Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo study the anatomy of angular nerve (AN), so as to provide safe approach for the denervation surgery of corrugator supercilii, depressor supercilii and procerus.

METHODS10 fresh cadaver (20 sides)were perfused and fixed with formalin. Dissection was performed in the 10 x operating microscope. The plexus of the zygomatic branch and the buccal branch were detected to confirm the AN. The relationship of AN with the surrounding blood vessels was observed. We tracked AN until it entered corrugator supercilii, depressor supercilii and procerus.

RESULTS(1) AN was classified into I, II, III type according to its formation pattern. Type I (20%, 4/20 sides) AN is single, which is mainly from the plexus of buccal branch plus the zygomatic branch from the orbicularis oculi muscle. In type II (20%, 4/20 sides), the single AN was formed by buccal branch plexus and zygomatic branch plexus in the "Four Muscle Gap". In type III (60%, 12/20 sides), the AN had two branches in the "Four Muscle Gap". (2) The three types AN passed inferior to the support ligament at the suborbital part, and then transversed medial to the support ligament at the medial canthus, along the vessels of medial canthus. (3) The branch of AN enters the depressor supercilii or procerus 2.19 to 4.28 mm above the medial canthus ligament. The backward branch enters the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi 6.89 to 9.38 mm below the medial canthus ligament.

CONCLUSIONSThe approach of denervation surgery for AN should be performed medial to the support ligation, between 2.19 mm above the medial canthus and 6.89 mm below the medial canthus.

Adult ; Cadaver ; Denervation ; Facial Muscles ; innervation ; Facial Nerve ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the toxicity of copper on MES23.5 dopaminergic cells and the probable mechanisms involved in this process.

METHODSMES23.5 dopaminergic cells were selected as our experimental model. [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay was used to detect the influence of copper on the cell viability. The semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blotting and the high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) have been used to detect the tyrosine hydroxlase (TH) mRNA and protein expression and the dopamine content in MES23.5 cells. The flow cytometry have been used to detect the changes of mitochondrial transmembrane potential.

RESULTS100 and 200 mumol/L copper had no effect on the MES23.5 cell viability, whereas 400 and 800 mumol/L of copper could decrease the cell viability (P < 0.01). Treating cells with 200 mumol/L copper for 24 h decreased the TH mRNA expression, the TH expression and the dopamine content compared with the control (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively). Besides, the mitochondrial transmembrane potential also decreased with the treatment of 200 mumol/L copper for 24 h (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCopper could exert the toxic effects on MES23.5 dopaminergic cells and decrease the cell function. The dysfunction of mitochondria may be the mechanism of this toxicity effect.

Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Copper ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Dopamine ; biosynthesis ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hybridomas ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; genetics ; Mice ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Degeneration ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neurotoxins ; toxicity ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; physiology ; Parkinson Disease ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism

Osteoarthritis (Osteoarthritis, OA) is a common clinical degenerative joint disease with increased incidence rate in recent years. Animal experiment is one of the important ways to explore pathogenesis and treatment of OA, while induced animal model is the most important part in animal experiment. Intra-articular injection of drugs is a classical method for establishing animal model of OA. Choose of animal should follows the principle of correlation, appropriateness and practicability, injections should perform in accordance with experimental purposes and subject, detections means and evaluation methods also should corresponding to experimental reality. The gold standard of OA animal model and intra-articular injections has not build, need further study.
Animals ; Cytokines ; analysis ; Disease Models, Animal ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Mice ; Osteoarthritis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo discuss the pathological characteristics of cervical spinal fracture complicating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the effect of combined anterior and posterior operation.

METHODSEighteen AS patients with traumatic cervical fracture-dislocation were treated operatively from January 2000 to January 2006. The symptom duration of AS was 14.5 years on average. Three cases had undergone osteotomy in lumbar spine. There were 4 cases of Grade A, 3 cases of Grade B, 9 cases of Grade C and 2 cases of Grade D according to Frankel's score. There were 15 cases of Grade III dislocation and 3 cases of Grade II. All patients underwent surgical procedures by combined anterior and posterior approach.

RESULTSThere were 4 anterior-posterior procedures, 8 anterior-posterior-anterior procedures and 6 posterior-anterior procedures. Seven patients had one stage operation and 11 cases underwent two stage surgeries. There was certain extent of neurological improvement in 14 incomplete paraplegic patients, but no improvement in 4 complete paraplegic patients. The follow-up period was 21.2 months on average and the time for bone fusion was 3.6 months. There were 4 complications during operation and a long-term complication in follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSThe study suggests that anterior combined with posterior approach makes the spine stable and relieves the pressure immediately. It is a reasonable surgical strategy for treatment of cervical spinal fracture-dislocation with AS.

Adult ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; complications

OBJECTIVETo examine the characteristics of cases excluded from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the reasons for exclusion.

METHODS2071 probable or suspected cases excluded from SARS between March and June, 2003 were analyzed.

RESULTSTwo-thirds of the excluded cases were males. Construction workers, students and retired people ranked top three in all the occupation categories. Three peaks appeared in the dates of exclusion, and the most obvious one was from June 7 to June 13. There were two peaks in the distribution of time period from onset to exclusion, one was six to ten days and the other was forty-eight to fifty-two days after onset. Patients with history of close contact were more likely to be excluded within fifty days after onset than those without close history of contact. Pneumonia, common cold and lung infection were the leading causes for correction in the 1211 excluded cases.

CONCLUSIONStudy on the diagnosis and differential diagnosis should be emphasized.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Common Cold ; diagnosis ; Contact Tracing ; statistics & numerical data ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

·AIM: To investigate the relationship between the thickness of choroid and the development of idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane (IMEM). ·METHODS: A retrospective analysis on 48 cases (48 eyes) of idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane patients (the IMEM group) was taken in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2016, and 50 right eyes in 50 healthy persons with physical examination were selected the control group, comparison on subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) levels of sicked eyes, normal eyes in IMEM group and the control group were made, postoperative SFCT level change of sicked eyes in IMEM patients and normal eyes were investigated via follow-up, and analysis on correlation between postoperative choroidal thickness and the best corrected visual acuity was taken. ·RESULTS: The SFCT of sicked eyes in IMEM group 362.22±40.75μm was significantly lower than that of the contralateral eyes (410.56 ± 38.45μ m) and the right eyes of the control group (420.73±39.63μ m), and data of the contralateral eyes was lower than right eyes of the control group, distinct difference was shown between groups(P<0.05). The IMEM group's SFCT of sicked eyes and normal eyes at postoperative 1wk had no significant difference with that before operation (P>0.05), and at postoperative 1mo,SFCT of sicked eyes and normal eyes evidently increased, showing sharp difference compared with that before operation (P<0. 05). After that, the SFCT value stabilized, but there was no obvious difference between the sicked eyes and healthy eyes at postoperatively 1mo (P>0.05). The numbers of patients whose postoperative BCVA ≥ 0. 5 with different preoperative SFCT values had statistically significant differences (P<0.05), and those with BCVA ≥0.5 of SFCT values> 380μ m were significantly higher than those with <320μ m and 320μ m-380μ m groups. Fisher exact probability analysis showed that the differences were significant. Pearson analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the postoperative choroid thickness and the best corrected visual acuity of IMEM group (r=0.629,P<0.05). · CONCLUSION: Choroidal thinning may be an important cause of IMEM, and preoperative choroidal thickness also has an influential effect on postoperative visual recovery.

Aim To observe the expression of mesen-cephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor(MANF) in synovial membrane and serum of rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) and to analyse the relationship between MANF expression and arthritis. Methods AA models were prepared by injecting Freund complete adjuvant (FCA) into SD rats. The swelling of the secondary joint was measured by foot volume measurement. The severity of AA was recorded by arthritis index (AI). Synovial pathological changes were observed by HE staining. The protein and mRNA levels of MANF,BiP and CHOP extracted from synovial tissues in different periods of AA rats were detected by Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The levels of MANF, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and then the relationship between MANF level and inflam-matory factors were explored. Results AA rat model was established successfully. The expression of BiP significantly increased in synovial tissue on d 2 after CFA injection,and decreased until d 28. The expres-sion of MANF slightly increased on d 2,then remained stable,and significantly increased on d 14, and then decreased gradually. The expression of CHOP kept to rise slowly at a low level. The level of MANF in serum markedly increased on d 14,then gradually decreased, but it was still higher than the normal level on d 28. The level of CRP exhibited similar trend with MANF. Correlation analysis showed that MANF had a negative correlation with arthritis symptoms, IL-1β and TNF-α in the secondary inflammatory period of AA rats. Con-clusions Arthritis induces the expression and secre-tion of MANF,and the level of MANF is closely relat-ed to the progression and severity of arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutical effect of surgical treatment for thoracic angioma with extraosseous extension which causes spinal cord compression and neurological dysfunction. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 5 cases of thoracic vertebral body angioma with extraosseous extension and spinal cord compression. The operation were performed through anterior approach to resect the involved vertebral body and intracanal angioma in 5 patients. Bone graft and internal fixation were also completed in the meantime. Two patients accepted radiotherapy for 2 periods of treatment postoperatively, and the other 3 patients didn't accept the other supportive therapy. RESULTS: The blood loss during the operation was 1000 mL to 1500 mL. All the patients recovered their neurological function rapidly after the operation. The patients were followed up for 1 to 4 years, and no patient recurred. The bone graft was solidly fused in all patients. No hardware failure occurred. CONCLUSION The surgical treatment for thoracic vertebral body and extraosseous angioma with spinal cord compression is effective, reliable, and workable. Good long-term result can be obtained.
Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Compression ; etiology ; Spinal Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery

Objective To estimate the effects of temperature on cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths in 4 cities-Kunming,Changsha,Guangzhou and Zhuhai,from southern part of China.Methods Daily CVD deaths,meteorological and air pollution data were used to explore the association between temperature and mortality.Distributed lag non-linear model was fitted for each city to access the delayed and cumulative effects of low,median and high temperature on CVD deaths.Cold and hot effects of temperature on CVD deaths were then accessed,based on the linear threshold model.Results The city-specific exposure-response functions appeared to be non-linear.Temperatures that associated with the lowest mortality for Changsha,Kunming,Guangzhou and Zhuhai were 22.0 ℃,20.0 ℃,26.0 ℃,and 25.5 ℃.The greatest cumulative RRs (95％CI) for CVD deaths of low temperature during the delayed period of the study in the 4 cities were 1.858 (1.089-3.170),1.537 (1.306-1.809),2.121 (1.771-2.540) and 1.934 (1.469-2.548),while 1.100 (0.816-1.483),1.061 (0.956-1.177),1.134 (1.047-1.230) and 1.259 (1.104-1.436) for high temperatures in Changsha,Kunming,Guangzhou and Zhuhai respectively.The hot effect was greater than the cold effect on the current days.The hot effect was restricted to the first week,whereas the cold effect increased over the lag days,and then last for 3-4 weeks.Conclusion The city-specific exposure-response functions appeared to be non-linear.Both high and cold temperatures were associated with increased CVD deaths,but the impact of low temperature was more notable.Cold effect was delayed by several days but last for a longer period than the hot effect did.