Humans ; Vertigo ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials

Objective To determine whether isometric handgrip exercise can increase collateral flow to the ischemic myocardium in acute coronary occlusion patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).Methods Sixty-five patients with one-vessel CAD were randomly assigned to either an isometric exercise (IME) group or no-exercise (NE) group.Patients in the IME group performed isometric handgrip exercises (50％ of the maximum voluntary contraction) during 1 min of coronary balloon occlusion.Patients in the NE group remained sedentary during the procedure.The collateral flow index (CFI),heart rare (HR),systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were determined prior to and at the end of 1 min of coronary occlusion.Results In the IME group the average CFI improved significantly more during the occlusion than in the NE group.The differences in HR,SBP and DBP were also significantly grcatcr in the CFI group than in the NE group controls.Conclusion Isometric exercise can induce significantly increased coronary collateral flow in CAD patients during acute vessel occlusion.

Objective To investigate whether functional electrical stimulation (FES) can improve the expression of proteins in the NMDAR1-pGLuR1 pathway so as to promote the recovery of motor function and sensation after stroke.Methods Eighty-one Wistar rats were used to make a photochemical brain model of local ischemia.Rats were randomly assigned into a sham, placebo stimulation or FES group.Rats in the placebo and FES groups had local ischemia induced in the M1 zone of the brain using the photosensitive dye Bengal rose.It was administered intravenously and a laser beam was then stereotactically positioned on the skull.The rats in the FES groups were stimulated for 30 minutes (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, then 10 minutes on).The placebo group's treatment was similar, but without the electric current.The rats in the sham group received no intervention.The cylinder test and the adhesive-removal test were used to test the rats' motor function and sensation before the operation and before they were sacrificed.Cohorts were sacrificed after 3, 7 and 14 days of intervention.NMDA receptor and AMPA receptor were detected in the peri-ischemic cortex using western blotting.Results After 7 and 14 days the index of forelimb motor function in the cylinder test of the FES group was significantly better than that of the placebo group.The average adhesive-removal time of the FES group was also significantly faster compared with the placebo group.After 7 days the average expression of NMDAR1 in the FES group was significantly higher than in the placebo group.The average expression of GluR1 and pGluR1 in the FES group was significantly higher than in the placebo group after 14 days.Conclusion Functional electrical stimulation can improve motor function after ischemia through the NMDARAMPAR signal pathway, at least in rats.

OBJECTIVETo explore lupus nephritis (LN) patients' monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and urinary IP-10 (ulP-10) levels, the correlation between each clinical activity index and rheumatism syndrome, thereby proving objective evidence for microscopic typing of rheumatism syndrome.

METHODSTotally 60 LN patients were assigned to the rheumatism group (31 cases) and the non-rheumatism group (29 cases). Besides, 20 healthy volunteers were recruited as the normal control group. Clinical data and renal pathology were collected, and urinary levels of MCP-1 and IP-10 detected by ELISA. The correlation between rheumatism syndrome and each activity index as well as manifestations of clinical activities was comprehensively analyzed. Results (1) Patients in the rheumatism group were more liable to occur fever, serositis, edema, and hypertension (P<0.05). (2) Compared with the non-rheumatism group, patients in the rheumatism group exhibited much higher levels of 24 h protein quantification and blood urea nitrogen, higher levels of uMCP-1 and ulP-10. Microscopic hematuria, anti-ds-DNA, anti-Sm, the positive rate of AnuA, scores of SLEDAI and BILAG were higher in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group (P<0.05). Levels of plasma albumin and complement C3 were lower in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group (P<0.05). (3) The average activity index (AI) of the renal pathology was higher in the rheumatism group than in the non-rheumatism group. The most frequent pathological type of rheumatism group was type IV of LN.

CONCLUSIONSMore severe renal damage and immune abnormality occurred in LN patients of rheumatism syndrome. Rheumatism syndrome is closely correlated to clinical activity indices.

Biomedical Research ; Chemokine CCL2 ; metabolism ; Complement C3 ; metabolism ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lupus Nephritis ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Rheumatic Diseases ; epidemiology ; metabolism

Objective To study the inhibition of AP-1 transcription factor activity by Hint1 gene over expression in HepG2 cell lines. Methods The Hintl gene was amplified, and then was inserted into the pcDNA3/HA eukaryotic expression plasmid. The constructed pHA-Hint1 plasmid was confirmed by DNA sequencing. The pHA-Hint1 was transfected into the HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western-blot were used to detecte the expression of HA-Hint1. The HepG2 cells were co-transfected with pHA-Hint1 and pAP-1/Luc luciferase reporter. At 36 h after transfection, luciferase assay system was used to detect the AP-1 transcription factor activity. Results The constructed pHA-Hint1 was confirmed by DNA sequencing, pHA-Hint1 gene transduction through lipofectine induced over-expression in HA-Hint1 mRNA (t =3.89, P<0.05) and HA-Hintl protein (t=3. 12, P<0.05). Co-transfection of Hint1 gene inhibits AP-1 luciferase activity. Cotransfection with increased concentration of a pHA-Hint1 plasmid (0 μg/ml, 0. 5 μg/ml, 1.0 μg/ml, 1.5 μg/ml, 2. 0 μg/ml) produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of AP-1 transcription factor activity. At the concentration of 1.5 μg/ml, and 2.0 μg/ml, the activity inhibition reaches significant difference ( F = 72. 009, P < 0. 05 ). Conclusion Over-expression of Hintl can, at least in part, inhibit the AP-1 transcription factor activity in HepG2 cells.

Objective To investigate the application value of three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasonography(3D-PDU) for synovial disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA). Methods Forty four patients with RA were divided into active (23 cases) and non-active (21 cases) groups. 3D-PDU was used in the wrists to measure the volume of synovium(V) ,vascular index(VI) in synovium.and Doppler spectrum was used to measure synovial artery peak systolic blood flow velocity(PSV) , end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistance index(RI). Results There were significant differences of the V [(1. 73 0. 73) cm3] and VI (9. 53 6. 11) in the group of active patients compared to the V [(1. 09 0. 76) cm3 , P = 0. 008] and VI [(3.86 4.99), P = 0.000] in the ones of inactive patients. No differences were found for PSV [(16. 8 6. 29) cm/s vs (13. 5 8. 54) cm/s, P = 0. 282] ,EDV [(5. 51 1.77) cm/s vs (5. 03 2. 76) cm/s, P = 0. 539] and RI (0. 66 0. 07 vs 0. 62 0. 08, P = 0. 095)in the comparison of two groups. Conclusions 3D-PDU in determining RA disease activity in patients with synovial medium has a higher application value, VI can be used as an effective indicator to determine the disease activity.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cervical carcinoma. Methods TAC(DDP, EPI and BLM) was applied in 68 patients with cervical carcinoma. Therapeutic efficacy and side effects were documented. Results After 1～3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, clinical symptoms remission rares reached 100% ,response rate were 100% (40/40) in Ⅰ b～Ⅱ a,90.9% (20/22) in Ⅱ b and 50% (2/4)in Ⅲ a, respectively. Radical resection reached 91.2 %, and only 6 patients of advanced disease failed to radical resection and turned to radiotherapy. Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a safe and effective therapeutic option which could alleviate clinical symptoms, decrease tumor size, down-staging and increase the radical resection rate.

BACKGROUND: The study of isolation, purification, culture, cell labeling, inducing factors, effects of gene transfection on cytobiology, cell carrier construction, and time window for back transplantation of cell compound pertaining to marrow stromal cells (MSCs) is still in its infancy. OBJECTIVE: To search for an in vitro culture method that can be simply and effectively obtained. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The present cytological in vitro experiment was performed at the Beijing Institute of Genome, Chinese Academy of Sciences between June 2006 and July 2007. MATERIALS: Eight specific pathogen-free New Zealand rabbits, aged 6 weeks, were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center, Institute of Genetics and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences. METHODS: Under sterile condition, 1 mL rabbit bone marrow was taken and diluted with D-Hanks solution. Following centrifugation and subsequent supernatant removal, bone marrow was re-suspended using dulbecco's modified eagle's medium (DMEM) for single cell suspension. Next, single cell suspension was dropped onto the liquid surface of equal-volume lymphocyte separation medium (density: 1.077). Subsequent to centrifugation, cloudlike mononuclear cell layer was collected and re-suspended with DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum. The cells were inoculated at lxl0/cm2 and purified by adherent method. When 70%-80% of flask bottom was covered, cell digestion and passage was performed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cell growth was observed with an operating microscope. Surviving cells were counted by Trypan blue viability test. Cell identification was performed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Through the use of 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, cell viability was detected to observe the cellular resuscitation of the cultured cells following cryopreservation. RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after inoculation, cells began to adhere to the wall, exhibiting short shuttle- or triangle-shaped appearance with different sizes of cellular processes. Three days later, adherent cells began to divide, and cell clusters could be found in some areas; One week later, most of cells exhibited scattered fibroblast-like growth; After passage, cells were evenly distributed with long shuttle-shaped appearance and arranged orderly. Following 3 passages, there wound be 5×106-1×107 adherent cells in 1 mL MSC suspension. Approximately 90% of MSCs survived and identified as mononuclear cells. Cells vigorously grew at days 1-6 after inoculation and reached a peak level at day 8, followed by a viability decline. After 56 days of resuscitation, frozen cells displayed a good and rapid growth. CONCLUSION: Highly purified MSCs can be acquired by gradient centrifugation of lymphocyte separation medium. Enough seeded cells can be obtained by in vitro culture and the cellular viability does not change after frozen preservation and resuscitation.

BACKGROUND: SOX-9 plays an important role in occurrence and development of cartilaginous tissues,enhances agglutination of mesenchymal cells,has structural domains of transcriptional activation,and can directly regulate the transcription,OBJECTIVE: To construct pDC316-SOX-9 plasmid for transfection of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) using SOX-9 gene,and to investigate the effects of SOX-9 gene on growth characteristics of BMSCs and product expression. DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING: The cell gene engineering in vitro experiment was performe,d at the Beijing Institute of Genome, Chinese Academy of Scienees from June 2006 to January 2007.MATERIALS: Eight SPF New Zealand rabbits aged 6 weeks were used for culture of BMSCs.METHODS: pDC316-SOX-9 plasmid was used for transfection of rabbit BMSCs by liposome mediated method,Cell transfection included a SOX-9 plasmid transfection group,a blank plasmid group and a blank control group (only treatment of liposome). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cell morphology; growth activity; The SOX-9 protein expression in rabbit BMSCs were detected by immunohistochemistry,hematoxylin-eosin staining,reserve transcriptase-polymcrase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Some cell colonies were detected at 4 days after pDC316-SOX-9 plasmid transfection.Spindle-shaped cells were collected after clone amplification.Cells in the blank control group gradually died over time.Cell activities in the SOX-9 plasmid transfeetion group and the blank plasmid group significantly prolonged,reached a peak at 2 weeks of transfection,and then gradually decreased.At 6 days,BMSCs were yellow in the SOX-9 plasmid transfection group following immunohistochemistry,expressing SOX-9 protein.Hematoxyliu-eosin staining showed many dikaryocytes,rich cell proliferation,similar to chondroblasts.No SOX-9 protein expression and unproductive cell proliferation in the blank plasmid group.SOX-9 mRNA was detected in the SOX-9 plasmid transfection group,but SOX-9 mRNA was not detected in the blank plasmid group and blank control group.SOX-9 levels were significantly higher in the SOX-9 plasmid transfection group than in the blank plasmid group and blank control group at 24,48 and 72 hours,1,2 weeks (P＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION: Rabbit BMSCs were successfully transfected with pDC316-SOX-9 plasmid to enhance cell growth activity and to persistently stably secrete SOX-9 protein,resulting in the differentiation of BMSCs into cartilages.

BACKGROUND:There is lack of an objective and standardized animal model for assessing the therapeutic effect of physical and medication treatment on bone defoct, the effectiveness of operation, as well as the role of bone substitute in the repairing of bone defects.DESIGN:Verified study on the experimental model of bone nonunion in rabbitsSETTING: Department of Orthopaedics in Shenzhen people' s Hospital MATERIALS:Twenty common grade pure New Zealand rabbits of either gender were selected with body mass of (2.5±0.5)kg,aged 6 to 8 months.METHODS :This experiment was carried out at the experimental animal center of Shenzhen people's Hospital between May and August 1999. 1.5cm bone segment (including periosteum)was cut off in the middle of forearm radius in 20 common grade pure NewZealand rabbits,the broken ends were covered with bone wax, 10 weeks later, the bone nonunion status was assessed by macropathological observation, pathohistological and X-ray examination.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Observations on rabbit forearm radius defects by macropathological observation, pathohistological and X-ray examination.RESULTS :Twenty rabbits(40 side radius)were enrolled in this study and weeks later, bone defect region was found filled with fibrous cicatricial tissue without osseous connection ,bone wax was not absorbed, capitulum was ossified with medullary cavity blocked,a small amount of callus formed at both broken ends of fractural bone ,length of bone defect ranged from 0.8 to blocked under optical microscope,chondrocyte and osteocyte could be observed arranging disorderly and covered with fibrous membrane,defect reosseous connection could be detected at defect region at week 10,broken end was ossified and medullary cavity was blocked ,there was small amount of callus appeared at both broken ends displaying irregular shape.CONCLUSION:Bone nonunion experimental animal was successfully established on rabbits in this study, with pathological changes meeting the need of bone nonunion and displaying typical properties,which can be used as reliable and feasible experimental animal model.