Animals ; Cochlea ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; Papillomavirus E7 Proteins ; Plasmids ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Cell Line, Transformed ; Cell Transformation, Viral ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; virology ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; genetics ; Humans ; Plasmids

The Balanced Score card ( BSC) is a new set of performance measurement and strategic management tools. Based on the basic theory of BSC, and on the basis of establishing the basic framework for performance evaluation of four dimensions, namely satisfaction, financial, internal operation, and growth and development, this paper systematically designs specific evaluation indexes from the 4 dimensions in order to construct the performance evaluation index system for catastrophic disease insurance. The objective of this study is to provide a more scientific and reasonable reference for the operational performance evaluation of catastrophic disease insurance offered to urban and rural residents.

Objective To discuss the levels of evidence provided by different study designs.Methods Websites of N Engl J Med, JAMA, Lancet, and BMJ were accessed to identify research articles (systematic review and meta-analysis included) published in 2009. A standardized data collection form was established using Epidata 3. 1 software to extract the "title", "country of lead author", "clinical problem" (such as treatment, diagnosis, etc. ) and "study design" of eligible studies. Descriptive statistics was conducted with SPSS 13.0. Results Over all, 844 studies were included, among which 35.7% were RCT,9. 4% systematic review and Meta-analysis, and 54. 9% other types of studies. Regarding clinical problems,34. 2%, 19. 7%, 13.7%, 6. 0% and 5. 1% of the included researches addressed the issues of treatment,etiology/risk factors, prevention, disease frequency and prognosis, respectively. The study designs that were most frequently adopted to explore these problems were RCT (70.6%), cohort study (44. 6% ), RCT (68. 1% ), cross-sectional study ( 56. 9% ), and cohort study ( 93.0% ), respectively. Conclusions High-level evidence does not come exclusively from RCT and systematic review, as each type of study may have its unique value in health related research. The clinical problem of interest, the previous work that has been done to approach the same issue, as well as other factors should be taken into account when deciding whether the selected study design is appropriate.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechnism of preptin on connect tissue growth factor (CTGF) in human osteoblasts. Methods Recombinant human preptin was used to treat primary human osteoblasts, and Western blot was used to detect CTGF protein level. Mitogen-activated protein kinase p38(p38MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), and their phosphorylation levels were also detected by Western blot. MAPK inhibitors (PD98059, SP600125, or SB203580)were used to elucidate the mechnism of preptin induced expression of CTGF in human osteoblasts. Results Treatment of human osteoblasts with preptin caused a time and dose-dependent increase in CTGF secretion. Preptin induced activation of ERK, but not p38MAPK or JNK in human osteoblasts. Furhermore, pretreatment of human osteoblasts with the ERK inhibitor PD98059 abolished the preptin-induced CTGF secretion. Conclusion Preptin induces CTGF expression in human osteoblasts by means of ERK/MAPK pathway.

OBJECTIVETo explore the objective special features and role of various indexes of treadmill exercise test (TET) in patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) caused angina pectoris with Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome (QYD) with or without accompanied phlegm and blood stasis syndrome (PBS), to provide references for preventing and treating CHD in clinical practice.

METHODSOne hundred and one patients, whose diagnosis measured to the diagnostic standard and the inclusion criteria of angina pectoris and CHD, were classified according to their TCM syndrome type to two groups, the QYD without PBS group (49 cases) and the QYD with PBS group (52 cases). TET was conducted on all the patients. The relative parameters were measured and compared.

RESULTSAs compared with the QYD without PBS group, in the QYD with PBS group, (1) the TET positive rate was higher; (2) total exercise time was lesser; (3) the maximal metabolic equivalent (Max MET) was lower; (4) the average depression of ST segment at the exercise endpoint of test (mV) was higher; (5) the time of ST segment depressed for 0.1mV (min) was longer; (6) the metabolic equivalent during ST-segment depressed by 0.1mV was shorter; and (7) the change of QRS wave time-limit before and immediately after TET was more evident. Moreover, in the testing time more patients revealed angina episode after exercise, and less patients had their heart rate reached the requirement in the QYD with PBS group than those in the QYD without PBS group. Comparison between the two groups in all the above-mentioned indices showed significant difference respectively (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPatients with CHD caused angina pectoris of QYD with PBS are worse in the tolerance for exercise and severer in pathological change of coronary artery than those in those without PBS, they belong to the severe phase of TCM syndrome.

Angina Pectoris ; physiopathology ; Coronary Artery Disease ; physiopathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Yin Deficiency

Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Plasmacytoma ; diagnosis ; Temporal Bone ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of p27 in the inhibition of emodin on the mesangial cell (MC) proliferation induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha). METHODS: p27 protein of MC was detected with western blotting analysis. The degree of MC proliferation was estimated through [(3)H] thymidine ([(3)H] TdR) incorporation. Different dosage of emodin (50 mg/L,100 mg/L) was added into MC stimulated by TNF-alpha. RESULTS: TNF-alpha (200 kU/L) decreased p27 level of MC cultured in serum-free DMEM for 24 hours and increased[(3)H] TdR incorporation. Emodin increased p27 level of MC stimulated by TNF-alpha and decreased [(3)H] TdR incorporation. The more the emodin was added, the greater the above-mentioned effect of emodin. CONCLUSION: The increment of p27 level maybe play an important role in the inhibition of emodin on MC proliferation induced by TNF-alpha.

OBJECTIVE Bergapten (BG), is a furanocoumarin derived from herbal and citrus extracts can act as antioxidant and selective anticancer agents.The current study aimed to investigate whether bergapten would attenuate immunosenescence and to exploreits immunomodulatory effects on immune responses in D-galactose-induced aging BALB/c mice.METHODS Firstly,mice were given D-galactose(180 mg·kg-1)subcutaneous injections for 30 d.To evaluate the establishment of the aging-related effect in mice, serum samples of BALB/c mice were collected from tail vein. Aging BALB/c mice were freely divided into three groups: negative control group received 1% Tween 80 solution only, named D-gal group. Positive groups were received BG administration at the dose of 20 and 100 mg·kg-1, named D-gal+BG(20)group and D-gal+BG(100)group,respectively.Effects of bergapten on T lympho-cyte proliferation and flow cytometry were assessed by using the splenic cell suspension. Enzyme linked immunospot kits were used to quantitatively determine interferon-γ(IFN-γ)and interleukin-4(IL-4) levels of the isolated serum. Immunophenotype was determined by using mixture of antibodies includ-ing anti-CD3,anti-CD4,and anti-CD8.RESULTS Bergapten(20 mg·kg-1)therapy can modulate immu-nity against viral epidemics and attenuate aging-induced immune deficiency(P<0.01),which was correlat-ed with the decline in the activation of the Th and Tc responses in D-galactose induced aging BALB/c mice.According to the in vivo results,bergapten exposure up-regulated the secretion of IFN-γ and IL-4 in T-helper 1(Th1)and T helper 2(Th2)cells(P<0.05,P<0.01).Additionally,BG(20 mg·kg-1)restored antigen-specific CD4+and CD8+T cells in aging models (P<0.05, P<0.01), which may help to curing chronic infections. CONCLUSION The beneficial effect of bergapten in D-galactose induced aging BALB/c mice may be due to the Th and Tc responses activation.