Objective To investigate the role of peripheral N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the long-term hyperalgesia induced by peripheral injection of formalin in rats. Methods Formalin was injected in the paws of the SD rats with or without the MK-801 pre-injection. OX-42 expressions in the dorsal horn were observed, and the paw withdrawal thermal latency was measured. Results The OX-42 expression decreased and the paw withdrawal thermal latency prolonged in rats with MK-801 pre-injection. Conclusion Peripheral NMDA receptors may be involved in the long-term hyperalgesia.

Pain is classically viewed as being mediated solely by neurons. This view is dramatically changing by new research that spinal cord glial cells amplify pain. Recognition that glial activation is a powerful driving force for exaggerated pain opens up new ways to approach effective clinical pain control. The authors reviewed spinal cord glial cells and cytokines as key players in the creation and maintenance of neuropathic pain.

Objective To evaluate the expression level of cathepsin D protein in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to determine its relationship with clinic pathological characters. Method Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of cathepsin D in 72 cases of primary NPC and 28 cases of normal nasopharyngal epithelial tissue ( NNET), and the correlation of its expression level with clinicopathologic features and clinical outcomes was evaluated. Results Significant down-regulation of cathepsin D was observed in NPC versus NNET(x2 = 13. 55, P ＜0. 01 ). In addition, cathepsin D down-regulation was significantly correlated with poor histological differentiation ( x2 =41.47, P ＜0. 01 ). Type Ⅰ and Ⅱ (well-moderately differentiated) NPC showed more intense immunoreactivity of cathepsin D compared with type Ⅲ (poorly differentiated) NPC. Cathepsin D up-regulation was significantly correlated with clinical stage, recurrence, and lymph node and distant metastasis (x2 = 13.43,22. 86,21.61,14. 32, P ＜0. 01 ).Tumors with cathepsin D up-regulation tended to have advanced clinical stage, frequent recurrences, and metastasis to lymph node and distant organ. Conclusion The expression of cathepsin D was closely related with the differentiation, clinical stage and pathological grade of NPC. Cathepsin D could be served as an effective differentiation marker for the histopathological grading of NPC and a possible therapy target.

Kennedy disease,a motor neuron disease,is an adult onset form of spinal and bulbar amyotrophy characterized by the damage of low motor neuron and uncompleted androgen insensitivity syndrome.So far,there is no effective treatment.This article is intended to provide neurologist with information about Kennedy disease in epidemiology,etiology,pathogenesis,clinical feature,treatment and so on.

[Objective] To investigate the role of exenatide on angiogenesis in endometrial cancer Ishikawa xenografts in nude mice.[Method] We used the subcutaneous human endometrial cancer cell Ishikawa xenografts in nude mice model,and divided them into control group and exenatide-treated group.The harvested tumors were preserved for immunohistochemistry staining and western blot analysis.[Results] The micro-vessel density (CD31 positive) in exenatide-treated group was (13.2 ± 1.4)/400 power field,less than that in control group [(25.9 ± 5.8)/400 power field] (P ＜ 0.01).The expression level of VEGF was significantly lower in exenatide-treated group than that in control group (P ＜ 0.05).The mean density of tumor associated macrophages (F4/80 positive) is (31.4 ± 3.4)％ in exenatide-treated group and (72.1 ± 4.2)％ in control group with significant difference (P ＜ 0.01).[Conclusion] Exenatide weaks tumor angiogenesis within endometrial cancer Ishikawa xenografts in nude mice.

AIM To research the therapeutic effects of Hanbi Formula (Astragali Radix,Aconiti Radix cocta,Scorpio,Scolopendrap and Pheretima) on adjuvant-induced arthritis rats (RA) and its mechanism of action.METHODS RA rat models were established by using Freund's adjuvant,and then the rats were divided into six groups,namely control group,model group,dexamethasone positive group,Baoguang Fengshi Liquid (Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix,Radix angelicae pubescentis,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,etc.) positive group,and low,high doses of Hanbi Formula groups.The volume and swelling of toes were measured.The interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of serum were detected by ELISA;the proliferative capacity of lymphocytes was tested by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTI) method;synovial tissue was histopathologically examined with HE staining.Finally,the expressions of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and TNF-α in synovial tissue were determined by immunohistochemical assays.RESULTS Hanbi Formula could significantly relieve toe swelling of RA rats.Compared with the model group,Hanbi Formula could significantly alleviate synovitis in rats with RA,down-regulate the expressins of IL-1 β and TNF-α in serum and synovial tissue,and inhibit lymphocyte proliferation.There were no significant differences in above indices between low-dose and high-dose Hanbi Formula groups,which was quite with Baoguang Fengshi Liquid,but less than dexamethasone.CONCLUSION Hanbi Formula possesses an obvious function of anti-RA,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation and reducing secretion of inflammatory cytokines.

BACKGROUND:Duchenne muscular dystrophy is recognized as a fatal X-linked recessive inheritance. It is caused by the dystrophin gene mutation, resulting in the deficiency of dystrophin and consequent degeneration and necrosis of muscle fibers gradual y. Becker muscular dystrophy is also caused by the mutation of the same gene, but presented with less severe clinical symptoms compared with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Frameshift mutation destroys the reading frames, and thus the translation cannot proceed smoothly to transcript functional proteins. In-frame mutation cannot destroy the reading frames and hence the translation can proceed smoothly. But in-frame mutation involves the whole hydrophobic regions. The three-dimensional structure of these regions and their functionality are not interpreted clearly. The effects of these regions on disease development need to be clarified in detail from the point of structure and function.
OBJECTIVE:By analyzing Kate and Dolittle scale mean hydrophobicity profile, to investigate the dystrophin hydrophobic regions using Swiss-model so as to provide the supplement explanation on the reading frame rule.
METHODS:Form 2002 to 2013, 1 038 cases diagnosed as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or Becker muscular dystrophy were col ected in the First Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in China and Leiden DMD information database was searched with deletion of codon mutation information available. The correlation between clinical types and genotypes was analyzed upon resources col ected above. The mean hydrophobicity profile of dystrophin was analyzed by Bioedit as wel as the reconstruction of hydrophobic domains using Swiss-model. Thus, the important functional domain of dystrophin was confirmed by analysis and the correlation between clinical types and genotypes.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Four hydrophobic regions were confirmed:Calponin homology domain CH2 on actin-binding domain, repeat 16 domain, Hinge Ⅲ domain and EF Hand domain. Duchenne muscular dystrophy was developed as a result of the destruction of the 1st, 2nd and 4th hydrophobic regions which were the conjunction of dystrophin and associated protein in dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. When the 3rd hydrophobic was deleted, the repeat domain located on central rob domain remained its continuity so that the clinical symptoms were less severe. These findings indicate that the dystrophin hydrophobic regions act as an important role on the pathogenesis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate part mechanisms of Th cell differentiation, and to observe the interference effect of Qingxin-II Recipe in the chronic stage of viral myocarditis (VMC), so as to provide some experimental evidences for illuminating the pathogenesis of VMC and treatment mechanisms of Qingxin-II Recipe. METHODS: According to 20%-40% death rate of experiment in advance, 100 BALB/c male mice (4 weeks old and weighing 12-15 g) were used. Twenty mice were randomly assigned to normal control group, and the other 80 mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.1 ml normal saline containing coxsackie virus B3 at the 1st, 4th and 28th day (the virus densities were 1:2000, 1:1000 and 1:500 respectively) to induce chronic VMC. At the 42nd day, the surviving mice were randomly divided into untreated group and treatment group, with 20 mice in each group. Mice in the treatment group were orally administered with 0.2 ml Qingxin-II Recipe every day, while mice in the normal control group and the untreated group were administered with 0.2 ml normal saline. All the mice were sacrificed after 45 days, and the sera, heart and spleen cells were collected. Then the myocardial pathological changes were observed by using a light microscope, and the levels of IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-gamma in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the Th cell differentiation was observed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: No obvious myocardial pathological changes were observed in mice of the normal control group. Myocardial pathological changes in the treatment group were slighter than those in the untreated group. The difference of serum IL-10 level between the normal control group and the untreated group showed no significance (P>0.05), and the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4 of the untreated group were higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in IL-10 level between the treatment group and the untreated group (P>0.05), while the serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-gamma of the treatment group were lower than those of the untreated group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no significant difference of the Th1 cell responder between the treatment group and the untreated group (P>0.05), while the Th2 cell responder was inhibited significantly in the treatment group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Qingxin-II Recipe can restore the balance of Thl and Th2 cells through inhibiting the reaction of Th2.

Objective To label rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with superparamagnetic iron oxide in vitro, and to monitor the survivorship and location of the labeled BMSCs in rat models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with high field MR. Methods BMSCs were cultivated in vitro, and were labeled with SPIO. TBI models were built in the left hemisphere of the rats with Feeney's method. Then SPIO-labeled BMSCs were grafted stereotactically into the region nearby the contusion site 24 h later. The rats underwent MR examination 1 day, 3 days, 1 week and 3 weeks after implantation. Results Brown iron particles could be demonstrated in the SPIO-labeled BMSCs under inverted phase contrast microscope. Numerous intracytoplastic iron particles were stained with Prussian blue, and diffused distribution of iron particles could be seen in the intracytoplasm under electron microscope. At implanted sites low signal intensity could be observed on every sequence of MR examination, among which T2~*WI and SWI were better than other sequences, and SWI was the best. Conclusion MR is sensitive of tracking the survivorship and location of the labeled BMSCs, and SWI is the most sensitive sequence to detect the labeled cells.

Objective:To analyze the influential factors of medical staff's cognition on medical ethics review in Wuhan municipal medical institutions,and thus to provide suggestions for strengthening the ethical construction.Methods:Aquestionnaire survey was conducted among medical staff.Chi-square test and Logistic regression method were performed to analyze the influential factors of medical staff's cognition on medical ethics review.Results:The results showed that medical staff's cognition on medical ethics review was affected by the technical tide,education background,whether had received ethical education,the cognition on ethics committees and whether the medical institution had established ethics committee.With higher technical titles,they thought more necessity to establish ethics committees and conduct ethical review of the clinical applications of new technology and new business.Those with higher technical titles and had read the ethical propaganda materials thought it more necessary to conduct ethical review of the clinical application of new technology and new business and the ethical review of biomedical research involved human beings.Conclusions:The medical institution should embody the establishment and standardization of ethical committees into the hospital assessment management system,as a necessary condition for the application of research projects and achievement awards.Also,it should conduct medical ethics training for all medical staff.Only those passed the examination can enter into the research and clinical operation with certificates,which can protect the medical ethics education into practice.It should strengthen the medical staff's cognition on ethical review,constantly innovate the operation rules and management system based on following the basic ethical review principles,and constantly improve the medical ethical review mechanism.