Objective:To study the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE),extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),and the changes of atrial fibrosis in patients with rheumatic heart disease(RHD) and atrial fibrillation(AF) treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI).Methods:Atrial tissues were obtained from the right appendage during open surgery in 35 patients with RHD.The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 were semi-qualified by reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and normalized to the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH).Western blotting analysis was employed to examine the expressions of ACE and phosphorylated ERK(pERK).Atrial collagen volume fraction(CVF) was detected by Masson's stain.Results:The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 or the protein of ACE and pERK were significantly increased,and CVF was significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation(CAF) compared with sinus rhythm group(SR)( P 0.05).Conclusion:The expressions of ACE,ERK2 and pERK increase,and fibrosis is more severe in RHD patients with CAF as compared with those with SR.Compared with CAF patients treated without ACEI,the expressions of ERK2 and pERK significantly decrease( P 0.05)in CAF patients treated with ACEI.This suggests that the increasing expression of ERK2 and pERK resulting from local renal angiotensin-converting enzyme system activation mediates the development of atrial fibrosis,and ACEI may contribute to lesser atrial fibrosis in RHD patients with AF.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood pressure of the pulmonary circulation. PH progresses rapidly to right ventricular (RV) failure and even death without treatment. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an accurate and reproducible tool for the assessment of RV morphology and function, which plays an important role in the prognosis of patients with PH. The aim of this study is to review the clinical application and research progress of CMR in evaluation of PH.

According to the sera aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) can be classified into two types as AQP4 antibody positive (AQP4+) and negative (AQP4-). However, the NMO patients with AQP4- are prone to delayed treatment, and may have a different pathogenesis compared to that in patients with AQP4+. Scientific researches and the clinical trials on NMO with AQP4- will deepen the understanding of NMO pathogenesis and help to make an early accurate diagnosis and rational therapy for NMO with AQP4-. This review aims to summarize the progress in clinic diagnosis for NMO patients with AQP4-.

Acupuncture scientization was a consensus of most of acupuncture scholars who had long-term perspectives in the 20th century, among them Ms. ZHULian was the important one. Ms. ZHU Lian built a systemic new acupuncture" academic structure in practice and theory aspects. At the same time, as the main architect of Institute of Acupuncture-moxibustion of China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ms. ZHU Lian was the first one who began to carry out the acupuncture clinical trail and laboratory experiment in modern way, which meant "acupuncture therapy" was transformed into "acupuncture science" by Ms. ZHULian's endeavor.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; standards ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; standards ; China ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Science ; history

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(Her-2),which is often over-expressed in 20%-25% of invasive breast cancer patients,is associated with an aggressive tumor phenotype and therefore,a reduced survival rate.As a widely clinically applied Her-2-targeted monoclonal antibody,herceptin,when combined with chemotherapy,significantly increases the survival time of patients without tumors.However,the majority of the cancers that initially respond positively to herceptin begin to counteract against the treatment within just 1 year.This study described several important and well-known mechanisms as well as the updates and advancement in this field.These mechanisms include over-activation of the P13K/AKT pathway,abnormal expression in the EGFR family and their ligands,the masking of the Her-2 receptor,herceptin,activation of PI3K/AKT via an alternative pathway,over-expression of Darpp-32 and t-Darpp.autophagy of tumor cells and over-expression of HSP27,and more.

BACKGROUND: The optimal total hip replacement can be prepared by assembling S-ROM prosthesis individually. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-time effect of S-ROM prosthesis total hip replacement for osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of hip. METHODS: Totally 57 adult patients (63 hips) with osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of hip treated by S-ROM prosthesis for primary total hip arthroplasty from November 2002 to February 2007 were selected. The preoperative and postoperative Harris score were compared. The prosthesis loosening, fracture and subsidence, bone absorption and fracture were followed-up with radiographic results. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All patients were followed up from 6 months to 5 years, mean 3.5 years. One patient suffered temporary common peroneal nerve palsy, and recovered after 4 months. One patient suffered hip dislocation, and recovered after manipulative reduction and traction. There were no complications in the rest patients. The Harris hip score was 70.20-92.10, mean 88.30, which was obvious increased than that of before operation (P < 0.05). No loosening, fracture and subsidence of prosthesis, bone absorption or fracture was observed. The results demonstrated that S-ROM prosthesis total hip replacement can receive an excellent short-time effect in treating osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of hip.

OBJECTIVE To explore the antagonistic effect of calpain inhibitor Ⅲ MDL 28170 on acute methylmercury (MeHg) neurotoxicity. METHODS The rats were randomly divided into MDL 28170 (50 mg·kg~(-1),ip) control group, MeHg (10 mg·kg~(-1),ig), and MeHg (10 mg·kg~(-1),ig)+MDL 28170 (50 mg·kg~(-1), ip) group. The escape latencies were observed by Morris water maze test. The neurons of positive μ-calpain were determined by immunohistochemical method, the expression of μ-calpain was analyzed by Western blotting, apoptotic neurons were observed by TUNEL method, and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) expression was detected in neuron by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS MeHg was ig given for 3-7 d, the initial signs of behavioral changes developed in MeHg group, the escape latencies were lengthened in Morris water maze test (P<0.01). The expression and activity of μ-calpain elevated obviously in parietal cerebral neurons(P<0.01), neuronal apoptosis was markedly increased(P<0.01), and the decomposition of MAP2 was reduced in cortical neurons obviously. And the above changes were suppressed obviously by treatment of MDL 28170. CONCLUSION μ-Calpain may correlate with neuronal apoptosis induced by MeHg, MDL 28170 markedly reduces neuronal apoptosis, which might act as therapeutical method for MeHg poison.

BACKGROUND: The coating induced by conventional simulated body fluid (SBF) and 1.5-folds SBF as biomimetic method has the shortcomings of slowly growth with weeks or months growth cycle. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Ti-6Al-4V alloy surface deposition of hydroxyapatite coating induced by 3-folds SBF. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: In vitro biological analysis. The experiment was performed at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences from November 2008 to March 2009. MATERIALS: Ti-6A1-4V alloy was supported by Boda Metel Materials Co., Ltd. METHODS: The pretreated Ti-6Al-4V alloy was immersed in 37 'C 3-folds SBF. The SBF was replaced every 24 hours for 3 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The morphology, phase and elemental composition of calcium phosphate coating were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis. RESULTS: The scanning electron microscopy exhibited that the surface of Ti-6A1 -4V alloy was covered with deposited film with granular crystal on local areas at day 1 after immersion. The deposited film covered surface of Ti-6A1-4V alloy at day 3 after immersion, and granular or scale-shaped crystal could be seen. The crystal deposition displayed sustained growth with certain area as center. The product comprised Ca, P, O, C elements without Al, V. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that the main component of the coating was hydroxyapatite. CONCLUSION: The 3-folds SBF can accelerate the deposition as well as shorten formation duration of hydroxyapatite coating on Ti-6A1-4V alloy.

With the rapid technical development of interventional radiology, the percutaneous endovaseular stent implantation has been increasingly and widely used in treating the obstruction of brachiocephalic vein-superior vena cava. Stent implantation can relieve the obstruction immediately and the technique is safe and effective. This paper aims to summarize the current situation and the clinical practice of this therapy, to evaluate its effectiveness and to make a prospect of the developing trends and the problems need to be solved urgently.

BACKGROUND: Primary hypertension is in the category of "dizziness"and "dementia" in Chinese medicine. It is discovered in recent years that vascular dangerous factors, like hypertension affect the risk constitution of Alzheimer disease.OBJECTIVE: To probe into relationship between cognition and syndrome differentiation of primary hypertension.DESIGN: Case-control analysis was designed.SETTING: Jiangsu Staff University of Medical Science and Yangzhou Wenhe Hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 90 cases of primary hypertension were employed from May to June 2000. They were from some city in the north of Jiangsu province, graduated from middle school and cooperated with the investigation. Totally 30 cases were collected from physical-check group and taken in the control.METHODS: The cases of primary hypertension were differentiated as excess-syndrome group (excessive phlegm and damp and hyperactivity of liver yang), deficiency-syndrome group (yin deficiency of liver and kidney and deficiency of yin and yang), excess within deficiency group (complicated with blood stasis and with turbid phlegm) and the control group. Neuropsychological method was used to evaluate the cognition.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Indexes of neuropsychology: Fuld object-memory Evaluation (FOM), rapid verbal retrieve (RVR), block design WISE (BD), digit span WISE (DS), Hachinski ischemic score (HACH), mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activity of daily living scale among groups.RESULTS: The data of 90 cases of primary hypertension and 30 cases in physical-check group entered result analysis. Compared with the control group, significant difference was not indicated in every statistical index in excess-syndrome group (P ＞ 0.05). In deficiency-syndrome group, except MMSE and ADL, the rest observed indexes indicated statistical difference.In excess within deficiency group, statistical difference presented in every observed index (P ＜ 0.01), in which the results in the complication of turbid phlegm was worse than blood stasis (FOM was 11.3±3.7,13.5±2.5 respectively; DS was 6.4±3.9,8.3±3.5, respectively)CONCLUSION: Primary hypertension affects mental state of patient, in which, cognition is declined mildly in deficiency-syndrome group. Dementia symptoms present in excess within deficiency group which is severe in phlegm type compared with blood stasis type. Differentiation of syndromes in Chinese medicine integrated with neuropsychological assessment benefits early discovery and diagnosis of dementia.