OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Dazhui" (GV 14) on Wnt-β-catenin signal pathway in annulus fibrosus cells in intervertebral disc in rats with cervical spondylosis.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomized into a control group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 10 rats in each one. Rats in the control group were treated with sham operation, only incision on local skin; rats in the remaining groups were made into cervical spondylosis models. After model establishment, rats in the control group and model group received fixed treatment under identical condition; rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Dazhui" (GV 14), 30 min per treatment; rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of meloxicam tablets. Treatments were both given once a day, and 14 days were taken as one session; there was an interval of 2 days between two sessions, and totally two sessions were given. After the treatments, immunohistochemistry was applied to measure the expression of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and Axin in annulus fibrosus cells; western blot was used to test the expression of P-β-catenin.

RESULTSIn the control group, there were more positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were intensively distributed, deeply colored, and strongly positive; In the model group, there were less positive cells of Wnt, GSK-3β and Axin, which were sparsely distributed and weakly positive. The expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the model group was less than that in the control group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin in the EA group and medication group was higher than that in the model group (all P < 0.05); expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, Axin and P-β-catenin was not significantly different between EA group and medication group (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA could delay the degeneration of intervertebral disc, which may be related to EA inhibiting signal pathway of Wnt-β-catenin.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Spondylosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; beta Catenin ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To reveal the relation between Nesiritide and vascular remodeling,the relation between Nesiritide and the levels of aldosterone.Methods 20 male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups.All rabbit models were constructed with BC.After injury,the control group were fed with standard forage,the Nesiritide group received standard forage plus subcutaneous Nesiritide[0.1 mg/dissected free from arteria iliaca externa,processed for histological and morphological study by TD 2000 analysis system of pathology image.Data of vascular remodeling and the levels of plasma aldosterone were determined.Results There had significant difference between AUIEM and AUEEM(P ＜ 0.05),markedly significant difference was also found in residual cavity areas and ratios of stenosis(P ＜0.01).There had no significant difference between areas of media(P ＞ 0.05).Aldosterone reduced from the 28th day.Conclusions Nesiritide could benefit vascular remodeling after angioplasty,which might be through reducing aldosterone.

Objective To develop the knee osteoarthritis (KOA) TCM syndrome evaluation scale. Methods Resrarch team collected subjective symptoms from all kinds of syndrome types of KOA and classified the subjective symptoms, which formed the first version of item pool containing 24 subjective symptoms. Expert questionnaires were conducted to calculate the weight coefficient of items, and formed the item pool of the Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale. According to the patient's attention to the 11 items, the items were weighted.Results The Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale contained 11 items, including pain, swelling and stiffness with different weighted scores.Conclusions The Knee Osteoarthritis TCM Syndrome Evaluation Scale were introduced to assess the KOA outcomes on the basis of TCM syndromes. It showed the characteristic of TCM and TCM syndrome.It could provide an objective and standardized measurement for TCM treating KOA.

Objective To explore the changes of cytokine levels and their roles in morbidity of autoimmune thyroid disease(AITD) in children.Methods The serum concentrations of interleukin-4(IL-4),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?),interferon-? (IFN-?) were determined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) among 30 patients with Graves′ disease (GD) and 20 patients with Hashimotos thyroiditis(HT) and 30 children without AITD subjects.Results The serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in patients with GD were higher than those of subjects (Pa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)in patients under 40 years of age.

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 148 young patients with NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between prognostic factors and survival time.

RESULTSThe patients were followed-up for 6 - 148 months, and the follow-up rate was 100%. In the whole group, 122 patients died and 26 cases were surviving. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 54.7%, 10.4% and 5.6%, respectively. The median survival time (MST) was 14.7 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that Karnofsky performance status (KPS), clinical stage, treatment modality and serum CEA were related with prognosis (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that KPS, clinical stage, treatment modality and serum CEA were independent prognostic factors (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSKPS, CEA, clinical stage and treatment modalities are independent prognostic factors in young NSCLC patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; blood ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Karnofsky Performance Status ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

Objective To determine the plasma urolensin Ⅱ(UⅡ) levels in various types of coronary heart disease and to clarify how the plasma UⅡ levels correlate with the clinical presentation, extent and severity of coronary artery atherosclerosis (CAD). Methods: One hundred and three aged patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography for proven or clinical suspected coronary heart disease were enrolled in this study. The extent and severity of coronary artery disease were evaluated by vessel score and Gensini score, respectively. Plasma UⅡ levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Results: The plasma UⅡ levels in the patients with modest to severe coronary stenosis (3.03±0.34 pg/ml, 1.83±0.67 pg/ml) were significantly lower than that in subjects with normal coronary artery (4.80±1.11 pg/ml, P＜0.001). The plasma UⅡ levels in patients with coronary heart disease were also significantly lower than that in patients with insignificant coronary stenosis (P ＜ 0.001). Compared to patients with stable angina pectoris, plasma UⅡ levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome were significantly decreased (1.89±0.51 pg/ml vs 2.42±0.77 pg/ml, P＜ 0.001). Plasma UⅡ levels were found to be negatively correlated with the severity of coronary artery stenosis (r = -0.488, P＜0.001), as well as the vessel score (r = -0.408, P＜0.05) in the patients with CAD. Conclusion: Significant inverse correlations exist between the plasma UⅡ levels, and the extent and severity of coronary artery stenosis. These findings suggest that plasma UⅡ contribute to the development and progression of coronary artery stenosis, and may be a novel marker to predict clinical types, as well as the extent and severity of coronary artery disease in the patients.

Objective To explore the value of echocardiography in the diagnosis of the parachute mitral valve(PMV).Methods The echocardiographic characteristics of 12 patients with PMV between 2005 and 2012 were reviewed retrospectively,including the morphology,movement and blood flow of mitral valve apparatus,and other associated cardiac abnormalities.Results Of the mitral valve leaflets in these 12 cases,all were thickened and opened restricted in diastole.Axial view showed that in all cases mitral valves opened eccentrically and in 2 cases they didn't close tightly.Each patient only had single papillary muscle in left ventricle,which received all chords of mitral valves.Of papillary muscles in these patients,4 were located at posteromedial wall,3 at anterolateral wall,2 at middle posterior wall,2 at apical wall,and 1 at posterolateral wall.Of the 12 patients,only one were simple PMV,11 had associated cardiovascular anomalies,2 had mild regurgitation in systolic period and 11 had increased trans-valve peak flow velocity.Conclusions Echocardiography is reliable in the diagnosis of PMV,which could provide a comprehensive evaluation of valvular lesions and other associated cardiovascular anomalies.

Objective To investigate the alteration of mast cell(MC)in elderly patients with reflux esophagitis(RE). Methods Twenty eight elderly and 15 non-elderly patients with RE were recruited.Lower esophageal mucosal mast cells and the percentage of degranulated mast cells were countered after immunohistochemieal staining.The ultrastrueture of mast cells was observed by eleetromieroscope. Results The number of mast cells in lower esophageal mucosa in elderly patients with RE was significantly more than that in non-elderly patients with RE(10.24±2.56 VS.5.07±0.18,P＜0.01),and the percentage of degranulated mast cells in lower esophageal mucosa was also significantly higher in elderly patients with RE than in non-elderly patients with RE[(24.7±4.6)%vs.(13.5±5.5)%,P＜0.01].The more severe the esophageal mucosallesions,the more the numberof mast cells. Under the electromicroscopy, more Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and endoplasm-reticulum were found in mast cells.Special secreting particles were also found in cytoplasm,more vacuole were left behind after mast cells degranulation in elderly patients with RE.Conclusions Increased numbers of mast cells and mast cell activation may be involved in the pathogenesis of elderly RE.

Objective To evaluate the effects of rigorous surveillance and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in the treatment of low-risk patients with clinical stage Ⅰ nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (NSGCT) after radical orchiectomy.Methods The data of 71 patients with clinical stage Ⅰ NSGCT were analyzed retrospectively in Hunan Provincial Tumor Hospital,Xiangya Third Hospital of Central South University and Hunan Provincial People's Hospital between Feb,2001 and Apr,2012.Excluding lymphatic and vascular invasion,percentage of embryonal carcinoma＞50％ and increasing tumour markers (AFP/β-HCG) following orchiectomy,46 low-risk patients out of 71 patients with clinical stage Ⅰ NSGCT were selected and divided into rigorous surveillance group (30 cases) and RPLND group (16 cases) according to different therapeutic methods after radical orchiectomy.Univariate analysis was used to confirm variables associated with disease progression,and the disease free survival rates (DFSR) were compared by using Kaplan-Meier analysis.Results Five cases were lost,and 41 cases were followed up for an average of 61 months (range,15-147 months),with 58 months in rigorous surveillance group (range,19-147months) and 65 months in RPLND group (range,15-144 months).The survival rate was 100％ in 2 groups.The DFSR was 89％ (24/27) and 86％ (12/14),respectively,and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (x2 =0.08,P=0.78).The DFSR was 83％ in patients with small amout of embryonal (percentage of embryonal carcinoma ＜ 50％),and 92％ in patients without embryonal carcinoma,and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (x2=1.07,P=0.30).Also there was no significant difference between the patients less than 15 years and patients more than 15 years (x2=1.59,P =0.21).Conclusions There is no significant difference in recurrence rate and DFSR between rigorous surveillance group and RPLND group.Low-risk patients with clinical stage Ⅰ NSGCT may achieve satisfactory prognosis with surveillance after radical orchiectomy.

OBJECTIVETo observe the distribution of constitution types of Chinese medicine (CM) in patients with osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH).

METHODSTotally 130 ONFH patients were recruited. Constitution types of CM were identified in all patients. Distribution features of constitution types of CM in ONFH patients were observed. The differences of distribution in gender, age, single or bilateral hips, course of disease, staging, cause, and region were also analyzed.

RESULTSSeventy patients were of complicated constitutions, while 60 patients were of single constitution. Among the 60 single constitution cases, yang-deficiency constitution [18 (13.9%)], damp-heat constitution [10 (7.7%)], blood-stasis constitution [7 (5.4%)], and qi-deficiency constitution [7 (5.4%)] were mainly distributed. Of the complicated constitutions, yang-deficiency dominated constitution occupied the top ratio [30 (23.1%)], followed by blood-stasis dominated constitution [15 (11.5%)], damp-heat dominated constitution [9 (6.9%)]. By putting them together, yang-deficiency constitution occupied the top constitution of CM [48 (36.9%)], followed by blood-stasis constitution [ 22 (16.9%)] and damp-heat constitution [19 (14.6%)]. The aforesaid three constitutions accounted for 68.5% of the total. There were no statistical distribution differences in gender, age, single or bilateral hips, course of disease, staging, or cause.

CONCLUSIONYang-deficiency constitution, damp-heat constitution, and blood-stasis constitution were liable constitutions of CM in ONFH patients.

Femur ; pathology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Osteonecrosis ; complications ; drug therapy ; Yang Deficiency