BACKGROUND: Although the clinical effect of cervical disk replacement in short term has been ascertained, but the middle and long term result is not known, especially for the adjacent level. OBJECTIVE: To observe clinical result and effect of cervical disk replacement on adjacent level in middle and long term. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Retrospective case analysis was performed at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from December 2003 to March 2005. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three patients (aged 35-73 years) undergoing cervical disc replacement were followed up for 3 years. Of them, 25 patients received one-level disk replacement, and 8 received two-level disk replacement. METHODS: The clinical results and imaging before and after operation were compared. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical indexes including JOA grade, Odom’s grade, NDI, SF-36; X-ray: Kellgren X-ray grade, disk cervical height, disk motion, Pfirrmann disk grade, sigittal diameter of spinal cord, and compression of the spinal cord. RESULTS: The point of JOA is 13.62?2.31 before operation, 15.75?1.55 after operation; the differences were significant (P=0.000). For Kellgren X-ray, 10 levels occurred degeneration above the disk replacement level, accounted for 33% (P=0.004), and 9 levels developed degeneration below the disk replacement level, accounted for 32% (P=0.011). No obvious changes in imaging indexes were observed before and after surgery. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcome of cervical disk replacement is good in middle-term follow up. Some adjacent level degeneration may occur after cervical disk replacement, and the degeneration type is osteophyte formation in the adjacent level. This kind of adjacent level degeneration does not affect the clinical outcome in middle term follow-up.

Objective To study the change of the expression of cellular growth factor receptor and its effect on the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) under electrical field. Methods 1) A electrophoresis apparatus was designed for applying the direct current electric fields to the cultured VSMCs, which were separated from the aorta of rats. Interval photographs were used to analyse the direction and distance of VSMCs migration. Cellular growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and its type 2 receptor(AT2R) were studied by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence to show the mechanism relation to the migration of VSMCs. Results Under the direct current electric field, the expression of PDGFR was increased obviously and distributed asymmetricly on the membrane of VSMCs. The receptor mainly focused on the cathode side of cellular membrane in electric field. The AT1R were also enhanced in the cells after exposure to the electric field, but the expression of AT2R was uncharged. The longer exposure time to the 150 mV/mm electric field, the more electrotaxis the cells showed. The distance of cellular migration increased obviously with the time to exposure the electric field comparing with the control group. There was no significant difference in the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) between two groups. Conclusion External electric fields applying to the rat VSMCs can change the growth characteristic and enhance directional migration of VSMCs. These effects maybe related to the up-regulated expression and re-distribution of some cellular growth factors such as PDGFR, AT1R and AT2R.

Homoacetogens are a group of microorganisms with application potential to produce chemicals and biofuels by the bioconversion of synthesis gas. In this study, we collected waste activated sludge samples to screen homoacetogens by Hungate anaerobic technique, and studied the effect of pH on acetate and alcohol production from H2/CO2 gas. The mixed culture contained Clostridium ljungdahlii, Lysinibacillus fusiformis and Bacillus cereus. Acetate concentration achieved 31.69 mmol/L when the initial pH was 7. The mixed culture containing homoacetogen could converting H2/CO2 to acetate, which provides an efficient microbial resource for the bioconversion of synthesis gas.
Acetates ; chemistry ; Bacteria ; classification ; Biofuels ; Carbon Dioxide ; Hydrogen ; Sewage ; microbiology

Objective To observe the expression of zinc finger protein A20(A20), NF-κB and related inflammatory factors before and after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates degeneration of rabbit intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells.Methods The normal and degenerative nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured, then divided into normal group,degenerative group,LPS stimulation group and NF-κB inhibition group.HE staining observe the morphological changes of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of A20,NF-κB/p65 and COL-Ⅱ.Real-time PCR was employed to analyze the expression of A20,IL-1β,TNF-α,NF-κB and COL-Ⅱ,Western blot was used to observe the A20 protein,p65 and COL-Ⅱexpression in the four groups, and TNF-α, IL-1β in cell supernatant was determined by ELISA.Results The number of nucleuspulposus cells significantly decreased, aggregation occured in the degenerative group.COL-Ⅱ was obvious lower and A20, p65 significantly higher than that in normal group by immunohistochemical staining.Compared with the normal group,A20,TNF-α,IL-1β,p65 expression was significantly increased and COL-Ⅱ decreased in the mRNA and protein levels in degenerative group.Above indexes changed more significant in LPS stimulation group than in degenerative group.The expression of A20, TNF-α, IL-1β, p65 in the NF-κB inhibitor group was lower than that in the LPS group, and the expression of type Ⅱ collagen increased(P<0.05).Conclusions Intervertebral disc inflammatory response is closely related to the development of intervertebral disc degeneration, A20 may play an important role.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arsenic Poisoning ; drug therapy ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

Adult ; Elbow Joint ; injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; therapy ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; Radius ; abnormalities ; Radius Fractures ; therapy ; Synostosis ; therapy ; Ulna ; abnormalities

OBJECTIVE:To establish a rapid,accurate and standardized DNA barcode identification method for the ferulic me-dicinal plants. METHODS:Genomic DNA was extracted from Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen and Ferula fukanensis K. M. Shen,ITS2 sequences were amplified and sequenced,analytical similarity search method was conducted,13 species 26 samples gene ITS2 sequences of ferulic medicinal plants in GenBank database were downloaded and comparatively analyzed;interspecies and intraspecies genetic distances were calculated,and phylogenetic tree was developed for cluster analysis. RESULTS:According to calculation,species genetic distances of the 15 species ranged 0.009-0.230,average genetic distance was 0.018;results of clus-ter analysis showed DNA barcode ITS2 sequences can cluster the 32 kinds of ferulic medicinal plants into different classes. CON-CLUSIONS:The established DNA barcode ITS2 sequences identification method can accurately and rapidly identify the genuine and false samples of ferulic species.

Objective:To explore therapeutic effect of atorvastatin on aged patients with mild to moderate hyperten-sion.Methods:A total of 427 aged patients with mild to moderate hypertension treated in our hospital from Jul 2011 to Jul 2013 were randomly divided into routine treatment group (n=210)and atorvastatin group (n=217,received atorvastatin additionally based on routine treatment)according to number table.All patients were treated with a continuous 24 months.Therapeutic effect of controlling blood pressure,changes of blood pressure level and high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP)level and occurrence of adverse reactions during treatment were compared be-tween two groups.Results:Compared with routine treatment group,there was significant rise in total effective rate of long-term (24 months)controlling blood pressure (76.8% vs.85.9%),and significant reductions in blood pres-sure [(145.3±10.1/88.6±6.7)mmHg vs.(136.9±6.8/83.0±5.2)mmHg]and hsCRP [(2.02±0.29)mg/L vs. (1.60±0.18)mg/L]level in atorvastatin group,P<0.05 or <0.01. There was no significant difference in inci-dence rate of adverse reactions during treatment between two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion:Atorvastatin combined antihypertensive drugs can well control blood pressure and reduce inflammatory reactions,which is suitable for long term use in aged patients with hypertension.

Targeting the common fact that colleges and universities of traditional Chinese medicine neglect management post practice,are lack of cutting-edge,cross-disciplinary and methodological courses,fail to reflect the traditional Chinese medicine's singularity and update courses slowly during the process of cultivating their graduate students,Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine innovates its culture system of graduate student in related major.It is also devoted to developing problem-based learning,introducing bitutor system,reforming course system,which may hopefully improve their graduate students' innovative thoughts and abilities,strengthen their innovative knowledge theory system to finally discover an appropriate reform model for the culture system which can be perfectly replicable.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) resulted from the injury of joints and postoperation of joints is commonly observed. Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA) has been considered as effective method for OA. OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of intra-articular injection of NaHA on mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cartilage of traumatic OA induced by transection of anterior cruciate ligament. DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING: Department of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan Uni ersity. MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Laboratory of Depart ment of Orthopaedics, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University from April to December 2003, in which, 16 clean healthy flat-eared white rabbits, aged 5-6 months were employed. The rabbits were randomly divided into Na- HA injection group and saline control group with 8 rabbits in each group. Na-HA (2000, No 366095) was provided by Shanghai Jiahua Fine Biologi- cal Products Co. METHODS: ①OA model was established in rabbits of the two groups. Each rabbit was anesthetized intravenously with 1.0 mg/kg ketamine hy- drochloride and underwent unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection. ②5 weeks after transection, Na-HA injection group rabbits received 0.3 mL of intra-articular 10 g/L Na-HA injection, once a week for 5 weeks. Ani mals in saline controlled group were treated with saline of the same vol ume. ③The rabbits were killed at week 10 after operation, general morphology and histopathological changes of articular cartilage degeneration of medial femoral condyle were evaluated (0 points as smooth articular surface with normal color and luster; 1 point as minimal fibrillation or a slight crevice and dark grey color of the surface; 2 points as erosion extending into superficial or middle layers of cartilage; 3 points as ulceration and erosion extending into the deep layers, and 4 points as denudation of cartilage, erosion extending to the sub-chondral bone). The mRNA expression of iNOS in cartilages was examined with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Observation of articular cartilage degeneration of medial femoral condyle, ②observation of articular cartilage degeneration of medial femoral condyle at light microscopic level, ③expression of iNOS in cartilages of each group. RESULTS: A total of 16 clean healthy rabbits entered the result analysis. ① Result of articular cartilage degeneration of medial femoral condyle: Pathological change of articular surface of femoral condyle was observed under anatomic microscope. Cartilage degradation in experimental group was significantly less severe than that in saline control group. ②Histological changes of articular cartilage degeneration of medial femoral condyle at light microscopic level: The Na-HA injection group showed cartilage changes: Membrane of cartilage presented denaturalization and abscission. Chondrocytes of superficial zone presented denaturalization, necrosis, turbulence and erosion. Animals treated with saline showed denaturalization, necrosis and disorder of chondrocytes, ulceration penetrating into the middle or deep zone of the cartilage. New hyperplasia of capillary vessels and fibroblasts were more obvious. Proliferation of fibrous tissue appeared at the bottom of ulcer. ③Expression of iNOS in cartilages of two group:The gene expression of iNOS in cartilage of Na-HA injection group was(1.09±0.18) and the expression of saline control group was (1.26±0.23). Nosignificant difference of iNOS expression was found between the two groups(P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of Na-HA has protective and repairing effect on cartilage with early OA and can significantly reduce the severity of cartilage degradation during early stage of traumatic OA. Intra-articular injection of Na-HA does not down-regulated iNOS expression in cartilage.