3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a substituted amphetamine with stimulating and hallucinogenic properties. Since MDMA induces "ecstasy" it is extensively used as a "recreational" drug. It has been well established that MDMA is neurotoxic and can result in long-term degeneration of cerebral 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) nerve terminals in many species. The present study was undertaken to investigate the long-term neurotoxic effects of MDMA on cortical and hippocampal structures, by repeatedly administering MDMA in short time. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control group and MDMA-treated group. MDMA (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats of MDMA-treated group, once per hour, total 40 mg/kg; rats of control group were treated with the same volume of saline. Thirty-two weeks after administering MDMA, the expression of serotonin transporter (SERT) mRNA and diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the degeneration of nerve terminals was demonstrated by Bielschowsky and Glee Marsland silver staining. The results showed that the expression of SERT mRNA in hippocampus decreased by 31.96%, while expression of DBI mRNA in neocortex increased by 40.51%, compared with the control group (P<0.05). The expression of GFAP in the brain tissue increased (P<0.05), while significant reduction of the nerve terminals in neocortex was demonstrated by silver staining, compared with the control group. These results suggest that the neurotoxicity of MDMA results in sustained cortical and hippocampal structural changes, which in turn result in disorder of the brain functions.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Diazepam Binding Inhibitor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine ; toxicity ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of the Tinnitus Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) in clinical application.

METHODSCronbach's α coefficient was used to examine the reliability of the TEQ internal consistency. Examined the re-measured reliability by the correlation coefficient by two doctors' 1 - 3 hours interval questionnaires' scores. And inspected criteria validity according to the correlation coefficient of the TEQ and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI).

RESULTSIn the 202 tinnitus patients, the TEQ Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.76 and re-measured reliability was 0.938. The THI correlation coefficient was 0.769. Among which, 99 patients feel tinnitus alleviated obviously after the treatment, the TEQ scores were significantly lower than that before the treatment (t = 21.42, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe TEQ reflects the severity of tinnitus completely, and has preferable reliability and validity. The characteristics are concise, practical and exact. It is worthy of clinical application.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tinnitus ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

Aged ; Humans ; Leg ; Leiomyosarcoma ; pathology ; secondary ; therapy ; Male ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo found new interface of human hepatocyte/poly propylene with good cytocompatibility for made polypropylene hollow fibers bioreactor of bioartificial liver in future.

METHODSUsing the macromolecular hydroperoxide groups on the polypropylene membrane surface as initiators, acrylamides were polymerized on the polypropylene membranes, under induction by both UV irradiation and Fe2+ reduction. Growth characteristics of human hepatocyte L-02 were detected when it was cultured on polystyrene, polypropylene and modified polypropylene membrane surface.

RESULTSWater contact angle measurement of the polypropylene and the modified polypropylene membranes decreased from (72 +/- 5) degrees to (30 +/- 4) degrees , which indicated that the hydrophilicity of the membrane was improved obviously after the grafting modification. Human hepatocyte L-02 could not adhere and spread on modified polypropylene membrane surface, and grown in spheroidal aggregate with higher density and higher proliferation ratio measured by MTT method.

CONCLUSIONSAcrylamide polymerized on the polypropylene membranes is a good method which not only improved human hepatocytes cytocompatibility but also found a new simple culture method with spheroidal aggregate culture of human hepatocyte.

Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans ; Liver, Artificial ; Membranes, Artificial ; Polypropylenes ; chemistry ; Surface Properties ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) of the small intestine, CD10 expression, and their relationship to prognosis.

METHODSTwenty-four cases of small intestinal DLBCLs were studied clinically and pathologically. All cases were staged according to the Ann Arbor classification of lymphoma.

RESULTSFifteen cases (62.5%) were at stages I and II, and nine cases (37.5%) at stages III and IV. The Karnofsky performance status ranged from 40% to 100% (mean 75.5%). Twenty cases (83.3%) received surgical resection, sixteen cases (66.7%) received chemotherapy, and no patient received radiotherapy. Seven of 19 cases (36.8%) were CD10+. Although there was no statistically significant difference(P = 0.28) in therapy result between the CD10+ and CDO1--groups, patients with CD10+ lymphoma more frequently presented with stages I compared with those with CD10 - lymphoma (P = 0.013). Follow-up information was available in 19 cases ranging from 1 to 111 months (mean 32.7 months). Five cases died of the disease. The mortality rate was 26.3%. The analysis of survival rate showed a longer overall survival duration in the stage I and II group compared with that of the stage III and IV group ( P = 0.0197 ) , but there was no significant difference between CD10+ and CD1- groups.

CONCLUSIONThe primary small intestnal diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients at stage I and II respond better to therapy including surgical resection and chemotherapy than those at stage III and IV. CD10+ expression is more common in stage I lymphomas.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Intestine, Small ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use