OBJECTIVETo compare the difference in the efficacy on cervical type of cervical spondylosis (CS) between the combined treatment of sword-like needle and chiropractic spinal manipulation (the combined therapy) and the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-eight cases of cervical type of CS were randomized into a combined therapy group (76 cases) and a simple chiropractic spinal manipulation group (62 cases). In the combined therapy group, the sword-like needle therapy was applied at Fengchi (GB 20), Tianzhu (BL 10) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) C3-C5. The chiropractic spinal manipulation was used in combination. In the chiropractic spinal manipulation group, the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation was adopted. The treatment was given once every other day in the two groups, 10 days made one session. One session of treatment was required. Visual analog scale (VAS) score was observed before and after treatment in the two groups and the efficacies were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSVAS score after treatment was reduced obviously as compared with that before treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P < 0.01) and VAS score after treatment in the combined therapy group was lower than that in the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation group (1.50 +/- 0.58 vs 1.87+/-1.05, P < 0.01). In the combined therapy group, 48 cases were cured, 20 cases remarkably effective, 8 cases improved and 0 case failed. In the chiropractic spinal manipulation group, 30 cases were cured, 16 cases remarkably effective, 15 cases improved and 1 case failed. The overall efficacy in the combined therapy group was better than that in the chiropractic spinal manipulation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe sword-like needle therapy combined with chiropractic spinal manipulation relieve effectively pain in cervical type of CS and the efficacy is superior to the simple chiropractic spinal manipulation.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Chiropractic ; Manipulation, Spinal ; Middle Aged ; Spondylosis ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the technique of induction of polyploidy in Salvia bowleyana by colchicine treatment.

METHODThe three kinds of explant of bud, leaf and calli were induced by colchicine treatment.

RESULTThe induction effects were better when the calli was treated by colchicines (15 mg x L(-1)) and the leaf was pre-cultured for one week. The doubling rate was 33.33%, while the majority were wholy doubled plants, and the leaves were thicker and broader, the color was darker, the root was thicker and the stoma size was obviously bigger than the diploid plants. The number of chromosome were 8 to 64. Isoenzyme analysis showed that the enzyme activities between the polyploid and the diploid plants were quite different.

CONCLUSIONInduction of polyploidy by colchicine treatment is efficacious. The part of the doubled plants were identified as homologmous tetraploids.

Chromosomes, Plant ; genetics ; Colchicine ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plant Shoots ; anatomy & histology ; genetics ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; genetics ; growth & development ; Polyploidy ; Salvia ; anatomy & histology ; genetics ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo understand the pollution rates of vibrio cholera (V. cholera) in different seafood, aquatic products and their circulatory processes, so as to help making measures for cholera control and prevention.

METHODSDifferent seafood, aquatic products and breed water specimen collected from 12 provinces of China were tested from July to September in 2005.

RESULTA total of 12 104 samples of seafood and aquatic products were tested and the average pollution rate of vibrio cholera was 0.52%. The positive isolate rate of turtle sample (1.72%) was the highest among all samples. The second higher isolated rate was 1.14% in water specimen of turtle breed pool. The positive rate of bullfrog was 0.50%. The percentage of toxin strains was 47.54% and 79.31% of them were isolated from turtle and water samples of turtle breed pool. The important sector of the pollution of vibrio cholera was in turtle breed pool (2.38%).

CONCLUSIONThe average pollution rate of vibrio cholera in seafood and aquatic products in 12 provinces of China was low. It should be very necessary to supervise the sanitation in turtle breed for controlling and preventing the vibrio cholera.

Animals ; China ; Female ; Fishes ; microbiology ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Seafood ; microbiology ; Seawater ; analysis ; Turtles ; microbiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; isolation & purification

This article reports a case of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B (LGMD1B) caused by a novel splicing heterozygous mutation in the LMNA gene. The proband presented with progressive aggravation of weakness in walking. There was no atrophy of the scapular muscles and the lower-extremity proximal muscles, with normal muscle tension of the extremities, grade 4 muscle strength in the upper and lower extremities, and positive Gower sign. The level of creatine kinase was 779 U/L. Muscle hematoxylin-eosin staining showed muscular dystrophy, and there was no significant reduction in the expression of Lamin A protein. Second-generation sequencing revealed a novel splicing heterozygous mutation, c.810+2T>C, in the LMNA gene, while this locus was normal in his parents. GERP++RS software predicted that the mutation site was highly conservative. Human Splice Finder and Spliceman software predicted that the mutation might be a pathogenic mutation. ExPASy software predicted that the new amino acid sequence became shorter. There were two sequences of mRNA in the patient's muscle: one was the normal sequence, which accounted for 92.2%; the other was partial intron 4 retention, which was the abnormal splice variant accounting for 7.8%. LGMD1B is a type of autosomal dominant inherited myopathy caused by a mutation in the LMNA gene located on the autosomal 1q22. This study extends the mutation spectrum of the LMNA gene and provides help to the diagnosis of LGMD1B.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Humans ; Lamin Type A ; Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle ; Mutation

Objective To observe the change in cardiac shape and heart function and evaluate the effect of self-treatment on patients with Keshan disease by echocardiography. Methods To check the 31 patients with Keshan disease before the self-treatment, and follow them up in the 3rd and 6th months after self-treatment by echocardiography. The left atrium diameter(LAd), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd), the thickness of interventricular septum in end-diastolic(IVSTd), the thickness of LV posterior wall in end-diastolic (LVPWTd), left ventricular mass(LVM), left ventricular mass index(LVMI), left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and mitral valve flow E/A ratio(E/A) were measured. Results The LAd[(35.8±5.1)ram] and LVPWTd[(9.3±1.0)mm] obviously decreased in the 3rd month after serf-treatment compared with prior self-treatment [ (37.0±5.0), (9.9± 1.2)mm](P<0.05). The LAd[(34.5±5.0)mini, IVSTd[(9.5±1.3)mm], LVEDd[(50.2±7.7)mm], LVPWTd [(8.7±1.1)mm], LVM[(196.1±87.2)g] and LVMl[(126.5±56.4)g/m2] obviously decreased in the 6th month after self-treatment compared with prior self-treatment [(37.0±5.0), (10.2±1.5), (51.3±8.1), (9.9±1.2)mm, (230.4±95.5)g, (144.0±54.6)g/m2] and in the 3rd month after self-treatment [(35.8±5.1)mm, (10.2±1.4) ram, (51.1±8.1)nun, (9.3±1.0)mm, (219.4±82.5)g, (136.8±50.0)g/m2] (P<0.05). The results of the mitral valve flow E/A ratio and LVEF in the 3nt month after self-treatment [1.0±0.5, (59.4±13.3)%] were increased compared with the prior self-treatment[0.9±0.5, (58.1±15.6)%], and the results in the 6th month after self-treat- ment[ 1.0±0.4, (60.7±13.6)%] were further inereased compared with before, but there was no signifieant differ- ence(P0.05). Conclusions Self-treatment of Keshan disease patients can improve the heart function by pre- venting left ventrieular remodeling and reversing. Echocardiography can be used as an essential technique to evalu- ate the effect of self-treatment on Keshan disease patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) by immunomagnetic bead screening from Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stromal cells(WJ-MSCs), and explore transplantation of Muse cell for safety and effectivensess of sub acute cord injury in rats. METHODS: Donated Wharton's Jelly-mesenchymal stromal cells (WJ-MSCs) were successfully derived from a human umbilical cord by a series of procedures namely physical isolation of Wharton's Jelly from cord membrane, collagenase and trypsin treatment and density gradient centrifugation. Magnetic activated cell sorting was performed to specifically select SSEA3+ Muse cells, and flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry were used to identify further. In vivo, spinal cord contusion injury model in rats was induced by NYU-III impactor, and were randomly divided and equally into four groups, namely group A (sham), group B (control), group C (Non-Muse cells transplantation) and group D (Muse cells transplantation). Laminectomy was conducted in group A but no spinal cord contusion injury. Laminectomy and cord injury were performed in group B, C and D, 10 g trip rod was freely falling down from 12.5 mm. Two weeks later, group B, C and D were received PBS injection, Non-Muse cells transplantation and Muse cells transplantation respectively, four-point injection were performed in each cord with totally 4×10⁵ cells. BBB scores were evaluated on 1 day, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 week after injury. Four weeks after cell transplantation, the rats were sacrificed, and immunohistochemistry were carried out to observe survival, migration and differentiation of the injected cells. RESULTS: The expression of CD105, CD90 and CD73 were over 99.5% in the derived WJ-MSCs population, but CD45 and CD14 were lower than 0.5%, positive rate of SSEA3+ was 1.46% under flow cytometer, However, after MACS sorting, the percentage of 92.0% Muse cells expressed SSEA3 and CD105, and immunohistochemistry results of SSEA3 showed typically membrane morphology with special processes. In vivo, BBB scores was 21 in group A at different time points. One-way ANOVA and LSD analysis showed that BBB scores in group C and D were significantly higher than that in group B (=0.004, 0.002), but there was no significantly difference between group C and D. Further intra-group paired t test showed that BBB score was significantly higher at 4 weeks than that 3 weeks in group C (=0.005). However, in group D, BBB scores were significantly higher at 4 and 6 week than those at 3 and 5 weeks, values were 0.005 and 0.016 respectively. Immunohistochemistry results showed that both Muse cells and Non-Muse cells could survive for 4 weeks in rats and they migrated from the four-point injection to injury site. But there showed more Muse cells survival than Non-Muse cells in the cord. CONCLUSIONS Immunomagnetic bead screening is efficient to select large number of purified SSEA3+ Muse cells. Muse cells could survive and target-migrate in injured cord to improve BBB scores continuously. Muse cells are a novel kind of seed cells in the spinal cord injury treatment.
Alprostadil ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Rats ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Umbilical Cord ; Wharton Jelly

Objective To better understand the prevalence and geographic distribution of genotypes/subtypes on HCV and the relationship between HCV genotypes/subtypes and HIV infection disease progression in the HIV-1/HCV co-infected individuals living in high HIV-1 prevalent areas in China. Methods 186 plasma samples were collected from HIV-1 seropositive individuals infected through paid blood donors (PBD), injecting drug users (IDUs) or sexual contact, living in most severely affected provinces, Henan, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces. Samples with HCV viral load >1000 cop/ml were amplified by RT-nested PCR, sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed for genotyping/subtyping of HCV. HIV-1, HCV viral loads and CD4 T lymphocytes were measured for all subjects. Results (1) HCV were identified as 1 a (1.7%), 1 b (39.9%), 2a (17.9%), 3a (10.4%), 3b (15.6%), 6a (1.2%), 6n (6.4%), and a newly unclassified subtype (7.5%). HCV 2a and lb subtypes predominated in PBD in Henan, 3a and 3b in IDUs in Xinjiang and Yunnan, and 6 genotype/subtypes in IDU in Yunnan. (2) There were no significant differences in CD4 T cell counts among the different HCV subtypes. (3) The viral load of HCV RNA in lb subtype was higher than that of non-1b subtype, however, no significant differences in HIV-1 viral loads and CD4 T cell counts were found between Ib and non-1b subtype. Both HIV and HCV viral loads were lower in 2a than non-2a subtype. Conclusion The prevalence of HCV genotype/subtype in HIV-1/FICV co-infected individuals was associated with geographic areas and transmission routes. HCV subtypes had no direct correlation with HIV infection disease progression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical efficacy, surgical indications and postoperative complications of mid urethral sling procedures in treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.

METHODSA multicenter clinical trial was conducted from April 2002 to April 2008 in five hospitals, 304 cases of genuine stress urinary incontinence and 8 cases of mixed incontinence were included. TVT procedures were carried out in 134 patients, TVTO procedures in 167 patients, Monarc procedures in 11 patients. Perioperative evaluations included: operating time, bleeding volume, and perioperative complications. Operative efficacy was classified into three categories: cure, improved and failure and evaluated before discharge, 3 months after surgery and then every year.

RESULTSTVT group had longer operating time [(18.5 + or - 9.6) min] and more bleeding volume [(32.2 + or - 12.6) ml] than those in TVTO group [(11.5 + or - 3.1) min, (12.8 + or - 8.5) ml] and in Monarc group [(11.1 + or - 2.6) min, (12.3 + or - 3.5) ml] with P < 0.05. Monarc and TVTO procedures had higher cure rates and improve rates comparing with TVT, but the differences were of no significance. The cure rate (95.7%) in patients with genuine stress incontinence were significantly higher than that in patients with mixed incontinence (37.5%). No significant differences of total intra- and postoperative complications were noted for all of the three procedures. However, bladder injury tended to occur in TVT group and obturator nerve injury and vaginal injury tended to occur in TVTO group. Transient voiding dysfunction and urinary retention were the most common complications.

CONCLUSIONSMid urethral sling procedures have excellent clinical outcomes in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Suburethral Slings ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo understand the epidemiologic characters of influenza in China from 2001 to 2003.

METHODSData of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) each week and outbreaks of influenza were collected through National Influenza Surveillance Network, which includes 11 northern and 12 southern provinces of China. Samples were collected in the outpatients of ILI from 2001 to 2003 and influenza viruses were isolated and identified.

RESULTSEpidemiological and laboratory surveillance data showed that the annual seasonality of influenza epidemic was clear. The peak of epidemic of influenza in northern areas was in winter season, during December to January. However, there were three peaks distributed to Spring (Apr.-May.), Summer (Jun.-Aug.) and Winter (Dec.-Jan.) seasons in the southern areas. In the peak months, the number of ILI visits per day and per surveillance hospital had increased two-fold in northern and by 37% in southern China. The baseline of percentages for ILI visits, which calculated with 75th percentiles (P75), was 13.68% in the north and 13.08% in southern China. The age distribution of ILI was related to seasonal types of influenza. When the predominated strain of the season was influenza B virus, the ratio of the ILI visits younger than 15 year-old, increased obviously. When the predominated stains became influenza A virus, the ratio of patient visits for ILI aged over 25 year-old increased. Of 63 outbreaks of influenza, 92% of them occurred at primary and middle schools and usually occurred in May (32%). The type of strains usually changed around June.

CONCLUSIONThe quality of national influenza surveillance system is reliable since it was matched between percentages of ILI visits and rates of influenza virus isolation. The different epidemiologic characteristics in north and south of China was noticed. Peak in spring was shown in southern area and which called for more analysis. The change of the types of strains in the outbreaks during April to June in the southern China could provide data for better understanding on the trend of epidemics in the next season.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza B virus ; Influenza Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Population Surveillance ; Seasons ; Vaccination

OBJECTIVETo investigate the curative effect of antiphlogistic agent series on treating chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP).

METHODSOne hundred and sixty patients were randomized into 4 groups for an 8-week clinical observation: group A (oral antiphlogistic medicinal granules only), group B (oral antiphlogistic medicinal granules + retention enema), group C (oral antiphlogistic medicinal granules + rectal), and group D (antiphlogistic medicinal granules + rectally + hip bath). Single blind trials were employed.

RESULTSThe curative rates of the 4 groups were 37.5%, 57.5%, 52.5% and 82.5% respectively, while the total efficacy rates were 42.5%, 82.5%, 77.5% and 92.5% respectively. Compared with groups A, B and C, the curative rate of group D was significantly higher (P < 0.05). The difference in efficacy rates was slight between groups B and D (P < 0.05), but significant between groups A and C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCombined treatment therapy can improve the effect of CNP treatment and clear away heat and toxic material. The antiphlogistic agent series, with the effect of motivating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, turned out to be an effective traditional Chinese medicine in treating CNP.

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy