This paper aimed to study clinical effectiveness of gabapentin in the treatment for pruritus and insomnia among patients with hemodialysis. Eighty patients with severe pruritus and insomnia during regular hemedialysis in Jiaozhou People's Hospital, Jiangsu were randomly divided into two groups with 40 patients each. Gahapentin 0. 1 g were given each patient every night for 4 weeks in one group and a modified-re]ease capsule of 8 mg chiorphenamine maleate was given each patient daffy for 4 weeks in the other group. Effectiveness of treatment was evaluated by improvement of itching symptoms and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores for insomnia in the patients. Itching improvement was observed in 85%(34/40) of the patients and PSQI scores obviously lowered in them four weeks after gabapentin treatment.However, itching improvement was observed only in 42% ( 17/40 ) of the patients and little change was observed in PSQI scores in them four weeks after chlorphenamine treatment It suggests that gabapentin can significantly improve quality of sleeping and itching symptoms in patients with hemodialysis and it is worthy popularizing in those with it.

Objective To study the effect of gambogic acid on apoptosis and autophagy in human hepatoma cells HepG2, and to detect its possible mechanism. Methods After exposure of HepG2 cells to gambogic acid at different concentration for 24 h, cell proliferation rates was determined by MTT assay, apoptosis rate was detected by the flow cytometry (FCM), formation of autophagic vacuoles was observed by the monodansyl cadaverine (MDC) fluorescence staining, expression level of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, bcl-2 and autophagy related protein Beclin 1 was detected by Western blot. Results HepG2 cell growth was inhibited by the gambogic acid dose dependence. After exposure to gambogic acid at 0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 μmol/L for 24 h, cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased to 5.31 %, 29.18 %, 31.50 % and 46.09 %(P <0.05), MDC average fluorescence intensity was also significantly increased to 6.3 ±1.1, 82.6 ±4.5, 132.9±15.7 and 157.7±9.0 (P<0.01). Western blot showed that gambogic acid could promote the expression of apoptosis protein Bax (0.17 ±0.02, 0.75 ±0.06, 0.78 ±0.05, 0.89 ±0.10, P <0.05), and decrease the expression of anti-apoptosis protein bcl-2 (1.18 ±0.04, 0.90 ±0.06, 0.64 ±0.08, 0.57 ±0.05, P <0.05), meanwhile, it could also increase the expression of autophagy related protein Beclin (0.67±0.03, 0.92±0.04, 0.95±0.07, 1.04±0.06, P<0.05). Conclusion Gambogic acid can inhibit the growth of human hepatoma HepG2 cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagic cell death.

Objective To investigate the expression of scaffold protein palladin in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues and to discuss its clinicopathological significance.Methods 56 samples of PDAC and corresponding adjacent normal pancreas (NP) tissues were collected.Another 10 samples of chronic pancreatitis (CP) tissues were collected.Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry assay were performed to detect the expression of protein palladin.The correlation of palladin expression with clinicopathological factors of PDAC was analyzed.Results Western blot analysis revealed that the expression of palladin in PDAC,CP and NP tissues were respectively 0.93±0.07,0.41±0.07 and 0.20±0.06,and the expression of palladin was significantly increased in PDAC tissues compared with NP and CP tissues (P ＜ 0.05),and its expression was significantly increased in CP tissues compared with NP tissues (P ＜ 0.05).Immunohistochemical staining showed that palladin was mainly expressed in activated myofibroblasts in PDAC tissues.The rate of palladin expression was 79 ％ (44/56),which was higher than that in NP tissues (2/10) and CP tissues (4/10),and its expression was found to be correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation,lymph node metastasis and clinical TNM classification (P ＜ 0.05),and it had no correlation with patient' s sex,age,tumor location and distant metastasis (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Scaffold protein palladin is highly expressed in PDAC tissues,and it is expressed in the activated myofibroblasts within tumor microenvironment.Scaffold protein palladin may be involved in the invasion and metastasis of PDAC.

Objective To observe the effect of a hypoxia mimicking agent deferoxamine (DFO) on the mineral density,volume,architecture,strength,and metabolism of the bones in type 1 diabetic mice withosteoporosis.Methods Type 1 diabetic mice model was established by intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin.The mice were divided into control (normal mice),diabetes mellitus,and DFO groups.Micro-CT was used to analyze the bone mineral density,volume,architecture,and strength of the trabecule in the distal part of femurs.Three point bending test was carried out to evaluate the bone strength.Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe the alteration in the number of osteoblasts.Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of Runt-related gene 2 (Runx-2),osteoclacin,and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in tibias.Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tibias.Results There was a decrease in mineral density,volume,strength of bones as well as deteriorated trabecular microarchitecture in diabetic mice as compared to control mice,which were partially improved by DFO treatment.Moreover,DFO treatment increased the number of osteoblasts and mRNA expression levels of Runx-2,osteoclacin,TRAP,as well as protein expression levels of HIF-1 α and VEGF(P＜0.05).Conclusion Bone loss could be partially prevented by DFO treatment in type 1 diabetic osteoporosis mice,which might be ascribed to increased bone formation via stimulating hypoxia inducible factor singnaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and the development of chronic urticaria.Methods Published case-control studies which concerned HP infection related chronic urticaria were searched in Wanfang,CNKI,CQVIP Chinese databanks and PubMed.Meta-analysis was applied to analyze the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95％ confidence interval (CI).Results 37 studies which comprised 2 909 cases of chronic urticaria and 1 873 persons served as controls were enrolled.When compared with the controls,HP infection significantly increased the risk of chronic urticaria development with a pooled OR of 3.20 (95％CI:2.31-4.43).Results from Meta-regression analyses showed that the distribution of residential areas and detection method being used were potential influential factors.Conclusion HP infection seemed to be associated with an increased risk of developing the chronic urticaria.

OBJECTIVETo establish red-green dual-color fluorescence glioma model in nude mice and to explore its practical values.

METHODSCM-DiI-stained rat glioma C6 cells (C6-CM- DiI cells) expressing red fluorescence were inoculated into the brain of athymic nude mice expressing green fluorescence protein (NC-C57BL/6J-EGFP). Then the whole-body dual-color fluorescence imaging was detected dynamically. Finally whole brains of the tumor-bearing mice were removed and 5 µm thick serial frozen slices were made. Light microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy were performed to observe the transplanted tumor tissue structure and fluorescent cells.

RESULTSTumor mass with red fluorescence increased gradually under continuous in-vivo fluorescence imaging monitoring. Under the fluorescence microscope, cells with red, green and yellow fluorescence were observed in the frozen sections of transplanted tumor tissue and the mutual structural relationship among them could be defined. The tumor cells migration, implantation and cell fusion between transplanted tumor cells and host cells could be observed. It could be distinguished according to the fluorescence, that blood vessels of tumor-origin displayed red fluorescence, blood vessels of host-origin displayed green fluorescence and mosaic blood vessels appeared yellow fluorescence. It was depicted that host innate astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the microenvironment at the tumor periphery could be activated and dedifferentiated into nestin-positive cells.

CONCLUSIONSIn contrast to traditional animal model, the dual-color fluorescence imaging of nude mouse models of glioma possesses enormous advantages in investigating tumor mass in-vivo fluorescence imaging, tumor cells migration and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis and reactive activation of host innate cells in the microenvironment at tumor periphery, thus, has highly practical application value.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; metabolism ; Brain Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Carbocyanines ; metabolism ; Cell Fusion ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fluorescent Dyes ; metabolism ; Glioma ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Luminescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Nude ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Nestin ; metabolism ; Oligodendroglia ; metabolism ; Rats

Objective:This study aimed at investigating the efficacy and safety of eltrombopag in the treatment of adult primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and evaluated the factors influencing its efficacy and side effects.Methods:A total of 198 patients with adult ITP who were admitted to Tianjin Medical University General Hospital between January 2018 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The efficacy of each starting dose of eltrombopag was evaluated, and adverse events were analyzed. The factors influencing efficacy were investigated, including sex, age, adult ITP type, platelet antibodies, and combined drug treatments.Results:Of the 198 patients, 70 males and 128 females with a median age of 45 years (18-88 years) were included; 130 (65.7%) had newly diagnosed adult ITP, 25 (12.6%) had persistent adult ITP, and 43 (21.7%) had chronic adult ITP. The bleeding event scores at baseline were assessed; 84.3% had scores of<4 and 15.7% had scores of ≥4. The eltrombopag response rate (initial response) at 6 weeks was 78.8% (complete response [CR]: 49.0%; CR1: 14.6%; CR2: 15.2%). The median response time to eltrombopag was 7 (7, 14) days. The initial response rates to 25, 50, and 75 mg eltrombopag were 74.1%, 85.9%, and 60.0%, respectively ( P=0.031). The initial response rate to the 50 mg dose was significantly higher than that of the 25-mg and 75-mg doses. Two patients received 100 mg as the starting dose, and their initial response was 0. Regarding dose adjustment, 70.7% of the patients remained on the starting dose, 8.6% underwent dose adjustment to 50 mg, and 6.1% underwent dose adjustment to 75 mg. Another two patients underwent dose adjustment to 100 mg. After dose adjustment, the persistent response rates were 83.6%, 85.3%, and 85.7% for the 25-, 50-, and 75-mg doses, respectively, with no significant difference. After dose adjustment, the sustained efficacy rate for the 100-mg dose (4 patients) was 100.0%. After 6 weeks of treatment with eltrombopag, the overall bleeding score of patients with ITP decreased. The number of patients with a score of ≥4 decreased to 0, the number of patients with a score of<4 decreased, and there was no significant change in the number of patients with a score of 1-2. The most common adverse event associated with eltrombopag was impaired liver function (7.7%). No thrombosis events or other adverse events were observed. ITP type and number of megakaryocytes significantly affected the initial response to eltrombopag. The initial response rates to eltrombopag for newly diagnosed adult ITP, persistent adult ITP, and chronic adult ITP were 85.3%, 56.0%, and 76.2%, respectively ( P=0.003). For megakaryocytes, the initial response rates were 61.8%, 87.1%, and 84.3% ( P=0.009) for the decreased, normal, and increased megakaryocyte groups, respectively. Conclusion:Eltrombopag, as a second-line or higher treatment for adult ITP, has a rapid onset of action and good safety. The initial response rate is significantly higher with a dose of 50 mg than with a dose of 25 mg. Patients with newly diagnosed ITP and those with normal or increased megakaryocyte numbers have a higher initial response rate to eltrombopag.