AIM: To observe the effect of Shenmai injection,a chinese medicine,on apoptosis of cardiac myocytes after hypoxia.METHODS: Cardiac myocytes were separated from neonate rat heart and cultivated in vitro.Hypoxia condition was induced by mixture of 95%N2 and 5%CO2.Cells were exposed to hypoxia for 6 h or 12 h and treated with Shenmai injection(5 mL/L) from 24 h before hypoxia until the end of hypoxia.First,apoptosis was detected with Annexin V-FITC and PI staining by flowcytometry.Then,the activity of cardiac myocyte mitochondria was observed by MTT method.Mitochondria membrane potential and the activity of caspase 3,7 were also measured by laser scan microscopy and multi-detection microplate reader,respectively.RESULTS: The apoptotic cells became more and more with prolonged hypoxia.Shenmai injection enhanced mitochondria activity,kept membrane potential,inhibited the activation of caspase3,7 and then decreased apoptotic cells(P

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Xinnao Shutong capsule (XNST) on energy metabolism dysfunction, free radical injury and inflammatic factors in the course of acute cerebral ischemic damage, and try to reveal the mechanism of the protection against ischemia.

METHOD60 male Wistar rats weighing 280 - 320 g were randomly divided into five groups: normal, sham operation, model, XNST treatment( XNST-T) , and Western medicine treatment (WM-T) group. Acute multi-infarct model in rats was induced by injecting the embolus of blood powder through the right external carotid artery (ECA) into the internal carotid artery (ICA). At 72 hours after ischemia, morphologic change and the express of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin -1beta ( IL-1beta) in hippocampus CAl section and cortex were observed, biochemical criterions including the activity of Na+ -K+ -ATPase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in hippocampus were examined.

RESULTThe morphologic change of hippocampus and cortex in both XNST-T and WM-T groups was milder than that in model group. The activity of Na+ -K+ -ATPase, LDH and SOD in hippocampus were all significantly decreased in model group (P <0. 01), and elevated in XNST group (P <0. 01) as well as in WM-T group (P <0. 01). The content of MDA in hippocampus was significantly increased in model group (P <0. 05), and was reduced in XNST group (P <0. 05) as well as in WM-T group (P <0. 01).

CONCLUSIONThe results reveal that XNST has the protective effect against cerebral ischemic injury. And its possible mechanism is that XNST can prevent the upper pathological process.

Animals ; Brain Infarction ; complications ; Brain Ischemia ; etiology ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tribulus ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of survivin and PI3K/AKT pathway in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris (PV).

METHODSPlaque-like lesions collected from 22 patients with PV in progressive stage and 18 normal control skin specimens were examined using immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR for expressions of survivin, PI3K and AKT in the keratinocytes, and their correlation was analyzed. A small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knock down AKT in cultured HaCaT cells, and Western blotting was used to detect the changes in the expression of survivin. RESULTS Compared with normal skin, PV lesions showed obviously up-regulated expressions of survivin, PI3K and AKT in the keratinocytes. Survivin expression was positively correlated with PI3K (r=0.4510, P=0.0351) and AKT (r=0.4423, P=0.0393) in the keratinocytes in PV lesions. In cultured HaCaT cells, siRNA-mediated knockdown of AKT caused down-regulation of survivin expression.

CONCLUSIONSurvivin and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may participate in the occurrence and progression of PV.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical performance of free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) detection by ECLIA method, and evaluate whether ECLIA is suitable for clinical use.

METHODS341 samples were collected and tested prostate-specific antibodies with CMIA and ECLIA methods. These samples contain: 97 samples with abnormal high PSA value tested by CMIA method, and 244 normal PSA samples. Use CMIA as the reference method, and detect fPSA, tPSA levels, and the ratio of fPSA/tPSA. Analyze the testing results with statistical methods.

RESULTSCompared with CMIA, correlation coefficent of ECLIA fPSA detection is 0.99; correlation coefficent of f/tPSA ratio detection is 0.96; the sensitivity, specificity of ECLIA f/tPSA ratio detection are 85.71%, 92.6% respectively, the agreement rate with ECLIA is 87.4%. No cross reaction with bilirubin, lipohemia, hemolysis, RF, CEA, AFP, CA125, CA153, CA199 were found in the tests.

CONCLUSIONThe ECLIA method for free prostate-specific antigen detection showed good clinical performance; and is suitable for clinical use.

Electrochemical Techniques ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo identify genetic abnormalities in primary gastric carcinoma.

METHODSComparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used in screening DNA copy number changes along all chromosomes in 23 cases of primary gastric cancer.

RESULTSTwenty-one out of 23 cases showed chromosomal losses and gains for at least one of the chromosomal arms in primary gastric cancer. The mean number of chromosomal alterations was 7.52. Chromosomal gains predominated over chromosomal losses in a ratio of 5.38:2.14. The most often involved chromosomal gains were observed in 8q (9/21, 42.9%), 20q (9/21, 42.9%), 17q (8/21, 38.1%), 3q (7/21, 33.3%), 7q (7/21, 33.3%), 11q (6/21, 28.6%), 13q (6/21, 28.6%), 1q (5/21, 23.8%) and 20p (5/21, 23.8%). The chromosomal arms with frequent losses were 17p (7/21, 33.3%), 18q (6/21, 28.6%), 5q (5/21, 23.8%), 8p (5/21, 23.8%), and 9p (5/21, 23.8%).

CONCLUSIONSThe phenomenon of gain and loss of chromosomal regions is observed in primary gastric cancer, which may induce the amplification of oncogenes and the loss of tumor suppressor genes to regulate the development and progression of gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Deletion ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; DNA ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the epidemiology of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) in old and middle-aged males in the rural area of Southern China.

METHODSUsing the age-stratified sampling method, we conducted a questionnaire investigation on androgen deficiency in aging males (ADAM), aging male symptoms (AMS) and IIEF-5 among 996 males aged 40 -80 years in a rural community of Jiashan county, Zhejiang Province from April to October 2012. We also determined the concentrations of serum total testosterone (TT), serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and serum albumin (ALB), detected the levels of free testosterone (cFT) and bio-available testosterone (Bio-T) by Vermeulen formula, and measured the volumes of the prostate and testis by ultrasonography.

RESULTSThe mean age of the males was 56.22 +/- 8.82 years. The positive rates of LOH were 62.86% and 23.05% based on ADAM and AMS, respectively, and the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was 68.83%. There were significant differences among different age groups in the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), SHBG, cFT and Bio-T, but not in TT concentration.

CONCLUSIONOurs was the first survey on the epidemiology of LOH among old and middle-aged males in the rural area of China. The incidence of LOH in the rural community of Zhejiang Province was lower than that in the urban areas reported in other studies, but the positive rate of ED showed no significant difference.

Adult ; Age of Onset ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; epidemiology ; Incidence ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical value of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the preoperative staging of early gastric carcinoma.

METHODSEUS was performed in 149 gastric carcinoma patients proved by biopsy (including 33 patients with early gastric cancer), of which the results were compared with postoperative pathologic findings.

RESULTSThe accuracy of EUS in determining the T stage of gastric carcinoma was 80.3% (T1 81.8%, T2 70.4%, T3 88.9%, T4 71.4%). The accuracy of EUS in differentiating early gastric carcinoma from advanced ones was 95.1%, and the accuracy of EUS in differentiating mucosal cancer from submucosal cancer was only 63.6%. The diagnostic accuracy of EUS for mucosal and submucosal cancer was 52.9% and 75%, with positive predictive value of 90% and 70.6%, respectively. The accuracy of invasion depth of EUS for the bulging and flat type of early gastric carcinoma was 100%, whereas the accuracy was only 58.6% for the depressed type. The accuracy of invasion depth of the differentiated and undifferentiated early cancer was 71.4%and 57.9%, without any significant difference (P > 0.05). The accuracy of invasion depth of EUS for early gastric carcinoma decreased as tumor size increased. The diagnostic accuracy of lymph node status of early gastric carcinoma by EUS was 90.9%, and the sensitivity and specificity of lymph node metastasis was 66.7% and 96.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical value of endoscopic ultrasonography in the preoperative staging of early gastric carcinoma is relatively high.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Preoperative Care ; Stomach ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of transcobalamine II (TCN2) gene polymorphisms and serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin Band folate with ulcerative colitis (UC) among Chinese patients.

METHODSFor 397 UC patients and 574 controls, two single nucleotide polymorphisms of the TCN2 gene (rs1801198, rs9606756) were tested with an improved multiple ligase detection reaction method. Serum Hcy, vitamin Band folate were measured with an enzymatic cycling assay and an chemiluminescence immunoassay, respectively.

RESULTSThe allelic and genotypic frequencies of rs1801198 and rs9606756 did not differ significantly between the two groups (all P> 0.05). Compared with those of the control group, the frequencies of G allele and CG+GG genotype of rs1801198 were greater in patients with moderate and severe UC (both P< 0.05). The same conclusion may also be drawn for the G allele and AG genotype of rs9606756 (both P< 0.05). Compared with the controls, average Hcy level was enhanced in UC patients (P< 0.01), whereas average vitamin Band folate levels were decreased in UC patients (both P< 0.01). In both groups, the average level of Hcy was lower in individuals carrying CC of (rs1801198) than in those with CG+GG (both P< 0.05). A similar conclusion was also drawn for individuals with AA of rs9606756 when compared with those carrying AG(both P< 0.05). Compared with patients with mild UC, average Hcy level was increased in those with moderate and severe UC (P< 0.01), while average vitamin Band folate levels were decreased in those with moderate and severe UC (both P< 0.01). The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia(HHcy), vitamin Bdeficiency and folate deficiency was greater in UC patients than in controls (all P< 0.01). In UC patients, the level of Hcy was negatively correlated with those of vitamin B(P< 0.01), albumin(P< 0.01), red blood cells(P< 0.01) and platelet (P< 0.05), but positively correlated with white blood cells(P< 0.01) and Mayo score (P< 0.01). Both HHcy and folate deficiency were independent risk factors for UC (OR=4.173, OR=5.206, both P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTCN2 (rs1801198, rs9606756) variations, as well as serum levels of Hcy, vitamin Band folate, are correlated with UC. Both HHcy and folate deficiency are independent risk factors for UC.

Adult ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; blood ; etiology ; genetics ; Female ; Folic Acid ; blood ; Genotype ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Transcobalamins ; genetics ; Vitamin B 12 ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of transabdominal ultrasonography (TAUS) in preoperative assessment of TNM stage and tumor angiogenesis for patients with gastric carcinoma.

METHODSSixty- four patients with gastric carcinoma preoperatively underwent TAUS, in whom transabdominal color Doppler ultrasonography was used for measuring color Doppler vascularity index (CDVI) of each tumor in 37 cases and microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by using immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens with anti- CD34 antibody.

RESULTSThe overall accuracy rate was 56.0% for T staging of gastric carcinoma (T (1) 2/3 cases, T (2) 28.6% , T (3) 73.1% , T (4) 50.0% , respectively) by TAUS. The diagnostic accuracy rate was 63.3% for lymph node status of gastric carcinoma. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for lymph node metastasis was 37.9% and 100% respectively. The overall accuracy for N staging of gastric carcinoma was 57.1% (N (0) 100% , N (1) 16.7% , N (2) 35.3% , respectively). The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for determining distant metastases was 58.3% and 100% respectively. The CDVI of gastric carcinoma determined by color Doppler ultrasonography was significantly correlated to vascular invasion (P=0.0418), a linear correlation between CDVI and MVD was determined by logistic regression analysis (r=0.5628, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTAUS can be a routine diagnostic approach for preoperative gastric carcinoma patients.

Abdomen ; diagnostic imaging ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microvessels ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; diagnostic imaging ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the hepatic injury following stop- flow chemotherapy and investigate the potential mechanisms.

METHODSTwelve healthy hybrid female pigs were randomly divided into two groups as stop- flow group (SF) and stop- flow chemotherapy (SFC) group. The expression of IL- 8 and ICAM- 1 mRNA in hepatic biopsies was detected by RT- PCR, and the expression of NF- kappa B P65 subunit in nuclei was assessed by Western blot analysis. The levels of ALT and AST, and histopathologic alterations were examined to evaluate the hepatic function at different time before and after stop- flow procedure.

RESULTSThe expression of NF- kappa B P65 subunit, IL- 8 and ICAM- 1mRNA increased at 30 min after stop- flow procedure, and gradually decreased at 3 h and 6 h after stop- flow procedure. The levels of ALT and AST decreased after reaching the peak at 24 h after stop- flow procedure, but removed one week after stop- flow procedure. Cytoplasmic microvascular steatosis developed with appreciable neutrophils infiltration after early stop- flow procedure without significant destroy occurred in the structure of hepatic lobule. No significant difference of various parameters above occurred between SF and SFC groups.

CONCLUSIONThe hepatic injury following stop- flow procedure was self-limited and reversible. There is no severe destroy of hepatic structure and disfunction during stop- flow chemotherapy.

Animals ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; methods ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Liver ; blood supply ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Swine ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism