Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of point application with Da Huang (Rhizoma Rhei Cruda) powder at Shenque (CV 8) plus moxa-salt hot compress on the umbilicus for preventing gastrointestinal adverse reactions after chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).Methods:A total of 60 cases with NHL under chemotherapy were divided into two groups by hospitalization order,with 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with routine nursing and the observation group was additionally given point application with Da Huang (Rhizoma Rhei Cruda) powder plus moxa-salt hot compress on the umbilicus,to compare the effect in preventing gastrointestinal adverse reactions after chemotherapy between the two groups.Results:The occurrence rates of constipation,nausea,vomiting and poor appetite on the second day and fifth day after chemotherapy were obviously lower in the observation group than those in the control group,with statistically significant differences between the two groups (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The point application with Da Huang (Rhizoma Rhei Cruda) powder at Shenque (CV 8) plus maxa-salt hot compress on the umbilicus can produce more significant efficacy in preventing the gastrointestinal adverse reactions after chemotherapy for NHL than routine nursing.Moreover,it is simple and easy to be used and popularized.

Objective: To compare the efifcacy and safety of circumferential pulmonary vein antecourt isolation (CPVAI) ablation and stepwise linear (SL) ablation in treating the patients with atrial ifbrillation (AF) Methods: A total of 136 AF patients with catheter ablation under EnSite 3000 guidance in our hospital were retrospectively summarized. The patients included 93 paroxysmal AF and 43 persistent AF and divided into 4 groups. Paroxysmal AF with CPVAI ablation,n=45, Paroxysmal AF with SL ablation,n=48 and persistent AF with CPVAI ablation, n=18, persistent AF with SL ablation,n=25. The differences of left atrium diameter, ablation time, X-ray exposure time, the success rate and complication were compared among different groups. Results: For 12 months follow-up study, the success rate and complication were similar between 2 ablation methods for treating both Paroxysmal AF and persistent AF patients. For Paroxysmal AF patients, both ablation methods could effectively reduce left atrium diameter,P<0.01. The SL ablation had less procedural time than CPVAI ablation,P<0.01, while the X-ray exposure time was similar between 2 ablation methods. Conclusion: Both CPVAI and SL ablation methods were effective and safe for treating AF patients.

Objective To study the effects of a rotating magnetic field(RMF)on Li pilocarpine-in- duced seizure activity and the expression of mGluR1 and mGluR5 in the hippocampus.Methods Thirty rats were divided into 5 groups.Each rat in the model(M),short treatment(ST)and long treatment(LT)groups was treated with intra-peritoneal injections of lithium chloride(60 mg/kg),followed by an intra-peritoneal injec- tion of pilocarpine(35 mg/kg)24 h later.The rats in the ST group were exposed to 20 mT RMF for 20 min ev- ery day for 3 d before seizure induction,while the rats in LT group were exposed to the same RMF for 8 d.The latency,severity and duration of seizure,as well as accompanying symptoms and electroencephalogram data, were recorded,and the expression of mGluR1 and mGluR5 was calculated using an electrophoretic imaging anal- ysis system.Results The duration,times and accompanying symptoms of seizure were significantly decreased in the LT group.The mGluR1 mRNA level and mGluR1/mGluR5 ratio in the M group were markedly increased, but the mGluR5 mRNA level was obviously decreased,while the expression of mGluR1 in the ST and LT groups was decreased,and mGluR5 was increased.Conclusions Seizure activity in rats can be inhibited by 20 mT RMF,and the expression of mGluRl and mGluR5 in the hippocampus of rats suffering seizures can be markedly influenced by longer-term RMF.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of GAD67 and the co-localization with bNOS in the main olfactory bulb of GAD67-GFP knock-in mouse.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction was applied to identify the genotype of GAD67-GFP knock-in mouse, the animals were sacrificed and frozen sections of olfactory bulb were prepared. The Nissl-staining was performed to show an framework of the neuron in the olfactory bulb. The distribution of GAD67 and co-localization with bNOS were detected by immunofluorescence technique.

RESULTSThe proportion of GAD67-positive cells among DAPI-positive cells were (42.98 ± 0.92)% in glomerular layer, (23.64 ± 0.84)% in mitral cell layer and (77.75 ± 0.84)% in granule cell layer; the bNOS-positive cells mainly existed in glomerular layer and mitral cell layer, very few in granule cell layer. No co-localization of GAD67 and bNOS in granule cell layer and mitral cell layer was found, but there was dispersed distribution in glomerular layer.

CONCLUSIONGAD67-positive neurons mainly appear in glomerular layer and granule cell layer, and the bNOS is mostly expressed in glomerular layer and mitral cell layer; while the co-localization of GAD67 and bNOS only occurs in glomerular layer of olfactory bulb.

Animals ; Gene Knock-In Techniques ; Glutamate Decarboxylase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Transgenic ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Olfactory Bulb ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of formaldehyde inhalation on the morphological damage, and Glu, GABA and NOS contents in olfactory bulb and hippocampus of rats.

METHODSTwenty SD rats were equally divided into two groups: rats in the control group inhaled fresh air, while the animals in experimental group were exposed to the air containing formaldehyde (12.5 mg/m(3), 4 h/d) for 7 days. Then rats were sacrificed and frozen sections of olfactory bulb and hippocampus were prepared. The morphological changes were examined and the Glu, GABA and NOS contents were detected using Nissl-staining, immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTCompared with the control group, there was a significant confusion and shrink of neuron morphology in experimental group, the number and staining intensity of Glu and NOS positive cells and protein contents were reduced. The protein expression of GABA was also decreased in the formaldehyde group.

CONCLUSIONFormaldehyde inhalation can cause a severe morphological damage of olfactory bulb and hippocampus in SD rats,which may further impair memory and learning ability through the reduction of Glu, GABA and NOS expression.

Animals ; Formaldehyde ; toxicity ; Glutamic Acid ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Inhalation Exposure ; Learning ; drug effects ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; metabolism ; Olfactory Bulb ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; metabolism

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) plays an important role in signal transduction. It releases Ca(2+) from intracellular sites, which activates the Ca(2+)-dependent channels such as large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels (BK channels). The present study was therefore designed to determine if the activity of BK channels in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells was increased by IP(3). Using the inside-out patch-clamp technique, the activity of single BK channels was recorded in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells. In excised inside-out membrane patches, IP(3) (10-50 micromol/L) enhanced the open probability (Po) of BK channels in a dose-dependent manner in the intracellular side of inside-out patches and its effect was almost completely abolished by washout. The open-state probability of the BK channels increased from a control level of 0.0402+/-0.0152 to 0.1365+/-0.0212 (20 micromol/L IP(3)) and 0.1865+/-0.0175 (30 micromol/L IP(3)). IP(3) decreased the mean close time markedly, but had no effect on the amplitude of BK channels. The activation of IP(3) on BK channels did not decline. The metabolite of IP(3) had no obvious effect on BK channels. This study provides evidence that IP(3) activates BK channels in porcine coronary artery smooth muscle cells in a dose-dependence manner.
Animals ; Coronary Vessels ; cytology ; metabolism ; Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate ; physiology ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; metabolism ; Swine ; Vasodilation ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of tumor cell-derived Sema3A on the immunological functions of murine dendritic cells (DCs).

METHODSLung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were transfected with small interference RNA, Si-Sema and Si-mut, and the interference efficiency was determined by real-time PCR and Western-blot. The concentrated supernatants from cultured tumor cells, Si-Sema and Si-mut-infected tumor cells were subjected to DCs respectively. The immunophenotypes of DCs were analyzed by flow cytometry, the production of IL-12P70 and the ability of DCs to stimulate DO11. 10 T cells secreting IFN-gamma and IL-2 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSKnockdown with Si-Sema3A significantly decreased the secretion of Sema3A by A549 cells in comparison with the Si-mut cells. DCs exposed to supernatants from Si-Sema cells showed elevated levels of MHC, CD40 and CD80, more production of IL-12P70, and enhanced capability of activating antigen-specific T cells, as evidenced by the remarkably increased levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2.

CONCLUSIONA549 cells secrete Sema3A to inhibit the maturation and functions of DCs, which might be associated with the unidentified mechanism of immune evasion by tumor cells.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Semaphorin-3A ; genetics ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Transfection ; Tumor Escape ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects of auricular point sticking combined with Tongshiji treatment and simple Tongshiji treatment on child ametropic amblyopia.

METHODSThree hundred children of ametropic amblyopia were classified as mild, moderate and severe groups, 100 cases in each group. The each group was again randomly divided into a simple Tongshiji treatment (control group) and a auricular point sticking combined with Tongshiji treatment group (observation group). Their therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the observation group were 100.0%, 79.8% and 71.0%, and in the control group were 100.0%, 54.3% and 48.2% respectivety for mild, moderate and severe groups. For the mild amblyopia children, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the therapeutic effect; for the moderate and severe ametropic amblyopia children, the therapeutic effect in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAuricular point sticking combined with Tongshiji treatment for child ametropic amblyopia is of characteristics of convenient manipulation, obvious and rapid therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture, Ear ; Amblyopia ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEPrecursor T lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is a highly aggressive lymphoma. Myeloid antigen expression was found in some of the patients, and its clinical significance is worth studying. This study was to compare the clinical features, short-term efficacy and survival of T-LBL patients with or without myeloid antigen expression so as to evaluate its prognostic significance.

METHODSForty-five T-LBL patients, with a median age of 14 years, were treated at Sun Yet-sen University Cancer Center between January 2000 and July 2008. These patients were divided into myeloid antigen-positive group (My(+) group) and myeloid antigen-negative group (My(-) group) based on the flow cytometric (FCM) analysis in bone marrow or pleural fluid. Myeloid antigen expression and its correlation with the short-term efficacy and overall survival were assessed in the two groups.

RESULTSThere were 18 patients (40.0%) in the My(+) group and 27 (60.0%) in the My(-) group. The myeloid antigen expression was negatively correlated with the initial level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), but not with other clinical features. The remission rate was lower in the My(+) group than in the My(-) group (38.8% vs. 70.3%, P = 0.028). The 2-year overall survival rate was lower in the My(+) group than in the My(-) group (51.9% vs. 78.7%, P = 0.036). By age subgroup analysis, there were no differences in response and survival rate among children and adolescents with or without myeloid antigen expression. But the remission rate and the 2-year overall survival rate were significantly lower in adult patients with myeloid antigen expression than in patients without it. Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated that age and myeloid antigen expression were adverse prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONMyeloid antigen expression is a predictor of a poor response to chemotherapy, and adverse prognostic factor in adult T-LBL, but not in children with T-LBL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Antigens, CD7 ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Asparaginase ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Cyclin D3 ; metabolism ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Cytarabine ; therapeutic use ; Daunorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Etoposide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mercaptopurine ; therapeutic use ; Methotrexate ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively analyze KRAS and BRAF gene mutation features in Chinese colorectal cancer (CRC) and their clinicopathologic relationship.

METHODS557 colorectal cancer cases were collected, including 325 colon cancer and 232 rectal cancer. PCR amplification and DNA sequencing were used to detect mutations in exon 2 of KRAS gene and exon 15 of BRAF gene mutation.

RESULTS(1) KRAS mutation was found in 40.4% (225/557) colorectal cancer. The most common mutation locations were in codon 12(79.1%, 178/225) and codon 13 (20.4%, 46/225). The most common mutation types were GGT > GAT (G12D) (37.8%, 85/225), GGT > GTT(G12V) (20.0%, 45/225) in codon 12 and GGC > GAC (G13D) in codon 13 (19.6%, 44/225). These three point mutations accounted 77.3% (174/225) in total KRAS gene mutation cases. All cases showed only one of point mutation types. (2) Among 557 CRC cases, KRAS mutation was significantly higher in female (46.2%, 92/199) than in man (37.2%, 133/358; P < 0.05). KRAS gene codon 13 mutation was higher in right colon cancer (11.3%, 12/106) than that in left colon cancer (4.8%, 6/124), but it didn't show any statistical significance (P > 0.05). (3) BRAF gene mutation was 5.1% (10/197) in colorectal cancer and 8/10 were the point mutation of GTG > GAG (V600E). Eight colorectal cancer cases with GTG > GAG (V600E) were not showing KRAS gene mutation. Both two cases with mutation on codon 600 (GTG > ATG, V600M) and codon 606 (GGG > AGT, G606S) showed codon 12 mutation of KRAS gene. (4) BRAF (V600E) gene mutation was higher in female (8.5%, 6/71) than that in male (1.6%, 2/126; P = 0.05); BRAF mutation in colon cancer (8.3%, 6/72) was higher than that in rectum cancer (2.1%, 2/94), but hadn't statistical significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS(1) Codon 12, 13 in KRAS gene and codon 600 in BRAF gene are the most common mutation points in Chinese colorectal cancer. KRAS and BRAF mutations are mutually exclusive. (2) KRAS and BRAF gene mutation is higher in female than that in male, suggesting that RAS-RAF-MAPK signal pathway is probably related to hormones directly or indirectly. (3) There is a trend that codon 13 mutation in KRAS and codon 600 mutation in BRAF in right colon cancer are higher than that in left colon cancer, respectively, however, which needs more cases to be further verified.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Codon ; Colon, Ascending ; pathology ; Colon, Descending ; pathology ; Colonic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; Rectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult ; ras Proteins ; genetics