BACKGROUND: Several studies have confirmed that activation of intervertebral disc enzymes is closely related to matrix degradation. Matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase have been shown to exert important roles in the process of extracellular matrix degeneration in intervertebrel disk. Besides these two enzyme systems, whether other proteeses that exhibit degrading effects on extracellular matrix are involved in the intervertebral disk degeneration remains poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To detect the cathepsin K expression in normal and degenerated human intervertebrel disc cells and investigate the correlation between cathepsin K and intervertebral disc degeneration.METHODS: Cathepsin K expression was detected in intervertebral disc tissue from 30 patients with lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion using immunohistochemistry SP method and ELISA. At the same time, the intervertebral disc tissue from 15 healthy adult cadavers and/or spine fracture patients was taken as control, Cathepsin K protein expression in normal and degenerated human intervertebral disc tissues were compared.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Cathepsin K expression was observed in normal and degenerated intervertebral disc tissues.The expression level was significantly higher in degenerated tissue than normal tissue (P ＜ 0.05). These findings demonstrate that Cathepsin K possibly participates in the intervertebral disc degeneration.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leiomyoma ; pathology ; Leiomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

AIM: To investigate the change of myopic choroidal neovascularization treated by ranibizumab and evaluate their value in monitoring the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) therapy. ·METHODS: The study enrolled 30 patients ( 30 eyes ) diagnosed with myopic choroidal neovascularization. All affected eyes were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab 0. 05mL ( 10mg/mL ). Best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA ) , non-contact tonometer, ophthalmoscope, fundus fluorescein angiograph ( FFA ) and OCTA were evaluated monthly until 6mo. The changes of BCVA and central macular thickness ( CMT) were compared at 1, 3 and 6mo after treatment. ·RESULTS:All patients received an average of 1. 70±0. 65 injections. BCVA was 0. 96 ± 0. 17 ( LogMAR ) before therapy, and BCVA 1, 3 and 6mo after treatment respectively improved by 0. 23 ± 0. 09, 0. 34 ± 0. 07, 0. 38 ± 0. 11. The differences were significant ( t=5. 461, 8. 191, 8. 894; P<0. 05 ). Mean CMT decreased form 281. 07 ± 13. 72μm to 261. 33 ± 13. 13μm, 243. 47 ± 16. 65μm, 234. 73 ± 17. 52μm respectively 1, 3 and 6mo after treatment, showing significant differences (t=12. 007, 13. 360, 9. 531;P<0. 05). OCTA revealed a progressively smaller vascular lesion and reduction in capillary density. · CONCLUSION: Intravitreal ranibizumab for CNV secondary to pathologic myopia is effective and safe;OCTA is a noninvasive and time-saving new technology, and it also is a promising tool for clinicians to make preliminary diagnosis and assess treatment efficacy in the follow-up visits.

Animals ; Bufo bufo ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To analyze the relationship between pre － pregnancy body mass index ( BMI) ，gestational weight gain ( GWG) and the birth weight of infants，and explore the effect of weight change before and during pregnancy on low birth weight ( LBW) and macrosomia． Methods Women were enrolled by the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study during first trimester． Each respondent＇s weight before and during pregnancy and the birth weight of infant were collected after fellow up． Prepregnancy BMI was divided into underweight，normal and overweight /obesity groups and GWG was divided into suitable， insufficient and excessive groups． Multivariate Logistic regression was adopted to explore the relationship be- tween pre－pregnancy BMI，GWG and newborn＇s birth weight． Ｒesults Women＇s prepregnancy BMI and GWG were associated with neonatal birth weight ( all P＜0. 05) ． Prepregnancy overweight or obesity ( OＲ=2. 339，95% CI: 1. 674－2. 282，P＜0. 001) and excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 398，95% CI: 1. 188－1. 978，P= 0. 048) were shown as risk factors for macrosomia． Insufficient GWG increased LBW risk ( OＲ = 1. 479， 95% CI: 1. 461－1. 679，P= 0. 035) while excessive GWG declined LBW risk ( OＲ= 0. 428，95% CI: 0. 225 －0. 817，P= 0. 010) ． Under weight－insufficient GWG was risk factor of LBW ( OＲ= 1. 335，95% CI: 1. 048 －2. 319，P= 0. 048) while normal BMI－excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 088，95% CI: 1. 016－1. 675，P= 0. 038) and overweight /obesity－excessive GWG ( OＲ= 1. 498，95% CI: 1. 244－2. 017，P= 0. 046) were associated with higher risk of delivering macrosomia． Conclusions Prepregnancy BMI and GWG were associated with infant＇s birth weight and women were suggested to maintain their weight in recommended range before and during pregnancy．

Objective To study the rationality and possibility of 64 slice spiral CT in the examination of the temporal bone at low dose.Methods The same CT technique and temporal bone mode as those for clinical CT were used,two cranium specimens(four ears)were scanned with Somatom Sensation 64-slice spiral CT at different mA(380,300,200,160,120,80),and muhi-planar reformation was performed.The CT dose index at different mA groups were measured by 10 cm pencil ionization chamber and head dose phantom.Four anatomic structures on axial images(subarcuate fossa,tendon of tensor tympani, facial recess,etc),four anatomic structures on coronal images(scute,crista transversa,fenestra cochleae, etc)and six anatomic structures on double oblique images(malleus,incus,stirrup bone,upper bony semicircular,etc)were chosen to evaluate and grade the reformation images among different mA groups,and to determine the minimum mA value.Ten ears of five patients were used to test the validity of the minimum mA value.Results CT radiation dose was significantly reduced from(47.8?2.7)to(20.1?2.0)raCy (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of prenatal stress on neurological functions after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in adult offspring rats.

METHODSPregnant rats were randomly assigned to prenatal stress treatment, which was exposed to restraint three times daily in the last week of pregnancy, and no prenatal stress treatment. Adult male offspring rats were subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia by MCAO. They were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, prenatal stress + sham group, MCAO group and prenatal stress + MCAO group (n = 10). After 24 hours of reperfusion, the neurological deficits were evaluated. The infarct size, cell apoptosis and expression of Caspase 3, cleaved Caspase 3 and Bcl-2 were detected.

RESULTSCompared with MCAO group, the neurological deficits, infarct size and apoptotic cells in prenatal stress + MCAO group were increased significantly (all P < 0.05). The expressions of Caspase 3 and cleaved Caspase 3 were much greater in prenatal stress + MCAO group than those of MCAO group, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased in prenatal stress + MCAO group compared with MCAO group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPrenatal stress might exacerbate neuroloeical deficits in the offspring rats after MCAO by increasing cell apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Female ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; physiopathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Physiological

Objective To transplant the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(UCMSCs) derived from human umbilical cord into cisterna magna of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE) rat model,and to observe their survival,proliferation and differentiation in the rat brain.Methods UCMSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord of babies delivered after full-term normal cesarean section,and labeled by bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU).Pregnant rats were randomly divided into experimental group(n=6) and control group(n=1).HIE models were built by ligating both sides of the uterine arteries of full-pregnant rats(21 days) in experimental group rats for 15 minutes.The neonatal rats in experimental group were divided into stem cells group(n=24) and PBS group(n=19) at random.The labeled UCMSCs were injected into cisterna magna of the rats in stem cells group,while PBS was injected into the rats of PBS group.In 1,2,3 and 4 weeks after transplantation,the brain tissue section slides were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against BrdU,Nestin,neuron specific enolase(NSE) and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP),and thionin.Control group with normal delivery was tested as concurrent control.Results At 1 week after transplantation,BrdU,Nestin,NSE and GFAP positive cells were found in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of the rats in stem cells group rats.The number of BrdU-positive and Nestin-positive cells increased(Pa0.05).The NSE-positive and GFAP-positive cells gradually increased from 1-4 weeks post transplantation and comparisons between groups had statistical significance(Pa

Objective To investigate the effects of heparin coating on intimal hyperplasia in implanted decellularized xenografts.Methods The resected canie carotid arteries were decellularized,and heparin coating was partially performed.Eighteen rabbits were divided into non-heparin-coated group(n=9)and heparin-coated group(n=9).During implantation,only the left carotid between the anastomotic stoma was ligated.Doppler ultrasonography was performed 1,3 and 12 weeks post-implantation to measure the luminal diameter,and the hemodynamic parameters such as PSV,RI and PI were calculated.All animals were sacrificed,histological observations were conducted at 12 weeks post-implantation,and I/(I+ M)was calculated.Results Except for 1 week post-implantation in the ligated side,the luminal diameters in non-heparin -coated group were significantly smaller than that of pre-implantation.Besides,those of the non-ligated side at each time points were significantly smaller than the ligated side(P

BACKGROUND: Silk fibroin derived from silk had a good biocompatibility and biodegradation, which could be used for biomaterials to improve cell adhesion and growth abilities. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite (SF/HA) compounded of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) on repairing bone defects. METHODS: Adipose tissues were derived from epididymis of 2-month-old New Zealand rabbits and trypsogen-passaged to obtain ADSCs. The third-passage ADSCs at the concentration of 1×10/L were placed on SF/HA scaffold. Three hours later, the composite was cultured with DMEM culture media containing 1 μmol/L dexamethasone, 50 μmol/L vitamin C, and 10 mmol/L β-sodium glycerophosphate. Thirty-six rabbits were induced cancellated bone defect sizing 4.5 mm × 4.5 mm × 10 mm. The composite group was implanted with SF/HN/ADSCs scaffold, the simple group was implanted with SF/HA scaffold, but any treatment was employed in the blank control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 12 weeks, general observation demonstrated that the bone defects were repaired entirely in composite group and partly in simple group. However, the bone defect was not repaired in the blank control group. X-ray and histological observation suggested that at 12 weeks the bone defects were repaired entirely in composite group and partly in simple group. The quantity of the newly formed bone in the composite group was significantly more than that in the simple group (P < 0.05). Repair showed no effect in the blank control group. SF/HA/ADSCs composite could successfully repair bone defects of a rabbit femur, and the effect was superior to SF/HA scaffold.