BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that Yiqihuoxue recipe (Buyanghuanwu decoction) can inhibit cell apoptosis and antagonize free radical injury in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion models. However, there have been few reports regarding the effects of Yiqihuoxue recipe on stem cell differentiation. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Yiqihuoxue recipe on the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) towards neurons. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The present controlled observational expedment based on cells was performed at the Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, i.e., the Third-Grade Laboratory of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine between March 2006 and February 2008.MATERIALS: Twenty clean Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, aged 1-2 months, weighing 100-150 g, of either gender, were included in this study. The Chinese medicine compound Yiqihuoxue recipe was made in the Manufacturing Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine as follows. 60 g Danggui (Radix Angelicae Sinensis), 30 g Taoren(Semen Persicae), 30 g Chuanxiong(Szechwan Lovage Rhizome) were selected and mixed in 720 mL water for extract volatile oil for later use. The remaining gruffs and extract were supplemented with 1 200 g Huangqi(Radix Astragali), 60 g Chishao (Radix Paeoniae Rubra), 30 g Dilong(Lumbricus), 30 g Honghua(Flos Carthami) before 920 mL water was added. After I hour of decoction and filtering, the gruffs were decocted for another 1 hour after adding 8 640 mL water. Then all decocted liquid was merged and condensed to 600 mL and mixed with 3 mL of volatile oil and tween-80. After high-temperature and high-pressure stedlization, the products were preserved for future use. 1 mL of drug was equal to 2.4 g raw herbs. METHODS: Bone marrow mononuclear cells were isolated by density gradient centrifugation. After culture, bone marrow MSCs were amplified and purified. Passage 10 cell suspension was inoculated into a 40 mm-diameter plastic culture dish. Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium supplemented with 0.1 volume fraction of fetal bovine serum and basic fibroblast growth factors was added for 24 hours of culture when adherent cells reached 60%-90% confluence in each group. Thereafter, the "Yiqihuoxue" group was incubated for 5 hours using medium containing DMSO, butylated hydroxyanisole, 13-mercaptoethanol, and Yiqihuoxue recipe; simultaneously, the control group was treated for 5 hours with fluid containing DMSO, butylated hydroxyanisole, and β- mercaptoethanol.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Identification of bone marrow MSCs by flow cytometry; Detection of Nestin-, and neuron specific enolase(NSE)-, and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)-positive expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Flow cytometery results demonstrated that cell surface marker CD90 and CD106 expression was positive, while CD45 and CD34 expression was negative. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the numbers of Nestin-positive cells (1 and 3 hours after induction) and NSE- and GFAP-positive cells (5 hours after induction) were significantly greater in the Yiqihuoxue group than in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Yiqihuoxue recipe can induce the differentiation of bone marrow MSCs towards neurons in vitro.

OBJECTIVE To analyze and review the antibiotics utilization for the perioperative inpatients in our orthopedics department,and to evaluate the rationality of the utilization.METHODS Totally 267 cases of inpatients receiving operations from Sep to Nov,2008 were selected in our orthopedics department,then the methods of drug use review and drug frequency analysis were applied to analyze and review the effects of antibiotics utilization with retrospective statistics.RESULTS All of the 267 inpatients have taken antibiotics,of which the cephalosporins were the most frequently used.The antibiotics commonly used were cefminox,cefmetazole,and cefuroxime.The antibiotics of the highest daily defined dose(DDD) costs and total costs were cefamandole,flomoxef,etc.The average days of antibiotics utilization for clean operations,clean-contaminated operations,and contaminated operations were 7 days,8 days,and 9 days,respectively and 86% of the patients were antibiotic combination usage.CONCLUSIONS There is inappropriateness in the antibiotics utilization during perioperations of orthopedics.Guidelines of drug use must be followed to improve the drug usage.

Objective To search for the methods of inducing the high stability rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and to noninvasively assess the method of model effect. Methods Six kinds of filaments with different diameters were used to induce rat MCAO models and their success rate, incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage, and infarct volume were compared. The model scores were performed to assess the model effect after the operation and at 24 hours after reperfusion. Results Higher model success rate and lower incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage were achieved when the 0. 28 mm in diameter and 0.32-0.34 mm in tip diameter filaments were used. 1he sensibility and specificity were higher when the model scores were performed at 24 hours after reperfusion. Conclusions Using the filaments of 0.28 mm in diameter and 0. 32-0. 34 mm in tip diameter for intraluminal thread could improved the stability of the models. The model scores at 24 hours after reperfusion could noninvasively assess the model effect.

Objective To reduce the screening positive rate (SPR) and improve clinical efficiency of maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome.Methods Nine thousand and thirty-three cases of second trimester maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome were included from Apr.2013 to Apr.2014 in the present study.The screening results,all basic data and equation curves were analyzed retrospectively.Based on the data from the authors' laboratory,the important adjustment parameters were simulated.Combined with postnatal follow-up results,the quality and clinical performance of second trimester serum screening for Down's syndrome were evaluated.Results The SPR of second trimester serum screening for Down's syndrome was 6.69％(604/9033),the detection rate (DR) was 75％(3/4),and FPR was 6.65％(601/9033).The median multiple of median (MOM) of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was low and SPR was high,and MOM of free human chorionic gonadotropin β subunit (free hCGβ) were high and SPR was high,while MOM of unconjugated estriol (uE3) were a little bit low,and SPR was slightly high.Considering these three factors,it is believed that the screening positive rate is high.By the simulation adjustments of MOM value equations (AFP and free hCGβ) and weight correction equation,the SPR reduced to 4.11％(371/9033) after recalculating the risk,FPR declined to 4.07％(368/9033),and no more Down's syndrome fetus were missed compared with postnatal follow-up results.Conclusion Based on a localized setting depending on the local laboratory data,we suggest that the MOM value distributions(AFP,free hCGβ and uE3) and maternal weight should be regularly adjusted since it is a useful way to reduce the false-positive rate and improve clinical efficiency of maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome.