Objective Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) are common congenital problems in infants. Association between CMT and DDH has been reported in literatures. The aim of this study was to assess coexistence of DDH in infants with CMT and curative effects of its rehabilitative therapy. Methods In total, 187 infants less than two months old with CMT were recruited in the study. DDH was diagnosed and graded by Graf's bilateral hip type B ultrasonography and pelvic X-ray films. Massage manipulation, magnetic strapping, postural orthosis at home and heat compress were instituted for CMT and frog spica device and hip-flexion abduction plaster immobilization were instituted for DDH. Their early rehabilitative effects were evaluated. Results DDH was coexisted in 24 of 187 infants with CMT, with incidence of 12. 8%. The hips of 22 infants were graded as type Ⅱ b (91.7%) and two as type Ⅲ a (8.3%), and eight at the left side and seven at the right side.Comorbid hips completely recovered normal with early frog spica device and hip-flexion abduction therapy in 24 infants. Conclusions Coexistence of CMT and DDH are relatively common in infants. Type B ultrasonography can be used as a measure for screening DDH in neonates with CMT. Early rehabilitative therapy is effective for those coexisted with DDH and CMT at the same time.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of aging on the proliferative and differentiation capacity of human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs).

METHODSHuman periodontal ligament tissues were obtained from surgically extracted third molars from 6 subjects aged 18-20 years (group A) and 6 subjects aged 45-50 years (group B). The proliferative capacity of PDLSCs isolated from the tissues was examined with MTT assay, and the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity of the cells were evaluated using alizarin red staining and oil red O staining. SA-βG expression was analyzed to assess the cell senescence. In both groups, PDLSCs were induced for osteogenic differentiation for 7 days, and the differentiation ability of the cells was assessed by examining alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and by detecting the expressions of osteocalcin (OCN) and ALP using Western blotting.

RESULTSHuman PDLSCs were successfully isolated from the 12 teeth and were characterized as MSCs. The PDLSCs derived from donors of different ages were all capable of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation, but their proliferative and osteogenic differentiation capacity decreased with the donors' age. The cells also exhibited an age- related increase in adipogenic differentiation capacity and SA-βG expression. In both groups, the cells induced in osteogenic medium showed increased OCN expression and ALP activation, and the increments were more obvious in group A.

CONCLUSIONHuman PDLSCs can be isolated from periodontal ligament tissues even from donors of advanced ages, but their proliferative and differentiation capacity decreases and their adipogenic differentiation capacity increases with age.

The study was aimed to explore the characteristics of clinical manifestation, laboratory indicators and bone marrow examination of SLE patients with anemia. 60 SLE patients with anemia were analyzed for their clinical manifestation, laboratory indicators and bone marrow examination in comparison with 40 contemporaneous SLE patients without anemia. The results indicated that there were significant differences in clinical manifestations of fatigue between the SLE patients with anemia and those without anemia. The detection rate of the decreased Plt and C4 and the percentages of eosinophils, early normoblast, polychromatic normoblast and orthochromatic normoblast in bone marrow were all higher than that in those without anemia. The ANA with titer 1:320 in SLE patients complicated by anemia was lower than that in those without anemia. In conclusion, the clinical manifestation, experimental examination and bone marrow findings were significantly different between the SLE patients with anemia and without anemia.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia ; complications ; diagnosis ; Autoantibodies ; analysis ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a main active monomer purified from Carthamus tinctorius L. The research is to study the inhibitory effect of HSYA on the inflammatory signal transduction pathway related factors which were induced by permanent cerebral ischemia in rats. By using the successive administration at a 30 min interval of HSYA and the rats permanent focal cerebral ischemia model established by a intraluminal suture occlusion method. After cerebral artery occlusion 3, 6, 12 and 24 h, cortex was removed for the next experiments. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of p65 protein and the phospho-IkappaB-alpha (pIkappaB-alpha) in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) DNA binding activity was measured by Trans-AM transcription factor assay kits. mRNA expression of cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-10 was measured by the RT-PCR method. The result showed that intravenous injection of HSYA (10 mg x kg(-1)) to rats after cerebral occlusion, the p65 translocation activity and the phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha were significantly inhibited. At the same time, HSYA suppressed p65 binding activity and the transcriptional level of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6, and promoted the mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. In conclusion, the anti-cerebral ischemic mechanism of HSYA may be due to its inhibition of NF-kappaB activity and the mRNA expression of cytokines in the inflammatory transduction pathway.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Carthamus ; chemistry ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Flowers ; chemistry ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Interleukin-1beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Neuroprotective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Protein Transport ; Quinones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the biocompatibility of polyurethane-BaFe(12)O(19) magnetic composite microsphere as a new endovascular embolization material.

METHODSThe biocompatibility of BaFe(12)O(19) particle was evaluated in vitro using Ames test, cell toxicity test, acute and subacute systemic toxicity test, hemolysis test, bleeding time and clotting time test and blood clotting function assay.

RESULTSAmes test showed that the MR values of this particle leaching solution were all less than 2 without mutagenicity. Cell toxicity test showed that leaching solution at different concentrations had grade I toxicity on L929 cells. Acute and subacute systemic toxicity test showed that the experimental animals had good general condition without obvious pathological abnormality. The hemolysis rate of experimental group was 2.43%, which met the ISO standard (no more than 5%). The bleeding time and clotting time in mice were comparable between the experimental group and control group (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in blood clotting function between experimental group and control group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe material has no obvious toxicity or mutagenicity, and does not cause hemolysis or hemopexis or affect the bleeding time and clotting time. Polyurethane-BaFe(12)O( 19) particle possesses satisfactory biocompatibility.

Animals ; Barium Compounds ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; instrumentation ; Ferric Compounds ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Microspheres ; Polyurethanes ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Toxicity Tests

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathological mechanisms of Guizhi Decoction () syndrome and the therapeutic molecular mechanisms of the Guizhi Decoction, Mahuang Decoction (), Sangju Decoction ( ) and Yinqiao Powder (), as well as the potentially biological basis that Guizhi Decoction is most effective only for the patients with Guizhi Decoction syndrome in clinical practice.

METHODSWe first got serum samples from the patients suffering from both upper respiratory tract infection and Guizhi Decoction syndrome identified by the doctors of Chinese medicine (CM) in the clinic. Four formulas with therapeutic actions of pungent warmth or pungent coolness for superficial syndromes were chosen and four kinds of rat serum samples each containing one of the above-mentioned herbal formulas were collected, then the effects of Guizhi Decoction syndromes' patient serum as well as the effects of sera containing the formulas after being stimulated by the patient serum samples on both the mRNA expression of certain toll-like receptor (TLR) subtypes and the release of some inflammatory cytokines in RAW264.7 cells were tested and analyzed in vitro.

RESULTSThe expression of TLR-3, TLR-4 and TLR-9 mRNA among the 9 tested TLR subforms were up-regulated in the macrophages stimulated by the sera from untreated upper respiratory infection patients with the Guizhi Decoction syndrome (symptomcomplex). The products such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-β from stimulated macrophages through TLR signaling pathways were also increased correspondingly. Interestingly, the changes induced by the Guizhi Decoction syndrome patients' sera were masked significantly after the macrophages were incubated with the sera from donors treated with Guizhi Decoction. Similarly, the three other exterior-releasing formulas were all effective in reversing the up-regulated changes of certain TLR subforms to different degrees, but both the number of targeted TLRs and efficacy of them seemed to be inferior to that of Guizhi Decoction.

CONCLUSIONEvidence from these experiments might contribute to the scientific explanation of both the pharmacological mechanisms of Guizhi Decoction and also the CM theory that Guizhi Decoction is specifically prescribed for the treatment of Guizhi Decoction syndrome (The gearing formula to the symptom-complex).

Animals ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cytokines ; secretion ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Syndrome ; Toll-Like Receptors ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect and to explore the feasible model of 100% condom use programme (100%CUP) under existing policy and law milieu, so as to provide information for the adjustment of HIV/AIDS policy and intervention strategies.

METHODSInformation on knowledge, attitude and behavior of female sex workers (FSWs) in entertainment establishments were collected and followed by qualitative and quantitative analysis including: samples tested for Chlamydia; a repeated cross-investigation and the final evaluation on the effect of the programme.

RESULTSThe reported rate of condom use at the last sex activity with clients increased from 74.9% to 92.2% while the rate of sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevalence droped from 25.1% to 14.1% after three year's intervention program. The number of condoms distributed increased from 50,000 per quarter of a year in 2001 to over 100,000 in 2003. The rates of awareness on the knowledge of STD/AIDS prevention increased obviously.

CONCLUSIONThe 100%CUP was proved to be feasible and effective in the pilot site, and should be expanded in entertainment establishments.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Condoms ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Safe Sex ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; World Health Organization

Inherited afibrinogenemia is a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disease characterized by complete absence of fibrinogen in blood. To identify the genotype in a Chinese family with inherited afibrinogenemia, the samples of peripheral blood were collected from 6 members of 3 generations. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (Fg, clauss) were tested. Fg was also analyzed by using immunoturbidimetry method. DNAs of six members were extracted by using a DNA extract kit. All the exons and exon-intron boundaries of the three fibrinogen genes were amplified by using PCR and analyzed by direct sequencing. The results showed that the parents of proband were 3 degree consanguinity. A homozygous c.934_935insA in FGA was found in proband which results in the change of protein p.Ser312fsX42. The parents, grandmother, maternal grandmother and father's sister were all detected with heterozygous mutation which was same as that in proband. In conclusion homozygous c.934_935insA in FGA is a cause of inherited afibrinogenemia and a novel mutation being reported.
Afibrinogenemia ; etiology ; genetics ; Child ; Exons ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; genetics ; Frameshift Mutation ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree

OBJECTIVETo observe the precise time of the recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to further explore the risk factors associated with postoperative recurrence.

METHODSTotally 94 patients who had undergone resection of HCC were divided into three groups based on the time of recurrence, which was indicated by the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination: recurrence between 1 to 6 months, recurrence between 7 to 12 months, and tumor-free after 12 months. Patients with intra-hepatic recurrence were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and confirmed by CT scans after embolization, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTSThe recurrence rates of 6 months and 1 year were 30.9% and 36.2%, respectively. No statistically significant difference between 6-month and 1-year recurrence rates was observed. Nine (26.5%) patients with recurrence and five (8.3%) patients free of tumor had previously presented as multifocal HCC, which showed a statistical significance (P = 0.032). The diagnostic accuracy of DSA was 87.2%, which was eventually confirmed by the other investigations.

CONCLUSIONSMost recurrences occure within the first six months postoperatively and multifocal carcinogenesis is one of the risk factors associated with early recurrence after liver resection for advanced HCC. DSA is an important surveillance for early detection of intra-hepatic recurrence after surgery; meanwhile, it also provides information for early management to control the disease progression and for future active therapies.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Postoperative Period ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo establish a three-dimentional liver function evaluation system using 99mTc-diethyl iminodiacetic acid (99mTc-EHIDA) scintigraphy based on single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

METHODSTotally 16 patients with liver lesions were divided into cirrhosis group and non-cirrhosis group. SPECT was performed 2 days before operation and 5 days after operation. Serum liver functions were examined on the same day of scintigraphy. SPECT images of areas of interest of heart and liver were aquired. Time of the peak of EHIDA density in liver (Tpeak), five-minutes heart liver index (HLI5), blood clearance index (HH15), receptor index (LHL15), and the predictive values were calculated.

RESULTSTpeak was not significantly different between two groups, while HLI5, HH15, and LHL15 were significantly different (P = 0.033, P = 0.001, and P = 0.005). HLI, and LHL15 were significantly correlated with preoperative total protein and prealbumin levels (P = 0.003, P = 0.015, P = 0.022, P = 0.038) and post-operative prealbumin (P = 0.037, P = 0.042). The predictive values of HLI5 and LHL15 correlated well with postoperative HLI5 and LHL15 (r = 0.675, P = 0.016; r = 0.629, P = 0.028).

CONCLUSIONThe three-dimentional liver function evaluation system using 99mTc-EHIDA based on liver SPECT may facilitate the further studies of risks of liver surgery.

Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Preoperative Period ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; administration & dosage ; Technetium Tc 99m Diethyl-iminodiacetic Acid ; administration & dosage ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon