In the present study the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on substance P (SP), somatostatin (SOM) and serotonin (5-HT) immunoreactivity (IR) of APUD cells and nerve fibers in the pylorus and in the skin of "Zusanli" acupo- int of rats were studied using immunohistochemical technique. Forty rats were divided into 20 pairs, one of each pair for EA (bilateral "Zusanli" acupuncture for 20 min), the other one for control. After EA the pain threshold was mark- edly increased(P

Objective To determine the significance of renin angiotensin system (RAS) expressed on placenta in pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). Methods The expression of placental angiotensin Ⅱtype 1 receptor (AT 1R) and angiotensinogen (AGT) in patients with PIH ( n =20) were investigated and compared with controls ( n =15) using immunohistochemistry and semi quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR). Results AT 1R was mainly found in the syncytiotrophoblasts, cytotrophoblasts,the vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. The expression of AT 1R in PIH group (112.43?11.75) was higher than that of control group (170.47? 10.59) ( P

AIM: To investigate the changes of oxidative stress in the kidneys and their roles in nephropathy in diabetic rats. METHODS: Diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin (STZ). 36 rats were divided into three groups randomly: (1) NC group, normal control rats; (2) DM group, diabetic rats received protamine zinc insulin (PZI) 2U-4U/2 d; (3) DT group, diabetic rats received PZI 9-12 U/kg body weigh/day. 12 weeks later, rats were killed, blood glucose, blood cholesterol, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, HbA1c, urinary creatinine, and urinary protein for 24 h were measured. The activities of antioxidant enzymes in renal cortex, including total superoxide dismutase (TSOD), Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD), Mn superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and maleic dialdehyde (MDA) were measured by chromatometry. RT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of different antioxidant enzymes mRNA. RESULTS: For all the targets we measured, there was no significant difference between NC and DT groups. Compared with the other two groups, the levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, trigalloyl glycerol, HbA1c in DM group increased significantly. The activities of TSOD, Cu-Zn SOD and CAT decreased significantly. The activity of GSH-Px increased significantly. There was no significant difference among the activities of Mn SOD in all three groups. The level of MDA in DM group was much higher than that in NC or DT group. The relative expression levels of GSH-Px and Cu-Zn SOD mRNA in DM group were higher than those in other two groups, while the relative expression level of CAT decreased. Mn SOD mRNA was expressed without significant difference in all groups. Compared with NC or DT group, urinary protein in DM group increased significantly, while creatinine clearance rate decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia affected the expression of antioxidant enzymes. Oxidative stress was caused by hyperglycemia in diabetic rats and may be an important factor in the etiology of diabetic nephropathy.

Iatrogenic gastrointestinal perforation is one of the severe adverse events of endoscopic therapeutic procedure. For acute iatrogenic perforation,management by endoscopic techniques is a simple and rapid modality to close the perforation with minimal invasiveness and avoiding the traditional surgical trauma. Endoclips,suture with special instruments,covered stents,degradable sheets combined with tissue adhesive,and combined endoscopic techniques such as snares combined with endoclips,are the major endoscopic therapeutic modalities for closure of iatrogenic gastrointestinal perforation. In this article,the current status and progress of endoscopic management for acute iatrogenic gastrointestinal perforation were reviewed.

AIM: To observe the role of c-fos in the protection by cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) against pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) injury induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS: The ultrastructure of PASMC was observed under transmission electron microscope (TEM). MDA content,LDH release and the rate of trypan blue in PASMC were measured,and immunocytochemistry technique was adopted to observe the c-fos protein expression. RESULTS: The TEM results showed significant PASMC structural injury in LPS group and alleviated structural changes in LPS+CCK-8 group. CCK-8 reduced the increase in the rate of trypan blue uptake,MDA content and LDH release in PASMC induced by LPS. LPS lightly increased c-fos protein expression,which was enhanced by CCK-8. CONCLUSION: CCK-8 attenuated the injury of PASMC induced by LPS,which may be concerned with the increase in c-fos protein expression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hyperglycaemia on the cardiomyodial change of rat fetus. METHODS: Thirty clean SD pregnant rats were randomly dividing into group A, B and C, 10 in each group. Group A were injected intraperitoneally 50 mg/kg streptozotocin on the 6th day of pregnancy, Group B were injected the same dose on the 13th day of pregnancy, while Group C were injected intraperitoneally 0.1 mmol/L citrate buffer solution on the 6th day of pregnancy. All rats were killed on the 21st day of pregnancy, the total fetus, live fetus, weight, and length of fetus were recorded. The blood glucose in the fetal rats was measured, and the fetal hearts were collected. The fetal hearts were pathologically examined under light microscope and electron microscope. Immunohistochemical staining was applied to determine Caspase-3 in the heart of fetus. RESULTS: (1) The blood glucose of pregnant rats in the 3 groups showed no difference before intervening (P>0.05). There was significant difference between Group A and C, Group B and C after intervening (P<0.01), but no significant difference between Group A and B was found (P>0.05). (2 )The fetus in Group A and B was heavier and longer than in Group C, with significant difference (P<0.01), but not between Group A and B (P>0.05). The blood glucose of fetus in Group A and B was lower than that in Group C, with significant difference (P<0.01), but not between Group A and B (P>0.05). The rate of fetal death in Group A, B, and C were 31.96%,12.84%, and 3.88%, respectively. Significant deviation existed in the 3 groups (P<0.01). (3) Under light microscope, fetal hearts in Group A and B showed disorder, cardiac muscle cells swelled. There were vacuoles in cytolymph and necrosis in the myocardial tissue. Significant deviation in the integral of fetal necrosis existed in the 3 groups (P<0.01). (4) Caspase-3 was detected in the fetal hearts, the positive area ratio and mean OD value had significant deviation in the 3 groups (P<0.01).(5) Under the electron microscope, cardiomyocytes wrinkled, mitochondrion decreased, myofibril ruptured, while sarcomere blurred. The density of mitochondria in cardiamyocyte in Group A was lower than that in Group B and C (P<0.01), and the average volume of mitochondria of Group A and B was higher than that in Group C (P<0.01). CONCLUSION There is apparent pathological change of fetal hearts in pregnant rats with hyperglycaemia. The longer the duration, the more obvious the change.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; Diabetes, Gestational ; blood ; Female ; Fetal Heart ; enzymology ; ultrastructure ; Maternal-Fetal Exchange ; Pregnancy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Purpose To investigate the expression of DLC1 and its relationship with Ki-67 in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues of the breast.Methods In situ hybridization and immunohistochemiscal EnVision method were used to detect the expression of DLC1 mRNA and protein and Ki-67 in 52 invasive breast ductal carcinomas and 42 non-cancerous mammary tissues, including 22 mammary fibroadenomas and 20 paracancerous tissues.Results The positive rates of DLC1 mRNA and protein expression in the breast carcinomas (50% and 57.7%) was significantly lower than that in the non-cancerous mammary tissues (90.5% and 92.9%) (χ~2=17.518 and 10.729,P＜0.01).The expression of DLC1-mRNA was positively related to DLC1protein (r_s=0.379,P＜0.01). The positive rate of Ki-67 expression was 61.5% in the breast carcinomas, but no expression was observed in the all non-cancerous tissues (χ~2=39.186,P＜0.01).Correlation analysis showed that DLC1 expression was negatively correlated with Ki-67 expression (r_s=-0.507,P＜0.01).Conclusions Lower or no expression of DLC1 mRNA and protein may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression in breast carcinoma. DLC1 may inhibit the proliferation of the breast carcinoma cells,which indicates that it may act as a new molecular marker of breast carcinoma.Combining detection of DLC1 and Ki-67 may be useful parameters for evaluating the biological behaviors of breast carcinoma.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of N‐terminal Pro‐Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT‐proBNP) in Kawasaki disease (KD) in children .Methods Ninety one children with KD were collected and 80 patients with acute upper respiratory infec‐tion were used as controls .Plasma NT‐pro BNP concentrations and other laboratory date were collected in the acute of KD .The re‐lationships between NT‐pro BNP values and different clinical and laboratory data in the acute phase were sought .Results The mean plasma NT‐pro BNP concentration in patients with KD in the acute phase was (1 042 .38 ± 528 .7)pg/mL ,significantly higher than those of control group(458 .6 ± 412 .3)pg/mL (P<0 .05) .The results of linear correlation analysis indicated that plasma NT‐pro BNP was positively correlated with CRP (r= 0 .442 ,P< 0 .05) ,and negatively correlated with Hematocrit ,Albumin and Na (r= -0 .216 ,r= -0 .204 ,r= -0 .315 ,respectively ;P<0 .05) .According to ROC analysis ,the AUC of NT‐pro BNP for detection of KD were 0 .881 ,sensitivity and specificity was 70 .1% and 84 .0% respectively for the cut‐off value of 530 pg/mL .Conclusion Our findings showed that NT‐proBNP would elevate in the acute stage of KD and was a reliable marker for the diagnosis of KD .A high level of NT‐pro BNP is associated with systemic inflammatory responses and increased vascular permeability .

Objective To explore the potential role of endogenous vascular elastase (EVE) in pathogenesis of coronary ar-tery lesions (CAL) in Kawasaki diseases (KD). Methods A total of 60 children with KD admitted from Jan. 2012 to Apr. 2013 were enrolled, and at the same time 60 febrile children with respiratory infection were enrolled as controls. The left and right coro-nary artery diameter value was measured by ultrasonic cardiogram. The levels of EVE, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and their correlations with coro-nary artery diameter were analyzed. Results The levels of EVE, MMP-9 and TGF-β1 in KD children in the acute phase were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the level of EVE in KD children with coronary artery le-sion (CAL) is significantly higher than that in KD children without CAL. The results of correlation analysis indicated that the levels of EVE, MMP-9 and TGF-β1 were positively correlated with coronary artery diameters (r=0.64~0.79, P<0.01). Conclu-sions EVE plays an important role in the CAL of KD may through inducing the produce of MMP-9, TGF-β1 and finally caus-ing the formation of CAL.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of covered stent in treatment of esophageal perforation. Methods Observe and analyzed the effect and complications of covered metallic stent in esophageal perforation. In all of 40 cases, the most common causes were iatrogenic, esophageal cancer, and foreign body. Results All patients with esophageal perforation got successful esophageal stent placement. All of them recovered smoothly in eating. The stents were removed 4 days to 1 month later. Gastroscopy and angiography confirmed esophageal perforation has healed. 3 cases of esophageal cancer patients with dysphagia obviously relieved after stent placement. The main complications in stent and stent migration for chest pain after operation. 6 cases (15 %) of patients with stent displacement, while 2 cases (5 %) of esophageal cancer patients with food obstruction and stent displacement. Conclusion Treatment of esophageal perforation with covered metal stents endoscopically is effective and safe.