Objective To observe the polysomnographic manifestation of sleep disorder and the characteristics of sleep architecture in patients with PD.Methods 42 patients with PD and 40 normal controls underwent night polysomnography.The parameters of sleep architecture and progress in two groups and video-monitoring features were analyzed.Results According to PSG recordings,the incidence of difficulties in the initiation of sleep(73.8%),fragmented sleep(59.5%),excessive daytime sleepiness (46.1%)were respectively increased in PD patients group than that in controls(all P5)、 ESS were increased(P=0.022,0.000,0.007, 0.001,0.000,respectively).SOREMPs occurred in 6 patients(14.3%)in PD group,but didn't oecure in controls.In PD group REM without atonia(RWA)was demonstrated in 36 patients(85.7%),RBD in 19 patients;in control group,however,REM in 6 and RBD in 2 separately.The statistics analysis showed the incidence of RWA(85.7%)and RBD(45.2%)in PD group was significantly higher than that in control group(P

AIM:To study the effect of different surgeries for vision and postoperative complications in leprosy patients with lagophthalmos.METHODS:A retrospective analysis.Totally 68 leprosy patients (97 eyes) with lagophthalmos were selected who treated with different surgeries during May 2007 to September 2015 in our sanatorium.The surgeries included nylon thread correction surgery, tarsorrhaphy, temporalis transposition surgery.We observed and compared the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) and the rate of postoperative complications, such as epiphora, lacrimal duct injury, hard to open eyes, infection at the inner and lateral canthus and scar formation of lacrimal apparatus.RESULTS:The effect on BCVA of patients treated with nylon thread correction surgery and tarsorrhaphy:the preoperative and postoperative BCVA was significantly different of the two groups (Z=-4.193,-4.213;P<0.05);the preoperative and postoperative BCVA was not significantly different of the patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery (Z=-1.532, P >0.05).The postoperative complications:(1) epiphora:there was 91% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 89% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 59% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=12.198, P<0.05);(2) lacrimal duct injury:there was 66% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 95% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 41% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=22.415, P<0.05);(3) hard to open eyes:there was 56% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 55% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 22% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=8.795, P<0.05);(4) infections:there was 84% in patients underwent nylon thread correction surgery, 3% in patients underwent tarsorrhaphy, 11% in patients underwent temporalis transposition surgery, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=60.858, P<0.05).CONCLUSION:There are certain clinical efficacy for lagophthalmos caused by leprosy after surgery, especially patients after temporalis transposition surgery can close eyes by oneself.And their vision does not change significantly, which suggests that this surgery may prevent exposure injury for cornea.But the iatrogenic injury, the vision decrease in patients underwent other surgeries and the ocular tissue damage, such as epiphora, lacrimal duct injury, hard to open eyes, infection at the inner and lateral canthus and scar formation of lacrimal apparatus should be pay more attention to.

Objective To investigate the effect of local injection of Botulinum toxin type A(BTXA) on spasticity and function of the affected upper limb in stroke patients.Methods A total of 32 stroke patients were re- cruited and randomly divided into two groups:a BTXA group and a control group.All the patients had spasticity of upper limb muscles,which scored grade 2 to 3 with the Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS) ,and decreased elbow joint range of motion.The 16 patients in the BTXA group received BTXA injection in the biceps brachii muscles and flexor muscles of forearm on 10～15 points,while those in the control group did not.All the patients in both groups were treated with rehabilitation training techniques.The MAS,Fugl-Meyer upper limb function assessment and Barthel In- dex were employed to evaluate the changes of muscle tone,upper limb function and activity of living (ADL)perform- ance of the patients before injection and at 1st,2nd,6th 12th weeks after injection.Results The therapeutic effect between the BTXA group anti control group was significantly different in terms of biceps muscle tone,the scores of Fugl-Meyer upper limb function assessment and Barthel Index.Compared with preinjection,muscle tone was de- creased significantly and ADL performance was improved after injection in BTXA group.The effects of BTXA lasted more than 12 weeks.Conclusion Intramuscular muhipoint injection of BTXA was useful in reducing muscle spas- ticity,and was helpful for increasing motor ability of the affected upper limb and ADL performance of the stroke pa- tients.

Objective To explore the feasibility of exogenous NGF and/or Noggin gene transfecting into the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and observe the differentiation of BMSCs modified by NGF and/or Noggin.Methods BMSCs were isolated from SD rat and purified by adherent method and these cells were identified by their phenotypical properties and their abilities of differentiating into adipocytes.Ad-GFP-NGF and/or Ad-GFP-Noggin were transfected into BMSCs.The protein expressions of NGF and/or Noggin were detected using immunocytochemistry and Western blotting.The differentiations of gene modified BMSCs were observed by immunohistochemistry.Result The cells selected by adherent method had basic phenotypical properties of BMSCs and could differentiate into adipocytes.BMSCs without transfection and those transfected with Ad-GFP expressed low level of NGF without Noggin expression.All gene modified BMSCs could express NGF and/or Noggin.After transfection, BMSCs could differentiate into cells having neuronal morphology and expressing NF (H).The combined transfection group had the highest ratio of NF(H)+ cells among all the groups.Conclusion BMSCs can be isolated and purified from rat bone marrow by adherent method.Ad-GFP-NGF and/or Ad-GFP-Noggin can transfect BMSCs safely and the transfected cells can express those proteins persistently and efficiently.NGF and Noggin can induce BMSCs into neuron-like cells in vitro and when they exist simultaneously,the differentiation is further enhanced.

Objective: To observe the features of air-conducted sound elicited ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential(ACS-oVEMP) and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential(ACS-cVEMP) in patients with Meniere disease (MD). To analyze the relationship between air-conducted sound elicited vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (ACS-VEMP) responses and clinical stages of disease, as well as its clinical application of cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in MD. Method: Fifty six patients with MD and 50 normal subjects (100 ears) were recruited for conventional cVEMP and oVEMP examinations. Grades of vestibular function were also collected for patients with MD. The relationship between VEMPs abnormity, grades of vestibular function and clinical stages of MD were analyzed. Results: The abnormal rates of cVEMP and oVEMP in MD patients were 57.1% (32/56) and 64.3% (36/56), which were significantly higher than those in normal subjects respectively (χ²=22.286, P=0.000; χ²=15.217, P=0.000). The abnormal rates of cVEMP and oVEMP in MD patients of stage Ⅰ to stage Ⅳ were 20.0% (1/5) and 40.0% (2/5), 50.0% (9/18) and 50.0% (9/18), 59.3% (16/27) and 70.4% (19/27), and 100.0% (6/6) and 100.0% (6/6) respectively. There was a significant difference in cVEMP abnormity between four stages of MD patients (P=0.046). Significant correlation was found between clinical stages and the grades of vestibular dysfunction (r_s=0.417, P=0.001). Conclusions Dysfunction of vestibular otolithic organs and their input pathways in patients with MD can be detected by cVEMP and oVEMP tests. The abnormal rates of VEMP could show an gradually increasing trend with the development of MD stages. And the extent of vestibular lesions could be detected by cVEMP and oVEMP tests, which may provide a reference for clinical staging of MD.

Oxidative stress can induce significant cell death by apoptosis. We explore whether prior exposure to H2O2 (H2O2 preconditioning) protects PC12 cells against the apoptotic consequences of subsequent oxidative damages and what role the ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels play in the preconditioning protection. PC12 cells were preconditioned with 90 min exposure to H2O2 at 10 micromol/L, followed by 24-h recovery and subsequent exposures to different concentrations (20, 30, 50 and 100 micromol/L) of H2O2 for 24 h respectively. We used PI staining flow cytometry (FCM) to observe the apoptosis of PC12 cells. It was shown that 24-h exposures to H2O2 at 20, 30, 50 and 100 micromol/L respectively induced substantial cell apoptosis, which was greatly prevented in the preconditioning cells, indicating that H2O2 preconditioning protected PC12 cells against apoptosis induced by H2O2. Administration of pinacidil (10 micromol/L), an K(ATP) channel activator, significantly attenuated the apoptosis of PC12 cells induced by H2O2 at 30 and 50 micromol/L for 24 h respectively. Glybenclamide (10 micromol/L), a K(ATP) channel inhibitor, significantly suppressed or abolished the protective effects caused by the pinacidil but not by H2O2 preconditioning. However, when both H2O2 preconditioning and pinacidil were co-applied, their protection against the apoptosis of PC12 cells was much stronger than that of the individual one of them. These results suggest that H2O2 preconditioning protects PC12 cells against apoptosis and that the activation of K(ATP) channels is not involved in, but synergetically enhances adaptive protection of H2O2 preconditioning.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Oxidants ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; PC12 Cells ; Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Rats

A recombinant vaccinia virus (rWR-SARS-S)expressing spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus was constructed. The expression of full length recombinant SARS spike protein (rSS) in HeLa cells possessing specific reaction ability to chicken anti-sera was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western-blot (190 kD). HeLa cells infected with rWR-SARS-S also showed high sensitivity in detecting specific serum antibody by indirect immunofluoresence assay (IFA). The results above indicated that the availability of such a faithful model system offers particular advantages for the study of SARS in that it reduces the need for direct manipulation of an exotic pathogen. In the absence of infectious SARS, we may safely carry out detailed biochemical and genetic manipulations to investigate features of viral replication and gene function, as well as explore new avenue for vaccine development.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Blotting, Western ; Chickens ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gene Expression ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; Immunization ; methods ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ; Vaccinia virus ; genetics ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of HOE642 on cardiac myocyte apoptosis of the heterotopic heart transplantation of rat non heart-beating donors.

METHODSTotally 112 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=16 in each group) C, the control group (normal hearts); S10, S30, and S45 (groups of transplanted hearts after 10, 30, and 45 minutes of asystole); and SH10, SH30, and SH45 (groups of transplanted hearts after 10, 30, and 45 minutes of asystole and infused with HOE642). After rata in the experimental groups were killed by warm ischemia the donators of the S10, S30 and S45 groups were infused with 5TH-1 for 30 minutes, and the dead rats in group SH10, SH30, and SH4 were infused with STH-1 and HOE642 (20 micromol/L) for 30 minutes. Heterotopic heart transplantation were processed by the method of neck Cuff. The heart specimens of S10, SH10, S30, and SH30 groups were taken after 48 hours of transplantation, and the heart specimens of S45 and SH45 groups were taken immediately after transplantation. Then apoptotic myocytes were detected with terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated deoxyuridine-biotin nick end labeling method and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe rats were discerned death when cardiac electric wave vanished after 9-11 minutes of bloodletting by transsection of abdominal aorta. The number of positive cardiac muscle cells in S10 and S30 groups were significantly larger than those in group SH10 and SH30 (P < 0.05). The levels of Bcl-2 protein expression in S10 and S30 groups were significantly lower than those in SH10 and SH30 groups (P < 0.05). The levels of Bax and Caspase-3 protein expression were significantly higher than those in SH10 and SH30 groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe rat model of a heterotopic heart transplantation on the cervical part is a convenient animal model for cardiac muscle protection. HOE642 can suppress rat cardiac muscle cells apoptosis (within 30 min) after death caused by warm ischemia.

Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Guanidines ; pharmacology ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Heart Transplantation ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sulfones ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively analyze and evaluate the results of treatment for atlantoaxial instability or dislocation employing pedicle screws of atlas and axis.

METHODSThirty-one patients (23 male and 8 female) with atlantoaxial instability or dislocation were stabilized using pedicle screws of atlas and axis between May 2005 to January 2008. The patients ranged in age from 17 to 67 years (mean 43.5 years). Patients consisted of chronic odontoid fracture in 17, Os odontoideum in 8, fresh odontoid fracture in 4, transverse ligament rupture in 1, rheumatoid arthritis in 1. Clinical features included neck pain in 31; restricted neck movement in 28, varying degrees of spastic quadriparesis in 19. All patients underwent posterior C(1) to C(2) pedicle screw fixation. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, complications were recorded, neurological and radiographic studies were carried.

RESULTSMean follow-up time was 13 months. Operative time averaged 2.5 h. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 300 ml. A patient had postoperative wound infection and was treated conservatively with antibiotics and local wound care. A patient developed pulmonary artery embolism and got well with anticoagulation. Satisfactory stability was achieved in all cases with no vascular and C(2) neuralgia. Average JOA score in 19 cases increased at final follow-up (P < 0.01). Solid fusion was achieved in 29 cases, fusion rate was 93.6%.

CONCLUSIONSStabilization of atlantoaxial complex via pedicle screws of atlas and axis has advantages of intraoperative restoration, easier placement of screw, solid fixation. It is a safe and effective treatment modality for posterior C(1-2) fusion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Atlanto-Axial Joint ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Joint Instability ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)on cranial suture under mechanical strain in growing goats.

METHODS10 growing goats were used in this study. A customized distractor was used for distraction of the coronal suture at a rate of 0.4 mm/day for 8 days. The experimental group(5 goats) was injected with autologous MSCs into the distracted region, whereas the control group (5 goats) with injection of physiological saline. All animals were killed at 4 weeks after the end of distraction. Scanning electron microscopy and histological analysis were taken to observe the samples.

RESULTS4 weeks after the end of distraction, the cranial sutures in all animals were separated successfully. The new bone formation at the edge of suture in the experimental group was superior to that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONAutologous MSCs transplantation may promote the cranial suture distraction osteogenesis in the growing goats.

Animals ; Cranial Sutures ; Goats ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Skull