Objective To investigate the effects of methylprednisolone(MP) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-9 and airway inflammation in murine models of asthma. Methods Thirty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into asthma group,MP group and control group(n=10).Murine models of acute asthma were established by ovalbumin(OVA) via peritoneal injection and intranasal instillation.The pathological changes of lung tissues were observed with HE staining,and cell quantitation was conducted in bronchalveolar lavage fluid(BALF).The expression of MMP-9 protein was determined by immunohistochemistry and gelatin zymogram,and the expression of MMP-9 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Results Compared with control group,there were more significant airway spasm and more infiltration of inflammatory cells in histologic examination,and there was higher eosinophil cell quantitation in BALF in asthma group(P

AIM: To study ethanol influence on gene mutations of HBV DNA and to offer testimony for clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B.METHODS: 85 patients with chronic hepatitis B were divided into alcoholic group and non-alcoholic group.Gene chip technique was used to detect gene mutations located in Pre-C nt G1896A and nt A1814C,basal core promoter(BCP) nt A1762T and nt G1764A,P nt C528A and nt T552C.RESULTS: The mutation frequency on BCP nt A1762T and nt G1764A in alcoholic group was significantly higher than that in non-alcoholic group(P0.05).CONCLUSION: Ethanol stimulates HBV gene mutations on BCP nt A1762T and nt G1764A,enhances HBV DNA replication and gene expression,deteriorates the state of the illness.

Objective To study B lymphocyte subsets(na(?)ve B cells,memory B cells and plas- mablasts)of peripheral blood in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and its relationship with autoantibod- ies and clinical manifestation.Methods Blood samples and clinical data of 60 patients with RA were enrolled into this study.They were divided into three groups:active,inactive and refractory RA based on clinical mani- festations and 24 healthy controls were included.CD19 and CD27 of B cells in peripheral blood of RA patients and healthy controls were detected using flow cytometry at single-cell level.Frequence of na(?)ve B cells (CD19~+CD27~-),memory B cells(CD19~+CD27~(dim)),plasmablasts(CD19~+CD27~(high))and average fluorescence in- tensity of CD19 were analyzed,and their relationship with clinical manifestations and rheumatoid factor(RF), anti-typeⅡcollagen(anti-CⅡ),anti-cyclic citrullianted peptide(CCP)antibodies were investigatied.Results Frequence of na(?)ve B cells and plasmablasts in peripheral blood of patients with RA was increased compared with normal control.In contrast,memory B cells in patients with RA were decreased.The na(?)ve B cells subset in inactive and refractory RA was higher than that of healthy controls(P＜0.05),and the memory B cells subset in those groups was lower than that of healthy controls(P＜0.05).The plasmablasts in active and refractory groups of RA were higher than those of healthy controls(P＜0.05).The average fluorescence intensity of CD19 in peripheral blood in patients with RA was positively correlated with ESR,C-reactive protein(CRP),healthy assessment questionaire(HAQ),and plasmablasts was positively correlated with arthrocele index.Na(?)ve B cells,memory B cells and plasmablasts subsets had no relation with RF,anti-CⅡand anti-CCP antibodies. Conclusion B cell subsets in peripheral blood of patients with RA are significantly abnormal,characterized by expanded naive B cells and plasmablasts but diminished memory B cells.Plasmablasts are increasesd in active and refractory groups of RA,and have positive correlation with swollen joint index.B cells may play an important rote in the pathogenesis of RA.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on noise-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs.Methods Twenty-four adult male guinea pigs,aged 3 months,weighing 400-500 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:dexmedetomdine group (group D),noise-induced hearing loss group (group N) and dexmedetomidine + noise-induced hearing loss group (group DN).A loading dose of dexmedetomidine 5 μg/kg was infused over 5 min,followed by 135 min of infusion at a rate of 10 μg· kg-1 · h-1.The equal volume of normal saline was infused in group N.Groups N and DN were exposed to noise of 4 kHz center frequency and 118-122 dB SPL for 120 min starting from 20 min of administration.Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and cochlear blood flow (COBF) were recorded before administration and every 5 min during drug administration.The changing rate of COBF was calculated.Arterial blood samples were collected for determination of plasma concentration of noradrenaline (NE) by high performance liquid chromatography at 20 and 140 min of administration.Auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold was recorded before administration and at 1 and 72 h and 10 days after the end of administration.Results Compared with group N,MAP was significantly decreased,the changing rate of COBF was increased at 5-10 min and 30-140 min of administration,ABR threshold was decreased at 1 and 72 h and 10 days after the end of administration,and the plasma concentration of NE was decreased at 140 min of administration in D + N group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Dexmedetomidine can attenuate noise-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs possibly through inhibiting activation of sympathetic nerves and increasing COBF.

Objective To analyze the clinical presentation and maternal-neonatal outcome of HELLP syndrome.Methods 32 cases with HELLP syndrome from January 2003 to January 2009 were analyzed retrospectively.Results The incidence of HELLP syndrome in preeclampsia was 3.7%.Complete HELLP were 17 cases,partial HELLP were 15 cases.Two pregnant women died(one case of intracranial hemorrhage,one case of acute left cardiac failure),the mortality was 6.3%.Five newborns died,the mortality was 15.6%.The main materal complications were DIC(8 cases),placental abruption(2 cases),intracranial hemorrhage(2 cases).The main perinatal complications were preterm labor(20 cases),newborn asphysia(17 cases),SGA(15 cases).Conclusion HELLP syndrome is one of the most serious obstetric complications,early diagnosis,early therapy,controlling hypertension and termination of pregnancy in time are most important for treatment.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of midazolam on noise-induced hearing loss in guinea pigs by testing reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in the cochlea and plasma SOD and MDA. Methods Totally forty male pigmented guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups: control (C) , midazolam (M), normal saline (S) and noise-induced deafened (D) groups, with ten guinea pigs in each. Groups M, S and D were exposed to a continuous noise (4kHz , octave band, 100dB SPL) 3h every day for 3 consecutive days. Group M was treated with midazolam, which was administered intramuscularly (0.1mg/kg) 24h before noise exposure, and immediately upon and during noise exposure. Group S was exposed to noise and treated with the same volume of normal saline intramuscularly, the time of injection was the same as that of Group M. Group C was not exposed to noise, but was treated with midazolam intramuscularly, the time of injection and the dosage were the same as those of Group M. Group S was exposed to noise and treated with normal saline intramuscularly ,the time of injection was same with that of Group M.Group D was exposed to noise only. All animals received auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold recording before and immediately after noise exposure. Blood was collected when the guinea pigs were killed after the last ABR threshold recording, and serum SOD activity and MDA content were detected. Both the cochleae were removed and prepared for ROS assay. Results After noise exposure, ABR threshold shift (1.6±1.5) and ROS content [(291.10±2.30)u/mL] in Group M were significantly lower than those in Groups S and D [41.7±3.3, 44.3±3.9; (348.52±3.60)u/mL, (315.56±6.70)u/mL, P<0.05]. Serum SOD activity and MDA content were significantly increased in Group M, but the amplitude was less than that in Groups S and D.Conclusion Midazolam can prevent noise-induced hearing loss by reducing the increased ROS level in the cochlea after noise exposure.

Airway Obstruction ; complications ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Asphyxia ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Fibroma ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Rare Diseases

AIM: To investigate the influence of Astragalus Injection on morphology,cell cycle and oxidative stress of rat's glomerular mesangial cells(GMC) cultured with advanced glycation end products(AGEs). METHODS: GMC were incubated in culture medium containing AGEs in the presence of Astragalus Injection and aminoguanidin for 48 h.At the same time,the normal and control groups were established.Then the cultured GMC was stained by mixed fluorescence liquid and observed under fluorescence microscope.Cell cycle of GMC was analyzed using flowcytometry.The activity of SOD、MDA and GSH-PX in GMC supernatant were measured by test kit.The level of ROS was detected by flowcytometry. RESULTS: Morphology analysis showed that the morphology and structure of normal GMC were normal.The structure of most cells in AGEs was unclear,cell counts increased markedly and they grew intensively.Cell cycle analysis showed that cell percentage of S phase increased and G_0/G_1 reduced.The level of ROS,MDA remarkably increased,and SOD,GSHPX activity reduced.Whereas Astragalus Injection was added,cell morphology tended to be basically normal and cell counts decreased,the percentage of S phase also decreased.The level of ROS,MDA and the SOD,GSH-PX activity restored in comparison with the control groups. CONCLUSION: Astragalus Injection can prevent GMC from lesion caused by AGEs.Astragalus Injection may protect GMC from retarding the progression of diabetic nepropathy by partially inhibiting the occurrence of oxidative stress.

Objective To study the dosimetry of mono isocenter irradiation technique in radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods Conventional and mono isocenter irradiation techniques were used to simulate irradiation of the phantom and nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with Siemens primus linear accelerator equipped with asymmetric collimators. Dose uniformity?isodose distribution and field overlap were measured at the plane of junction with TLD and film dosimeter on the phantom. The reproducibility of the set up was tested on patients with verification films. Results For an applied dose of 1?Gy, TLD dosimetry showed that the mean dose at the junction of fields were 1.01 ?Gy for the mono isocenter technique as compared to 1.09 1.13?Gy for the conventional technique. An ideal isodose distribution at the junction with mono isocenter technique was found by film dosimetry. The reproducibility of the set up was obviously better for the mono isocenter technique, with less field overlap (1mm) and set up deviation (0.5?mm) than those (6 14?mm and 3?mm) of the conventional technique. Conclusions This investigation of junction dosimetry confirms the potential advantage of the mono isocentric technique. Not only does it lead to superior dosimetry in the plane of junction but also associates with a better reproducibility of the set up.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity