OBJECTIVETo analyze the role of Caspase 3 in neuronal apoptosis after acute brain injury.

METHODSExperiments were carried out with rat diffuse brain trauma model. The neuronal DNA injury in cortex and hippocampus was observed by TUNEL stain. The mRNA and protein expressions and enzyme activation of Caspase 3 were observed by Northern blot, in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry stain and Western blot, respectively. Special Caspase 3 enzyme inhibitor was used to observe the therapeutic effect.

RESULTSTUNEL positive neurons appeared 2 hours after severe trauma, peaked at 1 day and lasted for 7 days. Northern blot showed that the Caspase 3 mRNA expression was increased and peaked at 1 day, about twice higher than the control. In the area of cortex and hippocampus, positive mRNA staining neurons appeared most distinct on one day. With the antibody for Caspase 3 P20 subunit, the active Caspase 3 expression peaked at 1-3 days. The electrophoresis band of PARP degradation would be seen by Western blot. Caspase 3 enzyme inhibitor could reduce apoptotic neuronal death without any effect on Caspase 3 P20 subunit expression.

CONCLUSIONSAfter brain trauma, Caspase 3 mRNA and protein expressions and enzyme activation are enhanced in combination with neuronal apoptosis. Special Caspase 3 enzyme inhibitor can apparently decrease the neuronal apoptosis.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Brain Injuries ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Nervous System ; physiopathology ; Neurons ; enzymology ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

· AIM: To inspect and compare the functional vision of an aspheric intraocular lens (Tecnis) with those of conventional monofocal silicone and acrylic intraocular lens and multifocal intraocular lens (Array).· METHODS: The IOLs were tested in the eye model, which was designed to be optically equivalent to the theoretical eye model. The eye model is a combination of a spherical photographic lens with 35mm focal length ( IOL put in a water cell)and a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. The images constructed by the lenses are observed on a monitor of personal computer and the contrasts of the images are analyzed by using commercial image processing software.· RESULTS: The modulation transfer function of the eye model equals the scale produced by the theoretical eye model. The images constructed by changing the diameter of aperture stop and IOL.· CONCLUSION: The proposed eye model is useful for testing functional vision and for inspecting differences of intraocular lens.

OBJECTIVETo explore causes of gluteal muscle contracture induced anterior knee pain and curative effect of arthroscopic release.

METHODSFrom March 2002 to August 2013,36 patients with gluteal muscle contracture induced anterior knee pain were treated, including 15 males, 21 females, aged from 9 to 40 years old with an average (18.7±7.2) years old; the courses of diseases ranged from 4 to 30 years. The clinical manifestations involved limited to symmelia, positive Ober sign, buttocks touch contracture belts, knee and patella slide to lateral when doing squat activities. All patients were performed gluteal muscle contracture release under arthroscopic. Postoperative complications were observed, Kujala scoring before and after operation was used for compare curative effect.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up with an average of 29 months. The incision were healed well, and no complications were occurred. Postoperative Kujala score were improved more than preoperative.

CONCLUSIONGluteal muscle contracture release could alleviate hypertension of lateral patella, and palys an important role in preventing patellofemoral arthritis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Buttocks ; Child ; Contracture ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Knee ; Male ; Pain ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcome of arthroscopic repair method of meniscus injury with Fast-fix under local anesthesia.

METHODSFrom October 2005 to September 2012,106 patients with meniscus injuries admitted into our - hospital were studied, including 74 males and 32 females, ranging in age from 13 to 71 years old, averaged 27.6 years old. The duration of the disease ranged from 15 days to 5 years. The main clinical manifestations included knee joint pain after exercise, joint locking, pressing pain of knee joint and positive McMurray signs. The MRI showed meniscus tear or degeneration. Arthroscopic repairing surgeries were performed with Fast-fix under local anesthesia. Each patient was assessed with VAS pain evaluation and Lysholm knee-joint score system before and after operation. All the patients were followed up more than 1 year.

RESULTSOne hundred and 2 patients were followed up by recording subjective symptoms, clinical examinations and questions naires for an average of 2.6 years (ranged, 1.1 to 8 years), and 4 patients lost follow-up. All the 102 patients had no anesthetic complications. Ninety-six patients had normal subjective symptom and clinical examinations. Four patients had a mild ache with activities,2 patients had moderate pain after activities with joint space pressing pain. VAS pain evaluation and Lysholm knee-joint score after operation both were much better than that before operation.

CONCLUSIONonclusion: Local anesthesia can provide nice circumstances for surgeries. Arthroscopic repair using Fast-fix is an idea method for meniscus injury, especially for the posterior horn tear of medial meniscus, which is simple and convenient with less complications, and satisfactory results.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anesthesia, Local ; methods ; Arthroscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; Visual Analog Scale ; Young Adult

The study is aimed to ensure the quality and safety of medicinal plants by using ITS2 DNA barcode technology to identify Corydalis boweri, Meconopsis horridula and their close related species. The DNA of 13 herb samples including C. boweri and M. horridula from Lhasa of Tibet was extracted, ITS PCR were amplified and sequenced. Both assembled and web downloaded 71 ITS2 sequences were removed of 5. 8S and 28S. Multiple sequence alignment was completed and the intraspecific and interspecific genetic distances were calculated by MEGA 5.0, while the neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees were constructed. We also predicted the ITS2 secondary structure of C. boweri, M. horridula and their close related species. The results showed that ITS2 as DNA barcode was able to identify C. boweri, M. horridula as well as well as their close related species effectively. The established based on ITS2 barcode method provides the regular and safe detection technology for identification of C. boweri, M. horridula and their close related species, adulterants and counterfeits, in order to ensure their quality control, safe medication, reasonable development and utilization.
Base Sequence ; China ; Corydalis ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; Papaveraceae ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics

AIMTo investigate whether NR2B-pERK1/2-pElk-1 signaling contributes to the Y-maze learning and memory of rat brain.

METHODS45 adult male SD rats were divided into 4 groups: (1) Ifenprodil peritoneal injection group (Ifenprodil ip, n = 14); (2) DMSO peritoneal injection group(DMSO ip, n = 15); (3) Ifenprodil cerebral ventricle injection group (Ifenprodil ic, n = 8); (4) DMSO cerebral ventricle injection group(DMSO ic, n = 8). Y-maze training and test were used as an learning and memory enhancing stimulus. Immunohistochemical and Western blotting methods were used for detecting pERK1/2 and pElk-1 expression intensity of different brain regions.

RESULTSCompared with the DMSO ip group, the ifenprodil ip group showed no change on the Y-maze learning score (P > 0.05), but its Y-maze memory score tested 24 after learning decreased (P < 0.05). Ifenprodil peritoneal injection made brain pERK1/2 and pElk-1 expression decreased generally. In hippocampus, marginal division of striatum(MrD), amygdala,these changes were more significant (P < 0.05). Compared with the DMSO ic group, the reconsolidation of Y-maze memory tested 6 hours after ifenprodil injection was impaired in ifenprodil ic group (P < 0.05). The OD value of pERK1/2 and pElk-1 positive bands in ifenprodil ic group attenuated generally. The pElk-1 positive bands of caudate putamen and MrD almost disappeared in ifenprodil ic group.

CONCLUSIONNR2B is essential for the formation of long-term memory, reconsolidation of Y-maze memory. The deactivation of NR2B by ifenprodil will impair these courses. Meanwhile, the deactivation of NR2B attenuates pERK1/2 and pElk-1 expression of learning and memory related regions after Y-maze learning and memory reconsolidation test. In MrD and caudate putamen, the pElk-1 expression are completely blocked by ifenprodil after memory reconsolidation test.

Animals ; Avoidance Learning ; physiology ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Male ; Maze Learning ; physiology ; Memory ; physiology ; Piperidines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism ; ets-Domain Protein Elk-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the surgical methods and clinical results of modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and internal fixation for the treatment of upper lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSClinical data of 32 cases of upper lumbar disc herniation in our department from June 2005 to June 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 21 males and 11 females, the age from 24 to 59 years with an average of 38.5 years. All the cases were treated by the use of nucleus pulposus removed, modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and internal fixation with pedicle screw system. All patients were followed up with an average of 9 months (from 3 to 18 months), according to Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and visual analogue scores (VAS) to evaluate clinical effects.

RESULTSAll the cases were followed up from 3 to 18 months with an average of 9 months and the fusion rate was 100%. The JOA sores before and after operation were 10.5 +/- 2.1, 26.2 +/- 2.4 respectively, and the improvement rate was 84.9%. The VAS before and after operation was 7.2 +/- 1.3 and 1.4 +/- 1.1 respectively, and the rate of catabatic pain was 80.6%. Lumbar rigidity and unwell had 4 cases, obviously leg pain had 2 cases after operation, but the systems vanished gradually at 1-8 weeks after non-operative treatment.

CONCLUSIONModified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion has the advantages of simple, safe operation and thoroughly decompression, and it is a therapeutic method for upper lumbar disc herniation.

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo set up a method for the drainage of lymph fluid and explore the change of active materials in lymph fluid and serum after rat ischemia-reperfusion injury.

METHODSThe method of the drainage of lymph fluid was well established. Sixteen healthy male rats of SPF grade were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups: intestinal ischemia-reperfusion + drainage group (I/R + drainage group) and drainage group. All the rats were subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion for 60 minutes, followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion. We compared the change of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein, endotoxin tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL) -1 beta, IL-6, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecular-1 (sICAM-1) by draining lymph fluid and collecting serum in 2 groups.

RESULTSThe drainage of lymph fluid was successfully performed. The HMGB1, endotoxin, and cytokines in serum and lymph fluid were significantly higher in ischemia-reperfusion group than in drainage group (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSThe method for drainage of lymph fluid is simple and feasible. Endotoxin, HMGB1, and some cytokines in serum and lymph fluid may mediate the ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drainage ; methods ; Endotoxins ; metabolism ; HMGB1 Protein ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Intestines ; blood supply ; metabolism ; Lymph ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effectiveness of hamstring tendon graft embedding reconstruction of medial patellofemoral ligament for the treatment of recurrent dislocation of the patella.

METHODSFrom March 2008 to June 2013,67 patients with recurrent dislocation of patella were treated, including 28 males, 39 females with an average age of 22 years ranging from 10 to 42 years old. The clinical manifestations involved knee joint instability,"giving way", sense of patellar dislocation, anterior knee pain. All 67 patients underwent arthroscopic hamstring tendon graft embedding reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament. The curative effect were evaluated by preoperative and postoperative Lysholm score and Q angle changes.

RESULTSAll cases were followed up after operation and the mean follow-up time was(27.5±13.4) months(4 to 69 months). Postoperative incision were healed well and no patellar dislocation or subluxation occurred. Lysholm score improved from preoperative 76.35±2.86 to 82.71±2.29 postoperatively; Q angle decreased from preoperative (18.75±2.33)° to postoperative(13.28±1.75)°.

CONCLUSIONThe method for the reconstruction of medial patellofemoral ligament can provide enough tension, patellar stability.imoroving the function of knee ioint.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Patellar Dislocation ; surgery ; Patellar Ligament ; surgery ; Patellofemoral Joint ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Recurrence ; Tendons ; transplantation

OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence and characteristics of chronic headache in children and adolescents in Shanghai and to collect messages concerning the impact and compliance of medication for migraine.

METHODSA population-based questionnaire study was conducted among subjects 6 - 15 years of age sampled from primary and junior high schools in Shanghai and the subjects were followed up.

RESULTS(1) The prevalence: 8701 (88.6%) out of 9857 pupils responded to the questionnaire; 17% of the respondents had headache and in 86.4% of them the reason of headache was unknown. The prevalence of chronic headache in Shanghai children and adolescents was 7.8%, there was no significant difference between both genders (chi(2) = 0.010, P > 0.05). (2) The prevalence of chronic headache increased with age, the incidence was higher in boys before 12 years of age, while higher in girls after 12 years of age. (3) Characteristics of chronic headache: the proportion of unilateral, bilateral and headache of unknown site was similar; in most of the cases headache was localized in the temple (35.2%) and forehead region (25.6%), the duration of headache was short, always accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms. Half of the patients reported that the headache had affected their study and daily life. (4) The status of using health care facilities: 24% of the students sought medical assistance during their headache episodes and among them only 30.9% took medicine. (5) Over-fatigue (51.4%), followed by insufficient sleep (40.4%), emotional changes (38.5%) were the main aggravating factors. The headache was also associated with positive family history and stress in studying.

CONCLUSIONSHeadache is a common complaints of children, affecting the patients' study and daily life. But many patients with headache were not treated properly, therefore, the medical and educational sectors and the society should pay more attention to this problem.

Adolescent ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Headache Disorders ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires