Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; surgery ; Thyroidectomy ; methods ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate role of reverse digital artery island flap combined with dig- ital nerve end to side anastomosis.Methods Reverse digital artery island flaps were used for recon- struction of 65 fingertip defects in 57cases,in which the restoration of the flap sense was attained via dig- ital nerve end to side anastomosis.Results After primary repair,all flaps survived,with good appear- ance and wear-resisting as well as satisfactory two-point discriminations.Conclusion Digital artery re- verse island flap combined with digital nerve end to side anastomosis is a simple and effective procedure for repair of finger defect.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between hyperreflective dots (HRD) and lipid levels and systemic inflammatory factors in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).Methods:A cross-sectional clinical study. From December 2016 to June 2020, 118 eyes of 118 patients with retinal vein occlusion diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology, Central Theater Command Hospital of People's Liberation Army were included in the study. Among them, 67 cases of BRVO and 51 cases of CRVO were divided into CRVO group and BRVO group accordingly. Peripheral venous blood was drawn from the patients within 3 days after the eye examination to detect the percentage of neutrophils, monocytes, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a). The ratio of monocytes to high-density lipoprotein (MHR) was also calculated. The 3D OCT-2000 instrument from Topcon (Japan) was used to measure the central retinal thickness (CRT) and the numbers of HRD. According to the different distribution position, HRD is divided into inner retina HRD, outer retina HRD, and total retina HRD.The independent sample t test was used to compare the continuous variables of the two groups, and the χ2 test was used to compare the rates. The correlation between HRD counts and blood lipid levels and peripheral blood inflammation indicators in patients with different types of RVO was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. Results:The average age of patients in the BRVO group and CRVO group were 60.1±9.5 and 53.6±15.7 years, respectively; the prevalence of hypertension was 53.7% (36/67) and 24.5% (12/51), respectively. Comparison of age ( t=2.634) and prevalence of hypertension ( χ2=11.298) between the two groups showed statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Gender ( χ2=2.000), course of disease ( t=-1.101), prevalence of diabetes ( χ2=1.315), eye category ( χ2=1.742), baseline visual acuity ( t=1.792), intraocular pressure ( t=0.708), CRT ( t=1.318), and peripheral blood include the percentage of neutrophils, the absolute number of monocytes, CRP, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), MHR ( t=-0.559, 1.126, 0.579, 1.299, -0.134, 0.556, 1.230, -0.267, 0.483), the difference was not statistically significant. Correlation analysis showed that the HRD counts in the outer retina of BRVO patients were positively correlated with total cholesterol ( r=0.289, P=0.036); the HRD in the inner retina and total HRD counts of CRVO patients were positively correlated with CRP ( r=0.406, 0.343; P=0.004, 0.014). There was no correlation between HRD counts and percentage of neutrophils, absolute number of monocytes, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), and MHR ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The number of HRD is related to the blood lipid level in BRVO patients and CRP (an inflammatory index) in CRVO patients.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; physiopathology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; physiopathology ; virology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; virology

Technological improvement for microorgnism isolation is important since isolation provides substantial materials for the exploitation of new microbial resources. In this study, a new approach, dispersion and differential cetrifugation (DDC), was applied in the isolation of acidophilic and acidoduric streptomycetes from 12 acid soil samples. Contrast with traditional method, the new approach yielded satisfying results with 2 - 20 times isolation efficiency and good selectivity. 45 representatives out of 249 streptomycetes isolates, which belonged to 12 color groups, showed morphology and cell wall type consistent with streptomycetes. The optimum pH range for their growth were between pH 4.5 - 5.5. It is proved that we succeeded in the rare-streptomycetes isolation using DDC approach.

Objective:To study the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Pericardium Meridian on the heart function of volunteers with acute hypoxia, and to provide scientific evidence for the acupoints selection along the affected meridian in acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. Methods:Based on a self-control design, eighteen healthy volunteers were recruited in the study. Points from the Pericardium Meridian [Neiguan (PC 6), Ximen (PC 4), Quze (PC 3) and Tianquan (PC 2)], non-Pericardium Meridian point [Shousanli (LI 10)], non-meridian and non-acupoint points [1.0-1.5 cm lateral to Neiguan (PC 6) and Ximen (PC 4), respectively on both sides], and a blank control (only inhaling low-oxygen gas without EA stimulation) were selected to observe, once every week, 10 sessions in total, and only 1 acupoint was observed once. The volunteers inhaled low-oxygen gas mixture (10.8% O2 and 89.2% N2) for 30 min to imitate acute hypoxia. EA was conducted when the gas mixture was inhaled for 10 min and then lasted for 20 min; meanwhile, hemodynamic indexes such as cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), left cardiac work (LCW), left cardiac work index (LCWI) and heart rate (HR) were recorded on a hemodynamic monitor. Results:EA at the acupoints of Pericardium Meridian significantly down-regulated the increased CO/CI, LCW/LCWI, and HR (P<0.05), and significantly up-regulated the decreased SVR/SVRI in hypoxia (P<0.05); EA at other meridian acupoints or at non-meridian and non-acupoint points didn't produce such effects. Conclusion: EA at the Pericardium Meridian can obviously improve the cardiac hyper-activation caused by acute hypoxia in healthy volunteers.

Abstract: Transfection of Plasmodium falciparum is helpful to study the function of its genes, such as drug resistance. However, transgenic manipulation has been very challenging, mainly due to the high A/T base sequence structure (A+T content of about 82%) and low transfection efficiency of the Plasmodium genome. Electroporation-based transfection of Plasmodium falciparum has been successfully applied in the study of certain genes, and electroporation by preloading is currently the preferred method for introducing foreign DNA into Plasmodium falciparum. The site-directed editing of Plasmodium genes mostly adopts the method of two-plasmid transfection. It is generally believed that successful transfection of Plasmodium requires a large amount of high-purity plasmid DNA and an accurate transfection system. In addition to the evaluation of the current commonly used electrotransfection methods, this paper also introduces a new transfection method, namely lyse-reseal erythrocytes for transfection (LyRET). This paper also review the role of factors such as plasmid DNA concentration, the use of transfection reagents, the setting of transfection parameters, the addition of fresh red blood cells, and the markers of successful transfection in improving the success rate and efficiency of Plasmodium transfection, in the hope of providing a reference for study in this field.

Objectives:To study the expression of GST-pi and MDR1 genes in operative specimens of ovarian cancer,and to analyze the possible clinical role of GST-pi and MDR1. Methods:Eighteen frozen specimens of ovarian carcinoma and ten specimens of normal ovarian tissues from patients were examined for the expression of GST-pi and MDR1 genes by means of RT-PCR, and quantitative analysis was performed using β-actin as internal contrast.Results: Positive expression rate of GST-pi and MDR1 in ovarian carcinoma were 61.1% and 33.3%,respectively,and in contrast, 20% and 10% in normal ovarian tissues respectively. The level of GST-pi gene expression in ovarian carcinoma was obviously higher than that in normal ovarian tissue (P<0.05)and MDR1 gene also had high level expression in ovarian carcinoma, but had no statistical significantance. Four patients with ovarian carcinoma had GST-pi and MDR1 coexpression. Expression levels of GST-pi mRNA were lower than that of protein. Conclusions: (1) GST-pi and MDR1 had higher level expression in ovarian carcinoma than in normal ovarian tissues. (2) GST-pi and MDR1 may have same regulating factors but different mechanisms of action. (3)Processing after transcription and/or regulation of translation level may exist in GST-pi expression.

To develop a cell-penetrating chimeric apoptotic peptide AVPI-LMWP/DNA co-delivery system for cancer therapy, we prepared the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL self-assembled complexes containing a therapeutic combination of peptide drug AVPI and DNA drug TRAIL. The chimeric apoptotic peptide AVPI-LMWP was synthesized using the standard solid-phase synthesis. The cationic AVPI-LMWP could condense pTRAIL by electrostatic interaction. The physical-chemical properties of the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes were characterized. The cellular uptake efficiency and the inhibitory activity of the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes on tumor cell were also performed. The results showed that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL complexes were successfully prepared by co-incubation. With the increase of mass ratio (AVPI-LMWP/DNA), the particle size was decreased and the zeta potential had few change. Agarose gel electrophoresis showed that AVPI-LMWP could fully bind and condense pTRAIL at a mass ratio above 15:1. Cellular uptake efficiency was improved along with the increased ratio of W(AVPI-LMWP)/WpTRAIL. The in vitro cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL (W:W = 20:1) complexes was significantly more effective than the pTRAIL, AVPI-LMWP alone or LMWP/pTRAIL complexes on inhibition of HeLa cell growth. Our studies indicated that the AVPI-LMWP/pTRAIL co-delivery system could deliver plasmid into HeLa cell and induce tumor cell apoptosis efficiently, which showed its potential in cancer therapy using combination of apoptoic peptide and gene drugs.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; Cell-Penetrating Peptides ; chemistry ; DNA ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Particle Size ; Plasmids

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with local advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed prognosis in 191 patients with advanced gastric cancer, of whom 71 were treated with NAC and 120 received surgery only between February 2007 and July 2013. Postoperative complication rate was recorded. Survival by clinicopathological features, pathological T and N stages, and histopathological tumor regression was retrospectively compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAccording to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, none of the 71 patients in the NAC followed by surgery group showed complete response, 36 showed partial response, 25 had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease. The chemotherapy response rate was 50.7%; the disease control rate was 85.9%. Grade 3/4 adverse events were seen in less than 20% patients, with acceptable toxicities. No difference was found in the overall postoperative complication rates between the two groups (7 versus 22 cases, P=0.18). Median survival time was significantly different, at 54 months in the NAC combined with surgery group and 25 months in the surgery-only group (P=0.025).

CONCLUSIONIn patients with operable gastric adenocarcinomas, NAC can significantly improve overall survival without increasing surgical complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology