BACKGROUND:Abnormal stress is an important factor causing intervertebral disc degeneration. To establish an ideal in vivoanimal model of intervertebral disc degeneration is of great significance for in-depth study on the related pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE:To develop anin vivo rabbit intervertebral disc model and to investigate the relationship between continuous tensile load and intervertebral disc degeneration. METHODS:Twenty-five New Zealand white rabbits aged 6 months old were randomly divided into three groups: blank control (n=5), sham (n=10) and experimental (n=10) groups. The blank control group received no intervention, and the L4/5 segments were removed at the 1st day. The intervertebral disc assistor was used to fix the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies in the experimental and sham groups, the L4/5 segments in the experimental group were loaded 1 MPa axial tensile force, and the L4/5 segments in both two groups were then removed at 14 and 28 days. The changes of L4/5 intervetebral space height and surrounding bone substance were observed by X-ray examination, the morphological changes of the intervertebral disc were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, the cell survival was detected by nitro blue tetrazolium staining and mRNA expression levels of aggrecan, collagen type Ⅱ and SOX9 in the intervertebral disc tissues were assessed by RT-PCR at each time point. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The radiological manifestations, histological changes, cell survival and mRNA expression levels of aggrecan, collagen type Ⅱ and Sox9 showed no significant difference between the blank control and sham groups. Comparied with the blank control group, in the experimental group, the L4/5 intervertebral space was narrowed with time, the articular surface was coarse, and the upper and lower corpus vertebrae edge appeared to have lip-shaped hyperplasia; the intervertebral disc cells distributed irregularly; the nucleus pulposus was in dehydration and deflation, annulus fibrosus arranged irregularly, and the vacuoles in notochord cells tended to disappear; the expression levels of aggrecan, collagen type Ⅱ and SOX9 were markedly downregulated. These findings suggest that the in vivo rabbit model of intervertebral disc is successfully established, in which continuous mechanical tensile load is further proved to directly cause intervertebral disc degeneration.

ObjectiveTo sum up the clinical experience in recent 10 years in our organ transplantation center. Methods We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 120 patients receiving liver transplantation from April 1993 to October 2002. The patients′ clinical characteristics, surgical techniques, complications and survival rates were compared between the periods of 1993～1997 (phase Ⅰ), 1999 (phase Ⅱ), and 2000～2002 (phase Ⅲ). ResultsMalignant liver diseases were major indications for liver transplantation in phase Ⅰ (100%) and Ⅱ (53%), and phase Ⅲ (34%), respectively. The survival rate of recipients with benign liver diseases in phase Ⅲ significantly improved with the 3-month, 6-month and 1-year survival rates of 86%, 85% and 83.1%, respectively. For patients with malignant liver diseases, the 3-month, 6-month and 1-year survival rates were 87%, 81% and 46%, respectively. The recurrence of hepatitis B was 24% in 12 months after transplantation. The incidence of postransplantation vascular complications decreased significantly (from 29% in phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ to 4.9% in phase Ⅲ).Biliary complications remained one of the major problems for long-term survival. No veno-venous bypass was applied in phase Ⅲ. ConclusionStrict selection of candidate recipients, technical refinement, appropriate management of vascular and biliary complications, and prevention of recurrence of hepatitis B and malignant liver diseases are important for long-term survival.

Objective To evaluate the interventional treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS)with regard to different types of the disease.Methods One hundred and fifty-nine consecutive cases with BCS underwent interventional treatments with regard to different types of the diseases,including percutaneous angioplasty (PTA),transcatheter thrombolysis,endovascular stent implantation and modified transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(MTIPS).Among them,147 cases that underwent complete follow-up were enrolled in this study.Simple obstruction of HV,membranous obstruction of IVC,membranous obstruction of IVC combined with thrombosis in the distal lumen and segmental obstruction of IVC constituted 13.6/(20),66.0/(97),6.1/(9)and 14.3/(21/147),respectively.The technical success rate of each type Was determined.They were followed up for(67.3±9.0)months (16 h-104 months).Overall primary patency rote was evaluated.The late effect on liver function Was analyzed according to the Child-Push score.Results The primary patency rate of PTA was 65.6/ (86/131)and the secondary pateney rate was 96.9/(124/128).The primary patency rate of stent implantation was 78.9/(15/19)and the secondary patency rate Was 92.3/(24/26).One patient of type Ⅲa that received recanalization,catheter-directed thrombolysis and PTA in IVC died of hemoptysis 72 h after the procedtire.One patients of type I b who received MTIPS died of DIC 16 hrs after the procedure.And one patient of type Ⅳb who received MTIPS died of hver failure 13 months after the procedure.Twelve patients died in 7-79 months after the interventional procedure due to unrelated causes.At the end of follow-up,the liver function of the patients Was improved. Conclusions Optimal application of various vascular interventional techniques has a satisfactory primary and secondary patency rate and improves the long-term liver function.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; Tripterygium

Objective To evaluate the safety and effect of percutaneous fenestration of intimal flap(FIF) and endovascular stent(ES) placement for aortic dissection. Methods Male patient, 54 years old. DeBakey Ⅲb aortic dissection, tear of intimal flap situated at the beginning of desconding aorta, developed to abdominal aorta and right iliac artery. The true lumen was 3 mm at narrowest locatation. Through femoral artery approach, percutaneous fenestration of intimal flap and ES placement are operated and four ES were placed. Results The blood flow of aortic true lumen and branches were resumed. The true lumen raised to 12 3 mm at the narrowest locatation. The clinical symptoms vanished. Conclusion Percutaneous fenestration and ES placement for aortic dissection feature little injure, high safety and effecacy. So, It is the first choice for certain aortic dissection.

The methods of diagnostic imaging for pulmonary embolism is diversified. However, the different characteristic features of diagnostic imaging and diagnostic accuracy impressive influenced the choice of selection by clinicians. Furthermore, the principle and indication of interventional therapy would have great impending force on the outcomings. This article presents a comprehension of diagnostic imagings and interventional therapy for pulmonary embolization.

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of interventional therapy for the atherosclerotic renal artery occlusion (ARAO). Methods During the period of June 2001-Dec. 2007, 16 patients with ARAO (total of 16 occluded arteries) underwent interventional managements, including percutaneous endovascular renal artery revascularization, balloon dilatation angioplasty and stent placement. Follow-up survey was made at regular intervals. The patent condition of the renal artery was evaluated with ultrasonography and digital subtraction angiography. The blood pressure and the renal function were determined and the data were statistically analyzed in order to assess the intermediate and long-term effect of the interventional therapy. Results Of 16 patients, technical success was achieved in 15 (93.8%) and failure occurred in one. During a follow-up period of 9 - 24 months, 3 patients died. According to the data obtained at each patient’s last follow-up survey, the hypertension fell to normal in 3 (25.0%), was improved in 7 (58.3%) and showed no marked change in 2 patients (16.7%), with a clinical efficacy of 83.3% (10 / 12). The renal function was improved in 2 (16.7%), stabilized in 6 (50%) and deteriorated in 4 patients (33.3%), with an effective rate of 66.7% (8 / 12). Conclusion For the treatment of atherosclerotic renal artery occlusion, the interventional therapy carries high successful rate and can effectively lower the blood pressure level, in addition, it can also protect the renal function in a certain degree.

Objective To use the colloidal gold immunochromatography (GICA ) method to conduct the methodological prelimi-nary evaluation on pepsinogen Ⅰ (PGI) reagent kit .Methods The method provide by the Preliminary Evaluation of Clinical Quan-titative Experimental Methods :Approval Guide Second Edition (EP10-A2) formulated according to the Clinical Laboratory Stand-ards Institute (CLSI) was used to continuously detect the low ,moderate and high concentrations of serum for 5 d ,Then the related data were collected for analyzing the dispersion degree ,linearity ,offset ,precision and so on .Results The PGⅠ quality control ser-um (concentration 25 ,50 ,100 μg/L) was detected at low ,medium and high concentration levels ,the linear regression equation ob-tained by analysis was Y=0 .9939X+0 .7433 ,correlation coefficient (R2 )=0 .9992 ;the offsets were 0 .37 ,0 .77 ,0 .78 μg/L re-spectively ,total imprecision was 3 .04% ,1 .17% and 1 .08% respectively .Conclusion The GICA related technical indicators of PGⅠreagent kit reach the standards of EP10-A2 document ,the detection results are accurate with high sensitivity and good stability , and conform to the requirements of clinical applications .

Objective To explore the effect of body mass and body mass index (BMI) on proton hepatic MRS water suppression at 3.0T. Methods The prospective study of hepatic proton MRS was performed with GE Signa Excite HD 3.0T system and eight-channel torso phased-array coils using PRESS sequence in 44 healthy subjects. Liver spectra were collected with TR of 1500 ms, TE of 30 ms, VOI of 2 cm×2 cm×2 cm and NSA of 64 times. Areas and heights for metabolites resonances were caulculated. Results Group with small mass has lower height ([161.2±8.5] cm vs [167.7±6.2])cm, lower BMI ([20.8±2.3] kg/m~2 vs [25.6±2.6]kg/m~2), better water suppression effect (min-max: 90-96 vs 65-94;median: 94 vs 93), smaller height (min-max: 1.41×10~4-5.76 ×10~5 vs 3.45×10~4-1.75×10~6;median: 9.00×10~4 vs 2.58×10~5) and integrated area (min-max: 4.27×10~4-2.00×10~7 vs 1.24×10~5-5.00×10~7;median: 2.64×10~5 vs 1.19×10~6)of Lip2 than larger weight group. Standardized lipid content (min-max: 0-0.11 vs 0-0.96;median: 0.01 vs 0.04) was less. Group with lower BMI had lower weight ([55.2±8.2]kg vs [71.2±7.8]kg), smaller age ([33.2±11.9]years vs [45.6±9.4]years), better water suppression effect(min-max: 90-96 vs 65-95;median: 94 vs 93) smaller of height (min-max: 1.41×10~4-5.76×10~5 vs 3.45×10~4-1.75×10~6;median: 7.37×10~4 vs 2.11×10~5) and integrated area (min-max: [4.27×10~4-2.00×10~7] vs [1.24×10~5 -5.00×10~7];median: 2.64×10~5 vs 1.19×10~6) of Lip2 than larger weight group. Standardized lipid content (min-max: 0-0.08 vs 0.01-0.96;median: 0.01 vs 0.04) was less. There was significant correlation among water suppression, weight (r=-0.478, P=0.001) and BMI (r=-0.494, P=0.001). Conclusion Lipid accumulation in the liver may be the result of increased fat portion of the body depending on mass and BMI, and hinder to achieve effective water suppression.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of NS-398, a cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) inhibitor, on the proliferation and apoptosis in HepG2 cells. METHODS: The effects of NS-398 on the proliferation of HepG2 cells was evaluated by MTT. DNA fragmentation gel analysis was used to analyze the apoptotic cells; DNA ploidy and apoptotic cell percentage were examined by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the expression of COX-2 and Bcl-2 mRNA was identified by competitive RT-PCR. RESULTS: NS-398 inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in HepG2 in a concentration-dependent manner. DNA ploidy analysis showed that S phase cells were significantly decreased with NS-398 concentration increasing. The quiescent G_0/G_1 phase was accumulated with decreasing of Bcl-2 mRNA. Whereas NS-398 had no effect on the expression of COX-2 mRNA, no correlations were found between COX-2 mRNA and the HepG2 cell proliferation and apoptosis induced by NS-398 (r=0.056 and r=0.119, respectively). CONCLUSION: NS-398 significantly inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis in HepG2. Mechanisms may be involved in accumulation of quiescent G_0/G_1 phase and decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA expression, but independent to COX-2 mRNA expression. [