Adult ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Humans ; Male ; Osteochondroma ; diagnosis ; surgery

Increasing evidence has revealed that maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.Potential relevance between the placental inflammation and CMV-related autism has been reported by clinical observation.Meanwhile,abnormal expression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and TLR4 in placenta of patients with chorioamnionitis was observed in multiple studies.IL-6 and IL-10 are two important maternal inflammatory mediators involved in neurodevelopmental disorders.To investigate whether murine CMV (MCMV) infection causes alterations in placental IL-6/10 and TLR2/4 levels,we analyzed the dynamic changes in gene expression of TLR2/4 and IL-6/10 in placentas following acute MCMV infection.Mouse model of acute MCMV infection during pregnancy was created,and pre-pregnant MCMV infected,lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated and uninfected mice were used as controls.At E13.5,E14.5 and E18.5,placentas and fetal brains were harvested and mRNA expression levels of placental TLR2/4 and IL-6/10 were analyzed.The results showed that after acute MCMV infection,the expression levels of placental TLR2/4 and IL-6 were elevated at E13.5,accompanied by obvious placental inflammation and reduction of placenta and fetal brain weights.However,LPS 50 μg/kg could decrease the IL-6 expression at E13.5 and E14.5.This suggests that acute MCMV infection during pregnancy could up-regulate the gene expression of TLR2/4 in placental trophoblasts and activate them to produce more proinflammatory cytokine IL-6.High dose of LPS stimulation (50 tg/kg) during pregnancy can lead to down-regulation of IL-6 levels in the late stage.Imbalance ofIL-6 expression in placenta might be associated with the neurodevelopmental disorders in progeny.

Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Atrial Flutter ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Digoxin ; therapeutic use ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hydrops Fetalis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pregnancy

The traditional treatment of scoliosis is mainly based on open surgeries that use the anterior approach, the posterior approach, or both. These surgical procedures often lead to complications including massive blood loss, infections, and pain of incision.The minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) was introduced in the 1990s and has shown many advantages including less blood loss, less pain, and lower infection incidences.Today MISS is mainly used in the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and adult scoliosis. However, due to some inevitable complications, it still can not be routinely applied.This review will briefly summarize the advances in the application of MISS in surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and adult scoliosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spine ; surgery

BACKGROUND: Electrical stimulation has been recommended as an effective therapy to prevent muscle atrophy after nerve injury. However, the effect of electrical stimulation on the proliferation of satellite cells in denervated muscles has not yet been fully elucidated. This study was aimed to evaluate the changes in satellite cell proliferation after electrical stimulation in nerve injury and to determine whether these changes are related to the restoration of myofiber cross-section area (CSA). METHODS: Sciatic nerve crush injury was performed in 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats. In half (24/48) of the rats, the gastrocnemius was electrically stimulated transcutaneously on a daily basis after injury, while the other half were not stimulated. Another group of 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as sham operation controls without injury or stimulation. The rats were euthanized 2, 4, and 6 weeks later. After 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling, the gastrocnemia were harvested for the detection of paired box protein 7 (Pax7), BrdU, myofiber CSA, and myonuclei number per fiber. All data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post-hoc test. RESULTS: The percentages of Pax7-positive nuclei (10.81 ± 0.56%) and BrdU-positive nuclei (34.29 ± 3.87%) in stimulated muscles were significantly higher compared to those in non-stimulated muscles (2.58 ± 0.33% and 1.30 ± 0.09%, respectively, Bonferroni t = 15.91 and 18.14, P < 0.05). The numbers of myonuclei per fiber (2.19 ± 0.24) and myofiber CSA (1906.86 ± 116.51 μm) were also increased in the stimulated muscles (Bonferroni t = 3.57 and 2.73, P < 0.05), and both were positively correlated with the Pax7-positive satellite cell content (R = 0.52 and 0.60, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the ratio of myofiber CSA/myonuclei number per fiber among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that satellite cell proliferation is promoted by electrical stimulation after nerve injury, which may be correlated with an increase in myonuclei number and myofiber CSA.

BACKGROUNDRecent studies have revealed the important role of free radicals in renal damage induced by high-energy shock waves (HESW). This study aimed at investigating the effects of Astragalus membranaceus, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on free radical-mediated HESW-induced damage to renal tubules in a live rabbit model.

METHODSForty-five healthy male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n = 15), sham group (n = 15), and herb-treated group (n = 15). Three days prior to HESW application, the controls received verapamil (0.4 mg/kg), the shams received physiological saline (20 ml), and the herb-treated animals received Astragalus membranaceus (2.4 g/kg) intravenously. HESW (1500 shocks, 18 kV) was applied to the right kidneys of all anesthetized rabbits. We measured superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels before and after shock treatment in blood and kidney homogenates. Histopathological changes were also observed.

RESULTSMDA levels increased and SOD activity decreased significantly in the sham group (P < 0.05 for both) after shock treatment. MDA levels showed a much less increase in the controls (P < 0.05) and did not increase to statistically significant levels in the group receiving Astragalus membranaceus (P > 0.05). SOD values were significantly higher in the controls than in the shams (P < 0.05). By contrast, SOD levels recovered rapidly in the rabbits receiving Astragalus membranaceus, reaching a nadir within 24 hours, and returning to baseline more quickly than in control and sham rabbits (P < 0.05). Histopathological examinations showed that renal tubular damage in the controls was less severe than in the shams, while damage in the Astragalus membranaceus group was even more mild, with rapid recovery in comparison with the controls.

CONCLUSIONThis study provides preliminary evidence indicating that Astragalus membranaceus has strong protective effects on free radical-mediated renal tubular damage induced by HESW and that these effects are superior to the effects of verapamil.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; Free Radicals ; toxicity ; High-Energy Shock Waves ; adverse effects ; Kidney Tubules ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Rabbits ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo delineate the characteristics of the clinical manifestation, pathology of skeletal muscle and gene mutations of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episode (MELAS) in children.

METHODThe clinical manifestation, laboratorial data, brain images, muscle pathology and mitochondrial gene mutations were analyzed in 24 patients with MELAS who were diagnosed in Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital. Their prognosis was evaluated by following up.

RESULTSymptoms of central nervous system such as stroke-like episodes, vomiting, convulsion and headache were present in all the 24 cases. Nine cases had the symptoms of myopathy. Twenty cases had developmental delay. Short stature, being thin and hairy was very common in these cases. Serum lactate level increased in all the cases, pyruvate increased in 17 cases. Elevated CSF lactate was found in 2 cases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on 24 cases, out of them 23 were abnormal. The lesions mainly involved cerebral lobes. Occipital lobe was the most common site of lesions. Computed tomography (CT) was performed on 13 cases, low density lesions were present in 10 cases, basal ganglia calcifications in 5 cases. Muscle biopsy was performed on 8 cases, ragged-red fibers (RRF) were found in 4/8 cases, and abnormal accumulation of mitochondria were found in 3/8 cases. The mtDNA gene mutational analysis showed A3243G mutation in these patients. The mutation rates varied from 11.6% to 75.0%. The same mutation were found in 4/5 mothers who had the genetic tests, and the mutation rates of the mothers varied from 15.0% to 23.6%. The clinical information of 11 cases was available through recent following up. Three cases died, the others had some degrees of mental retardation.

CONCLUSIONChildren with MELAS had various clinical manifestations. Central nervous system and skeletal muscle were usually involved. Short stature and hypertrichosis were common signs. The prognosis of this disease was disappointing. mtDNA A3243G was the most common mutation in MELAS. Fully understanding the characteristics of its clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, brain image, muscle pathology and molecular features can be helpful to the early diagnosis and treatment.

Acidosis, Lactic ; blood ; Adolescent ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; MELAS Syndrome ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Point Mutation ; Pyruvic Acid ; blood ; Stroke ; diagnostic imaging ; genetics ; pathology ; Syndrome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo construct an apparatus for the oxygen uptake measurement of rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at different simulated altitude.

METHODSThe capacity of this apparatus was about 0.01 m3. It included animal experimental cabin, reference cabin, altimeter, altitude vertical velocity indicator, pressure difference inductor and oxygen compensator, low scale manometer, soda lime and calcium chloride, small fan, thermometer, circulating water system and vacuum pump. The oxygen uptake of the rats at 6 000 m, 4 000 m and 1 000 m simulated altitude was measured using this apparatus.

RESULTSThe oxygen uptake of the rats at 50 m, 4 000 m and 6 000 m simulated altitude was (24.4 +/- 2.1), (10.8 +/- 2.0) and (8.8 +/- 1.6) ml O2/(kg x min) respectively (average +/- s, n = 10). The oxygen uptake decreased as altitude increased.

CONCLUSIONThis apparatus can be used to measure the oxygen uptake of the rats at different simulated altitude.

Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Computer Simulation ; Equipment and Supplies ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Male ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Oxygen Consumption ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To provide reference for cervical cancer control by compare the HPV infection rate and distribution Xianyang and Baoji area.Methods Analysed HPV subtypes results of 1 356 cases in Baoji area and 7 708 cases in Xianyang area,and compared the age distribution,subtypes and positive rate of HPV infection in the women of the two areas.Results The HPV positive rate was 35.91% in Baoji area,and 32.14% in Xianyang area respectively.The most popular single subtype was HPV16,58,52 in the two areas.The dual-infection was most popular was HPV multiple infection in the two ar-eas.The HPV81 and HPV73 were not detected out in Baoji area,and all 23 HPV subtypes were detected out in Xianyang ar-ea.Conclusion The HPV infection rate in Baoji was higher than Xianyang(P<0.01).The high-risk HPV subtypes were same in the two areas.The HPV positive rate was high in all age groups.

Objective To investigative CT findings of gastrointestinal neurilemmoma,and to improve the recognition and diagnosis ability of the disesase.Methods Twelve cases of gastrointestinal neurilemmoma proven surgically and pathologically were included.The unenhanced CT and double phase enhanced CT were performed in all patients.The clinical feature and CT findings with regard to the location, size,contour,margin,growth type,contrast enhancement pattern,contrast enhanced degree,presence or absence of ulcer were retrospectively reviewed by two experienced radiologists.Results On unenhaneed CT, all the patients present masses with homogeneous attenuation in the wall of gastrointestinal tract,compared with muscle.Three of the gastric neurilemmoma showed endoluminal growth pattern,and 6 had a predominantly exophytic growth pattern,the tumor had both endoluminal and exophytic growth pattern in 3 cases.The tumors were round or oval with distinct margin in 10 of 12 gastrointestinal neurilemmoma,and lobulated with indistinct margin in 2 cases.Three of the gastric neurilemmoma had ulceration.On contrast- enhanced CT,all the tumors showed homogeneously solid mass.No obvious enhancement on the arterial phase showed moderate enhancement on portal vein phase in 10 cases,2 of gastrointestinal neurilemmoma which manifested mild enhancement on the arterial phase showed obvious enhancement on portal vein phase. Conclusion CT findings of most gastrointestinal neurilemmoma have characterstic,which appeared as round or oval,distinct margin,and homogeneously solid tumors,slow but fairly uniform and moderate enhancement throughout the mass.