Objective To evaluate alendronate with regards to its effect s on trabecular bone structural properties. Methods Alendronate was administered at a daily p.o. dose of 0.5 mg?kg－1?d－1 over a 12 weeks period in Hound do gs (n=8 ＋ 8 for control and treated group), the structural indices of the lumba r vertebral (L 1 and L 2) trabecular bone were assessed directly from 3 D image s. Results Treatment with alendronate increased bone volume fraction by 9.5％ a nd 7.7％ respectively, in the L 1 and L 2. Trabecular thickness significantly in creased after alendronate treatment, whereas trabecular separation remained cons tant. The degree of anisotropy for the alendronate treated group was decreased compared with that of the control group. Bone surface to volume ratio declined s ignificantly in the alendronate treated group, whereas alendronate induced a hi gher value of bone surface density. Conclusion Alendronate increased the struct ural properties of canine trabecular bone after short-term treatment at a dose of 0.5 mg?kg－1?d－1. Thus, alendronate could increase the structural properti es of healthy trabecular bone in a short-term period.

Dental Pulp Cavity ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Radiography ; Root Canal Therapy

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Glomerular Mesangium ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; I-kappa B Kinase ; NF-kappa B ; analysis ; Peptide Fragments ; pharmacology ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; analysis

Objective To expore CT diagnostic values for hyaline-vascular type of giant lymph node hyperplasia(GLNH).Methods CT findings in 4 patients with hyaline-vascular type of GLNH confirmed by surgery and pathology were respectively analyzed and relevant literatures were reviewed.CT examination included plain and enhanced scan with contrast medium bolus injection.Results Lesions were located 2 at the posterior mediastinum,1 at the restroperitonum and 1 at the neck.The characteristic CT appearances were a large soft tissue mass round or oval in shape with homogenous density,well and regular margin.The masses were all markedly enhanced after contrast,their attenuation were similar to but slightly lower than the larger arteries in the same section.Conclusion GLNH is an uncommon disease and it′s clinical diagnosis is difficult.But CT scanning could showed some features.When CT found a mass with benign characters locating in lymph node regions,especially marked enhancement,Hyaline-vascular type of GLNH should be considered.

Objective: To evaluate the role of the MAPK subtypes (p38MAPK, ERK and JNK) in ANG Ⅱ induced apoptosis of cultured human podocytes. Methods: The cultured podocytes were incubated in media containing either vehicle, SB202190(5 ?mol/L, an inhibitor of p38MAPK), PD98059 (1 ?mol/L, an inhibitor of ERK), SP600125 (5 ?mol/L, an inhibitor of JNK), ANG Ⅱ (10 -8 mol/L) with or without SB202190、PD98059 and SP600125 for 18 hours; the cells were assayed for apoptosis by morphologic staining with H 33342 and propidium iodide and DNA fragmentation assays; the cell proteins were probed for phosphorylated MAPKs to determine the activation of specific MAPK subtypes. Results: ANG Ⅱ promoted podocyte apoptosis in a time and dose dependent manner; ANG Ⅱ stimulated p38MAPK, but inhibited JNK; SB202190 inhibited both ANG Ⅱ induced podocyte apoptosis and p38MAPK phosphorylation; Inhibition of ERK by PD98059 had no effect on ANG Ⅱ induced cell apoptosis. Conclusion: ANG Ⅱ induced apoptosis through stimulation of p38MAPK and inhibition of JNK in human podocytes.

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic differences among scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking, body acupuncture and western medication for treatment of vascular dementia (VD).

METHODSNinety cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group (31 cases), a body acupuncture group (29 cases) and a western medication group (30 cases). The combined therapy group was treated with scalp acupuncture at forehead middle line, parieral middle line, temporal front line and temporal rear line as well as auricular point sticking at naogan (AT3,41), shen (CO10), shenmen (TF4), zhen (AT3), once a day; the body acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Zusanli (ST 36) and so on, once a day; the western medication group was treated with oral administration of aniracetam tablets, 0.2 g per time, twice a day. Fourteen days were considered as a treatment course, and totally 3 courses were required. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activities of daily living (ADL) were applied to assess the changes of cognitive behavior ability before and after treatment among three groups. Also the efficacy among three groups were compared.

RESULTSOne case dropped out in the body acupuncture group and western medication group, respectively. The total effective rate was 90.334 (28/31) in the combined therapy group, which was superior to 85.734 (24/28) in the body acupuncture group and 79.3% (23/29) in the western medication group (both P < 0.05). After the treatment, the scores of MMSE and ADL were all improved among three groups, which was the most significant in the combined therapy group (MMSE: 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 21.23 +/- 4.13, P < 0.05; 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 20.41 +/- 4. 01, P < 0.01; ADL: 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 51.92 +/- 20.42, P < 0.05; 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 49.42 +/- 19.43, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking could improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive behavior ability in patients with vascular dementia, which has superior total efficacy to body acupuncture and western medication aniracetam tablets.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Cognition ; Dementia, Vascular ; psychology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Scalp

Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma ; pathology

Objective To investigate the wall shear stress(WSS) in the common carotid artery of type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM) patients,and analyzed the spatial distribution of WSS by using quantitative visualization of blood flow shear stress analysis software.Methods Eighteen male type 2 DM subjects were enrolled as DM group and 18 age-matched healthy subjects were selected as control group.None of the participants was hypertensive,hyperlipidemic or a cigarette smoker.Intimal-medial thickness (IMT),number and size of plaques in the common carotid artery were evaluated by high-resolution echo-Doppler.Color Doppler flow images of common carotid arteries in the two groups were extracted from DICOM files.WSS in the common carotid arteries was calculated by shear stress visualization quantitative analysis software,and the corresponding spatial distribution maps of WSS were designed.Results WSS of the common carotid arteries in the control group were ranged from 4 to 14 dyne/cm2.WSS of the common carotid arteries in the DM group were ranged from 2 to 8 dyne/cm2.Compared to mean WSS value [(6.96 ± 1.17)dyne/cm2] of common carotid arteries in the control group,mean WSS value [(3.14 ± 0.79)dyne/cm2] of common carotid arteries in the DM group was significantly lower (t =9.380,P =0.000).Six diabetic participants had a plaque in one carotid artery and no lesions in the contralateral carotid.Among these subjects,mean WSS was significantly lower in the side with lesion (t =7.324,P =0.000).Therefore,IMT of common carotid arteries in participants was significantly inversely related to WSS (r =-0.76,P ＜0.01).Conclusions The common carotid arteries of DM patients are more prone to atherosclerosis which is associated with reduction of WSS.The hemodynamic profile might represent an additional factor contributing to the increased prevalence and severity of carotid atherosclerosis in diabetic patients compared with general population.

[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between upper airway MRI parameters and the severity of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Then the values of upper airway MRI parameters in waking state were assessed.METHODS The MRI upper airway parameters of 37 OSAHS patients and 18 nonsnoring normal subjects were measured and compared. Then data analysis were carried out to find out significant correlations between the MRI upper airway parameters and the severity of patients (the apnea hypopnea index, AHI; the lowest oxygen saturation, LSaO2; the oxygen desaturation index, ODI) with OSAHS.RESULTSThe correlation between cross-sectional areas and left-right diameter in the narrowest retropalatal region, the thickness of lateral pharyngeal wall, the length of the tongue, the length and thickness of the soft palate and the cross-sectional areas of the soft palate on midsagittal planes and severity of OSAHS were found (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONThe MRI upper airway parameters can be used in evaluating the severity of OSAHS in some ways, locating the obstruction sites and choosing the best treatment planning.