AIM: To investigate the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on activation of nuclear factor ?B. METHODS: The techniques of culture of human T lymphocytes, Western blot and RT-PCR were applied. The effects of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at different concentrations on mRNA and protein expression of I?B ? in human T lymphocytes at 30 min or 120 min after stimulating with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA-P) were observed. RESULTS: SNP at middle or high concentrations reduced the degradation of I?B ? protein 30 min after stimulating with PHA-P, and increased the re-expression of I?B ? mRNA 120 min after stimulating with PHA-P significantly. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of inhibitory effect of SNP at middle or high concentrations may be due to the decrease in degradation and the increase in re-synthesis of I?B ?. The regulatory mechanism of SNP at low concentration may not be through I?B ?.

AIM: To study the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha(HIF-1?) on lung cancer cells A549 growth in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: To observe the growth rate of A549 cells after HIF-1? transfected, A549 cells (1?10~6/mouse) were inoculated subcutaneously into 20 nude mice, which were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (group A, n=10), the HIF-1? transfected group (group B, n=10). The weights of subcutaneous tumor were detected. The resected specimens were made into paraffin-embedded sections. The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was identified by immunohistochemistry(ISH). The expressions of HIF-1?? apoptosis-related protein survivin and bcl-2 were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The growth rates of the HIF-1? transfected lung cancer cells A549 were significantly increased, and more importantly, the HIF-1? transfected lung cancer cells A549 was able to enhance lung cancer growth in nude mice(P

AIM: To investigate the effects of NF-?B decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) on apoptosis in lung cancer cell A549. METHODS: The treatments of lung cancer cells (A549) were divided into three groups: group A (control group); group B (decoy ODN group) and group C (scramble decoy ODN group). FITC-labeled NF-?B decoy ODNs was transfected into A549 with LipofectAMINE TM 2000. The activation was observed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). The proliferation was observed by growth curve. The apoptosis of cells were observed by flow cytometry and TdT mediated dUTP-biotin Nick End Labeling (TUNEL). The expression of Bcl-2 and Fas were observed by Western blot. RESULTS: After FITC-labeled decoy ODNs was transfected for 1 hour, the decoy ODNs was detected in the nuclei of A549 cells. EMSA performed the depression of the NF-?B binding to the nucleus. The growth curve showed the inhibition of the A549 cell growth and the percentage of apoptosis was increased compare with control group by flow cytometry and TUNEL. The amount of apoptosis inhibitor (Bcl-2) in group A and group C were 2.0 times and 2.1 times more than that in group B, respectively. The level of apoptosis accelerator (Fas) in group B were 2.6 times and 2.3 times more than that in group A and group C, respectively via Western blot. CONCLUSION: The NF-?B decoy ODNs accelerate the apoptosis of lung cancer cell A549 and the mechanism may be due to its inhibiting the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the level of Fas. [

The morphological variations and congenital malformations of the auditoryossicles are not so rare as previously considered.The congenital anomalies of themhave sometimes been documented in the periodicals of the otorhinolaryngology,buttheir variations reported are scanty and incomplete.With dissecting microscope,weobserved 588 ossicles(200 mallei,224 incudis 164 stapes)from 120 full term foe-tuses without congenital defect except one case of anencephaly.We found that theauditory ossicles vary greatly in their form,length,size,angulation,curvature orthickness,etc.Those are variations of anterior fovea of caput mallei,anteriorcurvature of manubrium mallei,form of lateral margin of manubrium mallei,formof crus breve of incus,form of crus stapedis and patterns of basis stapedis.In 240 ears,five cases of congenital malformations of ossicular chain(2.1%)were discovered and listed as follows:1.One case of congenital stapes footplate fixation,2.One case of ring form stapes detached from the basis stapedis,3.Two cases of columella stapes,4.One case of triple fusion of ossicles by osteoid tissue.Embryology of auditory ossicles available for understanding the variability anddeformity was briefly reviewed.According to our investigations we come to the conclusion that the stapesis probably the most frequently involved in the morphological variation andmalformation.

The arteries of auditory ossicles of 40 ears from 20 full term feotuses weredemonstrated by injection of liquid latex containing a small amount of Chinese inkthrough common carotid arteries.We found that the malleus and incus possess thenutrient arteries as well as the mucosal arteries,whereas the stapes gets its bloodsupply from the mucosal arteries only.The anterior tympanic artery is the principal source of blood supply of the mal-leus and the incus.It enters the middle ear through the petrotympanic fissure andramifies into five branches:malleolar artery,incudal artery,superior branch,posteriorbranch and chorda tympani branch.The malleolar and incudal arteries are nutrientarteries.The vascular network in mucosa over the manubrium mallei is supplied bythe branches of the deep auricular and stylomastoid arteries over the tympanic mem-brane.The mucosal arteries of the long crus of the incus is supplied by the smallvessels given off by incudal artery before entering the nutrient foramen,the finevessels from the arteries around the chorda tympani and the vessels passing to it fromstapes.The blood supply of the stapes is derived from the vessels located in two majorareas:one from the facial canal and the other from the promontory.The arteries tothe stapes from the promontory vascular plexus are the artery of the head of thestapes,the artery of the posterior crus and the artery of the anterior crus.The for-mer two vessels have not been reported previously.In the facial canal there are thestylomastoid artery and the superficial petrosal artery.The arterial supply of incudostapedial joint and the distal portion of the incuscomes from the vessels passing to them from the stapes rather than from the incudalsource.From above account,it would appear that the head of the malleus and thebody and short crus of the incus derived from first branchial cartilage are mainlysupplied by the anterior tympanic artery,and the remainder of the auditory ossiclesderived from second branchial cartilage are supplied by the stylomastoid artery.

Objective To study the leukocyte adhesion molecules in the pathogrnesis of ALI and ARDS.Methods The positive expression rates of CD11a、CD11b and CD18 in peripheral blood were quantitatively analyzed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies in 26 cases of ALI,18cases of ARDS and 15 healthy controls.Results The expression rates of CD11a、CD11b and CD18 in polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes from the ALI group and ARDS group were much higher than those in the control group(P

AIM To study the effects of strophanthidin (Str) on cardiac function and Na +,K +-ATPase activity in isolated guinea pig heart failure model. METHODS Langendorff isolated heart failure models made by perfusing heart with K-H solution containing sodium pentobarbital. Eight-channel physiological recording instrument was used to determine cardiac function. Colorimetry method was used to determine cardiac sarcolemmal Na +,K +-ATPase activity. RESULTS Str increased the heart rate, left ventricular systolic pressure and the maximum rise or decline rate of left ventricular pressure in a concentration-dependent manner at 1?10 -9～1?10 -7 mol?L -1. But Str caused first a rise, then a reduction of contractility and arrhythmia accompanied by inhibition of Na +,K +-ATPase when the concentration of Str was higher than 1?10 -6 mol?L -1. Str had no obvious effect on Na +,K +-ATPase activity at 1?10 -7 mol?L -1, but increased cardiac activity at 1?10 -10～1?10 -8 mol?L -1. CONCLUSION The inotropic effect and heart toxicity of Str at higher concentration is due to inhibition of Na +,K +-ATPase, but the inotropic effect of Str at lower concentration is not the result of inhibition of Na +,K +-ATPase activity.

To study the effect of Erigeron breviscapini on chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and mechanism，the hypoxic rats were injected intraperitoneally with Erigeron breviscapini. The mPAP，the content of serum nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured 5，14 and 28 days after intraperitoneal injection of Erigeron breviscapini in hypoxia respectively，and were compared with those in the single hypoxic group. The results showed that the contents of serum mPAP and ET-1 were higher，and serum NO was lower in single hypoxic group than in the normal rats (both P<0.01). The contents of serum mPAP and ET-1 were lower and NO was higher in the Erigeron breviscapini-treated group than in the single hypoxic group (P<0.01). It was suggested that Erigeron breviscapini could reduce the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension by increasing NO and decreasing ET-1 of serum. Erigeron breviscapini could be used to treat hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.

Objective To explore the applicative effect of the clinical cluster management during perioperative period on esophageal cancer in elderly patients aged 75 years and over.Methods A total of 36 cases with esophageal cancer aged 75 years and over admitted into Thoracic Surgery Department in our hospital from January 2010 to February 2015 were divided into experimental and control group.Patients in experimental group received clinical cluster management including preoperative therapy for improvement of heart and lung function, selective protection during operation, strengthening support after operation and early nasal tube nutrition.Patients in control group received routine treatment for esophageal carcinoma during perioperative period.The postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the incidence of anastomotic leakage,postoperative feeding time, postoperative hospitalization time and other indicators were observed.Results Among 20 patients in the experimental group, postoperative cardiopulmonary complications were found in 6 cases, postoperative cardiovascular complications in 3 cases and anastomotic leakage in 2 cases.Among 16 patients in the control group, postoperative cardiopulmonary complications were found in 12 cases, postoperative cardiovascular complications in 10 cases and anastomotic leakage in 5 cases.The incidences of postoperative cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular complications were lower in experimental group than in control group (x2 =7.200 and 8.693, P =0.007 and 0.003).The incidence of anastomotic leakage showed no significant difference between the two groups (x2 =2.562,P=0.109).The mean duration of ICU stay and postoperative hospitalization time were shorter in experimental group than in control group[(5.6±2.7) d vs.(9.8±4.9) d, (15.4±4.5) d vs.(20.6±5.5) d, t=3.208 and 3.125, P=0.003 and 0.004].There was no significant difference in postoperative feeding time between the two groups [(8.4±1.5)d vs.(9.1±1.1)d, t=1.569, P=0.126].Conclusions A tightly clustered clinical managements during perioperative period can minimize the incidences of postoperative complications and mortality rate in elderly patients with esophageal carcinoma.