BACKGROUND: Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJCs) via transplantation are able to survive in a dog model of intervertebral disc degeneration and to partially restore the height of the intervertebral disc. However, there is no study on whether hWJCs can repair nucleus pulposus cells after inflammatory injury as yet. OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effect of hWJCs on interleukin-1β induced rat nucleus pulposus degeneration.METHODS: Nucleus pulposus cells at passage 3 from Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: (1) normal control group cultured in culture medium containing fetal bovine serum for 24 hours, and then cultured in complete medium for 24 hours; (2) intervention group with interleukin-1β intervention for 24 hours, followed by culture in the complete medium for 24 hours; (3) co-culture group with interleukin-1β intervention for 24 hours, followed by culture in the complete medium for non-direct co-culture with hWJCs for 24 hours. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and flow cytometry were used in succession to measure the apoptosis rate of nucleus pulposus cells in each group. The ADAMTS-4, MMPs-3 and TIMP-1 expression in nucleus pulposus cells was observed though RT-PCR. The activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 were determined by caspase kit.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The apoptosis rates were ranked as follows: the intervention group > co-culture group > normal control group, and there were significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group,the expression levels of ADAMTS-4 and MMPs-3 were significantly higher and the expression level of TIMP-1 was significantly lower in the intervention and co-culture groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the intervention group, the expression levels of ADAMTS-4 and MMPs-3 were significantly lower and the expression level of TIMP-1 was significantly higher in the co-culture group (P < 0.05). The expression activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 were highest in the intervention group, followed by the co-culture group, and lowest in the normal control group, and there were significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). To conclude, hWJCs has obviously inhibitory effect on the apoptosis of degenerated nucleus pulposus cells induced by interleukin-1β.

An HPLC method for the determination of 18alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid and 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid in rat plasma was established, which was used subsequently to determine the pharmacokinetic profiles of both epimers of glycyrrhetinic acid in rats. alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid, beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, and a mixture of alpha-glycyrrhetinic and beta-glycyrrhetinic acids were administered to rats via gastric infusion. Blood samples were collected at different time intervals and extracted by liquid-liquid extraction. Separation was achieved by using a Kromasil C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) with the mobile phase composed of acetonitrile--4 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate solution (46 : 54, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1), and the detection wavelength was set at 250 nm. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the software DAS 2.0. In a combined administration, the main pharmacokinetic parameters of beta-glycyrrhetinic acid are significantly different from that of alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid (P < 0.05), while no significant difference was obtained when administrated individually. Compared to the single administration, significant differences (P < 0.05) on the values of AUC(0-t) and AUC(0-infinity) of beta-glycyrrhetinic acid were observed when this chemical was administrated together with alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid. In contrast, the pharmacokinetic parameters of alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid were not affected even under the co-administration. Here, a sensitive, specific, rapid and reproducible HPLC method was developed for the pharmacokinetic studies of alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid and beta-glycyrrhetinic acid in rat plasma.

Data mining technology is called into play to comb and excavate data in the hospital information system(HIS)for the purposes of hospital management and patient safety.Data tables in the electronic medical record system were effectively remodeled as necessary.These measures help build a medical quality surveillance system which is based on the electronic medical record system,with such functions as real-time monitoring and pre-warning.The control framework consists the critical cases control system,surgery and invasive operation control system,overall control system,and TCM strengths application control system.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic treatment of ureteral calculi acute obstruction with urinary extravasation. Methods 56 patients with ureteral calculi acute obstruction and urinary extravasation were randomly divided into two groups:the treatment group and the control group,28 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group were given URSL or percutaneous nephrostomy drainage, and the secondary fistula was given URSL stone clearance treatment. Patients in control group were given traditional ureterolithotomy treatment. The stone clearance rate, the average recovery time after surgery, postoperative wound infection rate and the abnormal rate of postoperative albumin were observed in two groups. Results In the treatment group,28 patients had no residual stones with mean postoperative recovery time of (5.2 1.3) days,postoperative fever was found in 3 cases,obvious abnormal postoperative albumin in 3 cases. In the control group,residual stones were found in 3 cases,the average recovery time after surgery was (7.9 2.6) days,postoperative fever was found in 10 cases, and obvious abnormal postoperative albumin in 11 cases. There were statistically significant differences in stone clearance rate, the average recovery time after surgery, postoperative wound infection rate and the abnormal rate of postoperative albumin between two groups (P<0.05) . Conclusion Endoscopic treatment of ureteral calculi acute obstruction and urinary extravasation has advantages including better efficacy, less trauma, less complications and quicker recovery.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of the urethra URSL combined with micro-puncture and drainage treatment for pediatric calculus of lower urinary tract. Methods From January 2003 to January 2013, 66 cases with pediatric urinary tract calculi in our hospital were randomly equally divided into experimental group and control group. The experimental group was treated with transurethral bladder micro URSL combined puncture and drainage treatment, and the control group was given a simple transurethral URSL method of treatment. The operative time, postoperative urine turned clear time,pulling stone clearance after catheter time,postoperative hospital stay and the incidence of postoperative urethral stricture were observed and recorded. In addition, these data were compared between the two groups. Results The operations of two groups have successfully completed. The mean operative time, postoperative urine turned clear time, pull out the catheter stone clearance after time and postoperative hospital stay of control group was 30.2±2.45 minutes,2.5±0.5 days,2.1±0.8 days and 4.0±0. 5 days, respectively. Patients were followed up 1 year after operation, and 1 case of urethral stricture occurred. However, the mean operative time, postoperative urine turned clear time, pull out the catheter stone clearance after time and postoperative hospital stay of the test group was 20.36±2.35 minutes,1.5±0.7 days,1.1±0.25 days and 3.1±0.3 days,respectively,with no urethral stricture case occurred. There were significant differences between the two groups ( <0.05) . Conclusion Transurethral bladder URSL micro puncture and drainage combined with transurethral ureteroscopy lithotripsy treatment for children with lower urinary tract calculi has better efficacy and safety. It could shorter operative time, postoperative urine turned clear time, the gravel discharge time and average hospitalization time, reduce the incidence of postoperative secondary urethral stricture.

A) in COL1A1 gene resulting in OI in a Chinese family. The detailed molecular and clinical features will be useful for extending the evidence for genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in OI and exploring the phenotype-genotype correlations in OI.

PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) is the hot spot of hospital information construction research and DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine) is the international standard about data compression and translation of medical image and relational information. Supporting DICOM standard is the necessary condition for medical image devices to join into PACS net. In making reforms in the old fashioned medical devices in hospitals, it is necessary to add DICOM interface for medical image devices. In this paper, DICOM information model is introduced and software system is implemented with Visual C + + programming, especially the writing, reading and C-STORE service in communication function are introduced in detail.
Computer Communication Networks ; instrumentation ; Data Display ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; standards ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; Radiology Information Systems ; instrumentation ; standards

In view of the fact that the large quantities of data contained in the medical image do not have a favorable setting for effective storage and transmission in the existing network, we have developed a JPEG2000 DICOM image compression kit using VC++, and we have realized the medical image storage service according to the C-STORE rule of DICOM standard. The results showed that the medical image processed by JPEG2000 compression algorithm not only greatly saved the storage space, but also reduced the band width needed by transmission. In this paper is discussed the DICOM image compressed by JPEG2000 compression algorithm in DICOM strorage service application. The significance of JPEG2000 compression algorithm in the development of picutre archiving and communication systems (PACS) and telemedicine is also explained.
Algorithms ; Computer Communication Networks ; instrumentation ; Data Compression ; Diagnostic Imaging ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized

Objective To report a familial dentinogenesis imperfecta type Ⅱ (DGI type Ⅱ) with a novel splicing mutation in DSPP (dentin sialophosphoprotein) gene.Methods Based on the result of linkage analysis performed previously to map the candidate gene DSPP in the family, the promoter,the first four exons and exon-intron boundaries of DSPP were directly sequenced for the members of the DGI type Ⅱ family. Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) analysis was performed to confirm the results of sequencing.Results A novel splicing mutation of 23 bp deletion in intron 2 of DSPP gene was identified by DNA sequence analysis. The mutation changed acceptor site sequence from CAG to AAG, and might result in functional abolition of possible branch point site in intron 2. DHPLC result was consistent with that of sequencing. The mutation may be identified in all affected individuals, but not found in normal members of the family and 50 controls.Conclusion These results suggest the deleted mutation of DSPP gene causes DGI type Ⅱ in the family. The mutation has not been reported before.

Predicting protein-coding genes still remains a significant challenge. Although a variety of computational programs that use commonly machine learning methods have emerged, the accuracy of predictions remains a low level when implementing in large genomic sequences. Moreover, computational gene finding in newly sequenced genomes is especially a difficult task due to the absence of a training set of abundant validated genes. Here we present a new gene-finding program, SCGPred, to improve the accuracy of prediction by combining multiple sources of evidence. SCGPred can perform both supervised method in previously well-studied genomes and unsupervised one in novel genomes. By testing with datasets composed of large DNA sequences from human and a novel genome of Ustilago maydi, SCG-Pred gains a significant improvement in comparison to the popular ab initio gene predictors. We also demonstrate that SCGPred can significantly improve prediction in novel genomes by combining several foreign gene finders with similarity alignments, which is superior to other unsupervised methods. Therefore, SCG-Pred can serve as an alternative gene-finding tool for newly sequenced eukaryotic genomes. The program is freely available at http://bio.scu.edu.cn/SCGPred/.
Algorithms ; Chromosome Mapping ; methods ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Exons ; genetics ; Genes, Fungal ; genetics ; Genome, Fungal ; Genome, Human ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Software ; Ustilago ; genetics