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 discuss the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP) on epithelial cadherin (E-cd) expression in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in vitro.

METHODSThe effect of CGRP on E-cd protein and mRNA expression in both normal and O3-challenged HBECs were determined by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. The signal transduction pathways of CGRP were observed by using protein kinase C(PKC) inhibitor (H-7), calmodulin(CaM) inhibitor (W-7) and PKA inhibitor (H-89).

RESULTSCGRP increased E-cd mRNA and protein expressions of normal and O3-challenged HBECs in a dose-dependent manner. CGRP had no effect on cytoplasm E-cd expression. Pre-treatment with H-89, H-7 and W-7, the up-regulatory effect of CGRP on E-cd expression was partly abolished.

CONCLUSIONCGRP increased in cytomembrane E-cd expression of normal and O3-challenged HBECs in a dose-dependent manner. E-cd expression on HBECs was strengthened by CGRP via PKA, PKC and CaM pathways.

Bronchi ; cytology ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Ozone ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the diaphragmatic toxicity in doxorubicin (DOX)-treated rats and the related mechanisms, as well as the effects of Shengmai Injection (SMI, ) on the diaphragmatic dysfunction.

METHODSThirty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, DOX-treated and DOX+SMI treated groups. DOX was given to rats in DOX and DOX+SMI groups in 6 equal doses [2.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection (i.p.)], on alternate days, over a period of 2 weeks for a cumulative dose of 15 mg/kg. SMI was given to DOX+SMI rats in 12 doses (3 mL/kg, i.p.) for a period of 2 weeks before the administration of DOX and 2 weeks during the administration of DOX. The rats in the control group received equal volume of normal saline. Subsequently, the twitch and tetanic characteristics and force-frequency relationships, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, as well as the mRNA content and proteins of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined.

RESULTSThe DOX-treated rats had decreased the peak twitch tension (Pt), maximal tetanic tension (P0) and force-frequency relationship as compared with the control rats (P<0.01), while the diaphragm contractility in rats treated with SMI were significantly higher than that in DOX-treated rats (P<0.01). The DOX-treated rats had increased MAD levels and decreased SOD activities (P<0.05), and SMI decreased the MDA levels and increased the SOD activities in DOX-treated rats (P<0.05). Ultrastructure of diaphragm in the DOX-treated rats revealed typical alterations including fracture of diaphragm fibers, and edema and degeneration of mitochondria; these changes were relieved by SMI treatment. The mRNA content and protein of iNOS in DOX-treated rats were remarkably higher than those in control rats (P<0.01), while SMI decreased the mRNA expression level of iNOS in DOX-treated rats (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLipid peroxidation is responsible for DOX-induced diaphragm toxicity. SMI protects diaphragm muscles and their function from DOX impairment, and these beneficial effects may be somehow correlated with the decrease in expression of iNOS and lipid peroxidation.

Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Diaphragm ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; In Vitro Techniques ; Injections ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley