Background and purpose:Inlfammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic intestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). This study identified differentially expressed miRNAs in UC, CD and colitis-associated colorectal cancers (CAC) to explore their potential as novel molecular biomarkers. Methods:Tissue samples were taken from 13 UC patients, 3 CD patients, 12 CAC patients, and 8 age-and gender-matched healthy controls. The miRNA expressions were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) assay. Known targets of deregulated miRNAs were utilized using miRWalk 2.0 database, and subsequent bioinformatics analysis of these target genes was performed by DAVID software (GO-analysis, KEGG-analysis and BIOCARTA-analysis). Results:The data showed that miR-146a, miR-27a, miR-29a, miR-20a and miR-21 were upregulated in UC, CD and CAC tissues compared with normal control. Moreover, the target genes of these miRNAs were enriched in several key signal transduction pathways including cancer-related pathway and immu-nity-associated pathway. Conclusion:miR-146a, miR-27a, miR-29a, miR-20a and miR-21 may play important roles in the switching from IBD to CAC.

Humans ; Sciatic Neuropathy/etiology* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/adverse effects* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/etiology* ; Sciatic Nerve/injuries*

In this study, efforts were made to collect 88 traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions for treating ADHD from public literatures, establish a medication database and conduct data mining on the efficacy, properties, tastes, meridian entries and compatibility regularity of TCMs by using frequency analysis, association rules analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed 33 herbs with a high frequency (≥ 10%). The top 12 frequently applied ADHD herbs were respectively Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome, Polygalae Radix, Prepared Rehmanniae Radix, Os Draconis, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizome, Poria, Concha Ostreae, Testudinis Carapacis et Plastri, Paeoniae Alba Radix, Schisandrae Fructus Chinensis, Fructus Corni, Dioscoreae Rhizoma. The top seven types of frequently applied ADHD herbs by effect were respectively tonic herb, sedative herbs, livei-wind calming herbs, heat clearing herbs, astringent herbs, awaking herbs and damp clearing and diuresis promoting herbs. The top three properties were warm, cold and neutral, with warm as the dominance. The top three tastes were sweetness, bitterness and acridity, with sweetness as the dominance. The top three meridian entries were liver meridian, heart meridian and kidney meridian. The association rules analysis showed commonly used herbal pairs. Polygalae Radix-Acori Tatarinowii Rhizome, Concha Ostreae-Os Draconis, Prepared Rehmanniae Radix-Fructus Corni-Os Draconis. Eight highly frequent cluster prescriptions were summarized based on the cluster analysis. This study indicates that basic TCM prescriptions for treating ADHD were principally composed of tonics (nourishing liver and kidney, invigorating heart and spleen) and tranquilization, which were supplemented with herbs for calming liver, clearing heat, promoting qi-circulation, promoting blood-circulation, reducing phlegm and calming endogenous wind. The combination of multiple data mining techniques can reflect the clinical medication regularity of herbs for treating ADHD in an overall and objective manner.
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; drug therapy ; Data Mining ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Meridians

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by eosinophilic hyaline intranuclear inclusions in the central and peripheral nervous system, and also in the visceral organs. Although in recent years skin biopsy is useful for the antemortem diagnosis of this disease, it is often misdiagnosed due to its highly variable clinical manifestations. A case of NIID is reported here. The patient had a long course of disease, mainly presenting as dysfunction of autonomic nervous system. No significant cognitive impairment was found. Thus, a new idea is provided for the diagnosis of this disease.

To explore the prevention effect of the joint combination of Yindanxinnaotong soft capsule (YDXNT) and exercise (swimming) on atherosclerotic rats. The method of 3 x 3 factorial design, including two factors (YDXNT and swimming) and three levels (0, 1, 2 g x kg(-1) YDXNT; 0, 0.5, 1 h swimming), was mainly adopted. The atherosclerotic rat model was established by ligating their left common carotid arteries and feeding high-fat diet. After 8 weeks, blood samples were collected from their thoracic aorta to determine blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, fibrinogen (FIB), nitric oxide (NO), 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) endothelin (ET) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2). The tissues of left common carotid arteries of the rats were collected to detect the positive expression of SM22alpha and determine the semi-quantitation through the immunohistochemical staining. The result showed that the combination of YDXNT and swimming can significantly decrease the plasma viscosity (F = 3.241, P = 0.017), the high and low shear blood viscosity (F = 6.444, P = 0.001; F = 3.002, P = 0.024) and FIB (F = 4.046, P = 0.005). The increased NO and 6-keto-PGF(1alpha) and the decreased ET and TXB2 indicated a significant interaction (P < 0.05). The swimming showed an obvious main effect in the expression of up-regulated protein SM22alpha (F = 8.088, P = 0.001). The study suggested that the combined administration of YDXNT and swimming could improve the hemorheological parameters of atherosclerotic rats, protect the vascular endothelium, inhibit the vascular remodeling in atherosclerosis and positively prevent the atherosclerosis.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Blood Viscosity ; drug effects ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Swimming

The aim of the present research was to investigate and analyze the hunting intentions of medical students for rural grassroots in Gansu and to provide a reference for decision-making on rural health human resource . A questionnaire is the research tool which was used to investigate the views of the senior students from six medical schools , and we studied their employment willingness to rural healthcare institutions .Chi-square test and non-condi-tional logistic regression analyses were used for data analysis .A sample of 600 medical graduates was involved in this investigation.The results of this study show that more than a half (55.6%) of the students would like to work in ru-ral, but only 13.8%of which were “very willing” to work at the rural healthcare institutions .According to the out-comes of this investigation , the number of junior college students who would like to work at the grassroots was 2.3 times the number of the undergraduate students .Medical students whose monthly salary expectations were not high ,with the household registration in rural areas , and having a better understanding of the policy of rural grass-roots em-ployment were more likely to work at the rural healthcare institutions .Based on the findings of this investigation , it can be concluded that the grassroots medical career intention of medical students is not only influenced by its own fac -tors, such as education and household registration , but also the policy of the government , school employment guid-ance and social atmosphere play an important role .The above-mentioned factors should be considered by decision-making and management departments of public healthcare .The departments should introduce a reasonable recruit-ment policy and strengthen the construction of grass-roots medical technology , equipment , and infrastructure , im-prove the grass-roots of employment environment and career development opportunities and strengthen the medical students'employment guidance work to make medical students more willing to work at rural healthcare institutions .

Congresses as Topic ; Humans ; Rhinitis ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial

BACKGROUNDFor patients with end-stage lung diseases, lung transplantation is the final therapeutic option. Sequential double-lung transplantation is recognized as an established procedure to avoid cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). But some of the sequential double-lung transplantations require CPB support during the surgical procedure for various reasons. However, conventional CPB may increase the risk of bleeding and early allograft dysfunction. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is more advantageous than conventional CPB during the perioperative period of transplantation. Replacing traditional CPB with ECMO is promising for those patients needing cardiopulmonary support during a sequential double-lung transplantation procedure. This study aimed to summarize the preliminary experience of ECMO practice in lung transplantation.

METHODSBetween November 2002 and October 2008, twelve patients with end-stage lung diseases undergoing sequential double-lung transplantation were subjected to ECMO during the surgical procedure. Eleven patients were prepared for the procedure via transverse thoracostomy (clamshell) and cannulated through the ascending aorta and right atrium for ECMO. The first patient who underwent bilateral thoracotomy for bilateral sequential lung transplantation required emergency ECMO via the femoral artery and vein during the second lung implantation. The Medtronic centrifugal pump and ECMO package (CB1V97R1, Medtronic, Inc., USA) were used for all of the patients.

RESULTSDuring ECMO, the blood flow rate was set between 1.8 - 2.0 L x m(-2) x min(-1) to keep hemodynamic and oxygen saturation stable; colloid oncotic pressure was maintained at more than 18 mmHg with albumin and hematocrit (HCT) kept at 28% or more. Two patients died early in this series and the other 10 patients were weaned from ECMO successfully. The duration of ECMO was 1.38 - 67.00 hours, and postoperative intubation was 10.5 - 67.0 hours.

CONCLUSIONSAs an established technique of cardiopulmonary support, ECMO is helpful to keep hemodynamics stable, while reducing risk factors such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, anticoagulation requirement and systemic inflammatory response for sequential double-lung transplantation compared with conventional CPB.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; surgery ; Lung Transplantation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the factors related with pathological complete response (pCR) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.

METHODSThe data of 159 primary breast cancer patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and operation with complete MRI data and histopathology evaluation in this center from January 2009 to December 2011 was analyzed. All the patients were female, aging from 28 to 70 years with a median of 50 years. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens were based on anthracyclines or taxanes, and trastuzumab was used in almost half of the human epidermalgrowth factor receptor 2 positive patients. The response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was comprehensively evaluated based on RECIST 1.1 and Miller-Payne grading system. SPSS 18.0 was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSAmong the 159 patients, 10.1% patients had achieved complete response according to the MRI evaluation, and the rate of partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease was 65.4%, 24.5%, and 0 respectively. According to the Miller-Payne grading system, 27.7% patients had pathological response evaluated as G5 (pCR), and the response evaluated as G4, G3, G2, and G1 were 28.3%, 18.9%, 12.6%, and 12.6% respectively. The higher histological grade were correlated with pCR statistically (Z = -2.820, P = 0.005). Meanwhile strong expression of Ki67 (Z = -1.989, P = 0.047) and p53 (Z = -2.457, P = 0.014) were related to pCR in a significant statistically way.

CONCLUSIONSThe response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be predicted. The histological grade and the immunohistochemistry results of Ki67 and p53 are related to pCR of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer. Basal-like breast cancer had a higher pCR statistically.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the shaping efficiency of three instrumentation techniques in the C-shaped canals.

METHODSSixty extracted mandibular second molars with C-shaped canals were selected and cross-sectioned at 2, 5, 8 mm from the apex by using a muffle system as described by Bramante. The teeth containing C-shaped canals were randomly divided into three groups, respectively instrumented using stainless steel K-files in step-back and step-down techniques, and ProTaper series in crown-down technique. The digital images of canal cross-sections pre- and post-instrumentation were photographed to evaluate the proportion and position of uninstrumented area Working length loss and perforation were recorded. Data were analyzed using ANOVA.

RESULTSStep-down technique gained smaller uninstrumented area in the coronal third of the canals, while step-beck technique gained the same results in the apical third (P < 0.05). Uninstrumented proportion in apical part was significantly higher than in the middle and the coronal (P < 0.05). Instrumenting type I canal as 2 or 3 separated canals was likely to reduce the miss. There were three perforations in manual stainless steel K-file groups.

CONCLUSIONSEarly opening the coronal part of C-shaped canal, shaping C-shaped canal as two or three separated canals and instrumenting the apical part with step-back technique, seemed to be the effective methods to avoid miss.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Molar ; Root Canal Preparation ; methods