Objective: To observe the short-term and long-term efficacy of acupuncture and traction plus Ba Duan Jin (Eight-brocade Exercise) in treating discogenic low back pain (DLBP). Methods: Sixty patients were divided into an observation group and a control group using the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by acupuncture and traction, while the observation group was given additional Ba Duan Jin (Eight-brocade Exercise) practice. The intervention lasted for a total of 1 month, with a follow-up study conducted 6 months later. The visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores in the two groups were compared before and after treatment, and the efficacy was compared at the end of the treatment between the two groups; the relapse rate was compared at the 6-month follow-up between the two groups. Results: The pain VAS and ODI scores decreased after treatment in both groups, and the intra-group differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05); the pain VAS and ODI scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment with statistical significance (both P<0.05). At the 6-month follow-up, the relapse rate was 10.3％ in the observation group versus 48.0％ in the control group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combination of acupuncture, traction and Ba Duan Jin (Eight-brocade Exercise) is an effective method for DLBP and patients who received this method are less likely to relapse.

Objective To compare the serum levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1,bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA with interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).Methods Twenty-eight RA-ILD patients,32 patients with RA but without ILD and 20 normal controls were enrolled.The RA-ILD group was further divided into early group and late group.All the observed subjects were analyzed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of serum TGF-β1 and BMP-4 levels.The relationship between the serum levels of TGF-β1,BMP-4 and laboratory examinations were investigated.Comparisions between groups were tested by one-way ANOVA analysis and ttest.Correlation of indexs were observed by Spearman method.Results Patients in the RA-ILD group were older than RA group in disease onset age,in addition,patients with ILD had better joint function and higher serum rheumatoid factor titers.The occurrence time of interstitial lung disease was 2-6 years after the onset of arthritis,with an average time of (3.0±1.2) years.The TGF-β1 levels in the RA-ILD group were slightly higher,but not statistically significant than other groups (P＞0.05).The TGF-β1 serum levels in the early RA-ILD patients were significantly increased than those of the late RA-ILD group and the RA group.BMP-4 levels in patients with RA-ILD group were less than RA without ILD group and healthy control group,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).BMP-4 level in early RA-ILD group was significantly decreased than those of the late RA-ILD group and RA group.No correlation between the serum BMP-4,TGF-β1 level (P＞0.05) no assay result correlated with laboratory parameters including ESR,CRP,RF and anti-CCP antibodies (P＞0.05).Conclusion TGF-β1 serum levels are increased and BMP-4 levels are decreased in early RA-ILD patients.The serum levels of TGF-β1 and BMP-4 may be indicatior for asymptomatic ILD and reflect disease progression.

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; CD79 Antigens ; metabolism ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nose Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; virology ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; virology ; Plasmacytoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; virology

Aged ; Bronchoscopy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; complications ; Tracheal Stenosis ; etiology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effects of combined type external fixator in treating complex tibial metaphyseal fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to July 2012, 34 patients with complex tibial metaphyseal fractures were treated with combined type external fixator in different stagings. There were 23 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 41.3 years (ranged, 16 to 63), and the course of disease were from 1 h to 8 d. In the patients, 31 cases were open fractures, 11 cases with type II, 13 cases with type III A, 7 cases with type III B according with Gustilo classification; 19 cases were tibia plateau fractures, 6 cases with type II, 1 case with type IV, 5 cases with type V, 7 cases with type VI according to Schatzker classification; 15 cases were distal tibial fractures (one were bilateral fractures), 2 fractures with type A2, 1 fracture with type A3, 1 fracture with type C1, 5 fractures with type C2, 7 fractures with type C3 according to AO classification. Rasmussensn scoring system and AOFAS Ankle Hind-foot Scale were respectively used to assess the joint function of knee and hip.

RESULTSWound surface of 19 patients obtained at phase I healing and 15 patients obtained at phase III healing. Superficial wound infections occurred in 2 cases and bone non-union necessitated reoperation occurred in 2 cases (final fractures obtained bone healing after the second operation). All patients were followed up from 6 to 38 months with a mean of 14.3 months. At the final follow-up,according to Rasmussensn scoring system, 5 fractures got excellent results, 11 good, 3 fair, the mean Rasmussen score was 23.58 +/- 3.98; according to AOFAS Ankle Hind-foot Scale, 5 fractures got excellent results, 8 good, 3 fair, the mean AOFAS Ankle Hind -foot Scale was 80.75 +/- 14.21.

CONCLUSIONCombined type external fixator can well maintain the stability of the fractures, had advantages of low incidences of soft tissue complications and less influence to joint motion in treatment of complicated tibial metaphyseal fractures. However there were some limitations in long-term use.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Recovery of Function ; Tibial Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Colectomy ; Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of adiponectin on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and the potential mechanisms in rats.

METHODSThirty-two male rats aged 8 weeks were randomly assigned to sham operation (sham), myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR), diltiazem treatment (diltiazem) or adiponectin administration (APN) groups (n = 8 each). MIR rats underwent left anterior descending artery (LAD) occlusion for 30 min followed by 60 min reperfusion. Diltiazem (7 microg/g) and APN (120 ng/g) were given by caudal intravenous injection at the end of 30 min ischemia and the beginning of reperfusion for rats in diltiazem or APN groups. Animals were sacrificed after 60 min reperfusion for determining the myocardial nitric oxide (NO), Caspase 3, activity of AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK) and concentration of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). Apoptotic cells were stained by Caspase 3 Activity Assay Kit and mitochondria in myocardial cells were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM).

RESULTSThe myocardial Caspase 3 level was significantly increased [(168.50 +/- 30.08) micromol/L vs. (53.25 +/- 11.41) micromol/L, P < 0.01], AMPK activity, PPARgamma and NO concentrations were significantly reduced in MIR group compared with those in sham group (all P < 0.05) [(0.74 +/- 0.59) IU/ml vs. (25.63 +/- 4.61) IU/ml, P < 0.01; 0.1894 vs. 0.7949, P < 0.01; (6.359 +/- 1.355) micromol/L vs. (10.396 +/- 1.901) micromol/L, P < 0.01], these effects could be significantly reversed by APN. In comparison with MIR group, the levels of Caspase 3 in cardiac muscles were significantly lowered in Adiponectin group [(88.75 +/- 6.92) micromol/L vs. (168.50 +/- 30.08) micromol/L, P < 0.01], whereas the level of AMPK and PPARgamma, NO concentration in the cardiac muscle was remarkably increased [(27.22 +/- 4.76) IU/ml vs. (0.74 +/- 0.59) IU/ml, P < 0.01; 0.8613 vs. 0.1894, P < 0.01; (15.755 +/- 1.045) micromol/L vs. (6.359 +/- 1.355) micromol/L, P < 0.01]. APN also preserved the function and structure of mitochondria in rats post ischemia/reperfusion injury. The protective pharmacologic actions of APN were superior to that of diltiazem.

CONCLUSIONAdiponectin could protect myocardial tissues from myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats, possibly by upregulating myocardial AMPK and PPARgamma expressions and preventing myocardial cells from apoptosis.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Adiponectin ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Diltiazem ; pharmacology ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; PPAR gamma ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

In this study, Actin, 18S rRNA, PAL, GAPDH and CPR of Artemisia annua were selected as candidate reference genes, and their gene-specific primers for real-time PCR were designed, then geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta CT and RefFinder were used to evaluate their expression stability in the leaves of A. annua under treatment of different concentrations of Cd, with the purpose of finding a reliable reference gene to ensure the reliability of gene-expression analysis. The results showed that there were some significant differences among the candidate reference genes under different treatments and the order of expression stability of candidate reference gene was Actin > 18S rRNA > PAL > GAPDH > CPR. These results suggested that Actin, 18S rRNA and PAL could be used as ideal reference genes of gene expression analysis in A. annua and multiple internal control genes were adopted for results calibration. In addition, differences in expression stability of candidate reference genes in the leaves of A. annua under the same concentrations of Cd were observed, which suggested that the screening of candidate reference genes was needed even under the same treatment. To our best knowledge, this study for the first time provided the ideal reference genes under Cd treatment in the leaves of A. annua and offered reference for the gene expression analysis of A. annua under other conditions.
Artemisia annua ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cadmium ; pharmacology ; Plant Leaves ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; standards ; Reference Standards

Objective To explore the clinical application and effect of the transplantation of the cutaneous fibular flap combined with anterolateral thigh flap for the repair of complex tissue defect of the leg. Methods The cutaneous fibular flap combined with anterolateral thigh flap in series connection or parallel connection transfer were applied to repair complex tissue defect of the leg in 36 cases. 10 cases were fresh non-infectious wound 26 cases were delayed infectious wound. The area of wound ranged from 25 cm × 18 cm to 45 cm × 13 cm (36 cm × 16 cm on average). The area of anterolateral thigh flap ranged from 12 cm × 13 cm to 32 cm × 18 cm. The area of the cutaneous fibular flap ranged from 2.0 cm × 1.5 cm to 18.0 cm × 16.0 era. The length of fibular transplantation ranged from 10 cm to 24 cm. 30 cases were combined in parallel connection transfer, 6 cases were combined in series connection transfer, 5 cases were repaired in emergency, 5 cases were repaired in subemergency, 26 cases were repaired in delay. Results All cases were successfully repaired in 36 cases.35 cases were followed up. A mean follow-up was 29 months. Arterial crisis occurred in 1 case, venous crisis occurred in 2 cases 34 flaps survived completely and 2 cutaneous fibular flap survived partially in parallel connection which were later healed by skin transplantation.32 cases were healed in first stage, 4 cases were healed in second stage, (healing time ranged from 12 to 18 days), Bone healing time ranged from 3 to 6 months in fibula transplantation. The Enneking score system was applied to evaluate the leg function. Of the 35 cases, the mean scores was 26 (their scores ranged from 23 to 28).The functions of all supplied regions were not found malfunctional. Conclusion Transplantation of the cutaneous fibular flap combined with anterolateral thigh flap is an optimal method to repair the complex tissue defect of the leg.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficiency and safety of two-micron laser resection of the prostate-tangerine technique (TmLRP-TT) for the treatment of large-volume ( > 70 ml) prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSThis retrospective analysis included 80 BPH patients with the prostatic volume larger than 70 ml, all treated by TmLRP-TT. We comparatively analyzed the levels of hemoglobin and serum sodium before and after surgery, recorded intra- and post-operative com- plications, and followed up the patients at 6 and 12 months after operation for International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR).

RESULTSAll the operations were successfully completed. The mean hemoglobin decreased (0.68 +/- 0.43) g/dl intraoperatively, but no apparent reduction was observed in serum sodium. Lower urinary tract symptoms were relieved significantly in all the cases. At 12 months after surgery, IPSS was decreased by 73.89% as compared with the baseline (20.03 +/- 6.9 vs 5.23 +/- 3.59), QOL by 64.55% (4.09 +/- 1.19 vs 1.45 +/- 1.36), and PVR by 79.30% (97.31 +/- 57.90 vs 20.14 +/- 24.20 ml), while Qmax increased by 140.42% ([8.04 +/- 3.62] vs [19.33 +/- 3.28] ml/s). The incidence of complications was low either intraoperatively or during the 12 months after operation.

CONCLUSIONTmLRP-TT is a safe and effective surgical endoscopic approach to the treatment of large-volume prostate in BPH patients.

Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; methods ; Treatment Outcome