OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of Pipers hancei extract on the atherosclerosis of rabbits fed with high lipid food and to discuss its mechanism of action.METHODS:The rabbits were divided into high lipid group,Pipers hancei groups (high,medium and low dose groups),which were fed with high lipid food for 3 weeks before administered with medicine or normal saline,12 weeks later,the blood lipid,pathological changes of aortic plaque and lesion of coronary artery,serum superoxide dismutase (SOD)activity and serum malondialdehyde (MDA)activity were determined,in which a control group was established.RESULTS:Compared with the high lipid group,the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG)and low density lipoprotein (LDL)have been significantly decreased for the high dose Pipers hancei group(P

Objective To upregulate Notch signaling in cancer cells by overexpression of active part of Notch1 and to examine the proliferation of the cells. Methods Four cancer cell lines were infected with retrovirus recombined with sequence encoding active part of Notch1.CBF-1 reporter plasmid was used to detect Notch signaling and proliferation assay was carried out by MTS method.Cell cycle analysis was synchronously conducted. Results The overexpression of the active part of Notch1 induced upregulation of Notch signaling,led to growth inhibition in Hela and HepG2 cell lines and growth boost in BGC-823 cell lines,while had no effect on Chang cell lines. Conclusion The upregulation of Notch signaling can exert various effects on different cancer cell lines which is critical to the gene therapy for cancers.

Objective To study the activity of the survivin gene promoter in several tumor cell lines and evaluate the possible application of this promoter in tumor gene therapy. Methods ①The expressions of survivin gene in A549,MDA-MB231 and HepG2 cell lines were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting.②Tumor cells(A549,MDA-MB231,HepG2) were transiently transfected by reporter plasmids containing different length of survivin promoter using lipofectamine.And 48 h later,the level of reporter gene expression was analyzed.Results There were different levels of survivin expression in A549,MDA-MB231 and HepG2 cell lines.Transient transfection assay approved that pLuc-surP-987,pLuc-surP-596,pLuc-surP-269 and pLuc-surP-158 showed high activity and 269 bp survivin promoter demonstrated the highest activity. Conclusion In transcriptional level,survivin promoter can activate the reporter gene in several tumor cell lines.It is a potential candidate promoter in tumor gene therapy.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of modified quadruple stapling technique in radical proximal gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma.

METHODSMedical records of 55 consecutive patients who underwent radical proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-eight patients (modified group) undergoing modified quadruple stapling technique were compared to 27 patients (traditional group) who underwent traditional approach during the same period.

RESULTSThere was no perioperative mortality. All the patients had negative pathological resection margin. The mean operative time in the modified group was significantly shorter than that in the traditional group [(158±31) min vs. (195±42) min, P<0.05]. There were no immediate complications such as stricture, bleeding or leakage at the anastomosis, gastroparesis, and wound infection. Postoperative recovery did not differ between the two groups (P>0.05). During the follow-up (range: 3 months-2 years), 2 (7.1%) patients in the modified group and 2 (7.4%) in the traditional group developed reflux esophagitis (P>0.05) and anastomotic inflammation occurred in 2 cases (7.1%) for the modified group and 8 (29.6%) for the traditional group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONModified quadruple stapling technique is a feasible and safe method in radical proximal gastrectomy.

Anastomosis, Surgical ; methods ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo analyze the long-term results after the correction of the paralytic ectropion in leprosy.

METHODSSeventy-four patients with 115 paralytic ectropion eyes after leprosy were treated with the surgical procedures included medial canthoplasty, medial canthal tendon plication, lateral tarsal strip, medial canthal resection, lateral canthoplasty, and lid shortening. The results were evaluated with the follow-ups from 2 to 4 years.

RESULTSThe eye-redness was reduced from 93 to 40 while the epiphora from 107 eyes (24 mild, 36 moderate and 47 severe) to 90 (40 mild, 32 moderate and 18 severe). The mean lid gap in mild eye closure was reduced from 6.8 mm to 5.3 mm and the cornea lesion was reduced from 53 to 36. The results were excellent in 18 eyes (15.7%), good in 45 eyes (39.1%), fair in 41 eyes (35.7%) and poor in 11 eyes (9.6%). However, the mean visual acuity remained same pre- and postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical correction of ectropion is helpful for cornea protection and could improve the signs and symptoms of the eyes such as epiphora and red [abstract truncated].

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ectropion ; surgery ; Eyelids ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Facial Paralysis ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Leprosy ; complications ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDNumerous studies have shown that reducing the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) through the use of anti-TNF antibodies or soluble TNF receptor is a safe and efficacious treatment to inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, novel approaches to achieve this outcome are desired. The aim of this study was to investigate the characterization of a small molecule inhibitor, Y316, which blocks TNF mRNA upregulation and TNF production by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulated monocytes.

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy volunteers were plated in 24-well plates and stimulated with LPS (1 µg/ml), phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) (100 ng/ml), zymosan (10 µg/ml) and Tsst (100 ng/ml). Supernatants were collected after 4-hour culture at 37°C, and quantitative determination of TNFα, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-2 production in the supernatants was performed by colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total RNA of PBMC was isolated and cytokine mRNA quantitation was performed by using a RNA level measuring kit (R & D Systems). PBMC were pretreated with Y316 (10 µmol/L, 1 µmol/L, 0.1 µmol/L, 0.01 µol/L and 0.001 µmol/L) or dimethyl sulfoxide at 37°C for 10 minutes, and then stimulated with LPS or PMA, protein concentrations of p44.42, IKBα, P38 and Jun NH2-terminal kinase were determined by Western blotting. Cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) of PBMC was measured by enzyme immunoassay kit (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech).

RESULTSY316 blocked TNF production and inhibited the upregulation of TNF mRNA levels in response to LPS, and also prevented the production of IL-1 and IL-6. In contrast, Y316 augmented the production of IL-10 in LPS-stimulated monocytes. Y316 failed to prevent the production of IL-2 and TNF in antigen-stimulated T cells, suggesting that its effects may be cell-type specific. Y316 prevented the phosphorylation and activation of the MAPK, ERK, and therefore appeared to mediate its effects on TNF by acting at an early point in the signaling cascade induced in response to LPS. There was no effect of Y316 on cAMP levels either alone or in the presence of LPS.

CONCLUSIONSY316 appears to be a small molecule inhibiting TNF production, which may act via a novel mechanism. Identification of the target of Y316 may lead to the development of alternative strategies for achieving selective cytokine inhibition.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-6 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; Phosphorylation ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; enzymology ; Isoenzymes ; analysis ; Mice ; Neurons ; enzymology ; Protein Kinase C ; analysis ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy of intracoronary nitroglycerin and verapamil for patients with the coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP).

METHODSSixty-four patients with CSFP without stenotic lesions during diagnostic coronary angiography were enrolled and divided into the nitroglycerin group (n = 35) and verapamil group (n = 29), 29 patients with normal coronary flow served as normal control. CSFP was defined when 4 or more heart beats were needed for contrast media to opacify the distal vasculature. Intracoronary injection of 100 - 400 microg nitroglycerin or verapamil through the diagnostic catheter was applied to patients with CSFP to improve coronary flow. The coronary blood flow was evaluated by thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count (TFC) method.

RESULTSClinical characteristics were similar among the three groups. The basic TFCs of left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCX) and right coronary artery (RCA) were 78.3 +/- 19.4, 57.2 +/- 14.6, 56.9 +/- 12.5 in the verapamil group, and were 70.8 +/- 21.7, 55.3 +/- 12.5, 51.1 +/- 15.4 in the nitroglycerin group, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the normal controls (LAD 29.2 +/- 4.4, LCX 23.1 +/- 3.5 and RCA 19.7 +/- 1.8, respectively). After the administration of drugs, the TFCs of LAD, LCX and RCA were 42.3 +/- 8.9, 36.7 +/- 6.8, 30.3 +/- 5.9 respectively (all P < 0.01 vs. baseline) in the nitroglycerin group and 37.7 +/- 9.3, 31.5 +/- 11.3, 24.6 +/- 4.4 respectively (all P < 0.01 vs. baseline) in the verapamil group. The TFCs after drug administration in both therapy groups were significantly higher than that in normal controls (all P < 0.05). The TFCs decrease in the verapamil group were more significant than that in the nitroglycerin group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIntracoronary administration of verapamil could result in more coronary flow improvement in patients with CSFP than nitroglycerin, although the post therapy coronary flow was still slower than normal.

Adult ; Aged ; Coronary Circulation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitroglycerin ; therapeutic use ; No-Reflow Phenomenon ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Verapamil ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo develop the Chinese version of a face version of the modified child dental anxiety scale (MCDASf) and test the reliability and validity of MCDASf.

METHODSThe English version of MCDASf was translated and back-translated, as well as crosscultural adapted by the method of psychometrics to develop the Chinese version of MCDASf. Subsequently the Chinese version schedule was randomly investigated among 245 kindergarten children and school children aged greater than 4 and less than 12 years on two separate occasions 3 weeks apart to determine the reliability. A total of 248 children attending Pediatrics Dentistry of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology aged greater than 4 and less than 12 years old were selected and completed the Chinese version of MCDASf and the Chinese version of modified Children's fear survey schedule-dental subscale (CFSS-DS) before treatment to determine the validity. Then we rated the children's behavior during dental treatment by Venham's clinical anxiety rating scale and cooperative behavior rating scale to evaluate the relation between self-assessed dental anxiety scores and the behavioral reaction during the dental treatment.

RESULTSIn reliability study, 98.0% of 250 children completed the MCDASf. In validity study, 99.2% of 248 children completed the MCDASf. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the translated scale was 0.814 and the test-retest reliability was 0.907. Principal component analysis of the translated scale confirmed that the scale consisted of a single unidimensional construct. The Chinese version of MCDASf significantly was correlated with the Chinese version of modified CFSS-DS (r = 0.843, P < 0.01) . It was also correlated with Venham's clinic anxiety rating scale and cooperative behavior rating scale (r = 0.675, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe Chinese version of MCDASf demonstrated good reliability and validity and can be used as a simple self-report measurement of dental anxiety in Chinese children aged 4-11 years.

Child ; Child Behavior ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Dental Anxiety ; diagnosis ; psychology ; Facial Expression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Manifest Anxiety Scale ; Pediatric Dentistry ; Reproducibility of Results ; Self-Assessment ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A total of 108 subjects were enrolled in this study, including 21 healthy subjects(control group), 34 non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS1 group, body mass index(BMI)<25 kg/m²], 32 obese patients with PCOS(PCOS2 group, BMI≥25 kg/m²), and 21 simple obese patients whose age and BMI matched with PCOS2(OB group). BMI, waist-hip ratio(WHR), fasting plasma glucose(FPG), postprandial 2h plasma glucose(2hPG), HbA_1C, fasting insulin(FINS), postprandial 2h insulin(2hINS), sex hormones, and lipid parameters were determined. The status of insulin resistance was assessed by homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistant index(HOMA-IR)and insulin sensitivity index(ISI). Levels of plasma galectin-3 and interleukin-6(IL-6)were detected by ELISA. The results showed that the plasma level of galectin-3 was significantly higher in PCOS group than those in control and OB groups(all P<0.05). Moreover, the level of galectin-3 was also higher in OB group compared with control group, while galectin-3 level in PCOS2 group was higher than that in PCOS1 group(all P<0.05). After adjusted by age, BMI, and WHR, correlation analysis showed that the level of galectin-3 was positively correlated with FPG, 2hPG, FINS, HOMA-IR, highly-sensitive C-reactive protein, and IL-6, while negatively correlated with ISI. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the plasma galectin-3 concentration was independently associated with IL-6, HOMA-IR, and BMI(all P<0.05). These data suggest that plasma galectin-3 is closely associated with glucose metabolism, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2018, 34: 578-582)