Objective To simulate the process of hypoxic?ischemic brain injury at high altitude in a simulated cabin with plateau low pressure environment, and to prepare a rat model of cerebral injuries at different high altitudes. Method Thirty?two 0?day?old neonatal SD rats were divided into four groups, namely group A ( control group) and three test groups:group B (2000 m group), group C (4000 m group), and group D (6000 m group). The rats of control group were reared in a barrier environment. The rats of test groups were placed in a simulated cabin with plateau low pressure environment, and to prepare neonatal cerebral ischemia?hypoxia model by sport activities. The sport movements were carried out in the cabin in a swimming groove 60 min/d, and not less than 20 hours a day at high altitude low pressure environment. Zea Longa 5 point scale standard was used to determine the behavioral scores at the 3 th 7 th 11 th 15 th days, and samples were collected on the 15th day to observe red blood cell morphology using HE and 2, 3, 5?triphenyltetrazolium chloride ( TTC ) staining and ultrastructure by scanning electron microscopy. Result ( 1 ) The neurological scores of the test groups A, B, C were significantly different from that of the control group (P<0?05), and the scores of test group D and control group were very significantly different ( P <0?01 ) . ( 2 ) The histopathological examination using HE staining showed inflammatory cell infiltration in all rats of the test groups, and the extent of inflammatory cell infiltration was positively correlated with the increase of altitude. ( 3 ) The histopathology with TTC staining revealed prominent ischemia in the cerebral cortex of rats in the plateau hypoxic environment. ( 4 ) Scanning electron microscopy showed that the rat erythrocytes were cap?like in the group B, irregular in the group C, and zigzag shape in the group D. Conclusions In this study, a rat model of neonatal hypoxic?ischemic encephalopathy ( HIE) is successfully established by hypoxic cabin combined with sport activity. This model is stable, reliable, more closely mimicking the pathogenesis and clinical manifestation of neonatal HIE than models prepared with other methods, therefore, may be used in related research.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the restoration of function after spinal cord injury (SCI) in patients of different ages who have underwent intraspinal transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs).

METHODSOne hundred and seventy-one SCI patients were included in this study. Of them, 139 were male and 32 were female, with age ranging from 2 to 64 years (mean, 34.9 years). In all SCI patients the lesions were injected at the time of operation with OECs. According to their ages, the patients were divided into 5 groups: 51 years group (n = 14). The spinal cord function was assessed based on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Classification System before and 2 - 8 weeks after OECs transplantation. One-way ANOVA and q test were used for statistical analysis, and the data were expressed as mean +/- SD.

RESULTSAfter surgery, the motor scores increased by 5.2 +/- 4.8, 8.6 +/- 8.0, 8.3 +/- 8.8, 5.7 +/- 7.3 and 8.2 +/- 7.6 in 5 age groups respectively (F = 1.009, P = 0.404); light touch scores increased by 13.9 +/- 8.1, 15.5 +/- 14.3, 12.0 +/- 14.4, 14.1 +/- 18.5 and 24.8 +/- 25.3 respectively (F = 1.837, P = 0.124); and pin prick scores increased by 11.1 +/- 7.9, 17.2 +/- 14.3, 13.2 +/- 11.8, 13.6 +/- 13.9 and 25.4 +/- 24.3 respectively (F = 2.651, P = 0.035). Restoration of pin prick in > 51 years group was better than other age groups except 21 - 30 years group.

CONCLUSIONOECs transplantation can improve the neurological function of spinal cord of SCI patients regardless of their ages. Further research into the long-term outcomes of the treatment will be required.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Olfactory Bulb ; cytology ; transplantation ; Spinal Cord ; physiology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome