OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 and 4 (BMP-2 and BMP-4) in prostatic carcinoma (PCa) and investigate their relationship with clinical stage and Gleason score of tumor.

METHODSForty-eight PCa cases and 5 normal prostatic tissue were analysed for the expressions of BMP-2 and BMP-4 by Western bolt assay.

RESULTSThe optical densities of BMP-2 expressions in the tumor with Gleason score < or =5, 6-8, and > or = 9 were 7547.1 +/- 1964.12, 9657.4 +/- 2010.54, 12467.7 +/- 2496.75 and of BMP-4 expressions were 5174.4 +/- 1400.54, 5940.3 +/- 1587.42, 6332.1 +/- 1647.83, respectively. The optical densities of BMP-2 expressions in the tumor in T1 - T2 and T3 - T4 stages were 8003.37 +/- 1889.23, 12385.55 +/- 2506.72 and of BMP4 expressions were 5267.41 +/- 1 464.19, 6543.75 +/- 1668.46, respectively. There were significant differences between tissues with Gleason score < or =5 and > or =9 (P <0.01), and tissues in T1 - T2 and T3 - T4 stages, in expressions of BMP-2 protein. The expression of BMP-2 protein was significantly high in the PCa with bone metastasis compared with that without bone metastasis.

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of BMP-2 and BMP-4 increase with the progression of clinical stage and Gleason score compared with normal prostatic tissue. The expression of BMP-2 protein is significantly upregulated in bone metastasis of PCa, which indicates a poor prognosis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blotting, Western ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostate ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVE To explore a novel pH-sensitive fluorescent probe for in vivo tumor imaging. METHODS Zn5 were obtained in 140℃ after mixed with MeOH, water, Zn(NO3)2 · 6H2O, H4L and trimethylamine. The fluorescence spectra of Zn5 with the same concentration in different pH aqueous solutions were detected. And the stability of Zn5 was investigated by time dependent fluorescence emission spectra of Zn5 in BSA aqueous solution and 5.0% serum solution. Then, the cytotoxicity of Zn5 was detected by MTT assays. To clarify whether a similar fluorescence response occurs in biological organisms, HeLa cells were pretreated with probe Zn5 (0.5 μmol·L- 1) and fluorescence imaging were collected for targeting lysosomes in living cells because of lysosomes' acidic microenvironment. The A375 tumor-bearing mice were used to assess the imaging ability of Zn5 in vivo. Mouse tumor xenografts were established by injection of A375 cells with 2×106 cells per flank. Probe (1 μg·g-1) was administered to mice by injection. Images were obtained using IVIS Spectrum CT Imaging System. RESULTS There is a 11-fold intensity increasing as the pH values changing from 8 to 2. The almost unchanged emission intensities suggest Zn5 is stable in both BSA and serum. Zn5 has negligible cytotoxicity for HeLa, 293T and CHO-K1 cells. Zn5 can selectively display lysosomes in living cells. Both the 2D and 3D images in vivo distinguish the tumor from other tissues with good fluorescence contrast. CONCLUSION The high chemical stability, emission in the Vis/NIR range, pH sensitivity, a pKa located in the tumor pH range, and low toxicity make Zn5 is suitable for application as a pH- sensitive fluorescent probe for bio-imaging.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and the outcome of severe trauma of various ages in emergency department,to improve the therapeutic effect of emergency rescuing.Methods Two thousand and sixty nine patients of severe trauma were treated during a seven-year period from October 1997 to October 2004.The studied patients were divided into 5 groups:(1)adolescent group(Group A,＜13 years old,n=106);(2)juvenile group(Group B, 13-18 years old,n=128);(3)youth group(Group C,18-40 years old,n=1518);(4)middle age group(Group D, 40-60 years old,n=215);and(5)elderly group(Group E,＞60 years old,n=102).All the patients were evaluated with Injury Severity Score(ISS),and the result was≥16 in all of the studied patients.Results The incidence of severe trauma in male in all 5 groups was higher than that in female,and it was significantly higher in Group C,Group D and Group E when compared with that in the other groups(P＜0.01).Traffic accident was the leading cause of injury,and its incidence in Group A,Group B and Group D was higher than that in other groups(P＜0.01).However,injury caused by falling from high places was the second cause of injury,being significantly increased in Group A,while armed fighting and injury during work being significantly increased in Group B,Group C and Group D,slip fall injury being significantly increased in Group E(P＜0.01).Head injury was mainly found in Group A and Group E,extremities injury and/or spinal injury were increased markedly in Group B,Group C and Group D(P＜0.05),abdominal injury was significantly decreased in Group E(P＜0.001).The total mortality was 11.9%(246/2069).The mortality within 24 hours (20.6%,21/102)was significantly higher than that beyond 24 hours(7.8%,8/102)in Group E(P＜0.01).The time of staying in the emergency department differed significantly between the survived patients and those died in all 5 groups (P＜0.01).Conclusion The gender,the incidence and the characteristics of the injury causes and injury sites differed between severely injured patients of various ages.Mortality in the elderly is significantly increased following severe trauma. The idea of“golden one hour”and“platinum ten minutes”,measures of shortening the time of staying in the emergency clinic,early definite operation and damage control operation should be emphasized.

Objective To investigate the influence of inhaled glucocorticoid on the pathological change of the nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis. Methods One hundred and eighty Sprague-Dawley (SD)rats were selected. According to the random number table, these animals were randomly divided into twogroups: the control Group A and the experimental group. There were 60 rats in Group A and 120 rats in experimental group. First of all, the rats in experimental group were sensitized by intra-peritoneal injection with ovalbumin(OVA),enhanced and local stimulated. Next, the rats in the experimental group were randomly divided into B and C groups. The number of rats in each group Was 60.Group B still had the intranasal dropping on each side with OVA in the same volume and concentration twice a week. The rats in Group C also had the intranasal dropping on each side with OVA in the same volume and concentration twice a week. But, at the same time, these animals had fluticasone propionate(FP)nasal spray each side 50μl/per day. While doing intra-peritoneal injection with physiological saline in the same volume and intranasal dropping on the rats in normal Group A. Ten rats from each group were randomly selected to be killed at the end of first, second, fourth, eighth, twelfth and sixteenth weeks after treatment. One from the ten rats in each group Was used for micro-vascular casting of nasal mucosa, and the remaining nine were used for pathological examination. Results The model of the rats in experimental group was established successfully. After allergen stimulation, the nasal mucosa showed metaplasia of the goblet cells, epithelial denudation, inflammatory cells infiltration especially eosinophils, hyperplasia of the number of gland and density of micro-blood vessels. The capillary became netted. Cilia of epithelial shed to different extent and were uneven, and the layers of reticular formation of basal membrane became thick, and collagen deposition and fabric hyperplasia were seen under the electron microscope. In Group B, due to continuously contact with allergen, the mucosa remodeling enhanced. In Group C, glucocorticoid controlled the symptoms of allergic rhinitis better, but the cilia of epithelial shed, metaplasia of the goblet cells, inflammatory cells infiltration, hyperplasia of gland and micro-blood vessels, collagen deposition and fabric hyperplasia alsocould be seen in rat nasal mucosa. Conclusions The pathological change of the nasal mucosa Was found inallergic rhinitis. If the allergen was continuously contacted, the pathological change aggravated. Glucocorticoid could control the symptoms of allergic rhinitis better and reverse the mucosa pathological change to some extent, but it could not retro-converse or repair the nasal mucosa while the irreversibilechange had occurred.

Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the causative pathogens in more than half of viral upper respiratory tract infections. Currently, no antiviral agents that are active against HRVs are available for clinical use. Because only higher primates are susceptible to HRVs, the screening of new drug is most commonly based on the cell line model. In this study, isolated rabbit airway smooth muscles (ASM) tissue model has been established, and the airway responsiveness with different treatment has been examined. Relative to control tissues, the maximal constrictor (Tmax) response to ACh increased significantly 150% in ASM inoculated with HRV, and relaxation to isoproterenol has been attenuated to 63%. And the abnormal responsiveness can be inhibited in presence of pretreatment with several new compounds which have been exhibited effective anti-HRV activity on cell lines. The results demonstrate that the established ASM model will be applied to screening the anti-HRVs drugs.
Acetylcholine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral ; drug effects ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Isoproterenol ; pharmacology ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle Relaxation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; virology ; Piperidines ; pharmacology ; Pyridazines ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Rhinovirus ; Trachea ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; virology

Thienorphine is a chemically-new opioid developed in Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology. To elucidate the chemical basis for the unique pharmacological effects of thienorphine, 15 derivatives were synthesized according to combinatorial chemistry and the structure-activity relationships of these compounds were studied. It is demonstrated that thienorphine is a potent long-acting partial agonist. N-Cyclopropylmethyl is responsible for the antagonist effect of thienorphine. More importantly, thiophene at the end of side chain is most likely the pharmacophore accounts for the long-lasting effect of thienorphine. Change of the connection of thiophene and the side chain does not result in changes in the antinociceptive activity.
Animals ; Buprenorphine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Opioid ; agonists ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) expression in the monocytes of elderly patients with sepsis.

METHODSA total of 213 elderly patients were divided into 4 groups according to the criteria defined by the American College of Chest Physicians/ Society of Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM), namely the non-sepsis group (group A), sepsis group (group B), severe sepsis group (group C) and septic shock group (group D). Another 60 healthy subjects were recruited as the control group. HLA-DR expression in the monocytes from each subject was determined by flow cytometry, and the HLA-DR levels were compared between the groups.

RESULTSCompared with that of the healthy control, HLA-DR expression was significantly increased in group A and lowered in group D. No significant differences were found between the control group and groups B and C. HLA-DR expression was significantly different between groups A, B, C, and D (P<0.01), increasing in the order of group D (32.74-/+13.4)%, group C (61.9-/+14.29)%, group B (69.99-/+12.8)%, and group A (85.06-/+15.37)%.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough with multiple organ diseases and repeated or long-term hospitalization, the non-septic elderly patients do not show lowered expression of HLA-DR. In the elderly patients with sepsis and severe sepsis, HLA-DR expression is not a sensitive index, but obviously lowered HLA-DR expression may serve as a specific indicator in elderly patients with septic shock.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; HLA-DR Antigens ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Male ; Sepsis ; immunology ; Shock, Septic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of early bronchoscopic sputum suction in elderly patients with acute heart and lung failure due to aspiration pneumonia.

METHODSComprehensive treatments were administered for 52 elderly patients with acute heart and lung failure resulting from aspiration pneumonia, and in 27 of the patients, bronchoscopic sputum suction was performed with the other 25 serving as the control group. The indices of the heart and lung functions (central venous pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, arterial blood partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide) were measured after the treatment and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSPatients receiving bronchoscopic suction showed faster recovery of normal central venous pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction and more rapid increment of arterial partial pressure of oxygen and reduction of carbon dioxide partial pressure than those without the suction (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEarly bronchoscopic sputum suction can be one of the effective emergency measures for rescuing acute heart and lung failure due to aspiration pneumonia.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bronchoscopy ; Cerebral Infarction ; complications ; Female ; Heart Failure ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; complications ; therapy ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; etiology ; therapy ; Sputum ; Suction ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy.

METHODSFrom April 2008 to March 2010, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages were performed on 45 patients who suffered from multi-segmental cervical myelopathy, among of them there were 23 male and 22 female, aged from 32 to 67 years (average 53 years). Recording the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and SF-36 scores in the protocol time point, in order to investigate the clinical outcome, meanwhile, accumulating the pre-operation and postoperation X-ray films of cervical spine for measuring the height of intervertebral space, whole curvature of cervical spine and the rate of fusion by repeated measures analysis of variance.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up time was 28.4 months (24 - 35 months). JOA scores ascended from preoperative 6.5 ± 3.1 to postoperative 13.4 ± 1.7 (F = 17.84, P = 0.001), the 7 scores of SF-36 improved significantly after operation (t = 1.151 - 12.207, P < 0.05), but mental health not. The fineness rate was 91.1%. Height of disc space ascended from preoperative (5.5 ± 1.8) mm to postoperative (8.3 ± 0.8) mm (F = 11.71, P = 0.043), globle curvature of cervical spine ascended from preoperative 5° ± 7° to postoperative 10° ± 14° (F = 234.53, P = 0.000), the change of the two index was significantly, respectively. Fat necrosis in one case and hematoma in another case at the bone donor-site were found, both of the two cases were cured by physiotherapy. All of the 45 cases (111 segments) achieved bone fusion.

CONCLUSIONThe use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy possess many advantages as follows: satisfactory clinical outcome, minimally invasive, higher fusion rate, higher orthopaedic ability.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo observe the dynamic expression of ERK1 in fibrotic rat liver.

METHODSThe rat hepatic fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and by Masson's trichrome method. ERK1 mRNA in liver was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), while the distribution of ERK1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry. ERK1 protein was detected by using Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSWith the development of hepatic fibrosis, the positive cells of ERK1 increased a lot, they were mainly distributed at portal ducts, fiber septa and around the bile ducts, vascular endothelial cells and perisinusoidal cells. Western blotting analysis results displayed that the expression of ERK1 protein were up-regulated with model course, and its levels were the highest at week 4 after operation, achieving to 3.9-fold of that in normal rat liver. ERK1 mRNA expressed in normal rat livers as well, they were up-regulated at day 2 after BDL and its level was the highest at week 4 after BDL.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that the expression of ERK1 and its mRNA can be increase greatly in fibrotic rat liver.

Animals ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley