Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) is a protein family negatively regulating signal transduction pathway of a certain class of cytokines and growth factors. More than 20 members have been found in SOCS family, SOCS3 is one of them and has been studied hottest and most clearly. Recent studies demonstrated that SOCS3 abnormalities were found in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), suggesting that SOCS3 plays a significant role in the pathogenesis, development and metastasis in MPN. In this review, the advances of research on relationship between SOCS3 and MPN were summarized, including general profile of SOCS family; structure, function and regulation of SOCS3, relation of SOCS3 to MPN and so on.
Cytokines ; metabolism ; Humans ; Myeloproliferative Disorders ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To establish an animal model imitating post-menopausal atherosclerosis in rabbit and observe the effect of the herbal formula of tonifying-kidney on this animal model. METHODS: The New Zealand rabbits were treated with ovariectomy, high cholesterol diet plus immune injury, and both of ovariectomy and high cholesterol diet plus immune injury respectively. The blood lipid level and the intima and media of the aorta were observed. RESULTS: The rabbits treated with ovariectomy and high cholesterol diet plus immune injury changed markedly and had low level of estrogen, high levels of CHOL, TG and dysfunction of the arterial endothelium cells. however, the chinese herbal formula of tonifying-kidney could relieve these changes. CONCLUSION: The New Zealand rabbits treated with both of ovariectomy and high cholesterol diet plus immune injury could result in the changes imitating post-menopausal atherosclerosis, and it could be improved by the treatment of herbal formula of tonifying-kidney, so we think that the changes of the animal model are related to the deficiency of the kidney in traditional Chinese medicine.

To set standards for histomorphological studies on Lysimachia fortunei, an efficacious and widely applied folk medicine in this study, in order to develop its resources. Its species were identified by observing plant morphology and herbs appearance characters, preparing slices with routine methods and defining structural characters. According to the results of morphologic observation, leaves, stamen and pistil of this plant were different from the descriptions in Flora of China. The whole herb can be used in medicines, mainly including rhizomes, stems and leaves. According to the findings in the first study on microscopic structures, its rhizomes, stems and leaves were characteristic and worth identifying. The transaction tissue structures of rhizomes and stems were under developed and contained endodermis, secretory structures; Stems had sclerenchymata of different shapes of sclereids; Leaves were bifacial and had vascular bundles under midribs, which were surrounded by parenchymal sheathes. On the surface of leaves, stomata, glandular hairs and keratin lines were morphologically different in upper and lower epidermis. The herbal power had glandular hairs, sclereids and vessels. In conclusion, herbs of L. fortunei can be identified by the above histomorphological characteristics, which lays a foundation for further development and application of L. fortunei.
Medicine, Traditional ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Primulaceae ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate how network education can improve college students' knowledge on sexual and reproductive health in Ningbo city.

METHODSFrom December 2012 to June 2013, we conducted a questionnaire investigation among college students in Ningbo city about the effects of network education on their knowledge about sexual psychology, sexual physiology, sexual ethics, and reproductive health.

RESULTSA total of 7 362 college students accomplished the investigation, of whom 2 483 (42.1% males and 57.9% females) received network education, while the other 4 879 (24.1% males and 75.9% females) did not. Approximately 47.1% of the male and 28.0% of the female students acquired sexual and reproductive knowledge via network education. Reproductive health-related network education significantly enriched the students' knowledge about the reproductive system and sex, pubertal development, sexual physiology, conception and embryonic development, methods of contraception, sexual psychology, sexually transmitted diseases and their prevention, pregnancy care and eugenics, and environment- and occupation-related reproductive health (P < 0.01). It also remarkably improved their cognitive attitude towards reproductive health knowledge (P < 0.01). Those who received reproductive health-related network education showed a significantly higher rate of masturbation (P < 0.01) but markedly later time of the first masturbation (P < 0.01) than those who did not.

CONCLUSIONNetwork education can enhance the effect of reproductive health education among college students and improve their sexual experience and health.

China ; Contraception ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Masturbation ; Pregnancy ; Reproduction ; Reproductive Health ; Sexual Behavior ; physiology ; psychology ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Students ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities

Bone turnover is regulated by local concentrations of cytokines such as osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL). To explore the in vivo biological function of Opg and the mechanism of osteoporosis due to deficiency of Opg, Opg knockout mice have been generated through homologous recombination. Opg-/- mice exhibit a sharply decrease in bone density and strength as expected. The number of osteoclasts in Opg-/- mice significantly increases. Morphologically, osteoclasts appear more cuboidal in shape in Opg-/- mice than those of wt mice, suggesting that active osteoclastogenesis occurs in the absence of Opg. In consistent with this finding, an increase of osteoblast activity was also observed with accelerated mineral accumulation rate by histomorphometric measurement and elevated serum alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) in Opg-/- mice. Interestingly, more than 50% of 2-month-old Opg-/- mice manifest medial calcification of aorta with comparable serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus to wt mice. In conclusion, Opg-/- mice have a high-bone-rurnover type osteoporosis. The aortic calcification in Opg-/- mice is not due to abnormality of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. The mechanism underlying aortic calcification in Opg-/- mice needs to be further investigated.

Objective To discuss and analyze the diagnosis,management and surgical techniques for cranioplasty of skull vault defects and skull base reconstruction in order to raise the therapeutic effect. Methods The clinical data of 169 cases of skull vault and skull base defects treated with cranioplasty of skull vault defect and skull base reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed.Results Overlay tech- nique or inlay technique with imported titanium alloy mesh was used in 160 cases,and homologous bone was used in 9 cases.The surgical time ranged from 3 months to 8 years after injury.Eight cases presented with complications such as hematoma,subcutaneous effusion,infection and epilepsy postoperatively,but no operative death occurred.Conclusion For patients with skull vault defect with the diameter≥3 cm the best operative time is 3 months after injury,and for patients with intracranial and extracranial communica- ting tumors,skull base reconstruction can be performed when tumors are removed.Much attention should be paid to perioperative management and surgical skills.

OBJECTIVETo explore the optimal methods for the reconstruction and preservation of the glans after partial penis resection in the treatment of early-stage penile cancer.

METHODSBetween January 2012 and June 2015, we treated 6 cases of early- stage penile cancer by partial penis resection, inner thigh skin graft, and glans reconstruction and followed them up for 0.5-3 years.

RESULTSThe length of the penis before and after operation was ([6.5 ± 1.2] vs [4.5 ± 1.8] cm) in the flaccid state and ([12.8 ± 2.3] vs [9.1 ± 2.1] cm) in the erectile state. The sense of the reconstructed glans was completely recovered at 3 months after surgery. The glans skin was pale red and soft, nearly normal at 12 months, with no obvious graft contracture or scar formation. All the patients achieved normal erection and their partners were satisfied with their intercourse. No recurrence or metastasis was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe strategy of partial penis resection, inner thigh skin graft and glans reconstruction, simple, effective, and with few complications, is one of the best treatments of early-stage penile cancer, which not only ensures radical removal of the tumor but also maximally reserves the function of the organ.

Humans ; Male ; Penile Neoplasms ; surgery ; Penis ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; Thigh

The effects of sound duration and sound pattern on the recovery cycles of inferior collicular (IC) neurons in constant frequency-frequency modulation (CF-FM) bats were explored in this study. Five leaf-nosed bats, Hipposideros armiger (4 males, 1 female, 43-50 g body weight), were used as subjects. The extracellular responses of IC neurons to paired sound stimuli with different duration and patterns were recorded, and the recovery was counted as the ratio of the second response to the first response. Totally, 169 sound-sensitive IC neurons were recorded in the experiment. According to the interpulse interval (IPI) of paired sounds when neurons reached 50% recovery (50% IPI), the recovery cycles of these IC neurons were classified into 3 types: fast recovery (F, the 50% IPI was less than 15 ms), short recovery (S, the 50% IPI was between 15.1 and 30 ms) and long recovery (L, the 50% IPI was more than 30 ms). When paired CF stimuli with 2 ms duration was used, the ratio of F neurons was 32.3%, and it decreased to 18.1% and 18.2% respectively when 5 and 7 ms CF stimuli were used. The ratios of S and L neurons were 41.5%, 33.7%, 29.1% and 26.2%, 48.2%, 52.7% respectively when 2, 5 and 7 ms CF stimuli were used. The average 50% IPI determined after stimulation with paired 2 ms, 5 ms and 7 ms CF sounds were (30.2 ± 27.6), (39.9 ± 29.1) and (49.4 ± 34.7) ms, respectively, and the difference among them was significant (P< 0.01). When the stimuli of paired 2 ms CF sounds were shifted to paired 2 ms FM sounds, the proportion of F, S and L neurons changed from 32.3%, 41.5%, 26.2% to 47.7%, 24.6%, 27.7%, respectively, and the average 50% IPI decreased from (30.2 ± 27.6) to (23.9 ± 19.0) ms (P< 0.05, n = 65). When paired 5+2 ms CF-FM pulses were used instead of 7 ms CF sounds, the proportion of F, S and L neurons changed from 18.2%, 29.1%, 52.7% to 29.1%, 27.3%, 43.6%, respectively, and the average 50% IPI decreased from (49.4 ± 34.7) to (36.3 ± 29.4) ms (P< 0.05, n = 55). All these results suggest that the CF and FM components in echolocation signal of CF-FM bats play different roles during bats' hunting and preying on. The FM component of CF-FM signal presenting in the terminal phase can increase the number of F type neurons and decrease the recovery cycles of IC neurons for processing high repetition echo information, which ensures the bat to analyze the target range and surface texture more accurately.
Acoustic Stimulation ; methods ; Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Chiroptera ; physiology ; Echolocation ; physiology ; Female ; Inferior Colliculi ; cytology ; physiology ; Male ; Neurons ; classification ; physiology ; Refractory Period, Electrophysiological ; physiology

BACKGROUNDOcclusal splints have been the preferred modalities in the management of myofascial temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), but now controversy exists in reporting whether they are successful for TMDs treatments. The aim of this study was to give objective evidence to the assessment of treatment effect of occlusal splints for myofascial TMDs patients by clinical assessments and surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements of masseter muscles (MM).

METHODSThirty-six patients (12 males and 24 females) aged 16 - 57 (38 ± 11) years participated in the study. All participants diagnosed with myofascial TMD were randomized into two groups (18 of each). Patients in the first group (A) were treated with occlusal splints for 1 month, while patients in the second group (B) were treated with placebo (non-occluding palatal) splints. Clinical assessments were performed at the beginning of the study and 1 month after treatment. sEMG measurements for MM were performed at mandibular postural position (MPP) and maximum intercuspal contacted position (ICP) 1 month after the treatment. The root mean square (RMS) and the median frequency (MF) as linear indices of sEMG data were used to demonstrate muscle activity and muscle fatigue. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and post hoc SNK test. The differences were considered significant at P < 0.05.

RESULTSIt was found that 89% of group A either completely recovered (39%) or clinically improved (50%), while only 22% of group B had a spontaneous improvement. sEMG analysis showed that at MPP, the mean of RMS value of MM in group A was lower than that of group B, which shows statistical differences (P < 0.01). At ICP, the RMS value of MM in group A was higher than that of group B, which shows statistical differences (P < 0.01). At MPP, MF value of MM in group A was higher than that of group B (P < 0.05). At ICP, MF value of MM was lower than that of group B (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOcclusal splint could eliminate or improve the signs and symptoms of TMD patients with myofascial pain. sEMG analysis indicates that the wearing of occlusal splints may reduce the degree of fatigue of the masticatory muscles. The splint therapy outcome has a correlation with the electromyographic changes in the masticatory muscles.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Splints

OBJECTIVEMicrocapsule chemoembolism is a promising treatment of tumors. We describe a deep lingual arterial embolization of tongue carcinoma with microcapsuled carboplatinum.

METHODSLingual artery cast specimens from cadavers were microscopically examined, and 78 patients with tongue cancer were recruited and treated with the deep lingual arterial embolization therapy.

RESULTSMicrocapsule embolism occurred approximately at the fifth or sixth level of the deep lingual artery branches. The five-year survival rate was 88.5% (69 out of 78), and the ten-year survival rate 52.6% (41 out of 78).

CONCLUSIONThe deep lingual arterial embolization of tongue carcinoma with microcapsuled carboplatinum is an effective therapy to treat carcinoma in mid-margin or mid-body of the tongue.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Capsules ; Carboplatin ; administration & dosage ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Drug Carriers ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Injections, Intra-Arterial ; Tongue ; drug effects ; Tongue Neoplasms ; therapy