Objective To investigate the correlation between urinary 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) level and carotid atherosclerotic plaque stability in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods The patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled consecutively.According to the findings of carotid artery ultrasound,they were divided into either a non-plaque group or a plaque group,and then the plaque group was redivided into a stable plaque subgroup and an unstable plaque subgroup.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of urinary 8-iso-PGF2α.Multivariate logistic regression analysis and Spearman correlation analysis were used to investigate the relationship between 8-iso-PGF2α and carotid artery plaques.Results A total of 150 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled,including 104 had carotid artery plaque (30 were stable plaques and 74 were unstable plaques) and 46 had no carotid artery plaque.The urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level (86.45 ± 6.20 ng/mmol creatinine vs.45.70 ±6.19 ng/mmol creatinine; t =37.136,P=0.001) and intima-media thickness (IMT) (2.89 ± 1.03 mm vs.0.86 ±0.53 mm; t =3.518,P =0.002) in the plaque group were significantly higher than those in the nonplaque group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level (odds ratio [OR] 1.183,95％ confidence interval [CI] 1.087-1.276; P=0.001) and IMT (OR 28.642,95％ CI 8.276-137.231; P =0.001) were the independent risk factors for carotid artery plaque.Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level and carotid artery IMT (r =0.075,P =0.264).The urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level of the unstable plaque subgroup was significantly higher than that of the stable plaque subgroup (97.30 ± 7.20 ng/mmol creatinine vs.69.17 ±9.25 ng/mmol creatinine; t =16.506,P =0.001).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level (OR 4.652,95％ CI 1.732-12.643; P =0.001) was an independent risk factor for unstable plaque.Conelusions The urinary 8-iso-PGF2α level is associated with the existence of carotid atherosclerotie plaque and instability,its increased level is an independent risk factor for carotid plaque instability in patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the effects of cognitive therapy combined with picture recognition training on depression after stroke (PSD).Methods Sixty patients with PSD after cerebral infarction were randomized into study and control groups.All accepted routine rehabilitation therapy.In addition,the study group accepted cognitive therapy combined with picture recognition training.The effects were assessed in terms of average reaction time and accuracy in picture recognition,and using the Hamilton depression rating scales (HAMDs) and the Barthel index (BI) before and after 4 weeks of treatment.Results The average reaction time and accuracy in picture recognition and the HAMD and BI scores improved significantly in both groups.The effects in the study group were significantly better than those of the control group.Conclusion Cognitive therapy combined with picture recognition training can alleviate depression symptoms and improve ability in the activities of daily living after stroke.

Objective To investigate the correlations between the hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) content and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region as well as the spatial memory impairment in a rat model of vascular dementia (VaD).Methods Forty male healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into either a VaD group or a sham operation group (n =20 in each group).A VaD model was induced by intermittently clipping common carotid artery.Microdialysis was used to collect dialysis solutions in rat hippocampus.High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis was used to detect the ACh content in the dialysis fluid.Morris water maze test was used to test their learning and memory abilities.TUNEL staining was used to detect neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region.Results Microdialysis analysis showed that the ACh content in the hippocampus in the VaD group was significantly lower than that in the sham operation group (0.442 ± 0.028 μmmol/L vs.1.560 ± 0.092 μ mmol/L; t =51.697,P =0.000).TUNEL staining showed that the apoptosis rate in the hippocampal CA1 region in the VaD group was significantly higher than that in the sham operation group (55.652％ ±2.051％ vs.6.530％ ± 1.872％ ; t =79.114,P=0.000).The escape latencies at different detection time points were prolonged significantly (At day 3:49.713 ± 18.161 s vs.13.322 ± 2.454 s; t =-8.881,P =0.000; at day 4:34.368 ± 7.424 s vs.10.503±1.415 s; t=-14.121,P=0.000; at day 5:30.676± 6.669s vs.7.311± 1.534 s; t=-15.270,P =0.000),and the numbers of cross platform were reduced significantly (3.768 ± 1.072 vs.10.218 ± 1.165; t =18.224,P=0.000).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the ACh contents in the VaD group were negatively correlated with the escape latencies (at day 3:r =-0.476,P =0.034; at day 4:r=-0.700,P=0.001; at day 5:r=-0.693,P=0.001).They were positively correlated with the numbers of cross platform (r =0.689,P =0.001),and negatively correlated with the neuronal apoptosis rates in the hippocampal CA1 region (r =-0.271,P =0.031).Conclusions The decreased ACh content,the increased neuronal apoptosis rate in the rat hippocampal CA1 region in the VaD model may be one of the mechanisms of cognitive impairment in VaD rats.

ObjectiveTo explore the expression of hemopoietin(EPO) mRNA on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats brain tissue and the effect of Tongxinluo on it.Methods The model of rat (MCAO) were perfused with Tongxinluo,the changes of neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation related cell factors of EPO mRNA were detected after ischemia-reperfusion injury 3、5、7、14 d by means of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).ResultsEPO mRNA of ischemia-reperfusion models showed expression in different period,the expression enhanced in the third day,reached the highest in the fifth day; the ischemia side EPO mRNA expression enhanced in the third day after give Tongxinluo,in the 5,7 and 14 day,PCR expression gray values were higher than the model group.ConclusionEPO mRNA expression enhanced after cerebral ischemia,this expression can be strengthened by Tongxinluo,and may further induce neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation.

Objective To establish a standardized middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model with suture method in rabbits and to investigate the value of the assessment for cerebral ischemia with amplitudeintegrated electroencephalogram (aEEG).Methods A total of 34 male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to either an MCAO group (n =29) or a sham operation goup (n =5).A model of MCAO was induced with intraluminal suture method and the cerebral function monitor was performed.According to 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining,the MCAO group was further divided into cortex + basal ganglia infarction,basal ganglia infarction,subarachnoid hemorrhage,and non-lesion subgroups.The differences among the physiological indicators,weight,thread end diameter,and insertion length were compared before and after modeling in all subgroups.Results The success rate of MCAO modeling with suture method in rabbits was 62.07％ (18/29),in which 37.93％ (11/29) involved in the cortex and basal ganglia,24.38％ (7/29) only involved in the basal ganglia,17.24％ (5/29) complicated by subarachnoid hemorrhage,and 20.69％ (6/29) had no infarction.There were no significant differences in the body temperature,heart rate,mean arterial pressure and arterial blood pH,oxygen partial pressure,and CO2 partial pressure among all the subgroups before and after modeling.The weight in the non-lesion subgroup was 2.36 ± 0.10 kg,it was significantly lower than 2.55 ± 0.09 kg in the cortex + basal ganglia infarction subgroup (P =0.001) and 2.50 ± 0.12 kg in the basal ganglia infarction subgroup (P =0.017).The length of suture placement in the cortex+basal ganglia infarction subgroup was 5.59 ± 0.24 cm,and it was significantly less than 6.00 ± 0.50 cm in the subarachnoid hemorrhage subgroup (P =0.036).However,it was significantly longer than 5.20 ± 0.50 cm in the non-lesion subgroup (P =0.033).After modeling there were significant differences in aEEG among all subgroups (F =14.059,P =0.000).Compared to before modeling,aEEG decreased 50.02％ (t =9.573,P ＜ 0.001) and 14.20％ respectively after modeling in the cortex + basal ganglia infarction subgroup and the ganglia infarction subgroup (t =2.908,P =0.027).Conclusions A standardized MCAO model in rabbits may be successfully established with suture method.The significantly decreased aEEG indicates that the MCAO model is successful and the lesions involve in the cortex.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic significance of the relative band power(RBP) of EEG in acute focal cerebral ischemia (AFCI). Methods EEG monitoring was performed in 20 patients with AFCI (51 lesions) in neurological intensive care unit (NICU) and 20 patients with normal EEG (control group) in NICU. The changes of bilateral RBP were observed and analyzed comparatively. RBP in the infarction group was compared with that in the control group. The diagnostic capabilities of all wave-band RBPs were assessed with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results AFCI shoved asymmetry on all the wave-band RBPs. The RBP of of δwave on the lesion side was significantly higher than that on the normal side (P <0.01). RBPs of α, β and θ waves were decreased significantly (P <0.05). RBP of δ wave in the infarction group was increased significantly compared to the control group (P < 0.01 ). RBPs of α and β waves were decreased significantly (P <0.01). The diagnostic accuracy of the RBP of α was the highest, and both β and δ waves also had significance for the diagnosis of AFCI. Conclusions RBP had an important significance for the early diagnosis of AFCI. Conclusions RBP had an important significance for the early diagnosis of AFCI.

Objective To investigate whether there are correlations between working memory impairmentand fractional anisotropy values and to explore the neuropathology underlying that the patients of depression suffered from memory impairment.Methods Thirty depression patients and 30 healthy controls group-matched by age,educational level were conducted the study.Mean correct reaction time(mRT)was recorded when they performed a One-Back Working Memory Task and fractional anisotropy(FA)values was recorded when they performed the diffusion tensor imaging.Statistics analysis was done respectively for mRT and FA values between two groups.Results Relative to mean correct reaction time((612.45±54.08)ms)of controls,the mean correct reaction time ((720.25±57.02)ms)of patients with depression was much longer(P＜0.05)and the patients with depression had a lower FA values in the white matter of both frontal lobe,anterior cingulate gyrus,supramarginal gyrus,splenium of corpus callosum(P＜0.05),and the FA values in the white matter of both frontal lobe were significantly negative correlated with mRT(r=-0.604,P＜0.05).Conclusion The impairment of white matter region may be one of the neuropathology underlying that the depression patients suffer from memory impairment.

OBJECTIVEDystrophin gene deletion junction is the unique DNA sequence resulted from illegitimate recombination after the gene deletion. A novel accurate approach is presented here for the detection of deletional pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy carriers with the deletion junctions.

METHODSA Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) family from Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China was used. Two males in the family were diagnosed as BMD patients, 3 phenotypically normal females and 1 chorionic villi sample of an artificial abortion were waiting for diagnosis. The index patient was identified as exons 3-5 deletion of the dystrophin gene. Then a PCR-based genome-walking method was used to locate the breakpoints in corresponding introns. Finally, deletion junctions of the 6 family members were amplified by PCR with primers adjacent to breakpoints and sequenced.

RESULTSThe deletion junctions of all patients and carriers of the BMD family were cloned and sequenced. The 3 females and 1 chorionic tissue were diagnosed as female carriers.

CONCLUSIONIn this study researchers have successfully carried out accurate gene diagnosis of deletional pseudohypertrophic carriers by cloning and sequencing the deletion junctions, and explored the prospect of using deletion junctions in prenatal diagnosis of BMD.

Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Genetic Carrier Screening ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Recombination, Genetic

AIM: Tongxinluo had showed effects of inducing proliferation and differentiation on neural stem cells in previous observations on animal models. The experiment would investigate the time-effect and dose-effect relationship of Tongxinluo on neurocyte lineage development from rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs). METHODS: Experiments were performed at the Laboratory of Functional Science of Southern Medical University from June to October 2007. ①Pregnant rats of 12-14 days were provided by Experimental Animal Center of Southern Medical University. The experiment was performed in strict compliance with all standards for ethics. Tongxinluo contained ginseng, leech, scorpion, ground beetle, centipede, pellicula cicadae, red peony root, borneol and so on. Tongxinluo was produced by Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., No. Z19980015. Preparation of serum containing Tongxinluo: 1 g/kg per day Tongxinluo suspension was given by lavage in rats of high-dose Tongxinluo group, and 0.5 g/kg per day in rats of low-dose Tongxinluo group. 7 days later, sera were extracted from all the rats and sterilized with filtrating, followed by separate-loading and cryopreservation at –70 ℃. ②NSCs cultured were separated from 12th-14th day SD rat embryo. The third passage of cells was treated with serum containing Tongxinluo in the high-dose and low-dose Tongxinluo group. Rats were treated with common serum as a control. ③Proportion of various kinds of nerve cells was observed by immunofluorescence staining at days 1, 3 and 7. RESULTS: ①At day 1, there was few cells labeled with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) (+) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (+) in high-dose Tongxinluo group, with rest cells all labeled with BrdU (+) and Nestin (+). While in low-dose Tongxinluo group and control group, all cells were BrdU(+)Nestin(+). ②At day 3, the ratios of cells labeled with Nestin (+), ?tubulin (+) or GFAP (+) differentiated with each other (P 0.05). ③The ratios of NSCs labeled with nestin (+) decreased soon after administered Tongxinluo, and increased after that. The ratios of ?tubulin (+) cells increased in the high-dose Tongxinluo group while increased firstly then decreased in the low-dose Tongxinluo group and control group. The ratios of GFAP (+) cells increased in the low-dose Tongxinluo group and control group while increased firstly then decreased in the high-dose Tongxinluo group. The ratios of GalC (+) cells had no remarkable change in the high-dose and low-dose Tongxinluo group, but increased significantly at day 7 in the control group. CONCLUSION: Tongxinluo may induce proliferation and neuronal differentiation of rat embryonic NSCs with time-effect and dose-effect relationship. The more Tongxinluo is administered, the more significant and permanent effects will be achieved.

BACKGROUND:Point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) or single-voxel spectroscopy (SVS) is always used in the previous researches of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and its regions of interest are mainly located in focal zones which can be observed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, both of them cannot manifest the changes of focal marginal zone. Contrarily, hydrogen magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can det ect the all regions of brain.OBJECTIVE: To observe the 1H-MRS manifestations of patients with heroin spongiform leucoencephalopathy (HSLE) so as to analyze metabolic regularities of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr) and bilineurine (Cho) in brain.DESIGN: Case-contrast observation.SETTING: Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Three HSLE patients including 2 males and 1 female who were diagnosed with clinical imaging were selected from the Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital from August 2005 to August 2006, and all of them were regarded as the case group. In addition, 10 healthy volunteers were regarded as the control group.METHODS: Siemens Megnetom Vision Plus 1.5T superconductive magnetic resonance (MR) system and standard head coil were used in this study, and then, all subjects were checked with 1H-MRS.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Levels of NAA, Cr and Cho in white matter of frontal, parietal and occipital lobes, metabolic maps of them and ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr.RESULTS: All 13 subjects were involved in the final analysis. ① NAA level: The level of NAA in white matter of frontal,parietal and occipital lobes of case 1 was lower than that of the subjects in the control group (79.50±21.65, 96.75±16.14,77.05±22.47; 146.07±15.49, 117.77±14.56, 120.83±16.02; P ＜ 0.05, 0.01); meanwhile, white matter of parietal lobes of case 2 and case 3 was also lower than that of subjects in the control group (87.50±7.89, 80.65±11.73, P ＜ 0.01). ② Cr level: There were no significant differences of the Cr level of all subjects in both case group and control group (P＞ 0.05).③ Cho level: Except white matter of frontal lobes in case 1, the level of Cho was lower in the case group than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01). ④ Ratio of NAA/Cr was lower in the case group than that in the control group, and the radio of Cho/Cr was decreased remarkably. ⑤ Metabolic maps of NAA and Cr manifested a low signal in focal site. ⑥ Ratio of Cho/Cr was obviously reversed in focal marginal zone, but wave of lactic acid was not observed at the same time.CONCLUSION:The area with abnormal metabolites in HSLE patients showed by 1H-MRS is obviously larger than the visible lesion area showed by MRI.There are abnormal metabolites in the adjacent area of HSLE lesions.