Objective To explore the mechanism by which tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α) induces RIP1 kinase-dependented apoptosis in L929-A fibroblastoma cells.Methods The sub-mitochondrial localization of receptor-interacting protein 1(RIP1),caspase-8 and Bid proteins was detected by dose-gradient trypsin digestion and Western blotting.The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS),intracellular calcium concentration,mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP),and cellular adenosine triphosphate(ATP) content were determined by fluorescent probe labeling and flow cytometry assay.The mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅰ and Ⅲ activities were detected by commercial kits.Nec-1,A RIP1 kinase specific inhibitor,and RIP1-/-or Bid-/-L929-A cells were used to detect the roles of RIP1 kinase and Bid protein in cell death.Results RIP1,caspase-8 and Bid proteins were co-located in the outer membrane of mitochondrial.TNF-α exposure for 3 h could induce Bid cleavage,inhibit mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ activity and reduce MMP.Following these changes and after TNF-α exposure for 6-12 h,the intracellular calcium concentration and ROS were increased,whereas the ATP concentration was decreased,and the cells were killed.Inhibiting RIP1 kinase or knockdown RIP1 or Bid protein could suppress all the cytotoxic effects of TNF-α.Conclusion TNF-α treatment can result in RIP1 kinase-mediated Bid cleavage and inhibit mitochondrial respiratory chains and cell energy metabolism,which ultimately leads to the death of L929-A cells.

Abstract: Suxamethonium chloride is a depolarizing muscle relaxant used in general anesthesia. In overdose, it causes adverse reactions such as bradycardia, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and death. The article reviews the progress on testing methods of suxamethonium chloride such as infrared spectroscopy, chemical color reaction, chemical titration, enzyme electrode, chromatography and mass spectrometry.
Anesthesia, General ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/chemically induced* ; Biosensing Techniques ; Bradycardia/chemically induced* ; Chromatography ; Drug Overdose ; Heart Arrest/chemically induced* ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents/analysis* ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; Succinylcholine/analysis*

Objective To evaluate the effect of military performance stress on the changes of concentrations in salivary chromogranin A ( CgA) ,β-endorphin (β-EP) and salivary IgA ( sIgA) of submariners.Methods Twenty-nine submarine soldiers were selected, and their saliva samples were collected separately at the end of a long dive trip and nine months after relaxation ashore.In addition,the saliva samples of twenty-eight graduate students were collected as the normal control.The method of ELISA was used to detect the level of salivary CgA,β-EP and sIgA.Results After long-term dive training, the submariners showed significantly decreased CgA,β-EP and sIgA.Conclusion After a long term dive trip, chronic military performance stress is associated with the decline of salivary CgA,β-EP and sIgA, indicating that the function of sympathet-ic adrenal medulla is suppressed.The biological significance of these changes needs to be assessed in the future.

Objective To investigate the significance of salivary cortisol , dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and cortisol/DHEA-S ratio changes for evaluation of military performance stress .Methods Forty submarine soldiers were selected, whose saliva samples were collected separately at the end of long-term dive training and after nine months of relaxation break.In addition, the saliva samples of thirty-four graduate students were collected the moment they finished a three-hour final examination and one week later .The method of ELISA was used to detect the levels of salivary cortisol and DHEA-S and to count their ratio .Results After long-term dive training , the submarine soldiers showed significantly decreased DHEA-S and an increased cortisol/DHEA-S ratio, but the cortisol level did not change very much .In contrast, the final examination stress did not change the level of cortisol , DHEA-S or the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio among these students.Conclusion This is the first study to show that long-term, chronic military performance stress is associated with the salivary DHEA-S and cortisol/DHEA-S ratio changes .The increase in the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio may be used as an important and useful biomarker to evaluate chronic stress .In addition , it is relatively simple and sensitive to detect stress biomarkers by using saliva samples .

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points plus hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydrochloride for low back pain caused by compression fractures in the elderly.Methods:Ninety-five elderly in-patients with low back pain caused by compression fractures were randomly divided into an observation group and an EA group according to the visit sequence.Both groups received the same basic treatment.In the EA group,48 cases were treated with EA at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points plus the basic therapy;47 cases in the observation group received the basic treatment plus EA and hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydroch｜oride at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points.The levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and at the 21st day of treatment in both groups.Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were used to analyze the clinical efficacy.Results:After treatment,the OPG content in the observation group was higher with statistical significance compared with that before treatment in the observation group and after the treatment in the EA group,respectively (both P＜0.05);the content of IL-1β,ODI and VAS scores were lower than those before treatment in the observation group and after treatment in the EA group with statistical significances (all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The combination of EA and hydro-acupuncture with sinomenine hydrochloride at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points is effective for low back pain caused by compression fractures in the elderly,and is superior to EA at Jiaji (EX-B 2) points alone.

Transthoracic echocardiographic characteristics of 17 cases of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), a rare disease in China, were analyzed in order to improve the understanding of the disease. Seventeen cases of biopsy-proven CA, admitted to Wuhan Union Hospital from June 1994 to September 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty normal volunteers served as control group. Left atrial and ventricular functions and mitral inflow velocity were measured by two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-derived peak systolic wall motion velocities (Sv), peak early diastolic wall motion velocities (Ev), and peak late diastolic wall motion (Av) were measured at the septum, lateral, inferior and anterior corners of mitral annulus from the apical 4- and 2 chamber views. Compared with the control group, the interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPWd), right ventricular transverse diameter (RVTDd) near the end of diastole and the interauricular septum thickness (IASs), left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAADs), right atrial transverse diameter (RATDs) near the end of systole were increased significantly (all P<0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased (P<0.05) in the CA group. Compared with the control group, Sv, Ev at each wall and Av at almost all walls were significantly decreased in the CA group. In the CA group, Myocardial echoes of interventricular septum and free wall of left ventricle were enhanced evidently and distributed unevenly. The echoes presented as ground glass-like images, with some spotty hyper echoes. Both atria were enlarged, and LVEF decreased, with diastolic function impaired, and mild-moderate hydropericardium found in the CA group. It was concluded that echocardiography was a relatively sensitive and highly specific non-invasive method for the diagnosis of CA.
Amyloidosis/*ultrasonography ; Cardiomyopathies/*ultrasonography ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Objective To evaluate clinical remission in patients with small bowel Crohn's disease (SBCD) who have received infliximab(IFX) therapy and to evaluate capsule endoscopy combined with ileocolonoscopy for mucosal healing at 14th week of IFX therapy.Methods Clinical data of 23 SBCD patients who received IFX were retrospectively analyzed.Laboratory indices [routine blood tests,C-reactive protein (CRP)and albumin],Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI),Lewis score (LS),Crohn's disease simplified endoscopic score (SES-CD),side effects and complications were compared before IFX treatment and at 14th week of IFX therapy.Results In 23 SBCD patients,both CDAI and CRP levels significantly decreased (P＜0.01) while body mass index (BMI) and albumin levels increased at 14th week (P＜0.05),compared with those before treatment.The clinical remission rate at 14th week was 91.3％ (21/23).There were 8/23 (34.8％)SBCD patients achieving mucosal healing in small bowel,12/21 (57.1％) in terminal ileum and colon,and 7/21 (33.3％) in both small bowel and colon.Twelve patients achieved both clinical remission and biochemical remission at 14th week and all of them achieved mucosal healing in both terminal ileum and colon (SES-CD ≤ 2).However,there were 5 (41.7％) of them still with small bowel inflammation (LS＞ 135).Conclusion IFX plays a role in promoting clinical remission and mucosal healing in SBCD patients.Mucosal healing of CD patients in terminal ileum and other parts of small intestine are not synchronized.For CD patients with small bowel and colon involved,the evaluation of the whole gastrointestinal tract by capsule endoscopy combined with ileocolonoscopy is recommended on condition that they have no intestinal obstruction or severe stricture.

Objective To investigate the expression of activated ERK (p-ERK) and activated p38 (p-p38) in the keratinocytes of condyloma acuminata (CA) lesions. Methods Fifty cases of HPV 6/11 CA were diagnosed by in situ hybridization. The expression and distribution of p-ERK and p-p38 in CA lesions and 25 normal human skins (foreskins) were detected by immunohistochemistry technique (En Vision). Results ①The results showed that the expression of p-ERK and p-p38 in keratinocytes of CA lesions were significantly higher than those in normal epidermis (P

OBJECTIVE To investigate enhanced immune function of methionine encephalin (MENK) and its anti-tumor mechanism in CT26 colon cancer mouse model. METHODS 3×106 CT26 cells were implanted subcutaneously in BALB/c mice. Four days after, MENK was peritoneally administrated at the concentration of 20 mg·kg-1 for 14 d. The percentage of MDSCs in bone marrow, spleen, blood, tumor and liver were detected by flow cytometry. Non- esterified fatty acid (NEFA), triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (T-CHO) in liver homogenate were tested by a NEFA test kit, a TG test kit and a T- CHO test kit respectively. qRT- PCR and Western blot were used to measure mRNA and protein levels of inflammation-, glycometabolsim- and lipometabolsim-associated indexes in liver. RESULTS MENK decreased percentages of MDSCs in bone marrow, spleen, blood and tumor in colon cancer mice. MENK-treated mice displayed elevated ratio of CD4+T and CD8+T cells in spleen as well as increased T and B lymphocytes proliferation. Meanwhile, MENK also ameliorated liver damage reflected by lower levels of GPT and GOT in serum and reduced risks of cancer- associated index including inflammation, high lipid and high glucose. Furthermore, MENK lowered down the levels of NEFA, TG and T- CHO in liver homogenate. MENK treatment decreased expression of p- STAT3, increased expression of p-AKT, IRS1 and Glut4 at protein level as well as reduced lipogenesis-associated genes and elevated glycolysis-associated genes in liver of tumor bearing mice. Also, abated expression of genes associated with MDSCs generation (M-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-6, IL-1β) and migration (S100A9, KC) was observed within shrunken subcutaneous tumor by MENK intervention. CONCLUSION MENK has the ability to strength immune function against colon cancer by reducing MDSCs and improving liver metabolism.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of absorbable screws and metallic devices for treating tibial plateau fractures.Methods Fifty-seven cases of tibial plateau fractures were treated with internal fixation using absorbable screws(Group A),cannulated screws(Group B)and condylar buttress plates(Group C)in our hospital.According to Schatzker classification,there were 15 cases with typeⅠfractures,21 with typeⅡ,nine with typeⅢand 12 with typeⅣ,who were followed up for 6-51 months. Statistical analysis was performed to compare bone union and functional restoration of the knee between three groups.Results Bone union was achieved in all cases.Based on Merchant scale for knee func- tion,excellence rate was 84%(16/19)for Group A,92%(11/12)for Group B and 85%(22/26) for Group C,with no significant statistical difference.Conclusion Absorbable screws is as effective as metallic devices for treating tibial plateau fractures and has advantages of minimal invasion,few complica- tions and avoiding secondary operation.