Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Benzenesulfonates ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Workplace

BACKGROUND: At present, researches have been proved that nerve growth factor (NGF) plays an important role in repairing neural regeneration after spinal cord injuries. Poor ability of neural regeneration is related to lack of microenvironment for neuronal growth at local injured site. Whether electro-acupuncture can protect nerve after spinal cord injuries through increasing NGF level in injured spinal cord or not is lack of experimental data on the view of molecule.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on motor function, morphology of spinal cord and mRNA expression of NGF in rats with experimental spinal cord injuries through morphology and hybridization in situ.DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study.SETTING: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University; Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian from January 1999 to February 2002. A total of 15 male SD rats weighing (260±9.52) g were randomly divided into sham operation group, injured control group and acupuncture group with 5 in each group.METHODS: Models of spinal cord injuries were established in injured control group and electro-acupuncture group, and rats in sham operation group were just treated with resection of lamina of vertebra. Two hours after operation, rats in electro-acupuncture group were treated with electroacupuncture at Daczhui (GV14) and Mingmen (GV4), L2 Jiaji (Ex-B2-L2)and Huantiao (GB30), alternatively. Then, G6805 electro-acupuncture apparatus was used with distant wave, 0.8 Hz, 0.3-0.6 mA, and slight shake on muscle was regarded as proper response. The electro-acupuncture was performed every 30 minutes a day for 30 days. Rats in injured control group and sham operation group were not treated with any way, and motor functions 2 hours and 30 days after operation were observed with modified Tarlov scale and Rivlin method. ① Modified Tarlov scale: Pamplegia and irresponsivity of lower limbs during electro-acupuncture were scored from 0 to 6 points. ② Modified Rivlin method: Tiltboard was consisted of two rectangular alloy boards which was connected to one end through hinge.Board turned around axis at the beginning of horizontal position (0°) and the angle of ram could be measured. Rats faced towards front were put vertically as longitudinal axis of body to longitudinal axis of tiltboard.Angle was increased gradually when rats were not able to keep the primary position for 5 seconds, and the critical angle was recorded. Hybridization in situ assay: Amount of positive NGF cells was recorded under light microscope and photographs were completed at the same time.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scale of motor function (modified Tarlov score), critical angle of ram test (modified Rivlin method) and changes of amount of positive NGF mRNA cells in rats with spinal cord injuries.RESULTS: A total of 15 experimental rats were involved in the final analysis. ① Two hours after spinal cord injuries of rats in injured control group and electro-acupuncture group, score of motor function and critical angle of ram which was measured with modified Rivlin method were decreased remarkably; 30 days later, score of motor function measured with modified Tarlov scale and critical angle of ram were increased at various degrees, especially those in electro-acupuncture group were increased remarkably, and there was significant difference from those in injured control group [35.40±6.62, 27.80±1.10; (35.40±6.62)°, (27.80±1.10)°, P ＜ 0.05]. ② Thirty days after injury, pathological lesion of rats in electroacupuncture group was milder than that in injured control group, and morphological injury of spinal cord and amount of positive NGF mRNA cells were obvious as compared with those in injured control group (28.13±1.64,12.63±1.41, P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture can improve mRNA expression of NGF in spinal cord, relieve morphological injury of spinal cord, accelerate recovery of motor function of rats with spinal cord injuries, and protect nerve through mRNA expression of NGF.

Objective To analyze the concentration of epithelial cell derived neutrophil-activating protein 78(CXCL-5) in the sy-(novial) fluid(SF) and peripheral blood in children with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and evaluate its clinical relevance to the disease development.Methods SF and peripheral sera were taken from 26 children with RA and 16 healthy controls,and CXCL-5 was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).CXCL-5 in SF was also measured in RA children after receiving steroid treatment.Results The levels of CXCL-5 was significantly higher than that in the SF of RA children compared with healthy controls(P0.05).Interestingly,CXCL-5 markedly decreased in RA children after steroid treatment(P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects and safety of penetrating needling on head acupoints for perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR).

METHODSEighty-one cases of PAR were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (41 cases) and a medication group (40 cases). Penetrating needling at head acupoints was adopted from Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21) and from Shangxing (GV 23) to Shenting (GV 24) in the acupuncture group. A to tal 4-week treatment was given to the patients with 3 treatments a week. Loratadine tablet and azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray were given to the medication group continuously for 12 days. A follow-up was carried out 3 months after the treatment. The efficacy, symptom score and physical sign score, and side accidents were observed in both groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 95.1% (39/41) in the acupuncture group, which was better than 82.5% (33/40) in the medication group (P < 0.05). The total scores of clinical symptoms and each partial scores after the treatment, and total scores of clinical symptoms in follow-up were obviously decreased in both groups (all P < 0.01), the nasal obstruction score and the total scores of clinical symptoms in the acupuncture group were better than those in the medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Obvious side-effect had not been found during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONPenetrating needling at head acupoints is a safe therapy for patients with PAR, and favorable effects can be found in both short term and long term.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the clinical spectrum of respiratory viruses in infants and young children with acute lower respiratory infection(ALRI) in Chongqing area from 2003-2007.And to assess the clinical diagnostic value of virus detection in nasopharyngeal secretions(NPS) and serum viral antibody detection for ALRI.Methods Cases of 2 529 specimens of NPS in hospitalized children with ALRI from Apr.2003 to Oct.2007 were taken for detecting 7 common respiratory virus antigens by immunofluorescence assay including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),adenovirus(ADV),influenza A(IA),influenza B (IB),parainfluenza virus1-3 (PIV1,PIV2,PIV3).Fifty-five thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven samples were tested for ADV-IgM by ELISA.Among those,45 159 cases were further tested for RSV-IgM by ELISA.Results Respiratory virus pathogens were detected in 778 samples out of 2 529(30.76%) including RSV positive in 668 samples (85.86%),PIV3 positive in 75 samples (9.64%),IA positive in 22 samples (2.57%),ADV positive in 15 samples ( 1.93%),only 1 sample ( 0.13%) positive for both PIV1 and RSV. And the positive rate of RSV-IgM was 0.9%-15.2%,and the positive rate for ADV-IgM was about 0.6%-10.6%.RSV infection occured mainly in winter and spring.Conclusions Respiratory virus is the most common pathogen in children with ALRI during the survey period in Chongqing area,especially for RSV infection.The pattern of RSV circulation varied every year with seasonality.It is suggest that this year is peak one for RSV infection from the monthly positive results,especially in Feburary(50%) in 2007.But the infection rate of PIV3,IA,ADV and PIV1 are lower,particularly IB and PIV2 infection have not been seen for the last 5 years.It is fast and accurate to detect RSV antigen and suit to clinical diagnosis by using immunofluorescence assay than other antibody detection.

Objective To investigate the epiderniology of fungemia and provide evidence for clinical therapy.Methods A retro- spective survey was done with the 31 cases of fungemia in our hospital from August 2004 to November 2005.Results More than 80% of the patients suffered from two and more underlying diseases.Over a half of infections developed following placement of catheters.And 83.9% of the patients had a history of antimicrobial agents use before blood culture.The pathogens of 24 (77.4%) cases were associated with Candida spp.Only 3 strains were C.albicans.The mortality rate of candidemia was 45.8%.Different Candida species had different resistance rates to antifungal agents.Conclusions Fungemia patients often have serious underlying diseases.Most fungemia cases were candidemia caused by non-C.albicans.Some fungal pathogens are re- sistant to fluconazole and itraconazole.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the transcription level of gene hld of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the biofilm forming and detaching under MIC antibiotic and explore the relationship between biofilm-related drug resistance and persistant infection.METHODS The transcription level of gene hld of S.epidermidis under MIC concentration of 4 antibiotics was compared with those of the control group without antibiotics by SYBR real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR at the different time point of biofilm formation and detachment.RESULTS The transcription of gene hld decreased rapidly from initial adherence,and droped continuously for few hours.There was an increase from 24 hours to 72 hours in groups without antibiotics but not in antibiotics groups,the differenet was significant.CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics improve adherence at first and then prevent matrix decomposition water-conducting tube and detachment of cells by impact of transcription of gene hld,it can protect cells from killing by inhibiting the penetration of biotics and prevent them become planktonic cells after detachment from biofilm.

Objective Toinvestigatethecorrelationbetweentheredbloodcelldistributionwidth (RDW)and in-hospital prognosis in elderly patients with cerebral infarction and severe hemiplegia. Methods Atotalof209consecutiveelderlypatientswithcerebralinfarctionandhemiplegiadiagnosedat the Emergency Department,Central Hospital of Jiading District in Shanghai from January 2012 to December 2013 were enrolled retrospectively. All patients were divided into an L-RDW group (n=73 ),an M-RDW group (n=56),and an H-RDW group (n=80)according to the RDW trisection level. A single factor analysis of variance was used to compare the differences of clinical data,laboratory indexes,and mortality during hospitalization among the three groups. The patients were redivided into either a survival group (n=170)or a death group (n=39)according to their clinical outcomes. Its differences of RDW levels in the acute phase were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independence risk factors for the death of patients,and the risk ratio (OR)was calculated. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyzeRDWandtheNationalInstitutesofHealthStrokeScale(NIHSS)scores.Results Themortality of the M-RDW group was significantly lower than that of the L-RDW and the H-RDW groups (1. 8%[n=1] vs. 12. 3%[n=9]and 36. 2%[n=29],all P<0. 01). the RDW level of the death group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (14.2 [13.3,15.1]vs.12.5 [11. 9,13. 5];P =0. 002). The H-RDW level (OR,12. 164,95%CI 2.544-58.181,P=0.002)and the NIHSS score (OR,1. 136, 95%CI 1. 056-1. 221,P=0. 001)were the independence risk factors for the death of the elderly patients with severe hemiplegia cerebral infarction;the RDW level was positively correlated with the NIHSSscore(r=0.167,P=0.016).Conclusion ThemortalityofdifferentRDWlevelsinelderly patients with cerebral infarction and severe hemiplegia showed aU shape. The mortality of the H-RDW is the highest. The RDW level has an important reference value for identifying the prognosis in elderly patients with cerebral infarction and severe hemiplegia.

AIM:To characterize the effect of estradiol on proliferation,differentiation and extracellular matrix(ECM) accumulation in stromal cells through regulation of BPH-1 paracrine.METHODS:BPH-1 cells were stimulated with different concentrations of estradiol.Conditioned media(CM) were harvested and their effects on stromal cell cultures were tested.Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay.mRNA of smoothelin,fibronectin,collagen Ⅳ and transforming growth factor ?1(TGF-?1) were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR.Western blotting was used to determine smooth muscle myosin heavy chain(SMMHC).ELISA and radioimmunoassay were respectively used to measure fibronectin,TGF-?1 and collagen Ⅳ protein expressions.RESULTS:Estrodiol stimulated the expression and secretion of TGF-?1 in BPH-1 cells.The proliferation of stromal cells increased when they were cultured with CM harvested from estrogen treated BPH-1 cells.The mRNA levels of collagen Ⅳ and smoothelin increased in stromal cells treated with CM from BPH-1 cells.The results of radioimmunoassay also showed that the collagen Ⅳ protein level up-regulated in the supernatants and cell extracts of CM-treated stromal cells.A neutralizing antibody to TGF-?1 inhibited the stimulation of collagen Ⅳ and SMMHC by BPH-1 CM.The expression of fibronectin was only marginally changed in stromal cells cultured in the presence of BPH-1 CM.CONCLUSION:The BPH-1 cells increase ECM accumulation and differentiation of stromal cells through TGF-?1.Estradiol stimulate differentiation of stromal cells by induction of TGF-?1 expression.Estradiol stimulate proliferation by influencing the factors secreted from prostatic epithelial cells.