Objective To evaluate right ventricular(RV) myocardial profile changes in hypertensive heart disease (HHD) with normal pulmonary pressure by pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging(PW-TDI) technique,and to assess right ventricular function.Methods Group Ⅰ was normal control,20 cases,average age (54?7) years old,while group Ⅱ was primary hypertensive heart disease,20 cases,average age (58?8) years old.PW-TDI technique was used to measure the peak systolic,early diastolic,late diastolic velocities(Sm,Em,Am) of right atrio-ventricular ring,the ratio of Em/Am,right ventricular isovolume contracting time(RIVCT) and isovolume relaxation time(RIVRT).The systolic and early and late diastolic motorial amplitude(SD,DED,DAD) were measured by M-mode echocardiography.Results In groupⅡ: Em decreased [( 16.0? 2.7)cm/s vs ( 19.5? 3.4)cm/s,P

Objective To explore the clinical features of subcutaneous fluid collection and post-operative headache after craniotomy and assess the efficacy and side effects of the millimeter wave treatment.MethodsA total of 32 neurosurgical patients with post-operative subcutaneous fluid collection were involved in this study and divided into traditional and millimeter wave treatment groups randomly. Subcutaneous fluid volume after 3 days, time for complete fluid absorption, time of hospital stay, incidence of related infections and severe headache between two groups were assessed.ResultsThe fluid reduction is 93.8% in the millimeter wave treatment group and 76.5% in the traditional treatment group 3 days after treatment (P<0.05); time for complete fluid absorption was also shorter in the millimeter wave treatment group; there is no infection in the millimeter wave treatment group and 3 cases in the traditional treatment group, millimeter wave treatment also reduced the occurrence of severe post-operative headache; there is no treatment-related side-effects in the millimeter treatment group.ConclusionMillimeter wave treatment is an efficacious and safe method for subcutaneous fluid collection after craniotomy, and can reduce the occurrences of related infections and post-operative pain.

OBJECTIVETo compare the safety and efficacy of midazolam and estazolam in hypertensive patients with chronic insomnia.

METHODSIn this multicentre, open labeled, randomized clinical trial, 217 adult (18 - 75 years) hypertensive patients (BP range 140 mm Hg or= 3 times/week for more than 1 month) were randomly divided into midazolam (7.5 - 15 mg before sleep, n = 113) or estazolam group (1 - 2 mg before sleep, n = 104). Patients took medication according to own need. Sleep diary should be completed within 15 minutes after getting up next morning. Follow-up analysis was performed in patients completed 8 sleep diaries or received midazolam or estazolam for 1 month. Patients' sleep diaries were evaluated, blood pressure and heart rate before and after therapy were measured and adverse events were recorded.

RESULTS(1) Blood pressure was equipotent reduced after both treatments (-11.8/7.3 mm Hg for midazolam group, and -9.1/5.6 mm Hg for estazolam group, all P < 0.05 vs. before treatment). (2) The total sleep score was also significantly decreased in both groups after medication (P < 0.01) and midazolam was significantly superior to estazolam in shortening sleep latency, reducing awakening frequency, improving objective sleep evaluation and decreasing daytime sleepiness, but there were no differences in dream frequency and total sleep time. (3) The adverse reactions such as dizziness, headache and nausea was similar in midazolam (3%) and estazolam group (7%, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIt is safe to take midazolam or estazolam for hypertensive patients with chronic insomnia and both drugs reduced blood pressure. Midazolam is superior to estazolam in shortening sleep latency, reducing awakening frequency, improving objective sleep evaluation and decreasing daytime sleepiness.

Aged ; Estazolam ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Midazolam ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; drug therapy ; etiology

Objective To explore the 3-D anatomical structure of blood vessel around the pancreas and its clinical significance.Methods Fifty objects were scanned by 64-slice CT of GE,the artery,portal vein,spleen vein,superior mesenteric vein and inferior mesenteric vein were 3-D reconstructed by Myrian system,and the scientific data were recorded.Results The artery,portal vein,spleen vein,superior mesenteric vein and inferior mesenteric vein were all reconstructed;the length of portal vein was(44.28±10.23)mm and the length of post-pancreas trunk was(32.13±7.08)mm;the angle between portal vein and spleen vein were classified into three types:the angle of type Ⅰ was<90°,angle of type Ⅱ was=90°,and angle of type Ⅲ was>90 °.30％of the inferior mesenteric vein fed into the spleen vein,56％fell into the superior mesenteric vein and 14％came into the the meeting point of the spleen vein and superior mesenteric vein.Conclusion The 3-D reconstruction of blood vessels around the pancreas can provide the anatomical basis for surgeon and reduce the risk of pancreatic surgery before operation.

Objective: To examine expression patterns of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its activated form, phosphorylated FAK (pFAK),in human osteosarcoma and to investigate the correlation of FAK expression with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Functional consequence of manipulating FAK protein levels was also investigated in human osteosarcoma cell lines. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect FAK and pFAK levels in pathologically archived materials from 113 patients with primary osteosarcoma. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate prognoses. The role of FAK in cytological behavior of MG63 and 143B human osteosarcoma cell lines was studied via the FAK protein knockdown with siRNA. Cell proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and apoptosis were assessed using cell counting kit-8, Transwell, and Annexin V/PI staining methods. Results: Both FAK and pFAK were overexpressed in osteosarcoma patients. Tumor cells exhibited cytoplasmicity and occasional membranous immunoreactivity for FAK. A total of 42 cases (37.17%) mainly showed expressed pFAK in cytoplasm of osteosarcoma cells. No overexpression staining of anti-FAK and anti-pFAK antibodies was observed in normal cancellous bone tissues or negative controls. Significant differences were observed in overall survival between FAK-/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK- groups (P=0.016), FAK+/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK+ groups (P=0.012), and FAK-/pFAK- and FAK+/pFAK+ groups (P<0.001). All groups showed similar metastasis-free survival. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that FAK expression profile is an independent indicator of both overall andmetastasis-free survival. siRNA-based knockdown of FAK significantly reducedmigration and invasion of MG63 and 143B cells and affected proliferation and apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells. Conclusion: Osteosarcoma malignancies in vitro and in vivo were correlated with overexpression and phosphorylation of FAK. These findings suggest that FAK plays an important biological role in osteosarcoma carcinogenesis. This study provides a better understanding of diagnostic and prognostic relevance of FAK overexpression and phosphorylation in osteosarcoma patients. Therefore, FAK and pFAK can be used as independent predictors of overall and metastasis-free survival in osteosarcoma patients.

Objective To determine the effect of COMMD7 inhibition on invasion and migration in liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs),and investigate the possible mechanism.Methods After LCSCs were infected by shRNA lentiviral vectors of COMMD7,adhesion assay and Transwell assay were used to detect the invasion and migration,and phalloidin staining was employed to observe the morphological changes.Western blotting was adopted to measure the expression of E-cadherin,N-cadherin and Vimentin.Results COMMD7 knockdown significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of LCSCs.The relative cell quantity of adhesion was 1.00 ± 0.12 and 2.35 ± 0.20 respectively in control cells and infected cells,suggesting there were significantly more adhesive cells in the infected group (P ＜ 0.05).The relative cell quantity per visual field of migration was 1.00 ±0.04 and 0.24±0.03,and that of invasion was 1.00 ±0.05 and 0.24 ±0.04 respectively in the control cells and infected cells,and there were significantly less invasive and migrated cells in the infected group (P ＜0.05).What's more,COMMD7 knockdown also induced some morphological changes of cells corresponding to the weakened abilities of migration and invasion.All the changes above were associated with up-regulation of E-cadherin (P ＜ 0.05) and down-regulation of N-cadherin and Vimentin (P ＜0.05),the molecules related to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET).Conclusion COMMD7 knockdown inhibits the invasion and migration in LCSCs,which may be through its regulation on the MET course.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role and significance of P38-MAPK in the pathological process of hypoxic hypercapnia pulmonary hypertension in rats, and the protection of panax notoginoside (PNS).

METHODS(1) To set up rat pathological model of hypoxic hypercapnia pulmonary hypertension: seventy two male SD rats (200 280 g) were randomly divided into six groups (n = 12), which were normal group (N group), hypoxic hypercapnia for 3-day group (H3d), hypoxic hypercapnia for 1-week group(H1w), hypoxic hypercapnia for 2-week group (H2w), hypoxic hypercapnia for 4-week group (H4w) and PNS-injected group (Hp). The rats of PNS -injected group were injected PNS before being placed in the chamber (50 mg/(kg x d), ip), and other groups were injected normal sodium (2 ml/kg, ip). (2) The shapes of pulmonary artery were detected by HE staining. (3) Western blot was used to study the protein expression of p38-MAPK. The expression of p38-MAPK in lung tissue and pulmonary blood vessel was investigated by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS(1) The ratio of vessel wall area/total area (WA/ TA) in H1w, H2w, H4w and Hp group was higher than that of N group (P < 0.05), but that of H3d group did not change obviously (P > 0. 05 vs N group). The ratio of WA/TA in Hp group was obviously lower than that of H4w, group (P < 0.05). (2) The levels of P-p38 protein was markedly ascended in H3d group (0.225 +/- 0.071) compared with N group (0.012 +/- 0.006), and expression of P-p38 protein was significantly positive in H1w, H2w, H4w groups. (P < 0.05). (3) As P-p38 protein in pulmonary arterial tunica intima and tunica media, sterile expression in N group (0.099 +/- 0.015) and H3d group (0.107 +/- 0.013) contrasted to H4w group (0.124 +/- 0.025, P < 0.05), then tended to rise in H2w, H4w group (P < 0.05). (4) In pulmonary tissue, the levels of P-p38 protein in PNS-injected group were lower 53.02% (P < 0.05) than those in H4w group. In pulmonary arterial tunica intima and tunica media the levels of P-p38 protein in PNS-injected group were lower 87.33% (P < 0.05) than those in H4w group.

CONCLUSIONp38-MAPK as a signal transduction may play an important role in the development of hypoxia induced pulmonary hypertension. The effect of PNS on reducing pulmonary hypertension and improving pulmonary vascular wall remodeling may be related to its inhibiting expression of p38 MAPK.

Animals ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Panax notoginseng ; Phytotherapy ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the growth inhibition effect of Brucea javanica Fruit Oil Emulsion (BJFOE) on human ovarian caner SKOV3 cells and the transplanted tumor of SKOV3 nude mice.

METHODSGrowth inhibition effects of different concentrations BJFOE alone or its combination with cisplatin on human ovarian cancer cell SKOV3 were measured using MTT method. The orthotopic transplantation tumor model of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cell lines was established in nude mice. Totally 32 ovarian cancer nude mice were randomly divided into 4 groups, i.e., the blank control group (Group A), the BJFOE group (Group B), the BJFOE combined Cisplatin group (Group C), and the Cisplatin control group (Group D), 8 in each group. Mice in Group A were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline (0.2 mL/ 20 g), once per two days. Mice in Group B were intraperitoneally injected with BJFOE (0.2 mL/20 g), once per two days. Mice in Group C were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) 0.2 mL on the first day, and intraperitoneally injected with BJFOE on the second day. Mice in Group D were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin (3 mg/kg) 0.2 mL, once per two days. All mice were injected for six times, and sacrificed 48 h after the last injection. The lesion formation of the abdominal tumor tissue was observed. Tumor specimens were obtained to perform HE staining. Expression levels of MRP-1/CD9 and integrinα-5 were detected using Western blot.

RESULTSThe inhibition of BJFOE was time-dose depend- ently correlated with its inhibition effect of SKOV3 cells. The inhibition effect of BJFOE in combination of cisplatin was significantly superior to that of using any of the two drugs alone. Western blot results showed expression levels of MRP-1/CD9 and integrinα-5 were up-regulated in Group B and Group D with statistical difference (P < 0.05). But they were down-regulated in Group C with statistical difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIntraperitoneal injecting BJFOE was feasible and effective for treating ovarian cancer. BJFOE also could inhibit the invasion and migration of tumor cells targeting at MRP-1/CD9 and integrinα-5. But its specific anti-tumor mechanism was not clearly probed.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Brucea ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; Female ; Fruit ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology

RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; Ribonucleases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Virion ; chemistry ; genetics ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical outcome of posterior corrective operation for degenerative scoliosis and analyze the possible reasons for its late complications and their proper management.

METHODSThirty-five patients with degenerative scoliosis, who were treated by posterior pedicle screw fixation and interbody fusion with cage implantation from September 1997 to September 2002, were reviewed. Their clinical outcomes were determined according to Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The fusion area and its adjacent segments were evaluated through radiographic measurements of coronal Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis and coronal balance of the spine. The association of late complications, spinal alignment, and range of fusion was analyzed.

RESULTSAt final follow-up, ODI was 17.8 - 62.2 (average 34.7). Late complications occurred in 13 patients, accounting for 37.1%. Among the 13 cases, 10 were symptomatic and 6 received revision surgery. The late complications were proximal junctional scoliosis in 4 patients, proximal junctional kyphosis in 4 patients, proximal compressed vertebral fracture in 1 patient, pseudarthrosis in 1 patient, pedicle screw loosening in 1 patient, and distal segment degeneration in 1 patient. Junctional kyphosis had no obvious relationship with abnormality of spinal alignment. Adjacent segment degeneration occurred more commonly in the cases with the proximal ultimate vertebra below L1 (9/ 18) than above T12 (4/17).

CONCLUSIONSThe rate of late complications is relatively high after posterior corrective operation for degenerative scoliosis. Spinal alignment should be evaluated carefully in preoperative planning. The proximal ultimate vertebra should be extended to the level above T12 to avoid late complications.

Aged ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; adverse effects ; methods ; Treatment Outcome