Objective To explore the application of naphthyl ethylenediamine method for determination of nitrite in cosmetics. Methods The concentrations of nitrite in cosmetics were determined by hydrochloric acid-naphthylethylenediamine method. The experiments on working curve, precision and recovery rate were carried out. Results In the range of 0～12. 5 μg/50 ml nitrite,the correlation coefficient r value,recovery rate and relative standard deviation was 0. 9996,97. 7％～100. 2％ and 2.35％～4. 51％ respectively. Conclusion This method for determination of nitrite by hydrochloric acid and naphthyl ethylenediamine was simple,quick and accurate.

Objective: To investigate the differences of biochemical markers between the patients with pulmonary hypertension related to left heart disease (PH-LHD) and LHD; to explore the sensitive bio markers which may predict PH in LHD patients. Methods: A total of 355 LHD patients admitted to our hospital from 2014-01 to 2015-05 were enrolled. According to 2009 ESC/ERS guidelines, PH was deifned by pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP)>50 mmHg and patients were divided into 2 groups: LHD group,n=224 and PH-LHD group,n=131. The basic information with blood levels of biomarkers was recorded and their accuracy for predicting PH was analyzed. Results: The pathogenesis of LHD included 184 (51.83%) patients of coronary heart disease, 90 (25.35%) of dilated cardiomyopathy and 81 (22.81%) of cardiac valve heart disease. Compared with LHD group, PH-LHD group had increased ratio of NYHA III and IV degree (89.31% vs 45.54%), decreased LVEF [42.0 (33.0, 59.0) % vs 60.0 (42.0, 65.0) %], all P<0.001; PH-LHD group presented elevated blood levels of BNP, bilirubin, red cell distribution width (RDW), uric acid and cystatin C, while reduced lipoprotein (HDL), allP<0.001. PASP was positively related to biomarkers as BNP, bilirubin, RDW, uric acid and cystatin C, while negatively related to HDL. With the combination of BNP, direct bilirubin and RDW, the predictive value for PH-LHD under ROC curve was 0.828 with the sensitivity at 0.813, speciifcity at 0.708. Conclusion: Blood levels of biochemical markers were statistically different between the patients of PH-LHD and LHD; the combination of BNP, direct bilirubin and RDW showed the higher accuracy for predicting PH occurrence in LHD patients.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of skin needling plus heat-sensitive moxibustion in treating chronic facial paralysis. Methods:Sixty patients with chronic facial paralysis were divided into an observation group and an acupuncture group by using the random number table, 30 in each group. Patients in the observation group were given skin needling plus heat-sensitive moxibustion; while patients in the acupuncture group were given conventional acupuncture. Results:Three treatment courses later, the total effective rate was 93.3% in the observation group versus 86.7% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:Skin needling plus heat-sensitive moxibustion can produce a more significant efficacy than conventional acupuncture in treating chronic facial paralysis.

BACKGROUND:Open fracture of tibia and fibula is a common fracture of long bones. Simple external fixation is often difficult to achieve thorough and effective reduction and fixation. Shortcomings of open reduction and internal fixation highlighted in the high incidence of postoperative complications, and seriously affected the recovery of joint function. Therefore, external fixation combined with internal fixation for repair of open fractures of tibia and fibula has been extensively used in the clinic.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the repair efficacy of bilateral external fixation combined with limited internal fixation on open fractures of middle and distal tibia and fibula.
METHODS: Clinical data of 56 patients, who were identified by X-ray or CT examination and were diagnosed as having open fractures of middle and distal tibia and fibula in the Jining No.1 People’s Hospital, as the treatment group, were retrospectively analyzed from January 2009 to January 2013. Patients were subjected to thorough debridement, reduction of the fracture fragments, limited internal fixation and fixed bilateral external fixation within 8 hours. They received stage I suture. When the local conditions of the wound permitted, they received stage II grafting, and were repaired with adjacent muscle flap or free flap. The efficacy and postoperative complication were observed. Above data were compared with those of 44 patients with open fractures of middle and distal tibia and fibula who received reduction and internal fixation (control group).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Among the 56 patients in the treatment group, the outcomes were excelent in 35 cases, good in 16 cases, average in 4 cases and poor in 1 case. The excelent and good rate was 91%. Among the 44 patients in the control group, the outcomes were excelent in 23 cases, good in 10 cases, average in 7 cases and poor in 4 cases. The excelent and good rate was 75%. The excelent and good rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Significant differences in incision length, operation time, fracture healing time and bone nonunion rate were detected between the two groups, and above indexes were better in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). These findings verify that bilateral external fixation combined with limited internal fixation for open fractures of middle and distal tibia and fibula is reliable, can significantly reduce postoperative complications after internal fixation, promote the healing of fracture, and is conducive to the early recovery training of the affected limb.

Aim To investigate the role of ATP-sensi-tive potassium channels-Akt pathway in exogenous hy-drogen sulfide( H2 S) inhibiting the high glucose( HG)-induced injury in H9c2 cardiac cells. Methods The expression level of Akt protein was tested by Western blot assay. The cell viability was measured by cell counter kit-8(CCK-8 assay). The number of apoptotic cells was tested by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining fol-lowed by photofluorography. The intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species ( ROS ) were detected by DCFH-DA staining followed by photofluorography. Mi-tochondrial membrane potential ( MMP ) was examined by JC-1 staining followed by photofluorography. Results H9c2 cells were treated with 35 mmol·L-1 glucose (high glucose, HG) for 0 ~24 h respectively. After treating for 3 h, the expression level of phosphorated ( p )-Akt protein began to be obviously reduced, the maximum reduced expression level was observed after the cells were exposed to HG for 24 h. Pretreatment of the cells with 50 μmol · L-1 pinacidil ( Pin, a KATP channel opener) or 400 μmol·L-1 NaHS( a donor of H2 S) prior to exposure to HG considerably blocked the down regulation of p-Akt expression level induced by HG. However, pretreatment with 1 mmol · L-1 KATP channel blocker glibenclamide( Gli) obviously attenua-ted the inhibitory effect of NaHS on HG-induced down-regulation of p-Akt expression level. On the other hand, the protective effects of NaHS against the HG-induced cardiomyocyte injury were markedly blocked by 30 μmol·L-1 Ly294002(an inhibitor of Akt), as indicated by the decrease in cell viability and MMP dissipation as well as the increases in the number of apoptotic cells and ROS generation. Conclution KATP channels-Akt pathway mediates the protective effect of H2 S against the HG-induced cardiac injury.

A microfluidic chip with integrated microelectrode for real-time dopamine detection was designed and fabricated. The chip consisted of a polydimethylsiloxane ( PDMS) channel plate and a glass electrode plate. One central channel as the culture chamber of neural stem cells and two lateral channels for transport of the culture medium were integrated on the PDMS channel plate. Microelectrodes for real-time dopamine detection were integrated on the glass electrode plate. To solve the problem in demoulding the PDMS channel plate from the silicon mould, a novel demoulding method was developed. An Au-Au-Au three-electrode system was constructed, and it performed well in electrochemical detection. The performance of the microfluidic chip was primarily studied by detecting dopamine dissolved in the medium for the culture of neural stem cells. The limit of detection was 3. 92 μmol/L, the linear detection range was from 10 μmol/L to 500 μmol/L, and the detection reproducibility from different chips was less than 4%.

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that a single injection of smal-dose simvastatin can significantly improve bone microstructure and promote trabecular bone remodeling of the femoral condyle after osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of local single injection of simvastatin on the prognosis of mild-to-moderate unstable humeral fractures. METHODS:A total of 93 patients with mild-to-moderate unstable humeral fracture were selected and randomized into injection group (49 cases) and normal group (44 cases). The normal group received normal physical therapy, and the injection group underwent local single injection of simvastatin based on the physical therapy. Bone mineral density and healing time were compared between two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There was no difference in the bone mineral density between the two groups within 2 weeks after treatment (P>0.05), but the bone mineral density was significantly higher in the injection group than the normal group at 1-2 months after treatment (P<0.05). In addition, the injection group was superior to the normal group in the fol owing aspects:incidence of complications, excel ent-good rate of joint function recovery, and hospital stay. These findings indicate that the local injection of simvastatin based on conventional physical therapy can shorten the time of fracture healing, increase bone mineral density and improve the prognosis of patients with mild-to-moderate unstable proximal humeral fractures.

Objective:To describe a method based on analysis of the histogram of intensity values pro-duced from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)for quantifying the degree of fatty infiltration. Methods:The study included 25 patients with dystrophinopathy.All the subjects underwent muscle MRI test at thigh level.The histogram Mvalues of 250 muscles adjusted for subcutaneous fat,representing the degree of fatty infiltration,were compared with the expert visual reading using the modified Mercuri scale.Results:There was a significant positive correlation between the histogram Mvalues and the scores of visual reading (r =0.854,P <0.001).The distinct pattern of muscle involvement detected in the pa-tients with dystrophinopathy in our study of histogram M values was similar to that of visual reading and results in literature.The histogram M values had stronger correlations with the clinical data than the scores of visual reading as follows:the correlations with age (r =0.730,P <0.001 )and (r =0.753, P <0.001);with strength of knee extensor (r =-0.468,P =0.024)and (r =-0.460,P =0.027) respectively.Meanwhile,the histogram Mvalues analysis had better repeatability than visual reading with the interclass correlation coefficient was 0.998 (95% CI:0.997 -0.998,P <0.001)and 0.958 (95%CI:0.946 -0.967,P <0.001)respectively.Conclusion:Histogram Mvalues analysis of MRI with the advantages of repeatability and objectivity can be used to evaluate the degree of muscle fatty infiltration.

Objective:To report thigh muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)tests of four Chinese patients with dystrophinopathy with edema changes in adductor longus muscles that mimics adductor en-thesopathy.Methods:Four boys,who were from four unrelated families and aged from 5 to 11 years, were investigated because of the clinical manifestations including myalgia or muscle weakness or the inci-dental findings of elevated serum creatine kinase levels,and were diagnosed with dystrophinopathy by gene test of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).Their creatine kinase levels were increased from 4 087 IU /L to 32 700 IU /L (Normal range:75 -175 IU /L).The muscle biopsy of three patients all demonstrated a dystrophic pattern including necrosis,regeneration,hypertrophy,atrophy and connective tissue proliferation,with different proportions of dystrophin-negative muscle fibers.The gene test of DMD showed an out-frame deletion of exons in three of the four patients,involving either exons 45 or exons 49 -52 deletion or exon 62 duplication,and c.2665 C >T with nonsense mutation in the other one. Muscle MRI tests of the bilateral thighs were performed with T1 weighed sequence and slow tau inversion recovery sequence.The degree of fatty infiltration changes was scored.Results:MRI of the thigh mus-cles showed mild to severe fatty infiltration changes in T1 weighed sequence with the total scores from 2 to 13.The most severe fatty infiltration changes were in the long head of biceps femoris and adductor mag-nus.Obvious hyperintensities appeared mainly in the adductor longus muscles on slow tau inversion re-covery (STIR)images in all the patients without any abnormal signals in the attachment of the ligament, indicating edema changes of the adductor longus muscles which mimiced adductor enthesopathy.Two of the four patients presented with edema changes in the bilateral adductor longus muscles,while the other two were with only unilateral changes.Furthermore,other thigh muscles,including adductor magnus, semitendinosus,sartorius and rectus femoris muscles,could also have mild edema changes in two of the four patients.Conclusion:Dystrophinopathy can manifest as edema changes in the adductor longus mus-cles in thigh muscle MRI tests,which is a typical lesion in adductor enthesopathy.The adductor longus muscles in the dystrophinopathy patients may be easy to be impaired due to traction injury during sports.

AIM: To investigate the effect of venous marker chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor Ⅱ (COUP-TFⅡ) expression on vascular endothelial cell senescence and its molecular mechanism.METHODS: The mRNA expression of COUP-TFⅡ in the human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was detected by RT-qPCR.After transfection with a COUP-TFⅡ siRNA (siCOUP-TFⅡ) to inhibit COUP-TFⅡ expression in the HUVEC, the senescence and proliferation of endothelial cells were evaluated by β-galactosidase staining, Western blot, CCK-8 assay and cell counting after treatment with 10-5 mol/L angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ).The protein levels of Akt and p-Akt were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Compared with the HCAEC, COUP-TFⅡ was significantly highly expressed in the HUVEC.Knockdown of COUP-TFⅡ via siCOUP-TFⅡ significantly induced endothelial cell senescence and inhibited endothelial cell proliferation and p-Akt level after treatment with AngⅡ at 10-5 mol/L.Furthermore, an Akt activator SC79 at 4 mg/L partly reversed the effect of siCOUP-TFⅡ on AngⅡ-induced endothelial cell senescence and proliferation.CONCLUSION: Knockdown of COUP-TFⅡ promotes endothelial cell senescence and inhibits endothelial cell proliferation, which might be partly regulated by Akt signaling.