OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Hydroxy Safflower Yellow A (HSYA) on the expression of osteogenic markers, such as alkaline phosphatase, Cbf(alpha)l and type I collagen, and explore the mechanism of HSYA in the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced ischemic necrosis of femoral head.

METHODSFifteen healthy and adult New Zealand white rabbits were collected and weighted 0.9 to 1.3 kg. The rabbits were injected abdominally with anesthetic drugs, then received marrow cavity puncture of tibia and anterior superior iliac spine to get bone marrow blood. Rabbits bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were separated from the bone marrow blood, cultured in vitro and passaged. The 3rd generation of BMSCs which had good growth condition were randomly divided into blank group, model group and HSYA groups with different doses. The BMSCs in model group were treated with high dose of dexamethasone to induce adipogenic differentiation of cells cultured in vitro, and inhibit osteogenic differentiation. The BMSCs in HSYA groups received high dose of dexamethasone and different concentrations of HSYA simultaneously. The blank group received not any special handling. After a week,the expressions of alkaline phosphatase, Cbf(alpha)l and type I collagen mRNA were detected.

RESULTSThe alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly decreased in BMSCs of the model group as compared with the blank group (P < 0.01), and the expression of Cbf(alpha)l and type I collagen mRNA were also decreased significantly (P<0.01). The alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased in BMSCs of each HSYA group as compared with the model group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the expression of Cbf(alpha)l and type I collagen mRNA were also increased significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of HSYA may be related to the effect of antagonism to the reduced osteogenic differentiation induced by glucocorticoid.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor alpha Subunits ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Rabbits

ObjectiveTo evaluate central nervous system function of patients with coronary cardiac diease by short latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP).MethodsThe cerebral and spinal somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded by stimulating median nerve in 43 patients with coronary cardiac disease but without apparent nervous symptoms and 14 healthy control subjects.ResultsThe lactency periods and central conductive time of N13, N20 and P25 wave were significantly prolonged in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or angina pectoris (AP) when compared with normal controls (P<0.05～0.001). The lactency periods and central conductive time of N20 and P25 wave recorded in MI patients were longer than those recorded in AP patients (P<0.01～0.001).ConclusionThe subclinical nervous damages in the central somatosensory pathway from spinal cord to cerebral cortex is present in patients with coronary cardiac disease especially myocardial infarction.

For patients with DTC,the side effect of 131I therapy on fertility and offspring is an important issue since genital tissues are highly sensitive to radiation.Exposure to 131 I radiation may result in transient impairment of gonadal function in male patients caused by elevated levels of serum follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone,low sperm count and motility.In female patients,exposure to 131I radiation may be complicated with delay of menstruation,oligomenorrhea and transient cessation of menstrual period.Most of these symptoms may resolve within one year after 131 I therapy.A slightly earlier menopause is the only reported long-term side effect of 131I therapy on ovarian function.Currently available data do not indicate that exposure to 131I may cause permanent infertility in male patients with DTC.For female patients with DTC,131 I therapy does not affect fertility or pregnancy outcomes beyond one year.

Objective To investigate the changes of insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) and its associated protein in Balb/C mice with viral myocarditis.Methods Sixty Balb/C mice were randomly divided into 2 groups:infected group(n=40) and control group(n=20).Mice in infected group were inoculated intraperitoneally with coxsackievirus B3(CVB3) while control mice with 0.1mL of Eagle′s minimal essential medium(EMEM).Blood and myocardial musculature of all mice were collected on the day of 3,7,15 and 30 after inoculation.The expression of IGF-1 and its associated protein in plasma or myocardium were detected respectively by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay(ELISA),immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The expression of IGF-1 and its associated protein of mice with viral myocarditis was higher than those in control group and gradual ascent after mice being infected with virus.The expression reached summit on d15,then decreased on d30,but still sustain in a high level.The difference was significant(F=19.53 P

Objective To determine the activities of 131I for treating differentiated thyroid carcinoma with diffuse pulmonary metastases ( DTC-DPM ) from the perspective of internal radiation dosimetry.Methods According to Medical Internal Radiation Dosimetry (MIRD) schema, the activity constraint,from which the whole bdy retention at 48 h should not exceed 2.96 GBq (2.96 GBq rule), was converted to dose-rate constraint(DRC) to lungs at 48 h ( DRCLU ·48 h ) in 131I therapy for DTC-DPM. Based on the assumption of DRCLU·48 h at 48 h in lung, the fractions of whole body activities ( F48 ), the effective half times of 131I in lungs ( TLL ) and the remainder of body ( TRB ) were 0.6-0.9, 20- 120 h, and 10- 20 h, respectively. The maximum safe activities of 131I for different human phantoms from the Organ Level Internal Dose Assessment (OLINDA) software were calculated. Results According to MIRD schema and 2.96 GBq rule, DRCLU ·48 h should not exceed 46.4 mGy/h in 131I therapy for DTC-DPM. Depending on varying F48 h,TLL and TRB, the maximum safe activities of 131I were 6.77-81.36, 5.29-56.20, 5.08-55.19 and 3.87-40. 52 GBq for the male adult, female adult, 15-year-old, and 10-year-old patients with DTC-DPM, respec tively. Conclusion Dosimetry-guided 131I therapy for DTC-DPM considers adequately the differences of 131I kinetics in individual patients and can adjust administered activities of 131I on the precondition of avoiding radiological pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective:To observe the effect of Hydroxy Safflower Yellow A (HSYA) on the expression of osteogenic markers,such as alkaline phosphatase,Cbfαl and type I collagen,and explore the mechanism of HSYA in the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid induced ischemic necrosis of femoral head. Methods:Fifteen healthy and adult New Zealand white rabbits were collected and weighted 0.9 to 1.3 kg. The rabbits were injected abdominally with anesthetic drugs ,then received marrow cavity puncture of tibia and anterior superior iliac spine to get bone marrow blood. Rabbits bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were separated from the bone marrow blood,cultured in vitro and passaged. The 3rd generation of BMSCs which had good growth condition were randomly divided into blank group ,model group and HSYA groups with different doses. The BMSCs in model group were treated with high dose of dexamethasone to induce adipogenic differentiation of cells cultured in vitro,and inhibit osteogenic differentiation. The BMSCs in HSYA groups received high dose of dexamethasone and different concentrations of HSYA simultaneously. The blank group received not any special handling. After a week ,the expressions of alkaline phosphatase,Cbfαl and type I collagen mRNA were detected. Results:The alkaline phosphatase activity was signifi-cantly decreased in BMSCs of the model group as compared with the blank group (P<0.01),and the expression of Cbfαl and type I collagen mRNA were also decreased significantly (P<0.01). The alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly in-creased in BMSCs of each HSYA group as compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the expression of Cbfαl and type I collagen mRNA were also increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusion:The mechanism of HSYA may be related to the effect of antagonism to the reduced osteogenic differentiation induced by glucocorticoid.

OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy of acupuncture for glaucoma.

METHODSThe search was conducted through database to identify randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for glaucoma until September 2010. The quality assessment, data extraction and Meta-analysis were performed by Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Re views of Interventions.

RESULTSEight articles were included. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture did not decrease intraocular pressure compared with eye drops [SMD = -0.1 66, 95% CI (-1.45, 0.13)]. However, acupuncture increased the effectiveness rate of treatment for glaucoma [OR = 4.45, 95% CI (1.96,10.09)]. Compared with placebo, acupuncture did not decrease intraocular pressure 20 min after acupuncture (P = 0.13) and 24 hours after acupuncture (P = 0.21). Nonetheless, acupuncture increased the effectiveness rate of treatment for glaucoma [OR = 45.00, 95% CI (9.73, 208.08)]. Compared with acupuncture, quantitative acupuncture manipulation increased the effectiveness rates of treatment for glaucoma [OR = 2.23, 95% CI (1.14, 4.36)].

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture therapy has potential to increase effectiveness rates of treatment for glaucoma. It lacks reliable evidence to prove that acupuncture decreases intraocular pressure. More trials with high quality are needed to estimate adverse effects and cost effectiveness of acupuncture therapy.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Glaucoma ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Humans ; Ophthalmic Solutions ; therapeutic use ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

Forkhead box (Fox) proteins play critical roles in the regulation of differentiation, proliferation, immunity and aging of cells. Most studies on Fox proteins are limited to cultured cells and rodent. The aim of the current study is to detect by immunohistrochemistry whether FoxO1, FoxO3a and FoxO4 proteins are localized in the stomach and intestine of the pig. The results showed that FoxO4 exists in the mucosa in all parts of the stomach and intestine; FoxO3a exists mainly in the lamina propria and muscularis of some parts. However, FoxO1 is not detectable in all parts of the stomach and intestine. Collectively, the results of the present study indicate that there exists a distinct expression pattern of Fox proteins, and that FoxO4 is a primary forkhead transcriptional factor localized in the gastrointestinal tracts of the pig.
Animals ; Female ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Sus scrofa ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

BACKGROUNDThe blood supply to the eye comes from the retinal central vascular system of the ophthalmic artery and the ciliary vascular system. The ophthalmic artery stems from the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. If occlusion or stenosis occurs in the carotid artery, the blood perfusion to the ophthalmic artery becomes insufficient, leading to signs and symptoms of anterior and posterior ocular ischemia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of ocular ischemic diseases caused by carotid artery stenosis.

METHODSThis study was a retrospective review of 145 patients with carotid artery stenosis. Fifty-eight patients who had symptoms of ocular ischemic disease caused by carotid artery stenosis formed group A and the other 87 patients who only had carotid artery stenosis formed group B. We analyzed the causes and course of disease, and relative risk factors, by comparing the two groups.

RESULTSThe degree of carotid artery stenosis in group A was higher than that in group B. And group A had a greater decrease of ophthalmic artery flow. Male, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking were significantly related to carotid artery stenosis. Amaurosis fugax was the most common ocular symptom in group A. The ocular ischemic diseases mainly included ischemic optic neuropathy, central/branch retinal artery occlusion, ophthalmoplegia externa, and ocular ischemic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONSCarotid artery stenosis correlates with ocular ischemic diseases. Ophthalmologists must observe for ocular symptoms, which were the onset symptoms in some patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carotid Stenosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Eye Diseases ; etiology ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; physiopathology ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Ischemia ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects

Objective To investigate the expression of LRG1 (Leucine－rich alpha－2－glycoprotein 1) and CD105 (Endoglin) in normal cervical tissues , cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)Ⅱ－ Ⅲ and cervical carcinoma. Furthermore, to explore the function of LRG1 in cervical carcinoma pathogenesis and the relationship between LRG1 and microvessel density.Methods The expression levels of LRG1 and CD105 were detected by immunohistochemistry in 40 cervical carcinoma tissues, 20 CINⅡ－ Ⅲ tissues and 20 normal cervical tissues. Results Compared to the normal cervix, the expression of LRG1 in CINⅡ－ Ⅲ and cervical squamous cell carcinoma was significantly increased (P＜0.05).LRG1expression was correlated to clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P＜0.05) . But there was no correlation between LRG1 expression and age, the size of tumor, pathologic grades and depth of invasion (P＞0.05).With the deepening of cervical lesions, CD105－MVD (X± s) increasedsignificantly (P＜0.05).The expression of CD105－MVD in cervical carcinomawas related to clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and the size of tumor. The difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05) . There was no correlation between CD105－MVD and age, pathologic grades and depth of invasion (P＞0.05).Positive correlation was found between the expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD (r=0.944,P＜0.05).Conclusions The expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD is up－regulated and shows a positive correlation, which suggests that the abnormal expression of LRG1 and CD105－MVD may involve in the occurrence and development of cervical squamous carcinoma.