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Thoracic Areas (thoracic + area)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	80%

Selected Abstracts

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA is down-regulated, and constitutive NOS enzymatic activity decreased, in thoracic dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord of the rat by a substance P N-terminal metabolite

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 4 2001
Katalin J. Kovacs
Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) in the spinal cord plays a role in sensory and autonomic activity. Pain induced by acetic acid in the abdominal stretch (writhing) assay and hyperalgesia associated with chronic pain are highly sensitive to NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors. Because substance P (SP) is released and up-regulated in some models of chronic pain, we hypothesized that an accumulation of SP metabolites may influence NOS expression and activity. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of intrathecally (i.t.) injected substance P (1-7) [SP(1-7)], the major metabolite of SP in the rat, on neuronal NOS (nNOS) mRNA in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and on the corresponding constitutive NOS (cNOS) enzyme activity. Detected using quantitative RT-PCR, nNOS mRNA content in the thoracic spinal cord was decreased 6 h after injection of 5 µmol of SP(1-7) and returned to control 2 days later. In thoracic DRG, nNOS mRNA was reduced 48 h after SP(1-7). The cNOS enzymatic activity in thoracic spinal tissue was gradually decreased to a minimum at 72 h. Down-regulation of NOS by SP(1-7) in the thoracic area appears to be highly associated with capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent neurons. No similar changes in either parameter were measured in the lumbar area after SP(1-7). These data suggest that N-terminal SP fragments, which are known to cause long-term antinociception in the writhing assay, may do so by their ability to down-regulate NO synthesis along nociceptive pathways. [source]

Medallion-like dermal dendrocyte hamartoma: the main diagnostic pitfall is congenital atrophic dermatofibrosarcoma

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
M. Marque
Summary Medallion-like dermal dendrocyte hamartoma is a newly described and rare clinical and pathological entity. This congenital, round, erythematous and atrophic lesion in the thoracic area is histologically characterized by a CD34+ dermal and hypodermal spindle-cell infiltration. We describe the clinical, histopathological, cytological and molecular features of three cases of dermal dendrocyte hamartoma. In all the cases, atrophic congenital dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) was the first histological diagnosis. In one case, wide surgery had been performed on the basis of the clinical and histological presentation. The histological pattern was similar in all the cases: epidermal atrophy and a spindle to ovoid cell proliferation in the dermis and in the subcutaneous fat. Immunochemical staining for CD34 and factor XIIIa was positive. Cytogenetic and molecular studies were performed; no chromosomal abnormality nor translocation t(17;22)(q22;q13) was observed. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis did not reveal the DFSP fusion gene COL1A1-PDGFB. We observed that the main diagnostic pitfall of medallion-like dermal dendrocyte hamartoma is atrophic congenital DFSP due to clinical and histological similarities. We emphasize that molecular studies to eliminate the t(17;22)(q22;q13) translocation of DFSP may provide determinant elements for diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary mutilating surgery. [source]

Chest radiograph thoracic areas and lung volumes in infants developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
Caroline May MRCPCH
Abstract Objectives To determine whether chest radiograph (CXR) thoracic areas and lung volumes differed between infants who did and did not develop BPD and according to the severity of BPD developed. Working Hypothesis Infants developing BPD, particularly if moderate or severe, would have low CXR thoracic areas and lung volumes in the perinatal period. Study Design Prospective study. Patient-Subject Selection 53 infants with a median gestational age of 28 (range 24,32) weeks. Methodology CXR thoracic areas were calculated using a Picture Archiving and Communicating System (PACS) and lung volume assessed by measurement of functional residual capacity (FRC) in the first 72 hr after birth. BPD was diagnosed if the infants were oxygen dependent beyond 28 days, mild BPD in infants no longer oxygen dependent at 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) and moderate/severe BPD in infants who required supplementary oxygen with or without respiratory support at 36 weeks PMA. Results Thirty two infants developed BPD, 21 had moderate/severe BPD. The median CXR thoracic areas were higher (P,<,0.0001) and FRCs were lower (P,<,0.0001) in the BPD compared to no BPD infants. The median CXR thoracic areas of the moderate/severe group (P,<,0.001) and the mild group (P,<,0.05) were greater than that of the no BPD group and the median FRC of the moderate/severe BPD group was lower than the no BPD group (<0.001) and the mild BPD group (P,<,0.05). Conclusion These results highlight that in the perinatal period infants developing BPD, particularly if moderate/severe, have low functional lung volumes and may have gas trapping, which likely reflects ventilation inhomogeneity. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:80,85. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]