Objective To compare the therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy at different time points on patients with spinal cord injury. Methods A total of 284 cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) were divided into an HBO group and a control group. The control group was treated with routine interventions (including a dehydrator, medication for neurotrophy, rehabilitation management, acupuncture and supportive treatment). The HBO group was treated with HBO in addition to the routine treatments, initiated at different time points after onset of SCI ( from less than 8 hours to longer than 1 week). All of the patients were evaluated in terms of scores on the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) assessment and Barthel's index (BI) before and after treatment.Results Both groups had excellent effects when the treatment was initiated within the first 8 hours after the onset of SCI. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Average ASIA and BI scores in both groups improved significantly within the first 24 hours, and over the 1 st week after the onset of SCI. The recovery of neurological function and ability in the activities of daily living (ADL) was significantly better when HBO treatment was initiated within 8 hours after SCI compared with that initiated after 24 hour and 1 week. The therapeutic effects in the HBO group patients were significantly better than in the control group when HBO was initiated at 8 and 24 hours after onset of SCI. Neither the HBO group nor the control group had significant further improvement in ASIA scores or ADL performance when treatments initiated after 1 week. Conclusions HBO can significantly improve neurological function and ADL performance after SCI if it is administered within 1-8 hours.

Objective To observe the effect of hypertonic saline complex solution (hypertonic saline plus hydroxyethyl starch,HSH) on patients with severe cerebral trauma,high intracranial pressure and shock by the measurement of the changes of the mean arterial pressure (MAP),central venous pressure (CVP) and intracranial pressure (ICP),as well as GOS score changes followed up for 6 months,in order to determine the value of HSH treatment in severe cerebral trauma,intracranial hypertension and shock.Methods Sixty patients with severe brain injury and uncorrected hemorrhagic shock were selected,while the degree of coma was assessed by using GCS score,and shock severity was estimated by using the shock index (SI) score.The patients were randomly divided into HSH group (n =30) and mannitol group (MT group,n =30).Thirty minutes,60 min and 120 min after administration either solution,The changes of MAP,CVP and ICP were observed in two groups,and all patients were followed up for 6 months to observe the outcomes of patients.Results There were no statistically significant differences in age,gender,GCS score,SI scores,and other medication between two groups (P ＞ 0.05),and they were comparable between two groups.After resuscitation of patients in two groups,MAP and CVP were elevated,but the effect of HSH appeared sooner and higher within 30 minutes [MAP (63.1 ± 8.8) mmHg vs.(51.0-9.3) mmHg] (P ＜ 0.05);At the same time,ICP dropped more than 10％ lower [ICP (27.3 ± 5.9) mmHg vs.(32.8 ± 4.1) mmHg] (P ＜0.05),while the effect of MT appeared more slowly in hemodynamic improvement;at 120 min,the increase in MAP and reduction in ICP in HSH group were more significant than those in MT group [MAP (65.9 ± 13.2) mmHg vs.(60.4 ±7.2) mmHg] (P ＜0.01);the ICP [(22.2 ±4.7) mmHg vs.(28.1 ±6.1) mmHg] (P ＜ 0.01).Followed up for 6 months,good recovery rate in HSH group was higher and poor recovery rate was lower than those in MT group.Conclusions In patients with acute intracranial hypertension and uncorrected hemorrhagic shock,the employment of hypertonic saline plus hydroxyethyl starch solution can produce faster and more effective therapy for shock and reduce intracranial pressure,improving the long-term neurological function of patients.

Objective To study the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) preconditioning (PC) on motor function and mitochondrial apoptosis after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.Methods Thirty-six healthy,male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (each n =12):a control (CON) group,an SCI model group and an HBO-PC group.The SCI group and the HBO-PC group after 7 sessions of HBO-PC treatment were subjected to SCI modeling using Allen's method.The CON group was not given any special treatment.Two weeks after the modeling,Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan BBB scale was used to rate the rats' locomotor function,and the T8 segment of the rats' spinal cords was removed.After extracting total RNA from the spinal cord tissue,real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels ofcaspase-3,cytochrome C (CYC),Bak,Bax,Bcl-x and Bcl-2 in the spinal cord tissue.Results Two weeks after modeling,compared with the CON group,the average BBB locomotion score of the SCI model group had decreased.In contrast,caspase-3,CYC,Bak and Bax mRNA expressions had increased significantly.Compared with the CON group,the average BBB locomotion score of the HBO-PC group had decreased,caspase-3 expression had increased,and Bax mRNA expression had decreased,but the differences in the changes between the two groups were not statistically significant.Bak mRNA expression increased and CYC expression decreased,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant.Compared with the SCI model group,the average BBB locomotion score of the HBO-PC group increased while caspase-3,CYC,Bak and Bax mRNA expressions decreased,but none of these differences between the two groups was statistically significant.Bak mRNA expression increased and CYC mRNA expression decreased,and those differences between the two groups were statistically significant.Bcl-x and Bcl-2 mRNA expression in the CON,HBO-PC and SCI model groups were significantly different.Conclusion HBO-PC can reduce the loss of motor function after SCI,at least in rats.The mechanism may be related to reducing neuron mitochondrial apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: The comparative study concerning the safety of umbilical cord and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation for the treatment of nervous system lesions is insufficient. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety of umbilical cord and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation for treatment of nervous system lesions. METHODS: A total of 214 cases with neuropathy were randomly divided into A, B groups. Patients in the A group received umbilical cord derived stem cell transplantation, and those in the B group received bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation. Totally (5-12)×108 stem cells were transplanted into each patient. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The count of lymphocytes, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, IgA, and IgM were increased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P < 0.01); However there were no significant differences between two groups (P > 0.05). Moreover, white blood cell count and red blood cell count in cerebrospinal fluid of all patients were significantly greater than the normal level. There were no significant differences between two groups (P > 0.05). No significant differences of the positive rate of Pandy test and the incidence rate of adverse effect were found in both groups (P > 0.05). The safety of umbilical cord and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for treatment of nervous system lesions showed no marked differences.

Objective To investigate the risk factors and prognosis on the post-resuscitation multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS) after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR).Methods Clinical data of 53 patients who were suffered with cardiac arrest(CA) and undergone successful CPR with return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC) were analyzed. Results There were 48 patients accompanied with MODS(90.6%),and among them,35 patients died in hospital(66.0%).All the 10 patients with CPR interval ≥6min were accompanied with MODS and they died in hospital.There were 43 patients who underwent CA immediately and of them,38 patients were accompanied with MODS.The incidence and mortality of MODS in the patients with CA-ROSC interval 0.05).Conclusion The risk factors such as ROSC interval ≥6 min,AC-ROSC interval ≥10min and the SIRS after ROSC are significantly associated with the incidence of MODS.The organic function of the patients should be evaluated promptly.

Objective To investigate the effects of methylprednisolone on the release of cytokines in patients after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR).Method Thirty patients after CPR with restoration of spontaneous circulation(ROSC)were randomly divided into two groups:group A(methylprednisolone group,n=14)and group B(control group,n=16)during the period from May 2005 through May 2007.The patients of group were treated with methylprednisolone 3 mg/kg by intravenously twice a day after ROSC.The levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1β(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-8(IL-8),interleukin-10 (IL-10)were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)before CPR,and 24,48,72 hours and 7 days after ROSC.The data were analyzed studentis t test and chi-gquare test.A P value less than 0.05 indicated significant difference.Results There was on significant difference in the mean time from cardiac arrest to return of spontaneous circulation,and the levels of serum cytokines between the two groups before CPR(P＞0.05).In comparisorl with group B,the levels of serum TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8 decreased markedly at 24 and 48 hour after ROSC in group A(P＜0.05-0.01),and the levels of serum IL-8 decreased markedly at 72 hours after ROSC in groupA(P＜0.05).Thelevels of serum TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8 were not of significant differences between the two groups at 7 hys after ROSC(P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the levels of serum IL-10between the two groups at different time points after ROSC(P＞0.05).Conclusions Methylprednisolone plays a role of preventive effects on patients with ROSC after PCR through decreasing the levels of serum TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a multiplex allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) assay with three-color fluorescence labeling for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) SNP typing. METHODS: Based on the principle of AS-PCR, the primer sets were designed for 20 SNP located on the coding region of mtDNA and divided into 2 groups labeled with FAM and HEX fluorescence, respectively. A primer set included two forward (reverse) allelic specific primers with different sizes and a generic reverse (forward) primer. Blood samples from 200 unrelated individuals were analyzed by AS-PCR and capillary electrophoresis. Three random samples at least for each SNP site were examined and verified by direct sequencing. The haplotype frequency was investigated. RESULTS: Distinct electropherograms of 200 blood samples were obtained successfully. The typing results of direct sequencing were identical to those obtained from AS-PCR. The minimum detectable DNA concentration was 0.2 pg under the system of 10 microL. The sensitivity of the DNA concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 5 pg. The 200 individuals were assigned into 15 haplotype, and the haplotype diversity was 0.906 0. CONCLUSION AS-PCR is a simple, rapid and efficient method for mtDNA SNP typing, and can be applied to forensic practice.
Alleles ; DNA ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Mitochondrial/analysis* ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of detecting of Y-STR of fetal DNA in maternal plasma using Ion Torrent PGM™ System. METHODS: A total of 16 fetal DNA samples from maternal plasmas (8 cases from 38 weeks gestational age and 8 ones from 12 weeks) were prepared and a multiplex assay with 7 STR loci (DYS390, DYS391, DYS393, DYS438, DYS437, DYS456, DYS635) was designed for multiplex-PCR amplification. Using Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the results of Y-STR sequences and capillary electrophoresis were obtained and compared. RESULTS: Y-STR specific alleles were detected in the maternal plasma of all the pregnant women having male babies of second and third trimester, which were higher than that detected by capillary electrophoresis. Consistent Y-STR genotypes were observed between fetal DNA from maternal plasma and genomic DNA from the newborn babies. CONCLUSION Based on Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the prenatal Y-STR detection method may provide a high-sensitive and high-throughput choice for prenatal STR detection in forensic testing.
Alleles ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; DNA/blood* ; Family ; Female ; Fetal Blood/chemistry* ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pregnancy ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sex Determination Analysis ; Tandem Repeat Sequences/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To establish a multiplex STR genotyping method for autosomal STR and Y-STR loci in forensic biological practice. METHODS: Widely used autosomal STR loci and Y-STR loci were selected. A set of PCR primers was designed, and a 5-dye fluorescent labeled STR multiplex PCR reagent kit was developed. RESULTS: A kit was developed which can simultaneously detect 15 autosomal STR loci, 10 Y-STR loci, and an Amelogenin. CONCLUSION The 15 autosomal STR plus 10 Y-STR kit in combination with capillary electrophoresis method was used to STR genotyping with accurate and reliable results. The new one-step testing kit can potentially be widely used in forensic cases and DNA databank in the future.
Amelogenin ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; DNA Primers ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Forensic Genetics/methods* ; Genotype ; Genotyping Techniques/instrumentation* ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To explore the effect of external diaphragm pacemaker (EDP) in patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke. Methods One hundred patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke, admitted to our hospital from January 2014 and July 201, were assigned to a control group and an observation group (n=50) according to the willing of the patient family. All the patients received routine ICU treatment; patients from the observation group were additionally given external diaphragm pacemaker (EDP). After 30 d of treatment, the incidence of respiratory infections and percentage of total subjects of weaned, diaphragmatic excursion, duration in ICU, and duration of mechanical ventilation were compared between the two groups. Results As compared with those in the control group, the percentage of subjects of weaned and diaphragmatic excursion were significantly increased, and the duration in ICU, duration of mechanical ventilation, and incidence of respiratory infections were significantly decreased in the observation group (P<0.05). Conclusion EDP treatment may increase the percentage of subjects of weaned by improving the diaphragmatic function, which can decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and incidence of respiratory infections in patients with mechanical ventilation after stroke.