Vaginal Lubrication after Cervicovaginal Stimulation Is Facilitated by Phosphodiesterase Type 5 Inhibition in Ovariectomized Mice

IntroductionNitric oxide synthases (NOSs) and estrogen receptors are expressed in the vagina.AimWe aimed to assess the impact of sildenafil on vaginal lubrication according to the hormonal status and to determine the role of the neuronal isoform of NOS (nNOS).MethodsFourweekold C57/BL6 female mice were sham operated or ovariectomized. At 10 weeks of age, they were injected intraperitoneally by any combination of sildenafil, 7nitroindazole (7NI)—a potent selective nNOS inhibitor—or the corresponding vehicles. Vaginal lubrication was induced in a physiological manner by cervical vaginal probing and quantified depending on the hormonal and pharmacological conditions. The animals were then sacrificed for vaginal histomorphometry.Main Outcome MeasuresThe main outcome measure is the quantification of vaginal transudate after cervicovaginal stimulation and vaginal histomorphometry.ResultsSildenafil increased cervicovaginal probinginduced vaginal lubrication in ovariectomized and shamoperated animals. Ovariectomized mice exhibited decreased vaginal lubrication as compared with shamoperated mice. When taking into account the presence of severe vaginal atrophy, a threefold increase in transudate per gram of vagina wet weight was revealed in ovariectomized animals. Castration markedly reduced the thickness of the vaginal wall. nNOS inhibition by 7NI had no impact on vaginal lubrication.ConclusionsIrrespective of the hormonal status, sildenafil increased vaginal lubrication. The vaginal effect of sildenafil was independent of the nNOS pathway and more pronounced in ovariectomized animals.     

Update on molecular characterization of coxsackievirus B5 strains

Among Coxsackie B viruses, Coxsckievirus B5 is one of the most predominant serotypes in human, it is frequently associated with cases of neurological diseases, epidemics of meningitis and is a common cause of cardiomyopathy and diabetes. In the present study 27 isolates of Coxsackievirus B5 from North Africa, obtained from cerebrospinal fluid and stool samples of healthy individuals, patients with acute flaccid paralysis or aseptic meningitis were investigated by partial sequencing in the 5' half of the VP1 region and compared to the up‐to‐date published Coxsackievirus B5 sequences in the same genomic region. Four distinct genomic groups and ten different clusters were individualized. Most of the isolates from Algeria and Tunisia belonged to two clusters. For both, the sequences from North Africa clustered mainly with sequences from European countries, the majority isolated recently during the 2000s. The analysis of the alignment of amino‐acids sequences in the VP1 gene revealed four major substitutions in strains from different clusters, we also noticed changes in the BC‐loop region; this region is associated with viral antigenicity. This study permit to better identify circulating Coxsackievirus B5 strains throughout the world and their genetic relationship. The protein analysis showed changes that could imply some antigenic significance. J. Med. Virol. 83:1247–1254, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Budd-Chiari syndrome due to membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava of congenital origin. Ten-year follow-up after radiologic treatment]

We report a case of Budd-Chiari syndrome due to membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava with a congenital malformation composed of a left inferior vena cava at the sub-renal level with an azygo-caval continuation without a retrohepatic segment of the inferior vena cava. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this association. The congenital venous malformation suggests a congenital etiology to the inferior vena cava membrane. The membranous obstruction was treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. During the 10-year follow-up, there was no recurrence of the membranous obstruction as seen with Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.     

Protein kinase C gamma interneurons in the rat medullary dorsal horn: Distribution and synaptic inputs to these neurons,and subcellular localization of the enzyme

The γ isoform of protein kinase C (PKCγ), which is concentrated in interneurons in the inner part of lamina II (II_i) of the dorsal horn, has been implicated in the expression of tactile allodynia. Lamina II_i PKCγ interneurons were shown to be activated by tactile inputs and to participate in local circuits through which these inputs can reach lamina I, nociceptive output neurons. That such local circuits are gated by glycinergic inhibition and that A‐ and C‐fibers low threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) terminate in lamina II_i raise the general issue of synaptic inputs to lamina II_i PKCγ interneurons. Combining light and electron microscopic immunochemistry in the rat spinal trigeminal nucleus, we show that PKCγ‐immunoreactivity is mostly restricted to interneurons in lamina II_i of the medullary dorsal horn, where they constitute 1/3 of total neurons. The majority of synapses on PKCγ‐immunoreactive interneurons are asymmetric (likely excitatory). PKCγ‐immunoreactive interneurons appear to receive exclusively myelinated primary afferents in type II synaptic glomeruli. Neither large dense core vesicle terminals nor type I synaptic glomeruli, assumed to be the endings of unmyelinated nociceptive terminals, were found on these interneurons. Moreover, there is no vesicular glutamate transporter 3‐immunoreactive bouton, specific to C‐LTMRs, on PKCγ‐immunoreactive interneurons. PKCγ‐immunoreactive interneurons contain GABA_Aergic and glycinergic receptors. At the subcellular level, PKCγ‐immunoreactivity is mostly concentrated on plasma membranes, close to, but not within, postsynaptic densities. That only myelinated primary afferents were found to contact PKCγ‐immunoreactive interneurons suggests that myelinated, but not unmyelinated, LTMRs play a critical role in the expression of mechanical allodynia. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:393–413, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

高血压病胰岛素抵抗与红细胞内钠,钾,镁离子变化的研究

测定３０例高血压病（ＥＨ）患者和１６例正常血压（ＮＴ）对照组禁食及７５ｇ葡萄糖负荷后３０，６０，１２０ｍｉｎ血浆葡萄糖和胰岛素浓度，红细胞内钠，钾，镁离子浓度。结果表明ＥＨ患者禁食３０，６０ｍｉｎ血浆葡萄糖和禁食３０，６０，１２０ｍｉｎ血浆胰岛素浓度和Ｎａ＾＋显著高于ＮＴ对照组，而Ｋ＾＋，Ｍｇ＾２＋显著低于ＮＴ对照组。简单相关，分析显示ＥＨ组空腹血浆胰岛素与体重，体重指数，臀围显著正相关，胰岛素曲