Objective To observe the inhibitive effect of electro-acupuncture (EA)at Zusanli points (ST36)on inflammatory mediators of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions and study the relationship between EA and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.Methods Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (each =8):Group A (control),Group B(abdominal adhesions model),Group C (abdominal adhesions plus EA),Group D(sham acu-point control),Group E (abdominal adhesions plus α-bungarotoxin )and Group F (abdominal adhesions plus EA after α-bungarotoxin).Animal models of abdominal adhesion were produced by Chiang’s path.Bilateral Zusanli points (ST36) and shame acupoints were electro-acupunctured at a constant voltage for 1 hour while rats were awake.The ɑ-BGT(1 μg/kg)was injected into the abdominal cavity after surgery.All the rats were sacrificed on the 3rd day,and the levels of inflammatory mediators (TNF-ɑ,NO and NOS)in tissues were evaluated.Results Three days after surgery,the damaged cecum of abdominal adhesion groups developed obvious edema that did not adhere with other tissues.Compared with sham control,the abdominal adhesion resulted in significant elevation of inflammatory mediators (TNF-ɑ,NO and NOS).EA at Zusanli points obviously lowered the elevated levels of inflammatory mediators (P <0.01 and P <0.05).EA at Zusanli points following the injection of ɑ-BGT showed less anti-inflammatory effect(P <0.01).Conclusion EA at Zusanli points significantly lowers the elevated levels of inflammatory mediators after abdominal adhesion challenge.The activation of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway might be one of the mechanisms by which Zusanli points exert anti-inflammatory effects.

OBJECTIVE: To develop the single-tube one-step methylation variable position (MVP) analysis technology-single-tube post-digestion PCR-melting curve analysis (PDP-MCA). METHODS: Based on differentially methylated region (DMR) reported previously as the model, a set of primers with different melting temperatures of products in the two sides of MVP were designed. By using the FastDigest methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (MSRE), DNA digestion, multiplex amplification, MCA detection and MCA profiles were performed in a single reaction tube. Same samples (peripheral venous blood, semen, and vaginal fluid, 5 samples each type) were tested by single-tube one step MVP and traditional MSRE-PCR MCA technology. To verify the feasibility of this method, the results were compared with that of the traditional technology. The MCA/HRM profiles of different samples were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: When the melting temperature of the fragments had a differential of 2 degrees C, the MCA melting peaks separated well, and MCA detection after multiplex amplification was successful. The single-tube PDP-MCA assay was developed, which integrated multiple reactions (digestion, amplification and detection) into one tube. By this method, the sample-specific profiles and data were analyzed in 2 h, which is similar to that of the traditional method. The rapid classifications of the samples were also realized. CONCLUSION Multiplex MVPs can be analyzed in a single closed-tube. The single-tube PDP-MCA technology is a simple, fast, and automatable method. It can be used for detection of DNA methylation variations.
DNA/isolation & purification* ; DNA Methylation/genetics* ; DNA Primers/genetics* ; Humans ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/standards* ; Nucleic Acid Denaturation

Objective To study the CT and MRI findings of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus and evaluate their clinical value.Methods All 9 cases of osteosarcoma were verified by histopathology.Imaging data were analyzed retrospectively.Results The lesion occurred in maxillary sinus in 5 cases,in ethmoid sinus in 3 cases and in sphenoid sinus in one case.Primary osteosarcoma was found in 7 cases.Secondary osteosarcoma occurred from fibrous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma each in one case.On CT,the involved areas revealed bony destruction associated with ill-defined and irregular soft tissue mass.The lesion showed heterogeneous density with minimal or massive tumor bone formation,cloud-like in 3 cases,ivory-like in 2 cases,spicule-like in 2 cases,cloud- and spicule -like in one case and spicule- and ivory-like in one case.Postcontrast CT showed mild to moderate inhomogeneous enhancement in 3 cases.On MR T_1 WI,the lesions showed hypointensity compared to brain in 5 cases and iso-intensity in 2 cases.On T_2WI,the lesions showed heterogeneous hyperintensity in 4 cases and isointensity in 3 cases with marked hypointense foci which corresponded to tumor bone on CT.Postcontrast MR imaging demonstrated moderate to marked inhomogeneous enhancement in these cases.MRI showed accurately the extent and associated changes of the lesions.The lesions invaded the orbit,pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae,skull base and extensive craniofacial structures in 5,4,3 cases and 1 case,respectively.Conclusion CT is the optimal modality in showing tumor bone of osteosareoma in paranasal sinus.MRI can demonstrate optimally the invading extent of the lesions.Combined imaging modalities can provide more comprehensive information for diagnosis and therapy of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus.

Ascites ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chemokine CCL2 ; blood ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, CCR2 ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEIn order to find out the cause of molar intrusion and how to avoid molar intrusion, we analyze the movement tendency of tooth by changing the angles of upper accentuated-curve and the height of free traction hook.

METHODSSpiral CT scanning and Mimics 10.0 software were employed in this study to construct the three dimensional finite element model of maxillary teeth, periodontal ligaments and alveolar bone as well as the inch stainless steel upper accentuated-curve archwires with different angles (5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees) and the free traction hook with different height (2.1, 4.0, 5.5 mm). By exerting 1.5 N backward force to analysis the displacement trend of maxillary tooth.

RESULTSUpper accentuated-curve archwires made the incisors labially tip, intruse, distally upright and mesilabially torsion; made the canines labially tip, prolong, mesial-tipped and mesi-labially torsion; made the second premolars and the first molars buccal tip, intruse, distal upright and mesi-labially torsion. With the angle of upper accentuated-curve archwires increased, all tooth movement tendency increased; while with the height of free traction hook increased, all tooth movement tendency decreased.

CONCLUSIONWhen the angle of upper accentuated-curve archwires increased, the extent of molar intrusion increased, but when the height of free traction hook increased, the degree of molar intrusion decreased. The degree of molar intrusion was minimum using 5 degrees upper accentuated-curve archwires cooperated with 5.5 mm free traction hook.

Bicuspid ; Bone Screws ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Incisor ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Periodontal Ligament ; Tooth ; Tooth Movement Techniques

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Ectodermal Dysplasia 1, Anhidrotic* ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and the levels of ACE and PAI-1 in Chinese Han patients with essential hypertension (EH) in Guangdong Province.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction was used to examine the ACE genotype, colorimetry used to measure the serum ACE level, and spectrophotometric assay performed to examine the plasma PAI-1 level in 115 EH patients and 96 healthy controls in Guangdong Province.

RESULTSThe ACE DD genotype and D allele frequencies were significantly higher in EH group than in the control group (P<0.05), and the EH patients also had significantly higher serum ACE level and plasma PAI-1 level than the control subjects (P<0.01). The serum ACE level was positively correlated with plasma PAI-1 level in both EH group and control group (r=0.7913 and 0.7806, respectively, P<0.01). In EH group, the patients with DD genotype showed significantly higher serum ACE and plasma PAI-1 levels than those with ID and II genotypes (P<0.01), and patients with ID genotype had significantly higher ACE and PAI-1 levels than those with II genotype (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe DD genotype and D allele of ACE gene can be risk factors for essential hypertension in Chinese Han subjects in Guangdong Province, and the EH patients have elevated serum ACE and plasma PAI-1 levels. Increased ACE level due to DD polymorphism may play an important role in elevating plasma PAI-1 level. The genetic variation of ACE contributes to the balance of fibrinolytic pathway, which may be one of the pathological mechanisms linking the ACE I/D genotype and EH.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; blood ; genetics ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 ; blood ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Risk Factors

Nerve injury produces a long lasting neuropathic pain, manifested as allodynia, a decrease in pain threshold and hyperalgesia, an increase in response to noxious stimuli. The mechanism underlying the lasting abnormal pain is not well understood. Our previous works have shown that electrical tetanic stimulation of the sciatic nerve induces long-term potentiation (LTP) of C-fiber evoked field potentials in the spinal dorsal horn, which is considered as a synaptic model of pathological pain. In the present study we tested if nerve injury, which is proved to produce neuropathic pain, induced the spinal LTP in intact rats. C-fiber evoked field potentials in spinal dorsal horn produced by electrical stimulation (10-20 V, 0.5 ms, 1/min) of the sciatic nerve were recorded. For induction of LTP of C-fiber evoked field potentials, three types of noxious stimuli were applied. (1) Electrical tetanic stimulation (40 V, 0.5 ms pulses at 100 Hz for 1 s repeated four times at 10 s intervals). (2) Transection of the sciatic nerve at 4-5 mm distal to the stimulation electrode. (3) Crushing the sciatic nerve with a forceps four times at 4-5 mm distal to stimulation electrode (from distal to proximal with 1 mm spacing at 10 s intervals), which simulated electrical tetanic stimulation. Acute nerve injury was made by either transection of the sciatic nerve at the distal to the stimulating electrode or crushing the sciatic nerve. We found that nerve injury by cutting or crushing the sciatic nerve produced LTP of C-fiber evoked field potentials lasting until the end of the experiments (3-9 h), and that pretreatment of the sciatic nerve with lidocaine 10 min prior to the nerve transectoin completely blocked LTP induced by nerve transection. The nerve transection-induced LTP was blocked by NMDA receptor antagonist AP5. LTP produced by nerve transection could not be further potentiated by electrical tetanic stimulation, while LTP induced by single electrical tetanic stimulation could be further potentiated by transection of the sciatic nerve. However, when LTP was saturated by several times of electrical tetanic stimulation, nerve transection did not affect the spinal LTP. We conclude that acute nerve injury induces LTP of C-fiber evoked field potentials in intact animals and that nerve transection is more powerful than electrical tetanic stimulation for induction of the spinal LTP. The results further support the notion that LTP of C-fiber evoked field potentials may underlie neuropathic pain.
Animals ; Evoked Potentials ; physiology ; Long-Term Potentiation ; physiology ; Male ; Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated ; physiology ; Neural Pathways ; drug effects ; physiology ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Posterior Horn Cells ; enzymology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries ; physiology ; Spinal Cord ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of perindopril on left ventricular remodeling and myocardial osteopontin expression in rats with myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODSMale adult SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, MI-saline group and MI-perindopril group, and in the latter two groups, ligation of the left anterior descending artery was performed to establish rat models of myocardial infarction and perindopril (2 mg/kg daily) or saline was administered since the next day of MI. Four weeks later, the left ventricular diameter (LVEDD and LVESD) and left ventricular ejection fraction were estimated with echocardiography, and the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and -/+dp/dt(max) was obtained via hemodynamic measurement, with also evaluation of the cardiac myocyte diameter and interstitial fibrosis infiltration with histological methods. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression level of myocardium osteopontin protein.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operation group, all MI rats developed significant systolic and diastolic dysfunction, as indicated by decreased LVEF, LVSP and -/+dp/dt(max), as well as increased LVEDP. MI rats showed significantly dilated left ventricles and higher ventricular weight/body weight ratio, significantly increased cardiomyocyte diameter and marked interstitial fibrosis in the non-infarction area. Perindopril treatment partially prevented cardiac dysfunction and left ventricular remodeling as indicated by the above indices. No osteopontin was detected in the myocardium of sham-operation rats, and in MI rats, high level of osteopontin expression, as detected in MI-saline group, was significantly inhibited by perindopril treatment.

CONCLUSIONPerindopril treatment can significantly inhibit left ventricular remodeling and myocardium osteopontin expression in rats with MI.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Osteopontin ; biosynthesis ; Perindopril ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Remodeling ; drug effects

OBJECTIVELeptin is an adipocyte-derived hormone regulating body weight and energy balance in animals and human being. Although the physiological functions of leptin in human are still unclear, its secretion is closely related to fat mass and energy expenditure in both adults and children. This study investigated whether the plasma leptin level was reduced in connection with the weight loss during the neonatal period and try to find out the role of leptin in body weight regulation and energy balance of premature infants.

METHODSThe radioimmunoassay was used to determine the plasma leptin concentration. The first blood samples were obtained at the delivered, and then collected the samples every two days until the infants' body weight recovered to the birth weight or above. At the same time, the essential fluid and energy for the patients were supplied to keep their physiological functions. One person was appointed to take responsibility to examine the body weight, body length and head circumference. Then computed out their Kaup index from the first day to the seventh or twelfth day.

RESULTSA total of 26 premature infants were selected into the study, of which 14 cases were male and 12 female, and their gestational age ranged from 30 to 36 weeks. There was a significantly positive correlation between the premature newborns' body weight loss and their plasma leptin levels (the 1st day: n = 26, r = 0.766; the 3rd day: n = 26, r = 0.636; the 5th day: n = 26, r = 0.629; the 7th day: n = 26, r = 0.717; the 9th-12th day: n = 24, r = 0.587; P < 0.01). The time of body weight loss and the plasma leptin level which declined to extremely low were positively correlated. (r = 0.611, P < 0.01). The time when body weight loss declined to extremely low in 26 premature infants ranged form the 3rd to the 9th day after birth [(5.2 +/- 1.6) day], and that of the plasma leptin levels ranged form the 3rd to the 8th day after birth (4.7 +/- 1.4) day. The maximal ranges of the body weight loss and the plasma leptin decrease in 26 premature infants were (6.5 +/- 3.0)% and (59.6 +/- 11.3)%, respectively. In addition, there were significantly positive correlations among the plasma leptin level, the premature newborns' body length (the 1st day: n = 26, r = 0.609, P < 0.01; the 3rd day: n = 26, r = 0.419, P < 0.05; the 5th day: n = 26, r = 0.583, P < 0.01; the 7th day: n = 26, r = 0.626, P < 0.01; the 9th-12th day: n = 24, r = 0.482; P < 0.05), and the Kaup index (the 1st day: n = 26, r = 0.634; the 3rd day: n = 26, r = 0.534; the 5th day: n = 26, r = 0.542; the 7th day: n = 26, r = 0.611; the 9th-12th day: n = 24, r = 0.539; P < 0.01). Although the head circumference correlated positively with the plasma leptin level at the first week after the delivery (the 1st day: n = 26, r = 0.580, P < 0.01; the 3rd day: n = 26, r = 0.417, P < 0.05; the 5th day: n = 26, r = 0.426; P < 0.01). There was a lower correlation between them one week after the delivery (the 7th day: n = 26, r = 0.369; the 9th-12th day: n = 24, r = 0.323; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere was a significantly positive correlation between the plasma leptin level and the premature newborns weight loss. Leptin may participate in the regulation of energy balance and body weight of premature infants during neonatal life. Leptin may play an important role in growth and development of premature infants.

Body Weight ; physiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Leptin ; blood ; Radioimmunoassay ; Time Factors ; Weight Loss ; physiology