Educational Measurement ; Humans ; Inservice Training ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Reference Standards

BACKGROUND:Posterior lumbar interbody fusion is a typical therapeutic method of lumbar degenerative disease. Present studies suggested that adjacent segment degeneration occurs after fusion. Recently, more and more scholars paid attention to the development of non-fusion of the spine. ＜br> OBJECTIVE:To compare clinical effects of Dynesys dynamic stabilization system fixation and posterior lumbar interbody fusion in treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. ＜br> METHODS:From July 2009 to July 2011, clinical data of 56 patients with lumbar degenerative disease were retrospectively analyzed. There were 28 cases of Dynesys dynamic stabilization system fixation, and 28 cases of posterior lumbar interbody fusion. Operation time, bleeding volume, and postoperative hospitalization time were compared in both groups. Visual analog scale was used to assess pain. Oswestry disability index was utilized to evaluate clinical effects. ＜br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 56 patients were fol owed up for 18-24 months. Visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores were significantly improved at 12 months after treatment in both groups (P＜0.01). Significant differences in operation time, bleeding volume, and postoperative hospitalization time were detected between both groups (P＜0.01). Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group was better than posterior lumbar interbody fusion group. Range of motion was better in the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group than in the posterior lumbar interbody fusion group (P＜0.01). During fol ow-up, nail rope system and polyester sleeve loose were not detectable in the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system group. These results verified that compared with posterior lumbar interbody fusion, Dynesys dynamic stabilization system for lumbar degenerative diseases has a high safety and smal trauma, and can keep advantages of a fixed segment, and exert a certain effect on degeneration of intervertebral disc in the adjacent segment.

BACKGROUND: The application of mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord cultured in serum-containing medium has some obstacles. OBJECTIVE: To establish serum free medium system for primary culture of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS: Wharton’s Jel y was isolated from umbilical cord, minced, 1-3 mm3, and subsequently incubated in either serum containing medium or serum free medium. Some cells were harvested on days 11, 14 and 17 for some detection. Based on the minimal criteria established by the International Society for Cel ular Therapy in 2006, mesenchymal stem cells were assayed with colony forming unit-fibroblast. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The mesenchymal stem cells grew rapidly in serum free medium condition compared with serum containing medium. On day 11, the number of colonies was larger in serum free medium condition than that in serum containing medium. Thus, serum free medium could maintain properties of mesenchymal stem cells and provide possibility a credible alternative to serum containing medium for primary culture of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

New scientific hypotheses detected by mining the potential indirect association inliterature according to the studies on literature-based knowledge discovery are increasinglyapplied in biomedical field and evaluation of literature-based indirect association discovery is a hot spot in recent studies on literature-based knowledge discovery . The role of network characteristics in evaluation of literature-based indirect association discovery during the litera-ture-based knowledge discovery was thus studied.The new indexes for evaluaing the literature-based indirect asso-ciation discovery were esatablished by integrating the co-ocurrent statistic information and the network charateris-tics, which are of greatimportance for improving literature-based knowledge discovery and constructing knowledge discovery system .

One of the challenges in andrology nowadays is the diagnosis and treatment of external genital abnormalities and defects along with the consequent voiding, sexual, and reproductive dysfunctions, for which no guidelines are yet available. Hitherto, surgical repair and reconstruction are efficient for these diseases. The key to these operations is to individualize surgical strategies according to the specific local lesion and dysfunction, usually involving flap and graft techniques. This article presents our experience in the surgical treatment of penile and scrotal abnormalities and defects with urological and andrological techniques and microsurgical strategies, focusing on the external repair and functional reconstruction. Satisfactory treatment outcomes pivot on a precise evaluation of the disease, a rational design of surgical procedures, and an earnest communication with the patient. Some cases are rather complicated and challenging, usually with complications, and therefore deserve further researches for more effective treatment strategies in clinical practice.
Andrology ; Genitalia, Male ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Penis ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Scrotum ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy difference in treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) between syndrome differentiation based acupuncture and ordinary acupuncture.

METHODSSeventy FD patients were assigned to a syndrome differentiation based acupuncture group (Group A) and an ordinary acupuncture group (Group B) by Excel Software randomization. Zhongwan (RN12 ), Tianshu (ST25), and Zusanli (ST36) were needled as main points for patients in Group A. Meanwhile, different combined acupoints were needled according to syndrome differentiation. Only the same main points were needled for patients in Group B. All patients were needled once per day, 30 min each time, 6 days as one treatment cycle, 2 treatment cycles in total. Fasting serum levels of gastrin (GAS) and motilin (MTL) were determined before treatment and after 2 treatment cycles. 36-item Short-form Heath Survey (SF-36) and Nepean Dyspepsia Index [NDI, including Nepean Dyspepsia Symptom Index (NDSI) and Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index (NDLQI)] were assessed before treatment, after 2 treatment cycles, and one month after treatment.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment in the same group, serum levels of GAS and MLT increased in the two groups after 2 treatment cycles (P <0. 05), but changes were more obvious in Group A (P <0. 05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, SF-36 and NDLQI score increased, and NDSI score decreased in the two groups after 2 treatment cycles and 1 month after treatment (all P <0. 05). Compared with Group B, SF-36 and NDLQI score increased in Group A after 2 treatment cycles and 1 month after treatment (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). But NDSI score at 1 month after treatment was lower in Group A than in Group B (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSyndrome differentiation based acupuncture could evidently improve dyspeptic symptoms of FD patients, and significantly improve their quality of life with remarkable curative effect.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Dyspepsia ; therapy ; Humans ; Motilin ; Needles ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syndrome

China ; Competency-Based Education ; Education, Medical ; methods ; trends

Acute Disease ; Anemia ; etiology ; Child ; Fever ; etiology ; Humans ; Leukemia ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Patient Care ; Prognosis

China ; Information Systems ; Occupational Health Services ; organization & administration ; standards

OBJECTIVEEndothelial apoptosis plays an important role in the initiation of atherosclerosis. It would be useful to clarify whether activation of non-neuronal muscarinic receptor (NNMR) could prevent endothelial apoptosis and atherosclerosis. We investigated the effects of NNMR activation on regulating rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs) apoptosis induced by homocysteine, an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis, and further studied its molecular mechanism.

METHODSRAECs were incubated using homocysteine at the concentration of 2.7 mmol/L for 36 h. RAECs were also pre-treated with carbachol or arecoline to examine their effects. RT-PCR was used to assess changes in the gene expression related to cell apoptosis.

RESULTSIncubation of RAECs with homocysteine at the concentration of 2.7 mmol/L resulted in morphologic changes, such as cellular shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation and margination. These could be attenuated by pretreatment with carbachol and arecoline at the concentration of 10 micromol/L for 12 h. Homocysteine induced apoptosis in RAECs and the molecular mechanisms were associated with the regulation of fas, fas-L and caspase-8 in the death receptor pathway, bcl-2, bcl-xL and bax in the mitochondrial pathway, caspase-12 in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway and caspase-3, caspase-6 and p53 as downstream effectors. Carbachol and arecoline attenuated the effects of homocysteine on genes in the death receptor pathway, in the mitochondrial pathway and in the downstream pathway. Atropine could reverse all of the effects of arecoline.

CONCLUSIONActivation of NNMR by carbacol and arecoline inhibits homocysteine-induced endothelial cell apoptosis mainly through regulation of death receptor pathway, mitochondrial pathway and downstream effectors.

Animals ; Aorta ; cytology ; Apoptosis ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Arecoline ; Carbachol ; Cell Cycle ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Homocysteine ; adverse effects ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; metabolism