseases. The American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, 1987.

First Report of Rust Caused by Tranzschelia discolor on Peach in Oman.

Peach (Prunus persica L.) is the primary fruit crop in parts of the northern mountainous regions of Oman. Local cultivars, propagated by seedling, are used to produce fruit for local markets and shade fodder crops planted underneath the peach canopy. In February of 2006, leaf samples showing rust signs and symptoms were collected from Balad Seet, 120 km southwest of Muscat. Angular, yellow spots were observed on leaf upper surfaces with orange sori on the undersides. The disease was observed to be affecting almost 100% of trees, with many leaves having more than 10 sori per leaf. Lesions producing urediniospores were also observed on twigs where spring growth had cracked. Urediniospores typical of Tranzschelia discolor (Fuckel) Tranzschel & M.A. Litv. were obovoid, echinulate, orange-brown, and measured on average 13 to 17 × 26 to 37 µm, with the cell wall 1.3 to 1.8 µm thick at the sides and as much as 5.8 µm thick at the apex. Golden capitate paraphyses were also present, measuring on average 35 to 57 µm long, head 13 to 16 µm in diameter, and tail 4.9 to 6.7 µm wide. Teliospores were not observed because of the time of year of collection. Pathogen identity was confirmed by analysis of a nuclear rDNA sequence spanning from the 5.8S through the ITS-2 into the first 1,000 bp of the 28S gene (1). A voucher specimen was deposited in the U.S. National Fungus Collection (BPI 875341). The voucher's rDNA sequence deposited in GenBank (Accession No. DQ995341) shared 100% sequence similarity with T. discolor (Accession No. DQ354542). Although T. discolor has a worldwide distribution (2), it has not previously been reported from Oman. Improving the quality of peach production in Oman is an agricultural priority because it boosts the economy of smallscale farms in the mountainous regions. This work will facilitate the current research aimed at evaluating cultivar response to rust disease. References: (1) M. C. Aime. Mycoscience 47:112, 2006. (2) P. F. Bertrand. Rust. Page 23 in: Compendium of Stone Fruit Diseases. J. M. Ogawa et al., eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, 1995.

Lidocaine Stimulates the Function of Natural Killer Cells in Different Experimental Settings.

BACKGROUND: One of the functions of natural killer (NK) cells is to eliminate cancer cells. The cytolytic activity of NK cells is tightly regulated by inhibitory and activation receptors located in the surface membrane. Lidocaine stimulates the function of NK cells at clinically relevant concentrations. It remains unknown whether this effect of lidocaine has an impact on the expression of surface receptors of NK cells, can uniformly stimulate across different cancer cell lines, and enhances the function of cells obtained during oncological surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NK cells from healthy donors and 43 patients who had undergone surgery for cancer were isolated. The function of NK cells was measured by lactate dehydrogenase release assay. NK cells were incubated with clinically relevant concentrations of lidocaine. By flow cytometry, we determined the impact of lidocaine on the expression of galactosylgalactosylxylosylprotein3-beta-glucuronosytranferase 1, marker of cell maturation (CD57), killer cell lectin like receptor A, inhibitory (NKG2A) receptors and killer cell lectin like receptor D, activation (NKG2D) receptors of NK cells. Differences in expression at p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Lidocaine increased the expression of NKG2D receptors and stimulated the function of NK cells against ovarian, pancreatic and ovarian cancer cell lines. Lidocaine also increased the cytolytic activity of NK cells from patients who underwent oncological surgery, except for those who had orthopedic procedures. CONCLUSION: Lidocaine showed an important stimulatory activity on NK cells. Our findings suggest that lidocaine might be used perioperatively to minimize the impact of surgery on NK cells.

First Report of Puccinia sorghi on Maize in Oman.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important annual forage crop cultivated in the Sultanate of Oman, especially during the summer months. It is used for green fodder and grains and often intercropped in fruit orchards, especially under date palms. In April of 2005, leaf samples showing rust symptoms were collected from Samail, 100 km south of Muscat. Oval-shaped, red-brown pustules covered both sides of the leaves and yielded urediniospores typical of Puccinia sorghi Schwein. Urediniospores were roughly subglobose, measured 23 to 28 × 20 to 25 µm, echinulate, with three or four equitorial germ pores (2). Teliospores (38 to 42 × 16 to 19 µm) were observed, but few in numbers, most probably because of the time of year of collection. Pathogen identity was confirmed by nuclear ribosomal large subunit (28S) and internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS-2) DNA analysis (voucher sequence deposited in GenBank, Accession No. DQ345724, voucher specimen deposited in the U.S. National Fungus Collections, BPI 871134). P. sorghi has previously been reported from Yemen and Saudi Arabia (1) but not from Oman. Maize is grown throughout the year in Oman, and pathogen survival probably does not require the presence of the alternate host, nonetheless, Oxalis species are present and current research is attempting to locate and confirm the presence of the aecial stage in Oman. References: (1) CMI Distribution Maps of Plant Diseases. Map No. 279. Ed. 4. CABI, Wallingford, UK, 1978. (2) D. G. White, ed. Compendium of Corn Diseases. The American Phytopathological Society, St Paul, MN, 1999.

Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis: report of two cases from Saudi Arabia.

Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis is a rare type of congenital hemolytic anemia reported only in American black children. We report the first two occurrences in Saudi children. This is an autosomal-recessive trait as proved by normal parents and two affected children. A pathogenetic and probably causal relationship with apparent elliptocytosis seems clear as three sibs have that condition.

White blood cells and bone marrow in typhoid fever.

Leukopenia and/or neutropenia are thought to be characteristic findings in patients with typhoid fever. In a study of 29 children 8 months to 15 years of age mild neutropenia was found in 1 (3%) and leukopenia in 6 (20%) patients. These findings are similar to those reported recently. Epinephrine stimulation tests done in 3 patients excluded the possibility of excessive margination as a cause of neutropenia or leukopenia. In 3 neutropenic or leukopenic patients bone marrow examination showed hemophagocytosis with an increased number of histiocytes that had phagocytized neutrophils, red blood cells and platelets. This phenomenon was not seen in the bone marrow of 3 patients with normal white blood cell counts. Hemophagocytosis is an important mechanism in producing neutropenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia in several infectious and noninfectious disorders.

Persistent neonatal hyperinsulinism.

Over a 3-year period, the diagnosis of persistent neonatal hyperinsulinism (PNH) was made in seven infants, from an unselected cohort of 18,726 births, all of Saudi Arabian origin. Thus the incidence of PNH was one in 2,675 births. The high incidence, associated consanguinity, and occurrence in siblings suggest that PNH may be inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder.

[Effect of U-50, 488H administered centrally in rats on urination and activity of TH-IR neurons in PVH].

The effect of a kappa-receptor agonist U-50, 488H on urine flow and the activity of TH-IR (tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactivity) neurons in PVH (Paraventricular neucleus of the hypothalamus) was studied in ethanol-anesthetized rats. U-50, 488H (5 micrograms/1 microliter) injected into PVH induced a potent diuretic response with no significant action on mean arterial pressure and heart rate. The diuretic response began within 20 min after injection, reached a peak value 41-60 min later and subsided at about 100 min. This diuretic response could be blocked by pretreatment with kappa-receptor antagonist NBT (Nor-Binaltorphimine Tetrahydrate). Both the number of neurons and staining density of TH-IR in the PVH tended to decrease at 20 min after the injection of U-50, 488H (10 micrograms/10 microliters) into the third cerebroventricle. The effect was most evident at 50 min and recovered at about 100 min after injection.

[The effects of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on the prolactin (PRL) gene transcription of pitutitary PRL releasing tumor of rat].

The effects of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) on the prolactin gene transcription of cultured pituitary of male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats PRL releasing tumor (PPRT) (induced by estradiol) cells were studied. The PRL mRNA levels were determined by in situ hybridization of cytoplasmic RNA with a DIG-labeled PRL cDNA probe. PRL mRNA levels didn't change when the PPRT cells were incubated with 10(-8) mol/L or 10(-7) mol/L GRP for 24 h, but decreased by 20% when GRP was increased to 10(-6) mol/L (P < 0.05). The PRL mRNA level increased to 1.60, 2.10, 2.21 times of the control group when the PPRT cells were respectively incubated with 10(-8), 10(-7), 10(-6) mol/L VIP for 24 h (P < 0.05). The PRL mRNA level didn't change when the PPRT tumor cells were incubated with 10(-8) mol/L E2 for 48 h, but did increase to 2.80 and 2.92 times of the control group respectively when 10(-7) mol/L and 10(-6) mol/L E2 were used. The results above indicated that GRP and VIP exert an inhibitory and a stimulatory effect on RPL gene transcription respectively, while the stimulatory action of E2 on PRL secretion is a direct one.

The spectrum of breast diseases in Saudi Arab females: A 26 year pathological survey at Dhahran Health Center.

In an attempt to delineate the spectrum of breast diseases in Saudi Arab females, we carried out a retrospective study of all cases of breast biopsies and mastectomies accessioned in the files of surgical pathology in our laboratory for 26 years (1967-1992). A total of 915 cases were collected. Fibroadenoma was the most common lesion encountered (30.7%), followed by fibrocystic condition (21.1%), carcinoma (14.9%), acute mastitis (7.2%), duct ectasia (4.9%), lactational adenoma (4.8%), intraductal papilloma (2.6%), galactocele (2.4%) and several less frequent lesions. Pathological conditions associated with lactation such as acute mastitis, abscess, granulomatous mastitis, galactocele and lactational adenomas constituted 16.2% of the cases in this series. This high frequency is related to the high fertility rate among Saudi Arab females. The mean age of Saudi Arab females with ductal carcinoma was 47.1 years as compared to 54 years in Western countries. Many patients presented with a large size tumor, skin and/or nipple involvement, as well as a high frequency (61.7%) of axillary nodal metastases in those who underwent axillary nodal dissection. The high frequency of fibroadenoma could be related to the large number of young females in our population. A great increase in the number of cases in the last five years has been observed. This could be related to more awareness among Saudi Arab females of their health problems and the expansion of our medical services.

Comprehensive newborn screening program: ARAMCO experience, the national need and recommendations.

Comprehensive screening programs for congenital diseases of newborn infants are lacking at a national or regional level. A comprehensive newborn screening program modified to the needs and resources available was established in ARAMCO Dhahran Health Center. This program includes screening for congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, abnormal hemoglobins, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficienc, and blood group incompatibilities. Several problems were encountered during the operation which required several modifications of the program. The organization and procedures of the program are described. Since the program was started in 1980, more than 70,000 newborn infants have been screened. Valuable epidemiological data have been collected and necessary information for direct clinical use was obtained. A national program to screen all neonates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is achievable and urgently needed. Recommendations based on ARAMCO experience are given.

[E2-induced prolactin-secreting tumor of heteroplasty pituitary in renal capsule of the rats].

OBJECTIVE: A prolactin-producing tumor induced by 17-beta-estradiol (E2) in isotransplanted pituitaries under renal capsules of SD rats were studied. METHODS: Male SD rats (30 days old) were transplanted with an isologaus pituitary under renal capsule and treated with subcutaneous implantation of an empty or E2-laden silastic capsule. RESULTS: After treated with E2 for 60 days and 120 days, both the eutopic and ectopic pituitaries were more than three times heavier than those from control rats, accompanied by hyperprolactinemia, and the body weight of rats decreased significantly. The effects of E2 on the weight of eutopic pituitary and the concentration of plasma PRL were time-dependent. In situ hybridization was employed to measure the levels of PRL mRNA expression in cells from the eutopic and ectopic pituitaries 120 days after treatment of E2. The PRL mRNA contents in both the eutopic and ectopic pituitary cells were much greater than those in untreated pituitary cells. But PRL mRNA levels showed no significant difference between the eutopic and ectopic pituitary cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our previous data has shown that prolactinomas can be induced by chronic treatment of E2 in eutopic pituitaries of SD rats. In present study it appeared that E2 exerted similar effect on the ectopic pituitaries which were distant from the hypothalamus. Our results also demonstrated that E2 could promote the PRL gene expression in both the eutopic and ectopic pituitary cells, and there was no significant difference between them. Our data suggested the possibility of PRL-producing pituitary tumors could originate from anterior pituitary.

[The effects of E2 and it's metabolites on the proliferation of rat anterior pituitary cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: The present work is determined to observe the effects of E2 (estradiol), 2-OHE1 (2-hydroxyestrone), 2-OHE2 (2-hydroxyestrodiol) on the proliferation of rat anterior pituitary cells (APC) in vitro by laser scanning confocal microscopy. RESULTS: 10(-6) mol/L E2 stimulated the growth of APC. After 2 days of incubation with E2, the DNA content of APC increased to 1.3 times of the control group (P < 0.01). 10(-6) mol/L 2-OHE2 (other than 2-OHE1) stimulated proliferative activity of APC and inhibited the inhibitory effect of peribidil (10(-5) mol/L), a dopamine receptor agonist, on the poliferative activity of rat APC.

[Melatonin inhibits TRH-stimulating prolactin gene expression of anterior pituitary cells in newborn rat in vitro].

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This work was to investigate whether melatonin (MEL) plays a role in the gene expression of prolactin (PRL), by the Method of in situ hybridyzation. RESULTS: Our results indicated that, at a higher concentration, MEL not only inhibits TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone) stimulating PRL gene expression of anterior pituitary cell in newborn rat, but also exerts a direct inhibitory effect on PRL gene expression in vitro. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MEL may be a regulator of PRL synthesis and secreting in vivo.