Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To find the marker peptides of five kinds of glue medicines including deerhorn glue, tortoise shell glue, donkey-hide gelatin, bovine-hide gelatin, and pig-hide gelatin. METHODS: The characteristic peptides of different gelatins were identified by tripsin digestion and HPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: The marker peptides of five glue medicines were found, ie, donkey-hide gelatin m/z 539.8, deerhorn glue m/z 765.4, tortoise shell glue m/z 631.3, bovinehide gelatin m/z 641.3, pig-hide gelatin m/z 774.5, and the methods which can be used to identify the glue medicines were established according to the marker peptides. CONCLUSION: The marker peptides that we found can be used for the identification of glue medicines.

OBJECTIVETo investigate reductive dechlorination of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by nanoscale Fe0 under different conditions.

METHODSNanoscale Fe0 was synthesized by using reductive method. 4-CP and its intermediate products were analyzed by HPLC. Chlorine ion was quantified with DX-100 ion chromatograph. Nano-iron particles were observed under a FEI Quanta 200 FEG environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM).

RESULTSThe size of the particles was in the range of 10-100 nm. The nano-iron particles could reduce 4-CP effectively. The initial concentration of 4-CP increased with the decrease of the relative degradation rate, whereas the reduced amount of 4-CP increased. Temperature could influence both the dechlorination rate and the reaction pathway. Moreover, the stability and durability of nanoscale Fe0 was evaluated through batch studies over extended periods of time.

CONCLUSIONThe nanoscale Fe0 can be used for sustainable treatment of contaminants in groundwater.

Chlorine ; chemistry ; Chlorophenols ; chemistry ; Iron ; chemistry ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; ultrastructure ; Temperature ; Water Pollutants, Chemical ; chemistry

BACKGROUNDTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most effective treatments for phase III and IV hip arthrosis. Lower limb length balancing is one of the determining factors of a successful surgery, particularly in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postoperative change in intra-pelvic obliquity (intra-PO) angle in the coronal plane and its effects on leg length discrepancy (LLD) within 2 years.

METHODSA total of 78 patients (70 females, 8 males) were enrolled in this study. All patients were suffering from DDH with varying degrees of LLD. Pelvic plain radiographs were collected before and after the operation. The intra-PO angles were measured 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 years after THA. At the same time, postoperative LLD was measured with blocking test.

RESULTSPO changed significantly in the first year after THA surgery (0 year vs. 0.5 year, P < 0.01; 0.5 year vs. 1 year, P < 0.01), and the changing value of intra-PO angle (ΔPO) slowed down substantially during the first 2 years after THA (0.5 year vs. 0.5-1 year, P < 0.01; 0.5-1 year vs. 1-2 years, P < 0.01). With the change in intra-PO angle, LLD also got narrow within the 1st year (0 year vs. 0.5 year, P < 0.01; 0.5 year vs. 1 year, P < 0.01). Elderly patients had a smaller intra-PO angle reduction (Group A vs. Group B, P = 0.01; Group B vs. Group C, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSIntra-PO angle and LLD gap narrowed with time after THA surgery. In particular, elderly patients had smaller change in intra-PO angle.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Female ; Hip Joint ; surgery ; Humans ; Leg Length Inequality ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of guinea pig heart electrophysiological properties caused by increasing left ventricular preload, and to assess the effects of tetradrine on these changes.

METHODWorking model preparation of guinea pig hearts in vitro was used, and the preload of left ventricle was increased by adjusting the prefusion pressure of left atria. The changes of heart electrophysiologic parameters including monophasic action potential duration (MAPD90), monophasic action potential amplitude (MAPA), effective refractory period (ERP) and ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) were observed before and after altering the preload of left ventricle, and compared in the absence and presence of tetradrine, streptomycin or verapamil.

RESULTThe rising of left ventricular preload led to shortening of MAPD90, ERP, and to descent of MAPA, VFT (all P<0.01). Both Tetradrine and streptomycin inhibited these changes of heart electrophysiologic parameters caused by elevation of left ventricular afterload (all P<0.01). In contrast, verapamil had no effects on the preload-related electrophysiological changes (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectrophysiologic changes caused by increasing left ventricular preload may be inhibited by tetrandrine, through inhibition of stretch-activated ion channels.

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Benzylisoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart ; physiology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Refractory Period, Electrophysiological ; drug effects ; Stephania tetrandra ; chemistry ; Streptomycin ; pharmacology ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects ; Verapamil ; pharmacology

Adult ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; complications ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic, Traumatic ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Pelvic Bones ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical classification method of keloids and providing a thread for the treatment of keloids.

METHODSTo summarize the 600 cases of keloid patients we accepted and diagnosed from November 2004 to October 2012, and filling in keloid patients information sheet, recording the keloids form by photographs, analyzing the treatment, putting forward the classification method of keloids in clinic.

RESULTSAccording to the position and quantity that keloids grow, the keloid patients are divided into four major categories:one in single site, one in each site, more than one in single site and more than one in each site; According to the area and thickness of keloids, the keloid single lesion is divided into four subclasses: type of small area and thin, type of small area and thick, type of large areas and thin,type of large areas and thick; According to the number of lesions, keloid multiple lesions is divided into two subgenera: isolated multiple and dispersion multiple, different kinds of keloids suit different methods of treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical classification method of keloids can be used to provide thought for the treatment of keloids, and have a good application value.

Humans ; Keloid ; classification ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo determine the safety and efficacy of local administration of lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in murine air pouch model.

METHODSFrom May 2007 to April 2008 a siRNA targeting TNF-alpha and a missense siRNA were designed, and recombine lentivirus which coexpressed the green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a marker gene was constructed. Air pouches were established and stimulated by Ti-6Al-4V particles. Pouches were divided into 3 groups randomly. Lentivirus-mediated siRNA targeting TNF-alpha (TNF-alpha group) or lentivirus-mediated missense siRNA (MS group), or virus-free saline (control group) were injected into pouches respectively. Pouch membrane, peripheral blood, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, lung and brain were harvested at 28 d after transfection, and assayed for markers of inflammation using histological, molecular, immunological techniques and Xenogen in vivo imaging system (IVIS) 50 vivo bioluminescent assay system.

RESULTSXenogen IVIS 50 vivo image revealed strong expression of GFP localized in pouch areas and no expression in other parts of mice both in TNF-alpha group and MS group at 4 weeks after transfection, while no expression of GFP was found in control group. By RT-PCR and ELISA, the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-alpha in TNF-alpha group decreased by 81.6% and 82.6% respectively compared to control group (P < 0.01), and decreased by 78.9% and 84.0% respectively compared to MS group (P < 0.01), whereas TNF-alpha level in peripheral blood, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, lung and brain remained invariant (P > 0.05). Less inflammatory responses (thinner pouch membrane and decreased cellular infiltration) were observed in TNF-alpha group.

CONCLUSIONEfficient local delivery of lentivirus-mediated siRNA targeting TNF-alpha into modified murine air pouch can inhibit debris-induced inflammation effectively, with no systemic adverse effects.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Inflammation ; therapy ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Transfection ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of -689C/T polymorphism in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma2 (PPARgamma2) promoter with myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODSThis is a case-control study, which included 194 subjects with MI and 693 subjects without MI in nondiabetic Han population in Wuhan. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to determine the -689C-->T substitution.

RESULTSThe CC,CT, and TT genotype frequencies of -689C/T polymorphism were 88.1%,11.9%,and 0.0 in MI patients and 93.1%,6.6%,and 0.3% in controls, respectively (CC vs. CT+TT, P=0.025). The -689T allele was an independent risk factor for MI (OR=2.125, 95%CI: 1.206-3.744, P=0.009) after adjusting for age,sex,waist circumference,body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activities, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, level. The -689T allele carriers had significantly higher TC levels than noncarriers [(5.05+/-1.16) mmol/L vs. (4.78+/-1.05) mmol/L, P=0.004] in the total population.

CONCLUSIONThe PPARgamma2 promoter -689C/T polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of MI.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; genetics ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Risk Factors

Objective To explore the role of apoptosis of neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells and changes of relative cytokines and thrombotic factors in the pathogenesis of traumatic sepsis at the advanced stage.Methods The venous blood was collected from the patients with traumatic sepsis at advanced stage and traumatic patients without sepsis and healthy subjects.The peripheral hlood mononu- clear cells(PBMC)and neutrophils were isolated and cultured.The apoptosis of neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells was assayed,and the level of IL-4,IL-10 in PBMC culture supernatants were deter- mined,and the tissue factor(TF)and vW factor(vWF)of peripheral plasma were measured.Results The percentages of apoptosis of neutrophils and numbers of apoptotic circulating vascular endothelial cells were higher than that of traumatic patients without sepsis and healthy controls significantly.And the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4,IL-10 and thrombotic factors TF,vWF in traumatic sepsis were elevated than that of traumatic patients without sepsis and controls too.Conclusion Immune suppres- sion and abnormal thrombotic state may be one characteristic of traumatic sepsis at advanced stage,which perhaps involveds in the pathogenesis of traumatic sepsis at the advanced stage and multiple organ dys- function syndrome.