Objective To explore the prevalence and analyze the related risk factors for post-stroke depression among middle-aged and elderly stroke patients of Mongolia and Han nationality in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.Methods A stratified multistage random cluster sampling method was used to investigate the prevalence of stroke in the population aged ≥45 years in different areas of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.A total of 11 088 people were investigated and 498 were stroke patients among them.A set of scale assessment and the general situation were used to investigate stroke patients and 443 patients completed the whole survey.Results The total prevalence of post-stroke depression (PSD) was 41.08％ in 443 stroke patients,among which the prevalence rate was 40.57％ for Mongolian population and 41.85％ for Han population,and no significant difference was found between Mongolian and Han nationality(x2=1.372,P=0.504).There were significant differences in the types of stroke between the Mongolian and Han nationality (x2 =7.347,P=0.025).The age (t=4.321,P=0.000),educational level (x2 =27.036,P=0.001) and economic burden (x2=27.877,P=0.000) were statistically significant between Mongolian and Han nationality.The differences of frequency of stroke (x2 =6.545,P=0.011),economic burden (x2 =16.148,P=0.001),cognitive dysfunction (x2 =9.065,P=0.003),daily living ability (x2 =34.466,P =0.000),alcohol consumption history(x2=4.516,P=0.034)were statistically significant.Logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol consumption history,economic burden,the frequency of stroke,and cognitive dysfunction were the influencing factors of PSD.Conclusion PSD is one of the important factors affecting the post-stroke psychological burden in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.There is no national difference in the prevalence of PSD among Mongolian and Han people,which provides a theoretical basis for the treatment and intervention of PSD.

BACKGROUND: Human olfactory mucosa mesenchymal stem cells (hOM-MSCs) not only have the basic characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells, but also originate from the ectoderm and are prone to differentiate into neurons, which are a kind of ideal seed cells for nerve repair and regeneration. Cells are conventionally cultured in about 21% in vitro, while only 3%-9% oxygen is found in the human body and tissue space. There is still no report on the effect of hypoxia on the proliferation and activity of hOM-MSCs.OBJECTIVE: To explore whether hypoxic microenvironment can promote hOM-MSCs proliferation and activity and the related mechanism. METHODS: hOM-MSCs were isolated, cultured and identified by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The passage 4 hOM-MSCs were divided into three groups: 21% O2 group, 3% O2 group and 3% O2+20 μmol/L YC-1 (HIF-1α inhibitors) group. Proliferation and apoptosis of hOM-MSCs was detected by flow cytometry after 72 hours of culture. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression was detected by western blot. The mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α and TWIST were detected by Q-PCR and western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The purity of hOM-MSCs was up to 97%, as defined by flow cytometry. The proliferation index of 3% O2 group was higher than the 21% O2 group (P < 0.05), and cell survival and apoptosis ratio (apoptotic cells included mechanical death + early apoptosis + late apoptosis) between the two groups had no significant difference (P > 0.05). Western blot results showed that the proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression in the 3% O2 group was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P < 0.05). The HIF-1α and TWIST expressions at mRNA and protein levels in the 3% O2 group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). To conclude, hypoxic microenvironment can promote the hOM-MSCs proliferation and has no effect on the apoptosis, and the HIF-TWIST signal pathway plays an important role in this progress.

BACKGROUND:Stem cells have been widely used in the treatment of spinal cord injury,but the clinical application is limited by immune rejection,difficulty in cell harvesting and purification.However,human nasal mucosa mesenchymal stem cells (hNM-MSCs) have no such problems,and its clinical application in the treatment of spinal cord injury has been not reported yet.OBJECTIVE:To observe the biological characteristics of autologous hNM-MSCs and its clinical efficacy in the treatment of advanced incomplete spinal cord injury.METHODS:NM-MSCs were isolated from the human nasal mucosa,cultured and identified in vitro.The ultrastructure of NM-MSCs was observed by transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope.Then the NM-MSCs were induced to differentiate into osteocytes,adipocytes,stem cell spheres,or neurons in vitro.Totally eight patients with incomplete spinal cord injury were enrolled and subjected to hNM-MSCs transplantation via lumbar puncture for 1-3 sessions of about 5× 107 cells each,with an interval of 5-7 days,after the approval of the medical ethics committee.All the patients were followed up for 6 months.Preoperative and postoperative therapeutic effect evaluations were performed on the basis of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Under light microscope,the NM-MSCs were mainly spindle-shaped,positive for STRO-1 and exhibited a radial arrangement.NM-MSCs highly expressed CD73,CD90 and CD105,but did not express CD34 and CD45,with the purity of over 97％.And lots of podgy microvilli were seen on the surface of NM-MSCs under the scanning electron microscope,and two kinds of cell morphologies were seen under the transmission electron microscope.Moreover,hNM-MSCs had the ability to differentiate into osteocytes,adipocytes,stem cell spheres and neurons.During the 6-month follow-up,seven patients achieved neurological function recovery to different extents except for one patient,and no side effects were found.It is concluded that hNM-MSCs can become the ideal seed cells for tissue-engineered cell repair.Autologous NM-MSCs transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury can achieve the ideal effect,with the value of clinical application.