Objective To investigate the effect of astilbin on expression of CTLA-4 in activated T cells of mouse heart transplantation model with acute rejection.Methods Cardiomyocytes of BALB/ c mouse and spleen cells of C57BL/6 mouse were separated.The cardiomyocytes(2?10~5/ml)as irri- tation cells and spleen cells(1?10~6/ml)as responsers were mixed and cultured.The model of mouse heart transplantation with acute rejection in vitro was established.Three groups were set up:control group,Astilbin(15/?g/ml) group,Astilbin+anti-CTLA-4 mAb 9H10 (30?g/ml)group.Apoptosis of T cells was observed by TUNEL.The expression of CTLA-4 in activated T cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.Results Apoptosis indexes of activated T cells in Astilbin group were sig- nificantly higher than those in the control group(73.4%?12.5% vs 35.1%?9.2%,P＜0.01). The expression of CTLA-4 in Astilbin group was significantly higher than control group(P＜0.01), but there was no apparently difference between control group and Astilbin+CTLA-4 mAb group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Astilbin induces apoptosis of activated T cells in heart transplantation,which may be partially related to its enhanced expression of CTLA-4.

Objective To investigate quitting motivation of smoking patients with mild and moder-ate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) and evaluate the effects of smoking cessation methods based on cognitive intervention.Methods A total of 102 smoking patients with mild and moderate COPD from the outpatient department was divided into 4 blocks according to their intention of quitting smoking.Pa-tients in each block were randomly divided into intervention and control groups.Results ⑴All the re-spondents were at an average age of (61.3 ±12.3) years old.The sex ratio of men to women was 99∶3. The average smoking index (bag/year) in all the respondents was (39.81 ±11.53).The average daily smoking was (14.22 ±2.30) packs.The respondents with a lower degrees accounted for 55.9%and the respondents with high nicotine dependence 49.0%.A total of 39 people (38.2%) hoped to give up smok-ing, 20 people (19.6%) strongly hoped to give up smoking.⑵The main reasons for smoking included en-joyment (7.02), dependence (6.88), and calm (6.55).⑶There were statistically significant difference in the half-year continuous abstinence rates (χ2 =4.993, P =0.025) and in June quit rates (χ2 =6.668, P =0.010) between the intervention (58.82%) and control (33.33%) groups.The weight gain had sig-nificant difference between the intervention and control groups at the 3rd month ( t =2.65, P <0.01) or 6th month ( t =2.07, P <0.05) after quitting smoking.Conclusions The quitting motivation of smoking patients with mild and moderate COPD is not strong, while the smoking cessation methods based on cogni-tive intervention are effective for those patients.

Objective To investigate the role of Akt signal pathway on the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( MCP-1 ) and nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) in renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) stimulated by albumin and to explore the mechanisms of action. Method The HK-2 cells were incubated in the presence of albumin (5,15,30 mg/mL) with or without Ly294002 (an inhibitor of Akt). Expression of mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Expression of Akt and protein MCP-1 were assessed by Western blot. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to detect the activation of NF-κB. q-test was used to evaluate the differences in means between groups. Results Compared with control group, the expression of MCP-1 mRNA remarkly increased. [Control group: 0.233 ±0.01; BSA(5 mg/mL) group: 0.285 ±0.04; BSA( 15 mg/mL) group:0.387 ± 0.02; BSA ( 30 mg/mL) group: 0.473 ± 0.05; BSA ( 30 mg/mL) + Ly294002 group: 0. 325 ±0.05, P ＜ 0.05 ]. The expression of MCP-1 protein in renal interstitum of operation group were remarkly increased too. [ Control group: 100 ± 15.1; BSA ( 5 mg/mL) group: 148 ± 19.3; BSA ( 15 mg/mL) group: 176±20.7; BSA(30 mg/mL) group: 263 ± 18.1; BSA(30 mg/mL) + Ly294002 group: 175 ± 18.0, P ＜0.05 ]. Albumin stimulated the expression of MCP-1mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. Albumin remarkably increased the activity of NF-κB. Albumin enhanced the expression of Akt. Ly294002 inhibited albumin-induced the expression of NF-κB and partially decreased the level of MCP-1. Apositive correlation was noted between NF-κB activation and MCP-1 expression( r = 0.68 ,P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions Albumin-induces MCP-1 and NF-κB production via Akt signal pathway in renal tubular epithelial cells.

Antimicrobial peptides are a class of small peptides with anti-extrogenous pathogen activities.They are derived from organism and possess antibacterial,antifungus,antiviruses and anticancer cell actions.In recent years,it’s found that some microbial pathogens are able to resist antimicrobial peptides.The constitutive and inducible mechanism of a pathogen resists a given peptide were reviewed in this paper.

Objective To study the feasibility of novelty detection model in assessing the subject novelty of medical literature and comparatively analyze the advantages and disadvantages of words-overlap algorithm and co-words-based inverse file frequency quantitative algorithm. Methods Two novelty detection models were established for the 8 research subjects in PubMed-covered literature. The feasibility of two novelty detection models in assessing the subject novelty of medical literature was assessed according to the subject novelty of literature analyzed by experts, ROC curves and AUC values. Results Words-overlap algorithm showed that the fluctuating amplitude of subject novelty was rather high, which can thus reflect the difference between the contents in literature on the data. ROC curves and AUC values-based analysis revealed a high accuracy of words-overlap algorithm for judging the novelty of literature while co-words-based inverse file frequency quantitative algorithm displayed a low accuracy for judging the novelty of literature. Conclusion The novelty of literature detected with the two novelty detection methods is moderately related. The mean novelty value detected with the two novelty detection methods is of statistical signifi-cance. However, the novelty of literature detected with words-overlap algorithm is higher than that detected with co-words-based inverse file frequency quantitative algorithm.

Image-guided neurosurgery is playing a more and more important role in modern neurosurgical therapy. The current trend is to construct an open platform for image-guided neurosurgery, to make applied researches of various new therapeutic techniques, and finally to integrate them into the clinical image-guided neurosurgery system.
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Neurosurgery ; methods ; trends ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; trends

Studies of biological feedback (BF) for the treatment of chronic prostatitis (CP) are occasionally reported have exhibited some related problems. This article presents an evaluation of the published literature on the BF treatment of CP at home and abroad in the aspects of instrument, method, application, effect, function, and mechanism. UROSTYMTM and MyoTrac are often employed and their operating paths are basically the same. NIH prostate symptom scores, urinary function, pain, sexual function, immune function, prostate fluid, and other indicators are generally used for the analysis of the effects of BF alone or in combination with other therapies on CP and its related symptoms. Either BF alone or BF combined with other therapies can promote urination, reduce pain, improve the quality of life, attenuate inflammation, improve sexual function, adjust immunity, and lessen physical and chemical stimulation. However, the relevant literature is of low quantity and quality, the reported studies are not standardized, and exploration of the action mechanisms is neglected.
Biofeedback, Psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis ; therapy ; Quality of Life

The aim of this study was to fabricate biomatrix/polymer hybrid scaffolds using an electrospinning technique. Then tissue engineered heart valves were engineered by seeding mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) onto the scaffolds. The effects of the hybrid scaffolds on the proliferation of seed cells, formation of extracellular matrix and mechanical properties of tissue engineered heart valves were investigated. MSCs were obtained from rats. Porcine aortic heart valves were decellularized, coated with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) using an electrospinning technique, and reseeded and cultured over a time period of 14 days. In control group, the decellularized valve scaffolds were reseeded and cultured over an equivalent time period. Specimens of each group were examined histologically (hematoxylin-eosin [HE] staining, immunohistostaining, and scanning electron microscopy), biochemically (DNA and 4-hydroxyproline) and mechanically. The results showed that recellularization was comparable to the specimens of hybrid scaffolds and controls. The specimens of hybrid scaffolds and controls revealed comparable amounts of cell mass and 4-hydroxyproline (P>0.05). However, the specimens of hybrid scaffolds showed a significant increase in mechanical strength, compared to the controls (P<0.05). This study demonstrated the superiority of the hybrid scaffolds to increase the mechanical strength of tissue engineered heart valves. And compared to the decellularized valve scaffolds, the hybrid scaffolds showed similar effects on the proliferation of MSCs and formation of extracellular matrix. It was believed that the hybrid scaffolds could be used for the construction of tissue engineered heart valves.

Objective To report a case of deep mycosis caused by Rhizomucor chlamydosporus. Methods Medical history,histopathology and laboratory examination were investigated,and fungal identifi- cation by microscopy and culture as well in the patient.Results The patient,a 41-year-old male,initially presented with mild-tender and progressively aggravating masses on the right glutea,both groins,and back of the head of pancreas.Later,ulcer,necrosis,and black crusts developed at the primary lesions accompanied with nausea,vomitting and dysfunction of liver.Pathological examination revealed a chronic granuloma- tous inflammation in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue;and branching,nonseptate and broad hyphae in multinuclear giant cells,tissue spaces and blood vessel lumens,and,few PAS-positive septate hyphae as well as basophilic chlamydospores located in multinuclear giant cells.The isolate was identified as R. chlamydosporus.Conclusions The case of deep mycosis caused by R.chlamydosporus began with invasive granuloma,followed by necrotic ulcer,with condition aggravating rapidly,and the patient finally died of se- rious cachexia.

Danshen,an efficacious agent for cardiovascular diseases,has been found to play an essential role in kidney injury.In the present study,the effect of Danshen on cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction was investigated in a mouse model.Danshen was administered to mice at a dose of 3 g/kg 4 days before and 3 days after cisplatin treatment.A single intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg cisplatin was used to induce nephrotoxicity.The mice were sacrificed 72 h after cisplatin intoxication.Biochemical parameters including serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were analyzed.Histopathological changes of kidney tissues were detected using HE staining.Antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px and SOD) and peroxidative product (MDA) were detected.Protein expressions of Nrf2 and its target genes including HO-1 and NQO1 were measured by Western blotting.The results showed that pretreatment with Danshen significantly reduced serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in the cisplatin-treated mice.Histopathological examination showed that Danshen mitigated the renal damage induced by cisplatin.Moreover,Danshen restored the activities of antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px and SOD) and normalized the MDA contents in renal tissues.Western blotting revealed that Danshen enhanced the expressions of Nrf2 and its target genes in cisplatin-exposed mice.It was suggested that Danshen protects against the cisplatin-induced renal impairment in the mice,which is potentially associated with the upregulation of Nrf2-mediated signaling pathway.