Background The excitotoxicity to retinal neurons caused by abnormal elevation of glutamate in retina is a common pathology concomitant with major blind-causing eye diseases.However,an effective approach to protect retinal neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is still lack.Intraperitoneal administration of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone(α-MSH)has been shown to protect hippocampal neurons from glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.Objective This study was to investigate the protective effect of α-MSH on glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in a chicken embryonic retinal explant culture system.Methods The retinas were isolated from chick embryos at embryonic day 9(E9) and cultured as explants.The explants at 3,5 and 7 days in vitro and the retinas at corresponding embryonic day 12,14 and 16(E12,E14,E16)were collected.The morphology of explant cultures was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining,and the expression of melanocortin receptors (MCRs)was analyzed by real-time PCR.In the experiment of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity,the retinal explants at 4 days in vitro were treated with glutamate for 48 hours,α-MSH was incubated with the explants 30 minutes before and during the glutamate treatment period.Then the apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL staining and quantified.The glutamate alone treated-explants and those treated with culture media were included as controls.The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) at 48 hours after treatment in all retinal explants was analyzed by real-time PCR.Results Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that the retinal explants exhibited similar morphology to those observed in the retinas from chick embryos at the corresponding developmental stages.The real-time PCR analyses of chick retinas showed that MC1R mRNA level at E9,E12,E14 and E16 was significantly lower than that in post-hatch day 1 (all P=0.000) ;whereas the transcript level of MC5R was significantly increased from E9 to E12 and E14 (both P =0.000),and then gradually decreased from E14 to P1.The expression of these genes showed similar temporal patterns in the retinal explant cultures.TUNEL staining revealed that treatment of the retinal explant cultures with α-MSH substantially and significantly reduced number of apoptotic cells induced by glutamate (P =0.000),which was accompanied by significant suppression of glutamate-induced GFAP up-regulation (P =0.000).Conclusions Application of α-MSH dramatically ameliorated glutamate-induced cell death in retinal explant cultures.This protective effect may be due to α-MSH-mediated suppression of astrogliosis caused by abnormal elevation of glutamate.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of concentration, intestinal section and borneol on the intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids. The experiment not only studied the intestinal absorption properties of three concentrations of rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B and salvianolic acid A at duodenum, jejunum and ileum, but also of salvianolic acids compatible with borneol at different concentrations using single-pass intestinal perfusion model in rat with phenol red as the marker. The results showed that salvianolic acids was stable under weak-acid condition and affected by metabolism enzyme; The Peff and Ka significantly different among three concentrations of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B, whose intestinal absorption were saturated in high concentration, suggesting that the transport mechanisms of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B were similar to active transport or facilitated diffusion; However, there was inconspicuousness in the Peff and Ka of salvianolic acid A at different concentrations, whose absorption was not saturated in high concentration, indicating that the transport mechanisms of salvianolic acid A was passive diffusion; The Peff and Ka in the ileum obviously higher than those in the duodenum and jejunum, namely the ileum was the best absorption section; When concentration of borneol increased, the enhancing effect of intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids increased, but significantly decreased when borneol increased to some degree. The enhancing effect of medium borneol concentration was the optimum. This implied that borneol can enhance the intestinal absorption of salvianolic acids, and the capacity of enhancing effect was influenced by the concentration of borneol.
Animals ; Benzofurans ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Bornanes ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; pharmacology ; Caffeic Acids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Cinnamates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Depsides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Ileum ; metabolism ; Intestinal Absorption ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Lactates ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Perfusion ; methods ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate a model of temporomandibular disorders established by transzygomatic arch traction of the mandibular ramus in rabbits.

METHODSFifteen adult New Zealand rabbits were subjected to traction in the postero-superior direction unilaterally using elastic force and six rabbits used as the control. Histopathologic change of the disc, joint space and cartilage was observed through Hematoxylin and Eosin staining.

RESULTSAnterior disc displacement or disc deformity in four experimental rabbits was observed on the traction side 2 weeks after operation. At 4 weeks, fibrous adhesions in joint compartment were found in five experimental rabbits. The condyles or articular eminences of some experimental rabbits showed irregularities on the cartilage surface. In the 6 th week, bad disc deformity in four rabbits and severe fibrous adhesions in five rabbits was observed on the traction side, and subchondralbone and calcified cartilage became irregular. In control group, All articular structures were normal.

CONCLUSIONSA animal model of temporomandibular disorders can be established by transzygomatic arch traction of the mandible.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mandible ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; Traction ; Zygoma

Objective To evaluate the effect of health education in controlling the iodine deficiency diserders(IDD) in order to provide reference data for the further prevention and control. Methods Each village of 3 towns in Congjiang County was selected in 2007, where the health education lasting for 10 months had been implemented in the school students of 3-6 grade and the villagers. The school students of 3-6 grade and 30 housewives in the villagers were investigated for their IDD control knowledge, the salt consuming conditions as well as the sales of both rough and fine salt at a salt retail site in each village before and after the health education was implemented. Results The awareness rate of the knowledge of IDD control in the students and housewives was 91.4% (581/636) and 78.3% (282/360), respectively after intervention, which significantly increased (χ2= 532.044, 326.117, both P < 0.01) compared with the rate of 28.2% (184/652) and 11.4% (41/360) before intervention. The proportion of consuming fine salt was 91.8%(146/159) and 95.6%(86/90), significantly inereased(χ2= 236.623, 135.350, both P < 0.01) compared with 6.1%(10/163) and 7.8% (7/90) found before intervention. The selling proportion of fine salt at the salt retail site in the village was 60.0%(900/1500), significantly increased(χ2= 824.176, P < 0.01) compared with 10.0%(150/1500) before intervention. Conclusions Health education and promotion is solid foundation for effectively controlling IDD, through which the students and villagers are actively and voluntarily involved in the program and hence have formed good living and hygiene habits, thus expected effect has been obtained.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of collagen I, II , X, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and their roles during initiation of condylar cartilage of the fetal mouse.

METHODSCoronary sections of mandible of mouse embryo aged from 14th to 18th day were studied under light microscope after stained by immunohistochemical method with antibody of types I, II, X collagen and ALP.

RESULTSOn the 14th day of mouse embryo, it was found that mesenchymal cells condensation continuous with the periosteum. Type I collagen and ALP were positive behind the terminal of the ossifying mandibular periosteum where future condylar will form. On the 15th day, positive staining for types I, II collagen was found in mesenchymal cells around hypertrophic cells and type X collagen was detected in hypertrophic cells. ALP was positive in both mesenchymal cells and hypertrophic cells. On the 16th day, type I collagen was observed from periosteal osteogenic cells and mesenchymal cells of the fibrous cell layer to the upper hypertrophic cell layer while Type II collagen was restricted from the lower polymorphic cell layer to the bottom of the hypertropic cell layer. Type X collagen was positive in the hypertrophic cell layer. ALP was positive in periosteal osteogenic cells and hypertrophic chondral cells, but not in the polymorphic cell layer.

CONCLUSIONDevelopment of condylar cartilage is different from that of limb bone. Types I, II, X collagen are expressed in the condylar chondrocyte on the early stage of endochondral ossification. The histology evidence supports the conjecture that condylar cartilage is derived from differentiated mesenchymal cells of the preperiosteum or periosteum of the mandible where ALP is positively expressed.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; Animals ; Cartilage ; Cell Differentiation ; Chondrocytes ; Collagen ; Collagen Type I ; Mandible ; Mandibular Condyle ; Mice ; Osteogenesis

TCM non-medicine therapies include acupuncture, moxibustion, point-application, point injection, acupuncture point thread implanting, etc, which have been widely used in the clinical treatment for stable period of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). TCM non-medicine therapies can significantly control the progress of the disease and improve the life quality of patients. This article reviewed the clinical study on TCM non-medicine therapies for stable period of COPD in recent 5 years, in order to provide some references for the treatment of COPD.

BACKGROUND:The treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is thought to restore antegrade blood flow in the infarct-related artery (IRA) and minimize ischemic damage to the myocardium as soon as possible. The present study aimed to identify possible clinical predictors for no-reflow in patients with AMI after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS:A total of 312 consecutive patients with AMI who had been treated from January 2008 to December 2010 at the Cardiology Department of East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine were enrolled in this study. Inclusion criteria were:(i) patients underwent successfully primary PCI within 12 hours after the appearance of symptoms; or (ii) patients with ischemic chest pain for more than 12 hours after a successful primary PCI within 24 hours after appearance of symptoms. Exculsion criteria were:(i) coronary artery spasm; (ii) diameter stenosis of the culprit lesion was ≤50％ and coronary blood flow was normal; (iii) patients with severe left main coronary or multivessel disease, who had to require emergency revascularization. According to thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI), the patients were divided into a reflow group and a no-reflow group. The clinical data, angiography findings and surgical data were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine the predictors for no-reflow. RESULTS:Fifty-four (17.3％) of the patients developed NR phenomenon after primary PCI. Univariate analysis showed that age, time from onset to reperfusion, systolic blood pressure (SBP) on admission, Killip class of myocardial infarction, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) use before primary PCI, TIMI flow grade before primary PCI, type of occlusion, thrombus burden on baseline angiography, target lesion length, reference luminal diameter and method of reperfusion were correlated with no-reflow (P<0.05 for all). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified that age >65 years [OR=1.470, 95％ confidence interval (CI) 1.460–1.490,P=0.007], long time from onset to reperfusion >6 hours (OR=1.270, 95％CI 1.160–1.400,P=0.001), low SBP on admission <100 mmHg (OR=1.910, 95％CI 1.018–3.896,P=0.004), IABP use before PCI (OR= 1.949, 95％CI 1.168–3.253, P=0.011), low (≤1) TIMI flow grade before primary PCI (OR=1.100, 95％CI 1.080–1.250,P<0.001), high thrombus burden (OR=1.600, 95％CI 1.470–2.760,P=0.030), and long target lesion (OR=1.948, 95％CI 1.908–1.990,P=0.019) on angiography were independent predictors of no-reflow. CONCLUSION:The occurrence of no-reflow after primary PCI for acute myocardial infarction can predict clinical, angiographic and procedural features.

OBJECTIVETo validate the value of age-adjusted D-dimer combined with clinical probability to confirm or exclude deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in elderly patients.

METHODElderly patients ( ≥ 65 years) suspected with DVT were evaluated by Wells score and D-dimer test. All patients underwent ultrasonography examination except for patients with Wells score < 2 and negative D-dimer test results. Conventional cut-off value is 500 µg/L, while age-adjusted cut-off value is set as patient's age×10 µg/L. We compared the sensitivity and specificity using the 2 cut-off values in confirming or excluding the diagnoses of DVT.

RESULTSThe study population consisted of 624 patients [mean age(76.4 ± 19.3) years], DVT was confirmed in 192 (30.8%) patients. Using Wells score model, 326 patients (52.2%) were scored as unlikely DVT and DVT was confirmed by ultrasonography in 44 patients (13.5%), and 298 patients as likely DVT patients and DVT was confirmed in 148 patients (55.0%). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value by conventional and age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value for diagnosing DVT in low-risk patients evaluated by Wells score model were 95.5%, 40.4%, 20.0%, 98.3% and 95.5%, 61.0%, 27.6%, 87.1%, respectively, and which were 89.9%, 67.3%, 73.1%, 87.1% and 89.2%, 89.3%, 89.2%, 89.3%, respectively, in high-risk patients evaluated by Wells score model. Thus, specificity increased about 20% using age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value compared with conventional D-dimer cut-off value.

CONCLUSIONThe age-adjusted D-dimer cut-off value combined with clinical probability evaluation could increase diagnosing specificity of DVT in elderly patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo discuss how the educational status, burn area and coping behaviors influence the psychological disorders in severely burned patients.

METHODSSixty-four severely burned patients hospitalized in Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Center, and Guangdong General Hospital were enrolled with cluster random sampling method. Data of their demography and situation of burns were collected. Then their coping behavior, psychological disorders including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plus its core symptoms of flashback, avoidance, and hypervigilance were assessed by medical coping modes questionnaire, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), PTSD checklist-civilian version (PCL-C) respectively. Correlation was analyzed between demography, burn area, coping behavior and psychological disorders. The predictive powers of educational status, burn area and coping behaviors on the psychological disorders were analyzed. The qualitative variables were assigned values. Data were processed with t test, Spearman rank correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS(1) The patients scored (19.0 ± 3.4) points in confrontation coping behavior, which showed no statistically significant difference from the domestic norm score (19.5 ± 3.8) points (t = -1.13, P > 0.05). The patients scored (16.6 ± 2.4) and (11.0 ± 2.2) points in avoidance and resignation coping behaviors, which were significantly higher than the domestic norm score (14.4 ± 3.0), (8.8 ± 3.2) points (with t values respectively 7.06 and 7.76, P values both below 0.01). The patients' standard score of SAS, SDS, PCL-C were (50 ± 11), (54 ± 11), and (38 ± 12) points. Respectively 89.1% (57/64), 60.9% (39/64), 46.9% (30/64) of the patients showed anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms. (2) Four independent variables: age, gender, marital status, and time after burns, were correlated with the psychological disorders, but the correlativity was not statistically significant (with rs values from -0.089 to 0.245, P values all above 0.05). Educational status was significantly negatively correlated with anxiety, depression, PTSD and its core symptoms of flashback, avoidance (with rs values from -0.361 to -0.253, P values all below 0.05). Educational status was negatively correlated with hypervigilance, but the correlativity was not statistically significant (rs = -0.187, P > 0.05). Burn area was significantly positively correlated with the psychological disorders (with rs values from 0.306 to 0.478, P values all below 0.05). Confrontation coping behavior was positively correlated with the psychological disorders, but the correlativity was not statistically significant (with rs values from 0.121 to 0.550, P values all above 0.05). Avoidance coping behavior was correlated with the psychological disorders, but the correlativity was not statistically significant (with rs values from -0.144 to 0.193, P values all above 0.05). Resignation coping behavior was significantly positively correlated with the psychological disorder (with rs values from 0.377 to 0.596, P values all below 0.01). (3) Educational status had predictive power on the anxiety, PTSD and flash back symptoms of patients (with t values from -2.19 to -2.02, P values all below 0.05), but not on depression, avoidance and hypervigilance (with t values from -1.95 to -0.99, P values all above 0.05). Burn area had no predictive power on the psychological disorders (with t values from 0.55 to 1.78, P values all above 0.05). Resignation coping behavior had predictive power on the psychological disorders (with t values from 3.10 to 6.46, P values below 0.01). Confrontation and avoidance coping behaviors had no predictive power on the psychological disorders (with t values from 0.46 to 2.32 and -0.89 and 1.75 respectively, P values all above 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe severely burned patients with lower educational status, larger burn area, and the more frequently adapted resignation coping behavior are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Burns ; complications ; pathology ; psychology ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; etiology ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between auto-immune antibodies and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of Shen deficiency syndrome (SDS), thus providing clinical evidence for further researches on molecular biological mechanisms of RA patients of SDS.

METHODSTotally 451 RA patients were assigned to the SDS group and the non-SDS group. Their general conditions (including gender, age, duration, and age of onset), C reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), platelet (PLT), disease activities (DAS28), auto-antibodies [rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-CCP antibodies, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)] were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) The scores for EST, PLT, and DAS28 were obviously higher in the SDS group than in the non-SDS group (P < 0.05, P <0. 01). (2) The level of average RF was (697.32 +/-1 061.38 IU/mL) in the SDS group, higher than that in the non-SDS group (439.91 +/- 672.24 IU/mL, P <0.01). There was no statistical difference in anti-CCP antibody between the two groups (P >0.05).(3) The ANA positive rate of RA patients was 29. 63% (120/405). It was 37.19% (74/199) in RA patients of SDS and 22. 33% (46/206) in RA patients of non-SDS, showing statistical difference between the two groups (P <0.01). (4) The odds ratio for high level RF positive and ANA positive was 1. 574 and 2. 059 folds in RA patients of SDS as high as that in RA patients of non-SDS.

CONCLUSIONSRA patients of SDS would have higher risk of having auto-immune antibodies, fastened development, more worsen joint damage, and more poor prognosis. Its mechanisms might be closely associated with autoimmune tolerance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; diagnosis ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult