The properties and functions of mouse pluripotential stem cells (CFU-S) were studied with spleen colony technique and other related methods. The data expressed that there is a linear relationship between the number of transplanted marrow cells and the number of spleen colonies that developed. Among various hematopoietic tissues, bone marrow is the richest source of CFU-S. Spleen and peripheral blood also contain a few of such cells. The percentages of CFU-S in these organs are 0.7%, 0.05% and 0.01% in sequence. No CFU-S can be found in thymus or lymph nodes. Under normal conditions, most of the CFU-S are in G_o phase with a small proportion (6.7%) in S phase.Self-renewing capacity, an important hematopoietic function of CFU-S, was measured by the experiments of single spleen colony retransplantation. The value of the probability of self-renewal, p, is calculated as 0.76. CFU-S has an active ability of migration. It was found that a number of CFU-S either from the marrow cell suspension injected intraperitoneally or from an entire encapsulated spleen which was placed free in the peritoneal cavity after ligation of its blood vessels can penetrate through a lot of barriers to develop spleen colonies in the lethally irradiated mice. A dose of 500～700 rad ?-irradiation apparently stimulates the CFU-S migrating from bone marrow to circulation.

Objective To study the changes of motor cortex in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)while executing sequential finger tapping movement by using blood oxygenation level dependent(BOLD)functional MRI.Methods Fifteen patients with definite or probable ALS and 15 age and gender matched normal controls were enrolled in the BOLD study,and all the subjects were right-handed with no other diseases or any recent medication history.A 3.0 T MR scanner was employed and gradient echo EPI(GRE-EPI)sequence was used to acquire the functional images.Subjects executed sequential finger tapping movement at a frequency of 1-2 Hz during a block design task.fMRI data were analyzed by using statistical parametric mapping(SPM)2.Volume of activated brain areas was compared with the use of a Student's t-test.Results Bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex(PSM),bilateral posterior aspect of premotor area(PA),bilateral supplementary motor area(SMA),contralateral inferior lateral premotor area (ILPA),bilateral parietal region(PAR),and ipsilateral cerebellum showed activation in both ALS patients and normal controls when executing the same motor task.The activation areas in bilateral PSM and bilateral posterior aspect of PA(right hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(924.5±141.1)mm3,control(829.9±98.4)mm3,P=0.05;right hand contralateral activation:ALS(9143.8±702.8)mm3,control(8638.8±506.4)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(1162.5±357.4)mm3,control(902.5±184.2)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand contralateral activation:ALS(8255.2±870.2)mm3,control (5934.6±616.4)mm3,P＜0.05),bilateral SMA(right hand bilateral activation:ALS(6564.3±720.6)mm3,control(4710.7±416.3)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand bilateral activation:ALS(6970.5±961.8)mm3,control(3688.9±672.3)mm3,P＜0.05),and ipsilateral cerebellum(right hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(2720.0±1154.2)mm3,control(254.3±84.4)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(4794.4±1237.0)mm3,control(1689.0±719.6)mm3,P＜0.05)were significantly larger in ALS patients than in normal controls.Extra activation areas including ipsilateral ILPA,contralateral cerebellum and bilateral posterior limb of internal capsule were only detected in ALS patients.Conclusions Similar activation areas were seen in both groups while executing the same motor task,but the activated areas were more prominent in ALS group.The increased activation areas in ALS patients may represent neural reorganization.while the extra activation areas in ALS patients may indicate functional compensation.

In recent years,many investigations manifested that cortical spreading depression was probably the physiologic foundation of migraine aura.The authors reviewd the relationship between migraine aura and cortical spreading depression.

Objective To observe the effect of breviscapine on the open probability(Po)and the average open time(To) of L-type calcium channel in the hippocampal neurons of the whole brain ischemia-reperfusion rat model.Methods The whole brain ischemia rat model was established.At the reperfusion periods of 1.5 h,3.0 h,4.5 h and 6.0 h,the hippoeampal CA1 neurons were dissociated abruptly and the Ca~(2+)electricity of single channel on the neuron membrane were recorded with cell-attach model of patch clamp techniques.The Po and To of the L-type calcium channel were an- alyzed and the effect of the breviscapine was observed.Results Different concentrations of breviscapine can decrease the Po and To of the L-type calcium channel in hippoeampal neurons,particularly within 3 hours after ischemia-reperfu- sion.Conclusions Breviscapine has protective effect on the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective To investigate MRI localization the accuracy and correct the deviation for gamma knife treatment.Methods With 25-point-matrix tank,the deviation of MRI localization and its regularities could be identified after the comparison between the coordinates of MRI localization and the ones which have already been verified by CT within the deviation of 0.5 mm.Then the original MRI coordinates will be corrected by the acquired mean deviation and the geometric distortion of images.Afterwards the corrected coordinates will be compared with the standard ones and finally validated by exposure film.Results There are no significant deviations on x-and z-axis after measurement in three hospitals,y-axis,however,bears deviation of (1.94 ±0.45) mm for hospital A,(-2.22 ±0.29) mm for hospital B,(-1.25 ±0.21) mm for hospital C,respectively.Furthermore there also exists geometric distortion of 1％ on y-axis in hospital A.The corrected coordinates on y-axis (Yc) will be calculated from the formula:Yc =(Y-M) + GD (Y0-Y) (Y:the original coordinates on y-axis,M:the mean of deviation on y-axis,GD:the geometric distortion,Y0:the coordinate on y-axis of the central point among the 25-point matrix).Once completed,the corrected coordinates of MRI localization is of no significant difference with the standard coordinates verified by CT.Even the deviation of focal spot on validation film is within 0.5 mm.Conclusions The 25-point-matrix tank in the multi-point measurement of the accuracy and the correction of deviation for gamma knife treatment is feasible to determine whether MRI can be utilized in the localization for head gamma knife treatment.

Objective To evaluate the practicability of CHROMagar orientation medium combined with simple biochemical tests for identification of common oxidase-negtive gram-negative bacilli.Methods The CHROMagar orientation medium was used together with biochemical tests including indole test , ornithine decarboxylase test and lysine decarboxylase test for identification of common oxidase -negtive gram-negative bacilli.The sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, Youden index and Kappa value of the diagnostic assays were evaluated .McNemar test was performed to evaluate facticity, accuracy and cost of the method in com-parison with the Vitek-2 system as reference method .Results The identification of oxidase-negtive gram-negative bacilli from 318 bacterial strains showed that the sensitivities and specificities of CHROMagar orien-tation mediumm in combination with simple biochemical tests to Serratia marcescens, Stenotrophomonas mal-tophilia and Acinetobacter baumannii reached 100%, and for Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoiae were above 90%.The specificities for identification of Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Citrobacter freundii and Proteus mirabilis were all above 90%, but the sensitivities were around 75%-90%.Kappa values of the assays were above 0.85, howerer, which was only 0.5947 for Citrobacter freundii.McNemar test showed that all P values were above 0.05, and cost of the assays was reduced by 90%.Conclusion CHROMagar orientation medium in combination with simple biochemical tests is a cost-effective assay for identification of common oxidase-negtive gram-negative bacilli .

Objective To investigate possible neural mechanism of anisometropic amblyopia by analysing the whole brain volume changes both in grey matter and white matter using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM).Methods Twelve anisometropic amblyopia patients and 12 age,gender and handedness matched healthy volunteers underwent 3-dimensional (3D) fast spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR)sequence scanning on 1.5 Tesla MR system.Raw data was processed and analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM)5.ResultsCompared to healthy controls,the grey matter exhibiting significantly decreased volume in patients included right cuneus,bilateral occipital gyrus,right middle frontal gyrus,left middle temporal gyrus,right superior temporal gyrus,right precuneus,and middle part of right cingulate gyrus ( clusters ＞ 10).The grey matter showing increased volume in patients included right cerebellum,right parahippocampal gyrus,left precentral gyrus,and left superior frontal gyrus (clusters ＞ 10).The white matter volume in bilateral optic radiation and internal capsule,especially right optic radiation,decreased significantly in patient group (clusters ＞ 10 ).No white matter showed significantly increased volume in patient group.ConclusionVBM can be used to investigate the changes of grey matter volume and white matter volume in the whole brain of anisometropic amblyopia children,it provides a method to illustrate the presumed neuro-mechanism from a morphologic point of view.

BACKGROUND:The exact pathogenesis of ossification of ligamentum flavum has not been elucidated yet. And osteopontin may be an important factor involved in the ossification of ligamentum flavum. OBJECTIVE:To clarify the expression and significance of osteopontin and its receptors, CD44 and integrin-β3, in ligamentum flavum cels between normal controls and patients with ossification of ligamentum flavum.METHODS:Ligamentum flavum tissues were obtained from normal adult controls and adult patients with ossification of ligamentum flavum (n=8 per group) who underwent thoracic/lumbar posterior decompression surgery. Ligmentum flavum cels were separated, cultured and identifiedin vitro, and osteopontin, CD44, integrin-β3 were stained using immunocytochemistry method and observed under inverted phase contrast microscope. And the mRNA expressions of osteopontin, CD44, integrin-β3 were measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunocytochemistry results showed that the stronger positive staining for osteopontin, CD44, integrin-β3 was observed in the ossification of ligamentum flavum group than the control group (P < 0.01). The mRNA expressions of osteopontin, CD44 and integrin-β3 were also higher in the ossification of ligamentum flavum group than the control group (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that osteopontin and its receptors, CD44 and integrin-β3, in ligamentum flavum cels may play an important role in ossification of ligamentum flavum.

Objective To explore the effects of flunarizine hydrochloride on plasma calcitonin gene-related pep-tide and substance P levels after CSD in a rat migraine model of cortical spreading depression (CSD). Methods Thirty adult rats were randomly and evenly divided into three groups:control Group, CSD group and flunarizine group. The CSD waves were evoked by application of potassium chloride on brain surface with filter paper. Funarizine hydrochloride was intravenously administered to rats five minutes prior to application of potassium chloride. The plasma levels of CGRP and SP were measured by using radioimmunity assay. Statistical analyses were performed using two-sample t test and analy-sis of variance. Results CSD waves were absent in control group whereas CSD waves were induced in CSD and flunari-zine groups. The latency of the first CSD wave was longer in flunarizine group (167.90 ± 25.18 s) than in CSD group (130.90 ± 13.30 s) (P<0.01). The number of CSD waves was smaller in flunarizine group (4.50 ± 1.84) than in CSD group (8.50 ± 2.07) (P<0.01). The amplitude of CSD waves was lower in flunarizine group (11.40 ± 4.12 mv) than in CSD group (24.40±3.57 mv) (P<0.01). The levels of CGRP and SP in both CSD group (CGRP, 32.95±11.61 pg/mL;SP, 27.80±7.51 pg/mL) and flunarizine group (CGRP, 25.13 ± 5.67 pg/mL; SP, 19.45 ± 6.10 pg/mL) were higher than in control group (CGRP, 14.44 ± 6.39 pg/mL; SP, 12.36 ± 4.22 pg/mL) (P<0.01). The levels of CGRP and SP in flunarizine group (CGRP, 25.13±5.67 pg/mL;SP, 19.45±6.10 pg/mL) were lower than those in CSD group (CGRP, 32.95±11.61 pg/mL;SP, 27.80± 7.51 pg/mL) (P<0.05). Conclusions Flunarizine hydrochloride can inhibit CSD and reduce the plama levels of CGRP and SP in the rat model of CSD.

Roles of sympathicus, sensory neuropeptides (SNP), metabolites of cyclooxygenase, metabolites of lipoxygenase, endothelium derived relaxing factor (EDRF), reactive oxygen (ROS) and potassium channels (PC) in the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and hypoxic cerebral vasodilation (HCVD) were studied in intact rats, rabbits and dogs. Results were as follows: during hypoxia, the excitation of sympathicus results in a constriction of both pulmonary and cerebral vessels; SNP, EDRF and the opening of 4-AP sensitive PC caused the dilation of both of them; metabolites of lipoxygenase mediated HPV and HCVD, whereas metabolites of cyclooxygenase were their modulators; hypoxia induced blockade of the ATP sensitive PC mediated HPV, but had no effect on HCVD; reduction of O_2~+ in the lung might potentiate HPV, but had no effect on HCVD. It is suggested that the alteration of lipoxygenase metabolites, ROS and ATP sensitive PC are factors accounting for the difference in response of pulmonary and cerebral vassels to hypoxia.