Temporal Distribution Patterns of Cryptic Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera) Species in Relation to Biogeographical Gradient Associated with Latitude.

Sympatric distribution and temporal overlap of cryptic zooplankton species pose a challenge to the framework of the niche differentiation theory and the mechanisms allowing competitor coexistence. We applied the methods of phylogenetic analysis, DNA taxonomy, and statistical analysis to study the temporal distribution patterns of the cryptic B. calyciflorus species, an excellent model, in three lakes, and to explore the putative mechanisms for their seasonal succession and temporal overlap. The results showed that in the warm-temperate Lake Yunlong, B. fernandoi and B. calyciflorus s.s. underwent a seasonal succession, which was largely attributed to their differential adaptation to water temperature. In the subtropical Lake Jinghu, B. fernandoi, B. calyciflorus s.s., and B. dorcas exhibited both seasonal succession and temporal overlap. Seasonal successions were largely attributed to their differential adaptation to temperature, and temporal overlap resulted from their differential responses to algal food concentration. In the tropical Lake Jinniu, B. calyciflorus s.s. persisted throughout the year and overlapped with B. dorcas for 5 months. The temporal overlap resulted from their differential responses to copepod predation. These results indicated that the temporal distribution pattern of the cryptic B. calyciforus species and the mechanism that allows competitor coexistence vary with different climate zones.

Comparison of Carotid Blood Flow Measured by Ultrasound and Cardiac Output in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: In general, cerebral blood flow accounts for 10-15% of cardiac output (CO), of which about 75% is delivered through the carotid arteries. Hence, if carotid blood flow (CBF) is constantly proportional to CO with high reproducibility and reliability, it would be of great value to measure CBF as an alternative to CO. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct correlation between CBF and CO. We hypothesized that measurement of CBF could be a good substitute for CO, even under more extreme hemodynamic conditions, for a wider range of critically ill patients. METHODS: Patients aged 65-80 years, undergoing elective cardiac surgery were included in this study. CBF in different cardiac cycles were measured by ultrasound: systolic carotid blood flow (SCF), diastolic carotid blood flow (DCF), and total (systolic and diastolic) carotid blood flow (TCF). CO simultaneously was measured by transesophageal echocardiography. RESULTS: For all patients, the correlation coefficients between SCF and CO, TCF and CO were 0.45 and 0.30, respectively, which were statistically significant, but not between DCF and CO. There was no significant correlation between either SCF, TCF or DCF and CO, when CO was <3.5 L/min. CONCLUSIONS: Systolic carotid blood flow may be used as a better index to replace CO. However, the method of direct measurement of CO is essential when the patient's heart function is poor.

Evolution Under Dietary Restriction Increases Reproduction at the Cost of Decreased Somatic Growth.

Dietary restriction (DR) is cited as the most reliable means of extending life span in a wide range of taxa, yet the evolutionary basis of the DR effect on life span remains unclear. The resource reallocation hypothesis proposes that the longevity-extending response of DR is adaptive and stems from the reallocation of resources from reproduction to somatic maintenance under food-limited conditions. However, if DR continues for multiple generations, such a response becomes maladaptive, and genotypes with higher fecundity should be selectively favored over genotypes with longer longevity. To test this prediction, we exposed replicate populations of the rotifer Brachionus dorcas, a model organism for aging and experimental evolution studies, to DR and ad-libitum (AL) diets for 100 days. During the selection experiment, AL-selected populations showed higher growth rates and mictic ratios than DR-selected populations. After approximately 27 asexual generations of selection, populations with a DR selection history had a higher net reproductive rate but lower body volume and ingestion rate in the absence of survival costs than populations with an AL selection history when they were assayed on an AL diet. Our results are inconsistent with the prediction that evolution on sustained DR increases reproduction and reduces life span, and show for the first time that sustained DR selects for clones with higher energy investment in reproduction but lower investment in somatic growth.

Comparison of the effective orifice area of prosthetic mitral valves using two-dimensional versus three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the continuity equation-based effective orifice area (EOA) of prosthetic mitral valves between two-dimensional (2D) and 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS: Thirty-four patients without major aortic valve abnormalities underwent mitral valve replacement surgery. The EOAs of prosthetic mitral valves were calculated using the continuity equation with 2D and 3D TEE. For 18/34 patients using a biological valve prosthesis, the EOA of the prosthesis was obtained from commercial records. RESULTS: The EOA of prosthetic mitral valves significantly varied between the 2D and 3D methods (2.22 ± 0.71 vs 2.35 ± 0.70 cm2, n = 34). The area of the diameter of the left ventricular outflow tract as determined by the 3D method was significantly higher than that by the 2D method (mean difference: -0.14 ± 0.20 cm2), with 95% coherence boundaries of -0.53 and 0.25 cm2. The regression equation for the EOA by 3D and 2D TEE was y = 0.27 + 0.94x, with a good correlation. CONCLUSIONS: The EOA of prosthetic mitral valves is underestimated using the 2D TEE method compared with the 3D TEE method. The 3D-TEE method has the advantage of higher precision over the 2D TEE method, and it may be helpful for better assessment of prosthetic mitral valves intraoperatively.

NecroX-5 alleviate lipopolysaccharide-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome by inhibiting TXNIP/NLRP3 and NF-κB.

The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB pathway, associating with oxidativestress, have been implicated in the development of acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). NecroX-5 has been reported to exhibit theeffectsofanti-oxidation and anti-stress in various diseases. However, the role of NecroX-5 in ALI has not been explicitly demonstrated. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism action of NecroX-5 on ALI. Here, we found that NecroX-5 pretreatment dramatically diminished the levels of IL-1ß, IL-18 and ROS in in RAW264.7 cells challenged with LPS and ATP. Furthermore, NecroX-5 suppressed the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB signalpathway. In addition, NecroX-5 also inhibited the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) expression. In vivo, NecroX-5 reduced the LPS-induced lung histopathological injury, the number of TUNEL-positive cells, lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio, levels of total protein and inflammatory cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in mice. Additionally, LPS-induced upregulation of myeloperoxidase (MPO), ROS production and malondialdehyde (MDA) were inhibited by NecroX-5 administration. Thus, our results demonstrate that NecroX-5 protects against LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting TXNIP/NLRP3 and NF-κB.

Comparison of the life-history parameters and competition outcome with Moina macrocopa between two morphs of Brachionus forficula.

In rotifers, the costs of morphological defenses, especially the development of long spines, have been investigated for several decades. However, the obtained results were inconsistent and the underlying reasons were complicated. Investigations on more species might be helpful to find out the reasons. In the present study, Brachionus forficula was selected as the model organism. The differences in developmental durations, life-table demography, starvation resistant time and the competitive ability with Moina macrocopa were compared between B. forficula with long (LPS) and short (SPS) posterior spines. The results showed that LPS showed relatively longer durations of juvenile stage at 1.0 × 106, 2.0 × 106 and 4.0 × 106 cells/ml Scenedesmus obliquus, and longer embryo stage at 2.0 × 106 cells/ml S. obliquus than SPS. The intrinsic rate of population increase and net reproduction rate were lower in LPS than SPS, suggesting the energy input to reproduction decreased. The starvation resistant time was also reduced in LPS, in comparison to SPS, further supporting that LPS consumed more energy, which might be directed to the development of long spines. All these results revealed that LPS spent more energy for individual growth than SPS, which might be used to develop long spines. Moreover, the maximum population density and population growth rate of LPS were always lower than those of SPS, suggesting that LPS might have a weaker competition ability with M. macrocope than SPS.

Preconditioning of physiological cyclic stretch inhibits the inflammatory response induced by pathologically mechanical stretch in alveolar epithelial cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of preconditioning of physiological cyclic stretch (CS) on the overexpression of early pro-inflammatory cytokines [including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-8] during the inflammatory response induced by pathologically mechanical stretch in lung epithelial cells, and to determine its molecular mechanism of action. Cells were subjected to 5% CS for various durations (0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min) prior to 6 h treatment with pathological 20% CS. In a separate experiment, cells were preconditioned with physiological 5% CS or incubated with a nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor, pyrroldine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). The expression levels of inflammatory mediators were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. NF-κB was quantified using western blot analysis. Preconditioning with physiological 5% CS for 30, 60 and 120 min was demonstrated to significantly attenuate the release of pathologically mechanical stretch-induced early pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8) in alveolar epithelial cells (P<0.05) and significantly reduce the expression of NF-κB (P<0.05). Peak suppression was observed in cells preconditioned for 60 min. In the second set of experiments, it was demonstrated that mechanical stretch-induced release of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8 was significantly inhibited by both PDTC pretreatment and 5% CS pretreatment alone (all P<0.05). Furthermore, significant inhibition was also observed when both 5% CS pretreatment and PDTC pretreatment was used on mechanical stretch-induced cells (P<0.05), which was markedly greater than the inhibition induced by either pretreatment alone. The present findings suggest that preconditioning with physiological 5% CS is able to inhibit the inflammatory response induced by pathologically mechanical stretch in alveolar epithelial cells. These anti-inflammatory effects are induced, at least in part, by suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Comparison of single- and triple-injection methods for ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus blockade.

Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus blockade (IBPB) has a relatively high success rate in shoulder surgery; however, whether multiple injections are superior to a single injection (SI) is currently unknown. In the present study, ultrasound-guided SI and triple-injection (TI) IBPBs were compared in a prospective randomized trial. A total of 111 patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery and presenting with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status grading of I-II were randomly allocated to receive IBPB with 15 ml of 1% ropivacaine as a SI or TI. Performance time, procedure-related pain scores, success rate and prevalence of complications were recorded. The distribution of sensory and motor block onset in the radial, median, ulnar and axillary nerves were assessed every 5 min until 30 min post-local anesthetic injection. The duration of sensory and motor blocks were also assessed. A significantly longer performance time was recorded in the TI group (P<0.001). No significant difference was observed in success rate (91% in TI vs. 88% in SI) 30 min post-injection, and the prevalence of complications and procedure-related pain were similar between the two groups. Sensory and motor blocks of the ulnar nerve in the TI group were significantly faster and more successful compared with the SI group at all time points (P<0.041). It was also observed that sensory and motor blocks in the TI group were prolonged compared with the SI group (P<0.041). In conclusion, the TI method exhibited a faster time of onset and resulted in a more successful blockade of the ulnar nerve. TI method may be a more effective approach for IBPB in a clinical setting.

miR-127 contributes to ventilator-induced lung injury.

Although it is essential in critical care medicine, mechanical ventilation often results in ventilator­induced lung injury (VILI). Treating mice with lipopolysaccharide has been reported to upregulate the expression of miR­127, which has been implicated in the modulation of immune responses. However, the putative roles of miR­127 during the development of VILI have yet to be elucidated. The present study demonstrated that challenging mice with mechanical ventilation for 6 h significantly upregulated the expression of miR­127 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, serum and lung tissue samples. Conversely, following the downregulation of miR­127 expression in vivo using an adenovirus delivery system, VILI­associated pathologies, including alterations in the pulmonary wet/dry ratio, pulmonary permeability, lung neutrophil infiltration and levels of pro­inflammatory cytokines, were significantly attenuated. In addition, miR­127 knockdown inhibited the ventilation­induced activation of nuclear factor (NF)­κB and p38 mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK). These findings suggested that the upregulation of miR­127 expression may contribute to the development of VILI, through the modulation of pulmonary permeability, the induction of histopathological alterations, and the potentiation of inflammatory responses involving NF­κB and p38 MAPK­associated signaling pathways.

Decreased Regional Cerebral Perfusion at Resting State in Acute Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Resulting From a Single, Prolonged Stress Event.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the altered regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in resting state in patients with acute posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 3 months after trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rCBF was measured in 30 patients with acute PTSD and 36 healthy controls. RESULTS: Survivors with acute PTSD showed decreased rCBF, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale score correlated negatively with the rCBF, and rCBF at resting state decreased in acute PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD symptom severity was associated with diminished cerebral blood flow in the right insular cortex and right orbital medial frontal gyrus. The rCBF may predict PTSD symptom severity.

Beneficial effects of intravenous dexmedetomidine on cognitive function and cerebral injury following a carotid endarterectomy.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on cognition following a carotid endarterectomy (CEA). In addition, the neuroprotective effects of DEX against ischemia-reperfusion injury during CEA were analyzed. Patients due to undergo elective CEA under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to either the DEX-treated group (group D; n=25) or the control group (group C; n=25). Patients in group D were treated with 0.3 µg/kg DEX pre-CEA, followed by 0.3 µg/kg/h DEX intraoperatively up to 30 min prior to the completion of surgery, and the patients in group C received an equal volume of normal saline. Cognitive function was assessed prior to CEA (T0), and at 24, 48, and 72 h, 7 days and 1 month post-surgery (T1-5, respectively), using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Blood samples were drawn from the ipsilateral jugular bulb of all patients at 20 min prior to anesthesia (t0), and at 10 min following tracheal intubation, 15 min following clamping and unclamping of the carotid artery, and at 6 and 24 h postoperatively (t1-5, respectively). The protein expression levels of markers of cerebral ischemia and injury, namely S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and the concentration of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA), were analyzed. Patients in group D exhibited elevated MMSE scores at T2 and T3 post-CEA, as compared with group C. Furthermore, the protein expression level of S100B and the concentration of MDA in the jugular bulb of group D patients were markedly decreased compared with those in group C at t3-5 and t3, respectively. The results of the present study suggested that DEX was able to enhance the recovery of cognition following CEA, and this was associated with decreased cerebral damage and antioxidative effects.

Preconditioning of physiological cyclic stretch attenuated HMGB1 expression in pathologically mechanical stretch-activated A549 cells and ventilator-induced lung injury rats through inhibition of IL-6/STAT3/SOCS3.

Previous studies have shown that physiologically cyclic stretch (5% CS) attenuated both oxidative- and LPS-induced increases in HMGB1 expression via STAT3. However, little information exists about the effect of precondition of physiological cyclic stretch (CS) on the expression of HMGB 1, which play a crucial role in ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). We found that 5% CS-preconditioning significantly inhibited HMGB 1 expression, but not HMGB 1 receptors. 5% CS-preconditioning inhibits the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, and the inhibitory effect on the expression of HMGB 1 induced by 5% CS-preconditioning is abolished by additional treatment of rmIL-6. 5% CS-preconditioning also induces SOCS3 upregulation, and 5% CS-preconditioning fails to inhibit the IL-6/STAT3 pathway in cells transfected with SOCS3 siRNA. Moreover, low tidal volume ventilation preconditioning also decreases the severity of VILI evidenced by the markedly improved pulmonary alveolar-capillary barrier dysfunction, wet/dry weight ratio, and histological analysis. These results suggest that preconditioning of physiological 5% CS can reduce the expression of HMGB 1 induced by pathologically mechanical stretch through IL-6/STAT3 pathway associated with up-regulated SOCS3 expression.

Network Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine, Midazolam, Ketamine, Propofol, and Fentanyl for the Prevention of Sevoflurane-Related Emergence Agitation in Children.

Sevoflurane is associated with a relatively high incidence of emergence agitation (EA) in children. Prophylactic treatment, including midazolam, dexmedetomidine, ketamine, fentanyl and propofol, has been used to prevent EA. However, the question of which prophylactic treatment should be preferred to decrease the incidence of EA is still unclear. We conducted a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to investigate the comparative efficacy of midazolam, dexmedetomidine, ketamine, fentanyl, and propofol for the prevention of sevoflurane-related EA in children. First, we used the odds ratios and 95% confidence interval as effect size. The results revealed that dexmedetomidine 0.19 (0.14-0.27), midazolam 0.22 (0.07-0.60), ketamine 0.28 (0.16-0.51), propofol 0.23 (0.10-0.53), and fentanyl 0.25 (0.17-0.36) led to a significant reduction of the incidence of EA when compared with placebo. With placebo as the standard of comparison, the degree of incoherence (a measure of how closely the entire network fits together) was small (ω = 8.66728e-08). The logor were dexmedetomidine -1.75 (-2.11 to -1.39), midazolam -1.07 (-1.54 to -0.60), ketamine -1.292 (-1.92 to -0.66), and fentanyl -1.13 (-1.56 to -0.70). When compared with dexmedetomidine, the logor were placebo 1.75 (1.39-2.11), midazolam 0.67 (0.09-1.25), ketamine 0.45 (-0.25-1.15), propofol 0.75 (0.19-1.31), and fentanyl 0.617 (0.13-1.11). When compared with ketamine, the logor were placebo 1.29 (0.66-1.92), midazolam 0.22 (-0.56 to 1.00), dexmedetomidine -0.45 (-1.15-0.25); propofol 0.29 (-0.45-1.03); and fentanyl 0.16 (-0.59-0.92). The study that showed dexmedetomidine, midazolam, ketamine, propofol, and fentanyl could significantly decrease the incidence of EA when compared with placebo. One interesting finding of this network meta-analysis is that dexmedetomidine might be the best choice to prevent EA. However, there is weak evidence that dexmedetomidine is better than ketamine for the prevention of sevoflurane-related EA in children. As a result, more studies are needed to compare dexmedetomidine with ketamine.

[Effects of ulinastatin on cognitive function in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of ulinastatin(UTI) on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-seven patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly divided into three groups:high-dose UTI group(16000 U/kg i.v.), low-dose UTI group(8000 U/kg i.v.) and control group(normal saline). The levels of plasma cortisol were measured before and one day after surgery. The level of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and S100ß were measured before operation(T0), at open chest(T1), end of operation(T2), 6 h(T3)and 24 h(T4) after operation. A neuropsychological test scale was to evaluate the cognitive function 1 day before operation, 1 week and 3 months after operation. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients completed the study. There was no significant difference in general information of patients among three groups(P>0.05). The level of plasma cortisol one day after operation was significantly higher than that before operation in control group(P<0.01). The levels of plasma cortisol in high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group were lower than that of control group(P<0.01). In all groups, the level of plasma IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and S100B increased remarkably at T2, T3, T4 compared to those at T0(all P<0.05). The level of plasma IL-6, TNF-α(at T2, T3, T4)and S100ß(at T3)in high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group were all lower than those of control group(P<0.05),while there were no significant differences between high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group(P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in POCD 1 week after operation in high-dose UTI and low-dose UTI groups(25.8% and 23.3%)was lower than that in control group(50.0%), while there were no significant difference 1 month after operation between high-dose UTI group(12.9%) or low-dose UTI group(16.7%)and control group(28.1%). The level of plasma S100ß at T2 of POCD patients(n=31)was higher than that of non-POCD group(n=62)(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ulinastatin can reduce the incidence of postoperative cognitive dusfunction 1 week after coronary artery bypass surgery, which might be associated with inhibition of inflammation and S100ß expression.

[Qualitative analysis of platelet rich plasma prepared by acute plateletpheresis in patients undergoing heart surgery].

This study was aimed to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma(PRP) prepared by acute plateletpheresis in patients undergoing open heart surgery, and to analyze the quality of prepared platelet-rich plasma. Whole blood from 20 patients with ASAII-III was collected and PRP was harvested by machine after induction of anesthesia. Platelet count (Plt), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plasma pH, plasma lactic acid (LA) concentration, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration, germiculture result, CD62p and PAC-1 positive rate of inactivated and activated platelets by ADP in the whole blood before plateletpheresis (T1) , in the PRP after plateletpheresis (T2) and PRP before back-transfusion (T3) were determinated. The results showed that as compared with whole blood the platelet count in the PRP at T2 was (783 ± 184) ×10(9)/L, MPV, PDW and pH significantly decreased (P < 0.01) , while the plasma LDH, LA concentration, CD62p and PAC-1 positive rate of inactivated platelets were not significantly different from the whole blood at T1. In the PRP at T3, the platelet count, MPV, PDW and pH significantly decreased (P < 0.01) , while plasma LDH concentration, CD62p and PAC-1 positive rate of inactivated platelet significantly increased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) compared with the whole blood at T1. There were no significant difference among the CD62p and PAC-1 positive rate of activated platelets in the whole blood and PRP. It is concluded that PRP can be efficiently obtained from the patients undergoing open heart surgery by acute plateletpheresis, and the platelets in PRP are not activated during the preparing process. Some platelets in PRP are activated during the preserving process, but the whole activating function of platelets keeps normal.

Preconditioning effects of physiological cyclic stretch on pathologically mechanical stretch-induced alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis and barrier dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: We aim to investigate the effects of preconditioning of physiological cyclic stretch on the alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis induced by pathologically mechanical stretch and barrier dysfunction and how these effects are linked to differential expression of small GTPases Rac and Rho mRNA. METHODS: Pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells were subjected to different treatments of cyclic stretch (CS) at 5% and 20% elongation, respectively. Cells maintained in normal cell culture were used as negative control. On the other hand, cell apoptosis and Rac/Rho activities in cells with or without preconditioning of physiologically relevant magnitudes of CS (5% CS) with different durations (0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min) in prior to 6-h treatment with pathological CS stimulation (20% CS) were compared and measured. RESULTS: Pathological CS could cause a significant increase in apoptosis rate, which is considered to be associated with the repression of Rac mRNA and activation of Rho mRNA. In contrast, physiological 5%-CS preconditioning suppressed cell apoptosis and induced nearly complete monolayer recovery with fewer actin stress fibers and paracellular gap formation. Consistent with differential effects on cell apoptosis and epithelial cell integrity, physiological CS preconditioning enhanced expression of Rac mRNA but inhibited Rho activation. CONCLUSIONS: Physiological CS preconditioning has an inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis while exerts a stimulatory impact on epithelial cell recovery via regulation of Rac and Rho activities.

Celecoxib inhibits insulin-like growth factor 1 induced growth and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer.

Despite a large number of studies indicating that celecoxib plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of tumors, the detailed molecular mechanisms are not well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of celecoxib on insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)-induced growth and invasion in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). For these experiments, IGF-1-induced cell growth and invasion were analyzed in A549 cells in the presence and absence of celecoxib. The effects of celecoxib on the expression of phosphorylated type-1 IGF receptor (IGF-1R) and phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT) were examined using western blot analysis. The influence of celecoxib on IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) expression was analyzed using ELISA. Celecoxib inhibited IGF-1-stimulated growth and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Celecoxib also reduced the expression of IGF-1R, IGFBP-3 and phosphorylation of AKT. The results suggest that modulating the IGF axis may be a new mechanism for the anticancer effect of celecoxib on NSCLC.

Use of hypophysin in hypotensive patients with low systemic vascular resistance following cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to test the effects of hypophysin on hemodynamics and coronary artery caliber of patients with hypotension and decreased systemic vascular resistance (SVR) following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: Twenty-four patients with mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 60 mmHg, mean aorta pressure < 70 mmHg, SVR < 800 dynes.sec.cm-5, cardiac index (CI) > 2.5 l.min-1.m-2, central venous pressure > 8 mmHg and refractory to dopamine, norepinephrine, and fluid resuscitation were treated with hypophysin at an initial dose of 0.6 IU and a continuous infusion rate of 1 - 4 IU/h till the end of operation. The hemodynamics and the diameter of proximal left main coronary artery were evaluated before incision, before hypophysin administration, 5 min after hypophysin administration, and at the end of operation. RESULTS: MAP, SVR, and the diameter of proximal left main coronary artery increased whereas heart rate, CI, stroke volume index, and mean pulmonary artery pressure had no significant changes after hypophysin administration compared with before hypophysin administration. All hypophysin-treated patients successfully recovered. CONCLUSION: Hypophysin may improve the hemodynamics and dilate the proximal left main coronary artery in hypotensive patients with low SVR following CPB.

[Effects of temperature on Keratella quadrata life table demography and morphometric characteristics].

By the method of individual culture, this paper studied the effects of temperature (10 degrees C, 15 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 25 degrees C) on the life table demography (net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of population increase, generation time, average lifespan, and proportion of mictic offspring) and the offspring morphometric characteristics (body length, body width, antero-median spine length, left and right antero-lateral spine lengths, left and right posterior-spine lengths, and posterior spine number) of two posterior-spined, single posterior-spined, and zero posterior-spined morphotypes of Keratella quadrata. All the test life table demographic parameters and offspring morphometric parameters differed with morphotype and temperature, and their responses to elevated temperature differed with morphotype. Temperature had significant effects on the intrinsic rate of population increase, generation time, average lifespan, and the offspring morphometric parameters (P < 0.05); morphotype had significant effects on the offspring body length, antero-median spine length, and left and right posterior-spine lengths (P < 0.05) but less effects on the life table demography (P > 0.05); and the interaction of temperature and morphotype had significant effects on the generation time and all the offspring morphometric parameters (P < 0.05). Among the three morphotypes, the two posterior-spined morphotype had shorter offspring body length (122.1+/- 0.6 microm) than the zero and single posterior-spined morphotypes (126.3 +/- 0.7 microm and 125.1 +/- 0.7 microm, respectively). The offspring antero-median spine length (32.5 +/- 0.3 microm) of the two posterior-spined morphotype was longer than that of the zero and single posterior-spined morphotypes (31.1 +/- 0.3 microm and 30.8 +/- 0.3 microm, respectively). The offspring left and right posterior-spine lengths of the two posterior-spined morphotype (31.2 +/- 1.0 microm and 32.3 +/- 0.9 microm, respectively) were similar to those of the single posterior-spined morphotype (29.5 +/-0.8 microm and 31.5 +/- 0.6 microm, respectively), but shorter than those of the zero posterior-spin ed morphotype (36.7 +/- 1.5 microm and 37.3 +/- 1.6 microm, respectively). The relationships between the offspring spine length, body width, and body length were also affected by temperature and morphotype.

[Effects of 16-multi-detector row CT aortography with lower tube current].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of 16-multi-detector row CT (MDCT) aortography with lower tube current in diagnosis of aortic diseases. METHODS: The study was conducted in 2 steps. In the first step, 58 patients with suspicious aortic disease or after operation on the aorta underwent 16-MDCT aortography for 70 times. Ten of them underwent scanning with conventional tube current of 175 mAs and the other 60 patients were divided into 3 groups according to their bogy weights: <65 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 25 mAs, 65-75 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 50 mAs, and >75 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 75 mAs. In the second step 60 patients with dissecting aneurysm, underwent 16-MDST aortography and were divided into 3 groups according to their body weight too: <65 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 50 mAs, 65-75 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 75 mAs, and >75 kg group (n=20) receiving the lowest tube current of 100 mAs, all 25 mAs more compared with the corresponding groups in the first step. The weighted CT dose index (CTDI), scanning length, and dose length produce (DLP) were recorded. The diagnostic accuracy rates of the images from the low dose groups were compared with those of the higher dose groups. RESULTS: The data of the first step showed that the CTDI values of the patients who received 25 mAs, 50 mAs, and 75 mAs tube current were 11.3%, 29.0%, and 42.7% that of the conventional tube current group (all P < 0.001) and the DLP values of the 3 low dose groups were also significantly lower than that of the conventional tube current group (all P < 0.001). The diagnostic accuracy rate of the 25 mAs, 50 mAs, and 75 mAs groups were 60% , 85%, and 85% that of the conventional tube current group. The results of the second step showed that the CTDI values of the 50 mAs, 75 mAs, and 100 mAs groups were 29.0%, 42.7%, and 57.3% that of the conventional tube current group respectively, and the DLP values of the 3 low dose groups were also significantly lower than that of the conventional group ( all P < 0. 001); and the 50 mAs, 75 mAs, and 100 mAs groups all showed good three-dimensional reconstruction imaging qualities, all with the diagnostic accuracy rate of 100%. The crossing section and three-dimensional images all showed excellent diagnostic image quality. CONCLUSION: 16-MDCT aortography with the tube current at the doses 50 mAs to 100 mAs suffices to diagnose aortic diseases in patients with different body weights. Higher tube current should be used in dissecting aneurysm. The tube current at the dose of 100 mAs satisfies the imaging and diagnosing of all kinds of aortic diseases in the patients with any body weight.