Objective To observe the histopathologic and ultrastructural characteristics of cornea and adjacent conjunctiva in Mooren’s ulcer. Methods The samples of limbal and central cornea and adjacent bulbar conjunctiva taken from active Mooren’s ulcer after lamellar keratoplasty were cut into paraffin sections and ultrathin sections and observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. The samples taken from patients of a Terrien’s marginal degeneration and a bacterial corneal ulcer were used as controls. Results Chronic inflammation including lymphocytes and plasma cells infiltrating existed in bulbar conjunctiva and sclera of Mooren’s ulcer. Limbal corneal epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, anterior stroma and adjacent superficial sclera melted and the inferior stromal collagen disorganized. The epithelial basement membrane of ulcer progressive edge had been destroyed while the epithelium and stroma kept quiescent. Lymphocytes infiltrated in conjunctiva and corneal epithelium of Terrien’s marginal degeneration with normal epithelial basement membrane, while Bowman’s membrane was destroyed. The epithelial basement membrane of bacterial corneal ulcer was intact. Conclusion Bulbar conjunctiva may act as a local lymph node of Mooren’s ulcer. Epithelial basement membrane of Mooren’s ulcer may have some abnormality as it was invaded first during ulcer progressing and it’s valuable to have a further study.

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation among prevertebral hyperintensity (PVH), sagittal canal diameter on MRI and neurologic function of patients after cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation.

METHODSThe clinical data of 100 patients with cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation were retrospectively analyzed from September 2010 to December 2013. The patients were divided into PVH group and non-PVH group according to the presence of PVH on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. There were 39 patients in PVH group, including 31 males and 8 females, aged from 21 to 83 years old with an average of (58.10 ± 14.78) years; and the other 69 patients in non-PVH group, including 49 males and 12 females, aged from 32 to 77 years old with an average of (55.05 ± 10.36) years. The sagittal disc level canal diameters of subaxial cervical spine were measured on mid-sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. The age, sex, cause of injury, and the segments of spinal stenosis were recorded. American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and motor score were used to evaluate the neurological status.

RESULTSThe ASIA motor score of the group with PVH was 52.56 ± 31.97 while the ASIA motor score was 67.70 ± 22.83 in non-PVH group (P = 0.013). More patients with intramedullary hyperintensity signal on MRI were observed in the PVH group than in non-PVH group (P = 0.006). There was a significant positive correlation between ASIA motor score and sagittal disc level canal diameter of injury segment (P = 0.003). The neurological status was worse in patients with multi-level sagittal canal diameters below 8 mm.

CONCLUSIONThe PVH and the disc-level canal sagittal diameter of the injury segment are associated with neurological status. The patients with multi-level sagittal canal stenosis are vulnerable to severe cervical spinal cord injury.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; pathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDVascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is an important process in the development of atherosclerosis and is associated with other cellular processes in atherogenesis. Telmisartan is reported to have partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ activating properties and has been referred to as selective PPAR modulators, but valsartan just blocks angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 (AT1) receptors. This study aimed to compare the different effects of telmisartan and valsartan on human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) proliferation.

METHODSAbility of telmisartan and valsartan to inhibit proliferation of HASMCs was evaluated by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) in continuous cell culture. Whether the antiproliferative effects of telmisartan and valsartan depend on their effects on AngII receptors or activating the peroxisome PPAR-γ was also investigated in this study.

RESULTSTelmisartan inhibited proliferation of HASMCs by 52.4% (P < 0.01) at the concentration of 25 µmol/L and the effect depended on the dose of telmisartan, but valsartan had little effect on HASMCs proliferation (P > 0.05) and no dose response. When tested in cells stimulated with AngII, telmisartan had the same inhibition of HASMCs by 59.2% (P < 0.05) and valsartan also inhibited it by 41.6% (P < 0.05). Telmisartan and valsartan had the same effect on down-regulating AT1 receptor expression and telmisartan was superior to valsartan up-regulating AngII type 2 (AT2) receptor expression. Antiproliferative effects of telmisartan were observed when HASMCs were treated with the PPAR-γ antagonist GW9662 but antiproliferative effects of the PPAR-γ activator pioglitazone were not observed.

CONCLUSIONSTelmisartan, but not valsartan, inhibits HASMCs proliferation and has dose-dependent response without stimulation of AngII. AT2 receptor up-regulation of telmisartan contributes to its greater antiproliferative effects than valsartan. Its PPAR-γ activation does not play a critical role in inhibiting HASMCs proliferation.

Benzimidazoles ; pharmacology ; Benzoates ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; PPAR gamma ; metabolism ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; metabolism ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Tetrazoles ; pharmacology ; Valine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Valsartan

Authors raised that staging based strategies and practice of integrative medicine (IM) by combining syndrome typing and disease identification, and choosing suitable measures in accordance with different persons and seasonal conditions after more than ten years' clinical practice and researches. Radical operation as prior (as evil eliminating) and strengthening vital qi in perioerative period are best strategy for promoting rapid rehabilitation of early stage prostate cancer patients. Strengthening body resistance to eliminate evil was used in treating advanced prostate cancer patients. For example, a comprehensive treatment program for hormone-dependent patients was combined with endocrinotherapy and Chinese herbs for synergisic efficacy-enhancing actions. In this way, these patients' quality of life (QOL) were improved and time to castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) was delayed, even some patients were clinically cured. There are lack of effective medicines and methods for CRPC patients. Greatly tonifying original qi is mainly used for improving their clinical symptoms and prolonging survivals. Practice has proved staging based strategies and practice of IM has favorable advantages in treating prostate cancer, especially showing prospect in prolonging survival and postponing progression of advanced prostate cancer patients. Besides, it also could provide beneficial considerations and inspiration for combination of syndrome typing and disease identification.
Disease Progression ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; diagnosis ; Quality of Life

Angioplasty ; Embolectomy ; Ischemia ; pathology ; surgery ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; pathology ; surgery ; Mesenteric Ischemia ; Thrombosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Vascular Diseases ; pathology ; surgery

AIMTo design and evaluate the small peptide mimetic of anti-P-glycoprotein (P-gp) antibody (PHMA02).

METHODSFrom the three dementional structure analysis of computer modeling of PHMA02 CDR loops, a small peptide mimetic was designed and determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTSAnti-P-gp peptide mimetic functionally similar to PHMA02 was developed. The peptide mimetic competitively inhibits PHMA02 binding to P-gp and partially block the P-gp function as a drug efflux pump in K562/A02 cells.

CONCLUSIONSome special conformational properties of CDR loops of antibody might serve as lead structures for develop new biological peptide mimetics. Antibody-structure-based design would develop new drug in the future.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; chemistry ; immunology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; chemistry ; Binding, Competitive ; Complementarity Determining Regions ; chemistry ; Drug Design ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Molecular Mimicry ; Peptides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Protein Conformation

OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of auricular point sticking on incidence of nausea and vomiting and analgesia effect after gynecological laparoscopy, and provide evidence for clinical application of auricular point sticking.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases of selective gynecological laparoscopy under general anesthesia were randomly divided into an auricular point sticking group and a placebo group, 60 cases in each group. In the auricular point sticking group, the auricular point sticking with vaccaria seeds was applied at Shenmen (TF 4), Wei (CO 4) and Jiaogan (AH 6a) before the operation and 1, 5, 9, 23 h after the operation, which were pressed 5 min each point each time. The two ears were proceeded at the same time. In the placebo group, the same point selection, sticking paste was used as the auricular point sticking group, but no sticking or pressing with vaccaria seeds was adopted. The incidence of nausea and vomiting, the usage rate of tropisetron and morphine within 24 hours of the operation, as well as the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) and other adverse reactions at 2, 6, 10, 24 h after the operation were observed respectively.

RESULTSCompared with the placebo group, the incidence of nausea and vomiting [31.7% (19/60), 16.7% (10/60) vs 58.3% (35/60), 35.0% (21/60)], the usage rate of tropisetron [21.7% (13/60) vs 48.3% (29/60)] and morphine [18.3% (11/60) vs 38.3% (23/60)], the VAS scores at all different time points in the auricular point sticking group were all decreased (all P < 0.05), and no adverse reaction was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe auricular point sticking could significantly decrease the incidence of nausea and vomiting in patients of gynecological laparoscopy and has positive analgesic effect.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; surgery ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; etiology ; therapy ; Vomiting ; etiology ; therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investgate the metabolism of terephthalic acid (TPA) in rats and its mechanism. Methods Metabolism was evaluated by incubating sodium terephthalate (NaTPA) with rat normal liver microsomes, or with microsomes pretreated by phenobarbital sodium, or with 3-methycholanthrene, or with diet control following a NADPH-generating system. The determination was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the mutagenic activation was analyzed by umu tester strain Salmonella typhimurium NM2009. Expression of CYP4B1 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Results The amount of NaTPA (12.5-200 micromol x L(-1)) detected by HPLC did not decrease in microsomes induced by NADPH-generating system. Incubation of TPA (0.025-0.1 mmol x L(-1)) with induced or noninduced liver microsomes in an NM2009 umu response system did not show any mutagenic activation. TPA exposure increased the expression of CYP4B 1 mRNA in rat liver, kidney, and bladder.

CONCLUSIONLack of metabolism of TPA in liver and negative genotoxic data from NM2009 study are consistent with other previous short-term tests, suggesting that the carcinogenesis in TPA feeding animals is not directly interfered with TPA itself and/or its metabolites.

Animals ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Genes, Bacterial ; genetics ; Kidney ; enzymology ; Liver ; enzymology ; Male ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Phthalic Acids ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salmonella typhimurium ; genetics ; Urinary Bladder ; enzymology ; beta-Galactosidase ; metabolism

Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2b ; genetics ; Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of calcitonin receptor (CTR) gene polymorphism with bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

METHODSCTR genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 184 premenopausal women and 199 postmenopausal women in Shanghai area. BMD at lumbar spine (L2-4) and femoral neck (FN) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).

RESULTSThe distribution of CTR genotypes in 383 Shanghai women were CC genotype 83.8%, TC genotype 14.6%, TT genotype 1.6%, respectively. BMD at FN of CC genotype was significantly higher than TC and TT genotypes (P < 0.01) in postmenopausal women. But there was no difference in BMD of different CTR genotypes in premenopausal women. Multiple regression analysis showed that CTR genotypes were associated with FN BMD in postmenopausal women (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe polymorphism of CTR gene was associated with BMD in postmenopausal women.

Adult ; Alleles ; Bone Density ; Female ; Femur Neck ; Genotype ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Receptors, Calcitonin ; genetics