Objective To study the efficacy and safety of treating Parkinson disease(PD) by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Methods 45 patients with PD were randomly divided into two groups. 30 patients received rTMS therapy and 15 patients were given sham stimulation. Stimuli were delivered at an intensity of 110% of resting threshold (RT) and a frequency of 1Hz once a day for 10 days. All the patients were followed-up at 1 month and 3 months after treatment. The efficacy was assessed by UPDRS score, grooved pegboard test, timed motor test and 10m turned back test. All the patients stopped using dopaminergic drugs for at least 12h before each assessment. Results In rTMS treatment group, the UPDRS total scores, UPDRSⅠ-Ⅲ, the mean times of grooved pegboard and 10m turned back test were significantly decreased 10 days after treatment compared with pre-treatment (all (P)0.05), and PDQ scores significantly decreased 3 months after treatment. In sham treatment group, there was no difference of each index between pre- and post-sham treatment.Conclusion Low frequency rTMS may improve the symptoms of the patients with PD and raise their quality of life.

Objective To study the effect of hypothyroidism on oxidative stress status in developing rat brain and to further explore the mechanism of impaired brain development caused by hypothyroidism. Methods Perinatal hypothyroidism was induced by administering propylthiouracil(PTU) solution to the dams by gavage.The oxidative stress indexes were measured in brain homogenate of normal and hypothyroid pups which were sacrificed on the 21st d after birth. Results As compared to the control,the following indexes were found to be increased in the hypothyroid group: protein carbonyl contents,thiobarbital acid reactive substances,reduced glutathione,total antioxidative capacity,activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase(P0.05). Conclusion Hypothyroidism during rat brain development may cause oxidative stress,which may be related to the brain damage caused by hypothyroidism.

Objective To establish the murine animal model for acute graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods T cell-depleted (TCD) BM cells from allogeneic C57BL/6 mice were harvested and prepared from the marrow of the femurs and tibias. Age of 4 to 6 weeks’ BALB/c mice received 900 cGy total body irradiation ( TBI) from a 137Cs source. Two to four hours later,the mice were injected intravenously ( i. v. ) 5 × 106 TCD-BM cells with 1. 25 × 106 or 2. 5 × 106 or 5 × 106 splenic cells from allogeneic C57BL/6 mice,and respectively divided them into experimental group 1,experimental group 2 and experimental group 3. TCD-BM only was used as the negative control group of GVHD. Ten mice were used for each group. The establishment of aGVHD model was evaluated with a clinical GVHD scoring system,survival rate and target-organ damage. Results On 7 to 14 days after transplanta-tion,the typical clinical GVHD manifestation of severe diarrhea,hogback,activity reduced and ruffling were observed in experimental group 2. Furthermore,the aGVHD target organs of colon,lung and liver were harvested and made histological paraffin sections,then the obviously path-ological tissue damages of GVHD were detected under microscope. And the survival rate was lowed down to 0 on 45 days after transplantation in experimental group 2. On the contrary,no obviously clinical manifestation of aGVHD were observed in the control group,experimental group 1 and group 3. On 60 days later, the survival rate was 80% in experimental group 1 and 100% in control group. However,no mice was sur-vived on 10 days later in group 3. Conclusion BALB/c mice aGVHD model after allogeneic HSCT is successfully established by injecting i. v. 5 × 106 TCD-BM cells with 2. 5 × 106 splenic cells from allogeneic C57BL/6 mice.

No abstract available.

Objective To evaluate the effect of combined treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog(GnRHa)and recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH)on predicted adult height(PAH)in girls with central precocious puberty(CPP).Methods Fifteen girls with CPP,whose growth velocity during GnRHa treatment had been less than 4 cm/year,were given additional rhGH treatment at a dose of 1 U?kg~(-1)?w~(-1),sc, for 4-13 months.Comparisons of growth velocity,height SDS for bone age(HtSDS_(BA))and PAH were performed before and after the combined treatment.Results During rhGH combined with GnRHa therapy,growth velocity increased significantly[(7.4?1.7)cm/year vs (3.2?0.7)cm/year baseline,P＜0.01].In 7 girls treated with rhGH and GnRHa for more than 9 months,growth velocity in the second 6 months[(6.5?1.0)cm/year]was slightly lower than that in the first 6 months[(8.8?1.1)cm/year],being both faster than that of baseline [(3.2?0.8)cm/year].There was a significant increase in rhGH-duration corrected change of HtSDS_(BA) [(0.35?0.15)/6 month vs (0.12?0.18 )/6 month baseline,P＜0.01]and PAH[(3.2_+1.4)cm/ 6 month vs (1.4?1.1)cm/6 month baseline,P＜0.01].Conclusion In girls with CPP showing a marked decrease in growth velocity during GnRHa treatment,the combined rhGH and GnRHa treatment remarkably improves growth velocity and PAH.

No abstract available.
Heart* ; Thoracic Surgery* ; Thyroid Gland*

PURPOSE: We wanted to determine the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) for patients with clinically-suspected but equivocal acute appendicitis, and we wanted to evaluate the differences of the sensitivity and specificity of CT according to the period of time from onset of the signs and symptoms to the performance of CT. METHODS: A retrospective study was done on 273 patients who visited our hospital for acute abdominal pain from Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2005, and they could not be excluded as suffering from acute appendicitis by their symptoms nor signs. RESULTS: Forty-three (15.8%) of the 273 patients did not undergo operation because their condition was not diagnosed as acute appendicitis and 190 patients were diagnosed as acute appendicitis by CT. The other 40 patients underwent diagnostic laparotomy because acute appendicitis could not be confirmed and any other diagnosis could not be made. The patients were classified into 6 groups according to the period of time from the onset of symptoms and signs to the performance of CT. The sensitivity of CT after 48 hours was statistically significantly increased as compared to performing CT before 48 hours (92.3% vs. 75.8%, respectively; P=0.023). CONCLUSION: Forty-three (15.8%) of the patients with clinically- suspected but equivocal acute appendicitis avoided unnecessary laparotomy by undergoing CT. The sensitivity was increased for diagnosing acute appendicitis by CT when it was performed after 48 hours from the onset of symptoms and signs, but caution may be needed during interpretation because of the false positives (2 patients;4.7%) could due to secondary change of other diseases
Abdominal Pain ; Appendicitis* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The success of implants depends on intimate and direct contact of implant material on bone tissue and on functional relationship with soft tissue contact. Creation and maintenance of osseointegration depend on the understanding of the tissue's healing, repairing, and remodeling capacity and these capacities rely on cellular behavior. Altering the surface properties can modify cellular responses such as cell adhesion, cell motility, bone deposition. Therefore, various implant surface treatment methods are being developed for the improved bone cell responses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the responses of osteoblast-like cells to surface- modified titanium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was composed of four groups. Group 1 represented the electropolished surface. Group 2 surfaces were machined surface. Group 3 and Group 4 were anodized surfaces. Group 3 had low roughness and Group 4 had high roughness. Physicochemical properties and microstructures of the d iscs were examined and the responses of osteoblast-like cells to the discs were investigated. The microtopography was observed by SEM. The roughness was measured by three-dimension roughness measuring system. The microstructure was analyzed by XRD, AES. To evaluate cell responses to modified titanium surfaces, osteoblasts isolated from calvaria of neonatal rat were cultured. Cell count, morphology, total protein measurement and alkaline phosphatase activities of the cultures were examined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results were as follows 1. The four groups showed specific microtopography respectively. Anodized group showed grain structure with micropores. 2. Surface roughness values were, from the lowest to the highest, electropolished group, machined group, low roughness anodized group, and high roughness anodized group. 3. Highly roughened anodized group was found to have increased surface oxide thickness and surface crystallinity. 4. The morphology of cells, flattened or spherical, were different from ach other. In the electropolished group and machined group, the cells were almost flattened. In two anodized groups, some cells were spherical and other cells were flattened. And the 14 day culture cells of all of the groups were nearly flattened due to confluency. 5. The number of attached cells was highest in low roughness anodized group. And the machined group had significantly lower cell count than any other groups(P<.05). 6. Total protein contents showed no difference among groups. 7. The level of alkaline phosphatase activities was higher in the anodized groups than electropolished and machined groups(P<.05).
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Count ; Cell Movement ; Edible Grain ; Crystallins ; Osseointegration ; Osteoblasts ; Rats ; Skull ; Surface Properties ; Titanium*

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment promoting the motor function recovery of neonate rats with cerebral palsy.

METHODSThe improved hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) means was performed to establish the model of neonate rats with cerebral palsy. All neonate rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham group, model group and acupuncture group (n = 20). We observed and scored motor function of rats, measured the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, and also measured the expression of synaptophysin (SYP) and growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the diseased region of cerebral tissue.

RESULTSThe motor function scores (11.3 +/- 0.29) and the serum level of SOD (147.1 +/- 12.7) U/ml in acupuncture treatment group were higher than those of model group ( P < 0.05). The serum level of MDA was lower in acupuncture treatment group than that of model group (P < 0.05). The expression of SYP and GAP-43 in the diseased region of cerebral tissue of acupuncture treatment group were higher than those of model group ( P < 0.05) .

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture-therapy could improve the motor function of neonate rats with cerebral palsy by decreasing the content of MDA in serum, increasing the contents of SOD in serum, and prolonging the upregulation of SYP and GAP-43 expressions in hmin tissue.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cerebral Palsy ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; GAP-43 Protein ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; therapy ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism

No abstract available.
Foot* ; Hand*