BACKGROUND: The commonly used culture methods for primary intervertebral disc cells are type Ⅱcol agenase alone digestion method, and type Ⅱ col agenase combined trypin digestion method. However, the acquired cells are few. OBJECTIVE: To acquire nucleus pulposus cells from human degenerative intervertebral disc using a systemic and simplified method. METHODS: Nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured. The morphology of nucleus pulposus cells was observed under inverted phase contrast microscope every day. Primary and subcultured cellsuspension was applied for the determination of cel viability using trypan blue staining. The cel growth was detected with MTT assay. The cel morphology was observed under laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nucleus pulposus cells were successful y isolated from from human degenerative intervertebral disc using the improved method, and cells were subcultured to passage 3. Primary cells were fusiform shaped, while cells at passage 1 and 2 were triangle or polygonal, which were similar to fibroblasts. When cells almost reached the confluence, the cells showed slabstone-like appearance. Trypan blue staining showed that, the primary cel viability was 99%, and passage 3 cells had 93%-95% viability. The proliferation of nucleus pulposus cells gradual y decreased as the generation increased. Compared with passage 1 cells, passage 2 and 3 cells at logarithmic phase trended to be smoother. The cel morphology observed under laser confocal microscopy was similar to the results under phase contrast microscope. The improved simple method can successful y acquire a variety of cells from human degenerative intervertebral disc, and these cells show fine biological properties.

The microbial populations and community structure characterization technologies of the enhanced biological phosphate removal system were reviewed comprehensively in this paper, and their future research directions were outlined.

BACKGROUND: Ascariasis is one of the most common human parasitic infections worldwide. In some rare cases, ascariasis may cause serious consequences even sudden death. This study was undertaken to review the life-threatening complications of ascariasis in trauma patients reported in the literature. DATA SOURCES: Relevant articles about ascariasis and trauma were searched from Pubmed, Google scholar, Scirus, and Wanfang databases. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with ascariasis were collected from 21 articles searched. Most of these patients were from tropical and subtropical countries. Of the 24 patients, 12 were children. Their major complications occurred in the airway passage and digestive tract. There were 3 fatal cases in these patients. Twelve of the 24 patients described in 10 articles were reported in the last 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and prompt intervention are essential to minimize the high morbidity and mortality of these serious complications in trauma patients. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of Ascaris infection in a trauma patient from endemic area of ascariasis. History of Ascaris infection and routine examination of feces forAscaris eggs may be helpful to make a correct diagnosis.

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics and regular pattern of the medicine in common use and combined medication in patients of acute pancreatitis in real world.

METHODCollect the information of 5 433 acute pancreatitis patients in 19 grade IIIA general hospitals in China, analysis by descriptive statistics and association rule.

RESULTIn the 5 433 patients of acute pancreatitis, the glycyrrhizic acid injection and somatostatin are the frequency top used Chinese traditional and western medication. Glycyrrhizic acid injection, somatostatin and insulin are the frequency top used drug combination pattern.

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese and western integrative medicine drug use pattern are accord with the clinical guideline of acute panceatitis. The hepatic and renal function, blood routine and coagulation function should be monitored when the medicines are used.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; Somatostatin ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Four screening methods, colorimetric assay, blood-plate hemolysis method, surface tension activ- ity and oil spreading technique were introduced to isolate strains producing bio-demulsifiers from 6 different bacteria source samples. The results of various screening methods were evaluated in this paper. Seventeen demulsifying strains were obtained, which are qualified in demulsification test of kerosene model emulsions. Among them, 5 strains showed high demulsifying ability, achieving 70% plus demulsifying ratio within 24 hours. Petroleum-contaminated soil, excess sludge from biological process treating oilfield produced water and sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant were the best among all tested sources. Due to the determination limit, the colorimetric assay and blood-plate hemolysis method are not competent to screen bio-demulsifiers strains. The measurement of surface tension and oil spreading method were easy but accu- rate methods to isolate bio-demulsifiers strains. Although demulsification test of model emulsion is an effec- tive technique to target strains with the capability of breaking emulsions, it is sophisticated and time-con- suming. Thus it is recommended to use surface tension and oil spreading methods in pre-screening and vali- date the results in demulsification test with kerosene model emulsions.

Objective To explore the effects of phytosterol ester (PSE) on the hepatic steatosis and amino acid profile of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high fat diet. Methods Thirty-one male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC group, n＝7), high fat diet group (HF group, n＝12) and PSE intervention group (PSE＋HF group, n＝12). The rats in the HF and PSE＋HF groups were fed with high-fat diet to establish the NAFLD rat model, and the rats in the PSE＋HF group were continuously intragastrically administered with PSE 0.5 g/kg for 12 weeks. The hepatic steatosis was evaluated with Oil Red O staining, and the serum amino acid profile was analyzed using automatic amino acid analyzer. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between amino acids and degree of liver steatosis. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was carried out using SIMCA-P 11.5 software. Results There was no significant difference in body mass of rats between the PSE＋HF group and HF group (P0.05). Moreover, there was no significant difference in food intake of rats between the NC, HF and PSE＋HF groups (P0.05). Compared with the HF group, the hepatic steatosis of rats was partly alleviated in the PSE＋HF group. The serum levels of essential amino acids, including isoleucine and leucine, and the non-essential amino acids, including cysteine, aspartate, glutamate and alanine, in the PSE＋HF group were increased by 17.25%, 12.42%, 41.47%, 15.61%, 17.87% and 16.07%, respectively, compared with the HF group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P0.05). The levels of serum NH3 and histidine were significantly decreased in the PSE＋HF group versus the HF group (both P0.05). PLS-DA analysis results showed that HF group and PSE＋HF group could be clustered respectively. Pearson correlation analysis results showed that the levels of histidine, proline and serum NH3 were positively correlated with the degree of hepatic steatosis (all P0.01); and tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine, cysteine, glutamate and the related metabolites, ornithine, were negatively correlated with the degree of hepatic steatosis (all P0.05). Conclusion PSE can regulate the amino acid metabolic profile of rats with NAFLD induced by high fat diet.

Animals ; Athletic Performance ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Morinda ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal

OBJECTIVETo explore a new procedure for aesthetic correction of the medial epicanthal fold aim at the etiopathogenesis.

METHODSThe new Z-epicanthoplasty devise the upper and inferior margin of angle of eye medial as one angle of the Z.

RESULTSFrom 2004 to 2006, 129 patients were treated by using the method. Follow-up 6 to 24 months, all patients were satisfied by eliminating the medial epicanthal fold without obvious scar.

CONCLUSIONSThe method is more effect than traditionally Z-plasty. Our technique is a simple, advanced procedure that can be performed widely.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blepharoplasty ; methods ; Eyelids ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the distributive character of safflor yellow A in mice.

METHODSA RP-HPLC method for the determination of safflor yellow A in tissues was established and applied to determine safflor yellow A in biological samples.

RESULTSAfter iv injection of Safflor yellow A in mice, the AUC of safflor yellow A was hightest in plasma, followed by kidney, liver, lung, heart, spleen. But it was not found in the brain.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of safflor yellow A in the body is abroad and the speed of its process is swift.

Animals ; Carthamus tinctorius ; chemistry ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quinones ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Tissue Distribution

Objective To understand the successive dynamic change of population structure of Oncomelania hupensis during a one-year period,so as to provide the evidence for snail control. Methods A river beach and a ditch infested with O. hupensis snails were selected and longitudinally investigated in the midmonth during one year. The snail survey indices included the sur-vival status,gender,number of whorls,length and width of shell,and gonad development status(measured by the color depth of gonad and the length ratio of gonad to liver),and the monthly snail eggs in the soil were collected and counted simultaneous-ly. In addition,the temperature and humidity of the soil and the daily data of air temperature and precipitation were measured or collected during the study period(every month). Results Both survival rate of snails and live snail density at the two environ-ments were positively correlated with the temperatures of air and soil. With a slight bimodal distribution ,the snail survival rate peaked from May to June,and in September. The living snail densities got the highest level in July and September in the river beach,and from April to May in the ditch. The regression equations of snail length(L)and width(W)were Lbeach = 2.355 +1.678W(F=2989.43,P<0.01)and Lditch=0.478+2.091W(F=2.989.43,P<0.01),respectively. The snails were the ones with 4.07-11.81 mm in the length(8.98 ± 0.92)mm in the river beach,and the snails were the ones with 3.63-9.92 mm in the length(7.03 ± 0.82)mm in the ditch. The main snails were the ones with five to eight whorls of shell in the river beach and four to seven whorls of shell in the ditch. The proportions of snails with less than or equal to five whorls(in the river beach)and four (in the ditch)were the highest in May and September,about 20％. The ratios of male and female snails were 1.66 in the river beach and 1.22 in the ditch,respectively. The gonad development status of male and female snails was basically synchronous and had a bimodal abundance period-from April to May and September to October. The numbers of snail eggs in the soil among months were significantly different,reaching the highest in June in the river beach(100.8/0.1 m2),and May in the ditch(82.5/0.1 m2). Conclusion The principal periods of breeding and alternation of generations of snails are April-May and September-October every year,which should also be the optimal time for mollusciciding in schistosomiasis susceptible zones.