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

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

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

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.

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

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 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

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of oxidative stress on ventricular remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats.

METHODSAMI was induced in 20 SD rats by ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery, and another 12 rats without the ligation served as the sham-operated group. Six weeks after the operation, the heart mass index (HMI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), right ventricular mass index (RVMI), the indexes of heart function, cardiac myocyte apoptosis index, collagen content and collagen I/III ratio and the indexes of oxidative stress were measured.

RESULTSAfter AMI, HMI, LVMI and RVMI increased significantly (P<0.05), the heart function deteriorated significantly (P<0.01), and the cardiac myocyte apoptosis index in the non-infarct area, collagen content and collagen I/III ratio in the infarct and non-infarct areas were all significantly increased (P<0.05 or 0.01). Myocardial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly lowered after AMI, which resulted in significantly increased myocardial malondialdehyde (MDA) level and decreased ratio of SOD/MDA (P<0.05). Correlations were found between the indexes of oxidative stress in myocardium, those of the heart function and those pertaining to ventricular remodeling after AMI.

CONCLUSIONOxidative stress may be involved in ventricular remodeling after AMI, and antioxidants can be an option for treatment of ventricular remodeling.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Ventricular Remodeling ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of leukoaraiosis on conscious disturbance in patients with acute cerebral infarction.

METHODSA follow-up study including 138 patients with acute cerebral infarction matched with the diagnostic criteria of the Forth Cerebrovascular Disease Conference, were carried out. Patients were divided into two groups, using MRI to estimate the white substance process around cerebral ventricle, including 78 of them with leukoaraiosis and 60 without leukoaraiosis were followed up using Glasgow coma scale scores and England OCSP classification in 1 month, 3 month and 6 month after onset.

RESULTSThe independent factors of conscious disturbance included leukoaraiosis (OR = 5.294, 95% CI: 1.451-19.318), and OCSP classification (TACI and POCI especially) (OR = 14.489, 95% CI: 4.121-50.934). At the initial, the first month and the third month of the stroke episodes, significant difference (P < 0.05) was noticed when using Glasgow coma scales, and the scales in leukoaraiosis group was lower than the control.

CONCLUSIONTACI and POCI in OCSP classification were independent risk factors of conscious disturbance, and leukoaraiosis was also the independent factor. The incidence of conscious disturbance after stroke in patients with leukoaraiosis were lower than in that without leukoaraiosis. On the other hand, the degree of conscious disturbance was more serious and slower than those without leukoaraiosis, suggesting that the effect of leukoaraiosis was duplicate for conscious disturbance. Because patients with leukoraiosis had tolerance of chronic cerebral ischemia. The number of patients with conscious disturbance after stroke was fewer relatively. Leukoaraiosis had inactive effect for amelioration of conscious disturbance after three months of the episode. The grouping of OCSP played a primary while leukoaraiosis playing a secondary role, despite the patients with or without conscious disturbance after stroke.

Aged ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Consciousness Disorders ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukoaraiosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; complications