Object To study the changes of Nogo-A expression after the spinal cord injury in rats. Methods The rats were divided into the spinal cord injured group, the sham operation group and the normal control group, respectively. 1 d,3 d and 7 d after the operation, the Nogo-A immunohistochemistry was performed. Results Nogo-A was expressed obviously by the neurons and oligodendrocytes. With the survive time increasing, the relative intensity of immunoreactivity and the number of Nogo-A positive neurons and oligodendrocytes were both decreased after an initial increase. Conclusion Nogo-A is expressed by neurons after the spinal cord injury. The expression of Nogo-A and the number of positive neurons in grey matter and oligodendrocyte-like cells in white matter are increased obviously at first, and then decreased gradually.

Background In recent years,with the contiunous progress of the refractive surgery,the operation skill of phakic intraocular lens(PIOL)implantation for correcting extreme high myopia,astigmatism,farsightedness have made greater progression,and its security,effectiveness in clinical attract much more attention. Objective This study was to evaluate the efficacy,safety and stability of Toric Implantable Collamer Lens(TICL)for extreme high myopic astigmatism. Methods This retrospective case series included 33 eyes of 27 patients from May 2008 to February 2009.A TICL was intraocularly implanted via a 3 mm clear corneal incision after paraocular anesthesia.Patients were examined preoperatively and followed-up at 1 day,1 week,1 month,3,6,12 and 18 months postoperatively.The examinations included uncorrected visual acuity,best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),slit lamp examination,refraction,intraocular pressure,endothelial cell morphometry,etc.The written informed consent was obtained from each patient before any medical procedure. Results The uncorrected visual acuity in 96.97% eyes was equal or improved after operation in comparison with BCVA of preoperation.The spherical refraction was within-1.00 D-+0.25 D.The cylinder refraction was within-1.00 D-0 D.The axial deviation of TICL within 10 degree was 93.94%(31/33).No significant differences were found in the intraocular pressure and endothelial cell morphometry between preoperation and postoperation(intraocular pressure:F=3.35,P=5.49;endothelial cell morphometry:t=1.835,P=0.082).The visual acuity and refraction were stable during the follow-up.Astigmatic axial rotation required surgical intervention on one eye.One eye occurred high intraocular pressure because of bigger TICL diameter.The intraocular pressure returned to normal after TICL was exchanged.No cataract occurred during the follow-up duration. Conclusion TICL implantation appears to be an effective,safe and reliable method for extreme high myopic astigmatism.

OBJECTIVEAim of our study was to compare hematological parameters in Tibetan natives with those in Han migrants living on the Tibet plateau in order to determine the potential effects of age, gender, and ethnicity on hematological response to hypoxia.

METHODSBlood hemoglobin (Hb, g/dl), hematocrit (Hct, %), red blood cells (RBC,10(6)/mm3) were measured in 3 588 healthy Tibetan natives and 3 371 Han migrants ranging in age from 5 to 72 years, living at a mean altitudes of 2 664 m, 3 813 m, 4 525m and 5 226 m.

RESULTSHemoglobin (Hb) concentration analysis was made by multiple regression equations relating hemoglobin to altitude and age. For 2 093 Han males, Hb = 9.612+ 0.001440xaltitude+ 0.06148xage. For 1 948 Tibetan males, Hb =12.202+ 0.000462xaltitude+ 0.02893xage. For 1 278 Han females, Hb = 10.858+ 0.000939xaltitude+ 0.02632xage. For 1 640 Tibetan females, Hb = 11.402+ 0.000626xaltitude+ 0.00412xage. Each of the four equations was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and had variance (r2) of 0.86 or more, indicating that altitude and age accounted for at least 85% of the variation in hemoglobin levels. The coefficients for altitude and for age were higher (P < 0.05) in Han males than in Tibetan males and higher (P < 0.05) in Han females than in Tibetan females. The Tibetan postmenopausal females had higher Hb values than premenopausal females only presented at altitude above 4 000 m while this phenomenon was beginning at altitude of 2 664 m among Han females.

CONCLUSIONWe conclude that gender and increasing age in Tibetans are associated with lower hemoglobin values than those in Han at high altitude, and we speculate that genetic factors seems to be important.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Altitude ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; ethnology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tibet ; Transients and Migrants ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish an artificial somatic-autonomic reflex arc in rats and observe the following distributive changes of neural fibers in the bladder.

METHODSAdult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, spinal cord injury (SCI) group, and reinnervation group. DiI retrograde tracing was used to verify establishment of the model and to investigate the transport function of the regenerated efferent axons in the new reflex arc. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the DiI-labeled neurons was detected by immunohistochemistry. Distribution of neural fibers in the bladder was observed by acetylcholine esterase staining.

RESULTSDiI-labeled neurons distributed mainly in the left ventral horn from L3 to L5, and some of them were also ChAT-positive. The neural fibers in the bladder detrusor reduced remarkably in the SCI group compared with the control (P < 0.05). After establishment of the somatic-autonomic reflex arc in the reinnervation group, the number of ipsilateral fibers in the bladder increased markedly compared with the SCI group (P < 0.05), though still much less than that in the control (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe efferent branches of the somatic nerves may grow and replace the parasympathetic preganglionic axons through axonal regeneration. Acetylcholine is still the major neurotransmitter of the new reflex arc. The controllability of detrusor may be promoted when it is reinnervated by the pelvic ganglia efferent somatic motor fibers from the postganglionic axons.

Acetylcholinesterase ; biosynthesis ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Animals ; Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic ; physiology ; Cholinergic Fibers ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Motor Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Neural Pathways ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex ; physiology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; physiopathology ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder ; innervation ; physiology ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin 10 (IL10QX) promoter and serum levels of lipoprotein in the healthy Chinese Han population.

METHODSPCR restriction fragment length polymorphism assay was used to detect the distribution of genotypes of IL10 -592,-819,-1082 in 200 healthy Chinese Han subjects. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in all subjects were measured to analyze the relationship with the polymorphisms of IL10 promoter.

RESULTSComparing with AA genotype, the group with GA genotype at IL10 promoter -1082 position had a significant elevation of serum HDL-C level [(1.514+/-0.501) mmol/L vs. (1.261+/-0.346) mmol/L, t=-2.225, P=0.028] and a lower serum TG level[(1.701+/-1.836) mmol/L vs. (0.981+/-0.314) mmol/L,Z=-2.096,P=0.036]. The TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL levels did not show any statistically significant differences among different genotypes (CC, AA, CA) of the IL10 -592, as well as the genotypes (TT, TA, AA) ofIL10 -819 (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that in the Chinese Han population, the polymorphism at position -1082 in the promoter region of IL10 gene may be associated with the serum HDL-C level and TG level.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To analysis the characteristics of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) patients with tinnitus, and explore the relationship of characteristics of tinnitus and audiology. METHOD: Patients diagnosed as SSHL with tinnitus were studied in the research. All patients' clinical features were analyzed, such as tinnitus frequency, pure tone audiometry, tinnitus, hearing loss degree, results of residual inhibition test. RESULT: Thirty cases were identified as mild degree hearing loss, 13 cases as moderate degree, 28 cases as severe degree and 34 cases as profound degree. And hearing impaired frequency of 13 cases was ascertained at low-frequency, 39 cases at middle-high-frequency, and 53 cases at full-range-frequency. The incidence of patients with low-frequency was about 41. 9% (44/105), and it was about 21. 9% (23/105) in those with middle-frequency. And it was 36. 2% (38/105) in cases of high-frequency tinnitus. The chi-square test show statistically significant differences between patients with the low-frequency, middle-frequency and high-frequency of the hearing loss (P<0. 05). In tinnitus residual inhibition test, positive rate of convergence type masking curve was about 72.0%, tinnitus separated type masking curve 20.0%, overlapping type was 57.9%, and the spacing type was 43.5%. There was a statistically significant difference among cases with different type masking curve (P<0. 05)with the spacing residual inhibition test positive rate. CONCLUSION There are individual differences of clinical characteristics among SSHL patients with tinnitus. Tinnitus frequency is consistent with the frequency of hearing loss. Patients had the more serious the degree of hearing loss, who had more serious tinnitus grading. Cases with the converged type curve will be fit for tinnitus masking. Therefore, combining the tinnitus detection with the audiological tests, we could obtain the clinical characteristics of SSHL patients with tinnitus.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Deafness ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Tinnitus ; complications ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the morphology of Y chromosome and microdeletion of the correlated specific azoospermia factor(AZF) region on Y chromosome in cases of azoospermia and to identify the genetic diagnosis made for male infertility patients.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were taken from two patients with azoospermia, and then were examined by use of G banding, C banding cytogenetic analysis and multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microdeletion analysis.

RESULTSThe karyotypes of the two cases were 45, X, -Y, -22, +der(Y)t(Y;22)(q11.2;q11.2) and 46, XY, del(Y)(q11.2) respectively. In 12 sequence-tagged sites(STS) of AZFa, AZFb, AZFd, AZFc, only one was detected in the first case and two were detected in the other case.

CONCLUSIONThe cytogenetic analysis and the detection of AZF microdeletion on Y chromosome are essential to the final genetic diagnosis to be made for male infertility patients.

Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Genetic Loci ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Seminal Plasma Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pathological characteristics of heroin spongiform leukoencephalopathy (HSLE).

METHODSCerebral tissue specimens were obtained from 15 patients with HSLE and the histological observations under optical and electron microscopes were carried out by HE, Bielschowsky's, and chromotrope 2R-brilliant green staining.

RESULTSHSLE was characterized primarily by spongiform vacuolar degeneration of the cerebral white matter. Neurons in the gray matter, Purkinje and granular cells in the cerebella remain intact in all the cases. Numerous vacuoles, which merged to form larger cavities, appeared in the damaged white matter, and the axons survived in the deep white matter. The myelin sheath in the cerebellar white matter sustained more severe damages than those in the cerebral white matter. No vacuoles or lymphocyte infiltration occurred in the small peripheral vessels.

CONCLUSIONHSLE is pathologically characterized by vacuolar degeneration due to primary damage of the myelin, and the spongiform vacuolar degeneration is closely associated with the severity of demyelination in the white matter.

Adult ; Autopsy ; Canavan Disease ; etiology ; pathology ; Cerebellum ; chemistry ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Cerebral Cortex ; chemistry ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Heroin Dependence ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Neurons ; chemistry ; pathology ; Purkinje Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Staining and Labeling ; methods ; Young Adult

Objective To find out the different features of deep gray matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM),multiple sclerosis (MS),and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) in adults.Methods After searching the database,353 adult patients,admitted to our hospital from August 2004 to October 2012 and diagnosed as ADEM,MS,and NMO,were identified.Among them,95 adult patients with ADEM (n=12),MS (n=60) and NMO (n=23) had deep gray matter lesions on MRI were included in our study.Morphological features of deep gray matter lesions,including diameter,quantity and distribution among these patients,were compared.Results The percentage of lesions involved in the thalamus,caudate nucleus and globus pallidus was not significantly different among the three groups (P＞0.05).Putamen was more frequently involved in patients with ADEM than that in patients with MS and NMO (P=0.002 and 0.013,respectively).Hypothalamus was more frequently involved in patients with NMO than that in patients with ADEM and MS (P=0.033 and 0.001,respectively).The diameter of the thalamus lesion in patients with ADEM was significantly larger than that in patients with NMO (P=0.027),but was not significantly different from that in patients with MS (P=0.116); no significant difference between the lesion diameters of patients with MS and NMO was observed (P=0.209).The diameters of the lesions located in the caudate nucleus,globuspallidus,putmen,and hypothalamus were not significantly different among the three groups (P＞0.05).Furthermore,no significant difference was found among the three groups in respect of the symmetry of lesion distribution (P=0.335).Conclusions Thalamus involvement might not be helpful in differentiating ADEM from MS in adults.Putamen involvement might be helpful in differentiating ADEM from MS and NMO.Hypothalamus involvement is specific for NMO.Lesion size is not useful in the differential diagnosis of ADEM,MS,and NMO.

[Abstract] Objective To investigate the effect and possible mechanism of cell cycle-dependent kinase (Cdk)5 inhibitor Roscovitine on 1-methyl4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced pathological changes in brain regions associated with Parkinson’ s disease (PD) model mice. Methods The effect of Roscovitine on the relative expression levels of P25 and Cdk5 proteins was detected by Western blotting in MPP