Objective:To discuss the clinical efficacy of treating lumbar muscle strain(LMS)with Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)plus Chinese medication hot compress. Methods:A total of 147 LMS patients were randomized into a Tuina group,a Chinese medication hot compress group,and a combined group,each consisting of 49 cases.The Tuina group received Tuina treatment;the Chinese medication hot compress group received Chinese medication hot compress treatment;and the combined group received the forementioned two therapies alternately.The three groups of patients were assessed using the visual analog scale(VAS)and Oswestry disability index(ODI)before treatment and after 2 weeks of treatment.A 2-month follow-up was also conducted to observe the relapse rate. Results:The VAS and ODI scores dropped significantly after treatment in all three groups compared with their baseline(P<0.05),and the combined group surpassed the other two groups in comparing the ODI score(P<0.05).The 2-month follow-up showed that the combined group had the lowest relapse rate among the three groups(P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared to each therapy used alone,Tuina plus Chinese medication hot compress can relieve pain,improve daily living function,and reduce the short-term relapse rate better in treating LMS patients.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of neck Gongfa exercise in intervening people at high risk for cervical spondylosis. Methods:A total of 212 participants from 8 companies at high risk for cervical spondylosis were divided into two groups using the random number table method,with 105 participants in the control group receiving health education and 107 participants in the trial group receiving an additional neck Gongfa exercise.After successive 3-month interventions,the two groups were compared in terms of cervical soft tissue tension and neck disability index(NDI)score.The incidence of cervical spondylosis was observed 3 months later. Results:During the process,10 cases dropped out in the trial group,and the control group had 9 dropout cases.After the intervention,the cervical soft tissue tension value and NDI score improved in both groups(P<0.05)and showed significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05).At the 3-month follow-up,the trial group had a lower incidence rate of cervical spondylosis than the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion:For people at high risk for cervical spondylosis,neck Gongfa exercise can effectively improve cervical soft tissue tension and motor dysfunction and lower the incidence of cervical spondylosis in the short run.

Objective:To investigate the influence of low-dose ionizing radiation on the expression level of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in radiation workers in hospitals.Methods:183 radiation workers were randomly selected and grouped by work type including interventional radiology ( n=37), nuclear medicine ( n=43), radiotherapy ( n=48), and diagnostic radiology ( n=55). The content of IGFBP-3 in the serum of radiation workers was detected by ELISA assay. Results:It was observed that the expression level of serum IGFBP-3 in the four groups had significant differences ( F=6.056, P<0.05), and the content of serum IGFBP-3 in the interventional radiology group was significantly higher than that of nuclear medicine, radiotherapy, and diagnostic radiology groups ( t= 2.815, 3.611, 3.936, P<0.05). The concentration of IGFBP-3 in the serum of radiation workers among different annual effective dose groups was statistically different ( F=8.380, P<0.05), which gradually increased with the increase of annual effective dose and length of service ( rs=0.202, 0.151, P<0.05). Conclusions:The expression level of serum IGFBP-3 has the potential to be used as a biomarker to reflect the cumulative exposure of long-term chronic low-dose ionizing radiation.

Objective To investigate effective approach to decrease portal venous hypertension and high perfusion of portal vein caused by small-for-size (SFS) liver graft transplantation with the aim of improving hepatocellular microcirculation.Methods Rat models with SFS liver graft (n =62) were well estab lished and divided into SFS group and trans-portal intrabepatic portosystemic shunt (TPIPSS) group.Hemodynamic parameters,histopathologically morphologic changes,postoperative complications,accumulated survival rate were recorded and analyzed.Venous filling time after liver reperfusion,hemodynamic parameters were evaluated using t test and Kruskal-Wallis test.Kaplan-Meier method was performed for survival analysis.Results Venous filling time after liver reperfusion was remarkably prolonged with the application of multihole cone-shaped tubes.Compared with SFS group,the filling time was 4-second longer in TPIPSS.At each endpoints of reperfusion within 90 mins,the portal vein pressures were lowered in the TPIPSS group than those of SFS group.Liver grafts were present with more regular structures in TPIPSS group,with no sign of hepatic sinusoid congestion or irregular clearance extension.In the aspect of postoperative complications,all the rat receivers showed ascites in the SFS group.Nevertheless,there was no ascites observed in TPIPSS rats,and 50％ rats (5/10) experienced clinical manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy.Persistent fever over 7 days was showed in 10％ rats (1/10) of SFS group and 40％ rats (4/10) of TPIPSS group,respectively.The mean survival was superior in TPIPSS group (37.2 ± 23.5) d than SFS group (17.7 ± 13.5) d,P ＜ 0.05.Conclusion TPIPSS could be a safe and feasible approach to improve portal venous hypertension caused by SFS liver graft and hepatocellular reperfusion.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of puerarin on bone mineral density around the femoral prosthesis of el-derly women after osteoporotic fracture artificial hip joint replacement. METHODS:99 elderly women after osteoporotic fracture artificial hip joint replacement were divided into control group(49 cases)and test group(50 cases)according to random number table. Control group received conventional treatment:calcium carbonate and vitamin D3+alendronate sodium+salmon calcitonin;test group was additionally given Puerarin injection 200-400 mg dissolved in Glucose injection 500 ml intravenously,qd,on the basis of control group. A treatment course lasted for 20 d,and both groups received 2 courses of treatment. The hip joint function score and bone mineral density around the femoral prosthesis of 2 groups were observed and compared after surgery,and the oc-currence of ADR was also observed. RESULTS:3 and 2 patients withdrew from control group and test group,respectively. 18 months after surgery,the patients with hip joint function score ranged 70-79 in test group was significantly less than in control group;the rate of excellent hip joint function score in test group was significantly higher than in control group,with statistical significance (P<0.05). 15 and 18 months after surgery,bone mineral density in R1-R5 range of Gruen range in test group was slightly higher than in control group,without statistical significance(P>0.05);bone mineral density in R6-R7 range was signifi-cantly higher than control group(89.58% vs. 69.57%),with statistical significance(P<0.05). The prosthesis loosening was not found in both groups,and ADR was also not found as fever,erythra,nausea,vomiting,headache,dizziness,etc. CONCLU-SIONS:For the use of puerarin in elderly women after osteoporotic fracture artificial hip joint replacement,puerarin can increase the periprosthetic femur bone mineral density with good safety.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) in patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods Aretrospective study was conducted for 183 patients with moderate to severe TBI (125 males,58 females;6-91 years of age,mean 48.23 years).According the presence of PTH,the patients were allocated into PTH group (n =34) and non-PTH group (n =149).Risk factors of PTh were assessed by univariate and logistic regression analysis,including gender,age,injury types,injury severity,intraventricular hemorrhage,subarachnoid hemorrhage,midline shift,subdural effusion,therapeutic strategies and skull defect.Association between the boundaries of skull defect and PTH was determined.Results Between-group differences were not significant regarding age,gender,injury types and intraventricular hemorrhage (P ＞ 0.05),but differed significantly in injury severity,subarachnoid hemorrhage,midline shift,subdural effusion,craniectomy and skull defect (P ＜ 0.05).Further Logistic regression analysis confirmed subarachnoid hemorrhage (OR =6.169),interhemispheric subdural effusion (OR =31.743),and unilateral (OR =17.602) and bilateral (OR =30.567) skull defects were risk factors of PTH.Of the patients with unilateral skull defect following decompressive craniectomy,the inferior limit ≤ 10 mm from the zygomatic arch also played a role in the development of PTH (OR =5.500,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Subarachnoid hemorrhage,interhemispheric subdural effusion and skull defect are risk factors of PTH.Unilateral skull defects with the inferior limit too close to the zygomatic arch can predispose to the development of PTH.

Objective To compare the differences of prescription pattern, adverse events, economic burden and drug-use adherence between preferred mood stabilizers and preferred antipsychotics in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods We investigated 240 cases of patients with bipolar disorder from 39 mental health institutions in 11 cities in Hebei province. The self-made questionnaire was used to investigate the demographic information, disease characteris-tics, prescription pattern and medical expense. The clinical global impression scale-severity of illness (CGI-SI) was used to assess the disease severity. The treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) was used to assess the adverse drug reac-tions. The medication adherence rating scale (MARS) was used to assess drug therapy compliance in patients. Results One hundred fifty-two patients (63.3%) used antipsychotics as the first choice (antipsychotics group), 88 patients (36.7%) used mood stabilizers as the first choice (mood stabilizers group). The number of patients in-patient (90.1%vs. 76.1%), patients with psychotic symptom (27.0%vs. 11.4%), incidences of adverse events (46.1%vs. 31.8%), drug daily cost (me-dians 12.00 yuan vs. 8.37 yuan) and drug total cost (medians 344.61 yuan vs. 144.64 yuan) were larger in antipsychotics group than in mood stabilizers group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in pattern of pre-scription, severity of adverse events and total scores of MARS (P>0.05). Conclusion The bipolar disorder patients more frequently use antipsychotics as the first choice in Hebei province. The use of antipsychotics does not alter the combina-tion medication pattern. In addition, antipsychotics cause a higher incidence of adverse events and heavier economic bur-den compared with mood stabilizers, suggesting that mood stabilizers should be the first choice to bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND:In recent years, there are many animal studies and osteoblast studies on the anti-osteoporotic effects of puerarin, a kind of phytoestrogen. But few of them are reported on the effects of puerarin on osteoblasts in older patients with osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of puerarin on the proliferation ofin vitro cultured osteoblasts from older female patients with osteoporosis. METHODS:The older female patients with osteoporotic femoral neck fractures who underwent artificial femoral head replacement were included in this study. The femoral neck cancelous bone removed during the operation was colected. Primary cancelous bone osteoblasts were cultured using explant culture method. The cels were sub-cultured to the required amounts. Osteoblasts from the control group were cultured with culture medium without puerarin. Osteoblasts from the 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μmol/L puerarin groups were cultured with culture medium containing the corresponding concentrations of puerarin. After in vitro co-culture with different concentrations of puerarin for 1, 3, 5 days, the proliferation of osteoblasts was observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:With the increase in the concentration of puerarin, the proliferative activity of
osteoblasts constantly increased at different time points (P < 0.05). At 3 days of culture, cel absorbance value in each group reached the peak level. These results suggest that 0.01, 0.1, 1μmol/L puerarin promotes the proliferation of osteoblasts in older patients with osteoporosis in a concentration-dependent manner.

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a conserved Ca(2+) transporter at mitochondrial in eukaryotic cells. However, the role of MCU protein in oxidative stress-induced cell death remains unclear. Here, we showed that ectopically expressed MCU is mitochondrial localized in both HeLa and primary cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Knockdown of endogenous MCU decreases mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake following histamine stimulation and attenuates cell death induced by oxidative stress in both HeLa cells and CGNs. We also found MCU interacts with VDAC1 and mediates VDAC1 overexpression-induced cell death in CGNs. This finding demonstrates that MCU-VDAC1 complex regulates mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and oxidative stress-induced apoptosis, which might represent therapeutic targets for oxidative stress related diseases.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Biological Transport ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channels ; metabolism ; Cerebellum ; cytology ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels ; metabolism