OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of melatonin on residual hair follicle cells of scald rats at early stage.

METHODSEighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into scald group, treatment group, sham group , with 6 rats in each group. The rats in scald group and treatment group were subjected to 30% TBSA partial thickness scald on the back, and were resuscitated with balanced solution after 1 hour, while those in sham group were immersed in water at 37 degrees C for 25 s to simulate scald, and did not receive fluid replacement. Rats in treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg melatonin solution at 1 minute, 8 hours and 12 hours after scald, while those in sham group and scald group were given equal volume of 1% alcohol sodium-isotonic saline instead. Tissue samples were harvested at 6, 12 and 24 post scald hours (PSH) for determination of MDA and GSH levels. Apoptosis of residul hair follicle was detected by TUNEL method and immunohistochemistry of caspase-3.

RESULTSThe level of MDA in scald group at each time point was much higher than that in sham group (P < 0.01) and treatment group (P < 0.05), and it peaked at 12 PSH. The changes in GSH were just opposite to that of MDA. Under fluorescence microscope, the residual hair follicle cells were blue, and the apoptotic cells appeared green. The apoptosis rate in scald group at 6, 12, 24 PSH was obviously higher than that in sham (P < 0.01) and treatment groups (P < 0.05), which was (20.2 +/- 3.4)% vs (4.3 +/- 2.3)% vs (10.9 +/- 3.2)%, (31.2 +/- 3.6)% vs (5.1 +/- 2.5)% vs (19.1 +/- 3.7)%, (22.4 +/- 2.7)% vs (4.1 +/- 2.4)% vs (13.1 +/- 3.4)%, respectively. The score of caspase-3 positive cell in scald group was higher than those in sham group (P < 0.01) and treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is obvious correlation between oxidative stress and apoptosis rate of hair follicle cells in rats with partial thickness scald. Early administration of melatonin may have anti-apoptosis ability for residual hair follicle cells by attenuation of oxidative stress.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Melatonin ; therapeutic use ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To analyze the clinical features of rectal and perianal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and evaluate its diagnosis and treatment.Method Clinicopathological data of 3 cases diagnosed as inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor from January,2005 to June,2011 were retrospectively reviewed.Results Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor presents as infiltrative growth mass with rich vascularization on CT or MRI,and is difficult to distinguish from hemangioma and other rectal tumors.Preoperative biopsy usually fails to ascertain the entity of mass,and pathological examination of the whole resected specimen with immunohistochemical staining is needed to make final diagnosis.All 3 cases underwent sphincter preserving surgery.One case received a second radical operation 16 months after primary resection because of local recurrence.All patients are followed up to now,with a survival time of 67 months,55 months,and 35 months respectively.Conclusions Rectal and perianal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is difficult to diagnose on preoperative imaging examinations or biopsy.Immunohistochemical staining is needed to make final diagnosis.Sphincter preserving surgery with complete tumor removal could achieve long term survival.

Objective To evaluate the dose distribution in clinical target volume (CTV) and organs-at-risk (OARs) in three dimension therapy plans in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of tongue receiving postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or conventional radiotherapy (CRT) by dosimetric study. Methods Thirty-five patients with squamous cell carcinoma of tongue were divided into CRT group(n=17) and IMRT group(n=18). All patients underwent head-and-neck immobilization with a thermoplastic mask and planning CT scan, and target volume and OARs were contoured. Dose calculation and plan optimization were performed. All three dimension plans passed quality assurance before treatment. The dosimetry of therapy plans with IMRT or CRT in target volume and OARs dose distribution was compared by dose-volume histogram (DVH), conformity index (CI) and homogeneous index (HI). Results There were significant differences in D95 (isodose line to cover 95 percent target volume), CI, HI, minimum dose and maximum dose in CTV of therapy plans between patients with IMRT and CRT(P < 0.01), and there was no significant difference in mean dose of CTV(P > 0.05). The radiation dose on salivary glands (both parotid glands and contralateral submandibular gland) in patients with IMRT was significantly lower than that in patients with CRT(P < 0.01). Conclusion Compared with dose distribution of CRT plans, there are more advantages in improving dose distribution at the target volume and sparing salivary glands in IMRT therapy plans in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of tongue.

We introduce in this paper a novel design of the lithium-ion battery automatically-charging circuit used in portable wireless electronic stimulation therapeutic apparatus for urinary incontinence, including its working principles, structure and characteristic.
Electric Power Supplies ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Urinary Incontinence ; therapy ; Wireless Technology

The incidence of deacclimatization to high altitude syndrome (DAHAS) prevailed up to 80% in highland troops, and 100% in manual workers, and severe DAHAS could significantly affects patients' health, work and life. So it is imperative to develop effective prevention and treatment measures for DAHAS. The present review analyzes effective prophylactic and therapeutic measures against DAHAS, implemented at our hospital.
Acclimatization ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVEHigh altitue pulmonary edema (HAPE) impacts seriously people's health at high altitude. Screening of susceptibility genes for HAPE will be used for the evaluation and protection of susceptible people.

METHODSWe performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using Affymetrix SNP array 6.0 in 23 HAPE patients and 17 healthy controls. GO and Pathway analysis softwares were used to analyze and draw gene network.

RESULTSThirty-nine SNPs were found to be significantly different between case and control groups (P < 10(-4)). GO and Pathway analysis of 27 genes around the 39 SNPs indicated that these genes mainly participate in the regulating of cell proliferation, regulation of nitrogen compound metabolic process and G-protein coupled receptor protein signaling pathway and so on.

CONCLUSIONIt suggests that these SNPs and genes found in this study may be associated with the susceptibility of HAPE.

Adult ; Altitude Sickness ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of reinforcing method of acupuncture on Bell's palsy at restoration stage.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty cases were randomly divided into two groups: an observation group and a control group, 80 cases in each group. The observation group were treated by acupuncture with lifting-thrusting-twirling reinforcing method, and the control group by acupuncture without needling manipulation. The therapeutic effect, and changes of palsy index, degree of palsy and ENoG were observed.

RESULTSReinforcing method of acupuncture could significantly improve palsy index, degree of palsy and maximal wave amplitude of ENoG; the cured and markedly effective rate was 91.3% in the observation group and 75.0% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe reinforcing method of acupuncture can increase the therapeutic effect on Bell's palsy at restoration stage.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Bell Palsy ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study changes in the radiographic appearance during weight-bearing and non-weigh-bearing in hallux valgus, and to analyse the correlation between the elasticity of plantar soft tissue of hallux valgus and the pain under the metatarsal head.

METHODSFrom May 2012 to October 2012, 240 feet of 120 patients with hallux valgus were enrolled in the study. The degrees of the pian under the metatarsal head of all the patients were observed. AP and lateral X-ray films of feet were taken on the condition of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing. So the hallux valgus angle (HVA), the inter-metatarsal angle between the first and second metatarsals (IM1-2), the inter-metatarsal angle between the first and fifth metatarsals (IM1-5), top angle of the medial longitudinal arch (TAOTMLA),and anterior angle of the medial longitudinal arch (AAOTMLA) were measured on the X-ray films. The differences of HVA, IM1-2, IM1-5, TAOTMLA and AAOTMLA between two groups were compared, and the correlation between the changes of IM1-2, IM 1-5, TAOTMLA, AAOTMLA and the degree of the pain under the metatarsal head were analysed.

RESULTSOne hundred and forty-eight feet had the pain under the metatarsal head. The IM1-2, IM1-5 and TAOTMLA increased on weight-bearing position compared with those on non-weight-bearing position, but the HVA and AAOTMLA decreased on weight-bearing position compared with those on non-weight-bearing position. There was a moderate relationship between the changes of IM 1-2,IM1-5 and the degree of the hallux valgus deformity, as well as the relationship between the different of IM1-5 and the degree of the pian under the metatarsal head.

CONCLUSIONThe degree of the collapse of the arch of foot with hallux valgus becomes serious with its deformity increasing. The pain under the metatarsal head of hallux valgus increases with the increased changes of IM 1-2,IM 1-5 and TAOTMLA. Analysis of the X-ray observation indexes of hallux valgus on weight-bearing position and non-weight-bearing position has important significance in evaluating the degree of the collapse of the arch of foot with hallux valgus,preventing and curing the the pain under the metatarsal head.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hallux ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Hallux Valgus ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Metatarsalgia ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Weight-Bearing ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDMicrowaves have other biological effects on cancer as well besides killing tumor cells by coagulation. Some studies showed that microwaves may induce apoptosis in some tumor cells. The apoptotic effect of microwaves may help in clinic to remove residual malignant cells nearby the primary lesion and avoid relapse subsequently. However, there is little evidence on this subject from lung cancer. We studied the effect of microwaves on inducing apoptosis in the human lung carcinoma cell line A549 cells, aiming to identify its effect on apoptosis.

METHODSA549 cells were radiated by various intensities and durations of microwaves. Apoptosis induction in A549 cells was analyzed by morphological observations, tetrazolium blue color method (MTT) assays, flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and image analyses.

RESULTSMorphological changes in A549 cells, including cell shrinking and nuclear pyknosis, were observed after microwave radiation. Microwaves significantly inhibited metabolic activities and induced apoptosis in A549 cells. The results of the MTT assay showed a significant decrease of cell activities in all the radiation groups compared with the normal control (P < 0.01). The low point of cell activities often appeared at 6 - 12 hours after radiation. Apoptosis was also confirmed by flow cytometry. The early stage apoptotic rate reached 6.10% - 17.98% and the advanced stage apoptotic rate + necrosis rate reached 8.04% - 44.06% at 6 hours after microwave irradiation, in contrast to 2.32% and 4.10% in the respective control groups. Down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of p53 expression were observed by immunohistochemistry after radiation. In most treated groups, the down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression reached its lowest level at 3 - 6 hours after radiation (integrated optical density (IOD)-6 hours: 2.13 ± 0.08 - 5.14 ± 0.13 vs. control: 5.79 ± 0.10, P < 0.01) and the up-regulation of P53 expression peaked at about 3 hours (IOD-3 hours: 2.61 ± 0.13 - 8.07 ± 0.11 vs. control: 1.29 ± 0.07, P < 0.01). Cell damage, apoptosis, and protein expression levels in the samples differed depending on the radiation intensity and duration.

CONCLUSIONSMicrowaves can promote apoptosis in A549 cells. The effect depends on the duration and dosage of microwave radiation. Bcl-2 and p53 proteins may be involved in the apoptotic process of A549 cells induced by microwaves.

Apoptosis ; radiation effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Microwaves ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with maxillary protraction with or without rapid palatal expansion (RPE) for skeletal Class III malocclusion in mixed dentition.

METHODSA total of 31 children with Class III malocclusion in mixed dentition were selected, and 15 (group A) received maxillary protraction treatment with RPE, the other 16 (group B) received maxillary protraction without RPE. Cephalometric films were taken before and after treatment, and traditional and Pancherz analysis were used.

RESULTSThe average duration of treatment was 10.14 months in group A and 9.77 months in group B respectively (P>0.05). According to Pancherz analysis, maxillary basal bone moved forwards by 2.99 mm in group A and 3.33 mm in group B respectively (P>0.05), mandibular basal bone moved backwards by 0.07 mm in group A, while forwards by 0.80 mm in group B (P>0.05), the overjet increased by 4.51 mm in group A and 6.37 mm in group B respectively (P<0.05), and the molar relationship improved by 4.97 mm in group A and 4.73 mm in group B respectively (P>0.05). The effects were clinically satisfactory in the both groups. Lower molar moved forwards by 1.18 mm in basal bone in group A, while backwards by 1.20 mm in group B (P<0.05). Traditional cephalometric analysis showed no statistic differences between the two groups except that upper incisior showed greater procline in group B than in group A (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe study shows that maxillary protraction treatment, with or without RPE, is clinically satisfactory to correct early skeletal Class III malocclusion.

Cephalometry ; Child ; Extraoral Traction Appliances ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Palatal Expansion Technique