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Objective:To explore the value of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HOT) in treating spinal cord injury.Methods:The modified Allen′s method was used to induce a traumatic spinal cord injury in 30 rats who were then divided randomly into an injured group and a treatment group, each of 15. The treatment group was given HOT twice a day for 3 days, then once a day for a total of 4 weeks. The injured group did not receive HOT. DTI was performed (along with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) evaluation) at 0h, 6h, 24h, as well as 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after the operation. Two-factor repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to analyze any differences in the DTI results: the fractional anisotropy, mean apparent diffusivity, radial diffusivity and axial diffusivity, as well as the BBB scores. LSD t-tests were performed to analyze the significance of the differences at different time points.Results:At each time point after 24h the average FA value of the treatment group was significantly higher than the injured group′s average, while its average MD and RD values were significantly lower. Beyond 14 days the average AD value of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the injured group. The treatment group′s average BBB score was also significantly higher at all the time points beyond 3 days.Conclusions:DTI results can evaluate spinal cord function and provide valuable information for the dynamic assessment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy after a traumatic spinal cord injury, and the therapy promotes the recovery of motor function, at least in rats.
RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate allergic reactions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections, and to determine the contents of serum IgE and histamine in sensitized animal. The correlation between the preceding contents in serum and allergic reactions may be found, thus offering experimental evidences for advancing the accuracy of anticipation by type I allergy.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>We carried out passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) tests,active systemic anaphylaxis (ASA) tests and anaphylactoid reactions using three TCM injections, and determined the contents of serum OVA-sIgE, total serum IgE and histamine in sensitized animals by ELISA method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The results of PCA test were negative, and there was no significant difference for total serum IgE level between experimental group and normal saline group. In the study of adjuvant effect in TCM injections + OVA (at the dose level that doesn't cause allergic reactions), the PCA results of SHL and YXC were positive and there was a increase in content of serum OVA-sIgE, while the PCA result of QKL was negative with a unobvious increase in the content of serum OVA-sIgE. The content of total serum IgE wasn't remarkably increased in each group and the results of ASA test were all positive. Three injections all caused anaphylactoid symptoms in guinea pigs in different doses or injection speed and the response intensity was found to be dosage and injection speed dependant. Furthermore, there was no significant difference for the content of total serum IgE in each group, whereas serum histamine concentration in every experimental group was markedly higher than normal saline group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SHL and YXC increase the sensitivity of guinea pigs on OVA, and three TCM injections can cause allergic reactions in guinea pig. Allergic reactions of three TCM injections are correlated with specific IgE antibodies and histamine contents.</p>