Variations in screening and management practices for subsequent asymptomatic meningiomas in childhood,adolescent and young adult cancer survivors

Journal of Neuro-Oncology - Childhood, adolescent and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors treated with cranial radiotherapy are at risk for developing subsequent meningiomas. There is insufficient...     

The extracellular matrix: At the center of it all

The extracellular matrix is not only a scaffold that provides support for cells, but it is also involved in cell-cell interactions, proliferation and migration. The intricate relationships among the cellular and acellular components of the heart drive proper heart development, homeostasis and recovery following pathological injury. Cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells differentially express and respond to particular extracellular matrix factors that contribute to cell communication and overall cardiac function. In addition, turnover and synthesis of ECM components play an important role in cardiac function. Therefore, a better understanding of these factors and their regulation would lend insight into cardiac development and pathology, and would open doors to novel targeted pharmacologic therapies. This review highlights the importance of contributions of particular cardiac cell populations and extracellular matrix factors that are critical to the development and regulation of heart function.     

人脂肪干细胞复合脱细胞软骨基质支架在生物反应器中构建组织工程软骨

目的:观察人脂肪干细胞复合脱细胞软骨基质支架在生物反应器中初步构建组织工程软骨的可行性。方法:实验于2005-04/2006-05在解放军总医院骨科研究所完成。脂肪组织和关节软骨均来自膝关节置换术中切除的组织,并经患者知情同意。关节软骨冻干后经粉碎机粉碎,过筛,选取25～38μm大小的软骨微粒。在样品中先加入2.5g/L胰蛋白酶,37℃消化24h,再加入1%Triton X-100震荡72h。将软骨微粒和蒸馏水按1∶3的比例混合后滴加在模板中,置入冷冻干燥机冻干后行紫外线交联。紫外线照射8h完成。最后经25kGy 60Co辐照灭菌完成支架制备。取膝关节置换术中切除的髌下脂肪垫,酶消法获得脂肪干细胞,扩增后复合于脱细胞软骨基质制成圆柱状三维支架上(细胞密度5×1010L-1),置于生物反应器中进行诱导培养,同时设静态培养组作为对照,3周后观测大体形态和组织学形态变化,同时进行组织化学(包括番红花O,阿利新蓝染色)和Ⅱ型胶原免疫组织化学分析。结果:生物反应器组诱导培养3周苏木精-伊红染色显示支架结构消失,只有中心区域残存少量支架结构;静态培养组支架结构尚存在,有少量基质分泌。番红花O染色显示生物反应器组细胞外有大量蛋白聚糖沉积,阿利新蓝染色表明有软骨特异性蛋白多糖的聚集;而静态培养组只有部分区域染色且淡于生物反应器组。Ⅰ型胶原免疫组化的结果显示,在生物反应器组细胞能够合成大量软骨细胞特异性胶原成分,而静态培养组呈弱阳性。结论:生物反应器培养明显促进了脂肪干细胞的增殖与软骨分化,是体外构建组织工程软骨的良好方法。     

应用功能磁共振成像分析脑卒中患者康复治疗前后大脑再塑机制

目的:应用功能磁共振成像观察脑卒中后及康复过程中,在相应脑内运动功能区激活的变化情况,探讨不同运动模式下皮质功能再塑的表现。方法:选取2003-02/10大庆油田总医院康复科住院的皮质下脑梗死患者8例,在发病后1周始进行连续两个月的康复。在康复前、康复1,2个月时运用Brunnstrom分级、Caroll上肢功能量表(0￣100分,评分越高功能越好)对其手功能进行评价,并采用GEMR/iHiSpeed1.5超导磁共振扫描机进行磁共振成像功能激发检查。患者用病手执行简单运动(快速连续的拇指与其他各指的对指动作)、随意运动(用病手摸不同形状的木块),获得脑功能激发图像,观察脑内相关功能区的激活情况。结果:8例受试者均进入结果分析。①康复后所有患者Brunnstrom分级和Caroll上肢功能评分均较康复前有明显改善。②病手简单运动时脑内相关功能区的激活情况:8例受试者7例在损伤后早期手指不能对指,所以没有激活;M1,SMA,PMA脑区和小脑呈现单侧激活-双侧激活-单侧激活的变化过程;随着运动功能恢复,脑内激活数目随时间呈下降趋势,几乎接近正常人脑功能表现。③病手随意运动时脑内相关功能区的激活情况:实验中发现引起的运动相关功能区的激发情况变化多样,规律性较差,但其中5例受试者表现出损伤后激发数目明显减少,许多对运动起决定性支配作用的功能区亦不激活;随着运动功能恢复,激发区数目呈上升趋势,同损伤后简单运动的激活表现。结论:①脑卒中后病手经过康复治疗简单运动恢复较好,康复治疗2个月后脑内运动功能相关区域激活的规律已同正常人。②脑卒中后病手随意运动恢复较困难,康复治疗后不如简单运动恢复好,脑内相关运动功能区激活无明显的规律性。随着运动功能的恢复,脑内相应的运动功能区激活增多。     

富血小板血浆对人骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化的抑制效应

目的:一些理论质疑富血小板血浆对骨前体细胞成骨分化的作用,本实验拟验证富血小板血浆对体外培养的人骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化的抑制效应。方法:实验于2005-05/11在南方医科大学组织工程试验室(省级)完成。①实验方法:抽取6名健康志愿者髂前上棘骨髓5mL进行体外细胞培养扩增,静脉血10mL以二次离心法制得富血小板血浆。诱导骨髓间充质干细胞时富血小板血浆与骨髓间充质干细胞均来自同一个体。②碱性磷酸酶染色:取第4代骨髓间充质干细胞,分为两组:富血小板血浆组加入富血小板血浆使终浓度为100g/L,单纯血清培养组仅加入等量胎牛血清。培养后第7天进行碱性磷酸酶染色,阳性细胞为胞质中呈现黑色颗粒或块状沉淀。③矿化结节染色:取第4代骨髓间充质干细胞,分组同上。培养后第19天以0.1%茜素红-TrisHcl(pH8.3)37℃下放置30min,矿盐沉积染色阳性为红色。④Cbfa1基因表达:取第4代骨髓间充质干细胞,分组同上。培养后第3,7,12,16天RT-PCR法检测骨髓间充质干细胞Cbfa1基因的表达。⑤形态学观察:实验过程中使用相差显微镜观察各组细胞生长情况及形态学变化。结果:①骨髓间充质干细胞碱性磷酸酶染色结果:培养后第7天,富血小板血浆组碱性磷酸酶阳性细胞数量较单纯血清培养组明显减少,且阳性细胞内灰黑色颗粒也明显减少,为弱阳性。②骨髓间充质干细胞矿化结节染色结果:培养后第19天,单纯血清培养组可见细胞表面有较多的矿盐沉积,但未形成明显的矿化结节。富血小板血浆组细胞表面只有稀少的矿盐沉积。③骨髓间充质干细胞cbfa1mRNA的表达:培养后第3,7,12,16天,随着培养时间的延长单纯血清培养组与富血小板血浆组cbfa1基因表达量均逐渐增高,同一时间点两组间cbfa1基因的表达基本相似。④骨髓间充质干细胞形态学变化:富血小板血浆组骨髓间充质干细胞增殖旺盛,细胞达到单层汇合的时间较单纯血清培养组明显缩短。单纯血清培养组细胞在完全汇合后开始出现聚合现象(14～16d),但趋向性不明显,未完全形成团簇;富血小板血浆组细胞在完全汇合后未出现聚合现象,细胞密集生长。培养初期两组细胞以梭形为主,多角形细胞较少,培养至14～16d单纯血清培养组多角形细胞较富血小板血浆组增多。结论:富血小板血浆可抑制人骨髓间充质干细胞碱性磷酸酶的分泌与矿盐沉积,对人骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化的直接效应是抑制其分化。     

Development and psychometric evaluation of a new patient-reported outcome instrument measuring the functional impact of insomnia

Purpose  

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a patient-reported outcome instrument to comprehensively assess the consequences of inadequate sleep for use in insomnia-related studies.     

‘Isn’t it ironic?’ Beliefs about the unacceptability of emotions and emotional suppression relate to worse outcomes in fibromyalgia

Beliefs about the unacceptability of experiencing and expressing emotions have been found to be related to worse outcomes in people with persistent physical symptoms. The current study tested mediation models regarding emotional suppression, beliefs about emotions, support-seeking and global impact in fibromyalgia. One hundred eighty-two participants took part in an online questionnaire testing potential mechanisms of this relationship using mediation analysis. The model tested emotional suppression and affective distress as serial mediators of the relationship between beliefs about emotions and global impact. In parallel paths, two forms of support-seeking were tested (personal/emotional and symptom-related support-seeking) as mediators. Emotional suppression and affective distress significantly serially mediated the relationship between beliefs about emotions and global impact. Neither support-seeking variable significantly mediated this relationship. Results indicate a potential mechanism through which beliefs about emotions and global impact might relate which might provide a theoretical basis for future research on treatments for fibromyalgia.