OBJECTIVETo investigate the short-term clinical outcome of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for the treatment of spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee.

METHODSFrom September 2013 to April 2014,5 patients with spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee underwent unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, included 3 males and 2 females, aged from 65 to 80 years old with an average of 74 years. The courses of disease was from 1 to 6 years with the mean of 3 years. According to the radiographic staging criteria of Koshino, 1 case was stage II, 2 cases were stage III, 2 cases were stage IV. Clinical effects were assessed by VAS score, HSS score, and knee range of motion, tibiofemoral angle before and after operation.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 6 to 7 months with an average of 6.4 months. All incisions obtained primary healing, and there were no complications such as infection, thrombosis, fracture of lower limbs. All 5 patients' pain relieved and their knee function improved significantly after operation, but knee range of motion had no obviously improved. Postoperative HSS scores, VAS scores, tibiofemoral angle were significantly improved than that of preoperative.

CONCLUSIONThe short-term effect of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty in treating spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee is satisfactory.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; Male ; Osteonecrosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular

Objective To observe the clinical changes in resin and porcelain veneer in restoring dental fluorosis in order to provide a basis for the repair of dental fluorosis. Methods Fifty six severe dental fluorosis patients were divided into porcelain and resin teeth group in the department of Prosthetics, school of Stomatology, Harbin Medical University during 2005 to 2008. All 162 teeth of 25 patients in porcelain group were veneered with porcelain. 201 teeth of 31 patients in resin group were repaired with resin. To evaluat the clinic effect, the veneer surface color was detected by the Easyshade computer-aided colorimeter when the repair was completed and 18 months afterward. The edge of veneer adaptation, retention, secondary caries and abutment were examined after 18 months, and classified by color, shape, function and feeling. Results The color difference between the porcelain and resin teeth group was 0.27±0.20 and 0.21±0.15 when it was completed, and it was 0.28±0.21 and 0.77± 0.68 respectively after 18 months. The color difference value of the porcelain teeth group was lower when it was completed than 18 months later(t=-13.55, P<0.01). The color difference value of the resin teeth group was lower than the porcelain teeth group after 18 months(t=-12.60, P<0.01). The percentage of level A of veneer adaptation in the porcelain group[100%(162/162)] was higher than the resin group[91.04% (183/201), χ2=15.26, P< 0.01) after 18 months. The clinical effect was divided into three degrees of excellent, moderate or failed, into which the number of the teeth catergorized was 158, 4 and 0 in porcelain group, 148, 56 and 4 in resin group respectively. The clinical effect of the porcelain group was superior to the resin group(χ2=44.24, P<0.01). Conclusions The surface color of porcelain veneer last 16nger than the resin veneer, the adaptation and clinical effect is also superior to the resin veneer. But the long-term efficacy of two methods needs further study, especially of the resin veneer.

Usage of reverse genetic techniques in the research area of the fundamental etiology of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), has resolved the issue about the function of viral gene of FMDV on genomic integer level. At present, a further recognition and apprehension for the molecular etiology of FMDV based on the development in reverse genetics was made. Combined with the research work in our labs, we reviewed international advances about the molecular pathogenic mechanism, the relationship be-tween virulence and variation in the genomes, influencing factors for the viral replication, and the develop-ment of new-type gene vaccine of FMD in this article, and propose the potential research aspects in reverse genetics of FMDV in the future.

Pentacyclic triterpenoids are a class of widespread natural compounds containing six isoprene structures with a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, immune regulation, etc. The structural modifications of pentacyclic triterpenoid natural products and the drug development have always been a hot research topic. This article reviews the recent progresses in the structural modifications, pharmacological effects, and clinical studies of different kinds of pentacyclic triterpenoid natural products.

Objective To explore an economic and effective management strategy for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in community health center. Methods 62 LDH patients treated in Xujiahui community health center (observation group), 48 LDH patients treated in Huajing community health center (control group A) and 55 LDH patients treated in Shanghai 6th People's Hospital (control group B) were included.The observation group was managed by associate professor from Shanghai 6th People's Hospital and accepted different treatment strategy in mild, medium and heavy grades. The control groups A and B were managed routinely. 3 month later, costs of illness were computed and curative effects were accessed in 3 groups. Results There was no difference in curative effects between observation group and control group B (P>0.05), but better than control group A (P<0.05). The observation group cost the least among the groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Graded treatment strategy united with tertiary hospital is an economic and effective mode for LDH management in community health center.

Lu Dangshen, a traditional authentic medicinal material of Codonopsis Radix is mainly produced in Shangdang (Changzhi) area of Shanxi Province. Baitiao Dangshen is mainly produced in Gansu Province. Codonopsis Radix contains many kinds of components such as phenylpropanoids, polyalkynes, alkaloids, terpenes, fatty acids, flavonoids, and so on. At present, the effect of producing areas on its chemical compositions has not been systematically studied. This study analyzed the differences of metabolites among Codonopsis pilosula from different producing areas by UPLC-HRMS. PCA, OPLS-DA coupled with Thermo mzcloud online and local databases were used to compare the overall differences of metabolites among Codonopsis pilosula from different producing areas, and the chemical constituents were identified to further screen and find out the different metabolites and analyze the metabolic pathways by information retrieval in HMDB, PubChem, Chemspider and KEGG databases. The results showed that 72 differential metabolites were identified in this study. There were 15 kinds of up-regulated and 57 kinds of down-regulated metabolites of Lu Dangshen compared with Baitiao Dangshen. The top 30 metabolic pathways were analyzed by KEGG enrichment, and the most important metabolic pathways were phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which was demonstrated that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and related intermediate metabolites could be used as the characteristics of distinguishing Lu Dangshen from different habitats of Codonopsis pilosula. The present study provided a basis for analyzing the influence of producing areas on the chemical components of Codonopsis pilosula and reasonably evaluating the quality of Codonopsis Radix, and also provided a new idea for expounding the authenticity of Lu Dangshen.

This study aims to investigate whether the cultivation peony, can take the place of wild herbaceous peony by comparing the biological traits and paeoniflorin content between them. The result showed that the biomass of the stem, leaf, crown, fleshy root and fine root of wild plants were all smaller than that of bud asexual cultivated plants, while there was no significant differences in below-ground and aboveground biomass ratio between these two plants. The stele diameter, the proportion of stele, and the ratio of stele diameter to cortex thickness of wild plants were significantly higher than that of bud asexual cultivated plants, while the cortex thickness and the proportion of cortex were significantly smaller than bud asexual cultivated plants. Although the biological traits of bud asexual cultivated plants have changed significantly, the paeoniflorin content in fleshy roots has no significant difference between wild and bud asexual cultivated plants. Therefore, it is feasible to use the bud asexual cultivation to the conservation and large-scale cultivation of Paeonia laciflora, which is an endangered species.
Glucosides ; analysis ; Monoterpenes ; analysis ; Paeonia ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; growth & development

AIMTo create a model for studying ionic channels by means of the expressing human HCN2 and G418-resistant HEK293 cell lines established.

METHODSpcDNA3-hHCN2 was transfected with Lipofectin2000 into HEK293 cell line. The transfected cells would be survived in the further culture medium containing G418 antibiotic as the hHCN2 gene could express a G418 resistant products. Whole-cell patch clamp investigated that hHCN2 gene was transfected into HEK293 cells.

RESULTSThe G418 resistant (600 ug/ml) HEK293 cell line was established successfully and whole-cell patch clamp recorded ionic currents of transfected hHCN2.

CONCLUSIONThe G418 resistant HEK293 cell line was successfully established with transfection of plasmid pcDNA3-hHCN2 by Lipofectin, which might be useful for studying the relationship between the structure and function of cloned ionic channels.

Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels ; Ion Channels ; genetics ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Plasmids ; Potassium Channels ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Ganoderma lucidum spores on Cytochrome C (Cyt-C) and mitochondrial calcium in the testis of NIDDM rats.

METHODSFifty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups: model, ganoderma and normal control, the first two groups injected with 2% STZ through vena caudalis, and the last one with half-and-half sodium citrate/citrate buffer solution. Two weeks after normal diet, glucose tolerance tests were performed and the rats with abnormal glucose tolerance from the model and ganoderma groups received high-fat and high-carbohydrate food, the ganoderma group given Ganoderma lucidum spores (250mg/[ kg x d] ) in addition, both for 10 weeks. Glucose tolerance tests were repeated 1 day before the end of the experiment and the rats were castrated and relevant indexes measured.

RESULTSThe NIDDM model was successfully constructed. In the model group, the levels of mitochondrial Cyt-C and mitochondrial calcium were significantly lower (P <0. 05) while that of the plasma Cyt-C was significantly higher than in the ganoderma and the control groups.

CONCLUSIONCyt-C and calcium ion are involved in the damage of the testis. Ganoderma lucidum spores can protect the testis of NIDDM rats.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mitochondria ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reishi ; Testis ; drug effects ; metabolism

To evaluate the clinical outcomes of loupe-assisted intussusception vasoepididymostomy (VE) in the treatment of epididymal obstructive azoospermia (EOA), we retrospectively analyzed data from 49 patients with EOA who underwent two-suture longitudinal intussusception vasoepididymostomy (LIVE) between 2000 and 2007. The data included the surgical method, postoperative motile sperm count per ejaculation, percentage of progressive motile sperm and patency and pregnancy outcomes. There were a total of 49 men undergoing scrotal exploration, and epididymal obstruction was found in all cases. Bilateral or unilateral anastomoses were performed in 40 and 6 men, respectively. The postoperative courses of 42 patients were followed up for more than 6 months, and the courses of 38 patients were followed up for more than 1 year. The overall patency and pregnancy rates were 71.4% and 26.3%, respectively. Moreover, progressive motile sperm was more frequently present in those patients who had undergone anastomosis at cauda than at corpus or caput. Pregnancy was achieved only in those patients who had undergone anastomosis at least on one side of the cauda epididymis. We think that the loupe-assisted method, with a lower overall cost and a simplified surgical procedure, can achieve satisfactory patency outcomes and pregnancy results. Data from this paper also suggest that paternity outcomes occur more frequently after anastomoses at cauda than at corpus or caput.
Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Azoospermia ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Constriction, Pathologic ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Ejaculatory Ducts ; pathology ; surgery ; Epididymis ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sperm Motility ; Treatment Outcome ; Vasovasostomy ; methods