OBJECTIVETo determine the effects of Jiji decoction (Traditional Chinese Medicine) on the cognitive function and oxidative stress in mice with vascular dementia (VD) induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

METHODSThirty-two mice were randomly divided into nonnal group (n = 8), sham group (operation, but no cerebral ischemia/reperfusi6n, n = 8), model group (vascular dementia model induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, n = 8), and Jiji decoction-treated group (vascular dementia model plus treatment with Jiji decoction, n = 8). Fourteen days of treatment after operation, the cognitive behavior was measured in step-through test, spatial probe test and platform test. Afterwards, to assess the levels of oxidative stress, the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in brain of these mice were measured.

RESULTSData from step-through test indicated that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged and the error counts were decreased significantly ( P <0.01) compared with those of model group. Data from spatial probe test indicated that the time of entering darkroom, the time of climbing height and the time of entering bright room in Jiji decoction-treated group were shortened and the counts of climbing height were increased (P < 0.05-0.01) significantly compared with those of model group. Data from platform test showed that the escaping latency of Jiji decoction-treated group was prolonged significantly (P < 0.01) compared with that of model group. Compared with normal and sham group, the activity of SOD was decreased and the content of MDA was increased in model group significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with those of model group, the levels of SOD and MDA in Jiji decoction-treated group were improved significantly (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJiji decoction could improve cognitive function of VD mice. Its mechanism might be related with the inhibition of oxidative stiess in the brain.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cerebral Infarction ; physiopathology ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Dementia, Vascular ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Macrophages( Mφ)play an important role in the regulation of immune reaction. Different kinds of cellular microenvironment influence the phenotypes and function of Mφ and induce different immunological effect. Researches showed that there was a strong correlation between the dysfunction of Mφ and development of ulcerative colitis( UC ). Targeted regulation on immunological activity of Mφ may improve the clinical manifestations and pathological changes in UC. Regulation of the activity and migration of Mφ through changing microenvironment might be one of the potential mechanisms of moxibustion in treating UC. Progress in research on immunological effect of Mφ in UC was summarized in this review article.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of EGFR,ALK and ROS1 mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in South of China and its relationship with clinical features.Methods The tumor tissues and corresponding clinical data of 76 NSCLC patients in South of China from November 2016 to June 2017 were collected.The mutations of EGFR,ALK and ROS1 were detected by ARMS assay with Joint detection kit.Meanwhile,the correlation between gene mutation rate and clinical features was analyzed.Results The mutation rate of EGFR was 67.3％ (42/76) in 76 patients with NSCLC in South of China,19 del and L858R mutations were the main mutation types.There was a co-mutation including 19 del and L858R.The positive rate of ALK gene fusion was 17.1％ (13/76),and 4 cases of ALK gene fusion combined with EGFR mutation were detected.The positive rate of ROS1 gene fusion was 1.3％ (1/76),and there was no co-mutation with other genes.Compared with ROS1,EGFR and ALK mutation rate was higher,the difference was statistically significant (x2 =54.515,P =0.000;x2 =11.329,P =0.001).The mutation rate of EGFR in non-smoking NSCLC patients was significantly higher than that in smokers (x2 =4.578,P=0.032),while the mutation rate of ALK and ROS1 was not statistically significant (x2=0.000,P＞0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in EGFR,ALK and ROS1 gene mutation rates among NSCLC patients of different age,sex and histology (x2 =0.000 ～ 2.219,P＞ 0.05).Conclusion EGFR,ALK and ROS1 gene mutations can be seen in patients with NSCLC in South China,in which EGFR and ALK gene mutation rate is higher.

OBJECTIVETo improve the paramedian forehead flap for nasal reconstruction.

METHODSBased on the findings of the Cutaneous branch of supratrochlear artery, the forehead musculo-cutaneous flap was divided into the musculo-flap and the skin-flap in 3 patients. The musculo-flap were used to reconstruct the septi-bone structure, and envelop silicon nasal-frame, while the skin-flap were used to reconstruct the nose. In 6 patients, the forehead flap was used as a skin-flap just with the muscle pedicle to reconstruct a nose with good appearance of nasal subunits, without the secondary operation.

RESULTSIn all of 9 cases, the cutaneous-branch of supratrochlear artery was found 1.7-2.0 cm above the orbital-rim. Eight patients got good results, only 1 patient had to do the secondary operation to coverage the exposed nasal frame.

CONCLUSIONSThe cutaneous-branch of supratrochlear artery could be an anatomical finding to form the forehead skin-flap and it is a good choice to be used to reconstruct a nose, even in complicated cases.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Forehead ; Humans ; Male ; Muscles ; transplantation ; Nose ; surgery ; Patient Satisfaction ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; standards ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Bordetella pertussis infection in children with chronic cough and its clinical features. METHODS: A total of 106 children who were treated at the outpatient service or hospitalized from January 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 were enrolled. Their nasopharyngeal swabs and venous blood samples were collected for Bordetella pertussis culture, multiple PCR and serum anti-pertussis toxin antibody detection. According to these results, the children were divided into pertussis group with 26 children and control group with 80 children, and clinical features were analyzed for both groups. E-test stripes were used to determine the sensitivity of Bordetella pertussis strains to erythromycin, azithromycin, doxycycline, levofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and amoxicillin. RESULTS: Of the 106 children with chronic cough, 26 (24.5%) were found to have Bordetella pertussis infection. There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of typical symptoms of pertussis between the pertussis and control groups (P>0.05). E-test showed that erythromycin and azithromycin had a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of >256 mg/L against five Bordetella pertussis strains, while amoxicillin had an MIC of 0.5-1 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Bordetella pertussis infection in children with chronic cough should be taken seriously by clinicians, and children with chronic cough and Bordetella pertussis infection may not have the typical symptoms of pertussis and are mainly manifested as chronic cough. Amoxicillin may be an alternative drug for macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis infection.
Azithromycin ; Bordetella pertussis ; Child ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Whooping Cough ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the outcome of weight loss by laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on obesity patients and the improvement of comorbidity.

METHODSFrom June 2003 to June 2009, the data 172 obesity patients(119 women, 53 men, mean age 28.5 years, mean body mass index 38.5 kg/m(2)) were analyzed. Comorbidities included 28 cases with diabetes, 36 with hypertension, 85 with dyslipidemia, 56 with sleep apnea and 138 with fatty liver.

RESULTSMean body mass index(BMI) at 1,3,6,12, 24, 36 and 48 months was 37.2 kg/m(2),35.9 kg/m(2), 34.5 kg/m(2), 32.9 kg/m(2), 30.7 kg/m(2), 29.2 kg/m(2) and 28.1 kg/m(2), respectively. The percentage of excess weight loss(% EWL) at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months was 10.1%, 16.2%, 25.1%, 37.4%, 51.3%, 59.0% and 62.1%, respectively. At 24, 36 and 48 months, respectively, 50.7%, 63.6% and 70.0% of patients had more than 50% excess weight loss. Complications included 6 cases of port infection, 3 of other port problem, 7 of gastric pouch dilatations, 4 of slippage and 1 of chronic intestinal obstruction. Bands of 5 patients were explanted. No death occurred. Blood glucose of 60.7% patients with diabetes was controlled well without any drug. The blood pressure of 22 hypertensive patients became normal. The blood fat of 49 hyperlipidemia cases returned to normal. The symptom of 29 patients with sleep apnea disappeared. All the patients with fatty liver were improved in different degree.

CONCLUSIONGastric banding provides good weight loss and significant reduction in comorbidities with few and minor complications.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastroplasty ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; surgery ; Stomach ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDArterial stiffness increases with age and is also associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Little is known about the relations of homocysteine and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) to arterial stiffness in the Chinese community. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of plasma homocysteine and hs-CRP levels with arterial stiffness in a community-based cohort.

METHODSWe related levels of homocysteine and hs-CRP to four measures of arterial stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid-radial PWV, carotid-ankle PWV and heart rate corrected augmentation index) in 1680 participants from two communities of Beijing, China. Arterial stiffness was measured within two days of the time of biomarker measurement.

RESULTSIn univariate analysis, homocysteine was positively associated with the carotid-femoral PWV (r = 0.211, P < 0.0001), carotid-radial PWV (r = 0.120, P < 0.0001) and carotid-ankle PWV (r = 0.148, P < 0.0001), whereas it was inversely related to the augmentation index (r = -0.052, P = 0.016). Hs-CRP was positively associated with the carotid-femoral PWV (r = 0.074, P = 0.001) and carotid-ankle PWV (r = 0.050, P = 0.02). In multiple-adjusted models (R(2) = 0.57), homocysteine levels remained a significant determinant of the carotid-femoral PWV (standardized β = 0.065, P = 0.007), whereas the association of hs-CRP with measurements of arterial stiffness was not present.

CONCLUSIONSIn the Chinese population, plasma homocysteine levels are associated with alterations of aortic stiffness, whereas plasma levels of hs-CRP are not independently related to artery stiffening.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vascular Stiffness ; physiology

Objective To establish the PCR amplification and sequencing system of Hsa-miR-17 gene promoter region.Methods To establish the PCR amplification and sequencing system of Hsa-miR-17 gene promoter region and evaluate its performance by analyzing the sequence characteristics,designing PCR and sequencing primers,extracting sample genome DNA from different human cell lines and using optimization strategy of adding DMSO to the final concentration of 5 ％ and making use of 5' tailed PCR primers;Then the established system was further verified in 10 other cell line samples.Results The PCR amplification and sequencing system of hsa-miR-17 gene promoter region,which had good repeatability,good specificity and its detection limit was 10 ng/μl,was established successfully under the condition of using 5' tailed PCR primers and 5 ％ DMSO and that was confirmed by electrophoresis analysis and Sanger sequencing.And fragment of Has-miR-17 gene promoter region in 10 human cell lines were successfully achieved and verified by this system.Conclusion The PCR system of Hsa-miR-17 gene promoter region was established successfully.

To explore the effect of ligustrazine on the expression of adherent molecule VCAM-1/VLA-4 of bone marrow cells in syngenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) mice, the mice were divided into 3 groups: normal group (which received no treatment), BMT control group and ligustrazine-treated groups. BMT mouse models were established. The BMT control group and the ligustrazine-treated group were orally administered 0.2 ml saline per mouse and 2 mg ligustrazine per mouse, respectively, twice a day. On the day 7, 14, 21, 28 after BMT, mice were respectively killed. Bone marrow nucleated cells were detected, and then the expression of VCAM-1/VLA-4 was assayed by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The results showed that in ligustrazine-treated group, the accounts of bone marrow nucleated cells on the day 7, 14, 21, 28 after BMT were all higher than that in BMT control group. The expression level in the ligustrazine-treated group was significantly higher than that in the BMT control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). It is concluded that ligustrazine can enhance VCAM-1/VLA-4 expression in bone marrow after syngenic bone marrow transplantation in mice, which may be related to the mechanisms underlying the ligustrazine accelerating hematopoietic reconstitution in allogenic bone marrow transplantation.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Integrin alpha4beta1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation, Isogeneic ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitory effect of the small interfering RNA targeting mdm2 gene on the growth of osteosarcoma cells.

METHODSPGCsilencerTM-mdm2 siRNA was constructed and transfected into the osteosarcoma cell line U2OS cells. The inhibitory effects on mdm2 were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The cell growth activity was determined by MTT assay, and the cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The therapeutic effects of simdm2 was assessed on the nude mouse model of transplanted tumor.

RESULTSThe simdm2 plasmid was successfully constructed. After simdm2 being transfected into the U2OS cells, the expressions of mdm2 gene and protein were significantly inhibited. The ability of cell growth activity decreased greatly and cell apoptosis occurred apparently. There was no significant difference between the negative control group and non-transfected group. The growth of xenograft tumor in simdm2 transfected nude mice was inhibited and the expressions of mdm2 gene and protein were down-regulated remarkably.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA targeting mdm2 gene inhibits the mdm2 expression in osteosarcoma U2OS cells and the growth of osteosarcoma in nude mice.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Plasmids ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection ; Tumor Burden