OBJECTIVETo evaluate the small fiber function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of the early stage by measuring the sensory threshold with the quantitative temperature testing technology.

METHODSTwenty cases of patients with type 2 diabetes with no neurological deficit (DM group) and twenty age and sex-matched healthy controls underwent the detecting of cold sensory threshold (CST), warm sensory threshold (WST), cold pain threshold (CPT), heat pain threshold (HPT) in both inside of their hands.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in CST, WST, CPT and HPT between left and right inside of hand of the same sample among all the testers. But the four kinds of threshold showed significant difference in the right inside of hand between patients and healthy people ( P < 0.05). In addition, the CST and WST differed significantly in the left inside of hand between the patients and healthy controls while the CPT and HPT showed no significant difference in the left inside of hand between them. Patients group and control group with CST and WST on the left side of the comparison difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONQuantitative analysis of temperature sense threshold can not only reflect increase of the pain threshold value, also can reflect its decrease, i. e. hyperalgesia, which may help to diagnose small fibrous peripheral neuropathy recognition, especially in early diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Case-Control Studies ; Cold Temperature ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; physiopathology ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; diagnosis ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Pain Threshold ; Sensory Thresholds ; Thermosensing

Objective To investigate the effects of different lighting(sulfur lamp, heat radiation lamp, fluorescent lamp and LED lamp) on reproductive system in depressive male rats.Methods CUMS depressive model of rats was established through the stimulations of chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS), then they were randomly divided into 5 groups:depressive model group, sulfur lamp group, heat radiation lamp group, fluorescent lamp group and LED lamp group.After 45 d of continuous illumination, serum was collected and reproductive organs were removed from rats, then the organ index of testicle,epididymis,seminal vesicle and kidney was calculated, the concentrations of testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL) and progesterone (PROG)in the serum were detected by ELISA, the histomorphological lesion of testicle was observed under microscope with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the expression of melatonin receptors (Mel 1a), 3β-HSD and P450scc of testicle were detected by Western blot.Results The organ index of testicle, epididymis and seminal vesicle, the concentration of T, E2,PRLand PROG, and the expression of Mel 1a, 3β-HSD and P450scc in the depressive rats were significantly lower than that of the controls(P<0.05), and the seminiferous tubules of the testis of depressive rats were atrophied.However, the level of T, E2, PRL and PROG were increased,the cell morphology of the testicle was improved, and the expression of Mel 1a, 3β-HSD and and P450scc were upregulated after the sulfur lamp lighting in the depressive male rats compared with depressive model group (P<0.05).Conclusions The testis structure and functions of depressive male rats are improved by sulfur lamp lighting.

Objective To explore the role of glutamate in inducing cortical neuron damage in newborn rats.Methods The model of damage induced by glutamate was established on cultured cortical neurons in newborn rats with primary cultivation technique.To evaluate the severity of neuron injury, the changes of morphology were observed by inverted microscopy, the cell viability and rate of LDH releasing from neuron were detected by MTT assay and biochemical method,respectively;the rate of neuronal apoptosis was measured by flow cytometer system.Results Under the inverted microscopy, neurons showed obvious toxic damage in glutamate treatment group. Compared with controls,the cell viability significantly decreased (t=4.58 P

Objective:To observe the efficacy, median progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse reaction induced by rh-endostatin injection (Endostar) plus platin-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Fifty five histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced NSCLC patients received Endostar combined with platin-based chemotherapy for more than 2 cycles. The evaluated parameters included PFS, response rate (RR), clinical benefit rate (CBR) and adverse reaction. Results:Of the 51 patients who can be evaluated for response, 15 (29.4%) achieved partial response (PR), 27 (52.9%) had stable disease (SD), 9 (17.6%) had progressive disease(PD), no patient had complete response(CR). The overall RR was 29.4% (15/51) and CBR was 82.4% (42/51). The median PFS was 6.3 months. There were no significant differences in the short-term efficacy and PFS between the patients who had different pathological features (P=0.037), those had naive or relapsed diseases (P=0.101), or those received different chemotherapeutic regimens (P=0.232). The total white cells and platelets decreased by 72.7% and 54.5%, respectively. The frequency of grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were 36.4% (20 caces) and 21.8% (12 cases), respectively. Four patients stopped the therapy for adverse reaction. One died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage; one had uncontrolled grade Ⅲ hypertension; one had superventricular arrhythmia; one had grade Ⅳ hepatic dysfunction. Conclusion:The combination of Endostar and platin-based chemotherapy increased the CBR and prolonged the PFS of the patients with advanced NSCLC. The toxicities were tolerable.

OBJECTIVETo explore the immune mechanism of moxibustion on protecting gastric mucosa injury.

METHODSForty healthy SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: a blank group, a model group, a moxibustion acupoint group and a moxibustion non-acupoint group, 10 rats in each one. Eight days before model establishment, moxibustion at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Guanyuan" (CV 4), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Weishu" (BL 21) was applied in the moxibustion acupoint group while these acupoints' controlled points were selected in the moxibustion non-acupoint group, and no treatment was given in the model group, once a day in three groups for continuous 16 days. The helicobacter pylori (Hp) model was established by intragastric administration of Hp. HE staining microscopic examination was used to observe inflammation severity in gastric mucosa, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adapted to measure content of heat shock protein (HSP) 72, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, and real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of TLR2 mRNA, TLR4 mRNA, CD14 mRNA and MyD88 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and western blot method was used to measure content of NFkappaB and IkappaBalpha in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

RESULTSCompared with the blank group, the expression of HP could be seen in the smear of gastric mucosa by Gram's staining in the model group; the inflammation severity score was obviously increased as well as content of serum HSP 72 and TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in gastric tissue; and expression of TLR2, 4 mRNA, CD14 mRNA, MyD88 mRNA, NFkappaB was increased (P < 0.01), but the expression of IkappaBalpha was reduced (P < 0.05). After the moxibustion, the inflammation severity score was reduced in the moxibustion acupoint group, and the content of serum HSP 72 was increased, and the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in gastric tissue and expression of TLR2 mRNA, TLR4 mRNA, CD14 mRNA, MyD88 mRNA and NFkappaB were reduced (P < 0.01), but the expression of IkappaBalpha was increased (P < 0.05). The differences between the moxibustion non-acupoint group and the model group were not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe pretreatment of moxibustion at acupoints could induce the over expression of serum HSP 72. By combining TLR 2 and 4 receptors to trigger receptor signal transduction pathways, the releases of downstream signal substances are regulated; as a result, the releases of related immune substances are regulated to relieve the gastric mucosa injury of rats with HP gastritis.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Female ; Gastritis ; immunology ; therapy ; Helicobacter Infections ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; physiology ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Moxibustion ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To observe toxic effect of deoxynivalenol(DON)on articular cartilage and synovium of New Zealand rabbits's knee ioints.Methods Fifteen male rabbits were divided randomly into 3 groups:control, high-dosage,and low-dosage group.In high-dosage and low-dosage group,saline solution of DON was injected with a dose of 0.10 and 0.05 ms/kg every 48 h into ear vein of rabbits.Specimen of articular cartilage and synovium were through pathologY methods,and IL-1β,TNF-α,NO levels were assayed in joint liquid,after 20 days. Results Morphological changes were observed, such as synovium inflammative infiltration, chondrocytes deformation and necrosis under light microscope.The levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and NO had statistical significance in comDarison between 3 grouPs(F=19.396,18.195,22.136,P＜0.05).The levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and NO were significantly higher(all P＜0.05),high-dosage[(0.451±0.091),(0.575±0.122)μg/L;(70.27±11.53)μmol/L] and low-dosage group[(0.295±0.107),(0.387±0.131)μg/L;(45.32±12.24)μmol/L]compared with control ((0.1 13±0.049),(0.138±0.087)μg/L;(23.56±9.35)μmoL/L],and high-dosage compared with low-dosage group Conclusions DON results in articular and synovial impairment,which has the symptom similar to osteoarthritis. DON probably causes osteoarthritis.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus electroacupuncture (EA) for treating peripheral facial paralysis and its influence on patients' facial nerve functions, facial disability index and clinical symptoms and signs. Methods: A total of 96 peripheral facial paralysis patients were allocated into an observation group, a medicine group and an EA group by simple randomization, with 32 cases in each group. Patients in the medicine group were treated with oral mecobalamine and prednisone acetate; patients in the EA group were treated with EA on the basis of the medicine treatment; while patients in the observation group were treated with acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus EA. After 4-week treatment, the clinical efficacy, the adverse events, and the scores of House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grading scale, visual analog scale (VAS), clinical symptoms and signs, and facial disability index (FDI) were compared. Results: After 4-week treatment, the total effective rate was 96.9％ in the observation group, higher than 68.7％ in the medicine group and 75.0％ in the EA group (both P<0.05). After 4-week treatment, the scores of H-B grading scale, VAS and clinical symptoms and signs in the three groups dropped significantly compared with those before treatment, and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the medicine group and EA group (all P<0.05). After 4-week treatment, the facial disability index-physical function (FDIP) in the FDI in the three groups increased significantly, with a higher value in the observation group compared with that in the medicine group and EA group (both P<0.05). The facial disability index-social function (FDIS) in the FDI dropped significantly, with a lower score in the observation group compared with that in the medicine group and EA group (both P<0.05). However, the comparisons of the items above between the medicine group and the EA group showed no statistical significance (all P>0.05). The between-group comparison of the adverse event across the three groups showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion: Acupoint sticking therapy with Mian Tan Gao (facial paralysis paste) plus EA can decrease H-B grade, reduce pain severity and improve clinical symptoms and signs as well as the facial disability condition in peripheral facial paralysis patients. This method produced more significant efficacy compared with oral medicine and medicine plus EA.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Box-3 region of the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) alpha-chain cytoplasmic domain on the proliferation and differentiation of HL-60 cells.

METHODSExpression vector of gp190CT3 was constructed and expressed in HL-60 cells. The expression level of gp190CT3 was assayed by immunocytochemistry. The growth of wild type and gp190CT3 transfected HL-60 cells were examined under microscope. The PCNA levels were assayed by Western blot, and the levels of CD15 by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe gp190CT3 transfected HL-60 cells were enlarged in size and their proliferation was slower than that of wild type. The expression level of PCNA was down-regulated while the level of CD15 up-regulated in transfected HL-60 cells as compared with that of the wild type cells.

CONCLUSIONThe Box-3 region of the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor alpha-chain cytoplasmic domain (gp190CT3) participates the LIFR signal transduction in inhibiting the growth and inducing the differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Binding Sites ; genetics ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lewis X Antigen ; metabolism ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Receptors, OSM-LIF ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical value of modified Bethesda assay, modified Nijmegen assay and blank assay for detection of coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors in patients with hemophilia A and analyze the factors that affect FVIII inhibitor detection.

METHODSThe levels of FVIII inhibitors in 257 patients with hemophilia A were detected using modified Bethesda assay, modified Nijmegen assay and blank assay (in which the buffer or FVIII-deficient plasma in the control mixture was replaced by deionized water). The 3 methods were compared for positivity rates and FVIII inhibitor titers based on the positive cut-off value of FVIII inhibitors ≥0.60 BU/mL.

RESULTSThe positive rates of modified Bethesda assay, modified Nijmegen assay and blank assay were 79.38%, 85.21% and 72.37%, respectively. A strong correlation was found between the results by modified Bethesda assay and modified Nijmegen assay (r=0.996, P<0.001), and FVIII inhibitor titers (P<0.001) but not the positive rates (P=0.105) detected by the two methods differed significantly. The correlation coefficients between modified Nijmegen assay and blank assay was 0.994 (P<0.001), and a significant difference was found in FVIII inhibitor titers (P<0.001) but not the positivity rates (P=0.079) detected by the two methods. The correlation coefficient between modified Nijmegen assay and blank assay was 0.994 (r=0.994), and the two methods yielded significantly different FVIII inhibitor titers and positivity rates (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe modified Bethesda assay has a lower sensitivity than modified Nijmegen assay but has a higher sensitivity than blank assay. The consistency level of coagulation factors in the reaction system and stable buffer system are important factors that affect FVIII-inhibitor detection.

Biological Assay ; Blood Coagulation Tests ; Factor VIII ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Hemophilia A ; blood ; Humans ; Plasma

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging characteristics as well as prognosis of neonatal polycythemia complicated with brain damage.

METHODSOne hundred and sixteen in-patients with neonatal polycythemia admitted to our hospital during January 2003 to October 2005 were analyzed. Their clinical manifestations were observed. Craniocerebral ultrasonic examination (2D, 3D), CT and MRI were employed to dynamically observe the craniocerebral imaging variances as well as the cerebral hemodynamic variations and near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was adopted to test the cerebral oxygenation. Twenty-two cases with moderate or severe disease were followed up for 3 to 12 months.

RESULTSOut of the 116 polycythemic neonates, 53 cases had brain damages, of whom 31 had mild, 14 had moderate, and 8 had severe damages. Cranial imaging alterations were mostly ischemic injuries of various areas of different severity. The severity of brain damage was closely related to the duration of polycythemia, oxygen saturation of cerebral tissues as well as cerebral hemodynamic abnormalities. Brain injury was likely to occur in those whose polycythemia persisted for more than three days. The regional saturation of oxygen (rSO(2)) in mild brain injury cases was found to be 52.1%, while it was 47.1% in moderate and severe brain injury cases. Compared to the 58% as found in non-brain injury cases, the variance was found to be statistically significant (F = 104.466, P < 0.01). Among the cases with brain injury, cerebral hemodynamics displayed a slowdown in the blood flow velocity in the cerebral anterior artery and medium artery during the systolic phase and/or the diastolic phase. The abnormality ratio was closely related to the severity of brain injury. Through the chi(2) test the variance was proved to be statistically highly significant (chi(2) = 18.889, P < 0.01), however it was not correlated with the increase of the initial levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) (P > 0.05). During the follow up, neurological developmental abnormalities of various severity were found to exist in the cases with moderate (5/12) and severe disease (7/8), while cerebral palsy or epilepsy was not yet found.

CONCLUSIONNeonatal polycythemia might tend to bring about a reduction in the perfusion of cerebral blood flow and damaged cerebral oxygenation metabolism which in turn might lead to cerebral ischemic injury, which in some of the moderate and severe cases might lead to long-term neurological complications. Imaging investigations especially craniocerebral ultrasonic examination could be the practical means for the early diagnosis and evaluation of prognosis.

Brain ; pathology ; Brain Damage, Chronic ; complications ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Polycythemia ; complications ; Skull ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography