BACKGROUND: Type Ⅰ collagen is a specific collagen secreted by in vitro cultured osteoblast, and the formed network is the basis of bone mineralization, which also reflects the ability of osteoblast bone formation. Studies have shown astragalus root increased osteoblast proliferation. However, the effect of astragalus root on improving type Ⅰ collagen expression of osteoblast remains poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of astragalus root injection on the abilities of rat cranium-derived osteoblast proliferation and type Ⅰ collagen expression.METHODS: Rat osteoblast was cultured in vitro and divided into control group (MEM culture solution containing calf serum) and astragalus root groups (different concentrations). The effect on osteoblast proliferation was evaluated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 by MTT method. Moreover, the expression of type Ⅰ collagen protein was observed after 6 hours of treatment with astragalus root injection using in cell western-blot method. In addition, the gene expression of COLLal was investigated by real-time PCR method.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: From days 3 to 9, the different concentrations of astragalus root injection improved osteoblast proliferation, respectively compared with control group (P ＜ 0.05), and this ascending trend peaked on day 7. Different concentretions of astragalus root injection improved COLLol mRNA expression, especially 15% astragalus root injection was the most effective. The type Ⅰ collagen protein expression of 15% and 10% astragalus root injection were significantly greater compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05). Astragalus root injection improved in vitro cultured osteoblast proliferation and type Ⅰ collagen secretion in a certain dose-effect manner.

BACKGROUND:Bisphosphonates that can increase bone density and inhibit bone resorption have been clinical y confirmed, but the structure of the bone matrix has been less studied.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of alendronate on bone structure and bone matrix metabolism, and then to investigate the control ing mechanism by which alendronate improves bone mass and increase bone intensity.
METHODS:An ovariectomized rat model was prepared and intervened with alendronate as treatment group. Model and sham-surgery groups were set as controls. Alendronate effects on bone mineral density, bone metabolism, bone biomechanics, and bone structure were observed in bone loss rats using bone imaging, bone tissue pathology and biomechanical test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Alendronate intervention could fight against bone loss as compared with model group at weeks 4, 8, and 12 after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of urinary deoxypyridinoline and serum carboxyterminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procol agen was decreased significantly after alendronate intervention (P<0.05);the maximal load, maximal pressure and modelus on the lumbar vertebrae and femur were increased as wel as ratio of urinary pyridinoline/deoxypyridinoline of type Ⅰ procol agen (P<0.05). These findings suggest that alendronate intervention can inhibit bone loss in rats induced by estrogen deficiency, increase biomechanical properties, improve bone matrix structure, and meanwhile, recover the Ⅰ col agen crosslinking component due to ovariectomy.

Measurement of cervical lordosis is the basic method for evaluating cervical function, and important reference for determine treatment decision. However, how to choose appropriate measurement in accordance with different situation, as well as the relationship among these methods is not clear. An increasing number of studies suggested that different measurements could directly affect the judgment of cervical lordosis. Therefore, comparative study of cervical vertebrae plays an important role in clinical treatment for cervical spondylosis under different cervical curvature conditions.
Cervical Vertebrae ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Lordosis ; diagnosis ; pathology

Based on thermodynamic principle, the critical relative humidity of electrolytes is closely related to their solubility. The authors explored the relationship theoretically and calculated critical relative humidity of 21 electrolytes from their solubility in the light of Raoult's law and extended Wilson model. The results indicate that the critical relative humidity values calculated by Raoult's law can not accord with the reported ones and there is a systematic error in the high concentration range; while these calculated by extended Wilson model are comparable to the reported ones.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effect and safety of chiropractic in treating cervicogenic sudden hearing loss.

METHODSFrom January 2011 to October 2013, 90 patients with cervicogenic sudden hearing loss were randomly divided into treatment group and control group according to the random number table produced by SPSS 19.0 software. In the treatment group, there were 17 males and 28 females, aged from 31 to 62 years old with an average of (47.57±9.43) years; course of disease was from 1 to 3 days with an average of (1.43±0.68) days; pure-tone audiometry score was from 46.5 to 77.8 dB with the mean of (61.20±9.83) dB; Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) score was from 17 to 31 scores with an average of (23.46±7.18) scores. In the control group, there were 15 males and 30 females, aged from 28 to 64 years old with an average of (45.77±6.99) years; course of disease was from 1 to 3 days with an average of (1.50±0.73) days; pure-tone audiometry score was from 48.1 to 75.0 dB with the mean of (63.91±8.05) dB; Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) score was from 20 to 29 scores with an average of (25.61±10.43) scores. The patients of control group were treated with dexamethasone intravenous drip of 10 mg, 3 days later, decreased to 5 mg, 3 days again. And with the methycobal intravenous drip of 500 μg, treatment continued for 10 days. The patients of treatment group were treated with chiropractic additionally except for the therapeutic methods of control group. Chiropractic included local muscle loosening, attacking point, bilateral pulling atlanto-axial joint, and continuous treatment for 10 days. The pure-tone audiometry score and NPQ score were compared between two groups after treatment.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, pure-tone audiometry score and NPQ score in treatment group improved to (40.23± 8.14) dB and (12.70±8.29) scores respectively, which were obviously better than that of control group's (37.70±10.61) dB and (21.24±11.13) scores (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with routine method for cervicogenic sudden hearing loss, additional chiropractic can improve hearing and relieve neck pain effectively.

Cervical Vertebrae ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Manipulation, Chiropractic ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the effect of different Chinese herbs on cell proliferation and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein(COMP)expression in chondrocyte culture.Methods Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit knee cartilage were cultured for 3 generations with the density of 2?10~4/cm~2 and were verified by collagenⅡimmunohistochemical staining.Rabbit sera containing herbs were obtained after animals orally ad- ministrated herbs at the dosage equivalent to human.At 5% and 10% serum density,cells were cultured in the medium that contained liver-softening herbal compound sera.Subgroups setting at 1,3 and 5 hours after herb intervention were observed.Rabbit and bovine sera were control groups.Seven days after intervention,chon- drocytes proliferation was observed using the MTT assay kit.For the study of COMP expression,chondrocytes were isolated from human knee cartilage supematant.Superuatant COMP level was tested by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays(ELISA)after directly adding compound and extract from liver-softening herbs to the culture at the final concentration of 10 mg/ml for 3 days.Results Liver-softening herbal compound group had significant effect on cell proliferation compared to control,of which,3-hour subgroup was more significant than 1-and 5-hour subgroups(P

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of Multislice CT scanning in patients with acute thoracic trauma. Methods151 patients with chest wound admitted after Multislice CT scanning were reviewed and analyzed. ResultsThis group of 151 patients with chest wound after X-ray and CT inspection were as follows:lungs were damaged in 139 cases including 52 cases with traumatic wet lung,94 cases with lung rip,28 cases with lacerated wound and 7 cases with tracheal bronchial tube damage.Damages outside the lungs were found in 108 patients including 83 patients with trauma in pleural membrane(hemothorax 27 cases,pneumothorax 32 cases and blood pneumothorax 24 cases),mediastinum damage in 9 cases(vertical mediastinal pneumatosis 6 cases,hematocele 4 cases and traumatic disphragmatic hernia 2 cases),thoracic wall damage in 76 cases(rib bone fracture 59 cases,breast bone fracture 18 cases and costal cartilages damage 5 cases).Clavicle and scapula fracture in 31 cases. ConclusionMultislice CT scanning was principal method for the diagnosis of chest wound,it had the advantages of scanning range,quick scanning and characteristics of high sensitivity,and it would certainly play a vital role in first aid process in emergency medical treatment of wound.

Objective To investigate the clinical and pathologic features of pulmonary sclerosing he- mangioma (PSH).Methods With clinicopathologic date of 21 cases of PSH patients obtained,all speci- mens were stained by immunohistochemical method with a panel of antibodies including CK,synaptophysin, chromogranin,actin,calretinin,F-Ⅷ,CD_(34) and vimentin.Results PSH usually affects female patients.Age ranged from 26 to 70 years old.The tumor cells showed a mixture histological pattern,with the feature of pap- illary and the proliferation of interstitutial monocyte.Immunohistochemical staining revealed that surface of the papillary cells expressed CK,monocyte expressed synaptophysin.PSH should be distinguished from bronchi- oloalveolar carcinoma,carcinoid and inflammatory pseudotumor.Conclusion PSH is a rare and potential malignant behavior tumor,and is different from benign tumor.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) combined irradiation on the apoptosis of human lung cancer GLC-82 cells and to study its mechanism.

METHODSThe growth inhibition rate of GLC-82 cells acted by different concentrations DHA was detected using MTT assay at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Clone forming test was used. With multi-target single-hit model, the radiosensitization effect was assessed by calculating sensitizing enhancement ratio (SER).The effect of DHA combined irradiation on the apoptosis of GLC-82 cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. The protein expression of p53, p21, Bcl-2, and Bax were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSDifferent concentrations DHA (4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 μg/mL) had cytotoxicity on GLC-82 cells. The IC50 for 24, 48, and 72 h was 38.25,20.58, and 10.36 μg/mL, respectively, in obvious dose- and time-dependent manner. The growth inhibition rate was more significantly increased than that of the blank control group (P < 0.01, P<0.05). DHA had sensitization enhancement effect on GLC-82 cells, with SER of 1.4. DHA combined irradiation could obviously change the structure of GLC-82 cells cell cycle and induce apoptosis (with the apoptosis rate of 21.5%), which was significantly different from that of the blank control group (P < 0.05). Western blot showed the expression of p53 and p21 protein could be increased by DHA combined irradiation, and the expression of Bcl-2 protein down-regulated (P <0.01, P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSDHA had stronger cytotoxicity and radiosensitization on GLC-82 cells. Its mechanisms might lie in making the arrest of GLC-82 cells' growth at G0/G1 phase, decreasing the ratio of cells at S phase, restoring the function of p53, decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 protein, and inducing apoptosis in GLC-82 cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Artemisinins ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents ; pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

Recombination plasmid pMM085 possessed both immunogens heat-labile enterotoxin(LT) and fimbriae antigen K88 of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Althouth vaccine strain MM-3 carrying pMM085 had good effect to protect piglets against diarrhea due to ETEC infections,it was not ideal live vaccine for pMM085 bringing chloramphenicol resistance gene (cat). To solve the problem,the host-plasmid balanced lethal system was introduced which including the replacement of cat gene by asd gene and transformation the new plasmid to the strain X6097 which asd gene was knocked out in its chromosome. Considering pMM085 was a big plasmid (23kb) and traditional genetic manipulations was not easy to carry on,?-Red recombination system was adopt in this work to realize the replacement of cat gene by asd gene. The results indicated that ?-Red recombination system was convenient and efficient to reconstruct big plasmid.