Objective To explore possible role of cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes(CREG) in the process of phenotypic switching of adventitial fibroblasts(AFs). Methods Immunofluorescent staining was performed with tissue sections from mouse carotid arteries to evaluate the relationship between the expression of CREG and smooth muscle actin-α(α-SMA) in injured arteries, especially in the adventitia. Tissue block pasted culture method was used to isolate and culture AFs. RT-PCR and Western-blot were used to detect the change of CREG andα-SMA mRNA and protein expression in AFs in the presence of different concentrations of AngⅡfor 12 h/24 h or in the presence of 100 nmol/L Ang Ⅱ for different times. Results Normal mouse carotid arteries had little α-SMA expression throughout the tunica adventitia. Arteries at day 1 and day 3 post-injury exhibited significantly higher immunofluorescence of α-SMA compared with non-injured arteries. Alpha-SMA expression began to decrease on day 7 and progressively declined on day 14. In contrast, immunofluorescent staining revealed that CREG was expressed in the adventitia of normal arteries. Expression of CREG in the adventitia of injured arteries was decreased on the 1st day, reached its lowest value on the 3rd day, and increased gradually from the 7th day, and was higher compared with that in non-injured arteries on the 14th day after injury. Similarly, the expression of CREG in AFs was very high, and AngⅡremarkably decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of CREG in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Conclusions The changes in CREG expression correlate with AF phenotypic modulation, and CREG down-regulation may facilitate AF phenotypic switching into myofibroblasts (MFs).

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of puerarin on the expression of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in the retina of diabetic rats.MethodsThe diabetic retinopathy rat model was established.Rats were randomly divided into three groups (normal,diabetic,and diabetic with puerarin injection).The pathological changes of the retinopathy were examined.PEDF was analyzed with PCR in different time point.Results Body weight of diabetic group [ ( 216.9 ± 8.37 ) g,and(179.1 ±7.56)g] was compared with normal group[ (298.2 -±6.78)g,and(323.5 -±6.45)g] in the 3 month and 5 month ( q =12.39,P ＜0.01 ; q =15.47,P ＜0.01 ).Blood glucose of diabetic group and diabetic with puerarin injection group was compared with normal group at each time point ( P ＜ 0.01,P ＜ 0.05 ).HE staining of the retina of diabetic rats indicated a diabetic retinopathy occurred in the early - stage in diabetic group,but changed slightly in the diabetic model with an injection of puerarin.The PEDF expression at the 5 month time point in normal group,diabetic group,and diabetic group with puerarin injection was 8.833 (1.200),1.650(3.300),and 8.350( 1.100),respectively.Compared with normal group and diabetic group with puerarin injection,the level of PEDF was significantly decreased in diabetic group (x2 =48.57,P ＜ 0.01 ;x2=48.46,P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsPuerarin can alleviate the retinal pathological damage of diabetic rats,early intervention with puerarin can prevent from the expression of PEDF and delay the diabetic retinopathy process.

Objective To examine the relationship of heparanase expression and age, clinicopathological features and prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. Methods Forty-one ovarian cancer specimens, from the patients admitted to the 3 hospitals of our university during the period of Jan 2003 to Nov 2005, were of serous carcinoma (22 cases) and mucous carcinoma (10 cases) and other types (9 cases), of which 16 were well and moderately differentiated and 25 poorly differentiated. Ten specimens of normal ovarian tissues were taken as normal controls. The heparanase expression was detected in all specimens and its relationship with histologic type, differentiation, FIGO stage and prognosis of the ovarian cancer was analyzed. Results The positive rate of heparanase expression was 80.48% in ovarian cancer tissues and 10.00% in normal ovarian tissues (P

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, periph-eral vascular disease and atherosclerosis, are the first cause of death worldwide. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is a complex process that involves a number of cellular processes and molecular mecha-nisms, such as disorder of lipid metabolism, inflammatory cell infiltration, oxidative stress, vascular en-dothelial cells injury and activation of smooth muscle cells. Their interaction eventually leads to plaque rupture and thrombus formation, causing serious cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Chinese medicine has displayed rich anti-AS activities and clinical applications. This review summarizes the anti-atherosclerosis effects and possible mechanisms of Chinese medicine in regulating lipid metabolism, anti-inflammation and antioxidation, protecting endothelial cells, inhibiting the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells, improving coagulation and fibrinolysis systems and stabilizing the plaque.

Adenoma, Pleomorphic ; pathology ; Adult ; Ear Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Male

This paper describes a calibration phantom system for QCT bone mineral density determination, which consists of 4-standard-solid-sample calibration phantom, a quality assurance (QA) phantom and the bone mineral density analysis software. The system adds to the new applications of CT systems, and provides a new method with a good accuracy and reliability for the examination, diagnosis, prevention, treatment of osteoporosis diseases and the observation of curative effect of drugs.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; instrumentation ; methods ; Algorithms ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Calibration ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Osteoporosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Software ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; instrumentation ; methods

Objective:To observe the effect of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method on the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),and to provide evidence for the effect mechanism study and clinical application of acupuncture intervention for PTSD.Methods:Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a blank control group,a model group,a grasping group,a paroxetine group and an acupuncture group,with 12 rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in the other groups were subjected to preparing the PTSD models using 'incarceration plus electric shock' method.After interventions,changes in rat behavior of each group were observed;changes in resting-state EEG were collected and analyzed with multichannel EEG acquisition and analysis system,and image analysis and statistical processing were performed.Results:Compared with the blank control group,the average escape latency in the model group was significantly longer (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly reduced (P＜0.01).Compared with the grasping group,the average escape latencies in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly shortened (P＜0.05),and the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas were all significantly increased (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the average escape latency,the times of crossing the platform and the effective areas between the acupuncture group and paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Compared with the blank control group,the α-wave power spectrum value in the model group was significantly decreased,and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were significantly increased (all P＜0.01);compared with the grasping group,α-wave power spectrum values in the paroxetine group and acupuncture group were significantly increased (both P＜0.01),and the power spectrum values of β-wave,δ-wave and a-wave were decreased significantly (all P＜0.01).The power spectrum values of α-wave,β-wave,δ-wave and (e)-wave of rats in the acupuncture group were not significantly different from those in the paroxetine group (all P＞0.05).Conclusion:Liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method can significantly improve the abnormal EEG activity in PTSD rats,which may be one mechanism of liver-soothing and mind-regulating acupuncture method in effectively affecting the brain function in PTSD rats.

Objective To investigate the changes of cardiac structure and function in patients with hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD).Methods From March 2010 to February 2011,90 HLD patients who did not receive formal treatment (observation group) and 30 healthy people (control group) were collected and analyzed with color Doppler echocardiography in the Institute of Neurology,Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.Based on the clinical manifestations,cases were divided into hepatic type group (n =31),brain type group (n =42) and brain-visceral type group (n =17).According to the Child-Pugh classification,patients were divided into Child A group (n =71),Child B group (n =10) and Child C group (n =9).Results (1) The left atrial diameter ((28.00 ± 3.11),(29.62 ± 3.44) mm) and left ventricular diameter ((45.69 ± 3.75),(47.10-± 4.73) mm) of HLD patients in brain-visceral type group and hepatic type group were larger than that of the control group ((24.86 ± 2.63),(41.93 ±3.56) mm;t =3.143,4.761,P=0.018,0.000;t=3.764,5.167,P=0.018,0.000).The left atrial diameter and left ventricular diameter of hepatic type group were significantly larger than the brain type group (26.06 ± 3.68,43.34 ± 3.88;t =3.557,P =0.000;t =3.751,P =0.001).The value of E/A in the hepatic type group (1.57 ± 0.37) was significantly lower than the control group (1.93 ± 0.20;t =-0.352,P =0.006).(2) The left atrial diameter ((31.29 ± 1.70),(34.67 ± 1.97) mm) and left ventricular diameter ((48.29 ± 2.81),(53.67 ± 2.67) mm) of Child B and C groups were significantly larger than the control group ((24.86 ± 2.63),(41.93 ± 3.56) rm;t =6.429,9.810,P =0.000,0.000;t =6.357,10.738,P =0.000,0.000),and the Child A group ((26.42 ± 3.05),(43.89 ± 3.76) rm;t=4.871,8.252,P=0.000,0.000;t =4.399,8.780,P=0.003,0.000).The value of E/A of Child B and C groups (1.58 ± 0.32,1.26 ± 0.39) was lower than that of the control group (t =-0.347,0.662,P=0.020,0.000);At the same time,the value of E/A of Child C group was significantly lower than that of Child A group (1.80 ± 0.33;t =-0.530,P =0.000).Conclusions The HLD patients may have cardiac structural and functional changes,mainly manifested as left atrial and left ventricular enlargement and cardiac diastolic dysfunction,whereas a serious impact has not yet been found in systolic function.And the changes of cardiac structure and function were related to the degree of liver cirrhosis in patients with HLD.

Objective To investigate the expressions of heparanase(Hpa) and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) as well as their relationship with angiogenesis in human ovarian carcinoma.MethodsForty-one ovarian carcinoma specimens resected from the patients diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma from January 2003 to November 2007 were examined by immunohistochemistry for the expressions of Hpa and bFGF and microvessel density(MVD).ResultsHpa highly expressed in ovarian carcinoma,and its expression was positively correlated with MVD and bFGF expression(r=0.351,P

Objective To explore the effect of curcumine on the proliferation and heparanase expression in blood vessel endothelium cells isolated from ovarian cancer tissues. Methods Blood vessel endothelium cells were obtained from pathologically identified ovarian cancer tissues by primary culture. The control group was the normal blood vessel endothelium cells. The experimental groups was treated with curcumine at 2,10,50 and 250 ?g/ml for 24,48 h and 72 h respectively. The cytostasis rate and cell cycle changes of the primarily cultured cells were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry respectively. The transcriptional and translation levels of heparanase were detected by RT-PCR and immunofluorescent staining. The MDA content and LDH activity in the supernatant were detected too. Results In the curcumine groups,the cell proliferation was inhibited in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner ( P