BACKGROUND:Vertebral compression fractures are the most common vertebral fractures in the elderly patients with osteoporosis, and the correlation between the compression of anterior border of vertebral body and adjacent vertebral refractures is not clear.
OBJECTIVE:To establish a model of different compression of T12vertebral body with finite element method, and analyze the relationship between the compression of T12vertebral body and the stress of adjacent vertebral plate.
METHODS:Based on thoracolumbar CT data of normal adult volunteers, MIMICS/3-matic was imported. Through image segmentation, repair and three-dimensional mesh of accessto thoracic and lumbar T11-L1data, grid assigned material properties was imported to ABAQUS so as to establish ligament, joint and other small features and obtain realistic three-dimensional finite element model. The six degrees of freedom, including anteflexion, posterior extension, left and right flexion, left and right rotation, were loaded, to verify the validity of the normal model. With the frontier of vertebral body compression to 90%, 80%, 70%…10% of the nine states, MISES stressesof the T11andL1segment intervertebral disc endplate were extracted; the relationship curve of compression state and endplate stress was obtained.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The model was highly realistic and could reflect the actual stress state. (2) The stress value of T11vertebral body and L1vertebral body was positively correlated with the compression of T12vertebral body. Increased stress may lead to an increased likelihood of end plate fractures, which increases the risk of fractures in the adjacent vertebralbodies.

Objective To explore whether obese adolescents had neurochemical abnormalities in frontal lobe and hippocampus.Methods Anthropometric indicators were measured in all participants.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS)were performed in 9 obese adolescents and 9 non-obese children as controls.Spectral peaks of N-acetylaspartate(NAA),creatine(Cr),choline(Cho)of 2 cortexes were measured and their ratios were computed and compared.Results Values of NAA and Cho in frontal lobe in obese group were significantly lo-wer than those of controls.There was no significant difference of Cr,NAA/Cr,Cho/Cr in frontal lobe and hippocampus between 2 groups.Conclusion The reduced NAA and Cho on 1H-MRS suggests that amount of neural nerve and myelination of white matter may be harmed in frontal lobe of obese adolescents.

A computerized stabilometer was used to evaluate the balance function of 31 subjects with healthy backs and 3l subjects with chronic low back pain. According to the difference of age and sex,they were divided into 2 groups equally. They were told that the feet stood side by side and stood separately with eyes opened and closed. The sensitivity and applying value of all of the test parameters were analyzed. The result showed that the stabilization of the subjects with chronic low back pain was poorer than the healthy subjects. The parameters, such as Sx, Sy, MS, PL, CA and AS, were sensitive, and feet stood side by side was more sensitive than feet stood separately.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of simvastatin on cobalt choride ( CoCl2 ) -induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury on alveolar type Ⅱ cells and the underlying mechanisms.Methods CoCl2 was used to establish the hypoxia and reoxygenation injury model on AT Ⅱ cells.Blank,control and variant doses simvastatin-treated groups ( 5,10,20,30,50,100 μ mol/L) were designed in the present study.The proliferation of AT Ⅱ cells was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 ( CCK-8 ) assay.The percentage of apoptotic cells was assessed by flow cytometry AV/PI double-staining.The protein levels of surfactant protein-C (SP-C) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in AT Ⅱ cells was determined by Western blot.Results As compared with the control group,pretreatment with low dose (5 - 20 μmol/L),but not high dose simvastatin (50 - 100 μmol/L) markedly reduced A549 cells apoptosis,and increased their proliferation and the protein levels of SPC and PCNAin vitro.The protective effect could be reversed in vitro by L-mevalonate,a simvastatin competitive inhibitor,which indicated that the inhibition of mevalorate pathway was involved in the simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.Condusion Low doses simvastatin reversed CoCl2-induced hypoxia and reoxygenation injury of AT Ⅱ cells.The inhibition of mevalonate pathway contributed to simvastatin induced AT Ⅱ cells function restoration.

Objective:To explore changes of central retinal vascular caliber and fractal dimension (Df) and their cor‐relation with blood pressure in hypertensive population .Methods :A total of 2169 subjects>30 years old were en‐rolled in this cross‐sectional study .They were divided into hypertension group (n=819) and non‐hypertension group (n=1350) .Fundus photos were collected in all subjects ,and semi‐automatic software was used to quantitatively ana‐lyze central retinal vascular caliber and Df ,and they were compared between two groups .Results:Compared with non- hypertension group ,there were significant reductions in central retinal arteriolar equivalent [CRAE ,(135.2 ± 10.72) μm vs .(132.25 ± 11.56) μm] ,central retinal venular equivalent [CRVE ,(184.95 ± 16.29) μm vs . (182.52 ± 17.07)μm] and Df [ (1.38 ± 0.05) vs .(1.34 ± 0.05)] in hypertension group , P<0.01 all .After adjus‐ting for age and gender ,analysis of covariance indicated that CRAE and Df of hypertension group were still signifi‐cantly lower than those of non - hypertension group (P<0.01 both) .Linear correlation analysis indicated that sys‐tolic blood pressure (SBP) ,diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) were inversely correlated with CRAE and Df ( r= -0.340~ -0.174 , P<0.01 all) .After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors ,multi‐factor linear regression analysis indicated that CRAE and Df were still inversely correlated with SBP ,DBP and PP (stand‐ardizedβ= -0.190~ -0.134 ,P<0.01 all) .Df of hypertension course >5 years group was significantly lower than that of ≤5 years group [ (1.33 ± 0.05) vs .(1.35 ± 0.05)] , P<0.01. Conclusion:CARE ,Df are significantly in‐versely correlated to SBP ,DBP and PP in hypertensive population ,while correlation of Df is most .

AIM: To identify the non-steroid transcription factors upregulating the expression of L-plastin in hormone-independent prostate cancer, and partly elucidate the mechanism of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. METHODS: TF SEARCH software was used to analysis the possible binding sites of transcription factors in the 3’ end of L-plastin promoter that had been identified as important part of regulation response elements. Gel shift assay and supershift assay were used to confirm the transcription factors binding the speculated response elements. PCR site-mutagenesis technique was performed to delete the binding site of transcription factor and luciferase activity assay was carried out after deletion of the binding site. RESULTS: SP-1 respond element GGTGGGGCGGGGA located at -54- -41 of L-plastin promoter was identified with the TF SEARCH software. Gel shift assay and supershift assay confirmed that SP-1 was the transcription factor binding to GGTGGGGCGGGGA. Mutant deleted the SP-1 binding-site had low-luciferase activity than that of the naive. CONCLUSION: SP-1 plays an important role in the up-regulation of L-plastin expression in hormone-independent prostate cancer.

Objectives: To explore the relationship between vascular active peptide, apelin level and blood pressure in a coastal population of Fujian province.
Methods: A total of 1031 subjects with the mean age of (55.1 ± 10.9) years in a coastal area of Fujian province were included in this cross-sectional study, and 416 subjects with male gender. The questionnaire survey, physical examination and plasma level of apelin measurement were conducted. Based on JNC-7 deifnition of hypertension, the subjects were divided into 3 groups: ① Hypertension group, the patients with systolic blood pressure (SBP)≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP)≥90 mmHg, n=496. ② Pre-hypertension group, SBP at (120-139) mmHg and/or DBP at (80-89) mmHg without medication, n=314.③Normal BP group, SBP<120mmHg and DBP<80mmHg without medication, n=221. Based on 4 quartiles of apelin levels, the subjects were further divided into 4 groups:Q1 group, apelin<164.8 ng/ml, n=258. Q2 group, apelin at (164.8-<220.0) ng/ml, n=258. Q3 group, apelin at (220.0-283.1) ng/ml, n=258. Q4 group, apelin>283.1 ng/ml, n=257. One way analysis of variance, covariance analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to study the
relationship between apelin level and BP.
Results: The apelin level in male gender (220.57 ± 78.87) pg/ml was lower than female gender (232.06 ± 81.17) pg/ml. Compared with Normal group, Pre-hypertension group had decreased apelin level, compared with Normal and Pre-hypertension groups, Hypertension group had decreased apelin level, P<0.05. Compared with Q1 group, Q2, Q3 groups presented decreased SBP, DBP and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), and compared with other 3 groups, Q4 group had decreased SBP, DBP (not including Q2, Q3 groups) and MABP, P<0.05. With adjusted age and gender, SBP, DBP and MABP were signiifcantly different among 4 quartiles of apelin groups, P<0.05. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that SBP, DBP and MABP were negatively related to apelin level, such relationship remained the same after adjusting the other cardiovascular risk factors.
Conclusion: Apelin level dropping accompanying with BP increasing implies that vascular active peptide, apelin involved in BP regulation.

AIM: To establish the HPLC-FPC of Yinhua Mangguo extract(Flos lonicerae japonicae,Folium Mangiferae,Pericarpium Citri reticulate,etc.). METHODS: The gradient elution was adopted with acetonitrile,methanol and 0.05% phosphoric acid as a mobile phase.The detection wavelength was at 238 nm. RESULTS: The components of Yinhua Mangguo extract were well separated on HPLC,and the HPLC-FPC of 10 batches of samples was established.The results showed that this method had a good repeatability,and the 12 common peaks had an exclusive properties. CONCLUSION: The method developed can evaluate the quality of Yinhua Mangguo extract.

OBJECTIVETo study the blood enriching effects of Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba, paeoniflorin and albiflorin on mouse model of blood deficiency caused by γ-ray radiation.

METHODBuild mouse model of blood deficiency induced by γ-ray radiation. Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba were given during modeling. The amount of WBC was detected af- ter the treatment. Based on the result of WBC and paeoniflorin content, albiflorin content in Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba, the same model and the same method were used to comparatively study the effect of blood enriching of paeoniflorin and albiflorin.

RESULTOn the 7th day, the amount of WBC in model mice treated with 2 g x kg(-1) Paeoniae Radix Alba and 2 g x kg(-1) Paeoniae Radix Rubra significantly increased compared with that of model group (P < 0.05). In another experiment with the same model, the amount of WBC in model mice treated with 120 mg x kg(-1) paeoflorin and 120 mg x kg(-1) albiflorin significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared with that of model group on the 7th day. On the 10th day, the amount of WBC in rats treated with 120 mg x kg(-1) paeoflorin increased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with that of model group. Compared with the same dose of paeoniflorin, the amount of WBC in mice treated with albiflorin had no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONAll Paeoniae Radix Alba, Paeoniae Radix Rubra, paeoniflorin and al- biflorin can raise the amount of WBC and have the effect of enriching blood induced by radiation, while paeoniflorin and albiflorin have a similar result in this model. The result indicated that both paeoniflorin and albiflorin are effective constituents in Paeoniae Radix Alba, and paeoniflorin work as the common effective constituent in both Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba.

Animals ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; pharmacology ; Gamma Rays ; adverse effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Male ; Mice ; Monoterpenes ; pharmacology ; Rats

Erasure, establishment and maintenance of genetic imprinting are indispensable for normal embryonic development. All these processes depend on accurate expression and intimate cooperation of kinds of DNA methyltransferases. Many genetic syndromes and embryo developmental anomalies are caused by abnormality of genetic imprinting. Genetic imprinting is important for the nucleus totipotential of primordial germ cell, maturation of gamete,growth and development of embryo, structure and function of placenta as well as postnatal growth and development of individuals.
Animals ; DNA Methylation ; DNA Modification Methylases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Embryonic Development ; genetics ; Genomic Imprinting ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation