Objective To determine the effects of EGCG on lipopolysaccharide ( LPS)-induced neuroinflamma-tion and investigate the role of neuroprotection mediated by EGCG .Methods Primary cultures of rat gliacyte were used as an in vitro model to examine the effects of EGCG on LPS-induced neuronal damage .The intracellu-lar Glu andγ-GABA were quantified via HPLC .Then the protein level of TNF-α,IL-1βand IL-8 was determined by ELISA and Western blot assay .Results Compared with the control group , LPS apparently induced the pro-duction of intracellular ROS ( P<0.05 ) and released the TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-8 in the primary cultures super-natant (P<0.05).Compared with the LPS group,EGCG significantly attenuated the release of TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-8 ( P<0.05 ) and the level of iNOS protein ( P<0.05 ) .LPS apparently induced the production of intra-cellular ROS( P<0.05 ) and released the TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-8 in the primary cultures supernatant ( P <0.05 ) .EGCG significantly attenuated the release of TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-8 ( P<0.05 ) and the level of iNOS protein(P<0.05), and rugulated the concentration of Glu/γ-GABA(P<0.05).Conclusions EGCG is effective in protecting hosts against LPS-induced neuroinflammation through anti-inflammatory effects and regulating extracel-lular Amino acid levels .

During the washing process of coarse bear gall powder extracts, it is necessary to adjust the amount of ethyl acetate according to the properties of raw materials, which aims to improving the yield and purity of the final product. In the research, using NIR spectra to reflect the comprehensive properties of coarse bear gall powder extracts, the process is optimized in a flexible way. Forty batches experiments are designed according to the weight ratio of ethyl acetate and coarse extracts of bear gall powder. The NIR spectra of the coarse extracts of bear gall powder are collected and processed using principal component analysis (PCA) method. The first 8 principal components combined with the amount of the ethyl acetate are used as the input variables, and calibration models are established to predict the yield and purity of the final product 30 batches are used as calibration set, which is used to establish the models, and other 10 batches are used as validation set, which is used for the performance appraisal of the established models. The correlation coefficients of the calibration, inner cross-validation and external validation for the purity model are 0.902, 0.896 and 0.883, respectively, and the RMSEC, RMSECV and RMSEP are 1.22%, 1.48% and 1.59%, respectively. The correlation coefficients of the calibration, inner cross-validation and external validation for the yield model are 0.921, 0.859 and 0.916, respectively, and the RMSEC, RMSECV and RMSEP are 1.39%, 1.65% and 1.53% respectively. This work demonstrated that NIR spectra combined with technology parameter could be used to predict the yield and purity of the final product. Using the established models, the most appropriate amount of the ethyl acetate can be determined according to the properties of the coarse bear gall powder extracts, and the yield and purity of the final product can be improved.
Acetates ; chemistry ; Animals ; Gallbladder ; chemistry ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Powders ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; methods ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; methods ; Ursidae

Objective To study the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic granuloma of bone(EGB).Methods Twelve cases(8 male and 4 female)of EGB and their medical record,imaging examinations,follow-up data were reviewed,and the lesion sites,symptom and clinical features were analyzed with reference to relative literature.Results Nine unifocal cases were found in the cervical spine(3 cases),the thoracic spine(1 case),the lumber spine(1 case),the femur(1 case),the metacarpal bones(1 case),and the ilium(2 cases).Three multifocal cases were found in the thoracic and lumber spine(1 case),in the femur,the multiple ribs,the skull,the scapula(1 case)and in the skull,the femur,the ilium(1 case).The most common presenting symptom was pain at the lesion site and restricted motion was obviously in the cervical lesion.The case of the thoracic lesions was found neurologic deficit.Osteolytic destruction was found in the radiologic examination in EGB and the periosteal reaction was found in the long bone lesions,and vertebra plana was considered as typical cha-racteristics in the spine lesion.The lesions not in the spine were diagnosed by biopsy,exclusive methods and close following-up were performed in the spine lesions.Two unifocal were healed spontaneously and three were performed with curettage with one bone grafting.Multifocal and the lesions in the spine underwent chemotherapy.All cases were followed up and no recurrence was found.Conclusions EGB is commonly solitary and not seldom in the spine.Topical pain may be chief complaint.Osteolytic image was found in the radiologic examination.Biopsy and exclusive methods combining closely follow-up were used for diagnosis.EGB is self-limited observation,so curettage or chemotherapy can be used in treatment,and prognosis is good.

Hypospadias is one of the most common congenital malformations, and its main clinical manifestation is the abnormal opening of the urethra. Etiologically, it can be attributed to many factors, mainly including genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors. Recently studies about its genetic etiologies have found a variety of hypospadias-associated genes from the aspects of epidemiology and polymorphism, mainly those involving the formation of the penis, the development of the testis, the anabolism of androgens, and so on. This review focuses on the progress in the studies on the genetic etiology of hypospadias.
Androgens ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; genetics ; Male ; Penis ; embryology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Testis ; embryology ; Urethra

Objective To-identify the factors associated with radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) and to describe the probability of RILD using the Lyman normal tissue complication(NTCP) model for primary liver carcinoma(PLC) treated with hypofractionated conformal therapy (CRT).Methods A total of 109 PLC patients treated with hypofractionated CRT were prospectively followed according to the Child-Pugh classification for liver cirrhosis,93 patients in class A and 16 in class B.The mean dose of radi- ation to the isocenter was (53.5?5.5) Gy,fractions of (4.8?0.5) Gy,with interfraction interval of 48 hours and irradiation 3 times per week.Maximal likelihood analysis yielded the best estimates of parameters of the Lyman NTCP model for all patients;Child-Pugh A and Child-Pugh B patients,respectively.Results Of all the patients,17 developed RILD (17/109),8 in Child-Pugh A(8/93 ) and 9 in Child-Pugh B(9/ 16).By multivariate analysis,only the Child-Pugh Grade of liver cirrhosis was the independent factor (P= 0.000) associated with the developing of RILD.The best estimates of the NTCP parameters for all 109 pa- tients were n=1.1,m=0.35 and TD_(50) (1)=38.5 Gy.The n,m,TD_(50) (1) estimated from patients with Child-Pugh A was 1.1,0.28,40.5 Gy,respectively,compared with 0.7,0.43,23 Gy respectively,for patients with Child-Pugh B.Conclusions Primary liver cancer patients who possess Child-Pugh B cirrho- sis would present a significantly greater susceptibility to RILD after hypofractionated CRT than patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis.The predominant risk factor for developing RILD is the severity of hepatic cirrhosis in the liver of PLC patients.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo assess effect of acupuncture combined with massage of sole on sleeping quality of the patient with insomnia.

METHODSFifty-eight cases of insomnia were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 26). The observation group were treated with oral administration of Alprazolam, massage of sole, and acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), etc. on the abdomen as main points; the control group were treated with Alprazolam. Clinical therapeutic effects, and scores for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were assessed before and after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 93.75 in the observation group and 88.46% in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups; after treatment, there were significant or very significant differences in scores for various factors in the PSQI, SAS and SDS (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture as main combined with massage of sole can obviously improve sleeping quality of the patient with insomnia.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; therapy

Objective To explore the relationship between wild rodent plague and human in wild rodent plague foci of the northwestern area in Yunnan to probe the possible transmission mechanism of wild rodent plague to human. Methods Data of component ratio of rodents and fleas was collected in different areas from 1985 - 1995. Activities and habits of residents regarding the way they keep cats and dogs and parasitic fleas and free fleas indoor were investigated, the dog serum was collected for detecting F1 antibody. Results Eothenomys miletus were main rodents in farmland and shrub, accounting for 48.00% (4753/9902) and 54.50% (4282/7857), Apodemus chevrieri were main rodents in garden, being 50.47% (1332/2639). The component ratio of Neopsylla specialis specialis was 13.31%(229/1720), 12.31%(1678/13 739) and 10.87%(957/8802) respectively in garden, farmland and shrub, higher than in indoor. The component ratio of Frantcpsylla spodix was 39.88% (686/1720), the highest in garden. Thirty-two per cent (32/100) of residents kept cats,in which 63% (20/32) with cat fleas, 68% (68/100) of villages kept dogs, in which 76%(52/68) with fleas. Eighteen parasitic fleas were caught from 43 dogs with a flea index of 0.119 and a rate for fleas of 11.63%, 7 pulex were collected from 17 indoor. Forty-three blood serum samples were obtained from dogs, among which 3 were positive blood serum. Conclusions Residents touch affected animals or media in different situations. The possibility of transmission for wild rodent plague to human exists in loci in a chain of wild rodent plague → fleas or predation → homebred animal plague (cats or dogs) →touching or respiratory → human.

Objective To study the sources and the relationship between the management and the outcome of hemorrhage after cephalic pancreatoduodenectomy.Methods The clinical data of 370 patients who underwent pancreatic resection at the Lihuili Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University were retrospectively analyzed.Results Postoperative bleeding occurred in 35 patients with 11 deaths.Among those intraabominal bleeding occurred in 14 cases and gastrointestinal hemorrhage occurred in 22,with one case suffering from both.Bleediug developing within 72 hours after operation in 12 cases (early-stage group),which was caused by improper intraoperative homeostasis.In other 23 cases,bleeding 72 hours after operation(later stage group)was caused by the erosion following pancreatic and/or bile leakage.Relaparotomy was performed in 13 cases and endoscopic homeostasis was performed in 3. Relaparotomy or endoscopic homeostasis was superior to that of conservative therapy in the early-stage group (P0.05).Pancreatic or bile leakage was identified as the significant risk factors for the postoperative bleeding.Conclusions In order to prevent the postoperative hemorrhage and to reduce the mortality of pancreatic resection,skillful techniques,expeditious homeostasis,proper management of stump pancreas and the prevention of pancreatic and bile leakage are essential.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of transumbilical single-site single-port with that of transumbilical single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomy in the treatment of varicocele in adolescents.

METHODSWe randomly assigned 80 varicocele patients aged 10 - 16 years to two groups of equal number to receive transumbilical single-site single-port and single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomy, respectively. We compared the operation time, postoperative hospital stay, incisional pain, complications and satisfaction with the abdominal cosmetic outcomes between the two groups.

RESULTSAll the operations were successfully performed. The double-port group showed a significantly higher score on the Visual Analogue Scale than the single-port group (4.8 +/- 1.4 vs 3.6 +/- 1.1, t = -4.986, P < 0.01), but there were no significant differences between the two groups in the operation time ([29.8 +/- 4.2] vs [31.2 +/- 4.6] min, t = 1.383, P = 0.171), postoperative hospital stay ([1.95 +/- 0.7] vs [1.82 +/- 0.8] d, t = -0.784, P = 0.436), complications (0 vs 0) and scores on the satisfaction with abdominal cosmetic outcomes (4.6 +/- 0.6 vs 4.8 +/- 0.5, t = 1.253, P = 0.214). No recurrence, umbilical hernia, hydrocele and orchiatrophy were found in the two groups of patients at 6 months after operation, and no visible scar was observed on the abdominal surface.

CONCLUSIONWith strict surgical indications, single-site single-port and single-site double-port laparoscopic varicocelectomies have similar clinical effects in the treatment of varicocele, which leave no scar on the abdominal surface. Single-site double-port laparoscopy needs no special instruments and therefore is worthier of wide clinical application.

Adolescent ; Child ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Operative Time ; Umbilicus ; surgery ; Varicocele ; surgery