Objective To analyze the complications of lower cervical pedicle screw fixation in treatment of the cervical spine disorders and discuss the operative technique. Methods A retrospective study was made in 104 patients with different cervical injuries treated by C3-7 pedicle screw fixation (total use of 624 screws) from July 2004 to March 2008. One stage posterior reduction and fixation using lower cervical pedicle screw-rod system or screw-plat system were performed in 66 traumatic patients and the nerve condition was evaluated by Frankel criteria system. For 46 non-traumatic patients, laminoplasty or laminectomy was performed for decompression, and cervical pedicle screw-rod system or screw-plat system were used in deformity correction and stability reconstruction. Based on exploration to quadric walls of vertebral pedicle during operation, postoperative thin-slice CT scan along operative vertebra segments' pedicle and bilateral oblique position X-ray of cervical spine in all patients, we evaluated screw location, screw angle as well as the distance and the relation between the screws and the internal pedicle wall or lateral wall. Results In this study, the lower cervical pedicles of 104 patients were fixated with 624 screws including 77 screws (12.34% ) for pedicle wall damage, 68 screws (10.8% ) for the lateral wall injury, 56 screws (8.97% ) for grade Ⅰ violation of pedicles, 12 screws (1.92% ) for grade II violation of pedicles Ⅱ violation of pedicles and 9 screws (1.44% ) for inferior wall injury of cervical pedicle. The follow-up lasted for 3-24 months (average 9. 8 months), which showed breakage of two screws (0.32% ) and loosening of one screw (0.16% ). Conclusions Lower cervical pedicle screw fixation has relatively low incidence of complications and is a safe operation. The complications can be minimized by sufficient preoperative imaging studies of the pedicles, familiar with the feature of opography and reasonable surgery technique.

Objective To analyze the operative effect of fracture of ulna coronoid process and evalu- ate the repairing effect of reconstruction of combined injury of ligamental structure or radius head.Methods During 2001 to 2004,16 cases(14 males and 2 females)of fractures of ulna coronoid process,aged 18-54 years(mean 36.6 years),were treated operatively in our department.Routine medial approach on the elbow or anterior trance-joint approach was used.Once reduction was achieved,screws or Kirschner wires were used to fix the fracture and the capsule was repaired at the same time.If there was combined fracture of the radius head or rupture of the collateral ligament,simultaneous repair or resection was applied.Functional exercise was requested in all patients.Results The follow-up was 8 to 24 months.Fracture union needed 4 to 6 weeks. Average Mayo elbow score was 80.Conclusion Ulna coronoid process fractures need active therapy. The radius head should be reserved as complete as possible during treatment.It is necessary to work out a standard management plan,and a notice should be taken to ligamental structure examination.

This paper discussed the application of designing experiments from scientific research in Micro-biology courses and its effects on the teachers and students. The problems of the application of designing experiments in Microbiology courses were analyzed. The practice of the teaching reform showed that it give great advantages for the undergraduates with the enhancement of their ability on theory application and sci-entific innovation. This teaching reform could be widely popularized.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of brain wave-biofeedback on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Methods29 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder used VBFB3000 Brain Wave-Biofeedback system to control the 4～8 Hz brain wave and activate the 12～16 Hz wave twice a week.Results84.6% children primarily with attention deficit became normal,as well as 100% with hyperactivity,91.6% with mixed appearing.ConclusionBrain Wave-Biofeedback is effective on any types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUNDPulmonary hypertension (PH) is a set of pathophysiological syndromes characterized by increased pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, resulting in increased right ventricular afterload. The left and right ventricles interact through hemodynamics. What impact will PH have on synchronization and function of the left ventricle (LV)? The aim of this study was to evaluate the synchronization of the left ventricular wall motion and left ventricular function in patients with varying degrees of PH using velocity vector imaging (VVI) technology.

METHODSSixty patients with chronic PH served as the experimental group, and 20 healthy volunteers served as the control group. According to the different degrees of pulmonary artery systolic pressure, the experimental group was divided into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe PH groups. The time to peak systolic longitudinal velocity (Tvl), the peak systolic longitudinal velocity (Vsl), the peak diastolic longitudinal velocity (Vel), the peak systolic longitudinal strain (Sl), and strain rate (SRl) in 18 segments were measured in each group.

RESULTSTvl in the control group and each group with PH was reduced from basal to apical segment, and in control group Tvl in various segments of the same wall and in different walls showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). With increase in pulmonary artery pressure, Tvl values measured showed an increasing trend in groups with PH. In groups with PH, Vsl and Vel of each wall were reduced sequentially from basal to apical segments, showing gradient change; Vsl and Vel values measured showed a decreasing trend with increase in pulmonary artery pressure, in which the differences of Vel values measured in the control group and the mild PH group were statistically significant (P < 0.01), and the differences between other groups were statistically significant (P < 0.01). In groups with PH, Sl and SRl in basal segment and the middle segment of each wall were decreased; the difference between groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAsynchronization of the LV and decreased left ventricular function were present in patients with chronic PH; VVI technology can accurately evaluate left ventricular function in patients with PH, and indicators such as Tvl, Vsl, and Vel are valuable.

Adult ; Aged ; Echocardiography ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of catecholamine hormone on the blood and brain of heroin addicts.

METHODSRats were divided into three groups and treated with the glucose (control group), the heroin (im) (heroin group), and the combination of the intramuscular injection of reserpine and heroin (reserpine group). Changes in the levels of the dopamine (DA), cAMP, and cGMP were detected by the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method in the blood and brain tissue.

RESULTSNo significant withdrawal symptoms were observed in the reserpine group. Compared with the control and heroin groups, the blood cAMP levels were increased by 35.36% and 15.53% in the reserpine group, respectively; the cAMP levels in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus (Hipp) were increased by 24.08% & 8.53%, 15.66% & 8.13%, and 21.95% & 8.40%, respectively. While compared to the control and heroin groups, the DA levels of the PFC, Hipp, striatum, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) were significantly reduced in the reserpine group, decreasing by 74.09% & 82.86%, 81.06% & 82.23%, 91.62% & 86.55% and 84.35% & 90.63%, respectively. The concentrations of cGMP of the brain tissues in the reserpine group were lower than those in the control group. In addition, the neural electrophysiological testing showed that the electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and muscle spindle discharge diagram of rats in both the reserpine and heroin groups were apparently changed.

CONCLUSIONCatecholamine hormone plays an important role in heroin addiction.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Catecholamines ; physiology ; Cyclic AMP ; blood ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; blood ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; blood ; metabolism ; Heroin Dependence ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of osteopractic total flavone on bone histomorphometry of osteoporosis model in rath with ovariectomized female rat models.

METHODThe ovariectomy-induced model, bone sliceswith calcium, pigmentation, and Leica Qwin image analysis system were adopted on bone histomorphometry.

RESULTAs compared with the model group, the effect of small-dose group and middle-dose group of osteopractic total flavone on TBV% of shankbone increased significantly; the effect of small-dose group and middle-dose group of osteopractic total flavone on TRS% of shankbone reduced significantly and TFS%, AFS%, MAR, BFR of shankbone reduced obviously; the effect of middle-dose group of osteopractic total flavone on OSW and mAR reduced obviously, the effect of small-dose group of osteopractic total flavone on them had the tendency of reducing, but there was no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONThe ovariectomized rats having been fed with osteopractic total flavone for 6 months, TBV% increased significantly while TRS%, AFS%, MAR, BFR, OSW, and mAR reduced obviously. It indicates that the therapeutical effect of osteopractic total flavone on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis model is significant. And the ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis model is a high transformative type of osteoporosis model in which bone absorption is higher than bone formation.

Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Flavones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Osteoporosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; Polypodiaceae ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of oral modified device combined with nasopharyngeal enlargement surgery and evaluate the oral modified device' s adjuvant therapy meaning in severe OSAHS patients after surgery treatment. METHOD: 46 cases with severe OSAHS were diagnosed by PSG according to AHI and the lowest arterial oxygen saturation (LSaO2). We performed the nasal or pharyngeal cavity expansion surgery for them according to the pathological change part correspondingly. Then all subjects were divided into combined group (n=26) and surgery alone group (n=20) according to their personal willingness. We monitored the PSG for all subjects aftter 2 weeks and 3 months respectively, then we calculate the diversity between the two group or intragroup change on the basis of the AHI, LAT, LSaO2, mean arterial oxygen saturation (MSaO2) and sleep structures recorded by PSG. At the same time, we collected the subjective sensations by questionnaire. RESULT: The AHI and LAT in combined group were significantly lower and LSaO2 was significantly higher than these in surgery alone group(P<0. 05), and it's no difference in MSO2 between the two groups (P>0. 05). The N 1% was more shorter and the N2% and N3% were more longer after nasal or pharyngeal operation compared with pre-operative states in both groups(P<. 05), but we didn't find difference in REM%(P>. 05). The data of PSG also showed that the shallow sleep proportion was more shorter and the slow wave sleep proportion was more longer in combined group compared with surgery alone group. The subjective sensations results also showed significantly alleviated in combined group, such as mental state, daytime sleepiness and physical strength. The efficiency ratio of treatment was 85. 0% and 92. 3% in surgery alone group and combined group respectively. CONCLUSION Nasal and pharyngeal cavity enlargement surgery combined with oral modified device is a more effective treatment in patients with severe OSAHS, and it is meaningful for the long-term curative effect of surgery to prevent relapse and improve.
Humans ; Nasopharynx ; surgery ; Nose ; surgery ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; Oximetry ; Sensation ; Sleep ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; surgery ; Sleep Stages ; Treatment Outcome

This study is to investigate the effects of sophoridine on NF-kappaB signaling pathway in kidney tissue of endotoxemia mice and the mechanism involved. BALB/c mice were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caudal vein injection, then sophoridine was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Totally 50 mice were divided into 5 groups: control group, LPS model group, sophoridine treatment 12 mg x kg(-1) group, 6 mg x kg(-1) group and 3 mg x kg(-1) group. All animals were sacrificed at 6 hours after treatment. Kidney and blood samples were harvested. IKKbeta mRNA and TNF-alpha mRNA expression of renal tissue was measured by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and phosphorylation IKKbeta protein (pIKKbeta) was detected by immunohistochemistry. NF-kappaB P65 protein expression and distribution of renal tissue were observed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence laser confocal microscopy. Serum TNF-alpha level was detected by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the sophoridine significantly reduced the expression of IKKbeta mRNA and pIKKbeta protein, and inhibited the expression of NF-kappaB P65 protein and decreased the entry nuclear rate of NF-kappaB P65 in the renal tissue of endotoxemia mice. Thereby the renal TNF-alpha mRNA expression and serum TNF-alpha level were significantly reduced. These results suggest that sophoridine could inhibit inflammatory reaction induced by LPS through inhibiting activation of NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antitoxins ; pharmacology ; Endotoxemia ; blood ; chemically induced ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; I-kappa B Kinase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phosphorylation ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; genetics ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTissue-engineered heart valves have the potential to overcome the limitations of present heart valve replacements. This study was designed to develop a tissue engineering heart valve by using human umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and decellularized valve scaffolds.

METHODSDecellularized valve scaffolds were prepared from fresh porcine heart valves. EPCs were isolated from fresh human umbilical cord blood by density gradient centrifugation, cultured for 3 weeks in EGM-2-MV medium, by which time the resultant cell population became endothelial in nature, as assessed by immunofluorescent staining. EPC-derived endothelial cells were seeded onto the decellularized scaffold at 3 x 10(6) cells/cm(2) and cultured under static conditions for 7 days. Proliferation of the seeded cells on the scaffolds was detected using the MTT assay. Tissue-engineered heart valves were analyzed by HE staining, immunofluorescent staining and scanning electron microscopy. The anti-thrombogenic function of the endothelium on the engineered heart valves was evaluated by platelet adhesion experiments and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis for the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA).

RESULTSEPC-derived endothelial cells showed a histolytic cobblestone morphology, expressed specific markers of the endothelial cell lineage including von Willebrand factor (vWF) and CD31, bound a human endothelial cell-specific lectin, Ulex Europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1), and took up Dil-labeled low density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL). After seeding on the decellularized scaffold, the cells showed excellent metabolic activity and proliferation. The cells formed confluent endothelial monolayers atop the decellularized matrix, as assessed by HE staining and immunostaining for vWF and CD31. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the occurrence of tight junctions between cells forming the confluent monolayer. Platelets adhesion experiments suggested that the neo-endothelium was non-thrombogenic. The expression levels of eNOS and t-PA genes in the neo-endothelium were quite similar to those in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONSEPCs isolated from the human umbilical cord blood can differentiate into endothelial cells in vitro and form a functional endothelium atop decellularized heart valve scaffolds. Thus, EPCs may be a promising cell source for constructing tissue-engineered heart valves.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valves ; cytology ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; metabolism ; Platelet Aggregation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; genetics ; metabolism ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology