Objective To analyze the CT findings of melamine induced urinary calculi.Methods Nineteen children with a history of ingestion of melamine contaminated infant formula milk were studied, including 12 males and 7 females, age ranged from 50 days to 5 years.Results CT demonstrated renal pelvic and ureteral stones in 13 cases, with urinary obstruction in 9 of them.The size of the stones ranged from 0.3 cm × 0.3 cm to stag-horn calculus.The density of the stones measured from a low of 40-70 HU up to a high of 410 HU with an average density of 160 HU.Conclusion CT scan is an excellent modality in demonstrating urinary tract calculi caused by melamine. It is the method of choice when ultrasound examinations are equivocal.

Objective To assess if evaluating with Peabody's fine motor development scale with 4 degree grading is more sensitive than with 3 degree grading, and whether or not it is feasible to evaluate by quantization with monthly averages. Methods A total of 864 normal children aged 1 month to 60 months were evaluated with the Peabody scale using 4 degree grading and 3 degree grading. The development results were averaged by month to express the development. Results Both ways, the monthly averages of children 4-9 months old were higher than the others. The values obtained with 4 degree grading were lower than those with 3 degree grading in each functional area, and the difference was more obvious with increasing age, but the differences were not statistically significant. With 3 degree grading the total score was equal to the actual score after the age of 9 months, but with 4 degree grading this was not true until at least 18 months. Conclusions Evaluating with Peabody's fine motor scale with 4 degree grading and quantization using monthly averages is reliable and more sensitive than 3 degree grading.

Background and objective Tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAF) is an important part of TME, which inhibits the function of immune cells. CD8+ T cells play a significant role in tumor immunity. T-cell membrane possesses a distinct type of molecule with a negative regulatory function. Upon interaction with its corresponding ligand [programmed death factor ligand 1 (PD-L1)], programmed death factor 1 (PD-1) is activated and thus inhibits the kinase activity of T cells. This study aims to explore the possible effects of TAF on PD-L1 expression in lung cancer cells. Methods Lung cancer cell lines H1975 and H520 were co-cultured with (experiment) or without TAF (control) via Transwell assay for through 48 hours under the same culture condition. H1975 and H520 cells were counted using a microscope. The protein and mRNA expression levels of PD-L1 were detected by FCM assay and PCR analysis, respectively. Results The numbers of lung cancer cells in 100μm2 for H1975 and H520 cells are (46±21) and (38±10) in the experiment group, respectively, and (16±5) and (12±5) in the control group, respectively (P<0.05). The expression levels of the PD-L1 protein in H1975 and H520 cells are (20.93%±3.54%) and (19.26%±3.04%) in the experiment group, respectively, and (12.58%±2.52%) and (11.60%±2.65%) in the control group, respectively (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels in H1975 and H520 cells are (16.45±1.25) and (15.38±2.02) pg/mL in the experiment group, respectively, and (7.78±1.27) and (7.20±1.58) pg/mL (P<0.05) in the control group, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion TAF promotes the growth and increases the expression of PD-L1 in H1975 and H520 cells.

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the n-butanol fraction of the 95% aqueous ethanol extract of the stems and twigs of Strychnos cathayensis by D101 macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, and semipreparative RP-HPLC. Their structures were elucidated as ethyl 4-O-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (1), n-butyl 4-O-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (2), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (3), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-vanilloyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillate (4), n-butyl 4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-vanillate (5), n-butyl 4-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-syringate (6), methyl 3-methoxy-4-(β-D-allopyranosyloxy) benzoate (7), pseudolaroside B (8), butyl syringate (9), glucosyringic acid (10), methyl syringate (11), methyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate (12), clemochinenoside C (13), and clemoarmanoside A (14), respectively, on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation and by comparison with literature information. Compounds 1-6 are artificial products of phenolic acid esterified by ethanol or n-butanol. It is noted that the precursors (4-O-(6′-O-syringoyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillic acid and 4-O-(6′-O-vanilloyl)-β-D-allopyranosyl-vanillic acid) of compounds 3 and 4 are new compounds. The hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of compounds 1-13 were evaluated in vitro at a concentration of 10 μmol·L^-1. Compounds 1, 2 and 6-10 exhibited potential hepatic protection effects with cell survival rates ranging from 53.6% to 55.5% (acetaminophen, 45.4% at 8 mmol·L^-1). Compound 4 demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity with nitric oxide inhibitory rate of 74.6%. Compounds 3 and 5 showed potential antioxidant activities with malondialdehyde inhibitory rates of 53.2% and 56.1%, respectively.

Objective To investigate serum levels of soluble matrix lysin 2 (sST2) in patients with different stages of heart failure and its relationship with prognosis. Methods Data of 300 patients with heart failure of stages A, B, C and D were included in this study. Thirty-three cases of healthy elderly population for physical examination were used as control group. The general information, echocardiography and related biochemical tests containing sST2 and NT-proBNP were collected in the two groups. The survival periods of patients were evaluated according to the Seattle heart failure mode (SHFM). Patients were followed up for 1 year to record the occurrence of adverse events. Results The sST2 level was higher in heart failure group than that of control group. The sST2 level began to increase in stage B, and which increased with the development of cardiac function staging. The sST2 levels were significantly higher in stages B, C and D than those of stage A, and which were significantly higher in stage D than those of stages B and C (P<0.05). There were significantly higher incidence rates of adverse events, left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in the patients with high sST2 level than those of patients with lower sST2 level (P<0.05). Values of sST2, NT-proBNP, LVEDD and LVMI were significantly higher, and values of LVEF and SHFM life expectancy were significantly lower, in patients with adverse events than those of patients without adverse events (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between sST2 and LVEF, and positive correlation between sST2 with NT-proBNP, LVEDD and LVMI (P<0.05). The size under ROC curve, which was used to predict the cardiovascular endpoint events judged by sST2 was 0.665 (95％CI:0.574-0.757, P<0.01), and the one by NT-proBNP was 0.790 (95％ CI: 0.731-0.848, P<0.01). The best cut-off value of predicting the clinical adverse events was 139.27μg/L by sST2 and 855.35μg/L by NT-proBNP. Conclusion The serum level of sST2 is early indicator of heart failure, which not only reflects the severity of ventricular remodeling but also is one of indicators to estimate the prognosis of heart failure in one year.

Coptidis Rhizoma and Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix represent hot Chinese medicine and cold Chinese medicine respectively. The purpose of this study is to observe the differentiation effect of Coptidis Rhizoma and Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix on lewis lung cancer and compare effect of hot Chinese medicine and cold Chinese medicine on tumor progression. In this study, the rat serum containing Coptidis Rhizoma or Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix was prepared to treat lewis lung cancer cells in vitro, and effects of the serum containing Coptidis Rhizoma or Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix on cell differentiation, proliferation, adhesion, succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and gap-junction intercellular communication (GJIC) were investigated. In vivo, the subcutaneous implant model and pulmonary metastasis model of lewis lung cancer were established. Tumor bearing mice were taken water decoction of coptis chinensis or aconite by intragastric administration bid for four weeks, and the influences of coptis chinensis and aconite on tumor progression were evaluated by body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, red cell ATPase, blood rheology, intratumor hypoxia, capillary permeability and GJIC. The results showed that the serum containing aconite could induce cell differentiation, inhibit cell proliferation and migration, promote SDH activity and GJIC in lewis lung cancer cells. The serum containing Coptidis Rhizoma increased cell adhesion and decreased SDH activity and GJIC without cell differentiation although it also suppressed cell proliferation. Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix water decoction could keep body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, red cell ATPase and blood rheology, and improve intratumor hypoxia, capillary permeability and GJIC in tumor bearing mice, which led to slower tumor growth and less metastasis. Coptidis Rhizoma water decoction decreased body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, red cell ATPase, blood rheology and GJIC, and promoted intratumor hypoxia and capillary permeability, which resulted to more tumor metastasis although it also prevented tumor growth. These results suggested that the hot Chinese medicine could induce tumor cell differentiation and prevent tumor poison invagination, which is better for tumor treatment than cold Chinese medicine.
Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rats ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

AIM:To investigate the mechanism of quercetin improving rat coronary artery myogenic response under high glucose ( HG) by measuring muscle tension of coronary arterial ring and recording voltage -gated K +channel ( Kv) current of coronary artery smooth muscle cells by whole cell patch clamp .METHODS:The coronary rings from the normal SD rats were acutely isolated , and then divided into 6 groups:(1) control group;(2) HG group;(3) HG+low dose (3 μmol/L) of quercetin group;(4) HG+moderate dose (10 μmol/L) of quercetin group; (5) HG+high dose (30 μmol/L) of quercetin group;(6) HG+C6303 (PKC inhibitor) +high dose of quercetin group.Determinations of coronary artery response to vasoconstrictor (60 mmol/L KCl or 0.1 mmol/L U46619) or vasodilator (Ach at 10 -9 ~10 -5 mol/L) were performed, and the percentage of coronary ring tension was calculated using the contraction as 100%caused by 60 mmol/L KCl.The rat coronary artery smooth muscle cells were acutely isolated for recording the Kv current using whole cell patch clamp .RESULTS:Compared with control group , the contraction amplitudes to 60 mmol/L KCl or 0.1 mmol/L U46619 were significantly increased under HG incubation .Quercetin intervention concentration-dependently re-duced the coronary artery contraction amplitude .Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C 6303 attenuated the effect of querce-tin.Compared with control group , the diastolic amplitude to Ach decreased significantly in HG group , and quercetin inter-vention concentration-dependently increased the coronary artery diastolic amplitude .Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C6303 attenuated the effect of quercetin .Compared with control group , HG incubation inhibited Kv current of coronary ar-tery vascular smooth muscle cells significantly , and quercetin intervention attenuated the inhibitory effect of HG on Kv cur-rent intensity .Incubation of PKC specific inhibitor C 6303 attenuated the effect of quercetin .CONCLUSION: Quercetin has a protective effect on myogenic response of coronary artery under HG and the effects is related to the increase in Kv cur -rent and the activation of PKC in vascular smooth muscle cells .

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; surgery ; Cryosurgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumothorax, Artificial

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of nNOS and ultrastructural changes in the penile tissue of rats with prolactinoma-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSWe established the model of prolactinoma in 20 male Westar rats by peritoneal injection of diethylstilbestrol (DES) and treated the control rats with normal saline (n = 10) or sterilized arachis oil (n = 10). After 8 weeks, we performed the apomorphine test and measured the weight of the pituitary gland and the levels of serum prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) to confirm the successful construction of the prolactinoma-induced ED model. Then we determined the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue by immunohistochemistry and examined the ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernosum under the transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSThe prolactinoma-induced ED model was successfully established in 15 rats. The weight of the pituitary gland was significantly increased in the rats treated with DES as compared with the normal saline and sterilized arachis oil controls ([46.7 ± 15.5] vs [11.7 ± 2.4] and [12.4 ± 2.3] mg, both P < 0.05). The level of serum PRL was markedly higher while that of T remarkably lower in the former than in the latter two groups ([1,744.9 ± 304.5] vs [11.5 ± 2.4] and [10.6 ± 1.9] ng/ml, both P < 0.0l; [1.54 ± 0.46] vs [3.11 ± 1.08] and [3.04 ± 1.11] ng/ml, both P < 0.05). The rate of penile erection was significantly reduced in the prolactinoma-induced ED model rats in comparison with the normal saline and arachis oil controls (16.7% vs 100% and 87.5%, both P < 0.05), and so was the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue (0.024 ± 0.011 vs 0.066 ± 0.019 and 0.058 ± 0.021, both P < 0.05). Transmission electron microscopy manifested significant ultrastructural changes in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the cavernous tissue in the prolactinoma-induced ED models.

CONCLUSIONThe ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernous tissue and the reduced expression of nNOS in penile tissue may be the most important mechanisms of prolactinoma-induced ED in rats.

Animals ; Apomorphine ; Carcinogens ; Diethylstilbestrol ; Erectile Dysfunction ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; ultrastructure ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; complications ; Prolactin ; blood ; Prolactinoma ; chemically induced ; complications ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy, safety and possible mechanism of rhIL-11 in the management of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia in acute leukemia.

METHODSThirty-two acute leukemia patients were enrolled in the study. rhIL-11 was given when platelet count dropped below 30 x 10(9)/L after chemotherapy, at 1.5 mg/d, ih, for 7-14 days or withdrawn when the increase of platelet count was more than 50 x 10(9)/L. Serum IL-11 level was determined by ELISA, IL-11R alpha gene expression by RT-PCR. Efficacy and safety data were collected and their correlation with serum IL-11 and IL-11Ralpha expression were analyzed.

RESULTSThe platelet counts on day 7 and 14 after medication were (63.40 +/- 7.24) x 10(9)/L and (98.70 +/- 9.37) x 10(9)/L for 32 patients in IL-11 group [26 complete remission (CR), 2 partial remission (PR), 4 non-remission (NR)] and (42.50 +/- 6.38) x 10(9)/L and (70.30 +/- 7.12) x 10(9)/L for the control group (20 CR, 3 PR, 5 NR). There were 10 patients who received platelet transfusion (16-32 U) in IL-11 group and 19 patients (32-48 U) in control group. Compared with the IL-11 group a delay of platelet recovery was observed in controls (P < 0.05). IL-11 was generally well tolerated. Five experienced transient atrial arrhythmia and relieved after extenuation or withdrawal. The responders' serum IL-11 level of pre-medication was (21.81 +/- 1.88) ng/L, lower than that of non-responders (P < 0.05). IL-11Ralpha level was 0.3552 +/- 0.0224, higher than that of non-responders (P < 0.05). No correlation was observed among serum IL-11, IL-11Ralpha expression, platelet count, and megakaryocyte number.

CONCLUSIONSrhIL-11 can safely accelerate the recovery of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia in acute leukemia. The serum IL-11 level and IL-11Ralpha of mononuclear cells might predict the efficacy of rhIL-11.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-11 ; therapeutic use ; Leukemia ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy