Objective To probe the clinic significance ofintraopcrative ultrasonography in brain tumor resection. Methods The intraoperative ultrasonography, adopted in the brain tumor resection of 29 cases, assisted the brain mantle operative approach and the rumor resection monitoring through acquiring the tumors' position, the hemisphere, the internal structure and the adjoining with blood vessels.After the operation, ultrasonography was performed again to observe the tumor surviving. Results The tumor detection rate with intraoperative ultrasound in 29 cases was 100% and best approach was chosen to accurately locate the tumor according to the tumors' position and the hemisphere. Meningiomas got abundant blood supply and were often closely correlated to the sinuses, therefore, preoperative detections of the blood supply and the possible erosion of the sinus wall of meningiomas was performed to provide basis for rapid repair and to shorten the operation time. Repeated detection on the surgery hemisphere and residue detection were performed to help maximize the glioma resection, particularly the functional glioma resection. Conclusion Preoperative color Doppler ultrasound can accurately locate tumor tissue, suggesting the best surgical approach; intraoperative ultrasonography, assisting in the resection of brain tumors, can improve the operation safty and decrease the happening of trauma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ADMA on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) expression and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-8 secretion in THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages. METHIDS: THP-1 monocytes were induced to differentiate into macrophages by a 24-h incubation with 160 nmol/L PMA. The THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages were exposed to different concentrations of ADMA for 24 h, and the changes in MIF mRNA and protein expressions were analyzed with RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-8 in the supernatant of THP-1-derived macrophages following ADMA treatments.

RESULTSADMA obviously up-regulated MIF mRNA and protein expressions in THP-1-derived macrophages in a concentration- dependent manner. Exposure of the cells to 15 µmol/L ADMA for 24 h showed the most potent effect in up-regulating MIF mRNA and protein expressions. ADMA treatment also resulted in a dose-dependent increase of the levels of TNF-α and IL-8 in the culture supernatant of the macrophages, and the peak levels occurred following the treatment with 15 µmol/L ADMA.

CONCLUSIONADMA can up-regulate MIF expression and induce TNF-α and IL-8 secretion in THP-1 monocyte-derived macrophages.

Arginine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; secretion ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; cytology ; metabolism ; Monocytes ; cytology ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; secretion

Silicosis is a diffuse pulmonary fibrosis disease caused by occupational exposure to silica, which is one of the occupational diseases with high incidence in developing countries. Up to now, there is no definite drug to relieve or reverse the lung injury caused by silicosis, so it is very important to prevent, diagnose and treat pulmonary fibrosis as soon as possible. Studies have shown that a chronic inflammatory environment contributes to pulmonary fibrosis to a certain extent. Interleukin-1β is a cytokine that increases the number of inflammatory factors in the microenvironment in the immune response and plays a key role in inflammatory reaction. Therefore, the release of interleukin-1β is of great significance in the pathogenesis of silicosis. This paper aims to systematically expound the development course of silicosis, the signal pathway of interleukin-1β production, and the relationship between them.

OBJECTIVE: To derive regression formulae for stature estimation using forensic radiography from the tibia and fibula of Chinese Han teenagers in Sichuan Province. METHODS: To construct equations, measurements were conducted on the training sample (412 adults, 201 males and 211 females). The whole length of the fibula and four measurements of tibia were determined using CR radiography, rectified through theoretical magnification. The regression formulae were relatively constructed to the real stature measured in an erect position. Through using the testing sample (40 adults) for the regression formulae, the reliability of the regression formulae was assessed. RESULTS: The range of correlation coefficients of four measurements for tibia was 0.880-0.895 in the sex-unknown group, 0.869-0.893 in the male, and 0.845-0.855 in the female. The five measurements were found to be better correlated with stature in the male than in the female. CONCLUSION The digital X-ray of the tibia and fibula for stature estimation is proved to be effective in forensic individual identification; therefore, these equations can be of great assistance to the stature estimation of the contemporary Chinese Han teenagers.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Anthropometry ; Asian People/ethnology* ; Body Height ; Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging* ; China ; Female ; Fibula/diagnostic imaging* ; Forensic Anthropology ; Humans ; Male ; Regression Analysis ; Sex Characteristics ; Tibia/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Chinese medicine is effective for preventing and treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. DKK1, an inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, can be up-regulated by glucocorticoid. Thereafter, DKK1 is an important target in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To explore the regulatory effect of Zuogui pill on DKK1 in the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. METHODS: Eighteen three-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, model group and Zuogui pill group. Rats in the model and Zuogui pill groups received the subcutaneous injection of dexamethasone to establish the model of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. The Zuogui pill group rats were administrated Zuogui pill extracts, and the control rats were given the same volume of normal saline. At 1 month after modeling, the lumbar vertebrae were removed to test the bone mass and microstructures by micro-CT scanning. The biomechanical properties were detected by compression test. The mRNA expression levels of DKK1, Runx2 and CTSK were determined by Qpcr. The serum alkaline phosphatase activity was tested. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the control group, in the model group, the volumetric bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness were significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05), the trabecular separation and structure model index were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05). The serum alkaline phosphatase activity was on a decline. The mRNA expression level of DKK1 showed a significant up-regulation (P ＜ 0.05). The mRNA expression level of Runx2 showed a down-regulated trend while mRNA expression level of CTSK showed an up-regulated trend. Compared with the model group, the Zuogui pill group showed significantly enhanced volumetric bone mineral density, trabecular bone volume fraction, and trabecular number (P ＜ 0.05); the structure model index was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05); the trabecular separation was reduced; the serum alkaline phosphatase activity was enhanced; the mRNA expression level of DKK1 showed a significant down-regulation (P ＜ 0.05); the mRNA expression level of Runx2 showed an up-regulated trend while mRNA expression level of CTSK showed a down-regulated trend. The vertebral compressive strength in the Zuogui pill group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P＜0.05). In summary, Zuogui pill prevents and treats glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis possibly through the down-regulation of mRNA expression of DKK1.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting survivin on adhesion and invasion of human colon carcinoma cell line SW480 in vitro.

METHODSAccording to the sequence of the coding region of survivin gene, two strings of 19 nucleotides of inverted sequence flanking the loop sequence of two complementary 9-base oligonucleotides were designed and synthesized to prepare the hairpin construct as the DNA templates for the target shRNA. The shRNA templates were cloned into shRNA expression vector pRNAT-U6.1/Neo, and the resulted vector pRNAT-U6.1/Neo-survivin was transfected into SW480 cells using Lipofectamine 2000. Western blotting was performed to evaluate survivin gene silencing induced by shRNA transfection at the protein level, and the biological behaviors of the SW480 cells were investigated by cell-matrix adhesion, invasion and gelatin-zymography assays.

RESULTSWestern blotting revealed significantly lowered survivin protein expression in transfected SW480 cells, and survivin gene silencing induced by shRNA significantly suppressed the metastatic potential of SW480 cells in association with suppressed MMPs activity.

CONCLUSIONSSurvivin may play an important role in modulating human colorectal carcinoma cell invasion and metastasis, and survivin gene silencing can inhibit human colorectal cancer cell invasion and the production of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Survivin may affect invasion and metastasis of human colorectal carcinoma cells via regulating the production of MMPs.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colonic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Inverted Repeat Sequences ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; secretion ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; deficiency ; genetics ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; genetics ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of modified Xiaochaihu Decoction (, MXD) on transforming growth factor-β1/Sma- and Mad-related proteins (TGF-β1/Smads) signaling pathway in rats with chronic pancreatitis (CP) induced by dibutyltin dichloride.

METHODSThirty healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, CP group and CP+MXD-treated group. CP was induced by injection of dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC, 7 mg/kg of body weight) into the right caudal vein, and the control rats were treated with vehicle. MXD was given daily by gavage at a dose of 10 g/kg of body weight, starting from the day after CP induction. After 28-day treatment, the n-benzoyl-tyrosyl para-aminobenzoic acid (NBT-PABA) test was carried out to evaluate exocrine pancreatic function. Then, rats were sacrificed, and pancreatic tissues were harvested for histological evaluation. In addition, the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, TGF-β1 type II receptor (TGFβRII), Smad3 and Smad7 was determined in pancreatic tissues by using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSTreatment of CP with MXD improved the PABA recovery, decreased the histological lesion, and reduced the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, TGFβRII and Smad3 (P<0.05). However, MXD had no effect on Smad7 mRNA level.

CONCLUSIONSMXD could protect the pancreas against chronic injury and improve pancreatic exocrine function in DBTC induced rat CP model. Its mechanism may involve inhibition of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

Amylases ; blood ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Chronic Disease ; DNA Primers ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Lipase ; blood ; Male ; Pancreatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Smad Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

Cycloheximide (CHX) inhibits protein synthesis in most eukaryotic cells and it is a well-known tool commonly used in biochemical research. In this paper, the antiviral spectrum of CHX against several DNA and RNA viruses have been evaluated. CHX showed strong inhibitory activities against several RNA viruses such as HIV-1, influenza viruses, coxsackie B virus, enterovirus (EV71) and several DNA viruses such as HSV and HCMV. Especially the strong inhibitory activities of CHX against coxsackie B virus and enterovirus caught our attention, since effective drugs available in clinic are limited. The SAR of CHX derivatives also has been discussed in the paper. The hydroxyl group at C-2' and carbonyl group at C-2" of CHX are essential for its antiviral activity. And modification to these groups results its derivatives' antiviral activities reduced or lost.
Antiviral Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cycloheximide ; analogs & derivatives ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; DNA Viruses ; drug effects ; Enterovirus ; drug effects ; Enterovirus B, Human ; drug effects ; Humans ; RNA Viruses ; drug effects

In order to find antiviral compounds with novel structures, geldanamycin and lamivudine with different antiviral mechanisms were conjunctively synthesized to acquire a new compound TC-GM, and the antiviral activity of TC-GM was measured. The antiviral activity against HIV-1 was examined by p24 antigen ELISA kit. The activity against HBV was examined by dotblot. The activity against HSV and CoxB virus was examined by CPE. TC-GM exhibited broad-spectrum antiviral activities similarly like geldanamycin. TC-GM inhibited the replication of different viruses, including HIV-1, HBV, HSV 1 and 2, CoxB6. TC-GM showed more potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 and HBV than other detected virus.
Animals ; Anti-HIV Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antiviral Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Benzoquinones ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Enterovirus B, Human ; drug effects ; physiology ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; physiology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; physiology ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; drug effects ; physiology ; Herpesvirus 2, Human ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Lactams, Macrocyclic ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Lamivudine ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; virology ; Vero Cells ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

Objective To investigate the effects of smoking on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and respiratory symptoms. Methods A multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling strategy was used to select participants aged 40 or older in 5 surveillance points of Anhui Province. Questionnaires, body measurements and spirometry were used to collect data. Based on complex sampling design, Logistic regression model was conducted to analyze the effects of smoking on COPD and respiratory symptoms. Results The smokers who had smoked for ≥30 pack-years accounted for 13.9% (95% CI:10.3%-17.5%, P＜0.001) of the total population. And the smokers who had smoked for ≥40 years accounted for 8.5% (95% CI:6.7%-10.3%, P＜0.001) of the total population. On average, one smoker had smoked for 32.4 years (95% CI:31.2-33.5). Average daily cigarette consumption of daily smokers was 21.1 cigarettes (95% CI:19.6-22.7). As shown by multiple-variables Logistic regression analyses, the risk of COPD and respiratory symptoms increased with the increment of smoking pack-years and duration (all Ptrend <0.001). Conclusions Smoking was associated with COPD and respiratory symptoms. The risk of developing COPD and respiratory symptoms was greater with the increment of smoking pack-years and duration.