Heat transfer processes in 'Shine Muscat' grapevine leaves in solar greenhouses under different irrigation treatments.

The use of solar greenhouses in China is increasing because they permit environmental conditions to be controlled. Studies of the heat transfer processes in the leaves of plants cultivated within solar greenhouses are needed. Here, we studied heat transfer processes in 'Shine Muscat' grapevine leaves under moderate deficit irrigation (MDI), severe deficit irrigation (SDI), and full irrigation (FI) treatments under varying weather conditions. The stomatal conductance, leaf temperature, and transpiration rate of both shade and sun grapevine leaves were measured, and the effects of ambient temperature and relative humidity on these variables were determined. A thermal physics model of the leaves was established to explore the heat dissipation process. On sunny days, the transpiration heat transfer of sun leaves in the MDI, SDI, and FI treatments was 2.62 MJ m-2·day-1, 2.44 MJ m-2·day-1, and 3.86 MJ m-2·day-1and 0.818 MJ m-2·day-1, 0.782 MJ m-2·day-1, and 1.185 MJ m-2·day-1 on rainy days, respectively. There was a significant difference in transpiration heat transfer under fully irrigated and deficit irrigation conditions under different weather conditions. Furthermore, transpiration heat transfer accounted for 41.49 % and 25.03 % of the total heat transfer of sun leaves in the FI treatment and 33.94 % and 29.43 % of the total heat transfer of shade leaves on rainy days, respectively, indicating that relative humidity plays a key role in determining transpiration heat transfer and leaf temperature and that its effect was greater on sun leaves than on shade leaves.

CT-guided drug injection around the nerve root to treat lumbar disc herniation.

To observe and analyze the effect of CT-guided drug injection around the nerve root in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation, the 140 patients diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation in our hospital, were selected as the study subjects for CT-guided drug injection around the nerve root and treatment efficacy was observed. According to the modified Mac Nab criteria, there were 80 cases, 50 cases, 6 cases, and 4 cases of excellent, good, fair, and poor results, with excellent and good rate at 92.86%; the patients whose onset time was less than three months and more than three months were compared in terms of VAS scores before and after surgery. The results showed that the postoperative pain score was significantly lower in patients whose onset time was less than three months compared to those whose onset time was more than three months, P<0.05; observation of patients' quality of life before and after treatment shows great improvement in quality of life after treatment, P<0.05. The treatment of lumbar disc herniation with CT-guided drug injection around the nerve root can achieve relatively good results with significantly improved therapeutic effect and great application value.

KISS1 can be used as a novel target for developing a DNA immunocastration vaccine in ram lambs.

KISS1 gene-encoding kisspeptins are critical for the onset of puberty and control of adult fertility. This study investigated whether KISS1 can be used as a novel target for immunocastration. Human KISS1 was fused with the HBsAg-S gene for constructing an antibiotic-free recombinant plasmid pKS-asd that coded for 31.168 kDa target fusion protein. Six male Hu sheep lambs were divided into two equal groups, treatment and control. The vaccine (1mg/ram lamb) prepared in saline solution was injected into lambs at weeks 0, 3 and 6 of the experiment, respectively. Vaccine efficacy was evaluated in terms of KISS1-specific IgG antibody response, serum testosterone levels, scrotal circumference, testicular weight, length and breadth, extent of testicular tissue damage, and sexual behaviour changes. The specific anti-KISS1 antibody titre in vaccinated animals was significantly higher than that in controls (p<0.05). In addition, vaccinated animals showed lower serum testosterone level, testicular weight and length and smaller scrotal circumference than those in controls (p<0.05). Spermatogenesis of seminiferous tubules in vaccinated animals was suppressed; sexual behaviours in vaccinated animals were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those in controls. In conclusion, the immunization against KISS1 in this DNA vaccine induced a strong antibody response and resulted in the suppression of gonadal function and sexual behaviour in animals, demonstrating that KISS1 can be used as a novel target for developing a DNA immunocastration vaccine.

Computed tomography-guided percutaneous focal catheter infusion in the treatment of spinal tuberculosis.

The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous focal catheter infusion for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis. Clinical and follow-up data from 27 spinal tuberculosis patients who underwent CT-guided intervertebral catheterized infusion chemotherapy from May 2008 to October 2011 were retrospectively analyzed; treatment included pure intervertebral infusion chemotherapy and catheter drainage for continuous abscess washing during infusion chemotherapy. All surgeries were successfully completed under CT guidance without complications. The C-reactive protein levels of most patients rebounded within the first postoperative week but significantly decreased after the second and fourth postoperative weeks. CT-guided percutaneous focal catheter infusion was effective for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis and induced little trauma; this treatment could also relieve the symptoms and improve the quality of life of elderly patients with poor general conditions.

[Relationship between elderly hip fracture and osteoporosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between elderly hip fracture and osteoporosis. METHODS: 85 elderly patients with hip fractures were admitted into our hospital from January 2009 to March 2012. Mineral density in bones and the concentration of biochemical markers I collagen such as hydroxy terminal peptide (crosslaps) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) in urine sample of the patients were measured. Another 60 non-hip fracture patients were selected as controls. RESULTS: Bone mineral density from the non-hip-fractured group appeared significantly higher than the hip-fractured group (P < 0.05), while the concentration of crosslaps and DPD in the urine of patients were significantly higher than the normal control group (P < 0.05), suggesting that the patients suffered from osteoporosis were more prone to hip fracture. CONCLUSION: Although the hip fracture in the elderly was generally caused by trauma while factors as bone mineral density, concentration of crosslaps and DPD showed that osteoporosis played an important 'internal'role on hip fractures in the elderly. Attention should be paid to the elderly people with symptoms of osteoporosis and early treatment provided, to prevent hip fracture in this population.