Objective To study the role of gap junctions in epileptiform activity. Methods The epileptiform activity was induced by zero-Mg 2+ medium in cultured hippocampal neurons of newborn rats. Immunocytochemistry and real time RT-PCR were introduced to evaluate the expression of gap junction Cx32 and Cx43. Results The level of Cx32 mRNA increased quickly one hour after the neurons were treated with zero-Mg 2+ medium and was raised by 10 times 5 hours later, while Cx32 protein began to develop at the 2nd hour (21.80?1.74) and was raised by 5 times at the 8th hour (47.30?5.75). The expression of Cx43 mRNA went up obviously 5 hours later, and Cx43 protein developed visibly 8 hours later. Carbenoxolone depressed the expressions of Cx32 and Cx43. Conclusions The expression of Cx32 and Cx43 increases dramatically after epileptic discharges and carbenoxolone inhibits both the discharges and the expression of gap junctions, which indicates that gap junction could contribute to epileptogenesis.

We report a case of symptomatic bradycardia caused by consumption of a Chinese herbal medicine which was initially undisclosed to the attending emergency physician. The scientific name of the herb is Panax japonicus. Electrocardiogram revealed sinus bradycardia. Laboratory tests were normal except for the detection of a high serum digoxin level. Further interrogation of the patient eventually disclosed ingestion of the herb which, however, did not contain any digoxin. Other active ingredients in the herb include various types of ginsenoside. These are digoxin-like substances that had caused the observed false-positive detection of digoxin by fluorescence polarization immunoassay due to cross-reactivity. Our case-report provides an important insight about a blind-spot in the field of laboratory medicine (clinical pathology), namely, the false positive detection of digoxin due to crossreactivity in the immunoassay when we come across digoxin-like substances in clinical scenarios, which has barely received attention in the medical literature. It also conveys a clear educational message that with full understanding of the laboratory methodology and its mechanistic rationale there are actually some tricks-of-the-trade that allow us to optimize the specificity of the biochemical tests and the treatment of digoxin-like substances overdose.

Objective To investigate Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) combined with demyelinating neuropathy in central nervous system(CNS), and explore the possible mechanism and the relationship between the two.Methods 3 cases GBS combined with demyelinating neuropathy in CNS were observed clinically and the datum of laboratory were analysed.Results Case 1, a 28 year old man had symptoms of general flaccid paralysis and coma.The result of blood gas analysis was normal. CSF showed an albuminocytological dissociation, delayed nerve conduction velocity and missed F waves. Brain MRI showed multifocal T 2 Wight Image high signs in white matter of bilateral brain and cervical spinal cord. The patient is getting recovery by treatment with plasma and immunoglobulin. Case 2 , a 5 year old girl with progressive weakness of her limbs and respiratory arrest, appeared confusion,dully light reflex and absent corneal reflex, at last she died because of rejecting treatment.Case 3,a 12 year old boy with progressive weakness of his limbs and the difficult of relieving the bowels.Brain MRI was normal.Spinal MRI showed multifocal T 2 weight imagine hight signs from T 5 to L 4.CSF showed an albuminocytological dissociation.EMG showed a delayed nerve conduction velocity.Conclusion GBS combined with disorders of consciousness are mostly severe, the pathological mechanism is unclear. It is suggested that auto immunoreaction caused by P 1 myelin basic protein can relate to around and CNS demyelination.

Objective To study the risk of recurrence after a first unprovoked seizure and analyze the potential predictors of recurrence. Methods 150 patients with one or more recently unprovoked seizures who attended our hospital from October, 1998 to June, 2000, which included 66 patients having a first unprovoked seizure, were followed up for 2 years. Recurrence rate was estimated by Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the potential predictors of recurrence were performed for the first unprovoked seizure patients using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results All the 150 patients had 109 relapses in 2 years, Kaplan-Meier estimate of recurrence rate was 73%(?3.6%), while 66 first unprovoked seizure patients had 36 relapses, with the recurrence rate 54%(?6.1%). Cox Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that symptomatic etiology increased the risk of recurrence, and other predictors of recurrence included abnormal electroencephalogram, the occurrence of seizures during sleep and first seizure lasting longer than 10 minutes, whereas an age of 3 to 12 years decreased this risk.Conclusion The recurrence risk after the first unprovoked seizure is lower than those who have two or more recent seizures. Several factors enable us to predict the recurrence risk after a first unprovoked seizure.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in childhood, and severely affects child's development, but there is no effective treatment presently. It causes huge spire, economic burden for patients, families and society. With the development of perinatology, the mortality of neonates has decreased dramatically, but the morbidity of CP has shown rising trend. Therefore the treatment of CP has become the hot and hard spot for each national scientific research. At present the treatment of CP includes: medicine, operation, rehabilitation and other measurements. The main principle is detecting and treating in time. The prompt, long-term and regular rehabilitation training is the most fundamental measurement for the treatment of CP. The surgical, medical and other measurements can only create the condition for rehabilitation training or as supplementary method, but it can't substitute the rehabilitation training.

Objective To compare the number of DARPP-32 positive cells yield in the grafts based on the application of single cell suspension by neural micro-transplantation technique and by traditional cell delivery technique and to explore effects and mechanisms of different approaches.Methods Cells derived from the whole ganglionic eminence of E15 rat embryos,ubiquitously expressing Green Fluorescent Protein(GFP) were implanted into unilaterally QA-lesioned rat striatum in a single-tract with an ultra-thin glass capillary with an outer diameter of 50 μm or using traditional cannula tip with a diameter of 500 μm.Results Histological assessment at 4 months after transplantation showed that there was about two-fold DARRP-32 positive striatal-like neurons in the micro-transplantation group(TT group) than that in the traditional group(MT group).Total graft volume was similar in both groups[(2.8±0.2) mm3 vs(2.5±0.4)mm3,F =0.25,P ＞ 0.05].And DARRP-32positive plaque volume[(0.6±0.1) mm3 vs(0.6±0.2) mm3,F =0.90,P ＞ 0.05]and TH staining plaque volume[(1.0±0.1) mm3 vs(0.7±0.1)mm3,F =1.44,P ＞ 0.05]also had the same performance in both groups.Number of DARRP-32 positive cells was calculated by Abercrombie correction formula,and the result showed that the number of DARRP-32 positive cells in MT group was two-fold of that in TT group[(20.1 ×103±1.2 × 103) vs(9.8 × 103±3.2 × 103),F =8.62,P ＜ 0.05].Higher DARRP-32 positive cells in MT group indicated that grafts had a better condition of growth and development.Conclusion Micro-transplantation approach can increase the number of new born striatal-like neurons,potentially due to the enlargement of the graft-host border area intensifying the graft's exposure to host derived factors and the minimized mechanical injury.

Zhejiang province takes an innovative approach in its rural health service strategy featuring routine health examination,which proved an initial success.Intending to assess the effect and dilemma of such a system,and seek sustainable development in future,we made investigations in Pinhu and Xianju in Zhejiang province.Overall,rural health service strategy based on rural health routine examination,to some extent, improved patient-physician relationship,changed and strengthened their rural health concepts,and upgraded non-communicable disease control. Furthermore,the practice has economically and socially influenced rural health service institutions and rural physicians in terms of their concepts and methodology.There are also setbacks and problems in need of govemment support,programme improvement and resource optimization for further sustainability.

Objective To compare the results of three dose verification solutions of esophageal carcinoma IMRT plans. Methods Seven esophageal carcinoma cases were planned with Pinnacle 8.0 h.The MATRIXX and Delta4 were chosen as the two-dimensional dosimetry and three-dimensional dosimetry.IMRT plans and Delta4 phantom plans were also recalculated by Monte Carlo. Gamma values were evaluated for MATRIXX and Delta4 with 3 mm/3% gamma criteria. For the comparison of Pinnacle, Delta4 and Monte gamma maps, the dose distribution in central plane, dose profiles and dose-volume histograms were used to evaluate the agreement. Results The gamma maps comparison show that with 3 mm/3% gamma criteria an over 98% pass ratio was obtained by MATRIXX measurement. A 94. 4% gamma pass ratio whicl.contains 4 fields gamma pass ratio lower than 90%, was obtained by Delta4 measurement. A 97.6% and 99. 8% gamma pass ratio was obtained between the Delta4 measurement and Monte Carlo simulation with 2 mm/2% and 3 mm/3% gamma criteria. The dose distribution in central plane and dose profiles from Pinnacle calculation were almost in agreement with both the Monte Carlo simulation and Delta4 measurement. The DVH plot have slightly differences between Pinnacle and Delta4 measurement as well as Pinnacle and Monte Carlo simulation, but have excellent agreement between Delta4 measurement and Monte Carlo simulation. Conclusions It was shown that all the three methods can be used very efficiently to verify esophageal carcinoma IMRT delivery, Delta4 and Monte Carlo simulation no data missed. The primary advantage of Delta4 is the fact it can measure true 3D dosimetry while Monte Carlo can simulate in patients CT images but not in phantom.

BACKGROUND: Status epilepticus can result in neuronal injury.OBJECTIVE: To observe the mitochondrial ultrastructural damage and the changes of Fas, Bax and Caspase-3 expressions in hippocampal CA3 neurons of rats of different kindling, so as to provide theoretical evidence for the neuronal injury after epilepsy.DESIGN: A randomized c ntrol animal experiment.SETTINGS: Department of Neurology and Department of Anesthesiology,Qilu Hospital of Shandong University.MATERIALS: The experiments were carried out in the pathological laboratory of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences between March and July2005. Totally 150 adult male SD rats of 260-300 g were provided by the experimental animal center of Shandong University (SCXK20030004), they were raised at room temperature and were free to the access of food and water.METHODS: The adult male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid group and caudal venous injection of kainic acid group respectively ac cording to the method of random number table, and the rats were administrated by kainic acid injected intraperitoneally (12 mg/kg) and via caudal vein (10 mg/kg) respectively. Each group was divided into 5 subgroups, which were 3, 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours after status epilepticus groups respectively. Twelve successfully induced rats were selected from each subgroup, hippocampi were removed at different time points after the termination of status epilepticus, 2 were used for examination under electron microscope, 5 for the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of Fas and Bax, and 5 for the immunohistochemical assay of Caspase-3. Another 12 rats were used as normal controls without any treatment. The materials were taken at24 hours after corresponding status epilepticus in the control group, and the specific distributions were the same as those in the subgroups. The mitochondrial structure was observed under electron microscope, the levels of Fas and Bax mRNA were detected with semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and the expression of Caspase-3 protein was determined with the immunohistochemical assay.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Results of ultrathin section under transmission electron mcroscope; ② RT-PCR results; ③ Immunohistochemical results.RESULTS: Totally 132 rats were involved in the analysis of results. ①Mitochondrial structure under electron microscope: In the intraperitoneal injection group, the mitochondria swelled, and the neurons showed characters of apoptosis. In the caudal venous injection group, the mitochondria swelled, and accompanied by the membranous collapse, and the neurons manifested the necrosis. ② No expression of Fas and Bax was detected in the control group and caudal venous injection. In the intraperitoneal injection group, Fas expression appeared at 6 hours after status epilepticus, increased at 24 hours, reached the peak value at 48 hours, and lasted till 72 hours. ③ The Caspase-3 expressions began to increase 6 hours after status epilepticus in both the intraperitoneal injection group and caudal venous injection group(10.27±0.34, 15.21±0.34; P ＜ 0.001), and reached the peak values at 24 hours (25.36±0.47, 28.23±0.47; P ＜ 0.001); The higher expression of Caspase-3 lasted till 72 hours in the intraperitoneal injection group, but sharply decreased in the caudal venous injection group.CONCLUSION: Two different methods of administration result in different severity of mitochondrial damage and different expressions of Fas, Bax and Caspase-3, which further determines the molecular mechanisms of neuronal death.

Hemifacial Spasm ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Trigeminal Neuralgia ; etiology ; surgery