Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Silicosis ; surgery

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Brain Diseases ; chemically induced ; Carbon Disulfide ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mercury Poisoning ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Middle Aged

AIM:To explore the molecular mechanism through which curcumin reverses hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer cells.METHODS:The methods of MTT assay, wound healing assay and Western blot were used to observe the effects of HGF, curcumin and gefitinib on the migration, drug susceptibility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and related signaling pathways in the PC9 lung cancer cells.RESULTS:HGF reduced susceptibility of the PC9 cells to gefitinib, and curcumin significantly reversed HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib.HGF induced migration and epihelial-mesenchymal transition, and promoted c-Met/AKT/mTOR pathway activation in the PC9 cells.Gefitinib alone did not prevent the above activities.However, combined with curcumin, gefitinib prevented the above activities.CONCLUSION:Curcumin reverses HGF-induced resistance of the PC9 cells to gefitinib by preventing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inhibiting c-Met/AKT/mTOR activation.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation has been applied in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture,and has achieved satisfactory clinical efficacy.Injectable calcium sulfate holds good biocompatibility,degradability and fast curing.OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS:Clinical data of 40 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively.All fractured vertebrae were compressed more than 30％ and at least one pedicle was complete.All patients were treated with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement.The Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores were recorded at baseline,3 months postoperatively and last follow-up;the height of the fractured vertebra body and sagittal Cobb angle were measured on X-ray;the patient's satisfaction and healing rate were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The Oswestry Disability Index at 3 months postoperatively and last follow-up was 16.3％ and 4.4％,respectively.Compared with baseline,the Cobb angle and Visual Analog Scale scores were significantly reduced,and height of the fractured vertebra body was significantly increased after surgery (P ＜ 0.01).(3) The healing rate at last follow-up was 95％,nonunion was not found,and the patients' satisfaction reached 95％.(4) The loss of vertebral height and Cobb angle was found at last follow-up compared with 3 months postoperatively,but had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).(5) These results indicate that percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement is safe and reliable for single-level thoraclumbar fracture,which not only restores the vertebral height and relieves pain,but also has satisfactory long-term curative efficacy and high healing rate.

Poly ( aspartic acid-co-leucine) was synthesized, modified via ethylenediamine, conjugated with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and finally chelated with gadoliniumⅢ, yielding PL-A2-DOTA-Gd. The T1-relaxivity (15. 3 mmol-1 ·L·s-1 ) of PL-A2-DOTA-Gd was 2. 6 times than that of Gd-DOTA (5. 8 mmol-1·L·s-1) in D2O. The results of magnetic resonance imaging experiments showed significant enhancement in the rat liver after intravenous administration of PL-A2-DOTA-Gd, which persisted longer than Gd-DOTA. The mean percentage enhancements of liver parenchyma were 65. 1%±5. 2%and 21. 3%±4. 9%, for PL-A2-DOTA-Gd and Gd-DOTA, respectively.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar fracture is most common seen in spinal fractures. The paraspinal muscle is subjected to extensive detachment and traction in traditional posterior approach, so the muscular ischemia and denervation lead to muscle atrophy further inducing intractable low back pain. Thereafter, minimally invasive spinal surgery becomes more and more popular.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS: Clinical data of 52 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively, and were then assigned to observation (n=28) and control groups (n=24) according to the treatment method. The patients in the observation group were treated with pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement, and those in the control group were subjected to pedicle screw fixation through posterior approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement. The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time were compared between two groups. The low back pain was observed at baseline, 1 week and 3 months postoperatively, and the percentage of anterior vertebral height revealed on X-ray was observed at baseline, before ambulation, and during last follow-up. Moreover, the complications, loosening and rupture of the screws were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) All patients were followed up, and the follow-up time was 16-24 months. (2) The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group (P < 0.05). (3) The postoperative visual analogue scale scores in the two groups were significantly lower than those before surgery, and the scores showed significant differences between two groups (P < 0.05). (4) The percentage of anterior vertebral height before ambulation and during last follow-up in the two groups was significantly improved, and the percentage showed significant difference between two groups at each time point (P < 0.05). (5) These findings suggest that based on strict indications, the pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement is safe for single-level thoracolumbar fracture, which restores the anterior vertebral height rapidly, alleviates pain and exhibits satisfactory long-term efficacy. Furthermore, it holds shorter operation time and less blood loss than the traditional approach.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of integrative medicine (IM) rehabilitation protocolon motor function, activity of daily living, and quality of life (QOL) in hemiplegia patients after stroke.

METHODSTotally 120 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia were allocated to four groups using sealed envalope drawing, i.e., the rehabilitation group, the Chinese medical treatment group, the acupuncture group, and the comprehensive rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each group. Based on routine rehabilitative training, patients in the Chinese medical treatment group, the acupuncture group, and the compre-hensive rehabilitation group received standardized treatment based on syndrome typing, Shi's Consciousness-Restoring Resuscitation acupuncture, Chinese herbs + acupuncture comprehensive rehabilitatino protocol, respectively. The treatmet cycle consisted of 4 weeks with 24-week follow-ups. Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale(SS-QQL), and safety assessment were taken as main effect indices before treatment, at week 4 of treatment, at week 12 and 24 of follow-ups, respectively.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in FMA score, MBI score, SS-QOL score among the four groups before treatment (P > 0.05). These scores were significantly improved in the four groups at week 4 of treatment, week 12 and 24 of follow-ups, respectively (P < 0.05). Besides, FMA score and SS-QOL score were significantly improved in the comprehensive rehabilitation group at each corresponding time point, as compared with other treatment groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe comprehensive protocol could significantly improve motor function, activity of daily living in hemiplegia patients after stroke, and further improve their QOL. Its effect was better than other single treatment.

Activities of Daily Living ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Hemiplegia ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Motor Skills ; Quality of Life ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

The osmotic pressure of ammonium sulfate solutions has been measured by the well-established freezing point osmometry in dilute solutions and we recently reported air humidity osmometry in a much wider range of concentration. Air humidity osmometry cross-validated the theoretical calculations of osmotic pressure based on the Pitzer model at high concentrations by two one-sided test (TOST) of equivalence with multiple testing corrections, where no other experimental method could serve as a reference for comparison. Although more strict equivalence criteria were established between the measurements of freezing point osmometry and the calculations based on the Pitzer model at low concentration, air humidity osmometry is the only currently available osmometry applicable to high concentration, serves as an economic addition to standard osmometry.
Ammonium Sulfate ; chemistry ; Freezing ; Humidity ; Osmolar Concentration ; Osmometry ; methods ; Osmotic Pressure ; Solutions

Objective To probe the value of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) in decreasing surgical trauma of the cranial base meningioma. Methods Thirty-two patients with cranial base meningioma were examined preoperatively with MSCTA to observe the shape and the relationship with the adjacent vessels and the skull base. Three-dimensional images were reconstructed to imitate the approach of operation and compared with surgical findings. Meanwhile, 22 patients withnot MSCTA were selected randomly as control group. The amount of blood transfusion and the occurrence rate of complications were compared between the two groups. Results MSCTA depiceted clear three dimensional images of the meningioma and the relationship with the adjacent vessels and the skull base, corresponded very well to the surgery. By imitating the operation, all patients were designed the incision size of bone appropriately, the vessels of peritumoral were kept off effectively and the risk of the embedded vascular were assessed accurately. The conventional surgical approach and method were changed in 9 patients, 4 formulated the planning of the sub-total resection and radiotherapy preoperatively. Compared with control group, the amount of blood transfusion reduced significantly (P<0.05) and postoperative complications decreased. Conclusion MSCTA can imitate the surgical operations in multi-angle and supply the vital information for choosing the proper surgical approach, thereby reducing surgical trauma and postoperative complications.