OBJECTIVE: To examine various pneumatized extensions of the sphenoid sinus of Chinese people. METHOD: The sphenoid sinus and its surrounding structures were examined from 100 computed tomography images of the sinus. The type of the sphenoid sinus was classified according to the various extensions of the sinus. RESULT: The type of the sphenoid sinus was classified into the following 6 basic types based on the direction of pneumatization: sphenoid body, lateral, clival, lesser wing, anterior, and combined. CONCLUSION The variations in the extensions of pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus may facilitate entry into areas bordering the sphenoid sinus.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Sphenoid Bone ; anatomy & histology ; Sphenoid Sinus ; anatomy & histology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome （CFS） with Qi deficiency and its effects on TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， serum superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， and oxidized low-density lipoprotein （ox-LDL） levels. MethodA total of 200 patients with CFS of Qi deficiency were randomly divided into a control group （100 cases） and an observation group （100 cases）. The control group was treated with vitamin B compounds， and the observation group was treated with Huangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture for two weeks. The scores of TCM syndromes， fatigue symptoms， levels of serum SOD， MDA， and ox-LDL and the incidence of adverse reactions were observed and compared before and after treatment in two groups. ResultAfter treatment， the total effective rate of the control group was 54.34% （50/92）， while that of the observation group was 88.54% （85/96）. The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group （χ²=27.13，P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， scores of fatigue self-assessment scale （FSAS）， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， scores of FSAS， physical fatigue and mental fatigue， and sleep/rest response scores of fatigue in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the two groups after treatment were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. After treatment， TCM syndrome scores in the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group （P<0.05）. Compared with those in the two groups before treatment， MDA levels in the two groups were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and SOD levels were significantly increased （P<0.05）. After treatment， compared with those in the control group， the serum MDA and ox-LDL levels in the observation group were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the serum SOD was significantly increased （P<0.05）. No serious adverse events or adverse reactions occurred during this clinical trial. ConclusionHuangqi injection combined with Buzhong Yiqi acupuncture has a good clinical curative effect in the treatment of CFS with Qi deficiency， which can effectively improve the fatigue symptoms of patients， increase the level of SOD， and reduce the level of serum MDA and ox-LDL. It is related to the production of antioxidants， inhibiting the production of lipid peroxides， and improving the body's ability to resist oxidative stress.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Banxia Xiexintang containing intestinal absorption solution （BXCIAS） on migration and invasion of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells （PMN-MDSCs） in gastric cancer microenvironment. MethodThe complex solution （containing 0.63 g·mL^-1 crude drug） was prepared. Gastric cancer cells were subjected to non-contact co-culture with PMN-MDSCs in Transwell chamber to create gastric cancer microenvironment. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to screen the optimal intervention concentration and time of BXCIAS on PMN-MDSCs for subsequent experiment. The blank group， model group， FAK inhibitor group， and BXCIAS groups （26%， 18%， and 10%） were designed. Scratch assay and Transwell assay were employed to detect the migration and invasion ability of PMN-MDSCs， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） to measure the expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor （VEGF） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in tumor microenvironment. The expression levels of PMN-MDSCs pathway-related proteins FAK， phosphorylated （p）-FAK， protein tyrosine kinase （Src）， and p-Src were detected by Western blot. ResultThe inhibition rates of PMN-MDSCs by 5%， 50%， 75%， and 100% BXCIAS at 48 h were higher than those at 24 h （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The inhibition rate of PMN-MDSCs by 50% BXCIAS at 72 h was lower than that at 48 h （P<0.01）， and the inhibition rates by 5% and 100% BXCIAS at 72 h were higher than those at 48 h （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no significant difference in the inhibition rate by other concentration levels at 48 h. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） at 48 h was 18.09%， indicating that 18% BXCIAS and 48 h were the optimal concentration and time， respectively. The migration distance of PMN-MDSCs was large （P<0.01）， and the number of migrating and invading cells increased （P<0.01） in the mode group compared with those in the blank group. Compared with model group， FAK inhibitor and BXCIAS at different concentration decreased the migration distance of PMN-MDSCs （P<0.01）， and the number of migrating and invading cells （P<0.01）， especially the 26% BXCIAS （P<0.01）. The expression of PMN-MDSCs pathway-related proteins FAK， p-FAK， Src and p-Src （P<0.01） and the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 （P<0.01） were higher in the model group than in the blank group. Compared with model group， FAK inhibitor and BXCIAS （26%， 18%， 10%） decreased the expression of FAK， p-FAK， and Src （P<0.01）， and FAK inhibitor and 18% BXCIAS reduced the expression of p-Src （P<0.01）， and the expression of VEGF and MMP-9 （P<0.01）. ConclusionBXCIAS can inhibit the migration and invasion of PMN-MDSCs by down-regulating the expression of FAK， p-FAK， Src， and p-Src proteins in the FAK signaling pathway of PMN-MDSCs in gastric cancer microenvironment.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Banxia Xiexintang （BXT）-containing intestinal absorption solution on the apoptosis of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells （PMN-MDSCs） in gastric cancer microenvironment. MethodBXT-containing intestinal absorption solution was prepared， and gastric cancer cells and PMN-MDSCs were non-contact co-cultured in Transwell chamber to establish gastric cancer microenvironment. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to screen the optimal intervention concentration and time of 0-100% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution prepared by 0.63 g·mL^-1 reconstitution solution. Cells were classified into blank group， model group， oxaliplatin group （10 mg·L^-1）， and BXT （26%， 18%， 10% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution） group， and the apoptosis of PMN-MDSCs was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis-related B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 （Caspase-3） in PMN-MDSCs was detected by Western blot. ResultAfter treatment for 24 h and 48 h， the PMN-MDSCs-inhibiting rate was increased by 5%， 50%， 75%， and 100% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution compared with that in the blank group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. At 72 h， the PMN-MDSCs-inhibiting rate by 50% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution was lower than that at 48 h （P<0.01）， and the PMN-MDSCs-inhibiting rate by 5%， 75%， and 100% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution showed no significant difference from that at 48 h. Moreover， the half-maximal inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） at 48 h was 18.40%. Thus， 18% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution and 48 h were the optimal intervention concentration and time. The survival rate of PMN-MDSCs in model group was higher than that in the blank group （P<0.05）， and the apoptosis rate was lower than that in the blank group （P<0.05）. Compared with model group， BXT containing intestinal absorption solution lowered the survival rate and raised apoptosis rate of PMN-MDSCs （P<0.05）， particularly the 26% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution （P<0.05）. The expression of Bax and Caspase-3 in PMN-MDSCs was lower in the model group than in the blank group （P<0.05）， and the expression of Bcl-2 was higher in the model group than in the blank group （P<0.05）. The expression of Caspase-3 in PMN-MDSCs increased （P<0.05） and the expression of Bcl-2 decreased （P<0.05） in oxaliplatin group and BXT group compared with those in the model group. The expression of Bax rose in oxaliplatin group and BXT group （10% BXT-containing intestinal absorption solution） （P<0.05）. ConclusionBXT can induce the apoptosis of PMN-MDSCs by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax， Caspase-3， and Bcl-2 in gastric cancer microenvironment.