Spinal cord plasticity includes spontaneous neuronal plasticity and task-dependent plasticity which was respectively driven by spinal cord injury and special treatment.Spontaneous plasticity occurred at neuronal and synaptic sites,displaying various forms of axonal sprouting,unmasking of relatively ineffective functional connections and modification of synaptic efficacy.Task-dependent plasticity demonstrated reactivation of central generator pattern and functional reorganization of extensive spinal circuits.Exploration,induction and guidance of spinal cord plasticity will help determine the most optimal treatments and expand therapy methods to further promote function recovery of patients with spinal cord injury.

head and neck region. Postoperative recurrence rate was 42 10%, five year survival rate was 8 33%. Not a single case was found to be malignant degeneration of neurolemmoma or neurofibromatosis, nor as a result of radiotherapy. It is suggested that MNST is a primary soft tissue malignant tumor, and early complete excision is the key treatment. The biological characteristics of this tumor as revealed in this study suggest that it is different from what was reported in the foreign literature.

Objective To investigate the effects of rolipram on neurofunction and the ultrastructure of the spinal cord in rats with spinal cord contusion.Methods Thirty adult,female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received spinal cord contusion at the T10 level.They were then randomited into an experimental group and a control group immediately after the operation.Rats in the experimental group received subcutaneous injections of 0.25mg/kg of rolipram twice daily for two weeks.Control rats received the same dosage of 0.9％ sodium chloride solution on the same schedule.The rats'functional recovery was evaluated using the open-field locomotion rating scale of Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB score),once a week within the 1st month after spinal cord injury (SCI),and once every two weeks subsequently.The morphology of the spinal cord tissue around the lesion site was observed under the light microscope with HE staining at the 8th week postoperation,and the ultrastructure of the spinal cord was observed under the transmission electron microscope at the 2nd,4th and 8th week postoperation.Results At the 2nd and 3rd week after SCI the experimental group exhibited significandy greater improvement in average BBB scores than the control group.However,the average BBB scores in the experimental and control groups were not significantly different at 8 weeks after SCI.Under the light microscope,cavities were observed in the posterior dorsal column near the SCI in both the experimental and control groups.However thick,condensed glial scars in the injured area were observed only in the control group.The density of glial cells decreased more in the experimental group than in the control group.Transmission electron microscopy revealed that,compared with the control group,inflammatory edema was attenuated and fewer axons were damaged at the 2nd week postoperation in the experimental group.That group also showed less axon degeneration as well as more angiogenesis at the 4th and 8th week.Conclusion Rolipram can reduce secondary neuron degeneration,inhibit gliosis and the formation of glial scars,and promote angiogenesis.

Objective To explore neural plasticity around an injured region of the spinal cord and the effects of step training on functional recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 24) were induced with spinal cord contusion at T10 and divided into a step training group and a control group ( 12 rats in each). Training started from the 7th day post-injury and lasted for (20 ± 10)min per day, 5 days per week, for 9 weeks. Treadmill speeds were 3 m/min at the beginning, and adjusted daily according to each rat's tolerance up to 11 m/min or more. The functional recovery was measured weekly with the open-field locomotor rating scale of Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB score). The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament protein (NF) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the spinal cord around the injured region were detected. Results After 70 days of step training, the average BBB score of the step training group reached ( 12.86 ± 0.94 ), significantly higher than that of the control group ( 10.71 ± 0.95 ). The expression of NF and GAP-43 around the injured region increased significantly more in the step training group than among the controls. Conclusions Step training can promote functional recovery and neural plasticity in rats after incomplete SCI.

Objective To compare the clinical effects of different doses of methylprednisolone therapy for children with severe hand,foot and mouth disease (HFMD).Methods According to different dosage methods, 240 children with severe HFMD were divided into large dose group,medium dose group and small dose group,80 cases in each group.The three groups were given different doses of methylprednisolone infusion on the basis of conventional treatment:large dose group(5 ~10mg·kg· -1 d -1 ),medium dose group(3 ~5 mg·kg· -1 d -1 ),small dose group (1 ~2mg · kg · -1 d -1 ).Results The time of fever sustaining,panic ease,mechanical ventilation,duration of hypertension and heart rate recovery of the medium -dose group were (47.93 ±4.72)h,(45.54 ±2.42)h,(51.43 ± 6.85)h,(53.66 ±7.62)h,(52.45 ±7.84)h,which were significantly shorter than those of the small -dose and large -dose group(all P <0.05).The incidence of turning to critically ill and the rate of ventilator use of the medium-dose group were significantly lower than those of the small -dose and large -dose group (all P <0.05 ).The incidence of pulmonary edema and pulmonary hemorrhage of the medium -dose group were significantly lower than those of the small -dose and large -dose group(all P <0.05).The differences among three groups were not statistically significant in the complications such as hypokalemia,hypocalcemia and gastrointestinal bleeding (all P >0.05 ). Conclusion Medium dose of methylprednisolone in the treatment of children with severe HFMD has significant effect and less adverse reactions,which is worthy of promotion.

: Assessment of functional ability is main item of outcome measure in patients with spinal cord injury(SCI).The assessment methods include Barthel Index(BI),Modified Barthel Index(MBI),Functional Independence Measure(FIM),Spinal Cord Lesion Independence Measure(SCIM) and Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury(WSCI).SCIM was specifically developed to measure functional ability for spinal cord lesion,which was modified for two times and verified in multicenter international study.The result of multicenter international study showed that SCIM is a reliable and useful quantitative representation of a specific construct of independence after SCI.This justifies the use of SCIM in clinical research,including cross-cultural trials.Meanwhile,further refinement is needed.

ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristic changes of expression of the genes related to inflammation response after injury of rubrospinal tract（RST）. Methods18 Sprague Dawley（SD）female rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: RST injury group (n=9) and Sham group (n=9). RST injury models were established, and the rats were killed 24 hours after injury. 5 mm length spinal cord was harvested from the epicenter and total RNA was extracted. Affymetrics Gene Chips for rats, representing 28000 genes, were used for mRNA expression profiling.Results153 transcripts were observed to differ (2.0 fold; 136 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated) after injury of RST, compared with sham group. Most of genes related to inflammation response were up-regulated (except Scn9α). 8 genes related to Toll-like receptor signaling pathway were also up-regulated.ConclusionSignificant changes related to inflammation response occur in acute phase after injury of RST.

ObjectiveTo explore the migration, effect on axon growth of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplanted in contused spinal cord of rats. Methods8 adult female rats were induced spinal cord contusion at T10 cord by NYU impactor (H=25 mm), and received OECs transplantation in 1 mm rostral and caudal to injury site，or injury site. Other 4 adult female rats were uncovered the spinal cord at T8-10 cord, and injected GFP+OECs at T10 cord. 1 week after transplantation, all animals were executed and the T8-11 cord (15 mm long) contained the entire injury site were observed for the migration of OECs and immunostained for neurofilament (NF) and myelin basic protein (MBP). ResultsThe OECs injected in injury site largely migrate longitudinally and laterally from the injection site, OECs injected in 1 mm rostral and caudal to injury site of contused spinal cord, migrate longitudinally and laterally from the injection site to the injury site in white and gray matter, and some along the central canal. OECs injected in normal spinal cord migrated longitudinally and laterally from injection site, too. The transplanted OECs expressed a little NF and MBP. ConclusionThe transplanted OECs are able to migrate in spinal cord and promote axon regeneration and remyelination.

Objective To investigate the epidemiology of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in hospital. Methods 423 patients with SCI were reviewed. esults The ratio of male to female was 15.3∶ 1, aged (40±11) years. The coal mine-related staff was the most (61.7%), mainly aused from coal blocks dropping (53.26%). 135 cases (31.91%) injured in cervical vertebra, and 187 cases (44.21%) in lumbar. There were 92 (45.39%) cases were complete injury. The most frequent complication of SCI were urinary tract infection, pressure sore and pulmonary nfection. The factors correlated with the complication were the degree of ASIA Impairment Scale, the period of admitted to hospital after injury, nd the surgery (P<0.05). The expenditure of hospitalization was mainly provided by oneself (73%). Conclusion It is important to improve he occupation prevention, enlarge the coverage of medical insurance, and promote pre-hospital care to prevent SCI.

Objective To induce the immune tolerance of heart grafts with infusion of isogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in heart transplant rats.Method Donor Wistar rats and recipient F344 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:acute rejection group (group A),Wistar rats as the donors and F344 rats as the recipients for heart transplantation; low dose cyclosporin A(CsA) group (group B),recipient F344 rats given low dose CsA; BMSCs group (group C),recipient F344 rats given isogeneic BMSCs; BMSC and low dose CsA group (group D),the recipient F344 rats given isogeneic BMSCs and low dose CsA.The serum cytokine levels were determined,and the donor heart pathological changes and survival were observed postoperatively.The relative level of Foxp3 mRNA expression in the spleen of the recipient F344 rats was also observed.Result The blood levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ(INF-γ) were significantly reduced,but IL-4 and IL-10 levels were increased (P＜0.05),and the survival time of donor heart was significantly prolonged in group D as compared with groups A,B and C (P＜0.05 for all).Heart pathological examination revealed a mild acute rejection in group D,moderate acute rejection in groups B and C group,and severe acute rejection in group A respectively.The expression of Foxp3 mRNA was significantly lower in group A than in groups B,C and D (P＜0.05 for all),and that in group D was significantly higher than in groups B and C (P＜0.05 for both),but there was no significant difference between between groups B and C (P＞0.05).Conclusion Intravenous administration of BMSCs can alleviate immunorejection in heterotopic rat heart transplantation.Low-dose CsA acts synergistically with BMSCs to significantly inhibit acute rejection after heart transplantation.The partial mechanisms involve the suppressive effect of BMSCs on the expression of Foxp3 mRNA and modulation on cytokine.