The thrombin is a neurotoxic agent,which plays an important role in the course of brain edema and brain injury following intracerebral hemorrhage.This article reviews the neurotoxicity mechanisms of thrombin in intracerebral hemorrhage.

The clinical value of whole body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) as an imaging tool in diagnosis of ophthalmic tumors was investigated.The retrospective observational case series were performed on the patients with suspected ophthalmic tumors who underwent whole body PET/CT.The golden standard of diagnosis was the final pathological diagnosis or the results of long-term follow-up for patients without surgery/ biopsy.PET/CT findings were compared with the golden standard.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and positive likelihood ratio of PET/CT in the detection of ophthalmic tumors were calculated.The clinical application of PET/CT in different types of ophthalmic tumors was evaluated.The results showed that 30 patients (18 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 43.0 years (range 4-63 years) were collected.The mean sizes of orbital tumors and intraocular tumors were 26.8 mm×17.8 mm and 11.2 mm×6.1 mm,respectively.The overall sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and positive likelihood ratio of whole body PET/CT in ophthalmic tumors were 76.5％,71.4％,75.0％ and 2.67,and were 62.5％,100％ and 70.0％ in intraocular tumors,and those were 100％,60.0％ and 84.6％ in orbital tumors,respectively.PET/CT findings were applied to help make appropriate treatment options in 27 out of 30 patients (90.0％),and 12 (40.0％) patients changed the treatment strategy.False negative results in 4 cases and false positive results in 2 cases were observed in this series.It was suggested that PET/CT was an effective imaging modality in detecting,diagnosing and developing therapeutic schedule for patients with ophthalmic tumors.It was more sensitive and accurate for detecting orbital tumors than for detecting intraocular tumors.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between life style and metabolic syndrome (MS).

METHODSUsing identical protocol and questionnaire, 173 patients with MS and 173 without MS selected from the general population undergoing physical examinations in Guangdong General Hospital were surveyed for the risk factors of MS in their life style, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors.

RESULTSMS was significantly related to overweight, prolonged maintenance of sitting posture, and heavy life or work stresses, among which overweight was the most important factor contributing to MS (OR=11.442, P<0.000). Regular exercise, long exercise time, and anxiety were protective factors for MS. Meat intake, smoking, time of getting sleep and insomnia were not found to relate to MS.

CONCLUSIONMS is correlated to some general habits in daily life, and a healthy life style may help in the prevention and treatment of MS.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Exercise ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Overweight ; complications ; Risk Factors ; Risk Reduction Behavior ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: At present, bladder acellular matrix grafts have been successfully used for substituting animal bladder and urinary canal, and for repairing hypospadia. However, reports on bladder acellular matrix grafts for substituting albuginea penis need to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: Allogeneic bladder acellular grafts were used for substituting albuginea penis of rabbits, in order to observe repairing results. DESIGN: A randomized controlled observation. SETTING: West China Medical Laboratory Animal Center and West China Laboratory of Tissue Engineering of Sichuan University as well as Laboratory of Tissue Engineering of Guiyang Medical College. MATERIALS: Fifty male healthy New Zealand Rabbits of grade 3, weighing 2.6-3.0 kg, without phimosis and penis dysplasia, and without presence of phallocampsis after normal saline being perfused, were provided by Huaxi Laboratory Animal Center of Sichuan University. METHODS: This study was performed at the West China Laboratory Animal Center and West China Laboratory of Tissue Engineering of Sichuan University as well as Laboratory of Tissue Engineering of Guiyang Medical College between December 2005 and June 2007. Bladders were taken from 10 experimental rabbits for preparing bladder acellular matrix grafts. The other 40 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into the control group, and the bladder acellular matrix grafts group, with 20 in each. An area of 10 mm×5 mm of albuginea penis was resected from dorsum penis of each rabbit. Suture in situ of albuginea penis and bladder acellular matrix grafting were conducted in rabbits of the control group and bladder acellular matrix grafts group, respectively. In the 2nd, 6th, 12th and 24th weeks postoperatively, each rabbit was intracavernously perfused normal saline for inducing penile erection, separately, in order to observe phallocampsis. At above-mentioned each time point, experimental animals were sacrificed. Sample was taken from surgical region for haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson trichrome staining, in order to observe the changes of tissue and structure of surgical region. Types Ⅰand Ⅲ collagen fiber areas were detected by Stirus red staining, and the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were detected by immunohistochemical staining. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Phallocampsis status. ② Changes of tissue and structure of surgical region. ③iNOS and TGF-β1 expressions. ④TypeⅠand Ⅲ collagen fiber areas.RESULTS: Forty experimental rabbits were involved in the penile surgery, two of them died from overdose anesthesia, two died from chordapsus, so the remaining thirty-six rabbits were involved in the final analysis. In the 6th week postoperatively, phallocampsis reached its highest level, and 2 rabbits in the control group and 1 rabbit in the bladder acellular matrix grafts group presented phallocampsis. In the 12th week, every rabbit presented phallocampsis. In the 24th week, 1 rabbit in the control group but none in the bladder acellular matrix grafts group presented phallocampsis. In the 2nd week, the structure of surgical regions of each rabbit was poorly clear, with remarkable inflammatory infiltration. In the bladder acellular matrix grafts group, grafting regions presented cells ingrowing the bladder acellular matrix grafts. Masson trichrome staining results showed that in the surgical region, tunica albuginea fibers were thin and poorly arranged. In the 6th week, tunica albuginea recovered its integrity, and bladder acellular matrix grafts could not be distinguished. No significant difference existed between two groups. In the 24th week, tunica albuginea was even and complete in the sugical region, and fibers restored their arrangement of circular muscle in inner layer and longitudinal muscle in outer layer, without difference from normal tunica albuginea. iNOS and TGF-β1 expressions were the strongest in the 2nd week, and they were found in the fibrocytes and vascular endothelial cells in the 6th week, but a little in the 12th and 24th weeks postoperatively. There were no remarkable differences in iNOS and TGF-β1 expressions between two groups at the same time point. In the 2nd week, typesⅠand Ⅲ collagen fibers co-existed with equivalent proportion. Then, typeⅠcollagen fibers were gradually increased, while type Ⅲ collagen fibers were on the contrary. In the 24th week, typeⅠcollagen fibers took the main place and type Ⅲ collagen fibers were unremarkable. CONCLUSION: Bladder acellular matrix grafts have no remarkable inflammatory reactions and fibrosis in repairing tunica albuginea of New Zealand rabbits, so they are very ideal grafting materials for penile surgery.

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of Tangzu Yuyang Ointment (TYO) for treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers.

METHODSFifty-seven patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers of Wagner's ulcer grade 1 to 3 were randomly assigned to the control group (29 cases) and the treatment group (28 cases). Patients in the control group received the standard wound therapy (SWT), while those in the treatment group received SWT plus TYO. The ulcer healing rate, the ulcer improvement rate and the incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups. Totally 48 patients finished the final follow-ups and entered the data analysis.

RESULTSThe ulcer improvement rate was 79.2% in the TYO group and 41.7% in the SWT group (P=0.017) at the 12th week, and 91.7% vs. 62.5% (P=0.036) at the 24th week. There was no statistical difference in the ulcer healing rate and the incidence of adverse events between the two groups at week 4, 12, and 24, respectively. The ulcer healing time was 96 +/- 56 days in the TYO group and 75 +/- 53 days in the SWT group, showing insignificant difference (P=0.271).

CONCLUSIONTYO plus SWT was more safe and effective than SWT alone in the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Diabetic Foot ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo obtain streptavidin-tagged human interleukin-21 (hIL21) fusion protein and evaluate its bioactivities.

METHODShIL21-SA-pET21 and pET24a-SA- hIL21 plasmids were constructed and expressed in BL21(DE3) host bacteria. The hIL21-SA and SA- hIL21 fusion protein were purified through Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and refolded by dialysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect hIL21-SA and SA- hIL21 fusion protein on the biotinylated MB49 tumor cells. MTT assay was used to evaluate the effect of the fusion protein on the proliferation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) stimulated by Anti-CD3.

RESULTSThe recombinant fusion proteins were highly expressed in BL21(DE3) at about 30% of the total bacterial proteins. The two fusion proteins exhibited bifunctional activities, i.e. both biotin-binding property and hIL21 activity and SA-mediated high-affinity binding to biotinylated cell surfaces (with anchoring modified rate of about 95.18% and 96.91%).

CONCLUSIONWe have successfully obtained bifunctional fusion protein hIL21-SA and SA- hIL21,which will provide a basis for further study of tumor biotherapy using the proteins.

Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Streptavidin ; biosynthesis ; genetics

AIM:To investigate the effects of ethyl acetate(EtOAc)extract of Pleione bulbocodioides (Franch.)Rolfe on proliferation and apoptosis of human leukemia K 562 and HL-60 cells and the possible apoptosis path-way.METHODS:Human leukemia cell lines were treated with EtOAc extract of Pleione bulbocodioides at different con-centrations.XTT method was used to evaluate the viability of K 562 cells and HL-60 cells.The cell growth inhibition was calculated by Trypan blue exclusion test.The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry,and 4,,6-dia-midino-2-phenylindole(DAPI)was used to observe morphological changes of the cells.The cell cycle was observed by pro-pidium iodide(PI)staining.The protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase(PARP), cleaved caspase-3,cytochrome C and apoptosis-inducing factor(AIF)wase determined by Western blot.RESULTS:The cell viability and proliferation were inhibited by EtOAc extract of Pleione bulbocodioides with IC50of(42.14 ±2.54)mg/L for HL-60 cells and(51.28 ±3.12)mg/L for K562 cells at 24 h.The results of Annexin V-FITC/PI and DAPI staining showed that EtOAc extract of Pleione bulbocodioides induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner.The apoptotic rate was increased compared with control group(P<0.05).The G2phase increased with typical cell apoptosis-induced mor-phological changes.The levels of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax,cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3 were increased, while Bcl-2 was down-regulated(P<0.05).Cytochrome C and AIF in cytosol,characteristic proteins of intrinsic mitochondrial apoptosis pathway,also increased with the concentration of EtOAc extract of Pleione bulbocodioides increasing(P<0.05). CONCLUSION:EtOAc extract of Pleione bulbocodioides significantly inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis in human leukemia cell lines HL-60 and K562 through intrinsic mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of Ent-11α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F), a compound isolated from Pteris semipinnata L (PsL), on human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells and explore its mechanism.

METHODSThe inhibitory effect of 5F on SGC7901 cells was observed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, and the changes of the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in SGC7901 cells following 5F exposure were evaluated by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS5F inhibited the proliferation of SGC7901 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and the cell apoptosis induced by 5F was confirmed by Annexin V-EGFP staining and caspase-3 activation assay. The cell apoptosis induced by 5F was associated with decreased Bcl-2 and increased Bax expressions.

CONCLUSION5F exposure induces apoptosis in SGC7901 cells by activating mitochondrial apoptotic pathways.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Pteris ; chemistry ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

AlM: To measure the retinal electrical activities in patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR ) by applying multifocal electroretinogram ( mf-ERG) and evaluate the degree of visual damage at different stages of DR
METHODS:Thirty cases ( 30 eyes ) aged 50 ~70 years old, excluding other diseases, were as normal group, and 99 cases ( 99 eyes ) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were as experiment group. The cases received mf-ERG examination in the standard state, respectively. The results were statistically analyzed
RESULTS: For DR patients with early and background stage, the reaction density of mf - ERG P1 wave decreased as the disease worsened, significantly reduced in non - proliferating stage and decreased more significantly in the background of the stage Ⅲ. This showed that in the macula, electrical activity had weakened before the retina without visual or morphological changes, and with the development of the disease, the electrical activity decreased more obviously.
CONCLUSlON:mf-ERG can evaluate the severity of DR, especially suit in the early and background period of DR.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) in the better effect of allogenetic bone marrow transplantation than that of peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

METHODSFlow cytometry was used to detect the expression of membrane-bound HLA-G (mHLA-G) on donor peripheral blood (PBC) or bone marrow (BM) mononuclear cells. The levels of soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) in the plasma and bone marrow fluid were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) mobilization.

RESULTSThe mean levels of mHLA-G after G-CSF mobilization in the PBC and BM were significantly higher than that before G-CSF mobilization (P=0.001 and 0.000), but the plasma levels of sHLA-G showed no significant changes after the mobilization (P=0.279). The mean levels of sHLA-G in the BM fluid significantly increased (P=0.002) to a level higher than that in the PBC after G-CSF mobilization (P=0.004).

CONCLUSIONHLA-G plays an important role in immune tolerance after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with G-CSF mobilization.

Adult ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; immunology ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; HLA Antigens ; immunology ; metabolism ; HLA-G Antigens ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; methods ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Male ; Middle Aged