This article was aimed to investigate the cell proliferation , cell apoptosis and its related molecular mechanisms of the human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 in v itro after treatment with cinnamaldehyde . The MTT Assay demonstrated the inhibitory effect of cinnamaldehyde . And the Flow Cytometry was used to determine its induction of cell apoptosis. The Hoechst 33342 was used to observe morphological changes during apoptosis . Moreover , quantitative real time PCR and western blot analysis were used to detect the effect of cinnamaldehyde on human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 . The results showed that compared with the control group , cinnamaldehyde had inhibitory effect on human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 ( P <0 . 01 ) . It showed that cinnamaldehyde induced apoptosis through the downregulation of Bcl-2 , Bcl-xL and Survivin expression , upregulation of Bax and Bak expression , downregulation of Bcl-2 and Procaspase-3 , and upregulation of BAX . It was concluded that cinnamaldehyde had inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 and induced apoptosis . It may be related to the activation of the endogenous apoptosis pathway .

Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

Objective To determine the safety of the fetal olfactory ensheathing cell(OEC) transplantation in patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) by examination of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods A prospective clinical study involving 16 patients with chronic SCI was designed to investigate the feasibility and biological safety of the fetal OEC transplantation in treatment of SCI. The olfactory bulbs from the 3-4-month-old aborted human fetuses following the strict ethical guidelines were harvested and trypsinized down to single fetal OEC. These cells were then cultured for 12-17 days and were prepared for a clinical use. From November 2001 to December 2002, 16 patients with chronic SCI were randomly enrolled. The patients suffered from SCI for 1.5-8 years (average 4.3 years) after the injury. The suspension (50 μl) containing about 1×106 fetal OECs was transplanted by an injection into the patients' spinal cords above and below the injury site. All the patients were assessed before the transplantation and were followed up with MRI for 29-42 months (average 38 mon) after the transplantation. Results No cell-related adverse effects were observed in any patient during the follow-up period. The follow-up with MRI did not reveal any development of optic glial tumor, tumor-like mass, new hemorrhage, edema, expanding cyst, new cyst formation, infection or disruption of the neural structure in the transplant site of all the patients. Conclusion This is the first clinical study demonstrating the long-term safety of the OEC therapy for SCI. The results indicate that our protocol is feasible and safe in treatment of patients with chronic SCI within 38 months after the injury. Although the size of the samples for our study was not big enough, the positive results of the study have encouraged us to make a further research in this field.

AIM: To explore the curative effect of methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy on thyroid associated ophthalmopathy.
METHODS:Fifty- one cases ( 96 eyes ) with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy were treated with methylprednisolone ( 500mg/d ) for 3d, and then retrobulbar injection of octreotide (0. 1mg/mo) for 3mo in one course. Symptoms and signs of the patients were observed before and after the treatment course.
RESULTS: Symptoms of 49 cases were improved significantly. In all cases, the mean value of exophthalmus of the patients was significantly decreased after the treatment by 3. 1 ± 1. 4mm. The height of palpebral fissure was significantly decreased after the treatment by 2. 4 ± 0. 9mm, there were statistically significant difference before and after treatment (P<0. 05).
COCLUSION: Methylprednisolone with octreotide retrobulbar injection therapy can improve symptoms and signs of the patients with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy with high safety and no obvious side effect.

Background Mitomycin C (MMC) is still irreplaceable until now.While it's current administration method has proved less than effective in the treatment of refractory glaucoma.To construct a MMC sustained release system which can maintain effective concentration and reduce toxicity is important for postoperative scarring regulation after glaucoma filtration surgery.Objective To evaluate the postoperative effect of use PTMC-F127-PTMC thermosensitive hydrogel as a new drug delivery carrier to sustained release MMC in rabbit trabeculactory.Methods Sixty rabbits,aged 10 to 14 weeks,were divided into 5 trabeculectomy groups in accordance with the random number table,including surgery only group,blank PTMC-F127-PTMC group and three sustained groups with 0.1 ml PTMC-F127-PTMC loaded with 0.05,0.10,0.20 g/L MMC injected after surgery.The MMC concentration of anterior chamber aqueous in three sustained release group with 0.1 ml PTMC-F127-PTMC loaded with 0.05,0.1,0.2 g/L MMC injected after surgery were tested by Guangzhou Analysis and Testing Center using high performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS).At 3,7 days postoperatively,0.1 ml aqueous humor from 2 random selected rabbits in each group was extracted using 1 ml syringe with 30G needles from corneal limbus.At postoperative 1,3,5,7,10,14,28 days,bleb width and depth were calculated with caliper measurements and height was graded semiquantitatively by slit-lamp examinations,intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured with Tonopen.And corneal endothelial cell densities were examined by corneal endothelial counting before and 28 days after surgery.Sequential sections of the operative region were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) after taking off the eyeballs from dead rabbits at 28 days later.Results MMC could be sustained released from PTMC-F127-PTMC hydrogel for more than 20 days.The mean postoperative bleb survival time in trabeculectomy surgery only group,blank hydrogel group and three sustained release groups were (5.3 ± 0.4),(5.5 ± 0.4),(12.2 ± 1.0),(25.1 ± 0.9),(26.7 ± 0.7) days respectively,the difference between each group was significantly (F =123.200,P =0.000).0.05 g/L MMC sustained release group has a better bleb survival time than that of surgery only group and blank hydrogel group (P =0.000).Compared with other groups,0.10 g/L and 0.20 g/L MMC sustained group has the longest bleb survival time (P =0.000),and more obvious IOP downtrending (F=53 010.000,P＜0.01).But the difference between the two groups was not significant.There was no difference in cornea endothelia cells counts between each group and no MMC was detected in aqueous humors.Histopathology test shows that the inflammatory response and fibrosis were lighter in MMC sustained release group,with stronger proliferation inhibition.Conclusions PTMC-F127-PTMC thermosensitive hydrogel can be a new drug delivery carrier to sustained release MMC.Sustain release MMC can extent bleb survival time with low toxicity.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic colorectal operation.Methods The clinical data of 25 patients with benign or malignant carcinoma at the upper part of the colon or rectum who were admitted to the No.4 People's Hospital of Zigong from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed,and the clinical experience of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic colorectal operation was summarized.Surgical procedure was selected according to the position and nature of the lesion.Patients were followed up via out-patient examination and phone call till March 2013.Results Partial colorectal resection was done on 14 patients,radical resection of right colon on 1 patient,radical resection of transverse colon on 1 patient,radical resection of left colon on 1 patient,radical resection of sigmoid colon on 2 patients and radical rectectomy on 6 patients.The operation was successfully carried out on 22 patients,2 patients received four-port laparoscopic colorectal operation,and 1 patient was converted to open surgery.The median length of the incision of single-port laparoscopic colorectal operation was 3.8 cm (range,3.5-4.5 cm),and the operation time was (192 ± 32) minutes.The intraoperative blood loss was (61 ± 21)mL,and the median diameter of the tumor was 2.7 cm (range,1.0-5.0 cm).The median number of lymph nodes dissected was 7 (range,3-22),the mean time of postoperative anal exhaust time was 2 days (range,1-5 days),and the mean time of postoperative hospital stay was 8 days (range,6-20 days).The incidence of postoperative complications was 8.0％ (2/25),including 1 patient with wound infection and 1 patient with anastomotic leakage.The circumferential resection margins of radically resected specimens were negative in 11 patients.Twenty-two patients who received transumbilical single-port laparoscopic colorectal resection were followed up,and the median time of follow-up was 12 months.Colorectal liver metastasis was detected on 1 patient at postoperative month 10,and the other patients survived without tumor recurrence or metastases.Conclusions Transumbilical singleport laparoscopic colorectal operation is safe,micro-traumatic and feasible,and it also has less complication and good cosmetic effect.

Objective To obtain the economic data in the aspects of cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of neonatal congenital hypothyroidism(CH) screening in Foshan City and to make assessment on the effect of screening works.Methods The economic related data were collected by the screening center,literatures,official resources and questionnaire investigation.The statistical tool and Tree Age Pro health decision analysis software were used to conduct the assessment on the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of screening works.Results The screening program invested 17.95 million Yuan in total during 2000-2007,and the gain benefits was 117.69 million Yuan,net benefit was 9 975.52 ten thousand Yuan.The cost-benefit ratio was 1.00∶6.56.Each investing 3 216 Yuan could avoid a disability-adjusted life year.Conclusion The CH screening item has good economic applicability and is worth investing more funding for further promotion and popularization.

AIMTo study the relationship between changes of learning, memory and orphanin FQ (OFQ) in hippocampus of rats in acute hypobaric hypoxia at two different altitude levels of 4 500 m(moderate) and 7 500 m(serious).

METHODSHypobaric chamber, Morris water maze training method and RT-PCR technique were used in the experiment.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the control, the OFQ mRNA expression of hippocampus increased significantly after exposure to acute serious hypobaric hypoxia (8 h/d for 6 d in succession), but obviously decreased after Morris water maze training (6 times/d for 6 d in succession, the latency of place navigation was shortened). (2) After exposure to acute hypobaric hypoxia, the latency of place navigation was markedly elongated, but the OFQ mRNA of hippocampus was significantly higher than that of learning and memory group.

CONCLUSIONThe hippocampal OFQ was involved in the mechanism of decrease in spatial learning and memory induced by acute hypobaric hypoxia.

Altitude ; Animals ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; Opioid Peptides ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the incidence of dementia among elderly people in Xi'an and its related risk factors.

METHODSSubjects that had been studied on the prevalence of dementia were follow-up, and the incidence of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD) , and vascular dementia (VD) were counted by person-years. The clinical diagnosis on dementia,AD and VD were based upon the 3rd Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical of Manual of Mental Disorder, Revised version (DSM-III-R) and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria.

RESULTS2197 subjects of non-dementia being identified in 1998, were re-surveyed in 2001. Out of them, 47 new cases of dementia including 37 cases of AD and 8 cases of VD were identified, with an annual incidence rates of dementia, AD and VD as 0.68%, 0.54% and 0.12% among those of 55 years and over and 0.89%, 0.69% and 0.17% in 65 years and over, respectively. Analysis from single factor logistic regression showed that age and education but not gender were closely related to the occurrence of AD. On the contrary, age, hypertension and stroke were closely related to the occurrence of VD.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of dementia in the "Xi' an cohort" was similar to that being reported from other countries. AD and VD were an age-related diseases but education seemed to have had great protective effect while lack of formal education served as risk factor to AD.

Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Dementia ; classification ; epidemiology ; Educational Status ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pharmacokinetic and distribution character of scutellarin in plasma and tissues in rats, in order to provide some references for rational drug use in the clinic.

METHODThe solution of scutellarin was administered to rats (80 mg x kg(-1)) by oral gavage. A high performance liquid chromatography method determinated the scutellarin concentration in rat plasma and tissue. The plasma samples were performed by solid phase extraction method. The other biological samples were extracted by ethyl acetate.

RESULTThe range of scutellarin in plasma and tissue in rats were 10-1280 ng x mL(-1) (R2 > 0.99), 40-1280 ng x g(-1) (R2 > 0.99), respectively. The lowest detection of scutellarin were 10 ng x mL(-1) and 40 ng x g(-1), the precision were less than 8%. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of scutellarin were as follows: tmax, Cmax, AUC and MRT being (7.7 +/- 0.9) h, (288.0 +/- 75.2) microg x L(-1), (5.6 +/- 1.6) microg x mL(-1) x h(-1), (17.5 +/- 1.4) h(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThese methods applied the study of pharmacokinetics of scutellarin. After oral the scutellarin in rats, the concentration-time course doesn't obey any compartment model. The concentration-time curve is the double peaks.

Animals ; Apigenin ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Glucuronates ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Distribution