OBJECTIVE: To observe the alteration of nestin intervals in the experimental traumatic brain injury and investigate its relation to the injury intervals. METHODS: The rat brain contusion was conducted by falling impact injury. After various survival interval (0.5, 6, 12 h and 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 d), immunohistochemical SP method was used for observing the expression of nestin in the cortex, hippocampal dentate gyrus and the corpus callosum on injury side. RESULTS: Expression of nestin positive cells increased at 0.5 h and reached the maximum level in 7 d after brain contusion, then the expression decreased gradually. The intensity of nestin staining in the the cortex and the hippocampal dentate gyrus decreased to normal on 28 d. As to the corpus callosum of injury side it remained weak on 28 d. CONCLUSION The changes of nestin immunohistochemical staining can be used as an index for forensic estimation of early injury time.
Animals ; Brain/metabolism* ; Brain Injuries/pathology* ; Cerebral Cortex/metabolism* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins/metabolism* ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism* ; Nestin ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Staining and Labeling ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationships of Cyclin D1 expression with the posttraumatic intervals (PTI) following the cerebra, brainstem or cerebella contusion in human. METHODS: 88 cases of brain contusions of the closed head injury were investigated with pathological and Cyclin D1 immunohistochemistry methods. The results were analyzed by image analysis technique (IAT). RESULTS: The immunoreactivity of Cyclin D1 was almost disappeared in the core cells of the brain contusion. Cyclin D1-positive cells started to increase in the boundary of the brain contusion in the 1h group. Cyclin D1-positive cells were increased significantly in the 3 h-30 d groups and maintained at a high level in the boundary of the brain contusion of those groups. It is suggested that the Cyclin D1-positive cells were primarily origin from microglia and other glia. A few neurons expressed Cyclin D1. CONCLUSION Cyclin D1 can express in several kinds of brain cells following the contusion, especially in the glia cells. Cyclin D1-positive cells were increased obviously and rapidly after injury, so it could be used as a reference marker for early stage brain injury.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Astrocytes/metabolism* ; Brain/pathology* ; Brain Injuries/pathology* ; Cyclin D1/metabolism* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroglia/metabolism* ; Staining and Labeling ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore a new method in order to extract DNA from bones and teeth automatically. METHODS: Samples of 33 bones and 15 teeth were acquired by freeze-mill method and manual method, respectively. DNA materials were extracted and quantified from the triturated samples by AutoMate Express forensic DNA extraction system. RESULTS: DNA extraction from bones and teeth were completed in 3 hours using the AutoMate Express forensic DNA extraction system. There was no statistical difference between the two methods in the DNA concentration of bones. Both bones and teeth got the good STR typing by freeze-mill method, and the DNA concentration of teeth was higher than those by manual method. CONCLUSION AutoMate Express forensic DNA extraction system is a new method to extract DNA from bones and teeth, which can be applied in forensic practice.
Automation ; Bone and Bones/chemistry* ; DNA/isolation & purification* ; DNA Fingerprinting/methods* ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Specimen Handling/methods* ; Tooth/chemistry*

Gefitinib is used as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Unfortunately, most NSCLC patients inevitably develop gefitinib resistance during treatment. In addition to EGFR mutation status, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. In this study, we showed that miR-124, a tumor suppressor, was significantly down-regulated in gefitinib-resistant NSCLC patients and cell lines compared with gefitinib-sensitive patients and cell lines. In addition, the miR-124 depletion induced gefitinib resistance, and miR-124 overexpression sensitized gefitinib-resistant cells to gefitinib. Mechanistic analysis revealed that miR-124 decreased SNAI2 and STAT3 expression by directly targeting their 3'UTRs and that knocking down SNAI2 or STAT3 partly reversed the gefitinib resistance induced by miR-124 depletion. Our data demonstrate that the miR-124 plays a new critical role in acquired resistance to gefitinib and that the manipulation of miR-124 might provide a therapeutic strategy for reversing acquired gefitinib resistance.
3' Untranslated Regions ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Quinazolines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Snail Family Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism

Qizhu, the dried rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala in Compositae family, is the representative wild variety of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu) with modern excellent quality. Through textual research of materia medica works and modern studies, the medication methods between Qizhu and ancient Baizhu were systematically compared. Focusing on seven key issues, this paper systematically summarized the medicinal history, characters, cultivation and other related contents of Qizhu, in order to provide a basis of Qizhu in the recovery and development of its own Daodi-status, and further serve the industrial development of this herb. The name, harvesting time, processing method and other issues had undergone a relatively complicated evolution process. At present, acknowledged points are as following：①The distribution areas of Qizhu include southern areas of the Yangtze River in Anhui province and its surrounding regions. ②Harvesting time is late October. ③Qizhu can be dried in the shade or micro-hot dried after being wrapped with absorbent paper, later it can be divided into two commercial specifications. ④In addition to cutting, there is still a lack of other processing methods. ⑤The superior characters of Qizhu contain white, less oil, fragrant smell and sweet taste and so on. ⑥The history of Qizhu as a genuine medicinal material can be traced back to the Ming dynasty.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and prior stroke history have a high risk of cardiovascular events despite anticoagulation therapy. It is unclear whether catheter ablation (CA) has further benefits in these patients. METHODS: AF patients with a previous history of stroke or systemic embolism (SE) from the prospective Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry study between August 2011 and December 2020 were included in the analysis. Patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio to CA or medical treatment (MT) based on propensity score. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death or ischemic stroke (IS)/SE. RESULTS: During a total of 4.1 ± 2.3 years of follow-up, the primary outcome occurred in 111 patients in the CA group (3.3 per 100 person-years) and in 229 patients in the MT group (5.7 per 100 person-years). The CA group had a lower risk of the primary outcome compared to the MT group [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.47-0.74, P < 0.001]. There was a significant decreasing risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.31-0.61, P < 0.001), IS/SE (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.97, P = 0.033), cardiovascular mortality (HR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19-0.54, P < 0.001) and AF recurrence (HR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.30-0.37, P < 0.001) in the CA group compared to that in the MT group. Sensitivity analysis generated consistent results when adjusting for time-dependent usage of anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS In AF patients with a prior stroke history, CA was associated with a lower combined risk of all-cause death or IS/SE. Further clinical trials are warranted to confirm the benefits of CA in these patients.