BACKGROUND: Caspase-3 is a cysteine proteinase that can promote cell apoptosis. Ciliary neurotrophic factor has many kinds of biological activities, such as protecting various neurons from injury, especially motorial neurons, thereby reducing the occurrence of nerve cell injury.OBJECTIVE: To observe the Influence of ciliary neurotrophic factor on spinal cord caspase-3 expression in different ages rats following sciatic nerve injury, aiming to make further investigation about the changing regularity and modulating character of peripheral nerve damage at various ages rats.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment.SETTING: Ultrasound Department and the 5th Research Institute of Daping Hospital, Field Surgery Research Institute of the 3rd Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at the Field Surgery Research Institute of the 3rd Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from April 2000 to December 2001. Altogether 810 wistar rats including infant rats with body mass of 30-100 g (birth age of 20 days), adult rats of 200-350 g (birth age of 4 m), elder rats of 400-800 g (birth age of 18-24 m),were selected with 270 rats in each age stage. Female and male does not limit.METHODS: [1] Experimental animal grouping: Various age rats were randomly divided into normal group (n=18), ciliary neurotrophic factor group(n=126) and physiological saline group (n=126), rats in ciliary neurotrophic factor group and physiological saline group were subdivided into 1 day, 3days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks subgroups. [2] Animal model preparation: In Ciliary neurotrophic factor group and physiological saline group, rats were cut off a piece of sciatic nerve of 2 mm long, both ends connected with silica tube for constructing neuranagenesis cab, in which 15 μL recombined ciliary neurotrophic factor (25 mg/L) was injected in ciliary neurotrophic factor group, and 15 μL physiological saline in physiological saline group. [3] Preparation and examination of specimen:Six rats were randomly selected from each group, lumbar L3-5 spinal cord were obtained for carryingonnation, caspase-3 activity examination and Western blotting examination.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [1] Expression of spinal cord caspase-3 with IHC assay. [2] Distribution and expression intensity of spinal cordcaspase-3 by Western blotting technique. [3] Changes in caspase-3 activity.RESULTS: Altogether 810 rats completed the experiment, all data was entered the final result analysis. [1] Expression of spinal cord caspase-3 with IHC assay: After injury, neuronal caspase-3 expression became strengthened at injured side of various age physiological saline groups, which obviously increased at posttraumatic 2 weeks and 4 weeks, but less expressed at 8 weeks and 12 weeks; while in ciliary neurotrophic factor group, posttraumatic caspase-3 expression was mostly obvious at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. [2] Distribution and expression intensity of spinal cordcaspase-3 by Western blotting technique: Caspase-3 expression was not significant difference between various age subgroups in normal group(P ＞ 0.05). Comparing to the same age normal group and non traumatic group, caspase-3 expression was strengthened at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks in various age physiological saline group and ciliary neurotrophic factor group damages (P ＜ 0.05-0.01); in ciliary neurotrophic factor group, caspase-3 showed weaker expression at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks in infants; 2weeks and 4 weeks in adults, 4 weeks in elders comparing to corresponding physiological saline group, difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05-0.01).The comparison between untraumatic side of each group and normal group showed no statistical difference (P ＞ 0.05). [3] Changes in caspase-3 activity: In child, adult and elder physiological saline groups, caspase-3 activity was increased in traumatic spinal cord, moreover caspase-3 activity was higher than elder and adult group at various age point (P ＜ 0.05-0.01); in child, adult and elder ciliary neurotrophic factor groups, caspase-3 activity is lower than physiological saline group (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). After damage,caspase-3 activity at traumatic side in physiological saline group and ciliary neurotrophic factor group was difference from normal group but without significant meaning (P ＞ 0.05), except the expression in child posttraumatic 12 weeks group was lower than normal group (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: After sciatic nerve damage, caspase-3 protein expression and activity were found to be increased in spinal cord of different age groups rats which can be reduced by extragenous ciliary neurotrophic factor, which playing protective role on spinal cord nerve cells, such protection would gradually attenuated in child group, adult group to elder group in turns.

Objective To discuss the value of vertebral hemangiomas treated with the CT-guided pereutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP).Methods Forty-two patients with 49 vertebral lesions were guided by CT and injected with bone cement percutaneous into the vertebral.The effectiveness was valued by preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS),locomotor activity scores,pain medication scores and comprehensive evaluation of long-term efficacy of WHO criteria,and undertook statistical analysis.Results The success rate in all patients was 100.0％(42/42),no serious complications.All the patients were followed up for 6 - 18 ( 12.50 ± 1.15 ) months,all lesions of the vertebral body imaging showed no tumor recurrence and vertebral collapse.The VAS scores decreased from preoperative (7.64 ± 1.29 ) scores to postoperative 1-3 days (4.82 ± 1.21 ) scores and to postoperative 3 -6 months (0.22 ±0.19) scores (P＜0.05).The locomotor activity scores decreased from preoperative (3.4 ± 0.9) scores to postoperative 1-3 days (2.1 ±0.6) scores and to postoperative 3-6 months (1.0 ±0.3) scores (P＜0.05).The pain medication scores decreased from preoperative ( 1.9 ± 0.6) scores to postoperative 1 - 3 days months ( 1.1 ± 0.2 ) scores and topostoperative 3-6 months (0.2 ± 0.1 ) scores (P ＜ 0.05 ).Comprehensive evaluation of long-term efficacy of WHO criteria:efficiency rate was 97.6％(41/42).Conclusions CT-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty for vertebral hemangioma can effectively relieve the pain caused by vertebral body to increase stability,improve motor function,which is a method with safe,minimally invasion,effect,and is superior than C-arm fluoroscopy.

The CaV 2.3 encoded Ca2+ channel is one of the least well-known voltage-gated calcium channels in terms of physiology, pharmacology and clinical relevance. Epilepsy is a family of neurological disorders that are common and harmful to human health. More and more studies such as gene knock-out experiment have demonstrated that the channel is related to epileptic seizure, including participating to plateau potential generation, regulating intracellular Ca2+ concentration, CaV 2.3 splice variant, interacting with some muteins. In addition, some antiepileptic drugs inhibit the epileptiform discharges by targeting CaV 2.3 voltage-gated calcium channel.

Recent studies show that epileptic seizures result in mass free radical production and induce oxidative damage because of relative deficiency in anti-oxygen system.Mitochondrium is crucial to sustaining energy metabolism,regulating cell death,synthesising neurotransmitter and oxidating fatty acid.Mitochondrium is not only the place for free radical production,but also the target of oxidative damage.Mitochondrial oxidative stress and resultant dysfunction enhance epileptic susceptibility.Seizure-induced free radical can influence energy metabolism,destroy DNA construction and induce apoptosis in neurontoxic consequences in epilepsy.

Objective To explore the activities of daily living (ADL) and related factors of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods118 PD patients were assessed with the ADL scale, Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-Ⅲ (UPDRS-Ⅲ), the Hamilton Rating Scalefor Anxiety (HAMA) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD). Results ADL score in all the patients was (40.75±14.63); ADLscore was higher in anxiety or depression group than in non-anxiety or non-depression group respectively (P<0.05). Scores of UPDRS-Ⅲcorrelated with the ADL (r=0.506, P=0.000). Conclusion ADL decreases in PD patients, especially those with anxiety and depression. Themotor disorder of PD patients correlated with ADL.

BACKGROUND:Due to the puncture and difficult reduction, severe vertebral compressive fracture is considered to be the relative contraindication of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the vertebra reduction after the treatment of severe vertebral compressive fractures with percutaneous kyphoplasty. METHODS:Thirty patients (42 vertebral bodies) with severe compressive fractures were included. The compressive rate of the affected vertebral bodies was 75%-83%. The direction of percutaneous puncture was guided under digital subtraction angiography, and then postural reduction and local kyphoplasty were performed. After satisfactory reduction, bone cement was injected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Al the 30 patients tolerated procedure wel . The mean height of the anterior, mid and posterior vertebral body was improved from (0.48±0.17) cm, (0.83±0.23) cm and (2.44±0.33) cm preoperatively to (0.71±0.22) cm, (1.21±0.25) cm and (2.44±0.33) cm respectively after operation. The postoperative height of the anterior, mid and posterior vertebral body was significantly higher than that before operation. The visual analogue scale score after treatment was significantly lower than that before operation. The results indicate that percutaneous kyphoplasty can ease pain, restore vertebral body height and improve quality of life of the patients with severe vertebral compressive fractures.

Objectives To explore the clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis of a case of blindness caused by nephrotic syndrome with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Methods The clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of a case of NS with CVST were analyzed. The latest domestic and foreign reseach progresses in treatment for CVST in children were reviewed. Results Epilepsy suddenly appeared with diplopia, binocular vision loss and blindness in anticoagulant therapy for the child with NS. Brain magnetic resonance venography (MRV) suggested CVST. MRV reexam-ined showed that the intracranial thrombosis was completely dissolved after urokinase thrombolysis for one month followed by ineffective heparin anticoagulation. At present, international standards of anticoagulant therapy have been adopted in the treatment for CVST patients. Coagulation function (e.g.APTT) and international standardization ratio were monitored in order to prevent bleeding. Conclusions It is better to perform neural imaging examination early in suspected CVST patients. Anti-coagulation and thrombolytic therapy should be given immediately once the risk of bleeding was excluded and used for 3-6 months.

Lithium carbonate could be used to treat or prevent brain damage following traumatic injury and neurodegenerative diseases.It has been shown that its protective effect is related to protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK).It was demonstrated that PDBu,a PKC activator,inhibited amplitudes of delayed rectifier potassium current (It,) and produced a hyperpolarizing shift in the activation-voltage curve.The responses to PDBu were inhibited by lithium carbonate (50μmol/L).Further studies showed that when pretreated with MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 (20 μmol/L),although PDBu significantly reduced IK,lithium did not reverse the effect of PDBu.Thus,the results suggested that PKC signaling cascades,along with MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway,were required in the phosphorylation of potassium channel,which was presented by regulation of potassium channel characteristic.AC-cAMP and their eross-talk with GC-cGMP pathway could also modulate the effect of lithium on PKC activation,which could be one of underlying mechanisms likely related to neuroprotective effect of lithium.

Objective To evaluate the effects of propofol on the invasion and migration of glioma cells in the rats and the role of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2 (ADAR2)-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit glutamate 2 (GluR2) pathway.Methods C6 glioma cells were subcuhured and randomly divided into 4 groups (n =24 each) using a random number table:control group (group C);propofol group (group P);negative siRNA transfection + propofol group (group NP);ADAR2-siRNA transfection + propofol group (group AP).The cells were cultured in the common culture medium in group C.In NP and AP groups,negative siRNA and ADAR2-siRNA were transfected into the cells,respectively,and 48 h later the other procedures were similar to those previously described in group P.Propofol with the final concentration of 1.2 μg/ml was added,the cells were cultured for 6 h and then were cultured in the common culture medium for another 18 h in group P.The cells were selected to detect the cell viability by MTT colorimetric assay.The invasion of cells was determined by Transwell invasion assay,and the invaded cells were counted.The migration of cells was determined by cell scratch test,and cell migration rates were calculated.The expression of ADAR2 in the nucleus of cells and GluR2 in the cytomembrane was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with group C,the cell viability,the number of invaded cells and cell migration rates were significantly decreased,and the expression of ADAR2 in the nucleus of cells and GluR2 in the cytomembrane was significantly up-regulated in P and NP groups (P＜0.05).Compared with group P,the cell viability,the number of invaded cells and cell migration rates were significantly increased,and the expression of ADAR2 in the nucleus of cells and GluR2 in the cytomembrane was significantly down-regulated in group AP (P＜0.05).Compared with group NP,the cell viability,the number of invaded cells and cell migration rates were significantly increased,and the expression of ADAR2 in the nucleus of cells and GluR2 in the cytomembrane was significantly downregulated in group AP (P＜0.05).Conclusion Propofol can inhibit the invasion and migration of glioma cells in the rats,and the mechanism is associated with activation of ADAR2-AMPA receptor GluR2 pathway.

Objective To investigate the stimulating effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on angiogenesis in glioblastoma (GBM). Methods Twenty adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups, glioma group (C6 glioma cell intracerebral implantation, n=10) and glioma-H2S group (C6 glioma cell intracerebral implantation and sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) intraperitoneal injection, n=10). The tumor-bearing rat model was established by intracerebral injection of rat C6 glioma cells. After one week, normal saline was injected in glioma group and NaHS was injected in glio-ma-H2S group. Food and water were freely available during all phases of the experiment. After three weeks, rats were decapi-tated and brains were removed. HE staining was performed to show tumor structure and intratumoral angiogenesis. The immu-nohistochemical analysis was used to detect the expressions of CD34 and MMP-2, respectively. The microvessel density (MVD) in GBM was also measured. Results HE staining showed that the implanted tumors were predominantly spheroid with clear border and no capsule could be detected. The neovascular proliferations were observed in tumors. There were high-er expressions of CD34 and MMP-2 in glioma-H2S group. The value of MVD was significantly higher in glioma-H2S group than that of glioma group (P＜0.01). Conclusion Exogenous H2S serves as a stimulator of angiogenesis in the development of rat GBM, which may be related with the increased MMP-2 expression promoted by H2S.