OBJECTIVETo study the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on Kupffer cells and its role in ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) on rat liver graft.

METHODSThe Kupffer cells following IRI were isolated and divided into control, ischemia-reperfusion (IR), and anti-CD14 antibody group. The mRNA and protein expression of CD14 and TLR4, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity and TNF-alpha level in supernatant were measured.

RESULTSThe mRNA and protein expression of CD14 and TLR4 in IR group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01). The NF-kappaB activity and TNF-alpha level in IR group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01), and they greatly decreased after anti CD14 antibody treatment (compared with IR group, P < 0.05), but were still significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSLPS following IRI could up-regulate CD14 and TLR4 gene and protein expression on Kupffer cells, and subsequently activate NF-kappaB to produce cytokines, but other signal transduction pathways might also participate in the IRI.

Animals ; In Vitro Techniques ; Kupffer Cells ; pathology ; physiology ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Transplantation ; pathology ; physiology ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; secretion

BACKGROUND: With the increasing aesthetic pursuit of patients, an aesthetic abutment with certain strength has aroused people's attentions either in the anterior or posterior tooth repair. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of titanium abutment and zirconia abutment on peri-implant tissue in anterior teeth.METHODS: A total of 40 anterior teeth from 34 patients were selected and received single crown restoration with Ankylos implants. Among them, titanium abutments were used in 20 teeth, and zirconia abutments in the other 20 teeth. All the patients were re-visited at 12 months after crown restoration. Peri-implant marginal bone resorption length (MBL), periodontal probing depth (PD), modified plaque index (mPLI), modified sulcus bleeding index (mSBI), and papilla index (PP) were detected; patient satisfaction investigation was carried out; and aesthetic assessment was done based on the pink esthetic score (PES).RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were no differences between two groups in MBL, PD, mPLI, mSBI, PP. Patients in both groups were satisfied with the treatment outcomes with insignificant difference (P > 0.05). The PES value in the zirconia abutment group was significantly higher than that in the titanium abutment group (P < 0.05). Overall, titanium and zirconia abutments show the similar effects on the peri-implant tissues and both can achieve good clinical outcomes. However, zirconia abutments have certain advantages in the aesthetic restoration for anterior teeth, and further investigation on long-term effects is warranted.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the tumor-suppression effect of hydroxyurea on meningioma cells and its possible mechanism.

METHODSThe meningioma cells were cultured in medium containing varied doses of hydroxyurea (5x10(-3)mol/L, 5x10(-4)mol/L, 5x10(-5)mol/L), the cell growth was measured by MTT method, cell apoptosis was observed with flow cytometry (FCM).

RESULTSMTT measurement demonstrated that the administration of hydroxyurea led to a dose-dependent suppression in cell proliferation and FCM showed a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis rate.

CONCLUSIONHydroxyurea can inhibit meningioma cell growth in vitro, which is most likely associated with apoptosis of the tumor cells.

Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea ; pharmacology ; Male ; Meningioma ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Middle Aged

Adult ; Altitude ; Craniotomy ; methods ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Chinese medicine compound on bone metabolism of weightlessness rats simulated by tail suspension.

METHODFifty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups randomly: control group, model group, and low does, medium dose and high does treated group. The experiment period lasted 21 days. After the Chinese compound prescription and distilled water were orally given to treated groups, and control and model group for 7 days, respectively, the tail suspension experiment was performed for treated and model group, meanwhile administration of Chinese compound prescription and distilled water still lasted until the end of the experiment. Blood serum was collected for determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone gla protein (BGP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), femoral bone HOP. The changes of bone mineral density (BMD) of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were observe.

RESULTCompared with control group, the ALP level of model group was markedly decreased (P < 0.05), no change of BGP, TRAP was not observed, the BMD of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were decreased remarkably (P < 0.05), Compared with model group, the change of ALP level of treated groups was not significant for all treated groups, the BGP level and BMD for medium dose group were increased (P < 0.05), the TRAP level for medium dose and high does groups was decreased (P < 0.05)

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese compound prescription can improve the bone formation and prevent bone loss via inhibiting bone absorption and improving ossify, bone mineral deposition and mineralization as well as increasing BMD, which leads to prevention and treatment of bone loss.

Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hindlimb Suspension ; Isoenzymes ; metabolism ; Male ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase ; Weightlessness Simulation

Objective To discuss the clinical value of transabdominal sonography after bowl preparation in diagnosis of ileocecal valve syndrome ( IVS) .Methods The ultrasonic features of IVS in 37 cases were summerized and correlated with the follow-up findings after conservative treatment or the pathologic results after operation .Twenty-eight cases were confirmed by follow-up and 9 cases by operative pathology.Results Among the 37 cases of IVS,28 were idiopathic IVS (75.7%,28/37) and 9 were secondary IVS (24.3%, 9/37%).For the secondary cases, the primary diseases included 5 acute appendicitis,2 Meckel diverticulum,1 terminal ileitis and 1 carcinoma of ascending colon .The diagnostic accuracy rate of ultrasound was 89.2%(33/37).Misdiagnosis rate was 10.8%(4/37),including 1 case of idiopathic and 3 cases of secondary IVS .The IVS ultrasonic images coulde be displayed clearly using 7.0-10.0 MHz probes.In fasting examination,three ultrasonic characteristic signss were found in interminal ileum region at the right lower abdomen .And these features were bagel-shaped sign [91.9%(34/37),average size (1.9 ±1.6) cm ×(0.8 ±0.3) cm],short sleevelet-shaped sign [91.9% (34/37,average size (2.1 ± 0.4)cm ×(1.3 ±0.2) cm],and rose-shaped sign [83.8% (31/37),average size (1.4 ±0.2) cm × (1.0 ±0.2) cm].The shapes of some signs were changeable when the probe compressed .In the case of idiopathic IVS ,several pathologic changes could be seen on sonography after intestinal tract filling of oral 20%mannitol,including slight thickened mucosa and submucosa of erminalileum ,enlarged ieocecal valve and the crocodile-mouth sign.Conclusions Transabdominal ultrasonic examination with high frequency probe after bowl preparation plays an important role in diagnosis of IVS .The method is simple and accurate and should be recommended and applied clinically .

OBJECTIVETo establish the role of psychological factors in the etiology and symptomatology of chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), analyze the influence of the psychological obstacles and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and provide a scientific basis for psychotherapy of the problem.

METHODSA total of 291 CP/CPPS patients and 100 normal controls were investigated in age, education, occupation, character, disease course, NIH chronic prostatitis syndrome index (NIH-CPSI) and leukocyte count in EPS and by self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) to establish the psychological factors related with CP/CPPS. Then, all the CP/CPPS patients were treated with the same method and followed up for 6 weeks. Based on the therapeutic results, the influence of psychological and other relative factors on the prognosis of CP/CPPS was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTSAll together 258 valid questionnaires were collected from the patients and 87 from the normal controls. Of the 258 CP/CPPS patients, the mean scores on SAS and SDS were 42.8 +/- 11.43 and 48.15 +/- 11.49 respectively, both significantly higher than those of the controls (32.12 +/- 9.68 and 35.12 +/- 10.81) (P < 0.01). The rates of anxiety, depression and anxiety and/or depression in the CP/CPPS group were 25.97, 21.71 and 34.50 % respectively, all significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). The rate of introversion was significantly higher while that of extroversion significantly lower in the former than in the latter (P < 0.01). The total effectiveness rate of treatment was 70.54 % in the CP/CPPS patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Cox regression revealed that anxiety, depression and disease course were the definite factors that negatively affected the prognosis of CP/CPPS, while the other factors, such as age, CPSI, character and leukocyte count in EPS had no influence.

CONCLUSIONSuch psychological obstacles as anxiety and depression play an important role in the pathogenesis, development and prognosis of CP/CPPS. In the treatment of CP/ CPPS, importance should be attached to the patients'psychological status and proper psychological intervention is sometimes necessary.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anxiety ; etiology ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; Depression ; etiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Pain ; etiology ; psychology ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostatitis ; complications ; psychology ; Regression Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Syndrome ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate whether mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow (BMSCs) could be administered safely into the internal carotid artery.Methods Density gradient centrifugation was employed to extract the BMSCs.About 1 × 106 BMSCs were injected into the internal carotid artery of healthy New Zealand rabbits through cerebral angiography.After 24 h of injection,we checked the cerebral microcirculation with CT perfusion and possibly microinfarction with HE stainning.Results Successful administration of BMSCs into internal carotid artery of the rabbits was performed.No significant difference was found in perfusion parameters,including cerebral blood flow (CBF),cerebral blood volume (CBV),mean transit time (MTT),and time to peak (TTP),between transplanted hemisphere and contralateral hemisphere (P＞0.05),despite a trend of slight decrease of CBF in the transplanted side.HE staining showed no microinfarctions in cortex-medulla junctional zone of the transplanted hemispheres.Conclusion BMSCs could be transplanted safely through internal carotid artery of the rabbits.

BACKGROUNDSmall noncoding microRNAs regulate gene expression in cardiac development and disease and have been implicated in the aging process and in the regulation of extracellular matrix proteins. However, their role in age-related cardiac remodeling and atrial fibrillation (AF) was not well understood. The present study was designed to decipher molecular mechanisms underlying age-related atrial structural remodeling and AF.

METHODSThree groups of dogs were studied: adult and aged dogs in sinus rhythm and with persistent AF induced by rapid atrial pacing. The expressions of microRNAs were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Pathohistological and ultrastructural changes were tested by light and electron microscopy. Apoptosis index of myocytes was detected by TUNEL.

RESULTSSamples of atrial tissue showed the abnormal pathohistological and ultrastructural changes, the accelerated fibrosis, and apoptosis with aging and/or in AF dogs. Compared to the adult group, the expressions of microRNAs-21 and -29 were significantly increased, whereas the expressions of microRNAs-1 and -133 showed obvious downregulation tendency in the aged group. Compared to the aged group, the expressions of microRNAs-1, -21, and -29 was significantly increased in the old group in AF; contrastingly, the expressions of microRNA-133 showed obvious downregulation tendency.

CONCLUSIONThese multiple aberrantly expressed microRNAs may be responsible for modulating the transition from adaptation to pathological atrial remodeling with aging and/or in AF.

Age Factors ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Atrial Fibrillation ; etiology ; Atrial Remodeling ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; physiology ; Dogs ; Electrocardiography ; Fibrosis ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; MicroRNAs ; analysis ; physiology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the KCNE1 gene G38S and the KCNE4 gene E145D and atrial fibrillation in Uygur and Han populations living in Xinjiang.

METHODSKCNE1 gene G38S and the KCNE4 gene E145D genotype and frequency were determined using PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 488 atrial fibrillation patients (237 Uygur and 251 Han residents) and 488 age-and-gender matched controls (237 Uygur and 251 Han residents).

RESULTSGenotype and allele frequency of KCNE1 gene G38S were similar between atrial fibrillation group and control group in the Han population (P = 0.556, P = 0.946). In the Uygur population, there was a statistical difference between atrial fibrillation group and control group (P = 0.018, P = 0.003). Logistic regression analysis revealed the KCNE1 38 G was one of the independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation in the Uygur population (OR = 1.634, 95%CI: 1.192-2.240, P = 0.002). The KCNE4 gene E145D, genotype and allele frequency were significantly different between atrial fibrillation group and control group in the Uygur population and Han population (P = 0.041, P = 0.015;P = 0.032, P = 0.013) . Logistic regression analysis revealed the KCNE4 145D was one of the independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation in the Uygur population and Han population (OR = 1.636, 95%CI:1.173-2.281, P = 0.004; OR = 1.491, 95%CI:1.076-2.065, P = 0.016) .

CONCLUSIONSKCNE1 G38S is not associated with atrial fibrillation in the Han population while the KCNE1 G38S is associated with atrial fibrillation in the Uygur population. KCNE4 gene E145D is associated with atrial fibrillation in both Uygur population and Han population.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Atrial Fibrillation ; ethnology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; genetics ; Risk Factors