OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Danning Tablet (DNT) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) of damp-heat syndrome type. METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded and positive drug parallel controlled trial was performed. One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled into the study and divided into two groups: DNT-treated group (n=102) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)-treated group (n=33). Body mass index (BMI), principal symptoms, liver function, blood lipids, iconographic, and compositional parameters were measured before and after treatment, respectively. RESULTS: In the two groups, BMI, distress in hepatic region, fatigue, anorexia, liver function, blood lipids and iconographic parameters were significantly improved, and the improvements of BMI, distress in hepatic region were better in DNT-treated group than in UDCA-treated group. The histological study also showed that DNT had positive effect in treatment of NAFLD. CONCLUSION: DNT is an effective drug to treat patients with NAFLD of damp-heat syndrome type and is more effective than UDCA.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features and causes of complications of unilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral percutaneous translaminar facet screw fixation and lumbar interbody fusion in treating lower lumbar diseases.

METHODSThe clinical data of 166 patients with lower lumbar diseases who underwent unilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral percutaneous translaminar facet screw fixation and lumbar interbody fusion with intervertebral cages from January 2008 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 64 males and 102 females, aged from 24 to 74 years with a mean of 51.9 years old, suffered from lower lumbar lesions for 47.5 months on average (ranged, 8 months to 30 years). Among these patients, lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration was found in 49 patients, recurred lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion in 17 patients, massive lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion in 23 patients, lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion accompany with spinal canal stenosis in 27 patients, lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis with degree I (Meyerding grade) in 21 patients, far lateral lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion in 5 patients. Single segmental diseases occurred in 124 patients and two segmental diseases in 42 patients. The diseases occurred at L(3,4) segment in 6 patients, at L(4,5) segment in 97 patients, at L5S1 segment in 21 patients, at L(2,3), and L(3,4) segments in 1 patient, at L(3,4) and L4,5) segments in 26 patients, and at L(4,5), and L5S1 segments in 15 patients.

RESULTSThere was no abnormal bleeding in the patients and no patient received blood transfusion. During the surgery, spinal dura mater injury with cerebrospinal fluid leakage complicated in 1 patient, a fracture of vertebral pedicle in 4 patients, and end plate injury in 2 patients. No postoperative cerebrospinal fluid, incision infection and skin necrosis were found after operation. Nerve root injury was found in 1 patient. According to the position of pedicles crew, 371 screws of 163 patients were in degree I and 3 screws of 3 patients were in degree II; position of translaminar facet screw, 199 screws of 157 patients were type I, 8 screws of 8 patients were type II, 1 screw of 1 patient was III. Translaminar facet screw was slightly short in 2 patients. Five patients were lost to follow-up, two patients were died. The remaining patients were followed up for 35.4 months on average (ranged, 12 to 60 months). During the follow-up period , end plate was cut off and intervertebral cages were embedded in 14 segments of 14 patients. Abnormal pain of both lower extremities was found in 1 patient. With the exception of 11 unidentified segments in 11 patients, 189 segments of 148 patients obtained intervertebral fusion. No loosening, displacement, breakage of pedicle screw or translaminar facet screw, displacement of intervertebral cages or obvious degeneration of adjacent segments were found. The coronal and sagittal planes balance of lumbar vertebra were obviously improved. Postoperative JOA score was significantly increased than that of preoperative.

CONCLUSIONUnilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral percutaneous translaminar facet screw fixation and lumbar interbody fusion with intervertebral cages is a good choice for the treatment of lower lumbar diseases, but it has a risk of complications. Abundant surgeon's surgical experience, careful operation, and rational use of imaging technique can effectively reduce the incidence of complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; surgery ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fusion ; Spondylolisthesis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe relationship between inflammatory markers and the characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis plaques is uncertain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis plaques and inflammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive proteins (Hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

METHODSAll patients suspected of having coronary heart disease (CHD) underwent Siemens 64-slice CT angiography (64-SCTA) to distinguish the quality of plaque of coronary artery lesions. Blood samples were taken to measure levels of serum Hs-CRP and IL-6 in different plaque groups and the control group and compared with the value of 64-SCTA for detection of coronary artery plaque.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of detecting coronary artery plaque by 64-SCTA was 87.4%, the specificity was 87.1%, the positive predictive value was 82.2%, and the negative predictive value was 91.0%. Comparing the levels of serum Hs-CRP and IL-6 among plaque groups, the mean levels of serum Hs-CRP and IL-6 in three plaque groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The mean levels of serum Hs-CRP and IL-6 in the soft plaque group and mixed plaque group were significantly higher than those in hard plaque group (P < 0.01). Plaque burden in the soft plaque group and mixed plaque group was significantly higher than in the hard plaque group (P < 0.01), but there was no statistical difference between the soft plaque group and mixed plaque group (P = 0.246). There was a negative correlation between the CT scale and Hs-CRP and IL-6 levels in the soft plaque group (r = -0.621, P < 0.01, and r = -0.593, P < 0.01 respectively). There was a positive correlation between the plaque burden and Hs-CRP and IL-6 levels in the soft plaque group (r = 0.579, P < 0.05 and r = 0.429, P < 0.05 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS64-SCTA is an effective way to distinguish the different quality of coronary atherosclerosis plaque. Serum Hs-CRP and IL-6 levels can be considered as the indexes to judge the degree of CHD and may reflect the activity of plaque in CHD patients. Thus it is important for clinical diagnosis and risk evaluation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

Aged ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Coronary Artery Disease ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, Spiral Computed

OBJECTIVETo describe the brief survey of alcohol intake and the incidence of alcohol liver disease in Zhejiang province.

METHODS18,237 requested persons aged over 18 years were selected by multi-stage stratified cluster sampling in Zhejiang province. Questionnaire about alcohol consumption, hepatic ultrasonic scan and detection of hepatic enzymes and markers of HBV and HCV were carried out. Daily alcohol intake more than 40g (including equal to 40g/d) was essential for the diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease.

RESULTSAmong the 18,237 persons (male 12,042, female 6195), the average daily alcohol intake was (17.7 +/- 27.2) g. The incidence of alcoholic liver disease in Zhejiang province was 4.34% (male 6.36%, female 0.36%) in the whole population. Four subtypes were separated as alcoholic cirrhosis, alcoholic fat liver, alcoholic hepatitis and mild alcoholic injury in liver with the corresponding incidence of 0.68%, 0.94%, 1.51% and 1.21% separately.

CONCLUSIONAlcoholic liver disease is found to be a common disease in Zhejiang province, indicating an urgent need for the public education on alcohol abuse and the treatment on related health problems

Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Data Collection ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo monitor the seasonal distribution of influenza types and subtypes in Wuxi area during 2005-2008, and to investigate the variation in hemagglutinin (HA) genes of A/H3N2 strains in 2008.

METHODSNose-throat swab specimens were collected in Wuxi area from flu-like patients from outpatient departments of hospitals as well as from clustering flu-like outbreak patients from workspace, followed by MDCK cell inoculation. Types and subtypes of positive influenza isolates were identified using standard antiserum. We then sequenced the HA genes for H3 subtype influenza viruses isolated from 2008 specimens to investigate the variation in HA genes.

RESULTSDuring 2005 and September 2008, 435 strains of influenza viruses were isolated from flu-like patients in Wuxi Area, among which 164 isolates are of A/H1N1 subtype, 80 isolates are of A/H3N2 subtype, and 191 isolates are of B type. These types/subtypes have significant seasonal distributions. Sequences of HA genes for H3 subtype show that the 9 strains isolated in Wuxi area are similar to those of strains isolated in Shanghai within the same period. Many of the sequences belong to the same branch of the phylogenetic tree, and are similar to sequences of vaccine strains in WHO 2008-2009 repositories.

CONCLUSIONA/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B still attribute to most of the sporadic and local outbreaks of influenza infection in Wuxi area in recent years. HA genes of A/H3N2 strains isolated in Wuxi area are similar to those of strains isolated in Shanghai in the same period, and also similar to those of vaccine strains recommended by WHO for 2008-2009.

Animals ; Cell Line ; China ; epidemiology ; Genetic Variation ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Population Surveillance

OBJECTIVETo investigate the advantages and disadvantages of unilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral translaminar facet screw fixation and interbody fusion with cages in the treatment of two-level lumbar vertebra diseases, by comparing bilateral pedicle screw fixation and interbody fusion with cages.

METHODSForty-nine patients with two-level lumbar diseases who received treatments from June 2009 to December 2011 were included in this study. Among these patients, 23 patients received unilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral translaminar facet screw fixation and interbody fusion with cages (combined fixation group) and the remaining 26 patients underwent bilateral pedicle screw fixation and interbody fusion with cages (bilateral fixation group). These patients consisted of 17 males and 32 females, ranging in age from 29 to 68 years old. Among these patients, lumbar intervertebral disc herniation accompanied by the spinal canal stenosis was found in 29 patients, degenerative lumbar disc diseases in 17 patients and lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (degree I) in 3 patients. The lesions occurred at L2,3 and L3,4 segments in 1 patient, at L3,4 and L4,5 segments in 30 patients, and at L4,5 segment and L5S1 segment in 18 patients. Wound length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative wound drainage were compared between two groups. Intervertebral space height in the lesioned segment before and during surgery and at the latest follow up was also compared between two groups. Before surgery and at the latest follow-up, the Cobb angle of the coronal plane and sagittal plane of the lumbar spine, loosening or breakage of internal fixations, the dislocation of intervertebral cages, and interbody fusion were all evaluated in each group. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure lumbar incision pain. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system was used to evaluate the function before surgery and at the latest follow-up.

RESULTSNo wound infection or skin necrosis was observed after surgery in all patients. No cerebrospinal fluid leakage, nerve root injury, cauda equia injury or worsened neural function in the lower limb occurred in all patients during and after surgery. Wound length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative wound drainage in the combined fixation group were superior to those in the bilateral fixation group. At postoperative 72 hours, the VAS score in the combined fixation group (1 to 4 points, mean 2.35±1.20) was significantly lower than that in the bilateral fixation group (2 to 5 points, mean 3.11±1.00; P<0.05). All the patients were followed up for 12 to 48 months, with a mean of 29 months. After surgery, intervertebral space height was well recovered in each patient and it was well maintained at the latest follow-up, and there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). During follow-up, pedicle screw and translaminar facet screw loosening, dislocation or breakage and dislocation of intervertebral cages were all not found. At the latest follow-up, the Cobb angle of the coronal plane and sagittal plane of the lumbar spine was obviously improved and was not significantly different between two groups (P>0.05). The lumbar interbody fusion rate was 93.5% and 96.2% in the combined fixation group and bilateral fixation group, respectively, and there was no significant difference between them (P>0.05). There was a significant difference in JOA score between before surgery and at the latest follow-up in each patient (P<0.05), and at the latest follow-up, significant difference in JOA score was found between two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared to bilateral pedicle screw fixation and lumbar interbody fusion with cages, unilateral pedicle screw fixation combined with contralateral translaminar facet screw fixation and lumbar interbody fusion with cages shows advantages including small skin incision, minimal invasion, ease of operation, highly reliable stability, high interbody fusion rate, rapid recovery in the treatment of two-level lumbar vertebra diseases and therefore can be preferred as a treatment method of this disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Spinal Stenosis ; surgery ; Spondylolisthesis ; surgery

AIM:To evaluate the effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide ( H2 S) from GYY4137 on lipophagy in mouse primary hepatocytes .METHODS:The C57BL/6 mouse primary hepatocytes isolated and cultured by 2-step in situ perfusion method were divided into 4 groups:the cells in control group were incubated with normal medium; the cells in model group were incubated with 1.2 mmol/L oleic acid (OA) for 48 h;the cells in H2S group or propargylglycine (PAG) group were incubated with 1.2 mmol/L OA for 48 h followed by serum-free phenol red-free RPMI-1640 medium which con-tained 1 mmol/L GYY4137 or 200 μmol/L PAG for 6 h.The cells were collected to conduct immunofluorescence staining of LC3 and photography under fluorescence microscope , phase-contrast microscope or transmission electron microscope . The protein expression of LC 3-Ⅰ/Ⅱin the hepatocytes was determined by Western blot .RESULTS:In contrast with the model group, the fluorescent particles of LC3, the protein expression of LC3, the number of autophagic lysosome and vacuoles in hepatocytes in H 2 S group increased .CONCLUSION: In steatosis hepatocytes , exogenous H 2 S promotes the lipophagy .

OBJECTIVETo evaluate visual inspection with Lugol's iodine (VILI) in cervical cancer screening program and to provide evidence for designing a cervical cancer screening algorithm in high risk areas of existing low-resource settings to reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer.

METHODSWomen in Yangcheng county, Shanxi province were screened with VILI, colposcopy, liquid-based cytology test and human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA test. The efficacy of different screening tests was compared by Youden's index based on the pathology as the gold standard.

RESULTSIn the population being screened, the mean age was 40.80 +/- 10.75 years old. Based on pathological findings, 4.35% (32/735) of the subjects had >or= CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) II. The sensitivity and specificity for the VILI test (>or= positive) were 53.13 and 82.19, while 56.25 and 79.09 were for colposcopy (>or= low grade dysplasia) respectively. Comparing by the Youden's indexs, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between VILI and colposcopy. However, statistical significant difference (P < 0.05) was found between VILI and liquid-based cytology test and HPV DNA test. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) found between the experienced doctors and the newly-trained doctors working in the field station.

CONCLUSIONWith low sensitivity when using microscope but low cost of equipments, VILI can be one of the primary screening tests in China's rural area with low-resource settings if the screening frequency is to be increased.

Adult ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Early Detection of Cancer ; economics ; methods ; Female ; Health Resources ; Humans ; Incidence ; Iodides ; Program Evaluation ; Rural Health ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of continuous traction in treating unstable distal radius fracture.

METHODSThirty patients with unstable distal radius fractures were treated by diaplastic external fixator including 4 males and 26 females with an average age of 61 years ranging from 18 to 85 years. According to AO classification, 12 cases were type A3, 3 were type B2, 8 were type C1, 4 were type C2, 3 were type C3. The distance of the processus radial malleolus and ulnar articularis were measured through X-ray examination.

RESULTSThirty patients were followed-up for 6 to 15 months with an average of 11.2 months. The results of distance before treatment measuring in X-ray was (0.55+/-0.22) cm, and the distance after treatment was (1.07+/-0.23) cm. The distance after treatment was higher than the distance before treatment, there were significant difference between them (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONContinuous traction by diaplastic external fixator can explain by the theory of tendon reinforced bone and ligament restoration, or distraction osteogenesis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; External Fixators ; utilization ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fracture Healing ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Radius Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular ; physiology ; Recovery of Function ; Traction ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; X-Rays ; Young Adult