Objective To investigate the expression o f telomerase activity in pheochromacytoma and to assess its utility as a prognos tic marker. Methods Telomerase activity was estimated in 23 samples of pheohromocytoma tissue and 6 samples of normal adrenal medullae by autoradiography-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol. The reaults w ere analized with follow-up findings. Results Of the 2 3 pheochromocytoma samples, 2 had telomerase activity and both the telomerase-p ositive pheochromocytomas apparently arose from extraadrenal tissues. All normal adrenal medullae samples were negative for telomerase activity. During follow- up, we found both of the telomerase positive patients developed mutiple metastat ic lesions after surgery. Only one of 21 telomerase negative patients clinically developed bilateral lung metastases and a local recurrence after surgery. Conclusions Telomerase activity may be used as an important i ndicator of potentially malignant pheochromocytoma and may serve as a prognosti c marker.

Objective To observe the real-time and short-term therapeutic efficacies of fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, and compare the two treatment methods. Method Eighty-four patients with cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity were randomized into a fire-needle acupuncture group and a warm needling group, 42 cases in each group. The two groups received treatment once a day, respectively for 10 sessions. The symptoms, functions and total score were evaluated by adopting the modified Cervical Vertigo Symptoms and Functions Assessment Scale before the second treatment session and after 10 treatment sessions; the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms scale. Result The scores after 10 treatment sessions were significantly different from that before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05);before the 2nd treatment session, the improvements of the symptoms and total scores in the fire-needle acupuncture group were more significant than that in the warm needling group (P<0.05);after 10 sessions, there were significant differences in comparing the symptoms, functions and total scores between the two groups (P<0.05);the clinical control rate was 26.2%and total effective rate was 95.2%in the fire-needle acupuncture group, versus 9.5%and 90.5%in the warm needling group, and there was a significant difference in comparing the therapeutic efficacy between the two groups. Conclusion Fire-needle acupuncture and warm needling both are effective in treating cervical vertigo due to upward disturbance of phlegm-turbidity, while fire-needle acupuncture can improve the vertigo symptoms in a real-time manner, and its short-term therapeutic efficacy is also superior to that of warm needling.

Objective To clarify the effective location of propofol in central nervous system (CNS) by detection of the c-jun expression after propofol-induced anesthesia in rats. Methods Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: normal control (C), low-dose propofol group (50 mg/kg, P 1), middle-dose propofol group (100 mg/kg, P 2), high-dose propofol group (150 mg/kg, P 3), stimulation with tail broken group (S 1), and propofol + stimulation with tail broken group (S 2). The expressions of nucleoprotein JUN in the CNS were detected by immunohistochemisty. Results Rather weakly stained nucleoprotein JUN positive neurons were observed in the supraoptic nucleus, lateral septal nucleus, and lateral habenular nucleus in the control group. In groups P 1, P 2, and P 3, the expressions of nucleoprotein JUN were increased significantly as compared with those in the control group. The expressions were mainly located in the accumbent nucleus, lateral septal nucleus, periventricular hypothalamic nucleus, ventral lateral geniculalaten nucleus, dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, supraoptic nucleus, suprachiasmatic nucleus, anteroventral preoptic nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, supramammillary nucleus, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, paraventricular thalamic nucleus, lateral habenula nucleus, and islands of Calleja. The expressed positive neuron number was positively correlated with the doses of propofol. Conclusion Propofol anesthesia has the determined sites of action in rat CNS.

AIM:To observe the effect of altitude hypoxia on ?-aminobutyric (GABA) content and prepro-somatostatin mRNA (PPS-mRNA) in the rat hypothalamus. METHODS: Using altitude hypoxia model,in situ hybridization and amino acid analyzer, the number of PPS-mRNA and GABA content in rat hypothalamus was determined. RESULTS:After altitude hypoxia, the contents of GABA in hypothalamus and the number of PPS-mRNA neurons in periventricular nucleus (PeVN), paraventricular nucleus (PaVN) and arcuate nucleus (ArcN) increased significiantly. Bicuculline, a GABA receptor antagonits, could enhance PPS-mRNA expression evoked by altitude hypoxia, but had no effect on GABA content. CONCLUSION: Altitude hypoxia can induce neurotransmitter imbalance of hypothalamus.

AIM: To observe the effect of altitude hypoxia on glutamate, aspartate and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the rat hypothalamus. METHODS: Using altitude hypoxia model, amino acid analysis system and the NADPH-d histochemistry, we determined the content of glutamate, aspartate and the number of NADPH-d neurons in the rat hypothalamus. RESULTS: After altitude hypoxia, the contents of glutamate, aspartate in the hypothalamus of rats were increased significantly, densely and deeply stained NADPH-d neurons were seen in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN)and supraoptic nucleus(SON). If rat were pretreated with the NMDA receptor blockers Ketamine (ip,40 mg/Kg)or AP-V(i.c.v, 10 ?g) , the number of NADPH-d neurons in the rat hypothalamic PVN and SON was markedly less than that in corresponding altitude hypoxia group. CONCLUSION: NMDA receptor may take part in the expression of hypothalamic NOS induced by altitude hypoxia.

Objective To clarify the effective location of propofol in central nervous system (CNS). Methods Forty-two Wistar rats were ramdomized into control group,50 mg/kg propofol,100 mg/kg propofol,150 mg/kg propofol,tail shearing,propofol followed by tail shearing (n=7 in each group). The NOS expressions in the CNS were recorded by NADPH-d histochemistry after anesthesia by intraperitoneal injection of propofol. Results Rather widely stained NOS positive neurons were observed in the control group. In propofol groups,the NOS expressions were decreased significantly as compared with the control group,mainly located in ACB,LS,Pe,VLG,Den,SO,SCh,AVPO,Sol,SuM,BL,PV,LHb and Icj,showing a negative dose-effect relation with propofol. Conclusion Propofol has the determined sites of action in CNS and the decrease of NO synthesis by the inhibition of NOS may play a role in propofol-induced general anesthesia.

Objective To examine the expression of Noggin in CNS of the developing rat. Methods In situ hybridization histochemistry(ISHH) was performed using digoxigenin-labeled cRNA as probes. Results It was revealed that densely and deeply stained noggin positive cells were detected in cortex,hippocampus,cerebellum,and nucleus of hypothalamus and thalamus in embryonic day(E)16 rats.The number of noggin positive cells was increased in the thalamus and medulla oblongata at postnatal day(P)1-2,whereas decreased in the hippocampus and cortex.The number of noggin positive cells was decreased significantly in brain at 1 week postnatal(P1W),and began to increase at P2W,especially in the cortex and hippocamps.Strong positive signal can be detected in the frontal cortex,parietal cortex,cingulated cortex,hippocampus,olfactory and cerebellum at 1 month postnatal(P1M).The expression of noggin begins to decline at P3M,only sparse noggin positive cells can be seen in CNS at P18M.Furthermore,there is no noggin positive cells seen in the spinal cord of rats during development.Conclusion Our results indicated that noggin could play an important role in CNS development of rats.

Objective To examine the expression of BMP4 in CNS of the developing rat. Methods In situ hybridization histochemistry(ISHH) was carried out on tissue sections using specific digoxigenin\|labeled oligonucleotide probe. Results It showed that BMP4 mRNA positive cells were located mainly in cerebellum and olfactory at E16.Strong positive signal was seen in hypoglossal nucleus,and moderate signal also seen in spinocerebellar tract and spinal lemniscus at P1\|2.The number of BMP4 mRNA positive cells was increased in the frontal cortex,parietal cortex,and hippocampus subiculum at P1W.The peak of BMP4 expression was in cortex and periamydaloid cortex.Widely distributed BMP4 mRNA positive cells were detected in cortex and hippocampus of rats at P1M,strong positive signal was observed in temporal CNS at P3M,strong positive signal was observed in hippocampus,temporal corex and periamydaloid cortex,lateral nucleus of thalamus and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus.BMP4 mRNA positive cells were also found in corex,hippocampus,hypothalamus and thalamus at P18M.Conclusion\ These results indicated that BMP4 could play an important role in CNS development of rats.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of pricking anti-Ashi points with fire needles in treating acute lumbar sprain.Method Seventy-six patients with acute lumbar sprain were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 38 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by pricking anti-Ashi points with fire needles, while the control group was by warm needling. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Roland-Morris Dysfunction Questionnaire (RMDQ) were adopted to evaluate lumbar pain and dysfunction after 1-day and 5-day treatment, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result Respectively after the first treatment session and 5 treatment sessions, the VAS and RMDQ scores were significantly changed in both groups (P<0.01). Respectively after the first treatment session and 5 treatment sessions, the VAS and RMDQ scores in the treatment group were significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate and recovery rate were respectively 94.7% and 63.2% in the treatment group, versus 86.8% and 42.1% in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01).Conclusion Pricking anti-Ashi points with fire needles is an effective method in treating acute lumbar sprain, and it can produce a significant real-time analgesic effect.

Objective To find out the optimal operative methods for the patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head according to age and the staging. Methods The current study assessed 202 patients(242 hips)from 1998 to 2008 with an average follow-up of 6.3years (range,1 -10 years), who were operated according to age and staging by Ficat or Catterall. The mean age of the patients was 35.3 years(range,4 -81 years). All patients were evaluated with both clinical and radiographical criterion. Results The postoperative excellent and good rate were 87.2% ,88.8% and 85.7% in each group respectively. The mean Hariss score increased (P <0.05) and the mean VAS score decreased (P < 0.05) in youth group and old group. Conclusions Children who were younger than six years of age and with Catter-all Ⅱ-Ⅲ involvement should be treated by ascularized iliac or greater trochanter bone periosteal flaps. Patients who were less than forty years of age, with Ficat Ⅱ-Ⅲ should be treated by ascularized iliac or greater trochanter bone flaps. For patients with age older than 50 years or younger than 50 years but with severe forms, hybrid or cememtless total hip arthroplasty may be the optimal operation.