OBJECTIVETo study the effect of nano-SiO2 on spatial learning and memory.

METHODSTwenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (C group), low dose group (L group) and high dose group (H group). The rats were intragastrically administrated with nanometer particles at 25 and 100 mg/kg body weight every day for 4 weeks. After exposure, the ability of learning and memory of rats was tested by Morris water maze, and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-tear potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats.

RESULTSThe increase rate of body weight in H group was reduced significantly compared with C group ( P < 0.05). In the space exploration experiment of Morris water maze test, the escape latency of H group was longer than that of C group (P < 0.05). The rats of H group spent less time in finding the target quadrant (P < 0.05) . The rate of LP induction of H group was significantly lower than that of C group (P < 0.05). After high fre quency stimulation (HFS), The changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) of L group and H group were lower than those of C group significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNano-SiO₂may result in impairment of spatial learning and memory ability by reducing the rate of LTP induction and the increase of PS in hippocampus.

Animals ; Dentate Gyrus ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Male ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Nanoparticles ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Silicon Dioxide ; adverse effects ; Spatial Learning ; drug effects

Objective To evaluate the treatment of aneurysms rupture during endovascular embolization.Methods Nine aneurysms ruptured during the embolization and were treated with endovascular embolization.The reasons of aneurysms rupture during embolization,the prevention and the first aid after aneurysms rupture were analysed.Results Seven patients recovered and 2 died.Conclusions The optimal treatment of aneurysms rupture during endovascular embolization is effective,(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16: 132-134)

AIMTo investigate the changes of neurotransmitter concentration in spinal cord after exercise-induced central fatigue and study the mechanism of central fatigue at spinal level.

METHODSEstablish exercise-induced central fatigue model according to Bedford incremental loading training. The rats were divided into three groups, control group (C), immediately after training group (IT), rest 3 hours after training group (RT). Then using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the concentration of neurotransmitter in spinal cord.

RESULTSAmino acid neurotransmitters in spinal cord increased in IT group: Glu, GABA increased significantly (P < 0.05), Gly also increased but have no statistic difference; while in RT group, amino acid neurotransmitters got back to normal. However monoamine neurotransmitters NE, 5-HT tended to decrease in IT group. In RT group 5-HT decreased dramatically (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONExercise-induced fatigue changed the concentration of neurotransmitter in spinal cord.The results suggested that neurotransmitter in spinal cord might have relationship with exercise-induced fatigue, especially 5-HT might have more important effect on recovery of fatigue.

Animals ; Fatigue ; metabolism ; Male ; Motor Neurons ; metabolism ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Synaptic Transmission

Objective To develop a candidate reference method for the measurement of progesterone in human serum.Methods The serum sample is mixed with the internal standard [3,4-~(13)C_2] progesterone.After extraction with n-hexane and purified by a aqueous solution of 2-Hydroxypropyl-?- cyclodextrin (HP-?-CD),the serum progesterone and labeled progesterone are converted to the 3-enol heptafluorobutyrate and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with selected ion monitoring.The concentration of serum progesterone is calculated by bracketing method.Results The results gave coefficients of variation (CVs) of 0.69% to 2.12%.The analytical recoveries ranged from 98.3% to 100.1%.The results of measuring certified reference materials of serum progesterone are agree with the target value.Conclusion The procedure for measuring progesterone in serum is a highly accurate and precise method and may be used as a candidate reference method for serum progesterone assays.

Objective To evaluate the effect ofendovascular embolization on intracranial aneurysms with detachable coil and detachable balloon and to emphasize the mainpoint of embolization technique.Methods 1328 patients underwent complete cerebral angiography using microcatheter under DSA imaging. 85 cases with 90 aneurysms were embolized by MDS, 825 cases with 847 aneurysms were embolized by GDC, 418 cases with 433 aneurysms were embolized by EDC. 37 of 67 giant aneurysms were embolized by detachable balloon, 18 aneurysms by GDC, 11 aneurysms by EDC, 1 by MDS. Results 1328 patients with 1370 aneurysms were cured successfully; 1 322 cases recovered clinically, 6 patients died. 1 281 aneurysms achieved 100 % occlusion, 65with 95 % occlusion, 20 with 90 % occlusion, and 4with 80 % embolization. 9 aneurysms reputured during the embolization, 5 patients had cerebral infarction, 1 patient died of intractable cerebral vasospasm for microcoil escape. 2 recurrent cases were cured by second GDC embolization. Conclusion The method of endovascular embolization to treat intracranial aneurysm is safe, reliable and effective. Those cases with giant aneurysms will have high recurrence. Patients who suffer from SAH repeatedly may have great possibility of aneurysm rupture during embolization.

Objective To observe the expression of growth factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF],stromal cell-derived factor-1 [SDF-1 ],basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF],insulin-like growth factor [IGF-1],transforming growth factor-β [TGF-β],platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF],brain derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF],glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor [GDNF] and nerve growth factor [NGF]) in rat ischemic brain tissues after intravenous implantation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and/or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Methods Healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:vehicle group,BMSCs transplantation group,EPCs transplantation group and BMSCs combined with EPCs transplantation group (n=20). The rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO),and 24 h after that,they were intravenously transplanted with either 3×106 BMSCs,EPCs,BMSCs/EPCs or 1 mL physiological saline.Seven d after transplantation,real time-PCR and Western blotting were employed to detect the expressions of VEGF,SDF-1,bFGF,IGF-1,TGF-β,PDGF-BB,BDNF,GDNF and NGF. Results The mRNA expressions of bFGF,VEGF and BNDF in the BMSCs/EPCs transplantation group were significantly higher as compared with those in the other groups (P＜0.05).BMSCs transplantation group enjoyed the highest mRNA levels of NGF,GDNF and TGF-β among all the groups, significantly higher as compared with those in the other groups (P＜0.05),followed by BMSCs/EPCs transplantation group.EPCs transplantation group enjoyed the highest mRNA levels of PDGF,IGF-1 and SDF-1,significantly higher as compared with those in the other groups (P＜ 0.05), followed by BMSCs/EPCs transplantation group. Conclusion BMSCs combined with EPCs implantation can promote the functional rehabilitation in rats after focal cerebral ischemia, which provides new way for improving the transplantation success rate.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of retinol acid (RA) and triiodothyronine (T3) on alleviating the impairment of cognitive function by sleep deprivation (SD).

METHODSMale Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: control group (C group), sleep deprivation group (SD group), sleep deprivation + RA group (SD + RA group) and sleep deprivation + T3 group (SD + T3 group). Open field test (OFT) was used to observe the nervous behavior of the rats after SD and electrophysiological brain stereotactic method was used to test long-term potentiation (LTP) in dentate gyrus (DG) of the rats. Ng protein expression was determined by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the SD group, the number of crossing in OFT, the changes of amplitude of population spike (PS) and the expression of Ng protein in hippocampus were higher significantly in the SD + RA and SD + T3 groups. All of these had not significant difference comparing with the C group.

CONCLUSIONRA and T3 may alleviate the restrain state of neural system after SD by augmenting the expression of Ng protein in hippocampus.

Animals ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Dentate Gyrus ; metabolism ; Long-Term Potentiation ; Male ; Neurogranin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sleep Deprivation ; metabolism ; psychology ; Triiodothyronine ; pharmacology ; Vitamin A ; pharmacology

The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a prominent component of the descending modulatory system involved in the control of spinal nociceptive transmission. In the current study, we investigated melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) expression in the RVM, where the neurons involved in modulation of nociception reside. Using a line of mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the MC4R promoter, we found a large number of GFP-positive neurons in the RVM [nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) and nucleus gigantocellularis pars α (NGCα)]. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry revealed that approximately 10% of MC4R-GFP-positive neurons coexpressed tyrosine hydroxylase, indicating that they were catecholaminergic, whereas 50%-75% of those coexpressed tryptophan hydroxylase, indicating that they were serotonergic. Our findings support the hypothesis that MC4R signaling in RVM may modulate the activity of serotonergic sympathetic outflow sensitive to nociceptive signals, and that MC4R signaling in RVM may contribute to the descending modulation of nociceptive transmission.
Animals ; Female ; Male ; Medulla Oblongata ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neural Pathways ; cytology ; metabolism ; Neurons, Afferent ; cytology ; metabolism ; Nociception ; physiology ; Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Serotonergic Neurons ; metabolism ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the difference of gene expression profiles in gastric cancer (T), pericancerous mucosa (P) and the gastric mucosa from distant cutting margin (C), and to screen an associated novel gene in early gastric carcinogenesis by oligonucleotide microarray.

METHODSU133A (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA) gene chip was used to detect the gene expression profile difference in T, P and C, respectively. Bioinformatics was used to analyze the detected results.

RESULTSWhen gastric cancer was compared with normal gastric mucosa, 766 genes were found,with a difference of more than four times in expression levels, including 530 up-regulated [Signal Log Ratio (SLR) > 2], and 236 down-regulated (SLR< -2). When P was compared with C, 64 genes were found, with a difference of more than four times in expression levels, including 50 up-regulated (SLR > 2), and 14 down-regulated (SLR< -2). Compared with C, a total of 143 genes with a difference of more than four times in expression levels both in T and P tissues. Of the 143 genes, 108 were up-regulated (SLR > 2), and 35 were down-regulated (SLR< -2).

CONCLUSIONSGene chip can reveal 143 same genes both in pericancerous mucosa and gastric mucosa. These genes may be related to the carcinogenesis and development of early gastric cancer.

Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Precancerous Conditions ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical, pathological, laboratory test and follow-up data between familial and sporadic patients with distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV) and discuss the characteristics of this disorder in Chinese population.

METHODSThe clinical and pathological features, laboratory data and follow-up results of 33 sporadic and 4 familial cases of pathologically confirmed DMRV were summarized and compared retrospectively.

RESULTSThe patients age, onset age, or disease duration showed no significant difference between sporadic and familial cases; the onset pattern and affected muscle groups were also similar, but the sporadic cases showed more frequent dysmorphic features than the familial cases. The patients showed mild to moderate elevation of the muscle enzymes by one to three folds, and the familial patients had more significant elevation than the sporadic ones. No correlation was found between the disease duration and the level of muscle enzymes. The pathological findings were similar between the cases, and Gomori staining showed rimmed vacuoles and inclusion bodies without inflammatory cell infiltration. Follow-up results of 29 cases showed no significant difference between the two groups. The disease was slowly progressive and severely affected the quality of life of the patients, but did not produce obvious effect on the life expectancy.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical, pathological and laboratory data of Chinese DMRV patients are basically similar to those of Japanese cases. Sporadic cases tend to show more dysmorphic features than the familial ones, and occasional sporadic cases have early disease onset in early childhood.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Distal Myopathies ; classification ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Inclusion Bodies ; pathology ; Male ; Pedigree ; Retrospective Studies ; Vacuoles ; pathology ; Young Adult