OBJECTIVETo study the effect of different composition structures of total paeony glycoside (TPG) component and total phenolic acid of Ligusticum chuanxiong ( TLPA) on sodium dithionite (Na2S2O4) -induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) hypoxic injury. The baseline geometric proportion was used to design different components structure. And then the best structure of components by cell injury model were optimized.

METHODA HUVEC hypoxic injury model was established by being induced of Na2S2O4. Cell viability was measured by MTI colorimetric method, intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase( LDH) levels, nitric oxide (NO) contents were measured by kits. At last, Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression of two proteins, Bcl-2 and Bax.

RESULTCompared with the model group, TPG component, TLPA component at different composition structures can significantly increase SOD activity and decrease MDA, LDH, NO levels (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Chuanxiong Rhizoma components can downregulate the expression of Bax protein and upregulate the expression of Bcl-2 protein. The ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax was significantly increased (P < 0 01, P < 0 05), it means that cell apoptosis was inhibited. The results indicate that among all the component composition structures, TPG and TLPA component at the proportion of 8: 2 had the best protection on hypoxic injury of endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONTPG component and TLPA component can resist HUVEC hypoxia injury, the protective effect was the most evident under the structure of 8: 2, which may be due to the inhibition of intracellular lipid peroxidation and cell apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rhizome ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo evaluate the iodine nutritional status of university students in Tianjin and analyze influencing factors affecting urinary iodine levels.MethodsStudents of Tianjin Medical University,Tianjin Nankai University,Tianjin University of Finance and Economics and Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were selected as survey subjects,and 50 - 100 morning urinary samples were collected from each university,respectively.Urinary iodine was measured by arsenic-cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.The students were surveyed with questionnaires,which included family information,age, sex, specialty, iodine nutrition knowledge,source of drinking water,smoking or not and dietary habits.ResultsA total of 269 urine samples were collected,and the median urinary iodine was 213.68 μg/L.Urinary iodine levels(263.86 μg/L) of medical students was significantly higher than that( 168.01 μg/L,x2 =12.144,P ＜ 0.01 ) of non-medical students.There was an increasing trend of the level of urinary iodine of students with iodine nutrition knowledge scores ＞ 5 points (223.70 μg/L) over that of ≤5 points( 185.56 μg/L),but the difference was not significantly different statistically (x2 =2.297,P ＞ 0.05).Different gender and water sources had no significant effect on urinary iodine level(x2 =0.002,0.687,respectively,all P ＞ 0.05).Smokers urinary iodine levels( 154.55 μg/L) decreased compared with non-smokers(215.38 μg/L),but the difference was not statistically significant (x2 =0.515,P＞ 0.05).Vegetarian urinary iodine levels were lower than that of non-vegetarians,but the difference was not statistically significant(x2 =0.594,P ＞ 0.05).ConclusionsIodine nutritional status of students in university of Tianjin are generally at an appropriate level,but professional knowledge,habits and other factors may affect the intake of iodine,so students should develop good dietary habits to ensure a normal iodine nutrition status.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the best choice of operation opportunity and operation plan for limb fractures combined with severe craniocerebral trauma in children.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to July 2012,36 patients with limb fractures and severe craniocerebral trauma were received,including 24 males and 12 females aged from 1 to 13 years old (mean, 6.1 +/- 3.0). The time from injury to hospital was (18.0 +/- 15.0) h. Glasgow coma score were less than 8 with an average of 6.4 +/- 1.3. AIS-ISS score were 25.9 +/- 8.1. Thirteen patients were open fracture, 23 were closed fracture. Patients were divided into immediate operation group (21 patients) received fracture fixation with 24 h, the average time was (15.0 +/- 7.4) h, and delayed operation group (15 patients) received fracture fixation after 24 h, the average time was (165.4 +/- 114.6) h. All patients were treated by open reduction, and 33 cases by internal fixation, 3 cases were external fixation. Operative time, blood loss, fracture healing time and brain trauma,physical trauma, postoperative rehabilitation situation were observed and evaluated.

RESULTSAll patients were healed at stage I ,and no dead, aggravating of coma, disorders of breathing and circulation occurred during operation. Operative time,blood loss,healing time in immediate operation group was (44.5 +/- 25.3) min, (47.1 +/- 36.5) ml, (2.7 +/- 0.5) months, respectively; while in delayed operation group was (87.0 +/- 40.0) min, (112.7 +/- 67.5) ml, (3.8 +/- 1.2) months,respectively; and there were obvious differences between two groups. There was no siginificant meaning in Glasgow coma score and Fugl-Meyer motor function between immediate operation group (4.7 +/- 0.6, 97.9 +/- 2.7) and delayed operation group (4.7 +/- 0.5, 97.7 +/- 3.9) (t = 0.23, P > 0.05; t = 0.11, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe condition of limb fractures combined with severe craniocerebral trauma in children is seriously, comfortable surgical opportunity should according to particular case, and immediate operation can performed on the condition of stabled vital signs.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; surgery ; Extremities ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Open ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Objective To explore the characteristics and the long-term trend of suicidal deaths among the rural population in Hubei province. Methods Data on suicide deaths from 1984 through 2008 were released from Macheng Death Registration System and analyzed by year, gender and age. Results The suicidal death rates were decreasing during the last 25 years in Macheng city, with the standardized suicide mortality rapidly decreasing from 113.29/100 000 in 1984 to 20.11/100 000 in 2008. The proportion of suicide deaths in the total deaths caused by injuries were declining but not obviously. Suicide was still the leading cause of deaths among all the deaths due to injuries.Number of suicidal deaths among females was outnumbered the males during the last 25 years,representing 50%-60% in total suicide deaths annually. The proportion of suicide deaths among the elderly aged 65 and over had significantly increased in the recent years, which accounting for 46.81% of all the suicidal deaths in 2008. Conclusion Suicide remained the leading cause of injury deaths among the population in this area, especially in females. Attention should be paid to the females and the elderly aged 65 and over,in the rural areas.

OBJECTIVETo explore etiologic fraction (EF) and interaction of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and other risk factors for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) in Guangxi, China.

METHODSA hospital-based case-control study including 500 PHC patients and 500 nontumorous patients was carried out in Guangxi. EF and interactions of HBV infection and other risk factors for PHC were analyzed by crossover analysis and nonconditional multiple logistic regression.

RESULTSHBV infection, family history of PHC, diabetes mellitus, eating raw fish, heavy alcohol consumption, frequently used drug, low income, mental oppression and blood type B all were risk factors for PHC. With EFs of 0.725, 0.186, 0.119, 0.486, 0.385, 0.438, 0.277, 0.607, 0.299, respectively and with etiologic fractions attributable to interaction [EF(A xB)] of 0.736, 0.643, 0.849, 0.551, 0.592, 0.618, 0.902, 0.577; and indices of interaction of 0.743, 0.651, 0.853, 0.560, 0.600, 0.626, 0.907, 0.586, respectively.

CONCLUSIONMain risk factors for PHC might include HBV infection, family history of PHC, diabetes mellitus, eating raw fish, heavy alcohol consumption, frequently used drug, low income, mental oppression and blood type B. HBV infection with other risk factors might exert synergistic action on developing PHC and increase the risk of PHC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical effectiveness of total pelvic floor reconstruction surgery for repair of severe pelvic organ prolapse.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 21 patients with severe pelvic organ prolapse. The anatomical outcomes were evaluated by Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitation, functional effectiveness by Prolapse Quality of Life method, and sexual function and operation-related complications were also analyzed.

RESULTSAll surgical operations were accomplished successfully by the same surgeon. No impairment of bladder, urethra, rectum, or great vessels was noted, and no patient required blood transfusion. The mean operation duration was (63±19) minutes, and the mean intra-operative blood loss was (143±72) ml. One patients experienced post-operative urinary retention for 7 days, and the remaining 20 patients were able to micturate spontaneously 1-2 day after surgery. The post-operative morbidity rate was 14.3%. Three patients (14.3%) experienced mesh erosion. Of 12 patients who were sexually active, two patients suffered from algopareunia from dyspareunia, one from de novo overactive bladder, and one from stress urinary incontinence Questionnaire scores showed that the overall post operative quality of life was improved significantly (P=0.000), while quality of sexual life significantly degraded (P=0.044) The anatomic cure rate was 95.2% (20/21), and the patient subjective satisfaction rate was 85.7% (18/21)

CONCLUSIONSThe total pelvic floor reconstruction is a safe and effective approach for the repair of severe pelvic organ prolapse, although its functional effectiveness is not as notable as anatomical outcomes However, the complications such as mesh erosion, low urinary tract symptoms, algopareunia, and dyspareunia should be carefully managed.

Aged ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Floor ; surgery ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) on proliferation of human osteoblasts (MG-63) under the circumstance of tension force in vitro.

METHODSAn apparatus was designed and fabricated by which force was loaded onto the cultured cells in vitro. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for measuring the expression of PTHrP mRNA and c-fos mRNA. The effect of tension force and different PTHrP dose(0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 nmol/L) on the proliferation of human osteoblasts were examined using flow cytometry.

RESULTSVarious forces of the mechanical stretching exerted different influences on the intensities of the mRNA' expression. The strain of 12% induced the most remarkable mRNA' expression. The mitogenesis happened in the group with tension force (12%) combined with PTHrP was more active than that in the group with PTHrP or tension' force only. Tension force combined with PTHrP induced significantly more c-fos mRNA than that of tension force only.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanical stretching can inevitably influence the expression of PTHrP mRNA. The most active mitogenesis happened in the group with tension force combined with PTHrP. The effect may be related with the signaling pathways of c-fos.

Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Osteoblasts ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein ; RNA, Messenger

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVECombined hypoxic cytotoxic drugs and chemoradiotherapy is an important mean of oncotherapy, and Tirapazamine (TPZ) is one of the most remarkable drugs. It has been shown that TPZ has a synergistic effect with radiotherapy on tumor cells, but whether TPZ would down-regulate the expression of the hypoxia-induced genes has not been reported. This study was to investigate the hypoxia-induced mRNA expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and osteopontin (OPN) in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells and the radiosensitization of TPZ, a hypoxia-specific drug, on HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells in vitro.

METHODSThe IC50 values of TPZ for HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells were measured using MTT assay, and the mRNA expressions of HIF-1alpha and OPN in HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells was determined using RT-PCR under aerobic and hypoxic conditions, respectively. The survival rates of HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells treated with or without TPZ at IC10 in the presence or absence of oxygen for 6 h were determined using colony formation assay following exposure to 1-6 Gy of 60Co radiation. The dose-survival curves were plotted and the values of D0, Dq and SER were calculated as a single-hit multitarget model.

RESULTSThe IC50 values of TPZ were 34.81 μmol/L and 35.02 μmol/L in HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells under aerobic condition, and 30.20 μmol/L and 28.48 μmol/L under hypoxic condition, respectively. The expressions of HIF-1alpha and OPN mRNA were reduced by TPZ in HNE-1 cells, but not in CNE-1 cells under hypoxic condition. For the HNE-1 cells, the respective values of D0 and Dq were 0.89 Gy and 0.28 Gy following normoxic irradiation versus 1.47 Gy and 0.44 Gy following hypoxic irradiation. For the CNE-1 cells, the respective values of D0 and Dq were 0.72 Gy and 0.68 Gy following normoxic irradiation versus 0.95 Gy and 0.56 Gy following hypoxic irradiation. The values of D0 and Dq for HNE-1 and CNE-1 cells treated with TPZ under hypoxic condition following irradiation were 0.66 Gy, 0.21 Gy and 0.85 Gy, 0.79 Gy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONTPZ can down-regulate hypoxia-induced expression of HIF-1alpha and OPN mRNA of HNE-1 cells and radiosensitize the HNE-1 cells but not CNE-1 cells, and act as a hypoxia modifier.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cobalt Radioisotopes ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteopontin ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents ; pharmacology ; Triazines ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of adenovirus-delivered tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 ( Ad-TIMP-3) on sensitivity of cervical cancer cells to cisplatin and evaluate the potential application of this combined scheme in cervical cancer treatment.

METHODSCells of cervical cancer CaSKi cell line were infected with Ad-TIMP-3 in vitro. Apoptotic effect, cell cycle changes and p53 protein expression were detected. After combined treatment of those cells with cisplatin, colony formation test was performed and cytotoxicity was detected by MTT. The growth curve and tumor growth inhibition in vivo were evaluated.

RESULTSThe expressions of TIMP-3 mRNA and protein were significantly upregulated after transfection. As a result, massive apoptosis was induced and the cells were arrested at G2/M phase. Exogenous overexpression of TIMP-3 increased p53 protein level markedly in spite of the backgrounds of p53 gene in cells. Combined with cisplatin treatment, the cloning efficiency was decreased. A synergism was observed by isobolic method ( D < 1 ) in vitro and tumor growth was significantly inhibited in vivo.

CONCLUSIONAd-TIMP-3 is a powerful proapoptotic agent. It increases sensitivity of the cells to cisplatin and the Ad-TIMP-3 gene therapy in combination with cisplatin could be a promising alternative in cervical cancer treatment.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; therapy ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; methods