There are a number of serum biomarkers related with the process of the pathogenesis,destabilization and rupture of the atherosclerotic plaque.And thus,it is fairly important in clinical practice to identify vulnerable plaque and predict plaque rupture by detecting the expression of the serum biomarkers.This review aims at giving an overview on recent emerging biomarkers that are related to vulnerable plaque.

Objective To observe the adverse reactions of acute stage and late stage in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.Methods 89 patients were investigated in the outpatient department by form.The median follow-up time was 3 years (2-23 years).Results In the acute stage,the ratios of serious xerostomia [78.7 ％(70/89)],the ear reaction [66.3 ％ (59/89)] and nose impairment [64.0 ％ (57/89)] were very high.In the late stage 79.8 ％ (71/89) patients developed radioactive tympanitis,in which 53.9 ％ (48/89) patients induced hearing loss,42.7 ％ (38/89) patients developed dry nose or nasal excessive discharge.The rate of serious xerostomia was 11.2 ％ (10/89),66.3 ％(59/89) patients suffered from superficial and more serious caries.Conclusion The rates of the radioactive tympanitis and caries stayed high in the late stage of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy.Concurreut chemoradiotherapy is probable to increase or aggravate the incidence of adverse reactions in the acute stage,but don’t show an effect on the late stage reaction.

Objective To explore the effect of separate management of income and expenditure (SMIE) on standard community healthcare services. Methods Health management records of 137 community health service ( CHS) institutions in Beijing during 2006 and 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Paired t test was used to compare annual healthcare services at urban and rural areas before or after SMIE was adopted. Results The standard community healthcare services was reduced from 1 081 965. 53 to 971 793. 98 at urban areas and from 157 492. 23 to 149 305. 25 at rural areas (P >0. 05). Urban healthcare center-based standard services was decreased from 59. 94% to 52. 14% (P < 0. 05 ); while out-hospital services were increased from 13. 50% to 18. 88% (P<0. 05). In urban areas,standard services for women healthcare, chronic disease profiling, health education and information management were significantly increased (I <0. 05). However,Temporary observation and endemic disease prevention and treatment were the main job of rural healthcare. Conclusions SMIE in CHS institutions could accommodate to the need of health management, supporting policies should be further improved.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinases (IRAK-4) in hypoxic neurons and explore their role in regulation of inflammatory reaction. Methods The B35 cells exposed to hypoxia of 3% O2,5% CO2 and 92% N2 were cultured for 1,3,6, 12,24,48,72 and 96 hours respectively. Then, mRNA and protein expressions of IRAK-4 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, the expression of IRAK-4 in the cells were observed by laser scanning con-focal microscope (LSCM), and the concentration of IL-6 was measured by ELISA method. Results After hypoxia, the mRNA and protein expressions of IRAK-4 were increased at one hour, reached the peak at six hours (P<0.05), kept at a high level at 12 hours (P<0.05) , but decreased gradually to the normal oxygen level at 24 hours (P < 0.05) and to below the normal oxygen level at 48 hours (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence results showed that the fluorescence intensity of IRAK-4 was gradually increased with time. The changes of IL-6 in the supernatant were positively correlated with protein expression of IRAK-4 (r =0.84, P < 0.05 ). Conclusions Hypoxia can increase the expression of IRAK-4 at transcription and translation levels in a certain period of time, which may participate in down-stream inflammatory reaction and lead to increase of IL-6 expression.

The study reports the detection of neuroprotective effect of 10 kinds of coumarin derivatives and explores their possible mechanism. MTT method was used to screen the neuroprotective effect of 10 coumarin derivatives on neurotoxic agents (Aβ25-35 and rotenone) or OGD (oxygen-glucose deprivation). A compound with better protective effect was obtained. Then the effect of this compound on neurotoxic agents on PC12 was detected by the morphological observation. Furthermore, the effect of compound 3 on microglia with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation was detected. And the inflammatory factor was tested. Finally, direct free radical scavenging ability was detected. Compound 3 was found to be the best compound through three neurons toxic models. Not only compound 3 ameliorated cell viability reduced by three neurons toxic models, but also significantly inhibited the production of inflammatory factor (TNF-α and IL-1β). And its free radical scavenging ability is very good, especially the effect on superoxide anion, which is comparable with vitamin C. The significant scavenging effect of compound 3 on superoxide anion might be the mechanism of the neuroprotection. Compound 3 as a potential neural cell protective agent merits further investigation.
Animals ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; Free Radical Scavengers ; chemistry ; Inflammation ; Microglia ; drug effects ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; chemistry ; PC12 Cells ; Rats

Objective To examine the expression of protein kinase signaling cascade protein kinase B (Akt)-which plays an im-portant role in a number of key biological functions in cellular processes after spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats ,and its effects on SCI induced motor function defects ,and to provide the molecular mechanism for repairing SCI .Methods SCI was produced by extra-dural contusion using modified Allen′s stall with damage energy .The rats were divided into three groups :sham-operated group (Sham) ,interference group (Int) ,and control group (Con) .Using immunostaining studies ,Western blot analyses and real-time qualitative RT-PCR analyses ,we detected the changes of Akt expression at the protein and mRNA level in spinal cord tissues at 1 , 7 ,and 14 d after surgery ,and evaluated the presence and extent of neurological impairment after SCI by the BBB locomotor rating scale .Results The sham operated groups exhibited low expression of the Akt signaling at the protein and mRNA level ,and the ex-pressions increased following SCI .Compared to the animals in the sham operated groups ,prominently elevated level of Akt signaling was detected in the injured spinal cords of SCI group .LY294002 ,an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) that initiates Akt phosphorylation ,prominently inhibited the expression of Akt produced by SCI and the spontaneous recovery of motor function after SCI .Conclusion Activated protein kinase signaling cascade Akt might be the important intervention aspects of involving in neuroprotective and repair process after SCI .

Objective To investigate the distribution of pelvic recurrence in rectal cancer after radical resection and analyze the outcome and prognostic factors of pelvic recurrent rectal cancer treated with radiotherapy. Methods Ninety-three patients with pelvic recurrent rectal cancer who received radiotherapy from August 2000 to August 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 21 patients received pelvic radiation alone;56 received pelvic radiation plus chemotherapy and 16 received pelvic radiation plus surgery and/or chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was delivered with 60Coγor 6/15 MV X ray to a median dose of 59. 4Gy (range,20-74 Gy). Conventional fractionation was used in 90 patients. Chemotherapy was given to 68patients with a median number of 3 cycles ( range, 1 - 8 cycles). Concurrent chemo-radiation with 5-FU based regimen was given to 42 patients. After radiotherapy, 16 patients underwent surgical resection, with 7R0 resection and 9 palliative resection. Results The entire cohort included 132 recurrent sites. The most common recurrent sites were peri-rectal region ( 31.8% ), pre-sacral region ( 30. 3% ) and internal iliac nodal region (20. 2% ). The follow-up rate was 92% for the entire cohort, 39 and 4 patients had minimum follow-up time of 2 and 5 years respectively. Overall clinical response ( complete and partial symptomatic relief) was achieved in 83% of the patients after radiation therapy. The 2-and 5-year local progression-free survival rates were 49% and 22% respectively, and the 2-and 5-year overall survival rates were 46% and 14% respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that treatment modality was the independent prognostic factor for local progression-free survival. Patients treated with radiation plus surgery and/or chemotherapy had better local progression-free survival than those treated with radiation plus chemotherapy or radiation alone.Recurrent tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter, disease-free interval less than 2 years and distant metastasis after radiotherapy were independent unfavorable prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusions Perirectal region, pre-sacral region and internal iliac nodal region were the most common pelvic recurrent sites in rectal cancer. Radiotherapy is an effective palliative approach for patients with pelvic recurrent rectal cancer.Radiotherapy plus surgery and/or chemotherapy was associated with better local progression-free survival,and recurrent tumors lager than 5 cm in diameter, disease-free interval less than 2 years and distant metastasis after radiotherapy were unfavorable prognostic factors for overall survival of pelvic recurrent rectal caner.

Aim To study the effect of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) on binding of 125I-VEGF to VEGF receptor. Methods The mice sera were collected after peritoneal injection with big-dose TMP,low-dose TMP,protamine and NS. A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC) method was used to determine the TMP in mice serum. The culture medium of ECV304 was treated with the mice sera in different groups. Radioligand binding assay(RBA) of receptor and Scatchard pot were performed to observe the changes of the maximum binding capacity(B_ max) and dissociation constant(K_d).Results The sera of big-dose TMP inhibited 125I-VEGF binding to its receptor, K_d=343.30?36.64 pmol?L-1,B_ max=46.26?5.85 fmol/2?10~5 cells(P0.05),but B_ max decreased(P

Aim To explore the anti-angiogenic effect of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) in the synovium of collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) in rats.Methods CIA rats were treated with different doses of TMP.The effects of treatment were monitored by arthritis index,footpad thickness,microvessels density as well as the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) protein and mRNA in the synovium.Results Compared with CIA models,100 mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1) TMP remarkably reduce the arthritis index,footpad thickness,microvessels density,and the expression of VEGF protein and mRNA in the synovium (P

Objective To determine the effect of deferoxamine administration on autophagy in a rat model of blast-induced brain injury.Methods Thirty-nine male SD rats were allotted to shamoperated group,injury group and deferoxamine group with 13 rats in each,according to the random number table.Feeney's method was applied to establish the model.Deferoxamine group received deferoxamine of 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally.Sham-operated and injury group were injected with saline intraperitoneally.All treatments were started two hours postinjury at 12 hour interval for up to 28 days.Hemoglobin,rectal temperature,blood glucose and mortality were detected at 1,3,7,14 and 28 days.Morris water maze was conducted.Rats were killed later for detecting the brain defect volume and level of Beclin 1 at the site of injury.Results There were no significant differences among the three groups with respect to hemoglobin,rectal temperature and blood glucose (P ＞ 0.05).Mortality in injury versus deferoxamine groups did not differ significantly (P ＞ 0.05).Volume of defected brain in deferoxamine group was (115.35 ± 13.70) mm3,smaller than (209.99 ± 16.70) mm3 in injury group (P ＜ 0.05).In Morris water maze test,the time spent in the searching the platform and latency to reach the platform were improved in deferoxamine group compared to those in injury group [(3.13 ± 0.35) vs (2.13 ± 0.64);(36.15 ± 26.63) s vs (110 ± 47.34) s respectively] (P ＜ 0.05).Both immunohistochemisty and western blot showed dramatically increased level of Beclin 1 after injury,but treatment with deferoxamine significantly reduced the Beclin 1 expression.Conclusion Level of Beclin 1 is significantly upregulated after blast-induced brain injury in rats,resulting in elevated autophagy postinjury,but the treatment with deferoxamine is neuroprotective possible by lessening autophagy damage.