Adult ; Aged ; Botulinum Toxins, Type A ; therapeutic use ; Dysphonia ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To upregulate Notch signaling in cancer cells by overexpression of active part of Notch1 and to examine the proliferation of the cells. Methods Four cancer cell lines were infected with retrovirus recombined with sequence encoding active part of Notch1.CBF-1 reporter plasmid was used to detect Notch signaling and proliferation assay was carried out by MTS method.Cell cycle analysis was synchronously conducted. Results The overexpression of the active part of Notch1 induced upregulation of Notch signaling,led to growth inhibition in Hela and HepG2 cell lines and growth boost in BGC-823 cell lines,while had no effect on Chang cell lines. Conclusion The upregulation of Notch signaling can exert various effects on different cancer cell lines which is critical to the gene therapy for cancers.

OBJECTIVETo study the therapeutic mechanism of Zhizhu Pill (ZP) for treating functional dyspepsia (FD) rats.

METHODSTotally 30 ten-day-old male rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n =10) and the model group (n = 20). The FD rat model was induced using gastric administration of 0.1% iodoacetamide (IA) combined tail clamping. The model was evaluated when rats were 8-week old. Successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into the model group (n = 10) and the ZP group (n = 10). Rats in the normal group and the model group were administered with normal saline by gastrogavage, while those in the ZP group were administered with ZP Decoction (2 mL/100 g) by gastrogavage. All medication lasted for 7 successive days. The contractile activity in in vitro longitudinal gastric muscle was recorded using Power Lab biological signal collecting system. The expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) in stomach of FD rats was detected using Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTSCompared with the normal group, average frequencies of gastric contraction and changing rates of amplitude obviously decreased in the model group (P < 0.05). Results of Western blot and IHC showed that the expression of GHSR decreased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, average frequencies of gastric contraction and changing rates of amplitude obviously increased in the ZP group (P < 0.05). Results of Western blot and IHC showed that the expression of GHSR increased in the ZP group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONZP could promote the gastric motility in FD rats induced by gastric administration of IA combined tail clamping, and its mechanism might be related to up-regulating GHSR protein level.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Dyspepsia ; drug therapy ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of dexmedetomidine combined electrical stimulation on cognitive function of neurosurgical diseases patients treated by extracerebral intervention.

METHODSTotally 122 patients with neurosurgical diseases who underwent selective intervention were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group, 61 cases in each group. Patients in the control group recieved anesthesia by dexmedetomidine. Those in the observation group received electrical stimulation at Baihui (DU20), Yintang ( EX-HN3), and Neiguan (PC6) before dexmedetomidine anesthesia. The cognitive function of patients at preoperative day 1 and postoperative day 1 was respectively evaluated by Mini-Mental State Examinations (MMSE). Serum NSE, S-100β, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were detected in the two groups before intervention and immediately after intervention using ELISA.

RESULTSMMSE scores of two groups were significantly reduced at post-intervention day 1, as compared with one day before intervention. MMSE score of the observation group at post-intervention day 1 was (23.15 ± 1.87) points, significantly higher than that of the control group [ (19.34 ± 1.64) points , (P < 0.05)]. The postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) incidence rate of the observation group was 16.4% (10/61), significantly lower than that of the control group [39.3% (24/61); P < 0.05]. Compared with before intervention, NSE and S-100β protein levels, IL-1β, IL-6 and α-TNF levels of the two groups increased (P < 0.05). Post-intervention NSE and S-100β protein levels, IL-1β, IL-6 and α-TNF levels were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDexmedetomidine combied electrical stimulation could effectively prevent the occurrence of postoperative cognition, and reduce levels of NSA, S-100β, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α.

Acupuncture Points ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; prevention & control ; Dexmedetomidine ; therapeutic use ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Humans ; Interleukin-1beta ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Period ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To investigate the effects of T. gondii soluble tachyzoite antigen (STAgs) on the survival time of mouse heart allograft and the possible mechanism. Methods The STAgs were prepared by pulverizing T. gondii tachyzoite with ultrasound on ice. Cervical heterotopic heart transplantations were done by using Balb/c mice as donors, and C57BL/6 mice as recipients.The recipients were classified randomly into three groups: syngeneic group, acute rejection group and STAgs-treated group. The recipients in acute rejection group and STAgs-treated group were injected subcutaneously with 0. 1 ml PBS and 0. 1 ml (5 μg) STAgs at the 4th day before transplantation respectively, and those in syngeneic group were not subjected to any treatment. The grafts were observed daily by cervical palpation, and the total cessation of cardiac contraction was defined as the endpoint. The heart allografts were harvested at the 7th day after transplantation for pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining for CD4+ T, CD8+ T. Results The recipients in syngeneic group were all alive at the 100th day after transplantation. The average survival time in acute rejection group and STAgs-treated group was (6.7± 0.5) days and (70.8± 3.5) days,respectively (P＜0.05). HE staining showed that the rejection on the 7th day after transplantation in syngeneic group, acute rejection group and STAgs-treated group was fallen into 0 degree, Ⅲ-Ⅳ degree and 0- Ⅰ degree, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the CD4+ T and CD8+T were markedly down-regulated in STAgs-treated group as compared with those in acute rejection group. Conclusion T. gondii STAgs can significantly prolong the survival time of mouse heart allograft and inhibit the rejection probably by changing the ratio of TH1/TH2, or inhibiting the effect of dendritic cells by inducing the lipoxin A4.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of DWI after secretin stimulation for the diagnosis of mild chronic pancreatitis (CP). Methods This was a prospective study. Ninety-nine consecutive individuals including 23 healthy volunteers, 11 risk volunteers, 15 mild CP patients, 14 moderate CP patients and 36 severe CP patients underwent secretin DWI and faecal elastase 1(FE-1) testing. The subjects were grouped by Cambridge classification about endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP), CT and ultrasonography. Secretin stimulated diffusion weighted imaging(S-DWI), the ADCs, time to peak ADCs and FE-1 were performed on all subjects. The changes of pancreatic ADC values were observed before and after the injection of secretin. All ADCs and FE-1 were compared between groups with single factor analysis of variance, and the correlation between ADCs and FE-1 was determined with Pearson analysis. ROC curves were performed to identify the diagnostic efficacy of DWI related measures. Results Eight patients with severe CP were excluded because the significant atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma prohibited the evaluation of ADC measurement. Ninety-one individuals were divided into five groups including 23 healthy volunteers, 11 risk volunteers, 15 mild CP patients, 14 moderate CP patients and 28 severe CP patients. The mean baseline and peak ADCs were higher in the healthy volunteers than in other groups, with significant differences (P<0.05). There was no ADC peak in severe CP patients. There were significant differences between the mean baseline ADCs and the peak ADCs in the other groups (P<0.05). The mild and moderate CP groups showed a delayed peak. The area under curve (AUC) of the mean baseline and peak ADCs, time to peak ADCs for differentiating mild CP was 0.818, 0.912 and 0.965, respectively. Using 4.67 min as the cutoff value, time to peak ADCs were most accurate for differentiating healthy from risk patients and those with evident pancreatitis, yielding a sensitivity of 80.0%and a specificity of 100.0%. Good correlations between baseline and peak ADCs, time to peak ADCs, and FE-1 were shown(r=0.57, 0.72 and-0.84, P<0.01). Conclusions Using the peak and time to peak ADCs may improve the detection of risk and mild CP. Secretin-enhanced DWI is a noninvasive, convenient and accurate method.

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of massage alone or in combination with pricking collateral blood therapy (PCBT) on mild carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

METHODSSixty cases with mild CTS were randomly assigned into two groups, the control group treated with massage therapy alone, and the treated group with PCBT at the six Jing points of the affected upper limb combined with massage, 30 cases in each group. The therapy was conducted in all patients for 3 courses. The therapeutic effect was observed and the differential value (D-value) of sensory conduction velocity (SCV) between the median and ulnar nerves of the fourth digit (D4) was detected before and after each course of therapy.

RESULTSAfter 3 treatment courses, excellent, therapeutic effect was shown in 26 patients and good effect in 4 of the treated group, while in the control group, the effect was excellent in 8, good in 20, and improved in 2. The effect was better in the former group than that in the latter (P<0.05). Marked difference in the D-value of SCV was shown at the end of each course in both groups (P<0.05). As compared it between the two groups, significant difference was shown at the end of the 1st and 3rd course respectively (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCombined treatment of massage and PCBT showed better effect on mild CTS than massage therapy alone, and the onset time may positively correlated to the frequency of applying PCBT.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Massage ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of compound Coptidis Rhizoma capsule (CCRC) on unbalanced expression of renal tissue TGF-β1/BMP-7 and Smad signaling pathway in rats with early diabetic nephropathy (DN), and discuss CCRC's effect on DN rats with early diabetic nephropathy and its possible mechanism.

METHODDN model rats were established by injecting streptozotocin (STZ). The rats were randomly divided into seven groups: the normal group, the model group, the enalapril treatment group, the xiaoke pill treatment group and three CRCC treatment groups. They were orally administered once a day for five weeks. The fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), insulin (Ins), 24 h urinary protein (24 h Upro) and 24 h urinary microalbumin (24 h UmAlb) were tested. The pathological changes in renal tissues were examined by optical microscopy. Immuno- histochemical measures were used to detect the expressions of TGF-β1, BMP-7, Smad2/3, Smad1/5, and Smad7 protein, and RT-PCR was used to detect TGF-β1 mRNA and BMP-7 mRNA in renal tissues.

RESULTCompared with model group, BUN, Scr, Ins, 24 h Upro and 24 h UmAlb levels decreased at different degrees in CCRC treatment groups; the abnormal pathomorphology in renal tissue was improved; immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of TGF-β1 and Smad2/3 were reduced, while the expression of BMP-7, Smad1/5 and Smad7 increased in CRCC treatment groups; the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA were reduced, but the expression of BMP-7 mRNA had no obvious change in CRCC treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONCRCC can improve the early renal function, delay the progression of chronic renal pathology and maintain the dynamic balance of TGF-β1/BMP-7 expression in renal tissues of DN rats. The mechanism may be related to down-regulation of renal TGF-β1 and up-regulation of BMP-7 through Smad signaling pathway.

Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Smad Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Objective To discuss the MSCT imaging characteristics of metastatic lymph nodes in pancreatic cancer.Methods The MSCT images of 30 pancreatic cancer patients with metastatic lymph node confirmed by pathology were selected and all the patients underwent enhanced MSCT before surgery.The location, maximum short axis diameter ( MSAD) , sizes, density, enhancement, necrosis and fusion of the metastatic lymph nodes were analyzed using the 5th edition of TNM stage of Japan Pancreatic Society in 2002 as the standard.Results Sixty-three metastatic lymph nodes was pathologically diagnosed , while 53were diagnosed by MSCT.The metastatic lymph nodes most commonly occurred in group 13 and 17in pancreatic head cancer, while group 18 lymph node metastasis was more common in pancreatic body and tail cancer.The MSAD of metastatic lymph nodes was 2~17 mm with the average of (7.2 ±4.0)mm.All of metastatic lymph nodes were divided into MSAD <5 mm group, 5 mm~<10 mm group and ≥10 mm group based on their size.The number of metastatic lymph nodes of the three groups were 10, 18 and 25, respectively.The number of enhanced metastatic lymph nodes was decreased as the size increased, while the number of necrotic and fused lymph nodes was increased, which were statistically different (all P<0.05).Comparison between the two groups showed that the number of enhancement metastatic lymph nodes in MSAD <5 mm group and 5 mm~<10 mm group were more than that in ≥10 mm group ( 7/10 and 11/18 vs 2/25 ) .The number of fused lymph nodes in MSAD <5 mm group and 5 mm~<10 mm group were less than that in≥10 mm group (0 and 2/18 vs 22/25 ) .Clear edge metastatic lymph nodes were more in MSAD <5 mm group than that in≥10 mm group (6/10 vs 5/25).The number of necrotic metastatic lymph nodes in MSAD <5 mm group was less than that in ≥10 mm group(2 /10 vs 18/25).All the differences above were statistically significant ( all P<0.05), but no other significant differences were found between two groups.Conclusions The main imaging findings of metastatic lymph nodes in pancreatic cancer were unobvious enhancement, intratumoral necrosis and fusion.Heterogeneous density and unclear edge could benefit the diagnosis of metastatic lymph node.

Objective To establish a MRI grading diagnostic model for chronic pancreatitis (CP) to acquire better combination for CP diagnosis and improve the diagnostic ability of CP grading.Methods To collecte the data of 68 CP patients who were clinically diagnosed and 23 health volunteers from Dec 2012 to Oct 2014.There were 23 mild CP, 14 moderate CP and 31 severe CP according to Cambridge classification.3.0 T MRI data were analyzed, and 14 features were extracted to compare the MRI features among groups.The single ordinal regression analysis was conducted on the variables with significant difference between groups, and the collinearity was diagnosed.The factor analysis was used for multicollinearity.The multiple ordinal logistic regression was finally conducted to establish the regression model.Results There was no significant difference between control groups and CP groups on pancreas divisum (X14), but significant differences were found in other 13 features (P<0.05).Single ordinal regression analysis of 13 features showed that all features except pancreatic parenchymal bubble (X12) were significantly correlated with CP grading diagnosis(P<0.05).The effect of multicollinearity was validated among 9 continuous variables.Three common factors were identified, including F1(X3、X4、X5、X9、X8), F2(X7、X6) and F3 (X1、X2) which represented the exocrine function, the features of main pancreatic ducts and pancreatic parenchyma, respectively.Six features were implemented into the multi Logistic regression model, which included F1, F2, F3, X10 (the visualizations of branch pancreatic duct after secretin stimulation), X11 (pancreatic shape) and X13 (the filling defects of main pancreatic duct).Finally, the most appropriate regression model was gotten, which was the scale model of the probit link function.The model′s diagnostic accuracy for normal, mild CP, moderate CP, severe CP and total CP was 96.65%,100%, 71.42%,100% and 94.50%, respectively.Conclusions The ordinal logistic regression model proposed in this study may accurately predict the CP grades and can offer valuable references for clinic diagnosis and therapy of CP.