Objective To explore how the spared muscles in upper limbs and trunk compensated for elbow extension movements in patients with SCI at the level of C_5 and C_6.Methods Fifteen patients with SCI at the level of C_5 and C_6 and fifteen healthy subjects were divided into an SCI group and a control group respectively.The surface EMG recorded from the anterior dehoid,middle deltoid,posterior deltoid,triceps braehii muscle,biceps braehii muscle,upper peetoralis,serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi during four elbow extension activities including grasp- ing cup,reaching for light-switch,wheelchair ambulation and upper limb weight-bearing.The relative EMG intensi- ties of muscles were expressed as a percentage of maximal voluntary contraction.Results Several muscles partici- pated in the activity simultaneously when both groups of subjects performed every motor task.But the primary muscles involved in the movements were different between the two groups.Furthermore,the SCI group tended to employ more muscles than the controls to perform a activity.The compensatory strategies used in various motor tasks by the spared muscles were different.Conclusion The motorueuron recruitment patterns used by the C_(5～6)SCI patients in per- forming elbow extension activities could be different from those by the healthy subjects.The patients accomplished performing different motor tasks by changing their compensatory strategies.

Objective To identify interleukin (IL)-17-producing T cells and Foxp3 positive CD4 positive T ceils from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and investigate their cytokine levels as well as their correlations. Methods Flow cytometry was used to analyze the subsets of T cells in peripheral blood from 39 RA patients and 40 healthy donors. IL-17, IL-6, IL-23 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta levels in sera of these subjects were tested by ELISA. Results IL-17+CD4+ T cells increased significantly and IL-17, IL-6 and IL-23 elevated markedly in peripheral blood of RA patients compared to healthy donors (P< 0.01 ). However,Foxp3+CD4+T cells decreased evidently (P<0.01) and TGF-beta did not increase in RA pati-ents when compared to healthy donors (P>0.05). Conclusion This study suggests that Th17 cells predomin-ance coupled with relatively insufficient CD4+ regulatory T cells in RA is mainly caused by alterations of rela-ted cytokines.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion for pancreatic cancer with liver metastases (PCLM).

METHODSWe retrospectively selected 292 patients with PCLM who were treated by Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2001 to December 2010. All patients were assigned to the Western medicine treatment group (157 cases) and the integrative medicine treatment group (135 cases). Patients in the Western medicine treatment group were treated with gemcitabine (GEM)-based chemotherapy, and partial of them received regional arterial perfusion. Those in the integrative medicine treatment group additionally took Chinese herbs of clearing heat and eliminating mass for at least 4 weeks. The median survival time (MST) , adverse reactions and the incidence of complications were observed.

RESULTSThere was no statistical significance in general data between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in MST between the two groups (4.8 months vs 5.5 months, P < 0.05). No death occurred during chemotherapy or regional arterial perfusion. All toxic or adverse reactions were tolerable.

CONCLUSIONChinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion was effective and safe, and it could be optimally selected as palliative therapy for PCLM.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Complementary Therapies ; methods ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

AIM:To observe related biological parameters of 3 minutes dark-room provocative test in patients with laser peripheral iridectomy(LPI) in the fellow eyes of acute primary angle-closure (APAC) by ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).To explore the risk factors in primary angle closure suspect(PACS) patients with progressive angle closure after LPI.METHODS: Seventy-eight eyes of APAC patients without peripheral anterior synechia were selected.Each eye underwent 3 minutes dark-room provocative test after LPI.Anterior segment parameters, including anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber angle open distance500 (AOD500), peripheral iris thickness (PIT), iris convex (IC), the position of iris insertion and trabecular-ciliary process distance (TCPD), and the number of positional angle closure(NPAC) were observed and analyzed by statistic methods.RESULTS:Patients with APAC were examined by UBM after LPI and 26 eyes(33%) occurs at least one positional angle closure,19 eyes(24%)were positive in 3 minutes dark-room provocative test among them.It occurs a positive relationship between the elevation intraocular pressure and the number of positional angle closure in dark-room provocative test(r=0.84, P<0.01).AOD500, IT and IC were significantly changed from normal light to darkroom between positional angle closure positive group and positional angle closure negative group(all P<0.01).In single factor analysis, AOD500(P=0.003), IT(P=0.012), IC(P=0.043), TPCD(P=0.015), the position of iris insertion(P=0.024) were correlative factors of positive results.In multiple-factor analysis, only IT(P=0.011), TPCD(P=0.009), iris root attachment points(P=0.02) were independent risk factors of positive results.CONCLUSION:A certain proportion of patients with PACS after LPI appeared positional angle closure in a dark room.Peripheral iris hypertrophy, anterior displacement of the ciliary body and iris root attachment points are vital risk factors.Long-term follow-up study and intervention treatment are required in these patients after LPI.

Objective To study the clinical significance and changes of serum cardiac troponin I (CTnI) levels in children's viral encephalitis merged with myocarditis or myocardium injury.Methods CTnI and myocardium zymogram levels were detected in 40 children with viral encephalitis and other 40 children as the controls by means of ELISA.Results CTnI and myocardium zymogram levels in viral encephalitis were significantly higher than those in controls(P

Objective To investigate the clinical and electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics of children with electrical status cpilepticus during sleep (ESES), and the response to medication therapy. Methods AEEG and VEEG including an entire sleeping c-ycle were performed on 26 patients with ESES. The clinical and EEG changes, neuropsychological impairment and the response to medication therapy were followed up. Results Twenty five patients had seizures,21 cases had normal psychomotor development before ESES. After the onset of the disease,Fifteen cases developed language disorder, 16 cases developed psychological and behavior abnormalities, 13 cases had both of the problems Seventeen patients belonged to epileptic syndrome. Patients in this cohort had good response to clonazepam and valproate treatment. Cortical steroid could dispel the electrical discharge. Eighteen patients had been followed up. Seizures stopped in 15 cases after treatment ESES disappeared in 16 cases, 4 of them still had neuropsychological impairment ESES sustained in 2 cases Conclusions ESES is a specific EEG phenomenon. Continue epileptic form discharge during non - rapid cye movement sleep is the major cause of neuropsychological impairment in patients with ESES. To control the seizures and electrical state are very important for the prevention and treatment of neuropsychological impairment.

Benzene ; adverse effects ; analysis ; chemistry ; Catalysis ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment ; Vehicle Emissions ; analysis ; Workplace

Objective To evaluate the effect of digital subtraction angiography and transcatheter embolization for gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Methods Twenty patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage received celiac arteries,superior mesenteric arteries and inferior mesenteric arteries angiography. Superselective angiography were performed when the arteries were suspicious by clinic or angiogrraphy.Ten patients with definite diagnosis and manifestation of hemorrhagic arteries by angiography were embolized after superseleetive catheterization with gelfoam particles,gelfoam particles and coils,polyvinyl alcohol particles. Results The positive signs were observed in 13 cases.The DSA features including contrast medium accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract outside vascular,aneurysm,tumorous vascularization and staining, artery affect and local vasospasm.The bleedings were stopped immediately in 8 patients.No rebleeding and intestinal ischaemia or necrosis were observed in 30 days.One patient died in the second day after embolization from multiple organ failure.Rebleeding occurred 3 days after embolization in another patient, and was recovered after surgical operation.Conclusion DSA is more effective for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal vascular malformation and tumors complicating acute bleeding.Transcatheter embolization is effective and safe to control the hemorrhage.

Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Syndrome ; Video Recording

AIM: The study was undertaken to investigate the effort of Dexamethasone (DEX) on cultured rabbit corneal epithelial (RCE) cells and rabbit corneal epithelial wound healing.METHODS: For the in vitro experiments, primary cultures of RCE cells were used. DEX in different concentrations was added to cultured RCE cells. The effects were measured with tetrazolium salt (MTT)method and flow cytometry. For the in vivo wound-healing experiments, a central corneal deepithelialization was created and were treated with 0.1g/L DEX eyedrop randomly explain how randomly. Epithelial wound healing was evaluated clinically and analyzed histopathologically using light microscopy along with immunohistochemical staning and electronic microscopy.RESULTS: Less than 0.1g/L DEX didn't influence survival rate in cell culture conditions by MTT assay. Flow cytometric studies revealed that 0.1g/L DFX had no effect on cellular growth phase in cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells. The mean time of the epithelial healing was significantly shorter in the DEX-treated group than in the control group at 24h. There were strong proliferative-cell-nuclear-antigen(PCNA) expressions in newly generated epithelial cells of both groups. The Dex-treated group had a more regular architecture of stromal lamella and significantly less inflammatory response than the control group under electronic microscopy.CONCLUSION: Less than 0.1g/L DEX had no inhibiting effect on cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cell growth.0.1g/L DEX eye drops can effectively promote epithelial growth and reduce inflammatory response, which may have useful clinical application at the early stage of corneal wound healing process.