Objective To investigate the effects of p38 MAPK inhibitor on glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), taurine amino acid (Tau), glycine (Gly) and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia (VD).Methods Twenty-four healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, VD model group and inhibitor group. VD model was established by permanent ligation of bilateral carotid artery method, and the sham operation group stripping bilateral carotid artery but not ligation. Rats of the inhibitor group were injected p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 after the establishment of VD model. Morris water maze was used to evaluate the learning and memory function of rats. The samples of DG region of hippocampus were collected by microdialysis, and the contents of amino acids were detected. Results The learning and memory abilities were significantly better in sham operation group and p38 MAPK inhibitor group than those of VD model group. The latency time was significantly shorter in p38 MAPK group than that of VD model group. The time of locating the platform quadrant and the number of crossing the original platform were significantly higher in sham operation group and p38 MAPK inhibitor group than those of VD model group (P <0.05). Compared with sham group, the levels of Glu, Gln and Tau were significantly lower, and Gly and GABA were significantly higher, in VD group and p38 MAPK inhibitor group (P<0.05). Compared with VD group, Glu, Gln and Tau were significantly increased, Gly and GABA were significantly decreased in p38 MAPK inhibitor group (P<0.05). Conclusion p38 MAPK inhibitor has protective effect on VD hippocampal injury, which may be related to its ability to inhibit VD-induced abnormal secretion of amino acids and regulate the secretion of various amino acids.

A rapid resolution liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometric ( RRLC-QTOF/MS) method was used to profile the metabolites of urine samples from atherosclerosis ( AS) patients and healthy controls and find the differential metabolites which could provide the scientific evidence to explain the pathogenesis and early disease diagnose. In the study, 15 AS patients ( age46. 84±2. 41 years) and 15 healthy controls ( age45 . 72±1 . 93 years ) was screened out by VaSera VS-1000 . The urine samples were analyzed by RRLC-QTOF/MS and the resulting data matrices were analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis ( Principal Component Analysis, PCA ) to find the potential biomarkers. The results showed that the urine samples of AS patients were successfully distinguished from those of healthy controls. Besides, a total of two significantly changed metabolites, uric acid and Guanidineacetic acid, had been found and identified as potential biomarkers, which suggested that the disorder of purine metabolism and amino acid metabolism played an important role in the mechanism of AS.

BACKGROUND: There are many methods for the treatment of femoral head necrosis, such as core decompression, bone graft, arthroplasty and joint replacement, and each of which has its own shortcomings. So, percutaneous bal oon angioplasty combined with coral artificial bone provides a new attempt for the treatment of femoral head necrosis. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of percutaneous bal oon angioplasty combined with coral artificial bone on femoral head necrosis repair. METHODS: Twenty-four Duroc piglets were enrol ed to establish bilateral femoral head necrosis models by liquid nitrogen freezing method. Then, model piglets were randomly treated with percutaneous bal oon angioplasty combined with injectable coral artificial bone (experimental group) or bone cement (control group) on one affected side, and meanwhile, given no treatment on the contralateral side (blank control group). At 2, 4, 8 and 16 weeks after surgery, X-ray examination, biomechanical test and histological detection were conducted. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: X-ray showed that at 16 weeks after surgery, numerous new bones could be found in the experimental group and there was a fuzzy boundary between the artificial bone and surrounding tissues; no new bone formed in the control group, and the boundary was clear; in the blank control group, the surface of the femoral head col apsed, and bone trabeculae arranged disorderly, which were seriously destroyed. And in the histological detection at 16 weeks after surgery, there were numerous bone trabecula and osteoblasts around the coral bone in the experimental group, and the coral artificial bone almost dissolved; in the control group, bone cement was in an irregular shape and no bone trabecula formed; in the blank control group, bone trabecula were damaged in the col apsed area, whose structure was in disorder. Additional y, biomechanical changes in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the other two groups at different time points after surgery (P < 0.05). In conclusion, percutaneous bal oon angioplasty combined with coral artificial bone can repair femoral head necrosis by promoting new bone formation.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated that the Chinese porous tantalum made in China has non-toxicity and good biocompatibility, which can promote osteogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of transforming growth factor β1 on proliferation, cel cycle and secretion of osteoblasts on porous tantalum/MG63 osteoblast-like cel composites. METHODS: Passage 3 MG63 osteoblast-like cel suspension (1×109/L) was seeded onto the porous tantalum, then the cel composites were inoculated in the medium with 0, 0.5, 5 and 10 μg/L transforming growth factor β1, respectively. The proliferation of osteoblasts was detected by cel counting kit-8 assay at 1-13 days after inoculation; the cel morphology and ultrastructure observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy; and level of col agen type I detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSON: 0.5, 5, 10 μg/L transforming growth factor β1 could promote the osteoblast proliferation, and cel proliferation in the 5 μg/L transforming growth factor β1 group was higher than that in the other groups; in the 5 μg/L transforming growth factor β1 group, laminated osteoblasts adhered on the surface and grew into inner of porous tantalum, which extended more pseudopodia toward the scaffold; osteoblasts-secreted matrix could cover the scaffold and numerous rough endoplasmic reticulum, free ribosomes, dense mitochondria, Golgi apparatus as wel as matrix vesicles could be found in the cytoplasm. In addition, the level of col agen type I in the 5 μg/L transforming growth factor β1 group was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P < 0.05). These results indicate that transforming growth factor β1 can promote proliferation, and col agen type I secretion of osteoblasts on porous tantalum/MG63 osteoblast-like cel composites, and the optimum mass concentration of transforming growth factor β1 is 5 μg/L.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway and the mechanisms underlying its action to suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSHepG2 cells cultured in the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills for 48 h were examined for β-catenin expression using immunofluorescence, β-catenin/TCF4 complex activity with luciferase, and expressions of the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and MMP-2 using qRT-PCR.

RESULTSBiejiajian Pills-treated sera significantly reduced the expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein, cyclin D1 and MMP-2 proteins and lowered the activities of β-catenin/TCF4 complex.

CONCLUSIONBiejiajian Pills may serve as a potential anti-tumor agent, whose effect might be mediated by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Animals ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Transcription Factor 4 ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective: To compare the clinical effect of innervated reverse digital artery island flap and the digital artery island flap with dorsal branches in the repair of fingertip defects. Methods: From January 2014 to June 2015, a total of 43 cases (50 fingers) with fingertip defects in 2-5 fingers were randomly treated with reverse digital artery island flaps (23 cases) or the digital artery island flaps with dorsal branches (20 cases). All cases underwent emergency surgery. The operative time, patient satisfaction of appearance for the reconstructed fingers, the static 2-point discrimination of the flaps, active motion of the injured finger joints and postoperative appearance on donor site were compared respectively. Results: All flaps survived primarily. The follow-up period ranged from 12-18 months. No significant differences were found in operative time and active motion of the injured finger joints between the two groups (P>0.05). Patient satisfaction of appearance and the static 2-point discrimination of the flaps in reverse digital artery island flap group were better than those in the digital artery dorsal branch island flap group (P<0.05). For the donor site, the texture of donor site in reverse digital artery island flap was soft without significant Scar contracture and pigmentation. There were 5 cases with mild scar contracture in donor site at the digital artery island flap with dorsal branches. Conclusions The reverse digital artery island flap and the digital artery island flap with dorsal branches are all suitable for the repair of fingertip defects. Compared with the digital artery island flap with dorsal branch, the reverse digital artery island flap can provide better fingertip sense and appearance.

Normal human blood pressure has a unique "dipper type" rhythm, but various pathological factors will lead to abnormal nighttime blood pressure decline, seriously damage the target organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys, and significantly increase the incidence of cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is necessary to pay sufficient attention to rhythm disorder of blood pressure and intervene early. Modern Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) mostly understands the changes of rhythm of blood pressure from the view of the unity of nature and man, yin-yang theory and the theory of meridian flow, and study the syndrome distribution and TCM constitution law of rhythm disorder of blood pressure by combining TCM syndrome differentiation method and TCM constitution theory. TCM treatment can restore blood pressure rhythm and improve clinical symptoms and sleep quality of patients.

Objective:Rapid assessment of the outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an important clinical issue. In this study, an electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis method based on dynamic learning was proposed.Methods:A total of 203 patients with ACS after successful PCI were enrolled for prospective analysis at the Emergency Department of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from April 2019 to December 2020. All patients were divided into group without ≥70% postoperative stenosis ( n=72) and group with ≥ 70% postoperative stenosis ( n=131) according to the presence of 70% or more stenosis after PCI. The clinical data of ACS patients were collected and analyzed by χ2 test, t-test, or Mann-Whitney test. ECGs were recorded before and 2 h after PCI, and were dynamically analyzed to generate cardiodynamicsgram (CDG) using dynamic learning. In the group without ≥ 70% postoperative stenosis, the model and CDG index for evaluating myocardial ischemia were obtained by training support vector machine (SVM) using 10 times 10-fold cross-validation. Results:There was no significant difference in clinical data between the two groups. The prediction accuracy and sensitivity of the support vector machine model for myocardial ischemia in group without≥70% postoperative stenosis were 73.61%, and 84.72% respectively. CDG transformed from disorderly to regular after PCI, and CDG index decreased significantly ( P<0.001): 90.28% (65) patients in group without≥70% postoperative stenosis, and 79.39% (104) patients in group with≥70% postoperative stenosis had lower CDG indexes than before PCI. Conclusions:In this study, CDG obtained by dynamic learning can intuitively and effectively evaluate the changes of myocardial ischemia before and after PCI, which is helpful to assist clinicians to formulate the next treatment plan.

Objective To study the effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway and the mechanisms underlying its action to suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods HepG2 cells cultured in the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills for 48 h were examined for β-catenin expression using immunofluorescence, β-catenin/TCF4 complex activity with luciferase, and expressions of the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and MMP-2 using qRT-PCR. Results Biejiajian Pills-treated sera significantly reduced the expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein, cyclin D1 and MMP-2 proteins and lowered the activities ofβ-catenin/TCF4 complex. Conclusion Biejiajian Pills may serve as a potential anti-tumor agent, whose effect might be mediated by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Objective To study the effect of Biejiajian Pills on Wnt signal pathway and the mechanisms underlying its action to suppress the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods HepG2 cells cultured in the serum of rats fed with Biejiajian Pills for 48 h were examined for β-catenin expression using immunofluorescence, β-catenin/TCF4 complex activity with luciferase, and expressions of the downstream proteins cyclin D1 and MMP-2 using qRT-PCR. Results Biejiajian Pills-treated sera significantly reduced the expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein, cyclin D1 and MMP-2 proteins and lowered the activities ofβ-catenin/TCF4 complex. Conclusion Biejiajian Pills may serve as a potential anti-tumor agent, whose effect might be mediated by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.