Objective:To elucidate possible functional subdivisions in the guinea pig accessory olfactory bulb.Method:The guinea pig accessory olfactory bulbs were cut in sagittal slice.Bipolar tungsten electrodes were inserted into anterior or posterior vomeronasal nerve layers and single square-pulses were delivered through the eletrodes to activate afferent fibres.Glass microelectrodes were used to record extracellular field potentials of anterior or posterior external plexiform layers.Result:A single shook of the VNL provoked a characteristic damped oscillatory field potential and the oscillation in the pAOB was more distinct in wave form and longer in duration than those in the aAOB.The stimulation of anterior VNL elicited field potentials exelusively in the anterior region of EPL,whereas shocks to the posterior VNL provoked oscillatory responses only within the posterior EPL.Conclusion:The accessory olfactory bulb in the guinea-pig is distinctly segregated into the anterior and posterior subdivisions and an anatomical boundary exists in both regions.The results suggested that there are at least two different input-output pathways in vomeronasal systems.

Objective To investigate factors influencing the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients with bone metastases. Methods Eighty-two cancer patients with hone metastasis were investigated.A questionnaire designed according to European Organization for Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire ( EORTC QLQ-C30),Monroe Dunaway Anderson symptom inventory-Chinese edition (MADSI-C) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) standards was used to collect the information. Results The average total standardized QOL score of these cancer patients was 53.28±19.20.Among the function subscales,social function got the lowest average score (47.54),while among the symptom subscales fatigue got the highest average score (56.65).According to the MDASI-C,the most serious symptom burdens were fatigue,distress and pain; working and walking experienced the most interference.The symptom burdens correlated significantly with the QOL results.Twenty-four of the patients (29.3％) had been diagnosed with anxiety,and 17 (20.7％) were diagnosed with depression.Anxiety and depression continued to be significantly associated with overall QOL and its various dimensions. Conclusions The results　show that the burden of fatigue and pain,as well as of anxiety and depression are significantly associated with impaired QOL among cancer patients with bone metastasis.Work (housework) and walking were the most severely affected activities.Psychological rehabilitation should be focused on the comprehensive treatment of patients with bone　metastasis along with other appropriate rehabilitation strategies to enhance their overall functioning,relieve their　symptoms and improve their QOL.

10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2013.26.008

AIM: To explore the properties of the acetylcholine(ACh)-sensitive potassium channel in type Ⅱ vestibular hair cells(VHCs Ⅱ) in mice saccular macula and the modulation effect of calcium ions.METHODS: Under the whole-cell patch mode,the pharmacology properties of ACh-sensitive potassium channel and the modulation of calcium ions on ACh-sensitive potassium channel were investigated.RESULTS: Following extracellular perfusion of ACh,VHCs Ⅱ displayed a slow and sustained outward current,which was sensitive to tetraethylammonium(TEA,5 mmol/L) and charybdotoxin(CTX,100 nmol/L),but not sensitive to 4-aminopyride(4-AP,15 ?mol/L).ACh-sensitive potassium current was inhibited by intracellular application of ethylene glycol-bis(B-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic-acid(EGTA,5 mmol/L) and extracellular perfusion of Cd2+ and Ni2+,respectively.Intracellular application of heparin(8 g/L) failed to inhibit ACh-sensitive potassium current.CONCLUSION: Extracellular application of ACh activates the big conductance,calcium-dependent potassium current(BK) in VHCs Ⅱ of mice,which is potently modulated by extracellular Ca2+ ions.However,intracellular IP3-dependent Ca2+ ions release mechanism is not involved in the activation of the ACh-sensitive BK channel.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and to assess the risk factors of ED in male post‐stroke patients .Methods One hundred and twenty six male post‐stroke patients were invited to par‐ticipate in this study .Patients were divided into ED group and non‐ED group according to the erectile function evaluated by Interna‐tional Index of Erectile Function‐5 (IIEF‐5) .The neurological impairment was measured using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) .Depressive symptoms was measured using the Hamilton Depression Scales (HAMD) .The global cognitive function was measured using the Mini mental Status Examination (MMSE) .The clinical and psychosocial factors were compared between the ED and non‐ED groups .Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were employed to assess the risk factors with ED .Results There were 38 patients (30 .2% ) with ED in all the 126 male post‐stroke patients .Univariate Logistic regression analyses revealed that hypertension ,diabetes ,ACEI ,and depression were significantly related to ED in male post‐stroke patients (P<0 .05) .Multivariate Logistic regression analyses revealed that ACEI and depression were independently associated with ED in male post‐stroke patients (P<0 .05) .Conclusion ED is common in Chinese male post‐stroke patients .ACEI and depression are the major determinants of ED .

Objective To investigate the clinical features of patients with multi-cranial nerves impairments as the onset of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Methods 10 patients of GBS with complaint of multiple cranial neuropathy were analyzed retrospectively. Results The cranial nerves Ⅶ, Ⅸ and Ⅹ were involved at the onset of GBS, tending to affect men rather than women (4∶1), aged of 18～55 years old (8/10), and with less the antecedent of infection. The knee and ankle jerk reflexes were minimal or absent in all the patients, and the meningeal irritation signs were observed in 4 patients. Assisted ventilation was required in 4 patients during the course of their illness. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characterized with increased protein concentration but a normal cell count in 2 patients in the first week, and all the patients in the following 3 weeks. The incidence of motor conduction velocity (MCV) and F waves abnormalities of electrophysiological evaluation were 81.25% and 94.44% respectively. The Hughes scales were (4.00±0.82) before treatment, and were (2.25±0.96, P=0.012) and (0.50±1.00, P=0.000) 14 d and 28 d after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Conclusion The probability of GBS should be considered in patients with multiple cranial neuropathy, especially the cranial nerves VII, IX and X impairments without precise causes. The early electrophysiological studies and CSF examinations may be useful for diagnosis. IVIG can be preferred as an effective treatment.

The present study is to explore the change process and distribution of phosphorylated DARPP-32 (p-DARPP-32) in rat brain including cortex, hippocampus and striatum and to further deduce whether p-DARPP-32 was possibly involved in epilepsy induced by repetitive low doses of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). PTZ-induced epilepsy model in rat was established with 30 male SD rats randomly divided into 6 groups, control group and five trial groups [PTZ 1 h, PTZ 6 h, PTZ 24 h, PTZ 48 h and PTZ 72 h respectively, after onset of status epilepticus (SE)]. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double-labeling were used to detect the temporal time change and distribution of p-DARPP-32 expression and to analyze the coexpression of DARPP-32 and p-DARPP-32 in rat brain after the onset of PTZ-induced generalized SE. The results showed that there was a temporal time change of p-DARPP-32 expression in rat brain after the onset of SE. The number of p-DARPP-32-positive cells increased significantly and reached the peaks at the ends of 1 hour and 6 hours after the onset of SE, but decreased at the end of 24 hours. The moderate to strong p-DARPP-32-immunopositive neurons were observed in cortex, hippocampus and striatum, and located in cell cytoplasm and cell nucleus. Further immunofluorescence double-labeling revealed that denser colocalization of p-DARPP-32 and DARPP-32 in the neurons existed in the area mentioned above. Therefore, PTZ-induced SE may cause phosphorylation of DARPP-32 in rat brain. The temporal time change and distribution of p-DARPP-32 suggest that phosphorylation of DARPP-32 may be involved in PTZ-induced epilepsy in rat brain including cortex, hippocampus and striatum, and p-DARPP-32 may play a central role in the onset of SE.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Corpus Striatum ; metabolism ; Dopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32 ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Pentylenetetrazole ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Status Epilepticus ; chemically induced ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: Presently, the biomaterial used in ligament tissue engineering such as collagen protein, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, small intestinal submucosa, glycan and nanomaterial are characterized by rapid degradation, resulting in inflammatory reaction after applying in host.OBJECTIVE: To investigate mechanical strength and in vitro degradation of silk scaffold and explore the reaction to macrophages.DESIGN: Controlled experiment.SETTING: Experiments were performed at the Department of Orthopaedics, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from September 2004 to January 2005.MATERIALS: White raw Bombyx mori silkworm fibers of size 20/22 (according to the manufacturer) were obtained from the market. Bundles of 30 parallel fibers were prepared for a bundle of scaffold, which was put into fervens 5g/L Na2CO3for degumming. Ratio of Na2CO3 solution (Ml) to raw silk (g) was 1000.METHODS: In vitro degradation: 8cm long silk scaffold was weighed after drying. Subsequently, the silk scaffold was separately dipped into phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and 1.0g/L collagenase prepared with PBS. Twelve weeks later, silk scaffold was weighed to calculate weight loss rate. Simultaneously, tensile test was performed to detect the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of samples. Culture of monocyte strain RAW264.7:2×108L-1 macrophage suspension (1mL) were separately added in a silk scaffold group, a control group and a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group. At days 1 and 7, cell supernatant was collected from each group. Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Changes in weight loss rate and UTS of the silk matrices after incubated with collagenase and the PBS. ②TNF-αlevels in the supernatant of each groups at days 1 and 7.RESULTS: Mass of silk matrices reduced by over 50% after incubated with collagenase for 8 weeks, but no change was found in PBS. UTS decreased by over 50% 8 weeks after incubated with collagenase, but no change was detected in PBS. At days 1 and 7, TNF-α levels in the supernatant was less in the silk scaffold group; TNF-α levels in the supernatant was significantly higher in the LPS group than in the silk scaffold group (P<0.01), but no significant difference in TNF-α levels was measured between the silk scaffold group and the control group (P>0.05).CONCLUSION: After 12-weeks degradation, silk scaffold still has good mechanical properties. Macrophages possess immunological inertia at days 1 and 7 after inoculated with macrophages.

Objective To research the relation of early growth response gene-1(EGR-1) and NF-κB in human T-cell leukemia virus type 1(HTLV-1) Tax protein positive cells. Methods RT-PCR was used to amplify the aimed segments EGR-1 cDNA which was then inserted into an eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.0 to construct pcDNA3.0-EGR-1. The constructed plasmid was transfected into TaxN and TaxP cells by Tfx-50-mediated transfer method, the expression levels of EGR-1, p65 and Tax mRNA in transfected cells were assay by RT-PCR after 48 h post-transfection, the proteins of EGR-1 and p65 were detected by Western blot after 48 h post-transfection too. The constructed plasmid and pNF-κB-luc reporter gene plasmid was co-transfected into TaxN and TaxP cells by Tfx-50-mediated transfer method, and the activity of luciferase was assay after 48 h post-transfection. Results The results showed that the eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3.0-EGR-1 was successfully constructed. The mRNA and protein expression of EGR-1 could be promoted significantly by Tax. EGR-1 can promote the mRNA and protein expressions of p65 in TaxP cells, the activity of NF-κB was up-regulated by EGR-1 too. Conclusion EGR-1 maybe involve in adult T-cell leukemia(ATL) by increasing the activation of NF-κB.

Chemokines and chemokine receptors involve in biological activity and pathological process widely.It has been reported that many tumor cells overexpress functional chemokines.In lung cancer,chemo-kines involve in its proliferation,apoptosis,invasion and metastasis.Chemokines and chemokine receptor over-expressed in lung cancer can be used as specific target for pertinent anti-tumor treatment.