Objective To study the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the evaluation of the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP).Methods 162 patients with CAP were selected as study group.Meanwhile,34 patients with carotid artery strong echo plaques were selected as control group.The color doppler ultrasound was used to observe the CAP.Results The proportions of lipid type,fiber type,calcification and ulcer plaque in the study group were 21.60%,33.33%,34.57% and 10.37%,which were higher than those of the control group (5.88%,2.94%,2.94% and 2.94%),the differences were statistically significant (χ2=4.537,12.859,13.629 and 3.855,all P<0.05).There were 75 patients of soft plaques,36 patients with mixed plaques,51 patients with hard plaque in 162 patients.The new blood vessels classification in soft plaque group (36.00%,45.33% and 10.33%) were higher than the mixed plaque (30.56%,41.67% and 8.33%) and hard plaque group (31.37%,13.72% and 7.84%).The peak intensity (-86.41±7.81) %,tmax (8.34±1.62)s,mean transit time (24.18±8.67)s in the soft plaque group were significantly lower than the mixed plaque [(-100.73±6.52)%,(9.79±2.14)s and (28.93±9.11)s] and hard plaque patients [(-104.14±6.15)%,(10.23±2.33)s and (30.07±9.48)s],the differences were statistically significant (t=9.518,6.966,2.658,13.592,5.374 and 3.064,all P<0.05),but there were no statistically significant differences between mixed plaque and hard plaque (all P>0.05).The plaque diameter (4.13±0.75)mm diagnosed by CEUS was significantly larger than that of conventional ultrasound [(3.62±1.14)mm],the difference was statistically significant (t=4.757,P=0.000).Conclusion The CEUS can qualitatively detect the atherosclerotic plaque angiogenesis,can quantitatively assess plaque,evaluate the stability of the plaques,and the sensitivity is high.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combined therapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOX) in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

METHODSForty-one patients with previously untreated advanced or recurrent gastric cancer received intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin at the dose of 130 mg/m(2) on day 1 and oral administration of capecitabine at 1000 mg/m(2) twice a day on days 1-14. The chemotherapy was repeated every 2 weeks for a median of 4 cycles.

RESULTSTwo of 41 patients achieved a complete response, and 15 had partial responses, with an overall response rate of 41.5%. Stable disease was observed in 11 patients and progressive disease in 9. The median time to progression and overall survival was 6.2 months and 11.8 months. All the 41 patients were evaluated for toxicity according to NCI criteria, 4 showed grade 3-4 neural toxicity, 4 had hematological toxicity and 3 had hand-foot syndrome.

CONCLUSIONThe XELOX regimen shows good efficacy with an acceptable toxicity profile in advanced or recurrent gastric cancer patient.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; drug therapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antitumor activity of Diosgenin in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS-180, HepA, U14 and EAC transplant mice were given Diosgenin ig or i.p. everyday for 10 days, from the next day when they were inoculated in axilla. Tumor growth inhibit rates were calculated. Four kinds of cells, MCF, L929, A375-S2 and HeLa, were incubated respectively with Diosgenin in vitro. Tumor growth inhibit rates were also calculated.

RESULTIn vivo, both ig and i.p., Diosgenin inhibited S-180, HepA, U 14 mice transplant tumor, the inhibit rates being 30%-50%, but it did not inhibit the EAC mice transplant tumor. In vitro, Diosgenin inhibited L929, HeLa, MCF cell growth, and IC50 were 1.2, 18.2, 19.8 micrograms.mL-1 respectively, but it did not significantly affect A375-S2 cells.

CONCLUSIONDiosgenin has an obvious antitumor activity on S-180, HepA, U14 transplant mice in vivo and L929, HeLa, MCF cells in vitro.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; drug therapy ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Diosgenin ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the inhibitory effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying human endostatin gene (Ad-endo) on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma xenograft in nude mice.

METHODSThe expression of endostatin in human pancreatic carcinoma Capan-2 cells was examined by RT-PCR after infection with Ad-endo. The supernatants of Capan-2 cells were collected after 48 h of infection with Ad-endo as the conditioned medium for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), whose proliferation in vitro was assayed. Capan-2 cell xenografts were established to determine the antitumoral effects of Ad-endo in vivo. The intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated using CD31 staining.

RESULTSThe expression of endostatin gene was detected by PT-PCR in infected Capan-2 cells. The conditioned medium from Ad-endo-infected cells significantly inhibited HUVEC proliferation (P<0.05). Ad-endo significantly suppressed the growth of Capan-2 tumor xenografts in nude mice (P<0.05), and the MVD decreased significantly in the treated tumor (P<0.05) as compared with that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONAdenovirus carrying human endostatin gene produces inhibitory effects on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma tumors in nude mice.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Endostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; genetics ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

Conventional medical experiments can hardly simulate cardiac excitation propagation and observe the evolvement of cardiac electrical activities firsthand as is possible with computer simulation. Based on the anatomic structure of the heart, simulation of cardiac electrical activity mainly consists of the emulation of the excitation process among the cardiac cells and calculation of the electrical activities of individual cardiac cells. In this study we establish a geometric ventricular structure model demonstrating the direction of the cardiac muscle fibers and the layers of the ventricular cells, and endow different action potential models to the ventricular cells of different layers, and observe the activation process of the ventricular parts in view of the three-dimensional anatomy. This method gives attention to both enough calculation amounts and efficiency, which achieves satisfactory simulation results of ventricular electrical activity based on the anatomic structure and cell electrophysiology through an improved algorithm on personal computer.
Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Electrophysiology ; Heart ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Humans ; Models, Anatomic ; Models, Cardiovascular

OBJECTIVETo study the relation between the nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) content in the skeletal muscles and the injury condition of soft tissue in the 3rd lumbar vertebrae syndrome model rats, and to observe the effect of acupotomology therapy.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-eight adult SD rats were allocated to 4 groups randomly: normal group, model group, aminoguanidin group and acupotomology treatment group, 32 rats in each group. NOS expression, NO content and injury of the soft tissue in the 3rd lumbar vertebra were observed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 14th day after the acupotomology treatment and aminoguanidine intervention.

RESULTS1) Inducible NOS (iNos) activity and NO content in model group was significantly higher (F = 522.860, P < 0.01), in acupotomology group and aminoguanidine group was significantly lower than the model group (FiNOS = 28.894, P < 0.01), and iNOS activity and NO content in all groups was in competence with the condition of soft tissue injuries. 2) Endothelium NOS (eNOS) expression raised in model group and acupotomology group, and achieve peak on the 7th day. There was significant difference between the eNOS expression in acupotomology group and the model group (FeNOS = 3.454, P < 0.05). 3) The expression of neuron NOS (nNOS) in the model group, aminoguanidine group and acupotomology group had no significant (FnNOS = 0.962, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupotomology treatment can restrain the development of high content NO, release the inflammatory reaction and injury condition, improve microcirculation, prevent the development of scar tissue of the injured soft tissue, and has significant recovering effectiveness in the soft tissue injured model rats.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Guanidines ; therapeutic use ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Syndrome ; Time Factors

Objective To investigate the status of Cryptosporidium infection in the population in Nanjing City so as to pro-vide the evidence for the prevention and control of cryptosporidiosis. Methods A total of 100 fecal samples were collected from each of three districts(Liuhe,Qixia and Gaochun)and one hospital(Nanjing Zhongda Hospital)in 2015 and 2016 respective-ly. The fecal samples were detected for Cryptosporidium with microscopy(by using the gold amine phenol-modified acid-fast staining)and the positive samples were detected again for the molecular biology confirming by using the fluorescence quantita-tive PCR. Results During the two years,581 cases of normal population who lived in the city were surveyed and no Cryptospo-ridium infection was found. Among 202 cases of outpatients with chronic diarrhea,there were 9 Cryptosporidium positive cases with the microscope scanning method (4.46％),and among the 9 cases,7 cases showed obvious logarithmic amplification curves showing positive Cryptosporidium nucleic acid,but 2 cases without the obvious logarithmic amplification curves,and the Cryptosporidium nucleic acid positive rate was 3.47％. Conclusions Cryptosporidium infection is not found in the normal popu-lation of Nanjing City,but the Cryptosporidium infection is found in the chronic diarrhea patients. The results imply that we should strengthen the detection of Cryptosporidium in the chronic diarrhea patients,so as to provide the evidence for improving the diagnosis and treatment of cryptosporidiosis.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of snail control through soil pasting mixed with niclosamide.

METHODSFour sites were selected in different epidemic areas in Sichuan province. Soil pasting mixed with niclosamide was carried on, and the dosage was 0 g/m2, 4 g/m2, 6 g/m2, 8 g/m2 and 10 g/m2 respectively. The mortality rate of snail and the density of snail were observed after 7, 15, 30, 90 and 180 days.

RESULTSThe mortality rate of snail was more than 43.3% in blank group after 30 days. The mortality rate of snail was from 75.3% to 100.0% at 4 g/m2 group after 30 days. The mortality rate of snail in 4 g/m2 group was significantly higher than that in the blank group (chi2 = 31.27, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the mortality rate of snail among all study groups (chi2 = 1.07, P > 0.05). The decrease rate of snail density was more than 90%. The mortality rate of snail was about 30% higher in Chantu group than Qutu group. The unit cost of Pasting-Mixing Drug with Soil was from 5 to 7 times of spray method, but the total cost was similar for the. two methods at the endpoint of the snail control.

CONCLUSIONThe effect of soil pasting mixed with niclosamide is good, and the dosage of 4-6 g/m2 is suggested in snail control.

Animals ; Molluscacides ; Niclosamide ; Pest Control ; Schistosomiasis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; Soil

This work was launched to explore the effect of habitat and growth year on the secondary metabolites contents of cultivated Polygala tenuifolia. The samples of cultivated P. tenuifolia were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography(UPLC)-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(Q-TOF MS), and the obtained data were analyzed using multiple statistical analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that compared with growth year, habitat is a main influencing factor which affected the secondary metabolites contents of P. tenuifolia. The contents of sucrose esters and oligosacchride multi-esters are greatly dependent on the habitat (the sample-AG with high levels of components of tenuifoliside B and tenuifoliside C, and the sample-FY with high levels of 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, tenuifoliose S, tenuifoliose L, and tenuifoliose V). There is no obvious effect of habitat and growth year on xanthone. The contents of triterpene saponins are greatly dependent on the growth year, and the content of parts of triterpene saponins increased as time goes on.The result indicated that the effect of habitat and growth year on different types of secondary metabolites is not completely equivalent. This study will contribute to the breeding of P. tenuifolia and amendment of current commodity criteria.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupotomy on the fat infiltration degree of lumbar multifidus muscle (LMM) in patients with lumbar disc herniation after percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED). METHODS: A total of 104 patients with lumbar disc herniation treated with PTED were randomly divided into an observation group (52 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a control group (52 cases, 4 cases dropped off). Patients of both groups received rehabilitation training of two weeks 48 h after PTED treatment. The observation group was treated with acupotomy (L₃-L₅ Jiaji [EX-B 2]) once within 24 h after PTED. In the two groups, the fat infiltration cross sectional area (CSA) of LMM was compared before and 6 months after PTED, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score were observed before and 1, 6 months after PTED. The correlation between fat infiltration CSA of LMM in each segment and VAS score was analyzed. RESULTS: Six months after PTED, the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in L₄/L₅ and the total L₃-S₁ segments of the observation group was lower than that before PTED (P<0.05), and the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in L₄/L₅ of the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.01). One month after PTED, the ODI and VAS scores of the two groups were lower than those before PTED (P<0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.05). Six months after PTED, the ODI and VAS scores of the two groups were lower than those before PTED and 1 month after PTED (P<0.01), and those in the observation group were lower than the control group (P<0.01). There was a positive correlation between the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in the total L₃-S₁ segments and VAS scores in the two groups before PTED (r = 0.64, P<0.01). Six months after PTED, there was no correlation between the fat infiltration CSA of LMM in each segment and VAS scores in the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Acupotomy can improve the fat infiltration degree of LMM, pain symptoms and activities of daily living in patients with lumbar disc herniation after PTED.
Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; Activities of Daily Living ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Treatment Outcome ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Retrospective Studies ; Endoscopy ; Diskectomy ; Acupuncture Therapy