Wnt signals widely exist in live creatures,involved in many physical or pathological processes,including the cell prolif-eration, differentiation and apoptosis. Recent studies show that Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may play an important regula-tory role in the protective effects of neurovascular unit in ische-mic stroke. Some chemicals,such as sulindac and estradiol,and some compound traditional Chinese medicine which contains gly-coside( e. g. rhodiola rosea ) , volatile oil ( e. g. turmeric ) and compound prescription ( e. g. Dan Long Xing Nao Fang ) can protect the neurovascular unit by regulating the pathway. This aims to review the research progress of the protective effects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on the neurovascular unit in is-chemic stroke,with combination of chemicals and traditional Chi-nese medicine which can protect the neurovascular unit via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. It aims to provide the methodology basis for elucidating the mechanism of drugs,and also provide a new idea for researching the new drug which can reduce the dis-ability rate caused by sequela of stroke.

AIMAccumulated evidence suggest that the development of vascular calcification is similar to osteogenesis. Here we want to elucidate the effect of the common used osteo-regulatory factor 1,25(OH)2D3 on vascular calcification.

METHODS AND RESULTSAdding 10(-9) mol/L to the culture media 1,25(OH)2D3 time dependently increased the calcium deposition on the in vitro calcification of bovine vascular smooth muscle cells (BVSMCs) induced by beta-GP. It also increased cellular alkaline phosphatase activity by 301.1% during the calcified process. Osteocalcin, one of the osteogenic specific metric proteins, was dramatically elevated by 58.3% during the calcified processes, which indicate the transformation of BVSMCs to osteoblastic cell. 1,25(OH)2D3 had no such effect on non-calcified BVSMCs.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 exerts a stimulatory effect on vascular calcification through increasing the synthesis of ALP. This effect shares the same character as osteoblast cells. This effect is limited to the calcified prone vascular cell.

Animals ; Calcitriol ; metabolism ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism ; Vascular Calcification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical effect and safety of floating needle therapy and duloxetine in treating patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD).

METHODSTotally 108 PSPD patients were randomly assigned to the floating needle treatment group, the duloxetine treatment group, and the placebo treatment group, 36 in each group. Patients in the floating needle treatment group received floating needle therapy and placebo. Those in the duloxetine treatment group received duloxetine and simulated floating needle therapy. Those in the placebo treatment group received the placebo and simulated floating needle therapy. All treatment lasted for six weeks. Efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated using Simple McGill pain scale (SF-MPQ) and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) before treatment and immediately after treatment, as well as at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, 17 items), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed before treatment and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Patients in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group with the total reducing score rate of SF-MPQ in Pain Rating index (PRI) ≥ 50% after 6 weeks' treatment were involved in the follow-up study.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the same group before treatment, SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total scores all decreased in all the three groups at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides , each item of SF-MPQ significantly decreased immediately after treatment in the floating needle treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the placebo treatment group, SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA total score in the floating needle treatment group significantly decreased after 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total score in the duloxetine treatment group also significantly decreased after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) There were 3 patients (8.3%) who had adverse reactions in the floating needle treatment group, 17 (50.0%) in the duloxetine treatment group, and 7 (21.2%) in the placebo treatment group. Compared with the placebo treatment group, the incidence of adverse reaction increased in the duloxetine treatment group (χ² = 6.04, P < 0.05). Besides, it was higher in the duloxetine treatment group than in the floating needle treatment group (χ² = 14.9, P < 0.05). (3) There were 19 patients in the floating needle treatment group and 17 patients in the duloxetine treatment group involved in the follow-up study. Compared with 6 weeks after treatment, no significant difference was observed at 3 and 6 months after treatment in the score of SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were 5 patients (29.4%) who had adverse reactions in the duloxetine treatment group, and no adverse reactions were observed in the floating needle treatment group. The adverse reaction rate was significantly different between the two groups (χ² = 4.26, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFloating needle therapy and duloxetine were effective in treatment of patients with PSPD. However, floating needle therapy could relieve pain more rapidly than duloxetine, with obviously less adverse reactions.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Anxiety Disorders ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain ; Pain Management ; methods ; Pain Measurement ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Somatoform Disorders ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

AIMTo investigate the effects of praeruptorin C (Pra-C) on smooth muscle cell (SMC) hypertrophy, intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i), nitric oxide (NO) content and influence on cellular signal transduction in isolated cultured rat smooth muscle cell (SMC).

METHODSHypertrophied smooth muscle cells (HSMCs) were induced by angiotensin II (Ang II), cell area was measured under inverted microscope. Nitric oxide (NO) concentration was measured using Griess method. [Ca2+]i was measured using Fura-2/AM. The responses to [Ca2+]i elevation stimulated by KCl (60 mmol.L-1 or norepinephrine (10 mumol.L-1) were observed by incubation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), staurosporine (ST), the agonist and inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), and pertussis toxin (PTX), the sensitive toxin of Gi.

RESULTSThe cell area of SMCs were decreased by 39.01% (P < 0.001) and NO content of SMCs were significantly increased in Pra-C + Ang II group. In presence of 60 mmol.L-1 KCl or 10 mumol.L-1 NE, [Ca2+]i of SMCs in Pra-C + Ang II group was significantly decreased than that of Ang II group (P < 0.001) and closed to the normal group. Incubation of SMCs with PMA, ST and PTX, [Ca2+]i of SMCs in Ang II group was increased by PMA and decreased by ST and PTX, but that of Pra-C + Ang II group was similar to the normal group.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that Pra-C can reduce vascular hypertrophy in isolated rat HSMCs, and this is associated with improvement of SMCs [Ca2+]i level, NO content and cellular signal transdution of PKC and Gi.

Angiotensin II ; Animals ; Aorta ; pathology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Coumarins ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hypertrophy ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

Objective To compare the diagnostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and 64 multi-slice spiral CT (64-MSCT) for coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Fifty-two patients with suspected or known CAD were included in the study. Each patient underwent both stress and rest MPI,MSCT as well as conventional coronary angiography (CAG) within 1 month. The stress and rest MPI were scored by a 5-grade criteria (0 ～ 4) based on 17 coronary artery segments. The difference between summed stress and rest scores ＞ 1 was defined as myocardial ischemia. Stenosis in one main vessel or one main branch of the main vessel ≥50% was defined as myocardial ischemia by MSCT. CAG was used as the reference for comparison. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13. 0 software. Kappa value was used to test the accordance of MPI and MSCT results. X2 test was used to evaluate the difference between MPI and MSCT results. Results The patient-based sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of MPI and MSCT for the diagnosis of CAD were 86.7% (26/30), 77.3% ( 17/22),83.9% (26/31), 81.0% ( 17/21), 82.7% (43/52) and 83.3% ( 25/30), 86.4% ( 19/22), 89.3%( 25/28), 79.2% ( 19/24), 84.6% (44/52), respectively. The vessel-based sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of MPI and MSCT were 74.5% (38/51), 81.0% (85/105 ), 65.5% (38/58), 86.7% ( 85/98), 78.8% ( 123/156 ) and 90.2% (46/51 ), 88.6% ( 93/105 ),79.3 % (46/58), 94.9% (93/98), 89.1% ( 139/156), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between MPI and MSCT for either patient or lesion-based diagnosis (X2 =0.44, 0.21, both P ＞0.05 ). 96.0% (24/25) patients with both abnormal MPI and MSCT positive were valified by CAG while 83.3% (15/18) patients with both MPI and MSCT negative were excluded by CAG. Conclusions Both MPI and MSCT are reliable diagnostic modalities for CAD. They also provide complementary diagnostic value to each other.

Tumor brings great threat to human public health. In recent years, incidence rate and mortality of tumor were rapidly increased in the world. Anti-tumor therapies have undergone the development of cytotoxic therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Among them, tumor immunotherapy is rapidly developed and becomes an important anti-tumor therapy in recent years, although it also brings some related side effects. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of immune cells, vascular vessels, fibroblasts, the extracellular matrix, etc. TME significantly affects the efficacy of immunotherapy. Macrophages in the TME are named as tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). Recently, increasing studies have shown that TAMs play an important role in the regulation of tumor immunity, especially in tumor immune surveillance and immune escape. Currently, more and more anti-tumor immunotherapy strategies targeting TAMs are at the development stage. Based on the important role of TAMs in the TME and their potential as therapeutic targets in tumor immunotherapy, we first reviewed the subtypes and functions of TAMs, as well as the roles of TAMs in tumors. Furthermore, we summarized the research progress on anti-tumor strategies targeting TAMs and the current status of drug targeting TAMs. The current review will provide new ideas and novel insights for tumor immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: To describe the therapeutic effect and possibility of the ultra-early surgery for poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (Hunt-Hess grades IV - V). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine cases with intracranial aneurysms, demonstrated by computed tomographic angiography (CTA), were treated by ultra-early surgery under general anesthesia within 24 hours from subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 5 cases were treated within 6 hours and 4 cases in 6 - 24 hours. Preoperative Hunt-Hess grade: 6 cases were IV and 3 cases were V. The clinical outcome was evaluated by Glasgow Outcome Scores (GOS). RESULTS: In operation, difficult dissection occurred in 5 cases (55.6%), and rupture of aneurysm occurred and temporary obstructions were performed in 4 cases (44.4%). After clipping of aneurysm, 2 cases underwent V-P shunt because of hydrocephalus, pulmonary infection occurred in 3 cases, hypothalamus reaction accompanied with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 2 cases. The clinical outcome were favorable (GOS 4 - 5) in 4 cases (44.4%), dissatisfied (GOS 2 - 3) in 3 cases (33.3%), and dead (GOS 1) in 2 cases (22.2%) when patients departed from our hospital. CONCLUSION: The ultra-early surgery can avoid early rebleeding of intracranial aneurysm, therefore, should be considered in the treatment of Hunt-Hess grade IV-V intracranial aneurysms. The appliance of CTA can make it possible to use of ultra-early surgery and improve the therapeutic effect.
Adult ; Aged ; Cerebral Angiography ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm/pathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/pathology/*surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the endoscopic and histopathological morphology of large intestinal serrated adenomas (SA).

METHODSThe endoscopic and pathological data of 71 SA patients, diagnosed in the Digestive Endoscopy Center, Nanfang Hospital from January 2002 to July 2005, were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSForty-seven of the 71 serrated adenomas were protruded (sessile 23, semipedunculated 5, pedunculated 23) and 24 were superficial (flat 16, laterally spreading 8). The mean sizes of the protruded and superficial SA were 10.5 mm and 16.6 mm, respectively, and both of them were frequently located in the sigmoid and rectum. Histopathologically, SA contained tubular glands in 53, tubulovillous glands in 9 and villous glands in 9 cases. Mild dysplasia was found in 47 SAs, moderate dysplasia in 22 SAs, and canceration foci in 2 SAs. The dysplasia of SAs (<10 mm) was significantly better than that of SAs (>or= 10 mm) (P< 0.01). Most IV and III L pit SAs presented villous glands (64%) and tubular glands (68%), respectively. 40% of hyperplastic polyps-like SAs, composed of tubular glands,showed II pit pattern. Atypia in II pit SAs was similar to that in IIIL pit SAs, but was worse than that in IV pit SAs.

CONCLUSIONPolyps with II pit pattern possibly are SAs sometimes. SA with the common characters of neoplastic polyps,should be regarded as a new potential precancerous lesion.

Adenoma ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pathology, Clinical ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo clarify the commercial original species of hippocampus in the market.

METHODField survey and interview were applied to the investigation.

RESULTPresent study identified the main commercial hippocampus of 13 species, including Pharmacopoeia contained four kinds of hippocampus (without Hippocampus japonicus) listed in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the identification method for the 13 kinds of commercially hippocampus was established.

CONCLUSIONThe further research on hippocampus should be strengthened for the establishment of hippocampal quality control standard.

Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; standards ; Quality Control ; Smegmamorpha ; anatomy & histology ; classification

Mantidis Oötheca is commonly used Chinese medicine. Because of the used medicinal part is oötheca and many mantis species can yield ootheca, it is not possible to identify its original animal accurately. There is no unanimous conclusion about the corresponding relationship between Mantis and Mantidis Oötheca (Sangpiaoxiao). This relationship is the basis of the Mantidis Oötheca research. Our study combined the methods of artificial incubation oötheca and capture the living mantis to identify the species of Mantis and Mantidis Oötheca. The results showed that the origin insects of Mantidis Oötheca was Tenodera, Hierodula and Statilia genus insects. This has laid a foundation for further study of Mantidis Oötheca.
Animals ; Mantodea ; chemistry ; classification ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; standards ; Quality Control