OBJECTIVETo investigate the toxic effects of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), used as an alternative to decabromodiphenyl ether in vitro.

METHODSHepG2 cells were cultured in the presence of DBDPE at various concentrations (3.125-100.0 mg/L) for 24, 48, and 72 h respectively and the toxic effect of DBDPE was studied.

RESULTSAs evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide and lactate dehydrogenase assays and nuclear morphological changes, DBDPE inhibited HepG2 viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner within a range of 12.5 mg/L to 100 mg/L and for 48 h and 72 h. Induction of apoptosis was detected at 12.5-100 mg/L at 48 h and 72 h by propidium iodide staining, accompanied with overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a widely used ROS scavenger, significantly reduced DBDPE-induced ROS levels and increased HepG2 cells viability.

CONCLUSIONDBDPE has cytotoxic and anti-proliferation effect and can induce apoptosis in which ROS plays an important role.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bromobenzenes ; toxicity ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEto investigate the pattern of the blood supply and the nerve distribution of breast, in order to find a way for short-scar reduction mammaplasty.

METHODSTwelve adult women cadavers were investigated for the vascularture of the anterior thorax and the nerve distribution of the breasts by using the blood vessel casting, specimen transparency technique and the autopsy. Based on the anatomical study, a modified double-circle reduction mammaplasty technique was designed to treat 28 patients with hypertrophical breasts.

RESULTSThere existed two- or three-layers vasculature in the anterior thorax. The extensive vertical vascular anastomoses were found among the three layers. The cutaneous perforators, penetrated out of the pectoralis major muscle, were formed a dense vessel network in the retromammary space. The vertical vessels thereafter emerged from the network, passed through gland and linked to the subcutaneous vessels. These vertical vessels were smaller and denser above the fourth intercostal space, but they were larger and sparser below the fourth intercostal space. The innervation of the nipple-areola mainly came from the lateral deep branches of the 4th intercostal nerve. It appeared S-shape running into the dropped breasts. The 28 patients were successfully treated with the modified technique, except one case with the loss of the nipple-areola sense.

CONCLUSIONThe modified double-circle reduction mammaplasty could maximally fulfill the blood supply to the remained gland and the innervations to the nipple-areola, by keeping the advantages of the traditional technique such as invisible scar, good projection and the long lasting results. It could also be a safe and reliable technique.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Breast ; blood supply ; innervation ; surgery ; Cadaver ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Models, Anatomic ; Nervous System ; anatomy & histology ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to search for a perfect treatment for the complications after polyacrylamide hydrogel injection for augmentation mammaplasty.

METHODS48 patients who accepted polyacrylamide hydrogel injection for augmentation mammaplasty were included in this study. Operations were performed for the complications of polyacrylamide hydrogel injection. The clinical data were analyzed and the experience in the treatment of the complications was summarized.

RESULTSAll patients were satisfied with the result of the operation. The B-ultrasonic examination showed that no visible polyacrylamide hydrogel remained in the cavity.

CONCLUSIONThe best therapy for the complications of polyacrylamide hydrogel injection was removing of the polyacrylamide hydrogel and the pathologic tissue and irrigation of the cavity.

Acrylic Resins ; administration & dosage ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Infection ; etiology ; surgery ; Injections ; Mammaplasty ; adverse effects ; methods ; Pain ; etiology ; surgery ; Postoperative Care ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; surgery ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; standards ; Treatment Outcome

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dust ; analysis ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Industry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Quartz ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of scalp-acupuncture combined with exercise therapy on spastic cerebral palsy.

METHODSEighty children of spastic cerebral palsy were randomly divided into a scalp-acupuncture plus exercise therapy group and a exercise therapy group, 40 cases in each group. The scalp-acupuncture plus exercise therapy group were treated with scalp-acupuncture and exercise therapy, with Yundongqu (the motor area), Pinghengqu (the balance area), Ganjuequ (the sensory area), etc. selected for scalp-acupuncture, and puncture at main points Baihui (GV 20) and Sishencong (EX-HN 1) and exercise therapy. The exercise therapy group were treated by exercise therapy. Changes of GMFM scores and WeeFIM scores before and after treatment were compared.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in GMFM scores and WeeFIM scores before and treatment in the scalp-acupuncture plus exercise therapy group (P < 0.001) and in the exercise therapy group (P < 0.05), the former being better than the later (P < 0.05); the total effective rate was 92.5% in the scalp-acupuncture plus exercise therapy group and 72.5% in the exercise therapy group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), the former being significantly higher than the later.

CONCLUSIONThe scalp-acupuncture combined with exercise therapy can improve motor function of limits of children with spastic cerebral palsy, with therapeutic effect better than that of simple exercise therapy.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Palsy ; physiopathology ; rehabilitation ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Exercise Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Motor Activity

OBJECTIVETo analysis various complications of 30 patients of breast augmentation by injected polyacrylamide hydrogel and discuss the treatment through periareolar incision.

METHODSAll patients were classified according to the different complications. Open suction technique and partial mastectomies via periareolar incisions were performed in all patients, Only one patient had immediately breast reconstruction with prosthesis, five patients received secondarily breast prostheses implantation via a axillary incision.

RESULTAll the symptoms were relieved after remove of polyacrylamide hydrogel.

CONCLUSIONSPolyacrylamide hydrogel should be prohibited for injected breast augmentation at present. A double-blinded randomized clinical study, controlled animal experiments and a large sample questionnaire survey for complications are necessary. The periareolar approach is valuable technique and can remove polyacrylamide hydrogel as completely as possible.

Acrylic Resins ; administration & dosage ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; adverse effects ; Mammary Glands, Human ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo introduce a operation method of repairing the abdominal defect with abdominoplasty and polypropylene.

METHODS27 patients were treated with abdominoplasty and polypropylene.

RESULTSFollow up 3 - 20 months, the focus in inferior abdominal wall were removed thoroughly. The incision is cure with A level. No weakness, bulk, hernia and complication occur in the abdominal wall.

CONCLUSIONSThe method of repairing the abdominal defect with abdominoplasty and polypropylene is a good method. It is a simple method. Its' result is relied.

Abdominal Wall ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polypropylenes ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgery, Plastic ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value of serum angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) level in pancreatic cancer patients.

METHODSSerum Ang-2 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in samples from 116 patients with pancreatic cancer, 50 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 50 normal control subjects.

RESULTSThe serum Ang-2 level in patients with pancreatic cancer [(1539.0 ± 449.3) ng/L] was significantly higher than those in patients with pancreatitis [(1044.6 ± 246.1) ng/L, P < 0.01] and normal control subjects [(1075.6 ± 228.2) ng/L, P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference of serum Ang-2 levels between patients with pancreatitis and normal controls. Pancreatic caner patients with lymph node metastasis had a significantly higher serum Ang-2 level [(1890.1 ± 354.9) ng/L] than those without metastasis [(1212.1 ± 224.2) ng/L, P < 0.01]. The area under ROC curve of serum Ang-2 level for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 0.819.

CONCLUSIONThe serum Ang-2 level can be a useful indicator for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiopoietin-2 ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Pancreatitis ; blood ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDLeft ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and geometric abnormality are associated with morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Hypertension is the major cause of LVH. Yet the prevalence and other risk factors of LVH and geometric abnormality in Chinese hypertensive population are unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of LVH and geometric abnormality in community-based Chinese hypertensive population.

METHODSThe study was a community-based cross-sectional study, and comprised 4270 hypertension patients with integrated clinical and echocardiographic data. Left ventricular mass was measured by transthoracic echocardiography. LVH was diagnosed by using the criteria of over 49.2 g/m(2.7) for men and 46.7 g/m(2.7) for women. LV geometric patterns (normal, concentric remodeling, concentric or eccentric hypertrophy) were calculated according to LVH and relative wall thickness. Logistic regression model was used to determine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the risk factors of LVH.

RESULTSThe prevalence of LVH was 42.7% in 4270 hypertensive patients, with 37.4% in males and 45.4% in females, respectively. The prevalence of concentric remodeling, concentric or eccentric hypertrophy was 24.7%, 20.2%, and 22.6%, respectively. In Logistic regression model, female (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.1 - 1.5, P < 0.01), age (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.01 - 1.03, P < 0.01), body mass index (OR 1.2, 95%CI 1.15 - 1.20, P < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.01 - 1.03, P < 0.01), and serum triglyceride (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.00 - 1.20, P < 0.01) were risk factors of LVH. Female, age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure and serum triglyceride were also risk factors of left ventricular geometric abnormality.

CONCLUSIONSThe echocardiographic LVH is the major complication of patients with hypertension in rural area of China, especially for women. To effectively treat hypertension, weight loss and control of serum triglyceride may help to prevent LVH in hypertensive population.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVEThe novel influenza A (H1N1) virus firstly detected in April 2009 in Mexico rapidly spread to many countries including the United States and Canada where humans were infected with the H1N1 virus and deaths were reported. The pandemic virus strain had never been detected in specimen of human beings and swine. It was so highly contagious and widely spread that threatened life of humans globally. This study aimed to analyze clinical data of hospitalized children patients with 2009 novel H1N1 influenza A virus infection confirmed by etiologic tests, and compared with that of seasonal influenza A.

METHODClinical manifestations, laboratory and therapy data from the hospitalized children were collected by designed case report form and analyzed. All patients were enrolled from Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2003 to 2010. There were 152 cases in seasonal influenza A group, which was composed of 100 boys and 52 girls. Other 93 boys and 86 girls formed 2009 novel influenza A group.

RESULTInfluenza A was dominate from 2003 to 2008 and the peak season was December and January, while the peak hospitalized time of 2009 novel H1N1 influenza was from November 2009 to January 2010. The median age of seasonal influenza group was 35 months, which was lower than that of novel influenza group (Z = -6.702, P<0.01). Besides, 80.9% of the patients in seasonal influenza group were infants, while the novel influenza A group was mainly composed of infants and pre-school children (chi2 = 40.725, P<0.01). The cases of both groups had influenza-like symptoms at onset and the most common presentations were fever and cough. The duration of fever was much longer in 2009 novel influenza group (Z = -7.173, P<0.01). Patients in two groups nearly had the same symptoms except cough was more frequently presented by novel influenza A group cases (chi2 = 4.109, P<0.05). In laboratory examination, the novel influenza group had more cases with abnormality in blood platelet, CRP, ALT, and CK-MB than that of seasonal influenza group (chi2 = 7.562, 17.245, 4.398, 6.217, P<0.01). Patients in novel influenza A group had more changes in electrocardiogram (chi2 = 24.461, P<0.01). More patients had common underlying medical condition in novel influenza groups than those in seasonal influenza group (chi2 = 12.553, P<0.01). Furthermore, the groups had different age distribution in underlying medical diseases (chi2 = 7.231, P<0.05). Children with 2009 novel H1N1 virus infection tended to catch pneumonia (chi2 = 8.661, P<0.01) and became the severe cases (chi2 = 10.595, P<0.01). They had much higher ICU admission rate (chi2 = 12.873, P<0.01) and longer hospital stay (Z = -2.764, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAs a new variant of influenza virus A, 2009 novel H1N1 influenza A had stronger pathogenicity. Children with underlying medical conditions had the high risk to be infected and developed severe manifestations.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male