OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) on expressions of stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) in ECV304 cells and the signal pathway that mediated the effects.

METHODSAOPP-BSA was made from bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sodium hypochlorite. After treated with AOPP-BSA of different concentrations (50, 100, 200 micromol/L), the expressions of SDF-1alpha mRNA in ECV304 cells were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the expressions of SDF-1alpha protein and the levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in ECV304 cells were analyzed by Western blot. In inhibition test, U0126, the special inhibitor of ERK of different concentrations (0.1, 1, 10 rmol/L) were added into ECV304 cells culture media for 1 hour, then the cells were treated with AOPP-BSA for 24 hours, at last the protein levels in supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSAOPP-BSA obviously promoted the expressions of SDF-1alpha mRNA and increased the levels of SDF-1beta protein of ECV304 cells in dose-dependent manner (all P < 0.01), after 15 minutes treated with 200 micromol/L AOPP-BSA, the levels of phosphorylated ERK of ECV304 cells increased significantly (P < 0.01). When the ERK pathway was blocked by U0126, the promoting effects of AOPP-BSA on expressions of SDF-la protein in ECV304 cells were significantly inhibited in dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAOPP induced the expression of SDF-la of ECV304 cells, ERK signal pathway is an important pathway that mediated the effects.

Advanced Oxidation Protein Products ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; metabolism ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Oxidative Stress ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETurner's syndrome (TS) is characterized by the absence of an X chromosome or the presence of a structurally abnormal X chromosome in a phenotypic female. It was recently reported that autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) was found in 38% of white patients with TS, and few studies in this aspect have been conducted in China. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of AIT among TS patients and risk factors for development of thyroid dysfunction in Chinese children with TS.

METHODSSerum antithyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroperoxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroid function (T(3), T(4) and TSH) of 24 children with TS (mean age 12.9 +/- 2.4 years, range 4.8 - 16.8 years) were assessed. Their karyotype distribution was as follows: thirteen patients with 45, XO kayrotype, eight patients with structurally abnormal X chromosome, two with X mosaic kayrotype and one with 46, XX. Techniques including radioimmunoassy and elctro-chemiluminescence immunoassy were used in this study. All TS children were divided into two groups. Group one was thyroid autoantibodies (TAA)-positive group, the levels of TgAb and/or TPOAb in them were higher than the normal levels (TgAb < 30%, TPOAb < 20%), respectively, and the remaining patients were assigned into TAA-negative group.

RESULTSSeven of the 24 (29%) patients had higher levels of TgAb and TPOAb than the normal values (< 30% and < 20%). The level of serum TSH [6.1 (3.6-100.0) mU/L] in TAA-positive group was significantly higher than that [3.9 (1.7-7.9) mU/L] in TAA-negative group (P < 0.05). The frequency of hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism in TAA-positive group (5/7) was higher than that in TAA-negative group (3/17) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe positive rate of serum TAA in children with TS was 29%. About 70% TS children with positive serum TAA developed hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism. The results have provided the basis for regular follow-up assessment of thyroid autoantibodies and thyroid function in children with TS, and these measures are of importance for timely diagnosis of thyroid dysfunction and application of appropriate treatment.

Adolescent ; Age Determination by Skeleton ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Iodide Peroxidase ; immunology ; Thyroid Gland ; physiopathology ; Turner Syndrome ; immunology ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDThere is few study to determine whether the use of the lightwand technique alone could achieve effective, safe and successful awake endotracheal intubation (ETI), therefore we designed a prospective clinical study to systematically evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of awake ETI using the lightwand alone in patients with difficult airways.

METHODSSeventy adult patients with difficult airways were enrolled in this study. After the desired sedation with fentanyl and midazolam, airway topical anesthesia was performed with 9 ml of 2% lidocaine, which were in order sprayed in three aliquots at 5 minutes intervals into the supraglottic (two doses) and laryngotracheal areas (one dose) using a combined unit of the lightwand and MADgic atomizer. After airway topical anesthesia, awake ETI was performed using a Lightwand. Subjective assessments by patients and operators using the visual analogue scores (VAS), and objective assessments by an independent investigator using patients' tolerance and reaction scores, coughing severity, intubating conditions and cardiovascular variables were taken as the observed parameters.

RESULTSOf 210 airway sprays, 197 (93.8%) were successfully completed on the first attempt. The total time for airway spray was (14.6 +/- 1.5) minutes. During airway topical anesthesia, the average patients' tolerance scores were 1.7 - 2.3. After airway topical anesthesia, the mean VAS for discomfort levels that the patients reported was 6.5. Also airway topical anesthesia procedure was rated as acceptable and no discomfort by 94.3% of patients. The lightwand-guided awake ETI was successfully completed on first attempt within 29 seconds in all patients. During awake ETI, patients' reaction and coughing scores were 1.9 and 1.6, respectively. All patients exhibited excellent or acceptable intubating conditions. Cardiovascular monitoring revealed that changes of systolic blood pressure and heart rate at each stage of airway manipulations were less than 20% of baseline values. The postoperative follow-up showed that 95.7% of patients had no recall or slight memories of all airway instrumentation. The incidence of postoperative mild airway complications was 38.6%.

CONCLUSIONAlone use of the lightwand technique can achieve effective, safe and successful awake ETI in patients with difficult airways.

Adult ; Airway Obstruction ; Anesthetics, Local ; administration & dosage ; Conscious Sedation ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Lidocaine ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Wakefulness ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnose of prostatic cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to determine the correlation between dynamic MRI findings with angiogenesis.Methods Thirty-two cases of prostatic cancer and 40 cases of BPH underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.All the patients in this study were diagnosed by histopathology.The results of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI were evaluated by early-phase enhancement parameters and time-signal intensity curves (SI-T curves), and the curves were classified according to their shapes as type Ⅰ, which had steady enhancement; type Ⅱ, plateau of signal intensity; and type Ⅲ, washout of signal intensity.The pathologic specimens of region of interest (ROI) were obtained, and HE staining, immunohistochemical vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and microvessel density (MVD) measurements were performed.The relationships among dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI features, VEGF, and MVD expression were analyzed.Results In the early-phase enhancement parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, onset time,maximum signal intensity, and early-phase enhancement rate differed between prostatic cancer and BPH(P

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Hongjingtian (Gadol) injection on cardiac hemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption for analyzing its underlying mechanism in the treatment of coronary heart disease.

METHODA total of 20 dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg x kg(-1), i.v.) were evenly randomized into control group, low-dose Gadol (LDG) group, high-dose Gadol (HDG) group and Herbesser Injection group. The blood flow volume (BFV) of the left coronary artery and cardiac output (CO), left ventricular pressure (LVP), maximum ascending rate (dp/dtmax) of LVP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) of the femoral artery, oxygen contents of the coronary artery and coronary vein (venous sinus), oxygen consumption index (OCI), cardiac index (CI), coronary artery resistance (CAR) and total peripheral resistance (TPR) as well as oxygen utilization rate (OUR) were detected respectively.

RESULTAfter venous injection of Gadol, CAR, MAP, TPR, OCI, myocardial oxygen consumption and heart rate lowered significantly (P < 0.05-0.01), while BFV and blood oxygen content of the venous sinus increased considerably (P < 0.05-0.01) in comparison with pre-injection. No significant differences were found in LVP and myocardial contractivity between control group and LDG, and between control and HDG groups respectively.

CONCLUSIONIt showed dilation of the coronary artery and reduction of the cardiac afterload after injection of Gadol. Besides, CO and stroke volume increased considerably and the cardiac effective work was raised without any significant simultaneous increase of both myocardial contractility and LVP. A decrease in the myocardial oxygen consumption and reduction of OCI indicates an improvement of the oxygen supply of the myocardium, and a favorable regulation of the compliance of the cardiac vessels. As a result, the cardiovascular performance was ameliorated. The abovementioned improvement of these indexes may contribute to the therapeutic effect of Gadol in the treatment of coronary heart disease in clinic.

Animals ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Cardiac Output ; drug effects ; Dogs ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rhodiola ; chemistry ; Vascular Resistance ; drug effects

China ; epidemiology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Prevalence

BACKGROUNDAt present, China has listed the compound tablet containing a fixed dose of rosiglitazone and metformin, Avandamet, which may improve patient compliance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Avandamet or uptitrated metformin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone.

METHODSThis study was a 48-week, multicenter, randomized, open-labeled, active-controlled trial. Patients with inadequate glycaemic control (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 7.5-9.5%) receiving a stable dose of metformin (≥1500 mg) were recruited from 21 centers in China (from 19 November, 2009 to 15 March, 2011). The primary objective was to compare the proportion of patients who reached the target of HbA1c ≤7% between Avandamet and metformin treatment.

RESULTSAt week 48, 83.33% of patients reached the target of HbA1c ≤7% in Avandamet treatment and 70.00% in uptitrated metformin treatment, with significantly difference between groups. The target of HbA1c ≤6.5% was reached in 66.03% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 46.88% in uptitrated metformin treatment. The target of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≤6.1 mmol/L was reached in 26.97% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 19.33% in uptitrated metformin treatment. The target of FPG ≤7.0 mmol/L was reached in 63.16% of patients in Avandamet treatment and 43.33% in uptitrated metformin treatment. Fasting insulin decreased 3.24 ± 0.98 μU/ml from baseline in Avandamet treatment and 0.72 ± 1.10 μU/ml in uptitrated metformin treatment. Overall adverse event (AE) rates and serious AE rates were similar between groups. Hypoglycaemia occurred rarely in both groups.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with uptitrated metformin, Avandamet treatment provided significant improvements in key parameters of glycemic control and was generally well tolerated.

REGISTRATION NUMBERChiCTR-TRC-13003776.

Adult ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Metformin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Thiazoles ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the technique of the suprameatal approach for cochlear implantation in Chinese profound sensory hearing loss children.

METHODSSuprameatal approach for cochlear implantation were used in 50 cases (total 53 ears) with profound sensory hearing loss from May 2005 to January 2007. The electrode was passed through the suprameatal tunnel and went between the incus and chorda tympani into the scala tympani.

RESULTSElectrodes were completely inserted in 51 ears. There were no postoperative complications in all cases. Although the long effect need to be observed, all cases received better hearing and speech development benefit from cochlear implantation in the follow-up period. Among the 50 cases, 26 had speech perception in the open condition; 18 patients could speak short sentences although not clearly; and 6 patients learned to speak individual words only.

CONCLUSIONSThe suprameatal approach was found to be a simple and safe technique that does not need mastoidectomy and avoid endangering the facial nerve and the chorda tympani. It enables wide exposure of middle ear and is especially suitable for cases with narrow facial recess or anteriorly located facial nerve.

Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation ; methods ; Ear ; surgery ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

This report presents the endemic status of schistosomiasis in the People's Republic of China at national level in 2016,and analyzes the data collected from the national schistosomiasis prevention and control system and 454 national schisto-somiasis surveillance sites. Among the 12 provinces(municipality and autonomous region)of endemic of schistosomiasis japoni-ca in P. R. China,5 provinces (municipality and autonomous region),i. e.,Shanghai,Zhejiang,Fujian,Guangdong and Guangxi,had achieved elimination,and 7 provinces of Sichuan,Yunnan,Jiangsu,Hubei,Anhui,Jiangxi and Hunan had achieved transmission control by the end of 2016. There are 451 endemic counties(cities,districts)covering 257 million peo-ple,specifically including 29692 endemic villages of 69.39 million people at risk. Among the 451 endemic counties(cities,dis-tricts),35.25％(159/451),42.35％(191/451)and 22.39％(101/451)reached the criteria of elimination,transmission inter-ruption and transmission control,respectively in 2016. By the end of 2016,it was estimated of 54454 infections of schistosome, decreased by 29.46％compared with 77194 in 2015. No acute schistosomiasis case was reported in 2016. There were 30573 ad-vanced schistosomiasis cases documented in 2016. A total of 8500710 individuals received schistosomiasis examinations and 600 individuals were parasitologically diagnosed,decreased by 83.36％compared with 3606 in 2015. The Oncomelania hupen-sis snail survey was performed in 22140 endemic villages and O. hupensis snails were found in 7106 villages,accounting for 32.109％of the total villages,with 20 newly detected villages with snails. The snail survey covered area of 813963.91 hm2 and snails were found in an area of 235096.04 hm2,including a newly detected area of 1346.48 hm2. No schistosome-infected snails were found in 2016. A total of 881050 bovines were raised in the schistosomiasis endemic area. Of them,510468 bovines re-ceived examinations,resulting in 8 schistosome-infected bovines. There were 147642 schistosomiasis cases receiving drug treat-ment in 2016,with 2303555 individuals undergoing expanded chemotherapy;there were 9 bovines with schistosomiasis receiv-ing drug treatment,with 439857 bovines undergoing expanded chemotherapy;a total of 139483.84 hm2 area with snail control by using molluscicides,with actual molluscicide-treated area of 73941.75 hm2;and 3101.52 hm2 snail habitants were treated by environmental modification. Based on the data from the 454 national schistosomiasis surveillance sites,the mean Schistosoma japonicum infection rate was 0.02％ and 0.0078％ in humans and bovines,respectively. No schistosome-infected snails were found in all the surveillance sites. The results demonstrate a decline in the endemicity of schistosomiasis in P. R. China com-pared with the level of 2015. However,the distribution area of snails in China is still large and the infection source of schistoso-miasis still exists to some extent in some endemic areas;in some regions,the task to reach the standard of transmission interrup-tion is still arduous. There are still objective factors of epidemic and transmission and risk factors of endemic reversal and re-bound for schistosomiasis. So,further control and effective surveillance as well as accurate prevention and control should be im-plemented to promote the elimination process on schistosomiasis in P. R. China.

Objective::To evaluate the intervention effect of Bushen Tongluo formula on zebrafish osteoporosis model and to clarify its regulation of autophagy mechanism on osteoclast differentiation. Method::The 260 young zebrafishes (3 dpf) were selected, the zebrafish osteoporosis model was established with 25 mmol·L^-1 prednisolone (Pred) for 3 days, confirming the successful model by calcein staining. The zebrafishes were divided into control group, Pred group (25 mmol·L^-1), etidronate disodium (ED) group (300 mg·L^-1), Bushen (BS) group (180 mg·L^-1), Tongluo (TL) group (30 mg·L^-1), and Bushen Tongluo (BSTL) group (210 mg·L^-1), 40 tails per group. After intervened with medicine for 4 days, the calcein staining was adopted to count the vertebral bone fluorescence area of zebrafish, Real-time PCR was adopted to detect the mRNA expression of akaline phosphatase (ALP), bone morphogenetic protein 2b (BMP-2b), runt-related protein 2 (Runx2) and cathepsin K (CTSK), phosphorus and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic-1 (NFATC-1). Divided RAW264.7 cells into control, Rankl induction (10 μg·L^-1), BS (180 mg·L^-1), TL (30 mg·L^-1), and BSTL group (210 mg·L^-1) after they were cultured to 80%-90% density. The expression of actin ring was detected by phalloidin cytoskeleton staining. The mRNA expression of TRAP, CTSK and autophagy-related genes 5 (ATG5), autophagy-related genes 7 (ATG7), and ubiquitin-binding protein p62 (p62) were detected by Real-time PCR. Result::Compared with the control group in vivo, the vertebral area and ALP, BMP-2b, and Runx2 expression of zebrafish in the Pred group were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and CTSK, TRAP, and NFATC-1 expression of zebrafish were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the Pred group, the vertebral area of the TL (P<0.05) and BSTL group (P<0.01) increased significantly. The expressions of ALP, BMP-2b, and Runx2 in the BS, TL, and BSTL group were significant increased (P<0.01). The expression of CTSK, TRAP, and NFATC-1 in BSTL group were significant decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the control group in vitro, the number of actin rings (P<0.01) and CTSK, TRAP, ATG5 (P<0.01) expression and ATG7, p62 (P<0.01) expression were significantly increased in the Rankl-induced group. Compared with the Rankl induction group, the number of actin rings and CTSK and TRAP expression were significantly decreased in the BS, TL, and BSTL group (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the expression of ATG5, ATG7, and p62 were significant decreased in the BSTL group (P<0.05). Conclusion::BSTL can significantly improve prednisolone-induced zebrafish osteoporosis and inhibit osteoclast differentiation by reducing autophagy-related gene expression.