Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Ammonium Sulfate ; analysis ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; methods ; Workplace

Objective To evaluate the safety of dynamic anterior plate fixation for cervical distractive flexion injuries and compare its rigidity between different types of plate design. Methods Twelve sets of cadaveric calf spine were used in this test. All the specimens were made into distractive flexion injury models (C4-C5) ac- cording to Allen's method. After discectomy and grafting, they were randomized into three groups in which Orion, Codman, and Window instrumentations were used respectively. The stiffness of each construct was tested in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial torsion conditions sequentially. Results Compared with an intact cervical spine, the range of motion (ROM) of an injured cervical spine increased whatever plate was applied. Orion in- strumentation presented stiffness the closest to that of the normal control, except for less torsional stiffness. Codman instrumentation provided stiffness close to that for normal and Orion groups only in lateral bending. Window's was the weakest mad not enough in all kinds of movement. Conclusions Static anterior fixation is the first choice for cervical injuries. Dynamic plate fixation may sacrifice stiffness to some extent, especially when a shifting kind of design is to be chosen.

AIMTo investigate the effects of hypoxia on the proliferation and apoptosis of PASMC, to evaluate the role of iNOS protein expression and ADM on the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) pathogenesis.

METHODSTo culture rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC), cultured PASMC cells were grouped into: normoxic group; hypoxic group; hypoxia + L-NAME group; hypoxia+ ADM group. Proliferation of PASMC were investigated by MTT and PCNA. Apoptosis of PASMC were examined by flow-cytometry. Westen blot was used to measure protein expression of iNOS induced by hypoxia.

RESULTS(By MTT, the value of 24 h hypoxia was significantly higher than that in the normoxic group (P < 0.01), the value of the hypoxia + ADM was significantly lower than that in hypoxia group, the value of the hypoxia + L-NAME was significantly higher than those of hypoxic group and normoxic group (P < 0.01). (2) By immunohistochemistry, PCNA was poorly positive in PASMC, whereas positive after 24 h hypoxia (P < 0.01), ADM inhibited the expression of PCNA significantly (P < 0.01), whereas L-NAME increased the expression of PCNA significantly (P < 0.01). (3) By FCM, apoptosis index was not significantly different between the normoxic group, hypoxic group, hypoxia + L-NAME and hypoxia + ADM (P > 0.05). (4) By Western blot, iNOS expression was poorly positive in control group, positive after 4 h hypoxia (P < 0.01), increasing as the hypoxia environment continued (P < 0.01). L-NAME had no effect on iNOS protein, ADM promoted iNOS expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION(1) Hypoxia stimulates the proliferation of PASMC, and has no obvious effects on the apoptosis of PASMC. (2) Hypoxia induces the expression of iNOS, ADM can increase expression of iNOS, ADM and INOS plays a role of protection in HPH pathogenesis.

Adrenomedullin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of daily living activities with location and severity of trau- matic brain injury (TBI) and to provide a theoretical basis for improving the accuracy of expert opinion. METHODS: Five hundred and one cases of patients with TBI were selected. Detailed records included following: pre-injury situation, location and severity of injury, treatment and education. Daily living activi- ties scale (Barthel index) was applied to test the subjects' daily living activities. The relevance among location and severity of TBI and Barthel index was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: In mild TBI group, there was no significant difference in Barthel index among each location (P>0.05). In moderate TBI group, there were significant differences in Barthel index between subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral lobe injury, also between parietal, occipital lobes injury and frontal lobe injury, parietal, occipital lobes injury and temporal lobe (P<0.05), respectively, whereas no significant difference in Barthel index between frontal lobe injury and temporal lobe injury (P>0.05). In severe TBI, there were significant differences in Barthel index between every two different locations (P<0.05). CONCLUSION There is some correlation between the location of TBI and Barthel index, which provides an important reference value for analyzing and determining daily living activities after TBI.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Brain Injuries/rehabilitation* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Outcome Assessment, Health Care ; Trauma Severity Indices

OBJECTIVETo identify the original plant of "Daibaijie", commonly used Dai herb.

METHODThe literature review, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, chemistry were used to analysis.

RESULTDaibaijie's historical scientific name, Dregea sinensis Hemsl., was mistakenly given "Daibaijie" and D. sinensis have significant differences from the distribution, morphology and anatomy, pharmacognosy, molecular biology and chemical composition. "Daibaijie" matches with the characteristics of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in English.

CONCLUSIONDaibaijie's original plant is M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon. The description and illustration of M. tenacissima (Roxb.) Moon in Flora of China in China are wrong. The illustration of M. tenacissima in Flora of China in English is wrong too.

China ; ethnology ; Herbal Medicine ; Marsdenia ; anatomy & histology ; classification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Plant Components, Aerial ; anatomy & histology ; classification

AIM: To investigate chemical constituents of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn. METHODS: Isolation and purification were carried out by column chromatographic methods. Compounds were characterized based on their physical characteristics and spectra data. RESULTS: Seventeen compounds were isolated from ethanol extract of S. suberectus. The structures were elucidated as prestegane B (1), (2R, 3R)-buteaspermanol (2), (+)-medioresinol (3), (2R, 3R)-3,7-dihydroxyflavanone (4), benzeneethanol (5), 4, 7, 2'-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavanol (6), naringenin (7), blumenol A (8), protocatechuic acid ethyl ester (9), liquiritigenin (10), 7, 4'-dihydroxy-8-methoxy-isoflavone (11), 3, 5, 7, 3', 5'-pentahydroxyflavanone (12), protocatechuic acid (13), glycyroside (14), 8-methylretusin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15), 3, 3', 4', 5, 6, 7, 8-heptahydroxyflavan (16), and dulcisflavan (17). CONCLUSION All compounds are firstly isolated from the title plant and compounds 1, 3 were isolated from the Spatholobus genus for the first time.
4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry

Objective To determine the clinical features,neurophysiological characteristics and cervical magnetic resonance imaging of sensory neumnopathy,and to describe the pathology of skin nerve, sural nerve and spinal dorsal columns.Methods Two patients who died from sensory neuron disease (SND)after infection of digestive tract were discussed including clinical features and ancillary tests which included neurophysiology and pathology of peripheral nerve and spinal dorsal columns.Associated documents are reviewed.Results Early ataxia,widespread sensory symptoms and global loss of deep tendon reflex were the distinctive signs of SND,which was characterized by non-length-dependent abnormalities of sensory nerve action potentials,a hallmark of ganglionopathies.The second patient showed normal cervical magnetic resonance imaging possibly because of short course of disease,while diffuse hyperintensity in the spinal posterior columns of SND was reported.Demyelination of spinal posterior columns and loss of mostly large diameter nerve fibers without regeneration clusters were the main pathological features.Conclusions The distinctive clinical features and neurophysiological characteristics of SND indicate that peripheral sensory nerve fibers are widely damaged.Pathology of spinal posterior columns confirm that central sensory pathway are impaired which allow the localization of the pathologic site to the dorsal root ganglion neurons.Cervical spinal MRI of SND are possibly normal at early phase.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-tumor effects and the mechanism of the recombinant fowlpox virus expressing Apoptin gene on human laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2. METHOD: Hep-2 cells cultured in vitro were infected with vFVApoptin. The anti-tumor effects on Hep-2 cells were measured through MTT staining and, the mitochondrial trans-membrane potential (delta psi m) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the release of cytochrome c (Cyto c). Caspase-3/9 activities were measured by colorimetric assay. RESULT: vFVApoptin could restrain Hep-2 cells significantly and, had the function of down-regulating delta psi m, up-regulating ROS, promoting Cyto c release and activating Caspase-3/9. CONCLUSION Cyto c were released from mitochondria by the function of up-regulating ROS of vFVApoptin. Cyto c triggered Caspase-9 and, after the activation of Caspase-9, downstream apoptotic factors, such as caspase-3, were activated. Eventually, Hep-2 cells were suppressed by mitochondrial pathway apoptosis induced by vFVApoptin.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Chicken anemia virus ; genetics ; Fowlpox virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo analyze the role of resistin in insulin resistance (IR) through investigating the variation of plasma resistin levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in resistin gene 5' flanking region in stroke patients.

METHODSIn 103 atherothrombotic cerebral infarction (ACI) patients, 85 lacunar infarction (LI) patients, 70 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients, and 86 healthy controls, plasma resistin and insulin levels were measured by ELISA, SNPs in resistin gene 5' flanking region were detected by PCR and direct DNA sequencing. The subjects' body height and weight, the body mass index, quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), blood pressure, and the concentration of fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, creatinine, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein were also determined.

RESULTSQUICKI was significantly lower in the ACI and ICH patients (0.316 +/- 0.037 and 0.309 +/- 0.032, respectively) than that in the controls (0.342 +/- 0.043, P < 0.001), while plasma resistin level was significantly higher in the ACI and ICH patients (6.36 +/- 3.79 and 7.15 +/- 4.27 ng/mL, respectively) than that in the controls (5.28 +/- 2.56 ng/mL, P < 0.05), but such difference was not observed in the LI patients compared with controls. There was a statistically negative correlation between plasma resistin level with QUICKI (r = -0.228, P < 0.001). The distributions of allele and genotype frequencies of resistin gene - 420C > G and - 537A > C SNPs were not significantly different among the different groups, and those SNPs were not correlated with other clinical and biochemical parameters.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma resistin is associated with stroke by participating in the development of IR. The SNPs in resistin gene 5' flanking region has no impact on the plasma resistin level.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; genetics ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; blood ; genetics ; Lipoproteins ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Resistin ; blood ; genetics ; Stroke ; blood ; genetics ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of sphenoid disease and orbital apex syndrome and to improve the diagnosis of sphenoid disease.

METHODSTwelve patients with sphenoid disease manifesting orbital apex syndrome from 2000 to 2004 were retrospectively analyzed, especially the processes of both diagnosis and treatment. The factors which may lead to misdiagnosis were discussed.

RESULTSAll the twelve patients failed to be correctly diagnosed at the ophthalmology department. Having been undergone CT or MRI, seven cases of sphenoiditis, three cases of polyps of sphenoidal sinus and two cases of sphenethmoid mucocele were confirmed respectively. All of the patients underwent endoscopic sphenoid surgery. The symptoms of the patients were improved or disappeared after the operations.

CONCLUSIONSThe sphenoid disease with orbital apex syndrome was easily misdiagnosed. The possible causes of misdiagnosis were: low incidence of the disease, nonspecific eye symptoms, and unawareness of the doctor, especially ophthalmologist. CT or MRI are the gold standards of diagnosis of sphenoid disease. Endoscopic sinus surgery is effective and safe technique for the treatment of the disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orbital Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Paranasal Sinus Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sphenoid Sinus ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome