Scleroglucan produced by Sclerotium spp. is a non-ionic polysacchari de biopolymer which has excellent viscosifying power in a wide variety of reservoi r brines snows high shear resistance and possesses good thermal stability. This article reviews the production of Scleroglucan , the influence of the conditions to the fermentation, and the application in the oil field.

OBJECTIVETo observe cerebral protective effect of muscone (nasal administration) on traumatic brain injury model rats.

METHODSSD rats were divided into the sham-operation group, the model group, and the treatment groups according to random digit table, 50 in each group. Traumatic brain injury model was established by controlled cortical strike. Rats in the sham-operation group received surgery and anesthesia procedures only, with no strike. Muscone (1.8 mg/kg) was delivered to rats in the treatment group using in situ nasal perfusion, 30 min each time, twice daily for 7 successive days. Water content of brain tissue was detected in each group before intervention (T1), at day 3 of intervention (T2), day 5 of intervention (T3), and after intervention (T4), respectively. Expression levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) were detected using immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operated group, water content of brain tissue increased (P < 0.05), and expression levels of NGF and BDNF decreased in the model group at T1, T2, T3, and T4 (P <0. 01). Compared with the model group, water content of brain tissue decreased (P < 0.05), and expression levels of NGF and BDNF increased (P < 0.01) in the treatment group at T1, T2, and T3.

CONCLUSIONNasal administration of muscone could reduce water content of brain tissue, alleviate cerebral edema, promote secretion of BDNF and NGF by olfactory ensheathing cells in traumatic brain injury rats.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; Brain Injuries ; drug therapy ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; metabolism ; Cycloparaffins ; pharmacology ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adolescent ; Adult ; Athletic Performance ; psychology ; Back ; physiology ; Electromyography ; Exercise ; physiology ; Humans ; Imagery (Psychotherapy) ; Male ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a case-finding program on tuberculosis (TB) in richer rural areas.

METHODSScreening was implemented every three months for a total period of 9 months, in rural areas with high case notification rates. Three villages, each with ten thousand population, were selected to carry out a household screening program. A suspect was defined as who coughed for more than 3 weeks. The suspect was then referred to further diagnosis in county TB dispensary to undergo chest X-ray and sputum test.

RESULTSOf the 86,168 community population screened, 26 TB patients were identified with 7 of them were smear positive. The ratio of effectiveness vs. cost decreased on the second but slightly increased on the third screening program. The direct costs for the 3 screening programs were 6,312,397 and 1637 RMB respectively. Of total direct cost, 5.9% was paid by TB patients, whereas 35.9% was through financing of the county itself.

CONCLUSIONThe community household screening program could achieve higher case detection rate than passive case-finding approach which could be used in richer areas with low case detection rate in China.

China ; Chronic Disease ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Cough ; etiology ; Family Characteristics ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; economics ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Rural Health ; Sputum ; microbiology ; Tuberculosis ; complications ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognosis of the total proctocolectomy and ileal-pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis (UC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

METHODSSixty-one patients with ulcer colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis were performed total proctocolectomy and ileal pouches-anal anastomosis during 1985 to 2002. There are S type pouch 25 cases, S-J type pouch 13 cases, J type pouch 17 cases and W type pouch 6 cases. The complication and function after the IPAA were also discussed.

RESULTSNo patient died after operation. The total morbidity is 16% (10/61), the morbidity of group UC (6/25) is higher than FAP's (4/34). The W type pouch's morbidity is higher than other three types', the operation with stapled technique is associated with fewer complication than hand-sewn IPAA (2/20 vs 8/41), however, there is also no significant difference between them. The number of stools per 24 hours is 4.2, the percent of the normal continence of daytime and nighttime is 84% (43/51) and 75% (38/51) respectively. There's only about 6% (3/51) patient with fecal incontinence. The most patients are satisfied with IPAA.

CONCLUSIONThe proctocolectomy ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for FAP and UC has few complication with accepted frequency and preserve a good anal function, it is an ideal alternative approach.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; surgery ; Colonic Pouches ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proctocolectomy, Restorative ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and safety of a minilaparotomy approach for curative resection of colorectal cancer in comparison with the conventional laparotomy.

METHODSSeventy-eight patients underwent radical resection for rectal cancer with minilaparotomy during April 2001 to December 2002. The minilaparotomy involved complete resection and a skin incision 2 cm above the link line of left anterior superior iliac spine to pubic symphysis and was about 7-10 cm in length. Another 86 patients who served as control group underwent a similar resection with a conventional laparotomy during the same period.

RESULTThe minilaparotomy approach was successful in all 78 patients. The general status of patients, operative types and histopathological features of tumor were similar in the two groups (P>0.05). Operative blood loss in control group was greater (P<0.001), whereas incision length in minilaparotomy group was significantly shorter than that in conventional laparotomy (9.38 cm compared with 17.32 cm). The operative time, analgesia requirement, first passing flatus,first oral fluids and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the minilaparotomy group (P<0. 001). In an average 25.4-month follow-up, there were no tumor recurrences in the minilaparotomy group.

CONCLUSIONA minilaparotomy approach for curative resection of rectal cancer may be an ideal alternative approach to conventional laparotomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDThe subtemporal transtentoral approach has been reported for nearly two decades; however it was not well used due to some limitations in dealing with large and giant petroclival meningiomas. The clinical outcome and merit of the modified subtemporal transpetrosal apex approach in large and giant petroclival meningiomas, as well as the choices, the improvements and the therapy strategies of the microsurgical approach in such patients were evaluated in this study.

METHODSTotally 25 cases of large and giant petroclival meningiomas undergone the modified subtemporal transpetrosal apex approach between April 2004 and January 2010 were enrolled in this study. The choice and improvement of the approach, the basis of anatomy and related research, the effect of accessory equipment, the exposure of tumor and the changes of neurofunction pre- and post-operation were all reviewed retrospectively. The operation outcomes and complications in this approach were also compared with those in the transpetrous presigmoid approach done in 14 cases in the same period.

RESULTSAll 25 cases underwent the modified subtemporal transpetrosal apex approach under electrophysiologic monitoring of cranial nerves and brain stem function. Trochlear nerve was partly wrapped in 14 cases, totally wrapped but can be explored in the initial segment of the cerebellum tentorium in 8 cases, totally wrapped and could not be seen until tumor was partly removed in 3 cases. The cerebellum tentorium was cut along the temporal bone from the anterior part of the apex to the mastoid part of superior petrous sinus in 6 cases, from the posterior part of the apex to the mastoid part of superior petrous sinus in 19 cases. Gross tumor resection was accomplished in 17 (68%) patients, subtotal resection in 7 (28%) patients, and partial resection in 1 (4%) patient. The most common postoperative complication was new neurological deficits or aggravations of preexisting deficit (64%). Follow-up ranged from 3 to 69 months. Compared with the transpetrous presigmoid approach done in 14 cases in the same period, the modified subtemporal transpetrosal apex approach showed obvious advantages such as simplicity in manipulating, microinvasiveness, less time-consuming, less complication, higher rate of tumor resection though the rates of gross tumor resection might be of no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONSModified subtemporal transpetrosal apex approach has obvious advantages compared with the transpetrous presigmoid approach. Some complications need to be solved by practice and modification of the approach as well as the accumulation of the experiences.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meningioma ; pathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the growth of Glycyrrhiza uralensis under different planting density for providing theoretic evidence for reasonable planting density.

METHODThe field experiment was designed by single factor randomized block.

RESULTThe plant height, root diameter, main root length and branches of main stem were all decreased with increasing planting density of G. uralensis. Meanwhile, dry matter accumulation on root, leaf, aerial part and rhizome were all decreased with increasing planting density.

CONCLUSIONTwo hundred and seventy thousand plants/hm2 was feasible planting density.

Forestry ; methods ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the genotype of swines isolated from humans and their relationships with hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the rural areas of southern China.

METHODSSpecimens collected from normal people with HEV-IgM positive, acute hepatitis E patients and from swine in the same area were detected for HEV RNA using RT-nPCR with ORF2 primers. The positive PCR products were cloned and sequenced.

RESULTS13 out of the 132 samples from swine stool, 4 of 26 HEV-IgM positive sera of normal people and 1 of 4 acute hepatitis E patients' stool sample and sera were tested positive for HEV RNA. Data from sequence analysis showed that the identity at nucleotide level was 89.3%-100.0% among the 10 isolates which shared 78.7% - 84.7%, 83.3% - 85.3%, 76.0% - 80.0% and 84.7% - 95.3% nucleotide sequence identity with HEV genotype I, II, III and IV respectively in the region (nt6317- 6466).

CONCLUSIONHEV circulating in humans and swine in the area belonged to genotype IV.

Animals ; China ; Cloning, Molecular ; Feces ; virology ; Genes, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis E ; veterinary ; virology ; Hepatitis E virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rural Health ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; virology

[Abstract] Objective To study the effect and mechanism of microRNA-486 (miR-486) on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP