Aortic Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; diagnosis ; Carotid Body Tumor ; diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To investigate the effect of triiodothyronine on the expression of alpha subunit of C protein Co (Coa) gene in cultured rat cerebral cortex neurons. Methods Primary cultured neurons of rat were prepared from the cerebral cortex at embryonic day 19. The neurons were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum. After 7 days, the neurons were cultured in different media; DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum (group A), DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group B), 0.5nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group C) , 5nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group D) and 50nmol/L T3-containing DMEM supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum stripped of thyroid hormone (group E). The neurons were cultured for another 7 days and total RNA was extracted. Goa mRNA leves were measured by competitive RT-PCR. Results As compared with group A, Coa mRNA leves in group B, D and E were low (P 0.05). Conclusion T, has dual effects on the expression of Coa gene in cultured rat cerebral cortex neurons. T3 down-regulated Coa mRNA in cultured neuron. However, in the absence of T3, Goa mRNA was also very low. Thyroid hormone may exert their action on brain development by regulating the the expression of Goa gene.

AIM: To study the quality standard of Compound Shencha Granuls (Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae, Radix Rehmanniae, etc.). METHODS: Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae and Rhizoma et Radix Polygoni Cuspidati in Compound Shencha Granule were distinguished by TLC. Ursolic acid was determinated by TLCS. RESULTS: The methods of TLC to distinguish Radix et Rhizoma Glycyrrhizae and Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati were feasible without negative inference. Ursolic acid content in three groups of samples was 1.24 - 1.58 mg?g -1 . CONCLUSION: The method is accurate and reproducible. It can be used for the quality control of Compound Shencha Granule.

Objective To evaluate CT and MRI features of brain lesions in CO poisoning and to compare the ability of detecting rate of lesions by CT and MRI.Methods CT and MRI appearances in 52 cases with CO poisoning were analysed and compared.Results Necroses and degenerations of globus pallidus in 9 cases,cerebral white matter demyelination in 3 cases and brain atrophy in 3 cases were showed by CT.The detecting rate was 28.8% by CT while,necroses and degeneration of glodus pallidus were observed in 24 cases and white matter change in 7 cases were observed by MRI,the detecting rate was 59.6% which was higher than that of CT (?

Objective To observe the expression of cysteine rich-protein 61 (Cyr61) on renal tubular cells,to explore its effects against hypoxic induced kidney injury and the underlying mechanisms.Methods A stably Cyr61 expressed tubular cell line Cyr61-HK2 was established based on HK2 cells and recombinant Cyr61-lentivirus.BrdU incorporation assay was used for cell proliferation.The apoptosis of cells was analyzed by flow cytometry with Annexin V and propidiumiodide staining.Western bloting was used to detect the protein expression of BAD,Akt and ERK.Results (1) Cyr61-HK2 cells displayed more proliferation ability than HK2 cells.(2) Under hypoxia condition,the apoptosis of both HK2 and Cyr61-HK2 cells increased,but the apoptosis of Cyr61-HK2 cells was lesser than HK2 cells.(3) The expression of Cyr61 led to the phosphorylation of BAD,Akt and ERK on 0 h,0.5 h,1 h (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The expression of Cyr61 can promote cell proliferation and dampen cell apoptosis induced by hypoxia,which may be involved in the Akt/ERK signal pathway.

Objective:To determine the immunological effects of a new type adjuvant CTA 1-DD/IgG.Methods:Intranasal im-munization of BALB/c mice with OVA in combination with adjuvant CTA 1-DD or CTA1-DD/IgG.Blood samples were subjected to OVA-specific IgG Abs detection and IgG subclass profiles assessment using ELISA.Splenic plasma cells secreting anti-OVA Abs were detected by ELISPOT.Results:CTA1-DD/IgG showed stronger activity in inducing OVA-specific IgG Abs and splenic Abs-secreting cells compared with CTA1-DD.The enhancement of IgG1,IgG2a and IgG2b Abs were observed,and the ratio IgG2a/IgG1 were >1 in both groups.Conclusion: CTA1-DD/IgG can exert enhanced adjuvant effects compared with CTA 1-DD.Mixed IgG subclasses are induced,indicating a more balanced Th1/Th2 response.

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most common malignant tumors globally.Programmed death protein-1(PD-1)/programmed death protein ligand-1(PD-L1)inhibitors promote the reactivation of anti-tumor immune response by bloc-king the negative modulatory signaling pathway of T cells'activa-tion and inhibiting the immune escape pathway of tumor cells.PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors become a novel therapeutic strategy to treat HCC.However,long-term clinical outcomes show that HCC patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy still have high rates of recurrence and metastasis.Combination immuno-therapy is a novel therapeutic strategy to treat advanced HCC pa-tients,among which PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)agents have showed promising efficacy and better safety.PD-1/PD-L1 inhib-itors plus anti-VEGF agents combined therapy inhibit the growth of hepatoma cells by participating in the cancer immunity cycle pathway.This review focuses on the research progress of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors,anti-VEGF agents and their combined therapy in the clinical treatment of HCC.

The objective of this study is to develop a sensitive and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for simultaneous determination of artemisinin, arteannuin B, artemisic acid, and scopoletin, and study the pharmacokinetics of the four constituents in mouse serum after oral administration of the four components to mice. The analytical column used was Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 (2.1 mm x 150 mm, 5 mm). The mobile phase was acetonitrile: 0.5% acetic acid (60: 40) and the flow rate was 0.3 mL x min(-1). The temperature of the column was 40.0 degrees C. In this condition, we established an analysis method to simultaneously determine the four components. A sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (LC-MS) method was developed and validated for the determination of artemisin in derivatives in mice plasma. The method we established has a linear range of 5-3 000 μg x L(-1) with a good sensitivity and specificity for all of the four components. This method is simple, rapid, accurate and suitable for the determination of the content of the four compounds.
Animals ; Artemisinins ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Mice ; Reproducibility of Results ; Scopoletin ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods

OBJECTIVEThe relationship between selenium deficiency and the changes of synaptic structure in the CA3 area of hippocampus were studied in the third generation rats.

METHODSA selenium deficiency model was established by feeding rats with selenium-deficient food. The rats were divided into 4 groups: control (Se+I+), selenium deficiency (Se-I+), iodine deficiency (Se+I-), and both deficient group (Se-I-). The hippocampuses were dissected from the third generation rats on the 21st gestational day and the ultrastructural features of hippocampal synapses were observed with electron microscope. The length of active zone, synaptic curvatures, post-synaptic density (PSD) and synaptic cleft were quantitatively described.

RESULTSCompared with the control, the length of active zone and the thickness of PSD were significantly decreased in Se-I+, Se+I- and Se-I- groups [(261.7 +/- 50.1) nm, (286.7 +/- 41.6) nm and (220.8 +/- 61.6) nm contrast to (312.4 +/- 47.7) nm, P < 0.01], so were the synaptic curvatures in Se-I+, Se+I- and Se-I- groups [(22.9 +/- 6.3) nm, (27.5 +/- 8.6) nm and (25.2 +/- 6.5) nm contrast to (48.1 +/- 12.3) nm, P < 0.01]; the width of synaptic cleft were also decreased significantly in Se-I- [(11.1 +/- 3.3) nm contrast to (16.1 +/- 4.0) nm, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONSelenium deficiency might cause changes of neuronal functions at the synaptic level, and furthermore, affect learning and memory.

Animals ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Iodine ; deficiency ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Selenium ; deficiency ; Synapses ; pathology ; ultrastructure

Objective To investigate diagnostic efficiency of vascular parameters in the diagnosis of BI-RADS Ⅳ breast masses using three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound (3D-PDUS).Methods After adjusting the ultrasonic instrument under property conditions,3D-PDUS were applied to scan BI-RADS Ⅳ breast masses before surgery with QLab software,the following parameters of breast masses were obtained:total tumor volume,vascularization index (VI),flow index (FI),and vascularization flow index (VFI).According to the pathological results,the diagnostic value of vascular parameters from 3D-PDUS were assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve,and the diagnostic efficiency were analyzed by best cut-off limits of various vascular parameters.Results The volume and vascular parameters of benign group were remarkably lower than those of malignant group (all P ＜0.001).The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of VI (0.873) ＞VFI (0.866) ＞FI (0.778).AUC of FI was significantly smaller than that of VI (P =0.016) and of VFI (P =0.039),while no statistical difference between that of VI and of VFI (P =0.294).The diagnostic accuracies of VI (cut-point:1.2,sensitivity:84.1％,specificity:83.3 ％,accuracy:83.8 ％) and of VFI (cut-point:0.5,sensitivity:82.5 ％,specificity:85.2％,accuracy:82.9％) were higher than that of FI (cut-point:35.3,sensitivity:74.6％,specificity:70.4 ％,accuracy:72.6 ％).AUC of VI (P =0.001) and of VFI (P =0.033) in small-volume group (＜2cm3) were both larger than those of large-volume group (≥2 cm3),no significant difference in AUC of FI between these two groups (P =0.09).Conclusions Vascular parameters obtained using 3D-PDUS have affirmative value in the diagnosis of BI-RADS Ⅳ breast masses,especially in masses less than 2 cm3 in volume.