Objective To investigate the anti-apoptotic function of clusterin in LNCaP cell line and the role of clusterin antisense oligodcoxynucleotide(AS-ODN)in TNF-?-induced death of LNCaP cell. Methods The wild type LNCaP(group L),LNCaP transfected with the control vector(group M),LNCaP transfected with full-length clusterin expression vector(group A,ie,study group)were cultured.For the de- tection of cytotoxic effect of TNF-?,MTT and ELISA methods were used to determine the cell proliferation and apoptosis of the 3 clones,and the changes of proliferation and apoptosis in A cell after transfection of clusterin AS-ODN were also assessed.Results MTT method showed that the cell proliferation activity(A value)of groups L,M,and A were 0.84?0.03,0.85?0.04,0.95?0.03,respectively;the difference be- tween groups L and M was not significant(P＞0.05);but compared with group A the cell proliferation activ- ity was significantly lower in groups L and M(P＜0.01 for both).ELISA resuhs showed that the A values of groups L,M,and A were 0.59?0.04,0.62?0.03,0.33?0.04,respectively;the difference between groups L and M was not significant(P＞0.05);but compared with group A,the apoptosis rates were significantly higher in groups L and M(P＜0.01 for both).In group A,A values of cell proliferation activity in subgroups control,AS-ODN,TNF-?,TNF-?+AS-ODN were 1.30?0.03,1.25?0.03,0.99?0.03,0.80?0.03, respectively;the differences between each group were significant(P＜0.05 for all).And the A values of cell apoptosis in the above 4 groups were 0.02?0.00,0.21?0.02,0.63?0.07,1.16?0.04,respectively,the differences between each group were significant(P＜0.01 for all).Conclusions Stable transfection and subsequent expression of clusterin result in resistance to the cytotoxic effect of TNF-?.Transfection with clus- terin AS-ODN enhances cytotoxic effect of TNF-?in A cells.These results suggest that clusterin plays an im- portant role in anti-apoptotic function in LNCaP cell line.

OBJECTIVETo resolve the contradictory in expounding of reinforcing and reducing by lifting and thrustion the needle and slow-rapid reinforcing and reducing method.

METHODSIn a certain condition,the relationship between the external force (the joint force of both the pressing on the force pressing on the needle and the force arresting the needle's moving) and the speed of needle's moving is deduced by means of kinetic energy theorem, so, when the needle is heavily thrust or lifted, the speed of its moving will be increased.

CONCLUSIONIn the reinforcing and reducing method by lifting and thrusting the needle, "heavily"and "gently" of heavily thrustiing and gently lifting or gently thrusting and heavily lifting should be considered as differences of the amplitudes of lifting and thrusting the needle; "slow-rapid" of slow-rapid reinforcing and reducing method should be considered as difference of the speeds.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Humans

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion plus Western medicine in treating patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods: A total of 70 patients with DPN were divided into an observation group and a control group by sealed envelope method combined with the random number table method, with 35 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine medicine, and the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the treatment in the control group. After 2 courses of treatment, the scores of Toronto clinical scoring system (TCSS) and vibration perception threshold (VPT) in both groups were observed, and the clinical efficacy was compared. Results: During treatment, 3 cases dropped out in the control group and 4 cases in the observation group. After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The scores of TCSS and VPT in both groups decreased after treatment, and the intra-group comparison showed statistical significance (both P<0.05). The scores of TCSS and VPT in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Heat-sensitive moxibustion plus Western medicine can improve the symptoms in patients with DPN, and has a better curative effect than the Western medicine alone.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical results of early total care (ETC) treatment for elderly patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures.

METHODSClinical data of 106 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture treated from January 2012 and February 2015 were retrospectively studied. According to whether receiving the early total care mode, the patients were divided into 2 groups, 34 cases were diagnosed and treated with early total care pattern (ETC group), including 14 males and 20 females with an average age of (74.88 ± 4.38) years old ranging from 70 to 86. According to Evans types, 4 cases were type I, 5 cases were type II, 13 cases were type III, 11 cases were type IV, 1 case was type V. Seventy-two patients were treated with conventional trauma method (conventional group), including 35 males and 37 females with an average age of (74.46 ± 3.63) years old ranging from 70 to 85. According to Evans type, 8 cases were type I ,13 cases were type II, 25 cases were type III, 25 cases were type IV, and 1 case was type V. All fractures were treated with proximal femoral nails anti-rotation (PFNA). Operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time, complications, cases of death at 1 year after operation, postoperative Harris score at 12 months were observed and compared.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up, the time of ETC group ranged from 9 to 18 months with an average of 13.29 ± 1.51, and the time in conventional group ranged from 12 to 16 months with an average 12.93 ± 1.15, while there was no significant difference between two groups in time of following-up (t = 1.368, P = 0.174). There was no significant meaning in cases of death between ETC group (2 cases) and conventional group (8 cases). Three cases occurred complications in ETC group, and 20 cases in conventional group,there was obvious meaning between two groups (χ² = 0.739, P = 0.318). Operative time,hospital stays,leaving bed time in ETC group respectively was (2.03 ± 0.67) d, (15.41 ± 2.87) d and (3.62 ± 0.74) d; while in conventional group respectively was (4.17 ± 1.59) d, (20.11 ± 4.24) d and (5.35 ± 1.22) d; there were significant differences between two groups in operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time. Postoperative Harris scores at 12 months in ETC group was (82.32 ± 4.56), and (79.24 ± 5.52) in conventional group, there was obvious meaning between two groups (t = 2.833, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONETC pattern is a novel method for diagnosis and treatment of intertrochanteric femur fractures in elderly, it could shorten operative time, hospital stays, leaving bed time, decrease complications and promote recovery of function.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Femur ; injuries ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; Hip Fractures ; surgery ; Hip Joint ; surgery ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Care ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To observe whether the expression of interferon-regulatory factor genes are re- lated to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods The clinical data of 45 SLE patients and 37 normal controls were collected.Total RNA of peripheral blood was extracted and transcripted into cDNA.Sybr green dye based real-time quantitative PCR method was used to compare the expression (indicated as-??Ct value) of IRFI,IRF4,IRF8 in patients with SLE and those in the controls.Results The levels of IRF1,IRF4 and IRF8 mRNA were-3.90?0.19,-8.04?0.25 and 3.60?0.15 respectively in normal controls.In SLE patients, IRF4 mRNA expression was -8.82?0.18,higher than that in normal (P=0.011).But IRF8 mRNA expression was 3.09?0.13,lower than that in normal (P=0.012).Conclusion Abnormal IRF mRNA expression is found in the peripheral blood of SLE patients.IRFs may play roles in the pathogenesis of SLE by affecting the differen- tiation of Th cells.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) and chronic continuous hypobaric hypoxia (CHH) on hemodynamics under basic normoxia and acute hypoxia conditions and to find the difference of two types of chronic hypoxia. Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: Control group (CON), 28 days IHH group (IHH28), 42 days IHH group (IHH42), 28 days CHH group (CHH28) and 42 days CHH group (CHH42). The rats in IHH groups were treated with intermittent hypoxia (11.1% O2) mimicking 5 000 m altitude in a hypobaric chamber for 28 or 42 d, 6 h a day, respectively. The rats in CHH groups lived in the hypobaric chamber with the same degree of hypoxia like IHH rats except half an hour in normoxia each day for feeding and cleaning. The body weight of rats was measured once a week. The parameters in hemodynamics, such as mean artery blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), maximum change rate of left ventricular pressure (+/-LVdP/dt(max)) were recorded under basic normoxia and acute hypoxia conditions through catheterization technique. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in myocardium of rats were measured by biochemical method. The weights of whole heart, left and right ventricles were measured separately. The results showed: (1) The basic HR and MAP in CHH42 rats were lower than those in CON, IHH and CHH28 rats (P<0.05). (2) IHH showed a cardioprotection against acute hypoxia and reoxygenation injury, manifested as the result that the changes of HR, MAP, LVSP, and +/- LVdP/dt(max) were smaller than those in CON rats during acute hypoxia and reoxygenation. CHH showed a rather strong cardioprotection during acute hypoxia, manifested as the result that the decreases of HR, MAP, LVSP, and +/- LVdP/dt(max)were much smaller, but it did damage during reoxygenation, manifested as the result that the recovery of hemodynamics was the worst among three groups (P<0.05). (3) The antioxygenation of heart was increased in both IHH and CHH rats compared with that in CON rats manifested by the increased SOD activity and decreased MDA content (P<0.05, P<0.01). (4) IHH had no effect on heart weight, but CHH rats showed an obvious right ventricular hypertrophy compared with CON and IHH animals (P<0.01). The result indicates that IHH can induce a more effective cardioprotection with no much side effect, which might have a potential value for practical use.
Altitude ; Animals ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Hemodynamics ; Hypertrophy, Right Ventricular ; pathology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Objective This study is to investigate the set-up accuracy of thermoplastic mask used for immobilization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients being treated by Intensity Modulated Radia- tion Therapy (IMRT).Methods Nineteen patients with early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (T1- T2N0M0),treated by fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy,underwent repeated CTs during their 6-week treatment course.We evaluated their anatomic landmark coordinates in a total of 85 repeated CT data sets and respective x,y and z shifts relative to their position in the 19 treatment-planning reference CTs.Results The translation in x,y,and z-axes with their mean value derived from both positive and negative set-up errors was-0.84 mm(x-axis),+0.65 mm(y-axis) and +0.01 mm(z-axis).Mean target isocenter translation was (0.89?0.69) mm,(0.82?0.79) mm,(0.95?1.24) mm in x,y and z-direc- tions,respectively.The mean total magnitude vector and 95% CI of isocenter motion were 1.87 mm and 4.65 mm.The data measured over the 6-week fractionated course of treatment revealed a slight deterioration of isocenter accuracy.The 95% CI,considered by us to be a valuable parameter for characterizing the sys- tem,of 4.17 mm for measurement within the first 3 weeks increased to 5.12 mm in the last 3 weeks of treat- ment.Conclusions The sequential CT scanning is a pronounced valuable method of evaluating the quality of departmental specific patient positioning procedures.The thermoplastic mask is eyed as well suited tool for immobilization and repositioning of NPC patients receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety and efficacy of low-concentration inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in the treatment of hypoxic respiratory failure (HRF) among premature infants.

METHODSSixty premature infants (gestational age ≤ 34 weeks) with HRF were randomized into NO and control groups between 2012 and 2013, with 30 cases in each group. Both groups received nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) or mechanical ventilation. NO inhalation was continued for at least 7 days or until weaning in the NO group. The general conditions, blood gas results, complications, and clinical outcomes of the two groups were analyzed.

RESULTSThe NO group showed significantly more improvement in blood gas results than the control group after 12 hours of treatment (P<0.05). After that, the change in oxygenation status over time showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in total time of assisted ventilation and duration of oxygen therapy between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, and pneumothorax in infants showed no significant differences between the NO and control groups (P>0.05), but the incidence of IVH and mortality were significantly lower in the NO group than in the control group (7% vs 17%, P<0.05; 3% vs 13%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNO inhalation may improve oxygenation status and reduce the mortality in premature infants with HRF, but it cannot reduce the incidence of BPD and the total time of mechanical ventilation or nCPAP and duration of oxygen therapy. NO therapy may have a brain-protective effect for premature infants with HRF and does not increase clinical complications.

Administration, Inhalation ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; complications ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Nitric Oxide ; administration & dosage ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo define changes in clusterin expression following short-term neoadjuvant hormone therapy (NHT) and its biological significance in prostate cancer tissues.

METHODSTwenty-six archival radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens without receiving NHT, 19 needle biopsies and corresponding 19 RP specimens following 3-month NHT, were subjected to immunohistochemical clusterin staining.

RESULTSStaining for clusterin was mainly found in cytoplasm and part of extracellular matrix. Clusterin expression was significantly greater in RP specimens with preoperative NHT (t = 2.91, P < 0.01); Needle biopsies obtained before NHT consistently demonstrated lower staining intensity (1.42 +/- 0.51) than corresponding RP specimens (2.16 +/- 0.60) following 3-month NHT (t = 7.10, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSUpregulation of clusterin in part accounts for malignant progression of prostate cancer through its anti-apoptotic action following androgen withdrawal. These findings support that adjuvant therapy targeting clusterin may enhance androgen ablation therapy in advanced prostate cancer.

Aged ; Clusterin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; methods ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; therapeutic use ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) combined with incremental positive end-expiratory pressure (IP) on respiratory and circulatory functions, and lung histopathology of dogs with smoke inhalation injury.

METHODSAfter being treated with conventional mechanical ventilation, 12 dogs were inflicted with severe smoke inhalation injury and divided into group HFOV and group HFOV+IP according to the random number table, with 6 dogs in each group. Then they received corresponding ventilation for 8 hours respectively. Blood gas analysis results (pH value, PaO2 and PaCO2 levels) and hemodynamic parameters [heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), central venous pressure (CVP), cardiac output (CO)] were recorded before injury, immediately after injury, and at post ventilation hour (PVH) 2, 4, 6, and 8. The dogs of two groups were sacrificed at PVH 8. A healthy dog without any treatment and a dog with smoke inhalation injury but no subsequent treatment were sacrificed in addition. Lung tissues of all dogs were obtained for histopathological observation. Lung injury score examination was conducted in both groups. Data were processed with rank sum test, analysis of variance of repeated measurement, and LSD- t test.

RESULTS(1) The PaO2 levels in both groups were significantly decreased immediately after injury, compared with those before injury (with t values respectively 4.960, 5.310, P values all below 0.01). The PaO2 levels in both groups from PVH 2 to PVH 8 were significantly increased, compared with those observed immediately after injury (with t values from 4.930 to 6.050, P values all below 0.01). At PVH 2, 4, and 8, PaO2 levels in group HFOV+IP were significantly higher than those in group HFOV (with t values from 3.775 to 5.774, P values all below 0.01); no statistically significant differences were observed in pH value and PaCO2 level at each time point between two groups (with t values from 0.002 to 0.997, P values all above 0.05). (2) There were no statistically significant differences in MAP, PAP, and CVP within two groups at each time point (with F values from 1.316 to 4.959, P values all above 0.05). In group HFOV, heart rate from PVH 2 to PVH 8 was significantly lower than that observed immediately after injury (with t values from 3.780 to 8.970, P values all below 0.01). In group HFOV+IP, CO at PVH 4, 6, and 8 was significantly lower than that observed immediately after injury (with t values from 3.990 to 11.200, P values all below 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in MAP, PAP, and CVP between two groups at the same time point (with t values from 0.089 to 2.123, P values all above 0.05). At PVH 4, 6, and 8, heart rate in group HFOV+IP was higher than that in group HFOV (with t values from 2.931 to 7.229, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), while CO was lower (with t values from 4.297 to 11.206, P values all below 0.01). (3) Compared with those of the healthy dog, inflammatory cell infiltration and bleeding in the lung were observed in alveolar space in both group HFOV and group HFOV+IP, while the degree was less serious than that of the dog with smoke inhalation injury only. Compared with those of group HFOV, inflammatory cell infiltration in group HFOV+IP was less significant, the alveolar structure was relatively intact, and no thickening of alveolar walls was observed. The lung injury score in group HFOV [(3.27 ± 0.24) points] was higher than that of group HFOV+IP [(2.79 ± 0.31) points, t = 27, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONSHFOV combined with IP can improve gas exchange and alleviate pulmonary injury without any adverse effect on blood gas analysis or hemodynamic parameters. Therefore, it may be considered as an appropriate mode of ventilation for the treatment of smoke inhalation injury.

Animals ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Burns, Inhalation ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Hemodynamics ; High-Frequency Ventilation ; Male ; Positive-Pressure Respiration ; Smoke ; adverse effects