Aortic Valve ; pathology ; Calcinosis ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; pathology ; Heart Valve Diseases ; pathology ; Humans

A pot experiment was conducted to study effect of drought stress on leaf physiological characteristics and growth of one year old Stellaria dichotoma seedlings. The result showed that plant height and shoot dry weight significantly decreased with decrease in soil water content; however, root length and root dry weight increased at light drought stress and decreased at severe drought stress. The result also showed that with the decrease of soil water content, proline content in S. dichotoma leaves decreased then increase, while solube protein content decreased. Activities of SOD and POD in S. dichotoma leaves significantly decreased as soil water content decreased, while activity of CAT significantly decreased at severe drought stress. Membrane permeability in S. dichotoma leaves increased, while MDA content decreased then increased as soil water decreased. These results suggest that S. dichotoma had osmotic stress resistance ability and reactive oxygen scavenging capacity at light drought stress, which caused S. dichotoma growth was no inhibited at a certain extent drought stress.
Droughts ; Plant Leaves ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Proline ; metabolism ; Seedlings ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Stellaria ; enzymology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Water ; metabolism

Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control

Objective To assess the status and severity of bone disease in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) by using chest computerized tomography (CT) and the relationship between clinical prognostic parameters and bone disease.Methods All 46 newly diagnosed MM in-patients received both imaging tests of chest CT and plain X ray.An experienced radiologist reviewed all the imaging data.Clinical laboratory parameters,stages of Durie-Salmon (DS) and International Staging System (ISS) were evaluated.Five cytogenetic abnormalities of bone marrow myeloma cells were tested by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).Results The sensitivity of CT and X ray to determine pathological fractures was comparable,the positive rates of which were 41.3％ (19/46) and 30.4％ (14/46) respectively (P =0.29).Nevertheless,the positive rate of osteolytic lesions ascertained by CT was significantly higher than that by X ray (P ＜ 0.001),60.9％ (28/46) vs 13.0％ (6/46) with diameter 5-10 mm and 50.0％ (23/46) vs 10.9％ (5/ 46) with diameter more than 10 mm.Osteolytic lesion numbers found by CT were more than those by X ray [5(0-21) vs0(0-4) lesions with diameter5-10 mm (P＜0.001),2(0-14) vs0(0-2) lesions with diameter more than 10 mm (P ＜ 0.001),respectively].Patients with positive osteolytic lesions had higher percentage of RB1 gene deletion[46.7％ (14/30) vs 18.8％ (3/16),P ＜0.001],D13s319 deletion [43.3％ (13/30) vs 18.8％ (3/16),P ＜0.001] and high risk cytogenetic abnormalities[50.0％ (15/30) vs 25.0％ (4/16),P ＜ 0.001].Conclusions Chest CT is more sensitive than plain X ray in detecting osteolytic myeloma bone disease.Osteolysis determined by CT is relevant to clinical DS stages and risk stratification of cytogenetic abnormalities.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcome of accessory navicular fusion for treatment of the painful accessory navicular bone of type II in adults.

METHODSFrom June 2006 to June 2012, a total of 38 feet (in 35 adult patients) with painful accessory navicular with type I underwent an fusion operation of the primary and accessory navicular bones,including 26 males and 9 females with a mean age of (32.4±7.3) years old ranging from 18 to 44 years old. The course of disease ranged from 3 to 10 months. The perioperative complications and radiological outcomes were observed and recorded. The foot function before and after operation were assessed by the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) midfoot score, and the easement of the pain was evaluated by visual analog score (VAS).

RESULTSTwo patients had transient superficial inflammation of the incision, no obvious perioperative complications occurred. All patients were follow-up for (53.5±14.7) months (12 to 84 months). Bone union was confirmed on plain radiography in 32 cases (35 feet). The mean time from the operation to union was (13.7±2.3) weeks (9 to 18 weeks). Postoperative pain VAS score was improved obviosly than preoperative (V=12.14,P< 0.01). The talar-to-first metatarsal angle [(9.4±3.5)° vs (8.3±2.7)°, t=0.736, P>0.05)], calcaneal tilt angle [(17.7±2.2)° vs (18.9±3.4)°, t=0.794, P>0.05],talonavicular uncoverage angle [(14.3±3.4)° vs(12.5?4.6)°,t=0.947, P>0.05) ],and height of the first tarsometatarsal joint [(14.8±3.1) mm vs (15.9±2.8) mm,t=0.814,P>0.05)] before and after operations had no statistic difference. The AOFAS midfoot score was improced from preoperative 45.6±5.3 to postoperative 82.5±7.4 (t=3.214,P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONFor the painful accessory navicular bone of type II in adults, if the patient has a large navicular bone and not complicated with rigid flatfoot, once the conservative treatment fails, fusion of the primary and accessory naviculars may be a successful intervention. Overall, the procedure provides reliable pain relief, definite foot function improvement, and good patient satisfaction.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot Diseases ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Tarsal Bones ; abnormalities ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the underlying factors related to smoking and cessation compliance in patients following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

METHODSFrom October, 2008 to January, 2009, a total of 160 CABG patients received questionnaires concerning smoking and smoking cessation compliance in Peking university people's hospital, 153 patients completed the questionnaires and were divided into non-smoking (72 patients) and smoking group (81 patients).

RESULTSCognition was better in non-smokers than smokers on smoking-related health hazards (100% vs. 91.4%, P = 0.011) and on the relationship between smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (80.6% vs. 60.5%, P = 0.007) while cognition was better in smokers than non-smokers on the relationship between smoking and ischemic heart disease (61.7% vs. 40.3%, P = 0.008). Compared with non-smoker, smokers acquired significantly more knowledge on smoking and smoking cessation from friends and colleagues (22.2% vs.8.3%, P = 0.018) and from medical professionals (55.6% vs. 26.4%, P = 0.000). In the smoking group, 68 patients quit smoking (84.0%), while the remaining 13 patients failed to quit smoking (16.0%) post CABG. The smoking cessation patients were superior to the smoker patients on smoking cessation compliance (82.4% vs. 38.5%, P = 0.001) and support from family members (94.1% vs. 61.5%, P = 0.003). The nicotine dependence scores of current smokers significantly declined after CABG (preoperative 3.77 ± 2.31 vs. postoperative 2.46 ± 2.30, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONSCognition on the relationship between smoking and coronary heart disease as well as other diseases should be improved in patients underwent CABG. Medical staff and family members play an equal important role on improving the smoking cessation rate for patients post CABG.

Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance ; Postoperative Period ; Smoking ; psychology ; Smoking Cessation ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms underlying the effect of Chansu Injection (CHS) in reversing multi-drug resistance (MDR) of HL60/ADM cells.

METHODSMTT assay was used to investigate the effect of CHS on adramycin (ADM) sensitivity of HL-60/ADM cells. Flow cytometry was used to observe the effect of CHS on the cell cycle of HL60/ADM cell. The expressions of NF-κB, MRP, GST-π, and iNOS were detected by immunocytochemistry.

RESULTSTreatment with CHS lowered the IC(50) of ADM in HL60/ADM cells from 34.1971 µmol/L to 17.4393 µmol/L, and caused an increase in G(0)/G1 and G(2)/M phase cells with decreased S phase cells. CHS decreased the expressions of MRP mRNA and GST-π and MRP proteins but increased the expressions of iNOS and NF-κB proteins in the cells.

CONCLUSIONCHS can partly reverse MDR in HL60/ADM cells possibly by down-regulating MRP and GST-π, up-regulating NF-κB and iNOS, and promoting cell apoptosis, thereby increase ADM sensitivity of HL-60/ADM cells.

Amphibian Venoms ; pharmacology ; Bufanolides ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; drug effects ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans

Aged, 80 and over ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Prosthesis Failure

AIM: To study the effect of phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) on rabbit bacterial corneal ulcer model and explore the clinical potential of this method. METHODS:Totally 48 eyes from all the 24 New Zealand rabbits were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and bacterial corneal ulcer model was established successfully. At 1d after inoculation,48 eyes were given levofloxacin eye drops when corneal ulcer was confirmed. Then slit lamp inspection and optical coherence tomography ( OCT) were performed to measure the central corneal ulcer depth. All the rabbits right eyes were treated with PTK, as an observation group,left eyes were not treated as a control group. The eye section were observed by slit lamp and central thickness of corneal ulcer was measured by OCT at 3 and 7d after this operation. Rabbits were sacrificed and the cornea was removed for pathological section 7d later. RESULTS: The corneal ulcers in both groups had a tendency to heal, showing a decrease in ulcer area and smoothness of the surface. There was no significant difference in the depth of corneal ulcer between the observation group and the control group before PTK (t=0.706,P=0.484). The difference between the two groups of eyes at 3 and 7d after PTK was obviously (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PTK can effectively cure rabbit Staphylococcus aureus corneal ulcer and promote ulcer wound healing,which may be used for clinical treatment of patients with bacterial corneal lesions.

Polypore fungi is a cluster of important pharmacological fungi with significant antitumor activity. In recent years, the antineoplastic constituents from polypore fungi have been comprehensively studied. Through investigating the domestic and overseas studied paper, the antitumor active constituents derived from polypore fungi including high molecular weight compounds such as polysaccharides, glycopeptides, glycoproteins, lectins, and lipid soluble low molecular weight compounds such as terpenoids, steroids, phenolics, benzopyranones, were reviewed. In addition, the significance in the exploitation of new drug for antitumor by the application of polypore fungi was discussed at the end of this paper.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Fungi ; chemistry ; Humans ; Macromolecular Substances ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Molecular Weight ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Polyporus ; chemistry ; Solubility