OBJECTIVETo study the effect of tanshinone II A on the cell signal transduction system protein kinase B (Akt) in rats with hypertrophy of the myocardium induced by partial constriction of the thoracic aorta.

METHODSRat models of myocardial hypertrophy were established by the thoracic aorta partial constriction method. Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into the sham-operative group, the model group, the valsartan treatment group, and the low-, medium-, and high-dose tanshinone treatment groups. The heart mass index (HMI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW), and interventricular septal thickness (IVS) were detected by high-frequency ultrasonography. The myocardial fiber diameter (MFD) was detected by HE staining, and the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta in the myocardium were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operative group, the levels of HMI, LVMI, LVPW, IVS, and MFD were increased respectively in the other groups (P<0.05); the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta were also increased in the other groups. Compared with the model group, the levels of HMI, LVMI, LVPW, IVS, and MFD were decreased respectively in all treatment groups (P<0.05); the contents of p-Akt and p-Gsk3beta were decreased in all treatment groups as well. There was no significant difference, however, among the low-, medium-, and high-dose tanshinone treatment groups and the valsartan treatment group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTanshinone II A can prevent myocardial hypertrophy by its action on the protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway.

Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; enzymology ; prevention & control ; Diterpenes, Abietane ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo understand the relationship between the HIV-1 viral sequence variation and host factors associated with HIV-1 disease progression.

METHODSEnv and gag fragments of HIV-1 were amplified with PCR, cloned and sequenced. Bioinformatics was employed to find the genetic variation, N-linked glycosylation, hypermutation etc. Host gene polymorphism was analysed by using restricted fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

RESULTSSignificant difference was found in genetic divergence between Env PCR dominant and clonal sequences (0.1 and 0.06, respectively) in non-treated group, but no significant difference was found in the HAART treated group. V3 GPGQ accounted for the most part in both treated and nontreated groups, rare V3 loop such as GPGH, GQGR and GLGR was found in treated group, V3 substitutions of I/V (position 12) and Y/H (position 21) was associated with the relatively rapid progression (RRP). Glycosylation was significantly higher in RRP than in TP for Env region, GA substitution in RRP was also significantly higher than that in TP group. SDF1-3primeA and CCR2 V64I gene frequency was higher in TP than in RRP, but the difference was not significant.

CONCLUSIONDisease progression was associated with V3 AA change, glycosylation and GA substitution in env gene. SDF1-3primeA, CCR2 V64I and CX3CR1 V249I/M280T was not associated with disease progression significantly.

Adult ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; Glycosylation ; HIV Infections ; pathology ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, Chemokine ; genetics ; env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics ; metabolism ; gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the antiviral activity and safety of entecavir in patients with chronic HBV infection as a preliminarily step in selecting 0.1 mg or 0.5 mg as a better dosage for a further large scale clinical trial.

METHODSThis was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled and dose-ranging trial of entecavir usage in 212 patients with chronic HBV infection. The patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 0.1 mg entecavir (69), 0.5 mg entecavir (72) and, placebo (71) groups and treated for 28 days. The patients were then followed for 56 days without treatment.

RESULTSThe proportion of subjects who achieved the primary endpoint at day 28, with their HBV DNA level decreased >2 log or undetectable, was significantly greater in the entecavir 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg dose groups compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01 for both comparisons). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 was greater for entecavir 0.1mg and 0.5 mg groups compared with the placebo group (both P < 0.01). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 for entecavir 0.5 mg group was greater than that of the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). During the 56-day post-dosing follow-up phase, the entecavir 0.5 mg group was associated with greater and more sustained suppression of viral replication than the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). There were no clinically meaningful differences in the incidence of any adverse events between the entecavir dosing and the placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONEntecavir at both 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg doses demonstrated superior antiviral activity compared with a placebo. Since the entecavir 0.5 mg dose appears to have greater antiviral activity than the 0.1 mg dose and with a comparable safety and tolerability profile, the 0.5 mg entecavir dose could be used in further trials.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Guanine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To evaluate the application of “OmniView”, a new three-dimensional ultrasound technology, in displaying the fetal palate. Methods The three-dimensional volume data was acquired from 100 normal fetuses, analysed by OmniView technology with the facial midsagittal plane as the starting plane. The imaging of fetal palate was obtained in axial plane (through maxilla, oral cleft), coronal plane, oblique coronal plane (through piriform aperture, oral cleft, submental triangle), and the palate′s curved plane tiled imaging by drawing the anatomical lines on referenced sagittal plane (facial midsagittal plane). The volumes of ifve fetuses with cleft lip and palate were obtained and analysed by the same technology. Results The volume dataset of 91 (91.0%, 91/100) normal fetuses were acquired successfully, and analyzed by OmniView technology, the results of 91 normal fetal palate in different plane were: (1) In axial plane through maxilla, the visualization of alveolar process bow was 91 (100%, 91/91). It was shown as“C”shaped arcuate structure, the anechoic structure of alveolar socket could be seen on the bow, and the ifrst 6 alveolar sockets were displayed clearly. The visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as hyperechoic lfake between two sides of alveolar bones. In axial plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91), it was shown as a strip of soft tissue echo band. (2) In coronal plane, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as a strip of hyperechoic band and separated the oral and nasal cavity. (3) In oblique coronal plane through piriform aperture, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91), it was shown as a short strip of hyperechoic band. In oblique coronal plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). In oblique coronal plane through submental triangle, the visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). In the above two planes, the hard palate was shown as a strip of hyperechoic band, due to acoustic shadow behind the hard palate, the nasal cavity and nasal septum above the hard palate couldn’t be displayed. (4) In oblique coronal plane through piriform aperture, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). The visualization number of uvula was 25 (27.5%, 25/91). The soft palate was shown as a lfake of soft tissue echo behind the hard palate, and the uvula was shown as papillary protrusions on the edge of the soft palate in the midline. In oblique coronal plane through oral cleft, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). In oblique coronal plane through submental triangle, the visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). In the above two planes, the soft palate was shown as a strip of soft tissue echo band, the soft tissue echo of fetal tongue was in the lower front of soft palate, and the anechoic region of nasopharynx was superior behind the soft palate. (5) In the curved plane tiled imaging of palate, the visualization number of alveolar process bow (primary palate) was 91 (100%, 91/91). The visualization number of hard palate was 91 (100%, 91/91). The visualization number of soft palate was 81 (89.0%, 81/91). the visualization number of uvula was 25 (27.5%, 25/91), the planar panorama of alveolar process bow, hard palate and soft palate could be visualized intuitively, the alveolar arch and hard palate were shown as bone-like hyperecho, and the soft palate was shown as soft tissue hypoecho. In iffteen cases′volume involved cleft lip and palate, all five cases of malformations were detected through three-dimensional data analysis, the position and range of the cleft palate could also be conifrm. Abnormal fetuses were all veriifed after induction of labor. Conclusions By three-dimensional ultrasound technology-“OmniView”, the axial and coronal plane of fetal palate could be obtained easily which was dififcult by two-dimensional ultrasound, and the special oblique coronal plane of secondary palate could be displayed easily. The panorama of the palate could be visualized intuitively though curved plane tiled imaging by drawing a line tracking the structure of the palate. This technology could simplify the ultrasound examination procedure of the fetal palate, reduce the operators′skill-dependence, and quickly evaluated the integrity of the fetal primary palate and secondary palate. For the cleft lip fetus, this technology can determine whether the cleft palate exist or not, together with their position and range.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical application of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). METHODS PVP was performed in 21 cases of 37 vertebral lesions,including 14 osteoporotic compression fractures, 6 metastases, 1 hemangioma,and 17 lesions in thoracic vertebra and 20 in lumbar. The procedures of PVP were as follows: The needle was inserted via percutaneous transpedicular approach or percutaneous posterolateral vertebral approach; the needle tip was placed at the junction of the anterior located the one third of the vertebral body; intraosseous venography was performed; and last bone cement was injected at 2-10 mL. The technical success rate, clinical efficacy and complications were observed after the procedure. Results The procedure was successful in 18 cases with 31 lesions,and the success rate according to the number of cases and vertebral lesions was 85.7% (18/21) and 83.8% (31/37), respectively. After the procedure, the numbers of complete remission, partial remission, mild remission and no remission were 10, 5, 2 and 1, respectively; and the total effective rate was 94.4% (17/18). Progressive compression did not occur. Three patients had transient neuropathy and recovered after physiotherapy. Other complications were insignificant; no severe complications occurred. Conclusion PVP is an effective and micro-traumatic treatment for patients with benign and malignant lesions in vertebral bodies.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthopedic Procedures ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; complications ; Spinal Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery

OBJECTIVEEstablishing the retinal gene expression profiles of non-diabetic rat and diabetic rat and comparing the profiles in order to analyze the possible genes related with diabetic retinopathy.

METHODSThe whole retinal transcriptional fragments of non-diabetic rat and 8-week diabetic rat were obtained by restriction fragments differential display-PCR (RFDD-PCR). Bioinformatic analysis of retinal gene expression was performed using soft wares, including Fragment Analysis. After comparison of the expression profiles, the related gene fragments of diabetic retinopathy were initially selected as the target gene of further approach.

RESULTSA total of 3639 significant fragments were obtained. By means of more than 3-fold contrast of fluorescent intensity as the differential expression standard, the authors got 840 differential fragments, accounting for 23.08% of the expressed numbers and including 5 visual related genes, 13 excitatory neruotransmitter genes and 3 inhibitory neurotransmitter genes. At the 8th week, the expression of Rhodopsin kinase, beta-arrestin, Phosducinìrod photoreceptor cGMP-gated channel and Rpe65 as well as iGlu R1-4 were down-regulated. mGluRs and GABA-Rs were all up-regulated, whereas the expression of GlyR was unchanged.

CONCLUSIONThese results prompt again that the changes in retinal nervous layer of rat have occurred at an early stage of diabetes. The genes expression pattern of visual related genes and excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in rat diabetic retina have been involved in neuro-dysfunctions of diabetic retina.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; genetics ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retina ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a biweekly DOF regimen consisting of docetaxel, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin for advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSThe biweekly DOF regimen was administered in 37 advanced gastric cancer patients. Docetaxel, oxaliplatin and leucovorin were given intravenously at a dose of 35 mg/m2, 85 mg/m2 and 200 mg/m2 for 1 h, 2 h and 2 h on D1, respectively, and 5-Fu was administered as continuous intravenous infusion for 48 h at a dose of 1500 mg/m2 on D1 and D2. This regimen was repeated every 2 weeks. The efficacy and toxicity were evaluated after completion of 3 cycles at least.

RESULTSThe overall response rate (RR) of this series was 67.6%, complete response rate and partial response rate were 27.0% and 40.5%, respectively. The time to progression (TTP) was 9.2 months, and median survival time (MST) was 13.7 months. The RRs of 11 chemotherpy-naïve patients and 26 patients pre-treated with chemotherapy were 81.8% and 61.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONOur preliminary results showed that this biweekly combination regimen of docetaxel, oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin is effective and tolerable for advanced gastric cancer. However, further investigation of this regimen is mandatory.

Adenocarcinoma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Remission Induction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish the restriction fragment differential display-polymerase chain reaction (RFDD-PCR) as an efficient technique for constructing and studying the gene expression profile of human tissues.

METHODSThe tissues of mamma adenocarcinoma (T), cancerometastasis lymph node (L) and normal mammary (N) from one mammary infiltrating ductal carcinoma case were collected, and the gene expression profile of each kind of tissue was constructed using RFDD-PCR technique at equal pace according to the operating manual of Qbio-gene Company. Then all fragments of the three gene expression profiles were separated and displayed by electrophoresis. With the use of gene database at the website http://www.Qbio-gene.com/display, the authors identified the names of the probable fragments by bioinformatics analysis. Through comparison of the three profiles, the numbers and types of most differentially expressed gene fragments were displayed.

RESULTSThe expression profiles of the three kinds of tissue have been constructed covering 1716 fragments of mammary adenocarcinoma, 1769 of cancerometastasis lymph nodes and 1922 of normal mammary tissue. Among these 5407 fragments, 39.39% were exactly the same. While 33.9% sequences of T and L showed differences in abundance or presence, 40.9% of T and N and 39.6% fragments of L and N were observed differentially expressed. These differentially expressed gene fragments were found to relate with metastasis, differentiation, inflammation and so on.

CONCLUSIONRFDD-PCR is an efficient technique for research in human diseases genomics as a mass screening for complete gene expression profile with high-flux. Through comparison among three or more profiles, the screening for candidate genes of a certain disease can be accomplished, and there is probably a chance to identify novel gene or expressed sequence tag.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; genetics ; Computational Biology ; Electrophoresis ; methods ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; methods

OBJECTIVEContrast induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) is a significant clinical problem. We, therefore, performed a prospective, randomized trial to investigate the role of probucol in the prevention of CIAKI in patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) undergoing percutaneous coronary angiography (CAG) and interventions (PCI).

METHODSWe studied 205 patients with UAP, who underwent CAG or PCI prospectively. Patients were randomly assigned to probucol group (n = 102) and control group (n = 103). In the probucol group, the patients received probucol tablets 500 mg b.i.d for 3 days before and after intervention. All the patients, after intervention, underwent hydration with intravenous saline at a rate of 1 ml per kilogram of body weight per hour for 12 hours.

RESULTSPatients were well-matched with no significant difference at baseline in majority measured parameters between two groups. CIAKI occurred in 23 of the 205 (11.22%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify correlates of CIAKI and clinical data. CIAKI was most strongly associated with Scr > or = 132.6 micromol/L (OR = 21.11, 95%CI 1.95 - 56.06, P < 0.001), Ccr < 60 ml/min (OR = 4.19, 95%CI 1.94 - 9.05, P < 0.001), heart function > class II (OR = 6.23, 95%CI 2.73 - 14.21, P < 0.001), Diabetes (OR = 2.049, 95%CI 1.19 - 5.25, P < 0.001), age > or = 70 yrs (OR = 3.52, 95%CI 1.66 - 7.43, P < 0.001), coronary artery calcification shown by CAG (OR = 4.29, 95%CI 1.99 - 9.24, P < 0.001). The rate of CIAKI in probucol groups was slightly lower compared with control group (7.84% vs. 14.56%), without significant difference. The post-procedure mean peak of Scr [(101.62 +/- 42.98) micromol/L vs. (117.67 +/- 68.77) micromol/L, P = 0.047] and the post-procedure increasing Scr from baseline (DeltaScr) [(13.49 +/- 19.61) micromol/L vs. (22.50 +/- 18.31) micromol/L, P = 0.001] in the probucol group decreased significantly compared with that of control group.

CONCLUSIONProphylactic treatment with probucol 500 mg b.i.d during periprocedural stage in patients with UAP has preventing role against CIAKI after cardiac catheterization.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; prevention & control ; Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; diagnostic imaging ; Contrast Media ; adverse effects ; Coronary Angiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Probucol ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies

Objective To predict the monthly reported echinococcosis cases in China with the autoregressive integrated mov-ing average(ARIMA)model,so as to provide a reference for prevention and control of echinococcosis. Methods SPSS 24.0 software was used to construct the ARIMA models based on the monthly reported echinococcosis cases of time series from 2007 to 2015 and 2007 to 2014,respectively,and the accuracies of the two ARIMA models were compared. Results The model based on the data of the monthly reported cases of echinococcosis in China from 2007 to 2015 was ARIMA(1,0,0)(1,1, 0)12,the relative error among reported cases and predicted cases was-13.97%,AR(1)=0.367(t=3.816,P<0.001),SAR (1)=-0.328(t=-3.361,P=0.001),and Ljung-Box Q=14.119(df=16,P=0.590).The model based on the data of the monthly reported cases of echinococcosis in China from 2007 to 2014 was ARIMA(1,0,0)(1,0,1)12,the relative error among reported cases and predicted cases was 0.56%,AR(1)=0.413(t=4.244,P<0.001),SAR(1)=0.809(t=9.584, P<0.001),SMA(1)=0.356(t=2.278,P=0.025),and Ljung-Box Q=18.924(df=15,P=0.217).Conclusions The different time series may have different ARIMA models as for the same infectious diseases.It is needed to be further verified that the more data are accumulated,the shorter time of predication is,and the smaller the average of the relative error is.The estab-lishment and prediction of an ARIMA model is a dynamic process that needs to be adjusted and optimized continuously accord-ing to the accumulated data,meantime,we should give full consideration to the intensity of the work related to infectious diseas-es reported(such as disease census and special investigation).