Effect of the combination of high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation and neurotropin on injured sciatic nerve regeneration in rats

Repetitive magnetic stimulation is effective for treating posttraumatic neuropathies following spinal or axonal injury.Neurotropin is a potential treatment for nerve injuries like demyelinating diseases.This study sought to observe the effects of high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation,neurotropin and their combined use in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury in 32 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.To create a sciatic nerve injury model,a 10 mm-nerve segment of the left sciatic nerve was cut and rotated through 180°and each end restored continuously with interrupted sutures.The rats were randomly divided into four groups.The control group received only a reversed autograft in the left sciatic nerve with no treatment.In the high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation group,peripheral high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation treatment(20 Hz,20 min/d)was delivered for 10 consecutive days after auto-grafting.In the neurotropin group,neurotropin therapy(0.96 NU/kg per day)was administrated for 10 consecutive days after surgery.In the combined group,the combination of peripheral high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation(20 Hz,20 min/d)and neurotropin(0.96 NU/kg per day)was given for 10 consecutive days after the operation.The Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale was used to assess the behavioral recovery of the injured nerve.The sciatic functional index was used to evaluate the recovery of motor functions.Toluidine blue staining was performed to determine the number of myelinated fibers in the distal and proximal grafts.Immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the length of axons marked by neurofilament 200.Our results reveal that the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan locomotor rating scale scores,sciatic functional index,the number of myelinated fibers in distal and proximal grafts were higher and axon lengths were longer in the high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation,neurotropin and combined groups compared with the control group.These measures were not significantly different among the high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation,neurotropin and combined groups.Therefore,our results suggest that peripheral high-frequency repetitive magnetic stimulation or neurotropin can promote the repair of injured sciatic nerves,but their combined use seems to offer no significant advantage.This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,China on December 23,2014(approval No.2014keyan002-01).

Ankaflavin ameliorates steatotic liver ischemiareperfusion injury in mice

BACKGROUND： It is well-known that steatotic liver is more susceptible to ischemia-reperfusion （I/R） injury during liver transplantation, liver resection and other liver surgeries. The increasing incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） decreases the availability of liver donors. Although steatotic liver is now accepted as a source of liver for trans- plantation, NAFLD exacerbates the liver injury after liver surgery. The present study was to investigate the protective role of ankaflavin in steatotic liver I/R injury.

Routine Hemostasis and Hemogram Parameters： Valuable Assessments for Coagulation Disorder and Chemotherapy in Cancer Patients

Background： The clotting system abnormalities are the common complication in cancer patients. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the coagulation state, clinical features, and treatment in cancer patients by routine tests. Methods： A total of 2328 patients with different types of cancer were classified as the positive group （n = 1419, including 53 patients with thrombosis） and the negative group （n = 909） based on D-dimer （DD） value. Of the 2328 cases, 354 were admitted for chemotherapy. Hemostasis test and complete blood count （CBC） were perfbrmed during treatment or following-up. Results： This study showed that the hypercoagulable state was affected not only by clinical staging （P 〈 0,0001） but also by metastasis site （P 〈 0.0001 for bone vs. lung）. Compared to negative DD group, the higher fibrinogen level, the extended activated partial thromboplastin time, and prothrombin time interacted markedly with disease clinical stage （P 〈 0.05） in the positive group. Between positive DD groups with and without thrombus, the significantly statistic difference in white blood cell （WBC） and DD （P 〈 0.05） rather than in red blood cell （RBC） and platelet count was observed. However, the higher DD level was not correlated with WBC, RBC, and platelet count in the positive DD group. Furthermore, the hypercoagulable plasma profile in cancer patients was moderated 2-3 weeks alter chemotherapy （P 〈 0.05 for first six cycles）. Conclusions： The routine hemostatic parameters and CBC are valuable to assessment for thrombosis and chemotherapy even for disease prognosis.

Correlation between Electroencephalogram Alterations and Frontal Cognitive Impairment in Esophageal Cancer Patients Complicated with Depression

Background：Some esophageal cancer patients complicated with depression exhibit cognitive impairments.Frontal electroencephalogram （EEG） may be used as a reliable biomarker for prefrontal-mediated cognitive functions.This study was to investigate alterations of EEG and frontal cognitive impairment in esophageal cancer patients complicated with depression and to assess their correlation.Methods：Sixty-five esophageal cancer patients with depression （study group） and 62 healthy controls （control group） were included in this study.The study group were assigned into psychotic depressed （PD,n =32） and nonpsychotic depressed （NPD,n =33） subgroups based on complication with psychotic symptoms （Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale [BPRS] 〉35）.EEG examination,Beck self-rating depression scale,and BPRS were used to assess clinical symptoms.Chi-square test,two independent sample t-test,one-way analysis of variance,and Kruskal-Wallis test were utilized to compare the variables between two groups.EEG abnormalities and scores of frontal cognitive function test were analyzed by partial correlation analysis in the PD and NPD subgroups.Results：Compared with control group,the study group displayed greater scores either in the Stroop test （19.89 ± 2.05 vs.24.12 ± 2.19,P =0.006） or Color Trails Test （CTT;11.92 ± 1.01 vs.15.02 ± 1.63,P =0.008）,and reduced score （35.05 ± 2.01 vs.32.11 ± 2.38,P =0.007） in the verbal fluency test （VFT）.Compared to NPD subgroup,PD subgroup exhibited increased scores in Stroop test （22.89 ± 2.07 vs.25.38 ± 2.32,P =0.009） and CTT （13.16 ± 1.71 vs.15.82 ± 1.13,P =0.008）.Moreover,increased scores in Stroop test and CTT as well as scores in VFT were associated with the severity of depression.The study group had an abnormal frontal EEG,such as α forward,α asymmetry,α moderation,and increased 0 activity relative to control group.Similarly,compared with NPD subgroup,PD subgroup displayed α forward,α asymmetry,and α moderation.The correlation test revealed that α forward and α asymmetry were negatively associated with VFT score,but positively correlated with the scores of CTT and the Stroop test in PD subgroup.In addition,α asymmetry in NPD subgroup was positively related to CTT scores.Conclusion：This study indicated that frontal cognitive impairment in esophageal cancer patients complicated with depression is associated with EEG alterations.

Dissolution, Hydrolysis and Crystallization Behavior of Polyamide 6 in Superheated Water

The dissolution, crystallization and hydrolysis behaviors of polyamide 6 （PA 6） in superheated water （140℃ _〈 TH 〈 200 ℃） are investigated. The hydrothermal processing of PA 6 can be divided into four regions： （I） TH 〈 140 ℃, （II） 140 ℃ 〈 TH 〈 155 ℃, （III） 155 ℃ 〈 TH 〈 160℃ and （IV） TH 〉 160 ℃. Below 140 ℃, the hydrothermal processing does not have obvious impact on PA 6. Between 140 ℃ and 155 ℃, an annealing effect is observed that the hydrothermally treated resin shows increased melting temperature and lamellar thickness compared with the original PA 6. Between 155 ℃ and 160 ℃, the hydrothermal processing induces both annealing and surface swelling. Above 160 ℃, PA 6 dissolves fully in the superheated water. As PA 6 dissolves in the superheated water, hydrolysis takes place and becomes more prominent at higher temperatures and longer processing time. The hydrolysis induced molecular weight decrease fits an exponential decay.