Objective To investigate localization and co-existence of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP)on the cochlear spiral modiolar artery(SMA) and its branches.Methods The SMA was dissected from the modiolus so that the entire length of the vessel and many of its branches could be observed. Immunohistochemical ABC method and confocal immunoflurescence technique were employed to localize each compound and to determine whether the TH and CGRP coexist in neurons of the SMA.Results Microscopic examination of whole vessel preparation revealed numerous TH and CGRP-positive neural networks innervating the SMA and its branches.The labeled nerve fibers showed distinct arborization ,varicosities and overlap,and were of different diameters. The overall distribution of neuronal labeling suggested a gradual decrease of innervation density from proximal (cochlear base)to more distal vessels, i.e., apical cochlear vessels and lateral radiating arterioles. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy of double-labeled TH and CGRP neurons showed that a number of the TH-and CGRP-positive neurons were co-labeled. Thus, TH and CGRP partially co-exist within the neuronal innervation of SMA.Conclusion These findings support a hypothesis that specific neuropeptide and adrenergic neurons regulate cochlear blood flow.

Objective:To explore the expression of TLR4 on peripheral blood monocytes in uremic patients with diabetic nephropathy and the relation between TLR4 and diabetic nephropathy.Methods:RT-PCR analysis and flow cytometry were undertaken to measure the expression of TLR4 mRNA and protein.The plasma concentration of MCP-1 was measured with ELISA.Results:The gene and protein expression of TLR4 on peripheral blood monocytes in patients with diabetic nephropathy was significantly increased compared with that of the health control,and TLR4 expression was positively related with the the plasma concentration of MCP-1.Conclusion:TLR4 expression is upregulated on peripheral blood monocytes in patients with diabetic nephropathy and the upregulation is related with the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) level combined with Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT) in elderly women with painful osteoporosis and its correlation with disease severity.Method:This study is a prospective study. From Jan. 2019 to Apr. 2020, 596 elderly women who underwent physical examination in our hospital were selected as the research subjects. All of them underwent dual-energy X-ray, PCT examination, and QCT examination serum. The diagnostic value of PCT and QCT in elderly women with painful osteoporosis was analyzed; Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebral 1, 2 vertebra, PCT and the severity of painful osteoporosis.Result:Among 596 elderly women, painful osteoporosis patients accounted for 50.84% (303/596) , bone mass reduction accounted for 21.98% (131/596) , and normal bone mass accounted for 27.18% (162/596) . Compared with the results of the diagnosis of painful osteoporosis by DAX, the diagnostic coincidence rates of PCT, QCT, QCT+PCT were 81.88% (488/596) , 93.62% (558/596) , and 97.31% (580/596) . QCT examination, QCT+PCT diagnosis coincidence rate is higher than PCT examination ( χ2=43.650, 83.187, P<0.05) ; QCT+PCT diagnosis coincidence rate is higher than QCT examination ( χ2=9.388, P=0.002) . The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of QCT+PCT in the diagnosis of abnormal bone mass are higher than those of PCT ( P<0.05) ; the specificity and negative predictive value of QCT+PCT in diagnosing abnormal bone mass are higher than QCT Check ( P<0.05) . The bone density detected by QCT in the osteopenia group and the painful osteoporosis group was lower than that in the normal bone mass group, and the serum PCT level was higher than that in the normal bone mass group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) ; the painful osteoporosis group was in QCT detection of bone. The density was lower than that of the osteopenia group, and the serum PCT level was higher than that of the osteopenia group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . The severity of painful osteoporosis was negatively correlated with bone mineral density detected by QCT ( r=-0.54, P<0.05) , and positively correlated with serum PCT ( r=0.59, P<0.05) . Conclusion:QCT vertebral bone mineral density determination combined with serum PCT detection has high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in the diagnosis of painful osteoporosis, and is closely related to the severity of painful osteoporosis, and can be used for clinical evaluation of the condition of painful osteoporosis patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious threat for human health, the incidence of HCC in China accounts for more than 50% worldwide. There is an urgent need to develop novel anticancer agents for the treatment of HCC patients. Here we characterized the inhibitory effect and the molecular mechanism of protopine on HCC cancer cells. The results of a CCK-8 assay indicated that protopine displays anticancer activities on HCC cells. Flow cytometry and JC-1 staining confirmed that treatment with protopine decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and induced apoptosis in HCC cells. Western blot analysis showed that protopine was able to increase protein expression in the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway; the level of cytochrome C, apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), Bax, cleaved-poly ADP-ribose polymerase (cleaved-PARP), cleaved-caspase-3, and cleaved-caspase-9 were increased while the expression of Bcl-2 was suppressed significantly. An in vivo study revealed that protopine significantly suppressed the growth of tumors in nude mice bearing HepG2 cells. Administration of protopine intraperitoneally at a concentration of 50 mg·kg^-1 inhibited tumor growth by 72.46%. Animal experiments were carried out according to the Regulation of the Animal Ethics Committee of Southwest Medical University. This study provides preliminary evidence that there is potential to develop protopine as a lead compound for the treatment of HCC.

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimizing the ultrasonic-assisted extraction technology of pigment from Coreopsis tinctoria. The results showed that the flavonoids were the main constituents of the pigment Based on single factor experiments, a four-factor-level experiment design were developed by box-benhnhen central composite design method with causal factors of ultrasonic temperature, ultrasonic time, ratio of liquid to raw material, the concentrations of ethanol in solvent and the extract absorbance value for the response. The interactive effects of four crucial technological parameters were assessed by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were as follow: ultrasonic temperature was 70 °C, ultrasonic time was 60 min, the concentrations of ethanol in solvent was 72.25% and the ratio of liquid to raw material was 32.05:1 mL . g-1. Under the optimum extraction technology conditions, the absorbance value was 0. 936. The conditidns are suitable for the extraction process regression analysis and parameter optimization.
Coreopsis ; chemistry ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Pigments, Biological ; isolation & purification ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; Regression Analysis ; Solvents ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Ultrasonics

Objective To evaluate the method for vaginal treconstruction with muscle sparing verti-cle rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap(MS-VRAM flap). Methods From September 2006 to April 2008, MS-VRAM flaps were used for vaginal reconstruction in 9 patients (20 to 35 years old), ancl all ca-ses were congenital absence of vagina. Before operation, the inferior epigastrie arteries were detected by the Doppler and the flaps based on the perforators ranged from 6 cm×20 cm. MS-VRAM flaps were ele-vated and then transferred to reconstruct the vagina. Results All 9 cases of MS-VRAM flaps survived completely. No complications occurred at donor site of abdominal wall. With 2-12 months' follow-up, the patients were satisfied with the results. Conclusion Despite technical difficulties in elevating the MS-VRAM flap, the flap is a good choice for vaginal reconstruction.

Objective To study the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes,geographical distribution,and the sites of infection of Trichophyton rubrum(T.rubrum).Methods The genotypes were determined by Southern blotting with a probe amplified from the small-subunit rDNA and adjacent internal transcribed spacer(ITS)regions.The phenotypes of T.rubrum were determined by conventional method.Results Twenty genotypes(DNA type A to T)and5phenotypes(villous,furrowed,granular,powdery,and woolly)were recognized among49strains of T.rubrum.Genotype A prevailed in all phenotypes except granu-lar type.Type B represented the most common genotype among the strains of villous type and furrowed type.Type A took the first place in powdery type and woolly type.All of the type A strains were from Dalian.Seven of9type B strains were from Nanjing.Six type C strains were all from Nanjing.The majority strains of21strains isolated from tinea unguium were type C,most of the16strains isolated from tinea cruris and tinea corporis were type A,8strains from tinea pedis were type B,and4strains from tinea capitis were type C.Conclusion There are certain possible relationships between genotypes and phenotypes,geographical distri-bution and sites of infection of T.rubrum.

BACKGROUND:Currently, discectomy, fusion or decompression is considered an effective and conventional method for the treatment of spinal disease. Although there have been many reports on the adverse effects of diabetes on spinal surgery, but there are stil some differences. OBJECTIVE:To systematical y evaluate the observational studies and case-control studies about the effect of diabetes on the complications of spinal surgery. METHODS:The control ed and comparative studies regarding the effect of diabetes on the results and complications of spinal surgery were searched from the database according to the inclusion criteria. The observed indicators including mortality, revision rate, surgical site infection, the incidence of venous thrombosis, blood loss, operative time and hospitalization time. Two authors participated in extracting the data and evaluating the methodology and quality of the included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted according to the guidelines of epidemiological observational studies (MOOSE). The risk assessment of the extracted data was conducted using RevMan 5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Eighteen literatures, involving 2 824 063 patients, were eventual y enrol ed. The experimental result showed that the mortality, surgical site infection, incidence of venous thrombosis of diabetic patients after the spinal surgery were significantly higher than those of non-diabetic patients;the hospital stay was significantly longer than that of non-diabetic patients (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the risk of revision, intraoperative blood loss and operation time between diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients (P>0.05). These results suggest that diabetic patients take a higher risk once accepting the spinal surgery than the non-diabetic patients. Diabetes increases the risks of postoperative mortality, surgical site infection, venous thrombosis and hospitalization time after spinal surgery.

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AlM: To research the characteristics of positive relative accommodation ( PRA) , negative relative accommodation (NRA) and PRA/NRA ratio in myopes. To analyze the relationship among PRA, NRA, PRA/NRA ratio, spherical equivalent degree, years and habbits of wearing glasses, myopia development, and pupil diameter.METHODS: Aretrospective study of ninety eyes in the 180 th Hospital of Quanzhou from August 2014 to December 2014. PRA, NRA and PRA/NRA ratio were compared among low, moderate, high myopes and emmetropes. The correlation were analyzed among PRA, NRA, PRA/NRA ratio, spherical equivalent degree, years and habbits of wearing glasses, myopia development and pupil diameter. PRA, NRA, PRA/NRA ratio, years and habbits of wearing glasses and pupil diameter were compared between progress group and non-progress group.RESULTS: ( 1 ) Without statistical differences in age, sex and intraocular pressure, PRA and PRA/NRA ratio of myopes were lower than emmetropes, while NRA was higher. (2) Without statistical differences in age, sex and intraocular pressure, PRA, PRA/NRA ratio and NRA had no statistical differences while years and habbits of wearing glasses had statistical differences among low, moderate, high myopes. ( 3 ) With longer years of wearing glasses, PRA, PRA/NRA ratio were larger and NRA, pupils were smaller. ( 4 ) Without statistical differences in age, diopter and intraocular pressure, one group which were not easy to deepen degree had more often-wear-glasses myopia patiens and longer years of wearing glasses, the other group which were easy to deepen degree had more seldom-wear-glasses myopia patiens and shorter years of wearing glasses.CONCLUSlON: PRA and PRA/NRA ratio of myopes were lower than emmetropes, while NRA was higher. No correlated relation was detected among PRA, NRA, PRA/NRA ratio, spherical equivalent degree and myopia development. lt suggests the onset and progress of myopia are related to many factors. Wearing-glass timely and accurately can release the decline of PRA and PRA/NRA ratio and slow down degree development in myopes.