Biomechanical evaluation of neck muscles has important significance in the diagnosis and treatment for cervical spondylosis, the neck muscle strength and soft tissue stiffness test is two aspects of biomechanical testing. Isometric muscle testing operation is relatively simple, the cost is lower, which can evaluate the muscle force below grade 3. However, isokinetic muscle strength testing can assess the muscle strength of joint motion in any position. It is hard to distinguish stiffness difference in different soft tissues when the load-displacement curve is used to evaluate the local soft tissue stiffness. Elasticity imaging technique can not only show the elastic differences of different tissues by images, but also quantify the elastic modulus of subcutaneous tissues and muscles respectively. Nevertheless, it is difficult to observe the flexibility of the cervical spine by means of the analysis of the whole neck stiffness. In a word, a variety of test method will conduce not only the biomechanical evaluation of neck muscles, but also making an effective biomechanics mathematical model of neck muscles. Besides, isokinetic muscle testing and the elasticity imaging technology still need further validation and optimization before they are better applied to neck muscles biomechanical testing.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Humans ; Muscle Strength ; Neck Muscles ; physiology

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; trends ; Phytotherapy

Objective To conduct a Meta analysis based evaluation of dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Literatures publicated from January 2006 to July 2009, including in English or Chinese languages, were searched in Medline,China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Medical Assosiation Digital Periodicals (CMADP). A study was enrolled if it: ( 1 ) used DSCT angiography as the diagnostic test for the detection of significant coronary stenosis ( ≥50% diameter stenosis) in patients with suspected CAD; (2) used coronary angiography as the reference standard. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were acquired based on the bivariate random-effects modol. Hierarchical weighted symmetric summary receiver-operating curve (HSROC) was also estimated. The pooled likelihood ratios were calculated based on the pooled sensitivity and specificity. Combined with the pooled likelihood ratios, the clinical utility of the results was estimated according to Bayes'theory. Results Total of ten articles enrolled in this study, included 1271 patients. The mean rate of nonevaluable patients and segments were 5.6% (33/590) and 2. 3% (271/11 745 ), respectively. The pooled statistical results were as follows: the sensitivity and specificity were 99% (97%-99% ) and 86% (79%-90% ), respectively; the positive and negative likelihood ratio were 6. 84 and 0. 01, respectively. If a pre-test probability was below 84%, the likelihood of disease was less than 5% on a negative diagnosis of DSCT. If a pre-test probability was above 13%, the likelihood of disease was more than 50% on a positive diagnosis of DSCT. Conclusions DSCT angiography presents good diagnostic performance in the detection of CAD; however, it could not completely replace conventional coronary angiography.

BACKGROUND:5-Fluorouracil occupies an important position in the treatment of gastric cancer, but its long-term use can easily induce adverse reactions such as myelosuppression and leukopenia. Polylactic acid and its copolymers have a higher biocompatibility, and their decomposer cannot gather in the body.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity mechanism of 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles on gastric cancer cel lines.
METHODS:Ten mice were selected in this study. 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles (1×10-7, 1×10-6, 1×10-5, 1×10-4 mol/L) were prepared using ultrasonic emulsification method. Kiling effect of polylactic acid nanoparticles on gastric cancer cel lines in vitrowere detected. Then, the inhibition rate was calculated at different concentrations.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Under the transmission electron microscope, 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles had good shape and relatively evenly distributed with no adhesions. After drug administration, the drug concentration was 50% at 24 hours and 62.9% at 72 hours. After 48 hours co-culture with single 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles, the viability of gastric cancer cels showed a decrease trend with the increase of drug concentrations, and moreover, 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles had a better cel inhibition ability than the single 5-fluorouracil (P < 0.05). The IC50value of 5-fluorouracil-loaded polylactic acid nanoparticles was significantly lower than that of 5-fluorouracil (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that polylactic acid nanoparticles as good drug carriers have a strong drug loading capacity and increase drug concentration in the body, but cannot reduce the biological activity of 5-fluorouracil, which provide new ideas for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Cell Count ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; blood ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ; Young Adult

A large ischemic stroke caused by malignant middle cerebral artery infarction can lead to severe cerebral edema, even cerebral hernia. This condition deteriorates and progresses rapidly, usually leading to death. Due to limitations of conservative treatments, decompressive hemicraniectomy becomes a favored option in clinic. Recent years, a series of ex?perimental studies and clinical trials achieved reliable evidence that decompressive hemicraniectomy is an effective treat?ment for patients who suffer from malignant middle cerebral artery infarction. With the successful surgical procedure, most patients benefit from a reduced mortality and improved functional outcome without severe disability. Nevertheless, plenty of issues about decompressive hemicraniectomy still need to be solved. Here, we reviewed researches of early diagnosis of ma?lignant middle cerebral infarction and the application of decompressive hemicraniectomy as its treatment.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of beta-hydroxyisovaleryl shikonin (beta-HIVS) combined cisplatin on activities of ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 in vivo and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSCells were divided into the blank control group and six beta-HIVS groups (2 - 30 micromol/L). Effect of beta-HIVS at different concentrations on the activities of ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 was detected using MTT assay. SKOV3 cells were treated with cisplatin (10, 20, and 40 micromol/L) and beta-HIVS (0.25, 1, and 2.5 micromol/L) combined cisplatin. Effect of beta-HIVS combined cisplatin on the activities of ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 was determined by MTT assay. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax after treated by different concentrations of beta-HIVS was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSThe activities of SKOV3 were inhibited by different concentrations of beta-HIVS dose-dependently. The 50% inhibition rate (IC50) was 7.37 micromol/L. There was statistical difference in IC50 between each concentration beta-HIVS group and the blank control group (P < 0.05). There was statistical difference in IC50 between the beta-HIVS (1 and 2.5 micromol/L) combined cisplatin groups and the cisplatin group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The synergistic effect on beta-HIVS showed dose-dependent manner. Results of Western blot showed beta-HIVS at different concentrations (5, 7.5, and 10 micromol/L) could obviously up-regulate the expression level of Bax protein and inhibit the expression level of Bcl-2 protein, showing statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS; HIVS could obviously inhibit in vitro growth of SKOV3 in a dose-dependent manner. With the range of concentration, beta-HIVS showed synergetic effect with cisplatin. Besides, along with increasing beta-HIVS concentrations, the synergetic effect was more significant. The synergetic effect might accelerate the apoptosis of SKOV3 through up-regulating Bax expression and inhibiting Bcl-2 expression.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Naphthoquinones ; pharmacology ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the induction of tolerant dendritic cells(DOs)and its mechanism in mice.Methods The dendritic cell line derived from C57BL/6 mouse.DO2.4 cells were co-cultured with TGF-?_1(20 ng/ml)to induce the tolerant DCs(TGF?-DC)and stimulated wihh li- popolysaccharide(LPS)for 48 h to induce the mature DCs(LPS-DC).Special small interference RNA molecule(siRNA)of PIR-B was chemically synthesized and was transfected into TGF?-DC by lip2000 (si-DC).The expression of paired immunoglobin receptor A/B(PIR-A/B)in DC2.4 cells was mea- sured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometry(FCM).The allogeneic stimulating capacity of DCs was measured by mixed lymphocyte reaction(MLR)using ~3H-thymidine incorporation test with the Balb/c spleen cells as reaction cells.The concentration of IFN-?in supernatants of MLR from dis- tinct groups was tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results TGF-?_1 up-regula- ted the PIR-B mRNA expression and down-regulated the PIR-A mRNA expression(P

Objective To evaluate the usage of renoportal anastomosis in the liver transplanta- tion.Method The successful experience about renoportal anastomosis for portal vein reconstruction in liver transplantation was reported,and related literature reviewed.Results Including our case,there have been 13 cases of liver transplantation using renoportal anastomosis for portal vein reconstruction. Among these patients,8 cases were complicated with diffuse portal vein thrombosis,and 10 cases had a splenorenal shunt(spontaneous shunt in 3 and surgical shunt in 7).Complications related to portal vein hypertension occurred in 3 cases(transient ascites in 2 cases and severe digestive bleeding in 1 case)after liver transplantation.There were 3 deaths which were not related to renoportal anastomo- sis.Conclusion Renoportal anastomosis is a safe and feasible technique in liver transplantation for the patients with diffuse portal vein thrombosis or with splenorenal shunt(spontaneous or surgical shunt).

AIM: To study p42/p44 mitogen - activated protein kinases ( MAPK ) signal transduction pathway effect on vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ) expression induced by elevated glucose concentration in cultured human retinal pigment epithelium ( hRPE) .
METHODS:hRPE cells were cultured and divided into four groups:normal glucose group (NG) (5. 6mmol/L), high glucose group ( HG1:15mmol/L D-glucose, HG2:20mmol/L D - glucose, HG3:30mmol/L D - glucose ), PD98059 group: hRPE cells were treated by an efficient and selective inhibitor PD98059 (20μmol/L) of p42/p44MAPK signal transduction pathway and solvent dimethyl sulfoxide group ( DMSO group) . The expression of VEGF and pigment epithelium derived factor ( PEDF ) mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. VEGF protein expression in cultured hRPE supernatants was detected by enzyme-linked immumosorbent assay ( ELISA) .
RUSULTS: VEGF mRNA and protein expression induced by elevated glucose concentration increased significantly. VEGF mRNA and protein expression were restrained in PD98059 group. Ratio of ( VEGF/β-actine)/( PEDF/β - actine ) in PD98059 group decreased significantly compare with that in high glucose group.
CONCLUSION: p42/p44MAPK signal transduction pathway might play a part in VEGF expression induced by elevated glucose concentration in cultured hRPE cells.