BACKGROUND:At present, mouse embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs) culture has been skillfully operated by many labs, but there are differences existing about which part are dissociated to get NSCs. Embryonic 14 days (E14) mouse brain tissues are widely used for culturing NSCs, but there are less studies about the detailed percentage and difference of NSCs separated from different brain tissues. OBJECTIVE: To test the proportion and difference of NSCs and neurons percentage from E14 mouse whole brain, cortex and forebrain, providing quantized data for optimizing the isolation of high-purity NSCs. METHODS:E14 C57BL/6 mouse whole brain, cortex and forebrain tissues were separated and dissociated into single cells that were adherently cultured for 3.0-4.0 hours and labeled by DAPI. Then the cells were immunostained with NSCs specific marker, Nestin, and neuron specific marker, Tuj1, to identify NSCs and neurons percentage by calculating Nestin+/DAPI and Tuj1+/DAPI. In addition, real-time PCR assay was used to test Nestin and Tuj1 mRNA expression in the E14 mouse whole brain, cortex and forebrain. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Immunocytochemical results showed that there were a large amount of Nestin+ and Tuj1+ cells in the whole brain, cortex and forebrain of E14 mice. NSCs percentage in the forebrain was obviously higher than that in the whole brain (P < 0.01) and cortex (P < 0.05), while the percentage of neurons in the forebrain was significantly lower than that in the whole brain (P < 0.05) and in the cortex (P < 0.001). (2) Real-time PCR results showed that the Nestin mRNA expression in the forebrain was significantly higher than that in the whole brain (P < 0.05) and slightly higher than that in the cortex (P > 0.05); the Tuj1 mRNA expression in the forebrain was significantly lower than that in the whole brain (P < 0.05) and in the cortex (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that the forebrain had the most NSCs and the least neurons compared with the whole brain and the cortex. In summary, E14 mouse forebrain has the highest percentage of NSCs compared with the whole brain and cortex, which is a better source to obtain NSCs for the following cell culture experiments.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of using ambroxol hydrochloride and dexamethasone by nasal spray inhalation after endoscopic sinus surgery in treating chronic sinusitis.Methods One hundred and forty patients with chronic sinusitis receiving endoscopic sinus surgery in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2014 were selected as the research subjects.After surgery,the control group was given dexamethasone nasal spray inhalation,while the observation group was given ambroxol hydrochloride and dexamethasone by nasal spray inhalation.The curative efficacy,the score of visual analogue scale(VAS) was adopted to evaluate the subjective symptoms severity and the nasal endoscopy and CT examination results were evaluated by the Lund-Kennedy score.The serum levels of IL-5 and IL-12 were detected in the two groups.Results All cases were successful completed surgery and no severe adverse reactions appeared after surgery.The observation group had a total effective rate of 97.1 ％,which was signif icantly higher than 88.6 ％ in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).In the aspects of sinusitis related symptoms after operation,compared with the control group,the VAS scores of nasal discharge,nasal obstruction,cheek pain,headache and hyposmia in the observation group were significantly decreased,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).In the postoperative re-examination process,the score of assessment of nasal endoscopic score and paranasal sinuses CT score in the observation group were significantly decreased,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).In the serological indicator determination,serum levels of IL-5 and IL-12 after treatment in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Using ambroxol hydrochloride combined with dexamethasone by nasal spray inhalation after endoscopic sinus surgery has good efficacy in treating chronic sinusitis,can decrease serum levels of IL-5 and IL-12.

Objective To genotype Candida strains by random amplified polymorphic DNA(RAPD)technique,and to analyse the analogy of different Candida strains based on similarity coefficient.Methods Candida strains were isolated from vaginal secretion taken from patients with vulvovaginal can-didiasis by Sabouraud' s dextrose agar,C.albicans was differentiated from non-C.albicans strains by germ tube test,chlamydospore test and CHROMagar-Candida,and further identified by API20c Aux test Kits.The genomic DNA of45Candida isolates,including Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida krusei,Candida parapsilosis and Candida tropicalis were amplified by RAPD,and DNA polymorphisms of inter-species and intraspecies were evaluated by using the DNA pattern-clustering of5primers.Results Thirty strains of C.albicans could be classified into7groups,and further divided into19subgroups,while15strains of non-C.albicans could be identified to species level.C.albicans isolates were related to each other with the similarity coefficients of more than90%,while different Candida species were connected to each other with the similarity coefficients of80%~90%.Conclusion C.albicans,which is the predominant pathogen of vulvovaginal candidiasis,could be classified into different genotypes by use of RAPD method.

Objective To evaluate effects of daily average temperature on the occurrence of urticaria in Lanzhou city,and to analyze differences in the effects between different populations.Methods Time-series data on daily outpatient visits for urticaria between January 1,2007 and December 31,2013 were collected from the First Hospital of Lanzhou University and Lanzhou University Second Hospital.Daily meteorological data during this peroid were obtained from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau.Distributed lag non-linear models were used to analyze the association between daily average temperature and occurrence of urticaria,and the analysis was stratified by age and gender.Results The association between daily average temperature and daily number of outpatient visits for urticaria was nonlinear.Low temperature had significant lag effects on the daily number of outpatient visits for urticaria,with the maximum relative risk (RR) value (1.014 [95％ CI 1.000-1.023]) observed at 6 ℃ on lag day 18.Stratification analysis demonstrated that the effects of high temperature on the number of outpatient visits for urticaria were apparent on the day of exposure in age groups of 0-18 and 19-64 years,but decreased on the day of exposure in the age group ≥ 65 years.The effects of low temperature,which showed similar trends along with the increment of lag days in all groups,were relatively delayed and occurred 2 to 4 days after exposure.Conclusions Air temperature affects the occurrence of urticaria in Lanzhou city.Low temperature has evident lag effects on the occurrence of urticaria,while high temperature does not have.

Objective To understand and compare the proportion of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the whole brain and cerebral cortex of mice at different embryonic days, and provide quantitative data for the later optimization of NSCs isolation and culture.Methods The whole brains (at embryonic 12.5, 14, 16 and 18 days) and cerebral cortex (at embryonic14, 16 and 18 days) were isolated and digested into single cell suspension, and were adherently cultured for 3-4 h.Immunofluorescence staining of Nestin, a NSCs specific marker, was used to statistically analyze the proportion of NSCs in each group.Expression of Nestin mRNA in the cerebral cortex of mice at E12.5, E14, E16, and E18 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.Results The result of immunofluorescence assay showed that there were Nestin-positive cells in the whole brain and cerebral cortex of mice at different embryonic days.In the whole brain,the proportion of NSCs was highest at E12.5 (53.42±1.57%) and lowest at E18(25.96±1.31%), and the proportions at E14 and E16 were placed in the middle among the groups.In the cerebral cortex, the highest proportion of NSCs was at E14 (33.65±0.29%), and the lowest at E18(25.29±0.28%), and the middle at E16 (26.82±0.30%).The result of real-time PCR showed that when the mRNA expression of Nestin in the cerebral cortex was set to 1, the relative mRNA expression of Nestin was 0.83±0.04 at E14, 0.77±0.05 at E16, and 0.44 ±0.05 at E18.Thus, the mRNA expression level of Nestin in the mouse cerebral cortex was gradually decreasing with the increase of embryonic days.Conclusions During the brain development, the proportion of NSCs is gradually decreasing in the whole brain and cerebral cortex of mice with the increase of embryonic days.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical features and outcomes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) associated with Meniere's disease and idiopathic BPPV. METHOD: Reviewing the clinical records of 372 patients with BPPV, 289 patients with idiopathic BPPV and 36 patients with BPPV accompanied by Meniere's disease and were enrolled in this study. All patients were diagnosed by using the Dix-Hallpike test or roll test and treated with the canalith repositioning procedure. The outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULT: The patients with BPPV associated with Meniere's disease presented the following features, in which they differed from the patients with idiopathic BPPV (P < 0.05): (1) a higher percentage of female patients; (2) a longer duration of symptoms; (3) frequent involvement of the horizontal semicircular canal; (4) a greater incidence of canal paresis; (5) more therapeutic sessions needed for cure and a higher rate of recurrence. CONCLUSION The BPPV associated with Meniere's disease differs from idiopathic BPPV in clinical features, treatment response recurrence tendency.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Meniere Disease ; complications ; Paresis ; complications ; Patient Positioning ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Semicircular Canals ; pathology

Objective: To investigate the effect of UGT2B7 A268G and UGT2B7 G211T genetic polymorphism on serum drug concentration of valproic acid (VPA).
Methods:Genetic polymorphisms of UGT2B7 A268G and UGT2B7 G211T were tested in 248 epileptic patients by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Data including basic information, epilepsy type, times and doses of drug, treatment response and liver and kidney functions were collected. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 13.0 through multivariate linear regression, one-way ANOVA,χ2 test, and paired T-test.
Results:Based on multivariate linear regression, there was no significant difference between gender, age, or body mass index and VPA, but concentration-to-dose ratios (CDRs) were positively correlated with VPA. hTe genetic polymorphisms of UGT2B7 A268G and UGT2B7 G211T were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. UGT2B7-268A>G allele frequency distribution A was 30.05%, and G was 69.95%. Variance analysis showed that serum drug concentration was significantly different in the genotype of AA, AG, or GG (F=5.477, P=0.005). Further analysis of paired T test showed that AA type was significantly different from GG type (P=0.048), and that serum concentration of AA type was much higher than that of GG type, while no signiifcant difference between AA type and AG type, GG type and AG type. UGT2B7 G211T allele frequency distribution G was 77.24%, and T was 22.58%. hTere was no signiifcant difference in standardized serum concentration among genotypes of GG, GT, and TT.
Conclusion:hTis study reveals UGT2B7 A268G genetic polymorphism distribution in Chinese epilepsy population. UGT2B7 A268G plays an important role in VPA’s metabolism, and has certain effect on VPA’s serum concentration. Epilepsy patient with this genotype should be adjusted the dose of VPA to make a therapeutic effect.

ObjectiveTo determine the utility of the simple body weight support training apparatus used to improve ambulatory function in patients with hemiplegia or paraplegia.Methods38 cases with hemiplegia or paraplegia were randomly divided into control(C,n=10),regular body weight support treadmill training group(R,n=14),simple body weight support training group(S,n=14).All the patients received comprehensive rehabilitation for 6 months.Function Independence Measured(FIM),10 meters ambulatory velocity,Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA),Barthel Index(BI) were used to evaluate the effect of training.ResultsThe FIM scores and ambulatory velocity of the patients in group R and S improved significantly compared with that of group C.There was no difference of FIM scores and ambulatory velocity between group R and S.ConclusionThe effect of simple body weight support training on improving the ambulatory function is similar to regular body weight support treadmill.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical presentation and outcome between patients with traumatic-BPPV (t-BPPV) and idiopathic-BBPV(i-BPPV). METHOD: The clinical records of 186 patients with posterior canal BPPV were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were diagnosed using the Dix-Hallpike test and treated with the canalith repositioning procedure. The outcome of patients with t-BPPV was compared with patients with i-BPPV. RESULT: Twenty-three of 186 patients with BPPV fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for t-BPPV. Women were affected i-BBPV more often than men (2.3:1), and women and men were equally affected t-BBPV (1:1). After one physical treatment, 34.8% of patients with t-BPPV had complete resolution of signs and symptoms in comparison to 85.3% of patients with i-BPPV (P < 0.05). During the 2-year follow-up, 56.5% of t-BPPV patients and 19.0% of i-BPPV patients had recurrent attacks (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The nature and severity of the traumas causing t-BPPV are diverse. It appears that t-BPPV is more difficult to treat than i-BPPV, and also has a greater tendency to recur.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Vertigo ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) on the quality of life (QOL) in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV). METHOD: The clinical data of 86 patients with BPPV (treatment group) and 120 normal ones (control group) were reviewed through the medical outcomes study short form (SF-36)and the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and the results of two groups were analyzed. RESULT: With SF-36 scales for evaluation of QOL, the results showed that the scores of treatment group before CRP were significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). While using of DHI scales in evaluation of the treatment group patients before CRP, the results were significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). After CRP for 3 months, not only with SF-36 scales but also with DHI scales, there were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION CRP may obviously improve the clinical symptom of BPPV patients. The SF-36 and DHI scales could reflect the change of BPPV patient's QOL.
Adult ; Aged ; Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertigo ; therapy