ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of construction of engineered blood vessel using chitosan tube and fibrin gel as scaffold.MethodsVascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells were harvested from aortas of a rat, respectively. After expansion in vitro, vascular endothelial cells were seeded onto the inner surface of chitosan tube and smooth muscle cells mixed with fibrin gel seeded onto outer surface of the scaffold to construct engineered blood vessels. Inverted microscope, immunohistochemical staining and scanning electronic microscope were used to evaluate the construct.ResultsVascular endothelial cells formed monolayer and covered the inner surface of chitosan tube. Smooth muscle cells survived in the fibrin gel and grew in a 3-dimensional manner. ConclusionChitosan-fibrin gel may be potentially used as scaffold of engineered blood vessels.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis (IRF) and its diagnosis and treatment. Methods Data of 27 IRF cases admitted into our hospital during recent 8 years were retrospectively analyzed. Result The main clinical manifestations of IRF included abdominal pain, lumbago, mass in retroperitoneal cavity and ureteral obstruction. The main diagnostic approach to IRF was the image examination. Preoperative correct diagnosis was established in 85 2% of cases. Ureterolysis and wrapping up with the omentum was performed in 21 cases of ureteral obstruction. Two cases suffering from renal artery (RA) stenosis were relieved with arteria renalis lysis. One superior mesenteric artery (SMA) stenosis was managed by arterial lysis. Twenty six cases were cured and one case died postoperatively. Conclusion IRF has nonspecific clinical manifestations. The preoperative diagnosis depends on the image characteristics. The treatment mainly consists of the relief of the obstructive symptoms.

Objective To obtain the experimental data of vascular tissue engineering.MethodsThe vascular endothelial cells (VEC) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were acquired and cultured, and then seeded on vascular tissue engineering materials. The porous gelatin-chitosan scaffold with VSMCs was subcutaneously implanted, followed by the observation of the cell growth ten days later.ResultsThe two kinds of cells were successfully cultured and their morpholoical and immunohistochemical characteristics were consistent with vascular endothelial and VSMCs respectively. The VSMCs could grow extensively on the scaffold after the in vivo implantation. The scaffold were wrapped by the fibrous tissue ten days later after the in vitro implantation of VSMCs. The seed cells grew in the scaffold, and the vessel cavity seen in the center of the scaffold, was quite different from the normal vessel structure.ConclusionIt is feasible to implant the VSMCs with fibrin gels into the living body. The vessels reconstructed, though different from the normal structure, is similar to the embryo of the vessels.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parotid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo search for a non-medicine therapy for infant emaciation.

METHODSThe observation group of 55 cases were treated with auricular point sticking combined with chiropractics. For the auricular point sticking therapy, vaccaria seeds were stuck at 9 points such as small intestine, Shenmen, spleen, endocrine, and others, and replaced once every 5 days, 10 days constituting one course. Chiropractics: knead or massage the muscles from lumbosacral area upward to Dazhui (GV 14). The control group were treated with oral administration of pepsin mixture, 10 mL after meals, thrice each day. They were treated for 5 courses.

RESULTSOf the 55 cases in the observation group, 7 were cured, 20 markedly effective, 24 effective and 4 ineffective, with a total effective rate of 92.7%, and among the 23 cases in the control group, 2 cases were cured, 7 markedly effective, 8 effective and 6 ineffective, with a total effective rate of 73.9%.

CONCLUSIONAuricular point sticking combined with chiropractics is a better non-medicine therapy for emaciation in children.

Acupuncture, Ear ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Emaciation ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Chiropractic

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of overexpression of Smad7 gene on cell proliferation in human bronchial epithelial cell lines.

METHODSHuman bronchial epithelial cell lines, BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells, were cotransfected with the mammalian expression vectors PCISmad7.neo and pMyc-SEAP, the latter was ac-myc cis-acting enhancer element fused with alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene. Expression of c-myc, p15 and p21 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR before and after stable transfection of Smad7 into BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells in order to study the regulation of TGF-beta-mediated growth inhibition.

RESULTSAfter BEP2D and BERP35T2 cells transfected with Smad7, the transcriptional activity of c-myc was significantly increased. Smad7 overexpressing cells showed upregulation of c-myc expression and downregulation of p15 and p21 expression, which contributed to the loss of TGF-beta responses in these cells.

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of Smad7 may facilitate cell proliferation by antagonizing TGF-beta-mediated antiproliferative gene responses.

Bronchi ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; Smad7 Protein ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged

INTRODUCTIONFalls are common among older people. Previous studies have shown that falls were multifactorial. However, data regarding community-dwelling Chinese population are minimal. We aimed to study factors associated with falls among community-dwelling older Chinese people.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe conducted a cross-sectional study in a community hospital in Taiwan in 2010. Our sample included 671 elders from the 3680 examinees of the free annual Senior Citizens Health Examination. Participants were interviewed with a detailed questionnaire, and 317 elders were further invited for serum vitamin D tests. The main outcome was falls in the previous 12 months. Predictor variables included sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, body stature, frailty, serum 25 (OH) D levels, and medications.

RESULTSThe mean age of the 671 participants was 75.7 ± 6.4 years old, and 48.7% of which were female. Fallers comprised 21.0% of the study population. In multivariate models, female gender (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.32), loss of height in adulthood (aOR: 1.52), low body weight (aOR: 2.69), central obesity (aOR: 1.67), frailty (aOR: 1.56), polypharmacy (aOR: 2.18) and hyperglycaemia (aOR: 1.56) were factors associated with falls. Vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25 (OH) D levels <30 ng/mL) was not associated with falls (OR: 0.78; 95% CI, 0.38 to 1.60) (n = 317) in this study.

CONCLUSIONAmong community-dwelling older people in Taiwan, falls were mainly associated with female gender, polypharmacy, frailty, reduced body height, low body weight or central obesity, and hyperglycaemia. In addition to other risk factors, body stature should be considered as a novel risk factor when screening elders at risk for falls.

Accidental Falls ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Constitution ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Demography ; Female ; Geriatric Assessment ; methods ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; epidemiology ; Independent Living ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Polypharmacy ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Taiwan ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the analgesic and sedative effects of inhaling a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen on burn patient during and after dressing change.

METHODSA total of 240 burn patients hospitalized in the Institute of Burn Research of Changhai Hospital Affiliated to the Second Military Medical University, Department of Burns of the First People's Hospital in Zhengzhou, and Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from October 2011 to September 2012 were enrolled in our study, and they were all in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The 240 patients were divided into control group (n = 60, treated with inhalation of oxygen during dressing change) and treatment group (n = 180, treated with inhalation of a mixture of 65% nitrous oxide and oxygen during dressing change) according to the computer-generated list of random number. The other treatments in control group and treatment group were the same. Before, during, and after dressing change, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), oxygen saturation (SO2), and adverse effects were observed. The degree of pain and anxiety felt by the patients were respectively evaluated with the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Chinese version of the burn specific pain anxiety scale (C-BSPAS) at the same time points as above. Data were processed with analysis of covariance, chi-square test, analysis of variance, and rank sum test.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between control group and treatment group in the levels of HR, SBP, DBP, and SO2 before dressing change (with F values respectively 0.76, 0.06, 1.11, 0.70, P values all above 0.05). Compared with those of control group, the levels of HR, SBP, DBP, and SO2 in treatment group were significantly ameliorated during dressing change (with F values respectively 81.78, 146.36, 226.44, 205.62, P values all below 0.01). After dressing change, the levels of DBP in the two groups were close (F = 0.31, P > 0.05), but the levels of HR, SBP, and SO2 showed statistical differences (with F values respectively 7.02, 8.69, 12.23, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Before dressing change, the VAS scores were approximate between control group and treatment group (Z = 0.21, P > 0.05). Compared with those in control group (9.4 ± 0.7, 1.7 ± 2.5), the VAS scores were significantly lowered in treatment group during and after dressing change (1.6 ± 1.3, 0.7 ± 1.1, with Z values respectively 11.84, 3.35, P values all below 0.01). There was no significant difference in C-BSPAS score between control group and treatment group before dressing change (Z = 0.62, P > 0.05). Compared with those in control group (75 ± 13, 73 ± 12), the C-BSPAS scores in treatment group were decreased during and after dressing change (9 ± 15, 9 ± 14, with Z values respectively 11.91, 12.28, P values all below 0.01). There were no obvious adverse effects in two groups before, during, and after dressing change.

CONCLUSIONSA mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen seems to have obvious analgesic and sedative effects on burn patients during dressing change, and it can be widely used.

Administration, Inhalation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesia ; methods ; Bandages ; Burns ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitrous Oxide ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Objective To delimit the natural infectious focus, including the distribution of wildlife,species, ecology of intermediate hosts and final host of Angiostrongylus cantonensis, as well as the routes of transmission and epidemiological characteristics and wildlife of human Angiostrongylus cantonensis, based on human diverging cases identified in Shenzhen, southern area of China. Methods Data including rate of infection and density of Angiostrongylus cantonensis among different hosts in 12 different areas in Shenzhen was collected, using microscope to inspect homogenate liquids of snails. Wild mice were captured with mouse cage to examine the adult Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Using larva isolated from wild-snails-infected rats to observe the life cycle of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Results Wild life of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with its majority intermediate hosts as Achatina fulica. The overall rate of infection was 31% in wildlife and final host was found to be Rattus andersoni, Achatina fulica which were extensively distributed in the shrub region of Shenzhen because of suitable climate,humidity and vegetation for generating the life cycle of Achatina fulica. Human infected Angiostrongylus cantonensis was mainly due to eating raw snails or vegetables contaminated by larva of Angiostrongylus cantonensis.The peak of infection was seen from April to November in Shenzhen area.Conclusion Wildlife of Angiostrongylus cantonensis existed in the southwest part of Shenzhen with major wildlife reservoir including fresh water snail and wild mouse. The existence of natural focus Angiostrongylus cantonensis was now recognized as an important source of human angiostrongliasis in Shenzhen area.