Melatonin serves as a novel treatment in bladder fibrosis through TGF-ß1/Smad and EMT.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin (MEL) is an indole amine molecule primarily produced in the pineal gland. Melatonin has been shown in numerous studies to have antifibrotic effects on the kidney, liver, and other organs. However, it is still unclear how melatonin works in bladder fibrosis. We explored how melatonin affects animals with bladder fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MEL was used to treat human bladder smooth muscle cells (HBdSMCs) after they were stimulated with transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) in vitro. Proteomic analysis and bioinformatic analysis of the altered expression of these proteins were subsequently performed on HBdSMCs from the different processing methods. To construct an in vivo bladder fibrosis model, we injected protamine sulfate (PS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) twice a week into the rat bladder for six weeks. After two weeks of PS/LPS treatment, the mice in the treatment group were treated with MEL (20 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks. Finally, we detected the expression of fibrosis markers from different perspectives. The TGF-ß1/Smad pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cell and bladder tissues were also identified. Further proteomic analysis was also performed. RESULTS: In vitro, we found that TGF-ß1 treatment enhanced the expression of the fibrosis markers collagen III and α-SMA in HBdSMCs. E-cadherin expression decreased while the TGF-ß1/Smad pathway was activated. Vimentin and N-cadherin expression was also elevated at the same time. Similar findings were observed in the LPS group. After MEL treatment, the expression of collagen III and α-SMA decreased, the expression of E-cadherin increased, and the expression of vimentin and N-cadherin also decreased. According to our quantitative proteomics analysis, CCN1 and SQLE may be important proteins involved in the development of bladder fibrosis. MEL decreased the expression of these genes, leading to the relief of bladder fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the extracellular space structure related to metabolic pathways, actin filament binding, and stress fibers can serve as a pivotal focus in the management of fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Melatonin attenuates bladder fibrosis by blocking the TGF-ß1/Smad pathway and EMT. CCN1 appears to be a possible therapeutic target for bladder fibrosis.

Current applications of nanomaterials in urinary system tumors.

The development of nanotechnology and nanomaterials has provided insights into the treatment of urinary system tumors. Nanoparticles can be used as sensitizers or carriers to transport drugs. Some nanoparticles have intrinsic therapeutic effects on tumor cells. Poor patient prognosis and highly drug-resistant malignant urinary tumors are worrisome to clinicians. The application of nanomaterials and the associated technology against urinary system tumors offers the possibility of improving treatment. At present, many achievements have been made in the application of nanomaterials against urinary system tumors. This review summarizes the latest research on nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary system tumors and provides novel ideas for future research on nanotechnologies in this field.

Targeting MUC1-C reverses the cisplatin resistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of chemotherapeutic treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is limited by drug resistance during. This severely compromises the long-term survival rate of patients. Therefore, reversing chemotherapy resistance in ESCC may improve the therapeutic outcome. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of MUC1-C, the C-terminal transmembrane subunit of MUC1 (a transmembrane heterodimer protein), and its role in the reversal of cisplatin sensitivity in ESCC cells. METHODS: We assessed the efficacy of GO-203, a cell-penetrating peptide, as a chemotherapeutic target of MUC1-C using cell proliferation, colony-forming, and transwell assays. Apoptosis was analyzed in GO-203-treated cells by flow cytometry. Tumor xenograft assay was performed in nude mice to corroborate our in vitro findings. RESULTS: GO-203 treatment inhibited cell proliferation and restrained the migration and invasion of cisplatin-resistant ESCC. Moreover, targeting MUC1 resulted in enhanced apoptosis in GO-203-treated cells. These in vitro pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects of GO-203 in combination with cisplatin were validated by in vivo models. Significantly smaller tumor volumes were observed in ESCCs-xenografted nude mice treated with GO-203 in combination with cisplatin compared with mice treated with monotherapy or their control counterparts. We found that blocking MUC1-C with GO-203 significantly reversed the cisplatin resistance in ESCC via modulating Akt and ERK pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that GO-203 may hold potential as an ancillary therapeutic molecule and a chemosensitizer to improve the outcomes of cisplatin-based chemotherapy especially in patients with cisplatin-resistant ESCC.

Design of image diagnostic module for tent-form field medical system / 医疗卫生装备

Object To develop an easy-assembled and-disassembled image diagnostic module to solve the problems of the tent-form field medical system in size, weight, mobility, accessories, protection and etc, which is of high references for combination and integration scheme of large-scale digital imaging equipment by adopting box instrumentation.Methods The module had its design executed with system modeling, structure simulation and CAD after its service requirements were analyzed. The design fell into the ones for overall framework, combination mode, packaging and buffer vibration isolation, ergonomics, box instrumentation, radiography accessories for vertical and horizontal positions, protection device and etc.Results The module was gifted with radiodiagnosis-related performances such as digital radiography, digital diagnosis,diagnosis reporting, compatibility to vertical- and horizontal- position radiography, and radiation protection during war conditions.Conclusion The module developed gains advantages in power, continuous radiography, assembling and disassembling, accessories and protection, and thus meets the requirements of the tent-form field medical system in mass casualties imaging diagnosis.

Design and application of field tent hospital system / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To develop a set of field tent hospital system to further enhance campaign-level medical support service. Methods The system had its service orientation, functional requirements, component unit and modular elements determined with system analysis. The technical architecture was realized with tent combined with boxes, and the system modules were designed with the method of integrated box and instruments.Results The system had its design executed from the aspects of layout,composition of grid tent,medical functional units,support unit and packaging unit,which was applied in a series of military medical support operations in foreign countries and China as well as in the construction of national medical emergency rescue forces. Conclusion The system gains advantages in modularity, integration, completing, informatization and standardization,and thus greatly enhances the military medical support ability and national emergency medical rescue ability in China.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2018,39(5):1-6,16]

Development of Multiplex Immunoassay Based on Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry / 分析化学

Immunoassay is of great importance in the field of clinical detection. Our group proposes the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ( ICP-MS) based immunoassay. Multiplex immunoassay can be realized by stable isotope tagging strategy combined with ICP-MS detection. Since then, large amount of researches in this field have been made at home and abroad, and the method has been proved applicable to the analysis of biological small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids and cells. In this article, the history and development of immunoassay, the characters of ICP-MS based immunoassay, single component and multiplex immunoassay, and the magnetic immunoassay that is recently fast developed are reviewed. The prospect of the developing tendency is also anticipated, hoping to provide references for the research in this field.

Over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of high-energy Pilon fractures / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study clinical effects of the over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of Pilon fractures caused by high energy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From September 2003 to April 2011, 36 patients with Pilon fractures caused by high energy were treated with the over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixator. There were 25 males and 11 females, ranging in age from 16 to 72 years old,with an average of 38 years old. The diagnoses of all patients were determined by conventional X-ray examination or three-dimensional spiral CT examination. The AOFAS scoring criteria was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. The patients with comminuted fractures were treated with screw or Kirschner wire fixation without uncovering periost so as to enhance stability between fracture end and bone blocks,followed by the fixation with over-articular external fixators.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 4 to 27 months, with an average of 13 months. Thirty-two patients got wound healing at the first stage. And the bone union duration ranged from 2 to 6 months, with a mean of 3 months. According to the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot subjective scoring standard, 13 patients got an excellent result, 20 good and 3 fair, with an score of 88.2 +/- 3.6. Twelve patients had infections at pinhole, 5 patients had pinhole pain. One patient had the fixator broken induced by over loading, who was cured after treatment. There were no complications such as nerve or vascular injuries, or osteomyelitis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The over-articular external fixation combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of Pilon fractures caused by high energy is an ideal method, which has such advantages as reliable fixation, simple operation, coincidence with principles of biomechanical fixation, and benefit for fracture healing.</p>

Effects of multiple drilling on the ischemic capital femoral epiphysis of immature piglets.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of multiple drilling on the immature capital femoral epiphysis following ischemic injury in a piglet model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ischemic necrosis of capital femoral epiphysis was induced bilaterally in 12 piglets using a cervical ligation method. Three weeks later, medial, central, and lateral 3 drill holes were made on the left femoral head using 0.062" K-wire. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks following the multiple drilling, femoral heads were harvested from each three piglets. On histologic examination, percent of revascularization, percent of osteoblast surface, capital femoral epiphyseal quotient and proximal femoral growth plate height were evaluated. Untreated right femoral heads served as control. RESULTS: While percent of revascularization of left capital femoral epiphysis with multiple drilling was significantly higher than untreated control side (p<0.001), percent of osteoblast surface, capital femoral epiphyseal quotient and proximal femoral growth plate height showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that multiple drilling could promote revascularization of ischemic capital femoral epiphysis, and multiple drilling does not appear to produce bony physeal bars at short-term, if using small diameter drill. However, multiple drilling alone does not seem to prevent femoral head deformity or to promote new bone formation.

[Survey of studies on adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points at home and abroad].

The auricular (including auricular acupoints) adjuvant diagnostic method, besides inspection (including dyeing method), palpation (including thermometric method), tenderness method (including impressing method) and electrical detection, includes the adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points as well, it has been mostly studied and used by specialists of western medicine or doctors of integrated Chinese and western medicine. But it hasn't been introduced in the published Chinese monographs of auricular acupuncture yet. This article briefly introduces the adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points combined with X-ray radiography; application in fetal heart electronic monitoring and fetal biophysical monitoring; and diagnostic methods of auricle reflex, vascular autonomous signals, and auricle and somatic 7 frequency response regions, which began to be researched abroad 35 years ago. The authors hope it will give some invigoration or illumination to my colleagues in acupuncture, especially those who are interested in auricular acupuncture.

Survey of studies on adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points at home and abroad / 中国针灸

The auricular (including auricular acupoints) adjuvant diagnostic method, besides inspection (including dyeing method), palpation (including thermometric method), tenderness method (including impressing method) and electrical detection, includes the adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points as well, it has been mostly studied and used by specialists of western medicine or doctors of integrated Chinese and western medicine. But it hasn't been introduced in the published Chinese monographs of auricular acupuncture yet. This article briefly introduces the adjuvant diagnostic method of stimulating auricular points combined with X-ray radiography; application in fetal heart electronic monitoring and fetal biophysical monitoring; and diagnostic methods of auricle reflex, vascular autonomous signals, and auricle and somatic 7 frequency response regions, which began to be researched abroad 35 years ago. The authors hope it will give some invigoration or illumination to my colleagues in acupuncture, especially those who are interested in auricular acupuncture.

The microrheological changes in the course of erythrocyte senescence after phenylhydrazine injection.

To study the microrheological characteristics of RBCs during erythrocyte senescence in vivo, an anemia model of rabbit induced by phenylhydrazine injection was developed. Measurements of the hematocrit, the deformation indexes, the blood viscosity and the sedimentation, etc. were performed in vivo for more than 60 days in the processes of RBC senescence. Obvious changes in the RBC's rheological characteristics were found in this senescent model. Compared with our previously developed Wen's model [1,2] in which the entire RBC population was nearly synchronously produced following the induction of spherocytic anemia in the rabbit with antibody serum, the changes of RBC microrheological characteristics for this model showed approximately the same tendency, although Wen's model with antibody serum was much better in its ability to simulation of the nearly normal physiological conditions than the present one with phenylhydrazine injection. Hence, the present model can serve as a model of RBC senescence under abnormal physiological conditions.

Expression of major histocompatibility complex in ovarian epithelial carcinoma / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective To investigate the numbers and the expression of MHC-Ⅰpositive cells in hu- man ovarian epithelial carcinoma tissues and provide the experimental data in the futher biological therapy of ovarian carcinoma.Methods Thirty one samples of ovarian epithelial carcinoma were analysed with flow cy- tometry for MHC classⅠexpression.Results The number of MHC classⅠcells(25.22?21.23,4.37?3.63)was fewer in ovarian epithelial carcinoma than that in normal ovarian tissues(43.56?18.47,7.43?5.87),and was related with pathologic grades(P