After severance the ventral spinal roots in 10 dogs, the distribution of the anterograde degeneration was studied by means of Nauta's technique with the following conclusions:1. After sectioning the ventral roots, degenerating fibers (including preterminal and terminal fibers) appeared regularly in the spinal cord and medulla oblongata. This confirms that there are afferent fibers which project into the central nervous system via the ventral spinal roots.2. These degenerating fibers ascended not only in the posterior funiculi, but also in the gray matter, so that the preterminal and terminal degenerations of the terminal branches or collateral branches were found in the columna grisea posterior of the thoracic and cervical segments above the surgically operated segments of the spinal cord.3. The preterminal and terminal degenerations were found in the reticular areas of the nucleus gracilis of the medulla oblongata and around the non-cluster cells.4. Degenerating fibers were unequally distributed, most of them located ipsilaterally. The degenerating fibers decreased in number in rostral segments.5. Afferent fibers in ventral roots differ from those in dorsal roots in distribution:a) From the operated segment and to far more rostral segments, afferent fibers of the ventral root were distributed in a more medial position in the spinal dorsal gray column, viz, "medial tendency", and then ascended after interposing into the funiculi gracilis. This is different from the afferent fibers of the dorsal root in the control group which were distributed in "equal tendency" in the dorsal column and took a "lateral addition fashion" of entering the funiculi gracilis.b) Apparently, much more afferent fibers in ventral roots projected contralaterally than those in the dorsal roots.c) It was also characteristic that the afferent fibers in ventral roots projected further toward the rostral segments of the spinal cord.

Huntington disease (HD) rat model was produced by injection of ibotenic acid (IA) into the head of right caudate putamen (CP). One month post lesion, fetal (El5-17) striatal cell suspension was implanted into the lateral ventricle ipsilateral to the lesion, and the rats were devided into four groups; group I normal control rats (n=8), group II model control rats (n=10), group III simple transplanted with fetal striatal cell suspension, (n=10, ST group), group IV grafted with striatal cell suspension containing laminin (n=6, LST group). Three and six months after grafting, active avoidence test was carried, the results showed that there were significant differences bewteen grafted groups and model control group at three and six months, and no significant differences between LST group and normal group either in three or six months whereas between ST group and normal group no significant difference only can be found at six months. Overnight locomotor activity was measured in each group at six months post grafting, the results indicated that the locomotor behaviour of model control group was hyperactive whereas the overnight hyperactivity was compensated completely in the grafted groups. After the behavioural test, the rat brain was investigated morphologically. The head of the lesioned CP was atrophied and the graft was located at the dorsal part of the atrophied CP and projected into the lateral ventricle. The volume of the graft area of LST group was larger than that of ST group. ChAT, GABA and Leu-ENK positive neurons were found in the graft area of the two grafted groups and their shape and size were similar to those of nomal CP. The processes of AChE positive neurons in the graft of LST group were more and longer than that in the graft of ST group. The results indicated that the fetal striatal neurons implanted into the lateral ventricle of HD model rats not only can survive and grow well but also ameliorate the behavioural deficits of the IA lesioned rats and the laminin may supports the neuronal suvival and growth in vivo.

Objective: To examine the correlation between frailty and lifestyle factors among middle-aged and elderly populations, so as to provide insights into the management of frailty among middle-aged and elderly populations. Methods : Middle-aged and elderly residents at ages of 45 ot 69 years were recruited using the convenient sampling method from seven townships in Changxing County of Zhejiang Province from 2019 to 2020. The demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors were collected using questionnaires, and the frailty was measured using the Chinese version of Tilburg Frailty Indicator ( TFI ). Factors affecting frailty were identified among middle-aged and elderly populations using the multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 7 170 residents were surveyed, including 2 780 males ( 38.77% ) and 4 390 females ( 61.23% ), which had a median age of 56 (interquartile range, 10) years. The median frailty score was 2 (interquartile range, 3 ) among the study subjects, and the median frailty score was 2 ( interquartile range, 2 ) among residents at ages of 45 to 59 years, and 2 (interquartile range, 3) among residents at ages of 60 to 69 years. The overall detection of frailty was 16.07%, and the detection of frailty was 13.52% among subjects at ages of 45 to 59 years and 21.01% among subjects at ages of 60 to 69 years. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified physical activity ( OR=0.826, 95%CI: 0.719-0.949 ) and sleep quality ( OR: 3.376-11.493, 95%CI: 2.907-15.808 ) as factors affecting frailty among middle-aged and elderly residents. Following age stratification, physical activity ( OR=0.817, 95%CI: 0.681-0.981 ) and sleep quality ( OR: 3.076-11.566, 95%CI: 2.518-18.216 ) as factors affecting frailty among subjects at ages of 45 to 59 years, while sleep quality ( OR: 3.777-11.827, 95%CI: 3.002-18.547 ) significantly correlated with frailty among residents at ages of 60 to 69 years. Conclusion Physical activity and sleep quality are associated with the risk of frailty among middle-aged and elderly populations.

Objective To investigate the effect of human amniotic epithelial cell(hAEC)transplantation on endometrium improvement and matrix metalloproteinase 8(MMP-8)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)expression in a rat model of uterine scaring.Methods The uterine scar model was established in rats that were randomly divided into model and transplantation groups with 18 rats in each group.The other 18 rats were used as the sham operation group.Rats in the transplantation group were injected with hAECs in the uterine scar,and rats in model and sham operation groups were administered the same amount of PBS.After 4 weeks,the uterine tissues of eight rats in each group were collected.Histomorphological changes and endometria fibrosis were observed by HE staining and Masson staining respectively,and the endometrial thickness and number of glands were measured.Endometrial growth and receptivity were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of cytokeratin and integrin β3,respectively.mRNA expression of MMP-8 and VEGFA in endometrial tissues was measured by RT-qPCR.Western blot was used to measure MMP-8 and VEGFA protein expression.After 8 weeks,the remaining 10 rats in each group were used to assess gestational ability.Results The endometrial thickness,gland number,IOD value of keratin and integrin β3,relative mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP-8 and VEGFA,pregnancy rate and number of uterine embryos in model and transplantation groups were lower than those in sham operation group(P<0.05).The endometrial thickness,gland number,IOD value of keratin and integrin β3,relative mRNA and protein expression of MMP-8 and VEGFA,pregnancy rate and number of uterine embryos were higher than those in model group(P<0.05).Additionally,hAEC transplantation improved the pathological morphology of endometrial tissue in rats with uterine scaring and reduced the degree of endometrial fibrosis.Conclusions hAEC transplantation improves endometrial injury,reduces scar formation,improves endometrial receptivity,and enhances pregnancy function in model rats,which may be related to promotion of MMP-8 and VEGFA expression.

AIM: To investigate the effect of a new type of rhinodacryocystostomy combined with fluticasone propionate on patients with chronic dacryocystitis.METHODS: A total of 100 patients(100 eyes)with chronic dacryocystitis who admitted to our hospital between January 2021 and December 2022 were enrolled in the prospective study. The patients in the study were divided into a control group(n=50)and an observation group(n=50)based on their admission order and number. Patients in the control group were treated with novel rhinodacryocystostomy, while patients in the observation group were treated with a new type of rhinodacryocystostomy combined with fluticasone propionate. The preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), quality of life score, and recurrence of chronic dacryocystitis were compared between the two groups of patients.RESULTS: All patients completed the postoperative 6 mo follow-up, and the total effective rate of patients in the observation group was better than that of patients in the control group(98% vs 84%, P=0.001). There was no significant difference in preoperative and postoperative BCVA between the two groups(P>0.05). Preoperatively, there was no significant difference in the quality of life scores between the two groups of patients(P>0.05); At 6 mo postoperatively, the quality of life scores of patients in the control group, including physical function, psychological function, social function, and material life status, were lower than those in the observation group(all P<0.001). There were 9 recurrences in the control group(18%)and 1 in the observation group(2%), and there was statistical significance in the postoperative recurrence rate between the two groups(χ2=-2.739, P=0.001).CONCLUSION: The new type of rhinodacryocystostomy combined with fluticasone propionate treatment for chronic dacryocystitis patients has a good therapeutic effect, can improve the quality of life of patients, and reduce the probability of disease recurrence.