Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcatheter renal sympathetic denervation(RDN)in the treatment of resistant hypertension.Methods Clinical data of 10 patients with resistant hypertension treated by transcatheter renal sympa-thetic denervation were retrospectively analyzed.The blood pressure and complications were analyzed.Results In all of the 10 pa-tients,systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly after two weeks compared with preoperative,and further de-creased after 3 months (P <0.05 ).There were no statistical difference of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between 3 and 6 months(P >0.05).Before the RDN,the mean number of antihypertensive drugs was 5.3±0.9.After 6 months which was 3.2±0. 6,and which was decreased significantly compared with the preoperative (P <0.05).No adverse reactions were found.Conclusion The RDN can be quickly and sustained decrease the blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension.

Objective To analyze the clinical pathological characteristics of achalasia patients complicated by esophageal cancer.Methods From January 2005 to May 2013,among 658 patients with achalasia,the clinical data,pathological characteristics of tumor and the treatment of those complicated by esophageal cancer were collected and analyzed.At the same time,receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between the course of achalasia and esophageal cancer.Results Among the 658 patients with achalasia,297(45.1％) cases were male and 361(54.9％) cases were female.A total of 62 cases (9.4％) were lost to follow-up and of 596 cases who completed the follow-up,26 cases (4.4 ％) were complicated with esophageal cancer.Among the 26 patients complicated with esophageal cancer,69.2％ (18/26) were male;the course from achalasia diagnosed to esophageal cancer was (16.5±8.2) years.The patients with a disease duration more than 10 years accounted for 88.5％(23/26),and 80.8％ (21/26) underwent previous balloon dilatation or Heller surgery.The predilection site of esophageal cancer was in the middle esophagus of patients complicated by esophageal cancer (69.2％,18/26),the main type was squamous carcinoma (88.5％,23/26),65.4％(17/26) of the lesions invaded to muscular layer (stage T3 to T4),61.5％(16/26) had the late stage tumor (stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ),and 23.1％(6/26) had distant metastasis.The results of ROC curve analysis showed that when the duration was 10.5 years,the Youden index reached the maximum value (0.71).And 38.5％ (10/26) of patients with esophageal cancer could not be treated with esophageal cancer radical surgery,and their average survival time was (11.4±6.6) months.Conclusion The patients with the duration of achalasia over 10.5 years are required for regular endoscopic examination to improve the prognosis.

Wuzhuyu Tang is a classical formula for treating migraine, but its' pharmacological ingredients is unclear yet. Present study employed the everted intestinal sac model to collect the absorption samples of 10 kinds of Wuzhuyu decoction, and then analyzed the contents of 9 ingredients in Wuzhuyu Tang and absorption samples quantitatively or semi-quantitatively by HPLC-DAD method. Reserpine was used to establish the mice model of migraine, and then the contents and activities of 5-hydroxytryptamine, noradrenaline, dopamine, nitric oxide and nitricoxide synthase in brain tissues and serums were determined respectively after oral administration of Wuzhuyu Tang. Using the partial least squares regression method to correlate the total absorption quantity of 9 ingredients and pharmacodynamics. The result shows that limocitrin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside, ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1, rutaevine, limonin, evodiamine and rutaecarpine are the main ingredients influenced the effects in absorption samples in everted intestinal sacs, especially ginsenoside Rg1, rutaevine, evodiamine and rutaecarpine among them have obvious improving effects to most pharmacodynamics index, might be the pharmacological ingredients influenced the therapeutical effects of Wuzhuyu Tang treating migraine.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Intestinal Absorption ; drug effects ; Intestines ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Migraine Disorders ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To explore the variation trends of interleukin-1β( IL-1β) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in both normal and affected sides of brain tissues in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury and the therapeutic action of electroacupuncture.Methods The cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model was established with suture embolization in the right middle cerebral artery.The rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and electroacupunture group.Each group was then divided into six subgroups by the time after operation (12 h,24 h,48 h,72 h,96 h,144 h), ten rats in each subgroup. Frozen sections of brain tissues were prepared and the expression of IL-1βand ICAM-1 in brain tissues of both sides were detec-ted by immunohistochemistry.Results The expressions of IL-1βand ICAM-1 showed typical bimodal pattern in both affected is-chemic region and contralateral normal region.In the model group, the peaks of IL-1βin the cerebral ischemic region were at 12 h and 48 h, while in the contralateral normal region the peaks were at 12 h and 144 h, the expression of IL-1βin the ischemic region was significantly higher than that in the contralateral normal region at 48 h (P<0.05), and lower at 96 h and 144 h (P <0.05).In the electroacupuncture group, the expressions of IL-1βin the ipsilateral region were significantly lower than that in the contralateral region at 24 h, 48 h and 144 h (P<0.05).In the model group, the peaks of ICAM-1 in the cerebral ischemic regions were at 24 h and 72 h, while in the contralateral normal regions the peaks were at 24 h and 144 h.In the electroacupunc-ture group, the expressions of ICAM-1 in the ischemic regions were significantly lower than that in the contralateral normal re-gions at all the 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 144 h (P<0.05).Conclusions Our findings suggest that electroacupuncture may inhibit the inflammation of ischemia/reperfusion brain tissue through reducing the expression of IL-1βand ICAM-1 to relieve the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Communicable diseases are the major threats to the health and security of all the people living in Liberia, including UN peacekeepers from China. The most prevalent communicable diseases in Liberia include malaria, HIV/AIDS, acute respiratory infection, sexual transmitted disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, tuberculosis, cholera, pertussis, hepatitis, meningococcal disease, typhoid fever, Lassa fever and yellow fever. An insight into the profiles and epidemiology of the above epidemics in Liberia would greatly help peacekeepers with disease diagnosis and epidemic prevention. According to the profiles of epidemics in Liberia and the authors' experience in epidemic prevention in Liberia, the authors recommend that peacekeepers strengthen their epidemic prevention as follows. Firstly, a combined vector control strategy is suggested for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases. Secondly, water safety should be highlighted by water disinfection and regular water quality testing. Thirdly, vaccines, diagnostic reagents and medications should be accordingly outfitted. Then, the awareness of epidemic prevention and individual hygiene should be improved by education and strict management. Finally, the daily life management for peacekeepers is also very important. The epidemic overviews and strategies for epidemic prevention described in this paper are also useful for all the other peacekeepers deployed in Africa.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Desmin ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endometrial Stromal Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma, Epithelioid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; metabolism ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Uterine Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Objective: To analyze the effects of miR-138 on the expression of small glutamine-rich TPR-containing protein A (SGTA) and cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance (CAM-DR) phenotype in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Methods: The adhesion model was constructed using fibronectin (FN) or bone marrow stromal cells HS-5. The effect of miR-138 on the expression of SGTA was analyzed by Western blotting and RQ-PCR. Dual-luciferase assays were performed to probe the effects of miR-138 on SGTA 3' UTR activities. Subsequently, we investigated the effect of miR-138 on cell cycle, adhesion ability and CAM-DR. Moreover, the correlation between miR-138 expression and therapeutic response was analyzed in 35 paraffin-embedded diffuse large B cell lymphoma samples. Results: Our data showed that adhesion of NHL cells to FN or HS-5 cells significantly increased miR-138 expression (P<0.05). Knockdown of miR-138 markedly increased the protein (all P<0.05) but not for mRNA (all P>0.05) levels of SGTA in NHL cell. The luciferase activity of SGTA 3' UTR was significantly suppressed by miR-138 transfected cells (0.73±0.03 vs 1.00±0.02, t=0.914, P=0.002). No change in terms of reporter activity was observed in SGTA 3'UTR mutant transfected cells (0.93±0.04 vs 1.00±0.02, t=1.375, P=0.241). Also we found that ectopic expression of miR-138 significantly induced cell cycle arrest at G(1) phase in both suspension and adherent cells (all P<0.05). Knockdown of miR-138 had no effect on cell adhesion ability (all P>0.05). More importantly, in suspension cells, knockdown of miR-138 significantly decreased the percentage of doxorubicin-induced cell death. However, knockdown of miR-138 dramatically increased the percentage of doxorubicin-induced cell death in FN/HS-5-adherent cells. Furthermore, the miR-138 expression was significantly higher in patients with progression of disease/stable disease than those experiencing complete response/partial response (9.72±1.11 vs 3.06±0.22, t=9.144, P<0.001). Conclusion: MiR-138 promoted CAM-DR phenotype through cell adhesion-mediated SGTA down-regulation and cell cycle arrest.
Carrier Proteins ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; MicroRNAs ; Molecular Chaperones ; Phenotype

Objective To research the curative effect of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine on Kashin-Beck disease(KBD). Methods According to Diagnosis for Kashin-Beck disease,80 patients of adult KBD were detected from Guanghui village Shangzhi city Heilongjiang province in July,2007,and they divided into treatment group and control group according to their condition,age and sex,40 person in each group. Treatment group was given chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate,and control group was given placebo(equivalent amount of starch). Bilateral knees X-ray films were shot before and after treatment (8th month),scale division magnifying glass was used to measure the width of joint space on X-ray films. Results The width of joint space respectively was (4.30±2.14) and (4.10±2.07)mm in control group before and after treatment,and treatment group respectively was (4.17±2.15),(4.16±2.11)mm. Medicine had no obviously role on joint space (F = 0.50,P > 0.05),Time and both of time and medicine had obvious role on joint space(F= 67.66,46.74,all P< 0.05). Joint space of treat group was thinner than control group(P < 0.05) before treatment,but thicker after treatment(P < 0.05). To compare with the width of before treatment,joint space width of control group became obviously narrow(P < 0.05). Conclusions Experimental group taking chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate alleviated knee joint space narrowing process of adults KBD patients compared with control group. It plays a protection role in articular cartilage and provides evidences for choosing drug and evaluating effect in the treatment of adults KBD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Salvianolic-acid B on p38MAPK signaling pathway and its transcriptional factor activated by Transforming growth factor b1 in rat hepatic stellate cells.

METHODSHepatic stellate cells were isolated from normal rat by in situ perfusion and Nycodenz density-gradient centrifugation method.TGFb1 (10 ng/ml), PD98059(50 mumol/L), SB203580(10 mumol/L) and SA-B (10-6 mol/L) were directly added to the medium of the isolated HSCs. Groups: (1)The detection of total p38, MKK3/6, MEF2A and MEF2C induced by TGFb1 in HSC: include control group, SA-B group, SA-B+TGFb1 group and TGFb1 group. (2)The detection of the phosphorylation of p38, MKK3/6 and a-SMA induced by TGFb1 in HSC: include control group, SA-B group, SA-B+TGFb1 group, TGFb1 group, PD98059 group, PD98059+SA-B group, PD98059+TGFb1 group and SA-B+PD98059+TGFb1 group. (3)The effects of SA-B on activity of MEF2 reporter and collagen a 1(I) reporter induced by TGFb1 in HSC: include mt group, wt group, TGFb1 group, SA-B+TGFb1 group, SA-B group, SB203580+TGFb1 group and SB203580 group. Total and phosphorylated p38 and MKK3/6, MEF2A, MEF2C and a-SMA were assayed by Western blot. HSCs were transfected with either MEF2 or collagen a1(I) luciferase reporter gene by Lipofectamine 2000 transfection method, Cellular extracts were assayed for both MEF2 and collagen a1(I) luciferase activities. Comparisons between groups were performed with Student-Newman-Keuls test.

RESULTSThe relative expression level of the phosphorylation of p38 of SA-B group is 0.33+/-0.05,obviously lower than control group(q=7.08, P less than 0.01); SA-B+TGFb1 group is 0.46+/-0.04, obviously lower than TGF b1 group(q=10.45, P less than 0.01); The relative expression level of the phosphorylation of MKK3/6 of SA-B group is 0.11+/-0.07, obviously lower than control group(q=3.944, P less than 0.05); SA-B+TGF b1 group is 0.28+/-0.07, obviously lower than TGFb1 group (q=7.91, P less than 0.01); The relative luciferase activity of MEF2 reporter of SA-B+TGFb1 group and SB203580+TGF b1 group is 2.93+/-0.09 and 2.50+/-0.05 respectively, both obviously lower than TGFb1 group(q=35.35 and 37.2, P less than 0.01); The relative expression level of MEF2C and MEF2A of SA-B group is 15.82+/-0.97 and 13.00+/-0.40 respectively, obviously lower than control group(q is 5.18 and 13.32, both P less than 0.01); SA-B+TGF b1 group is 13.40+/-0.72 and 20.47+/-0.83 respectively, obviously lower than TGFb1 group(q is 43.93 and 12.52,both P less than 0.01); The relative expression level of a-SMA of SA-B+TGFb1 group is 8.76+/-0.44, obviously lower than TGFb1 group(q=20.35, P less than 0.01); SA-B+SB203580+TGFb1 group is only 3.57+/-0.49, obviously lower than TGFb1 group(q=39.78, P less than 0.01); The relative luciferase activity of collagen a1(I) reporter of SA-B+TGF b1 group and SB203580+TGFb1 group is 1.61+/-0.05 and 1.42+/-0.07 respectively, obviously lower than TGFb1 group(q=26.4 and 27.62, both P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSA-B could inhibit activation of HSC induced by TGFb1 through inhibiting p38MAPK signaling pathway in hepatic stellate cells.

Animals ; Benzofurans ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injury and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B in PC12 cells.

METHODSIn order to set injury models, the PC12 cells were incubated in different concentration of LPS. Cells were cultured in the culture and were reduced by LPS, and then cells were treated by NGF of various concentrations. The cell viability was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, cellular morphology was observed under inverted microscope and fluorescence microscope, and the content of NF-kappaB was assessed by RT-PCR.

RESULTS(1) The viability of PC12 cell was decreased with concentration of LPS increasing. (2) The cellular morphology change showed that NGF had an ability to reduce LPS injury. (3) The result of RT-PCR showed that the content of NF-kappaB in LPS injury was more than the normal and treated cell, and the treated one was close to the normal one.

CONCLUSIONThe reports about NGF in brain cells repair after inflammatory are very small. And our study is about that NGF can protect the PC12 cell from LPS injury, and this mechanism possible bears on the activation of NF-kappaB.

Animals ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Nerve Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Rats