Selenium, a metalloid mineral micronutrient,is an essential component for the adequate and healthy life of human, animals, and some other microorganisms.Selenium has antioxidative and oxidative effects on living organisms.Selenium deficiency has been associated with impaired function of the immune system.Selenium deficiency appears to enhance the virulence or progression of some viral infections.Selenium deficiency results in decreased activity of glutathione peroxidase, increasing oxidative damage and the likelihood of mutations in the viral genome.The safe range of selenium intake is relatively small and excess selenium intake can readily result in toxicity.This review summarizes the updates of benefitial and adverse effects of selenium on health.

This article was aimed to observe the preventive effect of diabetes with atherosclerosis (AS) treated with Bie-Jia-Jian Pill (BJJP) on level of blood lipids, endothelin (ET), nitric oxide (NO), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, which were the blank group, model group, low-dose BJJP group, high-dose BJJP group and Xue-zhi-kang (XZK) group, to observe changes on the level of blood lipids, ET-1, NO and MMP-9 within 5 groups after 8-week administration. The results showed that compared with the blank group, the level of the content of NO in the model group was significantly decreased (P< 0.05), the level of ET-1 was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the high-dose and low-dose BJJP group as well as XZK group can significantly decrease the level of ET-1 (P< 0.05, or P< 0.01), increase content of NO (P< 0.05, or P< 0.01), and decrease the expression of MMP-9 (P< 0.05). It was concluded that the BJJP can regulate blood lipids, protect endothelial cell of blood vessels, stabilize plaques for the anti-AS effect.

Professor YU Ren-cun believes that the responsibility of cough and asthma of lung cancer patients not only lies in the lungs, but also relates with spleen, kidney, heart and liver. Treatment should focus on the whole body and overall conditioning. Syndrome can be divided into 4 types: qi deficiency with phlegm resistance, yin deficiency with toxic heat, qi stagnation with blood stasis, and lung and kidney deficiency. Clinical treatment should pay attention to the combination of disease and syndrome, which can achieve satisfactory efficacy.

Pregnancy ; Humans ; Female ; Cesarean Section/adverse effects* ; Abdominal Cavity ; Neoplasms

Objective To examine the induction effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) transfected with bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) gene differentiating into chondrocytes. Methods We observed the phenotype of cells which were stained with alcian blue and HE climbing to the six pore plate with invert microscope. The glycosaminoglycan (GAG) value in culture medium was detected in control group,BMP7 transfect and culture medium induced groups after 7,14 and 21 days using standard curve method. Standard curve was described using galacturonic-acid as reference substance. The content of collagen Ⅱ was detected by ELISA method. Results HE and Alcian blue staining showed that BMP7 gene transfection group and the group induced by fluid possess the characteristics of chondrocyte. BMP7 induced BMSCs differentiation to chondrocyte which secrete specific protein called collagen Ⅱ and GAG. Content of GAG were (17.1±3.4),(39.5±5.4),(40.8±6.1)mg/L in control group,BMP7 gene transfected group and induced group,collagen Ⅱ were (89.7±14.3),(152.8±14.5),(155.5± 19.3)μg/L in these three groups separately. Comparing with control group,GAG and collagen Ⅱ of BMP7 gene transfected group and culture medium induced group increased obviously(all P < 0.05),but there was no significant difference between BMP7 gene transfeeted group and culture medium induced group (P > 0.05). Conclusion This active protein induces BMSCs differentiating into chondrocyte,in a level similar to that of inducing medium.

Objective To analyze MRI features of different cervical flexion positions in Hirayama disease (HD) and discuss the effects on these features by different cervical flexion angles.Methods The cervical MR images of neutral and different flexion positions (20°, 25°, 30°, 35° ,40°) of 20 patients, who were clinically diagnosed as HD,were studied.At flexion positions, the appearance of anterior shifting of the posterior wall of the cervical dural canal and widening of epidural space was recorded.The maximum sagittal diameters (d) of widened cervical epidural space and the cervical canal sagittal diameters (D) on the same level were measured to calculate d/D value for quantitative evaluation of the two signs.Comparisons of appearance of the signs among different flexion positions were made using F/sher's exact test.Repeated measures analysis of variance (rmANOVA) was used to compare mean d/D values among groups with different positions, and paired comparisons were also performed.Results The appearance of anterior shifting of the posterior wall of the cervical dural canal were different between 20° group (70%, 14/20) and other 4 larger angles groups (100%) (χ2 =5.76, P=0.020).The d/D values were 0.51±0.06,0.54±0.08,0.57±0.09,0.61±0.09,0.59±0.07 respectively at abovementioned 5 flexion positions, which were different among groups( F = 3.450 ,P = 0.013 ).The value was greater at 35° than that at 20° and 25°( P <0.05 ), and it was also greater at 40° than that at 20° ( P < 0.05 ).Conclusion Cervical flexion angle has an effect on anterior shifting of the posterior wall of the cervical dural canal and widening of epidural space.

Objective To explore the significance of motor unit number estimation (MUNE) by using multiple point stimulating technique to evaluate patients with Hirayama disease (HD).Methods Multiple point stimulating technique was used to estimate the motor unit number of abductor pollicis brevis and abductor digiti minimi in 35 normal subjects [14-33 years old,mean (20.9 ±4.0) years old,33 men and 2 women]without nerve and muscle disease and 69 patients definitely diagnosed as HD [16-35 years old,mean (21.46 ±6.61 ) years old,67 men and 2 women].The differences between the two groups were examined by Fisher's exact test and t test.Results There were 42 patients with atrophy and 27 patients with normal clinical manifestation of left hand.For right hand there were 54 patients with atrophy and 15 normal.For controls,the MUNE value of left abductor pollicis brevis was 226.97 ± 30.59,while that of right side was 22g.31 ± 25.35.The MUNE value of left abductor digiti minimi was 237.43 ± 30.78,while that of right side was 240.20 ± 37.73.For HD patients,the MUNE of left abductor pollicis brevis and abductor digiti minimi was 145.66 ± 126.10 ( t =5.07,P ＜ 0.01 ) and 102.20 ± 112.67 ( t =9.31,P ＜ 0.01 )respectively,while those of right hand was 149.72 ± 117.80 ( t =5.31,P ＜ 0.01 ) and 64.23 ± 69.27 ( t =16.76,P ＜0.01 ) respectively.MUNE of left abductor digiti minimi in 17 patients that was below 200 among 27 patients with normal clinical manifestation (x2 =9.57,P =0.002).MUNE of right abductor digiti minimi in 12 patients that was below 200 among 15 patients with normal clinical manifestation ( x2 =4.64,P =0.03).Conclusions The differences of MUNE values by multiple point stimulating technique between the normal subjects and the HD patients is significant,which suggests this method is very useful to evaluate HD in the early state.

BACKGROUND: Limb allograft is a sort of composite tissues allotrans plantation(CTA), some researches showed that the apoptosis of target cell is one of the main mechanism of the dysfunction of allograft.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristic of cell apoptosis in acute rejection of limb allograft in rats based on limb allograft model.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial using the experimental animals as the objects.SETTING: Experimental animal center Laboratory of a hospital of a medical university MATERIALS: The experiment was done in the Experimental Animal Central Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from November 2003 to May 2004. Totally 56 healthy and male SD rats and 28 Wister rats were involved with body mass of 200 to 250 g. The rats were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. They were randomly divided into two groups:transplantation group with 28 Wistar rats and 28 SD rats and control group with 28 SD rats.INTERVENTIONS: The transplantation group of SD rats underwent limb allotransplantation from allogenetic Wistar. The control group of SD rats underwent limb replantation. The expression of acute rejected in limb allografts was observed. The limb grafts were harvested atday 1, 3, 5 or 7 after transplantation. Histopathological rejection grade of each tissue rejection was performed with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling) and apoptotic index(AI) was calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary results: ① istopathological grade of acute rejection in limb allografts ② The relationship between apoptosis and acute rejection in limb allograft in rats; Secondary results:General condition of rats in each group.RESULTS: The limb grafts showed edema and erythema and the skin became red at day(3.43 ±0.79) after transplantation. The average survival time was(7.42 ± 1.72) days. The acute rejection in skin was the strongest. On the day 3, 5 and 7 after operation, the histopathological rejection grades of skins in the transplantation group were(1.14±0.38) ,(2.28 ±0.48) and(2.86 ±0.38) grades respectively. They were significantly different from that of muscle and nerve( P ＜ 0.05 ) . The apoptotic cells in allografts were mainly infiltrating lymphocytes in subcutaneous tissues and then the muscle cells. All was positively correlated with acute rejection grade in limb allograft .CONCLUSION: Apoptosis was involved in acute rejection of limb allograft in rat. The apoptotic index can be used as a quantitative index to estimate the injury of grafts.

Objective　To evaluate the therapeutic effect of rapid angulation rotation traction for lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion. Methods　A total of 88 patients (66 male and 22 female;age: 18-65), with a history of 2 days to 10 years were analyzed. Among them 20 cases were central protrusion 68 cases were lateral protrusion. Traction range: 60-65 mm, angle: 20°-25°, rotation degree: 20°-25°, traction time: 3 s-1 min. The process of treatment was computer designed. The traction was then 1 to 3 times, with a interval of 4-7 days between two treatments. Results　The effective rate was 96% for the case with history <1 month 96% and 85% for cases with history >1 month (P<0.01). The effective rate was 62% for central protrusion, and 87% for lateral protrusion respectively. χ2 test showed the difference was not significant. Conclusion　The rapid angulation rotation is an effective treatment for lumbar inter-vertebral disc protrusion and this non operative method should be used as early as possible.