Objective To compare the diagnosis results of endemic skeletal fluorosis from clinical and X-rays examinations, in order to provide the foundation for revising clinical diagnostic standard of endemic skeletal fluorosis. Methods The 675 inhabitants aged 16 to 60 years old were retrospectively chosen as subjects in 15 villages drinking un-improved water, where they lived for 10 years or more. Drinking water fluoride were rated as 0.5,1.0, 1.5,2.0,2.2,2.4,3.0,3.5,4.0,6.0,7.0 mg/L levels in Qianan and Nongan County of Jilin Province. The clinical and X-rays results of endemic skeletal fluorosis were analyzed and compared at different drinking water fluoride levels. Results The clinically detectable rates of endemic skeletal fluorosis(21.43%,22.45% ,21.28%, 19.05%, 38.89%) were higher than that of X-rays(0,2.04%,0,4.76%, 12.96%, X2=7.96,9.49,11.19,4.08,9.45, P<0.05) when fluoride content of drinking water was 2.0,2.2,2.4,3.0,4.0 mg/L. X-rays detective rates were 0 at water fluorides levels of 2.0,2.4 mg/L and still low at water fluoride levels of 3.0,4.0 mg,/L. The difference of detective rates of endemic skeletal fluorosis between the clinical (1.00%,4.44%, 7.23%, 18.00%, 54.39%, 49.18%) and X-rays (0,2.22%, 3.61%, 8.00%, 36.84%, 52.46%) were not statistically significant at water fluorides levels of 0.5,1.0,1.5,3.5,6.0,7.0 mg/L(X2=1.00,0.17,0.47,2.21,3.54,0.13, P>0.05). Conclusions The detectable rates of skeletal fluorosis increase with the increased concentration of water fluoride, which is more reliable for clinical examination than for X-rays method.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of targeted imaging and therapy of prostate cancer using nanocomposite probes composed of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles(FMCNPs) and single chain Fv(ScFv) antibody specific for gama-seminoprotein.Methods:The nanocomposite probes(FMCNPs-ScFv) were prepared by conjugating fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles with singlegama-chain Fv antibody specific gama-seminoprotein,and were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy,fluorescent spectrum and magnetic spectrum.Nanocomposite probes were incubated with prostate cancer LNCaP cells,and the targeting results of nanocomposite probes were observed by fluorescent microscopy.The cytotoxicity effect of the nanocomposite probes was measured by MTT.Nude mice models of prostate cancer were established and identified by immunohistochemistry method.The nanocomposite probes were injected into nude mice via tail vein.The distribution of nanocomposite probes in the nude mice was observed by Micro-animal imaging system,targeted imaging of the prostate cancer was observed by MR instrument.The nude mice with prostate cancer were irradiated with 100 W magnetic field for 30 min,and the changes of tumor sizes were observed.Results:The FMCNPs-ScFv nanocomposite probes were successfully prepared.Nanocomposite probes entered into the cytoplasm of cancer cells and exhibited low cytotoxicity effect.Nude mice model with prostate cancer were successfully fabricated;the nanocomposite probes distributed quickly in the main organs of mice,and gradually concentrated on the tumor tissues within 24 h.MR images showed that the tumor images were gradually enhanced from 6 h to 24 h after injection of the nanocomposite probe.Four days after magnetic irradiation,the tumors in the nude mice grew slower compared with the control nude mice(P

Objective: To observe the improving effect of muscle regions of meridians needling method on the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegic type. Methods: A total of 100 children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type were divided into a treatment group and a control group according to the visiting sequence, with 50 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment. The treatment group was treated with conventional rehabilitation plus muscle regions of meridians needling method. The electromyography (EMG) signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres were detected before treatment, and 3 months and 6 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by Peabody developmental motor scale-fine motor (PDMS-FM) and fine motor function measure (FMFM). Results: Three and six months after treatment, the EMG signal values of triceps brachii and pronator teres, grasping scores and visual-motor integrated scores of PDMS-FM and the FMFM scores in both groups increased to varying degrees compared with the same group before treatment, and the intra-group differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Six months after treatment, the results of the above three items in the treatment group were all better than those in the control group, and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Muscle regions of meridians needling method added on the basis of conventional rehabilitation can effectively reduce the muscle tone of upper limb and enhance the muscle strength, and improve the upper limb function in children with cerebral palsy of spastic hemiplegia type. The efficacy is superior to that of the conventional rehabilitation plus conventional acupuncture treatment.

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of either alone or combined mixed-tocopherols combined with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and α-Tocopherol use on oxidized LDL (oxLDL) induced 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and to explore the potential mechanism.

METHODCultured HUVECs in vitro were incubated with oxLDL, oxLDL + α-tocopherol, oxLDL + mixed-tocopherols, oxLDL + EPA, oxLDL + α-tocopherol + EPA, oxLDL + mixed-tocopherols + EPA for 24 hours, respectively. Secretion of 8-OHDG and IL-6 were detected by cell enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of superoxide dismutase (SOD), protein kinase C-δ (PKC-δ), phosphorylated PKC-δ (p-PKC-δ) were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTS8-OHDG and IL-6 secretion of HUVECs was significantly increased significantly after incubated with oxLDL for 24 hours which could be significantly attenuated in the presence of tocopherols and EPA (alone or in combination, all P < 0.05) while the strongest inhibition effects were seen with combined use of mixed-tocopherols and EPA. Moreover, combination of mixed-tocopherols and EPA could also significantly increase SOD activity and decrease PKC activity (all P < 0.05). However, the protein expression of SOD and PKC-was similar among groups.

CONCLUSIONCombined mixed-tocopherols + EPA use enhanced the inhibiting effects on the secretion of 8-OHDG and IL-6 in oxLDL stimulated HUVECs which might be linked with increased SOD activity and reduced p-PKC activity.

Antioxidants ; Cells, Cultured ; Deoxyguanosine ; analogs & derivatives ; secretion ; Eicosapentaenoic Acid ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; secretion ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; adverse effects ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; alpha-Tocopherol ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the correlations of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with fibrosis and fibroblast activation protein (FAP) score in pancreatic cancer .Methods Eighteen patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic cancer were per‐formed conventional MR imaging ,DWI examinations .ADCs were measured with region of interest method on a “Single slice” .The wax blocks of 18 patients with pancreatic cancer were received Masson staining and FAP immunohistochemical staining .The correla‐tions of ADC with levels of fibrosis and FAP scores of pancreatic cancer were assessed by Pearson correlation analysis .Results The mild negative correlation between ADC value of cancerous foci and fibrosis was not significant (r= -0 .459 ,P=0 .056) .Significant negative correlation was found between ADC values of moderate and high differentiation cancerous foci and fibrosis (r= -0 .564 ,P=0 .044) .Significant negative correlation was found between ADC value and FAP score (r= -0 .497 , P=0 .036) .Conclusion The negative correlations are found between ADC and fibrosis ,FAP score of pancreatic cancer .DWI will be helpful to infer the pathologi‐cal characteristics .

Objective To research the effect of alkylation of glycerol phosphate synthase (AGPS) in isoproterenol (ISO) induced rat cardiac hypertrophy. Methods The pathological cardiac hypertrophy rat model was constructed by ISO intraperitoneal injection. Twelve healthy Sprague-Dawley rats (120～150 g) were divided into ISO group and control group randomly. In the ISO group, rats were injected with ISO (3 mg/kg) per day for two consecutive weeks. In the control group, rats were injected with normal saline (3 mg/kg) per day for two consecutive weeks. Changes of left ventricular diastolic diameter, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular short-axis shortening rate and left ventricular mass were detected by echocardiography. The cross-sectional area of myocardial cells in rats was measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The expression of hypertrophic factors [atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), myosin light chain-2V (MLC-2V), α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC)] and AGPS were detected by Western Blot and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results The results of echocardiography showed that the cardiac hypertrophy rat model was successfully constructed. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the myocardial cross-sectional area in the ISO group was significantly larger than that of the control group. The Western Blot and qPCR results indicated that the relative expression of protein and mRNA of hypertrophic factor and AGPS in the ISO group were both up-regulated comparing with that of the control group, and the differences were statistical significance (all P<0.05). Conclusions The rat model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy with up-regulated AGPS expression was successfully constructed providing a theoretical basis for further study on the role of AGPS in pathogenesis of pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

AIMTo examine the expression of prostate cancer antigen-1 (PCA-1) in prostate cancer (PCa) and to validate it as a potential marker for diagnosis of PCa.

METHODSIn situ hybridization analysis of PCA-1 mRNA expression was performed on 40 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), 16 high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasm (HG-PIN), 74 PCa and 34 other malignant carcinoma specimens. The level of PCA-1 expression was semiquantitatively scored by assessing both the percentage and intensity of PCA-1 positive staining cells in the specimens. We then compared the PCA-1 expression between BPH, HG-PIN and PCa and evaluated the correlation of PCA-1 expression level with clinical parameters of PCa.

RESULTSPCA-1 mRNA was expressed in the majority of both PCa and HG-PIN specimens but not in BPH and other malignant carcinoma. The expression level of PCA-1 increased along with a high Gleason score (P < 0.05), and was unrelated to other clinical parameters of PCa (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe data suggest that PCA-1 might be a novel diagnostic marker for PCa, and that increased PCA-1 expression might denote more aggressive variants of PCa.

Aged ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Biopsy ; DNA, Complementary ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prostate ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Yindan Xinnaotong Soft Capsule (YXSC) on cerebral infarction (CI) reconvalescents of static blood blocking collaterals syndrome (SBBCS).

METHODSTotally 118 CI reconvalescents of SBBCS were randomly assigned to the test group (treated by YXSC) and the control group [treated by Naoxintong Capsule (NC)], 59 in each group. The therapeutic course for all was 12 weeks. Changes of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Chinese medical syndrome scores, and serum lipid indices were observed in the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the patient proportion of improving activities of daily life by more than or equal to 75 score was elevated (80.7% vs 62.5%; P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, the NIHSS score decreased at post-treatment 4, 8, and 12 weeks in the two groups (P < 0.05). The patient proportion of dropped NIHSS score by more than or equal to 5 score was lowered (80.7% vs 57.14%), and the total effective rate of improving Chinese medical syndromes was superior in the test group after 12-week treatment (89.47% vs 71.43%, all P < 0.05). After 12-week treatment there was no statistical difference in the patient proportion of lowering mRS lower than or equal to 2 or blood lipids between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYXSC showed certain effect in improving activities of daily life, attenuating the neurological impairment, and elevating the total effective rate of improving Chinese medical syndromes in CI patients in the recovery stage.

Aged ; Capsules ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Research Design ; Stroke ; Syndrome

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on proliferation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in vitro. The aspirates of the bone marrow from healty volunteers were seeded in culture medium. Then MSCs were isolated according to characteristics adhering to the plastics. After three passages in culture, bone marrow-derived adherent cells were identified by growing morphological features, cell surface antigens and differentiation into multi-lineages. Then P3-MSCs which had been identified were incubated with different concentrations of rhEPO (0.5, 1, 5, 10 and 50 U/ml). Subsequently, proliferation of MSCs was measured by MTT assay, as well as cell counts. At the same time, cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The results indicated that the expressions of CD90 and CD105 in P3 bone marrow-derived adherent cells were positive, while the expressions of CD34 and CD45 were negative, and these cells could differentiate into adipocytes, osteocytes and chondrocytes in induction media. MTT assay showed that the optical density (OD) of group treated with EPO was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05), and the group treated with 50 U/ml EPO achieved the most predominant effects. The results of cell count were coincident with that of MTT assay. Furthermore, the cell cycle analysis by FCM revealed that rhEPO could relatively decrease the cell ratio in G0/G1 phase, and increase the cell ratio in S and G2/M phases. As compared with the control group, all those differences were statistically significant (p<0.01). It is concluded that erythropoietin can promote proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vitro, which may be correlated with the increased entry into S and M phases of cell cycle of MSCs adjusted by EPO.
Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Recombinant Proteins

BACKGROUNDSerum testosterone levels have been found lower in acute ischemic stroke male patients. However, the exact mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we measured serum testosterone levels, steroidogenesis- related genes and Leydig cells number in experimental transient cerebral ischemia male rats to elucidate the mechanism.

METHODSThe middle cerebral arteries of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were sutured for 120 minutes and then sacrificed after 24 hours. Blood was collected for measurement of serum testosterone, follicular stimulating hormone and estradiol levels, and testes were collected for measurement of steroidogenesis-related gene mRNA levels and number of Leydig cells.

RESULTSSerum testosterone levels in rats after cerebral ischemia were significantly lower (0.53 ± 0.16) ng/ml, n = 7, mean ± SE) compared with control ((2.33 ± 0.60) ng/ml, n = 7), while serum estradiol and follicular stimulating hormone levels did not change. The mRNA levels for luteinizing hormone receptor (Lhcgr), scavenger receptor class B member 1 (Scarb1), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (Cyp11a1), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD3β1), 17α-hydroxylase/20-lyase (Cyp17a1) and membrane receptor c-kit (kit) were significantly downregulated by cerebral ischemia, while luteinizing hormone, Kit ligand (KitL), 17β-hydrosteroid dehydrogenase 3 (HSD17β3) and 5α-reductase (Srd5a1) were not affected. We also observed that, relative to control, the Leydig cell number did not change.

CONCLUSIONSThese results indicate that transient cerebral ischemia in the brain results in lower expression levels of steroidogenesis-related genes and thus lower serum testosterone level. Transient cerebral ischemia did not lower the number of Leydig cells.

Animals ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Estradiol ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; blood ; metabolism ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Testis ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood