Objective: To study therapeutic effects of simvastatin on vascular endothelial cell dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: According to LDL-C level, a total of 90 CHD patients were divided into simvastatin 20mg group (n=37, LDL-C≥2.5mmol/L), simvastatin 10mg group (n=35, 1.8mmol/L≤LDL-C<2.5mmol/L) and routine treatment group (n=18, LDL-C<1.8mmol/L). Their course of treatment was 8 weeks. Color Doppler ultrasound diagnostic instrument was used to measure flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery (FMD), and nitrate reductase method was used to measure concentration of nitric oxide (NO) in all CHD patients. Serum concentrations of TC, TG, LDL-C and HDL-C were routinely measured. Results: After treatment of eight weeks, compared with before treatment, there were significant decrease in concentrations of TC, TG and LDL-C (P<0.05 all), and significant increase in HDL-C level (P<0.05 all) in simvastatin 20mg and 10mg group, but there were no significant difference in above-mentioned all indexes between simvastatin 20mg and 10mg groups, P>0.05 all; Compared with routine treatment group, there were significant improvement in FMD [(6.01±0.49)% vs. (9.01±0.39)% vs. (9.01±0.47)%，P<0.01 all] and significant increase in serum NO concentration [(38.97±8.89)μmol/L vs. (47.67±10.89) μmol/L vs. (45.61±9.09) μmol/L，P<0.05 all] in simvastatin 20mg and 10mg group; But there were also no significant difference in serum NO and FMD between simvastatin 20mg and 10mg groups, P>0.05 all. Conclusion: Simvastatin can increase NO concentration and improve vascular endothelial cell dysfunction in CHD patients. Its mechanism may be related with lipid-lowering effect, but independent of its lipid-lowering effect

Purpose To explore the accuracy of ALK fused gene expression by immunohistochemistry ( IHC) in non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) patients, and to investigate the clinical and pathological features of ALK-positive NSCLC patients. Methods By u-sing rabbit monoclonal D5F3 antibody, ALK IHC was performed on 234 NSCLC patients. ALK positive cases were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR) . Results The positive incidence of ALK by IHC in 234 NSCLC specimens was 8. 97% (21/234), the positive rate of ALK fused gene verificated by RT-PCR was 5. 98% (14/234). There was significant difference with histological type, age, stage (P<0. 05), but no significant difference with gender, smoking history, tumor differentiation. Of 21 cases of ALK-positive NSCLC patients, the consistency of IHC and RT-PCR was 0 when IHC was ( +) , however, when IHC was or immunohistochemical score was >120, the consistency rate was 100%. Conclusion Although immunohistochemical expres-sion of ALK fused gene may have a certain false positive, IHC or immunohistochemical score> 120 show very high value for ALK fused gene RT-PCR followed by ALK immunohistochemistry in lung cancer is a economical and feasible method for the valuation of ALK fused gene.

OBJECTIVE Alzheimer disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative disease with clinical hallmarks of pro-gressive cognitive impairment.Synergistic effects of Aβ-tau cascade reaction are tightly implicated in AD patholo-gy,and microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation drives neuronal tauopathy through microglia and neurons cross-talk.However,the underlying mechanism of how Aβ medi-ates NLRP3 inflammasome remains unclear.Shab related potassium channel member 1(Kv2.1)as a voltage gated po-tassium channel widely distributed in the central nervous system and plays an important role in regulating the out-ward potassium flow in neurons and glial cells.In current work,we aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of Kv2.1 in regulating Aβ/NLRP3 inflammasome/tau axis by using a determined Kv2.1 inhibitor drofenine(Dfe).METHODS Cell-based assays including Western blot-ting and immunofluorescence staining against primary microglia or neurons were carried out to expound the role of Kv2.1 channel in NLRP3 inflammasome activa-tion and subsequent neuronal tau hyperphosphorylation.For animal studies,new object recognition,Y-maze and Morris water maze were performed to evaluate the ame-lioration of Kv2.1 inhibition through either Kv2.1 inhibitor Dfe treatment or adeno-associated virus AAV-ePHP-si-Kv2.1injectionon5×FADADmodel mice.Assays of histol-ogy and immunostaining of tissue sections and Western blotting of brain tissues were performed to verify the con-clusion of cellular assays.RESULTS We reported that oligomeric Aβ(o-Aβ)bound to microglial Kv2.1 and pro-moted Kv2.1-dependent potassium leakage to activate NLRP3 inflammasome through JNK/NF-κB pathway sub-sequently resulting in neuronal tauopathy.Treatment of either Kv2.1 inhibitor Dfe or AAV-ePHP-si-Kv2.1 for brain-specific Kv2.1 knockdown deprived o-A β of its capability in inducing microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation and neuronal tau hyperphosphorylation,while improved the cognitive impairment of 5×FAD AD model mice.CONCLUSION Our results have highly addressed that Kv2.1 channel is required for o-Aβ driving NLRP3 inflammasome activation and neuronal tauopathy in AD model mice and highlighted that Kv2.1 inhibition is a prom-ising therapeutical strategy for AD and Dfe as a Kv2.1 inhibitor shows potential in the treatment of this disease.

OBJECTIVETo preliminary assess the efficacy of's extraordinary acupoints for the ovarian function of polycystic ovary syndrome.

METHODSFifty-six patients were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group. In the acupuncture group, the acupoints were Fuke, Huanchao, Tianhuang (Yinlingquan, SP 9), Renhuang (Sanyinjiao, SP 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1). The treatment was used twice a week for continuous 12 weeks. In the western medication group, patients were given diane-35 for 3 menstrual cycles, once a day for 21 days with 7 days between the two sessions. The ratio of luteinizing hormone/flitropin (LH/FSH) was taken as the primary index, while the secondary indices were serum testosterone (T), FSH, LH, body mass index (BMI), the condition of ovary and menstruation.

RESULTS①After treatment, the ratio of LH/FSH declined in both the two groups (<0.05,<0.01). The decreasing values of the two groups were not significantly different (>0.05). ②T, LH and BMI dropped in the two groups (<0.05,<0.01). The decreasing values of the three indices between the two groups were not significantly different (all>0.05). ③The size of ovary did not change significantly after treatment in the two groups (both>0.05), but the reduction degree of ovary size of the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group (<0.05). The ovary number of more than 10 foliiculi in single ovary in the acupuncture group reduced compared with that before treatment (<0.05). The reduction degree of ovary number with the above feature was not significantly different between the two groups (>0.05). ④The times and days of menstruation within 3 months increased significantly in the two groups (all<0.01), without significance of different valves between the two groups (both>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS 's extraordinary acupoints could improve the ovarian function of polycystic ovary syndrome, whose effect is similar as diane-35.

Objectives : To investigate the expression and clinical significance of TRIM32 in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma patients. Methods : Real⁃time PCR was used to detect the expression of TRIM32 in human melanoma cell lines (A375 , MV3) and human normal skin cell lines (HACAT) . Clinical characteristics of 31 CMM patients were collected. The expression of TRIM32 in the CMM tissues and para⁃cancerous tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) . The correlation between TRIM32 expression and clinical characteristics was analyzed. Kaplan⁃Meier survival analysis and Cox univariate analysis model were used to analyze the prognostic factors. Results: The expression of TRIM32 mRNA in A375 melanoma cells was significantly higher than that in HACAT normal skin cells (P < 0. 001) ,while the expression in MV3 cells was comparable to that in HACAT cells. The expression of TRIM32 protein in the CMM tissues , detected by IHC , was significantly higher than that in the para⁃cancerous tissues (P < 0. 001) and positively correlated with Breslow thickness( r = 0. 771 , P < 0. 001) and Clark grade ( r =0. 635 ,P < 0. 001) , but not with sex , ulcer, age and primary location of tumor ( P > 0. 05) . Also , TRIM32 expression level was significantly correlated with prognosis of CMM. Conclusion TRIM32 is highly expressed in A375 melanoma cells and CMM tissues. TRIM32 may be helpful for the prognosis of CMM patients.

AIM: To examine the effects of three commonly used general anesthetics on the proliferation and activation of glial cells in neonatal rats. METHODS: Neonatal rats were exposed to either isoflurane, sevoflurane or desflurane for 2 h on postnatal day 2 (P2). The animals were euthanatihed and the brain were harvested on P7 and P14, respectively. The immunohistochemical localihation of glial markers (vimentin, GFAP, Iba1) were examined. RESULTS: Activation of astrocyte in granular layer and molecular layer of dentate gyrus of hippocampus was significantly enhanced on P7 and P14 after desflurane exposure, while that in isoflurane group the change was only significantly different on P14. The activation of microglia in the granular layer of dentate gyrus but not in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 region was significantly enhanced in the desflurane group on P7 and P14, while the isoflurane group only showed significant difference on P14. CONCLUSION: Short time exposure of different inhalation anesthetics has different effects on the activation of glial cells in different subregions of hippocampus in neonatal rats on postnatal day 2, and sevoflurane may have the least effect on it.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection rate among general population in Jiangsu province and to analyze the main risk factors for HCV infection.

METHODSSubjects in 3 counties were surveyed by stratified cluster random sampling in the National Major Science and Technology Projects demonstration area in Jiangsu province. Interview was carried out with uniformly- designed questionnaires. Blood samples were collected and anti-HCV tested. Data were analysed under SPSS 13.0. Case-control study was conducted on two groups with subjects under 1:4 matching by sex, age, village of residence and status of HCV infection. Cox's proportional hazards regression analysis was then performed to analyze the risk factors for HCV infection.

RESULTSThe positive rate of anti-HCV was higher in females (0.965%, 95%CI:0.899%-1.035%) than in males (0.572%, 95%CI:0.517%-0.632%). Significant differences were noticed among the positive rates of anti-HCV in the three counties (0.131%, 95%CI:0.103%-0.164%;0.316%, 95%CI: 0.268%-0.370%; 2.173% , 95% CI:2.039%-2.315% , respectively). Peak prevalence of anti-HCV (1.577%, 95%CI:1.425%-1.740%) was observed among persons at 50-59 years of age. Bottom rate (0.161%, 95%CI:0.125%-0.204%) was observed below 30 years of age. High anti-HCV positive rate was detected in people with lower education background or belonged to 'floating population'. Factors as having histories of hospitalization (OR = 3.049, 95% CI:1.322-7.036), blood transfusion (OR = 14.319, 95%CI:2.318-88.459) or sharing razor (OR = 3.604, 95%CI:1.096-11.851) were risk factors of HCV infection in the area with the lowest anti-HCV positive rate. In another county, factor as having histories of 'blood products transfusion' (OR = 7.202, 95% CI:1.170-44.310) appeared important while in the third county, having history of 'blood donation' (OR = 7.496, 95%CI:6.121- 9.180); 'blood transfusion' (OR = 2.305, 95%CI:1.578-3.369) and 'invasive physical examination' (OR = 1.258, 95% CI:1.021-1.549) appeared to be important. Age seemed a risk factor for HCV infection. "Sharing razor" was a specifically important risk factor among the 30- year-olds. "Having received acupuncture" was noticed a risk factor only among people at 50-59 years of age while "Having received invasive physical examination" was important in the 50-59 and 60-69 year-olds.

CONCLUSIONHigh anti-HCV positive rate was observed in people at middle of aged population, as well as in those with poor education or under 'floating'. Unsafe blood donation or having received blood-product transfusion might be the risk factors in the last decades. Factors as sharing razor, having received acupuncture or invasive examination might be specifically risky in different populations.

Blood Donors ; Blood Transfusion ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors

Objective To study the mechanical properties and biological characteristics of 3D-printed porous β-tricalcium phosphate ［β-Ca3(PO4)2, β-TCP］ scaffolds, so as to provide guidance for the design of composite scaffolds in animal experimentation. Methods Poly 1,8-octanediol citrate (POC), a kind of novel biodegradable materials, was used as the adhesive. The 3D-printed porous β-TCP scaffolds were fabricated by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology, and Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS), a kind of polypeptides, was added into the scaffolds to improve the adhesive property of cells. The optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to observe the micro-pore architectures of those scaffolds. The material testing machine was used to conduct compressive test on the scaffolds, and the water contact angles of the scaffolds were measured. The cell adhesion rate and proliferation rate of the scaffolds were also tested by in vitro cell experiment. The model of SD rat skull defects was repaired by the scaffolds, and the osteogenic ability in vivo was further studied. Results The GRGDS, remaining active, was evenly distributed in the composite scaffolds. The micro-pore architectures of the polypeptide modified scaffolds changed, with improvement in cell adhesion rate, while the compressive modulus, water contact angle and osteogenic ability in vivo of the scaffolds were not obviously affected. Conclusions The cell adhesion capacity of β-TCP composite scaffolds modified by polypeptide improved significantly, while the mechanical properties and hydrophilicity, osteogenic ability in vivo of the scaffolds were not affected very much. These research results provide new ideas for reconstruction of scaffolds for repairing bone defects in clinic, and a laboratory basis for further clinical application of this scaffold.