Objective To summarize the sonographic characteristics of parathyroid adenomas(PAs) and investigate the diagnostic values and best diagnostic thinking for an early detection. Methods Sixteen cases finally proved with PAs were retrospectively analyzed of their clinical complaints, the department for their initial consultation,indicative ultrasound findings for neck scanning, major manifestations of PAs on a series of three-mode ultrasound imagings,association of adenoma sizes to serum parathyroid hormone(PTH) levels. Results On multimode ultrasound images, the PAs were multidisciplinary morphologic, homogenously hypoeehoic,absent of calculus and necrosis,highly vascularized with color signals,and similar to thyroid in contrast agents perfusion. Serum PTH levels were elevated in accordance with increase of adenomas' size. Among the 16 cases 12 were defined as with parathyroid incidentalomas, to which liver or/ and kidney stones were contributed as indicatives. Conclusions High frequency ultrasound with multiple imaging modes are most suitable for scanning and detection of neck PAs. For those with stones in liver and urinary tracts, unknown bone fracture etc, ultrasound scanning of the neck parathyroids used to reveal latent PAs.

The pathogenesis of heart failure is a complex progression and associated with abnormal regulation of many signaling pathways. As a cofactor of hemoglobin, myoglobin, oxidative respiratory chain, DNA synthase and other important proteins, iron plays an indispensable role in myocardial energy metabolism. Recently, a large number of studies have shown that heart failure is related to the disorder of iron metabolism. Both iron deficiency and iron overload can lead to the development of a variety of cardiomyopathy, and even progress to heart failure. Iron metabolism could be a key target for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of heart failure. Here, we review the basic process of iron metabolism and its mechanism in heart failure, expecting to provide new clues and evidence for the treatment of heart failure.

Objective To study the oxidative stress and apoptosis relative protein expression in rat striatum during the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Methods 6-OHDA was stereotacticly injected into the right striatum of the rats at two sites to produce PD models. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), contents of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the injured and normal striatum were measured using assay kits; and levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting in injured striatum. Results In 10 successful PD rats, compared with either the sham group or the normal group, activities of SOD and GSH-Px and contents of GSH in the right striatum significantly decreased while contents of MDA increased obviously (P<0.05); And levels of Bax significantly increased while expression of Bcl-2 obviously decreased. Conclusion Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of PD. Furthermore, Bax and Bcl-2 were involved in the regulation of apoptosis under oxidative stress induced by 6-OHDA.

DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Homicide ; Humans

Adult ; Dental Implantation, Endosseous ; instrumentation ; Dental Implants ; Female ; Humans ; Orthodontic Anchorage Procedures ; instrumentation ; Orthodontic Appliance Design

Objective To study the effect of local mild hypothermia on the expression of matrix metallopro- teinases-2/9 (MMP-2/9) and brain edema in experimental intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rat. Methods One hundred and forty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normothermia sham-operation (NSO) group ( n = 15 ), a normothermia intracerebral hemorrhage (NICH) group (n = 75 ) and a mild hypotbermia intracerebral hemor- rhage (MHICH) group (n = 75). Autologous arterial blood was stereotaxically injected into the right caudate nucleus of the rats of the NICH and MHICH groups to make intracerebral hemorrhage model. The rats in the MHICH group were then subjected to 4 hours of local mild hypothermia, while those in the NICH group were under the room temper- ature. The brain water content, permeability of brain-blood barrier (BBB) and expressions of MMP-2/9 were meas- ured by immunohistochemistry method at 6 h, 24 h, 72 h, 5 d and 7 d after operation. Results In NICH group, the brain water content, permeability of BBB and expression of MMP-9 all began to increase at 6 h and peaked at 3 d after injection of blood and still higher than the NSO group at 7 d. The expression of MMP-2 only began to increase little at 24 h and peaked at 5 d after operation and remained highly expressed at 7 d. In the MHICH group, the chan- ges of brain water content, permeability of BBB and expression of MMP-9 were similar to those of the NICH group, but the extent of changes was significantly lower at the every time point. In NICH group and MHICH group, MMP-9 expression was positively correlated with both the brain water content and the permeability of BBB, but MMP-2 ex- pression was not correlated with them. Conclusion Mild hypothermia might protect BBB against injury caused by ICH and relieve brain edema and inflammation reaction through inhibiting the expression of MMP-2/9.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Coke ; Fatty Liver ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Changing the local environment of spinal injury promotes the repair and regeneration of injured nerve and recovery of partial nervous function of spinal cord. Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells can improve the local internal environment of injured spinal cord.OBJECTIVE: To probe into the effect and safety of transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells on functional repair of spinal cord and nerve in patients with obsolete spinal injury DESIGN: Self-control experiment.SETTING: Wards of the Department of Surgery, Taian Rongjun Hospital of Shandong Province.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 48 patients admitted for obsolete spinal injury in the Department of Surgery, Taian Rongjun Hospital, between June 2004 and July 2005 were recruited. There were 39 males and 9 females, aged 7 to 59 years with the mean of 36 years.METHODS: ①Cell culture: Olfactory bulb of aborted fetus was digested into single olfactory ensheathing cells, which were then cultured and puri fied for 1 to 2 weeks, and finally made into single cell suspension. ②Operation and cell transplantation: Under general anesthesia, the purified single cell suspension (about 0.05-0.20 mL) of olfactory ensheathing cells was injected into the corresponding spinal injury site through multiple points with home-made syringe of 0.45 mm in diameter. Stitches were taken out at postoperative 10 to 14 days. ③Evaluation of spinal function: Injury Scoring Standard made by American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) was used for scoring, comparison and statistical analysis at postoperative 1 day and 2 weeks to 2 months. ④Spinal function of 48 patients was observed or followed up through telephone at postoperative 3 weeks to 1 year.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes of postoperative sensory function of the patients. Changes of postoperative motor function of the patients. Changes of postoperative automatic nervous system of the patients.RESULTS: ①All the 48 patients had improvement in spinal function, and continued improved tendency was found in the observation and follow-up through telephone at postoperative 3 weeks to 1 year. ②Scoring by ASIA for sensory function was higher after operation than before operation (touch sensation: 56.9, 51.2, P ＜ 0.01; pain sensation: 55.2, 48.3, P ＜ 0.01). Sensory function was improved obviously at the lower shift of sensory level,generally more than 2 segments. ③Scoring by ASIA for motor function was higher after operation than before operation (44.8, 40.7, P ＜ 0.01), but the improvement was slow. ④Scoring by ASIA for automatic nervous system was higher after operation than before operation (18.0, 14.5, P ＜ 0.01); diaphoresis, increased enterokinesia and other automatic nervous system improved earliest.CONCLUSION: Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells promotes the spinal and neurofunctional recovery of patients with malignant spinal injury, and the therapeutic method is safe.

Epmedii Folium is a commonly used traditional Chinese drug, and is beneficial for the "liver" and "kidney" s function in Chinese medicine. Recently, the origin of this drug is more complex. Most of the identification studies are emphasized on the species certified by the pharmacopoeia and other related species from the same genus of Epimedium, but few was emphasized on the counterfeit. In this paper, one counterfeit of Epmedii Folium, identified as the dried leaf of Quercus variabilis (Fam. Fagaceae), has been reported based on field investigation, comparing specimen of Epmedii Folium and Q. variabilis,using the macroscopic, microscopic and TmC methods. It is resulted that they could be identified clearly not only by the macroscopic features, such as the vein character and the tooth apex, but also by the microscopic features, such as the vascular bundles of the midrib, the non-glandular hair, the anticlinal wall of the epidermis cell and the calcium oxalate crystal. Furthermore their TLC chromatograms showed also difference. This study will give reference for the identification of Epmedii Folium and the related supervision and inspection work.
China ; Discriminant Analysis ; Epimedium ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; Quercus ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry

Chinese Caterpillar Fungus (CCF) is one of the rare Chinese traditional drugs. As the resource is reducing sharply, the price is rising higher and higher, and there have been much more adulterants in the markets, but until now we don't have a scientific and accurate research on the identification study for this drug. On the basis of resource investigation, during the study of the samples collected by ourselves and the specimens stored in the museum, using the macroscopic and microscopic methods, referring to the literatures of entomology, emphasizing on the characteristics of polypide part, we have studied this species in detail of the macroscopic characters such as the insertion position of the stroma part, the annulations and segments of the caterpillar, the abdominal leg, the pinaculum, and the microscopic characters of the body wall; firstly added the microscopic character of the crotchets on the planta of abdominal leg. The result turned out that the characters which we have studied are regular and stable, and it have laid the foundation for the powder products and patent medicines which have used the crude drug of CCF.
Animals ; Cordyceps ; ultrastructure ; Larva ; anatomy & histology ; ultrastructure ; Lepidoptera ; anatomy & histology ; ultrastructure ; Materia Medica ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional