Functional Recovery Not Correlated with Axon Regeneration through Olfactory Ensheathing Cell-Seeded Scaffolds in a Model of Acute Spinal Cord Injury

The implantation of bioengineered scaffolds into lesion-induced gaps of the spinal cord is a promising strategy for promoting functional tissue repair because it can be combined with other intervention strategies. Our previous investigations showed that functional improvement following the implantation of a longitudinally microstructured collagen scaffold into unilateral mid-cervical spinal cord resection injuries of adult Lewis rats was associated with only poor axon regeneration within the scaffold. In an attempt to improve graft-host integration as well as functional recovery, scaffolds were seeded with highly enriched populations of syngeneic, olfactory bulb-derived ensheathing cells (OECs) prior to implantation into the same lesion model. Regenerating neurofilament-positive axons closely followed the trajectory of the donor OECs, as well as that of the migrating host cells within the scaffold. However, there was only a trend for increased numbers of regenerating axons above that supported by non-seeded scaffolds or in the untreated lesions. Nonetheless, significant functional recovery in skilled forelimb motor function was observed following the implantation of both seeded and non-seeded scaffolds which could not be correlated to the extent of axon regeneration within the scaffold. Mechanisms other than simple bridging of axon regeneration across the lesion must be responsible for the improved motor function.

A study protocol on the situational analysis on the current practice of screening and treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)

Objective@#The study protocolaims to provide an overview of the current practice of screening and treatment of ROP in the selected, to estimate the proportion of childhood blindness due to ROP and assess the number of premature babies at risk for ROP.@*Methods@#The study protocol is a descriptive, cross sectional study design using survey questionnaire to be sent out to pediatric ophthalmologists, vitreo-retina specialists and division heads of the neonatal intensive care units of different hospitals in a selected area. Student records and medical abstracts from local schools for the blind will be obtained and will be reviewed. All qualitative data will be reported by frequency distribution and percentages. Extrapolation on the proportion of ROP in the area will be done. @*Conclusion@#Results from the study can show an overview of the current situation of ROP in a selected area and provide the framework for recommendations for programs aimed providing criteria for timely screening and treatment of ROP to prevent complications such as childhood visual impairment and blindness in the country.

Gonadal damage and options for fertility preservation in female and male cancer survivors / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

It is estimated that in 2010, 1 in every 250 adults will be a childhood cancer survivor. Today, oncological surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy achieve relatively high rates of remission and long-term survival, yet are often detrimental to fertility. Quality of life is increasingly important to long-term survivors of cancer, and one of the major quality-of-life issues is the ability to produce and raise normal children. Developments in the near future in the emerging field of fertility preservation in cancer survivors promise to be very exciting. This article reviews the published literature, discusses the effects of cancer treatment on fertility and presents the options available today thanks to advances in assisted-reproduction technology for maintaining fertility in male and female patients undergoing this type of treatment. The various diagnostic methods of assessing the fertility potential and the efficacy of in vitro fertilization (IVF) after cancer treatment are also presented.