Variations of neuronal nitric oxide synthase after hypophysectomy suggest a neuroprotective effect of nitric oxide in response to damage of the neurons of the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus in the rat

The hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal systemoffers an ideal model to study the processes ofnerve degeneration/regeneration after lesionscaused by cutting the hypophyseal stalk, orhypophysectomy. Additionally, the magnocellularneurons comprising it contain nitricoxide, and its enzyme, neural nitric oxide synthase,shows important variations in functionalalterations of the hypothalamic-neurohypophysealsystem. Currently, there is still some controversyas regards whether nitric oxide exertsneurodegenerative or neuroprotective effects inthe nervous system. Here we performed a quantitativeand qualitative study of the variationsin the neuronal activity of nitric oxide synthase,using immunohistochemistry, and of itsmRNA, by in situ hybridization, in the magnocellularneurons of the supraoptic nucleus of thehypothalamus of hypophysectomised rats withsurvival periods of 10-30 days. Our morphologicaland morphometric results and thosepertaining to neuronal quantification and opticaldensity point to a neuroprotective effect ofnitric oxide on magnocellular neurons duringthe regenerative process of the supraopticnucleus that occurs after hypophysectomy (AU)

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Educational strategies applied to the teaching of anatomy. The evolution of resources

In the present article, we review the technologies and strategies used in medical education, in particular in the field of anatomy, analysing the developmental changes that have occurred in the different resources employed in the teaching of anatomy. The analysis begins by taking into account what has been achieved at the University of Salamanca, similar to what has been done in other universities. We describe the development of anatomy books: from the oldest in which there was only text to be read, to more recent books containing illustrations and then to the current crop of books now supplemented with material on interactive CDs, students' work books, and e-books. Likewise, we describe the development of rooms for teaching anatomy, since the ancient "Anatomy Houses", amphitheatres, classrooms with blackboards, dissection theatres, classrooms with diverse technological advances, to the virtual classroom. We also address the issues of dissection and other complementary strategies used to gain a better understanding of the human body: prosections, anatomical models, computer-aided learning, and virtual models have all found a place in helping students to understand human structure. Finally, we summarise the development of the strategies aimed at involving students in the learning process, in individual or team work, together with different communication and information technologies, such as the development of the Visible Human Project, video streaming, and the Moodle platform. We conclude that the implementation of one strategy or another must necessarily depend on the university in question and that all the tools available should be used for anatomy education in order for them to be useful in the training of good medical professionals (AU)

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Apoptosis is involved in the antiproliferativeeffect of corticosterone innon-tumoral ACTH pituitary cells

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Auto-paracrine regulation of the proliferation of pituitary ACTH-producing cells demonstrated by immunoblockade of IL-1Beta

Pituitary gland and is involved in the stimulationof ACTH secretion. However, to date ithas not been determined whether IL-1Beta is ableto regulate the proliferation of pituitaryACTH-producing cells, like other regulatoryfactors involved in the regulation of ACTHsuch as vasopressin or CRH. The aim of thepresent study was to address whether IL-1Beta isinvolved in regulating the proliferation andapoptosis of pituitary ACTH-secreting cells.Thus, we performed an in vitro study onmonolayer cultures of rat pituitary cells, neutralisingthe possible paracrine effect of IL-1Beta by immunoblockade of the interleukin andlater determining the degree of proliferationor apoptosis of ACTH-secreting cells. Theeffects of immunoblockade were validated bydetermining the modifications in the patternsof the immunohistochemical reaction toACTH-positive cells. Immunoblockade of IL-1Beta decreased the percentage and proliferationof ACTH-positive cells at all time-pointsanalysed, mainly between 6 and 12 h(p<0.01). Moreover, immunoblockade decreasedthe sizes of the cellular and nuclear areas atall time-points studied, with significantdecreases (p<0.01) after 3, 6 and 12 hours.The results obtained suggest that -in the sameway as it regulates the secretion of the hormone-IL-1Beta could be involved in regulating theproliferation of ACTH cells (AU)

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Effects of Arg-vasopressin and corticosterone on IL-1b-induced modifications of pituitary ACTH-producing cells

Interleukin 1b (IL-1b) stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, however the autoparacrineeffects of IL-1b‚ on pituitary ACTHproducingcells and the relations among IL-1band Arg-vasopressin or corticosterone have notyet been analyzed. To address these effects,pituitary monolayer cultures were treated withIL-1b, Arg-vasopressin and corticosterone, eitheralone or in combined treatment, and animmunocytochemical, morphometric and densitometricstudy of ACTH-positive cells was carriedout. IL-1b significantly increased the percentageand cellular and nuclear size ofACTH-positive cells, and similar effects werefound following treatment with Arg-vasopressin.Combined treatment with IL-1b andArg-vasopressin increased these parametersmore than in separate treatments. Corticosteronedecreased these parameters and blockedthe effects of IL-1b and Arg-vasopressin in thecombined treatments. In sum, our results suggestthat IL-1b is an auto-paracrine regulator ofpituitary ACTH-producing cells, that it reinforcesthe stimulatory effects of Arg-vasopressinand that corticosterone is an inhibitory regulatorof the auto-paracrine effects of IL-1b and Argvasopressin (AU)

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Reflections and challenges in the teaching of human anatomy at the beginning of the 21st century

The last years of the twentieth century and thefirst years of the third millennium have been acritical time in the teaching of Gross Anatomy. Inthe present work the authors report and analysethe reasons why Gross Anatomy lost importanceas a major subject in medical teaching in the lastcentury, basing their arguments on the datafound in the literature. Among these causes, weanalyse the following: the stagnation affectingthe teaching of Gross Anatomy; the decline inanatomical dissection; the delayed introductionof other teaching methods; the formulation ofaims and contents; the amalgam of professionalsfrom different fields forming Departments ofAnatomy, and the identity crisis experienced byanatomists. We also address the efforts of professionalsto bring about changes in the teachingof anatomy through (among others) the use ofnew technologies; application of technologicaladvances in the field of medical education; increasedtime spent on dissection; the compilation ofa common medical terminology, and the developmentof greater “dynamism” in AnatomicalSocieties and Federations. Finally, the authorsoffer some general considerations aimed atdefending and improving the teaching of Anatomyin medical curricula and the disseminationof Anatomy and anatomical research, and give abrief outline of their own experience at the Universityof Salamanca (Spain)

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The teaching of human Anatomy in Spain at the beginning of the twenty-first century

This work, which merely aims to reflect theauthors’ opinions, begins by pointing out a seriesof problems involved in the teaching of HumanAnatomy in Spanish Universities over the pastquarter century. Emphasis is placed on both thecauses that can be attributed to anatomists themselvesand on those deriving from Universitylegislation, especially after the University ReformLaw. We also refer to the small body of literaturepublished by Spanish anatomists with respectto the teaching of Anatomy, cadaver dissection orthe use of new technologies in such teaching. Wethen offer an overview of the current circumstancesand future possibilities not only of teachingand methodology but also as regards instructorsand departments. We offer a reference tothe Spanish Anatomical Society and we end byproposing a series of guidelines for the immediatefuture with a view to optimising the teachingof Human Anatomy and Embryology andthe professionalisation of future anatomists

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Identificación de los taxones de pólenes alergénicos en pacientes polínicos para conocer la temporada de riesgo / Identification of the allergenic taxa of pollen in patients with pollinosis to determine the risk season

Antecedentes: Es de utilidad para los médicos de atención primaria el conocer el periodo de riesgo de presencia atmosférica de polen en su zona. Nuestro objetivo fue identificar los taxones de polen causantes de rinoconjuntivitis alérgica en una muestra de pacientes procedentes de un Centro de Salud, que presentaban síntomas de alergia en relación con la estación polínica. Métodos: Se diseñó un estudio observacional, transversal y no aleatorio, para realizar en el Centro de Salud de Cazoña (Santander, España). Se escogió a treinta pacientes voluntarios, de ambos sexos, entre 13 y 69 años, que padecían síntomas estacionales de rinoconjuntivitis y siempre habían vivido en Santander. Se realizaron pruebas cutáneas con los mismos 25 extractos de polen habitual en España y con extractos de ácaros, epitelio de gato y Alternaria, mediante sistema Prick-Film. El resultado se expresó como porcentaje de área de pápula causada por la histamina, medido por escaneado de la pápula copiada, mediante el programa Prick-Scan para P.C. Resultados: En todos los pacientes las pruebas fueron positivas para polen de gramíneas, el 26 por ciento estaba sensibilizado solamente a gramíneas y el 23 por ciento era alérgico además a otro alergeno no polínico. El 27 por ciento fue positivo con Plantago, 20 por ciento con Quercus y 13 por ciento con Morus; el resto de los taxones fueron positivos en menos del 10 por ciento. El 56 por ciento fue positivo con ácaros y 6 por ciento con epitelio de gato. Conclusiones: Se puede considerar un periodo de alerta para los polínicos de la ciudad. En este caso, el periodo de polinización de las gramíneas, pues otros taxones sensibilizaron a pocos pacientes. Los polínicos estaban además mayoritariamente sensibilizados a ácaros (AU)

Background: Determining the risk season for the presence of pollen in the atmosphere aids primary care physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. Our objective was to identify the taxa of pollen that cause allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in a sample of patients from a health center who presented seasonal symptoms. Methods: We designed an observational, cross-sectional, non-randomized study to be carried out in the Cazoña Health Center in Santander, Spain. We selected 30 volunteers of both sexes, aged between 13 and 69 year old, who suffered seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms and who had always lived in Santander. Patients underwent skin-prick tests with the 25 pollen extracts routinely used in Spain, house dust mite (HDM), cat dander and Alternaria extracts by means of the Prick-Film® system. The test result was expressed as the percentage of the papule area caused by histamine. Measurement was performed by scanning the copied papule area with the Prick-Scan® program for PC. Results: All patients were positive to grass pollen, 26 % were sensitized to grass pollen only and 23 % were also sensitized to other non-pollen allergens. Twenty-seven percent tested positive to Plantago, 20 % to Quercus and 13 % to Morus; the remaining pollen extracts were positive in less than 10 %. Fifty-six percent of the patients were positive to HDM and 6 % to cat dander. Conclusions: A warning period for pollinosis patients in the city of Santander can be defined. In our case, the important period is the grass pollen season, since the remaining pollen taxa sensitized few patients. Most of our patients were also sensitized to HDM (AU)

Morphological and morphometric assessment of the encephalic ventricles using different neuroimaging techniques

An exhaustive analysis of the morphology and morphometry of the encephalic ventricles has been carried out using an array of diagnostic imaging techniques; namely, ultrasound, computerised tomography, magnetic resonance and its three-dimensional variant. The study was conducted on a total of 822 patients ranging in age from birth to 89 years old. The incorporation of these techniques into the field of Human Anatomy has permitted researchers to gain a different and updated view of the anatomical structures present in living human beings. Thus, using ultrasound the ventricular system was identified in the form of sonolucent or anechoic areas. With computerised tomography, the ventricles appeared as hypodense images within the adjacent cerebral parenchyma. With magnetic resonance, and three-dimensional reconstruction, the ventricular morphology was visualised on the three spatial planes. Visualisation of the ventricular cavities by MR varied depending on whether they were enhanced in T1 or T2, or in proton density. From the morphometric point of view, the cerebral ventricles exhibited variations in size that were directly related to the age of the patient; thus, age is a determinant factor in ventricular size. However, note should be taken of the low morphometric variability seen in IVv with respect to age. Regarding the other cerebral ventricles, size did depend on age (AU)

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Immunocytochemical and morphometric evidence of the existence of different cellular populations reactive to r-GHRH in the rat pituitary gland / Evidencia inmunocitoquímica y morfométrica de la existencia de diferentes poblaciones celulares reactivas a r-GHRH en la hipófisis de la rata

In order to characterize the pituitary cells reactive for r-GRF in the adult rat, an immunocytochemicaI and morphometric study was made of the cells immunopositive for r-GHRH and those immunopositive for GH and for GHRH using a double labelling method. The existence of two populations of r-GRF-immunoreactive cells was observed; one of these was only stained with specific serum against r-GRF and the other was immunopositively stained for GH and for r-GHRH. Morphometrically, in both sexes the GH-immunoreactive cells were seen to have a cellular size that was significantly larger (p<0.01) than the r-GHRH-immunoreactive cells. The cells that were only stained for r-GHRH were significantly smaller than those immunoreactive for GH and r-GHRH. Our findings suggest the existence of at least two cellular populations in the pituitary gland of the adult rat able to react with anti-r-GHRH serum (AU)

Con el fin de caracterizar las células hipofisarias reactivas a r-GRF en la rata adulta, se realizó un estudio inmunocitoquímico y morfométrico de las células inmunopositivas a r-GHRH y de aquellas inmunopositivas a GH y a GHRH usando un método de doble marcaje. Se observó la existencia de dos poblaciones de células inmunorreactivas a r-GRF; una de ellas solamente fue teñida con suero específico anti r-GRF y la otra fue teñida inmunopositivamente para GH y para r-GHRH. Morfométricamente, las células inmunorreactivas a GH presentaron un tamaño celular significativamente mayor (p<0.01) que las células inmunorreactivas a r-GHRH. Las células que solamente se tiñeron con el suero anti r-GHRH fueron significativamente más pequeñas que aquellas inmunorreactivas a GH y r-GHRH. Nuestros resultados sugieren la existencia de al menos dos poblaciones celulares en la hipófisis de la rata adulta capaces de reaccionar con el suero anti r-GHRH (AU)