Objective This study was designed to determine the influence of acute ethanol intoxication (AEI) on brain edema and aquaporin-4(AQP-4) levels after traumatic brain injury(TBI) in rots. The underlying mechanism was also investigated. Method Severe traumatic brain injury models were made using the Feeny method; acute ethanol intoxication models were established by gavagy. One hundred and ninety-two male SD rats were randomly divided(random number) into four groups, namely the sham operation group(A ), the acute ethanol intoxication group( B ), the traumatic brain injury group(C) and the combination of acute ethanol intoxication with traumatic brain injury group(D). Each group was further divided into four sub-groups according to the time interval between injury and death of the rats. After brain tissue was fixed by affusing paraformaldehyde, the expression of AQP-4 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Water content was detected by dry-wet analysis, and AQP-4 mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and western blotting respectively after the brain tissue was got by rapid decapitation. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results The water content of brain tissue and expression level of AQP-4 were not significantly different between groups A and B( P > 0.05); however both were significantly increased in groups C and D relative to group A( P < 0.05). The water content of brain tissue in group D increased by mere than that in group C( P < 0.05), while the expression level of AQP-4 in group D was lower than that in group C(P<0.05). Conclusions Acute ethanol intoxication inhibited the expression of AQP-4,which induced a more severe cerebral edema after traumatic brain injury.

Objective To dynamically observe the effect of mild hypothermia on concentration of plasma S-100B protein in patients with acute severe brain injuries so as to further explore its role in treat-ment of acute severe brain injury. Methods A total of 120 patients with acute severe brain injuries were randomly divided into mild hypothermia group and general group. The patients in mild hypothermia group were treated with mild hypothermia besides conventional therapy, with maintenance of rectal tem-perature at 33℃-35℃ for 3-5 days. Serial concentration of S-IOOB protein in serum was measured in all patients from 6 hours to 6 days after hospitalization. GOS evaluation was done three months after treat-ment. Results The concentration of S-100B protein in serum of mild hypothermia group and general group was significantly higher than of normal group (P <0.05), with significant lower level in mild hypo-thermia group than general group(P <0.05). Mild hypothermia could improve prognosis of patients with acute severe brain injury. Conclusions Early use of mild hypothermia can decrease concentration of S-100B protein in serum, protect neurofunction and improve prognosis, as may be related to its function in alleviating damnification brain cell inflammation reaction mediated by S-100B protein.

Objective Excision repair cross-complementing gene-1(ERCC1) are key regulatory enzymes whose expression patterns are associated with overall survival(OS) in several malignancies.Their expression patterns and prognostic value in resected gastric adenocarcinoma(GAC) are not known and need to investigate.Methods A total of 109 patients who underwent resection for GAC in Liu′an People′s Hospital from January 2010 to June 2013 had tissue available for analysis.The primary objective was to assess for the differential expression of ERCC1 using by immunohistochemistry.The secondary objective was to assess for the association between OS and the expression of ERCC1.Results The median follow-up was 21.2 months,and the median OS was 28.8 months.Resected GAC exhibited differential expression of ERCC1(high expression,n=25(23%)).ERCC1 expression was not associated with OS(18.9 months vs.27.7 months,P=0.72).In a subset analysis of patients who received chemotherapy(n=73),high ERCC1 expression was associated with decreased OS(16.7 months vs.53.8 months,P=0.03).After controlling for known adverse pathologic features,high ERCC1 expression persisted as a negative prognostic factor in multivariate Cox regression analysis(HR=2.22,95% CI1.05-4.98,P<0.05).Conversely,in patients who underwent resection only(n=35),high ERCC1 expression demonstrated a trend toward improved OS(40.4 months vs.12.7 months,P=0.10).A positive prognostic influence also was present on multivariate analysis(HR=0.20,95% CI0.05-0.84,P=0.03).Conclusion Resected GAC exhibited differential expression of ERCC1.Among all patients,ERCC1 expression levels were not associated with OS.High ERCC1 tumor expression is associated with decreased OS in the patients who received chemotherapy but is associated with increased OS in those who underwent surgery alone.ERCC1 expression have prognostic value in resected gastric cancer,and further investigation is needed.

Tetradrine-tashionone II(A)-PLGA composite microspheres were prepared by the SPG membrane emulsification method, and the characterization of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres were studied in this experiment. The results of IR, DSC and XRD showed that teradrine and tashionone II(A) in composite microspheres were highly dispersed in the PLGA with amorphous form. The results of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres in vitro release experiment showed that the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 6.44% and 3.60% in 24 h, and the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 89.02% and 21.24% in 17 d. The process of drug in vitro release accorded with the model of Riger-Peppas. Tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres had slow-release effect, and it could significantly reduce the burst release, prolong the therapeutic time, decrease the dosage of drugs and provide a new idea and method to prepare traditional Chinese medicine compound.
Benzofurans ; chemistry ; Benzylisoquinolines ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry

Aim To investigate the effect of insulin glargine and human insulin on proliferation of a human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and the role of ERK in the process.Methods MDA-MB-231 cells were incubated with insulin glargine and human insulin at different concentrations and for different time courses.A specific ERK1/2 inhibitor,PD98059,was used either alone or in combination with insulin glargine or human insulin to test the involvement of ERK pathway in cell growth.Cell proliferation was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 reagents.Cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry.Results Both insulin glargine and human insulin dose-dependently enhanced MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation at the concentrations from 1 to 100 IU?L-1 after treatment for 96 h.At the concentration of 10 IU?L-1,both drugs promoted cell growth at 48,72,and 96 h.The percentage of S+G2/M cells was significantly increased in both insulin glargine and human insulin treated groups as compared to untreated controls.No significant difference was observed between insulin glargine and human insulin in their effects on cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution.Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by PD98059.However,in the presence of PD98059,both drugs still promoted cell proliferation significantly as compared to untreated controls.Conclusions Insulin galrgine and human insulin similarly promote proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells independent of ERK activation.

This paper aims at discussing the clinical characteristics and experiences of ZHU Lian, the renowned contemporary acupuncture master from the following three aspects: "characteristics of clinical manipulations and techniques", "thoughts on diagnosis and treatment" and "examples of clinical cases". The study has shown that ZHU Lian invented the slow insertion technique by rotating needle and the embedding needle technique, improved moxibustion technique with moxa roll and proposed the three keys on the treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion, as well as discovered new acupoints for treatment. The pioneering and distinguished achievements she con tributed play the great demonstrating and driving role in the development of clinical study and practice of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; Needles ; Teaching

Objective To analyze the changes of proportion of Th1/Th2/Th17 cells in colonic mucosa and peripheral blood in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) and its significance. Methods Twenty patients with UC were enrolled according to the criterion established in Jinan in 2007 and 16 patients were served as controls. The phenotypes of the colonic mucosa and peripheral blood were analysis by using flow cytometry. The variation of proportion of Th1/Th2/Th17 in colonic lamina propria mononuclear cells (cLPMCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were compared between two groups. Results The proportion of Th17 cell in cLPMCs was increased in UC group compared with controls [3.75% (6.93%)vs. 1.25 (3.70%), P<0.05], whereas it was 1.40%(2.15%) in UC group and 0.70%(0.33%) in controls in PBMCs with significant difference (P<0.05). The proportion of Th17 cell in cLPMCs was positively correlated with clinical parameters of the disease (r=0.34, P<0.05). No difference was found in proportion of Th1 or Th2 cells in cLPMCs or PBMCs between UC group and controls. Conclusions Among three helper T cells, Th17 cell in UC patients is predominant both in colonic mucosa and peripheral blood, which can be used as an effective target for treatment.

Objective To survey on utilization of hospital beds in rural and urban community health centers in Shanghai.Methods The hospital beds utilization was investigated in one rural and one urban community health service centers in Shanghai.The data of hospitalized patients in a selected day were surveyed with self-made questionnaire,including the demographic information of patients,the diseases category,the length of hospital stay,self-care ability of daily life (ADL score),the purpose of hospitalization,and the management after discharge.Results Patients aged over 60 y accounted for 100.0％ (138/138) in urban center and 98.7％ (76/77)in rural center.The three top disease categories were all cardio or cerebrovascular diseases in urban center accounting for 86.9％ (120/138),while those in rural center were hypertension,cerebral infarction and acute/chronic bronchitis (or tumor)accounting for 65.0％ (50/77).The mean length of hospital stay in urban and rural centers were 609.6 d and 253.8 d,respectively (F =2 604.00,P =0.000).Patients with severe dysfunction in urban and rural centers accounted for the 84.0％ (116/138) and 32.5％ (35/77),respectively (x2 =80.911,P=0.000).Patients not willing to be discharged in urban and rural centers accounted for 87.7％(121/138)and57.1％ (44/77),respectively in city and rural centers(P ＜0.05).Conclusions The wards in community health centers mainly serve the elderly patients.There are differences in purpose of hospitalization,length of hospital stay,ADL scores of patients between rural and urban community health centers.

BACKGROUND: Cytoskeleton is a carrier of cell growth, and its pore caliber is one of the most important factors to affect the curative effect of tissue engineered spinal cord.OBJECTIVE: To explore the optimal pore size of poly lactic-co-glycotic acid (PLGA) scaffolds for tissue engineered spinal cord by in vitro culture of neural stem ceils (NSCs) and various pore sizes of PLGA scaffolds.METHODS: 50 μL (cell number 10~(10)/L)NSCs suspension at passage 1 was separately seeded on 200-300 pm, 400-500 μm PLGA stant for 7 days. Two sorts of tissue engineered spinal cord were constructed in vitro. Thirty rat models of spinal cord injury were established, and then assigned to 3 groups. The detect sites of these models were filled with above-mentioned spinal cord immediately, but the blank control was not treated with any material. The cells growth and proliferation implanted on PLGA were observed by phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope. Relative number of NSCs in two tissue engineered spinal cords was measured by MTT assay. The effects of transplantation with tissue engineered spinal cord were evaluated by the BBB scala.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neural stem cells implanted on different pore size scaffolds were seen growing by phase contrast microscope and scanning electron microscope, with good histocompatibility. After 7-day coculture, absorbance was similar between 200-300 pm PLGA and 400-500 pm PLGA groups (P > 0.05). These indicated that the pore size had no effects on NSC number. At week 4 following transplantation, in the blank control group, neural function was recovered to different degrees in the 200-300 μm PLGA and 400-500 μm PLGA groups. BBB motor functional score was significantly increased (P < 0.05). The pore size of 200-300 μm utilized in fabriceting tissue engineered spinal cord has the best transplantation effect as compared to others.

Objective To investigate the value of subdural intracranial pressure (ICP) monito-ring in post-operative patients with severe brain injury. Methods A total of 100 patients with severe brain injury treated with craniotomy were randomly divided into ICP monitoring group (n=50) and rou-tine treatment group (n = 50). In ICP monitoring group, the treatment methods were adjusted according to the changes of ICP, whereas the patients in routine treatment group underwent general treatment ac-cording to standard neurosurgical protocol. Results Patients in ICP monitoring group received mannitol for eight days, with the average dosage of 950 g. Marmitol was administered to patients in routine treat-ment group for 12 days, with average dosage of 1 450 g. There was statistical difference in aspects of time duration and mannitol dosage between two groups (P <0.01). Of all patients in ICP monitoring group, four were found with electrolyte disturbance (8%), seven with acute renal failure (14%), four with stress ulcer (8%) and eight with pulmonary infection (16%). The corresponding numbers of patients in routine treatment group were nine (18%), 14 (28%), five (10%) and nine (18%), respectively. The occurrence of electrolyte disturbance and acute renal failure between two groups showed significant statistical difference (P < 0.05), while the occurrence of stress ulcer and pulmonary infection were be-yond of statistical difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The post-operative initial ICP level was positively correlated with mortality rate (P <0.01). All patients were followed up for three months post-operatively. In ICP monitoring group, 27 patients (26%) obtained good prognosis without any disability (54%), 13 were under mild disability, two (4%) under severe disability, three (6%) under vegeta-tive state and five (10%) died . In the routine treatment group, 17 patients (34%) were with good prognosis without any disability , six (12%) with mild disability , six (12%) with severe disability, eight (16%) under vegetative state and 13 (26%) died. The ICP monitoring group had better prognosis than the routine treatment group(P < 0.05). Conclusion Continuous ICP monitoring postoperatively in severe brain injury patients is valuable in reducing mortality, complication and improving the prognosis.