Cochlear Implantation ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Temporal Bone ; injuries ; surgery ; Temporomandibular Joint ; surgery

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Young Adult

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation, providing the basis for future research strategies. Randomized control trials. (RCT) of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumber disc herniation at home and abroad from 2000 to 2013 were searched, analysis and evaluation of literature and strength of evidence were based on the principles and methods of Evidence-based Medicine. The total effective rate and curative rate were considered as primary outcome measures; pain improvement, quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were considered as secondary outcome measures. Seventeen RCTs were identified, Meta-analysis showed that (1) total effective rate and curative rate: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than single therapy (acupuncture or traction); (2) pain improvement: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy; (3) relapse rate: current evidence could not support the conclusion that acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy. Acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation was effective. However, the included studies were with high risk of bias, important outcome measures such as quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were not found in most of the studies. Current evidence has not yet been able to fully reflect acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation is better than single therapy, so more RCTs of higher quality are needed to further confirm its efficacy and safety.
Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; therapy ; Traction ; methods

In order to study the potential of Venus, lentiviral vector, applied to acute myeloid leukemia, the recombinant vector Venus-C3aR was transfected into 293T packing cells by DNA-calcium phosphate coprecipitation. All virus stocks were collected and transfected into HL-60, the GFP expression in HL-60 cells was measured by flow cytometry. The expression level of C3aR1 in transfected HL-60 cells was identified by RT-PCR and flow cytometry. The lentiviral toxicity on HL-60 was measured by using CCK-8 method and the ability of cell differentiation was observed. The results indicated that the transfection efficacy of lentiviral vector on HL-60 cells was more than 95%, which meets the needs for further study. C3aR1 expression on HL-60 cells increased after being transfected with recombinant lentiviral vector. Before and after transfection, the proliferation and differentiation of cells were not changed much. It is concluded that the lentiviral vector showed a high efficacy to transfect AML cells and can be integrated in genome of HL-60 cells to realize the stable expression of interest gene. Meanwhile, lentiviral vector can not affect HL-60 cell ability to proliferate and differentiate.
Genetic Vectors ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Transfection

The objective of study was to investigate tissue-specific transcriptional activity of WT1 (Wilms' tumor gene) promoter and enhancer in cell lines with diverse tissue origin for leukemic gene therapy depending on WT1 transcriptional regulation elements. WT1 promoter and enhancer were ligated into pEGFP-1 to construct a recombinant vectors with EGFP gene as a reporter. By using electroporation or lipofectamine, the resultant constructs were transfected into 13 cell lines including WT1-expressing hematopoietic cell lines (K562, NB4, THP-1 and SHI-1), WT1-nonexpressing hematopoietic cell lines (U937 and Jurkat), WT1-expressing nonhematopoietic cell lines (MCF-7, T47D and 293) and WT1-nonexpressing nonhematopoietic cell lines (ECV304, SMMC7721, HT-29 and SHG44). The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of EGFP representing the transcriptional activities of promoter and/or enhancer was analyzed by using flow cytometry in the transfected cells which stably expressed EGFP. The results indicated that the vectors, pEWP containing WT1 promoter and pEWPA containing both WT1 enhancer and promoter, were constructed by recombinant DNA technique. Among nonhematopoietic cell lines, pEWP induced the highest EGFP expression in ECV304 (16.54 +/- 2.45 times as high as pEGFP-1), mildly higher in MCF-7 and SHG44 (9.46 +/- 1.10 and 7.29 +/- 0.73 times of pEGFP-1 level), and lowest in HT-29 (0.99 +/- 0.02 times as much as pEGFP-1) respectively. Among hematopoietic cell lines, EGFP expression was highest in K562 cell line (2.93 +/- 0.27 times of pEGFP-1), which was statistically higher than those in Jurkat and SHI-1 cell lines (0.74 +/- 0.03 and 0.84 +/- 0.09 times of pEGFP-1 level) respectively. pEWPA, with WT1 enhancer inserted at Afl II site near SV40 polyA, increased basal transcription levels of the WT1 promoter in HT-29, SHI-1 and K562 cells by 4.81, 3.06 and 1.01-fold respectively. It is concluded that the transcriptional activities of WT1 promoter in the recombinant vector seem unrelated to the constitutional expression level of endogenous WT1 gene. The WT1 enhancer promotes the transcriptional activities of WT1 promoter in some of the cell lines regardless of the hematopoietic tissue origin.
Enhancer Elements, Genetic ; genetics ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; K562 Cells ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Transcription, Genetic ; U937 Cells ; WT1 Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEA prospective study was conducted to probe into the relationship between arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) and brain injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in infants with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD).

METHODEnrolled in the study were 45 cyanotic infants, who were less than three years old and underwent corrective cardiac surgery from August 1(st), 2010 to January 31(st), 2011 at Guangdong General Hospital. All the infants had a pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) lower than 85% and were randomly allocated into three groups by a specific computer program. In controlled group 1 (G1 group), PaO2 levels were controlled at 80 - 120 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) during CPB; in controlled group 2 (G2 group), PaO2 levels at 120 - 200 mm Hg during CPB; while in uncontrolled group (G3 group), PaO2 levels were at 200 - 400 mm Hg during CPB. Blood samples were collected just before starting CPB, at the end of CPB, and at 3 h, 5 h, and 24 h after CPB (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5) for the determination of serum concentrations of protein S100β, neuron specific enolase (NSE), and adrenomedullin (ADM) by ELISA.

RESULTProtein S100β rose significantly after starting CPB. In group G3, it reached a peak of (699 ± 139) ng/L by the end of CPB, significantly higher than those in groups G1 and G2 [(528 ± 163) ng/L and (585 ± 155) ng/L], and was positively correlated with PaO2 levels (r = 0.526, P < 0.01). NSE levels of group G1 were continuously rising after starting CPB and reached significantly high levels at 3 h or 5 h after CPB [(12.2 ± 3.4) µg/L and (12.3 ± 3.7) µg/L], while those of group G2 rose significantly during CPB [(10.9 ± 4.8) µg/L] and even higher at 3 h or 5 h after CPB [(12.6 ± 5.1) µg/L and (13.2 ± 5.4) µg/L]. NSE levels of group G3 rose significantly during CPB and maintained at a high level [(12.2 ± 5.7) µg/L] afterwards. There was no significant difference in serum ADM concentrations among different time points in each group and among these three groups. All the infants were discharged from the hospital without any obvious nervous symptom and sign.

CONCLUSIONHigh PaO2 during CPB in infants with CHD might cause an increase of serum protein S100β and NSE, indicating that brain injury might become worse with a higher PaO2 and might be positively correlated with PaO2 during CPB.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Child, Preschool ; Cyanosis ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; blood ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; blood ; Partial Pressure ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; Prospective Studies ; S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit ; S100 Proteins ; blood ; Serum

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Uterine Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery

BACKGROUNDPrevious discovery that long-term administration of pentoxifylline (PTX) to mice chronically exposed to smoke led to the development of pulmonary fibrosis rather than emphysema initiated our curiosity on whether the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, a set of signaling proteins essential to organ development and lung morphogenesis in particular were activated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

METHODSMale BALB/c mice were randomized into four study groups: Group Sm, smoke exposure and taken regular forage; Group PTX, no smoke but taken PTX-rich forage; Group Sm + PTX, smoke exposure and taken PTX-rich forage; Group control: shamed smoke exposure and taken regular forage. Animals were sacrificed at day 120. Morphometry of the lung sections and the expressions of TGF-β(1), hydroxyproline, β-catenin, cyclin D1, T cell factor 1 (Tcf-1) and lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (Lef-1) mRNA, etc, in the lung homogenate or in situ were qualitatively or quantitatively analyzed.

RESULTSAs expected, smoke exposure along with PTX administration for 120 days, lungs of the mice progressed to be a fibrosis-like phenotype, with elevated fibrosis score (3.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.7 ± 0.6 in Group Sm, P < 0.05). TGF-β(1) (pg/g) (1452.4 ± 465.7 vs. 818.9 ± 202.8 in Group Sm, P < 0.05) and hydroxyproline (mg/g) (5.6 ± 0.6, vs. 2.4 ± 0.1 in Group Sm, P < 0.05) were also consistently increased. The upregulation of β-catenin measured either by counting the cell with positive staining in microscopic field (17.4 ± 7.9 vs. 9.9 ± 2.9 in Group Sm, P < 0.05) or by estimation of the proportion of blue-stained area by Masson's trichrome (11.8 ± 5.6 vs. 4.7 ± 2.4 in Group Sm) in Group SM + PTX was much more noticeable as than those in Group Sm. The expression of β-catenin measured by positive cell counts was correlated to TGF-β(1) concentration in lung tissue (r = 0.758, P < 0.001). PTX per se caused neither fibrosis nor emphysema though expression of β-catenin and downstream gene cyclin D(1) may also be altered by this medication.

CONCLUSIONSPTX mediated transformation of pulmonary emphysema into pulmonary fibrosis under chronic cigarette smoke exposure is associated with upregulation of β-catenin and elevation of TGF-β(1), implying that activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pentoxifylline ; pharmacology ; Pulmonary Emphysema ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; genetics ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; adverse effects ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

To estimate the cancer incidences and mortalities in China in 2010, the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR) of China evaluated data for the year of 2010 from 145 qualified cancer registries covering 158,403,248 people (92,433,739 in urban areas and 65,969,509 in rural areas). The estimates of new cancer cases and cancer deaths were 3,093,039 and 1,956,622 in 2010, respectively. The percentage of morphologically verified cases were 67.11%; 2.99% of incident cases were identified through death certification only, with the mortality to incidence ratio of 0.61. The crude incidence was 235.23/100,000 (268.65/100,000 in males and 200.21/100,000 in females). The age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population (ASR China) and by world standard population (ASR world) were 184.58/100,000 and 181.49/100,000, respectively, with a cumulative incidence (0-74 years old) of 21.11%. The crude cancer mortality was 148.81/100,000 (186.37/100,000 in males and 109.42/100,000 in females). The ASR China and ASR world were 113.92/100,000 and 112.86/100,000, respectively, with a cumulative mortality of 12.78%. Lung, breast, gastric, liver, esophageal, colorectal, and cervical cancers were the most common cancers. Lung, liver, gastric, esophageal, colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancers were the leading causes of cancer deaths. The coverage of cancer registration has rapidly increased in China in recent years and may reflect more accurate cancer burdens among populations living in different areas. Given the increasing cancer burden in the past decades, China should strengthen its cancer prevention and control.
China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Registries

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is rare globally but common in China and exhibits a distinct ethnic and geographic distribution. In 2009, the National Central Cancer Registry in China provided real-time surveillance information on NPC. Individual NPC cases were retrieved from the national database based on the ICD-10 topography code C11. The crude incidence and mortality of NPC were calculated by sex and location (urban/rural). China's population in 1982 and Segi's world population structures were used to determine age-standardized rates. In regions covered by the cancer registries in 2009, the crude incidence of NPC was 3.61/100,000 (5.08/100,000 in males and 2.10/100,000 in females; 4.19/100,000 in urban areas and 2.42/100,000 in rural areas). Age-standardized incidences by Chinese population (ASIC) and Segi's world population (ASIW) were 2.05/100,000 and 2.54/100,000, respectively. The crude mortality of NPC was 1.99/100,000 (2.82/100,000 in males and 1.14/100,000 in females; 2.30/100,000 in urban areas and 1.37/100,000 in rural areas). The age-standardized mortalities by Chinese population (ASMC) and world population (ASMW) were 1.04/100,000 and 1.35/100,000, respectively. The incidence and mortality of NPC were higher in males than in females and higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Both age-specific incidence and mortality were relatively low in persons younger than 30 years old, but these rates dramatically increased. Incidence peaked in the 60-64 age group and mortality peaked in the over 85 age group. Primary and secondary prevention, such as lifestyle changes and early detection, should be carried out in males and females older than 30 years of age.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Registries ; Rural Population ; Sex Factors ; Urban Population ; Young Adult