OBJECTIVETo investigate the roles of nitric oxide (NO) and eNOS in the pathogenesis of vasovagal syncope (VVS).

METHODSFourteen children with VVS (group A), 10 children with syncope other than vasovagal (group B) and 20 healthy volunteers (group C) were enrolled. Plasma NO levels in groups A and B were determined before and at the termination of the head-up tilt table test (HUT). The G894T polymorphism within the eNOS gene was determined in the three groups.

RESULTSPlasma NO levels in group A increased significantly when syncope attacked from 76.7+/-9.6 micromol/L (before HUT) to 90.0+/-11.4 micromol/L (P<0.05). After the syncope attack was improved, plasma NO level in group A was significantly reduced. There were no statistical differences in plasma NO levels before and after the HUT in group B. Determining the G894T polymorphism within the eNOS gene showed that group A was associated with a higher incidence of the GT gene type as compared to groups B and C (42.9% vs 10%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPlasma NO may be involved in the pathogenesis of VVS. The increased plasma NO level may be associated with the G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene.

Child ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; physiology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; physiology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Syncope, Vasovagal ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of Kirschner wires and tension-band fixation through posterolateral minimal incision for the treatment of displaced supracondylar humeral fractures in children.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to December 2010, there were 62 children (38 males and 24 females, ranging in age from 2 to 14 years, averaged 6.8 years) with Gartland type III supracondylar humeral fractures. All the injuries were caused by falling, and all the fractures were fresh injuries. The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 5 to 20 hours. All the children were treated with open reduction through a posterolateral minimal approach, Kirschnere wires and tension-band fixation were fixed with plaster at 90 degrees of elbow flexion, forearm supination, and palms facing upwards. The kirschner pins and wires were removed after fractures healing. The Flynn's criterion was used to evaluate therapeutic effects.

RESULTSThe operation time ranged from 30 to 50 min (averaged 45 min). All the patients achieved solid union. Sixty patients were followed up, and the mean follow-up time was 15 months (ranged from 6 to 24 months). At the 6th month after operation, 48 patients got an excellent result, 9 good, 3 bad (light cubitus varus with varus angle about 6 degree, without infection on function) according to Flynn's criteria. There were no complications such as procedure-related pin tract infection, iatrogenic nerve and vascular injuries and myositis ossificans.

CONCLUSIONThe Kirschner wires and tension-band fixation through posterolateral minimal incision approach can obtain clearer surgical field, simple in operation, and few wound complications. Therefore, this modified treatment is an effective and reliable method for pediatric displaced Gartland type III supracondylar humeral fractures.

Adolescent ; Bone Wires ; Casts, Surgical ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Male ; Supine Position

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of jieyuwan on neuroendocrine-immune of chronic unpredictable stress rats, for identifing its mechanism of action.

METHODAnimals were randomly assigned to six groups: one non-stressed (control) group, one stressed group (CUS + vehicle) , three treatment groups (CUS + Jieyuwan 53, 106, 212 mg x kg(-1), respectively), and one group for imipramine (CUS + imipramine 10 mg x kg(-1)). We used the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) test in rats to investigated the effects of chronic oral administration (21 days) of Jieyuwan and imipramine (ip) on the sucrose consumption, the relative weight of adrenal and thymus, the concentration of serum corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta measured by ELISA.

RESULTOur results showed that Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to CUS exhibited increased adrenal weight, reduction in thymus weight, less sucrose consumption, and synchronized with higher serum corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta concentration. Chronic treatment with Jieyuwan (53, 106, 212 mg x kg(-1), po, 21 days) could improve locomotion of stressed rat sucrose consumption, turn over the high levels of serum corticosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic actions of jieyuwan, in some degree, may be related with indirect or direct effects on HPA axis and immune system.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Corticosterone ; blood ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Interleukin-1beta ; blood ; Male ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Psychological ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Thymus Gland ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To survey and analyze characteristics of brucellosis epidemic in Weinan city of Shaanxi province for the purpose of setting up prevention and control measures for the disease. Methods According to "The Executing Plan for the Work of Surveying Brucellosis Disease in Shaanxi Province", 35 villages(towns) of designated monitoring locations and 24 villages (towns) of randomized monitoring locations in five countries of Weinan were chosen to survey brucellosis disease. The five countries were Chengcheng, Dali, Heyang, Tongguan and Hancheng. High risk populations with a history of contacting livestock and livestock products aged between 7 and 60 underwent clinical and serology examination[rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT)]. All manipulation methods and judging standards were in accord with the "Diagnostic Standard for Brucellosis" (WS 269-2007). Results In the designated monitoring location, a total of 8664 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 1407 people were tested by RBPT test and 27 people were positive,the positive rate was 1.92%(27/1407); 27 people were tested by SAT test and 27 people were positive, the positive rate was 100% (27/27); 25 people were diagnosed and the diagnosis rate was 92.59%(25/27). In the randomized monitoring location, a total of 3464 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 411 people were tested by RBPT test and 3 people were positive, the positive rate was 0.73%(3/411 ), 3 people were tested by SAT test which were all positive and made a definite diagnosis. Twenty-eight new cases were made a definite diagnosis and its incidence was 2.06 in a hundred thousand(28/1 361 618). Conclusions The infection of human brucellosis in Weinan city stays at higher level. The governments should increase input for the monitoring,investigating and disinfecting to prevent the disease from increasing and outspreading.

Adult ; Complementarity Determining Regions ; genetics ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effect of Zea mays L. saponin (ZMLS) on ultrastructure of kidney and pancreas in the diabetes rats induced by streptozocin.

METHODThe diabetic rat model was established by injections of STZ, blood glucose, the ultrastructure of the kidney and pancreas were observed.

RESULTCompared with the model group, the large, middle-dose ZMLS groups and melbinum group could remarkably decrease the blood glucose (P < 0.01), the large, middle, small-dose ZMLS groups could remarkably prevent the pancreatic islet beta-cell from the injury induced by Streptozotocin. Melbinum and the large, middle-dose ZMLS groups could remarkably increase mitochondrial Vv, deltam and euchromatin Vv (P < 0.01), and significantly decrease the delta, Nucleus delta and heterochromatin Vv (P < 0.01). The small dose of ZMLS obviously increases mitochondrial Vv (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONZMLS showed good effect on decreasing blood glucose and protection action on the kidney and pancreas injury of induced by STZ.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Pancreas ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; administration & dosage ; Streptozocin ; Zea mays ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the variation of the corrosion resistance of micro-arc oxidation film on titanium by electrochemical methods in simulated body fluid.

METHODSMicro-arc oxidation film was formed on the titanium surface using micro-arc oxidation. The morphology was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the phase composition was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in simulated body fluid were examined with electrochemical methods.

RESULTSOn the titanium surface with micro-arc oxidation, the film consisted of many volcanic micropores. The film formed was a titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) with peaks for both anatase and rutile phases. In addition, hydroxylapatite was also observed. The self-corrosion potential and self-corrosion current density of titanium with micro-arc oxidation film were -0.255 V and 0.80 microA/cm(2) respectively, while those of untreated titanium were -0.358 V and 0.55 microA/cm(2). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed the model of equivalent circuits reasonable.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of electrochemical examinations indicate that micro-arc oxidation film increases the corrosion resistance of titanium.

Corrosion ; Durapatite ; chemical synthesis ; Electrochemistry ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Titanium ; chemistry

Objective To observe the effects of cell cycle inhibitor on astrocytic proliferation and scar formation and to study neuronal apoptosis after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.Methods Ischemic model was established by photochemistry method.T_2-weighted MRI was performed on the 3rd, 7th, and 30th day after focal cerebral ischemia.The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and apoptosis was observed by immunofluorescence.The protein levels of GFAP and proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), CyelinA and CyclinB1 were measured by Western blotting from the ischemic and sham animals finished on the 3rd, 7th, and 30th day.Results A marked and significant reduction of brain infarction volume was found in Olomoucine-treated ischemic animals(2.27%?0.28% , 1.87%?0.19%, 1.08%? 0.18%)as compared with controls(5.10%?0.35%, 4.60%?0.26%, 3.96%?0.28%, P

Objective To establish a UPLC-MS/MS method for determination of 10 anti-rheumatic constituents illegally added in Chinese traditional medicine and health products preparation.Methods The column was ACQUITY UPLC BEHC18 (50 mm× 2.1 mm,1.7 μm),The mobile phase was acetonitrile-Ammonium acetate solution (containing 0.1％ Acetic acid) with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min.The ion source was electrospray ionization (ESI),Multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) was performed to identify and quantify 10 anti-rheumatic constituents.Results 10 linear calibration curves were obtained with r ≥ 0.996 1.The recoveries were determinated at three concentration and ranged from 92.5％ to 101.8％.The precision of the method was shown by RSD (n =5) ranged from 0.9％ to 3.1％.The ranges of limit of detection were from 0.001 5 to 0.018 μg,and quantitation were from 0.004 5 to 0.55 μg.The illegally added chemicals were detected with 10 batches of 27 batches of samples.Conclusion The method were simple,sensitivity,accurate,and can be used to detect Anti-rheumatic constituents illegally added in Chinese traditional medicine and health products.

AIM: To observe the effect of endothelin-1(ET-1) on the cytoskeleton protein F-actin of cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. METHODS: Cultured HTM cells were randomly divided into four groups: control group(0mol/L), low-dose ET-1(10-9mol/L) treatment group, middle-dose ET-1(10-8 mol/L) treatment group, and high-dose ET-1(10-7 mol/L) treatment group. After treated with ET-1, the expression of cytoskeleton protein F-actin in trabecular meshwork was analyzed with Western-blot and the distribution of F-actin was detected with FITC-Phalloidin probe. RESULTS: ET-1 dose-dependently and significantly increased F-actin in trabecular meshwork cells. The F-actin stress fiber and periphery actin fiber highly increased and manifested mild reorganization after treated with ET-1; and there were much more cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix attachments formation in ET-1 treated HTM cells than that in the untreated HTM cells. CONCLUSION: ET-1 promoted the expression of cytoskeleton protein F-actin and induced the trabecular meshwork actin cytoskeleton reorganization.