Background Previous experimental and clinical studies have proved that elevated serum uric acid increased risk for developing hypertension.Whereas,there are a paucity of information on the relationship between serum uric acid and prehypertension.Objective The purpose of this research is to evaluate the association between the serum uric acid and prehypertension.Method A cohort of seven thousand eight hundred thirty-nine subjects without hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases were recruited from a cross sectional study in urban and rural place in 9 provinces during 2005-2006.Based on serum uric acid(324 ?mol/L for overall population,366 ?mol/L for male,285 ?mol/L for female),people were categorized into quartiles.The odds ratio for prehypertension was calculat ed with the lowest quartile as the reference.Results The prevalence of prehypertension increased with increasing uric acid in total population(P324 ?mol/L)to lowest quartile 1(

Aim To observe the effect of eplerenone(EPL) and Chinese decoction on cell apoptosis in obstructive nephropathy rats.Methods Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham group, UUO group, EPL group and ZY group(n=15).Except sham group, the rats in the other groups were ligated with unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) for renal interstitial fibrosis model.The rats were treated with eplerenone at 100 mg·kg-1·d-1 added to diet in EPL group, and orally 13.7 g·kg-1·d-1 decoction of Chinese medicine in ZY group.The kidneys were harvested on 14th day, the number of renal cell apoptosis were detected by TUNEL, and serum aldosterone and 8-OhdG were detected with radioimmunoassay and ELISA.Caspase-12, caspase-9, Bax and Bcl-2 were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.Results The levels of serum aldosterone, serum and urine 8-OhdG and the number of positive apoptotic cells increased significantly in UUO rats compared with Sham group.The overexpression of caspase-9, caspase-12 and Bax and down-regulated Bcl-2 were obvious in UUO group(P<0.01).The level of 8-OhdG, expression of caspase-9, caspase-12 and Bax were down-regulated, and Bcl-2 expression was up-regulated in eplerenone and Chinese decoction treated rats(P<0.01).Conclusion Eplerenone and Chinese decoction could inhibit cell apoptosis induced by oxidative damage after UUO via caspases and(or) Bax pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of silencing E6-associated protein(E6AP)on the level of p53 protein in human papilloma virus(HPV)negative cervical cancer cells(C33A cells).Methods The siRNA sequence silencing E6AP(siE6AP)and silencing control disordered siRNA sequence(siControl)were transfected into C33A cells with the mediation of LipofectamineTM2000 transfection reagent respectively.The silencing effect of siRNA on E6AP and the expression of p53and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins were detected by Western blot.Results The levels of E6AP protein in C33A cells of siE6AP group were significantly lower(t =-4.597,P<0.05),while the levels of p53 and cleaved-caspase-3 proteins were significantly higher than those of siControl group(t = 4.533 and 7.099 respectively,each P<0.05).Conclusion Silencing of E6AP significantly increased the expression of p53 protein in C33A cells,indicating that silencing of E6AP may restore the activity and function of p53 protein in C33A cells.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the single and mixed decoction of Thallus laminariae (kelp) and Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) on the metabolism and their difference. The mixed decoction of kelp and licorice and the single decoction were made and intragastrically administered to the SD rats. The effect on system metabolism, the toxicity of liver and kidney were assessed by GC-MS profiling of the endogenous molecules in serum, routine biochemical assays and histographic inspection of tissues from SD rats, separately. The mixed decoction of kelp and licorice induced more obvious pathological abnormalities in SD rats than a single decoction of kelp, while the extracts of licorice did not show any pathological change. Neither the mixed, nor the single decoction showed abnormal histopathology. After intragastric administration of extracts for 5 days, the mixed decoction induced a decrease of ALT (no significant change in the groups of single decoction) and an increase of BUN (so did the single decoction of kelp). Metabolomic profile of the molecules in serum revealed that the metabolic patterns were all obviously affected for the three groups, i.e., the mixed and single decoction of kelp and licorice. The rats given with the single decoction of kelp showed a similar pattern to that of the mixed decoction, indicating that the kelp primarily contributed the perturbation of metabolism for the mixed decoction. All three groups induced a decrease of branched chain amino acids, TCA cycle intermediates and glycolysis intermediates (e.g., pyruvic acid and lactic acid) and an increase of 3-hydroxybutyric acid. Kelp decoction showed stronger potential in reducing TCA cycle intermediates and glycolysis intermediates than the other two groups, while the levels of branched chain amino acids were the lowest after licorice extracts were given. These results suggested that the effect of the mixed decoction on metabolism was closely associated with both kelp and licorice. The continuous administration of single decoction of kelp and the mixed decoction of licorice and kelp resulted in pathological abnormalities in kidney of SD rats. The mixed decoction of kelp and licorice distinctly perturbed sera molecules and hence system metabolism, which showed associated with those of kelp and licorice. Although the metabolic effect was associated with both kelp and licorice, the results suggested kelp contributed to it primarily.
Animals ; Glycyrrhiza ; chemistry ; Kelp ; chemistry ; Kidney ; drug effects ; Liver ; drug effects ; Metabolomics ; Plant Preparations ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the ultrasonographic characteristics of benign cystic lesions in the scrotum.

METHODSA total of 96 patients with benign cystic lesions in the scrotum were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSEighteen of the patients had benign cystic lesions in the testis, including 9 cases of intratesticular cystic lesion, 5 tubular ectasia of the rete testis, 2 epidermoid cyst and 2 dermoid cystine. And 78 of the total number had the lesions in the epididymis, including 75 cases of seminal cyst and 3 seminal fluid deposition in the epididymis. High-frequency ultrasound could clearly reveal benign cystic lesions in the scrotum, differentiate them from cystis degeneration of testiculoma, and diagnose tubular ectasia of the rete testis and seminal fluid deposition in the epididymis.

CONCLUSIONUltrasonography could be a first choice and a valuable imaging means in the diagnosis of benign cystic lesions in the scrotum.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cysts ; diagnostic imaging ; Genital Diseases, Male ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Ultrasonography ; methods

BACKGROUNDBudd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a posthepatic portal hypertension caused by the obstruction of the lumen of the hepatic veins or the proximal inferior vena cava (IVC). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical experience of interventional therapy for Budd-Chiari syndrome.

METHODSIVC venography was carried out first, the obliteration or stenosis in the IVC was opened or dilated with the hard guided wire or Rups100 puncture needle and balloon, then a stent was routinely implanted for the type of obliteration or stenosis.

RESULTSThe procedure was successful in 821 out of 903 cases including IVC intervention in 760 cases, and hepatic vein intervention in 61 cases. An IVC stent was used in 517 cases and hepatic vein stent in 19 cases. There were no pulmonary embolisms, but acute renal failure occurred in eight cases, hepatic coma in two cases and acute heart failure in 43 cases. Two patients died in this group and five cases were complicated with acute IVC thrombosis. Follow up of 7 to 124 months was made in 679 cases with recurrence found in 59 cases.

CONCLUSIONSInterventional therapy is safe and effective with a fast recovery for most types of BCS. It is gradually becoming the first therapeutic choice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; adverse effects ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; surgery ; therapy ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phlebography ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between abnormal ECG and pathologic changes in the cardiac conduction system (CCS).

METHODPathological changes of the CCS in 12 cases with abnormal ECG out of 16 pre-death ECG were observed.

RESULTS(1) Among 7 cases of sudden cardiac death, ECG monitoring recorded bradyarrhythmia in 6 cases, tachyarrhythmia 6 cases, bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome 2 cases, conduction block 6 cases, atrial premature beats 6 cases, ventricular premature beats 6 cases, and ST-T changes 4 cases. (2) The histopathological findings in the CCS were noted in all cases. Of these 12 cases, three had signs of fatty infiltration, and/or fibrous 4 cases, three of amyloidosis, one of chronic inflammatory changes, two of acute inflammatory changes, two of developmental anomalies, two of hemorrhages and one of LAD stenosis. (3) Acute inflammation changes in the CCS corresponded to tachyarrhythmia and multiple ventricular premature beats, whereas chronic inflammation and degenerative changes in the CCS were often related to bradyarrhythmia, bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome and conduction block. (4) The CCS changes alone could lead to ST-T changes in ECG.

CONCLUSIONThe pathological changes in the CCS are related to ECG changes, and attributed to the pathological bases of arrhythmia.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Child ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Conduction System ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

This study was aimed to observe the effects on glucolipid metabolism of aqueous extract of traditional South African herb Sutherlandia. Intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) combined with high fat feed method was used in the establishment of type 2 diabetes rat model. Then, rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, pioglitazone group, and the Sutherlandia group. Observation was made on changes of body weight, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), blood triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C). Western blot method was used to detect IRS-1 expression of skeletal muscle in rats of each group. The results showed that compared with the normal group, body weight in the model group was decreased, and indicators of OGTT, TG, TC, LDL-C were significantly increased (P< 0.05). Symptoms such as increased drink-ing, eating and urine were obvious; and the IRS-1 expression was obviously decreased (P< 0.05). After treatment, compared with the model group, there was no significant body weight increase in the Sutherlandia group or the pi-oglitazone group. Indicators of blood glucose, TG, TC in the Sutherlandia group and the pioglitazone group were ob-viously decreased with no statistical difference (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). In the Sutherlandia group and the pioglitazone group, IRS-1 expression of skeletal muscle in rats was obviously increased with no statistical difference (P< 0.05). It was concluded that type 2 diabetes rats induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ combined with high fat feed method can induce glucolipid metabolism disorders. Traditional South African herb Sutherlandia can obviously reduce the blood sugar level, improve blood lipid metabolism, and improve the level of insulin. Sutherlandia can improve the IRS-1 expression of skeletal muscle in rats, relief the insulin resistance, and lower blood sugar. However, the effect of its exact ways required further in-depth study.

Purpose: Tumor recurrence is the principal cause of poor outcomes in remnant gastric cancer (RGC) after resection. We sought to elucidate the recurrent patterns according to tumor locations in RGC. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the Shanghai Cancer Center between January 2006 and December 2020. A total of 129 patients with RGC were included in this study, of whom 62 had carcinomas at the anastomotic site (group A) and 67 at the non-anastomotic site (group N). The clinicopathological characteristics, surgical results, recurrent diseases, and survival were investigated according to tumor location. Results: The time interval from the previous gastrectomy to the current diagnosis was 32.0±13.0 and 21.0±13.4 years in groups A and N, respectively. The previous disease was benign in 51/62 cases (82.3%) in group A and 37/67 cases (55.2%) in group N (P=0.002). Thirty-three patients had documented sites of tumor recurrence through imaging or pathological examinations. The median time to recurrence was 11.0 months (range, 1.0–35.1 months). Peritoneal recurrence occurred in 11.3% (7/62) of the patients in group A versus 1.5% (1/67) of the patients in group N (P=0.006). Hepatic recurrence occurred in 3.2% (2/62) of the patients in group A versus 13.4% (9/67) of the patients in group N (P=0.038). Patients in group A had significantly better overall survival than those in group N (P=0.046). Conclusions The tumor location of RGC is an essential factor for predicting recurrence patterns and overall survival. When selecting an optimal postoperative follow-up program for RGC, physicians should consider recurrent features according to the tumor location.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of kaempferol on the skeletal muscle of KKAy mice via PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling.Spontaneous type 2 diabetic KKAy mice were made up for the model group.After 6-week treatment of kaempferol by intragastric administration,key targets of PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling were detected using biochemical and immunohistochemical technique,and western blot.It was found that the body weight,fast blood glucose and random blood glucose were decreased after kaempferol administration.ITT results show that blood glucose at 30 min after injecting insulin and the area under the curve drop were reduced in the kaempferol group,and so was the insulin resistance index in the kaempferol group.In addition,the mRNA expressions of PI3K,AKT and GLUT4 in the kaempferol group increased significantly,while the protein levels of AKT and GLUT4 were up-regulated by kaempferol administration.It was concluded that kaempferol can significantly regulate the blood glucose,body weight and insulin resistance in mice through activating the PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling.