Effect of carbon nanotexture on the synthesis, initial growth mechanism and photoluminescence properties of SiC nanowires.

Although the spontaneous vapor-solid growth of SiC nanowires is a well-established phenomenon, the exact mechanism by which nanowires grow on substrates is still poorly understood. Here, we studied the initial growth of SiC nanowires on carbon sources with different nanotextures via a catalyst-free vapor reaction between a polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber and a silicon powder. The results revealed that the SiC nanowires were preferentially formed on the carbon fiber with a higher degree of graphitization. Detailed analyses suggested that the growth behavior of the underlying SiC film formed on the carbon fibers, which is strongly affected by the microstructures of the carbon fibers, plays an important role in the formation of nanowires. In addition, the photoluminescence spectrum of SiC nanowires showed strong ultraviolet-visible emission peaks at an excitation wavelength of 250 nm, which may provide potential applications in the field of optoelectronic devices.

Can Posterior Pericardial Incision Truly Improve Postoperative Complications After Cardiac Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) and pericardial effusion are important factors affecting prognosis after cardiac surgery. Recently, it has been reported that posterior pericardiotomy (PP) can effectively prevent the occurrence of POAF and pericardial effusion. To validate these conclusions and guide clinical practice, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched multiple databases for manuscripts published before July 2022 on the use of PP to prevent POAF and pericardial effusion and included only randomized controlled trials. The main outcome was atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting, and secondary outcomes were included. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 14 randomized controlled trials with a total of 2275 patients. Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of POAF after cardiac surgery in the PP group was significantly lower than that in the control group (risk ratio=0.48; 95% confidence interval=0.33~0.69; P<0.00001). PP effectively reduced postoperative pericardial effusion (risk ratio=0.34, 95% confidence interval=0.21-0.55; P<0.00001). CONCLUSION: PP has shown good results in preventing POAF, pericardial effusion, and other complications, which indicates that PP is a safe and effective surgical method, but attention still needs to be paid to the potential risk of coagulation dysfunction caused by PP.

Can Posterior Pericardial Incision Truly Improve Postoperative Complications After Cardiac Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) and pericardial effusion are important factors affecting prognosis after cardiac surgery. Recently, it has been reported that posterior pericardiotomy (PP) can effectively prevent the occurrence of POAF and pericardial effusion. To validate these conclusions and guide clinical practice, we conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis. Methods: We searched multiple databases for manuscripts published before July 2022 on the use of PP to prevent POAF and pericardial effusion and included only randomized controlled trials. The main outcome was atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting, and secondary outcomes were included. Results: This meta-analysis included 14 randomized controlled trials with a total of 2275 patients. Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of POAF after cardiac surgery in the PP group was significantly lower than that in the control group (risk ratio=0.48; 95% confidence interval=0.33~0.69; P<0.00001). PP effectively reduced postoperative pericardial effusion (risk ratio=0.34, 95% confidence interval=0.21-0.55; P<0.00001). Conclusion: PP has shown good results in preventing POAF, pericardial effusion, and other complications, which indicates that PP is a safe and effective surgical method, but attention still needs to be paid to the potential risk of coagulation dysfunction caused by PP.

Photoluminescence mechanisms of metallic Zn nanospheres, semiconducting ZnO nanoballoons, and metal-semiconductor Zn/ZnO nanospheres.

We utilized a thermal radiation method to synthesize semiconducting hollow ZnO nanoballoons and metal-semiconductor concentric solid Zn/ZnO nanospheres from metallic solid Zn nanospheres. The chemical properties, crystalline structures, and photoluminescence mechanisms for the metallic solid Zn nanospheres, semiconducting hollow ZnO nanoballoons, and metal-semiconductor concentric solid Zn/ZnO nanospheres are presented. The PL emissions of the metallic Zn solid nanospheres are mainly dependent on the electron transitions between the Fermi level (E(F)) and the 3d band, while those of the semiconducting hollow ZnO nanoballoons are ascribed to the near band edge (NBE) and deep level electron transitions. The PL emissions of the metal-semiconductor concentric solid Zn/ZnO nanospheres are attributed to the electron transitions across the metal-semiconductor junction, from the E(F) to the valence and 3d bands, and from the interface states to the valence band. All three nanostructures are excellent room-temperature light emitters.

Treatment of crossing vessels in laparoscopic pyeloplasty / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the management of crossing vessels compression in laparoscopic pyeloplasty.@*METHODS@#From January 2016 to June 2018, a total of 21 patients who were admitted to Peking University People's Hospital with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) associated with crossing vascular compression were reviewed. There were 15 males and 6 females who formed this group, with a mean age of (33.9±15.0) years. There were 4 cases of mild hydronephrosis, 12 cases of moderate hydronephrosis and 5 cases of severe hydronephrosis before operation. All the patients underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty in our hospital, including 13 on the left and 8 on the right. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty (Anderson-Hynes) were performed in all the patients. Hem-o-lok suspension (14 cases in the suspension group) or translocation of the crossing vessels (7 cases in the translocation group) were used for the intraoperative management of the crossing vessels. Double J tubes were removed 8 weeks postoperatively. The patient demographic data were collected (including operation time, treatment time of crossing vessels, intraoperative blood loss, time of drainage tube removal after operation, and average length of hospital stay), postoperative outcomes were evaluated and the patients were followed up regularly.@*RESULTS@#In all the patients, the crossing vessels were successfully reserved, and none of them were ligated intra-operatively. Mean operative times were (202.2±57.0) min. The duration of intraoperative treatment of crossing vessels was (10.5±3.2) min, (6.1±2.0) min in the suspension group, and (13.7±5.2) min in the translocation group, respectively. Intraoperative blood loss was (47.8±25.6) mL, postoperative drainage time was (4.8±2.6) d, and length of hospital stay was (11.5±3.3) d. Postoperative slight urinary leakage occurred in 1 case. Preoperative pyelectasis of the affected side of all the patients was (3.4±1.7) cm, compared with postoperative pyelectasis of (1.9±1.3) cm. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Postoperative follow-up of all the patients was carried out until December 2018. There was no significant difference in kidney size in all the patients before or after the operations, and hydronephrosis was alleviated compared with that before surgery.@*CONCLUSION@#For UPJO patients with crossing vascular compression, according to the location of the crossing vessels, Hem-o-lok suspension or vessel transposition can be adopted to relieve the crossing vascular compression and improve the success rate of the surgery.

Endoscopic treatment for ureterovesical junction stenosis in patients with kidney transplantation: 13 cases report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic treatment for ureterovesical junction (UVJ) stenosis in patients with kidney transplantation.@*METHODS@#A retrospective study was conducted among the patients with kidney transplantation diagnosed as UVJ stenosis from 2012 March to 2018 July in Urology and Lithotripsy Center, Peking University People's Hospital. Only the patients who received endoscopic treatment were included, with staged or same-session nephrostomy followed by a retrograde ureteroscopy to evaluate the ureteral stenosis. Incisions with laser, mono- or bipolar energy, or balloon dilation were used to manage the stenosis depending on different situations. Demographic characteristics and clinical data were gathered and analyzed, including age, gender, preoperative serum creatinine, hemoglobin, operation time, success rate, postoperative serum creatinine, hemoglobin, postoperative complications rate, and long-term stenosis recurrence rate.@*RESULTS@#In this study, 13 patients were included (9 males and 4 females). All the UVJ stenoses were diagnosed with preoperative ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, or urethrography. The mean age was 45 years (range 34-57 years). The mean preoperative serum creatinine was 243 μmol/L. Four patients developed UVJ stenosis 1 month after kidney transplantation, while the rest developed long-term stenosis. Fifteen operations were performed in all, of which 14 cases were successful while one failed. The first 8 cases received first-stage nephrostomy and second-stage endoscopic management of the stenosis, while the last 7 cases received the same session surgery. The mean operation time was 95.4 min vs. 68.9 min, and the immediate success rate was 87.5% vs. 100.0% in the first 8 cases and last 7 cases, respectively. The mean decrease of postoperative hemoglobin was 0.6 g/L and mean postoperative serum creatinine was 105 μmol/L. No postoperative fever, severe hematuria, and urine leak were observed. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.8 days. Three patients were able to remove ureteral stents and no recurrence was found with a follow-up time of 9, 17, and 82 months. The long-term stenosis recurrence rate was 76.9% (10/13).@*CONCLUSION@#Endoscopic approach for the treatment of UVJ stenosis in patients with kidney transplantation was safe and efficient in our study cohort. However, long term stenosis recurrence rate was high and needed to be paid attention to.

Reality of Negative anti-HBc and Positive anti-HBe Results of Testing HBV-M with ELISA / 现代检验医学杂志

Objective To research the reality of ELISA testing results with negative anti-HBc and positive antiHBe.Methods CMIA was carried out to retest antiHBc and antiHBe of 105 samples which were initially tested to have negative antiHBc and positive antiHBe.Results Among the 105 samples retested by CMIA,there were three different results,positive antiH-Bc with positive antiHBe,negative antiHBc with negative antiHBe and positive antiHBc with negative antiHBe,whose pro-portions were 72.38%,21.91% and 5.71% respectively;the fasle negative rates of antiHBc were 78.10% in total and 93.33%,96.15% and 47.37% in 3 subgroup with S/CO 1.00~ 1.20,1.20~2.00 and 2.00~ 3.00,respectively;the true positive rates of antiHBe were 72.38% in total and 42.86%,88.14% and 56.25% in 3 subgroups with S/CO 0.00~0.10, 0.10~0.80 and 0.80 ~ 1.00,respectively.Conclusion HBV-M results with negative antiHBc and positive antiHBe by ELISA could give suggestive value and not reflect true information about antiHBc and antiHBe with three alternatives which would be obtained through retesting by a second assay.

Study on conformance between two kinds of detection method of anti-HBs antibody / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To analyze the conformance between the quantitative and qualitative tests of hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs).Methods The chemiluminecence microparticle enzyme immunoassay(CMIA)was adopted to quantitatively detect anti-HBs and the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was adopted to qualitatively detect anti-HBs.Results With the CMIA as the reference experiment,Se ,Sp ,J ,PV+ and PV-of anti-HBs detected by ELISA were 0.95,0.53,0.48,0.74 and 0.88 respec-tively,k=0.51;when the absorbance was 0.400 9,Se ,Sp ,J ,PV+ and PV-were 0.50,0.95,0.45,0.93 and 0.43 respectively;for the samples exceeding the absorbance range of 0.104 3 -0.400 9,Se ,Sp ,J ,PV+ and PV-qualitatively detected by ELISA were 0.90,0.91,0.81,0.93 and 0.88 respectively,k =0.81.Conclusion Determining cutoff value with the absorbance value 0.105 as the ELISA detection result has the good detection sensitivity(Se =0.95)and the better negative prediction value(PV-=0.88),the negative anti-HBs detected by ELISA may be considered that the anti-HBs concentration was less than 10 mIU/mL without the conservation value;when the sample absorbance ≥0.400 9,the anti-HBs concentration is ≥10 mIU/mL,which may be considered to have the conservation value;the gray area range of anti-HBs detected by ELISA is mainly the absorbance of 0.105-0.400 9,the true anti-HBs level should be quantitatively detected.

Atorvastatin reduces myocardial fibrosis in a rat model with post-myocardial infarction heart failure by increasing the matrix metalloproteinase-2/tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor-2 ratio / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have some non-lipid-lowering effects, such as inhibiting myocardial remodeling. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated to establish a rat model of heart failure, and the rats were divided into a sham operation (SO) group, myocardial infarction model (MI) group, and MI-atorvastatin group. Changes in hemodynamic parameters were recorded after the final drug administration. Histological diagnosis was made by reviewing hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stained tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine the expressions of type I and type III collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor-2 (TIMP-2). Further, primary rat cardiac fibroblasts were cultured and the MTT assay was performed to determine the effect of atorvastatin on cardiac fibroblast proliferation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The model of heart failure was established and the results of HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining revealed that the rats in the heart failure group showed obvious hyperplasia of fibrotic tissue, which was significantly reduced in the atorvastatin group. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the MI group showed a significantly increased expression of type I and type III collagen, MMP-2, and TIMP-2, but a significantly reduced MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio. Compared with the MI group, the atorvastatin group showed significantly reduced expression of type I and III collagen, unchanged expression of MMP-2, significantly reduced expression of TIMP-2, and an increased MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio. We further found that atorvastatin significantly inhibited the Ang II-induced fibroblast proliferation and the expression of type I and type III collagen in cardiac fibroblasts while increasing the MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These data suggest that atorvastatin can inhibit cardiac fibroblast proliferation and enhance collagen degradation by increasing the MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio, thereby inhibiting the formation of myocardial fibrosis in rats with heart failure after myocardial infarction.</p>

Effects of the extract of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus cheng f. (JA1) on induction of apoptosis of HepG2 in vitro and its molecular mechanisms / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects and the mechanisms of extract from a leguminous plant (Ammopiptanthus mongolicus cheng f.) (JA1) in northwest China on inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation of HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cell in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The HepG2 cell line was used as target cells. The effect of JA1 on HepG2 cell growth was detected by microculture tetrazolium assay (MTT), flow cytometry assay, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and transmission electronic microscopy. The expressive effect of the wt-p53 in HepG2 cells was analyzed with p53 protein test-reagent.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>JAI not only had significant anti-proliferative effects depending upon time and dosage, but also induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Apoptotic typical morphological changes were observed in JA1-treated HepG2 cells under transmission electronic microscope, "Sub-G1" phase peak occurred in flow cytometry and DNA "ladder" was found in DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. The expression of the wt-p53 increased in vitro, and JA1-treated HepG2 and the positive cell percentage of the wt-p53 protein also increased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>JA1 could obviously induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cells in vitro, and these effects are closely related with the increase of wt-p53 expression. JA1 can be used as a good source of medicinal plant for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma.</p>

Effects of immunoglobulin on the neuronal expression of IL-1beta and IL-1ra and the neuronal death at hippocampus in rats with convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazol / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of immunoglobulin on the neuronal expression of IL-1beta and IL-1ra and the neuronal death at hippocampus in rats with convulsion induced by pentylenetetrazol.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The epilepsy model was established by injecting intraperitoneally pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) into Wistar rats. Forty-five rats were randomly divided into three groups, normal control group, PTZ plus intravenous immunoglobulin (PTZ-IVIG); PTZ plus normal saline (PTZ-NS). Neuronal death was assessed by light microscopy with the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and with in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). IL-1beta and IL-1ra expressions were examined by histochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The ratio of IL-1beta/IL-1ra at hippocampal CA(1) region in PTZ-IVIG group (0.5 +/- 0.1) was significantly lower than that in PTZ-NS group (1.9 +/- 0.5, t = 12.9, P < 0.05). Apoptotic cell numbers at the hippocampal CA(1) region were significantly decreased in the PTZ-IVIG group, compared to PTZ-NS group (t = 27.1, P < 0.05). The numbers of positive cells were 16.4 +/- 3.3/1000 microm(2) in the former and 41.7 +/- 3.5/1000 microm(2) in the latter. Necrotic cell numbers at the hippocampal CA(1) region were significantly decreased in the PTZ-IVIG group (19.0 +/- 2.6/1000 microm(2)), compared to PTZ-NS group (42.3 +/- 4.9/1000 microm(2), t = 20.9, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Immunoglobulin could inhibit neuronal death induced by convulsion and its possible mechanism might be the regulation of IL-1 system in neurons.</p>

Generalized Epilepsy with Febrile Seizures Plus(GEFS+) and a Mutation in the Voltage-gated Sodium(Na+)-Channel Beta 1 Subunit Gene(SCN1B) / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: It was reported that gene locus for generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus(GEFS+) exist in chromosome 19q13.1, and has relationship with a 387 C G mutation in the SCN1B gene. This study is to determine whether there is the 387 C G mutation in the children with GEFS+ and simple febrile seizures(FS). METHODS: The sample group consisted of 16 patients with GEFS+ and 10 patients with FS who were diagnosed by our department of pediatrics from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 1999. The control group consisted of 15 children who do not have seizure disorders. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and a segment of the SCN1B exon 3 was amplified by PCR technique. Purified PCR products were treated with restriction enzyme, Hin P1. The restriction pattern was analyzed by sequencing analysis. RESULTS: Sixty nine%(11 of 16) patients with GEFS+ had family history for epilepsy, and epilepsy phonotypes were generalized tonic-clonic seizures in 82%(13 of 16), on the other hand 12%(2 of 16) and 6%(1 of 16) had absences and atonic seizures respectively. EEG findings showed generalized spike and wave in the all patients with GEFS+. in this study, however we could not observe a 387 C-->G mitation of the SCN1B in the children with GEFS+ and febrile seizures. CONCLUSION: The gene for GEFS+ may have a heterogenetic characteristics, and there may be racial differences in mutation frequency. Expanded studies involving large number of different families are required.

Role of Sp Family Transcription Factors in Growth Hormone Receptor Gene Expression / 대한소아내분비학회지

PURPOSE: The growth hormone receptor(GHR) is essential for the actions of growth hormone on postnatal growth and metabolism. GHR transcripts are characterized by the presence of disparate 5'untranslated exons. In contrast to L1 transcript, factors regulating the expression of the GC rich L2 transcript have remained unidentified. The purpose of this study is in order to characterize the mechanisms regulating expression of the L2 transcript in the murine GHR gene METHODS: Transient transfection experiments including deletional analysis and co-transfection assay were performed to find a region containing promoter activity in the L2 5'flanking sequence using BNCL2(mouse liver) cells, CV-1(African green monkey kidney) cells, HRP.1 trophoblasts and Drosophila Schneider(SL2) cells. Sequencing analysis was performed to find the region contained consensus binding sites for transcription factors. Standard gel shift(Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA) and supershift analysis using liver nuclear extracts was performed to establish proteins(transcription factors) bound this regulatory element. RESULTS: The 5'flanking region of the L2 untranslated region(UTR) exhibited promoter activity in BNCL2(mouse liver), CV-1(monkey kidney) cells and HRP.1 trophoblasts. Deletional analyses indicated the presence of a Sp binding site important for transcription of the L2 UTR and localized the major regulatory region within 75 bp of the 5'transcription start site. Sequencing analyses revealed the region contained consensus binding sites for the Sp family of transcription factors. EMSA and supershift EMSA revealed that in mouse liver nuclear extracts that Spl and Sp3 bound to this cis-element. Functional studies in Drosophila SL2 cells and BNCL2(mouse liver) cells established the ability of Sp3 and Sp1 to stimulate transcriptional activity via this cis-element. Functional studies in Drosophila SL2 cells demonstrated a functional interaction between Sp3 and Sp1 at this DNA-binding site. CONCLUSION: Sp family transcription factors play a role in regulation of L2 transcript gene expression in the 5'flanking region of the murine GHR gene.

The Neuroprotective Effect of Growth Hormone on Neuronal Injury of Brain in Pilocarpine induced Status Epilepticus / 대한내분비학회지

BACKGROUND: Several growth factors, including growth hormone (GH) and Insulin like growth factor-I, have been reported to have a neuroprotective effect in experimental models of hypoxic ischemia. This study is aimed at assessing the clinical significance of growth hormone for neuroprotection in status epilepticus induced neuronal cell deaths. METHODS: Pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (SE) was studied in rats (male, Sprague-Dawley). Rats were divided into pre- or post-treatment groups that had either a low (5 U/kg/day) or high (10 U/kg/day) dose of recombinant human GH (Eutropin, LGCI, Korea), and then subdivided into 24 hour, 72 hour and 1 week groups. This was done in the pretreatment groups for 5 days before SE and in the post-treatment groups for 5 days after 2 hrs of SE injection, after SE, the GH was daily injected via intraperitoneal route. Status epilepticus was induced by pilocarpine (360 mg/kg) with scoplamine (1 mg/kg) 30 minutes before pilocarpine injection using a stereotaxic instrument and EEG monitoring. Rats were killed at 24 and 72 hours after the SE in the pretreatment groups and at 1 week after the SE in the post-treatment groups for pathology studies. Neuronal injuries in the rat brain were studied by Hematoxylin & Eosin stain and the TUNEL method. RESULTS: Neuronal necrosis was found in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions in all experimenatal groups after SE, and was more severe in the CA3 region. Apoptosis was found only in the pre-GH treated group and there were TUNEL-positive and morphologically necrotic cells in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions at 72 hours after SE. Neuronal necrosis and apoptosis were significantly decreased in the high dose GH treated groups (p0.05). CONCLUSION: Growth hormone has a neuroprotective effect in neuronal cell death (necrosis and apoptosis) that is caused by pilocarpine induced status epilepticus in a dose dependent manner and prevents the activation of apoptosis by SE in neurons which eventually become necrotic.

The Effect of MK 801 on the Development of Brain Damage, Spontaneous Recurrent Seizures and Mossy Fiber Sprouting in the Pilocarpine Induced Status Epilepticus Animal Model / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect on MK 801 on the development on brain damage, spontaneous recurrent seizures and mossy fiber sprouting in the pilocarpine induced status epilepticus animal model. Methods: Fifty two adult Sprague Dawley male rats(180-240gm) were studied under ketamine/xylazine(87mg/13mg/kg, IP) anesthesia and were implanted at the F3, P3, F4, P4 areas for recording EEG. With a single intraperitoneal(IP) administration of pilocarpine hydrochloride(360mg/kg), 70% developed status epilepticus(SE). When SE was not induced within 1 hour after injection of pilocarpine, the second dose of pilocarpine(175mg/kg, IP) was injected, with 86.6% of success. Results: All studied animals were divided into two large groups, one group was treated with NMDA receptor antagonist, the other was control group. The mean duration of SE was 62.00+/-6.80 minutes in the MK 801(1mg/kg, IP, 30 minutes after SE) treated group, and 61.10+/-7.37 minutes in the control group without any signigicant differences(P>0.05). Neuronal loss(necrosis dominantly) was observed at CA1 and CA3 areas in the control group, with more loss after 6 weeks than 24 or 72 hrs specimens. However, there was no neuronal loss in MK 801 treated group. The protective effect of MK 801 for neuronal injury suggested the glutamate receptor activation was involved in the neuronal injury induced by repeated seizure attack. Spontaneous recurrent seizures(SRS) were observed 70% of animals in the control group, but there were no SRS observed in the MK 801 treated group. The mean scores of mossy fiber sprouting were significantly higher in the control group(2.05+/-0.47) than MK 801 treated group(0.4+/-0.32)(P<0.05). Conclusion: These results suggested that SRS and mossy fiber sprouting were associated with NMDA receptor activation, and NMDA receptor activation had a key role in the epilepsy development.

A Case of Tuberous Sclerosis Associated with Multiple Tumorous Condition / 대한소아신경학회지

Tuberous Sclerosis is a neurocutaneous syndrome, which is characterized by seizure, mental retardation, angiofibroma and various tumorous conditions. We report a case of 15 year old girl with Tuberous Sclerosis associated with multiple tumorous conditions. We report this case with brief review of related literatures.

Analysis of Brain Evoked Potential Study in Cerebral Palsy Patients / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions characterized by nonprogressive motor and posture dysfunction developing during perinatal period due to brain damage. Combined sensory and cognitive disorders can evolve the secondary mental retardation or speech disorder. Brain evoked potential can evaluate the visual, auditory, somatosensory neuropathway, and the response of frontal, temporal, occipital lobe. We studied the usefulness of brain pvoked votential as a tool in the early diagnosis and treatment of sensory disorders in cerebral palsy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 86 cerebral palsy patients who were practiced brain evoked potential study in Chungnam National University Hospital from July, 1995 to June, 1999. We analyzed the visual, auditory, somatosensory evoked potential result and the correlations between the electroencephalography, radiologic brain imaging study and the brain evoked potential. RESULTS: 1) Clinical types of cerebral palsy were spastic type(85.0%), athetoid type(3.5%), mixed type(3.5%) and the remaining cases did not manifest any one the types above. 2) Abnormal evoked potential fingings were 25 cases(29.4%) in visual evoked potential, 16 cases(18.8%) in auditory evoked potential, 28 cases(37.8%) in median nerve evoked potential, 39 cases(52.7%) in tibial nerve evoked potential. 3) Electroencephalography, radiologic brain imaging study manifested no statistically significant correlations with the brain evoked potential result(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: As a noninnvasive neurophysiologic study, Brain evoked potential is a useful method predicting neurologic developmental progress and helpful to early diagnosis of sensory disorder in cerebral palsy patients.

Relationship between programmed cell death mechanisms and neuronal necrosis induced by seizures / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify if programmed cell death mechanisms induced by seizures take part in the necrotic process of neurons.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seizure was induced by pilocarpine (P) in Sprague-Dawley adult rats which were allowed to recover for 24 or 72 hours before perfusion-fixation. Neuronal death was assessed by light microscopy with the hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and with in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression were examined by histochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-four and 72 hours after seizures, neuronal death in hippocampus CA1 region was morphologically necrotic. TUNEL-positive and morphologically necrotic cells increased in the hippocampal CA1 region at 72 hours after seizures, there was significant difference compared with controls (P < 0.001). Bax expression was also increased in the hippocampal CA1 region at 72 hours after seizures (P < 0.001), but Bcl-2 expression did not increase, while Bcl-2/Bax ratio decreased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Seizures induced late-onset neuronal necrosis was accompanied by programmed cell death mechanisms.</p>