中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛效果观察与护理

目的：探讨中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛的疗效。方法将80例颈肩腰腿痛患者分为治疗组和对照组,每组各40例,治疗组使.用中药酒剂加电磁治疗仪治疗,对照组采.用单纯电磁治疗仪治疗。分别在治疗前,治疗3 d、7 d后,采.用数字等级评分（numerical rating scale,NRS）对两组患者进行测评。结果治疗后,治疗组患者NRS评分低于对照组,两组比较,差异具有统计学意义（均P＜0.01）。结论中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛效果满意,值得临床应.用推广。     

半导体激光介入治疗腋臭的围术期护理

[目的]总结采用半导体激光介入治疗腋臭的围术期护理方法。[方法]对我科200例腋臭病人在局部浸润麻醉下使用半导体激光介入治疗腋臭的病人实施围术期护理,包括术前心理干预、术中护理、术后护理。[结果]200例半导体激光介入治疗腋臭病人中,痊愈160例,痊愈率80%;复发40例,复发率20%;4例病人出现术后并发症。病人随访0.5年—1.0年,腋窝处皮肤无瘢痕,部分腋毛生长或无腋毛生长,治疗效果满意。[结论]半导体激光介入治疗腋臭的围术期护理,很大限度地保障了手术效果,病人痛苦小、换药次数少,大大提高病人舒适性及满意度。     

改良自乳化溶剂扩散法制备MePEG-PLA纳米粒对成骨细胞的毒性

背景：两亲性嵌段聚合物由于其较强的载药能力强、纳米级大小、血液中长循环等优点在载药系统中得到广泛的应用。目的：评估改良自乳化溶剂扩散法制备的甲氧基封端的聚乙二醇-聚乳酸（MePEG-PLA）纳米粒对人骨肉瘤细胞MG63的毒性。方法：通过改良自乳化溶剂扩散法制备MePEG-PLA纳米粒,MTS法测定纳米粒培养1,2,3d后对MG63的毒性。激光粒度分析仪测定纳米颗粒的粒径大小、粒径分布及Zeta电位;透射电镜表征纳米胶束外观形态;酶标仪检测培养1,2,3d细胞吸光度值。结果与结论：MePEG-PLA纳米粒的平均粒径为25.7nm,分布均匀,呈球形,Zeta电位为-8.06mV,MePEG-PLA毒性为0级。提示改良自乳化溶剂扩散法制备纳米粒简单易行,制备的纳米粒无毒,具有良好的应用前景。     

The effects of interfering in COX-2 gene expression on malignant proliferation of the human lung adenocarcinoma A2 cell in vitro

Objective： We explored the interfering effect of COX-2 gene expression and the influence on the malignant proliferation of A2 cells by RNAi after quenching COX-2 in vitro. Methods： COX-2 was selected as the subject. Three COX-2 siRNA expression vectors with human U6 promoter were constructed and three vectors and the vacant vector （pEGFP） were transfected into A2 cells with lipofectamine respectively. The cell strains transfected were constructed. The change of COX-2 expression levels was examined by Western blot and RT-PCR. The effects on the proliferation of A2 cells after silencing COX- 2 were studied by cell growth curve and clonogenic assay in vitro. Results： The three siRNA and U6 promoter cloned into pEGFP plasmid were validated by PCR, restriction endonucleases identification, DNA sequencing and BLAST alignment. The cell strains transfected were named as A2-3, A2-7, A2-10 and A2-p respectively. Green fluorescence was seen in A2-p cells and not in A2-3, A2-7 and A2-10 cells in 24, 48 and 72 h after transfected. The results of RT-PCR and Western blot showed the three siRNA expression vectors produced effects and the expression of COX-2 was inhibited in different extent. In contrast to A2 cells, the levels of COX-2 mRNA of A2-3, A2-7 and A2-10 cells reduced 15.6%, 20.4% and 64.2% respectively; the levels of COX-2 protein of A2-3, A2-7 and A2-10 cells reduced 23.7%, 36.7% and 60.2% respectively. The results of cell growth curve and clonogenic assay showed the growth of A2-10 cell slowed and the colonial formation rate reduced but the growth of A2-3 and A2-7 cells had not obvious changes in contrast to the controls （A2 and A2-p）. Conclusion： Silencing the COX-2 gene in vitro by RNAi technique can significantly inhibit the malignant proliferation of A2 cells.     

硫酸氢氯吡格雷改善慢性稳定型心绞痛患者阿司匹林抵抗的临床研究

目的研究硫酸氢氯吡格雷（秦嘉）对慢性稳定型心绞痛阿司匹林抵抗患者的治疗价值。方法610例慢性稳定型心绞痛患者依照血小板聚集率分为阿司匹林敏感（AS）者和阿司匹林抵抗（AR）者,将138例AR者随机分为阿司匹林治疗组（AR—A组）、泰嘉治疗组和泰嘉联合阿司匹林治疗组（AR～C组）。472例AS者中随机选取40例设为对照组。4组患者给予严格的药物治疗后随访1年,观察4组患者在治疗前后的血小板聚集率变化,以及治疗后缺血性心脑血管病的发生率和出血性事件的发生率。治疗1月后行12导联24h动态心电图检查,计算24h内缺血型ST段变化的次数、持续时间、心肌缺血总负荷。结果泰嘉可以有效地降低慢性稳定型心绞痛AR患者的血小板聚集率（P〈0．01）;较少发生缺血性心脑血管事件（P〈0．01）,且不增加出血事件的发生（P〉0．05）。对存在AR的慢性稳定型心绞痛患者,单用泰嘉和联合服用阿司匹林治疗,其缺血性ST段变化的次数、持续时间及心肌缺血总负荷明显低于单用阿司匹林治疗（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论泰嘉与阿司匹林联合使用不仅安全,而且能提高慢性稳定型心绞痛AR患者的临床疗效。     

Mechanisms of Panax ginseng in preventing rat pheochromocytoma cells from apoptosis

Aims of the study

Although ginseng root possesses dominant central therapeutic effects and has recently undergone investigations for treating different neuronal diseases, most of its mechanisms are still unknown. Therefore, the neuroprotective mechanisms of ginseng were studied.

Materials and methods

The protection afforded by different methanol extracts of Panax ginseng (PG) was tested in a serum deprivation-induced apoptotic model using neuronal-like pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. An MTT assay, annexin V-FITC staining, and Western blots were, respectively, applied to identify the viability of cells, the apoptotic form of cell death, and the activity of antiapoptotic signaling.

Results

The known antiapoptotic PI3-K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways in this system were ruled out due to failure of LY 294002 and PD 98059 to block the protection by PG. A protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor was found to block the protection by PG and PG-induced CREB phosphorylation, suggesting that the PKA/CREB pathway mediates the protective effect of PG. Downregulation of classical and novel PKCs failed to block the protection by PG, while an atypical PKC inhibitor blocked protection by PG.

Conclusions

PKA and atypical PKC are important for the protection afforded by PG in preventing serum deprivation-induced PC12 cell apoptosis.     

Ligusticum chuanxiong as a potential neuroprotectant for preventing serum deprivation-induced apoptosis in rat pheochromocytoma cells: Functional roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Ligusticum chuanxiong (LC) as a common component in many traditional Chinese medicinal formulas and decoctions has been used to treat different central nervous diseases, suggesting a neuroprotective function.

Aim of the study

To investigate the functional roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in mediating the neuroprotection of LC.

Materials and methods

Different extractions of LC were applied with or without MAPK inhibitor to test their protection against serum deprivation-induced apoptosis in rat neuronal-like pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells as revealed by an MTT assay or Hoechst staining. Western blot was used to identify the activations of MAPKs.

Results

The most effective butanol extraction (LC-BuOH) was used in the following experiments. LC-BuOH reversed serum deprivation-induced decreased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and increased phosphorylation of c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38, the family of MAPKs. A PKA inhibitor, blocked the protection of LC-BuOH and partially blocked LC-BuOH-induced alterations in MAPKs, suggesting that the LC-BuOH regulates MAPKs through both PKA-dependent and -independent pathways. Although PD 98059, an inhibitor of MEK which activates ERK, blocked LC-BuOH-induced ERK phosphorylation, it did not block the protection of LC-BuOH.

Conclusions

LC-BuOH mediates protection by suppressing JNK/p38 instead of activating ERK activity.     

Usefulness of Upstroke Time per Cardiac Cycle for Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Prediction in Patients with Normal Ankle-Brachial Index

Aim: Abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is regarded as peripheral artery disease and can be used to predict cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. However, the usefulness of ABI for the prediction of CV outcome in patients with normal ABI is limited. Upstroke time per cardiac cycle (UTCC) is recently reported to be associated with mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction and the elderly. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate UTCC, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and ABI for the prediction of mortality in patients with normal ABI. Methods: Patients arranged for echocardiographic examinations were enrolled, and 1076 patients with normal ABI were included. ABI, baPWV, and UTCC were measured by an ABI-form device. Results: The median follow-up to mortality was 95 months. There were 88 CV and 244 all-cause deaths. After multivariate analysis, UTCC was associated with increased CV and all-cause mortality ( P ≤ 0.004). Age, diabetes, heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, baPWV, and LVEF were also independent predictors of CV and all-cause mortality, but ABI was not. Furthermore, UTCC had a better additive predictive value than ABI, baPWV, and LVEF for CV mortality ( P ≤ 0.012). It also had a better additive predictive value than ABI and LVEF for all-cause mortality ( P ≤ 0.013). Conclusions: UTCC is an independent predictor for CV and all-cause mortality in patients with normal ABI. It also has a better additive predictive value of CV and all-cause mortality than ABI and LVEF. Therefore, UTCC is a simple, novel, and useful parameter for identifying high-risk patients with normal ABI.     

Soft x-ray instrumentation and its applications at the advanced photon source

Knowledge of the intermediate energy range from 0.5-4 keV, bridging the "soft" and "hard" x-ray regions, is relatively underdeveloped. However, recent developments in the techniques of microscopy and magnetic circular dichroism have emphasized the need to operate in this energy range for microelectronic, biological, and materials science related experiments. The strong dipole-allowed 3d to 4f transitions in rare-earth magnetic materials fall in this region, as do the K-shells of many of the second and third row elements of the periodic table. Two beamlines to be constructed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) have been designed to cover this energy region. The proposed undulator source, the beamline layout, and the experimental programs for these beamlines are described.     

Using cognitive models to develop quality multiple-choice questions

With the recent interest in competency-based education, educators are being challenged to develop more assessment opportunities. As such, there is increased demand for exam content development, which can be a very labor-intense process. An innovative solution to this challenge has been the use of automatic item generation (AIG) to develop multiple-choice questions (MCQs). In AIG, computer technology is used to generate test items from cognitive models (i.e. representations of the knowledge and skills that are required to solve a problem). The main advantage yielded by AIG is the efficiency in generating items. Although technology for AIG relies on a linear programming approach, the same principles can also be used to improve traditional committee-based processes used in the development of MCQs. Using this approach, content experts deconstruct their clinical reasoning process to develop a cognitive model which, in turn, is used to create MCQs. This approach is appealing because it: (1) is efficient; (2) has been shown to produce items with psychometric properties comparable to those generated using a traditional approach; and (3) can be used to assess higher order skills (i.e. application of knowledge). The purpose of this article is to provide a novel framework for the development of high-quality MCQs using cognitive models.