OBJECTIVE: To provide a new method to estimate t he effectiveness of thoracolumbar vertebral finite element model. METHODS: A mechanical model of human thoracolumbar vertebrae mo tion segment was made using three-dimensional finite element method and the str ess distribution of vertically compressed thoracolumbar vertebrae was analyzed, meanwhile, 20 patients with burst fracture of thoracolumbar vertebrae were t ested by CT to calculated average CT value at ascertained different points of th oracolumbar vertebrae. The calculated results and effective stress at the same p osition were analyzed with straight line correlation. RESULTS: The stress level of different position of thoracolumba r vertebrae under vertical compressive force was positively correlated with the correlative CT value, and the regressive style, Y=214.028+45.268X, r=0.7386, P<0.05 (n=8) showed a statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: To study mechanism of thoracolumbar vertebrae in juries under different forces has clinical significance.

OBJECTIVETo study the practical survey method on estimating the size of male homosexual population.

METHODSNine male homosexual gathering spots were selected and three methods as division method, capture-mark-recapture method and multiplier method were applied in counting the numbers of homosexual men in one city in Sichuan province.

RESULTSNumber of counting through division method was 877 and the three numbers through capture-mark-recapture method were 1408, 1207 and 949 respectively. However, appropriate data was not obtained by multiplier method.

CONCLUSIONSDivision method was easy to operate with its high credibility, but costly. Capture-mark-recapture method was less costly less both in capital and time, and the results could be testified to each other. Multiplier method should be modified before applied to obtain reliable information.

China ; Homosexuality, Male ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Statistics as Topic ; methods

BACKGROUNDTo study the effects of huTNF-α and hIL-2 gene transfection on the expression of MDR1 and LRP genes in lung cancer cell lines.

METHODShuTNF-α and hIL-2 gene plasmids were constructed and transfected into A549, GLC-82, H446 and H460 cells with lipofectinmin. Positive clones were screened out by G418. The expressions of MDR1 and LRP genes were detected at mRNA level by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the non transfected cells and the cloned cells.

RESULTSMDR1 gene was positive in A549, GLC-82, H446 and H460 cell lines, LRP gene was positive in A549, GLC-82 and H460 cell lines; The transfected cell lines expressed both huTNF-α and hIL-2 gene, and the A549, H446 and H460 cell lines transfected with hIL-2 gene had no MDR1 expression at mRNA level compared with the non transfected ones.

CONCLUSIONSMDR1 and LRP genes are expressed in lung cancer cell lines, which indicates the presence of intrinsic drug resistance before any form of therapy. MDR1 gene is not expressed in hIL-2 transfected cell lines, which demonstrates that hIL-2 gene modulates the MDR1 gene expression at mRNA level, and may reverse the multidrug resistance of lung cancer.

Aim To investigate the effects of Cichorium glandulosum N-butanol extraction site (C G E) on hepatic fibrosis (H F) in SD rats and to determine the content of the main effective component matricin. Methods HPLC method was used to determine the content of matricin in CGE. The SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, CGE low-dose groups, medium-dose and high-dose, and curcumin group. In addition to control group rats' back subcutaneous injection (s c) normal saline, rats in the other groups were treated with body weight sc 40 % CC1

Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Ketosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging