BACKGROUND: Differentiation of neural stem calls (NSCs) was mediated by many environmental factors. Several factors can induce NSCs to differentiate into neurons in varying degrees and it is now a focus on the control of NSCs differentiation.OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of combination of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) on the differentiation of NSCs into neurons.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The in vitro cytology observation was performed at the Neurotomia Laboratory of China Medical University in May 2008.MATERIALS: Three adult male SD rats were provided by Experimental Animal Center of China Medical University.METHODS: Dispositions to the rats were consistent with ethical standards of animals. The rat brain hippocampus was removed sterilely. After trypsin digestion, NSCs were cultured in serum-free medium. Cell suspension was prepared and diluted when the diameter of the fourth passage of clone sphere was 200 μm by mixture of DMEM/F12 containing 2% B27, 20 μg/L of epidermal growth factor (EGF), and 20 μg/L bFGF. Monoclonal calls were passagad. NSCs were divided into blank control, bFGF, BDNF and bFGF+BDNF groups by different growth factors added into the media. Fetal bovine serum of 0.1 volume fraction was added in blank control group. The media in the other three groups were added bFGF, BDNF and bFGF+BDNF respectively for 1 week.The concentration of bFGF was 10 μg/L and the concentration of BDNF was 200 μg/L.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Immunocytochemistry staining was used to identify NSCs as well as to detect the differentiation of NSCs into neurons.RESULTS: The monoclonal calls expressed nestin and the differentiated call expressed neuron specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Compared to blank control group, the proportion NSCs into neurons in the bFGF group, BDNF group and bFGF+BDNF group were much higher (t=3.409-7.558, P < 0.05), with the highest in bFGF+BDNF group (t =7.558, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Combination of bFGF and BDNF can promote the differentiation of adult hippocampus NSCs into neurons.

Objective To explore value of trephine in pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) for old thoracolumbar compression fracture with kyphotic deformity.Methods Thirty seven patients who underwent surgical treatment for old thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity in our hospital from February 2005 to February 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.Among them,21 patients underwent conventional PSO and 16 patients underwent PSO with trephine.In conventional PSO group,there were 14 males and 7 females,the average age was 55.6±3.7 years and the mean Cobb angle was 45.3°±4.6°.In PSO with trephine group,there were 11 males and 5 females,the average age was 53.3±4.2 years and the mean Cobb angle was 47.6°±5.9°.Results All patients were successfully followed up.The duration of follow-up ranged from 12 to 22 months in conventional PSO group,while 13 to 20 months in PSO with trephine group.The operation time,blood loss,amount of blood transfusion were 224±45 min,1043±234 ml,876±300 ml respectively in conventional PSO group,while 180±31 min,785±163 ml,500±230 ml in PSO with trephine group.Immediately after operation,correction rate of Cobb angle was 91.4％ in conventional PSO group and 90.9％ in PSO with trephine group.At final follow-up,the correction of Cobb angle lost 5.8％ in conventional PSO group and 6.2％ in PSO with trephine group.The improvement rate of JOA score was 81.1％ in conventional PSO group and 83.7％ in PSO with trephine group.The VAS score decreased 7.7±1.1 in conventional PSO group and 7.8±0.8 in PSO with trephine group.One patient in conventional PSO group experienced saddle numbness immediately after operation,which alleviated at final follow up.All patients achieved bony fusion at final follow up.No infection,screw loosening or breakage occurred in both groups.Conclusion The use of trephine in PSO for old thoracolumbar compression fracture with kyphotic deformity can reduce operation time,blood loss and improve efficiency of osteotomy.

To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and management of pancreatic glucagonoma, a retrospective analysis of the clinical data and diagnostic algorithm of a patient with pancreatic glucagonoma was conducted, along with literature review. Pancreatic glucagonoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that originates from the pancreatic alpha cells. The main manifestations of glucagonoma syndrome(GS) include necrolytic migratory erythema, diabetes, anemia, and other systemic involvement. Early diagnosis of GS is challenging and crucial. Early identification and recognition of skin lesions contribute to timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Surgical resection is an effective treatment modality for glucagonoma.

OBJECTIVESTo compare the paravertebral muscle (such as multifidus, erector spinae, psoas muscle) changes between the patients with degenerative lumbar instability and normal person by MRI and to observe the degeneration of paravertebral muscles. To analyze the relationship between paravertebral muscle degeneration and lumbar curvature of degenerative lumbar instability.

METHODSSixty patients with degenerative lumbar instability were retrospectively enrolled from December 2011 to July 2013 as degeneration group, meanwhile 60 health persons with no degenerative lumbar instability were selected as control group. No significant differences were found in the gender, age and body mass index between the two groups. The cross-sectional area(CSA) and percentage of fat infiltration area (FIA) of the paravertebral muscles at the L4-S1 levels were measured using T2-weighted axial MRI and Image J soft ware. And the lumbar curvature(expressed as lumbar lordosis angle) of all the patients in lumbar X-ray were measured in the two groups. The measured data were analyzed with independent samples t-test.

RESULTSThe difference of multifidus cross-sectional area and the percentage of fat infiltration in the patients of degenerative lumbar instability at the L4-L5, L5-S1 level, compared with the control group, was statistically significant (t = 2.768, t = 6.216, P < 0.05). Between the two groups, the percentage of fatty infiltration in erector spinae showed significant differences (t = 5.862, P < 0.05). The cross-sectional area of erector spinae and the degeneration of the psoas muscle between the two groups was not statistically significant. The lumbar lordsis angle in the patients with degenerative lumbar instability was (43.9 ± 15.6)°, which was higher than the (39.3 ± 14.2)° in control group (t = 2.915, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with the control group, patients with degenerative lumbar instability exists erector spinae and multifidus muscle degeneration, and erector spinae is more obvious. The degeneration among psoas muscle, erector spinae and multifidus muscle are inconsistent, which may be related to the increasing of the lumbar lordosis angle in the patients with degenerative lumbar instability.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Lumbosacral Region ; physiopathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; pathology ; Muscular Atrophy ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology