Objective To establish a method for the determination of gastrodin in Tianyuan Granula. Methods The sample was refluxed with methanol, then eluted with 80 % ethanol through the alumina column(neutral). The chromato-graphic conditions were as follows: Diamonsil Cts chromatographic column(250 mm ×4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0. 15 % phosphoric acid (1 : 99), the detection wavelength being at 220 nm and the flow rate be-good (r=0.9999 95, n=7).The average recovery was 99.09 % and RSD=1. 50 % (n=6). Conclusion The method for determination of gastrodin in Tianyuan Granula is accurate, and with a good reproducibility.

Objective: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cognitive function in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging rats, and the correlation between the effect and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-ASC-Caspase-1 signaling pathway. Methods: Forty-six male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=10), a model group (n=12), an EA-7 d group (n=12) and an EA-21 d group (n=12). Except the control group, the other three groups received 42 consecutive days of intraperitoneal injection of D-gal to establish aging rat models with cognitive dysfunction. The control group received the same amount of normal saline via intraperitoneal injection. Two EA groups were given EA therapy for 21 consecutive days (began from the 22nd day of modeling) or 7 consecutive days (began from the 36th day of modeling) accordingly at Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Zusanli (ST 36). After modeling/ intervention, all four groups received behavioral evaluations by Morris water maze (MWM) test, novel object recognition (NOR) test and step-down passive avoidance (SDPA) test followed by the Western blot (WB) detection of the expression levels of hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1. Results: MWM (place navigation test, PNT) results showed that the escape latency in the model group was significantly longer than that in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among the other three groups on the 1st day of the test (P>0.05). From the 2nd day to the 4th day of the test, there was no significant difference between the EA-21 d group and the control group (P>0.05) in the escape latency; the escape latency was significantly shorter in the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). MWM (spatial probe test, SPT) results showed that the time spent in the target quadrant was significantly shorter and platform crossover number was significantly lower in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05). The time spent in the target quadrant was longer in the EA-7 d group than in the model group (P<0.05), but was shorter than that in the control group and the EA-21 d group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the swimming speed among the four groups (P>0.05). NOR results showed that there was no significant difference in the recognition ratio between the EA-7 d group and the EA-21 d group (P>0.05), and the recognition ratio was significantly higher in the two EA groups than in the model group (P<0.05), but was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). SDPA results showed that the electric shock number was higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and the differences among the other three groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The model group had the shortest step-down latency, followed by the EA-7 d group, the EA-21 d group and the control group in order (P<0.05). The WB results indicated that the expression level of NLRP3 was significantly lower in the control group and the EA-21 d group than in the model group and the EA-7 d group (P<0.05). The expression levels of ASC and Caspase-1 were significantly higher in the model group than in the other three groups (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference among these three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: NLRP3 inflammasome may be involved in the development of cognitive decline in aging rats; 7 consecutive days of EA intervention can partially improve the cognitive impairment in aging rats though the effect is rather limited; 21 consecutive days of EA intervention may improve the learning and memory abilities in aging rats via downregulating the expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated proteins in hippocampus.

Objective To compare the efficacy of total pelvic floor reconstruction with mesh patch and vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior vaginal wall repair for presby-pelvic floor dysfunction patients.Methods We randomly chose 92 pelvic floor dysfunction inpatients of our hospital from September 2007 to February 2009 and divided them into 2 groups:total pelvic floor reconstruction group(n=70) underwent total pelvic floor reconstruction with mesh patch[12 patients of this group complicated with stress incontinence,4 patients received tension free vaginal tape-obturator(TVT-O) simultaneously];control group(n=22) received vaginal hysterectomy with anterior and posterior vaginal wall repair(3 patients of this group complicated with stress incontinence).A follow-up for 3 to 18 months after the surgery were taken in all the patients.Results In total pelvic floor reconstruction group,no recidivate case was found and the FOP scores and cure rate were 0 and 100% respectively.In control group,there were 7 recidivate cases,all of who were primary vagina anterior wall bulge patients.The cure rate of control group was 68%;For the patients complicated with stress incontinence,they were all cured by TVT-0 or by ascending the front patch in total pelvic floor reconstruction group,but 1 case was as before operation and 2 cases were even worse in control group.Conclusion Total pelvic floor reconstruction with vicarious materials had a definite efficacy for presby-pelvic floor dysfunction.

Objective To study the role of esophagogastric junction contractile index (EGJ-CI) in evaluating the function of anti-reflux barrier,and in differentiating patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) from those with functional heartburn (FH).Methods A total of 115 patients presenting heartburn were enrolled in the study from January 2012 to June 2015.All subjects had completed Gerd-Q questionnaire and undergone gastroscopy,24-hour pH-impedance monitoring and esophageal high-resolution manometry.GERD patients were divided into as reflux esophagitis,acid-nonerosive reflux disease (NERD) and weakly acid-NERD groups.Patients with normal esophageal mucosa,normal acid exposure and negative proton pump inhibitor test were enrolled in FH group.EGJ-CI (mmHg · cm) as well as EGJ rest pressure and 4s integrated relaxation pressure (IRP 4s) were measured.Results Among the 115 patients,18 were reflux esophagitis [(49.0 ± 18.9) years,M ∶ F =10 ∶ 8],25 were acid-NERD [(48.7 ± 14.4) years,M∶F=13∶ 12],37 were weakly acid-NERD [(52.0 ±14.8) years,M∶F=15∶22] and 35 were FH [(53.6 ± 14.8),M∶ F =8∶27].No differences of Gerd-Q scores were noticed between the four groups.(1) Negative correlations were demonstrated between EGJ-CI and esophageal acid exposure time (r =-0.283,P =0.002),EGJ-CI and acid reflux events (r =-0.233,P =0.012),EGJ-CI and weakly acid reflux events (r =-0.213,P =0.022),EGJ-CI and non-acid reflux events (r =-0.200,P =0.032).(2)The value of EGJ-CI was significantly higher in FH patients than in the three subgroups of GERD(all P ＜ 0.01).EGJ rest pressure of FH group was higher than that of acid-NERD (P ＜ 0.01).IRP 4s in acid-NERD group was lower than that of FH and weakly acid-NERD (P ＜ 0.05).(3) The area under curve (AUC) of EGJ-CI was higher than that of EGJ-CIT,EGJ rest pressure or IRP 4s (0.686 vs 0.678,0.641 and 0.578).The cut-off value of EGJ-CI to differentiate GERD from FH was 9.74 mmHg · cm with sensitivity 82.86％ and specificity 51.52％.Conclusions The EGJ-CI values are negatively correlated with esophageal acid exposure time,weakly acid reflux events and non-acid reflux events.Thus it might be used as a metric to reflect the anti-reflux function of EGJ.According to the cut-off value of EGJ-CI 9.74 mmHg · cm,patients with GERD can be sensitively differentiated from patients with FH.

Background:Dysregulation of microRNA expression is involved in the carcinogenesis of many tumors,expression of miR-504 has been observed in many tumors,but its expression in primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has not been reported. Aims:To explore the expression and clinical significance of miR-504 in HCC tissues and cells. Methods:Tumor and para-cancerous tissue in 85 HCC patients were collected. Five liver cancer cell lines and immortalized liver cell line were conventionally cultured. Effect of miR-504 expression on HepG2 cells proliferation was determined by CCK8 assay. The expression of miR-504 was determined by real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Relationships between expression of miR-504 and clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC patients were analyzed. Results:Compared with normal liver cells,expression of miR-504 was significantly downregulated in five liver cancer cells(P < 0. 05). Up-regulation of miR-504 inhibited proliferation of HepG2 cells,and down-regulation of miR-504 promoted proliferation of HepG2 cells. miR-504 expression in tumor tissue was significantly decreased than that in corresponding para-cancerous tissue. Expression of miR-504 was correlated with tumor differentiation(P = 0. 002),TNM stage(P = 0. 021),alpha fetoprotein(P = 0. 012)and portal vein tumor thrombus(P = 0. 003),but not with gender,age,tumor size and tumor number. Survival in HCC patients with lower miR-504 expression was significantly shorter than that in patients with high expression(P < 0. 05). Conclusions:Expression of miR-504 is downregulated in HCC,and is correlated with the prognosis of patients,suggesting that miR-504 can be used as an independent predictor for prognosis of HCC patients.

To improve the solubility of quercetin ( QT) , one of flavonoids that can inhibit the proliferation of vari-ous types of cancer cells, the novel amphiphilic polymer N-( 4-methylimidazole)-hydroxyethyl-chitosan ( MHC) , synthetized by chemical derivatization from chitosan, was used as the self-assembly micelles of QT. The formed polymer was characterized by 1 H NMR, elemental analysis and pyrene fluorescence spectrometry. The formulation of MHC micelles loading quercetin was optimized through single factor experiment. Then the optimized formulation was obtained as follows:the concentration of MHC was 0. 67% and the ratio of drug and carrier was 1 ∶10. The micelles particle size was ( 99. 21 ± 1. 71) nm, Zeta potential was +( 20. 01 ± 0. 72) mV and drug loading was ( 5. 42 ± 0. 32 )%. The in vitro release curve was investigated and was found to conform to Higuchi equation of Q=0. 1101 t1/2 -0. 064. The results of in vivo experiment showed that the mean rentention time and bioavail-ability of the MHC-QT micelles were 21. 42 h and 57. 49 μg h/mL, respectively, compared to 0. 30 h and 2. 50 μg h/mL of the free QT solution. These indicated that the MHC micelles could significantly improve the solubility of QT, the drug sustained-release effect and bioavailability, which would used as carrier for the anti-tumor drugs.

ObjectiveTo analyze the change in the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) in the past 27 years and to probe the relationship between iodine and these carcinomas. MethodsStatistical analysis was performed on data of thyroid diseases, thyroid malignant tumors, PTC , FTC and their complications in Department of Pathology from 1978 to 2004 in General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University with Run test、Cox-Stuart test, ANOVA, t or t′ test and Chi-square test. ResultsIn 27 years there were 231837 cases of biopsies (average 8587cases/year). The biopsies were performed in the thyroid diseases as a whole 6276 cases (2.70%),thyroidmalignanttumors644cases(0.28%), PTCs 465 cases (0.20%), and FTCs 80 cases (0.03%) in 27 years. Biopsies in thyroid diseases as a whole showed a descending tendency since 1982 but an ascending tendency after 1995. Biopsy in malignant thyroid tumor did not show a significant change, and biopsy in PTC showed an ascending tendency and that in FTC showed a descending tendency after 1995. The average age, both in male and female patients, at the time of diagnosis of PTC and FTC showed no significant change during 27 years, but the mean age of male at the time of diagnosis was older than that of female. The ratios of male to female in PTC and FTC were 1:3.31、1:2.81 respectively,and showed no significant change either. There were more biopsies with lymph node metastasis in PTC (33.76%) than those in FTC (10.00%) and more biopsies with blood vessel involved or nodular goiter in FTC (11.25% and 13.75%) than those in PTC (0.65% and 4.52%). Mean age of patients with PTC and nodular goiter (44.3 years old) was older than those without goiter (38.1 years old). The ratios of male to female with PTC and FTC with lymph node metastasis were higher than those without lymph node metastasis. ConclusionThe incidence of thyroid malignant tumors in 27 years has no significant change. The contrary tendency of PTC and FTC suggests that the decreasing malignant degree of carcinoma. It suggests that this area is not in high iodine condition and the change have no relationship with the iodine intake.

Objective: To carry out the native assessment of International Affective Picture System(IAPS) among Chinese older adults.Methods:Altogether 116 Chinese older adults,including 51 male and 65 female,from three communities in Dalian City,aged from 60 to 80 years,rated 60 pictures(positive:25,neutral:12,negative:23) selected from the IAPS in terms of valence,arousal and dominance with Self-Assessment Manikin(SAM).The mean affective ratings were compared to the normative ratings of USA National Institute of Mental Health(NIMH).Result: Reliability analysis indicated that the affective ratings of our sample were stable and highly internally consistent.The affective ratings of Chinese older participants were strongly correlated with the normative ratings of NIMH(r=0.92,0.54 and 0.88 respectively for valence,arousal and dominance,P0.05).Conclusion: IAPS is highly internationally accessible just as the expectation of its designers.However,considering about great differences in many aspects such as culture,social living and age between Chinese aged and NIMH sample,they may have different affective experiences to the same emotional stimuli.Therefore it is necessary to do some revisal before the IAPS is applied to Chinese aged.

Aim To establish ICR animal model with C6 glioma stem cells, to provide the ideal model for the further study of gli-oma stem cells in brain glioma model. Methods C6 glioma stem cell was cultured in vitro by suspension,and was identified with Nestin antibody. C6 stem cells of ICR mouse glioma model were used to investigate survival state and tumor volume in mice after the operation. HE staining and CD133 immunohistochemi-cal study were adopted to investigate the postoperative pathologi-cal changes in mice. Results The expression of Nestin was 96. 01% in C6 glioma stem cells, and Nestin was highly ex-pressed in the cultured C6 glioma stem cells. Mice were inocula-ted with tumor after loss of appetite, weight, behavior and slow, sluggish reaction. Tumor volume at day 21 after modeling was (9. 77 ± 6. 58) mm3 . After HE staining, the model showed the invasive growth, tumor cell shrinkage and derangement. Immu-nohistochemical CD133 staining revealed that tumor cytoplasm color was brown. Conclusion Glioma model can be established based on glioma stem cells into a high rate of tumor, the tumor cycle is short, which can be used as an ideal model for glioma.

Background Erythropoietin (EPO) was proved to be express in hematopoietic tissue and nervous system and play the effects of stimulating blood cell production and protecting nervous tissue.Researches showed that EPO is expressed in the embryon brain of animal.However,whether EPO exist in nervous-derived retina and its action on retina with the development is concerned. Objective This research was to investigate the expression of EPO during the embryonic development period of rat retina and explore the role of EPO in retina development process.Methods Clean Wistar rats with pregnancy for 12 days,16 days and 20 days were collected,and the embryonic 12-day rats (E12 d,5 rats),embryonic 16-day rats (E16 d,5 rats) and embryonic 20-day rats ( E20 d,5 rats) were obtained by caesarean operation,and 5 12-month W istar rats were used as controls.The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the retinal sections were prepared in the different-embryo-phase (12 d,16 d,20d) and growth phase.The expression of EPO protein and mRNA in rat retina was detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),respectively.The feed and use of the animals followed the Regulation for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results EPO was positively expressed in the cytoplasm and nuclei in the neuroepithelial layer and pigment epithelium of every-embryo-phase rats but only in retinal ganglion cell layer in 12-month-old rats.The gray scale values of EPO expression in retina were 105.55±10.35,99.35± 8.71,83.27± 7.84and 30.30± 3.80 in E12 d rats,E16 d rats,E20 d rats and 12-month-old rats respectively with a statistically significant difference (F=76.13,P＜0.01 ).RT-PCR revealed that the relative values of EPO mRNA expression in retina were 0.876±0.10,0.861 ±0.09 and 0.256±0.03 in E16 d rats,E20 d rats and 12-month-old rats respectively,presenting a elevated value in embryonic rats compared with adult rats ( P =0.00).Gel imaging deletion showed that the A value of EPO amplification products was highest in E16 d rats and lowest in adult rats.Conclusions The expression of EPO appears a high to low fashion during the embryonic development of Wistar rats,which is closely associated with the developing procedure of retina.