Ectopic spontaneous activity originated from the injured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in rats was recorded through single dorsal root fiber. The firing patterns induced by veratridine and aconitine, inhibitors of inactivation gate of sodium channel operating on different binding sites, were compared. In the same neuron, veratridine (1.5 approximately 5.0 micromol/L) caused slow wave oscillations of interspike intervals (ISIs), while aconitine (10 approximately 200 micromol/L) caused tonic firing. Moreover, even if the background firing patterns were various and the reagent concentrations used were different, veratridine and aconitine still induced slow wave oscillations and tonic firing patterns, respectively. The results suggest that veratridine and aconitine induce different firing patterns in injured DRG neurons, which may relate to their inhibitory effects on different binding sites of the sodium channel.
Aconitine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Electrophysiological Phenomena ; physiology ; Female ; Ganglia, Spinal ; injuries ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; pathology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Channel Agonists ; Sodium Channels ; physiology ; Veratridine ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study effects of strengthening exercise with strong tendon on the lumbosacral multifidus muscle.

METHODSAmong 30 healthy volunteers, there were 21 males and 9 females, with an average age of(31.30±6.48) years old(ranged, 25 to 55 years old). The mean BMI was (21.70±1.95) kg/m²(ranged, 18.1 to 24.9 kg/m²). The ultrasonic image was used to analyze the thickness of lumbosacral multifidus(LM) under the follow conditions: supine position, and supine position with leg lifting 30°, 60°, 90°; seat and hip flexion, flexion to limit position, front to limit position with both hands climbing and strengthening the kidneys and the waist.

RESULTSThe average lumbosacral multifidus thickness was (16.867±2.460) mm, (19.010±2.510) mm, (22.477±2.220) mm, and(27.593±2.370) mm respectively in supine position with leg lifting 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°. There were statistical differences(=423.619,<0.05). The average lumbosacral multifidus thickness was (25.810±2.440) mm, (15.677±2.130) mm, and (15.533±2.110) mm respectively in seat and hip flexion, flexion to limit, front to limit positions with both hands climbing and strengthening the kidneys and the waist. There were statistical differences(=597.789,<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSWhen healthy volunteers in Shi's Orthopedics strengthen muscle exercises training, multifidus thickness is increased with the increasing of leg degree, reduced with the increasing of the flexion degree. It can change the stretching state of multifidus muscle by a specific training, so as to achieve the purpose of training the multifidus muscle.

Veratridine, a blocker of inactive gate of sodium channel, was used to perfuse L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) topically. Afferent activities of type A single fiber from these DRGs were recorded. It was found that after a 10-min bath of veratridine (1.8-3 micromol/L), some of the primary silent DRG neurons were triggered by touch or pressure on the receptive fields or by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve to produce high-frequency firing, which was termed triggered oscillation presenting a U-type of interspike intervals (ISI) or other types of oscillations. The longer the intervals between stimulating pulses, the more stimulating pulses were needed to trigger the oscillation. The oscillation, triggered by electric stimuli with different duration or patterns, had no significant difference in their patterns. The duration of the inhibitory period after a triggered oscillation was generally 30-90 s. It was also observed that this kind of triggered oscillation was induced by afferent pulses of the same neurons. These results suggest that triggered oscillation, which may contribute to the fit of triggered pain, can be produced in primary sensory neurons after application of veratridine.
Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Female ; Ganglia, Spinal ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Neurons, Afferent ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Veratridine ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) frequently colonizes the stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common and costly disease. But the relationship of H. pylori and GERD is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of H. pylori and its eradication on reflux esophagitis therapy.

METHODSPatients diagnosed with reflux esophagitis by endoscopy were enrolled; based on rapid urease test and Warth-Starry stain, they were divided into H. pylori positive and negative groups. H. pylori positive patients were randomly given H. pylori eradication treatment for 10 days, then esomeprazole 20 mg bid for 46 days. The other patients received esomeprazole 20 mg bid therapy for 8 weeks. After treatment, three patient groups were obtained: H. pylori positive eradicated, H. pylori positive uneradicated, and H. pylori negative. Before and after therapy, reflux symptoms were scored and compared. Healing rates were compared among groups. The χ2 test and t-test were used, respectively, for enumeration and measurement data.

RESULTSThere were 176 H. pylori positive (with 92 eradication cases) and 180 negative cases. Healing rates in the H. pylori positive eradicated and H. pylori positive uneradicated groups reached 80.4% and 79.8% (P = 0.911), with reflux symptom scores of 0.22 and 0.14 (P = 0.588). Healing rates of esophagitis in the H. pylori positive uneradicated and H. pylori negative groups were, respectively, 79.8% and 82.2% (P = 0.848); reflux symptom scores were 0.14 and 0.21 (P = 0.546).

CONCLUSIONSBased on esomeprazole therapy, H. pylori infection and eradication have no significant effect on reflux esophagitis therapy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Amoxicillin ; therapeutic use ; Esomeprazole ; therapeutic use ; Esophagitis, Peptic ; drug therapy ; etiology ; microbiology ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; drug therapy ; etiology ; microbiology ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; drug therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tinidazole ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the quality of life (QOL) in the patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) after PEG-Interferon a-2a therapy.

METHODSA study based on 102 CHC patients (group A, before PEG- Interferon a-2a therapy, T0) and 44 healthy persons (group B) was carried out using the general quality of life inventory (GQOLI-74) questionnaire, and QOL were compared between the two groups. Patients in group A were divided into subgroup A1 (72 patients ) which was given PEG-Interferon a-2a plus Ribavirin for one year and subgroup A2 (30 patients) without any antivirus therapy. QOL of patients in these two subgroups was investigated using GQOLI-74 questionnaire on the end of PEG-Interferon a-2a plus Ribavirin therapy (T1) and half one year after the end of PEG-Interferon a-2a plus Ribavirin therapy (T2). QOL of CHC patients (group A1 and A2) were compared at T0, T1 and T2, respectively.

RESULTSCompared with group B, patients in group A had lower QOL (P < 0.05) on other scales and total scores of the GQOLI-74 questionnaire except psychological function(P > 0.05). Both on T1 and T2, patients in subgroup A1 had higher QOL on physical function, psychological function, social function and total scores than patients in subgroup A2 at the same time (P < 0.05). Patients in subgroup A1 at T1 had higher QOL on physical function, psychological function, social function and total scores than at T0 (P < 0.05). Patients in subgroup A1 at T2 had higher QOL on social function than that at T1 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSQOL of CHC patients is more impaired than healthy persons. PEG-Interferon a-2a therapy will improve the QOL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Quality of Life ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate protective effect of minocycline,a semisynthetic tetracycline derivative on different traumatic brain injuries in rats and mice.

METHODSThe opened brain trauma was induced in rats and the closed head injury and cold brain injury were induced in mice. In 3 brain trauma models, minocycline (45 mg/kg, ip) was administered twice daily for 2 d before the operation, at 30 min before and 1 h after the operation, and once daily for 2 d following the operation (totally 8 doses in 5 d). After the operation, the behavioral alteration was observed daily, lesion area and survival neuron density were measured at the end of the experiments (14 d after the injuries).

RESULTFor rat opened traumatic injury, minocycline promoted the recovery of hindlimb motor activity (inclined board angle), but did not alter other indexes. For mouse closed head traumatic injury, minocycline reduced the neuron loss, but did not improve behavioral dysfunction. For mouse cold injury-induced trauma, minocycline reduced death rate and lesion area, but did not remarkably improve behavior and neuron loss.

CONCLUSIONMinocycline only has an incomplete neuroprotective effect on different brain traumatic injuries in rats and mice.

Animals ; Brain Injuries ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Minocycline ; therapeutic use ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVEIn this randomized, open-label, multicenter, angiographic trial, we compared the efficacy and safety of tenecteplase (TNK-tPA) with alteplase (rt-PA) in Chinese patients with acute myocardial infarction.

METHODPatients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and pain to hospital time within 6 hours from October 2002, to March 2004 were randomly assigned a body weight-adjusted bolus of TNK-tPA (0.53 mg/kg over more than 10 s, n = 58) or front loaded rt-PA (< or = 100 mg, n = 52). Coronary angiography was performed at 90 min after initiating study drugs. All patients received aspirin and heparin (target activated partial thromboplastin time: 50-70 s). The primary end point of the trial was the rate of TIMI grade 3 flow at 90 minutes. Other end points included the rate of TIMI grade 2/3 flow at 90 minutes, all cause mortality at 30 days, the moderate/severe hemorrhage without intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and ICH within 30 days.

RESULTSTIMI grade 3 flow at 90 minutes (68.4% vs. 66.7%, P = 1.00), TIMI grade 2 or 3 at 90 minutes (89.5% vs. 80.4%, P = 0.278), total mortality at 30 days (13.8% vs. 9.6%, P = 0.565), the rate of moderate/severe hemorrhage (8.6% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.72) and incidence of ICH (3.5% vs. 1.9%, P = 1.00) were all similar in TNK-tPA treated patients compared to rt-PA treated patients.

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of single-bolus, weight-adjusted TNK-tPA fibrinolytic regimen is equivalent to front-loaded alteplase in terms of the rates of TIMI grade 3 flow, TIMI 2 or 3 flow. Incidences of moderate/severe hemorrhage, ICH and 30-days mortality were similar in TNK-tPA and rt-PA treated patients.

Aged ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical characteristics, drug sensitivity of isolated strains, and risk factors of drug resistance in children with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). METHODS: The clinical characteristics and drug sensitivity of the isolated strains of 246 hospitalized children with IPD in nine grade A tertiary children's hospitals from January 2016 to June 2018 were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 246 children with IPD, there were 122 males and 124 females. Their ages ranged from 1 day to 14 years, and among them, 68 (27.6%) patients were less than 1 year old, 54 (22.0%) patients were 1 to 2 years old, 97 (39.4%) patients were 2 to 5 years old, and 27 (11.0%) patients were 5 to 14 years old. Pneumonia with sepsis was the most common infection type (58.5%, 144/246), followed by bloodstream infection without focus (19.9%, 49/246) and meningitis (15.0%, 37/246). Forty-nine (19.9%) patients had underlying diseases, and 160 (65.0%) had various risk factors for drug resistance. The isolated Streptococcus pneumoniae strains were 100% sensitive to vancomycin, linezolid, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin, 90% sensitive to ertapenem, ofloxacin, and ceftriaxone, but had a low sensitivity to erythromycin (4.2%), clindamycin (7.9%), and tetracycline (6.3%). CONCLUSIONS IPD is more common in children under 5 years old, especially in those under 2 years old. Some children with IPD have underlying diseases, and most of the patients have various risk factors for drug resistance. Pneumonia with sepsis is the most common infection type. The isolated Streptococcus pneumoniae strains are highly sensitive to vancomycin, linezolid, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, ertapenem, and ceftriaxone in children with IPD.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Ceftriaxone ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Pneumococcal Infections ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy was performed on the multifidus muscle of 35 healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L lumbar disc herniation. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg/m; in the patients, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg/m, the VAS score was (4.40±0.88) points, the course of disease was (11.2±7.14) months. The proportion of fat in the L lumbosacral multifidus muscle and the proportion of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area were observed by MRI, the differences of the observation indexes of the two groups were compared through data analysis. RESULTS: In healthy volunteers, the proportion of fat on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.169± 0.035)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the left side of the multifidus muscle was (0.699±0.070)%, the proportion of fat on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.168±0.031)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the right side of the multifidus muscle was (0.712±0.056)%, there was no significant difference between the two sides (>0.05). In patients, the proportion of fat on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.173±0.021)%, the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the healthy side of multifidus muscles was (0.695±0.054)%, the proportion of fat on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.228±0.027)%, and the proportion of fat removal cross-sectional area on the affected side of the multifidus muscle was (0.629±0.048)%, the differences of the above indexes on both sides were statistically significant (<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of multifidus muscle fat and the ratio of fat-suppressed cross-sectional area between the affected side and volunteers (<0.05). There was no significant difference in fat ratio and fat-suppressed cross sectional area ratio between the left and right sides of healthy volunteers and healthy side of patients (>0.05). CONCLUSION There is degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle on the affected side of patients with unilateral L intervertebral disc herniation, featuring multifidus muscular atrophy and fat infiltration.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the degeneration of lumbosacral multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Thirty-five healthy volunteers and 35 patients with unilateral L lumbar disc herniation from December 2015 to September 2017 were recruited. There were 20 males and 15 females in each group, aged from 25 to 55 years old. In healthy volunteers group, the mean age was (35.66±8.73) years old and the BMI was (21.85±1.94) kg /m. In patients with lumbar disc herniation, the mean age was (36.09±7.70) years old, the BMI was (21.50±1.78) kg /m, the VAS score was 4.40±0.88, the course of disease was (11.20±7.14) months. Surface electromyography analysis was performed on the multifidus muscle of the two groups. The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The average myoelectric amplitude of the multifidus muscle of healthy volunteers was (48.84±7.77) µV on the left and (49.13±7.86) µV on the right. There was no significant difference between the two sides (>0.05). The average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle in patients with lumbar disc herniation was(48.82±8.14) µV on the healthy side and (42.81±7.00) µV on the affected side, and the difference was statistically significant between two sides(<0.05). There was no significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, or between the healthy side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers (>0.05). There was significant difference in the average myoelectric amplitude of multifidus muscle between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the left of healthy volunteers, and also between the affected side of lumbar disc herniation and on the right of healthy volunteers(<0.05). CONCLUSION Patients with chronic lumbar disc herniation have an imbalance in myoelectric activity, and the muscle strength of the multifidus muscle on the affected side is significantly reduced.
Adult ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; diagnostic imaging ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paraspinal Muscles