Objective To analyse the pathogenesis,diagnosis and treatment of tethered cord syndrome(TCS) and to improve the knowledge of the disease.Method The clinical data of 16 cases with TCS who underwent surgical lysis were analyzed,retrospectively.Results Thirteen cases were followed-up for 6 months to 1 year.Three cases with handicap of lower limb function and aesthesia and rectum and bladder sphincter dysfunction got good outcome,and 2 cases showed no improvement,while 10 cases with no symptoms(didn′t) appear TCS.Conclusions It is necessary to diagnose and manage as early as possible.The tethered cord lysis can relieve the symptoms of some cases and control development of TCS.

Objective A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the outcomes of the newborns with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum(PAIVS),in order to delineate strategies for the optimal management of PAIVS. Methods From July 2003 to July 2008,17 neonates with PAIVS underwent surgical treatment.The mean age at operation was(1 5.6±8.6)d and the mean weight was(3.54±0.44)kg.Initial surgical treatment included:Blalock-Taussig shunt (BT shunt)in 2 cases,closed pulmonary valvotomy and BT shunt in 1 case,right ventricular outlet tract reconstruction(RVOTR)in 2 cases,RVOTR and BT shunt in 11 cases. Results The mean duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay were(35.5±35.1)h and(8.7±5.9)d,respectively.Two early deaths were reported inside the hospital(2/17,11.8%).Multivariable analysis demonstrated that mechanical ventilation before surgery was the risk factor for in-hospital mortality(r=1.02,P<0.01).The rest 15 cases were followed up with the average time of 19 months(2 months to 5 years)and no death was reported. Conclusions Neonates with PAIVS should be operated early.Individualized treatment strategy and regular follow-up are helpful to achieve better short-term outcome.

Diabetic SD rats were established by injection of streptozotocin,and were divided into normal blood sugar control group(NC),diabetic control group(DM),and the insulin treatment group(IDM).12 weeks later,the maximum rates of increasing and decreasing pressure in left ventricle were both decreased in DM group(P＜ 0.05),and those in IDM group were higher than those in DM group(P＜0.05).Regional myocardial blood flow in DM group was lower than that in NC group [(3.39 ± 0.48 vs 3.90 ± 0.45) ml · g-1 · min-1,P＜ 0.05],and that in IDM group was higher than that in DM group [(4.46 ± 0.52 vs 3.39 ± 0.48) ml · g-1 · min-1,P＜0.05].The capillary density ratio in DM group was lower than that of NC group [0.429 ± 0.091 vs 0.545 ± 0.082,P＜0.05],but that in IDM group was higher than DM group [0.494 ± 0.076 vs 0.429 ± 0.091,P＜0.05].VEGF and Ang-1 expression in DM group were the highest in 3 groups (P＜0.05).Insulin therapy may improve the angiogenesis and myocardial blood flow in diabetic rats with cardiomyopathy.

Objective Labial gland biopsy is one of major diagnostic methods for Sj(o)gren's syn-drome(SS).Meanwhile,99TcmO-4 parotid scintigraphy has been proven useful for the clinical evaluation of SS.This study was performed to investigate the correlation between the two examinations and evaluate the semi-quantitative parotid scintigraphy in the early diagnosis and staging for SS patients.Methods There were 135 SS patients and 30 normal subjects as control group in this study.They all underwent 99TcmO-4 pa-rotid scintigraphy.Semi-quantitative analyses of parotid scintigraphy were conducted with parameters inclu-ding maximum accumulation ratio (MAR),maximum secretion ratio(MSR),time interval from stimulation to minimum count(tparotid),prestimulatory oral activity index (PRI) and poststimulatory oral activity index (POI).For comparison, the biopsy of labial gland was performed in each patient and the pathological se-verity was classified into grade 0,1,2,3,4 (also defined as subgroups).One-way ANOVA and q-teat were applied for the correlation analyses between the two examinations.Results There was significant difference between pathological subgroup 3 or subgroup 4 and the control in all the semi-quantitative parame-ters (q=6.79-38.64,P<0.O1).In subgroups 1 and 2,only PRI and POI showed significant changes compared with the control(q=8.33,8.63,all P<0.01).The pathological stages were negatively correla-ted with MAR(r=-0.679,P<0.01),MSR(r=-0.601,P<0.01),PRI(r=-0.724,P<0.01)and POI(r=-0.751,P<0.01),but only positively correlated with tparotid(r=0.364,P<0.01).Con-clusions Most semi-quantitative parameters of 99TcmaO-4 parotid scintigraphy may be well correlated with the pathological severity of labial gland biopsy in SS patients.Further,the semi-quantitative indices espe-eially PRI and POI may be helpful for the early diagnosis and staging of SS patients.

To study the effect of pulchinenoside (PULC) on the Frizzled (FZD) expression of adjuvant arthritis ( AA) rats. AA rats were prepared through the toe injection with complete Freund's adjuvant to culture fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The effect of the oral administration with PULC on the FZD8 expression was detected by the real time qPCR. The effect of FZD8 knockout on the expressions of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 were detected by MTT and ELISA. The role of miR-375 in the abnomal expression of FZD8 was detected by the real time qPCR. The results showed signfiicant decrease in the FZD8 expression among AA rats, FLS proliferation ater FZD8 knockout and IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 expressions and notable increase in miR-375 expression after the oral administration with PULC. The up-regulated miR-375 expression can inhibit the FZD8 expression. PULC may inhibit the FZD8 expression by up-regulating the miR-375 expression.
Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of eschar grinding and wound coverage by biological dressing A in the management of deep partial-thickness burn wound on the extremities.

METHODSSeventy-three patients with deep partial-thickness burns on the extremities were divided into two groups to receive different managements. The patients in group 1 were treated with eschar grinding and wound coverage with biological dressing A, and group 2 received conventional treatment. The white blood cell count, body temperature, incidence of wound infection and wound healing time were observed.

RESULTSCompared with conventional treatment, wound management with eschar grinding and coverage by biological dressing A could increase the effective rate (29/32 vs 31/41, P<0.05), inhibit systemic inflammation and scar hypertrophy, and shorten the wound healing time (13.79-/+5.72 vs 17.08-/+8.39, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEschar grinding and wound coverage by biological dressing A can be effective for management of deep partial-thickness burns on the extremities, and earlier treatment with the dressing A achieves better effect.

Biological Dressings ; Burns ; pathology ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Cicatrix ; prevention & control ; Debridement ; instrumentation ; methods ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Objective By analyzing the surveillance result of Brucellosis in human being of Guizhou province from 2005 to 2008,to understand the current situation of relevant population with brucella infection,and then to provide the basis for the development of prevention and control measures.Methods According to the Brucella Disease Monitoring Standards (GB 16885-1997),in Guizhou province,Huaxi,Wudang,Xingyi,Dushan,Ceheng,Long Lane,Xifeng,Carey,Ziyun and so on other areas(city,county) were selected as monitoring points,and occupational groups of animal husbandry in agricultural areas,as well as farmers and students contacted with livestock were selected as monitoring subjects.Rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and tube agglutination test (SAT) were used to detect Brucellosis antibody.Results From 2005 to 2008,Brucellosis antibody detection rate was 0.63％(37/5904) in target groups of Guizhou province,specifically,the rates in Huaxi,Wudang,Xingyi and Ceheng counties(towns or districts) were 2.28％(19/832),0.16％(2/1274),1.84％(15/815) and 0.14％ (1/735),respectively; the rates in livestock workers,peasants and students contacted with livestock in rural areas were 1.29％ (36/2800),0.04％ ( 1/2814) and 0.00％ (0/290),respectively.In all antibody positive carriers,most were dairy cattle raisers which accounted for 83.78％ (31/37) in the total infected persons.Conclusions Dairy cattle and goat raisers in some counties(towns or districts) of Guizhou province have infected Brucellosis,and direct contacts with brucella-carrying cattle is the major route of Brucellosis transmission in human being.Strengthen livestock quarantine and dispose infected livestock timely are the key of Brucellosis control.

Adolescent ; Altitude ; Brain ; drug effects ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Tablets

The total RNA was extracted from porcine ovary. Porcine Follistatin cDNA was cloned by RT-PCR. Complete porcine follistatin cDNA coding sequences are presented including 1038 bp of open reading frame. The purified porcine follistatin cDNA was inserted into pGEX-4T-3 vector to construct the prokaryotic fusion protein expression vector. The recombinant expression plasmid was transformed into BL21 (DE3) and expression was induced by IPTG. Protein products were detected by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blotting analysis, which showed that the yield of the Follistatin cDNA was a 63kD protein expression vector. Follistatin protein was expressed in the form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein in E. coli.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Follistatin ; chemistry ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo examine the effect of particulate matter (PM) less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) and ozone (O3) on daily mortality in Shanghai, China.

METHODSA generalized additive model with penalized spline function was used to observe the acute effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

RESULTSHigher PM10 significantly increased the effect of O3 on total mortality, and O3 also increased the effect of PM10 although the estimated increment was statistically insignificant.

CONCLUSIONOur findings provide further evidence for the effect of PM10 and O3 on daily mortality.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Mortality ; Ozone ; toxicity ; Urban Population