Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Nasopharynx ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the serum prostate specific antigen(PSA)change after I-125 radioactive seed implantation without androgen ablation therapy for prostate cancer,Methods A total of 13 patients with prostate cancer were included.The clinical stage was T_(1c)N_0M_0 in 8 cases,and T_(2a)N_0M_0 in 5. The Gleason scores were 5 in 4 cases and 6 in 9.The mean serum PSA was 8.2 ng/ml(range,2.8-14.6 ng/ml).I-125 seed implantation(D90=140-155 Gy)was performed.Serum PSA was monitored every month for the first 3 months and every 3 months for the next 20 months.Results The range of follow-up time was 3-23 months.At 1,2,3,6,9,12,15,18 and 21 months after implantation,the median serum PSA values were 6.7,5.0,2.7,1.6,1.2,0.9,0.8,0.8 and 0.7 ng/ml;and the median percentage change in ser- um PSA were 72%,51%,29%,20%,13%,11%,9%,9% and 8%,respectively.One month after brachy- therapy,30% of the patients had fluctuation in PSA.Conclusions Compared with radical prostatectomy and androgen ablation therapy,the rate of PSA decline is slower with fluctuation at early phase.The most sig- nificant decline of PSA occurs in the first 12 months,especially in the first 3 months after I-125 seed implan- tation.

"Wise men could recognize similarities, but the fool only recognizes differences" in Su-wen, which expounded clinical thinking methods of Chinese medicine (CM). "To recognize similarities and differences simultaneously" is of important clinical significance in understanding the laws of diseases. CM pays much attention to recognize similarities, while modern medicine emphasizes the differences observed. In order to develop integrative medicine (IM), similarities recognition and differences identification must be combined together to innovate new thinking methods of IM.
Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; standards ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To investigate the expression and function of integrin-iinked kinase (ILK) in the transdifferentiation process of primary tubular epithelial cell( TEC) and its effect on the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the aging process. Methods Primary TEC was cultured from kidneys of male Wistar rats aged 3 and 24 months. Then the primary TEC was stimulated by TGF-? at the concentrations of 0, 5, 10 and 20-40/?g/L for 24 h. The TEC expressions of ?-SMA,ILK and F-actin were detected by immunocytochemistry or indirect immunofluorescence. FN or ILK protein expression levels were tested by Western-blot. DIG-labelled cRNA probe of rat ILK in situ hybridization was obtained by transcription in vitro, with which ILK expression level and the location of TEC were detected. Results ?-SMA expression levels were very low in young or aging rat TEC on the base situation, no significant difference was found between the two groups. However, ILK and F-actin levels in 24 months group were higher than in 3 months group. Along with increasing concentration of TGF-?, ?-SMA, ILK and F-actin levels were increased. The expression of ILK was associated with F-actin expression. FN and ILK expression levels were significantly lower in 3 monthsrats TEC than in 24 monthsrats, P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of electro-acupuncture to improve the bladder function after acute spinal cord injury in rats and its possible mechanism.

METHODSSixty healthy adult male SD rats of SPF grade, with body weight of 220 to 250 g, one week after feeding adaptation, were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, electro-acupuncture group, electro-acupuncture control group with 15 rats in each group. Sham operation group underwent no stimulation, and the moderate damage model of spinal cord injury were made in other three groups according to modified Allens method. The model group were not treated, electro-acupuncture group were treated with electro-acupuncture on Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue, and electro-acupuncture control group were treated with electro-acupuncture on 0.5 inch next to Zhibianxue and Shuidaoxue. The frequency of 2/100 Hz, current of 1 mA, stimulation time of 15 min, once a day, left and right alternately stimulate every time, for a total of 7 times. The changes of residual urine volume and urine output in rats at the 1st and the 7th days after operation were observed. And 7 d later, the rats were sacrificed and the injured spinal cord were taken out to observe the apoptosis, and to detect the changes of Bcl-2, Bax, Bad content.

RESULTSAfter modeling,the rats of three groups showed different bladder dysfunction. In electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group, the residual urine volume of the 7th day after operation was significant lower than the 1st day after operation (P < 0.001), and there was statistically significant difference on the 7th day after operation between two groups (P < 0.001). Compared with model group, the urine output of electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significantly increased on the 7th day after operation, and there was sig- nificant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.001). Electro-acupuncture can inhibit apoptosis of spinal cord neurons by TUNEL detection. Postoperative at 7 d, the rate of nerve cell apoptosis in electro -acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group was significant increased than model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.005). Compared with model group, the positive expression rate of Bax, Bad decreased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), and Bcl-2 increased (P < 0.01) in electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group,there was significant difference between electro-acupuncture group and electro-acupuncture control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectro-acupuncture can obviously promote the repair of acute spinal cord injury,its mechanism may be through increasing Bcl-2, inhibiting the expression of Bax, Bad, which inhibits the apoptosis of spinal cord neurons.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Electroacupuncture ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Neurons ; cytology ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Urinary Bladder ; physiopathology

BACKGROUND: The effect of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) during traumatic brain injury (TBI) and whether it can modulate secondary injury has not been reported previously. The present study evaluated the potential protective effects of ventricular infusion of PACAP in a rat model of TBI. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups (n=6, each): sham-operated, vehicle (normal saline)+TBI, and PACAP+TBI. Normal saline or PACAP (1g/5L) was administered intracerebroventricularly 20 minutes before TBI. Right parietal cortical contusion was produced via a weight-dropping method. Brains were extracted 24 hours after trauma. Histological changes in brains were examined by HE staining. The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in blood and the spleen were detected via flow cytometry. RESULTS: In injured brain regions, edema, hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and swollen and degenerated neurons were observed under a light microscope, and the neurons were disorderly arrayed in the hippocampi. Compared to the sham group, average CD4+ CD8– lymphocyte counts in blood and the spleen were significantly decreased in rats that received TBI+vehicle, and CD4– CD8+ were increased. In rats administered PACAP prior to TBI, damage was attenuated as evidenced by significantly increased CD4+, and decreased CD8+, T lymphocytes in blood and the spleen. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with PACAP may protect against TBI by influencing periphery T cellular immune function.

OBJECTIVETo compare the application of HE and enzyme histochemical staining in assessing the viability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells coagulated by microwave ablation at different temperatures.

METHODSTwo groups of mice (n=6) with transplanted homogenic HCC were treated by microwave ablation at 60 degrees C and 50 degrees C for 3 min, respectively. Before and after microwave ablation, paraffin sections and frozen sections of the tumors were prepared for routine HE staining and enzyme histochemical staining with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase (NADH-diaphorase), respectively, and observed under microscope.

RESULTSShortly after microwave ablation, the morphology and arrangements of the nucleus of the ablated tumor cells in the two groups showed no obvious alteration in HE stained sections, but in sections with enzyme histochemical staining, the activity of NADH-diaphorase in ablated tumor tissue at 60 degrees C disappeared, suggesting the death of HCC cells; sporadic activity of the enzyme was detected in the coagulated tumor at 50 degrees C, indicating tumor cells surviving the ablation. The ablation effect was markedly different between the two groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONHE staining is not suitable for evaluation of HCC destruction immediately after microwave ablation, and detection of NADH-diaphorase activity with the enzyme histochemical method better suits this purpose.

Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Female ; Histocytochemistry ; methods ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; therapy ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; enzymology ; pathology ; therapy ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Microwaves ; therapeutic use ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of telomerase in various lesions of adrenal cortex.

METHODSBy autoradiography-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol, telomerase expression was detected in 36 samples of adrenocortical lesions, including 29 cases adrenocortical adenoma (8 Cushing's syndrome, 17 aldosteronism and 4 nonfunctional adenomas), 5 cases of hyperplasia of adrenal cortex (presented with Chushing' syndrome), 2 cases adrenocortical carcinoma, and 4 samples of normal adrenal cortex.

RESULTSOf the 40 samples, 2 cases of adrenocortical carcinomas had telomerase expression, and the others had no telomerase expression detected.

CONCLUSIONSNo significant telomerase expression was found among different endocrine functional benign adrenocortical lesions. Telomerase expression may be used as an important marker of malignant adrenocortical tumor.

Adrenal Cortex ; enzymology ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; enzymology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Cushing Syndrome ; enzymology ; Humans ; Telomerase ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore transient expression of the eukaryotic expression plasmid carrying human platelet-derived growth factor-B (hPDGF-B) in gingival fibroblasts of Beagle dog.

METHODSPlasmid carrying hPDGF-B (EX-A0380-M03) was amplified and identified, and then transfected into gingival fibroblasts of Beagle dog. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunocytochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western bolt were choose to detect the expression of hPDGF-B.

RESULTSTarget gene carried by EX-A0380-M03 was hPDGF-B. Green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressed by transfected gingival fibroblasts was observed under inverted phase contrast fluorescence microscope (IPCFM) (after 24 hours) and the transfection efficiency was 18%-38% (after 48 hours). Serials other methods (RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and ELISA) mentioned above also convinced that cells expressed hPDGF-B, and the protein that was a kind of fusion protein composed of PDGF-BB and GFP was identified by Western blot.

CONCLUSIONEukaryotic expression plasmid carrying hPDGF-B was transfected into gingival fibroblasts successfully, and a kind of fusion protein was expressed.

Animals ; Dogs ; Fibroblasts ; Gingiva ; Plasmids ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Transfection

Action Potentials ; Animals ; Electromyography ; Environmental Exposure ; Hypothermia ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seawater ; Thigh ; physiology ; physiopathology