BACKGROUND: Basic flbroblast growth factor (bFGF) can promote tendon proliferation, collagen secretion,and out-sheathed tendon healing; however, effects on in-sheathed tendon are still unknown.OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of exogenous bFGF on in-sheathed tendon healing and adhesion formation. DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING: A randomized controlled animal study, which was carried out in Experimental Animal Center, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital from May 2004 to February 2005.MATERIALS: Ninety Leghorn chickens were randomly divided into 3 groups with 30 animals for each, and the right third digitorum longns tendon of the chicken was transected. METHODS: In the control group, the tendon was sutured in situ after transection. In the fibrin group,the tendon was sutured after 0.6 μL fibrin sealant (FS) was applied at repair site. In the bFGF group,the tendon was sutured after 0.6 μL FS mixed with 500 ng bFGF was applied at repair site. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At 1,2,4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the tendons of 6 chickens in each group were harvested for morphological and histological evaluation.Another six specimens of each group was obtained for biomechanical test at 8 weeks.RESULTS: There were no significant differences between control group and fibrin group. In bFGF group compared with control and fibrin groups, appearance of the angiogenesis,fibroblast proliferation and collagen production in the sheath, epitenon and parenchyrna at repair site occurred earlier and were more in quantity,the gliding excursion of the tendon was shorter, and the work of flexion and the ultimate tensile strength of the tendon were greater. CONCLUSION: The exogenous bFGF at tendon repair site can facilitate in-sheathed tendon healing, but also increase the tendon adhesion.

Objective To investigate the effect of low-dose hydrocortisone(HC)on hippocampus nuclear factor kappa B((NF-?B)),I?B expression in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)induced septic rats and the role of NF-?B signal transcription pathway in pathogenesis.Methods Fifty-four rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group(A group,n=6),model group(B group,n=24),low-dose HC treatment group(C group,n=24).The septic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection LPS(1 mg/kg),as the intervention by caudal vein injection low-dose HC(6 mg/kg),each of B and C group was subdivied into 2,8,16,24 hours respectively after LPS injection(n=6).At serial time points,the animals in each group were sacrificed,brain tissue samples were harvested to determine NF-?B,I?B expression by immunhistochemistry in hippocampus.Results In B group: NF-?B expression was up regulated compared with A group(P

Objective To observe the change of gastric mucosal-arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide gap [p(g-a)(CO2)] in septic shock rabbit.Methods Sixteen anesthetized and mechanically ventilated rabbit were randomly assigned to 2 groups:shock group(n=8) and control group(n=8).The rabbit in shock group were challenged with intravenous injection of 2 mg/kg Lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli.The rabbit in control group were intravenous injection of normal saline solution.Mean arterial pressure(MAP) and heart rate were continuously recorded by multichannel physiologic recorder.Cardiac index(CI) and superior mesenteric blood flow index(SMBFI) were continuously monitored by doppler flowmeter.Gastric mucosal partial pressure of carbon dioxide [pg(CO2)] was evaluated by gas tonometry every 10 min.Arterial and venous blood gas analysis,hemoglobin,and lactate levels were measured every 1 hour.Results The parameters remained stable in control group,but the parameters changed significantly in shock group.Compared with baseline levels,2 hours after Lipopolysaccharides infusion in shock group,MAP decreased from(78?5) mmHg to(50?2) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)(F=145.3 P

Appropriate selection and measurement of lead biomarkers of exposure are critically important for health care management purposes, public health decision making, and primary prevention synthesis. Lead is one of the neurotoxicants that seems to be involved in the etiology of psychologies. Biomarkers are generally classified into three groups: biomarkers of exposure, effect, and susceptibility.The main body compartments that store lead are the blood, soft tissues, and bone; the half-life of lead in these tissues is measured in weeks for blood, months for soft tissues, and years for bone. Within the brain, lead-induced damage in the prefrontal cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum can lead to a variety of neurological disorders, such as brain damage, mental retardation, behavioral problems, nerve damage, and possibly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsons disease, and schizophrenia. This paper presents an overview of biomarkers of lead exposure and discusses the neurotoxic effects of lead with regard to children and adults.
Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Animals ; Behavior ; drug effects ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Brain Diseases ; chemically induced ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Lead ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Lead Poisoning ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Parkinson Disease, Secondary ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Schizophrenia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology

Objective:To investigate the association between MIC allele polymorphism and susceptibility to Ureaplasma urealyticum infection. Methods:PCR-SSP and PCR-SBT were used to analyze the gene polymorphism of every one. Results:Twelve allele genes of MICA and five MICA-STR and fourteen MICB were found in the participants,the frequency of MICA?010 and MICB?009N were higher in ureaplasma urealyticum infection patients than in healthy controls(MICA?010:OR=3. 85,95%CI:2. 12-6. 99, Pc<0. 05;MICB?009N:OR=3. 22,95%CI:1. 33-7. 80,Pc<0. 05);the frequencies of MICA-A5. 1 and MICB?00502 were lower in ureaplasma urealyticum infection patients than in healthy controls(MICA-A5. 1:OR=0. 61,95%CI:0. 40-0. 94,Pc<0. 05;MICB?00502:OR=0. 58,95%CI:0. 40-0. 83,Pc<0. 05),the differences were statistically significant;MICA?010/010,MICA?01201/01201 homozygote were higher in ureaplasma urealyticum infection patients than in healthy controls(MICA?010/010:OR=14. 84, 95%CI:1. 90-115. 9,Pc<0. 05:MICA?01201/01201:OR=10. 83,95%CI:1. 35-86. 79,Pc<0. 05),the differences were statistically significant. The distribution frequency of MICB?00502/00502 in patients with ureaplasma urealyticum was higher,but the difference was not statistically significant(Pc>0. 05). Conclusion:MIC allele gene polymorphism may be associated with ureaplasma urealyticum infection.

Adolescent ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; immunology ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Students, Medical ; Vietnam ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the proportion of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of the patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and evaluate the potential association of Th17 cells with AML.

METHODSThe cytokines IL-17 and TGF-β1 in the peripheral blood of AML patients before therapy (group 1), AML patients in complete remission (AML-CR, group 2) and healthy donors (group 3) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proportion of Th17 cells of each group was evaluated by flow cytometry. The level of IL-17 mRNA of each group was examined by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe percentage of Th17 cells and the level of IL-17, IL-17 mRNA in group 1 \[(10.502 ± 1.071) ng/L, (0.935 ± 0.140)% and 0.262 ± 0.510\] and group 2 \[(11.345 ± 0.987) ng/L, (1.091 ± 0.159)% and 0.307 ± 0.031\] was significantly lower than that in group 3 \[(16.852 ± 1.198) ng/L, (2.586 ± 0.235)% and 0.501 ± 0.060\]. The percentage of Th17 cells and the level of IL-17, IL-17 mRNA in group 1 was lower than that in the group 2. But the level of TGF-β1 in the group 1 (29.963 ± 1.588) ng/L and the group 2 (25.163 ± 1.848) ng/L was significantly higher than that in group 3 (13.366 ± 1.565) ng/L. However, the level of TGF-β1 in the group 3 was higher than that of the group 2.

CONCLUSIONTh17 cells might be negatively correlated with the AML development. The overexpression of TGF-β1 in AML patients might suppress the differentiation of Th17 cells.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Interleukin-17 ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Prevalence ; Th17 Cells ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

Since 1959 the investigations on prevalence of hypertension and studies on the prevention and treatment of this disease have been carried out. The vascular mechanism of hypertension and the depressor effect of Chinese traditional herbs were also studied in Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The results revealed that: (1) The prevalence of hypertension in Chinese adults increased from 7.73% in 1979 to 11.26% in 1991, both much higher than that in 1959 (5.11%). The rate of awareness, treatment and control was only 26.3%, 12.1%, and 2.8% respectively. The risk factors of hypertension included overweight and alcohol drinking. High sodium, low potassium, low calcium, and low animal protein diet were also very important risk for elevation of blood pressure. Hypertension was the most important causal risk factor of coronary heart disease and stroke. (2) Hypertension diagnosis and staging criteria were established in 1959. Secondary hypertension was found to constitute 1.1% among community hypertensive patients. The new concept of aortitis was formed and found to be the most common cause of renal vascular hypertension. Patient education together with low dose compounds of antihypertensive drugs was implicated widely. Randomized clinical trials Syst-China, Post-stroke Antihypertensive Treatment Study, Chinese Acute Stroke Trial, and Chinese Cardiac Study 1 demonstrated benefits of treatment for hypertensive, stroke or acute myocardial infarction affordable by Chinese population at large. (3) A series of functional changes and abnormalities with evident hereditary characteristics were found in the processes of cellular Ca2+ transportation, utilization, metabolism and their modulation of the vascular smooth muscle in SHR, and SHRsp, which seem to be the principal cause of the increase in peripheral vascular resistance in hypertension. (4) Alkaloid of Rauwolfia verticilata and Ligustrazine had marked depressor effect. Flavones of Radix Pueraricae could reduce the cardiac and cerebral ischemic damage and symptoms in hypertensive patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Prevalence

OBJECTIVETo study the practical survey method on estimating the size of male homosexual population.

METHODSNine male homosexual gathering spots were selected and three methods as division method, capture-mark-recapture method and multiplier method were applied in counting the numbers of homosexual men in one city in Sichuan province.

RESULTSNumber of counting through division method was 877 and the three numbers through capture-mark-recapture method were 1408, 1207 and 949 respectively. However, appropriate data was not obtained by multiplier method.

CONCLUSIONSDivision method was easy to operate with its high credibility, but costly. Capture-mark-recapture method was less costly less both in capital and time, and the results could be testified to each other. Multiplier method should be modified before applied to obtain reliable information.

China ; Homosexuality, Male ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Statistics as Topic ; methods

OBJECTIVEThe Medical Outcome Study of 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) is a well-validated generic questionnaire widely used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) is a specific HRQOL assessment designed for patients with liver diseases. The aim of our study is to evaluate the HRQOL based on SF-36 and CLDQ (Chinese version) in patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis, especially in the status of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

METHODSThe SF-36 and CLDQ were answered by 160 healthy volunteers, 20 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 106 patients with cirrhosis. HRQOL scores of the groups with different liver disease severities and with or without MHE were compared. The SF-36 includes one multi-item scale that assesses eight health categories: physical functioning, role-physical, body pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotion, and mental health. CLDQ assesses 6 categories: abdominal symptoms, fatigue, systemic symptoms, activity, emotional function and worry.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy controls, patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis at baseline had a lower HRQOL on all scales of the SF-36 and CLDQ (P < 0.01 for all). Increased severity of liver cirrhosis (based on the Child-Pugh score but with MHE or without) was associated with a decrease in most components, both in SF-36 and in CLDQ. However, patients with Child-Pugh B and C disease had similar HRQOL scores on both the SF-36 and CLDQ (P > 0.05), except role-physical and vitality on SF-36. There was a significant difference between patients with and without MHE on the SF-36 score (P < 0.01), and no significant difference (P > 0.05) on CLDQ scores except in abdominal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese version of SF-36 along with CLDQ are valid and reliable methods for testing MHE in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult