Objective To observe the efficacy of Mimics finite element analysis software in the gasserian ganglion radiofrequency treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Methods 180 cases with primary trigeminal neuralgia and VAS score ≥8 were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 90 each): CT group (group C) and Mimics group (group M). The preoperative skull CT image of the foramen of cranial base could be analyzed in group C. The preoperative cranial CT image could be reconstructed and analyzed by Mimics finite element analysis software in group M. The puncturing success rate, complications rate and the outcomes between two groups were recorded. Results The puncturing success rates were 100% in group M and 92% in group C (P < 0.05). 6 cases with hematoma and 1 case, which were stabbed into the oral cavity were found in group C. No puncture complication was found in group G. There was no statistically significant between the two groups (P < 0.05). The VAS score was 1.6 ± 0.3 in group C and 1.3 ± 0.4 in group G, there was no statistical significance (P > 0.05) between them. Conclusions The Mimics finite element analysis software could improve the success rate of basicranial foramen ovale puncture and reduce the occurrence rate of puncture complications. Therefore , it could be safely applied to the treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia by gasserian ganglion radio frequency.

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

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression of uncoupling protein-2 mRNA in brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of diet-induced obesity-resistant (DIO-R) rats.

METHODSFifty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group and a high-fat group and fed with basic diet and high-fat diet respectively for 13 weeks. DIO-R and DIO rats were selected according to their body weight. The change of body weight and the intake of total calorie were observed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the expression of UCP2 mRNA in rat.

RESULTSBody weight and total calorie intake in DIO-R rats (425.1 +/- 27.1) g, (31,693 +/- 946) kJ were significantly lower than those in DIO rats (489.7 +/- 20.5) g, (34,363 +/- 1465) kJ. The peak area of UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue in DIO-R rats was 352 +/- 30 and in DIO rats was 101 +/- 12. The peak areas of UCP2 mRNA in skeletal muscle in DIO-R and DIO rats were 130 +/- 15 and 170 +/- 12, respectively. The peak areas of UCP2 mRNA in brown adipose tissue of DIO and DIO-R rats were 124 +/- 14 and 147 +/- 19, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue of DIO-R rats increased significantly. These results suggest that obesity-resistance was associated with a tissue-specific increase in UCP2 expression.

Adipose Tissue ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Dietary Fats ; administration & dosage ; Gene Expression ; genetics ; Ion Channels ; Male ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Obesity ; etiology ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uncoupling Protein 2

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on expression of adiponectin in white adipose tissue of obese rats.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, high-fat group and high fat + CLA group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per hundred gram diet weight), we observed the effect of CLA on serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats, and the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to measure the expression level of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) mRNA.

RESULTSThe serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats were (11.11 +/- 2.73) microIU/ml, (5.09 +/- 0.66) mmol/L. The supplement of CLA decreased the hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, the serum insulin in CLA group (0.75 g, 1.50 g, 3.00 g per hundred gram diet weight) were (6.99 +/- 1.77) microIU/ml, (7.36 +/- 1.48) microIU/ml, (7.85 +/- 1.60) microIU/ml (P < 0.05), and glucose were (4.28 +/- 0.72) mmol/L, (4.18 +/- 0.55) mmol/L (P < 0.05), (4.06 +/- 0.63) mmol/L (P < 0.05), CLA can increase the expression of adiponectin and PPARgamma in adipose tissue of obese rat.

CONCLUSIONThe CLA might improve the insulin resistance of the obese rat and increase the expression of adiponectin mRNA, which might possibly act through activating PPARgamma.

Adiponectin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Animals ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Linoleic Acids, Conjugated ; pharmacology ; Male ; Obesity ; metabolism ; PPAR gamma ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the alveolar bone surrounding situation and the length of the root of the maxillary labial inverted impacted incisor in mixed dentition after orthodontic treatment.

METHODSFourteen cases with maxillary labial inverted impacted incisor in mixed dentition were collected. Modified Nance arch and conventional appliance were used. Cone-bean CT (CBCT) was taken after the treatment. Simplant13.0 three-dimensional reconstruction and multi-planer reconstruction (MPR) method were used to observe the labial and lingual alveolar bone crest morphology, besides, the labial and lingual length from the alveolar bone crest to cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) of the impacted incisor and the homonym tooth after treatment, along with their root length and their labial and lingual length ratio of the root surrounded by the alveolar bone to the total root length were measured. The idependent samples t-test were used to analyze the variable differences.

RESULTSThe labial and lingual alveolar bone of fourteen cases crest of the diseased tooth after treatment presented general symmetry U shape from qualitative observation through the three-dimensional reconstruction. The labial and the lingual length of the diseased incisor from alveolar bone crest to CEJ [(2.47 ± 1.35) and (1.47 ± 0.84) mm] was significant increased than those of the homonym incisor [(1.03 ± 0.35) and (0.90 ± 0.37) mm] (P < 0.05); the length of the diseased incisor's post-treatment root [(9.82 ± 2.82) mm] was no statistically significant decreased than that of the homonym incisor root [(10.28 ± 1.38) mm, P = 0.59]; the labial and the lingual length ratio of the impacted tooth's root surrounded by the alveolar bone to the total root length [(72.83 ± 17.16)% and (85.32 ± 5.98)%] was statistically significant decrease than those of homonym teeth[(89.66 ± 3.98)% and (90.84 ± 4.61)%] (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe diseased tooth's root had gotten enough length after the treatment. The labial and lingual alveolar bone of the maxillary labial inverted impacted incisor in mixed dentition can't offer sufficient adaptive hyperplasia after treatment, of which labial alveolar bone is more apparent, prompting careful protection when they were used.

Alveolar Process ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Dentition, Mixed ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incisor ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Maxilla ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Orthodontic Extrusion ; Tooth Root ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Tooth, Impacted ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery

OBJECTIVE Despite the status of cisplatin (DDP) as a classical chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer, the development of multidrug resistance often leads to a failure of DDP therapy.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)as adjuvant chemotherapy of cancer drugs in China has been widely used in cancer treatment.ZuoJin WAN (ZJW),a TCM formula,was proved reversing drug resistance in gastric cancer,but its exact mechanism was still unclear. METHODS CCK-8 assay was used to detect the cell viability. The levels of proteins and mRNA were evaluated using Western blot and q-PCR. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by fl ow cytometry. Depolymerisa-tion of F-actin and translocation of G-actin(gamma-actin)from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria was detected using an immuno fl uorescence assay. RESULTS phosphorylated coflin-1 (p-coflin-1) was overexpressed in the DDP-resistant human gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901/DDP and BGC823/DDP, relative to the respective parent cell lines(SGC7901 and BGC823),and DDP induced the dephosphory-lation of p-coflin-1 in both parent lines but not in the DDP-resistant lines. However, ZJW could induce the dephosphorylation of pcoflin-1 and promote coflin-1 translocation from the cytoplasm into the mito-chondria in both SGC7901/DDP and BGC823/DDP cells. This mitochondrial translocation of coflin-1 was found to induce the conversion of flamentous actin to globular-actin, activate mitochondrial dam-age and calcium overloading, and induce the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. These effects of ZJW on DDP-resistant human gastric cancer cell lines could be reversed via transfection with coflin-1-specifc siRNA,or treatment with a PP1 and PP2A inhibitor.CONCLUSION ZJW can be used as an inhibitor of chemoresistance in gastric cancer, which may partly be due to dephosphorylation of p-coflin-1 via the activation of PP1 and PP2A.

OBJECTIVETo compare the differences of injuries and recovery between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and mini-thoracotomy (MT) in patients with clinical early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after lobectomy.

METHODSFrom March 2004 to December 2006, 47 consecutive patients with early stage NSCLC with a diameter of tumor less than 6 cm were recruited and randomized to VATS group and MT group. Incision length, duration of operation and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale before operation and daily for the first 7 days after operation. The serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured by cytometric bead array before operation and at 4, 24, and 48 h after operation. Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was assessed before operation and daily for the first 7 days after operation.

RESULTSIncision length was (6.0 +/- 0. 9) cm in the VATS group and (12.5 +/- 1.5) cm in the MT group. There was no significant difference in duration of operation and intraoperative blood loss between the VATS group and the MT group. Postoperative pain was significantly less in the VATS group in the 5th to 7th day postoperatively (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 between the VATS group and the MT group at 4, 24, and 48 h after operation. KPS score was significantly higher in the VATS group on 2nd to 7th day postoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with MT, VATS for lobectomy has less postoperative pain, faster recovery, but can't reduce postoperative release of cytokines.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; surgery ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain, Postoperative ; prevention & control ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Prospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracotomy

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of agmatine (Agm) on the electrical activity of neurons in subfornical organ (SFO) slices using extracellular recording technique. The results are as follows. (1) In response to the application of Agm (1.0 micromol/L) into the superfusate for 2 min, the discharge rate of 24/28 (85.7%) subfornical neurons was decreased significantly, while the discharge rate of 4/28 (14.3%) neurons were not affected. (2) Pretreatment with L-glutamate (0.3 mmol/L) led to a marked increase in the discharge rate of 19/24 (79.2%) subfornical neurons in an epileptiform pattern and the activity of the remaining 5/24 (20.8%) neurons was unaffected. By application of Agm (1.0 micromol/L) into the superfusate for 2 min, the epileptiform dicharge of 15/19 (78.9%) neurons was suppressed significantly, while that of the other 4 (21.1%) neurons was not inhibited. (3) In 12 neurons, perfusion of the selective L-type calcium channel agonist, Bay K-8644 (0.1 micromol/L), induced a significant increase in the discharge rate of 10/12 (83.3%) neurons, while the other 2 (16.7%) neurons showed no change. The increased discharge of 8/10 (80%) neurons was reduced by application of Agm (1.0 micromol/L) into the superfusate and that of 2/10 (20%) neurons was not affected. (4) Application of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 50 micromol/L) into the superfusate also significantly increased the discharge rate of 6/9 (66.7%) neurons, and that of 3/9 (33.3%) neurons had no response. Agm (1.0 micromol/L) applied into the superfusate reduced the increased discharge of all 6/6 (100%) neurons. These results suggest that Agm can inhibit the spontaneous discharge, and L-glutamate, Bay K-8644- or L-NAME-induced discharge of neurons in SFO. These inhibitory effects of Agm may be related to the blockade of NMDA receptors and reduction in calcium influx in SFO neurons.
3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester ; pharmacology ; Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Agmatine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Calcium Channel Agonists ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glutamic Acid ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; physiology ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Drug ; agonists ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Subfornical Organ ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors that affect the prognosis of primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PGI-NHL).

METHODSThe clinical data of 116 patients with pathologically confirmed PGI-NHL we treated from January 1993 to December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for analyzing the survival of the patients, and Log-rank test was performed to compare the survival rates in relation to different prognostic factors.

RESULTSThe 3-year and 5-year survival rates of the patients were 63.8% (74/116) and 48.2% (40/83), respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that the factors affecting the prognosis of the patients included the presence of B symptom, tumor size, clinical stage, pathological type, depth of invasion, and treatment methods. The patients with B symptom, tumor size no less than 10 cm, advanced clinical stage (stages III(E) and IV(E)), T-cell type, and invasion beyond the serosa who received only surgical management had poorer prognosis than those free of B symptom with tumor size <10 cm, early clinical stage (stages I(E) and II(E)), B-cell type, and submucosal or serosal invasion managed with chemotherapy alone or in combination with surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that B symptom, tumor size no less than 10 cm, advanced clinical stage (stages III(E) and IV(E)), T-cell type, invasion beyond the serosa, and surgery alone were independently associated with poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONThe tumor size, clinical stage, pathological type, treatment methods are the independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with PGI-NHL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; mortality ; pathology ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; diagnosis ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant rat, and explore the mechanism of resisting diabetes by CLA.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were randomly separated into control group, high-fat group and high fat plus CLA group (0.75 g%, 1.50 g%, 3.00 g% by deit weight), and the effects of CLA on blood glucose and insulin levels of insulin resistant rat were observed , by using Western blot technique to measure the expression level of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of insulin resistant rat.

RESULTSThe serum insulin and glucose levels of obese rats were (11.11 +/- 2.73) microU/ml, and (5.09 +/- 0.66) mmol/L, the supplement of CLA might decrease the hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, and in CLA groups (0.75 g%, 1.50 g%, 3.00 g% by deit weight) the serum insulin was (6.99 +/- 1.77) microU/ml, (7.36 +/- 1.48) microU/ml and (7.85 +/- 1.60) microU/ml (P < 0.05), and the glucose levels were (4.28 +/- 0.72) mmol/L, (4.18 +/- 0.55) mmol/L (P < 0.05), (4.06 +/- 0.63) mmol/L (P < 0.05) respectively. The expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of rat fed with high fat diet were decreased as compared with those fed with basic deit, and CLA might increase the expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle fed with high fat diet.

CONCLUSIONSCLA improve the insulin resistance of obese rat, possibly acting through increasing the expression of GLUT4 protein in skeletal muscle of rat fed with high fat diet.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Linoleic Acid ; pharmacology ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar