Objective To investigate the efficacy of microendoscopic tubular retractor system (METRx) in the management of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Methods By using the METRx system with modified instruments, the lumbar discectomy was performed in 550 cases. During the operation, patients were placed in a knee-chest sitting position, and the instrumentation was utilized into the vertebral canal through the ligamenta flava. Results The patients were followed for 6~36 months (mean, 21 months). According to the Nakai criteria, the curative outcomes were “excellent” in 478 cases (86.9%), “good” in 60 cases (10.9%),“fair” in 6 cases (1.1%), and “poor” in 6 cases (1.1%). The 6 cases with “poor” results obtained “fair” results after a re-operation of lateral recess enlargement and residual nucleus removal under microendoscope. Conclusions Lumbar discectomy with the utilization of the METRx system is minimally invasive, safe and effective.

Objective To analyze the incidence of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) in patients with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage(t-SAH), time windows of CVS as well as the risk factors. Method A total of 98 patients,with t -SAH admitted from June 2007 to December 2008, were enrolled for this prospective study. The hemodynamics of middle cerebral artery (MCA) in these patients was monitored with trancranial Doppler (TCD) daily for 7 days after admission and on the 14th day of hospital stay. The incidence of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) in patients with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (t-SAH) ,time windows of CVS as well as the risk factors were analyzed. Results Of them, 41 patients (41.8%) had CVS. The flow velocity of MCA in patients with GCS≤ 8 was significantly higher than that in patients with GCS≥9. Classified by t-SAH cumulative blood Hijdra method, 2(4.44%) of 45 patients(45.9%)with scores 6 or less,9 (29.0%)of 31 patients (37.8%) with scores 6～ 13,and 8 (36.4%) of 22 patients (20.0%)with scores 13 or more had CVS. Severe CVS occurred in 13 (35. 1% )of 37 surgical patients (37.8%), and local cerebral infarction occurred in four surgical patients after symptomatic treatment. The flow velocity of the MCA was significantly higher in surgical patients than that in non-surgical patients 3 days after admission. Conclusions The severity of original trauma, bleeding, location of t-SAH and operation are the major risk factors to lead to CVS in patients with t-SAH. Attention should he paid to those risk factors during the treatment of patients with t-SAH.

Objective To compare the pharmacokinetics difference of methotrexate ( MTX) alone or MTX combined with the decoction of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae ( RSM) in rats, and to investigate the possible impact of RSM on the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of MTX after oral administration. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were given MTX (7 mg/kg) alone or MTX together with RSM (3.085 g/kg) respectively. At different time points, blood was sampled from orbital venous plexus and then was precipitated by perchloric acid. The serum concentration of MTX was determined by using high performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC) method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a reversed-phase Diamonsil C18 (2) column with the mobile phase of methanol-formic acid water solution (formic acid in volume fraction of 0.1%) in gradient elution. The column temperature was 27 ℃, flow rate was 1 mL/min, detection wavelength was 302 nm, and the injection volume was 10 μL. The results were analyzed by pharmacokinetic software DAS ( 2.1.1) by non-compartment model. Results The linearity of the calibration curve for MTX was good in the range of 0.097 6 ~ 12.5 mg/L, the detection limit was 0.097 6 mg/L and the recovery was in the range of 77.5% ~ 86.6%. Compared with MTX group, the peak-arriving time of MTX-RSM group was advanced, and the clearance of MTX was delayed. Area under concentration-time curve at 0-t (AUC(0-t)) was increased by 0.609 times, and AUC(0-∞) was increased by 0.786 times. Conclusion The decoction of RSM exerts an effect on promoting the absorption of MTX, delaying the clearance of MTX and enhancing the bioavailability of MTX in vivo.

Objective To explore the diagnostic performance of 64-slice spiral CT combined with exercise treadmill test for coronary artery disease ( CAD). Methods Eighty-six patients suspected of CAD were divided into low risk group, intermediate risk group and high risk group according to estimated pretest probabilities of CAD. All patients underwent coronary angiography, 64-slice spiral CT and exercise treadmill test. With coronary artery stenosis rate >50% as positive findings, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value ( PPV), negative predictive value ( NPV) and accuracy of 64-slice spiral CT and 64-slice spiral CT combined with exercise treadmill test in diagnosis of CAD were calculated. Results With coronary angiography as the "golden criteria", the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 64-slice spiral CT in diagnosis of CAD were 95.2% , 88.6% , 88.9% , 95.1% and 91.9% , respectively. The sensitivity of low risk group, intermediate risk group and high risk group was 100% , 100% and 92.6%, specificity was 94.4% , 94.1% and 66.7%, PPV was 80.0%, 91.7% and 89.3%, NPV was 100% , 100% and 75.0%, and accuracy was 95.5% , 96.4% and 86.1%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 64-slice spiral CT combined with exercise treadmill test in diagnosis of CAD were 97.6%, 97.7%, 97.6%, 97.7% and 97.7%, respectively. Conclusion 64-slice spiral CT combined with exercise treadmill test works well in screening CAD, especially for those with a low or intermediate estimated pretest probability.

Objective An analysis was carried out for the reports of traditional Chinese medical syndrome patterns of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients in related reports issued in the recent 35 years, thus to explore the characteristics of syndrome patterns of PsA patients and to supply evidence for the syndrome classification. Methods Electronic retrieval was performed in the reports of PsA syndrome analysis issued in the Chinese medical journals from the year of 1979 to 2013. Traditional Chinese medical syndrome information of PsA patients was extracted from the reports, and then was standardized and classified. SPSS 17.0 software was applied for the analysis of occurrence frequency of syndromes, syndrome elements, tongue and pulse states. Results A total of 84 reports were obtained, and 26 reports met the inclusion criteria. In the 26 included reports, 10 kinds of tongue texture, 15 kinds of tongue fur and 22 kinds of pulse states were present. After the standardization of the syndromes, a total of 39 syndrome patterns were obtained. After combination of the similar syndromes, 14 syndromes were included into the analysis. In the 14 included syndrome patterns, the leading 5 patterns were wind-damp heat arthralgia, wind-heat with blood dryness, excessive heat toxin, wind-cold damp arthralgia, and liver-kidney deficiency. Fourteen syndrome elements were extracted from the syndromes, and 9 were included into the analysis after combination of the similar syndrome elements. The top syndrome elements were heat, phlegm-dampness, wind, dryness, deficiency, and blood stasis. Conclusion The syndrome patterns of PsA patients are various, and the syndrome elements of cold, heat, phlegm-dampness, wind, dryness, and blood stasis play an important role in the pathogenesis of PsA.

Objective To explore the effect of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on activity in the intact motor cortex controlling the suprahyoid muscles and thus on dysphagia after an unilateral stroke.Methods Forty patients suffering dysphagia more than two weeks after a unilateral cerebral stroke were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group,each of 20.Both groups were given traditional swallowing rehabilitation training,while the experimental group was additionally provided with 5 Hz rTMS for two weeks.Before and after the treatment,all of the patients were characterized using X-ray fluoroscopy,video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and surface electromyography,and their swallowing was evaluated using a standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) and a penetration-aspiration scale (PAS).Results After the treatment,significant improvement was observed in both groups in the average swallowing time and in the maximum amplitude of sEMG,as well as the average SSA,PAS and VFSS scores (P＜0.05).The average values in the experimental group were in all cases significantly better than the control group's averages (P＜0.05).Conclusion Applying rTMS at 5 Hz to the motor cortex of the contralateral hemisphere controlling the suprahyoid muscles can effectively improve unilateral-hemisphere dysphagia after stroke.

Objective:To observe any effect of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of a cerebellar hemisphere on the walking of stroke survivors with lower limb dysfunction, and to explore its possible mechanism.Methods:Thirty stroke survivors with walking dysfunction were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each of 15. Before their daily routine rehabilitation, the control group received fake iTBS while the experimental group was given 600 pulses of iTBS over 200s. The experiment continued 5 days a week for 3 weeks. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Fugl-Meyer lower extremity assessment (FMA-LE), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) were used before and after the treatment to evaluate the subjects′ balance, lower extremity motor function, walking and ability in the activities of daily living. Gait analysis was also performed. The amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and the cortical silent period (CSP) were also noted to assess corticospinal excitability.Results:After the treatment, the average BBS, FMA-LE and MBI scores, FAC grading, stride length, stride speed, stride frequency, and the percentage of swing period in the walking cycle, as well as MEP amplitude and latency had improved significantly in the experimental group. All were then significantly better, on average, than in the control group. The control group also demonstrated significant improvement in all of the outcomes except the percentage of swing period in the walking cycle.Conclusion:iTBS of the cerebellum can improve the walking of stroke survivors with lower limb dysfunction. The mechanism may be related to the cerebellar regulation of spinal cord excitation of the cerebral cortex.

OBJECTIVE：To establish th e fingerp rint and c onduct cluster analysis of Hefu zhiyang decoction （HFZYD），and establish the method for content determination of 8 components，so as to provide reference for the quality control of HFZYD. METHODS：UPLC method was adopted. The determination was performed on ACQUITY UPLC BEH C 18 column with mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile- 0.1％ glacial acetic acid solution （gradient elution ）at the flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The column temperature maintained at 30 ℃，and detection wavelength was 236 nm. The sample size was 5 μL. The fingerprint of 10 batches of HFZYD was established with Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatographic Fingerprints （2012 edition）. Compared with substance control ，the common peaks were identified. The similarity evaluation was conducted. SPSS 21.0 software was used to conduct cluster analysis of 10 batches of samples. The contents of 8 components such as gallic acid in 10 batches of samples were determined by above UPLC. RESULTS ：There were 34 common peaks in the UPLC fingerprint of 10 batches of HFZYD ， identified as peak 1 was gallic acid ，peak 10 was ferulic acid ，peak 13 was astilbin ，peak 23 was paeonol ，peak 28 was dictamnine，peak 31 was obacunone ，peak 32 was fraxinellone ，and peak 34 was osthole. Its similarity with the control fingerprint was 0.923-0.979. Among 10 batches of samples ，S1，S2，S5，S6，S7，S8 and S 10 were clustered into one category ，and S 3，S4 and S 9 were clustered into one category. The average contents of above 8 components were 0.596-0.714，0.262-0.321，7.647-9.859， 0.113-0.644，0.170-0.202，0.854-1.281，0.631-0.857，3.243-3.548 mg/g，respectively. CONCLUSIONS ：UPLC fingerprint and the method for content determination of 8 components in HFZYD are established successfully.