OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy of self-made Kirschner wire hook in the treatment of severely displaced proximal humerus fractures in children.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to February 2012,35 children with severely displaced proximal humerus fractures were treated with self-made Kirschner wire hook fixation,including 25 boys and 10 girls with an average age of 13.2 years old ranging from 5 to 17. The duration from injury to operation was 1 to 10 days with an average of 4.5 days. Preoperative diagnoses were confirmed by X-ray films as type III in 26 cases and type IV in 9 according to the Neer-Horwitz classification of the proximal humerus fractures. All fractures were close fracture without nerve or vascular injuries. Anatomical reduction was achieved by open reduction and the fractures were fixed by self-made Kirschner wire hook. Intra-operative and postoperative complications, postoperative radiographic examination, upper extremity length and range of shoulder motion were observed and recorded. Neer score system was used to evaluate shoulder function.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 6 to 18 months with an average of 12.1 months. The mean Neer score of the injured side was 94.2 +/- 4.8 (ranged, 84 to 99), 30 patients got an excellent result and 5 good according to the Neer scores. The X-ray showed all the fractures healed without shortening deformity or epiphyseal arrest at early stage. There were no complications related to the implant including loosening or breakage of the self-made Kirschner wire hook. The range of shoulder motion in the injuried side was similar to the normal side, except in abductor lift. All the patients could participate in normal physical activities.

CONCLUSIONThe method of open reduction and fixed with self-made Kirschner wire hook is a safe,effective,convenient treatment for severely displaced proximal humeral fractures in children.

Adolescent ; Bone Wires ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Range of Motion, Articular

Objective To compare 99Tcm-MIBI MPI with delayed enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). Methods Forty patients with IDCM were included. They underwent both rest 99Tcm-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging and DE-MRI within 7 days. 99Tcm-MIBI MPI was performed to identify diffuse or segmental abnormal perfusion patterns including reduced or defect perfusion segments. DE-MRI images were divided into 4 categories: no delayed enhancement, septal, subendocardial and transmural delayed enhancement, x2 test was used for data analysis. Results Diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormality on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI were found in 19 (47.5%) and 21 (52.5%)patients respectively, while DE-MRI enhancement was simultaneously found in 5 patients of the former (5/19, 26.3%) and 18 (18/21, 85.7%) of the latter (x2 =14.401, P＜0. 001). For those (n=18) with both segmental perfusion abnormality and DE-MRI enhancement, the number of segments of the 4 DE-MRI respectively. A significant difference was found in the DE-MRI enhancement categories between normal and defect perfusion segments (x2 = 29. 183, P ＜0.001 ) and between reduced and defect perfusion segments as well (x2 =25. 110, P＜0. 001). Conclusions Both diffuse and segmental perfusion abnormalities on 99Tcm-MIBI MPI can be found in patients with IDCM. DE-MRI enhancement is more frequently found in patients with segmental perfusion abnormality.

0.05).However,A-waves were recorded in 7 patients who were with normal F-waves.Conclusion The occur- rence of A-waves,especially of multiple type,in the ulnar and median nerves might be helpful for the early diagnosis of Guillain-Barr?Syndrome.

Objective: To understand the relationship between coxsackievirus B and pediatric diseases. Methods: The infectious state of coxsackievirus B in hospitalized children were studied. Among 796 children studied, there were 218 upper respiratory tract infection cases, 179 pneumonia, 106 asthma, 155 myocarditis, 19 allergic purpura and 89 other diseases. The antigen (CVB-Ag) and IgM (CVB-IgM) were detected using ELISA method. Results: (1)There were 47% positive of CVB in upper respiratory tract infection and 48% positive of CVB in pneumonia(no difference between them, P>0.05). (2) There were 62% positive of CVB in asthma, 61% positive of CVB in myocarditis and 68% positive of CVB in allergic purpura(no difference among them, P>0.05)； But the positive rate of CVB in asthma, myocarditis and purpura were higher than in upper respiratory tract infection and pneumonia, (P<0.05). (3) There were lower positive rate of CVB in other kinds of diseases (16%) and in healthy children (3%)(no difference between them, P>0.05). Conclusion: CVB infection was related to several kinds of diseases, the relationship between CVB infection and diseases such as asthma, myocarditis, and allergic purpura should be further studied.

BACKGROUNDCorneal neovascular leakage can lead to edema and secondary scarring. Previous studies have shown that pericytes play a key role in maturation of angiogenesis. The present studies investigate the relationship between vascular permeability and pericyte coverage of endothelial cells in rat corneal neovascular induced by alkali burns.

METHODSCorneal neovascular vessels induced by alkali burns was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats. Corneas were excised on 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after cauterization. The vascular permeability rate was measured by the Evans blue method. The microvessel pericyte coverage index (MPI) was applied to quantify the pericyte coverage through double immunofluorescent staining of frozen sections of corneas with CD31 as the endothelial and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) as the pericyte markers. The correlation between permeability rate and MPI was analyzed. Pericyte coverage was confirmed ultrastructually using transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe vascular permeability rate was (1.14 +/- 0.17), (0.24 +/- 0.08), (0.29 +/- 0.16), (0.14 +/- 0.10), (0.09 +/- 0.06) and (0.05 +/- 0.04) microg x ml(-1) x mm(-2) respectively on 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after cauterization. The MPI was 0, 16.07%, 11.95%, 43.84%, 73.97% and 86.21% respectively at the above mentioned time points. The correlation coefficient between MPI and the permeability rate was -0.943 (P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONSPericyte recruitment was significantly correlated with the permeability of corneal neovascularization induced by alkali burns in rats. Therapeutic strategies aiming at anti-leakage should be most effective if they promote pericytes proliferation in the course of corneal neovascularization.

Alkalies ; Animals ; Burns, Chemical ; physiopathology ; Capillary Permeability ; Cell Movement ; Cornea ; blood supply ; ultrastructure ; Corneal Neovascularization ; physiopathology ; Eye Burns ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Pericytes ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Molecular identification of Chinese traditional medicine has come from laboratory research into application, but there are some misunderstandings and problems emerging after rapid development. In this paper, we discuss the usage principle, hot field and technology innovation in molecular identification of Chinese traditional medicine. And molecular identification of traditional Chinese medicine has scientific and objective basis, follows the certain systematic research background, and adopts practical principles to establish case by case multi-class identification system. In order to achieve rapid, on-site, high throughput, low cost of traditional Chinese medicine identification purpose, molecular identification technology is further developing for meet the actual needs and the laboratory results further transformation in the service of traditional Chinese medicine industry.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Quality Control

Objective One typical case with stress cardiomyopathy was reported and the current knowledge of the syndrome was reviewed to improve relevant knowledge.Methods A 71-year-old female patient presented dyspnea and chest pain due to emotional stress.ECG,echocardiography,selective coronary artery angiography,left ventriculography,~(99)Tc~m-MIBI single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT),~(18)F-FDG SPECT and MRI were performed.Results Electrocardiogram at admission showed ST segment elevation and T wave inversion in leads V1—V4.Pathological Q wave occurred 1 week later,it disappeared 1 month later however and severe T wave inversion occurred.Normal or slightly elevated cardiac enzymes in the blood were found during the course.Left ventriculogram at admission showed left ventricular apical ballooning with LVEF of 30%.The ballooning volume was about 3/4 of left ventricular volume, without any corresponding coronary artery diseases found in coronary angiogram.The abnormal apical ballooning decreased significantly in the follow-up left ventriculogram performed one month later.The LVEF rose up to 63.6%.~(99)Tc~m-MIBI and ~(18)F-FDG SPECT showed mismatch of perfusion and metabolism in the corresponding region,indicating presence of viable myocardium.MRI showed left ventricular apical ballooning without perfusion defect and late enhancement,indicating viability of corresponding myocardium. Conclusions Emotional stress can cause transient left ventricular apical ballooning called"stress cardiomyopathy".Either ~(99)Tc~m-MIBI SPECT associated with ~(18)F-FDG SPECT or delayed enhancement MRI plays an important role in identification of myocardial viability,which can efficiently guide clinical treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Amanita ; Amanitins ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemoperfusion ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Mushroom Poisoning ; complications ; therapy ; Plasma Exchange ; Sorption Detoxification

A field trial was carried out to study the influence of different kinds of spring topdressing on growth, yield and quality of Ligusticum chuanxiong. The results showed that the spring topdressing had effects of improving root length, tiller numbers and plant height to some extent. At the same time the chlorophyll content and dry weight accumulation especially the dry weight of root increased significantly. It also showed that the yield increased and quality was improved significantly. The effect of different treatment with urea58.7 kg x hm(-2)(N 27 kg x hm(-2)) was the best and the treatment with N,P,K the second.
Alkaloids ; metabolism ; Coumaric Acids ; metabolism ; Fertilizers ; Ligusticum ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of activated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and in modulating the Rho signaling pathway.

METHODSHSCs were divided into the following groups: blank control, consisting of HSCs without treatment; two treatment controls, consisting of HSCs exposed to exogenous HGF at 50 ng/ml and HSCs exposed to exogenous HGF activator (HGFA) at 70 ng/ml; three experimental groups, consisting of HSCs exposed to both exogenous HGF and HGFA, HSCs pre-incubated with the HGF inhibitor c-met at 500 ng/ml for 6 hours and then exposed to exogenous HGF and HGFA, and HSCs pre-incubated with the Rho pathway inhibitor Y-27632 at 10 ng/ml and then exposed to exogenous HGF and HGFA. Activation status of the cultured HSCs was determined by change in expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA). The optimal intervention concentration of Y-27632 was determined by MTT assay. The apoptotic status of HSCs was determined by flow cytometry. Expression of the HGF-alpha chain was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of RhoA was evaluated by PCR (for mRNA) and by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis (for protein).

RESULTSExposure to 10 mumol/L Y-27632 led to obvious growth inhibition of HGF + HGFA-induced HSCs, compared with the other concentrations tested (P less than 0.05). HGF + HGFA induced the expression of the HGF-alpha chain in a time-dependent manner (P less than 0.01); however, the increases in expression of HGF-alpha chain induced by HGF alone and HGFA alone were not significantly different from the level in the blank controls (P more than 0.05). Exposure to HGF alone and HGFA alone led to a time-dependent increase in apoptosis (24 h, 48 h, 72 h) but exposure to HGF + HGFA led to the highest levels of apoptosis (P less than 0.05). Exposure to HGF + HGFA led to a time-dependent decrease in RhoA mRNA and protein expression (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONActivation of hepatocyte growth factor promotes apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells by suppressing RhoA expression and down-regulating the Rho signaling pathway.