OBJECTIVETo establish the "clinical-mimetic" Chinese medicine symptom complex score method for the coronary heart disease Chinese miniature swine model with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome, in order to observe the effect of formula of removing both phlegm and blood stasis (TYTZ) on the Chinese medicine symptom complex score for the coronary heart disease Chinese miniature swine model with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome.

METHODTotally 36 Chinese miniature swine were randomly divided to the normal control group, the model group, the Shujiangzhi group, and TYTZ groups with doses of 2.0, 1.0 and 0.5 g x kg(-1), with six in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of the other groups were fed with high fat diet for two weeks. The coronary heart disease model with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome was established by injuring left anterior descending artery with interventional balloons and continuously feeding with high fat diet for eight weeks. After the operation, the groups were administered with drugs for eight weeks. Their main symptoms, accompanied symptoms, tongue and pulse signs of the coronary heart disease Chinese miniature swine with phlengm-stasis cementation syndrome were observed according to the symptom-graded scoring method.

RESULTCompared with the model group, TYTZ in different doses could reduce the scores of main symptoms at the 6th and 10th week. Specifically, TYTZ in low dose could reduce the scores of tongue at the 6th week and the scores of accompanied symptoms, and tongue and pulse signs at the 10th week; And TYTZ in high dose could decrease all symptom scores at the 6th and 10th week (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTYTZ can improve the scores of the main symptoms, accompanied symptoms, tongue and pulse signs in coronary heart disease Chinese miniature swine with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome. It is suggested that the "clinical-mimetic" objective scoring for syndromes of Chinese miniature swine is of great significant to the development of new traditional Chinese medicine drugs.

Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo discuss that pathogenesis evolvement regularity of Chinese miniature swine with phlege-stasis cementation syndrome of coronary heart disease.

METHODEighteen Chinese miniature swine were randomly divided to the normal control group, the model group and the Danlou tablet group, with six swine in each group. Except for the normal control group, all of the other groups were fed with high fat diet for two weeks. The coronary heart disease model with phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome was established by injuring left anterior descending artery with interventional balloons and continuously feeding with high fat diet for eight weeks. The levels of BMI, hemorheological parameters, lipids in serum and inflammatory cytokines were observed at the 0th (before the experiment), 2nd (before operation or drug administration), 6th (four weeks after drug administration) and 10th week (eight weeks after drug administration) of study. The levels of TG and TC in liver and the pathological changes in coronary artery tissues were also observed at the end of study.

RESULTCompared with the normal control group, the model group had showed significant increase in the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C in serum (P < 0.01) from the second week to the end of the experiment, with notable rise in the whole blood viscosity under the shear rates of 5 s(-1) and 60 s(-1). At the 6th week, the levels of BMI and TG and TNF-alpha in serum significantly increased. At the 10th week, the levels of BMI and hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in serum significantly increased as well, with remarkable increase in coronary stenosis, intimal thickness and the ratio between intimal thickness and media thickness (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), and significant rise in TC and TG in livers (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the Danlou tablet group showed obvious reduction in severity of coronary artery lesion, intimal thickness and lumen stenosis ratio and ratio between intimal thickness and media thickness (P < 0.01), BMI, TC, TG, LDL-C and VLDL-C in serum, TC and TG in liver, as well as hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels in serum (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01), with notable decline in the whole blood viscosity under the shear rates of 5 s(-1) and 60 s(-1).

CONCLUSIONThe interaction of phlegm, blood stasis and toxin syndromes helps promote the progress and development of AS plaques, which is the key pathogenesis of phlegm-stasis cementation syndrome in coronary heart disease.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; physiopathology ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Inflammation Mediators ; metabolism ; Lipids ; blood ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

Child, Preschool ; Coronary Aneurysm ; etiology ; pathology ; Coronary Vessels ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore a better operative approach to resect complicated pelvic retroperitoneal tumors.

METHODSA total of 28 patients with complicated pelvic retroperitoneal tumors who received surgical resection in our hospital from 2006 to 2010 were included in this study. The surgical operation was assisted with an arc-shaped transperineal incision in front of the apex of coccyx. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, death toll and length of hospital stay of the patients were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe median operation time was 122.5 minutes. The median blood loss was 420 ml, and the median length of hospital stay of the patients was 17.5 days. There was no postoperative death in this group of patients.

CONCLUSIONWith the assistance of this arc-shaped transperineal incision in front of the apex of coccyx, the resection of pelvic retroperitoneal tumors can be effectively improved and the surgery risk is reduced.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; Coccyx ; surgery ; Epidermal Cyst ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurilemmoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Teratoma ; pathology ; surgery

This study was conducted to investigate the wild and cultivated resource situation of Rheum tanguticum in main production area of China, estimate its reserves, and put forward the feasible approach for the sustainable utilization of R. tanguticum. On the basis of the literature data about R. tanguticum, conbined with interview, investigation and sampling investigation, the total reserve of resources is estimated using the route-quadrat method and the vegetation and soil-type map area method proposed by our research group. The results indicate that there is no obvious change between the present distribution ranges of the wild R. tanguticum and its historical records, but its population density has changed clearly. The reserve of the wild R. tanguticum has seriously declined in lots of place, even faced the exhaustion in some regions. According to the investigation, the resource reserve of the wild R. tanguticum is no more than 5 000 t, and the cultivated is about 1 607 t. The resource reserve of the wild R. tanguticum is nearly depleted, and this suggests that the wild R. tanguticum should be enrolled in the protection plant list, and the cultivated will become the main resource of Rhubarb in the future. So it is extremely neccessary to collect and protect the germplasm resource of R. tanguticum, establish the germplasm nursery and repository, and conduct breeding research on those bases.
China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Rheum ; growth & development

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and its signaling pathway molecules in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and analyze the association between these factors and genesis and metastasis of OSCC.

METHODSThe express of TGF-beta1, TbetaRI, TbetaRII and Smad4, a pivotal downstream molecule of its signaling, in 10 normal oral mucosa tissues and 108 OSCC was detected by SP immunohistochemistry, and thier correlation with genesis and metastasis of OSCC were assessed.

RESULTSThe expressions of TbetaRII and Smad4 were lower in the tumors (34.3%, 38.9%) than those in the normal oral epithelium (80.0%, 100.0%, P < 0.05). The positive expression rates of TGF-beta1 and TbetaRI in the normal oral epithelium and OSCC were not significantly different (P > 0.05). There was an inverse correlation between TGF-beta1, Smad4, TbetaRII, TbetaRI expression and clinical stages (P < 0.01). The expression of TGF-beta1 was related with histological differentiation and tumor localization (P < 0.05). There was a relationship beteween Smad4 expression and histological differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). The expression of TbetaRII in the samples with lymph node metastasis was less than that in the ones without lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01), although there was no association between expression of TbetaRII and lymph node metastasis status.

CONCLUSIONThere is an important relationship between the abnormal TGF-beta1/Smad4 signal pathway and genesis and development of OSCC, while the low expressed Smad4 and TbetaRII may promote the metastasis of OSCC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cytoplasm ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Smad4 Protein ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor (TGF) -β1 on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) Tb cell line.Methods Cell counting method was used to examine the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 on Tb cell and flow cytometry(FCM) assay performed to measure the changes of cell cycle.Superarray was used to screen the changing expression of genes in TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.RT-PCR method was used to detect the results of Superarray.Results TGF-β1 showed significant inhibiting effect on OSCC Tb cell line.TGF-β1 blocked the cell cycle at G1 phase.The expression level of activin receptor-like kinase -1 (ACVRL-1),anti-mullerian hirmine (AMH),cyclim-dependent kinase inhibitor-2B (CDKN-2B) and transforming growth factor-beta-indnced factor(TGIF) was higer in the cells treated with TGF-β1 than in control,while TDGF-1 expression was down-regulated.ACVRL-1 and CDKN-2B gene expression was consistent with the results of Superarray.Conclusions TGF-β1 can inhibit the growth of OSCC Th cell line.The mechanism may be related to the regulation of cell cycle and the expression of ACVRL-I and CDKN-2B in TGF-β1-Smads signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVESTo construct small interfering (siRNA) Sox9 expression plasmid and transfer it into human chondrosarcoma cells HTB-94, and to check the mRNA and protein expression of Sox9 and cell growth and apoptosis of HTB-94 human chondrosarcoma cells.

METHODSsiRNA(Sox9) expression plasmid was designed and synthesized. And it was transferred into HTB-94 human chondrosarcoma cells. Then the expression of the mRNA and protein of Sox9, cell growth and apoptosis in transferred HTB-94 human chondrosarcoma cells were checked.

RESULTSThe recombinant plasmid was confirmed by enzyme digestion analysis and DNA sequencing. The expression of the mRNA and protein expression of Sox9 in transferred HTB-94 were significantly reduced. The cell growth of HTB-94 was inhibited, and the apoptosis of HTB-94 was remarkably increased.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA (Sox9) expression plasmid could be transferred into HTB-94 human chondrosarcoma cells. And it can reduce the mRNA and protein expression of the HTB-94, inhibit the cell growth and cause the apoptosis of the tumor cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Chondrosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; SOX9 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the characteristic morphology of heel spur, and to investigate the relationship of heel spur and plantar heel pain.

METHODSFrom June 2005 to April 2009, 210 cases (254 feet) with heel spur (according to Denis Pain Scale) were divided into cases group 1 (P2, n = 46), 2 (P3, n = 44), 3 (P4, n = 42), 4 (P5, n = 36) and controls group (P1, n = 42). Three-dimensional reconstruction of heel spur was performed in all groups using volume rendering based on multi-slice CT data by Super Image orthopedics edition 1.0. The characteristic morphology of heel spur was observed and the data were measured and analyzed, involving the width of basilar part, the length, the angle between heel spur and planta pedis, and the angle between the longitudinal axis of calcaneus and heel spur.

RESULTSParts of cases groups displayed coarse arcuate edge and undersurface with one or more little heel spurs adhere to heel spur, of which the numbers were greater than controls group, especially in cases group 4. No significant difference of the width of basilar part of heel spur was found among 5 groups (F = 2.32, P > 0.05). However, obvious difference was found in the length, the angle between heel spur and planta pedis, and the angle between the longitudinal axis of calcaneus and heel spur (F = 8.23, 6.82, 5.87, P < 0.05). Compared with the controls group, the angle between heel spur and planta pedis of cases groups had higher degrees, but the difference of the other data presented irregular.

CONCLUSIONSThe characteristic morphology of heel spur varies in patients associated with plantar heel pain. No correlation is found between the severity and the morphological data, including the width of basilar part, the length, the angle between heel spur and planta pedis, and the angle between the longitudinal axis of calcaneus and heel spur.

Aged ; Calcaneus ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Heel Spur ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association of early diarrhea(postoperative day 1 to 7) and anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection for rectal cancer.

METHODSClinical data of 192 cases (group A, tumor from the anal verge 4-7 cm) from May 2004 to May 2007 and 236 cases(group B) from July 2007 to May 2010 in our hospital who received low anterior resection of rectal cancer were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSIn group A, the incidence of early postoperative diarrhea was 19.3%(37/192), of which 9 cases were treated with anti-diarrhea drugs. The morbidity of anastomotic leakage in patients with diarrhea was significantly higher than those without early diarrhea(16.2% vs. 5.2%, P<0.05). In group B, the incidence of early postoperative diarrhea was 16.5%(39/236). All the patients were treated with anti-diarrhea drugs. There was no difference in the morbidity of anastomotic leakage between patients with diarrhea and those without early diarrhea(16.2% vs. 5.2%, P<0.05). There was no difference in early diarrhea between groups A and B(P>0.05). However, the incidence of anastomotic leakage in patients with early diarrhea was lower in group B(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEarly diarrhea after the low anterior resection of rectal cancer may indicate anastomotic leakage. Treatment of early postoperative diarrhea may reduce the risk of anastomotic leakage.

Adult ; Aged ; Anastomotic Leak ; etiology ; Diarrhea ; complications ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies