Objective To investigate the effects of intense pulsed light(IPL) on the collagen metabolism in human fibroblasts.Methods The callan foreskin fibroblasts were cultured and treated with different wave length and designed dose of IPL irradiation(590-1 200 nm,and 29 J/cm2),while 10 without IPL irradiation as controls.By culturing 1,12,24 and 48 h after the irradiation,the synthesis of collagen was measured by 3H-proline incorporation determination. Results The synthesis of collagen activity increased significantly(P

Objective　To study the expression of p73 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the relationship between p73 expression and clinico-pathological parameters. Methods　Expression of p7 3 gene was detected by RT-PCR in 32 human NSCLC tissues, tissues adjacent to ca ncer and non-cancer lung tissues. Results　p73 gene expression up-regulated substantially and detected in 87.5%(28/32) of human NSCLC tissues while expressed at low level in tissues adjacent to cancer and non-cancer lung tissues. Conclusion　Marked up-regulation of p73 gene expres sion is found in human NSCLC.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the changes in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) following hemodialysis.

METHODSThe urea nitrogen and the blood creatinine levels were determined with an automatic biochemistry analyzer, HO-1 and IL-6 levels by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), CRP by chemoluminescence technique, and MDA by thiobarbituric acid assay.

RESULTSHO-1, CRP, IL-6, and MDA levels were significantly elevated in patients with ESRF in comparison with the control group. After hemodialysis, HO-1 and CRP levels increased and IL-6 and MDA levels decreased significantly.

CONCLUSIONIn ESRF patients who have elevated inflammatory factors and HO-1 levels, hemodialysis can increase HO-1 and CRP levels and lower IL-6 and MDA levels.

Adult ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Creatinine ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; blood ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, and explore dose-effect relationship among different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) as well as its optimal treatment plan.

METHODSAccording to different acupuncture stimulation intensities which were based on treatment time and needle insertion direction, fifty patients were randomly divided into a Hegu 1 group, a Hegu 2 group, a Hegu 3 group, a Hegu 4 group and a control group, ten cases in each one. Different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) combined with facial paralysis acupoints, including Yingxiang (LI 20), Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6) and Quanliao (SI 18), were applied in Hegu 1 to 4 groups; meanwhile acupuncture at stroke acupoints, including Neiguan (PC 6), Shuigou (GV 26) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and medication treatment were adopted. Except acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), the treatment of the control group was identical as Hegu groups. The treatment duration lasted for 14 days. The House-Brackmann facial never grading systems (H-B), Toronto facial grading system (TFGS), degrees of facial never paralysis (DFNP), facial disability index (FDI) and clinical efficacy were compared among groups.

RESULTS(1) Compared before the treatment, H-B, TFGS, DFNP and physical function score in FDI were all improved significantly in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups (all P < 0.05), but social function score in FDI was not obviously improved (all P > 0.05); all the scores in the control group were not evidently changed (all P > 0.05). (2) Compared with the control group, differences of H-B before and after treatment in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups, differences of TFGS in the Hegu 2 group and differences of DFNP in the Hegu 1 and Hegu 2 group were significantly improved (all P < 0.05). The differences of any scale among Hegu 1 to 4 groups were not significant (all P > 0.05), in which the most evident change was found in Hegu 2 group. (3) The total effective rate was 90.0% (9/10), 100.0% (10/10), 90.0% (9/10) and 80.0% (8/10) in Hegu 1 to 4 groups, which were significantly higher than 60.0% (6/10) in the control group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) has affirmative clinical efficacy on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, in which oblique insertion along the opposite direction of meridian for 5 s of twirling manipulation has the best clinical effect.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Facial Paralysis ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke ; complications

OBJECTIVETo determine whether the sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling could regulate the expression of histone demethylases in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(SCC).

METHODSHuman recombinant SHH-N protein or over-expression of the mutant 2 smoothened (M2-SMO) was applied to activate the Shh signaling in tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line-SCC-6 in this study. Cyclopamine was used to block the Shh signaling in SCC-6. The real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was used to detect the expression of histone demethylases at the mRNA level.

RESULTSThe data showed that activation of the Shh signaling up-regulated the expression of histone demethylase, lysine-specific demethylase 8 (KDM-8) at the mRNA level by human recombinant SHH-N protein (1.841 ∼ 3.591 fold compare with untreated group; P < 0.01), over-expression of the M2-SMO also increased the expression of KDM-8 (1.358 ∼ 3.013 fold compared with empty vector group; P < 0.05), and after the Shh signaling was blocked by Cyclopamine, the expression of KDM-8 was down regulated (decreased 25.6% ∼ 66.6% compared with control cells, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHistone demethylase KDM-8 was downstream target gene of Shh signaling in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line SCC-6, and its expression was positively regulated by the Shh signaling.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hedgehog Proteins ; metabolism ; Histone Demethylases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mutant Proteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Smoothened Receptor ; Veratrum Alkaloids ; pharmacology

In this study, a rapid and sensitive analytical method was developed for the determination of 10 major compounds (procyanidin B1, catechin, procyanidin B2, rutin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, astragalin, quercitrin, quercetin, and kaempferol) in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. UPLC-MS/MS assay with negative ion mode was performed on a Waters CORTECS C18 (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.6 μm) with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (A) and 0.1% aqueous formic acid (B) in gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.25 mL · min(-1) and the column temperature was set at 45 °C. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, good separation for 10 target compounds were obtained including chiral isomer procyanidins B1 and B2 were completely separated within 8.5 min. Satisfactory linearity was achieved with wide linear range and fine determination coefficient (r > 0.996 6), the overall recoveries were ranged from 95.44%-110.40% with the RSD ranging from 2.37%-8.69%. It is the first report about simultaneous analysis of 10 major flavonoids components in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum by using UPLC-MS/MS method, which affords highly sensitive, specific, speedy and efficient method for quality control of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum
Acetonitriles ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; Rutin ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Vitaceae ; chemistry

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is frequently observed in patients treated with excessive corticosteroids. However, the pathogenesis of corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway in steroid-induced femoral head osteonecrosis in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intramuscularly with 20 mg/kg methylprednisolone (MP) for 8 weeks, twice per week. The animals were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after the last MP injection, respectively, and then allocated to the 2-, 4- and 8-week model groups (n=24 each). Rats in the control group (n=12) were not given any treatment. Histopathological analysis was performed and the concentration of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in plasma was determined. The activation of osteoclasts in the femoral head was assessed by TRAP staining. The expression of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6 and NF-κB p65 that are involved in TLR4 signaling, and MCP-1 production were detected by using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The results showed that the osteonecrosis in the femoral head was clearly observed and the concentration of TRAP in the plasma was increased in the model rats. The femoral head tissues in MP-treated rats were positive for TRAP and the intensity of TRAP staining was greater in MP-treated rats than in control rats. As compared with the control group, the mRNA expression of TLR4 signaling-related factors was enhanced significantly at 4 and 8 weeks, and the protein levels of these factors increased significantly with time. It was concluded that MP could induce the femoral head osteonecrosis in rats, which was associated with osteoclast activation via the TLR4 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that TLR4 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of steroid-induced osteonecrosis.

Objective Multimeric cyclic RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) peptides are capable of improving the integrin αvβ3-binding affinity due to the polyvalence effect.In this study,the authors prepare 99Tcm-la-bearing cyclic RGD tetramer E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2,and evaluate its biodistribution and imaging in nude mice beating U87 MG human glioma xenografts with integrinαvβ3-positive.Methods 99Tcm-hydrazino-nictinamide (HYNIC)-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was prepared by two-step method,while HYNIC wag chosen as bifunctional chelator,and tricine and trisodium triphenylphosphine-3,3,3-trisuifonate (TPPTS) as coligands.The af-finity of c (RGDyK) monomer,HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 dimer and HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 tetramer to integrin αvβ3 was compared by in vitro competitive assay against binding of 125I-c(RGDyK)to integrin αvβ3.positive U87 MG human glioma cells.The biodistribution [the percentage of injection dose per gram of tissue(%ID/g)] and imaging were performed in nude mice bearing UB7MG human glioma xenografts.Re-suits The labeling yield of 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)2}2 was over 95%,and the radiochemical purity was more than 99%after purification with Sop-Pak C18 cartridge.The 50%inhibiting concentration (IC30) val-ues of c(RGDyk),HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2 and HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 were 85.9,9.5 and 4.5 nmol/L, respectively.The result indicated that RGD tetramer possessed a significantly higher affinity to in-tegrinαvβ3.The biodistribution data showed that 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was excreted mainly through kidneys.The tumor uptake of 99Tcm-HYNIC-E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was two times higher than 99Tcm- HYNIC-E[c(RGDfK)]2,at 1h postinjection,with the uptake of(10.32±0.07)%ID/g and(5.15±0.52)%ID/g,respectively,which was consistent with the in vitro competitive binding data.The tumor up-tale of 99Tcm-HYNIC.E{E[c(RGDfK)]2}2 was still as higher as(9.35±1.35)%ID/g at 4 h postinjec-tion, which demonstrated that the retention time of radiotracer in tumor was long enough.The imaging showed that tumor was clearly visualized at 1h postinjection,and the image at 4 h postinjection Was better.Conclusion The higher tumor uptake and longer retention time in tumor make 99Tem-HYNIC-E{E[c(RG-DfK)J 2}2 a promising radiotracer for integrinαvβ3-positive tumors imaging,furthermore,suggest that radi-onuelides(such as 90Y).1abeled RGD tetramer is more suitable for the therapy of integrin αvβ3-positive tumors.

Objective　To explore the risk factors and causes affecting the operative mortality in esophagectomy patients with esophageal can cer. Methods　1400 cases with a curative esophagectomy for neopl asm of esophagus hospitalized from Mar,1973 to June, 2000 were reviewed. There w ere 31 died within 30 d or during hospitalization after esophagectomy as a group , and 1 369 survival cases, after operation, as another group. Sixteen factors t hat may influence the operational mortality were selected. A multi-variate anal ysis of these individual variables was performed by the computer′s logistic reg ression model. Results　The operative mortality was 2.2%(31/1400 ). The causes of death included respiratory complication 17 cases (including res piratory failure caused by pneumonia or atelectasis), 15 cases, and adult respir atory distress syndrome (ARDS) 2 cases, the mortality was 54.8% in the death gro up), anastomotic leak 11 cases (34.5%), Chylothorax 2 cases (6.5%) and postopera tive digestive tract hemorrhage 1 case (3.2%). The results showed that the major risk factors that affected operative mortality in cases with esophageal cancer were history of long-herm heavy smoking, duration of operation and the year of operational (P<0.05). Conclusion　To minimize operative mort ality of esophagectomy, some means must be noticed, including the reinforcemen t of the perioperative care, the improvement of anastomotic methods and surgical skill, reduing operative time as p ossible, disposing pulmonary complications in time and using respirator if neces sary.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of L.F04, the active fraction of Lycopus lucidus, on erythrocytes rheological property so as to investigate its mechanism in promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.

METHODThe effects of L.F04 (used for treatment for 10 days in different dosages) on deformability, aggregation and membrane liquidity of erythrocytes (MLE) as well as whole blood apparent viscosity (eta(b)) were examined on the basis of rat model of blood-stasis syndrome induced by venous injection of high molecular weight dextran.

RESULTAs compared with the normal control group, the model group's RBC deformability and MLE were lower, and the aggregation of erythrocytes and eta(b) were higher. Compared with the model group, both L.F04 0.612 g/kg and 0.306 g/kg showed significant effect in improving deformability and inhibiting aggregation of red blood cells (RBC) and reducing blood viscosity. The trend of improving MLE was also shown.

CONCLUSIONL.F04 could significantly improve the abnormal rheological property of erythrocytes.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; drug effects ; Dextrans ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Erythrocyte Aggregation ; drug effects ; Erythrocyte Deformability ; drug effects ; Hemorheology ; Hemostasis ; drug effects ; Lycopus ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Space Flight