BACKGROUND: The present study aims to investigate whether mannitol facilitates central nervous system (CNS) entry of vancomycin and alleviates methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) intracranial infection. METHODS: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was assessed by measuring the concentration of sodium fluorescein (NaF) in the brain tissues of rats and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) in a single-cell layer model. Neutrophil infiltration in the brain tissue, inflammatory cytokine levels in the serum, neurological function, and 7-day survival rates were used to evaluate therapeutic effects of mannitol and vancomycin in MRSA-infected rats. Syndecan-1 and filamentous actin (F-actin) levels were measured, and the relationship between F-actin and the endothelial glycocalyx layer (EGL) was explored via the depolymerization agent cytochalasin D and the polymerization agent jasplakinolide. RESULTS: Following mannitol administration, the NaF and vancomycin concentrations in the brain tissue increased rapidly within 5 min and remained stable for 30 min, indicating that mannitol increased BBB permeability for 30 min. In vitro, mannitol treatment led to significantly greater FITC-dextran permeation through a single-cell layer compared to controls. In the MRSA intracranial infection model, rats treated with mannitol and vancomycin simultaneously presented less inflammation, improved neurological function, and increased 7-day survival rate compared to rats treated with vancomycin and mannitol at 10-hour intervals. Further experiments revealed that mannitol decreased the expression of syndecan-1 in brain tissues, which was confirmed by in vitro experiments showing that mannitol significantly decreased syndecan-1 via F-actin depolymerization. CONCLUSION: Mannitol may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of vancomycin against intracranial MRSA infection by decreasing the endothelial glycocalyx of the BBB via F-actin depolymerization.

Acute traumatic coagulopathy (ATC) is one of coagulopathy induced by severe trauma in the early phase of trauma.It is always with high morbidity,mortality and multiple organ failure.Early diagnosis and treatment is the main content of trauma surgery in the department of emergency and the key to reduce mortality.Thrombelastography (TEG) can comprehensively assess the different stages of coagulation,early diagnose disturbance of blood coagulation and guide the goal-directed therapy with low complications,mortality and medical costs.TEG has been widely used in the operation of cardiac surgery,liver transplantation and trauma surgery to monitor coagulation and guide therapy.This paper mainly reviews the clinical value of thrombelastography in diagnosis and treatment of acute traumatic coagulopathy.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor(ASGPR),also called galactose receptor,is predominantly expressed on the sinusoidal surface of mammalian hepatocytes and is involved in many physiological functions.For many years ASGPR has been applied for targeting hepatocytes in drug and gene delivery and for functional mapping of the liver,and considerable progress has been made.ASGPR-mediated liver-targeted drug delivery mainly involved anti-tumor drugs and cholesterol-lowering drugs,etc.Liver-targeted gene delivery was often seen in antisense drugs.The research of hepatic imaging mainly involved the evaluation of liver function and identification between hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic metastasis of tumors.In addition,researchers have also extended its applications to some new fields,such as three-dimension culture of hepatocytes,hepatocytes screening,and hepatocytes transplantation.New achievements in studies of ASGPR-mediated liver targeting are reviewed in this article.

ObjectiveTo evaluate two "up and down stair" methods used by hemiplegic patients.Methods40 cases with hemiplegia were randomly divided into two groups with 20 cases in each group. Patients in the group A went upstairs with health leg and downstairs with affected leg, while, patients in the group B upstairs with affected leg, downstairs with health leg, and then up and down stairs with health and affected leg alternated. Effects of two training menthods were compared.ResultsEach of two training methods had its advantage and disadvantage, but motor function and mobile ability of patients in the group B were better than patients in the group A (P<0.05).ConclusionHemiplegic patients Should choose different training method of up and down stairs according to his status, and not always choose the method of going upstairs with health leg and downstairs with affected leg.

Objective To observe the antibacterial activity of artificial antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to Blastomyces albicans, E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus in oral infection in vitro. Methods The AMPs were dissolved into PBS or sterilized saliva, then the inhibi-tion of different concentration AMPs to E. coil was evaluated by tube testing. The inhibition effect of different concentration of AMPs to Staph-ylococcus aureus and Blastomyces albicans were evaluated by antibiotic-susceptive test paper. Results When the concentration of AMPs added to broth of E. coli is from 150μmol/L to 300μmol/L , the bacterium count is 0 while the number in control is 6700 ～ 9200cfu/ml. At 100μg/tablet AMPs, the diameter of inhibitor zones of Staphylococcus aureus and Blastomyces albicans are 13mm and 11 mm. At 300μg/ tablet, the diameter are 16 mm and 17mm. AMPs dissolved in PBS and saliva have similar antimicrobial activity. Gonclusions The AMPs is effective to prevent Blastomyces albicans, E. coli and Staphylococcus aurcus in oral infection in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Caspase-3 exists in normal cell in form of zymogen and is capable of stimulating cell apoptosis after activated by apoptosis inducing factors.OBJECTIVE: To observe the activity of caspase-3 in hippocampal cytosolic S-100 and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampal regions, so as to discuss the relationship between hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and caspase3 activity during the whole brain ishcemic-reperfuasional injury.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment.SETTING: Emergency Department of Southwest Hospital Affiliated to the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out at Southwest Hospital Affiliated to the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from January to April 1999. Totally 182 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: namely sham operation group of 14 rats, cerebral IR group of 84, rats acetyl-asp-glu-val-asp-aldehyde (AC-DEVD-CHO) treatment group of 84 rats, rats in the latter two groups were then subdivided into IR 8, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 hours time points subgroups with 14 rats in each.METHODS: The whole brain ischemia 20 minutes and reperfusional model was established on rats in brain IR group and Ac-DEVD-CHO treatment group, and rats were executed separately at post-reperfusional 8, 24,48, 72, 120 and 168 hours for obtaining hippocampal specimen; rats in sham operation group were only underwent anesthesia and operation without common carotid arterial occlusion and burns of vertebral artery, they were executed at 72 hours after operation and hippocampal specimen was obtained. The quantity of amino-methylcoumarin that was produced from the same mass of specimen within same decomposition time was used to reflect the activity of caspase-3. Brain slices that were obtained from different time points were stained and embedded for observing the hippocampal cell apoptosis under fluorescence microscope at 330-350 nm.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURS: ① The caspase-3 activity in hippocampal S-100 in different post-IR time point groups. ② The hippocampal cell apoptosis in different post-IR time point groups. ③ relationship between caspase-3 activity and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampal regions.RESULTS: Totally 182 rats were enrolled in this experiment, 14 rats got lost, thereby date of 168 rats was entered the result analysis. ① The changes of caspase-3 activity in hippocampal S-100 in different post-IR time point groups: There was no change in sham operation group at postoperative 72 hours. In contrast with cerebral IR group, there were obvious reduction in Ac-DEVD-CHO treatment group at post-reperfusional 24, 48,72, 120 and 168 hours [(1.71±0.03, 1.22±0.03; 2.77±0.09, 1.59±0.7;5.54±0.51, 2.3±0.19, 6.28±1.71, 3.43±0.46; 3.11±1.21, 1.73±0.14) nkat/kg;P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01]. ② The hippocampal cell apoptosis in different post-IR time point groups: Under 400× field of vision, the number of apoptotic cells in sham operation group was 1.2±0.4 cells at postoperative 72 hours.It was lower in Ac-DEVD-CHO treatment group at post-reperfusional 24,48, 72, 120 and 168 hours than cerebral IR group [(6.4±1.7, 2.8±0.8;11.8±1.3, 5.8±1.9; 19.8±3.1, 10.0±1.9; 31.2±5.9, 16.4±2.4; 19.8±2.3, 9.0±2.3)cells/400× field of vision; P ＜ 0.01]. ③ Relationship between caspase-3activity and neuronal apoptosis in hippocampal regions: It was proved of linear correlation in cerebral IR group and Ac-DEVD-CHO treatment group,displaying significantly positive correlation r= 0.935 6 or 0.980 0, P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Caspase-3 activation is one of the major inducer for hippocampal neuronal apoptosis, playing important role in hippocampus neuronal apoptosis in rats during IR injury.

Objective To observe and analyse the application effect and value of problem based learning (PBL) combined evidence-based learning (EBL) in emergency medicine clinical teaching.Methods A total of 53 clinical medicine students were selected.The combined teaching method was applied in emergency clinical teaching.After the end of the teaching,the teaching effectiveness survey and theory test of the combined teaching group was performed,and the theory test scores was compared with the traditional teaching group.Results The combined teaching method could stimulate learning enthusiasm,improve learning efficiency,the abilities of selfstudy,literature retrieval,and the ability to analyze and solve problems.77.4％ of students thought this new teaching method had good application value in clinical teaching.Furthermore,the excellent rate of the theory test scores combined teaching group was better than traditional teaching group (41.5％ vs 15.6％,x2 =7.868,P =0.007).Conclusions The PBL joint EBL pedagogy can overcome diadvantages of tradional teaching and provide higher interest,ability of self-study as well as higher teaching quality of the medical students.It will be worth to spread in medical clinical teaching.

Objective To investigate the roles of Caspase 3 in neuron apoptosis following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in the rat hippocampus. Methods A model of rats with global ischemia induced by occlusion of the four vessels according to the method by Pulsinelli et al was used in this study. A total of 182 Wistar rats [(220?20) g] were divided randomly into three groups: control group ( n =14), cerebral ischemia group ( n =84), and cerebral ischemia group treated with acetyl asp glu val asp aldehyde (Ac DEVD CHO, n =84). Time points for observation included 8, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 168 h in the latter two groups. Caspase 3 activity in cytosolic extracts (S 100) of hippocampus and apoptotic neurons in hippocampus following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion were observed at the above mentioned time points, respectively. Results (1) No caspase 3 activity was detected in S 100 from the control group. In S 100 from the ischemia group, weak caspase 3 activity was detected at 8 h, but it increased gradually and peaked at 120 h, and then decreased apparently at 168 h after reperfusion. After treatment with Ac DEVD CHO following cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion, caspase 3 activity was inhibited to some extent at each time point. (2) Apoptotic cells were occasionally observed in hippocampus in the control group, but the apoptotic cells increased apparently at 24 h, peaked at 120 h, and decreased a few at 168 h after reperfusion in ischemia group. After treatment with Ac DEVD CHO following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, apoptosis decreased to some extent at each time point (except 8 h following cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion). (3) Caspase 3 activity in S 100 from hippocampus was positively correlated with apoptotic neurons in hippocampus following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion at each time point ( r =0.9356 in ischemia group, r =0.980 0 in treatment group). Conclusion Caspase 3 may be one of the key causes resulting in neuron apoptosis in rat hippocampus after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. It may play an important role in ischemia reperfusion brain injury.

The experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Ultrasonic Medicine,Department of Biomedical Engineering,Tianjin Medical University between October 2007 and July 2008.Finite difference time domain method which was proposed by Morita to simulate nonlinear ultrasound transmission was applied together with bio-heat-transfers-equation to simulate temperature distribution in the focal region.The results show that when there was a blood vessel in tissue,the blood vessel temperature rise was lower than the surrounding tissue temperature rise.The highest temperature in the surrounding tissue and the focal region above 60 ℃ were decreased with increasing vessel diameter.The blood vessel diameters lead to great changes of temperature distribution.We should consider the influence of blood vessel diameters during high intensity focused ultrasound therapy to destroy tumors

Disseminated malignancy is the main cause of cancer-related death.The spontaneous circulation of tumor cells is responsible for distant metastasis;therefore it is of potential importance to specifically and sensitively detect the circulating tumor cells,which not only allows for more accurate prediction of cancer prognosis,but also helps to tailor individualized anticancer treatment.This paper reviews the enrichment,detection and analyzing methods of circulating tumor cells.