Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective death of motor neurons and progressive paralysis. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain its pathogenesis. In recent years, one of the most studied hypotheses was the inflammatory response accompanying the motor neuron death. Microglia and its interactions with motor neurons play important roles in the development and progression of the inflammatory responses and the disease itself, which results in different new and potent therapeutic strategies of great clinical values.

External fixators have been widely u sed in treatment of war trauma due to t heir small size,light weight,easy application,and convenience in transport.There are several types of military external fixato r,such as FESSA(Fixateur Externe du Service de Sant?des Arm?es),CMC(Croatian Medical Corps),Synthes and Hoffman-Ⅱ.All of these have been used on the battlefields of Rwandese War,Croatia Wa r and the first Persian Gulf War.Most of military external fixators are unilateral connectable-joint.For temp orary fixation,one bar is enough;by adding another parallel bar,the fixation can be use d for long-time fixing.Facing with a great demand of war trauma treatment ,we should develop new types of military external fixator with more simplicity and less size or weight. [

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective death of motor neurons and progressive paralysis. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain its pathogenesis. In recent years,one of the most studied hypotheses was the inflammatory response accompanying the motor neuron death. Microglia and its interactions with motor neurons play important roles in the development and progression of the inflammatory responses and the disease itself,which results in different new and potent therapeutic strategies of great clinical value.

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength ; Piriformis Muscle Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is characterized by absence of epithelial phenotype and acquiring of mesenchymal properties. EMT participates not only in normal embryonic development, wound healing and tissue reconstruction, but also in various pathologic processes, including fibrosis and carcinogenesis. EMT can facilitate the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells to distant tissues, and confer the metastatic cancer cells self-renewal ability of stem cells, contributing to macroscopical metastasis formation and multiple resistance to treatment. Recent studies have revealed that several transcription factors, signaling pathways, microRNAs and microenvironment components are involved in this process. Here we summarize the recent progress on the roles of EMT and cancer stem cells in tumor metastasis, hoping to provide new insights in target therapy of tumor metastasis and recurrence.

Background: Induction of anaesthesia with propofol is often associated with a significant decrease in arterial pressure, especially in the older population. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of phenylephrine in two different doses i.e. 100mcg and 200mcg, given during induction to counteract the anticipated hypotensive effect of propofol in older patients aged over 55 years. Methods: Seventy-two ASA physical status I – II patients aged 55 years or older were randomly allocated to group 1 (received propofol mixed with normal saline), group 2 (propofol mixed with 100mcg of phenylephrine) or group 3 (propofol mixed with 200mcg of pheynylphrine). Anaesthesia was induced with fentanyl 1.5mcg/kg and propofol 2mg/kg (mixed with the study drug). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at 1 minute intervals for up to 5 minutes after induction. Results: SBP, MAP and DBP decreased significantly after induction in the control group and group 2 (phenylephrine 100mcg). In contrast, SBP was maintained to near baseline for the first two minutes after induction using phenylephrine 200mcg in group 3, and similar trends were seen with MAP and DBP at a lesser magnitude. Conclusion: Phenylephrine 200mcg is more effective than 100mcg in attenuating propofol induced hypotension, especially during the first two minutes after induction, in patients aged 55 years and above.
Phenylephrine ; Propofol

Objective To study the efficacy and indications of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) for small primary liver cancer(SPLC). Methods The clinical data of 16 patients with SPLC treated by PRFA were analysed retrospectively. Results The diameter of tumor in all 16 patients were ≤3cm. After PEFA, AFP from postive returned to negative in 93.3% of patients; and BUS and CT showed the tumors shrinking with capsule formation. The 0.5,1,2-year survival rate were 93.8%,100%,100% respectively. Conclusions PRFA for SPLC has advantages such as minitrauma, safe and effective, especiolly suitable to the patients with contrainsications of operation, or the tumor locating to the deep position of liver, or around inferior vena cava, hepatic veins or hepatic porta etc.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Qiangji Recipe (QR) in ad- junctive treatment of axial undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (axuSpA) through a four-week open study.

METHODSFifty-four axuSpA patients of Shen-deficiency Du-channel cold syndrome (SDDCS) in line with inclusive criteria were recruited and assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random digit table, 27 in each group. Patients in the control group took Celecoxib Capsule (0.2 g each time, twice per day). Patients in the treatment group additionally took QR (consisting of Herba Epimedii 15 g, antler glue 15 g, Cibotium Barometz 15 g, eucommia bark 20 g, dipsacus asper 10 g, two toothed achyranthes root 15 g, drynaria 15 g, Taxillus Chinensis 20 g, ground beetle 10 g, scorpion 5 g, wild celery 10 g, notopterygium incisium 10 g, cow-fat seed 10 g, white mustard seed 6 g, and licorice root 6 g, one dose per day, twice daily). The therapeutic course for all was 4 weeks. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI), total body pain and spinal pain, patient and physician global assessment on a four-point scale, the Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured before and after 4 weeks of treatment. The primary end point in this study was the proportion of patients with a 20%improvement response accord- ing to the ASAS International Working Group Criteria (ASAS 20 responders) at week 4.

RESULTSTotally 50 patients completed this trial, 26 in the treatment group and 24 in the control group. Improvement of BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI, ASQoL, ESR, and CRP was shown in both groups after treatment. Better effect was shown in the treatment group in all indices except ESR and BASMI after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Twenty cases (accounting for 76.92%) in the treatment group achieved ASAS 20 response at week 4, while 12 cases (accounting for 50.00%) in the control group achieved ASAS 20 response at week 4 (P < 0.05). No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONQR combined Celecoxib Capsule showed better effect in treating axuSpA patients than using Celecoxib Capsule alone.

Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pain ; Quality of Life ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy