Objective To explore whether physiological doses of testosterone therapy can modulate cardiomyocyte aging via classical androgen receptor (AR) dependent pathways.Methods Male C57BL/6J mice and testicular feminized (Tfm) mice were divided into five experimental groups:the control group (n=8),the castrated group (n=8),the Tfm group (n=7),the testosterone treated castrated group (n=8),and the testosterone-treated Tfm group (n =8).After isolation of cardiomyocytes from the left ventricle,the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured using colorimetry,and the expression of the p16INK4a and retinoblastoma (Rb) proteins was detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the control group,the activity of SOD in the castrated group and the Tfm group declined [(16.55±1.18) U/ml,(17.30±1.32) U/ml vs.(21.57±2.21)U/ml,P＜0.05)],the amount of MDA increased [(7.78±1.27)μmol/L,(6.52±0.82)μmol/L vs.(3.48±0.70)μmol/L],P＜0.01,and the expression of both the p16INK4aand Rb proteins increased [(0.37±0.08),(0.45±0.06) vs.(0.14±0.02),forp16INK4a,P＜0.05; (0.74±0.05),(0.79±0.08) vs.(0.40±0.05),for Rb,P＜0.05].Compared with the castrated group,the activity of SOD in the testosterone treated castrated group increased [(23.00±0.58)U/ml vs.(16.55±1.18) U/ml,P＜0.01],the amount of MDA decreased [(2.63±0.90) μmol/L vs.(7.78±1.27) μmol/L,P＜0.01],and the p16INK4a and Rb proteins were both downregulated (0.13 ± 0.03 vs.0.37± 0.08),for p16INK4a,P＜0.05; (0.45 ±0.05) vs.(0.79±0.08),for Rb P＜0.05.Compared with the Tfm group,the activity of SOD in testosterone-treated Tfm group increased,the amount of MDA decreased,and the p16IN4a and Rb proteins were both downregulated (P＜ 0.05).No significant differences in these markers were detected between the testosterone-treated castrated group and the testosterone-treated Tfm group.Conclusions Physiological doses of testosterone can retard cardiomyocyte aging via androgen receptor independent pathways.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Meige Syndrome ; therapy ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the compliance with endocrine therapy(ET) and assess the factors associated with treatment accuracy for breast cancer.Methods 379 patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer undergoing complete treatment from Jun.2006 to Jun.2008 in Jiangsu Cancer Hospital were followed up.Factors related to compliance were analyzed.Results Among the 322 (85.0％) patients successfully interviewed,15 (4.7％) patients did not receive ET,43 (13.4％) patients stopped taking drugs after discharge,14 (4.3％)patients had intermittent ET,and the rest 250 patients obeyed 5-year oral ET regularly.The treatment accuracy was 77.6％ (250/332).We found that majority of withdraw occurred within 2 months and within 2 years,accounting for 39.5％ and 48.8％,respectively.Job and education status were relevant to these patients.Moreover,too much concern of adverse drug effects and difficulty of long-term medication were the main reasons to noncompliance.Conclusions ET is effective in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients and has been used as a conventional therapy.However,due to the long therapeutic period and lack of medical supervision after discharge,its treatment accuracy and compliances are becoming low,resulting in decreased efficiency.It is therefore necessary to investigate such patients' management to improve the compliance and treatment accuracy of ET.

Angina Pectoris ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Phytotherapy ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

Objective To explore the effects of simvastatin on the protein expressions of urokinase-typeplasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into saline group , LPS group and LPS plus simvastatin group , and were then pretreated with simvastatin (1 mg/kg) for 30 minutes before addition of LPS (8 mg/kg). Changes in left ventricular pressure were recorded. Ninety minutes after LPS injection, whole blood was collected from the inferior vena cava, and neutrophils were separated. The neutrophils were then lysed to detect levels of uPA and PAI-1. Results Left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP: mmHg), maximal differential of left ventricular pressure (+dp/dtmax:mmHg/s), and heart rate (beats/min) were markedly decreased at different time points after administration of LPS, and maximal differential of left ventricular pressure increased in the rats receiving LPS as compared with those receiving saline, although the differences between the control and LPS groups were not statistically significant. LPS caused a great decline in uPA content and an elevation in PAI-1 content in neutrophils, but simvastatin diminished the impact of LPS on neutrophils. Conclusion Simvastatin plays a role in protection of cardiac function in rats with LPS-induced septic shock , and controls expressions of uPA and PAI-1 in neutrophils.

Objective To study the influence of Annao tablet on the expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) murine and to explore the interventional mechanism of TGF-β1 on aGVHD. Methods Hematopoietic stem cells of male Balb/c mice were transplanted to female C57BL/6 mice for the development of aGVHD murine model. Recipient mice were divided into Annao group and blank group randomly and respectively administrated with Annao soup (a kind of Chinese herb) and 0.9% sodium chloride intragastrically. Clinical symptom, survival time and body weight were recorded at 14th and 30th day and some sections of liver, small bowel and skin were taken for histological changes. Serum level of TGF-β1 were measured by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA), splenocyte protein of TGF-β1 by Western Blot and TGF-β1 mRNA by fluorescent quantitation polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results Serum level of TGF-β1 in both groups had no statistical difference (P = 0.305), but it rose to (148.31 ± 7.95) ng/mL at 14th day and (183.48 ± 5.91) ng/mL at 30th day in Annao group, which had significant difference when compared with that in blank group (P = 0.000). IOD/IODβ-actin value of TGF-β1 protein in Annao group was 0.33 ± 0.05 at 14th day and 0.56 ± 0.04 at 30th day, which was higher than that in blank group (P = 0.000) and the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA of splenocyte in Annao group was 1.24 ± 0.04 at 14th day and 2.14 ± 0.33 at 30th day which was much higher than that in blank group (P = 0.000). Conclusion Annao tablet helps to relieve symptoms of acute GVHD by raising serum level of TGF-β1 and intensifying expression of protein of TGF-β1 and its mRNA.

Objective To investigate the safety, efficacy and feasibility of CT-guided percutaneous conformal cryoablation for lung cancer. Methods The inclusion criteria were: (1) Poor respiratory function and aged patients who can not bear the thoracic surgical operation. (2) Peripheral lung cancer involving the pleura and chest wall which can not be resected. (3) Residual tumor after other comprehensive treatment. (4) Focal lung cancer but the patient refused surgical resection. The exclusion criteria were: (1) Multifocal lesions. (2) Lesion close to mediastinum with possible risk of vessel injury. (3) Severe impairment of pulmonary functions, the maximum voluntary ventilation is less than 39%. (4) Repeated cough or dyspnea, can not cooperate with the procedure. (5) Poor systemic conditions, cachexia or bleeding. Totally, 76 lung carcinoma lesions on 66 patients were treated by CT-guided percutaneous conformal cryoablation using 17 G cryoprobes. The maximum diameters of the tumors ranged from 1.5 cm to 1.6 cm. For the tumors with the maximum diameter less than 3.0 cm, they were treated by double-needle clamping cryoablation. For those with the maximum diameter between 3.0 and 5.0 cm, they were treated by multiple-needle conformal cryoablation. For those with the maximum diameter larger than 5.0 era, they were treated with multipleneedle conformal cryoablation, with the needle distance less than 1.5 cm. All the patients were followed-up 6 to 24 months after the procedure using contrast-enhanced CT to evaluate the tumor size and enhancement. Results For 18 cases with the maximum diameters less than 3.0 cm, CT scan during the procedure showed that the frozen areas extended beyond the edge of the lesions more than 1.0 cm, the lesion attenuated, narrow-band-like encircled translucency around the lesions and "target sign" with ground-glass density of the peripheral lung tissue. There was no enhancement during the first 1 st、3 rd month follow-up, only fibrosis scar in 6 th month follow-up. Seven patients were followed up 2 years later, 5 of them have no recurrence or metastasis, one had mediastinal lymphopathy and one had bone metastasis 1 year later. For the 22 cases with maximum diameters between 3.0 cm and 5.0 cm, CT scan during procedure showed the frozen areas covered the lesions, lobulation and spiculation disappeared and the tumor size slightly enlarged. The lesions volume reduced during 1 st and 3 rd month follow-up. Nine cases were followed up for 2 years, 4 had no recurrence, 3 were stable and 2 had remote metastasis. For 26 cases with the maximum diameters larger than 5.0 cm, CT scan during the procedure showed the frozen areas covered 70%-90% of the tumor, there was no frozen damage to the surrounding lung tissue. Twenty-six patients had postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Follow-up in the 6 th month showed that 9 lesions decreased, 11 were stable and 6 progressed with remote metastasis. Complications included hemoptysis (3), bloody sputum (26), pneumothorax (19). Five pneumothorax were treated by close drainage and recovered 5 days. Conclusion CT-guided percutaneous conformal cryoablation is an effective and minimal invasive procedure for the lung carcinoma treatment.

Objective To compare CT and MR imaging in guiding and monitoring cryoablation of hepatic tumors. Methods A total of 131 lesions in 121 patients with malignant tumors of liver were treated with imaging-guided percutaneous cryotherapy. There were 73 males and 48 females, mean age 60 years. Of the 121 patients, 61 patients had cryoablation under CT guidance and 60 patients under the guidance of MRI. CT-guidance was performed with the Philips big-bore CT in spiral mode, with 5 mm slice thickness.The MR guidance was performed with GE 0.35 T scanner assisted with infrared navigator (Xinaomdt), and both fast gradient echo sequence and fast spin-echo sequence were used. The cryoablation system is a magnetic resonance compatible system (Galil, Israel), equipped with 17 G cryoprobes that are 1.47 mm in outside diameter. A combination of multiple eryo-probes and conformal cryoablation were adopted in accordance with the location, the shape and the adjacent structure of each lesion. Each cryoablation included two freezing-thawing cycles. Scanning was performed intermittently during the operation to monitor the degree of ablation. The mean scanning time, the lesion depiction and ablation process monitoring, the efficacies of lesion ablation, complications,and survival time were analyzed with x2 test Results The mean scanning time was (5.6±1.8)min for CT and (22.0±2.6)min for MR. CT provideda good depiction of the lesion and the ribs which were poorly displayed on MR images. The metal probe could create artifacts on the CT images and it was difficult for CT to show the formation of ice ball of the lesion formed after embolization with lipiodol. MR was superior to CT in displaying, guiding and monitoring of ablation of lesions near such special ragions as the diaphragm dome, the hepatic hilum, and the gallbladder. MR was not affected by high-density embolization material and the metal probes, and thus was superior to CT in depicting the lesion,and monitoring the formation of ice ball and the process of lesion ablation, etc.However, MR scan was time consuming, and image quality of low-field open MR was less desirable than that of CT. The 12-month overall survival rates were 90.2%(55/61) and 90.0%(54/60), respectively. The overall efficacies of lesion ablation were 75.4%(46/61) and 83.4%(50/60), respectively. Conclusion CT has advantages of fast scanning and good display of such structures as ribs in the path of puncture as compared with MR. MR can display a lesion with multi-planar imaging, and is superior to CT in monitoring the procedure of ablation,especially in displaying, guiding and monitoring ablation of lesions near such special regions as the diaphragm dome, the hepatic hilum, and the gallbladder.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD20 ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; metabolism ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Tonsillectomy ; Tonsillitis ; pathology ; Young Adult

Animals ; Education, Medical ; trends ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; trends