BACKGROUND:The choice of schwannoma resection is strongly associated with whether the tumor was completely resected, whether stretch during resection injures spinal nerves, and final y with the prognosis of treatment.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the spinal stabilization after laminectomy combining unilateral or bilateral nail-rod system for schwannoma in the spinal canal or intervertebral foramen.
METHODS:A total of 48 cases of schwannoma in the spinal canal or intervertebral foramen of neck, chest and waist underwent laminectomy combining unilateral or bilateral nail-rod system. 34 cases in spinal canal received bilateral nail-rod system, and 14 cases in the intervertebral foramen received unilateral nail-rod system.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 3 days and 3, 6, 12 months after internal fixation, radiograph results demonstrated that location of implants was good. Bone graft fusion was found. No spinal instability and vertebral slippage occurred. Neural functional score Bodford (1997) and quality of life score were significantly increased after treatment (P<0.01). Muscle strength assessed by Lovett grade was significantly elevated after treatment (P<0.01). Pain evaluated by Virtual Rescan grade was significantly lessened after treatment (P<0.01). Schwannoma was completely resected in 48 patients. After treatment, six patients affected leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. One case experienced infection of cerebrospinal fluid. One case had to undergo secondary operation due to the infection. Three cases received nerve root resection due to tumor erosion. These experimental results confirmed that laminectomy combining unilateral or bilateral nail-rod system for schwannoma in the spinal canal or intervertebral foramen has the advantage of the tumor ful y exposed to the operator, which can help completely resect schwannoma and effectively avoid spinal nerve injury. Even more important thing is that the spinal stability is reconstructed by unilateral or bilateral nail-rod system, which prevents the occurrence of vertebral slippage and vertebral destabilization. Long-term effect stil needs further research.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) and its disassembled recipes on rats' neurogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia and to investigate its underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODSFocal cerebral ischemia model was induced by occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery for 90 min using the intraluminal filament model. Rats were divided into the sham-operation group, the model group, the BYHWD group, the qi supplementing group, and the blood activating group. Medication was performed by gastrogavage 24 h after ischemia for 14 successive days. 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) (at 50 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected, once per day for 14 successive days. The neurological function was assessed using modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and the corner test at day 1, 7, and 14 after ischemia. BrdU/Nestin, BrdU/NeuN, and BrdU/GFAP positive cells were examined by double immunofluorescence at day 14 after ischemia. The protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected by Western blot at day 14 after ischemia.

RESULTSCompared with the model group, the score of mNSS and the frequency of turning right significantly decreased in the BYHWD group and the qi supplementing group (P < 0.01), the number of BrdU/Nestin in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, and BrdU/ NeuN and BrdU/GFAP positive cells in the peripheral ischemic cortex increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), protein expression of BDNF and VEGF increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In the qi supplementing group, there was no statistical difference in BrdU/GFAP. But there was no statistical difference in each index of the blood activating group (P > 0.05). Compared with BYHWD group, the number of BrdU/Nestin, BrdU/ NeuN, and BrdU/GFAP positive cells significantly decreased (P < 0.01), and the protein expression of BDNF and VEGF were significantly reduced in the qi supplementing group and the blood activating group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBYHWD could significantly improve neurogenesis and neurological function recovery after focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Its mechanisms might be related to up-regulating protein expression of BDNF and VEGF. Drugs for qi supplementing and drugs for blood activating had synergistic effects.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Neurogenesis ; drug effects ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Abstract: Objective　This paper aims to explore the effect of live attenuated varicella vaccine on the sensitivity of tuberculin skin test(TST), and to provide reference for tuberculin skin test in the future. Methods　TST and emergency varicella vaccine were administered to students in grade one of a high school in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, who had both TB and varicella cases. Independent-samples t test was used to analyze the mean diameter of induration of TST in day 0, day 83 and day 195. The retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the effect of live attenuated varicella vaccine on TST. 　　Results　The mean induration diameter of 45 students who participated in three TST tests on day 0, day 83 and day 195 were analyzed by independent sample t test. On day 0, there was a difference in the mean diameter of TST induration between the unvaccinated and vaccinated groups(1.630±2.837 vs 5.818±4.530) (t=-3.692, P=0.001). On day 83, there was no difference in the mean diameter of TST induration between the two groups(0.001±0.001 vs 0.114±0.533) (t=-1.000, P=0.329). On day 195, there was a difference in the mean diameter of TST induration between the two groups(1.913±3.774 vs 5.023±5.126) (t=-2.309, P=0.026). Moreover, the retrospective cohort study showed that the mean diameter of TST induration changed more significantly after inoculation with varicella vaccine, RR=6.071, 95%CI (1.667-22.116), P<0.05; After inoculation with varicella vaccine, the mean diameter of TST test did not change significantly from day 0 to day 195 with no statistical significance RR=3.474, 95%CI (0.333-36.240), P>0.05. Conclusions　Live attenuated varicella vaccine may temporarily affect the sensitivity of tuberculin skin test.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD) inducing angiogenesis on the neuroblast migration from the subventricular zone and its mechanisms after focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODThe middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed to mice for 30 minutes to establish the model. The rats were divided into sham group, model group, BYHWD group and endostatin group. BYHWD (20 g x kg(-1), ig) and endostatin (10 μg, sc) were administered 24 h after ischemia once a day for consecutively 14 days. At 14 d after ischemia, the density of micro-vessel and the number of neuroblasts in the ischemia border zone were determined by immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA and protein expression of cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and brain-derived neurotrophic (BDNF) were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTCompared with the model group, BYHWD significantly increased the density of micro-vessel and the number of DCX positive cells in the ischemia border zone (P < 0.01), and significantly increased the SDF-1 and BDNF mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Compared with BYHWD group, endostatin significantly reduced the density of micro-vessel and the number of DCX positive cells in the ischemia border zone (P < 0.01), as well as the SDF-1, BDNF mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBYHWD could promote the neuroblast migration from the subventricular zone via inducing angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia, the mechanism may be correlated with up-regulating the expression of SDF-1 and BDNF.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; analysis ; genetics ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cerebral Ventricles ; pathology ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; analysis ; genetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology

Objective To compare the differences in virulence-related factor aspartate protease,biofilm formation,and gene expression among clinical isolates of Candida parapsilosis(C.parapsilosis).Methods Gene sequencing and microsatellite typing(MT)method were adopted to identify C.parapsilosis isolated from patients with clinical fungal infection.The production of secreted aspartate protease and biofilm formation ability of each strain were de-tected,and the expression of biofilm formation related-genes BCR1,EFG1,and HWP1,as well as aspartate prote-ase virulence genes SAPP1,SAPP2,SAPP3 were compared among the strains.Results A total of 8 clinically iso-lated C.parapsilosis strains were collected,all of which were identified as genotype Ⅰ.Based on microsatellite ty-ping results,8 clinical strains were divided into 4 microsatellite types.G1,G2,and G3 strains isolated from the urine,peripherally inserted central catheters(PICC),and blood of patient A were of different subtypes.J1,J2,J3,J4,and J5 strains were of the same type,and isolated from blood specimens of patient B at different periods.All 8 clinical strains could form biofilm,and their biofilm formation ability was higher than that of the standard strain of C.parapsilosis(ATCC 22019).G1,G3 and J5 strains had strong biofilm formation ability,J1,J2,J3,and J4 strains had moderate biofilm formation ability,and G2 strain had weak biofilm formation ability.All of the eight clinical isolates secreted aspartate protease,and their in vitro expression levels of the enzyme were higher than that of the standard strain(ATCC 22019).G3,G1,and G2 strains showed low,moderate,and high in vitro enzyme expression respectively,with statistical differences(all P＜0.05).Enzyme expressed moderately in J1 and J5 strains,and highly in J2,J3,and J4 strains.Difference between moderate and high expressions was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The expression levels of biofilm formation genes BCR1,EFG1,and HWP1 in various strains isolated from patients A and B increased.In strains isolated from patient A,the expression level of EFG1 gene in G1 strain was higher than that in G2 strain(P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in BCR1,EFG1,and HWP1 gene expression levels among strains isolated from patient B.The expression levels of as-partate protein genes(SAPP1,SAPP2,and SAPP3)in various strains isolated from patients A and B increased.The expression levels of SAPP1 and SAPP2 in strain G1 were higher than those in G2 and G3(both P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the expression levels of SAPP1,SAPP2,and SAPP3 genes in strains from patient B.Conclusion Clinical isolates of C.parapsilosis have higher biofilm formation and aspartate protease production abilities than standard strain.The expression of virulence factors varies among strains isolated from different specimens,while there is no significant difference in the expression of virulence factors among strains isolated at different periods.Patients may have been infected with different MT types of C.parapsilosis in multiple sites during the same period.

The osmotic pressure of ammonium sulfate solutions has been measured by the well-established freezing point osmometry in dilute solutions and we recently reported air humidity osmometry in a much wider range of concentration. Air humidity osmometry cross-validated the theoretical calculations of osmotic pressure based on the Pitzer model at high concentrations by two one-sided test (TOST) of equivalence with multiple testing corrections, where no other experimental method could serve as a reference for comparison. Although more strict equivalence criteria were established between the measurements of freezing point osmometry and the calculations based on the Pitzer model at low concentration, air humidity osmometry is the only currently available osmometry applicable to high concentration, serves as an economic addition to standard osmometry.
Ammonium Sulfate ; chemistry ; Freezing ; Humidity ; Osmolar Concentration ; Osmometry ; methods ; Osmotic Pressure ; Solutions

OBJECTIVEIn recent years, some experiments on vitamin A-deprived animals reveal a progressive and ultimately profound impairment of hippocampal CA1 area's long-term potentiation and these losses are fully reversible by dietary vitamin A replenishment in vivo. Our previous study revealed that marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) beginning from embryonic period impairs learning, memory and long-term potentiation (LTP) in young rats. But the losses might not be reversible if the vitamin A supplementation is late, especially when the critical period of hippocampus development is missed. The present study aimed to observe the recovery of learning and memory in vitamin A marginally deficient young rats after early intervention with vitamin A supplementation and begin to study the mechanism.

METHODSRats were divided into control, MVAD, vitamin A intervention 1 (VAI1) and VAI2 groups in this study. In control group (10 young rats) the dams and pups were fed with normal diet (VA 6500 U/kg). In MVAD group (19 young rats) the dams and pups were fed with MVAD diet (VA 400 U/kg). In VAI1 group (10 young rats) the dams were fed with MVAD diet till day 14 of pregnancy, then were fed with normal diet and the pups were fed with normal diet. In VAI2 group (13 young rats) the dams were fed with MVAD diet till delivery, then were fed with normal diet and the pups were fed with normal diet too. All the young rats were killed at the age of 7 weeks. During the last week of the experiment, the shuttle box active avoidance reaction tests were carried out. At week 7, the hippocampal CA1 LTP was detected by electrophysiological technique. The expression of RAR-alpha, RAR-beta, RXR-beta, RXR-gamma, RC3 and tTG mRNA was detected by using semi-quantified RT-PCR in hippocampus.

RESULTS(1) The times to reach the learning standard in MVAD group (45.6 +/- 12.1) were more than those in control group (17.1 +/- 4.4) (P < 0.01), in both VAI1 group (20.8 +/- 3.1) and VAI2 group (22.1 +/- 4.0) were more than those in group MVAD (P < 0.01), and there were no significant differences among groups VAI1, VAI2 and control (P > 0.05) in active avoidance reaction tests. (2) The changes of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope for MVAD group [(22.9 +/- 9.4)%] and VAI2 group [(39.1 +/- 4.33)%] were less than that of control group [(57.5 +/- 27.3)%], respectively (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between VAI1 and control group (P > 0.05). (3) The expression of RAR-beta and RXR-beta mRNA decreased by 48.72% and 37.84% respectively (P < 0.05) compared with control, but the expression of RAR-beta mRNA in group VAI1 was higher than that in group MVAD (P = 0.065). The expression of RC3 mRNA in MVAD group was lower than that in control (P = 0.061) and RAR-alpha mRNA in MVAD group was higher than that in control (P = 0.061). The expression of RXR-gamma and tTG mRNA had no significant difference among different groups as determined with semi-quantified RT-PCR in hippocampus.

CONCLUSIONEarly vitamin A intervention may make the impaired learning and memory behavior due to marginal vitamin A deficiency recover to the normal level in young rats, but lip losses in group VAI2 might not be reversible. Vitamin A may modulate the expression of RC3 mRNA by affecting RAR-alpha, RAR-beta and RXR-beta to influence the LTP, learning and memory.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Animals ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; metabolism ; Learning ; drug effects ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Neurogranin ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; growth & development ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transglutaminases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vitamin A ; therapeutic use ; Vitamin A Deficiency ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVEPrevious studies have demonstrated that vitamin A and its active derivatives function as essential competence factors for long-term synaptic plasticity within the adult brain. But little is known if marginal vitamin A deficiency (MVAD) beginning from embryonic period affects the brain development and the ability of learning and memory in young rats. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of MVAD and vitamin A intervention (VAI) on learning, memory and the hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) in young rats.

METHODSRats were divided into control, MVAD and VAI groups in this study. In control group (10 young rats) the dams and pups were fed with normal diet (VA 6500 IU/kg). In MVAD group (19 young rats) the dams and pups were fed with MVAD diet (VA 400 IU/kg). In VAI group (9 young rats) the dams were fed with MVAD diet and the pups were fed with normal diet from postnatal week 4. All the young rats were killed at the age of 7 weeks. During the last week of the experiment, the shuttle box active avoidance reaction tests were carried out. At week 7, the hippocampal CA1 LTP was detected by electrophysiological technique and relative intensity of fluorescence in cells in hippocampal slices was measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy labeled by fluo-3.

RESULTS(1) The times to reach the learning standard in both VAI group (28.8 +/- 4.1) and MVAD group (45.6 +/- 12.1) were more than control group (17.1 +/- 4.4) (P < 0.01), and that of MVAD group was more than VAI group (P < 0.05) in active avoidance reaction tests. (2) The changes of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope for MVAD group (22.9% +/- 9.4%) and VAI group (29.5% +/- 13.7%) were less than that of control group (57.5% +/- 27.3%), respectively (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found between VAI and MVAD groups (P > 0.05). (3) No significant differences of relative intensity of fluorescence in cells were found among the three groups before the tetanus stimulation. However, the significantly low relative intensity of fluorescence in cells was seen in MVAD (65.1 +/- 17.0) and VAI (85.8 +/- 17.1) groups compared with control group (113.6 +/- 20.5) after the tetanus stimulation (P < 0.01), and that of VAI group was higher than that of MVAD group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMVAD beginning from embryonic period impairs learning, memory and LTP in young rats. But the losses might not be reversible if the vitamin A supplementation is late especially missing the critical period of hippocampus development. According to the experimental data, it is speculated that vitamin A may modulate the influx of calcium ion to influence the LTP and lead to the change of learning and memory.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Avoidance Learning ; drug effects ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Long-Term Potentiation ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vitamin A ; pharmacology ; Vitamin A Deficiency ; drug therapy

Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of preoperative red blood cell distribution width (RDW) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 1 025 HCC patients who were admitted to three medical centers (586 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 248 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University and 191 in the Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital) between April 2002 and August 2017 were collected. There were 809 males and 216 females, aged (54±11)years, with a range from 16 to 83 years. The average coefficient of variation of RDW (RDW-CV) of 1 025 patients was 14.3%. Of 1 025 patients, 347 cases had high RDW of RDW-CV >14.3%, and 678 had low RDW of RDW-CV ≤14.3%. Observation indicators: (1) clinico-pathological data of HCC patients; (2) influencing factors for prognosis of HCC patients; (3) follow-up and survival. (4) stratified analysis of independent influencing factors. Follow-up was performed by outpatient examination, telephone interview or internet interview to detect postoperative survival of patients up to October 2017. Measurment data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and measurment data with skewed distribution were described as M (range). Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test. The Graphpad Prism 7.0 was used to draw survival curves, and Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the COX proportional hazard model. Results:(1) Clinicopathological data of HCC patients: cases with age ≤70 years or >70 years, cases without cirhhosis or with cirhhosis , cases of Child-Pugh grade A or Child-Pugh grade B or C, cases with the level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) ≤200 μg/L or >200 μg/L, cases with single tumor or multiple tumors were 313, 34, 152, 186, 161, 53, 158, 143, 186, 109 for high RDW patients, versus 641, 37, 359, 310, 415, 48, 367, 227, 547, 131 for low RDW patients, respectively, showing significant differences in above indicators between the two groups ( χ2=6.709, 6.787, 23.906, 7.114, 34.375, P<0.05). (2) Influencing factors for prognosis of HCC patients: results of univariate analysis showed that age, Child-Pugh grade, AFP, RDW-CV, tumor diameter, the number of tumors were related factors for prognosis of patients ( hazard ratio=1.388, 1.432, 1.534, 1.455, 2.813, 1.505, 95% confidence interval as 1.004-1.920, 1.086-1.887, 1.263-1.864, 1.211-1.748, 2.293-3.450, 1.173-1.932, P<0.05 ). Results of multivariate analysis showed that age, RDW-CV, tumor diameter and the number of tumors were independent factors for prognosis of patients ( hazard ratio=1.020, 1.340, 2.427, 1.438, 95% confidence interval as 1.007-1.032, 1.027-1.749, 1.801-3.272, 1.057-1.956, P<0.05). (3) Follow-up and survival: 1 025 patients were followed up for 1-124 months, with a median follow-up time of 25 months. The median survival time was 23 months for high RDW patients, versus 44 months for low RDW patients, showing a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=11.640, P<0.05). (4) Stratified analysis of independent influencing factors: the results of stratified analysis of 3 independent influencing factors including age, tumor diameter and the number of tumors showed that in the 954 patients with age ≤70 years, the median survival time was 25 months for high RDW patients, versus 48 months for low RDW patients, showing a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=14.030, P<0.05). In the 71 patients with age >70 years, the median survival time was 11 months for high RDW patients, versus 29 months for low RDW patients, showing no significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=0.933, P>0.05). In the 459 patients with tumor diameter ≤5 cm, the median survival time was 44 months for high RDW patients, versus 76 months for low RDW patients, showing a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=8.660, P<0.05). In the 487 patients with tumor diameter >5 cm, the median survival time was 14 months for high RDW patients, versus 18 months for low RDW patients, showing no significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=2.950, P>0.05). In the 733 patients with single tumor, the median survival time was 20 months for high RDW patients, versus 48 months for low RDW patients, showing a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=13.530, P<0.05). In the 240 patients with multiple tumors, the median survival time was 15 months for high RDW patients, versus 20 months for low RDW patients, showing a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups ( χ2=6.820, P<0.05). Conclusions:Preoperative RDW can be used as a predictive index for prognosis of HCC patients, and patients with high RDW have poorer prognosis. RDW have better predictive value in patients with age ≤70 years or tumor diameter ≤5 cm.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a clinical syndrome with major clinical manifestations of hemoptysis, anemia, and diffuse infiltration in the lung. DAH has a high mortality rate in the acute stage and is a life-threatening emergency in clinical practice. Compared with adult DHA, childhood DHA tends to have a specific spectrum of underlying diseases. It has long been believed that idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) is the main cause of childhood DAH; however, with the increase in reports of childhood DAH cases, the etiology spectrum of childhood DAH is expanding. The treatment and prognosis of DAH with different etiologies are different. This review article gives a general outline of childhood DAH, with focuses on DAH caused by IPH, systemic lupus erythematosus, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis, COPA syndrome, or IgA vasculitis.
Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; Child ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; Vasculitis