Bone marrow stromal cells for repair of the spinal cord: towards clinical application

Stem cells have been recognized and intensively studied for their potential use in restorative approaches for degenerative diseases and traumatic injuries. In the central nervous system (CNS), stem cell-based strategies have been proposed to replace lost neurons in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), or to replace lost oligodendrocytes in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Stem cells have also been implicated in repair of the adult spinal cord. An impact to the spinal cord results in immediate damage to tissue including blood vessels, causing loss of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. In time, more tissue nearby or away from the injury site is lost due to secondary injury. In case of relatively minor damage to the cord some return of function can be observed, but in most cases the neurological loss is permanent. This review will focus on in vitro and in vivo studies on the use of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), a heterogeneous cell population that includes mesenchymal stem cells, for repair of the spinal cord in experimental injury models and their potential for human application. To optimally benefit from BMSCs for repair of the spinal cord it is imperative to develop in vitro techniques that will generate the desired cell type and/or a large enough number for in vivo transplantation approaches. We will also assess the potential and possible pitfalls for use of BMSCs in humans and ongoing clinical trials.     

Inverse Correlation between Genetic Aberrations and Malignancy Grade in Ependymal Tumors: A Paradox?

OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study was to investigate the inverse correlation between number of genetic aberrations and malignancy grade in ependymal tumors at the ploidy level. METHODS: we examined seven myxopapillary ependymomas (mpEs) (WHO grade I), 28 spinal and cerebral ependymomas (Es) (WHO grade II), and 18 cerebral anaplastic ependymomas (aEs) (WHO grade III) using image DNA cytometry. The ploidy status was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and with the results obtained by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis that we performed in about half of these tumors. RESULTS: mpEs were exclusively located in the spinal cord and aEs in the cerebrum only, whereas Es were located in both the spinal cord and brain. We found aneuploidy or tetraploidy to be common in the group of mpEs (6 out of 7) and much less frequent in Es (6 out of 28) and aEs (4 out of 18). Three-year postoperative survival was 100% for mpEs, 100% for spinal Es, 92% for cerebral Es, and 33% for aEs. Our CGH results in a selection of these tumors revealed the highest number of genetic aberrations in the mpEs (average 16; n = 2), a lower number in Es (average 12; n = 11) and the lowest number in aEs (average 5; n = 6). Interestingly, in the group of Es and aEs, a high number of genetic aberrations as detected by CGH was not correlated with aneuploidy or tetraploidy. Three patients, all with mpEs had local seeding. CONCLUSION: These results underline that mpEs are distinctly different from Es and aEs at the genetic level and that extensive genomic alterations and aneuploidy in ependymal tumors are not in itself an indicator of malignant behavior.     

Demand for mental health care and changes in service use patterns in the Netherlands, 1979 to 1995

OBJECTIVE: Mental health services appear increasingly incapable of satisfying the demand for care, which may cause some segments of the population to be less effectively reached. This study investigated the rates of use of mental health services in the Netherlands from 1979 to 1995 and examined whether particular sociodemographic groups made greater or lesser relative use of these services over time. METHODS: Data were derived from the Facilities Use Surveys, a series of Dutch cross-sectional population studies that have recorded household characteristics and service use since 1979. More than 28,000 households were included in the analyses. RESULTS: The overall use of mental health services virtually doubled from 1979 to 1995; a particularly steep rise was seen in the first half of the 1980s. Households that had one parent, that had low income, that were dependent on benefits, and that were younger all had greater odds of using both specialized mental health care (for example, prevention programs for mental health problems and psychotherapeutic and social psychiatric treatment offered by psychologists, psychotherapists, or psychiatrists) and social work services (for example, psychosocial counselling and practical support offered by social workers to people with social problems, such as housing, finances, and psychosocial issues). Households with low education were less likely to use specialized mental health care but were more likely to use social work services. Nonreligious households and urban households were more likely to use specialized mental health care and were equally likely to use social work services. Overall, these relative use patterns did not change over time. CONCLUSIONS: Despite greater pressures on mental health services and the many changes in service delivery in recent decades, relative patterns of help seeking and referral to mental health services have not varied systematically over time.     

Anterior submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve. For post-operative focal neuropathy at the elbow

Outcome studies of revision surgical treatment for recurrent or persistent neuropathy of the ulnar nerve at the elbow are relatively rare and none involves patient self-assessment. In this study of 40 patients (41 elbows), a clear discrepancy is shown between clinical assessment and the patient's own view. From clinical assessment, 20% of patients had an excellent result, whereas only one (2.5%) patient self-reported a complete cure. More reports using patient self-assessment and validated scores are required.     

高龄多器官功能衰竭患者甲状腺功能的变化

1临床资料2003-10/2004-12住院老年多器官功能衰竭患者46例,全部为男性,年龄(79±5)岁.2个器官功能衰竭为A组15例,年龄(77±6)岁;3个以上器官功能衰竭为B组20例,年龄(79±7)岁;死亡为C组11例,年龄(78±4)岁;无重要脏器功能衰竭的老年患者20例为对照组,年龄(78±6)岁,全部为男性.以上受试对象均无甲状腺疾病病史,未用影响甲状腺功能的药物.清晨空腹安静状态下抽取静脉血2mL用放免法测定TT3,TT4,FT3,FT4及TSH,药盒由天津DPC公司提供.ABC3组TT3(nmol/L)和FT3(pmol/L)水平均减低,C组减低最明显,分别为1.7±0.4和3.9±0.9,1.3±0.4和…     

肾实质癌59例临床组织病理学分析

0引言肾实质癌通常来源于肾小管上皮细胞的腺癌,透明细胞癌占85%,其余为颗粒细胞癌及混合细胞癌,常伴有出血、坏死、囊变和钙化[1-3].我们分析手术根治的肾实质癌组织病理情况并讨论临床意义.     

Neonatal cholestasis and hypopituitarism

The diagnosis of optic nerve hypoplasia and hypopituitarism must be entertained in infants who present for evaluation of cholestatic jaundice, particularly if there is associated hypoglycaemia and wandering nystagmus. Although the hepatic dysfunction seems to resolve, the long term prognosis of liver disease in optic nerve hypoplasia remains unknown.     

可溶性抗HAV抗体Fab片段的原核表达

0　引言　甲型肝炎病毒 (HAV)是危害人类健康的致病原之一 ,目前已有多种用于接触前预防的甲肝疫苗 ;但对于接触后预防或短期到 HAV高流行区的旅游者的预防 ,则多采用免疫球蛋白作被动免疫 .在接触后 (14d内 )和潜伏期早期 ,注射免疫球蛋白预防甲肝的有效率达 85 %左右 .血源性免疫球蛋白虽然效价高 ,应用效果好 ,但可能被血源病原体污染 .因此基因工程人源抗体有望成为接触后预防的首选制剂 .我们从人源噬菌体抗体组合文库中筛选到一株甲肝特异性抗体 [1 ] ,在此基础上构建了可溶性表达载体 ,并获得可溶性表达 ,为该抗体的进一步研究打…