The sequences of ITS, matK, rbcL and psbA-trnH of 9 Gynostemma species or variety including 38 samples were compared and analyzed by molecular phylogeny method. Hemsleya macrosperma was designated as outgroup. The MP and NJ phylogenetic tree of Gynostemma was built based on ITS sequence, the results of PAUP phylogenetic analysis showed the following results: (1) The eight individuals of G. pentaphyllum var. pentaphyllum were not supported as monophyletic in the strict consensus trees and NJ trees. (2) It is suspected whether G. longipes and G. laxum should be classified as the independent species. (3)The classification of subgenus units of Gynostemma plants is supported.
Gynostemma ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of plasma cross-linked D-dimer (XDP) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) on the infarct volume and neurological function deficit in patients with cerebral infarction (CI).

METHODSPlasma XDP and NSE levels were measured in 66 CI patients on the different days after onset and also in 46 normal individuals, and the changes in XDP and NSE levels were analyzed in the CI patients with different infarct volume and neurological function deficit scores.

RESULTSWithin 48 h following CI onset, plasma XDP and NSE levels increased significantly (P<0.01) and reached the highest levels on day 5 (P<0.001), recovering the normal level till day 18. Plasma XDP and NSE levels were significantly higher in patients with moderate to large infarct volume and in those with moderate to severe neurological deficits than in those with small infarct volume and mild neurological deficits (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONIncrement of XDP and NSE levels is an important pathological process in CI in close relation to the infarct volume and neurological deficits. XDP and NSE may serve as reliable indices for early diagnosis and evaluation of CI.

Aged ; Biomarkers ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; pathology ; Cross-Linking Reagents ; chemistry ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood

Objective To explore whether the degree of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) uptake in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could be correlated with the treatment response to three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy.Methods A total of 102 patients with NSCLC were studied with 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT before radiotherapy.The patients were classified by a follow-up CT as responders (complete or partial remission) and non-responders (stable or progressive disease).After intravenous administration of 740 MBq 99Tcm-MIBI, SPECT imaging at 10-30 min (early) and 2-3 h (delayed) were performed.Region of interest (ROI) was placed over the tumors and contralateral normal lung tissue.The uptake ratio of tumor to contralateral normal lung (T/N) was obtained from both early (ER) and delayed (DR) SPECT images.The retention index (RI) was measured as:RI = (DR - ER)/ER×100%.Statistical analysis was performed by two independent-sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test using software SPSS 13.0.Results 99Tcm-MIBI uptake was significantly higher in responders than in non-responders:2.36 ±0.17 vs 1.82 ±0.14 (ER) and 2.48 ± 0.20 vs 1.94 ± 0.16 (DR), respectively (t = - 13.1,- 12.7, both P＜ 0.05).The median RI in the responders group was also significantly higher than that in the non-responders group (6.60% vs 5.13%, z = - 6.83, P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion ER, DR and RI of 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT might be useful to estimate the treatment response to three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in patients with NSCLC.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of extracts from Cichorium endivia (CEE) in H2O2-induced HepG2 cell oxidative stress injury, and explore the antioxidant mechanism of CEE in HepG2 cells.

METHODThe viability of H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and the intracellular ROS level were measured by MTT assay and DCFH-DA fluorescence staining assay. The antioxidant-response element (ARE)-Luciferase activity was tested in HepG2 cells stably transected by ARE reporter gene. The fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA expressions of genes containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells.

RESULTThe cell viability reduced, while the ROS level increased after HepG2 cells were treated by H2O2. Different concentrations of CEE could be added to significantly improve the above results. After HepG2 cells transected by ARE reporter gene were treated with different concentrations of CEE, the intracellular ARE activity could increase in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the mRNA expressions of regulatory genesGCLC, GCLM and HMOX-1 containing ARE sequence in HepG2 cells were up-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner by CEE.

CONCLUSIONCEE inhibited the H2O2-injured HepG2 cells by reducing the ROS level. CEE's antioxidant mechanism for HepG2 cells may be closely related to the antioxidant defense system associated with its effect of activating Nrf2-ARE pathway in HepG2 cells.

Antioxidants ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Response Elements ; genetics

Objective To study the pathologic and clinical features of malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney(MRTK),and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.Methods The clinical and pathologic data of 5 patients(4 men and 1 woman;mean age,50 years;age range,21-67 years)with MRTK(3 tumors on the left and 2 on the right)were retrospectively analyzed in combination with review of the relevant literature.Of the 5 cases,I was incidentally diagnosed with renal tumor during physical examina- tion;and 3 had gross hematuria,low back pain and discomfort,and abdominal masses.Results Radical nephrectomy was performed in all 5 cases.The tumors averaged 6.5cm in diameter.By NWTS staging,4 ca- ses had stageⅡtumors and 1 case had stageⅢtumor.Pathological features were as follows.Rhabdoid cells were characterized by eccentric nuclei,prominent nucleoli,and abundant cytoplasm containing eosinophilic inclusions that were strongly positive for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen(EMA).Electron micros- copy showed intermediate filaments and round,irregular fibroid or whorl-like corpuscles in the cytoplasm. Follow-up was available in 4 patients(mean,6.8 months;range,3-24 months).Of them,2 died of metasta- sis or complications 12 months after operation;and 2 were alive without recurrence and metastasis for 6 months.Conclusions MRTK is a rare and morphologically distinctive neoplasm with specific findings of pathological features.The tumor has a poorer prognosis,but comparatively it is better in adults than in adoles- cents.

Cemento-ossifying fibroma is a rare benign tumor from periodontium, which usually occurs in mandible body and mandible ramus. It consists of collagen fibrils, fibroblast, and cementoblast. This article reported a case of giant cemento-ossifying fibroma and discussed the clinical features and treatment.
Dental Cementum ; Fibroblasts ; Fibroma, Ossifying ; Humans ; Mandible ; Periodontal Ligament

BACKGROUNDGingerol is the generic term for pungent constituents in ginger, which has been reported to be effective for inhibiting vomiting. We attempted to investigate the antiemetic effect of gingerol and its effective mechanism on substance P and NK(1) receptors in minks.

METHODSThe antiemetic effect of gingerol was investigated during a 6-hour observation on a vomiting model in minks induced by cisplatin, (7.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). The distribution of substance P and NK(1) receptors in the area postrema and ileum were measured by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of NK(1) receptor in the area postrema and ileum were measured by Western blotting.

RESULTSThe frequency of cisplatin induced retching and vomiting was significantly reduced by pretreatment with gingerol in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Substance P-immunoreactive was mainly situated in the mucosa and submucosa of the ileum as well as in the neurons of the area postrema. The immunoreactive production of NK(1) receptor was mainly situated in the muscular and submucosa of ileum and the neurons of area postrema, gingerol markedly suppressed the increased immunoreactivity of substance P and NK(1)1 receptor induced by cisplatin in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and exhibited effective inhibition on the increased expression levels of NK(1) receptor in both the ileum and area postrema dose-dependently (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGingerol has good activity against cisplatin-induced emesis in minks possibly by inhibiting central or peripheral increase of substance P and NK(1) receptors.

Animals ; Area Postrema ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Catechols ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fatty Alcohols ; therapeutic use ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Mink ; Receptors, Neurokinin-1 ; metabolism ; Substance P ; metabolism ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and physical factors that might give rise to radiation-induced esophagitis in three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODSTo collect the clinical and physical records and follow-up information of 106 NSCLC patients without undergoing surgery in our hospital. χ(2) test, linear tendency test and analysis of variance were employed to analyze the relationship between occurrence of radiation-induced esophagitis and clinical and physical treatment. Logistic analysis was also used for multivariate analysis.

RESULTSAmong the 47 cases of radiation-induced esophagitis, 31 cases were of grade I, 11 of grade II, 5 of grade III, and with a total occurrence rate of 44.3% (47/106). Radiation-induced esophagitis was correlated with Karnofsky scores, radiation sensitization and tumor location (χ(2) = 11.30, 8.45, 7.67, P < 0.05). Radiation-induced esophagitis was correlated with the length of irradiated esophagus and average dose of irradiated esophagus (F = 20.82, 83.08, P < 0.001). With the increase of the irradiated volume percentage from V20, V30, V40 up to V50, the occurrence rate of radiation-induced esophagitis was also increased, almost with a linear trend (P < 0.05). Application of all the above factors to logistic model indicated that radiation sensitization,length of irradiated esophagus, average dose and V50 were all statistically significant foactors in the occurrence of radiation-induced esophagitis (OR = 0.321, 2.850, 7.307 and 8.558, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRadiation sensitization,length of irradiated esophagus, average dose of irradiated esophagus and V50 are independent factors in the occurrence of radiation-induced esophagitis. V50 is of greater importance in the judgement of occurrence of radiation-induced esophagitis.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; radiotherapy ; Esophagitis ; etiology ; Esophagus ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Radiation Injuries ; etiology ; Radiation Tolerance ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the validity of transplanting transverse colon to replace esophagus in treating cicatricial stricture resulting from severe esophageal chemical burns in children.

METHODSA retrospective study was carried out on the clinical data of 46 patients with severe chemical esophageal burns who were treated from November 1972 to September 2008. The transverse colon with the ascending branch of the left colic artery was brought through a retrosternal tunnel to replace strictured esophagus. Thirty-two patients underwent colon-esophageal anastomosis and 14 patients underwent colon-pharyngeal anastomosis.

RESULTSAll patients survived after surgery, but complications occurred in 7 cases, including leakage of anastomosis in cervical region in 4 cases, stenosis of anastomosis in 2 cases, and dyspnea in 1 case, and they were cured after due treatment. Follow-up study (1 - 26 years) in 39 patients revealed that there was no difference in growth, development and diet between the patients and the normal children of the same age.

CONCLUSIONSEsophageal reconstruction with transverse colon together with the ascending branch of the left colic artery through a retrosternal tunnel is a valuable method for treating cicatricial stricture of the esophagus secondary to severe chemical burns of the esophagus in children.

Burns, Chemical ; complications ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix ; complications ; etiology ; Colon, Transverse ; transplantation ; Esophageal Stenosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Esophagus ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of lateral-rectus approach(LRA) for vertical shear fracture of pelvis combined with lumbosacral plexus nerve injury.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 37 patients who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, The Third Affiliated Hospital to Southern Medical University for vertical shear pelvic fracture combined with lumbosacral plexus nerve injury from August 2010 to August 2018. They were 25 males and 12 females, aged from 18 to 61 years (mean, 36.2 years). By the Tile classification, there were 31 cases of type C1.3, 5 cases of type C2 and one of type C3. LRA was used in all the patients to explore and release the lumbosacral plexus nerve and to reduce the sacral fracture. The posterior ring was fixated with an anterior iliac plate or sacral screws before fixation of the anterior ring and treatment of the acetabular fracture. The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, quality of fracture reduction, fracture union time and recovery of nerve and muscle strength were recorded.Results:For this cohort, the operation time ranged from 105 to 228 minutes (mean, 155.0 minutes) and the intraoperative bleeding volume from 680 to 2, 440 mL (mean, 1, 070 mL). Thefollow-up time ranged from 1 to 8 years (average, 2 years). According to the Matta criteria, the quality of fracture reduction was evaluated as excellent in 21 cases, as good in 12 cases and as fair in 4 cases, giving an excellent and good rate of 89.2%. Follow-ups revealed reduction loss in 4 patients, nonunion and reduction loss in one patient and bony union in the other 32 patients after 8 to 12 weeks (mean, 10.1 weeks). According to the criteria by the Nerve Injuries Committee of the British Medical Research Council (BMRC), the recovery of nerve and muscle strength achieved M5 (full recovery of neurological symptoms) in 22 cases, M4 (fine recovery of neurological symptoms) in 7 cases, M1, M2 and M3 (partial recovery of neurological symptoms) in 5 cases, and M0 (no recovery of neurological symptoms) in 3 cases.Conclusion:LRA is an ideal surgical approach for treatment of pelvic vertical shear fractures complicated with lumbosacral plexus nerve injury, because it can well expose the medial pelvic joint from the sacroiliac joint to the symphysis pubis, allow direct release of the lumbosacral plexus nerve compressed and stretched, and, together with traction of the lower limbs, lead to satisfactory fracture reduction.