Opioid receptors have drawn highly attention to scientists since they were founded in the 1990s.As a member of G protein-coupled receptor family,opioid peptides are the endogenous ligands.It is well known to us that the basic structure consists of extracellular amino residues,seven transmembrane region and the hydroxyl residues of the cell.In recent years,the progress of science laid the foundation for further studies on the function of delta receptor.Aberrant expression of delta opioid receptor in a variety of tumors,and it plays an important role of the occurrence and development of tumors.This review describes the recent research advances on delta opioid receptor and its association with hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of the water extract from Codonopsis thalictrifolia Wall (CTW) on the reproductive

METHODSWe divided 32 male SD infant rats into four groups of equal number to be treated intragastrical-system of male infant rats. ly with distilled water (control) and CTW at 10 g/kg (low dose) , 20 g/kg (medium dose), and 40 g/kg (high dose), respectively, twice a day for 2 weeks. Then we killed the rats, measured the levels of testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum, obtained the testis weight, body weight, testis visceral coefficient and sperm concentration, and detected sperm viability, sperm motility and the level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the Leydig cells, followed by

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the low-dose, me-analysis of differences among different groups using the SPSS software. Medium-dose and high-dose CTW groups showed significant decreases in the serum T level ([3.09 +/-0.42] vs [1.22 +/-0. 32] , [1.06 +/- 0.29] and [0.57 +/-0.18] nmol/L, P<0.01), testis weight ([1.40 +/-0.16] vs [0.96 +/-0.09], [0.92 +/-0.11] and [0.91 +/- 0.08] g, P <0.01), and sperm concentration ([1.03 +/-0.16] vs [0.19 +/-0.07], [0.17 +/-0.08] and [0.16 +/-0.07] x 10(6)/ml, P <0.01), but a dramatic elevation in the testis visceral coefficient ([42.22 +/- 3.02] vs [51.39 +/- 3.09], [52.28 +/- 4.86] and [54.13 +/-6.06] mg/10 g, P <0.01); the medium- and high-dose CTW groups exhibited remarkable increases in the levels of serum LH ([13.62+/-0.89] vs [14.69 +/-0.12] and [14.93 +/-0.28] ng/L, P<0.01) and FSH ([4.32 +/-0.18] vs [4.77 +/-0.23] and [4.89 +/-0. 38] IU/L, P <0.05); all the three CTW groups showed markedly inhibited serum T secretion ([1.85 +/- 0.18] vs [1.42 +/-0.15], [1.12+/-0.18] and [0.88 +/-0.21] nmol/L, P<0.01) and intracellular cAMP ([5.51 +/-0.12] vs [4.39+/-0.06], [4.28 +/-0.07] and [4.11 +/- 0.10] nmol/L, P <0.01) in the Leydig cells.

CONCLUSIONThe water extract from CTW may reduce the synthesis of testosterone in the serum of male infant rats through the PKA pathway and consequently inhibit their testicular development and sperm production and affect the development of their reproductive system.

Animals ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testosterone ; blood ; Urogenital System ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the effects of Panax Notoginseng saponins (PNS) on protein expression of Klotho in rats with renal ischemia reperfusion injury; To discuss its protective mechanism for model rats. Methods Experimental rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group, positive medicine group, PNS high-, medium- and low-dosage groups. Each administration group was given relevant medicine for gavage, once a day. Renal ischemia reperfusion injury model was established. Rats were sacrificed by taking blood from abdominal aorta after 4 hours of modeling. Serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (SCr), malondialdehyde (MDA) content in kidney tissue, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were measured. HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of renal tissue. The protein expressions of Klotho and NF-κB p65 were measured by immunohistochemical method. Results Compared with the sham-operation group, the levels of BUN and SCr in the model group increased significantly (P<0.05); protein expression of Klotho in renal tissue decreased and the protein expression of NF-κB p65 increased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of Klotho increased but protein expression of NF-κB p65 decreased in each administration group (P<0.05); Compared with the positive medicine group, the expression of Klotho in PNS high-dosage group increased but protein expression of NF-κB p65 decreased (P<0.05). The protein expression of NF-κB p65 was negatively related to protein expression of Klotho (r=-0.895, P<0.05). Conclusion PNS can inhibit oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory effects through upregulating protein expression of Klotho, and reduce the protein expression of NF-κB p65, and thus exerts renal protective effects.

OBJECTIVETo study the accuracy the pedicle screw placement in the thoracic spine using funnel technique and free hand technique.

METHODSEight cadavers including 5 males and 3 females were analysed. The age ranged from 57 to 82 years (mean 68 years). Cadawers were randomly assigned to one of two instrumentation groups. In four cadavers, "funnel technique" was used for screw placement. In the remaining four cadavers,free hand technique then was used. Success of pedicle screw placement was judged by CT scan. The rate of success of two ways was compared using statistic analysis.

RESULTSNinety-six screws were inserted by "funnel technique" and free hand technique respectively, 84 of "funnel technique" were successful, and 73 of free hand technique were successful. Significant differences were found between two ways (P < 0.05). Chanciness tresis occurred in "funnel technique" on 2 screws and free hand technique on 9 screws. There were significant differences in rates of chanciness tresis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFunnel technique is simple, safe and cost-effective alternative to any other thchnique for pedicle screw placement in thoracic spine,funnel technique is able to reduce the chance of critical injury of nerve root and dura.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery

Objective: To explore the correlation between antithrombotic strategy and its prognostic value in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients combining with atrial ifbrillation (AF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods: A total of 570 CAD patients with AF received PCI in our hospital from 2012-01 to 2013-12 were retrospectively analyzed by CHADS2 and HAS-BLED Score system. According to CHADS2 < 2 and CHADS2 ≥ 2 or with/without warfarin medication, the patients were divided into 2 groups:①CHADS2 < 2 (Low risk of stroke) group,n=339 including 309 patients without warfarin and 30 with warfarin medication;②CHADS2 ≥ 2 (High risk of stroke) group,n=231 including 200 patients without warfarin and 31 with warfarin medication. All patients were followed-up for 15 months to compare the different anti-platelet/ anti-coagulation strategies for the occurrence rate of MACCE, ischemic and bleeding events.
Results: Compared with Low risk of stroke group, the patients in High risk of stroke group had the worse prognosis and higher rate of MACCE occurrence,P<0.001, HR=2.677, 95% CI (1.535-4.635), more ischemic events,P=0.013, HR=2.080, 95% CI (1.167-3.709). Multi-factor Cox surving analysis indicated that compared with low risk patients without warfarin medication, the high risk patients without warfarin had the higher rate of MACCE occurrence,P=0.001, HR=2.985, 95% CI (1.532-5.816), more ischemic events,P=0.026, HR=2.068, 95% CI (1.090-3.925). Whereas, the occurrence rates of MACCE and ischemic events in high risk, low risk patients with warfarin and low risk patients without warfarin were similar, all P>0.05. The major bleeding events in patients with warfarin were a little higher than those without warfarin,P>0.05. The minor bleeding events were increased in both Low risk stroke group asP<0.001, OR=4.458, 95% CI (1.934-10.277) and High risk stroke group asP=0.002, OR=4.155, 95% CI (1.717-10.055).
Conclusion: Warfarin medication may obviously decrease the occurrence rates of MACCE and ischemic events in high risk of stroke patients, while in low risk patients, warfarin could not further decrease the occurrence of MACCE and ischemic events. Warfarin could increase the risk for minor bleeding in both low risk and high risk of stroke in CAD patients combining with AF after PCI.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; pathology ; secondary ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; secondary

We recently found that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity was present in lymphocytes of rat thymus and lymph node. In order to investigate whether these cells were capable of synthesizing CGRP, CGRP mRNA of rat dorsal root ganglia, thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were determined by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) utilizing synthetic oligonucleotides bracketing a portion of the calcitonin/CGRP gene. A discrete band of the expected size of 90 base pairs was found in the dorsal root ganglia (positive control), and in both thymocytes and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes. These data strongly suggest that CGRP is not only an important neuropeptide, but it is also synthesized in lymphocytes of both thymus and lymph nodes, which is identical to that in sensory neurons. CGRP from lymphocytes may act as an immunomodulator and serve as a common ligand in immune and nervous systems.

Extra-hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) plays an important role in reproduction. To study the treatment effect of Grin (a novel hGHRH homodimer), the infertility models of 85 male Chinese hamsters were established by intraperitoneally injecting 20 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide once in a week for 5 weeks and the treatment with Grin or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) as positive control was evaluated by performing a 3-week mating experiment. 2–8 mg/kg of Grin and 200 U/kg of hMG showed similar effect and different pathological characteristics. Compared to the single cyclophosphamide group (0%), the pregnancy rates (H-, M-, L-Grin 26.7, 30.8, 31.3%, and hMG 31.3%) showed significant difference, but there was no difference between the hMG and Grin groups. The single cyclophosphamide group presented loose tubules with pathologic vacuoles and significant TUNEL positive cells. Grin induced less weight of body or testis, compactly aligned tubules with little intra-lumens, whereas hMG caused more weight of body or testis, enlarging tubules with annular clearance. Grin presented a dose-dependent manner or cell differentiation-dependentincrease in testicular GHRH receptor, and did not impact the levels of blood and testicular GH, testosterone. Grin promotes fertility by proliferating and differentiating primitive cells through up-regulating testicular GHRH receptor without triggering GH secretion, which might solve the etiology of oligoasthenozoospermia.
Animals ; Cricetinae* ; Cricetulus ; Cyclophosphamide ; Fertility ; Gonadotropins ; Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Infertility ; Infertility, Male* ; Male ; Male* ; Pregnancy Rate ; Reproduction ; Testis ; Testosterone ; Vacuoles

The authors note that on page 637 (Author Name), author affiliation of Tao Liu “Tao Liu⁶” should instead appear as “Tao Liu⁵.”

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between pain and knee function after the internal fixation of femoral fractures.

METHODSThe clinical data of 73 patients after internal fixation on femoral fractures from June 2006 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were divided into two groups according to the degree of postoperative pain: low score group and high score group. Among the 39 patients in low score group (VAS 1 to 5 point), 25 patients were male and 14 patients were female, with a mean age of (37.5 +/- 5.3) years (ranged from 27 to 63 years ). Among 34 patients in high score group (VAS 6 to 10 point), 22 patients were male and 12 patients were female, with a mean age of (36.3 +/- 9.6) years (ranged from 29 to 62 years). The intra-articular pressure of knee and hospital for special surgery knee rating scale (HSS) were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up for an average duration of 24.1 months. The intra-articular pressure of knee was rising for two groups, there were significant difference for the high score group compared with the low score group at 3 days after operation (t=15.67, P=0.000) and the end time of follow up (t=5.63, P=0.000). As to knee joint function, in low score group, 21 patients got an excellent result, 4 good, 7 poor and 2 bad; in high score group, 31 patients got an excellent result, 6 good, 2 poor and no bad. The knee function of low score group was better than that of high score group.

CONCLUSIONThe intra-articular pressure of knee is an important factor of the knee functional recovery, and its external symptoms of pain can be seen as an important index to forecast the prognosins of knee function in early time.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; physiopathology