Objective To study the correlation between alopecia areata and the susceptibility genes identified in our previous study with Han Chinese population. Methods The study performed an independent replication study using 736 cases and 1 840 controls. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes by salting out with saturat-ed NaCl solution according to standard methods. The evidence for association had been obtained from former gene study. Then a fine-mapping study and genotyped the locus with an additional 17 SNPs were performed. Data were analyzed with the use of Plink 1. 07 software. Results Only one SNP achieved nominal significance, rs3087243 (P = 0. 041, OR = 1. 18, 95% CI = 1. 01 ~ 1. 38). The other 16 genes (TLR1, DMBT1, CHIT1, GBP4, CIITA, IL31RA, CD96, INPPL1, MASP2, IL-13, KIAA0350, PTPN22, SPATA5, TRAF1 / C5, IL1A, IL2R) failed. A further stratification analysis of alopecia areata was adopted, including the analysis of family history, the age of on-set and the severity of alopecia areata. The stratification analysis revealed that the age of onset > 20 years achieved nominal significance P < 0. 05 for one SNP, rs2416808 (P = 0. 018, OR = 1. 35, 95% CI = 1. 05 ~ 1. 74), where-as, the other results were of no statistical significance. Conclusion The results indicate that 17 SNPs may not be associated with AA in Han Chinese population. Further study should be performed in a larger Han Chinese sam-ples.

Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance of IL-12 in acute cardiac allograft rejection in rats.Methods Two groups of SD rats received cervical heterotopic heart transplantation from allogeneic Wistar or syngeneic SD rats.The cardiac grafts were harvested at 1,3,5,and 7 days after transplantation and detected for the expression of IL-12 mRNA by reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results With the posttransplantation day delayed,the expression of IL-12 mRNA was significantly increased in allogeneic transplant group(P

Objective To study the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1), and its correlation with lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous carcinoma(ESC). Methods The expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected in 78 cases of esophageal squamous carcinomas by using immunohistochemical SP method. Results The expression level of MMP-9 in high differentiated (grade Ⅰ～Ⅱ) and early stage (stageⅠ～Ⅱ) ESC was significantly lower than that in low differentiated(grade Ⅲ～Ⅳ) and late stage (stage Ⅲ～Ⅳ) ESC(P

Objective To investigate the deletion of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene in breast cancer and explore its relation with human papillomavirus(HPV) infection. Methods Thirty-eight breast cancer specimens and ten normal breast tissues were examined for abnormalities of FHIT gene by RT-PCR and fragment of HPV-DNA by PCR. Results The positive rates of FHIT gene deletion and HPV-DNA fragment were 63.1%(24/38) and 31.6%(12/38) respectively, while they were not detected in normal tissues (? 2=12.632,P

To establish a murine carotid artery transplantation model for the study of the chronic rejection, 80 rats were divided into two groups, an allotransplant (ACI-Lewis) group and an isotransplant (Lewis-Lewis) group (control group). The donor carotid artery and the recipient carotid artery were anastomosed by using a polyethylene cuff (internal diameter: 0.7 mm, length: 3 mm).The pathological changes of carotid artery transplant were observed 14, 28 and 56 days after the transplantation. The results showed that the model was successfully established in 95% of the animals. The chronic rejection-associated arteriosclerosis was induced 28 days after the transplantation. The new chronic rejection model of carotid artery by using cuff technique caused fewer traumas and was easy to make. The pathological changes of the transplant mimicked the chronic rejection-associated arteriosclerosis found in human transplant.
Anastomosis, Surgical/methods ; Arteriosclerosis ; Carotid Artery, Common/*transplantation ; Delayed Graft Function ; Graft Rejection/*pathology ; Models, Animal ; Polyethylene ; Rats, Inbred ACI ; Rats, Inbred Lew

Objective To observe the protective effect of magnesium gluconate on myocardial apoptosis by ischemia reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts, and study the possible mechanism. Methods The hearts of 48 Sprague-Dawely rats were isolated, linked to Lange-ndorff perfusion apparatus, and randomly divided into 3 equal groups(n = 16 each) : Control group, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) group and magnesium gheonate group. 8 rats in each group were perfused. Control group was pedused with modified KH buffer for 110min. I/B group was perfuesd with modified KH buffer for 20 min, then exposed to iscbemia for 30 min, and then reperfused with modified KH buffer for 60 min. Magnesium gheonate group was perfumed with modified KH buffer with magnesium gluconate for 20 min, then exposed to isohemia for 30 min and then reperfused with modified KH buffer with magnesium glueonate for 60 min. Lacate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ereatine kinase (CK) in the effluent liquid from the heart were measured after reperfusion. The concentration of Ca2+ and NO in the left ventricle were determined. The other 8 rats in each group were reperfused for 120 minutes as the method described before. After repeffusion, the myoeyte apoptosis was examined by Annexin-V-FITC/PI. After the two experiments the incidence of ventrieular arrhytlunias during reperfusion was assessed. Results Compared with I/R, magnesium glueonate decreased the incidence of ventricular an'hythmias(P <0. 01). The contents of CK and LDH in the effluent liquid from the heart in magnesium glueonate group was lower than that of I/R group (P <0. 01). The contents of Ca2+ and NO in the left ventricle in magnesium gluconate group was decreased than that of I/R group (P <0. 01). The index of myocyte apoptosis were significanfly lower in magnesium glueonate group than that of I/R group (apoptosis index :27.79±1.59 vs 33.61±2.10, P < 0. 01) . Conclusion Magnesium glueonate has protective effect on myocardial isohemia reperfusion injury in rats. The protective effect may be related to decreasing myocyte apoptosis by increasing the content of NO and relieving calcium overload.

Objective To investigate the change and significance of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and intersititial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the small intestine of rats with postoperative ileus (POI).Methods Thirty healthy adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group ( 15 rats) and POI group ( 15 rats) according to the random number table.The gastrointestinal transit rates of the 2 groups were detected.The distributions and expressions of iNOS and c-kit in the small intestines of the rats in the 2 groups were detected by immunohistochemical staining,and the mRNA expressions of c-kit and iNOS were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).All data were analyzed by the t test.Results Two rats in the POI group died of excessive dosage of anaesthesia or hypothermia,and the remaining 13 rats in the POI group were included in the analysis.The gastrointestinal transit rate was 42％ ± 14％ in the POI group,which was significantly lower than 64％ ± 13％ in the control group ( t =6.56,P ＜ 0.05 ).The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the number of cells with c-kit positive staining was 8.9 ± 2.9,which was significantly smaller than 14.4 ± 5.0 in the control group ( t =3.97,P ＜ 0.05 ).The number of cells with iNOS immune-positive reaction increased to 13.6 ±4.9,while there was nearly no cells with iNOS immune-positive reaction in the control group.The results of qRT-PCR showed that the relative mRNA expressions of c-kit and iNOS were 1.6 ± 0.8 and 2.2 ± 1.2 in the POI group,and 2.6 ± 1.1,0.5 ± 0.5 in the control group.There were significant differences on the mRNA expressions of c-kit and iNOS between the POI group and the control group ( t =2.86,4.61,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions ICC reduction and iNOS increase are observed in rats with POI.The change of the 2 factors may plav an important role in the mechanisms of POI.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and CA125 in patients with high risk of stage Ⅰ endometrial cancer (EC)and to identify the optimal cutoff values. Methods Clinical and pathological data of 231 patients with stage Ⅰ EC were included in this study. Patients were divided into high risk group (n=96) and low risk group (n=135). The preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were measured, and their correlations with clinical pathological features were analyzed. The ROC curves were generated to determine optimal cutoff values of HE4 and CA125 levels with the maximum Youden index for prediction of high risk EC. Results There were significant differences in serum levels of HE4 and CA125 between patients with different depths of myometrial invasion, with or without vascular invasion, with or without lower uterine segment involvement, with different diameters of tumor and different risk classifications of stage ⅠEC (P<0.05). There were significant differences in serum levels of HE4 between patients with different menopausal status, hypertension, pathological types, histological grading and the involvement of cervical endometrial glands (P<0.05). The preoperative serum levels of HE4 and CA125 were positive correlated (r=0.262, P<0.05). The AUC value of HE4 for diagnosing stageⅠEC was 0.794(95%CI:0.734-0.854),the cutoff value was 74 pmol/L, the sensitivity was 75.0%, specificity was 83.0%, positive predictive value was 75.8%, negative predictive value was 82.4% and the accuracy rate was 79.7%. The AUC value of CA125 for diagnosing stage Ⅰ EC was 0.696 (95%CI: 0.624-0.767), the cutoff value was 17 kU/L, the sensitivity was 56.3%, specificity was 85.9%, positive predictive value was 74.0%, negative predictive value was 73.4%and the accuracy rate was 73.6%, respectively. The AUC value of combination of both markers was 0.847 (95%CI: 0.796-0.899), the corresponding values were 95.8%, 77.0%, 74.8%, 96.3%and 84.8%, respectively. Conclusion The best cutoff values of HE4 and CA125 are 74 pmol/L and 17 kU/L for detecting high risk stageⅠEC. The combined detection is better than that of the single detection in sensitivity, negative predictive value and accuracy rate.

Objective:To establish an analytical method for the identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue gran-ule.Methods:The identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue granule was established by rapid resolution liquid chro -matography (UPLC) coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometry (QQQ-MS).Results: The characteristic molecular peaks of donkey-hide gelatin were detected in ten batches of commercial samples .Conclusion:The present method is specific , precise and reli-able, and suitable for the identification of donkey-hide gelatin in Fufang Ejiao Buxue granule .The method provides scientific reference for the study of quality control method for gelatin ingredients in Chinese patent medicines .

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of 64-slice VCT reconstruction techniques in the diseases of joints of foot and hand.Methods 50 patients with diseases of joints of foot and hand underwent MSCT scans,the data were reconstructed,including multiplanar reconstruction(MPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP),shaded surface display(SSD)and volume rendering(VR),the results were analysed.Results 33 patients with fractures,40 and 51 fractures were found by X-ray and MPR,VR,respectively.The joint surface involved in 7 fractures,which was best with VR and MPR to show the whole fractures.SSD was better to demonstrate the soft tissue and the vessels of the skin.3D bone reconstruction with MIP was better than plain film in showing the fractures in 4 patients with plaster external fixation.Conclusion 64-slice VCT reconstruction techniques are effective in diagnosis of the diseases of joints of foot and hand.