Objective AMI is a prevalent global health condition.This study assessed the effects of PLGF and VEGF in a rat model of post-AMI.Methods Wistar rats underwent LAD ligation and injection of VEGF,PLGF,VEGF + PLGF,antiVEGFR1,anti-VEGFR2,anti-VEGFR1 + anti-VEGFR2,IgG2α,or saline,into the infarct border zone.We also set up a pseudo-operation group.Two weeks later,heart function was detected by hemodynamic and geometry,then the hearts were dis sected and HE stained.We assessed vW factor and α-SMA by immunohistochemistry and cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate by TUNEL.Results Rats in the VEGF + PLGF group performed significantly well in cardiac function,had weaker LV remodeling and less cardiomyocyte apoptosis.There were no obvious changes in VEGF group.The use of VEGFR1/VEGFR2 antibody didnt deteriorate the rat's cardiac function.More new-born arteries were seen in PLGF and VEGF + PLGF rats,and change wasnt found in other groups.Lastly,the most angiogenesis,the least left ventricular remodeling and the best heart function were observed in VEGF + PLGF group.Conclusion Earlier intervention with PLGF or VEGF + PLGF can improve heart function in rats with AMI; VEGF alone didnt improve heart function.VEGFR1/VEGFR2 antibody didnt aggravate the rat's heart function.This indicates that left ventricular and coronary remodeling may involve other factors.

OBJECTIVETo observe the characteristics of tongue proper and tongue coating in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to explore the relationship between tongue picture and state of illness.

METHODSTongue picture was taken by digital camera and colors (red, green and blue) of tongue proper and coating were analyzed quantitatively with image processing software.

RESULTSIn the 69 patients of acute stage, the color of tongue proper was mostly light red (51 patients, 73.9%), with significant difference in comparing with other colors (P < 0.01). The color of tongue coating was mostly thin yellow (32 patients, 46.4%), and thin white was the second (29 patients, 42.0%). There was swollen tongue body in 5 patients (7.2%), teeth print on tongue margin in 12 cases (17.4%). In the 155 patients of recovery stage, the color of tongue proper was mostly dark pale (72 patients, 46.5%), the second light red (68 patients, 43.9%), color of tongue coating was mostly thin white (80 patients, 51.6%), which was significantly higher than other colors (P < 0.01), the second was yellow in tongue root region (31 patients, 20.0%). Swollen tongue body was found in 23 patients (14.8%) and teeth print on margin was found in 19 patients (12.3%). Most patients of ordinary state had light red tongue proper and thin white coating, patients of severe state mostly had dark pale tongue proper and yellow coating in root region, and the critical patients were mostly with dark pale proper and thick yellow coating. Patients with affected lung > or = 3 lobules mostly had pale dark proper and yellow coating on root, but those with involved lung < 3 lobules mostly had light red proper and thin white coating.

CONCLUSIONThe colors detected quantitatively by the method described above could comparatively reflect the difference of tongue proper and coating sensitively. Tongue picture is one of the objective evidence for judging state of illness and Syndrome Differentiation based on treatment in SARS patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Color ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Tongue ; pathology

BACKGROUNDTo compare the diagnostic values of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in staging hepatic fibrosis (HF) in an animal model.

METHODSThis study consisted of 44 rabbits served as HF group and 9 normal rabbits. HF group was divided into two subgroups: Group A (n = 32) and Group B (n = 12). Rabbits in Group B were served as a complementary group when rabbits in Group A suddenly died during the study. Rabbits from control and Group A underwent abdominal MR imaging (MRI), MRE, and DWI. In Group A, random eight rabbits underwent MRI examinations at 4, 5, 6, 10 weeks after carbon tetrachloride oil subcutaneous injection. Liver stiffness (LS) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of liver parenchyma were measured. The diagnostic performance of MRE and DWI for staging HF was compared using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis on the basis of the histopathological analysis of HF.

RESULTSSignificant differences of LS and DWI values were present among HF stages (P < 0.005). The LS values measured on MRE (r = 0.838, P < 0.001) were more strongly correlated with the HF stages than with ADC values (r = -0.527, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of LS were significantly larger than those of DWI were for discriminating two stages of HF (0.979 vs. 0.712 for ≥ S1, 0.922 vs. 0.699 for ≥ S2). MRE showed higher specificity for predicting all stages of HF compared to DWI.

CONCLUSIONSMRE more strongly correlated with the HF stages than DWI and is more specific in predicting all HF stages.

Animals ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; methods ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo construct recombinant lentiviral vectors carrying Rheb gene and its mutant Rheb'D60K gene, and examine their expression in human liver cancer cells.

METHODSRheb gene was amplified by PCR to construct the recombinant plasmid LV31-Rheb-WT and LV31-Rheb-D60K. HEK-293 FT cells were contransfected with the recombinant lentiviral vector together with a lentiviral package plasmid to produce the lentiviral particles. The expression of PS6 protein was detected in the lentivirus-infected MCF-7 cells. The apoptosis of SK-HEP-1 cells transfected with LV31-Rheb-WT or LV31-Rheb-D60K was observed.

RESULTSThe recombinant LV31-Rheb-WT and LV31-Rheb-D60K vectors were confirmed by PCR and DNA sequencing. Western blotting showed that PS6 protein expression was increased in LV31-Rheb-WT-transfected cells while decreased in LV31-Rheb-D60K-transfected cells. LV31-Rheb-D60K-transfected SK-HEP-1 cells showed more obvious apoptosis after starvation than LV31-Rheb-WT-transfected cells.

CONCLUSIONLentiviral vectors carrying Rheb gene and its mutant has been successfully constructed, which can be useful in further investigation of the role of Rheb gene in cancer cells.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; MCF-7 Cells ; Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mutant Proteins ; genetics ; Neuropeptides ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Ras Homolog Enriched in Brain Protein ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture on recovery of urinary bladder function after radical hysterectomy.

METHODSOne hundred and ten cases were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a control group, 55 cases in each group. In the control group, the urinary tube was placed and kept with routine method and the urinary bladder was rinsed, and from the eighth day the abdomen was radiated with TDP, 30 min each day, for 5 days. In the EA group, on the basis of treatment in the control group EA was given at Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Waiguan (TE 5), Shuidao (ST 28), Guilai (ST 29), etc. from the eighth day to twelfth day after operation. The recovery time of urinary bladder function after radical hysterectomy, urine dynamic indexes and hospitalization days were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe cases of the bladder function recovery, retention of urine, urinary incontinence were 51(51/55), 4(4/55), 0 on the 14 th day after operation and 53(53/55), 2(2/55), 0 on the 28 th day in the EA group, and 27(27/55), 25(25/55), 3(3/55) on the 14 th day and 43(43/55), 11(11/55), 1(1/55) on the 28th day in the control group, respectively, with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01); the EA group in residual urine volume, bladder volume, mean urinary flowing rate was better than the control group on the 14 th day after operation (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05); the hospitalization days after operation was (21.1 +/- 3.3) days in the EA group and (25.5 +/- 3.5) days in the control group, the former being shorter than the later (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEA can promote recovery of bladder function, shorten the keeping time of urinary tube after radical hysterectomy, which is benefit to decreasing incidence rate of urinary system infection and shortening hospitalization days.

Adult ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; adverse effects ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Urinary Bladder ; physiopathology ; Urinary Bladder Diseases ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular pathogenesis for a pedigree affected with hereditary coagulation factor XII (FXII) deficiency. METHODS: Potential variant of the F12 gene was analyzed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Expression plasmids were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis based on the wild-type and transiently transfected into 293T cells. FXII:C and FXII:Ag of the expression products were determined in the supernatant and cell lysate. Western blotting was used to verify the identify of the protein. RESULTS: Gene sequencing revealed that the proband has carried 46TT genetype and heterozygous p.Glu502Lys variants in exon 13, and a heterozygous p.Gly542Ser variant in exon 14 of the F12 gene. Transfection experiment suggested that the FXII:C and FXII:Ag of p.Glu502Lys variant in the supernatant were 28% and 24%, compared with the wild-type (100%) and FXII:Ag of cell lysates was 39% compared to the wild-type (100%). The FXII:C and FXII:Ag of p. Gly542Ser variant in the supernatant were 32% and 17% and the FXII:Ag of cell lysates was 59%. CONCLUSION The 46TT genetype, p.Glu502Lys and p.Gly542Ser variants of the F12 gene probably underlie the low FXII level in the proband. As shown by in vitro experiment, the p.Glu502Lys and p.Gly542Ser variants can both inhibit the synthesis and secrection of the FXII protein.
Exons ; Factor XII ; genetics ; Factor XII Deficiency ; genetics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Pedigree

Objective In order to establish a basis for exploring diagnostic biomarkers of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), our research screened differentially expressed circRNAs in high glucose treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( HUVECs) and validated these circRNAs in both cell models and peripheral blood samples of T 2DM patients.Methods The research used HUVECs as experimental model . The control group (n=3) and high glucose group (n=3) were set up and treated under normal condition (5.5 mmol/L) and high glucose condition (30.0 mmol/L), respectively.The research utilized high-throughput sequencing technology to preliminarily screen differentially expressed circRNAs .Differentially expressed circular RNAs were validated in the endothelial cell model by PCR and real -time quantitative PCR ( q-PCR) techniques.Subsequently , in the peripheral blood samples of T 2DM patients ( n=32) and control individuals ( n=28 ), the differentially expressed circRNAs were further validated . Finally, t-Test, correlation analysis and ROC curve were used to analyze the experimental results .Results Total 1087 differentially expressed circular RNAs were screened by high-throughput sequencing;and of these , 554 were up-regulated, 533 were down-regulated.Six increased circRNAs were selected and validated in HUVEC model;and their PCR and q-PCR results matched with sequencing results .Further validation was conducted in peripheral blood samples for three most up-regulated circRNAs.This study found that the differential expression of hsa_circ_0031739 in peripheral blood samples was statistically significant ( 0.015 ±0.0025 vs.0.006 ±0.0013,P=0.0059 <0.05).The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.730 and the expression level of hsa_circ_0031739 was positively correlated with blood glucose ( GLU ) and glycated hemoglobin ( GHb ) ( r=0.317, P=0.0137 <0.05;r=0.348, P=0.0064 <0.05 ) .Conclusion HUVECs were commonly utilized as cell models in the study of T 2DM, and differentially expressed circular RNA profiles existed afterhigh glucose treatment .The differential expression of hsa_circ_0031739 was significant in both high glucose treated HUVECs and peripheral blood samples of T 2DM patients, and the expression level of hsa_circ_0031739 was correlated with GLU and GHb , which has certain diagnostic significance.Therefore, hsa_circ_0031739 may become a new diagnostic biomarker for T2DM and be helpful for the comprehensive diagnosis and mechanism research of T 2DM.

Speech comprehension is a central cognitive function of the human brain. In cognitive neuroscience, a fundamental question is to understand how neural activity encodes the acoustic properties of a continuous speech stream and resolves multiple levels of linguistic structures at the same time. This paper reviews the recently developed research paradigms that employ electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG) to capture neural tracking of acoustic features or linguistic structures of continuous speech. This review focuses on two questions in speech processing: (1) The encoding of continuously changing acoustic properties of speech; (2) The representation of hierarchical linguistic units, including syllables, words, phrases and sentences. Studies have found that the low-frequency cortical activity tracks the speech envelope. In addition, the cortical activities on different time scales track multiple levels of linguistic units and constitute a representation of hierarchically organized linguistic units. The article reviewed these studies, which provided new insights into the processes of continuous speech in the human brain.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Magnetoencephalography ; Speech ; physiology ; Speech Perception

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of placental growth factor (PlGF) on revascularization after acute myocardial infarction.

METHODSMyocardial infarction model was established by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery in Wistar rats. Thirty AMI rats were divided into 3 groups with 10 in each group: PlGF, mouse VEGFR-1/Flt-1 antibody, or saline (control group) was injected in the infarcted border zone for each group, respectively. Two weeks later the hemodynamics parameters were measured with a left ventricular needle catheter and a biological signal analysis system; left ventricular remodeling was observed by HE staining; angiogenesis was examined by immunohistochemistry and cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate was detected by TUNEL.

RESULTSThe stroke volume, systolic pressure and left ventricular developed pressure in PlGF group were all higher than those in control group (112±7 vs 65.63±8.50 μl, P<0.01; 131.61±9.26 vs 94.84±8.53 mm Hg, P<0.01 and 175.85±11.36 vs 105.50±15.83 mm Hg, P<0.01; respectively). PlGF animals had less ventricular dilation (left ventricular diameter 8.20±0.14 vs 9.25±0.32 mm, P<0.01) and increased left ventricular wall thickness (1.81±0.10 vs 1.35±0.10 mm, P<0.01) compared to controls. The geometry parameter of anti-VEGFR1 and control animals was almost the same. PlGF animals had increased angiogenesis compared to controls (29.44±5.75 vs 15.88±2.42 endothelial cells/high-powered field, P<0.01); the alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) showed that PlGF animal had a higher density of artery than others (25.14±1.83 vs 19.70±2.52 arteries/mm(2), P<0.01), and the density of artery in anti-VEFGR1 group was less than the controls. The apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes in PlGF animals was significantly lower than that in controls (9.51%±2.75% vs 37.81%±8.74%, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONRegional delivery of PlGF following acute myocardial infarction can improve cardiac function and left ventricular remodeling, enhance angiogenesis and reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate. PlGF may be a potential agent in adjuvant therapy for acute myocardial infarction.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Placenta Growth Factor ; Pregnancy Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of pre-treatment serum uric acid (sUA) level for the prognosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients. METHODS: The NDMM patients admitted to our center from January 2014 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively, and 94 patients among them who were initially treated with bortezomib-based chemotherapy for at least 4 cycles were included in this study. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data and follow-up information were collected, and the predictive value of sUA on the overall survival (OS) of NDMM was evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve based on the patient's pre-treatment sUA level and the survival status at the end of follow-up, and the correlation of the sUA level with patient's clinical, laboratory characteristics and overall survival (OS) was further analyzed. The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model were used to identify the potential factors affecting OS. RESULTS: ROC analysis showed that the area under the curve for predicting OS in NDMM patients with sUA level was 0.702 (P<0.001), and the optimal cut-off value was 455.4 μmol/L. Compared to patients with low sUA (<455.4 μmol/L), patients with higher sUA (≥455.4 μmol/L) were more likely to have international staging system (ISS) stage III disease, beta2-microglobulin (β CONCLUSION Pre-treatment sUA level is a potential biomarker for the prognosis evaluation in NDMM patients, which deserves a further exploration and verification.
Bortezomib ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Uric Acid