Objective To explore the effect of long-term chronic mild stress on depression-like behaviors and the expression of heat shock protein 70(HSP70) in rats.Methods The standard SD rats were divided into two groups as following:one group (n =6) was treated with chronic mild stress for 3 weeks,and another group (n =5) was treated with chronic mild stress for 6 weeks.Depression-like behaviors of rats was observed by sucrose consumption test and open field test before and after chronic mild stress.And Western Blot,RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were utilized to detect the HSP70 expression in the hippocampus and frontal lobes of rats after chronic mild stress.Results The sucrose favoritism in sucrose consumption test,the scores of crossing and the time for rats' retention in the center grid of open field test in long-term group were higher than those in short term group(P＜ 0.05).HSP70 expression in the hippocampus and frontal lobes of long-term group (0.81 ± 0.08,0.85 ± 0.08)detected by Western Blot and immunohistochemistry was higher that of short-term group (0.60 ± 0.06,0.85 ±0.07).HSP70 expression in the hippocampus of long-term group (0.90 ± 0.05,1.37 ± 0.38)detected by RT-PCR was higher that of short-term group(0.78 ± 0.04,1.08 ± 0.14) (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion After long-term chronic mild stress,the depression-like behaviors decrease,and at the same time HSP70 mRNA and protein increase.

Objective To study the clinical features of visual dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and related factors. Methods Between 2006 and 2009, one hundred and sixty-three children (aged 4 to 108months, mean age 29.05 ± 20.51 months) with CP at Qingdao's Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children were enrolled into this study, including 117 boys and 46 girls. All the children were retrospectively reviewed for perinatal risk factors. Ophthalmologists examined their visual parameters, including refraction, visual acuity, eye position and movement, and fundoscopy. Results Among the 163 children, 61 had visual dysfunctions, an occurrence rate of 37.4%. They included refractive errors in 39 (23.9%) , strabismus in 50 (30.7%) , abnormal eye movement in 26(15.9%) , and abnormal fundoscopic findings in 13 (7.9%). Thirty-seven children's visual acuity was examined,and 19 of them (51.4%) had low visual acuity. Patients who showed periventicular leukomalacia (PVL) or lesions in the occipital lobe on MRI examination had a high incidence of visual dysfunction. Preterm and low birth-weight were risk factors for visual dysfunction in these CP children. Conclusions Visual dysfuntion is a common complication in CP children. Early ophthalmological assessment and intervention are important for CP children.

OBJECTIVETo study the causes of failure following surgical treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis, procedures for redo surgery and the final result of reoperation.

METHODS20 patients who had a repeat operation for lumbar spondylolisthesis were studied retrospectively. On average 24.3 months following the previous surgery, all of these patients had recurrence or progression of back and leg pain. All of 20 patients were reoperated by means of three different procedures.

RESULTSThe causes of failure were post-operative destabilization (6 cases); progressive spondylolithesis (3 cases) implants failure (10 cases) and mistake segment (one case). After reoperation, a mean 34.1 months' follow-up was made. The excellent or good rate was 90%. Incorporation of graft was found in 18 cases with fusion by inter-transverse process and 2 cases by intervertebral space. New bone formation was found in 6 out of 8 cases that had a simultaneous intervertebral cage implant. No implant failure was found in all patients.

CONCLUSIONSSimple laminectomy or discectomy was not indication for lumbar spondylolithesis. No bone graft or union was the main causes of implant failure. Posterior instrumented fusion with laminectomy decompression can be used in the patients who had a prior surgery of simple discectomy or anterior intervertebral bone graft. Except for posterior instrumented fusion with extensive laminectomy decompression, Intervertebral fusion should be considered in the patients who had a prior surgery of laminectomy decompression with instrument, anterior intervertebral fusion (ALIF) was recommended for these cases.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Transplantation ; methods ; Decompression, Surgical ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Spondylolisthesis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the treatment of spinal fractures in ankylosing spondylitis.

METHODSNineteen cases of spinal fractures complicating ankylosing spondylitis admitted in our hospital were studied retrospectively.

RESULTSAll of 19 cases were up to the diagnosis standards of ankylosing spondylitis. Eleven patients had cervical fracture and 8 had thoracolumbar fracture. Of the patients with cervical fracture, fractures occurred at C(5 - 7) in 9 patients. Of the patients with thoracolumbar injury, stress fractures were seen in 7 patients and all of seven fractures occurred at T(10)-L(2). Sixteen of the 19 patients sustained fractures through three columns of the spine. Nine patients had spinal cord injures; eight of the 9 cases had cervical fracture. All of the 19 patients were treated operatively. Four different surgical procedures were used in patients with cervical fracture; decompression, fusion and stabilization with instrumentation by anterior approach were performed in 9 patients. Of the patients with thoracolumbar fractures, four different operations were performed; fusion by both anterior and posterior approach plus a long posterior instrument were used in 5 cases. Eighteen patients had an average follow-up period of 46.6 months. Nine patients with preoperative neurological deficits improved in 8 and was stabilized in 1. Radiographic evidence of fusion was observed in all of the 18 patients. Two patients suffered neurological deterioration during surgery. One patient died from cerebrovascular infarction. Two patients had pneumonia after the operative procedure.

CONCLUSIONSSpinal fractures in ankylosing spondylitis are associated with a high rate of neurological injury. Shearing fracture usually occurs at the lower cervical spine (C(5 - 7)) and stress fracture at thoracolumbar spine. Most of the fractures involve three columns of spine. Surgical intervention may be indicated in this injury. Fracture union and neurological improvement can be achieved in most patients treated by operation. We suggest that, fusion and stabilization with instrumentation by anterior approach is indicated in most cervical shearing fracture, and a combined fusion by both sides plus a long posterior instrument is probably beneficial in patients with thoracolumbar stress fracture. Complications is not rare after surgery and appropriate preventive measures are necessary for these patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal ; complications ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Postoperative Care ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Increasing attention has been focused on the antitumor activity of artemisinin derivatives in recent years, for artemisinin had been reported to have cytotoxic effects against HL-60, P388 and MCF-7 tumor cells. We report here the synthesis and evaluation for antitumor activity of a series of artemisinin-ether derivatives bearing tetrahydropyrrole, morpholine, piperidine, substituted piperidines and azoles with various linkers. Sixteen 10-O-substituted dihydroartemisinin derivatives were designed and synthesized, all of which have never been reported in literatures and whose antiproliferative effects on human breast cancer MCF-7, MCF-7/Adr and HL-60 cells were determined by MTT assay or direct cell counting. Each of these artemisinin derivatives possessed better effects than dihydroartemisinin evidently against HL-60 and MCF-7 cells growth, while less potent than doxorubicin. All target compounds exhibited significantly improved potency compared to DHA and doxorubicin on the doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7/Adr cells, so did they in their sensitive counterparts MCF-7 cells. Among them, compounds GF02, GH04 and ZH04 showed strong activity against these three cell lines growth. Further research is undergoing.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Artemisinins ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Design ; HL-60 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the causative mutations of CYP27A1 gene in a sporadic cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis patient. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of the patient and her parents. All exons and splice sites of CYP27A1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by Sanger sequenc-ing. 105 healthy unrelated subjects were also sequenced for the novel mutation in CYP27A1. Results A novel splice site mutation c.446+1G>T, a novel missense mutation c.877A>T(p.Met293Leu) and a known missense mutation c.1016C>T (p.Thr339Met) of CYP27A1 gene were identified in the patient. The mother carriers the two novel mutations and the fa-ther the c.1016C>T(p.Thr339Met) mutation. The two novel mutations were absent in 105 control subjects, respectively. Conclusions Our study detected two novel mutations, c.446+1G>T and c.877A>T, as well as a known mutation c.1016C>T, of CYP27A1 in a sporadic cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis patient. Our data provide novel information for the mutational spectrum of the gene, which is applicable in the genetic testing and diagnosis. The data also provide in-sight into the pathogenesis of the disease.

To study the effect of miR-490 on Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) replication, HeLa cells were trans- fected with miR-490 in vitro, and infected with a Renilla luciferase (RLuc)-expressing CVB3 variant (RLuc-CVB3). The activities of RLuc in these cells were measured at 8h intervals from 0 to 40 h post-infection (p.i.), and the effects of miR-490 on RLuc-CVB3 replication were observed. In a further study, HeLa cells were transfected with either miR-490 or antisense miR-490 (AMO-miR-490), and were then infected with an enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-expressing CVB3 variant (EGFP-CVB3). The replication of EGFP-CVB3 was then determined by detecting the expression of EGFP. We observed that miR-490 could significantly inhibit the expression of RLuc in infected cells at 32 h p. i. Furthermore, in HeLa cells infected with EGFP-CVB3 at 32 h p.i., EGFP expression was also significantly inhibited by the presence of mniR-490. The inhibitory effect of miR-490 on EGFP expression in EGFP-CVB3-infected cells could be reversed by tranfection with AMQ-miR-490. These results indicated that miR-490 significantly inhibits the replication and expression of QVB3.
Enterovirus B, Human ; genetics ; physiology ; Enterovirus Infections ; genetics ; metabolism ; virology ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Replication

Ginsenoside Rb1 is an active component in ginseng. Previous in vitro experiments showed that ginsenoside Rb1, could inhibit lipolysis and promote glucose transporter in adipocytes. This study focused on the effect of ginsenoside Rb1 in insulin resistance and ectopic fat deposit in obese mice induced by high fat diet and its molecular mechanism. Obese male C57/L mice induced by high fat diet were randomly divided into the diet-induced obesity group (DIO group), the ginsenoside Rb1 group (Rb1 group) and the rosiglitazone group (Rog group), and continuously fed with high fat diet. In addition, male C57/L mice fed with normal diet were selected as the normal group (NC group). Mice in Rb1 group and Rog groups were intraperitoneally injected with ginsenoside Rb1 and rosiglitazone with the dosage of 20 mg x kg(-1) and 10 mg x kg(-1), respectively. NC and DIO groups were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of saline. Two weeks later, the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed. Three days later, the mice were killed, and their serum samples were collected to detect insulin and free fatty acid (FFA). Their livers were weighed to examine the triglyceride content, and a pathological detection was performed. Epididymal adipose tissues were weighed, and PDE3B, HSL and perilipin were detected by Western blotting. The results showed that the treatment with ginsenoside Rb1 for two weeks could improve the glucose tolerance of obese mice. Except for 0-120 min, the areas under the glucose tolerance curve (0-30 min, 0-60 min and 0-90 min) in the Rb1 group were less than that in the DIO group (P < 0.05, n = 5), with a much lower HOMA-IR (P < 0.05, n = 5). The fat level of obese mice was significantly reduced by Rbl (P < 0.05, n = 5), and so were liver weight/weight (P < 0.05, n = 8). The increased serum FFA of obese mice declined after the treatment of Rb1 (P < 0.05, n = 8). Rb1 could partially recover the expression of perilipin in adipose tissues, but without obvious change in the expressions of PDE3B and HSL and the phosphorylated activation. The above findings indicated that ginsenoside Rb1 could reduce the release of FFA and alleviate the ectopic deposit of triglyceride by up-regulating the expression of perilipin in adipose tissue, which may be one of its mechanisms for improving the insulin resistance and abnormal glucose metabolism of organisms.
Adipose Tissue ; drug effects ; pathology ; Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; blood ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Obesity ; blood ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Triglycerides ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo determine the effectiveness of surgical correction for post-traumatic kyphosis of thoracolumbar spine.

METHODSFrom 1996 to 2003, 33 consecutive patients with post-traumatic kyphosis of thoracolumbar spine were corrected surgically. The mean age was 40.3 years (range, 13 - 65 years). The mean time between the initial injury and surgical correction was 36.0 months (range, 6 - 220 months). The kyphotic deformity averaged 40.8 degrees (range, 20 degrees - 82 degrees ). All the patients had neurological deficits. Twelve patients had obvious back pain. Seven patients lost sphincter function completely and nineteen patients lost the function partly. Twenty-three patients had ever undergone laminectomy and/or instrumentation. The treatment procedure consisted of anterior release and posterior spinal osteotomy with instrumentation (15 patients), posterior closing wedge osteotomy with instrumentation (12 patients), anterior release and instrumentation (6 patients).

RESULTSKyphosis was corrected from an average of 40.8 degrees to an average of 5.7 degrees, the corrective rate was 86.0% (40.8 degrees - 5.7 degrees /40.8 degrees). There were no severe complications. The average follow-up period was 24.6 months (range, 6 - 84 months). There was no loss of correction at follow-up. Ten of these patients showed an improvement in neural function by one or two levels according to the classification. Sphincter function recovered partly in ten patients. Back pain was relieved significantly in all of twelve patients with back pain preoperatively. Bony fusion was achieved in thirty-two patients. One patient had nonunion and achieved bony fusion after revision.

CONCLUSIONPosterior closing wedge osteotomy was suitable to kyphosis less than 40 degrees. Anterior release and posterior spinal osteotomy was effective, especially to the patients with severe kyphosis deformity or with operation history. Patients with incomplete neurological deficits and/or severe back pain could get benefit from osteotomy of spine, even if their medical history was long.

Adolescent ; Bone Transplantation ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteotomy ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; complications ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo analyze the impact of thoracic and thoracolumbar angular kyphosis on pelvic shape and sagittal alignment.

METHODSFrom May 2002 to June 2010, the sagittal spino-pelvic parameters were analyzed in lateral standing radiographs of 32 patients (mean age 29.6 years) with thoracolumbar angular kyphosis. The parameters included Cobb angle of kyphosis, lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacrum slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT) and sagittal vertical axis (SVA). All pelvic parameters in the patients were compared with those reported in historical normal subjects. All patients were treated by using kyphotic correction and fusion. The preoperative and postoperative parameters were compared. The pelvic parameters were also compared between the patients with kyphotic apex located at T(1-8) and those located at T(9-12) and thoracolumbar junction. The linear regression analysis was used to investigate the independent factors of PI.

RESULTSThe mean kyphosis was 90.1° (31° - 138°). The mean age of kyphosis occurrence was 6.1 years. The mean PI, SS and PT were 34.8°, 35.8° and -0.7° respectively. The PI and PT were significantly smaller (P < 0.001) in the patients than those in normal subjects while the SS was similar. The kyphosis was improved to 27.9° post-operatively. There was no difference in PI values between pre-operation and postoperation (P > 0.05). The PI and SS in patients whose kyphosis located at thoracic spine (T(1-8)) were significantly higher than those at T(9)-L(2). Instead of patients' age and LL, the preoperative Cobb angle of kyphosis and the levels where kyphosis located were two independent impact factors of PI.

CONCLUSIONSThe kyphosis occurred at childhood may influence pelvic shape and alignment significantly. The lower kyphotic apex located and the bigger kyphosis, the greater impact on the pelvic morphology. The surgery can improve the kyphosis, but can not change the sagittal pelvic morphology. Early treatment of thoracolumbar angular kyphosis is beneficial not only to reconstruction of spine alignment but also to the formation of sagittal pelvic morphology.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Kyphosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Young Adult