Tetrandrine (Tet), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, has been reported to have a radiosensitization effect on tumors. However, its effects on human glioma and the specific molecular mechanisms of these effects remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on human glioma cells. It has been hypothesized that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by affecting the glioma cell cycle and DNA repair mechanism and that ERK mediates these activities. Therefore, we conducted detailed analyses of the effects of Tet on the cell cycle by performing flow cytometric analysis and on DNA repair by detecting the expression of phosphorylated H2AX by immunofluorescence. We used western blot analysis to investigate the role of ERK in the effect of Tet on the cell cycle and DNA repair. The results revealed that Tet exerts its radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by inhibiting proliferation and decreasing the expression of phosphorylated ERK and its downstream proteins. In summary, our data indicate that ERK is involved in Tet-induced radiosensitization of glioma cells via inhibition of glioma cell proliferation or of the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA Repair ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Glioma* ; Humans* ; Phosphorylation*

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated to compare health care utilization and expenditures between diabetic patients with and without depression in Taiwan. METHODS: Health care utilization and expenditure among diabetic patients with and without depression disorder during 2000 and 2004 were examined using Taiwan's population-based National Health Insurance claims database. Health care utilization included outpatient visits and the use of inpatient services, and health expenditures were outpatient, inpatient, and total medical expenditures. Moreover, general estimation equation models were used for analyzing the factors associated with outpatient visits and expenditures. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied for identifying the factors associated with hospitalization. RESULTS: The average annual outpatient visits and annual total medical expenditures in the study period were 44.23–52.20; NT$87,496–133,077 and 30.75–32.92; NT$64,411–80,955 for diabetic patients with and without depression. After adjustment for covariates, our results revealed that gender and complication were associated with out-patient visits. Moreover, the time factor was associated with the total medical expenditure, and residential urbanization and complication factors were associated with hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Health care utilization and expenditures for diabetic patients with depression were significantly higher than those without depression. Sex, complications, time, and urbanization are the factors associated with health care utilization and expenditures.
Cohort Studies* ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Depression* ; Health Expenditures* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Logistic Models ; National Health Programs ; Outpatients ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care* ; Taiwan ; Time Factors ; Urbanization

Malaria remains a serious public health problem in Shandong Province, China; therefore, it is important to explore the characteristics of the current malaria prevalence situation in the province. In this study, data of malaria cases reported in Shandong during 2012-2014 were analyzed, and Plasmodium species were confirmed by smear microscopy and nested-PCR. A total of 374 malaria cases were reported, 80.8% of which were reported from 6 prefectures. Of all cases, P. falciparum was dominant (81.3%), followed by P. vivax (11.8%); P. ovale and P. malariae together accounted for 6.4% of cases. Notably, for the first time since 2012, no indigenous case had been reported in Shandong Province, a situation that continued through 2014. Total 95.2% of cases were imported from Africa. The ratio of male/female was 92.5:1, and 96.8% of cases occurred in people 20-54 years of age. Farmers or laborers represented 77.5% of cases. No significant trends of monthly pattern were found in the reported cases. All patients were in good condition after treatment, except for 3 who died. These results indicate that imported malaria has increased significantly since 2012 in Shandong Province, especially for P. falciparum, and there is an emergence of species diversity.
Africa ; China* ; Farmers ; Humans ; Malaria* ; Microscopy ; Plasmodium falciparum ; Plasmodium malariae ; Plasmodium ovale ; Plasmodium vivax ; Plasmodium* ; Prevalence ; Public Health

BACKGROUND: The objectives of the present study were to investigate the reliability and outcomes of computer-assisted techniques in mandibular reconstruction with a fibula flap and verify whether the surgical navigation system was feasible in mandible reconstructive surgery. METHODS: Eight cases were enrolled in the computer assisted surgery (CAS) group and 14 cases in the traditional group. The shaping and fixation of the fibula grafts were guided by computer assisted techniques, which could be monitored with the BrainLAB surgical navigation system. The variation of mandible configuration was evaluated by CT measurement in the Mimics software, including the variation of length, width, height and gonial angle of the mandible. The 3D facial soft tissue alteration was also analyzed in 3D chromatogram by Geomagic software. RESULTS: All 22 fibula flaps survived. The mandibular configurations and facial contours had a better clinic result in the CAS group. The length, width, height and gonial angle of the reconstructive mandible were more similar to the original one. The Wilcoxon rank sum test analysis suggested significant differences in the measurements. The chromatographic analysis also visually showed superiority over the traditional group. CONCLUSIONS: The computer assisted surgical navigation method used in mandibular reconstruction is feasible and precise for clinical application. The contour of the reconstructed mandible and facial symmetry are improved with computer techniques.
Fibula ; Mandible ; Mandibular Reconstruction* ; Methods ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; Transplants

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer > or = 1:5). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.
Animals ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; China/epidemiology ; Genotype ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; *Sparrows ; Toxoplasma/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/epidemiology/*parasitology

A perforated sigmoid colon cancer within an inguinal hernia is extremely rare. This unexpected finding is usually discovered during surgery and causes an unavoidable septic evolution. Here, we describe the case of an 84-year-old man who presented with fever, abdominal distension, and a painful, enlarged, left scrotum. A CT showed a left, incarcerated, inguinal hernia containing a perforated sigmoid adenocarcinoma (which was confirmed by histopathology). The possibility of an irreducible inguinal hernia in association with perforated sigmoid colon cancer should be considered in the array of diagnoses. A pre-operative CT scan would be helpful in facilitating an accurate diagnosis.
Adenocarcinoma/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colon, Sigmoid/radiography/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatal Outcome ; Fever/etiology ; Hernia, Inguinal/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Humans ; Intestinal Perforation/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Male ; Pain/etiology ; Shock, Septic/complications ; Sigmoid Neoplasms/complications/*radiography/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: Quadric Error Metrics (QEM) algorithm can simplify complex 3D models. However, for its simple error metrics, QEM is not suitable to simplify medical model that contains many minute detail features. We need to develop a new algorithm because we are often interested in these features. METHODS: Based on QEM, We classify the vertex into seven classes. Different class has different cost of collapse. In our algorithm, collapse usually occurs with the lowest cost during simplification, thus minute feature can be preserved as possible. We also introduce the average of correlative triangles' area to estimate the volume change during the simplification. RESULTS: We test our algorithm on several complex medical models and find that our improved algorithm is effective and fast. CONCLUSION: To simplify a complex medical model, we want to preserve the minute feature during simplification. By classifying the vertexes, we develop an improved algorithm based on QEM. The testing results shows that our algorithm not only maintains the high efficiency of QEM algorithm, but also meets the high requirements of medical image processing on fidelity and mesh quality.