Objective To compare the biomechanical properties of single-segment and two-segment fusion for Denis type B spinal fracture.Methods Two female patients with Denis type B L1 vertebral fracture were enrolled in this study.The 45-year-old patient (Frankel B) underwent posterior reduction and fixation with pedicle screw system plus anterior two-segment fusion and the 41-year-old patient (Frankel C) underwent posterior reduction and fixation with pedicle screw system plus anterior one-segment fusion.The intervertebral fusion was achieved in both patients 1 year after operation.CT data of the two patients at 1 year after surgery was collected,including data of 41-year-old patient before and after removal of pedicle screws and data of 45-year-old patient without removal of pedicle screws.These three sets of data were imported into the Mimics software to establish T11-L2 three dimensional models.After construction of the models,they were imported into ANSYS software.An axial load (260 N) and 10 Nm torque were loaded to simulate the flexion,extension,lateral bending and rotation of the spine,respectively.Meantime,under above 6 kinds of motion form,the average displacement of the spine and the average Von Mises stress of T11-12 intervertebral disc were recorded and compared.Results There was no significant difference in the average displacement of the spine between two-segment fusion patient and single-segment fusion patient without removal of pedicle screws.However,under all motion forms,the average displacement of the spine of single-segment fusion patient after removal of pedicle screws was significantly higher than that before removal of pedicle screws and that of two-segment fusion patient.The average Von Mises stress of T11-12 intervertebral discs of two-segment fusion patient was significantly higher than that of one-segment fusion patient.Moreover,the average Von Mises stress of T11-12 intervertebral discs of single-segment fusion patient before removal of pedicle screw was higher than that after removal of pedicle screw.Conclusion Under the premise of satisfactory interbody fusion,removal of pedicle screws after one-segment fusion can increase spinal motion,reduce the stress of the adjacent intervertebral discs and delay disc degeneration.

AIM:To select an efficient way of promoting induced pluripotent stem cells ( iPSC) to differentiate into neural stem cells (NSC) by comparing 2 methods.METHODS:The culture system in method A contained SB431542 (5 mmol/L) and drosomophorin (5 mmol/L) with 100%initial cell density, while that in method B contained SB431542 (5 mmol/L) and drosomophorin (1 mmol/L) with 30%~50% initial cell density.For comparison and identification of the 2 methods, the growth state was observed under microscope , and the expression of Pax6, nestin, Sox1 and Sox2 was quantitatively detected by real-time PCR and flow cytometry .The related protein expression and the ability of spontaneous differentiation were determined by immunofluorescence analysis .RESULTS: The cells derived from method A with 5 mmol/L of SB431542 and drosomophorin and 100% initial cell density achieved the higher expression of Pax 6, nestin, Sox1 and Sox2.The growth state was better and the cells differentiated into neurons and astrocytes normally .CONCLU-SION:The method A was superior to method B , and we recommend the method A with 5 mmol/L of SB431542 and droso-mophorin and 100%initial cell density as the method for differentiating NSC .

Objective To investigate the left atrium (LA) function and structure changes in the paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) patients after catheter ablation using tissue Doppler imaging. Methods After complete pul-monary vein, radiofrequency ablation guided by Ensite NavX System, LA systolic function and LA diameter, volume, mean mitral gradient and mitral annulus early and advanced diastolic peak velocity were assessed in 32 cases of par-oxysmal AF patients,which were compared with age-matched controls before and after 24 hours, 1 week, 1 month) AF ablation. Results AF did not occur again in 32 AF paroxysmal patients after isolation. LA diameter and volume in AF groups before ablation were larger than controls(P<0.01), which were also larger 24 hours after ablation than before (P>0.05 ), but LA volume was larger than before (P<0.05), and decreased in I week after ablation (P< 0.05), but had no significant difference compared with controls in 1 month(P>0.05 ) ;mitral annulus advanced di-astolic peak velocity decreased in AF groups before ablation (P<0.01 )and was lower than that 24 hours after cathe-ter ablation (P<0.05 ), but increased after 1 week (P<0.05 or P <0.01 ), and had no significance after 1 month. Conclusion Catheter ablation is the effective way to manage AF because LA is distended and atrial systolic func-tion is reduced within 24 hours after procedure, then gradually increased in a week and will nearly recover to that be-fore procedure in a month, which may be correlated with LA repair, implicating that postprocedural thromboembollc risk and procedure injury should be taken into consideration.

Objective To investigate the role of genistein (Gen) in the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) induced by parathyroid hormone (PTH) in human renal tubular epithelia cells. Methods Real-time PCR, Western blotting and reporter gene assay were employed to detect the role of Gen in PTH-induced CTGF expression in HK-2 cells. The activity of NF-κB was measured by EMSA to investigate the mechanism by which PTH induced CTGF expression in HK-2 cells. Inhibitors of NF-κB signaling pathway were used to ascertain which signal pathway was involved. Results HK-2 cells had basic amount of CTGF mRNA and protein, which, however, increased significantly after treatment with PTH, and the luciferase activity increased to a higher level as compared with control group after treatment with 10-10 mol/L PTH for 12 h (1.89±0.08 vs 0.99±0.03, P＜0.01). Gen decreased the expressions of CTGF mRNA and protein induced by PTH in dose-dependent manner. The NF-κB of nucleus was inactivation without PTH, while the activity of NF-κB significantly increased after exposed to PTH, with the maximal response of PTH at a concentration of 10-10 mol/L and the best stimulating time at 30 minute. The NF-κB inhibitor PDTC reduced the increase of CTGF transcript levels in response to PTH stimulation. Gen blunted PTH-mediated NF-κB activation. Conclusion Gen inhibits CTGF expression induced by PTH through bloking NF-κB signaling pathway in human renal tubular epithelial cells.

AIM:To develop a new identification and analyfical method for Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum . METHODS: Powder X ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint pattern was adopted. RESULTS: The reference X ray diffraction Fourier fingerprint pattern and characteristic diffraction peaks of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum were obtained by three samples of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum and one sample of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum . CONCLUSION: This method can be used for identification of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum .

0.10). Conclusions HLA-B51 might be a susceptible gene for BD, and there was a weak association between HLA-B51(HLA-B*5101) and BD patients with uveitis.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between prolactin (PRL) cleavage and the occurrence of hypertension, heart failure (HF) in post-menopausal female patients.
Methods: A total of 216 post-menopausal female subjects were enrolled in our study and they were divided into 3 groups: Hypertension group,n=80 patients with essential hypertension, Hypertension + HF group,n=76 and Control group,n=60 post-menopausal women form regular physical examination. The full length (23 kD PRL), 16 kD PRL fragment, lipid peroxide (LPO), total antioxidant status (TAS), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), NT-proBNP, creatinine, uric acid, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and BMI were examined and compared among different groups.
Results:①There were no real differences in age, creatinine, uric acid, FBG and BMI among groups,P>0.05.②Compared with Control group, Hypertension group had increased LPO and decreased TAS; compared with Control group and Hypertension group, Hypertension + HF group had increased LPO and decreased TAS.③Compared with Control group, Hypertension + HF group showed lower level of 23KD PRL, higher level of 16KD PRL and the higher ratio of 16KD PRL/23KD PRL,P<0.05-0.01.④Pearson correlation analysis indicated that LPO was negatively related to 23KD PRL (r=-0.784,P<0.01), positively related to 16KD PRL (r=0.807, P<0.01); TAS was positively related to 23KD PRL (r=0.768, P<0.01), negatively related to 16KD PRL (r=-0.777P<0.01); 23KD PRL was positively related to LVEF (r=0.852, P<0.01), negatively related to NT-proBNP (r=-0.832P<0.01); 16KD PRL was negatively related to LVEF (r=-0.850,P<0.01), positively related to NT-proBNP (r=0.814,P<0.01).
Conclusion: PRL cleavage was highly related to the occurrence of hypertension and HF in post-menopausal female patients.

In order to explore the therapeutic effects and preliminary mechanism of gypenosides (GP) on hypercholesterolemia, as well as the protective effect on liver injury induced by high-dose simvastatin and high cholesterol diet (HCD), the hypercholesterolemia model of golden hamster was established by high cholesterol diet. The experimental animals were divided into blank group, model group, GP low and high dose groups (60 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg), simvastatin group (10 mg/kg), and GP high dose combined with simvastatin group (120 mg/kg + 10 mg/kg).The efficacy was investigated through dynamic monitoring serum cholesterol and liver function related indexes after drug treatment of 14 and 23 days. The results showed that GP could significantly reduce the levels of serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), increase the level of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and reduce the secretion of PCSK9. It is suggested that GP has a good therapeutic effect on HCD diet-induced hypercholesterolemia hamsters, which may be related to its inhibition of PCSK9 secretion. In addition, GP can significantly ameliorate liver damage caused by HCD diet and high-dose simvastatin. These findings provide a scientific basis and useful reference for the combination of GP and statins to reduce toxicity and increase efficacy.

Purpose To observe the protective effects of low molecular hirudo peptides on focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats and to explore its possible mechanism. Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used to prepare focal cerebral ischemia and the neurological scores and infarction area of brain slices, and water content of brains were assessed. Superoxide dismustase (SOD) activity and malondi-aldehyde ( MDA) content in homogenate of ischemic brain tissue were determined by spectrophotometric assay. Results Hirudo peptides could reduce the percentage of infarction area and the water content in the cerebral hemisphere, increase SOD activity and decrease MDA content in ischemic brain tissue. Conclusion Low molecular hirudo peptides have protective effects on focal cerebral ischemia injury, and its mechanism may be related to the antioxidant action.

Objective Delayed xenograft rejection (DXR) is a major barrier to the long-term xenograft survial.This study evaluated the interaction between human peripheral blood mononuelear cells (PBMC) and porcine endothelial cells (PEC),and the effects of new generation of rabbit antihuman leukocyte polyclonal antibody (newRALG) inhibiting xenogeneic cell-mediated immune responses.Methods newRALG was obtained from rabbits after immunization with activated lymphocytes and monoeytes.PEC were isolated from aorta,and human PBMC were isolated from peripheral blood.Co-cultures of PKH-26 labeled PEC with PBMC were established,newRALG,thymoglobulin,isotype Ig and scavenger receptor (SR) ligand poly G were added into the co-cultures.Cells were collected,then FACS analysis was carried out to detect the up-take of PEC membrane by monocytes and the expression of costimulatory molecules.Lymphocyte proliferative responses to PEC with or without antibody were evaluated by a xenogeneie mixed lymphocyte-endothelial cell reaction (xMLER).Results FACS analysis revealed that monocytes from PBMC-PEC co-cultures became positive for PKH-26 following their interaction with PKH-26 labeled PEC,indicating that they engulfed PEC membranes during activation.PKH-26 positive monocytes up-regulated the CD40 and CD80 expression.Furthermore,SR blockade with poly-G prevented PEC membrane up-take by monocytes,newRALG greatly reduced SR-mediated PEC membrane up-take.The effects of thymoglobulin in inhibiting PEC membrane uptake were limited.xMLER demonstrated strong lymphocyte proliferation in response to PEC,and lymphocyte proliferation was dramatically inhibited by newRALG but not isotype Ig at a dosmdependent manner.Conclusions Monocytes play an important role in xenogeneic immune responses.SR ligand poly G inhibits PEC membrane up-take.newRALG inhibits PEC membrane up-take by monocytes,suggesting that newRALG blocks SR.Additionally,newRALG inhibits lymphocyte proliferation in response to PEC.These results suggest that this new polyclonal preparation may thus impair the initiation of xeno-specific immune responses and prevent xenograft rejection.