[Anatomy and management of superior petrosal vein in microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of superior petrosal vein (SPV) and its influence on the surgical field in microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN), and to analyze the effect of the surgical treatment of SPV on the surgical approach, indication and prognosis. Methods: The clinical data of 280 patients with trigeminal neuralgia between Jan. 2013 and Jun. 2016 were collected, including the trunks and the branches of SPV, intraoperative electrocoagulation status, the surgery outcome and complications. Results: The petrosal vein during the operation was fully preserved in 152 cases (54.29%). The SPV were completely sectioned in 25 cases (8.92%), while some branches of SPV were sectioned in 103 cases (36.79%). We found that SPV have 1 to 3 trunks, accounted for 67 cases (23.90%), 168 cases (60%), and 45 cases (16.10%), while the SPV with 1 to 4 branches accounted for 17 cases (6.07%), 112 cases (40%), 136 cases (48.57%), and 15 cases (5.36%). The SPV was identified as offending vessel in 17 cases (6.07%). One patient with cutoff SPV trunk encountered cerebellar infarction and recovered completely at 2 weeks after MVD by using intravenous medication. Conclusions: MVD is the recommended treatment method for PTN, mostly SPV is unnecessary to be sectioned completely and small branches of SPV could be sacrificed. Very few patients may develop cerebellar infarction or hematoma.

Notch pathway is activated in cell culture and mouse models of mutant SOD1-related familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with suppression of its activation as an additional mechanism of neuroprotection for lithium and valproate.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an idiopathic and lethal neurodegenerative disease that currently has no effective treatment. A recent study found that the Notch signaling pathway was up-regulated in a TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) Drosophila model of ALS. Notch signaling acts as a master regulator in the central nervous system. However, the mechanisms by which Notch participates in the pathogenesis of ALS have not been completely elucidated. Recent studies have shown that the mood stabilizers lithium and valproic acid (VPA) are able to regulate Notch signaling. Our study sought to confirm the relationship between the Notch pathway and ALS and whether the Notch pathway contributes to the neuroprotective effects of lithium and VPA in ALS. We found that the Notch pathway was activated in in vitro and in vivo models of ALS, and suppression of Notch activation with a Notch signaling inhibitor, N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl-L-alanyl)]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT) and Notch1 siRNA significantly reduced neuronal apoptotic signaling, as evidenced by the up-regulation of Bcl-2 as well as the down-regulation of Bax and cytochrome c. We also found that lithium and VPA suppressed the Notch activation associated with the superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutation, and the combination of lithium and VPA produced a more robust effect than either agent alone. Our findings indicate that the Notch pathway plays a critical role in ALS, and the neuroprotective effects of lithium and VPA against mutant SOD1-mediated neuronal damage are at least partially dependent on their suppression of Notch activation.

Growth and viability of Liaoning Cashmere goat hair follicles during the annual hair follicle cycle.

Here, we studied hair follicle development of Liaoning Cashmere goats. Every month for 1 year, skin samples were collected from five 1.5-year-old female goats, and made into paraffin sections. A number of parameters were measured of primary and secondary hair follicles via microscopic observation including follicle depth, hair bulb width, dermis and epidermis thickness, changes in follicle activity, and histology. The results showed the presence of three phases in the annual hair cycle: anagen, catagen, and telogen. Primary and secondary hair follicle depth varied across the months; however, no significant difference was obtained between adjacent months (P>0.05). Primary hair follicles had a bigger hair bulb width compared to secondary hair follicles; however, this difference declined during hair follicle developed in anagen. As hair follicle growth slowed, the hair bulb broadened, and hair root depth became shallower. During the entire hair cycle, hair follicle depth and dermis thickness were positively correlated; however, this relationship was not significant (P>0.05) for primary and secondary hair follicle density and the ratio of secondary hair follicle density and primary hair follicle density (S/P ratio). In addition, new and old primary hair follicles coexisted with secondary hair follicles. Finally, secondary hair follicles had a higher activity rate compared to primary hair follicle in adult Liaoning Cashmere goats in certain months.

Guanabenz delays the onset of disease symptoms, extends lifespan, improves motor performance and attenuates motor neuron loss in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brain stem and spinal cord. Currently, there is no cure for this lethal disease. Although the mechanism underlying neuronal cell death in ALS remains elusive, growing evidence supports a crucial role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the pathogenesis of ALS. Recent reports show that guanabenz, a novel inhibitor of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) dephosphorylation, possesses anti-prion properties, attenuates ER stress and reduces paralysis and neurodegeneration in mTDP-43 Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio models of ALS. However, the therapeutic potential of guanabenz for the treatment of ALS has not yet been assessed in a mouse model of ALS. In the present study, guanabenz was administered to a widely used mouse model of ALS expressing copper zinc superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) with a glycine to alanine mutation at position 93 (G93A). The results showed that the administration of guanabenz significantly extended the lifespan, delayed the onset of disease symptoms, improved motor performance and attenuated motor neuron loss in female SOD1 G93A mice. Moreover, western blotting results revealed that guanabenz dramatically increased the levels of phosphorylated-eIF2α (P-eIF2α) protein, without affecting total eIF2α protein levels. The results also revealed a significant decrease in the levels of the ER chaperone glucose-regulated protein 78 (BiP/Grp78) and markers of another two ER stress pathways, activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1). In addition, guanabenz increased the protein levels of anti-apoptotic B cell lymphoma/lewkmia-2 (Bcl-2), and down-regulated the pro-apoptotic protein levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) and cytochrome C in SOD1 G93A mice. Our findings indicate that guanabenz may represent a novel therapeutic candidate for the treatment of ALS, a lethal human disease with an underlying mechanism involving the attenuation of ER stress and mitochondrial stress via prolonging eIF2α phosphorylation.

Expression and localization of the vascular endothelial growth factor and changes of microvessel density during hair follicle development of Liaoning cashmere goats.

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) play important roles in neovascularization, tissue development, and angiogenesis. In this study, changes in VEGF expression patterns and microvessel density (MVD), and their correlations, were investigated during hair follicle development in epidermal appendages of Liaoning cashmere goats. Polyclonal antibodies to VEGF and microvessels were used for monthly immunohistochemical examinations of normal skin specimens from adult female goats for one year. VEGF was expressed in the hair bulb of primary and secondary hair follicles, the outer and inner root sheaths, sebaceous glands (ductal and secretory portions), eccrine sweat glands (ductal and secretory portions), and the epidermis. Abundant expression of VEGF was observed in the follicular basement membrane zone surrounding the bulb matrix and in ductal and secretory portions of eccrine sweat glands. The change in VEGFs in primary hair follicles showed a bimodal pattern, with the first peak observed from March to May, and the second in August. Maximal expression in secondary hair follicles occurred in May and August. Therefore, VEGF expression in primary and secondary hair follicles is synchronized throughout the year, and is correlated to hair development. In the later telogen and anagen phases, VEGF expression was higher in the secondary, compared to the primary, hair follicle. Changes in MVD also showed a bimodal pattern with peaks in May and August. VEGF expression and MVD showed moderate and strongly positive correlation in the primary and secondary hair follicles, respectively. Therefore, MVD and VEGF are closely related to the processes involved in hair cycle regulation.

Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of exons 3 and 4 of IGF-1 gene in pigs.

The IGF-1 gene has been implicated as a candidate gene for the regulation of pig growth traits. We analyzed exons 3 and 4 of IGF-1 gene polymorphisms of the Banna mini-pig (28), the Tibetan mini-pig (30), the Junmu pig (55), and L. Yorkshire species (50) using PCR-SSCP. Three genotypes in exon 3 and 6 genotypes in exon 4 were observed, among which, one single nucleotide polymorphism, G201A, on exon 3 and two single nucleotide polymorphisms, A440G and T455C, on exon 4 were found. Statistical analysis of genotype frequencies revealed that the A allele was dominant in the large pig at the G201A locus (PIC = 0.20-0.34), and the AT alleles were dominant in the large pig at the A440G and T455C loci (PIC = 0.30-0.60). The genotype distribution between the various groups was significantly different (P< 0.01), with the highest heterozygosity seen in Junmu pigs at 0.223 and the lowest seen in L. Yorkshire at 0.098. The genetic distance of the Junmu pig from the L. Yorkshire is the smallest, the distance from the Tibetan miniature pigs is larger, and the distance from the Banna mini-pig is the largest. The IGF-1 gene polymorphism and heterozygosity results from various pig breeds indicate that IGF-1 is substantially polymorphic with significant difference of the polymorphic distribution and expression levels among various pig breeds. This information provides a theoretical basis for the genetic background of miniature pigs but also provides means to breed improved pig varieties.

Preoperative intermittent manual traction in congenital dislocation of the hip.

To avoid prolonged hospitalization and the complications of skin and skeletal traction, we have devised a method of intermittent preoperative manual traction in the treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip. Of 60 hips that were followed for more than 1 year, 88.3% had Class I or Class II results according to Severin's criteria. No hip in this series was complicated by avascular necrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis.