Objective To evaluate the reliability of transversus abdominis muscles measure with ultrasonography. Methods The thickness of bilateral transversus abdominis muscles of 20 volunteers at rest and during different postures for training was measured with ultrasonography by 2 examiners. The rate of contraction was calculated. Results The measurement was correlated strongly between examiners (r>0.7). There was significant difference in variety of thickness among postures except head rise to contralateral leg rise (P<0.01). Conclusion Ultrasonography is reliable in measuring transversus abdominis muscles.

Objective:To investigate the effects of YiqiWenyangHuoxue decoction on NF-?B in the myocardial remodeling of rat with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:Heart failure medel was established with ? ushing dose isoproterenol in rats and cardiac hypertrophy with angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ) stimulation 48h in myocardial cell.The model rats and cardiocytes with CHF were treated with YiqiWenyangHuoxue decoction,then cardiac index in model rats was measured;TNF-?,IL-18 were determined by ELISA;NF-?B mRNA evaluated with RT-PCR,and protein by Western-blot.Results:Compared with the control group,TNF-?,IL-18 concentration were significantly higher,as well as NF-?B mRNA and protein levels not only in myocardial tissues but also in cardiocytes of CHF groups.But those can be attenuated by YiqiWenyangHuoxue decoction.Conclusions:NF-?B plays important roles in the myocardial remodeling of CHF;and YiqiWenyangHuoxue decoction may reverse the myocardial remodeling through blockingNF-?B.

Bibliometrics ; Financial Management ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Periodicals as Topic ; Research Support as Topic

Biomedical Research ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; standards ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design ; standards

Objective To investigate the effects of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) on the growth of a human malignant glioma cell line CHG 5 in vitro and in vivo . Methods Colorimetric MTT assay, flow cytometry, and light microscopy were used to investigate the proliferation in vitro , cell cycles, apoptosis of CHG 5 cells, and the growth of xenografted tumor in nude mice. Results NDGA significantly inhibited the proliferation of CHG 5 cells in vitro . Cells in G 0/G 1 phase increased, but cells in S, G 2/M phases decreased, and apoptotic cells increased significantly. After treatment of NDGA (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) at 5 d after the inoculation of tumor cells, the xenografted tumor volume reduced remarkably without causing significant toxic and side effects. Conclusion The inhibitory effect of NDGA on the growth of CHG 5 cells may be correlated with the regulation of cell cycles and induction of apoptosis.

Objective To construct tissue microarray with astrocytic tumor microvessels(AstMV) of human brain and investigate astrocytic tumor angiogenesis.Methods Thirty-six specimens containing different microvessels from 200 specimens were selected as donor blocks,which was followed by punching,sampling and seeding samples with tissue microarray apparatus.The tissue microarrays were used to detect the expression of CD34,FⅧ-RAg and CD105.Results Tissue microarray of AstMV was successfully constructed and an instrument for location was made.CD34,FⅧ-RAg and CD105 were expressed on endothelial cell membrane or(and) plasma.There were difference in microvessel number between astrocytic tumors and between endothelial markers.In the gradeⅡ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ astrocytomas,microvessels labeled by CD34 and FⅧ-RAg antibodies were more than those detected by CD105 antibody.There were number difference in microvessels labeled by CD34 and FⅧ-RAg antibodies between grade Ⅰ and gradeⅡ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ tumors.Conclusion Construction of tissue microarray containing different tumor microvessels might be of significance in evaluating tumor angiogenesis.This study may be the basis for constructing digital tumor microvessel models and exploring the mathematic relation between astrocytic tumor microvessels and vascular growth factors.

0.05). The positive rates of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly higher in the cases with lymphnode metastasis [84.72% (61/72) and 77.78% (56/72)] than those without lymphnode metastasis [50% (4/8) and 37.50% (3/8), P

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) therapy in patients with refractory IgA nephropathy. Methods Nine IgA nephropathy patients were included in this study were treated from Jun. 2008 tc Sep. 2013 in Changzheng Hospital of Second Military Medical University. All patients received TAC therapy after the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade therapy and steroid therapy failed. The main outcome was complete or partial remission. Secondary outcomes included the time required to remission, the frequency of recurrence, TAC dosage and adverse events. Results The initial dosage of TAC" was (1. 89 + 0. 33) mg/d. After treatment with TAC for 6 months, 6 patients achieved complete remission, 2 partial remission and 1 treatment resistance, and most of the remission patients achieved remission during the first 2 months of TAC therapy. The urine protein level of enrolled patients was significantly decreased ([3. 05 ± 1. 35] g/24 h vs [0. 85±1. 54] g/24 h. P<0. 05) and the serum album level of all patients was significantly improved ([27. 00±8. 37] g/L vs [37. 33±8. 08] g/L. P<0. 05). One patient receiving TAC" therapy presented worsened hypertension, and no other adverse event was observed in this study. Three of 8 proteinuria remission patients had relapses find achieved remission by adjusting the dosages of steroids and tacrolimus. Conclusion TAC ear improve proteinuria in patients with refractory IgA nephropathy, with less adverse reactions.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy of S-methylisothiourea (SMT) for treatment of temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis (TMJOA) of goats.

METHODSNine purebred black goats were randomly devided into three groups: Normal control group, control group and experimental group. The upper compartments of both temporomandibular joint of the goats in control group and experimental group were injected with collagenase only once to induce osteoarthrosis. Normal control group received no treatment. The upper compartments of both TMJ were injected with 0.5 mL of normal saline, and experimental group, the upper compartments of both TMJ were injected with 0.5 mL of SMT. The TMJ of goats was examined with scanning electron microscopy and microscopy after sacrificed.

RESULTSExamined in light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, normal control group showed normal performance, the control group showed severe osteoarthrotic changes in the temporal surface, disk and condyle, while the experimental group showed improvement of different degree.

CONCLUSIONOn the basis of 3-month following-up study, repeated intra-articular injection of SMT may play a role in inhibiting TMJOA progression.

Animals ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Isothiuronium ; analogs & derivatives ; Osteoarthritis ; Temporomandibular Joint ; Temporomandibular Joint Disc ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of cordycepin,an effective component of cordyceps militaris, on renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) and its related eIF2α/TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

METHODFirstly, 15 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 3 groups,the control group (Group A), the model group (Group B) and the cordycepin-treated group (Group C). After renal interstitial fibrotic model was successfully established by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), the mice in Group C were intraperitoneally administrated with cordycepin(5 mg x kg(-1) d(-1)) and the ones in Group A and B were administrated with physiological saline for 5 days. At the end of the study, the obstructed kidneys were collected and detected for the pathological changes of RIF, and the mRNA expressions of collagen type I (Col I) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the kidney by Northern blot. Secondly, after renal tubular epithelial (NRK-52E) cells cultured in vitro were exposed to transforming growth factor (TGF) -β with or without cordycepin, the mRNA expressions of Col I and collagen type IV( Col IV) by Northern blot, and the protein expressions of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), phosphorylated eIF2α ( p-eIF2α), Smad2/3 and phosphorylated Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) were tested by Western blot.

RESULTIn vivo, cordycepin alleviated RIF in model mice, including improving fibrotic pathological characteristics and mRNA expressions of Col I and α-SMA. In vitro, cordycepin induced the high expression of p-elF2α, and inhibited the expressions of p-Smad2/3, Col I and Col IV induced by TGF-β in NRK-52E cells.

CONCLUSIONCordycepin attenuates RIF in vivo and in vitro, probably by inducing the phosphorylation of eIF2α, suppressing the expression of p-Smad2/3, a key signaling molecule in TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, and reducing the expressions of collagens and α-SMA in the kidney.

Actins ; analysis ; Animals ; Deoxyadenosines ; pharmacology ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Phosphorylation ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Smad Proteins ; physiology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; antagonists & inhibitors ; physiology