Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Periarthritis ; therapy ; Punctures ; Treatment Outcome

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Short-Wave Therapy ; Spinal Diseases ; therapy ; Thoracic Vertebrae

Objective To study the techniques of the treatment for epidermoid with endoscope-as- sisted microneurosurgery.Methods The suboccipital,infratemporal transtentorial approach and endoscope- assisted microneurosurgery were used.Results Total resection was achieved in 10 cases,and subtotal resec- tion was made only in 2, and had no complications of all.Conclusion Endoscope-assisted microneuro- surgery can increase the total-resection rate for tumors,and reduce complications.

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at key acupoints combined with the routine rehabilitation training of limb function on spasmodic hemiplegia after cerebral infarction.

METHODSEighty-six cases were randomized into an acupuncture combined with rehabilitation group (group A, 44 cases) and a rehabilitation group (group B, 42 cases). In group A, the key acupoints were selected from head, face, chest, abdomen, shoulder, back, hands, feet and ankles such as Cuanzhu (BL 2), Danzhong (CV 17), Jianyu (LI 15) and Yanglao (SI 16) were stimulated with acupuncture. In combination, the routine limb rehabilitation training was applied, once every day. In group B, the routine limb rehabilitation training was applied alone. In both groups, 10 treatments made one session and 2 sessions were required totally. Before and after treatment, Fugl-Meyer scale and functional independent measurement (FIM) scale were adopted to assess the limb motor level and the activity of daily life in the patients respectively. The modified Ashworth scale was used to assess the effect of anti-spasm.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of anti-spasm was 90.9% (40/44) in the group A, which was superior to 73.8% (32/42) in the group B (P < 0.05). After 2 sessions of treatment, Fugl-Meyer score and FIM score were all improved in both groups (all P < 0.05) and the results in the group A were better than those in the group B (all P < 0.05). Additionally, the improvement of FIM score after the 1st session of treatment in the group A was better as compared with the group B, indicating the significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at key acupoints combined with rehabilitation therapy effectively relieves the spasmodic condition of the patients with post-stroke spasmodic hemiplegia, improves the limb function and the life activity of the patients.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; etiology ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

This paper reviews the new progress in the research of fractional carbon dioxide laser in treating hypertrophic scar after burn injury, which remains a challenging problem for burn care surgeons. There have been many traditional therapeutic approaches, such as compression remedy, operation, and so on. However, a satisfactory method is lacking to date. In recent years, the newly developed fractional carbon dioxide laser has been employed to treat different kinds of scars, and it has been proved to be effective in terms of an improvement of scar color, texture, and rigidity. It seems to be a promising method for scar treatment in future.
Burns ; surgery ; Cicatrix ; surgery ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; surgery ; Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo isolate and identify the cancer stem cells from primary human ovarian cancer tissues.

METHODSFresh tumor tissues from five cases of pathologically diagnosed ovarian cancers were taken, minced and then digested with collagenase and hyaluronidase to obtain single cell suspension. The erythrocytes were removed with ACK Lysis buffer. The suspensions were sorted by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) using CD133-binding microbeads. Then the sorted CD133(+) cells were verified by flow cytometry. The cells were cultured in serum-free medium supplemented with EGF, bFGF, insulin and BSA, and grew into spheroids. Immunofluorescence, differentiation and tumor formation tests of the cells were performed to characterize the properties of cancer stem cells.

RESULTSThe ovarian cancer stem cells were successfully isolated from primary human ovarian tumors, which formed typical spheroids in serum-free medium and had stronger ability of tumorigenesis. The results of related experiments verified that CD133 positive cells owned the properties of cancer stem cells.

CONCLUSIONSThe ovarian cancer stem cells presenting the characteristics of stemness in vitro and in vivo, have been successfully isolated from primary human ovarian tumor tissues by MACS. The isolated ovarian cancer stem cells could be used in future researches of their biological functions.

AC133 Antigen ; Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunomagnetic Separation ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred NOD ; Mice, SCID ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Peptides ; metabolism

To investigate the role and mechanism of ceramide (Cer) regulation in alcohol-induced neuronal proliferation and the newborn neurons formation, we used sphingomyelin synthase 2 (predominant enzyme of Cer metabolism) knockout (SMS2(-/-)) and wild type (WT) female mice to establish the model of prenatal alcohol exposure. In 24 h after being given birth (postnatal day 0, P0), the offspring of model mice received blood sphingomyelin (SM) measurement with enzymatic method. On P0, P7, P14 and P30, the proliferation of granule cells in the dentate gyrus and newborn neurons were investigated with immunofluorescent labeling. The expression of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) in the hippocampus was tested with Western blot analysis. The results showed that the SM level of blood in SMS2(-/-) pups was significantly lower than that in WT pups. No matter in SMS2(-/-) or WT mice, the prenatal alcohol exposure down-regulated the SM levels in pups with dose-dependency. In both SMS2(-/-) and WT pups, the number of proliferative neurons and newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus gradually decreased with the growing age. Compared with the WT pups, SMS2(-/-) pups showed significantly more proliferative neurons and newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus. Notably, prenatal alcohol exposure dose-dependently increased proliferative neurons and newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus in both WT and SMS2(-/-) pups. The hippocampal expression of PKCα protein in SMS2(-/-) mice was lower than that in WT mice, and prenatal alcohol exposure could up-regulate the PKCα protein expression in both WT and SMS2(-/-) mice with dose dependency. These results suggest that alcohol exposure during pregnancy can induce the compensatory neural cell proliferation and the production of newborn neurons in offspring, and the Cer-ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P) pathway is involved in alcohol-induced neural cell proliferation. The activation of PKCα may be a key step to start the Cer-C1P pathway and up-regulate the alcohol-induced neural cell proliferation and the newborn neurons formation.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Ceramides ; metabolism ; Dentate Gyrus ; cytology ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Neurons ; cytology ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; physiopathology ; Protein Kinase C-alpha ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups) ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo test a new cast-making method based on computer aided design (CAD) and rapid prototyping (RP) technology for defected maxilla.

METHODSHead CT data of 12 patients with defected maxilla were transmitted into a computer. Three-dimensional digital image of the patient's defected maxilla was then obtained based on Mimics 8.11 and Geomagic 7.0 and the plastic cast of the defected region was manufactured by prototyping. The obturator was made on this plastic cast that duplicated the undercut tissue of defected area. The prominent part of the obturator was made of elastic heat-curing resin and it was helpful to gain the retention through the engagement between the obturator and the tissue undercut. After the obturator was finished, the upper removable partial denture was fabricated in conventional method. The combination of these two parts was achieved using magnetic attachment. Clinical effects of obturator and removable partial denture were evaluated and the nasalance value of 5 patients before and after insertion of the obturator was measured using nanometer.

RESULTSThe obturator and removable partial denture could be seated into place separately. They all had good retention and stability. After the obturator was seated in place, the nasalance of non-nasal and vowel text decreased from (46.53 +/- 13.86)% to (22.60 +/- 8.52)% (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe cast-making method based on CAD and RP technology for cast-making of defected maxilla is feasible and practical.

Adult ; Computer-Aided Design ; Dental Casting Technique ; Dental Models ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Maxilla ; injuries ; Middle Aged

Left ventricular hypertrophy associated with the use of tacrolimus is a rare complication of solid organ transplantation in adult recipients. We present a cardiac transplant recipient who developed severe concentric left ventricular hypertrophy with congestive heart failure related to myocardial hypertrophy on tacrolimus. Hypertrophy improved when the drug was discontinued and replaced with sirolimus.
Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; chemically induced ; diagnosis ; Female ; Heart Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Tacrolimus ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

The physiological significance of skeletal muscle mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) in hypoxia is elusive. In the current study, UCP3 mRNA and protein expressions were investigated along with mitochondrial respiratory function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, as well as manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) expression in rat skeletal muscle with or without endurance training after an acute and severe hypobaric hypoxia exposure for different time. Acute hypoxia induced a series of impairments in skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics. In untrained rats, UCP3 protein content increased by 60% above resting level at 4 h hypoxia, whereas MnSOD protein content and activity were unaltered. UCP3 upregulation increased mitochondrial uncoupling respiration thus reducing O2(.-) generation, but inevitably decreased ATP production. Training decreased acute hypoxia-induced upregulation of UCP3 protein (67% vs 42%) in rat skeletal muscle. ROS production in trained rats also showed a dramatic decrease at 2 h, 4 h and 6 h, respectively, compared with that in untrained rats. MnSOD protein contents and activities were significantly (50% and 34%) higher in trained than those in untrained rats. Training adaptation of MnSOD may enhance the mitochondrial tolerance to ROS production, and reduce UCP3 activation during severe hypoxia, thus maintaining the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. In trained rats, mitochondrial respiratory control (RCR) and P/O ratios were maintained relatively constant despite severe hypoxia, whereas in untrained rats RCR and P/O ratios were significantly decreased. These results indicate that (1) UCP3 mRNA and protein expression in rat skeletal muscle are upregulated during acute and severe hypobaric hypoxia, which may reduce the increased cross-membrane potential (Deltapsi) and thus ROS production; (2) Endurance training can blunt hypoxia-induced UCP3 upregulation, and improve mitochondrial efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation due to increased removal of ROS.
Animals ; Energy Metabolism ; Ion Channels ; physiology ; Membrane Potentials ; Mitochondria, Muscle ; physiology ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; physiology ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Physical Endurance ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Uncoupling Protein 3