Ligustrazine which has extensive pharmacological effects has been clinically used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases,respiratory diseases,urinary diseases,cirrhosis,cancer,etc.Research of protective effects of Ligustrazine on spinal cord injury has recently increased year by year.Numerous clinical trials and animal experiments suggest that Ligustrazine can play a role on ischemic cerebrovascular disease, degenerative brain disease,epilepsy,spinal cord injury and so on,whose main mechanisms include inhibiting of apoptosis and inflammation,enhancing the body’s antioxidant level,improving hemorheology,increasing expression of neurofilament protein and neurotrophic factors,and regulating balance of the ion intracellular and extracellular.Through consulting the relevant literature since 2003,this article reviews the protective roles and mechanisms of Ligustrazine on cerebra and spinal cord injury for the past 10 years.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory response is one of potential cellular mechanisms by which hyperhomocysteinemia accelerates atherosclerosis. There are still many details need to be illuminated. TNFSF4 gene and interleukin (IL)-10 are two inflammatory factors related to atherosclerosis. But their correlation with hyperhomocysteinemia is seldom reported. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of homocysteine (Hcy) on expression of TNFSF4 gene and IL-10 in the monocytes cultured in vitro. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized control experiment in vitro was conducted from July to December in 2007 in the Pathophysiology Laboratory of West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medical Sciences of Sichuan University. MATERIALS: THP-1 monocytes were offered by the Pathophysiology Laboratory of West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medical Sciences of Sichuan University); Hcy, dexamethasone (Dex) and vitamin D3 (Vit D3) were all purchased from Sigma. METHODS: Cultured THP-1 monocytes were induced to macrophages by 0.1 ?mol/L phorbol myristate acetate, and the differentiated THP-1 macrophages were incubated with 200 ?mol/L Hcy for 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. Then cell supernatant and lysate were collected as condition medium. Any other differentiated THP-1 macrophages were incubated with a combination of Dex and Vit D3 for 6 days, and then the condition mediums were added to incubate together for 24 hours. Cells were divided into blank control group, 200 ?mol/L Hcy group, Dex+Vit D3 group, 24-hour Hcy+Dex+Vit D3 group, 48-hour Hcy+Dex+Vit D3 group, and 72-hour Hcy+ Dex+Vit D3 group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The expression level of TNFSF4 mRNA was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression level of IL-10 protein was determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with blank control group, no significant difference of TNFSF4 mRNA expression was found in the 24-hour Hcy group, while the expression level was significantly higher in 48-hour and 72-hour Hcy groups. Compared with Dex+Vit D3 group, the IL-10 expression of all Hcy+Dex+Vit D3 groups was significantly lower than that in the Dex+Vit D3 group. CONCLUSION: Hcy may increase TNFSF4 mRNA expression and decrease IL-10 expression in THP-1 macrophages.

Objective To investigate the effects of homocysteine (Hcy) on methylation status and mRNA expression of TNF superfamily member 4 (TNFSF4) gene in THP-1 macrophages. Methods Cultured THP-1 monocytes were induced to macrophages by 0.1 ?mol/L PMA treatment for 72 h, then the differentiated THP-1 macrophages were incubated with homocysteine (50-1 000 ?mol/L) for 24, 48 or 72 h. The status of methylation of TNFSF4 gene in THP-1 macrophages was analyzed by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR).The expression level of TNFSF4 mRNA was determined by RT-PCR. Results The MS-PCR results showed that the unmethylated bands gradually became stronger, and the methylated bands gradually became weaker along with the prolongation of treatment time and the increased Hcy concentrations. The 72-hour treatment with Hcy induced a complete demethylation in the promotor region of TNFSF4 gene, where left the only unmethylated bands. Meanwhile, the TNFSF4 mRNA expression was also increased in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion Hcy may contribute to atherogenesis by inducing demethylation in the promotion region of the TNFSF4 gene and increasing TNFSF4 expression in THP-1 macrophages.

Objective To segment brain magnetic resonance (MR) images corrupted by noises. Methods We presented a novel Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm for image segmentation. The algorithm was by modifying the objective function in the conventional FCM. Firstly,by using kernel method,the original Euclidean distance in the FCM was replaced by a kernel-induced distance. Then,a spatial penalty term was added to the objective function to compensate the influence of the neighboring pixels on the center pixel. Results Segmentation results on a four-class synthetic image corrupted by salt & pepper noise shows that the new algorithm is less speckled and smoother. The new algorithm is applied to simulation MR images and is shown to have less misclassification rate than the other FCM-based methods. Conclusion The results of experiments show that the proposed algorithm is more robust to noise than other FCM-based methods.

Objective To explore the effects of patient participation-based dietary intervention on nutritional status for patients with gastrectomy.Methods Fifty-two patients with gastrectomy were randomly assigned to the intervention group(n=26) and the control group(n=26).All patients were given general dietary guidance,and patients in the intervention group were provided patient participation-based dietary intervention(PPDI) as well.Height,body weight and body mass index(BMI) were recorded at baseline,2 weeks and 12 weeks after intervention,using PatientGenerated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA),Diet-Related Symptom Scale,Adherence to Dietary Scale and a 3-day food diary.Results There was no obvious change in body weight and BMI before and after 12-week intervention,while outcomes in the control group gradually decreased.For time effect,there was significant difference in PG-SGA between two groups(P＜0.05).For between-group effect,there were significant differences in diet-related symptoms(P＜0.05),dietary intake(P＜0.05) and adherence to dietary(P＜0.05) between two groups.Conclusion Patient participation-based dietary intervention can improve nutritional status for patients with gastrectomy.

Objective To investigate the situation of cognitive demands for disease of discharged patients with T tube,in order to adopt a more rational and effective interventions to meet the needs of patients.Methods 60 patients were investigated with the questionnaire survey designed to gauge patients'cognitive demands for disease and health knowledge.Results The patients had higher cognitive demands for T tube retention time,how to make self-observation and influence of T tube retention on normal work and life,among these patients,they laid different particular emphasis to some items between different sexes.Conclusions Nurses can provide patients with comprehensive,prioritized and individualized health guidance according to cognitive demands of patients,so that the health education quality and work efficiency can be improved.

Hyperuricemia is closely associated with hypertension,diabetes,coronary heart disease.However,numerous studies have shown that as a natural antioxidant,uric acid has a strong antioxidant effect.It can enhance the body's overall antioxidant capacity,scavenge free radicals in tissue,decrease the level of oxidative stress,and improve the outcomes in patients with stroke.It may provide a new target for the treatment of stroke through investigating the neuroprotective effect of uric acid on ischemic stroke.

Objective: Through comparing the hospitalization costs of total knee replacement (TKR) in People’s Hospital of Peking University in 2005 and 2010, to investigate the changing status of hospitalization costs on this operation and the impact of clinical pathway ( CP ) on controlling the hospitalization costs during 5 years , and provide references for controlling medical treatment cost reasonably. Methods: The patients are grouped into undergoing unilateral and bilateral TKR. The total hospitalization cost and cost of each category during 5 years are compared, and SAS 9.2 statistic software is applied to deal the data. Results: Compared with 2005, the total cost for TKR in 2010 decreased. All the charging items decreased, except implant material increased, especially the cost of surgery, hospital room, nursing and pharmacy. Specific to one knee replacement group and both knees replacement, the changing trend of cost is coincident with the total cost. Conclusion: The total cost for TKR in 2010 was lower than that of 2005, which might be the result of adopting CP since 2010. Nevertheless, the implant material cost accounted large proportion of hospitalization cost in 2010, and it has obvious increasing trend compared to 2005. This result is related the increasing application of the new edition of Artificial knee joint prosthesis. Controlling implant material cost is the effective method of decreasing medical costs for TKR.

BACKGROUND:There are numerous studies about mechanical changes of recast cobalt-chromium ceramic al oys. However, little is reported on the mechanical properties of cobalt-chromium ceramic al oys containing once-used al oys after recasts.
OBJECTIVE:To study the effects of different proportion of once-used al oys to recasting cobalt-chromium al oys on their mechanical properties, including tensile strength, yield strength, elongation and hardness.
METHODS:Cobalt-chromium al oys cast samples were prepared and recast for three times (40%once-used al oys were added per time). The tensile strength, 0.2%yield strength, percentage of elongation, flexural strength and Vickers hardness of each specimen were measured. In addition, microscopic metal ographic observation was done.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Being recast for three times, cobalt-chromiun al oys showed no significant differences on their tensile strength, 0.2%yield strength, percentage of elongation, flexural strength and Vickers hardness. GenerationⅠal oy samples had uniform size, smal diameter and smal carbide size distributing along the grain boundary, mainly exhibiting spherical and irregular wormlike forms. Generations Ⅱ and Ⅲ samples were uniform in shape, but crystal grains were coarsened a little. Carbide from Generation IV samples began to be coarsened, irregular wormlike carbides were increased in amount, and a few of non-metal ic inclusions could be found in grains. Cobalt-chromium al oys can be recast after addition of 40%once-used al oys for three times at least in air environment, without decrease of the mechanical properties.

Objective To observe the effect of sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia and propofolsevoflurane combined anesthesia on glucose concentrations.Methods Thirty patients undergoinggeneral anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups with 15 cases each.The patients in group Awere anesthetized with sevoflurane inhalation and those in group B with sevoflurane combined withprovofol.Blood concentration of glucose was measured before operation and at 2 h during surgery.Results The blood glucose concentrations in groups of A and B were significantly increased at 2 h during surgery than those before[(6.23±1.45)mmol/L vs.(4.86±0.85)mmol/L and(6.66±blood glucose between the two groups.Conclusion Both sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia and combined propofol and sevoflurane anesthesia can not inhibit the increase of blood glucose duringoperation.