< 0.05; 8.9% vs 0.1%, x2 = 8.23, P< 0.05). Conclusion Low concentration (0.1%) of DMSO could enhance the effect of ALA-PDT on HaCaT cells.

Objective To investigate the structural and functional changes of lower motor neuron distal to the site of spinal cord injury in rats. Methods Seventies Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into 6 groups: sham-operation group (controls, n=10) and 3 day group (n=10), 1 week group (n=10), 2 week group (n=10), 4 week group (n=15) and 8 week group (n=15) after spinal cord transaction at T10. Neuronal apoptosis and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of spinal cord at L4- 6 were observed by using the terminal deoxynucleotidal transferase- mediated DUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and the semiquantitative enzyme cytochemistry, respectively. Results The assessment of apoptosis by TUNEL labeling showed that fluorescent markers were observed occasionally in anterior horn distal to the site of injury. The optical density (OD) value of AchE positive motor neurons (area > 300 μm2) initially decreased about 3 days after transaction and then overshot 1 week or so. However, after that, the OD value decreased again, the lowest about 4 weeks. Then the OD value increased again, though at 8 weeks was still lower than that of controls (P<0.05). Conclusion The findings on indistinctive apoptosis provided the proof of no significant changes of lower motor neuron distal to the site of transection. Semiquantitative histochemical results about AChE reflected marked metabolic changes of motoneurons caudal to the transaction, which represented as part of functional reorganization.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of embryo thymus transplantation in the treatment of lupus-like BXSB mice,study the pathogenesis of SLE in BXSB mice and the therapeutic effect of embryo thymus transplantation.Methods The embryonic thymus of CB57L mice was transplanted to50day-old male BXSB mice.Levels of proteinuria,ANA,blood urea nitrogen(BUN),blood creatinine and the deposits of immunoglobulin(Ig)in the glomerulus were detected regularly for5months,and the number of mice died of SLE was observed.Results The levels of proteinuria,ANA,BUN,blood creatinine of the5,6,7month old mice in embryo thymus transplantation group were lower than that of5month old mice in control group.The efficacy of treatment in embryo thymus transplantation group were similar to that of dexamethasone treatment group,and the SLE-caused death was reduced in these two groups.However,the embryo thymus transplantation seemed not to reduce the deposits of lg in glomerulus significantly,the deposits of lg in the glomerulus were similar in all three groups.Conclusions Embryo thymus transplantation could improve renal functions and reduce the titer of ANA.Its efficacy is similar to that of dexamethasone.Embryo thymus transplantation has a short term therapeutic effect in the treatment of lupus-like BXSB mice.The deficiency of thymus in the BXSB mice may play an important role in the pathogenesis of lupus-like mice.Embryo thymus transplantation may be a valuable approach to treat SLE.

In the bulge region of the hair follicle, a densely and concentrically packed cell mass is encircled by the arrector pili muscle (APM), which offers a specilized microenvironment (niche) for housing heterogeneous adult stem cells. However, the detailed histological architecture and the cellular composition of the bulge region warrants intensive study and may have implications for the regulation of hair follicle growth regulation. This study was designed to define the gene-expression profiles of putative stem cells and lineage-specific precursors in the mid-portions of plucked hair follicles prepared according to the presence of detectable autofluorescence. The structure was also characterized by using a consecutive sectioning technique. The bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence was precisely excised by employing a micro-dissection procedure. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to identify the gene expression profiles specific for epithelial, melanocyte and stromal stem cells in the bulge region of the hair follicle visualized by autofluorescence. The morphology and its age-dependent changes of bulge region of the hair follicles with autofluorescence segment were also examined in 9 scalp skin specimens collected from patients aged 30 weeks to 75 years, by serial sectioning and immuno-staining. Gene expression profile analysis revealed that there were cells with mRNA transcripts of Dct(Hi)Tyrase(Lo)-Tyrp1(Lo)MC1R(Lo)MITF(Lo)/K15(Hi)/NPNT(Hi) in the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments, which differed from the patterns in hair bulbs. Small cell-protrusions that sprouted from the outer root sheath (ORS) were clearly observed at the APM inserting level in serial sections of hair follicles by immunohistological staining, which were characteristically replete with K15+/K19+expressing cells. Likewise, the muscle bundles of APM positive for smooth muscle actin intimately encircled these cell-protrusions, and the occurrence frequency of the cell-protrusions was increased in fetal scalp skin compared with adult scalp skin. This study provided the evidence that the cell-protrusions occurring at the ORS relative to the APM insertion are more likely to be characteristic of the visible niches that are filled with abundant stem cells. The occurrence frequency of these cell-protrusions was significantly increased in fetal scalp skin samples (128%) as compared with the scalp skins of younger (49.4%) and older (25.4%) adults (P<0.01), but difference in the frequency between the two adult groups were not significant. These results indicated that these cell-protrusions function as a niche house for the myriad stem cells and/or precursors to meet the needs of the development of hair follicles in an embryo. The micro-dissection used in this study was simple and reliable in excising the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments dependent on their autofluorescence is of value for the study of stem cell culture.

ObjectiveTo investigate the changes and relevance of H reflex and spasticity after cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI).MethodsH reflex of 13 healthy adults as controls and 30 SCI patients (subacute, n=18; chronic, n=12) was measured twice from soleus muscle once a month. In the same time, the evaluation of spasm was performed by the modified Ashworth scale.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the mean Hmax amplitude and Hmax/Mmax ratio between different SCI stages(P>0.05). However, the mean Hmax amplitude of the patients was smaller than that of controls(P<0.01). During subacute stage there was quadratic correlation between the mean Hmax amplitude and spasticity, Hmax/Mmax ratio and spasticity. But there was linear correlation between Hmax/Mmax ratio and spasticity during chronic stage.ConclusionThere was closer relation between spasticity and Hmax/Mmax ratio after spinal cord injury. However, the quantitative evaluation need to be proved by larger samples.

In the bulge region of the hair follicle, a densely and concentrically packed cell mass is encircled by the arrector pili muscle (APM), which offers a specilized microenvironment (niche) for housing heterogeneous adult stem cells. However, the detailed histological architecture and the cellular composition of the bulge region warrants intensive study and may have implications for the regulation of hair follicle growth regulation. This study was designed to define the gene-expression profiles of putative stem cells and lineage-specific precursors in the mid-portions of plucked hair follicles prepared according to the presence of detectable autofluorescence. The structure was also characterized by using a consecutive sectioning technique. The bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence was precisely excised by employing a micro-dissection procedure. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to identify the gene expression profiles specific for epithelial, melanocyte and stromal stem cells in the bulge region of the hair follicle visualized by autofluorescence. The morphology and its age-dependent changes of bulge region of the hair follicles with autofluorescence segment were also examined in 9 scalp skin specimens collected from patients aged 30 weeks to 75 years, by serial sectioning and immuno-staining. Gene expression profile analysis revealed that there were cells with mRNA transcripts of Dct(Hi)Tyrase(Lo)-Tyrp1(Lo)MC1R(Lo)MITF(Lo)/K15(Hi)/NPNT(Hi) in the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments, which differed from the patterns in hair bulbs. Small cell-protrusions that sprouted from the outer root sheath (ORS) were clearly observed at the APM inserting level in serial sections of hair follicles by immunohistological staining, which were characteristically replete with K15+/K19+expressing cells. Likewise, the muscle bundles of APM positive for smooth muscle actin intimately encircled these cell-protrusions, and the occurrence frequency of the cell-protrusions was increased in fetal scalp skin compared with adult scalp skin. This study provided the evidence that the cell-protrusions occurring at the ORS relative to the APM insertion are more likely to be characteristic of the visible niches that are filled with abundant stem cells. The occurrence frequency of these cell-protrusions was significantly increased in fetal scalp skin samples (128%) as compared with the scalp skins of younger (49.4%) and older (25.4%) adults (P<0.01), but difference in the frequency between the two adult groups were not significant. These results indicated that these cell-protrusions function as a niche house for the myriad stem cells and/or precursors to meet the needs of the development of hair follicles in an embryo. The micro-dissection used in this study was simple and reliable in excising the bulge region of the hair follicle with autofluorescence segments dependent on their autofluorescence is of value for the study of stem cell culture.
Adult ; Adult Stem Cells ; cytology ; Aged ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of conventional treatment with different routes of administration of dexamethasone on sudden deafness. METHOD: Eighty-four patients with sudden deafness were included in this prospective randomized study. Twenty one patients (group 1) were treated with taking dexamethasone orally combined with conventional methods. Another 21 patients (group 2) were treated with intravenous dexamethasone injection combined with conventional methods. Group 3 (21 patients) were treated with intratympanic dexamethasone injection by the way of external ear combined with conventional methods. The other 21 patients (group 4) were treated with intratympanic dexamethasone injection by the way of pharyngotympanic tube combined with conventional methods. The hearing gains at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kHz and the mean values were compared among four groups. RESULTS: The average hearing gains of 1, 2, 3 and 4 group was 21.3 dB, 27.5 dB, 43.2 dB and 48.1 dB respectively. Group 3 and group 4 had statistical difference compared with group 1 and group 2 in the average hearing gains. There was no obviously statistical difference between group 1 and group 2 and between group 3 and group 4. In patients with PTA < or = 70 dB, the average hearing gains at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kHz had no obvious difference (P > 0.05) among four groups. However, in patients with PTA > 70 dB, there was statistical difference between group 1, 2 and group 3, 4 (P < 0.05), the hearing gains of group 3. 4 were apparently higher than that of group 1, 2. However, there was no significant difference of hearing gains between group 1 and group 2 (P > 0.05) and between group 3 and group 4 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The conventional drug treatment with taking dexamethasone orally or intravenous dexamethasone injection had no obvious effect on sudden deafness with PTA > 70 dB, but the conventional drug treatment with intratympanic dexamethasone injection is a useful treatment for sudden deafness. Comparison with whole body administration, intratympanic dexamethasone injection is more convenient to use in clinic, and with less prohibitions and complications. Patients with PTA > 70 dB should take intratympanic dexamethasone injection in early days.
Adult ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Administration Routes ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome