OBJECTIVETo explore protective effects of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on cerebral tissue in rats with sepsis.

METHODSCecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was applied to duplicate the rat model of sepsis. According to random number table, thirty SD rats were divided into a sepsis model group (group A), a sepsis model plus electroacupuncture (EA) group (group B), and a sepsis model plus non-acupoint EA group (group C), ten rats in each one. EA with the same frequency and intensity at "Zusanli" (ST 36) and non-acupoint (0.5 cm laterally to "Zusanli") for 30 min was applied in the group B and group C, respectively. No treatment was given in the goup A. 6 hours after CLP, blood was acquired from abdominal aorta to measure the levels of neuron specific enolase (NSE). Then the rats were sacrificed by abdominal aorta exsanguination to take their cerebral tissue for measuring the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

RESULTSSix hours after CLP, the level of NSE was (3.51 +/- 0.39) ng/mL in group B, which was significantly lower than (7.72 +/- 0.64) ng/mL in group A (P<0.05). The level of NSE was (8.02 +/- 0.72) ng/mL in the group C, which had no statistical significance with group A (P>0.05). The levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 in cerebral tissue in group B were significantly lower than that of group A and C (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA at "Zusanli" (ST 36) has certain protective effect on septic rat's brain, which has some relationship with decreasing levels of cerebral tissue proinflammatory cytokine and plasma NSE. EA at non-acupoint has no the same action.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Male ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; enzymology ; immunology ; therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Disinfectants ; analysis ; Disinfection ; Drinking Water ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Time Factors ; Wounds and Injuries ; physiopathology

Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Humans ; Stents

Common Cold ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Rhinovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Aim To explore the effect of pharmacolog-ical activation of serotonin 5-HT2C receptor (5-HT2C R) on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine-de-pendent mice. Method EthoVision Noldus video tracking system was used to record the effect of 5-HT2C R agonist WAY on locomotor activities and behavioral performances in mice.Results Selective 5-HT2C R ag-onist WAY (0.5,0.75 or 1 .0 mg·kg -1 ,i.p.)a-lone did not alter the locomotor activities as determined by distance traveled and velocity (all P values >0.05).Chronic morphine treatment induced depend-ence in mice as demonstrated by increases in distance traveled,velocity and jumping behavior.WAY (0.5, 0.75 or 1 .0 mg·kg -1 ,i.p.)and clonidine (0.2 mg ·kg -1 ,i.p.)significantly ameliorated naloxone-pre-cipitated withdrawal symptoms,including burrowing, jumping,body grooming,rearing,“wet dog”shakes, head shakes,face grooming,penile grooming,scratch (all P values <0.05).Conclusion Pharmacological activation of 5-HT2C R ameliorates naloxone-precipitated withdrawal symptoms in morphine-dependent mice.5-HT2C R may be a novel target to develop therapeutic ap-proach against morphine physical dependence,craving and relapsing.

Objective To analyze the mammographic features of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC)compared to those of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).Methods Twenty cases with ILC and 95 cases with IDC were retrospectively evaluated by two breast radi-ologists according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS)lexicon.The mammographic findings were com-pared between ILC and IDC with the independent samples chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test,as appropriate.Results Mass was the most common finding in both ILCs and IDCs,but less frequent in ILCs (36.4% vs 63.9%,P =0.008).Mass in ILCs was more frequently lobular or irregular shape with spiculated margin.Architectural distortion and focal asymmetry were more frequent in ILCs than in IDCs,however,the differences were no significant.The frequency of calcifications was not significantly different between the two groups.The distributions of calcifications were more regional in ILCs,and more segmental or linear in IDCs (P =0.01).Conclu-sion ILCs are more usually shown as non-mass appearances on mammography.ILCs that appeared as mass are more frequently ir-regular in shape with spiculated margins.

Objective: To explore the effects of Vitamin K2 (VK2) on theaortic artery calciifcation and oxidative stress injury in experimental rats.
Methods: A total of 24 rats were divided into 4 groups:①Control group,②6-week calciifcation group,③12-week calciifcation group and④6-week calciifcation + 6-week VK2 group;n=6 in each group. The arterial calciifcation was induced by warfarin (WFN) treatment. The calcium nodule and deposition in rat’s theaortic artery were detected by Alizarin red staining and o-cresolphthalein complexone method, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by DHE probe staining and the morphological changes of mitochondria in smooth muscle cells were detected by transmission electron microscopy.
Results: Calciifcation nodule formed in both 6-week and 12-week calciifcation groups, the calciifcation deposition and ROS were higher than Control group,P<0.01. Compared with both calcification groups, the above indexes were decreased in 6-week calciifcation + 6-week VK2 group,P<0.01. Both calciifcation groups showed mitochondria swelling with unclear structure and cytoplasm vacuoles degeneration in vascular smooth muscle cells. The vascular smooth muscle cell volumes were similar between Control group and 6-week calcification + 6-week VK2 group, and no cytoplasm vacuoles degeneration was observed.
Conclusion: Warfarin induced aortic calciifcation is related to oxidative stress injury which may cause the ultra-micro structural damage in smooth muscle cells; VK2 may reduce the oxidative stress injury and improve the condition of vessel calciifcation in experimental rats.

Objective: To explore the effect of oxidative stress injury on the mechanism of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calciifcation induced by calcium and phosphorus in experimental rats.
Methods: The VSMC calcification was induced by incubating the cells with calcium chloride (CaCl2) andβ-sodium glycerophosphate (β-GP) for 8 days, and the cells were divided into 4 groups: ① Control group, ② Calcification group,③ Calciifcation+H2O2 group, ④ Calciifcation+catalase group. The calcium nodule formation and calcium deposition in VSMC were detected by Alizarin red staining and o-cresolphthalein complexone method, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by DCFH-DA probe staining and the protein expression of Runx2 was examined by Western blot analysis.
Results: Compared with Control group, Calciifcation group showed the higher ROS production, more calcium nodule and calcium deposition, higher Runx2 protein expression;while compared with Calciifcation group, the above indexes were even higher in Calciifcation+H2O2 group, P<0.05. The ROS production, calcium nodule, calcium deposition and Runx2 protein expression were lower in Calciifcation+catalase group than those in Calciifcation group and Calciifcation+H2O2 group, but still higher than that in Control group. The protein expression of Runx2 was similar between Calciifcation+catalase group and Control group, P>0.05.
Conclusion: CaCl2 andβ-GP treatment may induce VSMC calciifcation via activating ROS-Runx2 signal pathway in experimental rats.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum cccDNA and liver damage in the patients with chronic HBV infection.Methods Serum cccDNA,ALT of 156 patients with chronic HBV infection were measured,and pathology of liver tissue in 85 patients was detected.Results The positive rate of Serum cccDNA and ALT had no significant difference(P＞0.05).Between pathology light,medium and severe group,S0_(～1) and S_(2～4) group,G_(0～1) and G_(2～4) group the serum cccDNA mean was significantly different(P＜0.01).The positive rate of serum cccDNA was significantly different between the group of NAASC and ASC,CH,LC,HCC,and the group of ALT ≤40u/Land 40～80,80～400,≥400u/L(P＜0.01).Conclusion Serum cccDNA and liver inflammation,fibrosis and ALT had no relevance,serum cccDNA with at a low level may be non-active,but should be excluded from serious liver diseases.