Aim To investigate the effects of sesamin on inflammation response of asthma and to explore its possible mechanism of action. Methods Forty male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups with 8 mice in each group: normal group, ovalbumin ( OVA) group, sesamin low dose group, sesamin high dose group and dexamethasone( DXM) group. Asthma model mice were induced by OVA in vivo. The left lung was isolated for pathological examination. Experi-ment of ELISA and Western blot were used to deter-mine the effect of sesamin on IL-4 , IL-5 , IL-13 and IFN-γ expression. Hematoxylin and eosin stain was used to investigate pathological examination in lung tis-sue. Western blot was performed to detect the IκBαphosphorylation and NF-κB nuclear translocation. Re-sults The mice developed the following pathophysio-logical features of asthma: increased numbers of in-flammatory cells, increased levels of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 , decreased level of IFN-γ in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids ( BALF ) and lung tissues ( P <0. 05 ) , and increased IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB nucle-ar translocation in lung tissues ( P <0. 05 ) . Adminis-tration of sesamin markedly reduced airway inflammato-ry cell recruitment, reduced the production of IL-4, IL-5 , IL-13 and increased IFN-γ in BALF and lung tissues( P <0. 05 ) . The increased IκBα phosphoryla-tion and NF-κB nuclear translocation after OVA inhala-tion were inhibited by the administration of sesamin. Conclusion Sesamin attenuates inflammation re-sponse of asthma through suppression of NF-κB activa-tion.

Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) nerve model is a famous model which is used to describe nerve impulse propagation in nerve fibre. FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) model is a simplification of HH model, and Huxley equation is a special case of FHN equation. It has been shown that Huxley equation possesses the basic characteristics of nerve model. Researching on these models was often carried out in virtue of numerical techniques in the past. And, in so for as is known, an efficient and simple method which can be used to obtain analytic solutions is lacking. Yet, a qualitative analysis on Huxley equation's traveling system has been carried through in this paper. There is a bounded heteroclinic orbit having its one end in connection with a saddle point for the traveling wave system. Then a linear plane autonomous system whose singular point is a saddle point is chosen. By means of the system orbit vector's slope, and according to homogeneous balance principle, the traveling wave solutions of Huxley equation's traveling system are constructed. The method used here is called LS method.
Action Potentials ; physiology ; Brain ; physiology ; Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Models, Neurological ; Neural Conduction ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology

Background and objective Complete thoracoscopic surgery has advanced, and its indication has also been extended to complex procedures. hTe aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of complete single-utility-port tho-racoscopic lobectomy with rib resection. Methods A patient was diagnosed with lung cancer and single-rib metastasis. hTe patient received lobectomy and segment costectomy through complete single-utility-port thoracoscopic surgery. hTe literature was also reviewed. Results hTe tumor was staged at T1N1M1. hTe patient made an uneventful recovery and was dismissed on day 4 atfer surgery. At the last follow-up, the patient was alive and well, with no evidence of the disease at 18 months postop-eratively. Conclusion Highly selected cases of lung cancer with single-rib metastasis are appropriate candidates for complete single-utility-port thoracoscopic resection.

Background and objective The involvement of superior vena cava is a common condition in locally advanced thoracic tumors. Patients may benefit from the high risk operation. This study proposed a programmed procedure to optimize surgical techniques, which can facilitate the safety of operation via median thoracotomy. Methods A total of 35 pa-tients with thoracic disease involved superior vena cava underwent prosthetic vascular reconstruction via median thoracotomy. All patients were confirmed locally advanced without distant metastasis including 16 pulmonary neoplasm and 19 mediastinal disease. The operations proceed from left to right with one direction manner. The initial part of the left innominate vein was dissected, then cut off, so as to lift tumor, the pericardium was opened, and the left innominate vein and the right artrium were bridged with prosthetic vascular. The proximal end of the superior vena cava which not invaded was dissected and the tumor was pulled to the caudal side, the right mediastinal pleura was opened and the right inner mammary vascular was ligated and the right innominate vein was fully revealed. Stretch the tumor to left top, cut azygos vein on above the hilum, then block the right innominate vein and superior vena cava, removed involved part of blood vessels, the right innominate vein and superior vena cava was connected with prosthetic vascular. With these procedures the superior vena cava was reconstructed completely. Results The operation was completed successfully in all cases. Postoperative complications included 6 cases with arrhythmia, 5 cases with hypoxemia, 1 case with myasthenia crisis, 1 case with cardiac hernia, and 2 cases with fungal infection. 2 patients died of myocardial infarction and lung infection respectively with a mortality rate of 5.12%. The remaining 33 cases were dis-charged successfully. The average postoperative hospital stay was 15 days. Of the 10 patients with superior vena cava syndrome preoperatively, 8 patients had symptoms relief except 2 cases with intraoperative intravascular thrombosis. Conclusion We recommended the programmed procedure of prosthetic reconstruction of the superior vena cava, standardize the details of treatment, and minimize the risk during operation. The safe surgical procedures of this group of cases confirm this practice.

OBJECTIVETo explore the protective effects and mechanism of ethanol extract of Inonotus obliquus (EEIO) injection on asthmatic mice.

METHODOVA was injected intraperitoneally and inhaled to produce the asthmatic model. Thirty two mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group, asthma group and I. obliquus groups of high and low dose. The concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IFN-gamma in BALF, the phosphor-p38 MAPK in lung tissues were respectively measured by ELISA and Western blotting. The number of inflammatory cells in BALF and histopathology changes were observed.

RESULTIn asthmatic group, the number of inflammatory cells and the concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in BALF and phospho-p38 MAPK in lung tissue were higher, while IFN-gamma were lower than those in normal control mice (P < 0.05). In I. obliquus group, the number of inflammatory cells, the concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in BALF and phosphor-p38 MAPK in lung tissue were lower, but were higher than those in normal control mice (P < 0.05), and histropathology damage was alleviated significantly. There was no significant difference observed among the efficacies in the I. obliquus groups of high and low dose.

CONCLUSIONp38 MAPK may play a role in pathological process of asthma. I. obliquus effectively treats asthma by inhibiting the expression of phosphor-p38 MAPK, correcting the unbalance of IFN-gamma/IL-4 and decreasing the number of inflammatory cells.

Animals ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; Basophils ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; cytology ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interferon-gamma ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Interleukin-13 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-5 ; metabolism ; Lung ; pathology ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neutrophils ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; drug effects ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive instrument for evaluating and ranking clinical practice guidelines, named Scientific, Transparent and Applicable Rankings tool (STAR), and test its reliability, validity, and usability. METHODS: This study set up a multidisciplinary working group including guideline methodologists, statisticians, journal editors, clinicians, and other experts. Scoping review, Delphi methods, and hierarchical analysis were used to develop the STAR tool. We evaluated the instrument's intrinsic and interrater reliability, content and criterion validity, and usability. RESULTS: STAR contained 39 items grouped into 11 domains. The mean intrinsic reliability of the domains, indicated by Cronbach's α coefficient, was 0.588 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.414, 0.762). Interrater reliability as assessed with Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.774 (95% CI: 0.740, 0.807) for methodological evaluators and 0.618 (95% CI: 0.587, 0.648) for clinical evaluators. The overall content validity index was 0.905. Pearson's r correlation for criterion validity was 0.885 (95% CI: 0.804, 0.932). The mean usability score of the items was 4.6 and the median time spent to evaluate each guideline was 20 min. CONCLUSION The instrument performed well in terms of reliability, validity, and efficiency, and can be used for comprehensively evaluating and ranking guidelines.
Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Humans