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The Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in maintaining liver homeostasis and liver regeneration. In healthy livers， the Wnt signaling pathway is mostly inactive， but it is continuously overactivated during cell renewal or regeneration processes， as well as in certain pathological conditions， diseases， precancerous states， and cancers. Persistent liver cell injury often leads to chronic liver diseases such as liver fibrosis， liver cirrhosis， and liver cancer. This article summarizes the basic structural features of the Wnt signaling pathway and analyzes its important role in the pathological progression of various liver diseases， so as to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases in clinical practice.
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Objective:To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of static progressive stretch (SPS) with different parameters in the treatment of stiff knee in rats.Methods:Fifty-six male 8-week SD rats were randomly divided into an operation group ( n=48) and a blank group ( n=8, normal feeding rats without any treatment). The knee joints of the rats in the operation group were fixed with Kirschner wire for 4 weeks to create models of right knee flexion stiffness. The 42 rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into 6 groups ( n=7): the model group was executed and sampled after successful modeling, the spontaneous recovery group was not given any treatment after successful modeling, group T1 was given SPS treatment for 20 min once per day, group T2 was given SPS treatment for 30 min once per day, group T3 was given SPS treatment for 20 min once every 2 days, and group T4 was given SPS treatment for 30 min once every 2 days. After 16 days, the range of knee motion, number of myofibroblasts, and positive proportion of transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF- β1) in the joint capsule were detected and compared between groups. Results:The ranges of knee motion in the spontaneous recovery group and the 4 SPS treatment groups were significantly greater than those before treatment ( P<0.05), and the improvements in the range of knee motion in the 4 SPS treatment groups were significantly greater than that in the spontaneous recovery group ( P<0.05). The range of knee motion in group T2 (112.29°±1.89°) was improved the most significantly. The number of myofibroblasts was (23.72±10.75)/HP, which was significantly smaller than that in T3 group [(55.72±33.56)/HP] or in T4 group [(50.72±33.34)/HP] ( P<0.05). The positive proportions of TGF- β1 in the joint capsule in the 4 SPS treatment groups were significantly lower than that in the model group, and the positive proportion of TGF- β1 in the joint capsule in group T2 (0.51%±0.38%) was significantly lower than those in group T3 and T4 ( P<0.05). Conclusions:As SPS treatment can reduce the expression of TGF- β1 in the joint and inhibit the excessive proliferation of myofibroblasts to alleviate the pathological changes in a stiff knee, it has a significant effect on the stiff knee in rats. The SPS treatment for 30 minutes and once per day may lead to the best efficacy.
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Objective:To study the relationship between serum level matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and to assess its predictive value of AF recurrence in persistent AF patients after cardio-version. Methods: Our research included in 4 groups: Control group, n=30 healthy subjects, Paroxysmal AF group, n=30, Persistent AF group, n=60 and Permanent AF group, n=30. Serum levels of MMP-9 were examined and compared among different groups. The patients in Persistent AF group received drug therapy or drug+electric cardio-version;with successful cardio-version, antiarrhythmia medication was used to maintain sinus rhythm and the patients were followed-up for prognosis, MMP-9 levels were further compared between the patients with or without AF recurrence to assess the predictive value of MMP-9 for AF recurrence. Results: Serum levels of MMP-9 were as follows: Control group (151.43±88.14) ng/ml, Paroxysmal AF group (182.66±96.39) ng/ml, Persistent AF group (278.93±89.22) ng/ml and Permanent AF group (336.82±112.35) ng/ml respectively, which indicated that MMP-9 level in Persistent AF group was higher than Paroxysmal AF group and Control group;MMP-9 in Persistent AF group was higher than the other 3 groups, P Conclusion: Serum MMP-9 level was elevated in persistent and permanent AF patients;MMP-9 was the independent predictor for AF recurrence in persistent AF patients after cardio-version.
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Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Baizhu Shengjiang Decoction combined with Prucalopride Succinate Tablets for chronic functional constipation. Methods Sixty patients with chronic functional constipation were randomly divided into treatment group and control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated with Baizhu Shengjiang Decoction combined with Prucalopride Succinate Tablets orally, and the control group was treated with oral administration of Prucalopride Succinate Tablets alone. The therapeutic effects on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms and constipation, and the follow-up therapeutic effect of the two groups were evaluated after treatment. During the three months after the completion of treatment course, the recurrence of constipation was monitored. Results (1) The cure rate of the treatment group was 90.0％ and that of the control group was 60.0％, indicating that the therapeutic effect on TCM symptoms in the treatment group was stronger than that of the control group(P < 0.05).(2) In respect of the relief of constipation, the markedly effective rate was 93.3％ in the treatment group and was 50.0％ in the control group, and the overall effective rate was 100.0％ in the treatment group and was 73.3％ in the control group, the difference being significant between the two groups(P<0.05 or P<0.01).(3) During the treatment, the percentage of patients with weekly completely spontaneous defecation frequency ≥3 was 86.7％ in the treatment group, and was 53.3％ in the control group, the difference being significant (P < 0.05). (4) The results of 3-month follow-up after the completion of treatment course showed that one case from the treatment group had the recurrence of constipation, and the recurred cases from the control group were 6, the difference being significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion Oral use of Baizhu Shengjiang Decoction combined with Prucalopride Succinate Tablets exerts certain therapeutic effect for chronic functional constipation, which is effective both on relieving constipation symptoms and on reducing recurrence rate.