BACKGROUND:Recently, a neuroprotective effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was reported in a model of cerebral infarction and a model of acute spinal cord injury. However, the applied animal model was not established by impact method, different from pathophysiological process of human.
OBJECTIVE:To observe effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on motor function in a rat model of spinal cord injury induced by Al en’s method.
METHODS:Wistar rats were used to establish spinal cord injury at T 10 level using modified Al en’s method. They were randomly assigned to two groups, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor group, treated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and vehicle group, treated with equal volume of PBS. The motor function was evaluated with Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan score and modified Rivlin loxotic plate test monitored at 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days, and four-limb muscle strength was assessed using Grid walk test at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days post-operatively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Hind limbs paralysis occurred in al animals postoperatively. Scores of Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan and modified Rivlin loxotic plate test were greater in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor group compared with vehicle group at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days (P<0.05-0.01);mean Grid walk test errors were less in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor group compared with vehicle group at 14, 21, 28 and 35 days (P<0.05-0.01). Results indicate that motor function and four-limb muscle strength were improved fol owing granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy compared with vehicle group, indicating that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor has a positive effect on spinal cord injury.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Shilin Qinghua Decoction(SQD) for the treatment of urinary calculi.Methods Two hundred urinary calculi patients were equally randomized into two groups: the treatment group received SQD(mainly composed of Herba Lysimachiae,Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli,Radix Paeoniae Alba,Talcum,Radix Clematidis,Poria,Semen Vaccariae,Herba Plataginis,Herba Polygoni Avicularis,Herba Dianthi,Succinum powder),and the control group received uralyt.Twenty days constituted one treatment course,and the treatment lasted 1～3 course(s) according to the illness state.The therapeutic effect was evaluated after 2 months.Results The total effective rate was 96.0% in the treatment group and 81.0% in the control group,the difference being obviously significant(P

To find an effective method of minimally invasive treatment combining prevention and assistance in the middle zone of conservative treatment and fusion surgery for lumbar degenerative diseases, through the clinical effect observation and the advantage and disadvantage comparison of several commonly used lumbar interspinous dynamic stabilization systems, by analyzing the physiological structure, biomechanics and relevant data of lumbar interspinous processes, based on fully understanding of memory alloy materials, a new dynamic lumbar interspinous fixation device with a memory alloy material has been independently designed and researched, which can not only reconstruct the normal biomechanical characteristics of the lumbar spine and satisfy the normal activities of the human spine, but also avoid damage to the original structure and reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. In addition, the device can be used to optimize the current therapeutic methods. According to our research, the dynamic lumbar interspinous process stabilization device with a memory alloy has theoretically achieved satisfactory results, which can be used to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and is superior to the current several dynamic lumbar interspinous process stabilization systems.
Alloys ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostheses and Implants ; Spinal Fusion

Objective To describe the relationships between sleep duration,dietary patterns and overweight/obesity among adolescents in Xuzhou,and to develop prevention and intervention strategies for adolescent-obesity.Methods Data of 3 103 boys and girls from 5 junior high schools were analyzed.Self-reported information on duration of sleep,dietary patterns,physical activities and time spent on watching video/audio program were assessed and physique data was also collected.Descriptive statistics,multiple liner regression and logistic regression models were used.Results The prevalence rates on overweight and obesity in boys were 23.5％ and 22.5％,and in girls were 18.1％ and 11.9％,respectively.Proportions of insufficient sleep (＜ 8 h/d) in boys appeared 28.1％ and in girls as 33.0％.From logistic regression analysis revealed that there appeared risk on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys who had sleep duration ＜7 h/d [OR(95％CI):1.72 (1.08-2.74)],but no significant association was found between duration of sleep and overweight/ obesity in girls.After adjusting on age,levels of parental education,family income,physical activities,time spent on watching video/audio programs,and weight status,boys who had sleep duration less than 7 h/d would have the odds ratio of 1.69 (1.10-2.73),for the likelihood of increasing the frequency of eating snacks compared to their counterparts who had sleep duration of ≥8 h/d.Conclusion The Shortened duration of sleep seemed an independent risk factor on overweight/ obesity among male adolescents,and it was associated with the increased frequency of eating snacks.Data from our study showed that the dietary patterns might play a role in the association between duration of sleep and overweight/obesity,among male adolescents.

Objective To evaluate the influence of chronic psychosocial stress on BMI in adolescents.Methods Physical examination and questionnaire survey were conducted among the students of junior grade 1 and senior grade 1 in 10 middle schools in Xuzhou in September 2011.Their body height and weight were measured at baseline survey and the self-report information about socio-demographic data,emotional symptoms (depressive symptoms,anxiety symptoms),and life style/behavior were collected from them.Chronic psychosocial stress was assessed with Multidimensional Life Events Rating Questionnaire (MLERQ),which consists of five items,stress of family life,school life,peer relation,gender relation and health growth.Results A total of 5 473 valid questionnaires were collected for analysis (2 841 from boys and 2 632 from girls).The follow-up measurement of body height and weight were conducted in September 20 13.A total of 4 316 students (2 171 boys,2 145 girls) were surveyed,and 1 157 students missed the follow up.The psychosocial stress score in the overweight and obese girls at baseline survey was positively associated with BMI-Z increase at follow up survey (P＜0.01).No such effect was observed among the boys at follow-up survey.Conclusion High level of chronic psychosocial stress could lead to BMI increase in overweight and obese girls,suggesting that female adolescents are susceptible population of psychosocial stress induced obesity.

Control at beyond-visual ranges is of great significance to animal-robots with wide range motion capability. For pigeon-robots, such control can be done by the way of onboard preprogram, but not constitute a closed-loop yet. This study designed a new control system for pigeon-robots, which integrated the function of trajectory monitoring to that of brain stimulation. It achieved the closed-loop control in turning or circling by estimating pigeons' flight state instantaneously and the corresponding logical regulation. The stimulation targets located at the formation reticularis medialis mesencephali (FRM) in the left and right brain, for the purposes of left- and right-turn control, respectively. The stimulus was characterized by the waveform mimicking the nerve cell membrane potential, and was activated intermittently. The wearable control unit weighted 11.8 g totally. The results showed a 90% success rate by the closed-loop control in pigeon-robots. It was convenient to obtain the wing shape during flight maneuver, by equipping a pigeon-robot with a vivo camera. It was also feasible to regulate the evolution of pigeon flocks by the pigeon-robots at different hierarchical level. All of these lay the groundwork for the application of pigeon-robots in scientific researches.
Animals ; Columbidae/physiology* ; Robotics/methods* ; Cerebral Cortex