Disease ; genetics ; Humans ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Models, Biological

Carcinogens ; Carcinogens, Environmental ; Retrospective Studies ; Threshold Limit Values

Uremia caused secondary hyperparathyroidism is one of the common and serious complications caused by uremia. Surgery treatment is effective. Total parathyroidectomy plus forearm transplantation is more commonly used because of exact outcomes and easy monitoring. It is necessary to be fully prepared be-fore operation,particularly to clarify the location of parathyroid gland. Yet each surgical method has its re-lapse rate.

Objective To observe the expression of GATA-3 and IL-13 in mice with radiationinduced lung fibrosis,and to study the function of GATA-3.Methods A total of 63 C57BL/6 female mice were randomly into 2 groups,including 21 mice in control group and 42 mice in irradiated group.The thoraces of mice in irradiated group were exposed with 12 Gy of X-rays.All the mice were sacrificed at 1 h,and 1,2,4,8,16 and 24 weeks post-irradiation.The lung issues were stained by using HE and Masson methods to determine the histological changes.The expression of IL-13 in serum,and the expression of hydroxyproline and the mRNA and protein of GATA-3 in lung tissue were assayed.Results Compared with control group,there was a significant histological and pathologic change in irradiated group.The content of hydroxyproline in irradiated group was significantly higher than that in control group( Z =3.14,P ＜0.05).The expressions of GATA-3 and IL-13 were found in mice post-irradiation.Without causing conspicuous fibrotic pathological changes,there was a significantly elevated expression of Th2-specific transcription factor GATA-3 mRNA at 1 and 2 weeks post-irradiation ( t =6.50,6.33,P ＜ 0.01 ),while the expression of IL-13 reached the maximal value in serum at 16 weeks post-irradiation( t =32.21,P ＜0.01 ).Conclusions GATA-3 might play a role in promoting radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis by upregulation of expression of Th2 cytokine IL-13.

Aged, 80 and over ; Echinocandins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lipopeptides ; Liver ; drug effects ; Liver Function Tests ; Mycoses ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Currently, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis has been explored; however, there are still some problems such as unsatisfactory treatment effects. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of methotrexate combined with electroacupuncture in rheumatoid arthritis rats. METHODS: A total of 100 Wistar rats were selected, 80 of which were injected type II collagenase to induce rheumatoid arthritis models. After successful modeling, the model rats were randomly divided into model group, methotrexate group, electroacupuncture group, and methotrexate+electroacupuncture group. The remaining 20 normal animals untreated were used as the normal control group. The arthritis index was evaluated at 1, 6, and 12 weeks of treatment. Hematological changes in the ankle were observed with hematoxylin-eosin staining at 12 weeks after treatment. RT-PCR and western blot were used to detect changes in tumor necrosis factor α, JAK3, and STAT3 expression levels. Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptotic rate of chondrocytes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, methotrexate and electroacupuncture alone or in combination could significantly reduce the arthritis index of rheumatoid arthritis rats at 1, 6, and 12 weeks after administration (P < 0.05), and the reduction tendency was more significant in the methotrexate+electroacupuncture group. There was no synovial tissue lesion and joint capsule hyperplasia in the normal control group. In the model group, synovial tissue was infiltrated by extensive inflammatory cells; vasodilation and vascular hyperplasia in the synovium triggered the formation of vascular pannus; and intrathecal ligament nerve injury and proliferation of synovial and fibrous tissues were observed. Histological changes in the synovium were less after treatment with methotrexate and electroacupuncture alone than in combination. Treatment with methotrexate plus electroacupuncture obviously decreased inflammatory cell infiltration and synovial hyperplasia. Compared with the model group, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, JAK3 and STAT3 mRNA and protein were significantly reduced in the methotrexate group, electroacupuncture group, and methotrexate+electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05), and the reduction was more significant in the methotrexate+electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic rate of chondrocytes was highest in the model group, followed by the methotrexate group, electroacupuncture group, and methotrexate+electroacupuncture group (P < 0.05). However, the apoptotic rate of chondrocytes in the methotrexate+electroacupuncture group was still higher than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). To conclude, the combination of methotrexate and electroacupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis can inhibit the activity of tumor necrosis factor and JAK-STAT pathways, reduce the apoptosis of chondrocytes, and protect the articular cartilage.

Objective To define the expression of Shh/Gli1,the key elements of Hedgehog signaling pathway in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) and to explore the relationship between the expression of Shh/Gli1 and clinical significance.Methods The expression of Shh and Gli1 was examined in 142 cases of PTC tissues and adjacent tumor thyroid tissues as control by immunohistochemistry.The relationship between the expression of Shh/Gli1 and clinical characteristics of PTC patients was analyzed.Results The positive rate of the cytoplasm Shh expression and the nuclear Gli1 expression was 64.1% and 47.9% ,respectively.Significant difference was found between normal thyroid tissues and PTC.The research showed that the expression of Shh/Gli1 was related to the tumor size,clinical stages and lymph node metastasis,Shh was more significantly related to the tumor size(P ＜0.01) and Gli1 was more significantly related to the lymph node metastasis (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Varying expression of the main ligand Shh and transcription factor Gli1 in Hedgehog signaling pathway was found in PTC.The expression of Shh/Gli1 was related to the tumor size,clinical stage and lymph node metastasis,indicating that the aberrant activation of Shh signaling pathway plays some roles in PTC.Shh/Gli1 may be indicators for prognosis and ideal targets for therapy against PTC.

OBJECTIVETo study on the original meanings of "reinforcement can be achieved by slow-yet-rapid needling, and rapid-yet-slow needling weakens evil-qi", one of important bases of reinforcing-reducing in acupuncture.

METHODSUsing the principle of knowledge archaeology and through structure an d through structure analysis on the subjects described by "slow" and "rapid" and the papers appearing the words, the meanings of this sentence are re-discriminated.

CONCLUSION"Slow-rapid" prescribed in the reinforcing-reducing needling method in Huangdi's Internal Classic includes 3 subjects: pulse condition, needle-retained time, and velocity of withdrawing the needle. The "slow-rapid" in "reinforcement can be achieved by slow-yet-rapid needling, and rapid-yet-slow needling weakens evil-qi" should be pulse condition, but was not needling method, which means that the pulse changes from slow to rapid, marked by transformation of channels from deficiency to excess; the transform of the pulse from rapid to slow means that the channel transforms from excess to deficiency.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo improve the method for monitoring sleep state and respiratory rhythm of SD rats, providing a solution for rats' chewing on the wires, signal loss and instability problems in the animal model of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS).

METHODSWe improved monitoring electrodes of both electrocorticogram (ECoG) and electromyogram (EMG), signal circuit and animal operation.

RESULTSOperation time was shortened and wound exposure time was reduced, which made it easier for postoperative recovery. The ECoG and EMG signals were more stable with sharp image, and signal circuit lines had better conductivity and material durability, achieving continuous monitoring for a long time and high success rate. We could precisely distinguish the sleep wake state and the sleep apnea events in rats according to these signals.

CONCLUSIONThe improved method is more reliable and practical to test the small animal model of SAS, and is more easily to operate and the signals are more stable.

Animals ; Electroencephalography ; methods ; Electromyography ; methods ; Models, Animal ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods ; Rats ; Respiration ; Sleep ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; diagnosis

Objective To approach the guide of ultrasound-guided minimally invasive biopsy technique in diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases. Methods One hundred and seventeen cases (a total of 131 nodules, nodules 0. 5-1.5 cm in diameter, with an average diameter of approximately 0. 8 cm) with thyroid nodules , under Ultrasound-guided minimally invasive biopsy techniques from October 2008 to July 2009 were analyzed. Result One hundred and seventeen cases of patients with biopsy derived satisfaction were not ap-parent discomfort and complications after biopsy. Across 59 cases of surgical treatment in patients with biop-sy, and preoperative biopsy and postoperative pathologic is not fully consistent in only two cases, 58 patients without surgical treatment, who is combined with symptoms, palpation, serum thyroxine and color Doppler ultrasound and other laboratory examinations, and regularly review treated with symptomatic treatment, the symptoms, and color Doppler ultrasound imaging were much better under the treatment. 8 cases of patients in 117 cases of minimally invasive biopsy have cervical lymph node biopsy at the same time, biopsy patholo-gy and postoperative results are consistent with postoperative pathologic (7 cases of metastatic carcinoma, 1 case of reactive hyperplasia), accuracy was 100%. Conclusion Uhrasound-guided minimally invasive bi-opsy technique have important guiding for diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases, consistent with the high rate of clinical, especially for the preoperative diagnosis of small nodules, to avoid unnecessary over-treatment, can also reduce the misdiagnosis of thyroid cancer. While this technology is simple, safe and ac-curate, which have clinical value in the thyroid surgery.