In order to understand the alcohol's toxicity to the quantitative alternations of synapses in mouse visual cortex, the expression of synaptophysin after prenatal alcohol exposure was investigated. In present study, the experimental mice at P0, P7, P14 and P30 were grouped, as control, 2 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment and 4 g x kg(-1) alcohol treatment. The pre-synaptic elements which were used to represent synapses were marked with synaptophysin (a synaptic vesicle associated protein) by immunocytochemistry technique. The synaptophysin positive boutons in layer VI of visual cortex were imaged under laser confocal microscope. With stereological methods, the number cal density of synapse in visual cortex was calculated in different groups at various ages. Moreover, Western blotting was carried out to detect the expression of synaptophysin in visual cortex. The results showed that prenatal alcohol exposure could cause synaptic loss with long-term effect and in a dose dependent manner. For instance, there were significant difference among the different treatment groups of P0, P14 and P30 as well (P < 0.05). Western blotting supported the results of immunofluorescent labeling. In conclusion, prenatal alcohol exposure can induce the synaptic loss dose dependently and with long-term effect. Our findings implicate that the synaptic loss with long-term effect in CNS probably contributes to the lifelong mental retardation and memorial lowliness associated with childhood FAS.

OBJECTIVETo discuss how the diagnosis, misdiagnosis and different treatment modalities affect the prognosis of the patients with extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma-nasal type.

METHODSA retrospective study was made on the clinical characteristics, treatment modality, short-term effect, and survival rate of 68 patients with extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma-nasal type. Among them,60 patients staged I(E) were subdivided into single therapy group of 20 cases( radiation therapy 9 cases, chemotherapy 11 cases) and combined therapy group of 40 cases (9 cases with radiation therapy + chemotherapy, 12 cases with chemotherapy + radiation therapy,19 cases with chemotherapy + radiation therapy + chemotherapy). Eight patients staged IV(E) included 3 cases with radiation therapy alone and 5 cases with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

RESULTSThe rate of misdiagnosis of whole group is 66. 2% (45/68), and the rate of misoperated patients accounted for 52. 9% (36/68). The CR rate of radiation therapy was 94. 4% (17/18) for limited disease in I(E) group compared 61.9% (26/42) for out-cavity disease in I(E) group, of which the difference is significant (P =0. 012). The 1-years, 3-years and 5-years survival rate of the I(E) intra-cavity group were 100%, 77.8%, 59.8%, and those of ex-cavity group were 80.1%, 48.5% and 14.6%, respectively. The 1, 3 and 5-years survival rate of IV(E) group were 17.5%, 0.0% and 0.0%. The difference of survival was significance among the above 3 groups (P = 0. 000). The 1, 3, 5-years survival rate of 60 I(E) patients with single therapy were 68.4%, 22.8% and 7.6% respectively; and that of combined therapy group were 94.9%, 81.1% and 52.4% respectively, which was significant difference (P = 0. 000). The survival difference among the radiation therapy + chemotherapy group, chemotherapy + radiation therapy group and chemotherapy + radiation therapy + chemotherapy group were not significant (P = 0.088).

CONCLUSIONSThe early clinical manifestation of extranodal NK-T cell lymphoma-nasal type is not typical,which is easy to be misdiagnosed and mistreated. Early therapy is the key,which can achieve good location control. Diseased stage I(E) out-cavity and above should be treated with combined therapy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nose Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss diagnosis and treatment of post traumatic spasmodic flat foot.

METHODSFrom 2002 to 2007, 7 diagnosed patients were recruited and underwent following procedures: under epidural anesthesia or common peroneal nerve block anesthesia, massage was performed on the peroneal muscles for about 5 minutes, then ankle joint was underwent with passive functional exercise. Feeling muscle relaxation, we held the wounded foot in varus and adducted position forcefully, then immobilized it with short leg cast. After 3 weeks of continuous immobilization, the cast was removed and patients were given physical treatment and functional training.

RESULTSSymptoms of these patients such as claudication and pain in foot were improved, the foot deformity was corrected and foot arch restored to normal. After a follow-up of 6 months,no obvious recurrence was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe diagnosis of post traumatic spasmodic flat foot is based on the careful inquiry of traumatic history,physical examination and X-ray results. Manipulative reduction under common peroneal nerve block anesthesia and cast immobilization is a simple and effective method to treat this disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anesthesia ; Female ; Flatfoot ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Foot Injuries ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spasm ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Adult ; Cranial Fossa, Middle ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Facial Nerve ; surgery ; Facial Paralysis ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Trauma, Nervous System ; complications

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Child ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Hodgkin Disease ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Ki-1 Antigen ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; PAX5 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling ; methods ; Young Adult

AIM: To explore the curative effect of methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy on thyroid associated ophthalmopathy.
METHODS:Fifty- one cases ( 96 eyes ) with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy were treated with methylprednisolone ( 500mg/d ) for 3d, and then retrobulbar injection of octreotide (0. 1mg/mo) for 3mo in one course. Symptoms and signs of the patients were observed before and after the treatment course.
RESULTS: Symptoms of 49 cases were improved significantly. In all cases, the mean value of exophthalmus of the patients was significantly decreased after the treatment by 3. 1 ± 1. 4mm. The height of palpebral fissure was significantly decreased after the treatment by 2. 4 ± 0. 9mm, there were statistically significant difference before and after treatment (P<0. 05).
COCLUSION: Methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy can improve symptoms and signs of the patients with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy with high safety and no obvious side effect.

Objective:To explore the effects of Bufalin on the growth and proliferation of human glioma cells U251. Methods:Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)assay was used to detect the effect of Bufalin on the proliferation of human glioma cells U251. An in-verted microscope was used to observe the changes of cell number,morphology and activity. AnnexinV/ PI was used to measure the in-duction of cell apoptosis caused by Bufalin. Results:Bufalin at different concentrations(0. 001 - 10. 0μmol·L - 1 )inhibited the pro-liferation of U251 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Compared with that of the control group,the apoptosis rate of Bufalin group was increased significantly(P < 0. 01). Conclusion:Bufalin can inhibit the growth and proliferation of U251 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner,and induce the apoptosis of U251 cells.

Professor Shao Jing-ming had practiced Chinese medicine for more than 80 years with rich clinical experience and exquisite acupuncture techniques. From his clinical experience, Professor Shao's clinical features can be summarized as the followings: attaching importance to the theory of meridians and collaterals, combining pattern identification and disease identification, using fewer acupoints for treatment, and using Ashi point and Hegu (LI 4) to treat goiter. He emphasized the priority and sequence in acupoint-selection and manipulation. In treatment of epilepsy, he proposed to treat it according to the situation and paid great attention to the special function of the extraordinary acupoints. During the onset, it should be managed by calming the mind and controlling the symptoms; during the remission period, acupuncture and drugs should be applied simultaneously to regulate qi-blood and yin-yang, so as to reduce the frequency of attacks. He believed that acupuncture manipulation be one of the key factors in achieving the efficacy. In treatment of the motive diseases, such as convulsions and cramps, acupuncture with static and longer needle-retaining time should be adopted to control the limb movement, to strengthen the stimulation and to obtain a long-term efficacy. Professor Shao Jing-ming's medical records range from internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology and pediatrics, listing various refractory diseases effectively treated by him. Professor Shao was a moral and erudite Chinese medicine master, and his clinical experience is worthy of inheritance and development.

Objective To report a case of foot hyalohyphomycosis due to Fusarium subglutinans. Methods Medical history was collected and physical examination performed for this patient.Biopsy samples were obtained from the inner side of right ankle of this patient and subjected to pathological examination. Discharge was collected from the lesions for direct microscopic examination and culture.Results A 72-year-old woman presented with an ulcer on the right foot for 3 years.Physical examination disclosed an ulcer,measuring 3 cm x 1.5 cm,with a moist surface and obvious tenderness,at the inner side of the right ankle.Proliferation of dusky-red granulomatous tissue was observed at the base of the ulcer.Pathological examination revealed necrotic granulomatous tissue and slender,septate and hyaline hypha-like structure in the superficial dermis with scattered infiltration of inflammatory cells.PAS staining showed sausage-like hypha and scattered orbicular-ovate spores.Microscopic examination of lesional discharge exhibited septate, branching and hyaline hypha.The isolated fungus was identified as Fusarium subglutinans by culture,and appeared to be highly sensitive to terbinafine,nystatin and amphotericin B.The lesion completely healed after 2 months of treatment with oral terbinafine (0.25 g,twice a day).Conclusions This is a case of foot hyalohyphomycosis due to Fusarium subglutinans,and terbinafine is effective for this condition.

The method of isolating filaments of the dorsal cutaneous branches was used to observe the effects of antidromic electrical stimulation of the spinal nerves on the discharge of remote A delta and C mechanoreceptive units in rats. Seventy-nine mechanoreceptive units were recorded from the T12 nerve filaments after stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of T9 spinal nerve. It was found that the discharge frequency of 59.3% (16/27) A delta-units and 71.2% (37/52) C-units significantly increased during 90-120 s after the stimulation. Sixty-four mechanoreceptive units were recorded from the T12 nerve filaments after stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of T8 spinal nerves. The discharge frequency of 47.8% (11/23) A delta-units and 36.6% (15/41) C-units significantly increased during 120-150 s after the stimulation. In addition, the threshold of the majority of these mechanoreceptors (78.3%, 18/23) decreased after the stimulation. The results suggest that antidromic electrical stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of spinal nerves leads to sensitization of A delta and C mechanoreceptive units of the remote peripheral nerve endings, which results in an increase in afferent discharge of these units.
Animals ; Electric Stimulation ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Mechanoreceptors ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Nerves ; anatomy & histology ; physiology