NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors are a subtype of glutamate receptor, and play an important role in both synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity. When excessively excited, NMDA receptors can cause cell death in many neuropathological scenarios such as OGD (oxygen and glucose deprivation) and brain injury. However, recent studies have revealed that under the physical and some pathological conditions, NMDA receptor could promote neuronal survival and protect neurons from damage.
Neurons ; metabolism ; physiology ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism ; physiology ; Synaptic Transmission

Animals ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) associated microbubble-enhancing contrast (“SonoVue”) therapeutic ablation of uterine fibroids in patients with pelvic operation history. Methods A total of 100 patients with uterine fibroid from October 2010 to December 2012 in Suining Central Hospital of Sichuan were treated with HIFU associated SonoVue. Among them, 50 patients had pelvic operation history. The no-perfused volume, median fractional ablation, ablation power rate, ablation dose, treatment time and adverse reaction were recorded. Results There was no statistical significance between patients with operation history and without in no-perfused volume and ablation does. The ablation power was lower in patients with operation than without. The treatment time and room time were longer in patients with operation than without. The adverse reactions were higher in patients with operation than without, especially skin pain and lower abdominal pain ( <0.05) . According to short- and long-term follow-up results, no major complications were observed in any patients. Conclusion Pelvic operation history increases the difficulty in treatment of HIFU ablation uterine fibroids. HIFU associated contrast agent SonoVue ablation can be considered a safe and feasible approach to the management of uterine fibroids in patients with pelvic operation history after grasping the indications and contraindications.

Objective To analyze the differential expression of D2 and D3 alternative splicing sites of human kinectin in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal liver tissues, and to investigate a possible relationship between alternative splicing sites of kinectin and hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods The cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR in 45 coupled HCC cancerous and adjacent tissues, and 10 normal liver tissues. The difference in the expression of D2 and D3 alternative splicing sites in cDNA was examined by semi-quantitative PCR, and statistical analysis was performed. Results The ratio of D2L (long segment contains of the D2 region)/D2S (short segment that does not contain a D2 zone) in hepatocellular cancerous tissues was 2.709 ± 1.025, the ratio of D2L/D2S in adjacent non-cancerous tissues was 1.564 ± 0.357, and the ratio of D2L/D2S in normal liver tissues was 1.507 ± 0.499. The differences were statistically significant (F=29.698, P<0.05);the ratio of D2L/D2S in hepatocellular cancerous tissues was higher than that of adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal liver tissues (P<0.05). The ratio of D3L (long segment contains of the D3 region)/D3S (short segment that does not contain a D3 zone) in hepatocellular cancerous tissues was 1.232 ± 0.041, the ratio of D3L/D3S in adjacent non-cancerous tissues was 1.156 ± 0.309, and the ratio of D3L/D3S in normal liver tissues was 1.282 ± 0.343. The ratio of D3L/D3S was not significantly different among hepatocellular cancerous tissues, adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal liver tissues (F = 0.989, P > 0.05). Conclusion Variant containing D2 is over expressed in cancerous tissues and this alteration may be tumor associated.

Objective To evaluate the short-term efficacy of recombinant human endostatin (rhES) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus TACE alone for intermediate and advanced primary hepatic carcinoma.Methods The relevant controlled trials about rhES plus TACE versus TACE alone in the treatment of intermediate and advanced primary hepatic carcinoma were retrieved from the databases of PubMed,Elsevier,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM),Wan Fang Database.The retrieval time limited was from the database construction to January 2018,and the Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan5.3 software.Results 18 controlled trials were included in this Meta-analysis.There were 948 cases,of which 522 cases in rhES plus TACE group and 426 cases in TACE alone group.According to the usage of rhES,the trials were further divided into intrahepatic arterial embolization group,intrahepatic arterial pump group,and intravenous infusion group.rhES plus TACE had an overall advantage over TACE alone in terms of objective response rate (ORR),and the difference was statistically significant (RR =1.59,95％CI:1.41～1.79,P＜0.05).And the ORR of rhES plus TACE in intrahepatic arterial embolization group,intrahepatic arterial pump group,intravenous infusion group was better than that of TACE alone (Intrahepatic arterial embolization group RR=1.63,95％CI:1.36～ 1.95;Intrahepatic arterial pump group RR=1.49,95％CI:1.24～1.79;Intravenous infusion group RR=1.69,95％CI:1.22～2.34),and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).The subgroups analysis of anthracycline and platinum also showed that ORR in rhES plus TACE patients was better than that in TACE patients alone.Conclusion The short-term efficacy of rhES plus TACE in the treatment of intermediate and advanced primary hepatic carcinoma was better than that of TACE alone,and the same results were obtained by subgroup analysis.

Since sorafenib has been first?line molecular?targeted drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), clinical studies in the last 10 years failed to confirm that a new molecular?targeted drug or immune checkpoint inhibitor was superior or non?inferior to sorafenib, or approved second?line treatment for patients with the failure of sorafenib. However, many clinical studies published in 2017 have changed people′s previous understanding. REFLECT trial showed that as the first?line treatment of advanced HCC, lenvatinib was non?inferior than sorafenib. In addition, RESORCE trial and CheckMate?040 trial confirmed respectively that regorafenib and PD?1 inhibitor nivolumab were options of second?line treatment for patients with advanced HCC after sorafenib treatment. The development of these drugs will bring a new prospect for advanced HCC patients.

Since sorafenib has been first?line molecular?targeted drug for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), clinical studies in the last 10 years failed to confirm that a new molecular?targeted drug or immune checkpoint inhibitor was superior or non?inferior to sorafenib, or approved second?line treatment for patients with the failure of sorafenib. However, many clinical studies published in 2017 have changed people′s previous understanding. REFLECT trial showed that as the first?line treatment of advanced HCC, lenvatinib was non?inferior than sorafenib. In addition, RESORCE trial and CheckMate?040 trial confirmed respectively that regorafenib and PD?1 inhibitor nivolumab were options of second?line treatment for patients with advanced HCC after sorafenib treatment. The development of these drugs will bring a new prospect for advanced HCC patients.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture intervention on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) at early stage complicated with intestinal paralysis.

METHODSSixty-eight cases of SAP were randomly divided into observation group (48 cases) and control group (20 cases). In observation group, according to the course of sickness, the early-stage subgroup (30 cases, hospitalized in 3 d) and late-stage subgroup (18 cases, hospitalized in 3-7 d) were subdivided. In control group, the conventional treatment was applied. In observation group, based on the same treatment as control group, electroacupuncture was supplemented at Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), etc. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scores, the recovery time of intestinal paralysis and laboratory indices, complications, operation transfer rate, death rate and the admission time were compared among groups after treatment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 83.3% (25/30) in early-stage subgroup, which was superior to 72.2% (13/18) in late-stage subgroup and 65.0% (13/20) in control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In early-stage subgroup, the remission time of abdominal pain, the remission time of abdominal distention, the recovery time of borborygums, the recovery time of gas discharge, and the recovery time of defecation were all shorter significantly than those in late-stage subgroup and control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). In early-stage subgroup, APACHE II scores, the recovery time of WBC and blood/uric amylase, complications, operation transfer rate, death rate and admission time were all lower remarkably than those in late-stage subgroup and control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); but, there were no statistical significant differences in comparison between late-stage subgroup and control group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture intervention on SAP complicated with intestinal paralysis is superior remarkably to that of conventional treatment, and the efficacy of electroacupuncture intervention at early stage is better than that at late stage.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction ; etiology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; complications ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of huperzine A on the cognitive function of rats recovering from general anesthesia and discuss its possible mechanism.

METHODSSixty rats (20 to 23 weeks old) were subjected to spatial reference memory version of navigation task, in which the rats were expected to locate the escape platform in water. Two sessions of training were given daily for 5 days, and on the 5th day, the escape latencies of the rats were recorded. The rats were then divided randomly into 5 groups (n=12), and in 4 of the groups, the rats received an intraperitoneal injection of diprivan (Dip) at 2 mg/kg and after recovery of righting reflex, huperzine A was given at 0.05 mg/kg (group L), 0.1 mg/kg (group M), 0.2 mg/kg (group H), and in group C, no subsequent huperzine A was given; in group E, the rats received normal saline injection only. One hour after righting reflex recovery, the escape latencies of all the rats were recorded again, and the level of AChE expression in the forebrain cortex was measured quantitatively.

RESULTSThe escape latencies after righting reflex recovery was significantly longer than that on day 5 (P<0.05), and the rats in group H had the shortest escape latency among the groups (P<0.05). The average gray scale of AChE in the forebrain of rats in group H was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONHuperzine A can inhibit cholinesterase in the brain to improve the cognitive function of rats recovering from general anesthesia.

Alkaloids ; Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Cholinesterase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Propofol ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sesquiterpenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) mRNA in bronchial asthma and explore its significance.

METHODSPeripheral blood eosinophil MBP mRNA levels were measured in 40 patients with asthma and 20 normal controls by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The association of MBP mRNA levels with eosinophil count and pulmonary function was also analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, MBP mRNA level were significantly increased in asthma patients (0.37-/+0.11 vs 0.17-/+0.04, P<0.001), so was the eosinophil count (0.86-/+0.52 vs 0.21-/+0.10, P<0.001). MBP mRNA levels in patients with moderate persistent asthma (0.42-/+0.05) and those with severe persistent asthma (0.47-/+0.05) were significantly higher than those in patients with mild persistent asthma (0.25-/+0.06, P<0.001), and the difference in MBP mRNA levels between moderate persistent asthma patients and severe ones was also significant (P<0.05). Among the asthma patients, MBP mRNA levels showed an inverse correlation with pulmonary function (r=-0.7490, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONIncreased MBP mRNA expression level may correlate with the severity of asthma. MBP may play an important role in the development of asthma.

Adult ; Asthma ; genetics ; pathology ; Blood Proteins ; genetics ; Eosinophil Major Basic Protein ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proteoglycans ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction