Objective To explore the effects of nicorandil on cardiac function and blood glucose in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF). Methods 64 patients with CHF were randomly divided into control group and treatment group. Both 2 groups received conventionaltherapy for heart failure. And the treatment group was treated with nicorandil additionally (5 mg once, 3 times a day for 12 weeks). 6-minutewalk text (6MWT), plasma N-terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial 2 hours plasmaglucose (P2hPG) and glycated hemoglobin A1c (GHbA1c) were measured before and after treatment. Results After the treatment, the6-minute walking distance and the plasma NT-proBNP levels of both groups were improved significantly (P<0.01), especially in treatmentgroup (P<0.05); the level of FPG, P2hPG and GHbA1c were not significantly different between 2 groups. Conclusion Nicorandil can effectivelyimprove the exercise tolerance of the patients with CHF, reduce the Plasma NT-proBNP level, but it has no effect on the level of bloodglucose.

Objective To investigate the differences in some measured paremeters on spino-pelvic sagittal X-ray films in middle-aged and elderly patients between lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis,and to explore the predictors that the spondylolysis at lumbar 5 may develope into spondylolisthesis in order to provide imaging details for the clinical treatment of teenage patients with lumbar spondylolysis.Methods Imaging data of 60 patients with spondylolysis at lumbar 5 and other 60 with isthmic spondylolisthesis in middle or elder age in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively,and a control group with 60 normal volunteers were recruited in this study.Some parameters including the angles of pelvic incidence (PI),pelvic tilt (PT),sacral slope (SS),lumbar-sacral angle (LSA)and lumbar lordosis (LL),and the sagittal vertical axis (SVA)were measured in sagittal radiographs of the spine and pelvis. Differences in sagittal parameters among 3 groups were analyzed by one-way variance analysis and SNK-q test.Results The PI,PT, SS and LL were higher,and LSA was lower in patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis than those in the control group and lumbar spondylolysis one (P<0.05).However,there was no significant difference in SVA (P>0.05).No significant differences in all spino-pelvic sagittal parameters were found between lumbar spondylolysis group and the control (P>0.05).Conclusion Such spino-pelvic sagit-tal parameters as PI,PT,SS,LL and LSA on X-ray film can be regarded as predictors that lumbar 5 spondylolysis may develop into spondylolisthesis and may provide imaging reference for the clinical treatment of teen-age patients with lumbar spondylolysis.

Cerebral palsy greatly affects walking function of the child patients, showing low-effective walking gait. Orthosis is used to change function features or structures of nerve, muscle and skeletal system. Ankle-foot orthosis is commonly used, which could provide appropriate movement control on sagittal, coronal and horizontal planes, maintain joint line of force arrangement, promote functions and improve gait. However, ankle-foot orthosis exhibits some limitations, such as limited range of joint motion, limited muscle function, and infection due to local skin compression. Therefore, clinical doctors and researches are looking for improvements over the past years, for example, to supplement some treatment or protective function based on current orthosis, so as to obtain better clinical outcomes. Appropriate and individualized orthosis is development direction of orthosis creation and design.

BACKGROUND: There are some limitations in induced differentiation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and transplantation of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). Inhibition of autologous NPCs degeneration is expected to become an effective way for treatment of disc degeneration in the future. OBJECTIVE: To establish a layered coculture model of hBMSCs and NPCs in vitro, and to observe the effect of hBMSCs on the differentiation of NPCs. METHODS: The fourth passage of hBMSCs was divided into 2 groups. NPCs in the new-style layer culture group were incubated in Transwell cabin without arm, 0.4-μm membrane well; the proportion to BMSCs was 1: 1. NPCs in the traditional culture group were incubated in Transwell cabin with arm. NPC culture group was set. Each group was incubated for 7 days. Collagen Ⅱ was detected by immunohistochemical method. Aggrecan expression was detected by [~(35)S ]-sulfate uptake. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with NPC culture group, collagen Ⅱ and aggrecan expression of NPCs were upregulated most evidently in new-style culture and traditional culture groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The increased range of new-style culture group was greater than the traditional culture group (P < 0.05). These results suggested that coculture of BMSCs and NPCs can significantly increase NPC proliferation and specific substance expression. The surrounding of new-style culture surpassed the traditional culture.

ObjectiveTo observe the therapeutic efficacy of L-carnitine on patients with microvascular angina (MVA).Methods48 MVA patients were divided randomly into the trail group and control group with 24 cases in each group. The patients of the trail group were treated with L-carnitine vein dropping, those of the control group took isosorbide-mononitrate orally. All treatment lasted for 12 weeks.ResultsAfter the treatment, attack times of MVA and consumption of nitroglycerin of the patients in two groups decreased obviously ( P<0.01). The time for inducing angina, the time for 0.1 mV ST segment depression, the total exercise time and ∑ST depression by exercise were improved obviously ( P<0.05). The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased by 20.3%, 32.7% and 16.6% respectively, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased by 34.5% in the trail group ( P<0.01).ConclusionL-carnitine has affirmative effect on MVA, same as isosorbide-mononitrate.

We analyzed the best light intensity for callus induction and maintenance in Vitis vinifera and explored the mechanism of grape callus browning. Tender stem segments of grape cultivar "gold finger" were used to study the effects of different light intensities (0, 500, 1 000, 1 500, 2 000, 2 500, 3 000 and 4 000 Lx) on the induction rate, browning rate and associated enzyme activity and gene expression during Vitis vinifera callus formation. The callus induction rate under 0, 500, 1 000 and 1 500 Lx was more than 92%, significantly higher than in other treatments (P < 0.05). A lower browning rate and better callus growth were also observed during subculture under 1 000 and 1 500 Lx treatments. We found that chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and coumaric acid contents were correlated with the browning rate of callus, among which chlorogenic acid content was positively correlated with the browning rate (P < 0.05). Peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were negatively correlated with the browning rate of callus (P < 0.01). The POD, PPO and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) expression levels were positively correlated with the browning rate at P < 0.05 or P < 0.01. An appropriate light intensity for the tissue culture of Vitis vinifera was 1 000-1 500 Lx, higher or lower light intensities significantly impaired normal callus growth.
Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; Catechol Oxidase ; chemistry ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Light ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase ; metabolism ; Plant Stems ; enzymology ; radiation effects ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Vitis ; enzymology ; radiation effects

Objective To investigate the effects of self-efficacy-oriented nursing intervention on postoperative quality of life of lung tumor patients. Methods Ninety patients with lung tumors undergoing chest surgery in our hospital from March 2010 to March 2012 , involved in the study. The nursing data were retrospectively analyzed for investigation of the nursing strategies. The patients were randomized into two group with random digits table in equal number: The control group received routine nursing and the intervention group with self-efficacy-oriented nursing intervention beside routine nursing care. 3 months after nursing intervention , the two groups were compared by Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) in terms of quality of life and psychological state. Results The scores of the intervention group by SDS and SAS were both significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The scores of the intervention group on self efficacy and quality of life were significantly higher than those of the control (P < 0.05). Conclusion The self-efficacy-oriented nursing intervention applied in the postoperative nursing care to lung cancer patients can significantly improve the postoperative symptoms and psychological status. It can also improve their self efficacy and then enhance their quality of life.

Objective To investigate the effects on proliferation of multiple myeloma cell lines U266 and RPMI 8226 induced by puerariae radix flavones (PRF) in vitro and its possible mechanism.Methods Exposed to 0,10,30,50,100 μg/ml PRF for 48 h and 72 h,the U266 and RPMI 8226 cells proliferation inhibitory rates were detected by MTT assay,cell cycles by flow cytometry (FCM),morphologic changes of U266 cells by Wright' s staining,and early-stage apoptotic rates of U266 cells by FITC-Annexin V/PI staining with FCM.Analysis of DNA fragment was made to test characteristic apoptosis DNA ladder in U266 cells.Results 0,10,30,50,100 μg/ml PRF could inhibit the proliferation of U266 and RPMI 8226 cells in a dose-dependent manner (U266 ＞ RPMI 8226).Cell cycle analyses in U266 and RPMI 8226 cells showed that sub-diploid peaks,but cell cycles changed minor.Wright's staining of U266 cells showed hardly any apoptostic character istic.Annexin V/PI double staining indicated that early-stage apoptotic rates of U266 cells exposed to 0,10,30,50,100 μg/ml PRF for 48 h were mildly increased in a dose-dependent manner.They were (3.20±0.36) ％,(5.20±0.92) ％,(7.30±1.22) ％,(8.10±0.53) ％ and (10.80±0.90) ％,respectively.The group differences had statistical significance (P ＜ 0.05).Analysis of DNA fragment barely exhibited the characteristic DNA ladder in U266 cells.Conclusion A certain concentrations of PRF could inhibit the proliferation of U266 and RPMI 8226 cells significantly.It is suggested that apoptosis related to the proliferative inhibition mechanism induced by PRF in U266 cell line,but not main.Other pathways such as necrosis and autophagy whether or not involved need further investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Ambulance personnel who witness trauma experienced by patients have been reported to experience positive changes, known as vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG). We examined VPTG and its relationship with social support and resilience among ambulance personnel. METHODS: The sample (n=227) was recruited from six emergency centers in China. The measures included the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) and the bootstrapping procedure were used to examine indirect effects. RESULTS: The participants' mean score for VPTG was 68.96 (SD=15.51). Social support had significant direct effects on resilience (β=0.51, p < 0.001) and VPTG (β=0.25, p=0.001), and resilience (β=0.58, p < 0.001) had a significant direct effect on VPTG. Furthermore, social support had a significant indirect effect (0.51×0.58=0.30, p < 0.001) on VPTG through resilience. CONCLUSION: Although the nature of the work of ambulance personnel is not expected to change, the negative effects of the trauma they encounter can be reduced by providing them with more support resources and interventions to foster their resilience, which in turn, promote VPTG.
Ambulances* ; China* ; Emergencies ; Humans

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of different noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH) and hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) combined with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Method A prospective comparative study was performed for 91 patients with T2DM and NAFLD, which were diagnosed by glucose tolerance test and liver biopsy. The height and body mass of the patient were measured, and the body mass index(BMI) was calculated. The fasting venous blood of the patient was collected, and then the blood routine, liver function and ferritin were measured. NPS, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio(NLR), BARD score, FIB-4 index, APRI, and NAFLD fibrosis score(NFS) were calculated. All patients underwent transient elastography (Fibrotouch) to evaluate the degree of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter. All the liver biopsy specimens were categorized by SAF as the gold standard for evaluating NASH and liver fibrosis NASH. Correlation analysis was applied to compare the correlation between the noninvasive methods and SAF. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to assess the diagnostic value of the noninvasive methods for NASH and liver fibrosis NASH. Results In T2DM combine with NAFLD patients, NPS, LSM, NFS, APRI, FIB4 and BMI scores were positively correlated with SAF (r value was 0.509, 0.508, 0.252, 0.396, 0.313 and 0.213, respectively; P value was <0.001, <0.001, 0.016,<0.001, 0.003 and 0.043, respectively). LSM, NPS, NFS and FIB4 scores were positively correlated with liver fibrosis (r value was 0.535, 0.337, 0.315 and 0.315, respectively; P value was <0.001, 0.001, 0.002, 0.002, respectively). The ROC curve shows that the area under the curve of NPS, LSM, APRI, FIB4 and BMI for diagnosing NASH was 0.838, 0.760, 0.734, 0.623 and 0.682, respectively, and P value was 0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.044 and 0.003, respectively. For the diagnosis of fibrotic NASH, that value of LSM, NFS, FIB4 and NPS was 0.795, 0.765, 0.686 and 0.623, respectively, and P value was 0.000, 0.001, 0.020 and 0.123, respectively. Conclusions NPS, LSM and APRI have good clinical diagnostic value for NASH. LSM and NFS have good diagnostic value for fibrotic NASH.