Background Dyslipidemia is one of the major causes of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).At present,the study of the preventive and treating methods of A MD is still a hot spot.Objective The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of tonifying the spleen and promoting blood circulation on the retina and Bruch membrane in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice with dyslipidemia.Methods Thirty-six ApoE-/-mice aged 2 months were randomly divided into the normal diet group,high fat diet group and medicine group.A diet with a higher content of fat was given for 5 consecutive months to the mice of the high fat diet group and medicine group,and in the last month,a concoction that tonifies the spleen and promotes blood circulation was gavagely administered in the medicine group,and an equivalent volumes of normal saline solution was administered in the same way in the normal diet group and high fat diet group.Total plasma cholesterol (TC),low density lipoprotein (LDL)and triglyceride (TG) were detected by (ELISA? Name of assay?) using the 7170 Hitachi automatic biochemical analyzer,and morphological changes of the retina and Bruch membrane were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The number of outer nuclear layer (ONL) cells,retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and the thickness of the Bruch membrane were examined by semi-quantitative histopathology with the Mias 2000 Imaging Analyzer System.Results The concentrations of TC,LDL and TG were (6.47 ±0.49) mmol/L,(1.46 ±0.10)mmol/L and (0.62 ±0.21) mmol/L,respectively,in 7-month-old mice of the medicine group,showing a significant reduction in comparison with (10.53 ±0.30) mmol/L,(1.90±0.13) mmol/L,(1.15±0.29) mmol/L of the high fat diet group,and (9.63 ± 0.18) mmol/L,(1.12 ± 0.15) mmol/L,(0.88 ± 0.21) mmol/L in the normal diet group (P＜0.05-0.01).The disorder and atrophy of ONL and RPE cells,divergence of fiber of the Bruch membranes were found in both the high fat diet group and normal diet control group under the light microscope,and drusen formed in some of the mice in the high fat diet group.However,ONL and RPE were well organized in the medicine group.The cell numbers in the ONL and RPE layer in the 7-month-old mice were (23 124.00±755.18) and (10.75±0.59),respectively,in the medicine group,(19 107.00 ± 1436.82) and (8.55 ± 1.11),respectively,in the high fat diet group,(21 663.00± 1073.27) and (9.75 ±0.58),respectively,in the normal diet group,with significant differences among them (P＜0.05-0.001).Thickness of the Bruch membrane in the medicine group extensively reduced in high fat diet group and normal diet control group (P＜0.01).The ultrastructures of the RPE and Bruch membrane were much more improved in the mdedicine group.Conclusions Tonifying the spleen and promoting blood circulation can attenuate hyperlipemia in ApoE-/-mouse;furthermore,it lessens the pathological abnormalities in the ONL,RPE and Bruch membrane.

This study is to compare the effects of kaempferide and anhydroicaritin on biomineralization of rat osteoblasts (ROB) in vitro. Calvarias were dissected aseptically from newborn SD rats, the osteoblasts were obtained by enzyme digestion and were cultured in MEM containing 10% FBS. The medium was changed every three days, and serial subculture was performed when cells covered with 90% of the dish. Kaempferide and anhydroicaritin were separately added with final concentrations of 1 x 10(-4), 1 x 10(-5), 1 x 10(-6) and 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) under the conditions of osteogenic differentiation. The proliferation was measured by MTT, and the optimal concentration was detected by the ALP activity at the 9th day after osteogenic induction culture. The osteogenic indexes of kaempferide, anhydroicaritin and control group with the optimal concentration were compared. The result showed that the anhydroicaritin at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) had significantly promoted the activity of ALP, calcium content and osteocalcin content, increased the number of CFU-F(ALP) and mineralized nodules, enhanced the mRNA level of BMP-2, OSX and Runx-2, which are key genes of osteogenic differentiation, and raised the protein content of collagen-I. However, the kaempferide group had not significantly represented the ability that promoted osteogenic differentiation of ROB. The difference of osteogenic differentiation on ROB between kaempferide and anhydroicaritin was caused by the prenyl group on C-8 of icariin.

Objective This study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of orbital blowout fracture repair using the individual titanium mesh bent by computer-aided rapid prototyping . Methods The CT imaging data of 11 cases of orbital blowout fracture were analyzed.The subciliary approach was used for the exposure of the fractures .An appropriate 3D-printed titanium mesh pre-bent by computer-aided rapid prototyping was selected and implanted according to the characteristics of a given defect .The surgical results were analyzed by evaluating diplopia , eyeball movement , enophthalmos , and the position of the titanium mesh and comparing the orbital vol-ume before and after surgery . Results All the operations were successfully accomplished .No remolding or trimming was needed for the pre-bent titanium mesh and implanted titanium mesh was tightly fixed to the orbital wall .The patients were followed up for 3 -12 months, which revealed no symptoms of diplopia in any of the patients . Volumetric analysis showed a significantly reduced orbital volume difference from (2.60 ±0.43) mL preoperatively to (-0.07 ±0.62) mL postoperatively (P<0.01).Enophthalmos was desirably correc-ted, with the enophthalmos difference decreased from (2.35 ±0.81)mm preoperatively to (-0.10 ±0.52) mm postoperatively (P<0.01).No extra-ocular muscle limitation was observed . Conclusion The individual titanium mesh bent with computer-aided rapid prototyping technology can be applied to orbital blowout fracture repair , which may achieve a high success rate of anatomic restoration of the orbital volume and effective prevention of enophthalmos .

Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of preoperative serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) level in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver resection.Methods A total of 432 patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC were divided into normal GGT group (175 patients with GGT ≤ 50 U/L) and high GGT group (257 patients with GGT ＞ 50 U/L).After balancing baseline characteristics by propensity score analysis,disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the two groups.Independent risk factors influencing DFS and OS were identified by Cox multivariate analyses.Results Propensity score analysis identified 124 matched pairs of patients from each group.In the propensity-matched cohort,DFS at 1,3,and 5 years in normal GGT group (69.3％,36.1％,12.8％) was significantly higher than that in high GGT group (60.6％,18.7％,7.5％;P=0.039).OSat1,3,and5 years innommlGGTgroup (90.7％,73.7％,66.1％) was also significantly higher than that in high GGT group (89.2％,63.6％,43.3％;P =0.024).COX multivariate analyses revealed that alpha-fetoprotein ≥400 ng/ml,GGT ＞ 50 U/L,macrovascular invasion,tumor size ≥ 10 cm,and tumor number ≥3 were independent risk factors for DFS in patients with HCC after liver resection.Albumin ＜ 35 g/L,GGT ＞ 50 U/L,macrovascular invasion,tumor size ≥ 10 cm,and tumor number ≥ 3 were identified as independent risk factors for OS.Conclusions Preoperative serum GGT level is an independent factor predicting tumor recurrence and long-term survival in HCC patients after liver resection.

Objective To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia.Methods A total of 100 elderly patients undergoing elective surgery were enrolled.The patients were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 50 patients in each group.The observation group was given dexmedetomidine + 0.9％ sodium chloride injection before induction anesthesia.The control group was given 0.9％ sodium chloride injection.The remaining anesthesia induction and maintenance time were same in the two groups.The cognitive function and postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD) were evaluated by MMSE scale.The blood pressure and heart rate before and after operation and at the end of the operation,the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) before operation,at the end of the operation and postoperative 3,7 days were measured.Results At postoperative 1 day and 3 days,the MMSE scores of the observation group were (24.6 ± 0.7) points and (27.2 ± 1.1) points,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the control group [(22.4 ± 0.6) points,(27.2 ± 1.1) points,t =3.64,3.97,all P ＜ 0.05].And 6 cases in the observation group occurred cognitive dysfunction,which was significantly lower than 20 cases of the control group (x2 =5.38,P ＜0.05).At the end of the operation and postoperative 3 days,the serum levels of TNF-α in the observation group were (28.52 ± 3.73) ng/L,(28.82 ± 4.13) ng/L,respectively,which were significantly lower than those in the control group[(37.14 ± 3.62) ng/L,(38.27 ± 3.47) ng/L,t =5.21,4.89,all P ＜ 0.05].At the beginning of the operation,the systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,heart rate of the observation group were (124.53 ±3.84) mmHg,(79.32 ± 4.38) mmHg,(70.45 ± 5.32) times/min,respectively,which were significantly lower than those of the control group [(145.36 ± 4.72) mmHg,(93.17 ± 3.82) mmHg,(86.79 ± 4.26) times/min],the differences were statistically significant(t =5.83,4.97,4.58,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion In the elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia,the use of pumped dexmedetomidine has little effect on the postoperative cognitive function.The mechanism may be related to stabilizing the blood flow dynamics,decrease the high expression of TNF-α,which is worthy of clinical application.

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between some chemokines and the pathogenesis of GVHD and to find some biomarkers with diagnostic significance through observing and comparing the changes of some chemokine levels in samples from patients with or without aGVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). 26 plasma samples were obtained from 26 patients undergoing allo-HSCT at various time points after transplantation, of which 13 samples from patients with aGVHD were served as investigating group and 13 samples from patients without GVHD after Allo-HSCT were used as control group. The patient characteristics between the two groups were compared, the levels of 40 chemokines in these samples were detected by ELISA, the changes of chemokine levels in samples of 2 groups were analyzed by means of significance analysis microarray (SAM), clustering method and c-test. The results showed that there were significant differences in levels of 6 chemokines including HCC-1, MIF, IP-10, ITAC, TARC and NAP-2 between 2 groups, in which the level of MIF in plasma samples after HSCT was the highest, the difference of TARC level between 2 groups was over 10-fold. It is concluded that the level changes of chemokines mentioned above can be used as a indicator of GVHD presence, but their pathogenetic role in occurrence of aGVHD remains to be determined.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Chemokines ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; blood ; pathology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

Objective: To observe the change levels of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 protein in cytoplasm and nuclear, phosphorylation of inhibitor of kappa B (p-IκB) protein and cytochrome C (Cyt-c) , cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3 (Cleaved caspase-3) , B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) in cytoplasm in the process of N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) -induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes, and explore the tentative mechanism of apoptosis. Methods: H9c2 cardiomyocytes were exposed to 200 mmol/L DMF. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of p65 in cytoplasm and nuclear, p-IκB after exposure for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 h, and the protein expression levels of Cyt-c, Cleaved caspase-3, Bcl-2 in cytoplasm after exposure for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 h. Immunofluorescencecytochemistry (IFC) was used to observe the location of Cyt-c after 200 mmol/L DMF exposure for different times. Results: The levels of p65 in cytoplasm and nuclear and p-IκB among groups were statistically significant (F were 7.79, 33.11, 90.25, respectively, all P<0.01) . Compared with the control group, the levels of p65 in cytoplasm of 2, 4, 6 h group were significantly decreased (all P<0.01) ; the levels of p65 in nuclear of 2, 4, 6, 8 h were significantly increased (all P<0.01) ; the levels of p-IκB of 2, 4, 6 h group were significantly increased (all P<0.01) . The levels of Cyt-c, Cleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-2 among groups were statistically significant (F were 51.42, 503.68, 73.37, respectively, all P<0.01) . Compared with the control group, the levels of Cyt-c of 8, 12 h group were significantly increased (both P<0.01) ; the levels of Cleaved caspase-3 of 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 h were significantly increased (all P<0.01) ; the levels of Bcl-2 of 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 h group were significantly decreased (all P<0.01) . IFC showed that Cyt-c was released from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm gradually as the extension of the exposure time. Conclusion NF-κB signaling pathway and mitochondrial pathway are involved in the mechanism of DMF-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of needling "Housanli" (ST 36) with different retaining-needle time on the pain threshold of mice using the hot water tail-flick test, and investigate the relationship between the retaining-needle time and the therapeutic effect.

METHODSTwenty-four healthy mice were randomly divided into four groups: no retaining-needle group (group A), retaining-needle 10 min group (group B), retaining-needle 20 min group (group C) and retaining-needle 30 min group (group D), with 6 mice for each group. After acupuncture "Housanli", the tail of mouse was put into the hot water at 50 degrees C, and the intervening time from the tail entered water to the tail flicked out of water was recorded and analyzed for each group.

RESULTSAfter acupuncturing "Housanli", the pain threshold was significantly improved with the hot water tail-flick test in both group A and group C (both P<0.01), however, there was no significant difference in both group B and group D (both P>0.05). Within 30 min of retaining-needle, the effect curve of acupuncture analgesia was showed in a waved line. In contrast, the maximum value of latent period on the tail-flick was detected in the group C that was the biggest effect of acupuncture analgesia among the four groups.

CONCLUSIONThe best retaining-needle time of hand-acupuncture for acupuncture analgesia is 20 min.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; methods ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Needles ; Pain ; physiopathology ; Pain Management ; Pain Measurement ; Pain Threshold ; Random Allocation ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antitumor activity of Diosgenin in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS-180, HepA, U14 and EAC transplant mice were given Diosgenin ig or i.p. everyday for 10 days, from the next day when they were inoculated in axilla. Tumor growth inhibit rates were calculated. Four kinds of cells, MCF, L929, A375-S2 and HeLa, were incubated respectively with Diosgenin in vitro. Tumor growth inhibit rates were also calculated.

RESULTIn vivo, both ig and i.p., Diosgenin inhibited S-180, HepA, U 14 mice transplant tumor, the inhibit rates being 30%-50%, but it did not inhibit the EAC mice transplant tumor. In vitro, Diosgenin inhibited L929, HeLa, MCF cell growth, and IC50 were 1.2, 18.2, 19.8 micrograms.mL-1 respectively, but it did not significantly affect A375-S2 cells.

CONCLUSIONDiosgenin has an obvious antitumor activity on S-180, HepA, U14 transplant mice in vivo and L929, HeLa, MCF cells in vitro.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; drug therapy ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Diosgenin ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; drug effects

This study is to compare the effects of kaempferide and anhydroicaritin on biomineralization of rat osteoblasts (ROB) in vitro. Calvarias were dissected aseptically from newborn SD rats, the osteoblasts were obtained by enzyme digestion and were cultured in MEM containing 10% FBS. The medium was changed every three days, and serial subculture was performed when cells covered with 90% of the dish. Kaempferide and anhydroicaritin were separately added with final concentrations of 1 x 10(-4), 1 x 10(-5), 1 x 10(-6) and 1 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) under the conditions of osteogenic differentiation. The proliferation was measured by MTT, and the optimal concentration was detected by the ALP activity at the 9th day after osteogenic induction culture. The osteogenic indexes of kaempferide, anhydroicaritin and control group with the optimal concentration were compared. The result showed that the anhydroicaritin at concentration of 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) had significantly promoted the activity of ALP, calcium content and osteocalcin content, increased the number of CFU-F(ALP) and mineralized nodules, enhanced the mRNA level of BMP-2, OSX and Runx-2, which are key genes of osteogenic differentiation, and raised the protein content of collagen-I. However, the kaempferide group had not significantly represented the ability that promoted osteogenic differentiation of ROB. The difference of osteogenic differentiation on ROB between kaempferide and anhydroicaritin was caused by the prenyl group on C-8 of icariin.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Benzopyrans ; pharmacology ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Kaempferols ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism