Application of self-made dual tubes with lateral holes in the surgical treatment of hypospadias / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To increase the success rate of surgical treatment in patients with hypospadias.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>220 cases of hypospadias underwent one-stage urethra plasty. After the penis was straightened, urethra plasty was performed with pediculated preputial entoplastron (Duckett's method) in 195 cases; with combination of scrotal septum and pediculated preputial entoplastron in 20 cases; with free bladder mucosa transplantation in 2 cases. The self-made dual silastic tubes with lateral mini-holes were applied to support new urethra in all the cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients were followed up for 1 - 8 years. 208 cases achieved successful results. There were 2 cases of urethral fistula, 6 cases of urethral stenosis at anastomosis site, 4 cases of stenosis at urethral orifice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The success rate (94.5%) suggests great advantages of the self-made dual tube with lateral mini-holes to support new urethra. It can facilitate drainage and irrigation and reduce the complications such as infection, fistula and stenosis.</p>

Protective effect of ONO-1078, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, on focal cerebral ischemia induced by endothelin-1 in rats / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To determine the protective effect of ONO-1078, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, on focal cerebral ischemia induced by endothelin-1 in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Slow microinjection of endothelin-1 (120 pmol in 6 microL, for > 6 min) into the region near the middle cerebral artery was used to induce focal cerebral ischemia. ONO-1078 (0.1 mg.kg-1) was i.p. injected 1 h before endothelin-1 injection. Neurological symptoms, brain edema, brain infarction size, and the survival neurons in cortex and striatum were observed 24 h after ischemia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intracerebral microinjection of endothelin-1 induced remarkable neurological symptoms, brain infarction, brain edema, and decrease of survival neurons in the cortex and striatum. In rats pretreated with ONO-1078, endothelin-1-induced brain edema and brain infarction size were decreased. The numbers of survival neurons in striatum and cortex were increased significantly. The neurological symptoms were improved but not significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ONO-1078 possesses neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemic injury induced by endothelin-1, therefore, leukotrienes may play a role in the injury of cerebral ischemia.</p>

A novel method for continuously assessing the spatio-temporal properties of locomotor activity in mice / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a novel method for continuously assessing the spatio-temporal properties of locomotor activity of mice in an open field using a video-tracking system.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The locomotor tracks in the open field were recorded by video camera within 22 h, and analyzed by AnalyPower1.1 system that we developed recently. Total distance, distances traveled in different zones and their ratios to total distance; total time,times spent in different zones and their ratios to total time were used as indicators to assess the properties of locomotor activity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In free and wakeful state, the locomotor activity of mice presented obvious regional and temporal properties. Mice preferred to stay in home base (food and water zones), and frequently visited the peripheral zones but seldom the center zones within 22 h. On the other hand, mice were most active within the first 1 h, and then their activity obviously decreased. After their activity became stable, the mice showed the obvious circadian variation of the activity as they were more active in the night.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The novel method we developed in this study can continuously assess the spatio-temporal properties of locomotor activity quantitatively and objectively.</p>

An improved imaging analysis for quantitative measurement of brain slice volume / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To improve computer-assisted imaging analysis for quantitatively measuring brain slice volume of rats and mice in comparison with conventional measuring methods,and to evaluate its usefulness in assessment of focal cerebral ischemia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The accurate volumes of rat and mouse brain slices were measured by weight and special gravity measuring. The areas of brain slices were measured by imaging analysis, then the slice volumes of right and left hemispheres were calculated by multiplying the adjusted thickness of the slices. In addition, the brain slice volumes of right and left hemispheres from focal cerebral ischemic mice were compared to assess ischemic injury using the imaging analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Area measurement by computer-assisted imaging analysis was linear with different accurate areas (r=1.000). Slice volumes measured by imaging analysis correlated well with the accurate volumes measured by special gravity method, r=0.809 (n=45, P<0.001) in rats, and r=0.844 (n=74, P<0.001) in mice. The brain volumes in ischemic hemispheres were larger than in non-ischemic hemispheres in ischemic mice.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Computer-assisted imaging analysis can measure the brain slice volumes accurately and compare right and left hemisphere volumes quantitatively.</p>

An improved quantitative method for evaluating neurological deficits in mice with focal cerebral ischemia / 生理学报

The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative and objective method for evaluating neurological deficits in mice with focal cerebral ischemia. After middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the neurological deficits were evaluated 24 h later. We measured the mean angles, dominant angles and turns in a hanged test in which the mice were sticked on the wall, and the holding angles in an inclined plane test as well, Then we determined the cerebral infarct volumes, neuron density in hippocampus, cortex and subcortical areas 24 h after MCAO. The correlations among infarct volume, neuron density and neurological deficits were analyzed. We also compared the quantitative method with two typical complex methods of behavioral assessment. The effect of [pranlukast, 4-oxo-8-[p-(4-phenylbutyloxy) benzoylamino]-2-(tetrazol-5-yl)-4H-1-benzopyran hemihydrate] (ONO-1078), a neuroprotective agent, on ischemic injury was observed using this method. We found that the variables measured by both quantitative and typical behavioral methods significantly changed in the ischemic mice, and correlated with the infarct volumes and neuron densities. The quantitative variables well correlated with those of typical behavioral assessment, too. ONO-1078 inhibited ischemic injury and reduced the total scores of quantitative assessment. Thus, the quantitative method we developed is useful in evaluating neurological deficits of focal cerebral ischemia with the advantages of objectivity, quantification, simplicity and non-invasion, and can be used in the evaluation of neuroprotective effects of drugs.

Effects of TAK-147, a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, on spatial memory deficit as evaluated by Morris water maze of rats / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE: To evalute the effects of TAK-147, a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor on rat spatial memory deficit using the Morris water maze. METHODS: Morris water maze was used to measure spatial memory in rats, and open field test was used to analysis locomotor activity. RESULTS: Scopolamine (0.4mg/kg,IP) significantly increased the latency period in memory acquisition. Intraperitoneal TAK-147 injection ameliorated scopolamine-induced deficit in a dose-related manner. A significant effect was obtained at doses of 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg. Both TAK-147 (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) and tacrine (3 and 5 mg/kg) significantly reversed scopolamine (1.5 mg/kg) increased latency in memory retrieval. However, TAK-147 had a more potent effect than tacrine. In the locomotor test, TAK-147 created no appreciable change, compared with scopolamine or saline. CONCLUSION: A novel acetycholinesterase inhibitor, TAK-147 ameliorates the scopolamine induced impaired spatial memory in rats.