Objective To know the apolipoprotein E(APOE)genotypes frequency of Chinese old people in the rural area. Methods 2000 Chinese aged 65 years or older from four sites in China were enrolled in this study in 2004-2008.Two sites were from the Sichuan province in southwestern China,and another two sites were from the Shandong province in eastern China.The finger blood samples on filter paper were collected from all the investigated people in the end of the interview.The genotype for apolipoprotein E(gene symbol,APOE)was determined by eluting DNA from a dried blood spot,followed by HhaI digestion of amplified products.Results Through statistical analysis,APOE genotypes frequency of Chinese people aged 65 years or older in the rural area,as for ?/?2,?2/?3,?2/?4,?3/?3,?3/?4,?4/?4,they were 1.1%,13.55%,2.05%,68.80%,13.35% and 1.15% respectively.4 carriers and no 4 carriers were 16.55% and 83.45%.Conclusion The distribution of APOE 4 genotype is more widely in Chinese people aged 65 years or older in the rural area.

Objective To explore the plasma ghrelin levels in children and adolescents with short stature and the role of ghrelin in growth hormone-releasing hormone-growth hormone(GHRH-GH) axis.Methods One hundred and fifty-seven children(115 male,42 female) with short stature were selected.Fasting plasma sample was extracted from 10 mL vemous blood of the children with short stature.Insulin tolerance test and arginine stimulation test was performed initially to differential diagnosis.And blood samples was divided into 3 ca-tegories:37 cases of complete growth hormone deficiency (CGHD),52 cases of partial growth hormone deficiency(PGHD) and 68 cases of idiopathic short stature(ISS) during these two growth hormone(GH)provocative tests.Controls consisted of age and gender-match 20 health children.Plasma ghrelin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.Serum GH was detected by chemiluminescence method,and serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was measured by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Fasting glucose,insulin,testosterone,estra-diol,luteinizing hormone,follicle-stimulating hormone were measured.Statistical analysis were conducted by using SPSS 11.5 software.Results The fasting ghrelin levels of CGHD group were significantly lower than that of ISS group and control group(Pa0.05).The ghrelin levels were positive correlated with the stimulated GH peak(r=0.176 P0.05).Conclusion Ghrelin has an important role on GH secretion and abnormal secretion of ghrelin might be a reason of growth hormone deficiency which due to hypothalamic abnormality.

Objective To investigate the relationship between V-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF)v600E mutation and radioactive iodine (RAI) uptake in distant metastases from papillary thyroid cancer(PTC).Methods From January 2011 to December 2012,40 PTC patients (21 males,19 females,average age 39.8 years) with distant metastases were recruited and divided into mutation group and wild group according to the BRAFv600E mutation in primary lesions.The clinical,pathological and serological differences were compared between the two groups.The relationship between BRAFv600E mutation and RAI uptake capability in distant metastases from PTC,as well as its relationship with Tg change after 131I treatment were investigated.Statistical analysis was performed with two-sample t test,x2 test or Fisher exact test.Results The BRAFv600E mutation rate was 30.0％ (12/40) in patients with metastases from PTC.There was no significant difference in clinical,pathological and serological features between mutation group (n =12) and wild group (n=28; t:from-0.533 to 1.728,x2:from-1.951 to 1.088,all P＞0.05).Twelve PTC patients had no RAI uptake in the distant metastases,of which 10 belonged to mutation group (83.3％,10/12) and 2 belonged to wild group (7.1％,2/28; x2=19.734,P＜0.05).BRAFv600E mutation group was more likely to have no RAI uptake in the distant metastases.Tg change after 131I treatment in 30 patients were analyzed.In the wild group,Tg level decreased in 66.7％ (14/21) patients,stabilized in 19.0％ (4/21)and increased in 14.3％ (3/21)patients.While there was no decrease of Tg in the mutation group (0/9).Two patients had increased Tg level and 7 patients (with no RAI uptake) kept stable in mutation group.Conclusions Due to poor RAI uptake capability in PTC patients with BRAFv600E mutation,both primary and metastatic sites may have poor response to 131I treatment.Molecular detection of BRAFv600E mutation might be helpful for choosing PTC with distant metastases and predicting the effect of 131 I treatment.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of different acupuncture depths of Lianquan (CV 23) for dysphagia after stroke.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifty-one patients with dysphagia after stroke were randomly divided into a deep acupuncture group (group A, 85 cases) a shallow acupuncture group (group B, 83 cases) and a glossopharyngeum acupuncture group (group C, 83 cases). Based on the conventional treatment, the glossopharyngeum acupuncture which was pricking without needles retained at lingual surface, posterior pharyngeal wall of the affected side, Jinjin (EX-HN 12) and Yuye (EX-HN 13) was used in the three groups. After the glossopharyngeum acupuncture, Lianquan (CV 23) was acupunctured 60-70 mm in the group A and 30-40 mm in the group B. The needles were all retained for 30 min. The treatment was applied once a day for 30 days in the three groups. Water swallowing test evaluation scale was observed before and after treatment, and the efficacy was assessed in the three groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 95.3% (81/85) in the group A, which was better than 85.5% (71/83) in the group B and 83.1% (69/83) in the group C (both P < 0.05). The water swallowing test scores were decreased apparently in the three groups (all P < 0.01), and scores in the group A were the most obvious decline (P < 0.01). The decrease of scores in the group A was more remarkable than those in the group B and the group C after two weeks of treatment (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23) can effectively improve the dysphagia after stroke. The acupuncture depth can affect efficacy and the effect of deep acupuncture is better.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Deglutition Disorders ; complications ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications

The overexpression of doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is closely related to the occurrence and development of various malignant tumors. Discovery of novel anti-tumor agents targeting DCLK1 represents a hot spot in this field. So far, several DCLK1 small molecule inhibitors with excellent anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo have been designed and synthesized, which is expected to provide a new strategy for tumor therapy. This article reviews the research progress in the discovery, structure type, structural optimization, biological activity and mechanism of action of DCLK1 small molecule inhibitors, and provides research basis for the development of new anti-tumor small molecule inhibitors targeting DCLK1.

Objective To analyze variations of hepatic vein in healthy people with 64-slice spiral CT.Methods Seventy-five healthy subjects underwent multi-slice spiral computed(MSCT)hepatic venography.The anatomy of the junction of the hepatic veins with the inferior vena cava and the intrahepatic drainage territory of the hepatic veins and tributaries were evaluated.The hepatic veins were classified according to three anatomic classification(Nakamura's,Marcos's and Kawasaki's classification)methods respectively.Results There was a common trunk of the middle and left hepatic veins before joining the IVC in 86.7%(65/75)of the cases.In 13.3%(10/75)of the cases,the three main hepatic veins joined the IVC separately.The ratios of Nakamura's classification type A,B,C of hepatic veins were 49.4% (37/75),37.3%(28/75),and 13.3%(10/75)respectively.The ratios of Marcos's classification type A,B,C of hepatic veins were 56.0%(42/75),24.0%(18/75),and 20.0%(15/75)respectively. The ratios of Kawasaki's classification type Ⅰ,Ⅱ of hepatic vein were 40.0%(30/75)and 60.0% (45/75).Conclusion Multi-slice spiral CT hepatic venography can provide visualization of peripheral hepatic venous branches in details.

Objective To explore the correlation between environmental selenium(Se) levels and cognitive ability among rural elderly population, and the effect of Se on cognitive skill of the elderly. Methods Two study sites(Zichuan district and Gaomi city of Shandong) with different environmental Se levels were selected according to rural elderly people ≥ 65 years were extracted by stratified random sampling method in each site. A retrospective survey was carried out using dietary intake questionnaire for the elderly for the past 1 year, and their daily total Se intake was calculated. Questionnaire was also used to obtain cognitive skill information in the elderly people. The Community Screening Instrument for Dementia, the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) Word List Learning Test, the Indiana University (IU) Story Recall Test, the Animal Fluency Test, and the IU Token Test were applied to assess the cognitive ability. Se level in these samples was analyzed. Correlation between the Se levels of environment and those of human body were analyzed statistically. Results There were 0.163), (0.405 ± 0.086)]mg/kg and nail Se[(147.44 ± 17.42), (117.38 ± 22.48)μg/L]between the two groups (U = 31.59, 25.00, 23.67, all P ＜ 0.01 ). There were positive correlation among the nail Se, environmental Se and Se in all subjects(r = 0.51,0.46, 0.60, all P ＜ 0.01 ). The differences of the CSID total score, the CERAD Word List Learning Test, the CERAD Word List Recall Test and the IU Story Recall Test between the two sites were statistically significant(F = 2.56, 9.18, 7.48, 4.42, all P ＜ 0.05), excluding the Indiana University Story Recall Test.After eliminating possible confounding factors, the Se levels and the CSID total score, the IU Story Recall Test, the Animal Fluency Test and the IU Story Token Test had a significantly positive correlation (r = 0.076, 0.138, 0.042,0.107, P ＜ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01 ), excluding the CERAD Word List Learning Test. Conclusions This study supports the hypothesis that a life long low Se level is associated with lower cognitive ability. The cognitive abilities in the elderly population lived in areas with high environmental selenium levels are significantly higher than that of the elderly lived in areas with low environmental selenium levels.

PURPOSE: The present study was designed to determine whether rapamycin could inhibit transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1)-induced fibrogenesis in primary lung fibroblasts, and whether the effect of inhibition would occur through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its downstream p70S6K pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary normal human lung fibroblasts were obtained from histological normal lung tissue of 3 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Growth arrested, synchronized fibroblasts were treated with TGF-beta1 (10 ng/mL) and different concentrations of rapamycin (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ng/mL) for 24 h. We assessed m-TOR, p-mTOR, S6K1, p-S6K1 by Western blot analysis, detected type III collagen and fibronectin secreting by ELISA assay, and determined type III collagen and fibronectin mRNA levels by real-time PCR assay. RESULTS: Rapamycin significantly reduced TGF-beta1-induced type III collagen and fibronectin levels, as well as type III collagen and fibronectin mRNA levels. Furthermore, we also found that TGF-beta1-induced mTOR and p70S6K phosphorylation were significantly down-regulated by rapamycin. The mTOR/p70S6K pathway was activated through the TGF-beta1-mediated fibrogenic response in primary human lung fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that rapamycin effectively suppresses TGF-beta1-induced type III collagen and fibronectin levels in primary human lung fibroblasts partly through the mTOR/p70S6K pathway. Rapamycin has a potential value in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type III/metabolism ; Fibroblasts/*drug effects/metabolism/physiology ; Fibronectins/metabolism ; Humans ; Lung/cytology/drug effects ; Pulmonary Fibrosis/drug therapy ; Signal Transduction/drug effects ; Sirolimus/*pharmacology ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism/physiology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/*antagonists & inhibitors/physiology

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Humerus ; surgery ; Male ; Traction

When hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were administrated by intravenous infusion (IV), most of them were trapped in some nonhematopoietic organs as like lungs that had abundant blood capillaries. Only a small fraction of injected cells could home to the bone marrow, which reduced the engraftment of HSCs. The purpose of intra-bone marrow (IBM) transplantation was to facilitate the homing of HSCs directly. Based on the established murine model for allogeneic umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) by IBM injection, the objective of this study was to compare the distribution of fetal and neonatal peripheral blood (FNPB) mononuclear cells (MNC) in vivo and the efficacy of HSCT by different routes of administration in mice. BALB/c recipient mice exposed to sublethal dose 60Co gamma-ray were transplanted with FNPBMNCs from C57BL/6 mice. Recipient mice were divided into six groups at random: unilateral-IBM group; bilateral-IBM group; IV group; bilateral-IBM + IV group; irradiated control group and normal group. The distribution of CFSE-labeled FNPBMNCs in the recipients was observed in frozen sections of different organs or by flow cytometry. The survival rate, engraftment level, recovery of hematopoietic function and GVHD of recipient mice were studied. The results showed that infused by IBM route, FNPBMNCs mainly accumulated in the bone marrow (BM) cavity of the injected side tibia. Some of them could enter the BM of noninjected bones via blood circulation and few were trapped in the lung. Though same amount of FNPBMNCs were injected into recipient mice of unilateral and bilateral-IBM group, less cells could leak into peripheral blood or other tissues when transplanted by bilateral-IBM route. Therefore, in term of accelerating hemopoietic recovery, the injection of IBM route was better than IV route, especially bilateral IBM injection of HSCs, which neared the normal level of peripheral blood cells and colony-forming units of bone marrow nucleated cells at day 21 after transplantation, followed by unilateral-IBM group and bilateral-IBM + IV group. The percentages of H-2Db cell subsets in the three IBM groups were much higher than that in IV group. There was no significant difference of the engraftment level in the injected side tibia between the unilateral and bilateral-IBM group. When secondary transplantation was performed, the engraftment level in bilateral-IBM group was still much higher than that in IV group. At day 90, the survival rates of IBM groups were all > or = 80%, while that of IV group was only 50%. It is concluded that bilateral-IBM route can facilitate the homing of more HSCs, accelerate the engraftment of HSCs and hematopoietic reconstitution, which promoted the efficacy of IBM-HSCT.
Animals ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Random Allocation ; Whole-Body Irradiation