Objective: To observe the efficacy of needling the Xi-Cleft points of yang meridians plus topical surrounding needling and pregabalin in treating postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) affecting the head and face and its influence on quality of life (QOL). Methods: Eighty patients with PHN affecting the head and face were randomized into an acupuncture-medication group and a Western medication group by their visiting sequence, with 40 cases in each group. The Western medication group took pregabalin capsules orally, 75 mg each time, twice a day. The dosage could increase to 150 mg each time and twice a day within 1 week based on the efficacy and tolerance. The treatment lasted for 5 weeks. The acupuncture-medication group was given additional surrounding needling at the herpes zoster on the head and face, and Xi-Cleft points of yang meridians were chosen according to the affected area for acupuncture, once every other day, for 5 weeks in total. Results: Prior to treatment, there were no significant differences in the visual analog scale (VAS) and QOL scores between the two groups (both P>0.05). After treatment, VAS and QOL scores dropped significantly in both groups (all P<0.01), and were significantly lower in the acupuncture-medication group than in the Western medication group (both P<0.01). The total effective rate was 67.5％ in the Western medication group, versus 92.5％ in the acupuncture-medication group, and the between-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Based on oral administration of pregabalin, needling the Xi-Cleft points of yang meridians and topical surrounding needling can reduce PHN, notably improve patients' QOL, and produce more significant efficacy than oral administration of pregabalin alone.

Objective To observe the effect of transplanting the adipose-dervived stem cells(ADSCs) on free radical metabolism and immune function of rat aging model induced by D-galactose from fasiaology perspective;to explore a new method for anti-aging. Methods The ADSCs were cultured in vitro. Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group(A), aging model group(B) and treat group(C). Ten rats in each group. Rats in B and C groups were injected D-galactose continually into make the sub-acute aging model rats.After 8-week injections of D-galactose;R3ats in group C were injected ADSCs(3×10~6/ml) through caudal vein. After 2-week transplantions of ADSCs, T-SOD, CuZn-SOD, MDA, NO, IL-2 and spleen index levels in serums of each group were detected and compared among the three groups. Results Compared with the A group, the SOD, NO, IL-2 level and spleen index in serum in group B decreased significantly, while the contents of MDA increased significantly. Compared with group B, the SOD, NO, IL-2 level and spleen index in serum in group C had been improved, and the contents of MDA decreased significantly. Conclusion Transplanting ADSCs can improve the antioxidant ability and strengthen the cellular immune function of aging rats.Further more, it can delay the ageing procedure induced by D-galactose in rats.

Background: Creatine transporter (CRTR) deficiency is the most common creatine deficiency syndrome, of which the final diagnosis relies on mutation in the X-linked CRTR gene. To date, more than 90 mutations in the SLC6A8 gene have been reported. This paper discusses a novel mutation detected via the thorough sequencing of all the X-chromosome-specific exons investigated in a four and a half year old boy with an intellectual disability, speech and language delay and motor disturbance. Methods: A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were carried out, the creatine and creatinine concentrations in the urine were checked and all exons were sequenced. Results: A detailed clinical investigation revealed a reduction in the cerebral creatine levels in the brain by the MRS, elevated creatine and creatinine concentrations in the urine and signal abnormalities in the left frontal cortex of the brain by the MRI. A novel change was identified in the heterozygosity of the exon 10: c.1395-c.1401 deletion. Conclusion: The use of a combination of powerful new technologies, such as thorough exome-nextgeneration sequencing and a brain MRS, should be considered, in order to determine any neurometabolic diseases, especially when the signal abnormalities in the brain MRI cannot be explained by any other factors. This mutation results most likely in a dysfunction of the creatine transport and synthesis, hence causing central nervous system symptoms.
Carrier Proteins

Objective To explore the correlation between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children over 6 years old and its relative treatment.Me-thods One hundred and eighty children over 6 years old with the diagnosis of RAP from Mar.2007 to Feb.2009 were selected,30 healthy children without RAP were taken as the healthy control group at the same period.14C-urea breath test (14C-UBT) was used to detect whether the patient was infected by Hp.The radical cure of Hp was given to the Hp-positive children with RAP,and the remission rate of children with RAP and the Hp negative rate were observed.Results The positive rate in RAP group was 58.33%,which was higher significantly than that in healthy control group(20.00%)(P0.05).The positive rate of those with and without bad eating habits were 45.56% and 12.78%,and the positive rate of with and without family gastrosis history was 49.44% and 8.89%,which both had significant difference between them(Pa

The glycosylation heterogeneity of recombinant human pro-urokinase (pro-UK) was assessed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Firstly, the source of heterogeneity was determined by measuring the M_r of intact protein before and after N-deglycosylation. Glycosylation sites and the proportion of O-glycopeptides then were determined at the peptide level. Finally, the N-glycans were confirmed and quantified using the N-glycan profile. Results show that the structural heterogeneity of pro-UK is mainly caused by glycosylation. All T₁₈ were fucosylated, and 6.4% of S_138/139 was O-glycosylated with two kinds of oligosaccharides with a ratio of 6.0% and 0.4% respectively. All N₃₀₂ positions were N-glycosylated by more than ten types of glycans, among which A2F and A3F accounted for 80% of the total. The assessment of glycosylation heterogeneity of pro-UK will provide a reference for quality standardization.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the complications and the early clinical effect of less invasive stabilization system and the femoral condylar support plates in the treatment of AO type C distal femoral fractures.

METHODSFrom September 2007 to February 2012, 46 patients with AO type C distal femoral fractures were retrospectively studied. Of all patients 25 were treated with less invasive stabilization system including 14 males and 11 females with a mean age of (56.3±4.2) years old; according to AO classification, there were 14 cases of C1, 8 cases of C2 and 3 cases of C3 with a mean hospital stay of (15.6±1.7) days. While 21 cases were treated with femoral condylar support plates fixation including 12 males and 9 females with a mean age of (53.8±5.1) years old;there were 13 cases of C1, 6 cases of C2 and 2 cases of C3 with a mean hospital stay of (17.8±2.2) days. Comparative analysis was performed from the operation related index,postoperative complications and Evanich score of the knee joint function between the two groups at follow-up.

RESULTSAll 46 patients were followed up from 13 to 38 months with a mean time of 19.6 months after surgery. Complications included 1 case with infection,3 cases with internal fixation failure, 1 case with nonunion and 1 case with activity limitation of the affected knee. The differences in the incision length, blood loss, fracture healing time were significant between two groups (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the duration of operations, hospital stays and the incidence of postoperative complications between two groups (P>0.05). The statistical significance was also found in the Evanich score at last follow-up between two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients with less invasive stabilization system fixation had the characteristics of less trauma, shorter fracture healing time and better functional recovery. Less invasive stabilization system had became one of the ideal internal fixations in the treatment of AO type C distal femoral fractures.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology

Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; pharmacology ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chick Embryo ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; blood supply ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; pharmacology

BACKGROUND:The researches about the effect of retinoic acid on the proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells are rare, and the researches on the testosterone are mainly on the inhibition of cellaging. OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of retinoic acid and testosterone or combination on the cellcycle of adipose derived stem cells. METHODS:Adipose derived stem cells were isolated from adult female Sprague Dawley rats with 2 months age and cultured in vitro til passage 3 adipose derived stem cells, and then the 3rd passage adipose-derived stem cells were performed with adipogenic induction, osteogenic induction and surface marker identification. The cells were divided into six groups:(1) Control group;(2) 10-5 mol/L retinoic acid group;(3) Retinoic acid group;(4) 10-5 mol/L retinoic acid+testosterone group;(5) 10-6 mol/L retinoic acid+testosterone group;(6) Testosterone group. The adipose-derived stem cells in the control group were cultured with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium+10%fetal bovine serum culture medium, and the adipose-derived stem cells in the other five groups were induced with corresponding dose of retinoic acid and testosterone on the basis of control group. After cultured for 36 hours, the flow cytometry was used to detect the changes of cellcycle. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, cellproportions in phase G 1 of 10-5 mol/L retinoic acid group and 10-6 mol/L retinoic acid group were increased significantly, and the cellproportions in phase S were decreased. Compared with control group, the cellproportion in phase G 1 of testosterone group was significantly reduced, and the cellproportion in phase S was increased. Compared with 10-5 mol/L retinoic acid group and 10-6 mol/L retinoic acid group, cellproportions in phase G 1 of 10-5 mol/L retinoic acid+testosterone group and 10-6 mol/L retinoic acid+testosterone group were reduced significantly and the cellproportions in phase S were increased. Retinoic acid can inhibit the cellcycle of adipose-derived stem cells in phase G 1 , and delay the process of the cellcycle from phase G1 to phase S;while testosterone can promote the cellcycle of adipose-derived stem cells from phase G1 to phase S;the combination induction of retinoic acid and testosterone can accelerate the process of the cellcycle of adipose-derived stem cells from phase G 1 to phase S.

Heuristic teaching is propitious to cultivating students' ideation. We have used different heuristic modes for example problems, stories, contrast, associationin and so on to cultivate medical students' ideation in pathobiology and immunology teaching and acquired good effect.

OBJECTIVEThe relationship between stroke/thromboembolic events (TEs) and bleeding as well as age-related risk factors are not fully clear in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical features, incidence and risk factors of stroke and bleeding in elderly AF patients.

METHODA total of 220 elderly AF patients [mean age (83.1 ± 0.6) years] were followed for (3.2 ± 0.8) years. The CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score, the HAS-BLED score, annual major bleeding risk and the annual stroke were analyzed.

RESULTThe CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score in patients with 65-79, 80-89 and ≥ 90 years old groups were 2.9 ± 0.2, 5.2 ± 0.2 and 5.6 ± 0.2, respectively (P < 0.001) and the HAS-BLED score were 2.1 ± 0.1, 3.2 ± 0.1 and 3.6 ± 0.1, respectively (P < 0.001), both significantly increased with aging. The annual major bleeding risk increased similarly as the annual stroke risk in the very elderly AF patients (patients 80-89 years old: bleeding risk 3.7 %, stroke risk 6.7 %; patients ≥ 90 years old: 8.7 % and 9.8 %, respectively). The combination of CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc and HAS-BLED could identify those patients with high risk for stroke and bleeding correctly. Twelve (5.5%) patients experienced "bidirectional events" (concomitant TE and haemorrhage), of whom 9 (75.0 %) suffered recurrent TEs.

CONCLUSIONThe bleeding risk increased similarly as the thromboembotic risk with increasing age in the elderly AF patients, "bidirectional events" is not common but related with worse outcome in elderly AF patients.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Atrial Fibrillation ; complications ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; etiology ; Thromboembolism ; etiology