OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of total flavonoids of epimedium (TFE) on the streptozocin (STZ)-induced kidney injury in diabetic rats and discuss the possible mechanism.

METHODSDiabetes was produced by a single injection of streptozocin (40 mg/kg, iv) in male SD rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10): control group, model group and TFE group (100 mg/kg, ig). Animals were sacrificed 12 weeks later. The level of blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) as well as the renal index were determined. Detect the specific biochemical of renal tissue: superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA). Use masson staining to observe the morphology of the renal tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1).

RESULTSCompared to control group, the enhancement of blood glucose, renal index, BUN and Cr was found in model group, which was significantly attenuated by treatment with TFE. Meanwhile, elevated MDA level in renal tissue as well as decreased SOD activities in renal tissue were significantly remitted by TFE. Furthermore, TFE decreased the expression of TGF-beta1.

CONCLUSIONTFE can evidently relieve renal damage in rats with diabetic nephropathy induced by STZ, which might be related to antioxidation and modulating the expression of TGF-beta1 protein.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

ObjectiveTo investigate clinical features, correlative factors and prognosis of senile coronary heart disease accompanied with depression.MethodsFifty two senile patients of coronary hart disease with depression were selected for the observation group, sixty cases without depression as control group. Clinical features, family conditions, society factors and Holter report (supervision) of two groups were analyzed.ResultsClinical features such as severe dyssomnia, anxiety agitation, emotion depressing, loss of interest, feeling waste and sense of guilty in patients of observation group were significant different with those in control group. The rate of family harmoniousness and society supporting between patients of two groups were significantly different. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, atrial arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia changes on ST-T in the Holter reports of patients in observation group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The incidence of cardiac sudden death of patients in observation group was also higher than patients in control group (P<0.05).ConclusionClinical symptoms such as severs dyssomnia, anxiety agitation, emotion depressing are easily occurred in senile coronary heart disease patients with depression. Patients with depression have higher incidence of cardiac sudden death, having better relationship and society support are advantageous to prevent and reduce the depression in senile coronary heart disease patients.

Adult ; Chondromatosis, Synovial ; pathology ; surgery ; Elbow Joint ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male

BACKGROUNDDysregulated metallothionein 2A (MT2A) has been implicated in carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of MT2A in gastric cancer (GC) and its correlation with prognosis.

METHODSReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the mRNA expression of MT2A in 12 GC cell lines, normal gastric epithelial GES-1 cells, and 36 GC and adjacent normal tissues. MT2A protein expression was determined in 258 GC tissues and 171 adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSMT2A mRNA expression was lower in GC cells and primary tumors than in GES-1 cells and adjacent normal tissues, respectively. High protein expression of MT2A was present in 130 of 171 normal tissues (76.0%) and in 56 of 258 GC tissues (21.7%; P < 0.001). MT2A protein expression was higher in well/moderately differentiated GC (22/54; 40.7%) than in poorly differentiated GC (34/204; 16.7%; P < 0.001). Moreover, the protein expression of MT2A was lower in diffuse-type GC (6/82; 7.3%) than in intestinal-type GC (50/176; 28.4%; P = 0.0001). Importantly, MT2A expression was an independent prognostic factor for GC, and decreased MT2A expression was associated with poor clinical outcome (P < 0.001). The expression status of MT2A could predict prognosis in intestinal and diffuse-type GCs.

CONCLUSIONExpression status of MT2A might be a useful prognostic biomarker for GC, especially when used in combination with Lauren's classification.

Adult ; Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Metallothionein ; analysis ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Stomach Neoplasms ; chemistry ; classification ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo assess if the modulating effect of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB on p21(WAF1) was mediated by upregulating transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC).

METHODSTGF-beta(1) mRNA and protein expressions were measured by reverse transcription-PCR and ELISA, the protein expressions of p21(WAF1) and the downstream TGF-beta signalling including TGF-beta type I receptor (ALK-5 in VSMC), Smurf2, pSmad2/3, Smad4, Smad7 were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSPDGF-BB significantly upregulated the expressions of TGF-beta(1) at mRNA (0.79-fold) and protein (1.98-fold) levels in VSMC, significantly inhibited the expression of p21(WAF1) (-67 +/- 12)%, and enhanced the expressions of ALK-5, pSmad2/3, Smad4, Smurf2 protein by 1.21-fold, 0.95-fold, 0.69-fold and 2.55-fold respectively, inhibited Smad7 expression (-65 +/- 9)%, these alterations were partially restored by anti-TGF-beta(1) neutralizing antibody.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggested that PDGF-BB inhibited p21(WAF1) expression in VSMC partially through upregulating TGF-beta(1) expression via PDGF-BB and TGF-beta signalling pathways.

Animals ; Cell Division ; Cells ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Saliva and blood were collected from two patients who had not received post exposure prophylaxis in the cities of Wenzhou and Xinning respectively. Both patients were confirmed as positive for rabies by detection of rabies virus specific nucleoprotein antibodies in the sera by Western Blot. However, rabies virus specific RNA was only identified in the saliva collected from the patient in Wenzhou. Furthermore, the isolate Zhejiang Wz0 (H) was obtained by inoculating one-day-old suckling mice. Both nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) genes from the isolate were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to classic rabies virus, and shared a higher homology with the street viruses from dogs in the main endemic areas in China and the street virus from dogs in Indonesia than with other known strains. Further comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences between the isolate and the vaccine strains used in China showed that the virus had a higher level of homology with the vaccine strain CTN than with the other vaccine strains (3aG, PV, PM and ERA). In particular, amino acid residues substitutions located in antigenic site Ⅲ in the G protein, which could react with the neutralizing antibodies, were observed. These results suggested that the virus belonged to the classic rabies virus, and both N and G genes diverged from the current vaccine strains used in China at either the nucleotide or the amino acid level.

Variant pulmonary vein anatomy (PVA) has been reported to influence the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency ablation.However,the effects of PVA on AF in patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation (CBA) remain unknown.The present study aimed to examine the impact of PVA on the long-term outcome of CBA for AF.A total of 78 patients (mean age 60.7±10.9 years,64.1％ males) with symptomatic and drug-refractory paroxysmal AF were enrolled in the study.Left atrium (LA) and PVA acquired at computed tomography angiography (CTA) were reconstructed with CARTO(R) 3 SYSTEM.Patients were routinely evaluated by 24-hour Holter monitoring following CBA.Cox regression was used to detect the predictors of AF recurrence after CBA.The results showed abnormal PVA in 30 patients (38.5％) and 18 patients (23.1％) had left common PV (LCPV).Electrical pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients.After a mean follow-up of 689.5±103.8 days,it was found that patients with abnormal PVA had similar AF recurrence rate to those with normal PVA (26.7％ vs.25.0％,P=0.54),and there was no significant difference in AF recurrence rate between LCPV patients and non-LCPV patients (33.7％ vs.23.3％,P=0.29).Cox regression analysis showed that AF duration (72.9±9.0 vs.42.3±43.2 months,HR 1.001;95％CI 1.003-1.014;P＜0.001) and cryo-applications of right-side PVs (3.0±1.6 vs.4.7±1.7,HR 0.661;95％ CI 0.473-0.925;P=0.016) were independent predictors of freedom from AF,but PVA was not identified as a predictor of long-term success.In conclusion,the variant PVA cannot significantly influence the long-term outcome of AF patients undergoing CBA;longer AF duration and less cryo-applications of right-side PVs are associated with higher AF recurrent rate.

OBJECTIVETo value the use of an injectable minimally invasive calcium sulfate cement for displaced tibial plateau fractures.

METHODSThirteen patients with lateral tibial plateau fractures treated with internal fixation and bone grafting were matched with 13 patients treated using internal fixation and an injectable calcium sulfate cement. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were followed up for a minimum of one year. The peri-operative complication, quality of reduction, maintenance of reduction, function assessment and development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis was compared in both groups.

RESULTSTen patients in the internal fixation and bone graft group had excellent anatomical reductions as judged on immediate post-operative radiographs but some loss of reduction on follow-up at one year was observed in 8 of the 13 (61%) cases. Twelve patients from the MIIG group had an excellent reduction on immediate post-operative radiographs but 3 (23%)demonstrated some loss of reduction of the plateau at one year follow-up (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe use of MIIG and internal fixation is associated with more favourable clinical results than conventional treatment with internal fixation and bone grafting for lateral tibial plateau fractures.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Cements ; Bone Transplantation ; methods ; Calcium Sulfate ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Fractures, Closed ; surgery ; Humans ; Ilium ; transplantation ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Restenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo analyze the effect of gold standard, blind comparison and different cut-points choosing on screening techniques assessment, and to promote the application of evidence-based medicine theory in screening study.

METHODSA screening study for cervical cancer in rural China in 1999, where 1997 women had been tested for pathology as gold standard and simulating situations without gold standard, blind comparison and under different cut-points. Indices such as detectable rate, sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each technique. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were drawn and areas under ROC curves between screening techniques were tested.

RESULTSWithout gold standard, diagnostic techniques could not be evaluated correctly, and without the blind comparison, the sensitivity and specificity of the tests would be subjectively increased. Furthermore, use of different cut-points led to different sensitivities and specificities of test.

CONCLUSIONSGold standard, blind comparison and perfect cut-points can improve the quality of screening test and drawing ROC curves is an effective way to confirm cut-points and evaluate diagnostic techniques. It is necessary to enforce the application of evidence-based medicine theory in scientific research.

Adult ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; methods ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; ROC Curve ; Technology Assessment, Biomedical ; methods ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; prevention & control