ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Danzhi Xiaoyaosan on the phosphorylation of tau protein and different sites of glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） and phosphoseryl/suanyl phosphate protein phosphatase 2A （PP2A） in the hippocampus of rats with Alzheimer's disease （AD） and its mechanism. MethodThe rat model of AD was established by injecting okadaic acid into the bilateral hippocampus of 90 male Wistar rats in SPF grades. The rats with successful modeling were selected and randomly divided into model group， aricept group （0.5 mg·kg-1）， and Danzhi Xiaoyaosan high， medium， and low groups （17.55， 8.77， and 4.38 g·kg-1）， and then gavaged for 42 d， once a day. Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory ability of rats， Nissl's staining was used to observe the morphological structure of neurons in the hippocampus， and Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of tau protein， GSK-3β， and PP2A. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of tau protein， GSK-3β， and PP2A. ResultAs compared with the control group， the learning and memory abilities of the rats in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， and the hippocampal CA3 region cells had abnormal structure， disorderly arrangement， and decreased number. The expression levels of GSK-3β mRNA， GSK-3β， p-GSK-3β-Tyr216， p-PP2A， and p-tau were increased in the model group as compared with the control group （P<0.01）， and those of p-GSK-3β-Ser9 and PP2A decreased significantly （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the learning and memory ability of the Aricept group and the Danzhi Xiaoyaosan groups were improved （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the cell morphology and the number of hippocampal CA3 regions were better. The mRNA expression levels of PP2A and tau in the Aricept group were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）， the mRNA expression level of GSK-3β was significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of GSK-3β， p-GSK-3β-Tyr216， and p-PP2A were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein expression level of PP2A was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the mRNA expression level of PP2A in the high-dose Danzhi Xiaoyaosan group was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， and that of GSK-3β was significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）， whereas the protein expression levels of p-PP2A， p-GSK-3β-Tyr216， and p-tau were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein expression level of PP2A was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the mRNA expression level of GSK-3β was significantly down-regulated in the medium-dose Danzhi Xiaoyaosan group （P<0.01）， the protein expression levels of GSK-3β， p-GSK-3β-Tyr216， and p-tau were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the protein expression level of PP2A was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. As compared with the model group， the mRNA expression level of PP2A was significantly up-regulated in the low-dose Danzhi Xiaoyaosan group （P<0.01）， and that of GSK-3β was significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）， whereas the protein expression levels of GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β-Tyr216 were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and those of p-GSK-3β-Ser9 and PP2A were significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. ConclusionDanzhi Xiaoyaosan can improve the learning and memory ability of rats with AD， and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the activities of GSK-3β and PP2A protein-related sites and the phosphorylation of tau protein.
ABSTRACT
Dermatomyositis is an autoimmune disease involving the skin and muscles. At the onset of dermatomyositis, it is difficult to make an early diagnosis due to atypical clinical manifestations and lack of serological markers. Skin and muscle lesions are associated with disease activity and prognosis in patients with dermatomyositis or clinical amyopathic dermatomyositis. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, dermoscopy and other imaging techniques may be used to assess skin and muscle involvements, which can not only improve the accuracy of early diagnosis of dermatomyositis, but also provide important reference for the assessment of disease activity and prognosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of naked-eye assessment (NA) of ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology(US-FNAC) smears, which was performed by a trained non-cytological physician.@*Methods@#A total of 290 smears of FNAC in 143 thyroid nodules were used to evaluate the value of NA by an assistant with more than two years experience of intervention with ultrasound guidance. NA results such as the background of smear (bloody/non-bloody), thickness (thick/thin), as well as the contents (granulated/non-granulated) were recorded. The correlation between NA and cytological results was analyzed. Number of cells under microscopy, the non-diagnostic rate, and the significance between benignity and malignancy with different features of specimens were compared.@*Results@#There was no significant difference between the NA background and cytological findings(P=0.707, 0.200, 0.705, respectively). There was significance in number of cells, non-dianostic rate between thick and thinner specimens (P=0.000, 0.001, respectively). However, there was no significance in benignity and malignancy between thick and thinner specimens (P=0.385). There was significance in cytology results between the granulated and non-granulated smears(all P=0.000). The difference was found in 51.1% of the smears with granulates were malignancy in cytology. While 77.8% of the non-granulated smears were ultimately diagnosed as benignity.@*Conclusions@#The NA could be performed by a trained non-cytological physician and contribute to preliminary predictions of cytology effect.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic value of “taller-than-wide sign” of thyroid malignancy in transverse and longitudinal plane using ultrasound.Methods708 thyroid lesions including 302 benign nodules and 406 malignant nodules ( 390 papillary carcinomas,12 medullary carcinomas,4 follicular carcinomas) that were diagnosed at surgery were included in this study.The sensitivity and specificity of “taller-than-wide sign” in transverse (A/TC ≥ 1 ) and longitudinal plane (A/TL ≥ 1 ) were evaluated using ultrasound.All thyroid malignant lesions were divided into three groups according to size of the nodules:group A≤1 cm; group B≤2 cm,group C＞2 cm.The sensitivity of each group was also evaluated.ResultsThe constituent ratio of “taller-than-wide sign” between benign and malignant nodules was significantly different (P＜0.001 ).The differences of sensitivity of A/TL ≥ 1 and A/TC ≥ 1 among three groups were also found( P ＜0.001),and the sensitivity of A/Tc≥1 was higher than A/TL≥1.ConclusionsA/TC≥1 found by ultrasound contributes to differentiate the thyroid carcinoma from benign nodules.For a large thyroid lesion,other indicators are needed to diagnose thyroid carcinoma.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore correlation of allergy and outcomes after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.@*METHOD@#Before ESS, 115 cases were arranged to detect allergic serum relative index: the concentration of serum TIgE, specific IgE semi-quantitative test and the concentration of serum ECP; to survey QOL status: VAS, SNOT-20 and SF-36; as well as inquire medical record, Lund-Mackay CT system scoring, clinical classification of chronic rhinosinusitis. After ESS (>1 year), 74 cases were followed up. The subjective and objective assessment were achieved by means of VAS, SNOT-20, SF-36 and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic scores.@*RESULT@#The improvements of VAS scores of the cases with increased serum TIgE were significantly lower than those without increased serum TIgE (P or = 3) were significantly worse than those with positive allergen (<3) (P<0.05). The objective outcomes of the cases with strong positive allergen were significantly worse than those without strong positive allergen (P<0.05). VAS scores and SNOT-20 scores after endoscopic sinus surgery of the cases with strong positive allergen were significantly worse than those without strong positive allergen (P<0.05). The concentration of serum ECP of the invalid cases was significantly higher than effective cases (P<0.05). The concentration of serum ECP was positive correlated with Lund-Kennedy endoscopic scores (r=0.49, P<0.05). In cases of II, III types, the objective outcomes of the cases with increased serum ECP were significantly worse than those without increased serum ECP (P<0.05), VAS scores and SNOT-20 scores after endoscopic sinus surgery of the cases with increased serum ECP were significantly worse than those without incre- ased serum ECP (P<0.05), the improvements of VAS scores of the cases with increased serum ECP were significantly lower than those without increased serum ECP (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Those allergic serum relative indexes make some negative effect on subjective and objective outcomes. Especially, in cases with polyps, the increase of serum TIgE and serum ECP has more negative effect. Our results might help to choose immunotherapy to combine with endoscopic sinus surgery for those selected patients to improve the outcomes of chronic rhinosinusitis.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Allergens , Blood , Cation Transport Proteins , Blood , Chronic Disease , Endoscopy , Eosinophil Cationic Protein , Blood , Immunoglobulin E , Blood , Postoperative Period , Quality of Life , Sinusitis , Blood , General Surgery , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore the correlation between allergic factors and chronic rhinosinusitis, and discuss its effects on the development of illness.@*METHOD@#One hundred and one cases were selected to detect allergic serum relative index: the concentration of serum TIgE, specific IgE semi-quantitative test, the concentration of serum ECP as well as inquiring medical record, Lund-Mackay CT system scoring.@*RESULT@#The concentration of serum TIgE and serum ECP in CRS was higher than those in control (P < 0.01). The increased proportion of serum TIgE and serum ECP was significantly different among clinical stages (P < 0.05) and between the cases with and without prior sinus surgery (P < 0.05). CT scores of the cases with serum TIgE and serum ECP increased were significantly higher than those without serum TIgE and serum ECP increased. The strong positive rate in CRS was significantly different among clinical stages (P < 0.05). The strong positive rate increased significantly in the cases with prior sinus surgery (P < 0.05). CT scores in the cases with strong positive allergen were significantly higher than that in the cases without positive allergen (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#These results suggest that allergic factors make some negative effect on the severity of CRS and are the index for the severity and worse prognosis of illness.