Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Treatment Outcome

Neurologic complications are rare but devastating events after scoliosis surgery; a thorough preoperative work-up and effective intraoperative monitoring of the spinal cord may reduce the incidence. This review discusses the incidence, preoperative work-up, intraoperative monitoring, and managing strategies for neurologic complications of scoliosis surgery.

Heart Failure ; therapy ; Humans

Chronic Disease ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Humans

Diagnosis, Differential ; Health ; Health Promotion ; methods ; Health Status ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Meige Syndrome ; therapy ; Middle Aged

Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Phytotherapy ; Ventricular Remodeling

Objective To explore whether physiological doses of testosterone therapy can modulate cardiomyocyte aging via classical androgen receptor (AR) dependent pathways.Methods Male C57BL/6J mice and testicular feminized (Tfm) mice were divided into five experimental groups:the control group (n=8),the castrated group (n=8),the Tfm group (n=7),the testosterone treated castrated group (n=8),and the testosterone-treated Tfm group (n =8).After isolation of cardiomyocytes from the left ventricle,the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using colorimetry,and the expression of the p16INK4a and retinoblastoma (Rb) proteins was detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the control group,the activity of SOD in the castrated group and the Tfm group declined [(16.55±1.18) U/ml,(17.30±1.32) U/ml vs.(21.57±2.21)U/ml,P＜0.05)],the amount of MDA increased [(7.78±1.27)μmol/L,(6.52±0.82)μmol/L vs.(3.48±0.70)μmol/L],P＜0.01,and the expression of both the p16INK4aand Rb proteins increased [(0.37±0.08),(0.45±0.06) vs.(0.14±0.02),forp16INK4a,P＜0.05; (0.74±0.05),(0.79±0.08) vs.(0.40±0.05),for Rb,P＜0.05].Compared with the castrated group,the activity of SOD in the testosterone treated castrated group increased [(23.00±0.58)U/ml vs.(16.55±1.18) U/ml,P＜0.01],the amount of MDA decreased [(2.63±0.90) μmol/L vs.(7.78±1.27) μmol/L,P＜0.01],and the p16INK4a and Rb proteins were both downregulated (0.13 ± 0.03 vs.0.37± 0.08),for p16INK4a,P＜0.05; (0.45 ±0.05) vs.(0.79±0.08),for Rb P＜0.05.Compared with the Tfm group,the activity of SOD in testosterone-treated Tfm group increased,the amount of MDA decreased,and the p16IN4a and Rb proteins were both downregulated (P＜ 0.05).No significant differences in these markers were detected between the testosterone-treated castrated group and the testosterone-treated Tfm group.Conclusions Physiological doses of testosterone can retard cardiomyocyte aging via androgen receptor independent pathways.

Objective To introduce the current studies of the role of vascular endothelial growth factor-C(VEGF-C) and VEGF-D in lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis of gastrointestinal neoplasma.Methods The related literatures in recent 5 years were reviewed.Results The growth factors VEGF-C and VEGF-D enhance lymphangiogenic metastasis of gastrointestinal neoplasma with the property of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis.In gastric adenocarcinoma,VEGF-C mRNA and tissue protein expression correlate with lymphatic invasion,lymph node metastasis,venous invasion and reduced 5-year survival rates.The role of VEGF-C in esophageal squamous cancer and colorectal cancer and VEGF-D in colorectal cancer is not certain,with conflicting reports in the published literatures.Conclusion The VEGF-C,VEGF-D/VEGFR-3 signal pathway may become the ideal target for inhibition of tumor proliferation and metastases,antilymphangiogenesis therapy may be a novel potential strategy in tumor biological therapy.