Objective To observe whether recombinant human erythropoietin (rhu- EPO) could cross blood- brain barrier (BBB) of premature infants. Methods Thirty - six premature infants, with gestational age 28 - 35 weeks, birth weight0.05).Conclusion Rhu- EPO can cross the BBB of premature infants.

Objective To evaluate the effect of N- acetylcysteine(NAC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - sensitized neonatal rats with hypoxic- ischemic brain damage(HIBD) and possible mechanism except the antioxidant. Methods With the total number of 98 Wistar pups at postnatal day 8 of either sex was used in this study. There were 86 pups which were divided into three groups to evaluate the brain injury:vehicle group ( n = 29) ,low dose (25 mg/kg) ( n = 31 ) and high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) ( n - 26) treatment group. The pups were injected with LPS(0.1 mg/kg)intraperitoneally 3 days before hypoxic- ischemic(HI) insult. Multiple dose of NAC (25 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected intraperitoneally before and after HI. Brain injury was evaluated 7 days after HI. For the Caspase - 3 activity and immunoblotting analysis, the samples were collected at 24 h after HI treated either with vehicle or high dose NAC ( n = 6 per group). Results The brain injury volume was significantly reduced by high dose NAC (200 mg/kg) treatment compared with that of vehicle (77% reduction, P ＜ 0.001 ). The tissue loss was reduced 67 % ( P ＜ 0.001 ) in high dose NAC treated group compared with that of vehicle. However,there was no significant reduction of brain injury in the low dose NAC treatment group compared with vehicle group. Caspase - 3 like activity measurement showed that the activity decreased 53 % after high dose NAC treatment ( P ＜ 0. 001 ) compared with that of vehicle treatment. The immunoblots showed that the active form of Caspase - 3, 17 kDa band, was abolished by the high dose NAC treatment. Conclusions NAC treatment attenuate LPS - sensitized neonatal HI brain injury is dose dependent. The neuroprotective effect involves Caspase - 3 inhibition.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the neuroprotective effect and possible mechanisms of edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) in neonatal Harlequin (Hq) mutant mice brain after hypoxia-ischemia brain injury(HIBD) insult.MethodsThe nine-day-old male Hq mutant mouse pups were assigned randomly either edaravone (n=16) and vehicle (n=17) treatment group. The Hq mice were subjected to left common carotid artery occlusion combined with inhalation 100 mL/L oxygen for 45 minutes. The mice were injected intraperitoneally either with edaravone (10 mg/kg) or equivalent volume of saline immediately after artery occlusion and after hypoxia. Nitrotyrosine and lipid peroxidation formation were evaluated at 3 h and 24 h after hypoxia-ischemia(HI) by using immunohistochemistry staining. Nitrotyrosine formation and caspases activation were evaluated either by immunoblotting or fluorogenic activity measurement at 24 h after HI. Brain injury was evaluated at 72 h by neuropathological score and calculating the infarct volume.ResultsBrain injury encompassed cortex, hippocampus, striatum and thalamus. Edaravone treatment reduced brain injury significantly in all the brain regions. The total infarct volume was reduced 52.8% in edaravone treatment group compared with vehicle group (P<0.001). The edaravone treatment reduced nitrotyrosine formation as well as lipid peroxidation formation significantly, but without obviously effect on caspases activation.ConclusionEdaravone affords neuroprotection after neonatal HI insult, which correlated with the reduction of free radical formation.

Objective To analyze the incidence rate and mortality of perinatal asphyxia and effects of new resuscitation technique on asphyxia as well as the risk factors of asphyxia in latest 10 years.Methods A retrospective evaluation was done for all the newborns who were born in the provincial women and children′s health care hospital from 1995 to 2004.The morbidity,mortality and fatality rate were calculated for each observed year and different seasons.The influence of gender,body weight,gestational age as well as polyembryony and mode of delivery on the asphyxia was analyzed.Results The morbidity of mild birth asphyxia was decreased dramatically and maintained at about 1.5% after using new resuscitation technique,however,there were no obvious effects on the sever asphyxia.In the same time,no big influence on fatality rate of birth asphyxia was observed.The incidence rate was highest in April,but the mortality and fatality of asphyxia was highest in July.The incidence of asphyxia was also related with gender,polyembryony,birth weight,prematurity babies and aids to delivery from voginal.Conclusions The incidence of perinatal asphyxia is related with the gender,polyembryony,birth weight and gestation age as well as seasons.New resuscitation technique can reduce the morbidity of mild birth asphyxia,and no effect on the severe asphyxia as well as fatality rate.

0.05),but there were significant difference between the two groups from 12 hours to 48 hours after operation(all P

Objective To find out the associated effect of intrauterine infection and interuterine asphyxia to fetal rat′s brain damage,cell apoptosis,and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP).Methods Pregnant rats of gestation 18 days were randomly divided into four groups:1.NS plus sham operation,2.intrauterine infection,3.intrauterine asphyxia,4.intrauterine infection plus intrauterine asphyxia.The fetal rats′ brains were taken out 72 h after different disposal and given HE coloration,immunohistochemistry of TUNEL and GFAP,respectively.Results The level of brain cell edema and tissue disorganization of group intrauterine infection plus intrauterine asphyxia were more serious than those of group intrauterine infection or group intrauterine asphyxia.TUNEL and GFAP had the same results:The number of positive cells in group intrauterine infection plus intrauterine asphyxia more than that in group intrauterine infection,and which in group intrauterine asphyxia more than that in group NS plus sham operation.There was significant difference between the first three groups and the group NS plus sham operation(P=0).There was also significant difference between group intrauterine infection plus intrauterine asphyxia and group intrauterine infection or group intrauterine asphyxia(P=0).Conclusions Both intrauterine infection and intrauterine asphyxia may induce premature rat brain damage,the association of intrauterine infection and intrauterine asphyxia may aggravate the degree of fetal rat brain damage,also increase the number of apoptosis cell and the expression of GFAP.

Objective To evaluate the neuroprotective effect and possible mechanisms of edaravone(3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) in neonatal Harlequin(Hq) mutant mice brain after hypoxia-ischemia brain injury(HIBD) insult.Methods The nine-day-old male Hq mutant mouse pups were assigned randomly either edaravone(n=16) and vehicle(n=17) treatment group.The Hq mice were subjected to left common carotid artery occlusion combined with inhalation 100 mL/L oxygen for 45 minutes.The mice were injected intraperitoneally either with edaravone(10 mg/kg) or equivalent volume of saline immediately after artery occlusion and after hypoxia.Nitrotyrosine and lipid peroxidation formation were evaluated at 3 h and 24 h after hypoxia-ischemia(HI) by using immunohistochemistry staining.Nitrotyrosine formation and caspases activation were evaluated either by immunoblotting or fluorogenic activity measurement at 24 h after HI.Brain injury was evaluated at 72 h by neuropathological score and calculating the infarct volume.Results Brain injury encompassed cortex,hippocampus,striatum and thalamus.Edaravone treatment reduced brain injury significantly in all the brain regions.The total infarct volume was reduced 52.8% in edaravone treatment group compared with vehicle group(P

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; blood supply ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; physiopathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

Objective To evaluate the neuroprotective effect and safety of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)treated with recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO).Methods Fifty-three neonates with HIE were randomly divided into rhEPO treated group(n=29) with the dosage of 300 U/(kg?time),three times a week for 2 weeks and control group(n=24)without rhEPO.All supportive measures were same between 2 groups.Neurological scoring was evaluated at d3,d5 and d7 Neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) was evaluated at d7,d14 and d28.The neurodevelopment quote was evaluated at age of 3 and 6 months.Blood pressure,liver and renal function,blood electrolytes and blood hemoglobin,platelet and reticular red blood cell count were monitored before and after treatment in all infants.Results The neurological scoring between two groups had no difference at d3.The significant difference was found at d7(P0.05).Conclusions Teraphy with rhEPO on neonatal HIE infants can promote neurological recovery,and there is no serious side effect with rhEPO treatment.