OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative factors influencing olfactory dysfunction in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). METHOD: Visual analogue scale (VAS) was applied to measure the severity of olfactory dysfunction of 270 patients with CRS. Patients were divided into two groups, one was that the quality of life (QOL) of patients was affected by olfactory dysfunction (VAS > 5), the other was that without QOL affected by olfactory dysfunction (VAS ≤ 5). The association between age, gender, nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, smoking history, early nasal surgery history and other clinical factors, and serum total IgE level, peripheral blood eosinophil count, peripheral blood mononuclear cell count and olfactory dysfunction was analyzed. RESULT: The number of patients with nasal polyps, allergic rhinitis, previous nasal surgeries, the level of serum total IgE, and the severity of edema were significantly increased in patients with impaired QOL associated with olfactory dysfunction (P < 0.05). Sex distribution, age, smoking history, deviation of nasal septum, eosinophil and mononuclear cell count did no statistically differ between the groups with and without impaired QOL associated with olfactory dysfunctions (P > 0.05). Serum total IgE increased (OR = 1.003, P < 0.01) and severe edema (OR = 2.483, P < 0.01) were the risk factors for the impairment of olfactory function, more notably for edema; whereas previous nasal surgeries was a protective factor (OR = 0.408, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Sever edema and increased serum total IgE are risk factors, whereas previous nasal surgeries history is a protective factor for the olfactory dysfunction.
Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Male ; Nasal Polyps ; Olfaction Disorders ; etiology ; Quality of Life ; Rhinitis ; complications ; immunology ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; complications ; immunology ; Risk Factors ; Sinusitis ; complications ; immunology ; Smell ; Smoking ; adverse effects

Objective To evaluate the effects of various resection and reconstruction method on pain relief and function restoration for periacetabular metastatic destruction in different grade. Methods This study involved 20 patients, 11 males and 9 females, with the average age of 52 years(range, 43-82 years). The original tumor consisted of 5 renal cell carcinoma, 4 breast carcinoma, 3 lung carcinoma, 2 thyroid carcinoma, 1 prostate carcinoma, 1 rectum carcinoma and 4 unknown primary cancers. A solitary periacetabular metastatic lesion was demonstrated in 14 patients and multi-metastases were seen in 6 patients, and accompanying periacetabular pathologic fractures in 4 patients. As to the Harrington grading system for the periacetabular metastatic destruction, there were 8 grade Ⅰ, 5 grade Ⅱ, and 7 grade Ⅲ. And according to grade Ⅰ, curettage and cement packing (5 cases) as well as stability reconstruction in iliac and acetabulum (3 cases) were performed; grade Ⅱ, curettage, cement packing and total hip arthroplasty with reinforcement ring was performed; grade Ⅲ, en bolc resection of acetabular lesion and modular prosthesis reconstruction was performed. The average score was 5.4(ranged from 3 to 9) according to Tomita scoring system. The pain relief and functional recovery were investigated from the regular follow up postoperatively. Results All patients showed the improvement in pain relief and mobility postoperatively. No prosthetic dislocation, deep infection and leg length discrepancy occurred. The prosthesis or internal fixation loosening happened in 5 of 15 patients at different stage. The median survival time of all patients was 16.5 months (range from 4.2 to 63 months). 2 patients survived over 5 years, 3 over 2 years, 6 over 1 year, 6 over 6 months, and 3 less than 6 months. According to the Enneking functional scoring system, the patients were rated as excellent in 10 cases, good in 8, fair 1 and poor 1 at the 3rd month postoperatively, and for the 7 cases with grade Ⅲ, excellent 2, good 2, and poor 2. The functions of 11 patients survived one year after surgery were excellent in 3, good 4, fair 2 and poor 2. Conclusion The favorable resections and reconstructions for periacetabular metastatic destruction could lead to remarked improvement in pain relief, functional recovery and quality of life.

[Objective]A new limited contact femoral supracondylar interlocking intramedullary nail(LCFSIIN) was made,which was part of a new custom-made hemi-knee joint,to improve the results of childrens' limb salvage.[Method]A new LCFSIIN was performed and the stress of bolts,intramedullary nails and bone were analyzed by finite dement analysis(FEA) while the bolts were implanted in different angulafions-0?,15?,30?,45?and 60?.[Result]The results of FEA show that the stress of bolts,bone and nails with 15? insertion angles of bolt was the tiniest and well distributed.Stress of bone with 0? insertion angles was more obvious than that with 15?,30?and 45?.The more the angles,the stress of proximal bolt became more obvious and the stress of distal bolt decreasing.[Conclusion]This new LCFSIIN can reduce destruction of biological environment of bone and is easy in use in limb salvage surgery of allograft.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that berberine represses multiple tumors and tumor stem cells, but the effect of berberine on lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs and the possible mechanism. METHODS: CD133+ LCSCs were separated from A549 cells by immunomagnetic beads. The effects of different concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/L) of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs were determined by MTT and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. In order to further affirm the effect of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs, the expression levels of Ki67, Bax and Bcl-2 protein were detected by western blot. In addition, to investigate the potential mechanism by which berberine exerts regulatory effects on LCSCs, the expression levels of Hedgehog signaling pathway-associated proteins (PTCH1, SHH, Gli-1 and SMO) were determined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After magnetic cell sorting, the content of the CD133+ fraction was enriched up to 84.13%. MTT and flow cytometry assays showed that berberine inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of LCSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of Ki67, Bcl-2, PTCH1, SHH, Gli-1 and SMO proteins of LCSCs cultured in the medium with 20 mg/L berberine were dramatically decreased compared to the control, while the expression level of Bax protein was markedly increased compared to the control. These findings suggest that berberine may inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis for LCSCs through the Hedgehog signaling pathway.BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that berberine represses multiple tumors and tumor stem cells, but the effect of berberine on lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs and the possible mechanism. METHODS: CD133+ LCSCs were separated from A549 cells by immunomagnetic beads. The effects of different concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/L) of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs were determined by MTT and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. In order to further affirm the effect of berberine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LCSCs, the expression levels of Ki67, Bax and Bcl-2 protein were detected by western blot. In addition, to investigate the potential mechanism by which berberine exerts regulatory effects on LCSCs, the expression levels of Hedgehog signaling pathway-associated proteins (PTCH1, SHH, Gli-1 and SMO) were determined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After magnetic cell sorting, the content of the CD133+ fraction was enriched up to 84.13%. MTT and flow cytometry assays showed that berberine inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of LCSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis showed that the expression levels of Ki67, Bcl-2, PTCH1, SHH, Gli-1 and SMO proteins of LCSCs cultured in the medium with 20 mg/L berberine were dramatically decreased compared to the control, while the expression level of Bax protein was markedly increased compared to the control. These findings suggest that berberine may inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis for LCSCs through the Hedgehog signaling pathway.

Research on novel pullulanase has major significance on the domestic industrialization of pullulanase and the breakdown of foreign monopoly. A thermophilic bacteria LM 18-11 producing thermostable pullulanase was isolated from Lunma hot springs of Yunnan province. It was identified as Anoxybacillus sp. by 16S rDNA phylogenetic analysis. Full-length pullulanase gene was cloned from Anoxybacillus sp. LM18-11. The optimum temperature of the pullulanase was between 55 and 60 degrees C with a half-life as long as 48 h at 60 degrees C; and its optimum pH was between 5.6 and 6.4. V(max) and K(m) of the pullulanase was measured as 750 U/mg and 1.47 mg/mL, which is the highest specific activity reported so far. The pullulanase crystals structure showed a typical alpha-amylase family structure. The N-terminal has a special substrate binding domain. Activity and substrate binding were decreased when the domain was deleted, the V(max) and K(m) were 324 U/mg and 1.95 mg/mL, respectively. The pullulanase was highly heterologous expressed in Bacillus subtilis by P43 promoter. The extracellular enzyme activity was 42 U/mL, which increased more than 40 times compared to the initial strain. This pullulanase has good application prospects.
Anoxybacillus ; classification ; enzymology ; China ; Glycoside Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; Temperature

Objective To explore molecular mechanisms underlying the in vitro counteracting effect of curcumin on malignant melanoma.Methods Cultured A375 and C8161 human melanoma cells were cultivated in vitro,and randomly divided into several test groups and a control group to be treated with different concentrations of curcumin and dimethyl sulfoxide respectively for different durations.Then,methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay,Transwell assay,flow cytometry and Western blot were performed to evaluate the effect of curcumin on the proliferation,invasion and cell cycle of,as well as expressions of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins in A375 and C8161 cells respectively.Statistical analysis was carried out by using t test.Results MTT assay showed that the treatment with curcumin of 5-35 mg/L for 24-96 hours significantly inhibited the proliferation of both A375 and C8161 cells compared with that with dimethyl sulfoxide (all P ＜ 0.001),and the inhibitory effect was in a dose-dependent manner within the range of 5-15 mg/L for A375 cells and within the range of 5-10 mg/L for C8161 cells,and in a time-dependent manner from 0 to 48 hours for both cells.After treatment for 24 hours,the 50％ inhibitory concentration (IC50) of curcumin against A375 cells and C 8161 cells was 10 mg/L and 5 mg/L respectively.Transwell assay demonstrated that the invasion of A375 and C8161 cells was significantly suppressed by 72-hour treatment with curcumin at 10 mg/L and 5 mg/L respectively (both P ＜ 0.001).Flow cytometry showed that the cell cycle of A375 and C8161 cells was arrested at G2/M phase after 24-hour treatment with curcumin at 10 mg/L and 5 mg/L respectively,with significant differences in the proportion of A375 cells and C8161 cells in G2/M phase between the test group and control group (A375 cells:35.00％ ± 3.54％ vs.120.80％ ± 7.46％,P＜ 0.001;C8161 cells:19.33％ ± 4.04％ vs.85.00％ ± 9.53％,P ＜ 0.001).Western blot revealed that the expressions of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins were decreased in A375 and C8161 cells after 24-hour treatment with 10 mg/L and 5 mg/L curcumin respectively.Conclusion Curcumin can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of A375 and C8161 cells,likely by blocking cell cycle and inhibiting activation of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective: To study the effects of propafenone on action potential (AP) of rabbit ventricular myocytes with the tonic block and use-dependent block of transient sodium current (INa-T). Methods: A total of 10 adult New Zealand white rabbits were sacriifced and 10 individual ventricular myocytes were isolated by enzyme digestion method. Microelectrode technologies were used to record AP-related parameters: maximum diastolic potential (MDP), maximum rate of rise of the action potential upstroke (Vmax), action potential amplitude (APA) and action potential duration at 20%, 50% and 90% (APD20, APD50 and APD90).INa-T was measured, I-V curves and peak currents at different frequencies were detected by whole cell patch clamp before and after propafenone perfusion at 10 μmol/L. Results: There was no statistical difference in MDP at before and after propafenone perfusion as (-80 ± 6) mV vs (-82 ± 5) mV,P>0.05. After perfusion, APA was signiifcantly decreased as (95 ± 12) mV vs ( 125 ± 10) mV,P<0.05, the Vmax slowed down as (330 ± 43) V/s vs (420 ± 54) V/s,P<0.05, while APD20, APD50 and APD90 were unchanged as (8 ± 2) ms vs (6 ± 2) ms,P>0.05, (16 ± 3) ms vs (12 ± 3) ms,P>0.05 and (86 ± 14) ms vs (85 ± 12) ms,P>0.05. After propafenone perfusion, I-V curve ofINa-T was shifted upward and the peak current was decreased as (3001 ± 383) pA vs (4193 ± 378) pA, P<0.05. Before perfusion, when stimulated at 0.06 Hz, 1 Hz, 2 Hz, 5 Hz and 10 Hz, there were no signiifcant use-dependent block inINa-T , and no real difference inINa-T between the 10th and 1st pulse,P>0.05. After perfusion, no significant use-dependent block was observed when stimulated at 0.06 Hz and 1 Hz,P>0.05, while at 2 Hz, 5 Hz and 10 Hz, propafenone perfusion demonstrated signiifcant use-dependent block uponINa-T with the inhibition fractions of (22 ± 11)%, (38 ± 14)% and (52 ± 17)% respectively, those were signiifcantly different from the inhibition fractions at either 0.06 Hz or 1Hz,P<0.05. When the inhibition fractions were compared by each 2 conditions, allP<0.05. Conclusion: Propafenone may slow down the Vmax of AP, reduce APA and without the impact on APD; the effects onINa-T is not only in tonic block, but also more obviously in use-dependent block in isolated ventricular myocytes of New Zealand rabbit. Such inlfuences minimized the impact on QT interval and meanwhile, decreased the incidence of brad arrhythmia.

This paper presented the practice of Zhejiang in introducing the drug zero-profit reform.A comparative analysis was made to the pilot county hospitals regarding their business performance,patients' burden,financial subsidy and medical insurance expenditure.The reform has scored a success as expected with the following outcomes:sharp rise in medical services volume,medical income and financial aid on one hand; drop of the proportion of drug income and changes in the medical income makeup; controlled increase of average cost of outpatient and inpatient care,and significant drop of pharmaceutical costs; increased expenditure yet stable operation of medical insurance funds;proportional increase of medical insurance compensation,with drops of the proportion of both out-ofpocket expenses and visits to doctors out of their county.This reform,however,has such shortcomings as follows:insufficient adjustment toward true costs of medical services,lack of a clear and sustainable financial compensation mechanism,and that of supporting measures.Based on these,the authors call for accelerated payment system reform,dynamic and scientific adjustment of medical service prices,exploration of clear financial compensation methods,optimization of internal management of hospitals,and acceleration of the formation of a medical staff income distribution mechanism.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology

Arthrography ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Bone and Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Joint Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Joints ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Radionuclide Imaging