Objective To investigate the change and clinical significance of blood D-dimer level during perioperative period in ad-vanced age hip fracture.Methods The blood D-dimer level in 60 patients aged over 80 years old with hip fracture was detected be-fore operation and after operation,which including at admission(T1 ),immediately preoperation(T2 ),immediately postoperation (T3 )and on postoperative 1 d (T4 ).Results The positive rates of D-dimer at T1 ,T2 ,T3 and T4 were 6.67%,16.45%,41.67%and 80.00% respectively;there were statistically significant differences between T3 ,T4 and T1 ,T2 ,between T3 and T4 (P <0.05);there was no statistically significant difference between T1 and T2 (P >0.05).Conclusion The level of D-dimer in advanced age hip fracture has significant change before and after operation.The change of the D-dimer positive rate is an effective index for preven-ting lower limbs deep venous thrombosis and has the important clinical significance to dynamically monitor the D-dimer level during perioperative period in advanced age hip fracture.

Objective To investigate the role of Kit signal pathway in the proliferation and spontaneous rhythmic motility of interstitial cells(ICs)in the bladder of guinea pigs.Methods Fourteen Guinea pigs aged 45-60 days were administered with Imatinib intragastrically for 20 and 40 days.Three were fed on normal saline as control.The morph and number of ICs were observed by immunofluorescence,Kit protein expression was detected by Western blot and spontaneous rhythmic motility of bladder were investigated in in vitro organ bath.Results Quite a few ICs were observed in the bladder of controls.After administration of Imatinib,the amount of ICs and the expression of Kit protein decreased gradually,and the spontaneous rhythmic contraction weakened.Conclusion ICs might be the pacemaker of bladder in guinea pigs.Kit protein might play an important role in the survival and functional maintenance of ICs.

Serum Cholyglycine (CG)is a main component of human bile acid,one of the conjuga-ted bile acids formed by the combination of bile acid and glycine is synthesized in the liver cells.Glycochol-ic acid (CG)as a clinical indicator for detecting hepatobiliary disorders,and the traditional index of liver
function test compared has greater advantages,its detection for intrahepatic cholestasis,liver disease and biliary system diseases diagnosis,treatment and prognosis analysis of pregnancy to provide an important ba-sis.

Objective　Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)i n 13 patients was analyzed. Methods　9 patients were performed C ABG with cardiopulmonary bypass, 4 patients undergone off-pump coronary artery bypass(OPCAB). Among the 4 patients, 3 undergone transmyocardial laser revascula rization concomitantly. 2 patients with single-vessel disease, 3 with double-v essel disease, 7 with triple-vessel disease and 1 with left main coronary arter y disease. The average bypass per patient was 2.3. Results　All patients survived, 11 patients were angina free, 2 were angina relief. C onclusion　CABG is a safe operation, OPCAB may reduce blood transfusion and complication, patients recover more quickly after OPCAB compared with those with CABG.

OBJECTIVETo explore the involvement of hepatitis B X protein (HBx) in promoter 3 (P3)-driven mRNA overexpression of the insulin-like growth factor II gene (IGF-II) and investigate the underlying epigenetic mechanism.

METHODSLevels of P3 and HBx mRNA and status of P3 methylation were analyzed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples, with and without hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and bisulfite sequencing. In addition, the levels of P3 mRNA and P3 methylation were examined in HepG2 cells stably overexpressing HBx (HepG2-HBx). Finally, P3 promoter-luciferase constructs were cotransfected into HepG2 cells along with an HBx-expressing plasmid, and the effects of HBx on transcriptional activity and methylation of P3 were analyzed. Statistical analyses of the data were conducted by chi square test, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, Marn-Whitney U test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient test.

RESULTSThe HBV-positive HCC specimens had significantly higher levels of P3 mRNA than the HBV-negative HCC specimens (-9.59 ± 3.22 vs. -12.97 ± 3.08 delta CT; P=0.006) but significantly lower levels of P3 methylation (mean values for the 17 CpG sites (36.9% ± 15.5% vs. 52.1% ± 19.1%; P=0.025). The P3 transcript abundance was positively correlated with the level of HBx expression and negatively correlated with the level of P3 methylation. The epigenetic results from experiments with the HepG2-HBx cells were similar. Transfection of HBx significantly decreased P3 methylation level and increased its activity.

CONCLUSIONHBx expression may promote IGF-II expression by inducing hypomethylation of its P3 promoter in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Trans-Activators ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of apolipoprotein E (apo E) polymorphism in Chinese Dehong Dai and Kunming Han ethnic groups.

METHODSAfter the process of extracting genomic DNA from 171 Chinese Dehong Dai and 71 Chinese Kunming Han subjects, the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to amplify the fourth exon of apoE, which contains site 112 and 158 in amino acid sequence, and the apoE polymorphism was detected.

RESULTSThe genotyping frequencies of apolipoproteinE epsilon 2/2, epsilon 2/3, epsilon 2/4, epsilon3/3, epsilon3/4, epsilon4/4 in Dehong Dai were 0.006, 0.111, 0.006, 0.789, 0.088 and 0.000 respectively, while the genotyping frequencies of apoE epsilon2/2, epsilon2/3, epsilon2/4, epsilon3/3, epsilon3/4, epsilon4/4 in Kunming Han were 0.000, 0.169, 0.014, 0.718, 0.099, 0.000, respectively (P>0.05). The allelic frequencies of apoE epsilon2, epsilon3 and4 in Dehong Dai were 0.064, 0.889, 0.047 respectively, while the allelic frequencies of apoE epsilon2, epsilon3 and epsilon4 in Kunming Han were 0.092, 0.852, 0.056, respectively (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results revealed that either the frequency of genotype or that of allele of apoE gene polymorphism showed statistical difference between the ethnic populations. Compared with the data from other nationalities in China, the frequency of epsilon2 allele in Dehong Dai was significantly lower than that in Zhuang nationality (P<0.01); the frequency of epsilon3 allele in Dehong Dai was significantly higher than that in Chaoxian, Hui, Mongolian,Zhuang nationalities (P<0.05) and Uygur nationality (P<0.01); the frequency of epsilon4 allele in Dehong Dai was significantly lower than that in Olunchun nationality (P<0.05) and Uygur, Owenk nationalities (P<0.01). By comparison with the data from the populations of other races, the distribution of apoE gene polymorphism in Dehong Dai population is similar to that in Japanese population (P>0.05), but different from those in Singapore,European and American populations.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; China ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics

Objective To summarize the experience of surgical treatment of ascending aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. Methods From February 2001 to October 2005, 31 patients including 26 male, 5 female, aged 41.3 years old (range 14-72) received surgical management. Twenty cases were diagnosed as ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic root aneurysm, 8 as Standford A dissection, 3 as Stanford B dissection. Twenty-one patients underwent classic Bentall procedure in which VSD repair was carried out in 1 case, mitral valvoplasty in 2 and mitral valve replacement in 2; Four patients underwent modified Bentall procedure (coronary button technique); Three patients underwent Wheat procedure; The remaining 3 patients with Stanford B dissection underwent graft replacement of descending aorta. Results There was no death during hospital stay that lasted 13-46 d with an average of 16.4 d after operation. The mean clinical follow-up was (21?18.5) months (range 1-63 months). One patient died without describable cause two years later. One patient had ascending aorta-pulmonary artery fistula at color Doppler examination half a year later. One patient was detected rupture of distal anastomoses half a year after operation and underwent stent-graft, SG. Conclusion The surgical treatment of aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections could be carried out safely based on the accurate diagnosis, specific surgical strategy and fine technique.

Objective To evaluate the rehabilitation efficacy of music training in pediatric cochlear implants (CIs).Methods The 14 subjects were divided into the training and control groups.The age of the training group was 5 to 8 years old,with an average of 6.12±1.46.The age of the control group was 5 to 7 years old,with the average of 5.86±0.90.The subjects in the training group received speech rehabilitation training together with music training,while those in the control group only received speech rehabilitation training.We performed an analysis to compare the music perception,speech perception,mental state,and the quality of life between the two groups before and after training.Results For training group,the score of social anxiety scale for children(SASC) was 11± 3.27 before training,and 15.71±1.89 after training;the score of note discriminate test was 30.86±13.61 before training,and 42.29± 13.24 after training.For control group,the scores of SASC was 12.71±2.93 before training,and 14.57±3.51 after training;the pre-training score of note discriminate test was 33.14±11.48,and post-training score was 36.57± 10.44.After training,the scores of the two test items in training group were significantly higher than those in control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Not only does music training promote music and speech perception in pediatric CIs,it also has proved to be an effective psychological construct for the hearing-impaired children that helps develop self-confidence and improve social status.Moreover,children's improvement in hearing and emotional well-being helps alleviate the psychological stress and anxiety experienced by the children's parents.

INTRODUCTIONC-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7) has recently been characterised as a novel receptor for the C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12)/stromal cell-derived factor 1-alpha. CXCR7 has been thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis, angiogenesis and tumour metastasis. The present study aimed to examine the expression of CXCR7 in tissue samples of laryngeal cancer and maxillary sinus carcinoma to determine its role in the development of otorhinolaryngologic neoplasms.

METHODSSamples of otorhinolaryngologic neoplasms were obtained from 17 patients with either nasal polyps (n = 7), laryngeal cancer (n = 5) or maxillary sinus carcinoma (n = 5), and who underwent surgical resection at West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Total RNA was isolated and CXCR7 mRNA expression was examined and quantified by relative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A one-way analysis of variance was performed using SPSS Statistics version 11.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA) to compare the CXCR7 mRNA levels among the three groups of patients.

RESULTSAll samples tested positive for CXCR7 mRNA. The quantitative results showed that the CXCR7 mRNA levels were highest in laryngeal cancer and lowest in maxillary sinus carcinoma neoplasms, although there was no significant difference among the three samples.

CONCLUSIONCXCL12 and its receptor CXCR7 may contribute to eosinophilic inflammation in patients with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. Our results also suggest that CXCR7 may play a role in the progression, metastasis and angiogenesis of otorhinolaryngologic tumours.

Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, CXCR ; biosynthesis ; genetics

INTRODUCTION: Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a first-line antimalarial drug with relatively low toxicity. DHA has been speculated to possess a broad-spectrum antitumour effect. However, the potential value of DHA for the treatment of endometrial carcinoma or cervical cancer is unclear. METHODS: We used human endometrial cancer cells and cervical cancer cells to assess whether DHA alone or when combined with cisplatin would induce cell death. We aimed to elucidate the role of autophagy in DHA-induced cytotoxicity in both endometrial and cervical cancer cells, and explore the impact of DHA treatment on cell proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy. RESULTS: DHA alone or in combination with cisplatin induced cell death in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Caspase-3 mRNA and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels were markedly elevated following DHA treatment either in the presence or absence of cisplatin, suggesting a role of apoptosis in DHA-induced cell death. DHA treatment activated the autophagic pathway, as evidenced by increased monodansylcadaverine-positive staining, elevated microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II/LC3-I ratio, and enhanced p62/sequestosome 1 degradation. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine further enhanced the cytotoxicity of DHA towards tumour cells. mRNA levels of transferrin receptor (TfR) were suppressed upon DHA treatment and knockdown of TfR by RNA interference caused further DHA induction of cancer cell death. CONCLUSION Our results suggest a clinical value for DHA in the treatment of endometrial carcinoma and cervical cancer. Our data revealed possible anticancer mechanisms of DHA that involve regulating apoptosis, autophagy pathway and levels of TfR.