Age Factors ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain ; blood supply ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Models, Animal ; Rats ; Stem Cell Transplantation

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and diagnostics of Kozlowski type spondylometaphyseal dysplasia (SMDK). Methods The clinical features, laboratory tests and genetic testing of one SMDK case were analyzed. Re-sults A eight-year-old male patient had more than 6 years course of disease. The clinical manifestations were stubby limbs, ifn-gers and toes, varus deformity, knee valgus deformity, scoliosis and lordosis and severe metaphyseal changes. The heterozygous mutations were detected in TRPV4 and NXX3-2 genes. Conclusions Typical clinical features combined with genetic diagnosis facilitate early detection and accurate diagnosis of SMDK.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT) is one of the measures therapy on acute leukemia in children.Very-high-risk children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL),such as Philadelphia chromosome-positive(Ph+),T cell immunophenotype,achieved the first complete remission(CR1),and then receive allogeneic HSCT(allo-HSCT).The transplantation group had significantly improved disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS) compared with chemotherapy group. ALL children in the second complete remission(CR2) were recommended to receive allo-HSCT,especially early-relapse group. All children in the third complete remission (CR3) were recommended to receive an allo-HSCT,and reduce replapse rate through inducing graft versus leukemia.Total body irradiation-based conditioning regimens in children with ALL has advantage over chemotherapy conditioning regimens.Children with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) achieved CR1 and then undergo all-HSCT.This group had significantly improved DFS and OS compared with chemotherapy group.The children with relapsed AML,if having suitable donor,were recommended to receive allo-HSCT. The children with AML who underwent transplantation relapse,and can receive the second transplantation.There was no advantage in children patients with AML using TBI-based conditioning regimens.Conditioning regimens consisted of high-dose cytarabine,in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor has advantage,and improve DFS. Unrelated umbilical cord blood has emerged as a potential option.Compared with unrelated bone marrow transplantation,there was no different in DFS and relapse.For the extent,it is one of the donor hematopoietic stem cell sources.

The levels of plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ir-ANP) were determined by radioimmunoassay in 59 children with congenital heart disease (CHD). It was showed that the ir-ANP levels of the patients with left to right shunt were higher than those of control (P0.05). The iir-ANP levels of patients with HYHA II degree were increased significantly (P

To observe the changes of artrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and endothelin (ET) lev-els in patients with c0ngenital heart disease (CHD) and discuss their mechanism and clinical significance.Methods: The pulmonary pressure of the pulmonary hypertension (PH)group was higher than 2 kPa- Thepulmonary pressure of Non-PH group was n0rmal. Healthy children served as control group. Results: (1)Plasma ANP level of the PH group was apparently higher than that 0f the N0n-PH group and c0ntrolgroup. (2) Plasma ET levels in the peripheral vein, vena cava,right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonaryartery and left atrium of the PH group were particularly higher than that of the Non-PH group and c0ntr0lgroup, especially in the left atrium. C0nclusi0n: (l) CHD with PH induces the increase in cardiac v0lumeand pressure load, thus accelerates the release 0f ANP. It is actually a compensatory mechanism for the el-evation of endogenic ANP. (2) ET is a vasoconstrictor. ET owns the importance at PH pathogenesis andhas a certain clinical value in the diagn0sis 0f PH. (3) ET causes ANP releasing, then inhibits ET effectthrough negative feed. B0th of them are antag0nists each other.

Objective To isolate and culture the neural stem cells (NSCs) from the cerebral cortex of newborn rats, and investigate the cell-replace responses of the NSCs transplanted into the sibling rats with focal cerebral cortex ischemic lesion. Methods The serum-free medium DMEM/F12 (1∶1) containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) was used to culture the neural stem cell spheres. The NSCs were identified by detecting the neural stem cell marker nestin with enzyme immune assay and inducing neural stem cell spheres to differentiation. The NSCs which would be used in the transplantation experiment were labeled by BrdU incorporation when cultured in vitro. The focal ischemic models were made by opening the skulls and removing the cerebral menings of 4-day-old rats to stop the blood supply for the neopallium. The BrdU-labeled NSCs were transplanted into the cerebral lesion boundary zones of the focal ischemic sibling rat models. The experiment rats were divided into lesion-transplantation group, lesion-control group and sham-operation-control group. Recipients were killed and the brains were examined by detecting the BrdU-labeled cells with enzyme immunohistochemistry at 4,7,14,30 days postgrafting, indicating the grafts living and migration in the host. Results The neural stem cell spheres, which floated and grew in medium, expressed nestin, as well as gave rise to neurons and astrocytes, could be obtained through culturing the cells derived from the cerebral cortex of newborn rats in vitro for a week. In the transplantation of the NSCs, the grafts were easy to migrate along the boundary zones of the focal ischemic lesions, and promoted the restore of the tissue structures in the damaged areas, the damage recovered well through the cell-replace responses. The BrdU-labeled positive cells in the lesion areas were full of the visual fields under microscope, the greatest density of the positive cells were focused in the granular layer of the injured cerebral cortex and not found in remote sites from the lesion. The number of BrdU-labeled cells gradually decreased in the brains of the sham-operation-control rats, only a few positive cells were found when examined at 14 days postgrafting, significantly less than that in the lesion-transplantation rats. Conclusions NSCs exist in the cerebral cortex of newborn rats. The ischemia can promote proliferation and graft of NSCs. The grafted NSCs play an important role in the recovery of focal cerebral cortex ischemic lesion.

BACKGROUND: Cell labeling and nuclear magnetic resonance can non-invasively in vivo label the region, existing mode and some bionomics of transplanted neural stem cells (NSCs). OBJECTIVE: To observe the outcome of superparamagnetic iron oxide in vitro labeled human NSCs. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The cytology, in vitro, observation study was performed at the Laboratory of Department of Pediatrics, Navy General Hospital of Chinese PLA from December 2006 to June 2007. MATERIALS: Aborted human embryo was provided by Navy General Hospital of Chinese PLA. Superparamagnetic iron oxide (Lot number 97060601) was produced by Advanced magnetics,inc., USA. METHODS: Monoplast suspension was isolated from human embryo hippocampus using the mechanical method, and in vitro incubated in NSC medium, supplemented with epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. 11.2 g/L superparamagnetic iron oxide was diluted into 28 mg/L using NSC medium, mixed with 1.0 mg/L polylysine (8 ?L), and then made into superparamagnetic iron oxide-polylysine composite labeled medium. NSC spheres with active proliferation were obtained, made into single cell suspension (1?109/L), and then treated with serum-free medium containing superparamagnetic iron oxide. One week later, various cytokines were removed, and 5% fetal bovine serum was used for 24 hours to induce the NSC differentiation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prussian blue staining was utilized to determine marking positive rate. Immunofluorescence staining was applied to detect glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament expression. RESULTS: Superparamagnetic iron oxide labeled NSCs were yellow, and the speed of clone formation was not stepped down compared with the non-labeled cells. 20 hours following superparamagnetic iron oxide labeling, blue iron particles in NSCs cytoplasm were found, with the positive rate of 90%. Following induction, superparamagnetic iron oxide labeled NSCs were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilament. CONCLUSION: Superparamagnetic iron oxide can highly effectively label NSCs in vitro, and not affect biological features following labeling. NSCs can normally amplify and orientedly differentiate into neurons and astrocytes.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of different hypoxic duration on the brain white matter injury.Methods ewborn rats were randomly divided into two groups, normal group (n=24) and model group (n=45). The model group was di-vided into 3 subgroups (n=15) according to the time of hypoxia (50 min, 70 min, and 90 min). The animal model of white matter injury was established by unilateral carotid artery ligation in model group. After different duration of hypoxia, the mortality rate was recorded, the morphological changes of brain pathology was observed by hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, myelin basic pro-tein (MPB) of white matter was detected by immunolfuorescence staining and motor function was evaluated by climbing slope test.ResultsThe mortality rates signiifcantly increased with prolonged hypoxia. The mortality rate was as high as 60% in 90 min subgroup. The HE staining showed that there were no obvious injury in 50 min subgroup, selective white matter injury on the operative side appeared in 70 min subgroup, and a wide range of infarction of white matter, hippocampus, and cortex appeared in 90 min subgroup. MBP semi-quantitative scores of white matter injury were higher in 70 min subgroup (3.89 ± 0.47) and 90 min subgroup (4.72 ± 0.57) than that in the normal group (0.06 ± 0.24), the difference was statistically signiifcant (P <0.05). In climb-ing slope test, the subgroups had different degrees of motor dysfunction on affected side with 90 min subgroup being the most serious.ConclusionsWhite matter injury model could be established by unilateral carotid artery ligation, and different hypoxic duration signiifcantly affects the range and degree of injury.

Objective: To investigate if bFGF can penetrate placental barrier. Methods: Sixteen day pregnant Wistar rats were selected. bFGF labeled with 125 I was injected peritoneally into the rats. The radioactivity of bFGF in different organs were determined in 30 min. Results: (1) 125 I bFGF was detected in the brain, heart, liver,lung and spleen. (2)With the same dose of 125 I bFGF, the concentration of it in the brain was at lowest level of all other organs.(3) In the range of safe dose, the permeability of bFGF through placental barrier was increased obviously. Conclusion: bFGF may penetrate placental barrier into rat's brain, which makes possible for the therapeutic intervention of bFGF in feotus. [