OBJECTIVETo analyze the reasons why anterior decompression and titanium mesh fusion for cervical spondylosis always show poor therapeutic effects, and to investigate the clinical effects of anterior revision surgery in these patients.

METHODSFrom January 2004 to December 2011, 16 patients underwent anterior decompression and titanium mesh fusion for cervical myelopathy were treated with anterior revision surgery. There were 7 males and 9 females with an average age of 61 years old (ranged from 46 to 75 years), including 11 cases with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, 2 cases with nerve root cervical spondylosis and 3 cases with mixed type cervical spondylosis. Average duration from the first operation to reoperation was 7 years(ranged from 4 to 12 years). In the first operation, titanium mesh segment located in C3-C5 (2 cases), C4-C6 (8 cases), C4-C7 (2 cases), C5-C7 (4 cases), and one of them, titanium mesh implantation in C4 and C5,6 intervertebral disk removal and cage fusion. After the first operation, symptom of 13 patients recurred after improvement or disappearance, 2 patients did not show obvious improvement, and 1 patient aggravated. Cervical spine radiography, CT scan and MRI were performed in all patients before re-operation. There were 12 patients with compression of the spinal cord or nerve root caused by degenerative changes in adjacent segments of fusion segments, 4 cases in upper segments, and 8 cases in lower segments; 3 patients with compression of the spinal cord or nerve root caused by vertebral posterior osteophyte of decompressed segments; 1 patient with compression of the spinal cord caused by incomplete anterior decompression. JOA, NDI and Odom classification were used to assess the clinical effects.

RESULTSAll anterior revision surgery were successful with a mean time of 110 min (80 to 150 min) and mean bleeding of 160 ml (30 to 200 ml). There was 30 ml clear drainage fluid in 1 patient suspected of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. But the 2nd day after operation, the tube was removed and the drainage opening was sutured, and the suture incision healed in grade A after 10 days. Other patients had no complications such as dysdipsia, hoarseness, and laryngeal edema, etc. All patients were followed up for 12 to 28 months with an average of 16 months. Two months after operation and at last follow-up, JOA scores and ODI index had obviously improved than preoperation (P < 0.01), and there was significant difference between postoperative 2 months and last follow-up (P < 0.01). At the final follow-up, improvement rate of JOA was (72.9 +/- 0.2)%. According to the standard of Odom, 12 cases got excellent results, 3 good, 1 fair.

CONCLUSIONAfter surgery of cervical decompression and bone graft fusion with titanium mesh, the patients need re-operation because of incomplete decompression, degenerative changes in adjacent segments or newly formed compression factors, and complications caused by implants. Anterior revision surgery can obtain good clinical effects.

Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reoperation ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Spondylosis ; surgery ; Surgical Mesh ; Titanium

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Prunella vulgaris.

METHODTo separate the constituents of P. vulgaris by using various kinds of chromatography and identify their structures on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTSeven compounds were isolated from the spikes of P. vulgaris. Their structures were established as autantiamide acetate (1), rhein (2), tanshinone I (3), danshensu (4), stigmast-7, 22-dien-3-one (5), 3, 4, alpha-trihydroxy-methyl phenylpropionate (6), butyl rosmarinate (7).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-4 were isolated from this genus for the first time.

Amides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Anthraquinones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Lactates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Phenanthrenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prunella ; chemistry

Objective To study the national surveillance results and learn the current situation of iodized salt consumption at household level in 2008, and to find out the remaining problems and to provide scientific basis for developing control strategies against iedine deficiency disorders. Methods In 2008, in accordance with the requirements of the "National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Surveillance Program (Trial)", the surveillance was conducted at county level in 31 provinces and at division level in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. In each county 9 townships were randomly selected according to their sub-area positions of east, west, south, north and center;4 villages were randomly sampled in each chosen township;8 households were randomly selected in each chosen village. In every county with 9 or less townships, 1 township was randomly selected respectively in the east, west, south,north and center sub-areas;4 villages were randomly sampled in each chosen township;15 households were randomly selected in each chosen village. Edible salt from these households was collected. Iodized salt coverage rate, proportion of qualified iodized salt and consumption rate of the qualified iodized salt of the households in each province were counted and analyzed. Iodized salt was determined by direct titration;the salt samples from Sichuan and other enhanced salt were detected by arbitration. Results Totally 2817 counties (districts, cities, banners) and 14 divisions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported the monitoring results, monitoring coverage reached 99.96%(2831/2832). Mean of iodine content was 31.51 mg/kg.Sixteen provinces had a variation coefficient of iodine content for more than 20%. A total of 826 968 households were tested of their edible salt, in which iodized salt 798 725 copies, non-iodized salt 28 243 copies, and unqualified iodized salt 20 270 copies. Weighted by population,at national level, the coverage rate of iodized salt was 97.48%, qualified rate of iodized salt 97.16%, and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 94.79%.Twenty seven provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps had a qualified iodized salt coverage rate of above or equal 90.00%. Tibet, Hainan, Xinjiang and Tianjin provinces (regions) had a qualified iodized salt coverage rate lower than 90.00%. Further, 2487 counties had the rate high or equal 90.00% accounting for 87.82% (2487/2831) of complementing monitoring counties. One hundred and four counties and 1 division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps had the coverage rate of iodized salt below 80.00%. Conclusions Sixteen provinces(autonomous regions and municipalities) have relatively a high degree of variation coefficient in salt iodine content. The quality of iodized salt needs to be improved. The coverage rate of iodized salt and the qualified iodized salt at national level are both above or equal 90.00%. However, the non-iodized salt problem is still serious and have a relatively lower coverage of iodized salt in Tibet, Hainan and Xinjiang.

Objective To understand the current level of iodized salt coverage in areas with intensified monitoring measure in China in 2008. Methods In accordance with the "National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Surveillance Program (Trial)" of Ministry of Health issued in 2007, the selected key counties (cities, districts and banner) were divided into 5 sub-areas, 1 non-iodine townships(towns, street offices) was sampled randomly in each sub-area, 4 administrative villages (neighborhood committees) were sampled from each selected township;15households salt samples in each selected village were randomly collected. All salt samples were detected by semiquantitative kit at first. The salt samples that can not be determined by the kit were tested by direct titration and the arbitration act (GB/T 13025.7-1999) detection. Iodized salt determination criteria: reagent color change in semiquantitative test kit or iodine content ≥ 5 mg/kg were identified as iodized salt. Otherwise, the salt samples were identified as non-iodized salt. Results All the provinces(autonomous regions, municipalities) except Tibet in China had conducted a specific survey on iodized salt coverage in non-iodized salt high-risk areas, which revealed that the national coverage rate of iodized salt was 93.01%(130 928/140 770). At the provincial level, twenty provinces and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corp had a iodized salt coverage over 90%, while the other six provinces (Beijing, Xinjiang, Zhejiang, Fujian, Tianjin and Jiangxi) between 80% - ＜ 90% and the rest four provinces,such as Guangxi, Qinghai, Guangdong and Hainan, lower than 80%. At the county level, 64.57%(277/429) of all the surveillance counties had a iodized salt coverage over 95% while 10.02%(43/429) lower than 80%. Among all the six types of areas where specific survey were conducted, areas with incomplete iodized salt distribution network and areas with crude salt production had a iodized salt coverage lower than 90%, 81.74%(4978/6090) and 86.53%(17 098/19 759), respectively. In raw salt production area, there were 10 out of 21 provinces with iodized salt coverage rate below 90%, it consisted of 47.6%(10/21) of the total monitoring provinces in the same type areas.There were 8 out of 16 provinces with iodized salt coverage rate lower than 90% in the areas with faultiness iodized salt network, it consisted of 50.0%(8/16) of the sampling provinces in the same type area. Conclusions Most provinces(21) in China have a relatively high iodized salt coverage at household level during this specific survey.Areas with incomplete iodized salt distribution network and crude salt production are the most affected areas by noniodized salt. Aiming at the high-risk non-iodized salt areas discovered during this survey, corresponding intervention measures should be implemented with joint efforts from sectors concerned.

Psychrotrophs were isolated by using four media from low-temperature sewage of sewage treatment plant in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Totally, 154 strains were obtained including 12 filamentous fungi, 46 yeasts, 6 actinomycetes and 90 bacteria. The results of tolerance tests of the isolates to salt, phenol and SDS, and enzyme producing characters of amylase, proteinase and esterase were shown. Then 60 bacterial strains were chosen for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analysis. The blasting results showed that the strains were assigned to 13 recognized genera , and the Strain 39 exhibited 96.6% similarity to Acinetobacter lwoffii(DSM2403), indicating that it might be a novel species. These results suggested that there were a lot of psychrotrophs and rich bacterial diversity in low-temperature sewage. In addition, which maybe an important and potential library of microbial resources.

Objective To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of a case with non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency(210HD).Methods Clinical features and laboratory data were obtained from a patient with non-c]assical 21OHD,and the promoter and coding areas of CYP21 gene were sequenced.Results The old female patient presented with hypertension.The laboratory examinations showed that plasma androstenedione, testosterone,progesterone and 17-hydroxy progesterone(17OHP)were increased.CT scan revealed bilateral adrenal nodular enlargement.Furthermore,rapid ACTH stimulation test showed that the plasma 17OHP concentration was further increased up to 68.3?g/L.Sequencing analysis showed a C1187T(R356W) substitution at exon 8 and the C-125T,G-112A,T-109C variations in the promoter of CYP21 gene,which was not previous reported.Conclusion The combined heterozygous mutations,Cl187T at exon 8 and C-125T,G -112A,T-109C in promoter,seem to be associated with non-classical 21OHD phenotype.

AIMTo investigate the protective effects and mechanism of IPC on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

METHODSEffects of IPC on arrhythmia and coronary blood flow and the release of AST, CPK, LDH, SOD and LFO at different time after ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat Langendorff hearts were studied.

RESULTSIPC decreased the release of AST, CPK and LDH and increased myocardial SOD activity and decreased LPO level. IPC also inhibited ischemia/reperfusion arrhythmias and increased coronary blood flow.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that IPC had well protective effects on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Female ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial ; methods ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoids of Litsea Coreana (TFLC) on the gap junction (GJ) intercellular communication in TM3 testicular Leydig cells and whether TFLC can reduce the cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin (OHP) in vitro.

METHODSWe detected the effect of TFLC on the dye spread of the in vitro cultured TM3 cells by parachute assay, observed changes in the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) total protein in the TFLC-treated TM3 cells by Western blot, and determined the effects of TFLC on the expression of Cx43 on the membrane of the TM3 cells by immunofluorescence assay and on the cytotoxicity of OHP by MTT assay.

RESULTSTFLC obviously enhanced the GJ function with the increasing of the TFLC concentration in the TM3 cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence assay confirmed that TFLC significantly enhanced the expression of Cx43 total protein and Cx43 expression on the membrane of the TM3 cells. MTT assay showed that at a high cell density (confluent with GJ formation), 20 microg/ml TFLC enhanced the GJ function of the TM3 cells and reduced the cytotoxicity of OHP (P < 0.05), while at a low density (preconfluent with no GJ formation), TFLC exhibited no effect on the cytotoxicity of OHP (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTFLC increases the Cx43 expression and GJ function in normal TM3 Leydig cells, and the enhancement of GJ function reduces the cytotoxicity of OHP.

Antineoplastic Agents ; toxicity ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Count ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Leydig Cells ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Litsea ; chemistry ; Male ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Proteins ; metabolism

Objective:To investigate association between genetic polymorphism in the grainyhead-like 2 gene (GRHL2)and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)in the Chinese population.Methods:A matched case-control association study was employed,In which,3 790 workers exposed to continuous and steady-state occupational noise in a steel factory participated.The questionnaires were adopted to col-lect individual features and audiometry tests performed.In the sstudy,286 subjects were diagnosed as ca-ses,Which were each designated on the basis of the matched criterion,and 286 paired samples were se-lected finally.Noise intensity was measured according to the standards given in ‘Measurement of Noise in the Workplace’(Occupational Health Standard of the People’s Republic of China,GBZ /T1 89.8 -2007).Cumulative noise exposure (CNE)was calculated,according to monitoring data on A-weighed sound pressure level and employment time.Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral blood samples using 2 mL DNA extraction Kit following the manufacturer’s protocol.Five single nucleotide polymor-phisms (SNPs)of GRHL2 were genotyped by multiplex SNP genotyping kit.The continuous variables and categorical variables were analyzed by t-test and chi-square test respectively.Multivariate Logistic re-gression was used to test the association between genetic frequency and disease status,with adjustments for the possible confounding variables.The haplotypes were established and their frequencies in the two groups were assessed by haploview and phase softwares.Results:All the five SNPs (rs373571 3, rs3824090,rs373571 4,rs373571 5 and rs61 1 41 9)were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE)(P >0.05).The subjects carrying rs373571 5 GG genotype had a higher NIHL risk than those carrying the GA genotype under the co-dominant model (OR =0.644,95% CI:0.442 -0.939,P =0.022)after ad-justment for height,blood pressure,drinking status and smoking status.After being stratified by CNE,in the CNE ≥ 98 dB (A)group,rs373571 5 polymorphism was associated with the NIHL under the co-dominant model (OR =0.509,95% CI:0.281 -0.923,P =0.026)after adjustment for height,blood pressure,drinking status and smoking status as well.However,no statistical significant difference was found in variant genotypes of the other SNPs between the case and control subjects.Four-locus (rs373571 3,rs3824090,rs373571 4 and rs373571 5)haplotypes were constructed,and no risk or protec-tive haplotypes was identified.Conclusion:It is suggested that GRHL2 polymorphisms may be associated with development of NIHL.

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of CT angiography(CTA)in the diagnosis of arterioportal shunts(APS)associated with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods One hundred and twenty-seven consecutive HCC patients accepted both dynamic enhancement CT and DSA examinations.The interval between CT and DSA exam was from 3 to 15 days.Based on transverse CT images in hepatic artery phase,CTA was performed for all the patients.By contrast with DSA results,the capabilities of transverse CT and transverse images combined with CTA in APS diagnosis were analyzed. Results In all 127 HCC cases,52 cases with APS were confirmed by DSA(40.94%),33 with central type of APS and 19 with peripheral type.Diagnostic sensitivity of APS based on transverse CT and combined CTA with transverse CT images were both 94.23%(49/52).However,specificity was 84.00%(63/75) and 97.33%(73/75),respectively,accuracy was 88.19%(112/127)and 96.06%(122/127),the predictive value of positive cases was 80.33%(49/61)and 96.08%(49/51),and the predictive value of negative cases was 95.45%(63/66)and 96.05%(73/76).Combined with CTA,false positive cases of 4 central type of APS and 6 peripheral type of APS were excluded which were demonstrated by transverse CT images.By contrast with DSA,the coincidence rate of the type of APS diagnosed by transverse images combined with CTA was 88.46%(46/52),including 90.91%(30/33)of central type of APS and 84.21%(16/19)of peripheral type.The supplying arteries of central type of APS were intuitively displayed by CTA in 23 cases,19 from proper hepatic artery and 4 from gastro-duodenal artery.Conclusion CTA techniques based on the dynamic enhancement CT exams could effectively promote the specificity and the accuracy of APS diagnosis.