OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of endovascular stent-graft prostheses in treating acute transaction of thoracic aorta. (TAT) METHODS: A patient with injury from a car accident was diagnosed by computed tomography angiography (CTA) , and then treated by endovascular therapy immediately.

RESULTSAfter treatment, symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath were improved, hemoglobin became normal, and no complication was found. CTA revealed that stent-graft was located in a satisfactory position, and subclavian artery was clearly demonstrated 6 months later.

CONCLUSIONSPotential TAT should be examined in patients with trauma in the chest. Active treatment should be performed in patients with severe symptoms or CTA-confirmed endoartial injury of aorta, for whom endovascular therapy may be the first choice.

Aorta, Thoracic ; injuries ; surgery ; Aortic Rupture ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Stents

Vampire bat saliva contains a plasminogen activator that presumably assists these hematophagous animals during feeding. Bat-PA (H), the full-length form of Vampire Bat Salivary Plasminogen Activator (DSPAalpha1), is homologous and similar efficacy to tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). The strict fibrin dependence of activity is a characteristic which could be desirable in the fibrinolytic therapy. It is a unique fibrinolytic enzyme that does not promote neurodegeneration. In this study, according to the reported gene sequence (GenBank Accession No. J05082) of Vampire bat (D. rotundus) plasminogen activator. It was the first time to synthesize the full sequence of DSPAalpha1 in vitro and clone it into the expression vector pPIC9K, the recombinant plasmid was linearized and transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115 strain. Secreted expression of recombinant DSPAalpha1 was attained by methanol induction and its molecular mass is 47 kD. To get recombinant GS115 with high amount of protein, hundreds of His+ transformants had been screened to isolate clones resistant to high levels G418 (2-4 mg/mL), the selected clones mini-expressed in Pichia pastoris, and tested their fibrinolytic activities and expressed protein bands by fibrin plate assay and SDS-PAGE. DSPAalpha1 was determined by optical density after SDS-PAGE, the yield is about 30 mg per liter of fermentation culture. DSPAalpha1 derived often from mammalian cells: Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, Baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, COS cells, which might be produced at high cost. In Pichia pastoris, it is expected to higher yield and lower cost, thus it might be able to serve as new thrombolytic candidate.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Chiroptera ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasminogen Activators ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

BACKGROUND:Recently,tissue-engineered biomaterials for annulus fibrosus repair in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration have aroused wide attentions.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the research progress in biomaterials for the repair of annulus fibrosus in intervertebral disc tissue engineering.METHODS:PubMed database (1991-2017) was retrieved by the first author with the key words of "intervertebral disc,annulus fibrosus,material,scaffold" to search relevant articles about the use of biomaterials in annulus fibrosus repair.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Biomaterials play important roles in annulus fibrosus repair,which mainly function to recover the physical structure and mechanical function of the annulus fibrosus by promoting extracellular matrix secretion and tissue regeneration.Current materials mainly used for the repair of annulus fibrosus include natural materials,polymer materials,and biomaterials.Natural materials have good biocompatibility,biodegradability and no cytotoxicity,but their mechanical strength is poor.Polymer materials which overcome the lack of mechanical strength have repeatability,controllability,no immunogenicity,and are easy to be processed,but they have poor biocompatibility and cell affinity,as compared with the natural materials.Therefore,the selection of composite materials by integrating the advantages of different materials becomes the main trend in the annulus fibrosus repair.

Objective To observe the morphological changes of the peripheral nerves,the expression changes of microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) and the changes of motor function in rats after chronic spinal cord compression.Methods A total of 50 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=10),sham-operated group (n=10) and chronic compressive groups (n=30).The rats in the chronic compressive groups were given gradual compression on the posterior spinal cord using blunt plastics screw; compression degree reached 20％ (n=10),40％ (n=10) and 60％ (n=10),respectively,after 2 months.Rats in the normal control group did not receive any treatment and rats in the sham-operated group was only given removal of the L5 spinous process and part of the vertebral plate.Following sacrifice of the rats,cells from sciatic nerves were removed for HE staining;light microscopy and electron microscopy were employed to observe the changes; immunohistochemical staining of MAP1B was performed.Results Hypokinesia,and decreased Tarlov scores,Ramp test scores and BBB-21 scores in the chronic compressive groups were noted as compared with those in the normal control group (P＜0.05).Peripheral nerve degeneration was noted in all the chronic compressive groups; the more severe the compression,the more significant the degeneration.Expression of MAP1B in the peripheral nerves of the chronic compressive groups was significantly down-regulated as compared with that in the normal control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Spinal cord compressive injury can lead to peripheral nerve degeneration; and neuronal apoptosis and necrosis lead to rare axonal regeneration,which may be one of the important reasons that influences the neural function recovery after chronic spinal cord compression.

The aim of the study is to investigate rat intestinal absorption behavior of three main active components, schisandrol A, schisandrin A and schisandrin B in Schisandra chinensis Baill extracts in intestine of rats. With phenol red as the indicator, in situ single pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) model was used and the concentrations of three main active components in perfusion solution of different intestinal segments (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) were determined by HPLC in combination with diode array detection. The results showed that the absorption rate constant (Ka) and effective permeability values (Peff) of three main active components in Schisandra chinensis Baill extracts had significant difference (P < 0.05) at different concentrations of perfusion solution, the Ka and Peff first increased and then decreased with the increase of drug concentration, the middle concentration was higher than those of the other two concentrations. The saturate absorption phenomena were observed, and it suggested that the transport mechanisms of three main active components in vivo were similar to active transport or facilitated diffusion. Three active components can be well absorbed in all of the intestinal segments, while duodenum is the best absorption region. The Ka and Peff of three active components in jejunum and ileum had no significant difference (P > 0.05). The absorption of the three active components displayed significant difference (P < 0.05) at different intestinal segments of rats. Schisandrin A had the best absorption in duodenum. The Ka and Peff among three active components were sequenced as follows: schisandrin A > schisandrin B > schisandrol A in other intestinal segments, and there is significant difference (P < 0.05) between them.
Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Colon ; metabolism ; Cyclooctanes ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Lignans ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Perfusion ; Permeability ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polycyclic Compounds ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schisandra ; chemistry

Ten compounds, including seven sesquiterpenes, two phenols and one phenylpropanoid, were isolated from the roots of Illicium majus by means of silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. On analysis of MS and NMR spectroscopic data , their structures were established as cycloparviflorolide (1), cycloparvifloralone (2), tashironin (3), tashironin A (4), anislactone A(5), anislactone B (6), pseudomajucin (7), syringaldehyde (8), methyl-4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxybenzoate (9), and (E)-3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxycinnamic alchol (10), respectively. Compounds 1-4 and 8-10 were first isolated from this plant. In the in vitro assays, at a concentration of 1.0 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 5 and 6 were active against LPS induced NO production in microglia with a inhibition rate of 75.31% and 53.7%, respectively.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Illicium ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the operative strategy and therapeutic outcomes of the atlantoaxial instability.

METHODSClinical data of 29 patients with atlantoaxial instability were retrospectively analyzed. There were 27 males and 2 females. The mean age was 33 years old with a range from 18 to 54 years. There were fracture of anterior arch of atlas accompanied with ligamentum transversum rupture in 5 cases, odontiod fracture in 7 cases, Hangman fracture in 6 cases, dysplasia of atlas and axis in 10 cases, ankylosing spondylitis in 1 case. The clinical and imaging manifestation of atlantoaxial instability were found in all patients. The symptoms and physical signs of superior cervical spinal cord disease or cervical spinal injury were found in 18 cases. The patients were treated with simple modified Magerl method (7 cases), cannutated screw fixation(6 cases), resection of C2,3 disc throuth the anterior approach and fusion with Zephir titanium plate (4 cases), percutaneous pedicle screw fixation of C2 (2 cases), release and reduction through anterior oropharynx (LRAO) combined with modified Magerl method (4 cases), LRAO and atlas lateral mass screw and plate fixation through posterior approach (3 cases), cervical occipital fusion through C2 pedicle (3 cases).

RESULTSAll patients were followed up with an average time of 17.2 months ranging from 11 to 38 months. All patients obtained anatomical reduction and bone healing. Using Odom standard to evaluation for 18 cases with spinal injury before operation, the results were excellent in 9 cases,good in 7,fair in 2. No injury of vertebral artery, nerve root, spinal cord, infection of incisional wound, breaking or loosening of internal fixatir were found in the study.

CONCLUSIONIdentifying the causes of atlantoaxial instability, rational plan of operation can get satisfactory clinical results.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Atlanto-Axial Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies

This study aimed to investigate the effects of concentration, intestinal section and borneol on the intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids. The experiment not only studied the intestinal absorption properties of three concentrations of rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B and salvianolic acid A at duodenum, jejunum and ileum, but also of salvianolic acids compatible with borneol at different concentrations using single-pass intestinal perfusion model in rat with phenol red as the marker. The results showed that salvianolic acids was stable under weak-acid condition and affected by metabolism enzyme; The Peff and Ka significantly different among three concentrations of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B, whose intestinal absorption were saturated in high concentration, suggesting that the transport mechanisms of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B were similar to active transport or facilitated diffusion; However, there was inconspicuousness in the Peff and Ka of salvianolic acid A at different concentrations, whose absorption was not saturated in high concentration, indicating that the transport mechanisms of salvianolic acid A was passive diffusion; The Peff and Ka in the ileum obviously higher than those in the duodenum and jejunum, namely the ileum was the best absorption section; When concentration of borneol increased, the enhancing effect of intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids increased, but significantly decreased when borneol increased to some degree. The enhancing effect of medium borneol concentration was the optimum. This implied that borneol can enhance the intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids, and the capacity of enhancing effect was influenced by the concentration of borneol.
Animals ; Benzofurans ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Bornanes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Caffeic Acids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Cinnamates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Depsides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Lactates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Perfusion ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the difference in the efficacy on the symptoms of bronchial asthma at the chronic persistent stage between acupoint heat-sensitive moxibustion and western medicine with Seretide.

METHODSSixty-four cases were randomly divided into a heat-sensitive moxibustion group (32 cases) and a western medication group (32 cases). In the heat-sensitive moxibustion group, the sensitized points located between Feishu (BL 13) and Geshu (BL 17) or in the region 6-cun lateral from the 1st and the 2nd intercostal spaces of the chest were selected. The heat-sensitive moxibustion was adopted, continuously for 8 days, once per day. In the later 22 days of the 1st month, 12 treatments should be ensured. Two months later, 15 treatments should be guaranteed each month. The time of each treatment was 30 to 90 min. Totally 50 treatments were required. In the western medication group, Seretide inhaler was adopted, one inhalation each time, twice per day, for 3 months totally. The asthmatic symptoms were scored for the patients in two groups and the comparison was made between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 3 months of treatment, the asthmatic symptom scores were all improved for the patients in the heat-sensitive moxibustion group and the western medication group as compared with those before treatment (both P < 0.05). In 6 months of follow-up visit, the asthmatic symptom scores in the heat-sensitive moxibustion group were stable, but those in the western medication group were reduced, there was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acupoint heat-sensitive moxibustion effectively relieves the clinical symptoms for the patients with bronchial asthma at the chronic persistent stage. Its efficacy is similar to that of Seretide inhaler. But the long-term efficacy of the heat-sensitive moxibustion is much better.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Albuterol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Androstadienes ; therapeutic use ; Asthma ; therapy ; Chronic Disease ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Fluticasone-Salmeterol Drug Combination ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential of gene therapy of rat prolactinomas mediated by adenoviral vectors with a gene encoding rat tyrosine hydroxylase.

METHODSRecombinant replication-deficient adenovirus named Ad-GFP-TH with rat TH-cDNA and control adenovirus named Ad-GFP were constructed by homologous recombination in bacterial cells. The rat pituitary prolactinoma cell line MMQ are chosen as the target cells to study the effect of gene therapy on their growth and prolactin secretion mediated by Ad-GFP-TH.

RESULTSRecombinant Ad-GFP-TH and Ad-GFP were successfully reconstructed. Transfection of MMQ cells with Ad-GFP-TH not only restrained their growth but also decreased their PRL secretion.

CONCLUSIONGene therapy may serve for a potential treatment for prolactinomas, especially invasive prolactinomas.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; therapy ; Prolactinoma ; therapy ; Rats ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; biosynthesis ; genetics