Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Niemann-Pick Diseases ; genetics ; Pedigree

Objective To investigate the influential factors for refracture of the adjacent vertebral body following percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) treatment of patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on OVCFs patients undergone mono-segmental PVP from July 2007 to March 2010.Patients' age,gender,bone density,bone cement infusion dosage,bone cement leakage and pre-and post-operative fracture reduction were documented.Kaplan-Meier remaining rate curve was used to predict the trend of time to refracture.The related factors for adjacent vertebral body refracture following PVP were analyzed.Results In all,216 patients (98 males and 118 females; age range of 55-76 years,average 65.4 years) were enrolled in this study.Follow-up lasted for 12-18 months.Ninety-two patients sustained refracture including 68 patients with refracture of the adjacent vertebral body.Refracture of the adjacent vertebral body presented time-concentrated tendency and 66％ (45/68) occurred within 100 days followed by a notably lower incidence.Whereas the time to refracture of the non-adjacent vertebral body was not obviously centralized.Bone cement infusion dosage and vertebral body reset condition were strongly associated with the refracture incidence of the adjacent vertebral body,while opposite results were observed in regard of age,gender,bone density and bone cement leakage (or not).Conclusion PVP predisposes OVCFs patients to refracture of the adjacent vertebral body and its influential factors may be associated with bone cement infusion dosage and vertebral body reduction condition.

Objective To investigate the effects of the site for access to internal jugular vein (lateral versus anterior),lying position of patients (supine versus Trendelenburg),and head rotation (0°,20°,and maximum) during central venous catheterization on the location depth and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right internal jugular vein (IJV).Methods Fifteen healthy volunteers were recruited in this prospective observational study from September 2008 to October 2008.Healthy volunteers were placed in flat supine position and 15°.Trendelenburg position separately.In each position,IJV were measured ultrasonographically from lateral site and anterior site with the head oriented at 0°,20°,and maximum rotation separately.Data of measured CSA and location depth of internal jugular vein in different positions were compared.Results The largest CSA (2.16 ±0.89) cm2 and location depth [(1.38 ± 0.43)cm] were occurred at the lateral approach in Trendelenburg position with head oriented at maximum rotation.The CSA in Trendelenburg position was larger than that in flat supine position.Only at the maximum head rotation,lateral approach got statistically larger CSA.The effects of head rotation varied with different degrees of rotation.Conclusions Site of approach,lying position and head rotation had noticeable effects on internal jugular vein cross-sectional area.Trendelenburg position increased the CSA of IJV.

OBJECTIVE: To work out scientific computation and evaluation method for the working performance of dispensers so as to improve the service quality and motivate the enthusiasm of the dispensers.METHODS: The performance of each dispenser consisted of the coefficient of dispensing prescriptions and coefficient of colligation(weight ratio: 80%∶20%).The coefficient of dispensed prescriptions was derived from the number of prescriptions in the foreground(counter),the quantity of drugs dispensed and the number of dispensed prescriptions in the background;and coefficient of colligation was derived from the service quality and work performance of dispensers.The individual bonus was decided by his performance coefficient.RESULTS: The monthly quantitative evaluation indicators and evaluation results of the work performance and service quality of each pharmacist became available.As compared without this evaluation system,the differences among dispensers in performance coefficient and in dispensing error were markedly decreased after the practice of performance evaluation,and the irrational prescriptions were able to be corrected in time.CONCLUSIONS: The quantitative evaluation method has motivated the working enthusiasm of the dispensers and enhanced both the working efficiency and service quality.Besides,this system can be modified based on the practical situation to be generally approved.

Objective To analyze the metabolic profile of children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy by metabolomics, and its abnormal metabolic pathway. Methods The serum of 10 children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy (patient group) and 7 healthy children (control group) aged 6 to 12 years were collected at clinic from May to August, 2014. The serum samples were tested by the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer and the spectroscopies were discriminated by partial least squares-discriminant analysis. According to the human metabolome database, the final metabolites disturbed would be figured out. Results 15 chemical shifts were defined, and 6 of them, including 2.04 ppm, 2.12 ppm, 3.00 ppm, 3.24 ppm, 3.76 ppm, 6.50 ppm, were significantly different between 2 groups (P<0.05). The KEGG Pathway Database showed that the levels of taurine, fumarate, oxaloacete, pyruvate, citrate, aspartate, succinate, malate, cysteine decreased, and the levels of glutamate, 2-oxoglutarate, glutamine, leucine, alanine increased. The abnormal metabolism was found in taurine metabolism, glutamine me-tabolism and energy metabolism pathways. Conclusion Based on metabolomics, the metabolic profile of children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy was discriminated out successfully. The further research can focus on the small molecules found out.

Objective To investigate the effects of high-fat diet on the formation of colorectal adenomas in rats.Methods Twenty Wistar rats were evenly divided into two groups,one group were fed with common food and the other group were fed with high fat-diet.The rats of two groups were intraperitoneally injected with 1,2-dimethyl-hydrazine (DMH) (40 mg/kg) once a week for 10 consecutive weeks.Rats with common diet and DMH were assigned to SDT group,and those with high-fat diet and DMH were assigned to HFDT group.The expression of Ki-67 was detected by immunohistochemistry and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclooxy-genase 2 (COX2) was detected by immunofluorescence.The levels of serum triglyceride,cholesterol,insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1),insulin,leptin and tumor necrosis factor-α were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Student's t test and Mann-Whitney test were performed for statistical analysis.Results At the 18th week,the numbers of Ki-67 positive cells of SDT group and HFDT group were 24.00± 1.84 and 75.17 ± 3.17,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (t=13.960,P＜0.01).The fluorescence intensity of PCNA of SDT group and HFDT group was 213.70±21.61 and 333.30±30.44,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (t =4.987,P＜0.01).The levels of serum triglyceride of SDT group and HFDT group were (0.43 ± 0.05) mmol/L and (1.14±0.07) mmol/L,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (t=8.366,P＜0.01).The levels of cholesterol were (3.75±0.'26) pmol/L and (7.77±0.79) pmol/L,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (t=4.851,P＜0.01).Conclusion High-fat diet can promote the genesis and development of adnomas through influencing the body's endocrine metabolism,increasing cell proliferation cycle and regulating inflammatory reaction.

Objective To investigate the sequence characteristic of black bear's mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 4 gene(ND4).Methods Primers were designed according to certain species' NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase ND4 in which the DNA sequence had been reported.The DNA sequence was amplified by PCR from the Asian black bear Sichuan subspecies's(Ursus thibetanus mupinensis)hair-follicle tissue total DNA and were analyzed with its amino acid sequence.Results The ND4 gene sequence length was 1 402 bp and contained a 1 377-nucleotide open reading frame encoding 459 amino acid residues.The amino acid sequence's pI was 9.37 and weight was 51.5?10 3.The DNA sequence and corresponding amino acid sequence of black bear's ND4 gene had the high similarity with those of other mammalian animals' ND4 gene,and the similarity was 89% to 91% and 94% to 95%.The result of phylogenetic tree was basically consistent with the traditional species system phylogenetic relations.Topology prediction showed the Asian black bear Sichuan subspecies's ND4 proteins contained N-glycosylation site,kinase C phosphorylation sites,casein kinase Ⅱ phosphorylation site,N-myristoylation site and leucine-rich region.In addition,black bear's ND4 protein contained leucine zipper pattern and Leucine-rich region.Conclusion The mammalia animal's ND4 gene has the high conservative nature.The pretein coded by ND4 gene has high uniformity in the function.

Objective To investigate the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in the estimation of tumor angiogenesis and pathologic grading of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.Methods Routine preoperative MRI and DCE-MRI scanning were performed on 57 patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.The early signal enhancement ratio (eSER) and delayed signal enhancement ratio (dSER) of DCE-MRI were calculated.Microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressions were detected in the extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tissue samples using immunohistochemical methods.The relations between the eSER or dSER and MVD,VEGF and the pathological grading of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were analyzed.Results There was a positive correlation between the eSER or dSER and MVD of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (r =0.62,P ＜ 0.05 ; r =0.45,P ＜ 0.05).The eSER of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with a positive VEGF expression was higher than those with a negative VEGF expression (t =3.53,P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in dSER between the positive VEGF expression group and the negative VEGF expression group (t =1.35,P ＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the eSER or dSER among the different differentiated extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (F =2.65,P ＞ 0.05 ; F =2.23,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The eSER and dSER reflected tumor angiogenesis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,and DCE-MRI contributed to the evaluation of biological features of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in vivo.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Modified Hangqi Chifeng Decoction (MHCD) on levels of collagen type IV (Col IV), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in extracellular matrix (ECM) of glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) in LPS induced mice.

METHODSNormal serum and telmisartan, high, medium, low dose MHCD containing serums were prepared by using serum pharmacology method. GMCs were cultured in vitro. The proliferation of mesangial cells were induced using LPS as stimulating factor. GMCs were divided into six groups, i.e., the normal group, the model group, the telmisartan group, high, medium and low dose MHCD groups. Col IV content in the supernatant of mesangial cells was detected using ELISA. Protein expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were detected using Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, Col IV content obviously increased in the model group after 72-h LPS stimulation; protein expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were obviously up-regulated, and MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio was down-regulated in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, Col IV content obviously decreased in high and medium dose MHCD groups and the telmisartan group (P < 0.01); protein expressions of MMP-2 were obviously down-regulated in medium and low dose MHCD groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05); the protein expression of TIMP-2 was obviously down-regulated in high, medium, low dose MHCD groups and the telmisartan group (P < 0.01). The pro- tein expression of TIMP-2 was obviously lower in the high dose MHCD group than in the low dose MHCD group (P < 0.01). MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio was obviously up-regulated in the telmisartan group, high and medium dose MHCD groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMHCD could regulate disordered MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio in LPS induced ECM, inhibit excessive production of Col IV in ECM, promote the degradation of ECM, reduce the accumulation of ECM, thereby, delaying the process of glomerular sclerosis.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type IV ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Kidney Glomerulus ; cytology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Mesangial Cells ; drug effects ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a serious clinical problem for patients receiving cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential efficacy of pregabalin in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in rats. A total of 35 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: group 1, naive control; group 2, treated with pregabalin (30 mg/kg p.o., for 8 days); group 3, docetaxel was given by single intravenous infusion at 10 mg/kg; groups 4 and 5, pregabalin at 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg respectively was orally administered for 8 days after the docetaxel treatment. On day 8, behavioral test was performed, and substance P and CGRP release in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sciatic nerve were analyzed by electron microscope. Our results showed that docetaxel induced mechanical allodynia, mechanical hyperalgesia, heat hypoalgesia, cold allodynia, and sciatic nerve impairment and substance P and CGRP release in DRG. However, oral administration of pregabalin (10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg) for 8 consecutive days significantly attenuated docetaxel-induced neuropathy by ameliorating heat hypoalgesia, cold allodynia, impairment of sciatic nerve and reducing the release of substance P and CGRP. The findings in the present study reveal that pregabalin may be a potential treatment agent against chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.