Objective To observe the changes of the height of intervertebral discs of the segments adjacent to the fusional and instrumental area after the operation and the relation between the changes of height of intervetebral discs in the adjacent segments and the angle of the pedicle screw.Methods Thirty-one patients who underwent internal fixation from September 2004 to March 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.The intervertebral discs height of adjacent segment was studied.The influence of"Suspensory fixation"on the changes of height of adjacent intervertebral discs was compared.The relation between the changes of the height of the upper adjacent intervertebral discs and the angle of pedicle screw was analyzed.Results The mean follow-up period for the patients was 13.5 months(10-16 months).In the operating-group,the height of the adjacent intervertebral disc decreased slightly,but the changes had no statistical significance(P＞0.05).Between the group fixed between L5 and S1 and group fixed between L4and L5,the changes of the height of the upper adjacent intervertebral discs had no obvious difference(P＞0.05).In the group fixed between L4 and L5,there had no obvious difference between the changes of the height of the upper adjacent intervertebral discs and the changes of the height of the lower one(P＞0.05).When the operating-group were divided into two groups according to the angle of pedicle screw (＜6°or＞6°),the changes of the height of the upper adjacent intervertebral discs had no obvious difference(P＞0.05).But there had positive and correlative relation between changes of the height of the adjacent intervertebral discs and the angle of pedicle screw(r=0.373,P=0.039).Conclusion "Suspensory fixation"has no different influence on the changes of height of adjacent intervertebral discs.There has no difference on the risk of degeneration between upper and lower segment adjacent to the fusional area.There has positive and correlative relation between the changes of height of the upper intervertebral discs adjacent to the fusional area and the angle of pedicle screw,that is,the bigger the angle is,the more clearly the height of adjacent intervertebral discs will change.

Aim: To observe the effects of sarsasapogenin ( SAR) on osteoblasts and osteoclasts cultured in vitro. Methods: Colonal murine calvarial osteoblast-like cell line MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in vitro. MTT,p-nitropheneye phosphate and tinctorial method of alizarin Bordeaux were used to investigate the effects of SAR on the proliferation, ALP expression, and mineralization tuberculation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Mature osteoclasts were i-solated from the long bone of one-day rat. Meanwhile, marrow cells of mouse bone were cultured with induction of 1,25( OH)_2VitD_3. During the culturing of osteoclasts or marrow cells, SAR of different concentrations was added into the medium. The number of osteoclasts was recognized as tartrate resistant acid phosphatase( TRAP) ( +) multinucleate cells and the resorption lacuna on bone slice were examined with toluidine blue staining. Results: Comparing with the control group, SAR (0.01, 0. 1, 1μg/mL) significanthy increased the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). There was no significant difference in the expression of ALP in early pro-liferating MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to SAR of 0.01,0. 1, 1μg/mL, but in the differentiation phase MC3T3-E1 cells, SAR improved ALP activity very significantly if compared with the control group, of which SAR of 1 μg/mL had the most promotion effect(P <0. 01). In addition, compared to the control group, there were, to various ex-tents, increased in the number of mineral nodes in MC3T3-E1 cells after 15day incubation with SAR of different conentrations. Furthermore, no obvious effects of 0.01-1μg/mL SAR on mature osteoclast were observed. But typical osteoclasts were formed when marrow cells were cultured with the induction of 1,25(OH)_2D_3 in medium for 7 days while little or no osteoclasts were induced from marrow cells in the presence of SAR. Conclusion: The results suggest that SAR can effectively promote the proliferation, differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts cultured in vitro. Besides, SAR can inhibit the generation of osteoclasts from marrow cells.

Objective To study the characteristics of skinfold thickness of Han adults in Jiangsu province . Methods The skinfold thicknesses of facial , subscapular , suprailiac , biceps , triceps and calf on 311 urban adults ( 157 males and 154 females) and 421 rural adults ( 213 males and 208 females ) of Han were investigated in Huaian city of Jiangsu province .Results The thickness of skinfold of urban females were thicker than that of urban males .Rural adults were the same .Han adults of Jiangsu showed the most significant differences between urban areas and rural areas .The values of six skinfold thicknesses of Jiangsu urban adults have positive correlation with age .Conclusion Han adults of Jiangsu show the most significant differences between genders .

China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Streptococcal Infections ; epidemiology ; Streptococcus suis ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the relationship between neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) and substance P in rats suffering from spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighted (220±40) g, were randomly divided into three groups: sham group (n=20), normal group (n=20) and model group (n=20) and then were subdivided into subgroups of 24 h, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 5 weeks respectively after SCI. SCI model was established at thoracic 10 segment of rat with NYU impactor device. The colon tissue of the rats was resected and stored. Substance P in serum and tissue was measured by ELISA. The tissue was examined by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting to analyze the expression of substance P. Results The colon intestinal transmission function decreased and delineated at minimum value at 3 weeks in the model group. There was statistical significance with respect to the content of substance P in serum and tissue between the sham group and model group at 3 weeks. The expression of substance P in the sham group was (3.12±0.51) times of the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion Substance P may take part in NBD after SCI in rats.

BACKGROUND:Recently, electrospun materials have been extensively applied in the drug delivery system. OBJECTIVE:To overview the application prospect of electrospun materials in drug delivery systems. METHODS:A computer-based search of PubMed and NCBI databases was performed for literatures about the research progress of electrospinning in tissue engineering and chemotherapy published within the past 10 years using the keywords of“electrospinning, drug delivery system, nanofibers, electrospun materials”.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with traditional materials, electrospun stents hold good versatility and control able parameters, thus granting its unique advantage under various physiological conditions. Current drug-loaded materials composed of natural products, synthetic polymers and blended materials;as to drugs, there are antibiotics, chemotherapy medication, DNA and protein. Electrospun materials have been used in tissue engineering, cancer chemotherapy and wound healing. We focus on not only the application progress of electrospun materials in traditional treatments, but also its usage, condition-control ed drug release and living-cel carrying. Electrospun materials combined with various drug-loaded present a broad prospect.

Aim To observe the effects of effective fraction of Epimedium,Astragalus,Radix Puerariae on behavioral and pathological changes in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.Methods Six-month-old APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 transgenic mice were ran-domly divided into 2 groups:model group and effective fraction group,1 0 mice each group.The mice in the effective fraction group were treated with the effective fraction of Astragalus,Radix Puerariae,Epimedium compound for 8 weeks.The C57BL/6J mice were used as negative control group.After 8 weeks,the learning and memory function were measured by Morris water maze,the pathological changes in brain tissue were ob-served by Modified Bielschowsky staining and Nissl 's staining.Results During place navigation trial,the escape latency in the APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 double transgenic model mice was longer than those of the mice of C57 (P <0.05),the escape latency in the mice of effec-tive fraction group was significantly reduced than those of the mice in model group (P <0.05).During spatial probe trail,the platform-crossing times in the APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 double transgenic mice were different from the mice of C57 (P <0.05),the platform-crossing times in the mice of effective fraction group were significantly increased than those of the mice in model group (P <0.05).The average swimming velocity in the APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 double transgenic model mice was increased than that of mice of C57 (P <0.05 ),there was no significant difference between effective fraction group and model group (P > 0.05 ). The Modified Bielschowsky staining shows that the neuron fibers of the cerebral cortex of APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 double transgenic mice were enlarged,swelling,and dense.There were senile plaques and nerve fiber tangles in the cerebral cortex of APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 double transgenic mice.The neuron fibers of mice in the effective fraction group were relieved;there was a small amount of senile plaque.The Nissl’s staining shows that the neurons of the cerebral cortex of APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 mice were edema, the number of cells were decreased.The mice in the effective fraction group were free of the disease.Con-clusion The double transgenic APPswe /PS1 ΔE9 mice of AD can simulate the specific pathogenesis of AD, which may be the efficient experimental animal model. The effective fraction of epimedium,astragalus and ra-dix puerariae may have a neuroprotective effect against AD via improving the learning and memory ability,and reduce the cerebral cortex nerve fiber tangles,senile plaques and neurons edema changes.

This study is to investigate protective effect of safflor yellow B (SYB) against vascular endothelial cells (VECs) injury induced by angiotensin-II (Ang-II). VECs were cultured and divided into six groups: control group, Ang-II group, Ang-II + SYB (1 micromolL(-1)) group, Ang-II + SYB (10 micromolL(-1)) group, Ang-II + SYB (100 micromolL(-1)) group and Ang- II + verapamil (10 micromolL(-1)) group. Except control group, all of VECs in other groups were treated with Ang- II at the final concentration of 0.1 micromolL(-1). Mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were measured by laser scanning confocal microscopy, and mitochondria complex IV activity was detected by BCA method. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in VECs were analyzed by fluorescence detector and apoptosis of VECs was observed by flow cytometer. Caspase 3 was determined by Western blotting method. Comparing with control group, Ang-II was able to increase [Ca2+]i and ROS level, decrease MMP level, inhibit complex IV activity and enhance caspase 3 activity in VECs, as a result, enhance apoptosis of VECs. But SYB could significantly reduce the result induced by Ang- II relying on different dosages (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). SYB was able to eliminate the effect of Ang-II on VECs via regulating [Ca2+]i, mitochondrial structure and function and inhibiting apoptosis.

The American Clinical Practice Guiding -Neurogenic Bowel Management in Adults with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) had been prepared based on scientific and professional information known about neurogenic bowel management, its causes, and its treatment, in 1998. It will provide reference to China's neurogenic bowel management after SCI in rehabilitation and treatment.

Objective To explore the diagnostic model and clinical application value of serum proteomic fingerprint in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) .Methods Serum proteome profiles of 72 IBD patients (54 Crohn′s disease (CD) and 18 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 44 healthy controls were analyzed by the weak cation exchange (WCX) beads combined matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS ) technique . Among three groups , every two groups were compared .Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to screen out the peaks of difference expressed protein (P<0 .05) .Genetic algorithm combining with support vector machine (SVM ) was utilized to select the best diagnostic model .The predictive effects of this model was evaluated by leave one out method (LOO ) . Results The 10 most discriminating protein peaks were screened out between CD group and healthy control group , between UC group and healthy control group , between CD group and UC group . A diagnostic model established with four protein peaks ,the mass‐to‐charge ratio (M /Z ) of them was 3 275 .29 ,4 963 .91 ,4 980 .53 and 5 336 .90 ,could better distinguish CD and healthy controls .The specificity was 97 .7% ,and the sensitivity was 92 .6% in CD diagnosis .A diagnostic model established with four protein peaks ,the M /Z of them was 2 272 .41 ,2 660 .42 ,3 029 .77 and 5 002 .78 ,could better distinguish UC and healthy controls .The specificity was 100 .0% ,and the sensitivity was 94 .4% .A specificity was 50 .0% and sensitivity was 88 .9% in CD diagnosis with the diagnostic model of six protein peaks and the M /Z of them was 2 082 .63 ,2 210 .64 ,4 039 .02 ,4 298 .30 ,4 978 .03 ,5 002 .22 .Conclusion The diagnostic model of serum difference expressed protein in CD and UC is established by MALDI‐TOF‐MS technique and genetic algorithm combining with SVM ,which has high diagnostic value in IBD .