Objective To investigate how mobility training affects the synapses and their functioning in the region around a cerebral infarct.Methods One hundred and fifty rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:a mo- tor training group,a normal saline group,an Ara-c inhibition group,a mevastatin group and a control group.Cere- bral infarcts were surgically induced in all 150 rats,and the level of either glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)or synaptophysin,and the cholesterol content around the infarct were observed at 7,21 and 42 days using immunohisto- chemical staining and high performance liquid chromatography.Results At 7,21 and 42 days after the infarct model was induced,significant differences in the optical density of either GFAP or synaptophysin and in cholesterol levels were noted between the motor training group and the control group.Ara-c inhibition was also significantly high- er in the controls.The optical density of synaptophysin and the cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the me- vastatin group than in the motor training group.Conclusion Motor skill training can improve synapse redefinition in rats with a model of acute cerebral infarct.Astrocytes may play a crucial role by means of the secretion of choles- terol in the region around the infarct.

It is crucial to improve the health care quality during the progress of constructing the new health care system in both urban and rural area.On the condition of increasing government commonweal investment for the basic health care,the standardized training program for the district medical practitioners will become the pivotal step to improve district health care in urban and rural area,standardize medical service,reduce the medical cost and optimize the accessibility to medical care for the mass.Taking the consideration on the personal resource of district medical service in the urban and rural area in China,certain strategic proposals related to the standardized training program for the fundamental medical practitioners are discussed.

Objective To explore the peripheral blood circulating microRNA expression profile of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients by using microRNA array. Methods The whole blood of 3 patients with acute ischemic stroke, 3 patients with cerebral hemorrhage and 3 healthy volunteers were collected for whole blood RNA through Norgen exosome isolation kit, and then underwent quality and density measurement through PCR. The miRNAs expression profile was studied through μParaflorTM microRNA. All the data were analyzed by associated software and statistics methods. Results 8 miRNAs associated with cerebral stroke in ischemia stroke patients and cerebral hemorrhage patients were discovered, and showed significant difference (P<0.05). 11 differential expression miRNAs were found between ischemia stroke patients and control group, and 24 were found between hemorrhage patients and control group. However, after up-regulation, no significant difference was found (P > 0.05). Conclusions Different expression profiles of miRNA between ischemic stroke patients and hemorrhagic stroke patients may provide insights into their roles in the pathogenesis and progression of stroke. The study of miRNA can contributes to elucidate the epigenetics molecular mechanism of acute stroke.

Arnebia euchroma is the main source for medicinal herb Zicao. and its most important component shikonin compounds have high medicinal and industrial value. This research is aimed to build overexpression vectors and RNAi vectors for key secondary metabolism genes of A. euchroma, and bulid platform for constructions of related transgenic lines using GATEWAY technology. To build genetic material based genetic research platform is to provide a great convenience for digging and functional verification of the genes on secondary metabolic pathway, and also to fill the gaps in transgenic research of A. euchroma. This study is also important for the cultivation of shikonin high-yielding strains of A. euchroma.
Boraginaceae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; Secondary Metabolism

Objective To observe Meissner's corpuscles in prepuces of different shapes and ages. Methods The Meissner's corpuscles were detected with immunohistochemical stain in 204 prepuce sam- ples of different shapes and ages (3-59 years),and the density of Meissner's corpuscles in every sample was obtained as well.The difference of Meissner's corpuscle densities between phimosis and redundant pre- puce,and correlation between Meissner's corpuscle densities and ages were analyzed with Chi-square test and linear regression,respectively.Results The density of Meissner's corpuscles in redundant prepuce has begun to increase since infancy and reached the peak at the age about 15 years.No significant difference in densities of Meissner's corpuscles between phimosis and redundant prepuce was observed till the age of 20 years,and then there was a trend of disappearance of Meissner's corpuscles in redundant prepuce.A signifi- cantly negative correlation between the densities of Meissner's corpuscles and ages was revealed in redundant prepuce (r=-0.236,P=0.009),whereas an insignificantly positive correlation between the densities of Meissner's corpuscles and ages was shown in phimosis (r=0.193,P=0.084).Conclusions The den- sities of Meissner's corpuscles in redundant prepuce develop synchronically with genital differentiation and accord with the status of sexual function in adult males.The persistent high level of Meissner's corpuscles in adult phimosis might be a mechanism of physiological compensation.

Objective To analyze the correlation factors between CT imaging features of pulmonary embolism(PE)and clinical severity stratification,to explore the value of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA)in acute PE severity stratification.Methods According to the clinical severity,48 patients with acute PE proved by CTPA were classified into two groups,including 21 critical and 27 non-critical patients. Embolism index,ratio of central pulmonary involvement,ratio of right ventricle maximum minor axis (RVMMA)to left ventricle maximum minor axis(LVMMA),namely RV:LV,dilation of main pulmonary and/or right pulmonary trunk,and dilation of bronchial arteries in both groups were analyzed comparatively. The correlation factors between CT imaging features and PE clinical severity stratification were explored.The correlation between RV:LV and embolism index of 48 patients was analyzed.Results Pulmonary embolism index(22.0%—85.0%,median 38.0%),ratio of central pulmonary involvement(42.5%),RV:LV (0.90—1.90,median 1.30),dilation of pulmonary artery(14 cases),and dilation of bronchial artery (8 cases)in critical group(21 cases)were higher than those corresponding factors(5%—48%,median 21.5%,31.25%,0.80—1.40,median 1.00,5 eases,and 3 eases)in non-critical group(27 cases) (Z=4.27,X~2=5.40,Z=2.58,X~2=11.45,X~2=4.87,P

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to investigate the feature of D(L)CO (Diffusion Lung Capacity for Carbon Monoxide) in CHF (left ventricular heart failure) patients, underlying pathophysiological mechanism and clinical significance.

METHODSWe retrospectively studied the D(L)CO, pulmonary ventilation function, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and related clinical information in severer HF patients.

RESULTSPeak VO2 severely decreased to 34 ± 7 percentage of predicted(%pred) and anaerobic threshold to 48 ± 11%pred in all patients. D(L)CO moderately decreased to 63 ± 12%pred and there were 25 patients lower than 80%pred. FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and TLC were 75 ± 14%pred, 71 ± 17%pred, 97 ± 11%pred, and 79 ± 13%pred, which indicated borderline or mild restrictive ventilatory dysfunction. The decrease of D(L)CO was more severe than those of TLC, FEV1 and FVC.

CONCLUSIONFor patients with severe CHF, cardiopulmonary exercise function is extremely limited, D(L)CO generally moderately declines and ventilation function is merely mildly limited. D(L)CO is the parameter for cardiopulmonary coupling, reflecting limitation of the cardiovascular dysfunction while without ventilatory limit.

Blood Gas Analysis ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDHyaluronidase (Hyase) is an enzyme which hydrolyses hyaluronan (HA), a large nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan. Several genes have been identified to code for hyaluronidases in humans. Its role has only recently been underlined in the invasion of prostate cancer, colonic cancer, and breast cancer. Moreover, the findings were in agreement with some experimental results which showed that HA-derived oligosaccharides had angiogenesis-promoting activity. All these findings prompted us to investigate factors that had been characterized as putative invasive factors in different human breast cancer-derived cell lines.

METHODSWe selected two series of human breast cancer-derived cell lines whose expression of estrogen receptors (ER) was previously published. Hyaluronidase secretion in culture medium and expression of matrix metallo-proteinase (MMP)-9, cathepsin-D (cath-D) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by cells were determined. We also investigated cell invasiveness in the Matrigel invasion assay, and studied the capability of cancer cells to promote in vitro formation of tubules by endothelial cells.

RESULTSER(-) cells secreted significantly more hyaluronidase (P < 0.001) and expressed significantly more VEGF (P < 0.01), MMP-9 (P < 0.05) and cath-D (P < 0.0001) than ER(+) cells. Invasion through Matrigel by ER(-) Hyase(+) cells was significantly higher than that by ER(+) Hyase(-) cells (P < 0.05). In both cases, invasion was decreased by heparin (P < 0.05). When ECV-304 endothelial cells were co-cultivated in millicell chambers with cancer cells, ECV-304 cells were induced to form tubules. Tubule formation was demonstrated to be more prominent with ER(-) Hyase(+) cells than with ER(+) Hyase(-) cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONInvasive features of ER(-) breast cancer cells can be characterized in vitro by an invasive Matrigel assay, as the induction of tubule formation by ECV-304 endothelial cells, higher secretion of hyaluronidase, and higher expression of proteinases MMP-9, cath-D, and the angiogenesis promoting factor VEGF.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Cathepsin D ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; genetics ; Receptors, Estrogen ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

INTRODUCTIONMany alcohol-related problems often go undetected and untreated. In Singapore, no epidemiological studies have been done in general hospitals on alcohol use disorders (AUD), i.e. alcohol dependence and abuse (DSM-IV-TR). Such findings are useful in planning AUD liaison services. In this study, we aim to estimate the prevalence of AUD among non-psychiatric inpatients and to determine the rates of identification and intervention rendered by medical staff.

MATERIALS AND METHODSNon-psychiatric medical and surgical wards inpatients aged 21 years and above were recruited over a 3-month period. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to screen for AUD and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI English Version 5.0.0) was administered to diagnose AUD if the AUDIT score was 8 or above. Case notes were independently reviewed for AUD identification and if interventions were offered during admissions.

RESULTSA total of 5599 inpatients were screened, of which 673 (12%) completed the screening using the AUDIT, and of these, 154 (2.8% of total sample) were positive for AUDIT. In this group, 107 were diagnosed with AUD. The estimated prevalence was 1.9% (approximately 400 cases per year per hospital). The medical staff identified only 25 (23.4%) cases of AUD, out of which, majority of them (76%) were rendered interventions.

CONCLUSIONThe rate of AUD identification by medical staff was low. Of those identified, majority were given interventions. Thus, the training of health care staff to identify AUD together with the implementation of brief interventions should be considered.

Adult ; Aged ; Alcoholism ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; utilization ; Mental Health Services ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Referral and Consultation ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of a small interfering RNA targeting CXCR-4 (shRNA-CXCR4) on angiogenesis of human breast cancer cells.

METHODSThe expression of CXCR4 mRNA and protein in 3 breast cancer cell lines with CXCR-4 silencing mediated by shRNA-CXCR4 was detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The morphological changes of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were observed in co-culture with human breast cancer cells after CXCR4 gene silencing.

RESULTSCXCR4 mRNA and protein expressions decreased significantly in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435s breast cancer cells after the gene silencing (P<0.05). Gene silencing with shRNA-CXCR4 in human breast cancer cells significantly inhibited the ability of HUVECs to form tubular structures in the co-culture (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONGene silencing by shRNA-CXCR4 can obviously lower the angiogenesis-inducing ability of human breast cancer cells.

Breast Neoplasms ; blood supply ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology