OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV 14) on Wnt-β-catenin signal pathway in annulus fibrosus cells in intervertebral disc in rats with cervical spondylosis.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 10 rats in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with sham operation, only incision on local skin; rats in the remaining groups were made into cervical spondylosis models. After model establishment, rats in the control group and model group received fixed treatment under identical condition; rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Dazhui" (GV 14), 30 min per treatment; rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of meloxicam tablets. Treatments were both given once a day, and 14 days were taken as one session; there was an interval of 2 days between two sessions, and totally two sessions were given. After the treatments, immunohistochemistry was applied to measure the expression of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and Axin in annulus fibrosus cells; western blot was used to test the expression of P-β-catenin.

RESULTSIn the control group, there were more positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were intensively distributed, deeply colored, and strongly positive; In the model group, there were less positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were sparsely distributed and weakly positive. The expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the model group was less than that in the control group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the EA group and medication group was higher than that in the model group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin was not significantly different between EA group and medication group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA could delay the degeneration of intervertebral disc, which may be related to EA inhibiting signal pathway of Wnt-β-catenin.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Spondylosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of oral Sarpogrelate hydrochloride in the treatment of chronic arterial ischemia of the lower extremities.Methods In this study 892 patients,who suffered from arteriosclerosis (ASO) or thromboangiitis obliterans ( TAO ) or diabetic foot ( DF ),with symptoms of intermittent claudication, sensation of cold, pain, ulcer, and without a history of vasotransplantation or bypass grafting or interventional therapy, were treated by taking Sarpogrelate hydrochloride tablets 100 mg tid for consecutive 8 weeks.The improvement rate of concomitant symptoms and the total effective rate of ASO, TAO, DF were evaluated.Drug adverse reaction were recorded.Results The improvement rate of intermittent claudication,sensation of cold,pain and ulcer were 96.9％,97.1％,89.0％ and 86.9％ respectively.The total effective rate for ASO,TAO,DF was 83.5％.A total of 81 cases (9.1％) reported mild side effects,including 7 patients with mild rash after 2- 5 days' medication,21 patients with mild nausea and 53 patients with stomach discomfort after 1 - 2 days' medication.Symptoms were managed conservatively without discontinuing taking sarpogrelate hydrochloride.Conclusions Sarpogrelate hydrochloride oral is a safe and effective therapy for chronic arterial ischemia diseases of the lower extremities.

Objectives To clarify the basic data such as prevalent range,regiohal characteristics and the population at risk of drinking brick-tea type fluorosis in China.Methods Comprehensive survey for basic information was conducted in the provinces and autonomous regions where drinking brick-tea type fluorosis Wag prevalent,ineluding Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,Tibet Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province,Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province,Gansu Province,Ningxia Autonomous Region and Yunan Province.The survey included the number ot counties(cifies)and townships(towns)where the people were accustomed to drinking brick-tea,pepulation,ethnic minority composition,the production and living style,sales and the kinds of brick-tea aIn so on.Results Two hundred and forty-one counties and 3246 townships were found to haye the habit 0f drinking brick-tea,among which 87.46%(2839/3246)had the habit for more than 30 years.There were 31 684 administrative vilages(residents' committees),15 047 elementary schools and 2873 temples surveyed,coveting a total population of 31 052 398 and 122 739 monks.Fifty-three ethnic minorities were involved.Han accounted for 44.86%(12 902 710/31 052 398), Uighur ethnic for 20.98%(7 416 474/31 052 398),Tibetan ethnic for 13.34%(4 323 272/31 052 398),Muslim ethnicfor 8.15%(2 767 603/31 052 398),Mongolian ethnic for 4.61%(1 400 206/31 052 398),Kazak ethnicfor 3.45% (1 218 272/31 052 398),of the population of drinking brick-tea,farmer population accounted for 64.13%(19 912 833/ 31 052 398),herdsman population for 8.79%(2 728 418/31 052 398),farmer-herdsman population for 12.53%(3 889 678/ 31 052 398)and town population for 14.56%(4 521 169/31 052 398).There Was 3926.74 tons of brick-tea sold per year in the investigated regions,mainly of Fu brick-tea,Green brick-tea and Black brick-tea.Areas with high brick- tea consumption distributed mainly in farmer region and farmer-herdsman region.Annual per capita consumption of brick-tea for farmers was 3.77 kg,and for farmer-herdsman population was 2.05 kg.Conclusions Begions with the habit of drinking brick-tea distributes extensively in western China and cover a huge population,and the herdsmen and farmer-herdsman are the main risk population.Drinking brick-tea type fluorosis is a seriolls public health issue in western China.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathological features, immnophenotype and differential diagnosis of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS).

METHODSThe clinical, radiological and pathological features of 9 cases of LGFMS were reviewed.

RESULTSThe patients consisted of six males and three females with ages ranging from 11 to 65 years (mean 31.4 years). Clinically, most cases presented as slowly growing painless masses located in the extremities, trunk and neck. Two cases had a history of a rapid recent enlargement. Three cases presented with recurrent diseases after incomplete resection. Ultrasound showed heterogeneous signal. Precontrast CT and T1-weighted MRI showed a nodular mass of low to isodensity, while contrast-enhanced CT and T2-weighted MRI demonstrated contrasting zonal areas of hypo/hyperintensity. The tumors measured 3 to 16 cm (mean 7.7 cm), with a fibrous to myxoid appearance on cut surface. Histologically, they were composed of alternating collagenous and myxoid areas. A transition between the two areas could be identified. Giant rosette-like structures were observed in 3 cases. The center of the giant rosettes was composed of eosinophilic collagen, which showed centrifugal in arrangement. There was also gradual transition between the giant rosettes and the fibromyxoid component. On high magnification, the tumor was composed of ovoid to spindle-shaped cells with hyperchromatic nuclei. Nuclear atypia was inconspicuous. The tumor cells were arranged mostly in interlacing fascicles or whorls. Vessels were not prominent and necrosis was absent. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells showed unique staining for vimentin, consistent with a fibroblastic differentiation.

CONCLUSIONSLGFMS is a distinctive low grade fibroblastic sarcoma of young adults. Recognizing the characteristics of the rare entity may help to avoid misdiagnosis. Wide local excision is recommended to avoid local recurrences.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Extremities ; pathology ; Female ; Fibrosarcoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myxosarcoma ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the applied value of percutaneous oxygen-ozone injection in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation under open 0.23 T MRI guidance.Methods Mounted with ipath 200 optical tracking system,MR-guided injection of oxygen-ozone were performed via a medial border of the articular processes approach in 73 patients with clinically diagnosed LDH.MR compatible 19.5G or 21.0 G biopsy needle was used. Discography was performed in order to select indication before injection oxygen- ozone into nucleus pulposus in 26 patients.Sixty-four patients were injected to three sites:(1)Six to 10 ml oxygen-ozone was injected into discs centers,injected and suctioned alternately in order to make nucleus pulposus oxidation thoroughly.(2)The needle was withdrawn according to the scale of biopsy needle and optical tracking.Then,10 ml oxygen-ozone was injected into disc herniation. (3)After that,needle was withdrawn further about 1.0—1.5 cm to outside of annulus fibrosus.Fifteen to 20 ml oxygen-ozone was injected into intervertebral foramina around nerve roots.The oxygen-ozone concentration was 35—45?g/ml. Nine patients were only performed injection of oxygen-ozone into around nerve root,while not injection oxygen-ozone to nucleus pulposus for considering bad curative effect after discography.Results All of 73 patients were successfully local targeted and treated under MRI guidance without serious complications, such as nerve root injury.After 3—6 months follow-up,total overall efficacy was 91.3% with the excellent in 28,good in 39,and poor in 6,respectively.Conclusion Open MR-guided injection of oxygen-ozone, mounted with optical tracking system,is a safe and effective minimally invasive therapy for treating LDH.

OBJECTIVETo understand the features of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and the results of clinical follow-up study in 8 infants and children with hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) complicated with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) who were admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital during the outbreak of HFMD in 2008.

METHODSThe clinical characteristics of the 8 HFMD cases were investigated, and MRI findings were analyzed. The recovery of their impairment in limbs was followed up for three months.

RESULTSAll the 8 cases showed poliomyelitis-like syndrome. MRI of spinal cord showed unilateral or bilateral hyperintense lesions which chiefly occurred in the anterior horn regions of the spinal cord (C(2)-C(7) or T(12)-L(1)) on T(1)/T(2)-weighted images. Lesions of spinal cord chiefly occurred in T(12)-L(1). Most of the cases showed mild paralysis, which occurred in more than half of cases in single lower extremity. The patients who had acute paralysis of single lower extremity recovered faster than those with paralysis of four limbs.

CONCLUSIONSIn HFMD with AFP cases, MRI of spinal cord showed unilateral or bilateral lesions in the anterior horn regions of the spinal cord (C(2)-C(7) or T(12)-L(1)) on T(1)/T(2)-weighted images. AFP may be to some degree reversible in HFMD cases. MRI can directly and completely show the range and degree of changes associated with AFP in HFMD cases, thus provide instructive suggestions to its treatment. The acute paralysis of HFMD cases may be benefited from earlier treatment for AFP.

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Paralysis ; etiology ; pathology ; Spinal Cord ; pathology

Child ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; complications ; Female ; Giardia lamblia ; isolation & purification ; Giardiasis ; complications ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; drug therapy ; etiology

The study aimed to retrospectively evaluate surgical treatment outcomes after delayed parotid gland and duct injuries.Nine patients subjected to parotid gland and duct injuries with 1-to 3-month treatment delay were retrospectively evaluated with special reference of etiology,past medical history,and injury location.Conservative treatment,microsurgical anastomosis,and diversion of salivary flow or ligation were chosen for delayed parotid gland and duct injuries concerning to their site of injury,time of repair and procedures.Assistant treatment as pressure dressing was adopted thereafter.All patients experienced an uneventful recovery at the time of finalizing the study.Two patients received Stensen's duct ligation,5 received microsurgical anastomosis and 2 accepted salivary flow diversion for 5 patients with sialoceles and 4 patients with fistulas,and no re-occurrence was found.Facial paralysis occurred after surgery in 4 patients,and 3 of them recovered after the nerve nutrition treatment.Our study suggested that appropriate surgical treatment is efficient for the re-establishment of the tissue function and facial aesthetic for delayed injury of the parotid and its duct.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Thigh

Objective To investigate the occurrence of new cretinism cases and the prevalence of endemic goiter, and the reason of lower coverage rate of iodized salt in the iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) high-risk areas of China, so as to put forward target prevention measures for these areas. Methods A hundred and one counties from 11 provinces(autonomous regions, municipality), such as Tibet, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Sichuan, Hainan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, were chosen into the survey by simple random sampling. In the counties of high risk, typical sampling principle was used. In the selected townships, searching for new cretinism cases were carried out in the children under 10 years old, the thyroid volume of children aged 8-10 years old were determined by B-ultrasonography methods and their urinary iodine (UI) were determined by As3-Ce<'4+> catalytic spectrophotometry, the intelligence quotient(IQ) values of children aged 8-10 years old were measured by the combined Raven Test in China. In the household survey, the housewives were asked to fill in the questionnaire, the iodized salt coverage rates and the UI levels of child-bearing age women were investigated, the salt iodine content was determined using self-quantitative kit. Epi Info software was used to analyze the determination results. Results In the 101 high-risk counties, 249 were diagnosed as new cretinism cases from 4122 suspected cases searched. The goiter rate of children aged 8-10 years old by B-ultrasound was 8.28% (4434/53 541), 44 counties had goiter rates in the range of 5%-20%, 5 counties had goiter rates in the range of 20%-30%, and 3 counties had goiter rates of 30%. The mean IQ of children was 85.44, and the percentage of IQ value less than 70 was 16.52%(8713/52 745). The median urinary iodine(MUI) of children was 154.69 μg/L, the percentage of UI less than 50 μg/L was 17.26% (9069/52 558). Twenty-five counties had a MUI of children less than 100 μg/L. The MUI of housewives was 107.14 μg/L, the percentage of UI less than 50 μg/L was 27.50% (3722/13 534). MUI of housewives in 46 counties were less than 100.0 μg/L. The coverage rate of iodized salt at household level was 77.85%(13 150/16 891). The coverage rate of iodized salt was 52.80%(1585/3002), 44.72% (631/1411) and 72.82% (1850/2506) in Tibet, Hainan and Qinghai, respectively. More than 10% residents of Tibet, Sichuan, Hainan, Gansu and Qinghai complained that iodized salt was not convenient to buy. There were 71.39%(7652/10 719) of observed people ate crude salt. The average price of crude salt price(0.30-1.20 Yuan/kg) was lower than iodized salt(1.20-3.00 Yuan/kg). Conclusions In these IDD high-risk areas, the risk of endemic goiter and cretinism prevalence is threatening. The IDD monitoring should be carried out successively in these high-risk areas. The prevention measures, increasing iodized salt coverage rate and establishing the sustainable mechanism for eliminating IDD should be strengthened. Emergent iodine fortification measure for high risk region people should be implemented as soon as possible, a long term effective mechanism of eliminating IDD should be established.