Objective To evaluate the role of fibroblast growth faetor-2 (FGF-2) in neuropathic pain (NP) in rats.Methods One hundred male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 7 weeks,weighing 200-250 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=25 each): sham operation group (group S),group NP,phosphate buffer solution (PBS) group and FGF-2 antibody group (group Ab).FGF-2 antibody 18 μg (40 μl) was injected intrathecally at 1,6,9,13,16 and 20 days after operation in group Ab,while the equal volume of PBS was injected intrathecally in group PBS.Spinal nerve injury was produced by exposing the sciatic nerve and its branches and ligation and transection of tibial nerve and common fibular nerve.Pain behavior was assessed at 1 day before operation and at 1,4,7,14 and 21 days after operation.The paw withdrawal mechanical threshold (PWMT) was measured.The animals were then sacrificed and the lumbar segment (L4-6) of the spinal cord was obtained for determination of the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the spinal cord.Results Compared with group S,the PWMT was significantly decreased and the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in the spinal cord was significantly increased in groups NP,PBS and Ab (P ＜ 0.05).The PWMT was significantly higher and the contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in the spinal cord were significantly lower in group Ab than in groups NP and PBS (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion FGF-2 is involved in the occurrence and development of NP and induction of the inflammatory response in the rat spinal cord in involved in the mechanism.

·AIM:To investigate the effect of β1-integrin overexpression on the adhesion and migration of rabbit corneal epithelial (RCE) cells.·METHODS:Eukaryotic expression vector encoding β1-integrin-GFP fusion DNA was transfected into RCE cells,and the β1-integrin-GFP fusion gene was examined by RT-PCR and Western blot.The adhesion to Matrigel and the migration of the transfected cells were determined by adhesion and mobility assays.The phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was examined by Western blot.·RESULTS:The overexpression of β1-integrin-GFP fusion gene by RCE cells was successfully established.β1-integrin transfection significantly promoted the adhesion of RCE cells to Matrigel ( P < 0.05 ).β1-integrin overexpression also promoted the migration ability of RCE cells and induced FAK phosphorylation in them (P < 0.05).·CONCLUSION:These data suggest that overexpression of β1-integrin promotes the adhesion and migration of RCE cells and that the FAK pathway may play an important role in this process.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to compare symptoms, medical therapies, and nursing interventions with terminal cancer patients during the last four weeks of their lives in a hospice unit and general units. METHOD: For the descriptive survey study, data were collected by reviewing the medical records of 243 patients who died of terminal cancer at K hospital in Seoul. The data was analyzed by using Chi-square test and t-test. RESULT: The study findings are summarized as follows: There were higher frequencies in physical symptoms of constipation, itching sensation, pain, sleeping disturbance, soreness and dysuria for those patients in the hospice unit than those patient in general units. All emotional symptoms were recorded significantly higher for those patients in the hospice unit than those in general units. Regarding the major medical interventions, pain management was used more significantly for those patients in the hospice unit, but antibiotic therapy and resuscitation were used more significantly for those patients in general units. CONCLUSION: The hospice unit provided more comprehensive nursing interventions including psychological, spiritual, and family cares as well as physiological care for terminal cancer patients. The facts showed that those patients who would need hospice care in general units should be referred to the hospice unit at an appropriate time.
Constipation ; Dysuria ; Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Nursing* ; Pain Management ; Pruritus ; Resuscitation ; Sensation ; Seoul

PURPOSE: Piccolo et al. advocated the usefulness of Tc-99m-MDP breast scan in differential diagnosis of breast mass with high accuracy. But there are little or no follow-up studies about it as we know. We studied Tc-99m-MDP uptake pattern and lesions/background ratio in patients complaining palpable breast lesions to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Tc-99m-MDP scan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 34 patients were studied with physical examination, mammogram and Tc-99m-MDP scan prospectively. Anteroposterior and both lateral view of breast were obtained 5 minutes after iv injection of 740 MBq Tc-99m-MDP. Breast uptake pattern of Tc-99m-MDP was analyzed by a grade system: 0=no uptake, grade 1=bilateral diffuse uptake, grade 2=asymmetric faint uptake, grade 3=focal hot uptake. 20 cases were pathologically confirmed by excision biopsy or aspiration biopsy. 14 cases were normal in physical examination and mammo-grain. RESULTS: Pathologic results showed 7 carcinomas, 6 benign solid tumors, and 7 fibrocystic changes. Grade 3 pattern of Tc-99m-MDP uptake was noted in 4/7 carcinomas, 3/6 benign solid tumors, and 1/7 fibrocystic changes. Grade 2 pattern was 2/7, 0/7, 3/7 respectively. The average L/B ratio was 1.66 in carcinomas, 1.68 in benign solid masses, 1.20 in fibrocystic diseases, 1.05 in normal patients. L/B ratio was higher in carcinoma and benign mass groups than in fibrocystic change and normal control groups(p=0.005). But there was no statistical difference between L/B ratio of malignant mass group and benign mass group. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m-MDP scan is not suitable to routine clinical use for breast mass diagnosis. It might be used in limited conditions when whole body bone scan is planned.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammography ; Physical Examination ; Prospective Studies ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate*

Designing of natural product-like compounds using natural products as template structures is an important strategy for the discovery of new drugs. Gambogic acid (GA), which is a Garcinia natural product with a unique caged xanthone scaffold, inhibits potent antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. This review summarized the researches on the identification of the antitumor pharmacophore of GA, and the design, structural optimization and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of natural product-like caged xanthones based on it.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biological Products ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Garcinia ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Xanthones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

Objective To explore the clinical features, surgical techniques and treatment efficacy of blood blis?ter-like aneurysms (BBA) of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Method We retrospectively reviewed 45 BBAs of the ICA treated surgically at our department between Jan. 2006 and Jan. 2016. The data was analyzed. Results Direct clipping of BBA was performed in 38 patients, clipping over wrapping in 3 patients and trapping of ICA in 4 patients. Intraoperative rupture occurred in 12 patients (27%). Postoperative cerebral infarction developed in 10 cases (22%). Seven patients died (16%). During the follow-up time of 47 months (range, 6~126 months), Good results were achieved in 34 patients (76%) with a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0~2 and 4 patients were in mRS 3~5. Follow-up angiography revealed a re?currence of BBA in one patient, which was retreated with endovascular coiling. No rebleeding was found in all fol?lowed-up patients. Conclusions BBAs of the ICA are difficult to treat surgically with high risk and complications. Thoughtful pre-operative evaluation of BBA and application of various surgical strategies during operation can signifi?cantly reduce the surgical risk and achieve good outcomes.

A novel method for the simultaneous quantification of seven metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in human urine was developed using online solid phase extraction-HPLC with double ternary liquid chromatography system combined with fluorescence detector. The target compounds were online concentrated on the Turboflow Cyclone solid phase extraction column at first, then transferred by the six-way valve to the Hypersil Green PAH column for separation with acetonitrile and water as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1. 0 mL/min and at 35 ℃. A single sample analysis cycle took only 20 min. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the method showed good linear relationship ( r≥0. 999 ) in the range of 5-2000 ng/L or 50-20000 ng/L. The LODs were 0. 5-15 ng/L, and the recoveries were 80. 7%-110. 7%. The proposed method was successfully applied in the detection of metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine from several smokers and non-smokers. The concentrations of 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 1-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydroxyfluorene, 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, 4-hydroxyphenanthrene and 6-hydroxychrysene in the smokers urine were much higher than that in non-smokers.

· AIM: To investigate the effect of β1-integrin overexpression on the apoptosis of rabbit corneal epithelial cells and the related mechanism. · METHODS: The plasmid expressing β1-integrin-GFP fusion protein was constructed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and this plasmid (β1 group) or the empty vector (mock group) was transfected into rabbit corneal epithelial cells, respectively. The expression of β1-integrin-GFP fusion gene was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. The adhesion of transfected cells to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins was determined by adhesion assay. The apoptosis of rabbit corneal epithelial cells was assayed by Hoechst 33342 staining and DNA ladder. The phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase was examined by Western blot. · RESULTS: Rabbit corneal epithelial cells overexpressing β1 -integrin-GFP fusion gene were successfully established. Compared with mock group, β1-integrin transfection significantly promoted the adhesive of rabbit corneal epithelial cells to ECM proteins such as laminin, fibronectin, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅳ. Β1-integrin overexpression inhibited apoptosis and induced MAP kinase phosphorylation in rabbit corneal epithelial cells (P<0.05).· CONCLUSION: These data suggest that overexpression of β1-integrin confers resistance to apoptosis in rabbit corneal epithelial cells, and MAP kinase pathway may play an important role in this process.

Epinephrine ; Pulmonary Edema

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients residing in hospice units. The convenient sample of this study consisted of 41 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires three times at predetermined intervals: admission to the hospice unit (Time 1), one week later (Time 2), and two weeks later (Time 3). The data was collected from January 1998 to January 1999 and was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The mean age of the participants was approximately 55 years old. In terms of diagnosis, lung cancer showed the highest frequency (19.5%), followed by stomach cancer and rectal cancer (17.1%). The motive of seeking hospice unit admission was control (72. 2%), followed by spiritual care (50%), and symptom relief (38.9%). 2. Regarding the type of pain felt, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (55%), followed by multiple pain (25%), intestinal pain (10%), then superficial (5%) and neurogenic pain (5%). For the level of pain measured by VAS, there was no significant difference among the three time points; Time 1 (5.04 +/-2.21), Time 2 (4.82+/-2.58) and Time 3(4.73+/-2.51). 3. There was significant change seen in spirituality and physical care in each time interval. Namely, the longer the length of admission at the hospice unit, the higher the importance of spirituality (p=0.0001) and the more the physical care the participants received (p=0.01). The opioid use at the three time points showed the following frequencies : Time 1 (75.6%), Time 2 (85.4%) and Time 3 (75.6%). 4. Regarding factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p <0.01) and the opioid use (p <0.1). These results were the most significant at the two time points (Time 1 and Time 2). At Time 3 (two weeks later), the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (p <0.05) and the amount of physical care the participants received (p <0.1). In conclusion, the terminally ill cancer patients had moderate pain, were generally depressed, and were treated with opioid analgesics. As approaching death, the patients received more physical care due to increased physical symptoms experienced and they had a higher perception of the importance of spirituality. Thus, health care professionals need to provide continuous care for each of them to die comfortably physically, psycho- logically, and spiritually.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Diagnosis ; Hospices* ; Humans ; Logic ; Lung Neoplasms ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Spirituality ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Terminally Ill*