OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical results of Triple-Endobutton plates for the treatment of Rockwood type III to V acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

METHODSFrom March 2008 to June 2010,28 patients with Rockwood type II to V acromioclavicular joint dislocations were treated with Triple-Endobutton plates. There were 18 males and 10 females,ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old (averaged 38 years old). Twenty patients had dislocations in the left and 8 patients had dislocations in the right. All the patients had close injury. The Constant criterion was used to evaluate shoulder joint function.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up,and the duration ranged from 18 to 24 months,with an average of 20 months. All the patients got good shoulder joint function,and no re-dislocation and pain occurred. The X-ray showed all acromioclavicular joints got good reduction. According to Constant criterion,preoperative score was 25.4 +/- 2.0, postoperative scores were 65.9 +/- 3.0, 87.2 +/- 3.2 and 95.7+/- 1.6 at 1 month,3 months and 6 months separately.

CONCLUSIONTreatment of Rockwood type III to V acromioclavicular joint dislocation with Triple-Endobutton plates has satisfactory clinical outcome, simple operation, few complications, without secondary operation and early functional exercise postoperatively.

Acromioclavicular Joint ; injuries ; surgery ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo analyze past study on senile dementia in China, and shape the foundation for constructing social support system for elderly with dementia.MethodsA combination of qualitative and quantitative method was used to analyze 406 literatures related to the elderly with dementia published in China since 2000.ResultsDiagnosis method for the senile dementia has matured; but the causes of the disease is still not clear and there is no thorough remedy; study on early intervention, nursing care and social support are inadequate.ConclusionDiagnostic criteria should be standardized, community screening assessment should be done on a regular basis; etiology based on risk factors should be strengthened; systematic study on intervention should be carried out; training on home care techniques should be enhanced. Resolving the care of the elderly with dementia depends on the social support system construction eventually.

ObjectiveTo analyze application of screening and assessment scales for senile dementia in China.MethodsVarieties of screening and assessment scales were found in the studies on screening and assessment of senile dementia in China, as well as their common features and epidemiological results. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used in the analysis.ResultsMini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is preferred tool in screening and Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL) is the secondary.ConclusionThe future research direction should include: studying the appropriate boundary value in MMSE for China; optimizing the combination of screening scale and developing more appropriate screening tool.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Chinese medicine tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) in cultured penis corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cell (PCSMC) in rabbits.

METHODSBy using laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM), the [Ca2+]i fluorescence signal changes was investigated in cultured PCSMC loaded with Ca2+ indicator Fluo-3/AM and divided into potassium chloride(KCl) group and norepinephrine (NE) group. Compared with verapamil (Ver), the effects of TMP was observed in different concentrations on [Ca2+]i increase induced by high potassium and NE.

RESULTSTMP had no obvious effect on resting PCSMC [Ca2+]i. It was found that 1, 10, 100 mumol/L TMP significantly inhibited [Ca2+]i increase induced by high potassium-depolarization. The peak inhibition rates were (38.6 +/- 3.0)%, (44.1 +/- 2.4)% and (53.7 +/- 4.1)% respectively. TMP could also inhibit cytosolic calcium pool release induced by 1 mumol/L NE. The peak inhibition rates were (13.9 +/- 2.7)%, (21.2 +/- 1.9)% and (29.5 +/- 3.6)% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSTMP can inhibit rabbit PCSMC [Ca2+]i significantly by suppressing voltage-dependent calcium channel and cytosolic calcium pool release. The effect, similar to Ver, signifies the important mechanism of erectile dysfunction (ED) therapy.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Penis ; blood supply ; metabolism ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

Objective To assess the efficacy and adverse-event profile of monotherapy oradd-on therapy with topiramate in elderly patients with epilepsy. Methods A multicenter, prospective,open-label, observational study of topiramate, for either monotherapy or add-on therapy, was performedamong 119 elderly patients with epilepsy in the Outpatient Department of Neurology of 52 generalhospitals in China. After the baseline evaluation, topiramate was given at the target dose of 200 mg/dayover an 8-week titration period. In the subsequent 12-week maintenance period, the topiramate dose wasadjusted (200-300 mg) according to the clinical results. The patients were followed up for 6 months, withmonthly visits and regular physical, neurological and laboratory examinations. Results After themaintenance period, 106 patients (89.1%) showed a seizure frequency reduction by 50% or greater fromthe baseline, among whom 65 patients(93.8%)received the monotherapy and 54(83.8%) had the add-ontherapy. Topiramate monotherapy and add-on therapy resulted in a complete seizure control in over 50%of the patients with various types of seizure. In patients with disease course less than 1 year, between 1and 3 years, between 4 and 6 years, and over 6 years, topiramate monotherapy resulted in seizurereduction by 92.86%, 91.67%, 100%, and 94.44%, and the add-on therapy reduced the seizure by80.00%, 85.71%, 70.00%, and 86.36%, respectively. When combined with carbamazepine, valproatesodium, phenytoin, phenol barbital, and diazepam, the total effective rate oftopiramate was 79.41%,87.50%, 85.71%, 0%, and 80.00%, respectively. Topiramate, especially in monotherapy, caused onlymild or moderate adverse effects. Conclusion Topiramate is effective and safe for either monotherapyor add-on therapy of epilepsy in elderly patients. The types of epilepsy, disease course, or the drugs usedin the add-on therapy do no obviously affect the efficacy of topiramate for seizure control.

OBJECTIVETo study the relaxants effects of six extractions from Chinese Herbs (neferine, tetrandrine, kakonein, scutellarin, ginsenoside Rgl and ginsenoside Rb1) on the corpus cavernosum tissue of rabbit in vitro.

METHODSIsolated stripes of rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue were precontracted with 10(-5) mol/L phenylephrine (PE). Relaxation in response to cumulative doses of six extracts at (10(-8) - 10(-3)) mol/L was determined.

RESULTSOn rabbit cavernosal muscle stripes precontracted with PE, neferine, tetrandrine, kakonein and scutellarin showed dose dependent relaxation. IC50 values were 4.60 x 10(-6), 3.73 x 10(-5), 8.03 x 10(-4) and 3.33 x 10(-3) mol/L, respectively. However, in the meantime, it was found that the relaxant effects of ginsenoside Rgl and ginsenoside Rbl less significant to stripes precontracted with PE. When the final concentration was 10(-3) mol/L, the relaxations were only (16.32 +/- 5.45)% and (11.21 +/- 3.10)%.

CONCLUSIONAmong the six extracts which showed relaxant effects to rabbit cavernosal muscle stripes precontracted with PE, neferine had greater functions than the other five extracts.

Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Penis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rabbits

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between autophagy gene Beclin1 and immune response effector classical HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ in SKOV3 cells.To explore the role of Beclin1 in immunity in ovarian cancer cells which were transfected with the vector of Beclin1.Methods RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Beclin1 and HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ in SKOV3 cells.Fluorescence microscope was carried out to observe the unique autophagosome in SKOV3 cells.MTT was used to analyze the proliferation of the Beclin1 over-expressed SKOV3 cells.Results Transfection SKOV3 cells with Beclin1 vector could induce Beclin1 transcription and translation approximately 5 and 2 times compared with empty vector group respectively.The autophagosome stained by MDC was observed by fluorescence microscope.And much more green fluorescence signal was observed in Beclin1 vector group.RT-PCR and Western blot indicated that HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ induced by transfection with extrinsic Beclin1.The allelic transcriptions of HLA Ⅰ-A,B,C and HLA Ⅱ-DP,DQ,DR in extrinsic Beclin1 group were approximately 2,1.6,3 and 2,6,3 times compared with empty vetcor group or untreated group,respectively.The results of Western blot showed that HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ in Beclin1 vector group induced as much as 2 and 1.6 times compared with empty vetcor group or untreated group,respectively.The results of MTT showed that the proliferation of SKOV3 cells treated with Beclin1 vector was significantly suppressed.The percentage of suppression in Beclin1 vector group at 24 h,48 h,72 h and 96 his42.6％,37.8％,24.35％,14.81％ compared with untreated group or empty vector group respectively.Conclusion The enhancement of autophagy by over-expression of Beclin1 could induce HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ transcription and translation in SKOV3 cells.The expression of HLA Ⅰ,Ⅱ may be responsible for triggering the immune response in ovarian cancer.Over-expression of Beclin1 could inhibit the proliferation of SKOV3 cells which were transfected with extrinsic Beclin1.

Adult ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; etiology ; Hepatitis C ; complications ; Humans ; Male

AIMTo further investigate the relaxation mechanism of neferine (Nef), a bis-benzylisoquinoline alkaloid extracted (isolated) from the green seed embryo of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn in China, on rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue in vitro.

METHODSThe effects of Nef on the concentrations of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in isolated and incubated rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue were recorded using 125I radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSThe basal concentration of cAMP in corpus cavernosum tissue was 5.67 +/- 0.97 pmol/mg. Nef increased the cAMP concentration in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), but this effect was not inhibited by an adenylate cyclase inhibitor (cis-N-[2-phenylcyclopentyl]azacyclotridec-1-en-2-amine, MDL-12, 330A) (P > 0.05). The accumulation of cAMP induced by prostaglandin E1 (PGE1, a stimulator of cAMP production) was also augmented by Nef in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The basal concentration of cGMP in corpus cavernosum tissue is 0.44 +/- 0.09 pmol/mg. Nef did not affect this concentration of cGMP, either in the presence or in the absence of a guanyl cyclase inhibitor (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, ODQ) (P > 0.05). Also, sodium nitroprusside (SNP, a stimulator of cGMP production)-induced cGMP production was not enhanced by Nef (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNef, with its relaxation mechanism, can enhance the concentration of cAMP in rabbit corpus cavernosum tissue, probably by inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity.

Animals ; Benzylisoquinolines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Relaxation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; Nelumbo ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Penis ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; Rabbits ; Radioimmunoassay ; Seeds ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

In order to develop clinical diagnostic tools for rapid detection of the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) and to identify candidate proteins for vaccine development, the C-terminal portion of the nucleocapsid (NC) gene was amplified using RT-PCR from the SARS-CoV genome, cloned into a yeast expression vector (pEGH), and expressed as a glutathione S-transferase (GST) and Hisx6 double-tagged fusion protein under the control of an inducible promoter. Western analysis on the purified protein confirmed the expression and purification of the NC fusion proteins from yeast. To determine its antigenicity, the fusion protein was challenged with serum samples from SARS patients and normal controls. The NC fusion protein demonstrated high antigenicity with high specificity, and therefore, it should have great potential in designing clinical diagnostic tools and provide useful information for vaccine development.
Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Genetic Vectors ; Genome, Viral ; Humans ; Nucleocapsid Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Yeasts ; genetics