OBJECTIVETo explore the analgesic mechanism of small knife needle for treating transverse process syndrome of the third vertebra (TPSTV) by observing peripheral and central changesof β-endorphin (β-EP) and enkephalin (ENK) contents.

METHODSTotally 30 Japanese white big-ear rabbits of clean grade were divided into 5 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the normal control group, the model group, the small knife needle group, the electroacupunture (EA) group, and the small knife needle plus EA group, 6 in each group. The TPSTV model was established by inserting a piece of gelatin sponge into the left transverse process of 3rd lumbar vertebrae. Rabbits in the small knife needlegroup were intervened by small knife needle. Those in the EA group were intervened by EA at bilateralWeizhong (BL40). Those in the small knife needle plus EA group were intervened by small knife needleand EA at bilateral Weizhong (BL40). Contents of β-EP and ENK in plasma, muscle, spinal cord, and hypothalamus were determined after sample collection at day 28 after modeling.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, contents of β-EP and ENK in plasma and muscle increased significantly, and contents of β-EP and ENK in spinal cord and hypothalamus decreased significantly in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Contents of β-EP and ENK approximated normal levels in the three treatment groups after respective treatment. Compared with the model group, the content of β-EP in muscle decreased, and contents of β-EP and ENK in hypothalamus increased in the three treatment groups after respective treatment (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference among the three treatment groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSmall knife needle treatment and EA had benign regulation on peripheral and central β-EP and ENK in TPSTV rabbits. Small knife needle treatment showed better effect than that of EA.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Enkephalins ; metabolism ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Needles ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; Spinal Diseases ; therapy ; beta-Endorphin ; metabolism

Anemarrhena asphodeloides processed by salt and raw product was compared including both chemical composition and laxative function in order to find the possible active substance to cure constipation. Processed and raw Anemarrhenae laxative effect on experimental constipation models was observed as well as chemical composition using UPLC-MS technology and the total sugar content was determined by phenol sulfuric acid method. Processed Anemarrhenae water extract improved excrement more than raw which has significant difference compared with the blank group (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the total ion flow spectrum showed no significant difference in most substance, but the total sugar content was significantly higher than raw product. Anemarrhenae ancient be recognized benefitting for draining body water in traditional Chinese medicine which has been lost in modern books because it is manifested as excellent laxative effect not diuretic effect. Saccharides carbohydrate may have closely relationship with this magically effect.
Anemarrhena ; chemistry ; Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Defecation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Humans ; Laxatives ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Male ; Rats, Wistar ; Rhizome ; chemistry

Objective To map the vision cortex of rats by dynamic manganese-enhanced functional magnetic resonance imaging and provide a method for researching the nervous function. Methods Six adult male Wistar rats were chosen and the process was divided into 4 continuous phases. No agent was injected into the rats in the first phase (5 min). Disrupting the BBB with marmitol and injecting manganese chloride were performed in the fight internal carotid artery (ICA) in the second phase (10 min). In the third phase (15 min), manganese chloride was administrated into theright ICA and vision stimulation was performed before the imaging process. The mixed liquor of manganese chloride and glutamate was injected into the rats in the forth phase (5 min). MRI was performed instantly after the handles in each phase. SPM and Matlab software were employed to help analyze the imaging data. Region-of-interest (ROI) was recorded to observe the stimulated regions and compare the signal intensity in the visual cortex. Results No specific enhanced region was found in the rat brain in the first and second phases. The right visual cortex was enhanced specifically on T1WI in the third phase. Many brain regions of the right hemisphere, the sites that agents was injected, were obviously enhanced in the forth 2008A1-E4011)phase. ROI analysis showed that the signal intensity in the third phrase (1.897±0.172) was significantly stronger as compared with that in the second phrase(1.549±0.163)(P<0.05). Conclusion The dynamic manganese-enhanced functional magnetic resonance imaging can analyze the functional activities of the vision cortex in rats and provide a new method for researching the function of the nervous system.

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term efficacy of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) and Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH) in the treatment of III and IV degree internal hemorrhoids.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomly divided into two groups and received PPH (n=42) and MMH (n=58) respectively. After two years, the efficacy, complications and function of defecation were compared.

RESULTSTwo years after operation, the morbidities of hydrorrhea (2.38% vs 20.69%, P=0.007), dermal neoplasm formation (9.52% vs 25.86%, P=0.040) and narrowing in the caliber of the stools (2.38% vs 18.97%, P=0.027) were significantly lower in PPH group than those in MMH group (P<0.05). The morbidities of overall complication (9.52% vs 25.86%, P=0.040) and overall abnormal function of defecation (9.52% vs 29.31%, P=0.017) were lower in PPH group than those in MMH group (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences of the morbidity of relapse (14.29% vs 10.34%, P=0.549), patient satisfactory degree (92.86% vs 87.93%, P=0.636) and overall symptom recurrence rate (19.05% vs 25.86%, P=0.424) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSLong-term efficacies of procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids and Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy in the treatment of III and IV degree internal hemorrhoids are similar. PPH has better safety, less complications and less effect on abnormal function of defecation compared with MMH.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemorrhoids ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; surgery ; Prolapse ; Sutures ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the relationship of neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and the function of glutamate transporter.

METHODSUsing in vivo microdialysis together with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to detect the alteration of glutamate in the striatum and extracellular fluid of the PC12 cell. The rate of apoptosis and the activity of PC12 cells are read in a flow cytometer and a photometer for enzyme-labeled assays. The function of glutamate transporter is decided by detecting the ability of L-[3H]-glutamate uptake.

RESULTS6-OHDA was shown to induce apoptosis and decrease the activity of PC12 cells. Increased release of glutamate was also found in PC12 cells and the injured striatum of the PD rats. But glutamate uptake in PC12 cells and rat striatum synaptosomes are inhibited obviously.

CONCLUSIONThe neurotoxicity of 6-hydroxydopamine is associated with declined function of glutamate transporters, which may be one important pathogenesis mechanisms of Parkinson's disease.

Amino Acid Transport System X-AG ; drug effects ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Corpus Striatum ; metabolism ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxidopamine ; toxicity ; PC12 Cells ; Parkinson Disease ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Ten compounds, including seven sesquiterpenes, two phenols and one phenylpropanoid, were isolated from the roots of Illicium majus by means of silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. On analysis of MS and NMR spectroscopic data , their structures were established as cycloparviflorolide (1), cycloparvifloralone (2), tashironin (3), tashironin A (4), anislactone A(5), anislactone B (6), pseudomajucin (7), syringaldehyde (8), methyl-4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxybenzoate (9), and (E)-3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxycinnamic alchol (10), respectively. Compounds 1-4 and 8-10 were first isolated from this plant. In the in vitro assays, at a concentration of 1.0 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), compounds 5 and 6 were active against LPS induced NO production in microglia with a inhibition rate of 75.31% and 53.7%, respectively.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; chemistry ; Illicium ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in the 5 northern provinces of China.

METHODSA total of 2010 patients with established diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation by CT and/or MRI and 2170 control subjects without a history of low back pain or sciatica were randomly selected from the community population and hospitalized patients. The family history of lumbar disc herniation, occupations, smoking status, and occupational psychosocial factors were investigated.

RESULTSThe positivity of family history of lumbar disc herniation was the highest risk factor (OR=3.551) followed by lumbar load (OR=2.132) and hard work (OR=1.763). Physical exercises (OR=0.435) were significantly related with the disease, and the OR of the type of bed was 0.364.

CONCLUSIONA family history of lumbar disc herniation, lumbar load and hard work are the major risk factors for lumbar disc herniation, and physical exercises and sleeping not in soft bed might be a protective factor against the disease.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; epidemiology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Lumbosacral Region ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective mechanism of neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) induced toxicity in primary mouse cortical neurons.

METHODSPrimary cultured mouse cortical neurons were subjected to allopregnanolone, the expression of beta-aminobutyric acid receptor beta2 subunit (beta2-GABA-R) mRNAs was detected by RT-PCR and Akt phosphorylation was assayed by Western blot using Akt-phosphoserine 473-specific antibody. After the cultured mouse cortical neurons were pretreated with or without allopregnanolone prior to treatment with NMDA , DNA isolated was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and proteins collected were analyzed by Western blot with anti-cleaved-PARP, anti-cleaved caspase-3, and anti-cleaved caspase-9 antibodies.

RESULTSWhen cultured mouse cortical neurons were exposed to allopregnanolone both the expression of beta2-GABA-R mRNAs and Akt phosphorylation increased. Allopregnanolone inhibited the NMDA-induced apoptosis and decreased the level of active-PARP, active-caspase-3 and active-caspase-9 notably at a final concentration of 5 x 10(6) mol/L.

CONCLUSIONPretreatment with allopregnanolone may be neuroprotective on NMDA-induced neuronal cells apoptosis by increasing beta2-GABA-R expression and Akt phosphorylation.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; Mice ; N-Methylaspartate ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Neurons ; cytology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; metabolism ; Pregnanolone ; pharmacology ; Primary Cell Culture ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, GABA-B ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the risk factors for hospital mortality after operations for type A aortic dissection.

METHODSTotally 766 consecutive patients (586 male and 180 female patient, aged (45±12) years, ranging from 16 to 78 years), who underwent surgery for type A aortic dissection from January 2001 to December 2010, were studied retrospectively. Preoperative and operation related clinic factors were analyzed by univariate analysis, followed by Logistic regression model, to identify the risk factors of hospital mortality.

RESULTSOverall, 37 patients (4.8%) died during hospitalization. On univariate analysis, significant risk factors for hospital mortality were male, acute status, renal dysfunction, cardiac dysfunction, cardiopulmonary bypass time, duration of operation, volume of blood transfusion, re-operation for bleeding (χ2=4.008-27.093, P<0.05). On Logistic regression model, independent risk factors were acute status (OR=2.784, 95%CI: 1.166-6.649, P=0.021), renal dysfunction (OR=6.285, 95%CI: 1.738 - 22.723, P=0.005), cardiac dysfunction (OR=3.052, 95%CI: 1.083-8.606, P=0.035), re-operation for bleeding (OR=3.690, 95%CI: 1.262-10.791, P=0.017), volume of blood transfusion (OR=1.033, 95%CI: 1.008-1.058, P=0.010). Additionally, male (OR=0.387, 95%CI: 0.177-0.848, P=0.018) was protective factor, and alternatively, female was indeed one of the independent risk factors for hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONFemale, acute status, renal dysfunction, cardiac dysfunction, re-operation for bleeding, volume of blood transfusion were independent risk factors for hospital mortality after operations for type A aortic dissection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; mortality ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; mortality ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore clinical effects of gluteal muscle contracture and minimum invasive surgery under the arthroscopy.

METHODSTotally 358 patients with gluteus contracture were treated,which included 175 males and 183 females with an average age of (19.7 +/- 6.8) years old (ranged, 14 to 41). All patients have a history of repetitive intramuscular injection of penicillin with benzyl alcohol solvent. According to clinical characteristics and intraoperative situation, patients were classified into four groups:cable strip (118 cases), fanshaped (107 cases), mixed (87 cases), tensor fasciae latae contracture(46 cases). The curative effects were evaluated according to postoperative function evaluation standard of gluteus contracture.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up and 37 cases withdrew. The following up time ranged from 1.5 to 8 years with an average of 3.5 years. According to evaluation standard of gluteus contracture, 303 cases got excellent results, 13 cases good,and 5 cases fair at the final follow-up. No recurrence, infection and neurovascular injury occurred.

CONCLUSIONThe classification of gluteal muscle contracture is beneficial for choose surgical strategy and improve curative effect. The advantage of plasma knife minimally invasive solution in treating gluteal muscle contracture with radiofrequency under arthroscopy is minimally invasive, safe, and benefit for early functional exercises.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Female ; Hip Contracture ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult