OBJECTIVETo examine the effects of sodium phenylbutyrate on the apoptosis of human tongue squamous cancer cell line and expression of p21 and survivin genes.

METHODSThe inhibition effects of sodium phenylbutyrate on Tca8113 and human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TCSSA) cell lines were detected by methyl thiazoly terazolium (MTT) and the apoptosis of the cancer cells after being induced by sodium phenylbutyrate examined by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of p21 and survivin genes were observed with Western blotting and RT-PCR.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the level of p21 mRNA and protein of Tca8113 cellline increased to 0.09 ± 0.08 and increased 0.72 ± 0.10, that of TCSSA cellline increased 1.34 ± 0.12 and 1.56 ± 0.09 (P < 0.05). Compared with control group, the level of surrive mRNA and protein of Tca8113 cellline decreased to 1.10 ± 0.05 and 1.14 ± 1.10, that of TCSSA cellline decreased to 0.12 ± 0.08 and 0.94 ± 0.09 (P < 0.05). Sodium phenylbutyrate inhibited the cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis and arrested the cells in G₁/G₀ phase. The amount of p21 mRNA and protein were increased, and the expression of survivin gene was decreased.

CONCLUSIONSSodium phenylbutyrate exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on human tongue squamous cancer cell proliferation and induced cancer cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be due to up-regulation of p21 gene and down-regulation of survivin gene. The mRNA level of p21 gene and survivin gene showed a strong correlation.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; Phenylbutyrates ; pharmacology ; Tongue Neoplasms ; pathology

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Sinus ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnostic value of dual-head (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) imaging in metastatic lesion with unknown primary tumour (UPT).

METHODSSeventy patients with UPT underwent dual-head (18)F-FDG imaging after iv (18)F-FDG 1.85 MBq/kg. The primary tumour was diagnosed according to the FDG uptake and T/N value.

RESULTSOf the 70 patients, the primary tumour was identified by positive FDG imaging and finally confirmed pathologically in 58 patients (82.9%), and 12 patients had a negative FDG imaging (17.1%). Forty-two of the 58 positive patients were found to have lung cancer (72.4%). Among the 12 negative patients, their primary tumour was then identified by other diagnostic procedures in 5 patients (41.7%), in 1 patient, the primary site was detected during follow-up, however, the primary tumour was never detected in the rest 6 patients.

CONCLUSIONDual-probe (18)F-FDG imaging is a simple, quick, non-invasive and sensitive technique with an accuracy over 80% in the diagnosis of unknown primary tumour. The lung is found to be the most frequent primary site. Dual-probe (18)F-FDG imaging can be recommended as the first diagnostic choice for UPT.

Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Neoplasms, Unknown Primary ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional finite element analysis has been used by many scholars from department of orthopedics, but the results of postoperative evaluation of hip preserving treatment for osteonecrosis of femoral head are different. OBJECTIVE: To study the biomechanical changes of the femoral head and the biomechanical changes of the proximal femur after greater trochanter bone flap for the treatment of femoral head necrosis using three-dimensional finite element method, and to verify the mechanical safety and effectiveness. METHODS: One case of unilateral femoral head necrosis in ARCOIII stage undergoing parallel vascularized greater trochanter bone flap transplantation was selected. Computed Tomography data of proximal femur were collected before and 6 months after the operation, and preserved in DICOM format. With the aid of computer technology, professional medical modeling software, MIMICS and HYPERMESH, were used to establish the three-dimensional geometric models of the proximal femur. These models were divided into normal group, necrosis group and repair group. Finite element analysis software ANSYS was utilized to simulate human body standing and movement in different situations. The model was divided by free mesh, and given material parameters to establish normal proximal femur, femoral head necrosis and bone defect. Greater trochanter bone flap was applied in repairing three-dimensional finite element model of bone defect. Loads were loaded on different finite element models. The maximum displacement of the femoral head and the stress distribution in the proximal femur of the three groups were observed under different loading models. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Under the same load, the maximum displacement of the three sets of models was 0.61 mm in the normal group, 0.66 mm in the necrosis group, and 0.61 mm in the repair group, respectively. Maximum Von Mises stress was greater in necrosis model than in the normal molding. The maximum Von Mises stress gradually decreased in the repair model, and was close to normal value. (2) Three groups of models showed stress concentration above the rotor in femoral neck region. The maximum stress in the trochanteric position was higher in necrosis models than in normal models. The maximum stress in this region gradually increased after repair, but was still lower than the failure stress of bone. (3) The results confirm that the maximum stress and the maximum displacement are closer to the normal value after greater trochanter bone flap for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. The greater trochanter is safe and reliable for repairing bone defect of femoral head.

AIMTo study the changes in rheological properties, namely the parameters of the hysteresis loops and yield stress versus time for human semen after ejaculation.

METHODSEjaculates were obtained from volunteers and immediately put into the test cup of a Brookfield Programmable DV-11 Rheometer, by which the hysteresis loops and yield stress were determined.

RESULTS(1) Yield stress values dropped down from more than 3000 mPa to 60 mPa in about 5 minutes after ejaculation; (2) The shape of the hysteresis loops of shear stress versus shear rate was changed from the counter-clockwise direction, that enclosed a large area, into the clockwise direction, that enclosed a very small area.

CONCLUSIONHuman ejaculate originally possesses semi-solid or visco-elastic body behavior and in 5 minutes after liquefaction, it becomes a thixotropic fluid or shearing thinning fluid with very low viscosity.

Adult ; Elasticity ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Linear Models ; Male ; Rheology ; Semen ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; Stress, Mechanical ; Viscosity

AIMTo investigate the protective effect of lumbrokinase against myocardial ischemia and to further explore its underlying mechanisms.

METHODSThe effect of lumbrokinase on myocardial ischemia was observed by a model of acute myocardial infarction due to permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in rats. Patch-clamp technique and laser scanning confocal microscopy were utilized to study the action of lumbrokinase on L-type calcium current (ICa-L) and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i).

RESULTSLumbrokinase decreased the infarct size of myocardium in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory rate of lumbrokinase at the dose of 20, 40 and 80 mg x kg(-1) was 7.7%, 34.6% and 46.2%, respectively. The electrophysiological studies displayed that, at + 10 mV, the ICa-L was markedly reduced from (-14.42 +/- 1.53) pA/pF to (-11.33 +/- 1.40) pA/pF (decreased by 21.4%, P <0.01) and (-9.92 +/- 1.31) pA/pF (decreased by 36.5%, P <0.01) by lumbrokinase (10 and 50 micromol x L(-1)), respectively. Confocal experiments showed that 10 micromol x L(-1) lumbrokinase showed no obvious effects on [Ca2+]i at resting states (P > 0.05). However, the increase of [Ca2+]i induced by 60 mmol x L(-1) KCl was distinctly limited by 10 micromol x L(-1) lumbrokinase (P <0.01). Within 240 s, the no obvious peak value of fluorescent intensity (FI) was shown.

CONCLUSIONLumbrokinase showed protective action against myocardial infarction in rats. The possible mechanisms of anti-ischemia could be attributed to decreasing ICa-L and [Ca2+] of ventricular myocytes in rats.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channels, L-Type ; metabolism ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; Endopeptidases ; pharmacology ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETraumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in young people. Inflammatory cytokines play an important part in the pathophysiology of TBI. Recent studies demonstrate that progesterone significantly reduces cerebral edema and enhances functional recovery from TBI and stroke in several animal models. This study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effect of progesterone on inflammatory response after traumatic brain injury.

METHODSProgesterone was injected intraperitoneally using rats as a model of traumatic brain injury, and Western blot technique was applied to detect the expression of three inflammation-related factors: nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NFkappaB p65), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The water content of injured brain was also examined. A neurological severity score was recorded to evaluate the effect of progesterone on neurodeficit recovery.

RESULTSNFkappaB p65, GFAP, and TNF-alpha were increased in all injured animals. In rats treated with progesterone, the expression level of NFkappaB p65 and TNF-alpha were reduced significantly in comparison with vehicle-treated rats. However, progesterone did not alter the expression of GFAP in the injured rats. Progesterone also reduced the water content of injured brain and the lesion volume. In addition, progesterone-treated injured rats showed significant improvements in the Neurological Severity Score test, compared with vehicle-treated ones.

CONCLUSIONSProgesterone inhibits the inflammatory response after experimental traumatic brain injury and mitigates the severity of brain damage.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Brain Edema ; prevention & control ; Brain Injuries ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective: To observe the changes of plasma microRNA-1 (miR-1) and microRNA-146b (miR-146b) at the early stage of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to explore the relationship between miR-1, miR-146b and STEMI diagnosis, prognosis in relevant patients. Methods: Our research included in 2 groups: STEMI group, n=47 patients and Control group, n=23 healthy subjects. Blood samples were taken at immediate admission, 12 h of onset (T12), T24, T48, T72 and T1w (1 week of onset), plasma levels of miR-1, miR-146 and cardiac troponin (cTnT) were examined at different time points and compared between 2 groups. The value of miR-1, miR-146b on STEMI diagnosis was assessed by ROC curve; relationship between plasma levels of miR-1, miR-146 and CRP, BNP, WBC count at immediate admission was evaluated. All patients were followed-up for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within 1 month of diagnosis; the impact of miR-1, miR-146 at peak time on 30-d cumulative survival rate was analyzed.Results: Compared with Control group, STEMI group had increased plasma levels of miR-1 and miR-146b at immediate admission, T12, T24, T48; elevated cTnT at immediate admission, T12, T24, T48 and T72, all P<0.05. At immediate admission, the area of miR-1 and miR-146b under ROC curve for STEMI diagnosis were 0.800 and 0.789, both P<0.001; miR-146b was positively related to CRP, BNP and WBC count, all P<0.05. Cumulative survival rate in patients with high expressions of miR-1, miR-146 at peak time was lower than those with low expressions of miR-1, miR-146, all P<0.05. Conclusion: Plasma levels of miR-1 and miR-146b might be become the biomarkers for early STEMI diagnosis; miR-1 and miR-146b were related to STEMI prognosis in relevant patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; China ; epidemiology ; Death ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Suicide ; statistics & numerical data

Objective:To observe the effect of Zhibitai capsule combined with pitavastatin on blood lipid levels in pa-tients with coronary heart disease(CHD).Methods:A total of 180 CHD patients who were treated in our hospital from Mar 2018 to Feb 2021 were selected.According to random number table method,they were divided into pita-vastatin group(n=90)and combined treatment group(n=90,received Zhibitai capsule combined with pitavasta-tin),and both groups were treated for eight weeks.Clinical therapeutic effect,levels of blood lipids and inflamma-tory factors before and after treatment,and incidence of adverse reactions were observed and compared between two groups.Results:Total effective rate of combined treatment group was significantly higher than that of pitavas-tatin group(94.44％vs.80.00％,P=0.001).Compared with pitavastatin group after treatment,there were signif-icant reductions in serum levels of total cholesterol(TC)[(4.39±0.71)mmol/L vs.(2.86±0.56)mmol/L],tri-glyceride(TG)[(2.28±0.43)mmol/L vs.(1.46±0.39)mmol/L],low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)[(2.93±0.50)mmol/L vs.(1.84±0.52)mmol/L],lipoprotein(a)[(124.57±11.37)mmol/L vs.(85.83± 11.96)mmol/L],interleukin-6(IL-6)[(21.28±3.64)pg/mlvs.(12.39±2.08)pg/ml],high mobility group box-1 protein B1(HMGB1)[(3.84±0.98)μg/L vs.(1.28±0.79)μg/L],tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)[(4.06±0.62)ng/ml vs.(2.39±0.48)ng/ml],and significant rise in level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)[(1.89±0.26)mmol/L vs.(2.63±0.31)mmol/L]in combined treatment group,P=0.001 all.There was no significant difference in incidence rate of adverse reactions between two groups,P=0.600.Conclu-sion:Zhibitai capsule combined with pitavastatin can effectively regulate blood lipids,reduce the levels of inflamma-tory factors in patients with coronary heart disease,which is safe and effective.