Objective To study the prospective memory and the severity of the impairment of event- based prospective memory(EBPM)and time-based prospective memory(TBPM)in normally aging adults. Methods We set a neuropsychological battery to measure the education-matched 40 adults and 40 normally aging adults who were given EBPM and TBPM tasks.Results Compared with the young controls(EBPM, 6.25?1.60;TBPM,5.38?0.87),both EBPM(2.50?0.85)and TBPM(4.93?1.07)in the elderly had been impaired,especially EBPM(t = 13.117,P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of paraquat (PQ) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neutrophil apoptosis and its possible signal transduction pathways.

METHODSCultured neutrophils were treated with different concentrations of PQ for 6-24 h. The apoptosis rate of neutrophils and ROS content were determined by flow cytometry. The exoressions of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and Caspase 3 were detected by Western blot. These parameters were checked again after NF-κB and Caspase 3 antagonist were applied.

RESULTSPQ could boost ROS generation and depress neutrophil apoptosis significantly. At the same time PQ could enhance the expression of NF-κB and inhibit the expression of Caspase 3. These effects could be reversed by ROS inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC).

CONCLUSIONPQ is a potent inducer of ROS and can inhibit neutrophil apoptosis by activating NF-κB and surpressing Caspase 3 activity.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Neutrophils ; cytology ; drug effects ; Paraquat ; toxicity ; Pyrrolidines ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Thiocarbamates ; pharmacology

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Immunohistochemistry ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; Mesenchymoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Uterine Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

AIM:To investigate the effect of insulin on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation and to evaluate the intracellular signaling pathways involved.METHODS:VSMCs separated from Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The proliferation of VSMCs induced by insulin was assayed by [3H]-thymidin incorporation. The protein expression and activity of p-ERK1/2 were determined by immunblot and [?-32P]ATP incorporation.RESULTS:Insulin induced cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The proliferative effect of insulin on VSMCs was inhibited partly by LY294002 (48.8%),an inhibitor of PI-3 kinase,and the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (43.6%),respectively. Moreover,phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and activity of ERK1/2 induced by insulin were also inhibited partly by LY294002.CONCLUSION:PI-3 kinase and ERK1/2 are involved in insulin induced VSMCs proliferation.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect and impact of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and 120-W thulium: YAG vapoenucleation of the prostate (ThuVEP) on erectile function in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 93 cases of symptomatic BPH treated by HoLEP or 120 W ThuVEP. We made comparisons between the two groups of patients in the baseline and postoperative clinical and surgical indexes as well as their IPSS, quality of life (QOL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), and IIEF-EF scores before surgery and during the 12-month follow-up.

RESULTSThuVEP, in comparison with HoLEP, achieved a significantly shorter operation time ([57.6 +/- 12. 8] vs. [70.4 +/- 21.8] min, P = 0.001) and a higher laser efficiency ([0.71 +/- 0.18] vs. [0.62 +/- 0.19] g/min, P = 0. 021). At 1, 6, or 12 months of follow-up, no significant differences were observed in IPSS, OOL, Omax, and PVR between the two groups (P > 0.05). Both the HoLEP and ThuVEP groups showed low incidences of complications and remarkably improved IIEF-EF scores at 12 months postoperatively, but with no significant differences (both P > 0.05). However, in those with relatively normal erectile functions before operation, the mean IIEF-EF score was reduced from 22.8 +/- 2.2 preoperatively to 21.0 +/- 2.7 after HoLEP, (P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONBoth HoLEP and 120W ThuVEP are effective and safe in the treatment of BPH. Compared with HoLEP, 120 W ThuVEP has even a higher laser efficiency. However, neither can significantly improve erectile function, and HoLEP may have a short-term negative impact on the relatively normal erectile function of the patient.

Aged ; Holmium ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Erection ; Prostatectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Thulium ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Urine

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Aged ; Ciliary Body ; pathology ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Uveal Neoplasms ; pathology

Abdominal Neoplasms ; secondary ; surgery ; Abdominal Wall ; Antiporters ; metabolism ; Choriocarcinoma ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Uterine Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective To study the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS) and anterior circulation infarction (ACI). Methods 271 ACI patients (166 men and 105 women) who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of China Guideline for Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment were enrolled. 147 control subjects (67 men and 80 women) without the clinical signs of cerebral infarction but with detailed case history, physical examination and CT or MRI were also selected. The prevalence and risk of MS were observed in the ACI and control group. MS was defined with the modified criteria in Chinese. Results The prevalence of MS in the ACI group and control subjects was respectively 43.17% and 19.05%. The prevalence of MS was significantly higher in the ACI group as compared with the control subjects (P<0.01). The component level of MS were significandy different between the two groups (P< 0.05). MS was associated with a 3.7 fold higher risk of ACI (P<0.01). Conclusions There is a close relationship between MS and ACI. MS is an important risk factor of ACI.

The biological activity of ADCC by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody was determined by BioGlo™ Luciferase Assay System using Jurkat/NFAT-luc+FcγRIIIa cell line as effector cell and WIL2-S cell line as target cell. The developed method was verified for specificity, precision and accuracy. Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody showed a dose-response mode by the developed method, and the determination result complied with the following four-parameter equation: y = (A-D)/[1 + (X/C)(B)] + D. The optimized parameters of the method were determined including the antibodies diluted concentration (18,000 ng·mL(-1)), dilution rate (1:5), the ratio of effector cell and target cell (6:1), and induction time (6 h). The values of eight independent tests have passed a statistical test for curve regression analysis, linear or parallelism, which showed the method possessed good specificity. Four different dilute groups of recovery rates sample were determined for 3 times, and the result showed mean relative potencies of (44.39±3.93)%, (72.74±2.78)%, (128.28±7.01)% and (168.19±2.70)% respectively, with a variation coefficient of less than 10%, and the recoveries of (88.78±7.85)%, (96.99±3.70)%, (102.63±5.61)% and (112.12±1.80)% respectively. A novel reporter gene method for determination of biological activity of ADCC by anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody was successfully developed, which showed strong specificity, good reproducibility and high accuracy, and might be used routinely.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; pharmacology ; Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity ; Antigens, CD20 ; immunology ; Genes, Reporter ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rituximab

MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA consisted of 19-24 nucleotides, are able to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The aberrant expressions of miRNA have been found in various cancers and contribute to carcinogenesis by promoting the expression of proto-oncogenes or by inhibiting the expression of tumor suppressor genes. miRNA are related closely with the oncogenesis, progression, and prognosis of tumors. The discovery of the aberrant expression of miRNA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and its target genes are helpful for the understanding of the pathogenesis of PDA and for the early diagnosis and prediction of this disease. In this paper, we summarize the recent research advances in miRNA expression in PDA and its target genes and discuss the potential role of miRNA in the diagnosis, and treatment of PDA.
Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal ; genetics ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; genetics