Objective To investigate the chemopreventive potential of salvianolic acid B against 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene(DMBA)-induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis with respect to angiogenesis. Methods(Sixty) male Syrian golden hamsters were randomly divided into 4 groups(group A and B,n=20;group C and D,(n=10).) DMBA solution(0.5% in acetone) was applied topically to the right cheek pouch of male Syrian golden hamsters in group A and B,while animals in group C were painted with acetone,3 times a week for 6 weeks.Animals in group D received neither DMBA nor acetone in the first 6 weeks.Two days after the last treatment of(DMBA,) animals in group B and D received salvianolic acid B daily(10 mg/kg) by gavage,while animals in group A and C received same volume of saline,for the next 12 weeks.At the end of the experiment,animals were sacrificed and tissue samples were collected for histopathological and immunohistochemical examination. Results Salvianolic acid B significantly decreased the incidence of squamous carcinoma(P

OBJECTIVETo introduce a new procedure of laparoscopic adrenal surgery.

METHODSThirty patients with adrenal disease underwent surgery by a 70 degrees lateral decubital trans-abdominal laparoscopic approach, which wa compared with 30 degrees decubital laparoscopic operation in 26 patients.

RESULTSThe procedure is superior to open laparotomy. There was significant difference in average operative time (77.2 min vs. 215.7 min), blood lost volume (27.0 ml vs. 94.5 ml), and postoperative complications (13.3% vs. 46.0%). Postoperative feeding time and hospitalization time were shortened markedly.

CONCLUSIONSThis modified technique is safe, straightforward, with a good anatomic view during operation. It could be widely adopted for the treatment of benign adrenal disease, especially pheochromocytoma.

Adrenal Gland Diseases ; surgery ; Adrenalectomy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Posture ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical outcomes of semicircular decompression in treating old thoracolumbar fractures and intractable neuropathic pain.

METHODSFrom September 2009 to September 2013, 21 patients with old thoracolumbar fracture and intractable neuropathic pain were treated with semicircular decompression. Among initial surgery, posterior pedicle screw fixation was used in these patients, with or without laminectomy. All patients were male, range in age from 20 to 28 years old with an average of (25.00±2.38) years. Vertebral body residual bone block resulted in intra-spinal placeholder more than 50%. All patients were complete spinal cord injury (ASIA grade) or cauda equina injury. VAS scores was from 6 to 10 points with the mean of 7.14±0.91. In these patients, MRI, CT, X-rays were performed; denomination and dosage of analgesics were recorded; nerve function and pain status were respectively evaluated by ASIA grade and VAS score before and after operation.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 8 to 32 months with an average of (17.29±6.02) months. All bone fragments of spinal canal were removed and spinal cord decompressions were achieved. At final follow-up, VAS scores were from 0 to 8 points with an average of (2.43±2.46) points, and were obviously reduced than peroperative data (P<0.05). Eleven cases of them stopped analgesic intake and 7 cases reduced using. Three patients' symptoms and VAS scores were not improved.

CONCLUSIONOld thoracolumbar fractures and intractable neuropathic pain need receive imaging examination as soon as possible and consider semicircular decompression therapy if bone fragments were in vertebral canal and spinal canal stenosis existed. This therapy can effectively relieve pain and profit nerve functional recovery.

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Neuralgia ; etiology ; surgery ; Pain, Intractable ; etiology ; surgery ; Spinal Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Visual Analog Scale ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Rongshi granule on osteopontin(OPN) expression.

METHODThe urlisthiasis rats were induced by ethylene glycol (EG) and ammonium chloride, the control group rats were non-treated, and the Rongshi granule groups (low-dose group, middle-dose group and high-dose group) were administered Rongshi granule in addition to EG and ammonium chloride in 21 days. Pooled 24 h urine samples from each group were collected weekly with the use of metabolic cages, the concentration of uric calcium and oxalic acid were respectively measured by EDTA and photoelectric colorimetric method. Eight animals from each group were killed at 0, 7, 14, and 21 days, kidneys were histologic examinaed and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTThe expression of kidney osteopontin in model group was obviously higher than that of control group (P <0.01), and was up to the highest at 21 days with 1.4 times (0.281 3/0.201 8) of the control group. The expression of kidney osteopontin in all of the Rongshi granule groups were lower than those of model group (P < 0.05), with an obvious dose-dependent manner. The degree of the kidney calcium oxalate crystal of the rats in all the Rongshi granule groups was much lower than that of model group, and the uric calcium and oxalic acid were much lower than those of model group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Rongshi granule could inhibit the expression of osteopontin in rat urolithiasis model.

Ammonium Chloride ; Animals ; Calcium ; urine ; Calcium Oxalate ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Ethylene Glycol ; Female ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Calculi ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Osteopontin ; metabolism ; Oxalic Acid ; urine ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adolescent ; Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of conservative treatment with teriparatide for promoting bone fracture healing in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture.

METHODSTwelve postmenopausal patients (aged 73±4.8 years) with osteoporotic spinal fracture confirmed by MRI or CT scanning received conservative treatment with teriparatidesc injection supplemented with calcium and analgesics for 6 months. At the beginning and at the end of the therapy, VAS score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), bone mass densitometry, and X-ray of the thoracic and lumbar spine, and serum P1NP and beta-CTX levels were measured. Six of the patients received a second MRI scan after the therapy to evaluate the bone healing.

RESULTSAll the 12 patients completed the treatment, during which no new fractures or adverse events occurred. At the end of the first month of treatment, analgesic was withdrawn for all the patients. The average VAS score decreased from 8±2 to 1±2 at 1 month during the therapy, and ODI was reduced from (76±12)% to (20±5)% at 1 month and further to (5±4)% at 6 month. After the 6-month therapy, the height of the fractured vertebrae (presented as the anterior to posterior wall height ratio) was insignificantly decreased from (75±20)% to (61±20)%, the BMD was increased by (20±5)%, P1NP increased significantly from 20.9±11.4 ng/mL to 80.0±41.2 ng/mL, and beta-CTX increased from 0.30±0.17 ng/mL to 0.51±0.3 ng/mL. The 6 patients re-examined with MRI demonstrated complete bone healing after the therapy.

CONCLUSIONTeriparatide is effective for conservative treatment of osteoporotic spinal fracture and can promote bone fracture healing, improve the quality of life, and prevents vertebral collapse, and can be therefore an alternative treatment to PVP or BV.

Aged ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Bone Density ; Calcium ; therapeutic use ; Fractures, Compression ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; drug therapy ; Pain Measurement ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Fractures ; drug therapy ; Teriparatide ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of NF-kappaB in peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) of acute pancreatitis (AP) and to assess the preventive effectiveness of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on NF-kappaB in vitro.

METHODSNineteen patients and 16 healthy individuals as control were enrolled in this study. The expression of NF-kappaB in PMNs was determined by gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Routine clinical examination results and computed tomography findings of AP were recorded in all patients.

RESULTSThe PMNs from the patients with AP showed higher levels of NF-kappaB activities than those from control subjects (P < 0.01), severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) group showed much higher than mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) group (P < 0.05). In vitro, PDTC could reduce the NF-kappaB activity in PMNs of patients with AP, and its effectiveness at 2 mmol/L was stronger than at 1 mmol/L (P < 0.05). The PMNs from control subjects pretreated with 2 mmol/L PDTC before stimulation with the plasma from patients with SAP showed lower levels of NF-kappaB activities than did those untreated (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe NF-kappaB activation in peripheral blood PMNs participate in the course of acute pancreatitis and can be inhibited by PDTC in vitro.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NF-kappa B ; biosynthesis ; blood ; Neutrophils ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Pancreatitis ; metabolism ; Pyrrolidines ; pharmacology ; Thiocarbamates ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo establish a stable high red fluorescent protein (RFP)-expressing orthotopic transplantation nude mice spontaneous metastasis model of pancreatic cancer.

METHODSStable high RFP-expressing cells SW1990-RFP were injected subcutaneously into mice to establish subcutaneous implantation model. Fluorescent tumor piece from subcutaneous was transplanted into the body of the pancreas to establish surgical orthotopic implantation model. The growth of primary tumor, metastasis and micrometastasis were assessed by whole-body fluorescence imaging system.

RESULTSTwelve RFP orthotopic transplantation nude mice metastasis models of pancreatic cancer were established successfully, the percentage of success rate was 100%. RFP-labeled pancreatic cancer growth could be monitored in real time way. The micrometastasis of primary lesions were detected in early stage with whole-body fluorescence imaging system.

CONCLUSIONSThe RFP orthotopic transplantation nude mice metastasis model of pancreatic cancer is stable and reliable, and can be observed dynamically in vitro in a noninvasive way, with much higher sensitivity and specificity.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Luminescent Proteins ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo detect hot point mutations of ATP7B gene in Hunan Han patients with Wilson' disease (WD).

METHODSThe genomic DNA of 22 WD patients was extracted and exons 5, 8, 12, 13 were amplified by PCR. Screening for the mutations was done by direct sequencing and analysed by BLAST.

RESULTSFifteen of the 22 patients were found with mutations. Ten heterozygous Arg778Leu (2273G --> T) mutations were found in exon 8, all of them were accompanied with 2250C --> G polymorphism (Leu770Leu). Seven patients were found with 2855G --> A (Arg952Lys) polymorphism (4 heterozygous and 3 homozygous), 3 of them had Arg778Leu mutation in exon 8 and one with heterozygous mutation Gly943Asp (2828G --> A) in exon 12 simultaneously. Only one patient was found with heterozygous Pro992Leu (2975C --> T) mutation in exon 13. No mutations were found in exon 5.

CONCLUSIONArg778Leu is the hot point mutation of ATP7B gene in Hunan Han patients with Wilson' disease while exon 5 is not.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Child ; Copper-transporting ATPases ; DNA ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; ethnology ; genetics ; Humans ; Mutation

BACKGROUNDThis is a prospective clinical study based on a large sample gathered from multiple centers in China, subordinating to 10th Five-Year Plan of National Science & Technology Progression. We analyzed the high-risk factors inducing hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and estimated the potential effect of anti-oxidants administration, including vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE) and Salvia Miltiorrhiza L (SML), a Chinese herb medicine, in amelioration of the high-risk factors in pregnancy.

METHODSFrom April 2005 to July 2006, 4814 pregnant women from 24 national wide cooperative hospitals were involved in this prospective research. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: 1607 cases were in anti-oxidants group with administration of vitamins and SML; 3207 cases were in control group without any medicine given. Every participant was under monitoring for the morbidity of HDP and the high-risk factors were investigated in HDP cases in each group.

RESULTS(1) The morbidity of HDP was 3.55% in anti-oxidants group vs. 4.18% in control group. No statistical difference existed between the two groups (P > 0.05). (2) In anti-oxidants group, the HDP morbidities among three subgroups: VC + VE + SML, VC + VE and SML only, were 5.51%, 3.05% and 5% respectively. It showed no statistical difference among three remedies (P > 0.05). (3) The related index of factors affecting HDP showed in intensity sequence as follows: family HDP history > profession > education level > age > body weight. The incidence of HDP in normal population was 3.51%, and the incidence of HDP in high-risk pregnant women (family HDP history, heavy physical labor, low education level (middle school and below), age ≥ 40, body mass index ≥ 24) was 5.84%, which was obviously higher than that in normal population (P < 0.01). In anti-oxidants group, the probability of HDP in women with high-risk factors was 3.81%, which was obviously lower than that in control group with high-risk factors at 7.14% (P < 0.01). (4) In control group, the morbidity of HDP in women with family HDP history (especially with sisters'), heavy physical labor, middle school and below, age ≥ 35 was: 50.00%, 15.22%, 6.33%, 26.28% and 5.75%, respectively, and that in anti-oxidants group was 0, 7.69%, 3.74%, 9.27% and 2.67%, respectively, which was obviously lower than that in control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe high-risk factors prone to induce HDP included: family history of HDP, heavy physical labor, low education level, aging and obesity. No impressive effect of anti-oxidants application was found in preventing HDP in general population but the remedy demonstrated positive effect on preventing HDP in pregnant women with high-risk factors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Antioxidants ; therapeutic use ; Body Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Logistic Models ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; drug therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult