Our study investigated the neurotoxicity of quinolinic acid (QA) to spiral ganglion cells (SGCs), observed the protective effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 and magnesium ions on the QA-induced injury to SGCs, and analyzed the role of QA in otitis media with effusion (OME)-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). After culture in vitro for 72 h, SGCs were exposed to different media and divided into 4 groups: the blank control group, the QA injury group, the MK-801 treatment group, and the MgCl(2) protection group. The apoptosis rate of SGCs was analyzed by Annexin V and PI double staining under the fluorescence microscopy 24 h later. SGCs were cultured in vitro for 72 h and divided into four groups: the low concentration QA group, the high concentration QA group, the MK-801 group, the MgCl(2) group. The transient changes of intracellular calcium concentration were observed by the laser scanning confocal microscopy. Apoptosis rate in QA injury group was higher than that in blank control group and MgCl(2) protection group (both P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between MK-801 treatment group and blank control group (P>0.05). In high concentration QA group, there was an obvious increase of the intracellular calcium concentration in SGCs, which didn't present in low concentration QA group. In MgCl(2) group, the peak values of the intracellular calcium concentration in SGCs were reduced and the duration was shortened, but the intracellular calcium concentration in SGCs had no significant change in MK-801 group. It was concluded that QA could injure SGCs by excessively activating NMDA receptors on the cell membrane, which might be the mechanism by which OME induced SNHL, while Mg(2+) could protect the SCGs from the neurotoxicity of QA.

Objective To know the medical effectiveness of health management on pilots with chronic fatigue syndrome during the course of convalesce. Methods Divided 97 pilots with chronic fa-tigue syndrome according to related diagnostic criteria, and then divided them into the experimental group (47 cases) and the control group(50 cases) randomly. Routine nursing cares were used in the control group, while health management was used in the experimental group in addition. Compared the stares of re-lated symptom easing between the two groups by BFI, FS and FAI scales. Results The chronic fatigue syndrome-related symptom were allieviated in both the two groups after the convalesce, while the allievia-tion degree in the experimental group was significantly. Conclusions Health management during the course of convalesce can effective allieviate the symptom of pilots with chronic fatigue syndrome, and then promote their rehabilitation.

Objective To assess the clinical characteristics of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients and patients's attitude towards BPH and BPH therapy. Methods The question-naires were distributed to 3560 BPH patients throughout the country during the period of Prostate Health Educational Programmer (PHELP). The survey was mainly focused on the questions of patient understanding toward BPH, the preference of treatment and international prostate score scale.Results The evaluations based on 2878 completed patient's questionnaires showed that 86. 0% of patients were diagnosed with moderate or severe low urinary tract syndrome. The main reasons for seek treatment was irritative symptoms (64. 1%), obstructive symptoms ( 41. 7%), physical checkup (41.0%), worry about prostate cancer(14. 5%). Most of patients sought treatment from big hospitals. Most of patients (69.1%) had right understanding towards BPH. Nocturia was the most bothersome of lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS) suggestive of BPH. Rapid LUTS improvement was the patient's main objective (87.4%). Conclusions Chinese patients did not recognize the complications of BPH progression. Irritative symptoms are the main reasons for seek treatment. Nocturia is most bothersome syndrome, which deteriorates quality of life mostly.

Ultrasonic microbubbles were used to open blood-brain barriers (BBB) with a reversed and limited behavior feature in the study, which could improve the brain-targeted delivery of anti-tumor drugs. The glioma rat model was prepared. Low-frequency ultrasound was combined with microbubbles to affect the permeability of BBB compared with the permeability of independently administered Evans blue (EB) crossing BBB. Time point and length of ultrasound were investigated whether they affect the permeability of BBB and the damage of brain tissue. The effect of the growth time of glioma on BBB permeability was explored. Only glioma had a very little impact on BBB permeability. However, ultrasonic microbubbles opened the BBB with the features of temporary, limited and reversed behavior and improved EB and magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent penetrating BBB. A length of 30 s ultrasound is appropriate for opening BBB and no damage of brain tissue. Drugs should be injected before ultrasound so that they enter into brain as BBB opening. Ultrasonic microbubbles can open BBB effectively and safely, which improve drugs penetrating BBB under proper time point and length.
Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Contrast Media ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Glioma ; drug therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microbubbles ; Permeability ; Rats ; Ultrasonics

Objective To investigate the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-7(BMP-7)in the tissue of prostate cancer(PCa). Methods The pathological samples of 87 cases of PCa were collected.The average age was 66(59-78)years,preoperative of t-PSA was 45.7(2.4-138.2)ng/ml.Gleason score:37 cases were≤6,18 cases were 7,32 cases were≥8.Stages:stage I(T1aN0M0)+stageⅡ(T1bN0M0,T1cN0M0,T2N0M0)20 cases;StageⅢ(T3N0M0)20;Stage Ⅳ(T4N0 M0,TxN1 M0,TxN0 M1)47 cases.According to bone scan or positron emission computed tomography-CT test results,patients were divided into PCa without bone metastasis,42 cases and PCa with bone metastasis,45 cases.Thirty cases of BPH were set as controls.BMP-7 in the PCa and BPH were detected by PV immunohistochemical study.Statistical analysis was done between two groups to compare the differential expression of BMP-7 and serum t-PSA in PCa, and BPH tissues.Results BMP-7 expression in the absorbance A value in benign prostatic hyperplasia was 70.55±5.41, in prostate cancer tissue 70.47± 6.18, no significant differences between the 2 groups(P>0.05).BMP-7 expression in the absorbance A value in prostate cancer without bone metastasis was 65.94 ± 1.76, but with bone metastasis 74.80±5.76.There was a significant difference (P<0.05).Gleason score≤6 absorbance A value was 65.96 ± 1.56, Gleason 7 absorbance A value 65.83 ± 2.75,≥8 absorbance A value 78.06±1.39.Compared with Gleason score≥8, BMP-7 expression in the absorbance A value were significantly lower than the latter (P<0.05).Clinical stage grouping of BMP-7 expression in the absorbance A value: Stage Ⅰ + Ⅱ 65.86±1.72, Stage Ⅲ 65.87±1.85, Stage 74.49±5.83.There was a significant difference (P<0.05).In PCa tissues, BMP-7 of the absorbance A value and the serum t-PSA values showed a positive correlation (r=0.77,P,<0.05). Conelusions The expression level of BMP-7 has occurred in the high pathological Gleason score, late clinical stage, particularly in bone metastasis cases.The expression level of BMP-7 and serum t-PSA have a positive correlation.

Objective To establish a closed-chest pulmonary embolism-reperfusion animal model by Swan-Ganz catheter and to explore the mechanisms of pulmonary embolism(PE)-reperfusion injury(RI). Methods Experiments were made on 14 mongrel dogs,ranging in weight from 15 to 18 kg,anesthetized with 3% pentobarbital sodium.The dogs were intubated with I.D.7 endotracheal tubes.Under sterile conditions,a 7 F Swan-Ganz catheter via the external jugular vein was positioned in the unilateral pulmonary diaphragmatic lobe(DL)artery.Occlusion/reperfusion of the DL artery was controlled with 1.2 ml diluted contrast agent filled into/drawn from the balloon.After the 24 h PE,the balloon was deflated to result in 4 h reperfusion of the DL.Measurements of blood gases and tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?)were made at normal condition,at 24 h PE and at 4 h reperfusion.Thin-section CT scans were performed at normal condition,24 h PE,30 min,1,2,3 and 4 h reperfusion,respectively.At the end of each experiment, tissue specimens of bilateral diaphragmatic lobes were obtained for both wet/dry(W/D)weight ratio and for pathological study.Results Reperfusion pulmonary edema(RPE)was an acute,mixed,noncardiogenic edema that was observed in all 14 dogs who had been successfully established as PE/RI animal models.RPE demonstrated heterogeneous ground-glass opacifications that predominated in the areas distal to the recanalized vessels.It manifested pathologically as an edematous lung infiltrated by inflammatory cells.The mean ofPaO_2 and TNF-? of 4 h reperfusion was(81?4)mm Hg(l mm Hg=0.133 kPa)and(16.0? 2.5)pg/ml,which were significantly different(P

This study is to investigate the mechanism of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells proliferation induced by alteronol in vitro. Human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells cultured in vitro were treated with different concentrations of alteronol. Inhibition rate was detected by SRB assay. Cellular morphological changes were observed by Hoechst and AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide dye) staining. The apoptosis rate was determined by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. Western blotting analysis was carried out to determine the cell cycle related proteins. The proliferation of HL-60 cells treated with alteronol was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on cell viability assay, observation on cell morphology and apoptosis rate, it confirmed that alteronol played an obvious role in proliferation inhibition of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells, but it did not induce apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells in different concentrations groups. Alteronol could effectively inhibit the proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells inducing cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, as well as, alteration expression of cell cycle proteins level of CyclinD1 and pRb.

Objective:To discuss the clinical feature, diagnosis, and treatment course of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) to guide clinical practice and improve prognosis of patients. Methods:Clinical data of 15 patients with pathologically confirmed pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma between December 1994 and March 2014 in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital were retro-spectively studied. Results:The patients include eight males and seven females with a median age of 44. Tumors in these patients appeared in different parts of the pancreas. Eight patients had tumor in the head, six in the body and tail, and one in the uncinate process. The tumor size ranged from 3 cm to 18 cm, with an average diameter of 6.67 cm. The patients presented less jaundice and the tumor markers remained constant, specifically, no increase was reported. Six patients had metastasis before their operation. Twelve patients received radical resection, while the other three received palliative treatment. The preoperative and intraoperative diagnoses were not exact. The final diagnosis depended on pathologic confirmation after surgery or puncture. The immunohistochemical results of trypsin and chymotrypsin were positive in the patients who were examined. The postoperative chemotherapy was usually based on gemcitabine. The average survival time was 20.6 months. Conclusion:Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma has special clinical features, and clinicians tend to regard it as low-grade malignancy. The attitude towards ACC should be positive.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of protocatechuic acid(PCA)on the PC12 cell model of Alzheimer’s disease(AD)and to explore its mechanism . Methods Amyloid beta peptide 1-42(Aβ1-42)fiber polymers were identified by immunofluorescence. After PC12 cells were stimulated with the Aβ1-42 fiber polymers, the cellular morphology was observed at different time points of hour 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 , and the cellular viability was tested by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)assay to monitor the modeling condition. The effect of PCA on PC12 cells was detected after PC12 cells were pretreated with the different contentions of PCA. Autophagy-related marker Beclin1 protein level was detected by Western blotting method to investigate the protective mechanism of PCA. Results Aggregated white Aβ1-42 mass was stable at hour 12 and 24, and showed no significant difference between the two time points, the cell damage rate being 40%. Therefore, we defined culturing time being 12 and 24 hours as the modeling condition of AD model. The cell viability was increased with 200-800 μmol/L of PCA after culturing for 24 hours(P<0.01) , and the Western blotting results showed that the Beclin1 protein expression was up-regulated by PCA. Conclusion PCA prevents PC12 cells from Aβ1-42-induced toxicity, the mechanism being related with the increase of cellular autophagy.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum amyloid A (SAA) and disease activity (DAS28) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Forty-four patients with RA, 35 patients with systemic lupus erythe-matosus (SLE), 18 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 30 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. The levels of SAA were measured by ELISA. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was measured by the Westergren method. The value of serum C reactive protein (CRP) was examined by immunonephelometry assay. The correlation between SAA and DAS 28, ESR and CRP was assessed, respectively. Results The SAA levels were significantly higher in RA group than those of SLE, OA, and HC groups (P<0.05). The serum ESR and CRP levels were both higher in RA group than those of OA and HC groups (P>0.05), but there was no significant difference between RA group and SLE group. There was positive correlation between SAA and DAS28, ESR, and CRP levels (rs=0.790, P<0.001;rs=0.674, P<0.001;rs=0.679, P=0.004), respective-ly. Conclusion SAA may be a new serological marker to assess disease activity in RA.