Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Wounds and Injuries ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To assesse the quality of life of patients after cardiac pacemaker implantation using the Chinese version of SF-36.Methods Ninety-eight patients with permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation were investigated before and after the operation in terms of quality of life by using the Chinese version SF-36.Results Successful surgery was performed on all the 98 patients.The previous symptoms of the patients were improved to vari- ous extend after the operation.The quality of life of the patients was significantly improved after operation as demon- strated by the significant difference of the scores in 9 domains of SF-36 when compared with those before the operation (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the biomechanical properties of tibial plateau depressed fracture fixed with a net-fixation of Kirschner wires.

METHODSTwenty homemade fracture models were fixed with eight 1.5 mm Kirschner wires in a net-fixation; 20 homemade fracture models were fixed with two 3.5 mm cortical screws. Plane-compressed and dot-compressed test were made on each 10 models of the two groups. The maximal force of anti-ompress and stiffness were measured and evaluated.

RESULTSIn plane-compressed test,mean maximal force of anti-compress and stiffness for screw fixation was (1,925.31 +/- 444.26) N and (2.28 +/- 0.53) N/mm2, respectively, for net-fixation was (1,609.62 +/- 277.72) N and (1.90 +/- 0.33) N/mm2, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the two fixation methods (P > 0.05). In dot-compressed test,mean maximal force of anti-compress and stiffness for screw fixation was (411.13 +/- 233.88) N and (2.66 +/- 1.52) N/mm2,respectively,for net-fixation was (1,105.58 +/- 290.66) N and (7.18 +/- 1.89) N/mm2,respectively,the net-fixation was better than that of the screw fixation (P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of tibial plateau depressed fracture with a net-fixation of Kirschner wires is a biological fixation and is a reliably method.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Screws ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; Mechanical Phenomena ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

120 strains of endophytic bacteria identified by ERIC-PCR were isolated from wild and cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis plants which collected from Erdos Innermongolia province.The identified results indicated that Glycyrrhiza uralensis plants has plenty of endophytic bacterium in density and population,and the density is higher in root and leave than in stem.Partial sequence analysis of 16S rDNA gene of 82 strains indicated that these strains were in a high similarity with 19 known genus which belong to?、?、 ?-Proteobacteria、Firmicutes and Actinobacteria.The dominant genus were Bacillus sp.,Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea sp.and Serratia sp..

Objective To evaluate the significance of multi-slice helical CT with multiplanar reconstruction in laryngeal carcinoma.Methods Thirty-five patients with laryngeal carcinoma were studied by helical CT,MPR were subsequently done.The lesion extent of the axial image findings,MPR findings and the combined image findings were compared with the pathological results respectively.The data were statistically analyzed.Results In the evaluation of the anterior commissure,the axial image findings,MPR findings and the combined image findings were 82.9%,68.6% and 91.4% in accuracy respectively,the results were statistically different(P0.05).The combined images were superior to the axial images and the MPR images in sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of the lesion extent.Conclusion The axial images could show the shape,size,extension of the tumor and the lymphadenopathy,MPR images displayed the shape,size and extension roundly and directly,they were the supplement for the axial images.Axial images combined with MPR could improve the accuracy in the diagnoses of laryngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of PD98059 on the proliferation and cell cycle of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) stimulated by acetaldehyde and explore its mechanism.

METHODSRat HSCs stimulated by acetaldehyde were incubated with different concentrations of PD98059. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay. Cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry. The mRNA of cyclin D1 and CDK4 were examined by RT-PCR.

RESULTS20, 50, 100 micromol/L PD98059 could significantly inhibit the proliferation of HSCs stimulated by acetaldehyde in a does-dependent manner (0.109+/-0.020, 0.081+/-0.010 and 0.056+/-0.020 vs 0.146+/-0.030, F=31.385, P<0.05) and provoke G0/G1 phase arrest of HSCs stimulated by acetaldehyde in a does-dependent manner (61.9%+/-6.3%, 64.1%+/-3.3% and 70.9%+/-4.8% vs 55.2%+/-4.4%, F=16.402, P<0.05). 50, 100 micromol/L PD98059 could markedly inhibit cyclin D1 mRNA expression of HSC stimulated by acetaldehyde (0.56+/-0.04 and 0.46+/-0.03 vs 0.65+/-0.07, F=68.758, P<0.05) and CDK4 mRNA expression (0.39+/-0.07 and 0.33+/-0.05 vs 0.50+/-0.06, F=29.406, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe Erk signal transduction pathway plays an important role in regulating the proliferation and cell cycle of rat hepatic stellate cells stimulated by acetaldehyde, which may be partly related to its regulative effect on the expression of cyclin D1 gene and CDK4 gene

Acetaldehyde ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinases ; metabolism ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; Rats

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, on the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and its mechanism. METHODS: Primary HSCs isolated from SD rats were cultured and treated with different concentrations (1, 3 or 10micromol/L) of ADMA for various periods (12 approximately 48h). Expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and synthesis of type-I collagens in HSC were determined. Messenger RNA levels of the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta(1)) in the HSCs were determined using RT-PCR. Intracellular reactive oxidant species (ROS) production was measured using oxidant-sensitive fluorescent indicator. Activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). RESULTS: ADMA could increase alpha-SMA-positive cells ratio and Type I collagens production of HSCs in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, concomitant with the increase of the TGF-beta(1) mRNA level. Treatment with ADMA (10micromol/L) significantly increased the intracellular ROS production and activated NF-kappaB. Such effects of ADMA on the level of TGF-beta(1) mRNA could be markedly attenuated by pretreatment with antioxidant pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (25micromol/L). CONCLUSION ADMA can induce the HSC activation by increasing TGF-beta(1) expression through ROS-NF-kappaB-dependent pathway. Therefore, ADMA should be a novel and endogenous activator of HSC, which may be involved in the development of liver fibrosis.
Actins ; biosynthesis ; Animals ; Arginine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its risk factors in rural area in the southern part of Hubei province and to provide evidence for prevention and treatment.

METHODSUsing uniform scheme, procedures and questionnaire, a multistage survey for 1883 people in rural area in southern part of Hubei province was performed, and physical examinations and lung function tests were conducted for every participant.

RESULTSIn this survey, 186 COPD cases were identified with a overall prevalence of 9.88%. The prevalence for male was 13.68% while in female it was 6.46%. The prevalence was higher in males than in females (chi2 = 27.48, P< 0.001) and higher with the increase of age (chi2 = 79.22, P<0.001). Factors associated with COPD were identified in one-way variance model as follows: sex, age, smoking, time for cooking, using biomass fuels for in-door cooking, family history, frequent cough before age 14, low body index and having house remodelling in the last five years. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex (OR= 1.3010), age (OR = 1.8506), smoking (OR= 3.0118), cooking time (OR= 1.7651), family history (OR = 1.5278), frequent cough before age 14 (OR = 2.8965) were risk factors.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of COPD in the southern part of Hubei province was high, suggesting that comprehensive intervention measures should be taken.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Population Surveillance ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in viral hepatitis.

METHODS84 viral hepatitis patients and 20 healthy controls were divided into three groups: Group A: 48 viral hepatitis patients with thrombocytopenia; Group B: 36 viral hepatitis patients with normal platelet count; and Group C: 20 healthy controls. Serum thrombopoietin (TPO) levels were measured in all subjects by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of PAIg, PAIgG, PAIgA, PAIgM were detected in all subjects by flow cytometry. Spleen size was assessed in all subjects by abdominal color ultrasound B Scan. Bone marrow cells were examined in 74 subjects with bone marrow punctures.

RESULTSSerum thrombopoietin level was lower in group A than in group C and in group B. Serum TPO levels were correlated with platelet counts in the patients with advanced liver diseases. PAIg, PAIgG levels were significantly higher in group A than in group B and in group C. An inverse correlation was found between platelet counts and PAIg levels. An inverse correlation was also observed between platelet counts and PAIgG levels. The incidence of splenomegaly was significantly higher in group A (77.1%) than in group B (47.2%), while group C had no splenomegaly. An inverse correlation between spleen size and platelet count was observed (r = -0.581). There were 4 patients in group A with hypoplasia of bone marrow karyocytes, but there were no such cases in groups B and C.

CONCLUSIONSTPO level decreasing in patients with severe liver function impairments correlates with thrombocytopenia in advanced liver diseases. Autoimmune mechanism mediated by PAIg may play an important role in thrombocytopenia associated with viral hepatitis. Splenomegaly is the influencing factor leading to thrombocytopenia in viral hepatitis. Patients with chronic liver diseases had bone marrow depression, which may be a factor inducing thrombocytopenia in patients with viral hepatitis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; blood ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Splenomegaly ; etiology ; Thrombocytopenia ; etiology ; Thrombopoietin ; blood