Objective To determine the median effective concentration (EC50) of amitriptyline for intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) in rats.Methods Ninety healthy male SD rata weighing 190-240 g were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=30 each) : amitripryline group,bupivncaine group and lidocaine group.The rat's tail was divided into 3 epual parts: the proximal,middle and distal part.A 24 gauge needle was inserted into vena caudalis in the distal part.Esmarch bandage was applied around the tail from distal to proximal to expel blood from the taft and was removed after a tourniquet was applied between the proximal and middle part of the tail to occlude artery.0.5 ml of amitriptyline,bupivncaine or lidocaine was injected into the taft vein immediately after the application of the tourniquet.Ten minutes after drug administration the tourniquet was released.The ECho was determined by the up-and-down sequence method.The initial concentration of amitriptyline was 0.05%,the consecutive concentration-ratio was 1.4i4; the initial concentration of bupivacaine was 0.03%,the consecutive concoatration-ratio was 1.667 and the initial concentration of lidncaine was 0.08%,the consecutive concentrationratio was 1.250.EC50 and 95% confidence interval were calculated.Tail-flick latency (TFL) was assessed at 1 h before (baseline) and at 3 min and 2 d after drug administration.Central nervous system toxicity (seizure,convulsion,death) and local tissue damage to the tail were also recorded.Results The EC50 for IVRA was 0.111% (95% CI,0.092%-0.133%) in amitripthline group; 0.058% (95% CI,0.048%-0.078%) in bupivacaine group and 0.129% (95% CI,0.103%-0.160%) in lidocaine group respectively.The EC50 was significantly lower in bupivacaine group than in amitriptyline and lidocaine group.There was no significant difference in EC50 between amitriptyline and lidocaine group.The TFL measured at the proximal part of the tail was not significantly different between different time points in each group.The TFL measured at the middle part at 3 rain after drug adminisuation was significantly increased as compared with the baseline in all 3 groups but was not significantly different between the baseline and that measured at 2 d after drug administration.No CNS toxicity and local tissue damage were found during the experiment in all 3 groups.Conclusion Amitriptyline can produce intravenous regional anesthesia.The potency of amitriptyline is significantly lower than that of bupivncaine but is not significantly different from that of lidocaine.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect ofZuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula on the expressions of glutamate, NR2A and NR2B in hippocampus of diabetic rats with depression;To explore the mechanism of protective effect. Methods Diabetes with depression rat models were established and then were randomly divided into the model group, positive medicine group, high-, medium- and low-doseZuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula groups. Normal rats acted as normal group, 16 rats per group. After 28 days of administration, Open-field test was used to detect the behavior of the rats;glutamate content of hippocampus was detected by ELISA;the expressions of NR2A and NR2B in rat hippocampus were detected by immunofluorescence.Results Compared with normal group, automatic activity times of rats in model group decreased significantly (P<0.01);both glutamate content (P<0.01) and expressions of NR2A, NR2B (P<0.01) increased significantly. Compared with the model group, automatic activity times of rats in positive medicine group and high-doseZuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula group significantly increased (P<0.01);glutamate content dropped (P<0.01);expressions of NR2A and NR2B decreased (P<0.05).ConclusionZuogui Jiangtang Jieyu Formula can improve depressive behavior of diabetic rats with depression, which may be related to the regulation of glutamate content and expressions of NR2A and NR2B in hippocampus.

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH) is a kind of ankylosing spinal disease, which usually occurs in the middle-aged and elderly. It is mainly manifested as ossification and calcification of ligaments and tendon attachment points. It is a bone disease that mainly involves the spine but is not accompanied by severe intervertebral disc degeneration or sacroiliac joint and intervertebral facet joint ankylosis. DISH combined with thoracolumbar fracture has a high rate of delayed diagnosis and neurological deterioration, so this kind of fracture should be diagnosed and treated in time. However, there are different conclusions on the choice of treatment methods and postoperative efficacy, and there are still disputes in some academic aspects.The author consulted the relevant literature and reviewed the treatment methods of DISH combined with thoracolumbar fracture in order to provide reference for the clinical treatment of this kind of fracture.

Sustained activation of β adrenergic receptor (βAR) leads to pathologic cardiac hypertrophy. However, the related mechanisms still remain unclear. In this study, we observe how N-acetylcysteine (NAC) affects the oxidative stress and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) expression in heart of isoproterenol (ISO)-stimulated rats, and investigate whether oxidative stress and CaMKII contribute to the development of sustained βAR-stimulated cardiac hypertrophy. Healthy male Wistar rats were randomly separated into 4 groups: control (CTRL), ISO-treated (ISO), control with NAC supplement (CTRL+NAC) and ISO-treated with NAC supplement (ISO+NAC) groups (6 rats in each group). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured in awake rats with the tail-cuff method every week for two weeks. Heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW) and HE staining were used for the detection of myocardial hypertrophy. Myocardial mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured by DCF fluorometry. The expressions of activated-CaMKII (p-CaMKII/CaMKII) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX(4)) were determined by Western blot analysis. The results showed that ISO-treated (i.p., daily 3 mg/kg, 2 weeks) rats developed an obvious cardiac hypertrophy as expressed by increases of HW/BW and myocyte cross-section area. Cardiac mitochondrial ROS level was significantly enhanced in ISO group as compared to CTRL group (P < 0.05). The expressions of NOX(4) and p-CaMKII in ISO group were also up-regulated as compared to CTRL group (1.4 and 1.6 times of CTRL, respectively, P < 0.05). NAC supplement significantly suppressed the hypertrophic development of heart in ISO-stimulated rats. The cardiac mitochondrial ROS level showed a significant decrease in rats of ISO+NAC group (P < 0.05 vs ISO). In accordance with this, ISO+NAC group rats also showed marked reductions in the expressions of NOX(4) and p-CaMKII/CaMKII compared to ISO group rats (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of the detected indices between the rats from CTRL+NAC and CTRL groups. SBP showed no differences among four groups. These results suggest that both oxidative stress and CaMKII play important roles in sustained βAR-stimulated cardiac hypertrophy. NAC may suppress ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by down-regulating the expression of activated-CaMKII, and by reducing the level of oxidative stress originated from mitochondria and NADPH oxidase pathways.
Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 ; metabolism ; Cardiomegaly ; physiopathology ; Isoproterenol ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mitochondria, Heart ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; pathology ; NADPH Oxidase 4 ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of insulin on the proteolysis of cultured rabbit skeletal muscular myotubes in vitro, and their possible mechanisms.

METHODSMuscles of lower limbs of juvenile rabbits were isolated for tissue-block culture. After passage, myoblasts were formed and fused into myotubes. Then the protein in myotubes was radiolabelled with L-[ 3,5-3H] tyrosine. The myotubes were cultured in DMEM medium containing 100 nmol/L insulin (n = 24, group B) , 100 nmol/L dexamethasone (n = 24, group C) , 100 nmol/L insulin and 100 nmol/L dexamethasone (n = 24, group D) , no insulin or dexamethasone (n =24, group A), respectively. Twenty-four hours after culture, the L-[3,5-3H] tyrosine content in culture medium and cells were determined, and the degradation rates of protein were calculated. The mRNA expressions of ubiquitin and protease C2 subunit were determined by Northern blot.

RESULTSThe degradation rates of myotube protein in group A(0. 38+/-0.04) was obviously lower than that in group C (0.50+/-0.03, P <0.01), but it was obviously higher than that in group B(0. 35+/-0.03, P <0.05). Though the degradation rates of myotube protein in group D (0.41+/-0. 03) was evidently lower than that in group C ( P < 0.01) , it was still higher than that in group A( P < 0.05 ). The mRNA expressions of ubiquitin and protease C2 subunit in group A ( the scale: 2. 4 kb ubiquitin was 0. 82+/-0. 15, 1. 2 kb ubiquitin was 0. 60+/-0. 10, C2 subunit was 0. 75+/-0. 16) was obviously lower than that in group C ( the scale: 2.4 kb ubiquitin was 2. 15+/-0. 23, 1.2 kb ubiquitin was 1.50+/-0. 14,C2 subunit was 1.50+/-0. 13 , P <0. 01) , but it in group D was lower than that in group C (the scale: 2. 4 kb ubiquitin was 1. 25+/-0. 17, 1. 2 kb ubiquitin was 0. 85+/-0. 09, C2 subunit was 0. 90+/-0. 15, P <0. 01) , and it was similar to that in group B (the scale: 2.4 kb ubiquitin was 0. 85+/-0.07, 1.2 kb ubiquitin was 0. 65+/- 0. 12, C2 subunit was 0. 76 +/-0. 09, P > 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe effects of insulin on the activity of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and the proteolytic rate in normal myotubes were relatively weak. However, insulin can significantly inhibit the effects of dexamethasone on the gene expressions of ubiquitin system and the proteolytic rate in myotubes, but the mechanism needs further research.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Muscle Proteins ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Ubiquitin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression and significance of cyclin E, cyclin D1, CDK4 and p27 protein in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) and their correlation with tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis.

METHODSExpressions of cyclin E, cyclin D1, CDK4 and p27 protein in 65 patients with ESCC were quantitatively detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe expressions of cyclin E, cyclin D1, CDK4 in poorly-differentiated ESCC were higher than those in well-differentiated ESCC (P = 0.0275, 0.0001, 0.0174). The expression of p27 in poorly-differentiated ESCC was lower than that in well-differentiated ESCC (P = 0.0042). There was positive correlation between cyclin E and cyclin D1, cyclin D1 and CDK4, but negative correlation between cyclin D1 and p27. The expressions of all four proteins were not correlated with lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of cyclin E, cyclin D1, CDK4 and p27 are closely related to tumor differentiation of ESCC. An imbalance between positive and negative control of cell cycling might be critical in the carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; secondary ; Cell Differentiation ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; Cyclin E ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; metabolism ; Cyclins ; metabolism ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged

Ten compounds were isolated from the barks of Jasminum giraldii by means of various of chromatographic techniques such as silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and Rp-HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data analysis as (+)-medioresinol (1), (+) -syringaresinol (2), syringaresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), oleanic acid (4), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-trans-cinnamaldehyde (5), trans-sinapaldehyde (6), syringaldehyde (7), 1-(4-methoxy -phenyl) -ethanol (8), trans-cinnamic acid (9), and 4-(1-methoxyethyl) -phenol (10). Among them, compounds 1-3, 5-8 and 10 were isolated from the J. genus for the first time and compounds 4 and 9 were obtained from J. giraldii for the first time. In the DPPH free radical scavenging assay, compound 1 exhibited significant activity (IC50 55.1 micromol x L(-1)), compared with vitamin C(IC50 59.9 micromol x L(-1)); and compound 2 showed moderate activity (IC50 79.0 micromol x L(-1)), compared with 2, 6-di-tert-butyl4-methylphenol (IC50 236 micromol x L(-1)).
Antioxidants ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Jasminum ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Aim To improve the rate of melanoma metastasis animal model and provide a reliable experimental modeling meth-od for the study of melanoma metastasis mechanism. Methods Five immunosuppressants were selected and then their targets were screened by network pharmacology. Intraperitoneal injection of immunosuppressants and intravenous injection of B16F10 cells were performed on C57BL/6 mice, then the mice were observed, and body weight were recorded daily. The contents of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, VEGF and MMP-9 in serum were measured with ELISA kit. The mice were dissected, then the metastasis situa-tion and the number of metastatic nodules in the lung and other organs were evaluated. HE-staining was involved to determine the morphology of metastatic tissues. Results The closeness centrality of cyclosporine and dexamethasone ranked the top and the targets were concentrated in lung and liver. No significant difference in body weight were observed after animal madel in-duced. The contents of TNF-α, IL-6 IL-10, VEGF and MMP-9 in the model group increased. The number of metastatic nodules in the lung significantly augmented with some kind of liver metas-tasis. HE-staining in the lung tissues showed that tumor presen-ted invasive growth. Conclusion By intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone, the success rate of mice melanoma metastasis model can be greatly increased.

Objective:To explore the clinical effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) at stage I in treatment of acute multi-segment osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) in the elderly with over 3 vertebrae operated.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 105 aged patients with acute multi-segment OVCF admitted to Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University from October 2015 to February 2019. There were 27 males and 78 females, aged 65-92 years [(73.0±14.5)years]. All patients received stage I multi-segmental PVP and standard anti-osteoporosis treatment. There were more than 3 operative vertebral segments in 30 patients (observation group) and less than or equal to 3 operative vertebral segments in 75 patients (control group). The operation time, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency, cement injection volume, cement leakage rate and incidence of recurrent vertebral fractures were compared between the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and activity of daily living (ADL) score were compared before operation, 1 day, 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up.Results:All patients were followed up for 11-13 months [(12.5±1.8)months]. The observation group showed operation time of (71.2±12.2)minutes, intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency of (38.8±6.4)times and cement injection volume of (20.2±4.6)ml, more than those in control group [(52.3±10.6)minutes, (25.4±5.3)times, (12.3±4.3)ml] ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in cement leakage rate and incidence of recurrent vertebral fractures between the two groups ( P>0.05). No complications such as infection, nerve damage or cement implantation syndrome occurred. Before operation, 1 day after operation, 1 month after operation and at the last follow-up, the VAS in observation group [(7.6±0.7)points, (3.0±0.8)points, (2.3±0.7)points, (2.2±0.6)points] showed no significant difference from those in control group [(7.4±0.5)points, (2.9±0.4)points, (2.1±0.5)points, (2.0±0.5)points], the ODI in observation group [(74.6±3.3)%, (36.8±4.6)%, (29.7±4.0)%, (24.0±3.6)%] did not differ from those in control group [(73.8±1.0)%, (35.1±0.9)%, (28.4±2.2)%, (22.8±0.9)%], the ADL score in observation group [(34.5±5.0)points, (54.5±3.8)points, (73.7±3.9)points] were similar with those in control group [(36.2±3.4)points, (56.8±4.7)points, (75.3±5.3)points, (81.3±4.5)points] (all P>0.05). The postoperative VAS, ODI and ADL score in both groups were significantly improved in comparison with preoperation ( P<0.05). Conclusion:For acute multi-segment OVCF in the elderly with over 3 or not more than 3 the vertebrae operated, PVP at stage I has the same advantages in early pain relief and improvement of motor function and quality of life.

OBJECTIVETo assess the reliability and usefulness of the extended supraclavicular fasciocutaneous island flap (eSIF) for reconstructing soft tissue defects followinng tongue cancer ablation.

METHODSTwenty-two tongue defects in 22 patients with tongue cancer were repaired with eSIF after resection of the tongue malignant tumours. The sizes of the skin paddle ranged from (4 cm × 6 cm) to (8 cm × 14 cm) (average: 5.5 cm × 8.7 cm).

RESULTSThe eSIF survived in twenty cases, including two cases with minimal partial necrosis. The patients were follwed up for 5 - 16 months. Eighteen patients were alive with disease free, two were alive with disease and two died of a lung and liver metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSThe eSIF is reliable for reconstructing oral defects following the ablation of advanced oral malignant tumors.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; surgery ; Fascia ; transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Tongue Neoplasms ; surgery