Matrix Metalloproteinases ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Neovascularization, Physiologic

There are several aspects of blood pressure. Clinically, how to best assess blood pressure average and variability is still a matter of the ongoing debate. Besides office blood pressure, we must pay more careful attention focused on hypertension with blood pressure fluctuation. Impaired endothelial function is intimately associated with the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis. In this review, we describe the relation between endothelial dysfunction and hypertension, the effect of gene polymorphism on endothelial dysfunction, the effects of antihypertensive agents and dietary supplementation on impaired endothelial function in hypertension. In order to predict the future atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in subjects with hypertension, the adequate assessment of endothelial function is one of the most reliable markers. Furthermore, we discuss the close relationship between blood pressure variability and endothelial function. Blood pressure variability during a day or a week is an important, new risk factor for cardiovascular disease and restoring impaired endothelial function might be a target to prevent blood pressure variation and future cardiovascular events.
Antihypertensive Agents ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dietary Supplements ; Hypertension ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the surgical method and its clinical effects of minimally invasive osteosynthesis on the treatment of complex ankle fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to December 2011, 53 patients with complex ankle fractures were treated with minimally invasive osteosynthesis. There were 31 males and 22 females, with an average age of 38.2 years old (ranged, 18 to 65). According to the system of Lauge-Hansen, 32 fractures were supination external rotation injury (grade WV), 13 fractures were pronation external rotation (grade III or IV), 5 fractures were pronation abduction (grade III); and 3 fractures can not be classified due to serious comminution fracture of fibula. According to the system of Denis-Weber, there were 4 cases with type A, 34 cases with type B and 15 cases with type C. Seven cases were open fractures. The duration from injuries to operation ranged from 2 hours to 14 days with an average of 5 days. The sequence of reduction and fixation of ankle fractures was firstly posterior malleolus, then medial malleolus and lateral malleolus, and inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis lastly. The fractures of posterior malleolus were reduced and fixed through anterior ankle approaches; the fractures of medial and lateral malleolus were percutaneously fixed with bolts or blade plate or tensile force band; and inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis were firmly fixed if necessary. Baird-Jackson scoring system was used to evaluate clinical effects.

RESULTSForty-eight patients were followed up from 10 to 36 months with an average of 13 months. The fractures got healing with an average time of 12 weeks (ranged, 10 to 18). According to the Baird-Jackson scoring system, the mean score of ankle function was 94.7 +/- 4.2, and 28 cases obtained excellent results, 15 good, 3 fair and 2 poor. One case experienced superficial infections and was cured by changing dressings, 2 cases experienced fixed syndesmosis screw breakage.

CONCLUSIONThe surgical method of minimally invasive osteosynthesis can ensure the anatomical join restoration, protect the blood supply of fracture end, rebuild the function of ankle joint, obtain satisfactory clinical results in treating complex ankle fractures.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Ankle Fractures ; Ankle Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with high-normal blood pressure (HNBP).

METHODSThis study included 120 men with HNBP and another 120 with normal blood pressure (NBP) as controls. We analyzed the scores of the two groups on the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction 5 (IIEF-5).

RESULTSThe ED prevalence in the men with HNBP was 25.8%. After controlling for age, nationality, occupation, education, income, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, obesity, fatty liver, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood uric acid, the incidence of ED was 25.8% in the HNBP group, significantly higher than 14.2% in the NBP group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of ED is higher in men with HNBP than in those with NBP.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Adolescent ; Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; microbiology

BACKGROUNDHypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) may play an important role in the process of tumorigenesis as well as tumor progression. The aim of this study was to compare the expression between HIF-1α and HIF-2α in tumor angiogenesis and the overall impact on patient prognosis in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSIn the current work we compared the immunohistochemical expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in surgical specimens of 140 patients with NSCLC in a tissue microarray study. Relationships between HIF-α expression and clinicopathological or angiogenic factors, including prognosis, were analyzed.

RESULTSHigh HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression was noted in 49/140 (35.0%) and in 64/140 (45.7%) of the cases, respectively. There was no direct correlation between HIF-1α and HIF-2α expression. Patients with advanced stage tumors had frequent high expression of HIF-2α (P = 0.007), and we also found a significant correlation between HIF-2α and T or N stage (P = 0.030 and 0.043, respectively). HIF-1α showed a marginal association with T stage (P = 0.084), which showed a higher expression in early stage tumors. A significant correlation (P = 0.045) was noticed between HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression while the expression levels of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and microvessel density (MVD) were significantly higher in high HIF-2α tumors (P = 0.020, 0.004, and 0.046, respectively). In addition, univariate analysis of overall survival demonstrated that HIF-2α expression, but not HIF-1α, was related to poor outcome (P = 0.001) and it retained significant in multivariate analysis (P = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONSTaken together, we conclude that HIF-1α and HIF-2α may differentially regulate the major angiogenic factors in different stages of the tumor process in NSCLC. HIF-2α may play a dominant role in tumor angiogenesis and appears to be of obvious value as a significant prognostic factor in NSCLC.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; metabolism ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microvessels ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Thymidine Phosphorylase ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the feasibility of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide- enhanced(USPIO)-enhanced MR imaging for monitoring synovitis of antigen-induced arthritis in rabbit model and explore the optimal MR imaging sequences.Methods Nine female white rabbits with antigen(0.5 ml mBSA,2 mg/ml)induced arthritis of the right knees were used in the study.The left knees of these rabbits and both knees of another 3 rabbits served as the control.Nine to 28 days(mean 21.3 d)after successful model induction,all knees were imaged before and 24 h after intravenously injection of USPIO (0.3 ml/kg),among which 2 rabbits were also imaged at 48 and 72 h after administration of USPIO respectively.The MR protocol included spin-echo(SE) T_1WI,fast spin-echo(FSE)T_2WI,gradient echo (GRE)T_2~* WI and short tau inversion recovery(STIR).Images were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively based on signal characteristics and patterns of the synovium.Paired t-test was used for the analysis of the signal intensity of inflammatory synovial membrane before and 24 h after injection of USPIO. MR findings were correlated with histopathology.Results Arthritis was successfully induced in all 9 right knees with intraarticular injection of mBSA.Pathological examination revealed hyperplasia of synovium with infiltration of USPIO-loaded-macrophages.MR depicted synovial thickening(thickness 2.07?0.97 mm) and joint effusion.Synovium and joint fluid appeared as slightly hypo- or iso-intense on T_1 WI and hyper- intense on T_2 WI or T_2~* WI.Twenty four hours after USPIO injection,significant T_1 enhancement(ASNR 41.91%?27.94%),negative T_2 and T_2~* enhancement(△SNR -34.92%?11.77% and -57.24%? 16.05%)were demonstrated in the region of synovial inflammation respectively.The signal at 48 h and 72 h changed less than that at hour 24.No signs of arthritis occurred in all left knees and in all knees of the artificial model group.Conclusion Iron oxide phagocytized into macrophages can be a root cause resulted in signal change on USPIO-enhanced MR images.The gradient echo sequence should be the optimal sequence to be used in USPIO-enhanced MR imaging in antigen-induced arthritis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters and adrenergic receptors on liver fibrosis in murine schistosomiasis.

METHODSMice were infestated with schistosoma by means of pasting cercariae on their abdomens. Thirty mice were randomly divided into a control group and a model group. Hematoxylin eosin and Van Gieson staining were used to view the histopathology of their livers. Immunofluorescence histochemistry and laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy were used to measure the a1A and beta2 adrenergic receptors in livers of the two groups of mice. High performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD) was used to determine the concentration of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in the plasma of the mice.

RESULTSImmunofluorescence histochemistry showed that a1A and beta2 receptors were present in hepatocytes and hepatic sinusoids of the livers of the mice of the two groups, but there were many more in the livers of the schistosoma infected mice (t=-2.888; t=-6.648) (P<0.05). The results of HPLC-ECD showed that the levels of NE and DA in the model group were higher than those of the control group (t=-3.372; t=-4.428) (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSympathetic neurotransmitters and adrenergic receptors may participate in liver fibrogenesis in mice infected with schistosoma.

Animals ; Dopamine ; blood ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; parasitology ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; blood ; Norepinephrine ; blood ; Receptors, Adrenergic ; blood ; Schistosomiasis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal doses of X-ray irradiation and plasmid injection in the anti-tumor effect of the pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 gene combined with radiotherapy in vivo. METHODS: We observed the anti-tumor effect of the pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 gene combined with radiotherapy with different doses of X-ray irradiation (2, 10, 20 Gy) and plasmid injection (10, 20, 30 microg) in nude mice with JF-305 pancreatic carcinoma, and detected the expression of p16 in tumor by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The tumor growth rate of the nude mice irradiated locally with 20 Gy X-rays after the plasmid injection was significantly lower (P < 0.05 ) than that of the nude mice irradiated locally with 2 Gy or 10 Gy X-ray 3 days after the irradiation. The tumor growth rate of the nude mice injected locally with 20 microg or 30 microg plasmid was significantly lower (P <0.05 ) than that of the nude mice injected locally with 10 microg plasmid. Both pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 group and pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 +20 Gy group had p16 mRNA expression, but the mRNA level of pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 +20 Gy group was higher than that of pcD- NA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 group. CONCLUSION In the pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 gene combined with radiotherapy in vivo the optimal dose of X-ray irradiation was 20 Gy and the optimal dose of plasmid injection was 20 microg. The anti-tumor effect of pcDNA3. 1-Egr. 1p-p16 combined with radiotherapy is better than that of radiotherapy or gene therapy alone, which may be related with the enhanced p16 expression in tumor after the irradiation.
Animals ; Combined Modality Therapy ; DNA ; genetics ; Early Growth Response Protein 1 ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, p16 ; Genetic Therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between changes and clinical significance of serum glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and the degree of liver lesions in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSExaminations of serum ALT, AST, GGT levels and liver biopsy were carried out and classification and staging of liver fibrosis and inflammation were performed for 70 patients with CHB. The relationship between ALT, AST, GGT and CHB was analyzed.

RESULTS(1) ALT, AST and GGT increased with the degree of inflammation and fibrosis, but their levels declined with the degree of G4 and S4. The correlation coefficients of ALT and GGT, AST and GGT were (0.322 and 0.328, P less than 0.05). With liver-protective treatment, in the cases with mild CHB, ALT was normalized quickly but GGT remained at a lower level. While ALT declined, GGT was still at a relatively high level for moderate and severe CHB cases, among them the level of GGT fluctuated.

CONCLUSIONSerum GGT reflects the degree of liver inflammation more accurately than ALT and AST do and GGT activity can provide important evidence for clinical assessment of chronic hepatitis B.

Adult ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; Humans ; Male ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood