OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Lignum Sappan (LS) containing serum on the proliferation cycle arrest of human lung cancer cell line PG and its molecular mechanism.

METHODSThe lung cancer PG cells were divided into four groups, i.e., the blank control group, the LS group, the LS plus cisplatin group, and the cisplatin group. They were cultured by RPMI-1640 with 20% blank serum, RPMI-1640 with 20% LS containing serum, RPMI-1640 with 20% LS containing serum plus 1 microg/mL cisplatin, and RPMI-1640 with 20% blank serum plus 1 microg/mL cisplatin, respectively. The morphology of PG cells was observed using light microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope in each group. The cell cycle arrest was observed using flow cytometry. The expression of P16 and Rb1 mRNA was tested by PCR method.

RESULTSUnder the light microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope, the apoptosis degree of PG cells in the LS group was significant, but less than that of the LS plus cisplatin group as well as the cisplatin group. Compared with the blank control group, the proportion of PG cells increased at G0/ G1 and S phases (P < 0.05) and decreased at G2/M phase (P < 0.01) in the LS group; The proportion of PG cells increased at G2/M and S phases (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and decreased at G0/G1 phase (P < 0.01) in the LS plus cisplatin group as well as the cisplatin group. Compared with the LS group, the proportion of PG cells increased at G2/M and S phases (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and decreased at G0/G1 phase (P < 0.01) in the LS plus cisplatin group as well as the cisplatin group. There was no statistical difference in PG cells at each phase between the cisplatin group and the LS plus cisplatin group (P > 0.05). The expression of P16 and Rb1 mRNA increased in the LS group, when compared with the blank control group. They also increased in the cisplatin group and the LS plus cisplatin group, higher than that of the LS group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the expression of P16 and Rb1 mRNA between the cisplatin group and the LS plus cisplatin group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLS containing serum induced PG cell apoptosis by up-regulating the mRNA transcription levels of P16 and Rb1, thus resulting in PG cell arrest at G0/G1 and S phases, which was different from the manner of cisplatin (achieved by arresting PG cells at G2/M and S phases through regulating cyclinB1 mRNA transcription).

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective To analyze clinical features and sum up experience for the treatment of ischemic bowel disease. Methods Clinical data of 73 patients with the diagnosis of ischemic bowel disease were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsTwenty-eight patients were male and 45 patients were female. The median of age was 65 years (range of 38 to 89 years). Forty-eight patients were associated with hypertension, 23%(17/73) patients had a history of coronary disease and 15% (11/73) had diabetes. Seventy patients presented symptom of abdominal pain and 93% (68/73) had hematochezia. Symptoms relieved by conservative treatment in 96% (63/66) patients. Nine patients underwent a surgery. One patient died of sepsis postoperatively. One suffered from colostomy necrosis and leakage of the rectum segment. Conclusion 1. Elder patients presenting symptoms of abdominal pain and hematochezia, especially with a history of cardio-cerebrovascular disease and diabetes should be considered for the possibility of ischemic bowel disease. 2. Most patients with ischemic bowel disease could be successfully treated by conservative therapy. 3. Surgery for patients with chronic relapsing and nonresponsible symptoms was difficult and patients often suffer from high postoperative complications.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Bushen Wenyang Huayu Recipe (BSWYHYR) on nerve growth factor (NGF) and transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor I (TRPV1) in experimental endometriosis (EMT), and to explore its mechanism for treating EMT-induced pain.

METHODSTotally in-bred line BALB/c 75 female mice were divided into five groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the model group, the high dose BSWYHYR group, the low dose BSWYHYR group, the gestrinone group, 15 in each group. Writhing response was observed in each group. Serum contents of NGF were detected using ELISA. Expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected using immunohistochemical staining SP and Western blot. mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 in uterus and ectopic foci were detected by Real-time PCR.

RESULTSThe serum NGF content in the model group was higher than that in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01), and there was positive correlation between NGF and the writhing frequency (r = 0.574, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, serum levels of NGF significantly decreased in the 3 treatment groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, mRNA and protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01). Protein expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased significantly in the 3 treatment groups, when compared with the model group (P < 0.01). mRNA expression levels of NGF and TRPV1 decreased most in the high dose BSWYHYR group (P < 0.01). NGF in uterus and ectopic foci was positively correlated with protein and mRNA expression levels of TRPV1 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNGF and TRPV1 participated in the occurrence of pain in EMS. BSWYHYR played an important role in inhibiting EMT-induced pain through reducing the up-regulation of NGF on TRPV1.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Pain ; RNA, Messenger ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Uterus

Objective To investigate the synergism and attenuation effects of Pini Pollen on paclitaxel and cisplatin ( TP) chemotherapy in model mice. Methods Forty-eight model nude mice with H456 cell line xenograft were divided into 8 groups: model group, TP chemotherapy group, Pini Pollen (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) group and TP chemotherapy plus Pini Pollen (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) group. The tumor inhibition rates, body weight, food intake, hematology and blood biochemistry indexes were selected to evaluate the synergism and attenuation effects of intragastric administration of Pini Pollen (150,300,600 mg/kg) on TP chemotherapy. Results Compared with the TP chemotherapy group, the tumor inhibition rates, body weight, food intake, white blood cell count were increased and liver and kidney function damage were alleviated significantly in the TP chemotherapy plus Pini Pollen groups. Conclusions Pini Pollen has a significant synergism and attenuation effects on TP chemotherapy.

Altitude ; Exercise/physiology* ; Heart Rate/physiology* ; Humans ; Lung ; Respiration

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of intrauterine hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on peripheral blood mononuclear cells function of secreting interferon-gamma and interleukin-4.

METHODSPregnant women were systematically screened for HBsAg and HBeAg when attending the antenatal clinic at the Qinhuangdao Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Totally 67 pairs of mothers and infants were enrolled into this study after obtaining the women's consent. Venous blood samples were collected from the infants within 6 hours after birth and before HBIG injection and HBVac immunization. Blood sample was taken from the mother at or after the time when the infant was born. HBV DNA in plasma and PBMC from mothers and their newborns were examined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). According to HBV DNA in PBMC of newborns, they were divided into two groups. The PBMCs isolated from newborn were cultured with purified HBsAg or phytohemagglutinin (PHA). The supernatant interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma level was measured by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSIn 19 newborns PBMC was positive for HBV DNA. Maternal PBMC HBV DNA positivity was associated with high rate of intrauterine HBV infection in the infants (chi2 = 7.58, P < 0.01). Compared with the infants whose PBMC HBV DNA was negative, the infants with PBMC positive for HBV DNA expressed a lower level interferon-gamma secretion after purified HBsAg stimulation (t = 4.71, P < 0.01), however, no significant difference was seen after PHA stimulation (t = 1.21, P > 0.05). The supernatant IL-4 level detected after stimulation with purified HBsAg was higher in the newborns whose PBMC HBV DNA was positive as compared with those negative for PBMC HBV DNA (t = -8.51, P < 0.05). The level of IL-4 did not show any significant difference after stimulation with PHA between the PBMC HBV DNA negative and positive groups (t = -2.40, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONInfection with HBV of maternal PBMC is responsible for perinatal newborn's PBMC HBV infection and it may be an important route of HBV vertical transmission. Infants whose mothers were positive for HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA were at extraordinarily high risk for hepatitis B virus infection. PBMC infected with HBV could influence the status of humoral and cellular immunity resulting in persistent HBV infection and recurrent mother to infant transmission of HBV. Low responses of interferon-gamma and high interleukin-4 transcription upon specific stimulation exist in infants whose PBMC were positive for HBV DNA in uterus may contribute to immune tolerance to HBV.

DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Interferon-gamma ; secretion ; Interleukin-4 ; secretion ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; virology

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of gossypol acetic acid (GAA) on the proliferation of human mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line MEC-1 in vitro and its possible molecular mechanisms of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). MTT assay was performed to test the inhibition of proliferation of MEC-1 cells by GAA. DSB and γH2AX foci formation induced by GAA were detected by neutral comet assay and immunostaining. GAA (5-40 μmol/L) inhibited the growth of MEC-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. One of the indexes of comet assay, percentage of head DNA was decreased, however other indexes, including tail length, percentage of tail DNA, tail moment (TM) and Olive tail moment (OTM) were increased when treated with 2.5- 40 μmol/L GAA for 24 h or 20 μmol/L GAA for 3-48 h, compared with those in control. The percentage of γH2AX-positive cells was also increased when MEC-1 was treated with 2.5-20 μmol/L GAA for 24 h or 20 μmol/L GAA for 3-48 h, compared with that in control. All these results show that GAA inhibits the proliferation of MEC-1, and DSB maybe one of the mechanisms of inhibitory effect of GAA on the growth of tumor cells.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded ; drug effects ; Gossypol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Parotid Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

BACKGROUNDOsteoarthritis often affects the joint bilaterally, and the single-stage (SS) unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is advantageous in terms of a single anesthesia administration, a short hospital stay, lower medical costs, and enhanced patient convenience. However, the complication risk of SS UKA continues to be debated. The aim of this article was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, complications, and functional recovery of SS and two-stage (TS) UKA.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to December 2013, we compared a series of 36 SS UKA with 45 TS UKA for osteoarthritis. The mean age was 65.4 years (range: 55-75 years). The mean body mass index was 25.2 kg/m 2 (range: 22-29 kg/m 2 ). The pre- and post-operative Oxford Knee Scores (OKSs), complications, operative times, tourniquet times, the amount of drainage, and hemoglobin (Hb) were evaluated. The Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and paired and grouped t-tests were used in this study.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up was 50 months. No complications of death, fat embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and prosthetic infection were reported. Patients who underwent SS UKA had a shorter cumulative anesthesia time (113.5 vs. 133.0 min, P < 0.01). There were no significant variations between the values of the mean tourniquet time, the amount of drainage, pre- and post-operative Hb in the different groups. No patient required a blood transfusion. No statistical differences were found in the complications between two groups (P > 0.05). At the final follow-up, the mean OKS improved from 39.48 ± 5.69 to 18.83 ± 3.82 (P < 0.01), with no statistical differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). Patients who underwent SS UKA had a faster recovery.

CONCLUSIONSThe single-staged UKA offers the benefits of a single anesthesia administration, reduced total anesthetic time, decreased overall rehabilitation time, and absence of an increase in perioperative mortality or complications compared with the TS bilateral UKA.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; surgery ; Recovery of Function ; Treatment Outcome

The current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan,China,has posed significant threats to international health.By Feb.20,2020,74 576 cases have been confirmed and over 2 118 deaths have reported in the Chinese mainland.Chinese administrations have carried out immediate and prompt measures to stop the spread of the virus.Wuhan city has been shut down since Jan.23,and more than 30 thousand medical workers have been recruited to Hubei province.Two temporary hospitals were constructed to treat severe pneumonia patients,and 15 mobile cabin hospitals were built to treat mild pneumonia cases.Significant improvement regarding the pathogenesis,epidemiology,and diagnosis and therapy for the COVID-19 has been achieved to stop the spread of the epidemics.

Background There have been an abundance of literature on the analysis of the mechanical characteristic of the sclera at the entire seleral level in high myopia.However,some recent studies on high myopia are focused on the mechanical changes of the sclera on a cellular level. Objective This experiment was purposed to study how transforming growth factor-β2(TGF-β2)affected sclerotic desmocytes and the mechanical behaviors of scleral fibroblasts in the posterior part of the eyes in guinea pigs with experimental myopia. Methods Induced myopic animal models were established by wearing-10.00 D concave lens for 30 days in lateral eyes of 2-week-old guinea pigs.The fellow eyes were used as control group.Another 5 matched animals served as normal controls.The scleral fibroblasts of each group were purified with the tissue explant method and passaged for 2 generations in vitro.Cultured cells were identified by immunochemistry with vimentin,desmin,keratin and S-100 antibodies.Different concentrations of TGF-β2(0,1,10,100mg/L)were added into serum-free DMEM for 24 hours,and the viscoelastic properties of scleral fibroblasts were measured by micropipette aspiration technique. Results Compared with the fellow,eyes and normal control eyes,the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity in model eyes were significantly higher(P＜0.05).After treatment of TGF-β2,the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity in the model group and fellow eyes were positively correlated with the concentrations of TGF-β2(r=0.743,r=0.533,r=0.654,r=0.576,P＜0.05).Following the addition of 1 mg/L TGF-β2 and 10 mg/L TGF-β2,the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity of scleral fibroblasts were significantly reduced in model eyes compared with fellow eyes(P＜0.05).No significant difference was found in the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity of scleral fibroblasts between model eyes and fellow eyes after treatment with 100 mg/L TGF-β2(P＞0.05). Conclusion TGF-β2 car increase the mechanic indexes in a concentration.dependent manner.1 mg/L,10 mg/L TGF-β2 can lower the equilibrium modulus and apparent viscosity of scleral fibroblasts of normal eye and thus cause more changes in the mechanical behavior of scleral fibroblasts.