Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Ammonium Sulfate ; analysis ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; methods ; Workplace

Objective To evaluate the safety of dynamic anterior plate fixation for cervical distractive flexion injuries and compare its rigidity between different types of plate design. Methods Twelve sets of cadaveric calf spine were used in this test. All the specimens were made into distractive flexion injury models (C4-C5) ac- cording to Allen's method. After discectomy and grafting, they were randomized into three groups in which Orion, Codman, and Window instrumentations were used respectively. The stiffness of each construct was tested in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial torsion conditions sequentially. Results Compared with an intact cervical spine, the range of motion (ROM) of an injured cervical spine increased whatever plate was applied. Orion in- strumentation presented stiffness the closest to that of the normal control, except for less torsional stiffness. Codman instrumentation provided stiffness close to that for normal and Orion groups only in lateral bending. Window's was the weakest mad not enough in all kinds of movement. Conclusions Static anterior fixation is the first choice for cervical injuries. Dynamic plate fixation may sacrifice stiffness to some extent, especially when a shifting kind of design is to be chosen.

AIMTo investigate the effects of hypoxia on the proliferation and apoptosis of PASMC, to evaluate the role of iNOS protein expression and ADM on the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) pathogenesis.

METHODSTo culture rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC), cultured PASMC cells were grouped into: normoxic group; hypoxic group; hypoxia + L-NAME group; hypoxia+ ADM group. Proliferation of PASMC were investigated by MTT and PCNA. Apoptosis of PASMC were examined by flow-cytometry. Westen blot was used to measure protein expression of iNOS induced by hypoxia.

RESULTS(By MTT, the value of 24 h hypoxia was significantly higher than that in the normoxic group (P < 0.01), the value of the hypoxia + ADM was significantly lower than that in hypoxia group, the value of the hypoxia + L-NAME was significantly higher than those of hypoxic group and normoxic group (P < 0.01). (2) By immunohistochemistry, PCNA was poorly positive in PASMC, whereas positive after 24 h hypoxia (P < 0.01), ADM inhibited the expression of PCNA significantly (P < 0.01), whereas L-NAME increased the expression of PCNA significantly (P < 0.01). (3) By FCM, apoptosis index was not significantly different between the normoxic group, hypoxic group, hypoxia + L-NAME and hypoxia + ADM (P > 0.05). (4) By Western blot, iNOS expression was poorly positive in control group, positive after 4 h hypoxia (P < 0.01), increasing as the hypoxia environment continued (P < 0.01). L-NAME had no effect on iNOS protein, ADM promoted iNOS expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION(1) Hypoxia stimulates the proliferation of PASMC, and has no obvious effects on the apoptosis of PASMC. (2) Hypoxia induces the expression of iNOS, ADM can increase expression of iNOS, ADM and INOS plays a role of protection in HPH pathogenesis.

Adrenomedullin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of daily living activities with location and severity of trau- matic brain injury (TBI) and to provide a theoretical basis for improving the accuracy of expert opinion. METHODS: Five hundred and one cases of patients with TBI were selected. Detailed records included following: pre-injury situation, location and severity of injury, treatment and education. Daily living activi- ties scale (Barthel index) was applied to test the subjects' daily living activities. The relevance among location and severity of TBI and Barthel index was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In mild TBI group, there was no significant difference in Barthel index among each location (P>0.05). In moderate TBI group, there were significant differences in Barthel index between subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral lobe injury, also between parietal, occipital lobes injury and frontal lobe injury, parietal, occipital lobes injury and temporal lobe (P<0.05), respectively, whereas no significant difference in Barthel index between frontal lobe injury and temporal lobe injury (P>0.05). In severe TBI, there were significant differences in Barthel index between every two different locations (P<0.05). CONCLUSION There is some correlation between the location of TBI and Barthel index, which provides an important reference value for analyzing and determining daily living activities after TBI.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Brain Injuries/rehabilitation* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Outcome Assessment, Health Care ; Trauma Severity Indices

OBJECTIVETo identify the original plant of "Daibaijie", commonly used Dai herb.

METHODThe literature review, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, chemistry were used to analysis.

RESULTDaibaijie's historical scientific name, Dregea sinensis Hemsl., was mistakenly given "Daibaijie" and D. sinensis have significant differences from the distribution, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology and chemical composition. "Daibaijie" matches with the characteristics of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in English.

CONCLUSIONDaibaijie's original plant is M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon. The description and illustration of M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in China are wrong. The illustration of M. tenacissima in Flora of China in English is wrong too.

China ; ethnology ; Herbal Medicine ; Marsdenia ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Components, Aerial ; anatomy & histology ; classification

AIM: To investigate chemical constituents of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. METHODS: Isolation and purification were carried out by column chromatographic methods. Compounds were characterized based on their physical characteristics and spectra data. RESULTS: Seventeen compounds were isolated from ethanol extract of S. suberectus. The structures were elucidated as prestegane B (1), (2R, 3R)-buteaspermanol (2), (+)-medioresinol (3), (2R, 3R)-3,7-dihydroxyflavanone (4), benzeneethanol (5), 4, 7, 2'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavanol (6), naringenin (7), blumenol A (8), protocatechuic acid ethyl ester (9), liquiritigenin (10), 7, 4'-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-isoflavone (11), 3, 5, 7, 3', 5'-pentahydroxyflavanone (12), protocatechuic acid (13), glycyroside (14), 8-methylretusin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15), 3, 3', 4', 5, 6, 7, 8-heptahydroxyflavan (16), and dulcisflavan (17). CONCLUSION All compounds are firstly isolated from the title plant and compounds 1, 3 were isolated from the Spatholobus genus for the first time.
4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry

Objective To determine the clinical features,neurophysiological characteristics and cervical magnetic resonance imaging of sensory neumnopathy,and to describe the pathology of skin nerve, sural nerve and spinal dorsal columns.Methods Two patients who died from sensory neuron disease (SND)after infection of digestive tract were discussed including clinical features and ancillary tests which included neurophysiology and pathology of peripheral nerve and spinal dorsal columns.Associated documents are reviewed.Results Early ataxia,widespread sensory symptoms and global loss of deep tendon reflex were the distinctive signs of SND,which was characterized by non-length-dependent abnormalities of sensory nerve action potentials,a hallmark of ganglionopathies.The second patient showed normal cervical magnetic resonance imaging possibly because of short course of disease,while diffuse hyperintensity in the spinal posterior columns of SND was reported.Demyelination of spinal posterior columns and loss of mostly large diameter nerve fibers without regeneration clusters were the main pathological features.Conclusions The distinctive clinical features and neurophysiological characteristics of SND indicate that peripheral sensory nerve fibers are widely damaged.Pathology of spinal posterior columns confirm that central sensory pathway are impaired which allow the localization of the pathologic site to the dorsal root ganglion neurons.Cervical spinal MRI of SND are possibly normal at early phase.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-tumor effects and the mechanism of the recombinant fowlpox virus expressing Apoptin gene on human laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2. METHOD: Hep-2 cells cultured in vitro were infected with vFVApoptin. The anti-tumor effects on Hep-2 cells were measured through MTT staining and, the mitochondrial trans-membrane potential (delta psi m) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the release of cytochrome c (Cyto c). Caspase-3/9 activities were measured by colorimetric assay. RESULT: vFVApoptin could restrain Hep-2 cells significantly and, had the function of down-regulating delta psi m, up-regulating ROS, promoting Cyto c release and activating Caspase-3/9. CONCLUSION Cyto c were released from mitochondria by the function of up-regulating ROS of vFVApoptin. Cyto c triggered Caspase-9 and, after the activation of Caspase-9, downstream apoptotic factors, such as caspase-3, were activated. Eventually, Hep-2 cells were suppressed by mitochondrial pathway apoptosis induced by vFVApoptin.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Chicken anemia virus ; genetics ; Fowlpox virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To observe the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and investigate the impact of Norvasc and Tanatril administrated at different time points based on the theory of time therapeutics in hypertensive patients. Methods The 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure was monitored in 130 inpatients and outpatients with grade 3 or 2 hypertension from May 2008 to November 2009. A total of 34 dipper hypertensive patients were grouped into dipper blood pressure group and 5 mg/d of Norvasc and Tanatril were taken by them at 6:00 AM. A total of 96 nondipper hypertensive patients were further divided into three subgroups after adjustment for age and gender: 5 mg/d of Norvasc and Tanatril were taken by group I (n = 30) at 6:00 AM; 5 mg/d of Tanatril at 6:00 AM and 5 mg/d of Norvasc at 18:00 PM by group Ⅱ (n = 32); 5 mg/d of Norvasc at 6:00 AM and 5 mg/d of Tanatrilat 18:00 PM by group Ⅲ(n=34).The 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed again after four weeks treatment and 24-hour mean systolic blood pressure(24 hSBP),24-hour mean diastolic blood pressure(24 hDBP),daytime and nighttime mean systolic blood pressure(dSBP,nSBP)and daytime and nighttime mean diastolic blood pressure(dDBP,nDBP),were analyzed.Results The 24 hSBP,24 hDBP and dSBP,and dDBP were reduced from(154.3±5.6),(95.4±3.1),(158.7±6.5),(99.6±3.7)mmHg to(137.2±3.9),(82.5±2.7),(139.7±3.8),(85.2±3.5)mmHg,respectively,in dipper blood pressure group(t=2.124,2.356,2.278,2.449,all P<0.05).The 24 hSBP and 24 hDBP of the three groups in nondipper blood pressure were decreased from(154.4±6.1),(156.7±6.7),(156.6±5.2),(95.8±2.8),(94.9±3.8),(95.7±3.2)mmHg to (139.6±4.1),(134.5±4.6),(133.4±3.5),(83.5±4.2),(80.8±5.6),(81.6±4.7)mmHg,respectively(t=2.038,2.040,2.135,2.142,2.213,2.216,all P<0.05).dSBP and dDBP were decreased from(158.6±3.50),(158.4±5.6),(159.5±4.),(98.4±3.7),(99.6±3.7),(83.9±5.2)mmHg to(138.9±5.4),(136.7±4.1),(137.4±6.4),(85.8±5.3),(83.6±5.1),(83.9±5.2)mmHg,respectively(t=2.021,2.252,2.261,2.217,2.167,2.076,all P<0.05).nSBP and nDBP were decreased from(146.7±6.9),(149.8±3.9),(150.2±4.1),(93.7±4.2),(95.7±4.3),(93.4±3.3)mmHg to(133.7±4.6),(129.8±5.7),(127.6±2.8),(87.8±2.9),(78.5±6.4),(77.8±4.8)mmHg,respectively(t=1.798,2.032,2.014,1.864,2.157,2.166,all P<0.05).There were significant differences in nSBP and nDBP among all groups after treatment(F=2.32,2.17,all P<0.05),and the effect of the drugs was better in groug Ⅱ and Ⅲ than in group Ⅰ(q=3.17,4.03,3.32,4.19,all P<0.05),but there were no significant differences between group Ⅱ and Ⅲ(P>0.05).Conclusions Blood pressure can be controlled effectively by taking two antihypertensive medictions in the morning in hypertensive dipper patient but the blood pressure of nondipper hypertensive patients were able to be controlled more efficiently by taking the two antihypertensive medictions separately in the morning and at the evening compared with that taking the two drugs together in the morning.

OBJECTIVETo observe effect of opening point method of ziwu liuzhu on myocardial ischemia in the patient of stroke.

METHODSThirty cases of stroke with myocardial ischemia were treated with opening acupoint according to time of the combination of reinforcing mother point and reducing son point of the heart channel in nazi method of ziwu liuzhu, and 30 cases in the control group were treated with acupuncture at Guangming (GB 37). Changes of electrocardiogram before and after treatment were recorded.

RESULTSST-T segment raised significantly 30 min after treatment with ziwu liuzhu needling method as compared with the control group (P < 0.05), the treatment group being better than the control group.

CONCLUSIONExcessive and deficient changes of the qi and blood in the meridians and collaterals are correlated with time rhythm, and ziwu liuzhu needling method can increase clinical therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Stroke ; therapy