Adult ; Computer Terminals ; Humans ; Male ; Paper ; Reading ; Students, Medical ; Workload

Objective To discuss the clinical value of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in treating severe vertebral compression fracture. Methods During the period from June 2012 to March 2013, PVP was carried out in 30 patients with severe vertebral compression fracture (30 diseased vertebrae in total). The clinical data were respectively analyzed. According to the shape of compressed vertebra , the fractures were divided into three types: wedge-shaped, double concave and oblong-shaped. For wedge-shaped fracture, PVP was performed via the pedicle access of the healthy side. For double concave type , unilateral pedicle access was used, while for oblong-shaped type unilateral or bilateral access was adopted to conduct PVP according to the distribution of the injected PMMA. The therapeutic results were evaluated by using VAS and pain degree classification standard of WHO. The preoperative and postoperative vertebral height was estimated on the lateral projection. All patients were followed up for six months at out-patient clinic or by telephone. Results The success rate of puncturing was 100%. The preoperative mean VAS was 6.9 ± 0.9. The postoperative VAS at one day, one, 3 and 6 months after the procedure was 5.0 ± 0.9, 3.5 ± 0.7, 2.5 ± 0.8 and 1.6 ± 0.7 respectively. Based on WHO pain degree classification standard, complete remission (CR) was obtained in 25 cases, partial remission (PR) in 3 cases, and invalid in 2 cases. The effective rate (CR +PR) was 93.33%. The mean preoperative height of the compressed vertebrae was (5.77 ± 1.09) mm and the mean postoperative height of the compressed vertebrae was (14.33 ± 2.03) mm. Conclusion For the treatment of severe vertebral compression fractures, percutaneous vertebroplasty is clinically feasible with reliable short-term effect.

OBJECTIVETo establish social stress induced depression-like model in mice of C57BL/6 strain, and to assess its reliability using differenf behavioral methods.

METHODSTotally 20 male mice of C57BL/6 strain were divided into the normal group and the stress model group by random digit table,10 in each group. Another 10 CD1 mice were subjected to social stress. Mice in the normal control group received no stress, while those in the model group received social stress for 10 successive days. Behavioral assessment was performed using social interaction test (SIT), the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test, tail suspension test (TST), respectively. Serum cortisol level was detected by ELISA to assess the reliability of the model.

RESULTSIn the social interaction test when the social target (CDI mice) was inexistent, mice in the normal control group spent longer time in the social interaction zone and less time in the corner zone (P < 0.05); mice in the model group spent less time in the social interaction zone and more time in the corner zone (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal group when CDI mice existed, mice in the model group spent less time in the social interaction zone and more time in the corner zone (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the total times for entry into open arms, close arms, and the maze were obviously reduced (P < 0.05), and the proportion of entering open arms was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in the model group. In TST, the motionless time within the last 4 mm was prolonged in the model group (P < 0.05). The serum cortisol level in the model group was obviously elevated (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSocial stress induced depression-like animal model in mice of C57BL/6 straineasquite reliable and possibly suitable to be used in integrative medicine research of combination of disease and syndrome model.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; Depression ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Social Behavior ; Stress, Psychological

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Female ; Ginkgolides ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism

PcoI-PcoR is a quorum-sensing (QS) system influencing the biofilm formation and rhizosphere colonization in Pseudomonas fluorescens 2P24. The expression of the pcoI, a N-acyl-homoserne lactone (AHL) biosynthase gene, is under the regulation of a number of chromosomal factors, such as the GacS-GacA two-component system. In this paper, we investigated the upstream regulators that influence the transcription of pcoI gene using a chromosomal pcoI-lacZ fusion reporter strain PM203. Cosmids containing genomic DNA of the wild-type strain 2P24 were introduced into the reporter strain PM203 (gacA—, pcoI-lacZ) to screen positive transcriptional regulators of pcoI gene. One of them named pP32-24, which contained a 5-kb Pst I functional fragment was selected. Further analysis identified that the pcoI was the gene responsible for the increase of the pcoI-lacZ expression. The expression of pcoI-lacZ reporter was alsoimproved in both PM101 (pcoI-lacZ) and its gacAmutant PM203 after addition of exogenous AHL, indicating that the expression of pcoI is positively regulated by AHL (autoinduction) in strain 2P24. In addition, deletion mutagenesis and complementation experiments demonstrated that the transcriptional regulator PcoR positively controlled the expression of pcoI and the formation of biofilm. These results suggest that, in strain 2P24, the expression of PcoI-PcoR QS system is auto-inducted, and the transcriptional factor PcoR is involved in the regulation of pcoI transcription and the biofilm formation.

Objective To explore the role of protein kinase C(PKC) to regulate the activation of nuclear factor-?B(NF-?B)in T lymphocyte in children with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).Methods Sterility peripheral blood was collected from acute ITP children(n=30)and healthy children(n=30).T lymphocytes were isolated and purified,and divided into 3 groups:control group,PMA group stimulated with PMA,PMA plus H-7 group stimulated with PMA and H-7.The expression of NF-?B and inhibitor protein-?B(I-?B)was detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot,respectively.Results The percentage of cells with active NF-?B was significantly higher and the expression level of I-?B was significantly lower in acute ITP PMA group than that in acute ITP control group and normal PMA group,respectively(all P

Objective To analyze the clinical features,epidemiologic information and outcome in confirmed cases of human infection with a highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1).Methods The clinical features and epidemiologic findings in 2 confirmed cases of avian influenza A(H5N1)in Anhui province,in November 2005.Clinical data on vital signs,physical findings,laboratory tests and roentgenology were obtained by means of retrospective review of the hospital records.Epidemiologic data were collected through interviews of the patients and their relatives.Results In both cases,the diagnosis of influenza A(H5N1)was confirmed by means of viral culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction with specific primers for H5 and N1 in samples obtained from tracheal aspiration.All patients were previously healthy young women and resided in village.They had a clear history of di- rect contact with sick/dead poultry and prepared dead chickens at home for eating(removed feathers, washed,cut)hut no report of confirmed HSN1 animals in the village.The time between exposure and onset of illness were 5 days,no one else in family sick.The time between the onset of illness and hos- pitalization were 5 days and 6 days,respectively.Two patients have initial symptoms of high fever (typically a temperature more than 38℃).The prominent clinical features were those of influenza syndrome,including fever,cough,and shortness of breath.Upper respiratory tract symptoms were absent.The platelet counts were decreased.In both patients,there were marked abnormalities on chest radiography,radiographic changes include bilateral and unilateral lobular consolidations with air bronchograms,and had dramatic worsening of findings.Two patients developed acute respiratory dis- tress syndrome(ARDS)complicated multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS)and died of pro- gressive respiratory failure.Conclusions Exposure to dead poultry within a week before the onset of illness was associated with Influenza A(H5N1)infection in humans,but no definitive evidence of hu man-to-human transmission has been found yet.Influenza A(HSNI)infection,characterized by fe- ver,an influenza-like illness with lower respiratory tract symptoms,carries a high risk of death.

Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Freund's Adjuvant/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Male ; Pelvic Pain/etiology* ; Prostatitis ; Rats

Objective To investigate the effects of downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM) on the expression of glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) in spinal cord in rats with bone cancer pain and morphine tolerance.Methods Sixty female healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats weighing 200 ～230 g were randomly divided into tow groups,group Ⅰ cancer pain (CP,n =48) and group Ⅱ Sham (S,n =12).Cancer pain in each group was produced by inoculation of syngenetic Walker 256 rat mammary gland carcinoma cells (5 × 105) to left tibia.Pain threshold to mechanical stimulus was measured before (baseline) and after the surgical procedure.From 14 d to 18 d after the inoculation of carcinoma cells,36 rats from group CP received subcutaneous injection of morphine at 3 times per day with doses increasingly from 10 mg/kg initially to 20 mg/kg,30 mg/kg,40 mg/kg,and 60 mg/kg.Equal volume of normal saline was applied to the 12 rats left in group CP.On 19th day after the carcinoma cells inoculation once subcutaneous injection of morphine at 3mg/kg was performed in all rats in group CP.From the next day,the rats in group CP ever receiving injections of morphine for 5 days were randomized into thre subgroups,including subgroups morphine tolerance (MT,n =12),vehicle (V,n =12),and RNAi (R,n =12).They were injected intrathecally with 20 μl of normal saline (NS),10 μl vehicle plus 10 μ1 NS,and 10 μ1 of DREAM-shRNA plus l0 μ1 NS,respectively,once a day for 5 days.Focusing on the affected limb,mechanical pain threshold was measured one day before surgery (T0),and at day7 (T1),day 14 (T2),day 18 (T3),day 19 (T4),day21 d (T5),day 25 (T6),and day 28 (T7) after surgery.The animals were sacrificed at day 28 after the procedure.The lumbar 4 segments in rats were removed for detection of DREAM and GLT-1.Results The mechanical threshold was significantly decreased at T1 compared to the baseline in all groups,returned to the baseline at T2 ～ T7 in group S,at T4 in group CP,and at T2 in group MT,V,and R,but remained low at T5 ～T7 in group CP,and at T3 ～T7 in group MT,V,and R.Compared to that at T1,it was decreased at T2 ～T3 and T5 ～ T7 in group CP,at T4 ～ T7 in group MT and V,and at T4 ～ T5 in group R,going back to the baseline at T4 in group CP and at T2 in group MT,V and R,and increased at T6 ～ T7 in group R.Compared to that in group S,the mechanical threshold in group CP,MT,V and R was decreased,and lower at T2 in group CP and at T4 in group MT,V and R.Compared to that in group CP,the mechanical threshold was significantly higher at T2 ～ T3 but lower at T4 in group MT,V,and R,decreased at T5 in group R and at T5 ～ T7 in group MT and V.The mechanical threshold was increased at T6 ～ T7 in group R and higher than that in groups MT and V.The expression of DREAM,compared to that in group S,was down-regulated in other groups.Compared to group CP,increment was shown in groups MT and V,and decrease was exhibited in group R.It was cut down in group R compared to that in groups MT and V.Compared to group S,GLT-1 was decreased in other groups.It was down-regulated in groups MT,V and R compared to group CP.Conclusions DREAM is involved in the development of allodynia after morphine tolerance in rats with bone cancer pain.No evidence in this study supports a link between DREAM and GLT-l in spinal cord.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Jingui Shenqi Pill (JSP) on morphology of spinal cell apoptosis in rats injured by 192Ir irradiation.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups: the model group, the JSP group, the prednisone group and the normal group. Corresponding pharmaceutics were given to rats once a day for 14 days respectively. Then except rats in the normal group, the others received 192Ir interstitial irradiation with the dosage of 22 Gy using back-fixing technology. The injured segments of spinal cord were taken out for HE staining, TUNEL examination and observation with electron microscope 8 hrs, 24 hrs and 4 weeks after irradiation.

RESULTSHE staining examination showed no obvious histological change in rats 8 and 24 hrs after irradiation, but pathological changes, as tissue rarefaction and hemorrhage did found in white matter of spinal cord shown by TUNEL 4 weeks later. Electron microscopic examination and TUNEL staining showed that as compared with the model group, the apoptotic index in the JSP and predinisone treated groups was significantly lower (P < 0.01) 8 hrs after radiation, but it showed insignificant difference between groups at the time points of 24 hrs and 4 weeks after radiation (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONJSP could act against apoptosis of gliocyte in spinal cord of rats in early stage after brachytherapy, indicating that JSP possessing a prednisone-like action.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Brachytherapy ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Iridium Radioisotopes ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Radiation Injuries ; pathology ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; radiation effects