OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of hirudin on atherosclerotic plaques in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE(-/-)) mice.

METHODSTotally 24 ApoE(-/-) mice, 7-8 weeks old were fed with high fat diets. They were randomly divided into the recombinant hirudin treatment group (drug group) and the model group according to body weight and different dens, 12 in each group. Twelve C57BL/6J mice, 7-8 weeks old fed with high fat diet were recruited as the normal control group. Recombinant hirudin (0.25 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the drug group from the 10th week old once every other day for five successive weeks. Equal volume of normal saline was injected to mice in the model group. Mice in the normal control group received no treatment. All mice were sacrificed after fed with high fat diet until they were 20 weeks old. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), E-selectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and stromal metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were detected. The plaque/lumen area and extracellular lipid composition/ plaque area were analyzed by HE staining and morphometry. Changes of signaling molecules in store-operated calcium channels, including stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1), Orail protein, and transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1) were determined by Western blot. Results Lipid plaque formed in the aorta vessel wall of 20-week old mice in the model group. Compared with the normal control group, serum levels of TC, TG and LDL increased (P<0.01), hs-CRP, E-selction, IL-6, and MMP-2 obviously increased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the model group; expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, and Orail significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the plaque/lumen area and the extracellular lipid composition/plaque area significantly decreased in the drug group (P<0.05, P<0.01); serum levels of TC and LDL, hs-CRP, E-selction, IL-6, and MMP-2 obviously decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01); expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, and Orail were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONHirudin could significantly improve lipids and endothelial functions of ApoE(-/-) mice, down-regulate expression levels of STIM1, Orai1, and TRPC1, and thus delaying the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Aorta ; Apolipoproteins E ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholesterol ; Diet, High-Fat ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; E-Selectin ; Hirudins ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipids ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Triglycerides

The prevalence of thyroid cancer has shown an upward trend in China in recent years. Advances in thyroid ultrasound and fine needle puncture cytology have improved the accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Also,the application of endoscopy-assisted techniques and intraoperative nerve monitoring technology and the further understanding of thyroid lymph node metastasis have made the thyroid surgeries safer and less invasive. This article summarizes the recent advances in the surgical therapy of thyroid cancer.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; surgery ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; therapeutic use ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy

Objective To evaluate the automatic synthesis of 18F-labeled cyclic RGD peptide c(RGDyK)and its biological distribution in the tumor-bearing mice. Methods N-succinimidyl-4-18 F-fluorobenzoate (18F-SFB) was automatically synthesized and then re-dissolved in acetonitrile (MeCN). The cyclic RGD peptide c(RGDyK) was mixed with an hydrous DMSO and N, N-diisopropyl ethylamine (DIPEA). 18F-FBRGD was obtained by the reaction of peptide solution with 18 F-SFB. The final product was purified by HPLC gradient separation system and solid-phase extraction method. The biodistribution study and competition test of N-4-18F- fluorobenzoyl-RGD (18F-FB-RGD) in the tumor-bearing mice was performed. Results The labeling yield of 18 F-FB-RGD was (33.6 ± 3.5)%. The synthesis time was 110 min. The radiochemical purity was more than 98%. The tumor uptake of 18F-FB-RGD was (3.43 ±0.15), (2.61 ±0.14), (2.11 ±0.13), and (1.79 ±0.18) %ID/g, respectively, at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after injection. The ratio of tumor to muscle activity ranged from 4.26 ±0.69 to 5.80 ±0.78. The tumor uptake decreased dramatically after RGD blockage. The uptake was (0.46 ±0.21) %ID/g and (2.87 ±0.59) %ID/g in the blocked and unblocked mice, respectively, at 60 min after blockage. Conclusions 18 F-FB-RGD can be automatically synthesized and it may become a promising tumor imaging agent.

Objective To find out the iodine nutritional status of children in Xiamen island, and to provide the scientific basis for iodine supplimentation. Methods On March 2010, thyroids of all children aged 6to 12, from primary school on the Xiaodeng island of Xiamen were examined by palpation, urinary iodine, iodine content of salt athome and IQ level were tested, and were collected 20 households, iodine content of drinking water was tested randomly. Results IQ testing and thyroid palpation were carried out among a total of 156 children, the goiter rate of children was 1.28% (2/156), the mean IQ was 110; 154 urine samples were taken, the median urinary iodine was 219.1 μg/L; a total of 153 salt samples were tested, and the qualified rate of iodized salt was 87.58%(134/153), and the mean iodine content in the tap water was 4.52 μg/L Conclusions Iodine nutritional status of the island residents is better, and there are no such problems as excessive iodine.

OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnostic accuracy of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) with pulmonary involvement by analyzing the clinical data and chest radiographic features.

METHODSThe clinical data and chest radiographic features of 43 WG cases with pulmonary involvement were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSClinically, the patients frequently presented with multi-system involvement, with the incidence of pulmonary involvement of 72.8%. The patients with WG presented with such symptoms in the respiratory system as coughing, expectoration, hemoptysis, and dyspnea. The radiographic manifestations varied among the cases. Nodules and cavitations in the lungs were the signs most frequently found, and patchy infiltration and bronchial narrowing were also observed, which often led to misdiagnosis of WG as other pulmonary diseases.

CONCLUSIONWG often has multi-organ involvement, and the lung is one of the most commonly involved organs. The clinical symptoms and radiographic manifestations of WG have no specificity, and the disease can be easily misdiagnosed. Biopsy and ANCA assay can be important means for WG diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic ; blood ; Biopsy, Needle ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lung Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the current conditions of water iodine,childrens'iodine nutrition and residents'edible circumstance of iodized salt in the villages with high iodine in drinking water and the adjacent three villages in Xiamen city of Fujian province.Methods Four natural villages of Qianbian,Donglian,Dazhong and Dongshan of Xiangan county were chosen as survey spots in 2008.In each village,one running water sample and all well water samples were collected to obtain the benchmark for each location.All children aged 7-13 year in the four villages underwent thyroid palpation and were selected to measure the urine iodine and the salt iodine.The water iodine and urine iodine were determined by As3+-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry digestion,salt iodine was determined by direct titration.Results In four investigated villages,iodine of four running water samples were all 1.5μg/L.The range of 237 well water iodine samples was from 0.1 μg/L to 506.0 μg/L.There were 18.6% (44/237)specimens in which the well water iodine less than 10 μg/L,73.4%(174/237)between 10 μg/L and 150 μg/L and 8%(19/237)more than 150μg/L.The median of urinary iodine was 153.3 μg/L in 79 urine samples,which was 114%(9/79)more than 200μg/L and less than 300μg/L,12.7%(10/79)equal or more than 300 μg/L and less than 500μg/L,7.6%(6/79)equal or more than 500μg/L and less than 800 μg/L in all samples.Seventy-nine students were examined by palpation and the total goiter rate of children measured was 11.4% (9/79).Seventy-one samples of iodine salt were detected and the coverage rate of iodized salt was 77.5%(55/71).Conclusions The well water iodine contents have a wide distribution in the investigated villages.We should enhance the community awareness by educating them on the damage of iodine excess and iodine deficiency.

BACKGROUNDAmong various treatments preventing vein graft restenosis, external stent is receiving more and more attention. This study aimed to investigate the effect of non-restrictive external stent on the prevention of vein graft restenosis and the potential mechanisms of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in the process of restenosis.

METHODSThirty-six "New Zealand white rabbits" were randomly divided into two groups, stented group (group S) and control group (non-stented group, group NS). Each rabbit underwent a reversed autologous external jugular vein into common carotid artery bypass grafting. In group S, the vein grafts were surrounded by a non restrictive stent which was 6 mm in diameter (a kind of Dacron vascular prosthesis); and in group NS, there was no stent to support the vein grafts. The grafts were harvested at the first week (1W), second week (2W) and fourth week (4W) after surgery respectively. The dimensions (including the thickness and area of the intima and media, luminal area) were measured by computer-aided image analysis system, and the intimal hyperplasia ratio was defined as the percentage of the area enclosed by the internal elastic lamina occupied by the intima.

RESULTSAt 1W, the difference of the thickness and area of the intima between groups S and NS was not significant (P > 0.05); at 2W and 4W, the thickness and area of the intima and the intimal hyperplasia ratio in group S were less significant than those in group NS (P < 0.05); from 1W to 4W, the thickness and area of the media in group S were smaller than those in group NS (P < 0.05). Immunocytochemistry staining of PDGF-B showed that the percentage of positive cells of intima in both two groups was peaked at 2W, and a significantly smaller percentage was detected in group S compared with that in group NS at 2W and 4W (P < 0.05); the percentage of PDGF-B positive cells of media in both two groups was also peaked at 2W, and that in group S was smaller than that in group NS from 1W to 4W (P < 0.05); and the percentage of PDGF-B positive cells of adventitia in group S was peaked at 4W, whereas the percentage of adventitia in group NS peaked at 2W, and the percentage of adventitia in group S was greater than in group NS at 4W (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNon-restrictive external stenting inhibits the hyperplasia of the intima and media of the vein grafts and reduces the thickness and area of the intima and media; Non-restrictive external stenting inhibits the synthesis of PDGF and changes its distribution, and then inhibits the hyperplasia of the intima.

Animals ; Female ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; prevention & control ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Jugular Veins ; transplantation ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; physiology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Rabbits ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effect of salidroside (Sal) on pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (HPMEC) apoptosis induced by simulated microgravity and its mechanism.

METHODSHuman pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells cultured in vitro were divided into control group, clinorotation group and clinorotation+Sal pretreatment groups. Microgravity was simulated by clinorotation. The apoptotic rate of HPMECs was detected by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC staining, and the expressions of bcl-2, bax, and caspase-3 at the mRNA and protein levels were determined by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTSA 72-h clinorotation significantly induced apoptosis in HPMECs. Real-time PCR results demonstrated a significantly lowered bcl-2 but increased bax and caspase-3 mRNA expressions in clinorotation group as compared with those in the control group. Western blotting showed that clinorotation inhibited the protein expressions of PI3K and p-AKT and increased caspase-3 protein expression. Salidroside significantly inhibited the cell apoptosis, reversed the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax, and attenuated the decrease in the protein expression of PI3K and phosphorylation level of AKT. Salidroside also antagonized the activation of caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONPI3K/AKT pathway and caspase 3 are involved in the apoptosis of HPMVECs induced by clinorotation, and the effect of clinorotation can be reversed by salidroside, suggesting the potential value of salidroside for application in spaceflight.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lung ; blood supply ; Phenols ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; Weightlessness

Objective To assess the iodine nutritional status of special target population in coastal saltproducing areas and coastal non-salt-producing areas in Xiamen city,and to provide a basis for take appropriate measures for prevention of iodine deficiency disorders.Methods The Xiang-An salt-producing areas and the JiMei non-salt-producing areas were chosen as research spots in 2009.One sample of produced water and 2 samples of tap water were collected to test iodine level; 600 children aged 8 to 10 were selected and thyroid palpation was performed,besides,the urine sample and household salt sample were also collected for iodine determination.Sixty pregnant women,breasffeeding women,and 0 - 2 year old infants were recruited,respectively,and urine samples and household salt samples were collected to perform the determination of iodine level.Results The iodine levels in drinking water of Xiang-An district and Ji-Mei district were 3.23 and 6.05 mg/L,respectively.The consumption rates of edible qualified iodinated salt were 84.4％ (438/519) and 98.3％ (392/399),respectively.The goiter rates of children aged 8 - 10 were 3.03％(19/628) and 0.67％(4/600),respectively.The medians of urinary iodine were 202.80 and 238.40 μg/L,respectively.The proportions of urinary iodine level ＜ 50 μg/L were 3.5％ (14/405) and 1.0％(2/202),respectively.The medians of urinary iodine of the pregnant women were 120.55 and 153.35 μg/L,respectively,and the proportions of urinary iodine level ＜ 150 μg/L were 62.1％ (46/74) and 46.8％ (29/62),respectively.The medians of urinary iodine in three trimester were 173.10,144.75 and 101.90 μg/L,respectively,early trimester of pregnancy ＞ second trimester and third trimester (Z =6.151,3.052,all P ＜ 0.05),second trimester ＞ third trimester (Z =2.016,P ＜ 0.05 ).The medians of urinary iodine of the breastfeeding women were 131.20 and 104.35 μg/L,respectively.The proportions of urinary iodine level ＜ 100 μg/L were 35.3％ (24/68) and 46.7％(28/60),respectively.The medians of urinary iodine of the infants were 81.95 and 80.20 μg/L,respectively,the proportions of urinary iodine level ＜ 100 μg/L were 59.7％(37/62) and 61.6％(40/65),respectively,＜ 50 μg/L were 32.3％ (20/62) and 30.8％ (20/65),respectively.Conclusions The levels of iodine nutrition in pregnant women,breastfeeding women,and 0 - 2 year old infants from Xiang-An district and Ji-Mei district in Xiamen city are still below the desired level of iodine nutrition,and the infants and pregnant women in coastal salt-producing areas are poor in iodine nutrition,we should pay close attention.We should strengthen market supervision on iodized salt,carried out iodine nutrition monitoring on pregnant women,breasffeeding women,and infants,and disseminate knowledge of iodine nutrition among high-risk population should be carried out immediately.

Hydrogel is a kind of material with high water content,good biocompatibility and extracellular matrix-like property,among which polypyrrole(PPy)conductive hydrogels have both physical characteristics and excellent conductivity of hydrogels themselves.Its conductivity can be used to detect electrical signals generated in biological systems and provide electrical stimulation to regulate the activities and functions of cells and tissues.These characteristics make it widely used in the biomedical field.The recent progress of PPy conductive hydrogels in biomedical field was reviewed in this paper.In terms of classification,according to the cross-linking mechanism of PPy and hydrogel matrix,the non-covalent cross-linked PPy conductive hydrogels and covalent cross-linked PPy conductive hydrogels were divided.The applications of PPy conductive hydrogels in the biomedical field(Skin damage repair,nerve repair,myocardial repair and flexible sensing,etc.)were mainly introduced,and the development trend and challenges of PPy conductive hydrogels in the biomedical field were discussed.