Traditional Chinese medicine Curcuma Zedoary ( E'Zhu) contains essential oil, curcuminoid and other effective constituents, with such pharmacological actions as anti-platelet aggregation, lowing blood lipid, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. In recent years, studies have showed that certain extracts and chemical components of E'Zhu could mitigate myocardial cell mitochondria injury and protect vascular endothelium by enhancing heme oxygenase-1 activity, inhibit nuclear factor NF-kappaB, target genes interleukin-associated kinase-1 (IRAK-1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-6 (TRAF-6) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), reduce inflammatory infiltration, and inhibit growth factor-induced smooth muscle cells (SMCs) proliferation and migration by impacting oxidation of cellular phosphatases. Due to its different functions in vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, E'Zhu has been applied in drug-eluting stents, with a potential effect in preventing in-stent restenosis and thrombogenesis. In this paper, studies on pharmacological effects and mechanisms of extracts and main chemical constituents from E'Zhu in preventing vascular restenosis were summarized.
Animals ; Constriction, Pathologic ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; Humans ; Stents

A temperature-sensitive mutant strain was isolated after transposon mutagenesis with Tn5 and named MT54.PCR was carried out with primers designed according to the sequence of transposon,the PCR products showed that the MT54 carried transposon in the genome. The mutant grew well at 30℃in minimal medium(MM)containing p-nitrophenol(PNP)as sole carbon source,while it cannot grow at 37℃in the same medium,NO_2.detection results also proved that.Comparing the degradation rate of PNP and hydroquinone of MT54 and DLL-E4 at different temperature,it was speculated that the mutant site locate in the PNP degradation related genes.

Objective To explore the correlation between Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD) and carotid artery atherosclerosis. Methods This case-control study was conducted among 64 AD and 42 VD in-patients and out-patient admitted in Guangzhou Brain Hospital between July 2005 and July 2007, involving also 69 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Color Doppler ultrasound was performed to examine the artery shape, intima-media thickness (IMT), shape and size of the arteriosclerotic plaques, and diameter of the common carotid artery at 2 cm from the bifurcation and of the distal internal carotid artery 1.0-1.5 cm from the enlargement of the initial segment. Results Compared with those in the control group, the IMT, vascular diameter and arteriosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery were significantly increased in the dementia patients (P<0.05), but no obvious differences were found between the AD and VD patients. The degree of carotid artery atherosclerosis, represented by the number of plaques, was inversely correlated to the Mini-Mental State Examination scores (r=-0.389, P=0.000). Conclusion Carotid artery atherosclerosis is closely associated with the development of AD and VD, and the degree of atherosclerosis is positively correlated to the severity of dementia.

Objective To develop the finite element model of six-year-old child occupant lower extremity with higher biofidelity and validate the model of knee joints,as well as analyze the biomechanical responses of growth plate under frontal impact load and injury mechanisms of the knee joint by using this model.Methods The sixyear-old child occupant lower extremity with growth plate was modeled based on children's anatomy and CT images,and corresponding material properties of the lower extremity model were assigned.The model was validated according to biomechanical experiments by Kerrigan et aL and Haut et aL and then was used to analyze the injury results of growth plate with different material properties.Results The model validation was qualified by comparing the curves from the experimental and simulation results.The growth plates at knee regions could change injury patterns of the child occupant lower extremity fracture.The material properties of growth plate could affect threshold of axial damage of the femur as well as relative position of the fracture.Conclusions The validated model can be used for related study and application on biomechanical responses and injury mechanisms of sixyear-old child occupant lower extremities.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time trends of cancer mortality among residents in Kaifeng county, Henan province.

METHODSData on cancer mortality from the vital registration system in Kaifeng county from 1988 to 2005 was analyzed. A total of 9543 death records (5974 males and 3567 females) due to malignant tumors were studied. A two-year-period age-specified standardized mortality rates were directly adjusted by the world standard population, and the annual percentage change (APC) of mortality were estimated by a linear logarithm regression.

RESULTSThe crude cancer death rate for male was 95.09/100,000 and its age-standardized death rate was 117.41/100,000. While, the crude cancer death rate for female was 59.13/100,000 and the age-standardized death rate was 57.15/100,000. There was a significant growth tread for lung cancer (APC: 6.54%), liver cancer (5.07%) in males and breast cancer (7.04%) in females in the groups aged over 18. On the contrary, the decreasing treads for esophageal cancer in both of sexes (-7.09%, -13.53%) were also observed in this study. Meanwhile, there was no other significant changes in the trend, either in the tumor sites or mortality, was observed.

CONCLUSIONIn the past two decades, there has been a significant increasing trend for cancer mortality in Kaifeng county, of Henan Province. Hence, it is necessary to enhance epidemiological survey to identify risk factors at the earlier stages.

China ; epidemiology ; Death Certificates ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; trends ; Neoplasms ; mortality ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVEThe aim of the present study was to investigate the difference of intolerance to food between southern and northern middle-aged Chinese, and furthermore analyze its association with eating habits in both study population.

METHODSELISA was applied to determine the serum concentrations of specific IgG of 14 food anaphylactogen in 1568 healthy subjects from totally 9 districts in both southern and northern China. Life style questionnaire was also applied to investigate the daily intake of six categorizes of food associated with food intolerance.

RESULTS45.8% of all subjects were found to be intolerant to certain food. 62.3% of subjects from southern China and 40.4% of subjects from northern China were found to be intolerant to certain food, the difference between southern and northern Chinese was statistically significant. Top three foods intolerant by southern Chinese were crab, egg, and cold fish, while top three food intolerant by northern Chinese were egg, crab, and milk. The differences of intolerance to crab, cold fish, soy bean, rice, and tomato between southern and northern Chinese were statistically significant. Investigation on eating habits revealed that cereals and fish were the major food consumed by subjects in our study. There was no certain association between food intolerance and eating habits.

CONCLUSIONConsidering that there are differences between southern and northern Chinese, southern and northern Chinese should pay attention to their daily food in order to avoid food allergy.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Diseases ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo explore the differences in brain activation between musicians and non-musicians by use of functional MRI.

METHODSTwelve right-handed musicians and twelve right-handed non-musicians were recruited in the study. During a listening task, they were scanned on the Sigma 1.5T scanner (GE) while they were passively listening to several segments of music of "the Butterfly Love" and the white noise with same physical energy.

RESULTBoth musicians and non-musicians demonstrated bilateral transverse gyrus weak activated while listening to the white noise. But when listening to music, they showed bilateral temporal areas strongly activated including superior temporal gyrus, transverse gyrus and some middle temporal areas. Moreover, musicians showed relative left dominance (10/12), whereas non-musicians demonstrated right dominance(11/12). Furthermore,besides bilateral temporal areas, more and stronger activated areas were found in musicians such as cuneus, precuneus,medial frontal and left middle occipital gyrus.

CONCLUSIONThere are different neuro-patterns between musicians and non-musicians.

Adult ; Brain ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Music ; Temporal Lobe ; physiology

Objective To explore the brain injury mechanism and enrich the database of human finite element (FE) biomechanical model by developing the FE model of one-year-old toddler head. Methods Based on CT data from Chinese one-year-old toddler head with substantial and detailed information, the head model with detailed anatomical structure was constructed by using the medical software Mimics to get the head geometry data, as well as the reverse engineering software to divide NURBS surface and build the geometric model. Finally, the FE pre-processing software was used mesh the model. The FE model of one-year-old toddle head was validated by data from anatomic and cadaver experiments, and was used for preliminary analysis on damage mechanism of one-year-old toddler head. Results The FE model of Chinese one-year-old male toddler head was developed, which included and distinguished the gray matter and white matter of brain and cerebellum, hippocampus, fontanel, sagittal suture, coronal suture, brainstem and ventricles. The cadaver head static compression experiments and drop experiments were reconstructed by using this head model, and the results showed that the FE model of head had similar mechanical properties with the cadaver, which proved the validity of the FE model. Simulation results showed that skull stiffness and skull injury severity varied with different compression rates. Conclusions The FE model of one-year-old toddler head with detailed anatomical structures is of great biofidelity. The FE head model can be used to further investigate the detailed injury mechanism of deep brain tissues, especially for the closed craniocerebral injury, which provides an effective way and tool for the related research and clinical application.

Objective To construct and validate the 95th percentile finite element model of Chinese human head, evaluate the relative displacement between the skull and brain according to four types of skull brain relative displacement experiments as references, and investigate the shear strain distributions on the brain. Methods By comparing the relative displacement curve derived from the experiment and simulation and referring to conclusions from animal and physical experiments, the position of higher shear strain was investigated. Results High correlations could be found between the simulated and experimental results for skull brain relative displacement. Peaks and troughs could always appear in curves of skull brain relative displacement due to the fact that the brain tissue tended to return to its initial state. The results that higher strain could occur at temporal lobe of the brain, corpus callosum and brain surface were consistent with conclusions from the animal and physical experiments. ConclusionsT he 95th percentile finite element model of Chinese human head is validated with good biofidelity. Due to the rotational motion of human head, higher shear strain will occur on brain surface and in deep brain, leading to injuries, which provids a scientific theoretical basis for the study on injury mechanism of human head in traffic accidents.

Objective In view of the uncertainties of material parameters for child craniocerebral tissues, the effects of such parameters on responses of child head under direct impact loads were investigated. Methods The impact simulation experiments were conducted under direct impact loads by using a validated finite element model of 3-year-old child head. Taguchi orthogonal method and variance analysis were performed to analyze the material properties of craniocerebral tissues in child head. Results Elastic modulus of the skull had statistically significant effects on impact responses of child head. With the skull elastic modulus increasing, the coup pressure decreased significantly (P=0.000), whereas the contrecoup pressure (P=0.000) and maximum Von Mises stress of the skull increased significantly (P=0.000). The linear viscoelastic material parameters of brain tissues also had statistically significant effects on impact responses of child head. With the increase of the short-time shear modulus of brain tissues, the maximum shear stress of brain tissues increased significantly (P=0.000) whereas the maximum principal strain decreased significantly (P=0.000). Conclusions These statistical analysis results can provide references for selecting material parameter of craniocerebral tissues in finite element model of child head, which will be helpful to improve diagnosis accuracy of brain injuries such as concussion difficult to be definitely diagnosed when using brain CT images in clinic.