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Objective To evaluate the effect of anterior cervical fusion or non-fusion surgery for the treatment of Hirayama disease.Methods The patients with Hirayama disease who underwent anterior cervical surgery in our hospital from July 2008 to December 2015 were retrospectively enrolled in this study.These cases were divided into two groups:fusion group(11 cases)and non-fusion group(12 cases).In fusion group,there were 9 males and 2 females,with an average age of 17.92±0.61 years(range,15-29).In the non-fusion group,there were 10 males and 1 female,with an average age of 19.18±1.14 years(range,15-23).Muscle strength,muscular atrophy,and the Michigan score for hand function were compared between the two groups preoperatively and postoperatively.The indexes such as arc cervical physiological curvature index,the maximum flexion angle,the maximal range of motion(ROM),flexion ROM of adjacent segments of lower(cervical vertebra were measured from the X-ray of the two groups,and the cross-sectional area of spinal cord was measured and compared on neutral position MRI.Results There were no significant differences between the two groups in grip strength,preoperative hand function Michigan score,cervical physiological(curvature index,the maximum flexion angle,the maximal ROM,flexion ROM of adjacent segments of lower cervical vertebra,and cross-sectional area of spinal cord on neutral position MRI(P>0.05).Patients in fusion group were followed up for 38-103 months with an average of 59.73±5.57 months,while patients in non-fusion group were followed up for 40-95 months with an aver-age of 56.25±4.57 months.Clinical outcomes:At the last follow-up,the finger tremor and cold paralysis were alleviated in all patients,but the symptoms in fusion group and non-fusion group were not completely disappeared in 2 and 3 cases,respectively.The grip strength of fusion group(preoperative 17.14±6.09,postoperative 17.47±5.64)and the non-fusion group(preoperative 17.75±5.49,postoperative 17.40±4.58)were not significantly improved compared with preoperative(P>0.05).The Michigan score for hand function of fusion group(preoperative 10.27±0.41,postoperative 6.64±0.24)and the non-fusion group(preoperative 9.25±0.35,postoperative 6.83±0.24)were significantly improved compared with preoperative(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in postoperative Michigan score between the two groups(P>0.05).Radiological outcomes:The cervical physiological curvature index and cross-sectional area of the spinal cord of the two groups increased after operation,while the maximum flexion angle,the maximal ROM decreased.There was no significant difference in these indexes between the two groups postoperatively(P>0.05).The spinal cord had no compression on flexion MRI.The cross-sectional area of C4-C7 spinal cord in Neutral MRI were significantly increased at C6 and C7 levels in both groups.There was no significant difference in the cross-sectional area of C4-C7 spinal cord between the two groups postoperatively(P>0.05).Two cases of internal fixation loosening occurred in non-fusion group 3 years after the operation,while there were no cases of loosening in the fusion group.Conclusion Anterior cervical fusion or nonfusion surgery can limit excessive cervical kyphosis in patients with Hirayama disease,reduce atrophy of compressed cervical spinal cord,and alleviate the disease progress of muscular atrophy of the distal upper limb.It can be selected as a treatment method for Hirayama disease.However,there is a risk of internal fixation loosening in non-fusion cases,and also a risk of adjacent segment degeneration in fusion cases.The appropriate cases should be selected carefully for surgery.
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Objective To study the clinical characteristics of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in 34 adult patients and to improve the level of diagnosis of this disease.Methods The clinical manifestations,laboratory results and radiological features of 34 adult patients with JE in our hospital from July 2017 to September 2017 were summarized and the progonsis was observed.The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to evaluate the progonsis.Results Eighteen patients were males and 16 patients were females with the average age of (45.39 ± 16.34) years in 34 patients who were diagnosed as JE.The major clinical features of JE patients included fever (34,100％) with the average temperature of (39.4 ± 1.1) ℃ on admission,headache (26,76％),seizures (7,21％),decreased consciousness (25,74％) on day 2.6 ± 1.4 after the onset,respiratory failure (9,26％) on day 3.8 ± 1.6 after the onset.The major features of laboratory results included white blood cells increase (15,44％),blood hematocrit decrease (25,74％),eosinophil absolute value decrease (29,85％),cerebrospinal fluid pressure increase (12,35％),cerebrospinal fluid protein increase (27,79％),cerebrospinal fluid white blood cells increase (30,88％).Brain MRI scan of abnormal signal was found abnormal in up to 54％patients (14/26),involving the thalamus,basal ganglia,mesencephalon,temporal lobe,hippocampus and occipital lobe,especially in the area of bilateral thalamus and mesencephalon.The follow-up showed three cases were dead;mRS score was 0 in twenty-one cases,1 or 2 in five cases,3 or 4 in three cases,5 in two cases five-six months after onset;the sequelaes were cognitive impairment in nine patients and movement disorder in five patients.Conclusions The clinical symptoms of JE in adults are severe.The main clinical manifestations of JE are hyperthermia,disturbance of consciousness,seizures and respiratory failure,with characteristic imaging findings on brain MRI.JE is a disease with high mortality and severe long-term sequelae.
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Purpose To explore the application value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in assessing brain injury in different clinical stages caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Materials and Methods MR plain scan, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and DKI scans were performed in 26 patients with acute CO poisoning, 17 patients with delayed neuropsychologic sequelae (DNS), 15 patients with chronic phase, and 21 healthy volunteers (control group). The DKI parameter values in regions of interest among the four groups were compared, and the correlation between the values of each parameter and DWI apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value was analyzed. Results ①The mean kurtosis (MK) values in the area of pallidum in acute phase, DNS phase, and chronic phase were 1.51±0.15, 1.07±0.11 and 0.59±0.11, respectively; among which the MK value in acute phase was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.06±0.06, P<0.05), and the chronic phase was significantly lower than the DNS phase and the control group (P<0.05); compared with the control group, the MK in centrum semiovale and subcallosal zone was relatively higher in acute phase and DNS phase, lower in chronic phase, both showing the most significant increase in DNS phase (P<0.05). ②In each region of interest, the MK value and mean diffusivity (MD) all showed an increase after decrease. Among them, MD values in the area of pallidum in acute phase were significantly lower than those in DNS and control group (0.74±0.11 vs. 0.85±0.07 and 0.98±0.12, P<0.05), and the centrum semiovale and callosum were the smallest in DNS phase (0.67±0.09 and 0.80±0.05, respectively), significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). ③The fractional anisotropy (FA) values of all regions of interest showed a progressive decrease in different clinical stages, in which pallidum and centrum semiovale were the lowest in chronic phase (0.19±0.04 and 0.22±0.03, respectively), significantly lower than those in DNS phase and the control group (P<0.05). ④There was a positive correlation between MD values and ADC values in different clinical stages of CO poisoning in each region of interest (P<0.01). Conclusion DKI can quantitatively evaluate the changes of brain gray matter microarchitecture after CO poisoning, which is helpful to understand the characteristics of brain injury in different clinical stages caused by CO poisoning from the microscopic level.
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Purpose To quantitatively evaluate the severity of brain damage in the acute phase of CO poisoning using intravoxel incoherent motion imaging.Materials and Methods MRI scans were performed in 26 patients with CO intoxication of acute stage and 18 healthy controls with matched age and gender.The difference of D value,D* value and f value in different ROIs between the poisoning and the control groups were compared,and the best cut-off values were determined.The correlation between the consciousness state and the D value as well as f value in the vulnerable area of the brain (globus pallidus) was analyzed.Results Compared with control group,the D and F value of the poisoning group were decreased in multiple ROIs,of which statistical significance was observed in the f values in the centrum semiovale,globus pallidus and thalamus,and the D values in the centrum semiovale,lateral ventricle,globus pallidus and corpus callosum splenium (P＜0.05).The best cut-off value,sensitivity and specificity were as follows:fcs=51％,77％,73％;fga=61％,77％,83％;ft=80％,85％,64％;D,=0.69×10-3 mm2/s,85％,83％;Dlv=0.65× 10-3 mm2/s,73％,89％;Dga=0.68× 10-3 mm2/s,62％,83％;Dccs=0.70× 10-3mm2/s,81％,89％.The disturbance of consciousness was positively correlated with decrease of D value and f value (rD=0.828,rf=0.745,P＜0.05).Conclusion The D and f values of intravoxel incoherent motion imaging can quantitatively evaluate the brain damage severity in acute CO poisoning.
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This study investigated the development characteristics of Dermacentor everestianus under laboratory conditions. The time taken for D. everestianus to complete the whole life cycle was 110.2 days on average, and the average developmental durations of larvae and nymphs were 17.1 days and 29.5 days, respectively. The summation of the prefeeding, feeding, and preoviposition periods of females was 17.8 days, and the oviposition and egg incubation lasted for 18.1 days and 27.7 days, respectively. A highly positive correlation was observed between the weight of engorged female and the number of egg mass laid (r=0.947). The reproductive efficiency index and the reproductive fitness index were 7.1 and 6.1, respectively.
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Female , Humans , Dermacentor , Genetic Fitness , Larva , Life Cycle Stages , Nymph , Oviposition , OvumABSTRACT
Donguibogam was introduced from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) instead of the local representa-tive work of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). It is also the concrete manifestation of theories of different schools of doctors according to Dr. Xu Jun's medical thoughts. In this paper, from Dr. Xu's advocacy to Taoism and the concept of aftercare spirit, the exploration was made on health cultivation for different body constitu-tions. According to the health cultivation effects of the medicinals and edible food, the focus was made on the sys-tematic collation and induction of more than 1 400 kinds of herbs contained in the soup liquid from papers in three volumes. The medicinals were divided into eight categories, which were benefiting qi, nourishing yin, tonifying yang, clearing heat and promoting dieresis, drying dampness and resolving phlegm, promoting blood circulation for remov-ing blood stasis, dispersing stagnated liver qi, nourishing blood for hemostasis. Donguibogam specified the health cultivation concept from the correspondence between the body constitution and the medicinal performance. It has a certain guiding significance to the current health cultivation.
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Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment for intracranial venous sinus thrombosis based on individual condition. Methods Twelve patients with intracranial venous sinus thrombosis were treated with endovascular management according to the severity and course of disease after they failed to respond to anticoagulant therapy. The clinical signs and symptoms,cerebrospinal fluid pressure and arteriovenous circulation time were observed and followed up (including MRV). Intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombus maceration were carried out in all 12 patients,while intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombus maceration in combination with intra-arterial thrombolysis were employed in 3. After the treatment, anticoagulant therapy was carried out for 6 months.The patients were followed up for 12 to 24 months. Results Of the twelve patients, clinical signs and symptoms included slight headache (2 cases), mild hemiplegia (1 case), ambiopia or blurred vision (3 cases). The cerebrospinal fluid pressure returned to under 26 cm H2O (1 cm H2O =0.098 kPa)following treatment from 28 to 38 cm H2O [ mean (32. 4 ±3.0) cm H2O] in preoperative measurement and the arteriovenous circulation time returned to below 10 s in all patients following treatment. Neither recurrence of thrombosis nor new symptoms of neurologic dysfunction was observed. No procedure-related intracranial or systemic hemorrhagic complications occurred both during and after the operation with the exception of a subcutaneous bleeding at the venopuncture site. Conclusion Endovascular treatment is effective and safe for patients with intracranial venous sinus thrombosis.
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Biofuels and bio-based chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass are sustainable, making them alternatives to petroleum-derived fuels and chemicals to address the challenges of the shortage of crude oil supply and climate change resulted from the overconsumption of petroleum-based products, particularly in China. However, high cost in liberating sugars from lignocellulosic biomass is still the bottleneck of the commercialization of biofuels and bio-based chemicals. In this article, the major components of cellulases and their synergistic role in the hydrolysis of pre-treated biomass is reviewed, followed by how to evaluate the enzymatic hydrolysis. With the elucidation of the underlying mechanism of the conformations of the enzyme molecules and their effectiveness in attacking cellulose substrate, more efficient enzymes are expected to be developed. Using the high production strain Penicillium decumbens, the on-site production of cellulases for cellulose ethanol production is discussed.
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Biofuels , Biomass , Biotechnology , Methods , Biotransformation , Cellulase , Hydrolysis , Industrial Microbiology , Methods , Lignin , Chemistry , MetabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can grow in host myocardium, differentiate under myocardial condition, improve cardiac function. However, biological characteristics of BMSC differentiation are still unclear presently.OBJECTIVE: To study the expression and electrophysiological characteristics of BMSC/n vitro connexin-43 following 5-azacitidine (5-aza) treatment.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The cytological in vitro controlled study was perormed at the Heart Center, Hebei Provincial People's Hospital from July 2007 to February 2009.MATERIALS: A total of 24 male pigs aged 2 months were purchased from Exparimental Animal Center, Hebei Medical University.METHODS: Bilateral femoral bone marrow was obtained from pigs under sterile condition. BMSCs were harvested by Percoll density gradient in vitro. At passage 2, BMSCs were treated with 10 μmol/L 5-aza, and incubated in DMeM without inductor 24 hours later. Indices were measured I, 2, 3 weeks following induction. A control group was set up, which was not treated with 5-azacitidine. Following bone marrow extraction, experimental pigs were anesthetized to obtain ventricular muscle. Normal ventricular muscle cells were isolated and cultured by tissue block enzyme digestion method.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expression of connexin-43 was measured by immunohistochemical staining (ABC method). Ito current density and action potential were determined by patch clamp technique.RESULTS: At 1 and 2 weeks following 5-aza induction, some BMSCs were positive for connexin-43, with the presence of brown particles surrounding nuclei. At 3 weeks, positive rate of connexin-43 was 95%. The area with large cell density was presented with similar structure to normal myocardium. At +80 mV, compared with normal myocardial cells, Ito current density was significantly reduced in BMSCs following 1 and 2 weeks and in the control group (P < 0.05). Ito current density was significantly increased to a normal levels in BMSCs 3 weeks following induction (P > 0.05). No action potential was detected in BMSCs following 1 and 2 weeks of 5-aza, and action potential could be determined 3 weeks following induction, which was identical to normal myocardial cells.CONCLUSION: Through induced by 5-aza for three weeks, BMSCs have the similar expression of connexin-43 and electrophysiological characteristics as normal myocardium.
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Filamentous fungi can secrete large amounts of proteins, glycosylate proteins and grow faster than plant, insect or mammalian cells. With the advances in fungal molecular genetics, strain improvement, and especially fungal genomics, filamentous fungi are developed as microbial cell factories for the production of heterologous proteins. This review focuses on recent developments of filamentous fungi as production hosts, such as protein quality control mechanisms, the secretion pathways, protein modification, strain stability, and most importantly the application of functional genomics in protein expression. At the same time, the strategies for improving heterologous protein production were also discussed in details.
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Biotechnology , Methods , Cloning, Molecular , Fermentation , Genetics , Physiology , Fungi , Genetics , Metabolism , Genetic Engineering , Protein Processing, Post-Translational , Recombinant Proteins , GeneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Bone marrow stem cell transplantation can improve heart function and prevent ventricle remodeling.At present,the adult bone marrow stem cells used for transplantation primarily included bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs),and endothelial progenitor cells.The curative effects and precise mechanisms of transplantation of various bone marrow stem cells remain unknown.OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of transplantation of autologous BM-MNCs and MSCs via the coronary artery on ventricle remodeling subsequent to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:Randomized controlled animal experiment performed at the Center for Clinical Research,Hebei Provincial People's Hospital,Electron Microscope Room,Hebei Medical University between March 2005 and December 2006.MATERIALS:Thirty-six male Jizhong pigs,were randomly divided into 4 groups:control group (n = 6),infarct model group (n = 10),BM-MNC group (n = 10),and MSC group (n = 10).METHODS:Porcine autologous BM-MNCs were isolated by gradient density centrifugation,and MSCs were obtained by adherence method.Prior to transplantation,both BM-MNCs and MSCs were colloidal gold labeled.Except the infract model group,pigs in the other 3 groups were developed into AMI models by oppressing the left anterior descending branch with balloon catheter.Ninety minutes after modeling,(6.0±1.3)×107 autologous BM-MNCs and (4.5±2.1)x 107 MSCs were respectively transplanted into pigs in the BM-MNC group and the MSC group via the coronary artery and cultured for 28 days.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Observation of pathological changes of cardiac muscle tissue by light and electron microscope;Examination of cardiac function by ultrasonograph;Detection of the number of blood vessels and apoptotic myocardial cells,and expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and troponin Ⅰ and its correlation to cardiac function by immunohistochemistry;Detection of mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the cardiac tissue as well as its correlation to cardiac function by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).RESULTS:In the MSC group,there was proliferation of a great deal of blood vessels as well as growth of abnormal cell masses around the coronary vessels,while the BM-MNC group exhibited the "budding" of many capillary vessels.Prior to transplantation,cardiac function indices were basically similar among each group (F = 1.550,P＞0.05).Twenty-eight days after transplantation,left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly lower in the control,BM-MNC,and MSC groups than in the infarct model group (F = 5.30,P＜0.05),while endocardial fractional shortening was significantly higher (F = 10.67,P＜0.01).Compared with the infarct model group,the number of blood vessels in the infarct zone and infarct border zone was increased in the BM-MNC group (F=29.56-34.87,P＜0.01) and had no apparent change in the MSC group.In the BM-MNC and MSC groups,apoptotic myocardial cells in the infarct zone and infarct border zone were significantly reduced (F=14.31-35.34,P＜0.01 ) and troponin I expression rate was significantly increased (F=19.05,P＜0.01 ),as compared with the infarct model group.In addition,NF-κB positive rate in the infarct border zone was significantly lower in the BM-MNC and MSC groups than in the infarct model group (F=19.05,P＜0.01).VEGF gene expression level in the infarct border zone was significandy higher in the BM-MNC group than in the infarct model group and MSC group (F = 49.41,P＜0.01).bFGF gene expression level in the infarct border zone was significantly higher in the MSC group than in the infarct model and BM-MNC groups (F=4.71,P＜0.01).LVEF was negatively correlated to myocardial cell apoptosis rate and NF-κB level (r=-0.441 1,P＜0.05;r=-0.579 6,P＜0.01 ).LVEF was positively correlated to number of blood vessels,VEGF and bFGF expression (r=0.775,P＜0.01;r=0.565 1,P＜0.05;r=0.573 5,P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:Transplantation of both autologous BM-MNC and MSC via coronary artery can improve the condition of left ventricular remodeling subsequent to myocardial infarction.The improvement of cardiac functions is related to the increase of blood vessels,VEGF and bFGF expression,the decrease of myocardial cell apoptosis and NF-κ B level in cardiac muscle tissues after stem cell transplantation.BM-MNC transplantation better promotes blood vessel proliferation and VEGF expression in the cardiac tissue but produces worse effects on bFGF gene expression than MSC transplantation.
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Objective To investigate the influence of two different dose of atorvastatin on the prognosis and endothelial function in post-PCI acute coronary syndrom patients.Methods 92 post-PCI ACS patients were randomly divided into two groups,atorvastatin 20mg and atorvastatin 10 mg group.In each group the patients were treated with atorvasta- tin 20mg or 10mg respectively.After one month we add or decrease the dose of atorvastatin according to the blood lipid level.After 12 month the blood lipid level、FMD、NO、ET、NOS、UAP、AMI were compared between two groups. Results The clinical setting have no significant association between two groups before treating,After treated 1 and 12 month the TC,LDL-C level were significantly decreased as compared with the base level before treating in each group. After treated 1 month,in atorvastatin 20 mg group the TC,LDL-C level were significantly decreased and NO、NO/ET level were significantly higher than those in atorvastatin 10 mg group.During 12 month follow up the incidence of angina pectoris onset and rehospitalization were significantly higher in atorvastatin 10 mg group(P
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Apoptosis is an organized suicide program which is evolutionally conserved from yeast to mammals. Research on yeast apoptosis has made rapid progress, though it remained unrecognized until recent years. Initial observations show that yeast can be induced to undergo apoptosis and a number of conserved pro- and antiapoptotic proteins have been identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast has been validated as a model organism to investigate mechanisms of apoptosis. Recently, yeast has also been used as a model to study apoptosis-related disease, such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson′s disease. The feasibility, the advantages and the perspectives of yeast model for apoptosis research are reviewed.