OBJECTIVETo observe the repair effect of Schwann cells (SCs) modified by microgene pSVPoMcat on injured spinal cord in rats.

METHODSSemi-transection injury at the level of T(8) of spinal cord was made with cutting method on 120 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Then 40 rats implanted with SCs modified by microgene pSVPoMcat were taken as Group A, 40 rats implanted with simple SCs as Group B and the other 40 rats were taken as the control group (Group C). The functional recovery of the rats was observed through combined behavioral score (CBS) and cortical somatosensory evoked potential (CSEP), and the expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was measured with in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. At 3 months after operation, the rats were examined with magnetic resonance image (MRI), and the neurofilaments (NF) of the axons were stained with immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSGFAP expression in Group A was significantly lower than that of the other 2 groups. MRI showed that the spinal signals in the injured area recovered fundamentally in Group A, didn't recover in Group B and malacia focus was found in Group C, which was same as the results of NF staining. Wave amplitudes in incubation periods in Group A and Group B tended to recover. It recovered to the normal level in Group A, which was similar to the results of CBS.

CONCLUSIONSSCs modified by microgene pSVPoMcat can inhibit GFAP expression, improve the growth of the axons and the functional recovery of neurons after spinal cord injury.

Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Therapy ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nerve Regeneration ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schwann Cells ; metabolism ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord ; physiopathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the curative effect of wilsonii injecta on severe head injury (SHI).

METHODSA total of 120 patients with SHI were divided randomly into 2 groups, the patients treated with conventional methods as Group A (n=60) and the patients treated with wilsonii injecta as Group B (n=60). The changes of neural function indexes were evaluated with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) before treatment and with Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) after treatment, simultaneously, the parameters of hemorrheological indexes (HI), brain electrical activity map (BEAM) and transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSIn Group B, the clinical GCS, the HI, the BEAM and the prognosis GOS were improved much more than those in Group A. And the TCD parameters in Group B decreased, which had significant difference compared with that in Group A (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSWilsonii injecta can rapidly improve the injured p ersons' conscious states, the abnormal BEAM and the surviving quality. It suggests that the improvement of the HI is related to the relief of the vasospasm of the arterial blood vessels in the brain, which may be one of the important mechanisms of wilsonii injecta in improving the prognosis.

Adult ; Brain Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; Brain Mapping ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Probability ; Reference Values ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Doppler

Purpose: This study explored the performance of prenatal ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of cystic biliary atresia (CBA) and choledochal cyst (CC). Methods: Fetuses diagnosed with hepatic hilar cyst in the second trimester were included in this study. A series of prenatal ultrasound examinations were performed in the second and third trimesters. The diameter of the gallbladder (GB) and hepatic cyst were measured, as well as the wall thickness of the GB. The GB-cyst connection, visibility of the right hepatic artery (RHA), and other concomitant abnormalities were carefully evaluated. A neonatal transabdominal ultrasound examination was performed within 1 week after birth, and clinical data were followed up to 6 months after birth. Results: Between January 1, 2016 and January 31, 2020, 53 fetuses diagnosed with hepatic hilar cyst were recruited. Eight were excluded because they were lost to follow-up. Among the 45 cases included in this study, 10 were diagnosed with CBA and 35 with CC after birth. Statistically significant differences were found in GB width, wall thickness, change in GB width, change in cyst length, GB-cyst connection, and RHA visibility between the CBA and CC groups. GB width showed the best diagnostic performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.899. The combination of GB width, GB wall thickness, and GB-cyst connection yielded a comparable AUC of 0.971. Conclusion The GB should be carefully evaluated in fetuses with hepatic hilar cyst. Prenatal ultrasound findings could provide suggestive parameters for the differential diagnosis of CBA from CC.