Objective To design a new vacant drowning rescuer in self-help can be effective and free when swimming.Meth-ods Vacant drowning rescuer includes the vacant,life-saving device,the waist straps and the ropes.Results Vacant drowning res-cuer has light weight,high strength,and small size.It is secured to the swimmer′s waist through waist strap and easy to operate. Conclusion Vacant drowning rescuer provides the security for the water activity,which can realize self-help or save others.It can be universally applied for the majority of swimming enthusiasts.

Aim To observe the effect of eplerenone(EPL) and Chinese decoction on cell apoptosis in obstructive nephropathy rats.Methods Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham group, UUO group, EPL group and ZY group(n=15).Except sham group, the rats in the other groups were ligated with unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) for renal interstitial fibrosis model.The rats were treated with eplerenone at 100 mg·kg-1·d-1 added to diet in EPL group, and orally 13.7 g·kg-1·d-1 decoction of Chinese medicine in ZY group.The kidneys were harvested on 14th day, the number of renal cell apoptosis were detected by TUNEL, and serum aldosterone and 8-OhdG were detected with radioimmunoassay and ELISA.Caspase-12, caspase-9, Bax and Bcl-2 were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.Results The levels of serum aldosterone, serum and urine 8-OhdG and the number of positive apoptotic cells increased significantly in UUO rats compared with Sham group.The overexpression of caspase-9, caspase-12 and Bax and down-regulated Bcl-2 were obvious in UUO group(P<0.01).The level of 8-OhdG, expression of caspase-9, caspase-12 and Bax were down-regulated, and Bcl-2 expression was up-regulated in eplerenone and Chinese decoction treated rats(P<0.01).Conclusion Eplerenone and Chinese decoction could inhibit cell apoptosis induced by oxidative damage after UUO via caspases and(or) Bax pathway.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics,muscle pathological features,diagnosis and prognosis of TK2-related mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome(MDS).Methods Clinical and laboratory data of 2 cases of TK2-related myopathic MDS were reported.And data of previously reported 58 TK2-related MDS cases were reviewed.Results Total 60 patients consisted of 35 male and 25 female.The age of onset ranged from the birth to the age of 74 years old,and 54 of the patients were attacked at the age younger than 3 years old.Muscle weakness and hypotonia were detected in all patients,with 40 patients(including the newly diagnosed 2 cases) manifested as pure myopathic form,and 20 patients with other multiple organs involvement.Serum creatine kinase was mildly increased (211-6 500 IU/L) in 53 patients.Elevated serum lactic acid level (2.3-12.0 mmol/L)was observed in 24 patients.Muscle biopsy was available from 55 patients,and ragged red fibers and/or cytochrome C oxidase (COX)-negative fibers were detected in 48 out of them.Nine out of 11 patients received electronic microscope study showed proliferation of abnormal mitochondria.Respiratory chain enzymatic activities in skeletal muscle were reduced in 31 out of 33 patients.Marked mtDNA content reduction was observed in 36 out of 41 patients (4％-25％ of age-and tissue-matched controls).A total of 42 TK2 mutations were found in 60 patients,including 2 novel mutations c.923A ＞ G and c.619-2A ＞ T in this study.Conclusions The most common clinical manifestations of TK2-related MDS are severely,rapidly progressing myopathy with infantile or early childhood onset.As the detection rate of characteristic pathologic features in muscle is high,muscle biopsy is important for the diagnosis of TK2-related MDS.

Garrès osteomyelitis is a specific type of chronic osteomyelitis that most commonly occurs in young patients, secondary to dental infection, and affects the unilateral side of the mandible. Bilateral mandibular Garrè's osteomyelitis is rare. In this article, a case of Garrè's osteomyelitis with bilateral mandible is reported. Its etiology, clinical pathologic features, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment methods are discussed by reviewing relevant literature.
Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Mandible ; Mandibular Diseases ; Osteomyelitis

Objective To evaluate the neuroprotective effect and safety of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)treated with recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO).Methods Fifty-three neonates with HIE were randomly divided into rhEPO treated group(n=29) with the dosage of 300 U/(kg?time),three times a week for 2 weeks and control group(n=24)without rhEPO.All supportive measures were same between 2 groups.Neurological scoring was evaluated at d3,d5 and d7 Neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA) was evaluated at d7,d14 and d28.The neurodevelopment quote was evaluated at age of 3 and 6 months.Blood pressure,liver and renal function,blood electrolytes and blood hemoglobin,platelet and reticular red blood cell count were monitored before and after treatment in all infants.Results The neurological scoring between two groups had no difference at d3.The significant difference was found at d7(P0.05).Conclusions Teraphy with rhEPO on neonatal HIE infants can promote neurological recovery,and there is no serious side effect with rhEPO treatment.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and significance of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF- 1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) expressions in ankle cartilage of patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD).Methods:In this case-control study, 10 KBD patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Orthopedics of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016 were selected as KBD group, and 10 patients with ankle fracture caused by trauma but without talus injury during the same period were selected as control group, the cartilage tissues of the two groups were collected. IGF-1, IGFBP2 positive cells, the mRNA and protein expressions of IGF-1, IGFBP2 in the cartilage tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. According to the expressions of IGF-1 and IGFBP2 in ankle cartilage of KBD patients, a patient with amputation caused by trauma was selected in Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, and ankle joint cartilage was taken to prepare chondrocytes for in vitro cell verification experiments. The chondrocyte were divided into control group (0 ng/ml T-2 toxin), T-2 treatment group (20 ng/ml T-2 toxin) and T-2+ IGFBP2 silenced group (20 ng/ml T-2 toxin+ 50 nmol/L IGFBP2 siRNA), the MTT method and dimethyl methylene blue staining were used to detect the activity of chondrocyte and the secretion of sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG). Results:In the control group and the KBD group, the number of IGF-1[(47.26 ± 8.97), (68.15 ± 7.42) cells] and IGFBP2 positive cells [(27.56 ± 5.40), (71.85 ± 7.62) cells] in the cartilage tissues were significantly different ( t = 4.487, 9.402, P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the IGF-1, IGFBP2 mRNA and protein expression levels in KBD group were significantly higher, the differences were significantly different ( t = 3.340, 20.700, 4.684, 8.699, P < 0.05 or < 0.01). In cell experiment, the chondrocyte activitives and sGAG contents of the control group, T-2 treatment group, and T-2+ IGFBP2 silenced group were significantly different ( F = 226.70, 80.66, P < 0.01); among them, the cell activitives and sGAG contents of the T-2 treatment group and T-2+ IGFBP2 silenced group were lower than those of control group ( P < 0.05), and the T-2+ IGFBP2 silenced group were higher than those of the T-2 treatment group ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:The expressions of IGF-1 and IGFBP2 in the ankle cartilage of KBD patients are significantly higher. Silencing IGFBP2 gene can reduce the inhibitory effect of T-2 toxin on chondrocyte activity and the secretion of sGAG.

OBJECTIVETo compare the acute toxicity and content of daphnoretin among extracts of unprocessed indian string-bush root and its two different processed products, and to provide a basis for discussion of the mechanism of two processed methods.

METHODExtracts of unprocessed indian stringbush root and processed indian stringbush root with "sweat" and "artificial sweat" were prepared. The mice were intragastrically administrated once with these three extracts, the mortalities of mice were observed, and the median lethal dose (LD50) of different extracts were calculated with Bliss method. The determination of daphnoretin in these three samples was performed by high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTThe LD50 of indian stringbush root extracts, indian stringbush root processed with "sweat" and with "artificial sweat" were 46.678, 72.190, 67.953 g x kg(-1), respectively. The contents of daphnoretin in unprocessed indian stringbush root, indian stringbush root processed with "sweat" and with "artificial sweat" were 0.189%, 0.407% and 0.345%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe toxicity of indian stringbush root processed with both "sweat" and "artificial sweat" is lower than that of the original rude drug. But the decreasion of toxicity of processed products is not by the reduced daphoretin content.

Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Female ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Toxicity Tests ; Wikstroemia ; chemistry

To study the preventive effect of sophocarpine (Soc) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice, in order to analyze the influence of Soc on toll like receptor 4 (TLR4)/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and janus tyrosine kinase 2 signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK2/STAT3) signal pathways in mice intestinal tissues. The mice was given 2.5% DSS for 6 days to induce the acute colitis model. The Soc-treated group was intraperitoneally injected with sophocarpine 30 mg · kg(-1) · d(-1) since the day before the experiment to the end. The disease activity index (DAI) was assessed everyday, and the colonic morphology and histological damage were observed with HE staining. The mRNA expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by real-time RT-PCR. The changes in key protein kinase p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase1/2 (JNK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), JAK2, STAT3 in TLR4/MAPKs and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected by western blot. The result showed that the model group showed statistical significance in body weight, DAI, colon length and histopathological changes compared with the normal group (P <0.05); however, the Soc-treated group showed significant improvements in the above indexes compared with the model group (P <0.05). TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group (P <0.05), but lowered in the Soc-treated group to varying degrees (P <0.05). In the normal group, the expressions of TLR4 and the phosphorylation of P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3 were at low levels; in the model group, the phosphorylation of P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3 increased; the Soc-treated group showed a decrease in TLR4 expression compared with the model group, with notable declines in the phosphorylation of TLR4, P38, JNK1/2, JAK2, STAT3. These findings indicate that Soc can inhibit TLR4/MAPKs, K2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation, reduce the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 and relieve inflammatory reactions, so as to effectively prevent experimental colitis.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Colitis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; Cytokines ; genetics ; Janus Kinase 2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phosphorylation ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology

Objective To investigate the value of the Wells score and D-dimer assay in assisting pulmonary perfusion imaging (PPI) for the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Methods One hundred twenty-one patients with suspected APE were studied from January, 2006 to December, 2008. All patients underwent the Wells score, the quantitative D-dimer assay, chest X-ray photography, and PPI. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of PPI with the assistance of Wells score and D-dimer assay were calculated. Results Fifty (41.3%) patients were diagnosed with APE. PPI combined with chest X-ray photography (Q/X scan) showed positive results in 49 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the Q/X scan were 86.0% (43/50), 91.5% (65/71), 87.8% (43/49) and 90.3% (65/72), respectively. With assistance of Wells score >4 and D-dimer≥0. 5 mg/L, Q/X scan had a positive predictive value of 100.0% (29/29), for patients with Wells score ≤4 and D-dimer<0.5 mg/L, the negative predictive value for Q/X scan was 100.0% (41/41). Conclusion Combined with Wells score and D-dimer assay, PPI can make accurate diagnosis of APE.

Objective: To observe the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii on Th1, Th2 cytokines in asthma patients for further study on the therapeutic mechanism. Methods: Twelve patients of middle or severe asthma were treated by Tripterygium polyglucoside 40 mg or 60 mg daily for 4 weeks. Blood of patients was collected before and after treatment for serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) preparation. The prepared PBMCs were stimulated in vitro with Concanavalin A (ConA) for 6 hrs and followed by culturing with Triptolide for 24 hrs and then the supernatant was collected. The concentration of interleukin-2(IL-2),-4(IL-4), -5(IL-5) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) in serum and in the supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA). Results: Serum levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5 of patients decreased significantly after treatment of Tripterygium polyglucoside (P＜0.01), but IFN-γ level was under the detection sensitivity both before and after treatment. Triptolide could inhibit PBMC to secrete IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5 in vitro (P＜0.01), but IFN-γ was also under the detection sensitivity. Conclusion: The marked inhibition of Th2 cytokine expression by Tripterygium was the important mechanism of it in treating asthma. But the fact that Tripterygium also showed inhibition on Th1 cytokine indicated that the inhibition of Tripterygium on Th2 and Th1 cytokines was non-specific.