Objective To evaluate the clinical results of free vascularized fibular associated with iliac graft in treatment of old femoral neck fracture.Methods From 1994 to 1997,76 cases of old femoral neck fracture were treated with free vascularized fibular associated with iliac graft,they were followed up for observ- ing fracture healing,hip function and femoral head necrosis.Results Sixty-eight of these 76 cases were fol- lowed up with detail data with the main term as 10.5 years.All fractures healed within 4 to 6 months.63 cases got a almost normal hip function with the Harris score was 87.5,in these cases,the structure of femoral head were normal and the grafted fibular and iliac bone healed with the femoral.4 cases got to femoral head necrosis and 1 experienced hip dislocation.Conclusion Free vascularixed fibular associated with iliac graft is a good method to treat these cases with old femoral neck fracture who want reserve their femoral head.

AIMTo investigate the preparation of diclofenac sodium pulsatile release pellets (DS-PRP), the release in vitro and the pharmacokinetics of the drug.

METHODSDiclofenac sodium (DS) core pellets prepared by extrusion-spheronization technology were coated in a mini-fluidized bed spray coater with swelling material as the inner coating swelling layer and ethylcellulose aqueous dispersion as the outer coating controlled layer. The effects of formulation and medium on pulsatile release of DS were investigated under release rate test. Pharmacokinetic and bioavailability study in eight human subjects were performed by HPLC method.

RESULTSThe delayed-release time and release rate of DS from DS-PRP were influenced obviously by the swelling material, the concentration of SDS in medium, the coating level of the inner swelling layer and the outer controlled layer. In vitro, the delayed-release time T0.1 was 3.1 h, and the pulsed-release time T0.1-0.2 was 1.2 h. In vivo, the delayed-release time Tlag was 2.8 h, and the bioavailability was (91 +/- 12)%.

CONCLUSIONThe release of drug from DS-PRP was shown to be in pulsed way both in vitro and in vivo.

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Biological Availability ; Cellulose ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Diclofenac ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cellular compatibility of combined deproteinized bone(DPB) coated with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and to observe the adherent effect of osteoblasts in response to HGF. METHODS: Osteoblasts were isolated from fetal rabbits. Osteoblasts were cultured with DPB coated with HGF and deproteinized bone as experimental group and contral group, respectively. The proliferation and alkalinephosphatase activity were tested. Their growth was examined by inverted phase contrast microscope and scanning electronmicroscope. RESULTS: The osteoblasts were attached to the outside and inside surfaces and grew well. HGF/DPB could stimulate the alkalinephosphatase activity of the osteoblasts and improve the proliferation of the osteoblasts. CONCLUSION HGF/DPB has good biocompatibility and bone induction. HGF could improve the adherent effect of DPB on osteoblasts, and it could be used as scaffold material for the bone tissue engineering.
Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; pharmacology ; Bone Substitutes ; metabolism ; Bone and Bones ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fetus ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Osteogenesis ; Pregnancy ; Rabbits ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo assess nutritional status among children younger than 3 years in 40 counties of western China, using anthropometry.

METHODSWith cross-sectional study and random sampling, a survey with a sample size of 7252 was conducted in 40 counties of western China on children under 3 years old. Height and weight were measured and nutrition status was evaluated with WHO/NCHS reference using Z scores.

RESULTSSD of height for age (HA) and weight for age (WA) were 1.10 - 1.30 and 1.06 - 1.40, respectively and SD of WAZ for infants varied. The distribution of HA Z and WAZ shifted downward to 1 unit and 0.4 unit for distribution of weight for height (WHZ). The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 23.0%, 22.6% and 7.5% respectively. The prevalence rates were low among those yourger than 3 months. Stunting and underweight increased sharply after 6 months and reached 20% - 30%. Significant correlation was found between underweight and stunting or wasting with coefficients of 0.815 and 0.636, respectively. No correlation was found between stunting and wasting.

CONCLUSIONThe nutrition status adversely affected children as a whole but not only for individuals. There was a higher prevalence of malnutrition mainly on low height to children. Weight for age must be interpreted cautiously because of the inability of this indicator in distinguishing stunting and wasting just by itself. Assessment by anthropometry called for accurate information on age and measurement of height and weight.

Anthropometry ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Child Nutrition Disorders ; epidemiology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Nutritional Status ; Prevalence

Objective To explore the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) on prognostic value in patients with viral myocarditis.Methods A total of 48 patients with viral myocarditis and 42 healthy people were enrolled and followed up for two years.The NYHA class and LVEF were recorded and the concentration of BNP were measured.Results The concentration of BNP were higher and EF were lower in patients with viral myocarditis ( P ＜ 0.01 ) than contrast people.Higher levels of plasma BNP were related to higher mortality.Conclusion Levels of brain natriuretic peptide measured in the plasma could be a useful biochemical marker for the myocarditis,and high concentration of BNP may correlate with poor prognosis in patients with myocarditis.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of curcumin on the expression of PI3K (phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, PI3K) and p-P3 K (phosphated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, p-PI3K) in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease (AD) model (APP/PS1 double transgenic) mice.

METHODA total of 60 three-month-old APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were randomly divided into model group, rosiglitazone group(10 mg . kg-1 . d-1) and curcumin large(400 mg . kg-1 . d-1), medium(200 mg- kg-1 . d-1) and small(100 mg . kg-1 . d-1) dose group. Twelve C57BL/6J mice in the same age and genetic background as APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were used as normal control group. All the 6 groups of mice were intragastrically administered for 3 months. After 3 months, the expression of PI3K and p-PI3K were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

RESULTThe expression of PI3K and p-PI3K positive cells in hippocampus CA1 region significantly decreased in model group compared with normal control group (P < 0. 05) , while compared with model group, PI3K and p-PI3K positive cells of all the curcumin intervention groups increased to varying degrees in hippocampus CA1 region,especially the middle dose group(P <0. 01). Besides,Western blot results of the curcumin high dose group were also increased obviously (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin can recover the decreased PI3K and p-PI3K and improve the insulin-signaling transmission in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 double transgenic mice. The mechanism of curcumin maybe by regulating the insulin signal transduction to treat AD.

Alzheimer Disease ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Thiazolidinediones ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of infrasound and its effects on the workers at power plants.

METHODSThe audible noise and infrasound in three thermoelectricity plants were measured and by using Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), the subjective sensation, and the physiological indices were compared between exposed workers and controls.

RESULTSThe infrasound levels were different at different measure sites of the three thermoelectricity works ranging from 40 to 98 dB. There was still 40 approximately 80 dB infrasound even when the soot blower stopped running. Different apparatus produced different infrasound levels with the highest ranging from 62 to 115 dB. A single frequency (16 Hz) infrasound was produced in certain department during working hour with sound pressure levels of 110 to 120 dB, but the audible noise sound pressure level was less than 70 dB. There was no significant difference in the indices representing vision fatigue and neurobehaviour function between exposed workers and controls. Workers at certain department experienced evident subjective sensation of neurobehavioral dysfunction, and the scores of somatization, depression, hostility, phobic anxiety, and psychotism in the SCL-90 were significantly higher in the exposed group than in the control and the norm in China (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONInfrasound is ubiquitous in the working environment, but usually, the noise levels are less than 120 dB. In some special production department, there is persistent infrasound above 110 to 120 dB. No obvious health effects are found among those who are exposed to infrasound below 100 dB. However, the workers who are chronically exposed to infrasound above 110 to 120 dB present notable subjective sensation of autonomic neurobehavioral dysfunction, and their psychological health status is not as good as those in the control and those in the domestic normal pattern.

Adult ; China ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Power Plants ; Sound ; adverse effects ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of mining operations on the mental health of residents living in a mining area in Hubei province.

METHODSVillagers (n = 93) living in the mining area were compared with a control group of residents (n = 101) in mental health status, and knowledge of environment and health. The mental health status of villagers was assessed using the Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); The knowledge of environment and health was evaluated using a self-designed questionnaire. The urine and hair samples were collected from some subjects. The lead, cadmium, arsenic, copper and zinc contents were detected as well as the total protein, NAG, d-ALA in the urine.

RESULTSThe occurrence rate of lead, cadmium, arsenic exposure symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed group than in the control group. The urine cadmium, the hair cadmium, the hair arsenic and hair lead were significantly higher in the exposed group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The positive symptom detection rate of SCL-90 in the exposed group was 8.60% compared with 0.99% of the control group. For the SCL-90, the total scale, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, other symptom in the exposed groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), indicating the status of the psychological hygiene of the exposed group was worse than the control group. The total S-AI (anxiety) score and the sex-specific value in the exposed group were higher than the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), which showed that the anxiety of the exposed group was more evident. The total T-AI score and the sex-specific value in women of the exposed group were significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.01), showing that the anxiety were more significant in the exposed group, especially the women of the exposed group.

CONCLUSIONThe mental health status of the residents who living in a mining area is affected and they have a higher S-AI and T-AI scale than those living a non-mining area.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anxiety ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Environment ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; Metals, Heavy ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Mining ; Sex Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

AIMTo study the incidence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in ubiquitin-specific protease 26 (USP26) gene and its involvement in idiopathic male infertility in China.

METHODSRoutine semen analysis was performed. Infertility factors such as immunological, infectious and biochemical disorders were examined to select patients with idiopathic infertility. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of the selected patients and control population, which were examined for mutations using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Furthermore, nucleotide sequences were sequenced in some patients and controls.

RESULTSOf 41 infertile men, 9 (22.0%, P = 0.01) had changes in USP26 gene on the X chromosome. A compound mutation (364insACA; 460G right triple arrow A) was detected in 8 patients (19.5%, P = 0.01) and a 1044T right triple arrow A substitution was found in 1 patient (2.4%, P > 0.05). All three variations led to changes in the coding amino acids. Two substitutions predict some changes: 460G right triple arrow A changes a valine into an isoleucine, and 1044T right triple arrow A substitutes a leucine for a phenylalanine. Another insertion of three nucleotides ACA causes an insertion of threonine. No other changes were found in the remaining patients and fertile controls.

CONCLUSIONThe USP26 gene might be of importance in male reproduction. Mutations in this gene might be associated with male infertility, and might negatively affect testicular function. Further research on this issue is in progress.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infertility, Male ; ethnology ; genetics ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sertoli Cells ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; Testis ; metabolism ; Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of hypoxia induction factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) on glycosis of rat myocardial cell under hypoxic condition.

METHODSThe myocardial cells of the rats were routinely isolated and cultured. The cells were divided into single hypoxia (H) and HIF-1alpha inhibiting (I) groups. The cells in H group were cultured in glucose-free medium with mixed low-oxygen gas [1% O2, 94% N2 and 5% CO2 (v/v)]. While the cells in I group were cultured with low-oxygen gas after the cell model of low expression of HIF-1alpha protein constructed by RNAi technique. The cells in both groups were all observed before hypoxia (routine culture) and at the time points of 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hours of hypoxia. The LA (lactate acid ) content in the supernatant of the culture and the activity of the key enzymes in glycolysis such as hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of both groups of cells were determined at all the time points.

RESULTS(1) After hypoxia, the HK and PFK activities of the rat myocardial cells in H and I groups were obviously increased at the beginning and decreased thereafter when compared with that before hypoxia. While the activities of HK and PFK in H group at 1, 3 and 6 hours after hypoxia were evidently higher than those in I group (P <0.05 or 0.01), and the peak activity of them in H and I groups was 159 +/- 13 U/g vs 133 +/- 55 U/g, and 298 +/- 44 U/g vs 188 +/- 55 U/g, respectively. (2) Compared with normal control (92 +/- 12 U/g), the LDH activity of the cells in H group after hypoxia increased significantly, reaching the peak at 6 hours after hypoxia (2 568 +/- 125 U/g, P < 0. 01), and it decreased thereafter, while that in I group peaked at 3 hours after hypoxia (2125 +/- 126 U/g, P <0.01). The LA content in the culture supernatant in H group increased significantly after hypoxia with the passage of time, while that in I group increased in smaller magnitude (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONHigh expression of HIF-1alpha in the rat myocardial cells after hypoxia could directly cause continuous enhancement of cell glycolysis, which was beneficial to the protection of myocardial cells under hypoxic condition.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Glycolysis ; Hexokinase ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Phosphofructokinase-1 ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley