AIM: To study the effects of ethanol on physiological characteristics of atria in isolated guinea pig. METHODS: The effects of ethanol on contractility, spontaneous beat of right atrium, function refractory, post-rest potentiation and positive staircase phenomenon were observed in isolated guinea pig left and right atria. RESULTS: Ethanol (12.5, 25.0, 50.0, 100.0, 200.0 mmol · L-1) prominently inhibited the contractive force and decreased spontaneous beat of right atrium. Ethanol (12.5, 25.0, 50.0, 100.0, 200.0 mmol · L-1) inhibited the contractive force of left atrium, and markedly decreased the post-rest potentiation of myocardial contractility in left atrium. Ethanol of high concentration (100 200 mmol · L-1) prolonged the function refractory period and depressed the positive staircase phenomenon of isolated guinea pig left atrium. CONCLUSION: The ethanol induces inhibitory effects of the spontaneous beat, contractility, post-rest potentiation, positive staircase phenomenon and prolonged the function refractory period. The mechanism by which ethanol induces the negative chronotropic and inotropic effects may be related to decreasing the amount of calcium released from intracellular stores.

Objective To research and prepare the individualized knee in vitro guided plate by 3D printing technique and to investigate the feasibility of its application in 8-plate epiphysiodesis.Methods Twelve children patients with knee varus or valgum in our hospital from January 2014 and November 2016,7 boys and 5 girls,average age of 8.2 years old,were performed the lower extremity continuous spiral CT scanning in the knee straight position.The Dicom format stored CT data were imported into software Mimics 15.0 for reconstructing the knee joint 3D model.The knee joint data after reconstruction were guided into software Geomagic1 1.0 with the.stl format.According to the demand that screws without perforating epiphyseal and joint surface,paralle ling to the epiphyseal and locating in the anterior-posterior median line of epiphyseal,the 8-plate placing screw navigation template was designed and printed by using the 3D printing technique;the 8-plate plate and screw internal fixation was conducted by intraoperative template location.The placed screw position was evaluated by postoperative CT.Results The imaging identification showed that 8-plate epiphysiodesis by using 3D printing individualized in vitro guided plate had accurate screw placement.The cases were followed from 6 months to 2 years,the satisfactory orthopedic effect was obtained in all cases.Conclusion Preparing the individualized knee in vitro guided plate by applying 3D printing technique in assisted 8-plate epiphysiodesis for treating child knee varus or valgum has accurate screw position and satisfactory effect.

Objective To investigate the effect of ketamine on depression-like behaviors at different developmental stages of offspring rat exposed to prenatal restraint stress (PRS).MethodsPregnant SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n=6) and PRS group (n=8).The dams of PRS group received three times(45 minutes/time)restraint stress every day.The anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors of the offsprings of the two groups were tested in the stage of juvenile,adolescence and early adulthood.Then the antidepressant effect of ketamine on prenatal stress rats at different developmental stages was observed.ResultsIn the open-field test,the time in the central area of the offspring rats in PRS group at different developmental stages (juvenile(2.50±0.43)s,adolescence(9.17±1.05)s,early adulthood(8.33±0.92)s) were significantly lower than those of the control group((8.33±1.05)s,(19.17±1.06)s,(18.83±1.30)s,all P<0.05).In the forced swimming test,the immobility time in the offspring rats of PRS group at the different developmental stages (juvenile(192.50±10.82)s,adolescence(182.75±10.12)s,early adulthood(199.88±9.20) s)were significantly higher than those of control group((76.00±19.00)s,(96.30±12.91)s,(108.30±10.98)s,all P<0.05).Ketamine could quickly and strongly reduce the immobility time of the offsprings exposed to PRS in the stage of adolescence and early adulthood (P<0.01),but the effect was weaker in the juvenile offsprings (P<0.05).ConclusionPRS leads to persistent anxiety-like and depression-like behavior in offsprings and ketamine exerts a good antidepressant effect on the offspring rats in the stage of adolescence and early adulthood.

AIM: To investigate the influence of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on the anoxia cardiomyocyte apoptosis. METHODS: Using the anaerobic culture apparatus, the apoptosis of the cardiomyocytes, the BMSCs alone and co-cultured with each other were detected by morphological observation, PI staining flowcytometry, electrophoretic gel mobility analysis of DNA fragmentation. Western blotting was used to detect Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression. RESULTS: Compared with control, the BMSCs were unsensitive to anoxic cultured while the anoxic cardiomyocytes were prone to apoptosis. Apoptosis of cardiomyocytes was increased significantly, detected by PI staining and agarose gel elestrophoresis showed “DNA ladder”. However, when anoxia cardiomyocytes co-cultured with BMSCs, apoptosis cells were decreased, “DNA ladder” disappeared and the expression of protein Bax was also decreased. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow stromal cells prevent the anoxia cardiomyocytes from apoptosis, probably by suppressing the expression of Bax protein.

Weightlessness environment can lead to the muscle atrophy and body fluid distribution upward,which can cause the bone calcium metabolism disorder and always accompanied by the loss of bone microstructure and increased rate of bone fracture. Under microgravity,the astronauts are much easier to decrease the Ca2+ ion in bone, which can cause serious osteoporosis. However the bone lost is not equilibrium, it is especially serious in the mechanism loading bone and the recovery process is more difficult. These are very different from the osteoporosis in older people and postmenopausal osteoporosis. It is necessary to find an optimal method to due with it. In traditional Chinese medicine theory,the kidney stores "Jing" and dominates the bone, thus a lot of bone related diseases can be treated through the kidney. A lot of clinical practices have also proved that the Chinese herbs used under the guidance of basic Chinese medicine theory are always good at the treatment of common osteoporosis. In simulated weightlessness experiment, people found that the kidney nourishment drugs do can prevent the decrease of BMD. So in this article we want to review the causes of weightlessness and the potentials applications of tradition Chinese medicine in the treatment of weightlessness osteoporosis.
Humans ; Mechanical Phenomena ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Weightlessness ; adverse effects

Sternotomy is a routine surgical pathway for heart, lung, and mediastinal surgery. Poststernotomy dehiscence is a common complication of sternotomy, in which infection after poststernotomy dehiscence is one of the most serious postoperative complications in cardiothoracic surgery. Previously, conventional dressing, negative pressure wound therapy, and skin stretching device were used in the treatment of poststernotomy dehiscence, but the outcome of each single method was poor, which caused great pain and burden to the patients and their families. In recent years, tissue flap containing rich blood supply has drawn a lot of attention because of its good wound cover, stable thoracic reconstruction, low infection recurrence rate, and less postoperative complication. In this paper, we reviewed the epidemiological characteristics of poststernotomy dehiscence, and summarized the various classifications for poststernotomy dehiscence and the therapeutic effects of different tissue flap repair. We hope that this review would provide a basis for further construction of the treatment system for poststernotomy dehiscence and the formation of a treatment guideline.

Objective To evaluate the predictive values of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), urine NGAL, serum cystatin C (Cys-C) and serum creatinine (Scr) for early delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant recipients. Methods Clinical data, blood and urine samples of 159 kidney transplant recipients were collected. All recipients were divided into the DGF group (n=42) and immediate graft function (IGF) group (n=117) according to the incidence of DGF. Clinical data of all recipients were analyzed. The changes of serum NGAL, urine NGAL, Cys-C and Scr levels were statistically compared between two groups. The predictive values of different markers for early DGF were assessed. Results Among 159 kidney transplant recipients, DGF occurred in 42 cases with an incidence rate of 26.4%. There were statistically significant differences in donor age, cold ischemia time of donor kidney and complement-dependent cytoxicity (CDC) between the two groups(all P < 0.05). Within postoperative 2 weeks, the serum NGAL levels in the DGF group were higher than those in the IGF group (all P < 0.05). The Cys-C, Scr and urine NGAL levels in the DGF group were higher compared with those in the IGF group within 3 weeks after kidney transplantation(all P < 0.001). Serum NGAL, urine NGAL, Cys-C and Scr levels had certain predictive values for early DGF in kidney transplant recipients. Cys-C yielded the highest predictive value with a cut-off value of 4.73 mg/L, sensitivity of 0.833, specificity of 0.812 and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.895. Conclusions Cys-C has higher predictive value for early DGF in kidney transplant recipients compared with serum NGAL, urine NGAL and Scr.

Objective To investigate the MRI characteristics of different pathologic types of patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). Methods The postoperative clinical data of 23 patients with FCD were retrospectively analyzed and they were divided into patient groups of 4 types according to Palmini' s classification. The MRI characteristics of different pathologic types of patients with FCD were concluded. Results Among these 23 patients, 2 were diagnosed as having FCD ⅠA, 6 as having FCD IB, 8 as having FCD ⅡA and 7 as having FCD IE. As compared with that in patients with FCD Ⅰ, obviously increased signal of Flair images in patients with FCD Ⅱ was more prevalent (2:11,P=0.039). Increased signal in T2 images and tapering of abnormal white matter signals to ventricles were more prevalent in patients with FCD Ⅱ as compared with those in patients with FCD Ⅰ, but no significant differences were noted (P= 0.074, 0.058). As compared with patients with other 3 types of FCD, blurring of the gray matter-white matter junction, increased signal in T2 images, deep sulcus, thickening of the cortex and tapering of abnormal white matter signals to ventricles in patients with FCD ⅡB were more prevalent (P<0.05). Conclusion Different MRI characteristics in each type of FCD are noted, especially in patients with FCDⅡB. These different MRI characteristics are helpful to make preoperative diagnosis and planning of FCD.

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have shown that the functional brain activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, most studies focused on the relationship between different brain areas, rather than the amplitude or strength of the regional brain activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the functional brain changes in AD patients by measuring the amplitude of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) signals.

METHODSTwenty mild AD patients and twenty healthy elderly subjects participated in the fMRI scan. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was calculated using REST software.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy elderly subjects, the mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right ventral medial prefrontal cortex, and in the bilateral dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. No brain region with increased ALFF was found in the AD group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe reduced activity in the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex observed in the present study suggest that the functional abnormalities of those areas are at an early stage of AD. The ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in fMRI study of AD.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Gyrus Cinguli ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prefrontal Cortex ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies have shown that brain functional activity in the resting state is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, alterations in intrinsic brain activity patterns in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients are poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the differences in regional intrinsic activities throughout the whole brain between aMCI patients and controls.

METHODSIn the present study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 18 amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients, 18 mild AD patients and 20 healthy elderly subjects. And amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was used.

RESULTSCompared with healthy elderly subjects, aMCI patients showed decreased ALFF in the right hippocampus and parahippocampal cortex, left lateral temporal cortex, and right ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) and increased ALFF in the left temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Mild AD patients showed decreased ALFF in the left TPJ, posterior IPL (pIPL), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared with aMCI patients. Mild AD patients also had decreased ALFF in the right posterior cingulate cortex, right vMPFC and bilateral dorsal MPFC (dMPFC) compared with healthy elderly subjects.

CONCLUSIONSDecreased intrinsic activities in brain regions closely related to episodic memory were found in aMCI and AD patients. Increased TPJ and IPL activity may indicate compensatory mechanisms for loss of memory function in aMCI patients. These findings suggest that the fMRI based on ALFF analysis may provide a useful tool in the study of aMCI patients.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Amnesia ; physiopathology ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male