The oval nucleus of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis of the rats was found in a previous investigation be studded with the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and neurotensin (NT)-immunoreactive(ir) neurons. The present work was to study their distribution and the possible coexistence of these two neuropeptides in the neuron of oval nucleus. The CRF- and NT- ir neurons were demonstrated to be densely and evenly distributed in the nucleus, among which were scattered a substantial number of cells cocontaining CRF and NT.

Ju and Swanson first named the dorsal part of the anterolateral area of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) as oval nucleus (Ov), and found that it was a homogeneous structure rich in neuropeptide-containing neurons and terminals. However, no systemic study has been made about the connections of the Ov.The present experiments were designed to examine the efferent projections of the Ov in the rat. Wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase(WGA-HRP) was used as a tracer.Injection of WGA-HRP into the Ov and its adjacent areas resulted in dense anterograde labelling in the posterior part of the lateral hypothalamic area, central nucleus of the amygdala, ventral part of the midbrain central gray, ventral tegmental nucleus, parabrachial nuclei, mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus and locus coeruleus; moderate labelling in the preoptic area, periventricular area of the hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, midline nuclei of the thalamus, medial habenular nucleus, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, midbrain reticular formation, dorsal raphe nucleus and the dorsal vagal complex; sparse labelling in the caudal linier nucleus, median raphe nucleus, ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra and intercalated nucleus of medulla oblongata. The results suggest that the Ov may be involved in multiple physiological functions.

The present experiments were designed to study the afferent connections of the oval nucleus (Ov) of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) using fluoro-gold (FG) and WGA-HRP as retrograde tracers. After injection of FG or WGA-HRP into the Ov area of the male SpragueDawley rats, a number of retrogradely labeled neurons were observed in the piriform cortex, fundus striati, subiculum, preoptie areas, horizontal limb of the diagonal band, ventral pallidum, magnocellular preoptic area, central (Ce), medial and cortical nuclei of the amygdala. A few neurons in the midline nuclei of the thalamus. were labeled. Many labeled neurons were found in the anterior, dorsal and lateral hypothalamic areas, ventral medial, arcuate and premammillary nuclei of the hypo thalamus. In the brainstem many labeled neurons were seen in the ventral part of the midbrain central gray, dorsal raphe nucleus, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, ventral tegmental area, compact zone of the substantia nigra, interpeduncular nuclei, interfascicular nucleus, raphe nuclei, parabrachial nuclei, locus coeruleus, mesencephalie trigeminal nucleus, dorsal vagal complex, A_5 and A_1 cell groups.In general, the distribution patterns of the labeled neurons of both tracers were quite similar except that FG labeled neurons showed much longer processes than WGA-HRP's, and some FG labeled neurons were also found in a few contralateral structures, such as central and medial nuclei of the amygdala and the horizontal limb of the diagonal band, where no WGA-HRP labeled neurons were observed.The results of this retrograde tract-tracing study together with our previous. anterograde tract-tracing study indicate that there are reciprocal connections between the Ov and the Ce, posterior part of the lateral hypothalamus and several brainstem structures.

In our recent work it was found that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and neurotensin(NT) were coexistent in the neurons of the oval nucleus (Ov) of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) and there were reciprocal connections between the Ov and the lateral hypothalamic area(LHA).In the present experiments fluoro-gold (FG) retrograde tract-tracing technique combined with indirect immunofluorescence staining was used to investigate the chemical properties of the Ov neurons projecting to the LHA in the male Sprague-Dawley rats. It was found that after injecting of FG into the posterior LHA the retrogradely labeled neurons on the Ov were positively stained with antisera to CRF or NT. The present study proves that a part of CRF- and NT-containing neurons in the Ov project to the posterior LHA.

The central nucleus of the amygdala(Ce) is heterogeneous in cyto- and chemoarchitecture, and contains over a dozen neuropeptides. Our recent works suggested that there were reciprocal connections between the Ce and the oval nucleus (Or) of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST). The present experiment was designed to study the immunocytochemical properties of the Ce neurons projecting to the Ov by the fluoro-gold(FG) retrograde tract-tracing method combined with indirect immunofluorescence staining in male Sprague-Dawley rats.It was found that the neurons in the Ce were labeled densely following injection of FG into the Ov, and some FG labeled neurons were restained by indirect immunofluorescence procedures using antisera to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), neurotensin (NT), M-enkephalin(M-ENK) or cholecystokinin(CCK). The findings suggest that the CRF-, NT-, M-ENK- and CCK-containig neurons in the Ce project to the Ov.

Objective To establish a method for the determination of arsenic in urine by microwave digestion-oscillopolarographic method. Methods The urine samples were treated by microwave digestion. After being reduced to As3+,total arsenic in the samples was determined by oscillopolarographic method in the system of H2SO4-KBr-Se4+. The experiment conditions were optimized. Results The linear range of the method was 0-50 ?g/L(r=0.999 8),the limit of detection was 0.67 ?g/L,the relative standard deviation was 1.44%,and the rates of recovery were 95.0% -103.0%. Conclusion The method is simple,rapid,accurate and applicable to the determination of arsenic in human urine,which presents an advantage of low losing of arsenic in the treatment and determination.

Erratum agreed to by all authors, editor in chief, publisher, and scientific society.

No abstract available.
Child* ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results*

Objective: To find out who is more suitable to be screened by MMSE (mini-mental state examination) Method: A total of 4921 persons aged 55 or above were collected by stratification cluster sampling for urban and rural areas of Xi'an They were screened by MMSE According to different age and education levels, the tenth percentage, median, skewness and kurtosis, and the positive predict value were calculated Results: MMSE scores showed a negative and cliff distributions whether among groups of different education level, among different age groups or in the total sample Moreover, these features was more obvious in relatively younger people (less than 70 years) with higher education level (high school or college), while in those aged more than 70 years with poor education (primary school or illiterate), the distribution of MMSE score was close to normal Consequently, the rates screened out by MMSE was higher in older and poor educated people than in those younger with higher education Multiple regression showed that education level, age, sex, lose of hearing, activity in daily life were factors having influence on score of MMSE Conclusion: In screening dementia, MMSE is more suitable for poor educated older people (older than 70)

Objective To study the therapeutic efficacy of combined interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation of mitomycin on preventing bladder cancers from recurring after local ablation. Methods 28 patients with superficial bladder cancers were randomized into combined interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation of mitomycin or intravesical instillation of mitomycin alone for preventing recurrence after local ablation.The result was assessed by ? 2 test. Results The patients have been followed up for 12～26 months (mean 21 months).1 case has had tumor recurrence in the combined modality therapy group and 4 in the intravesical instillation alone group,the tumor recurrence rate being 7% (1/14) and 29% (4/14) respectively(P