Objective To investigate the concentration changes of endothelin-1(ET-1) in brain after cerebral ischemia pretreatment in the rats and the relationship of ET-1 and ischemia tolerance. Methods Cerebral ischemia pretreatment was performed by ameliorated obstructing four blood vessels in wistar rats. The concentrations of ET-1 in brain were measured by radioimmunoassay(RIA). Results The concentrations of ET-1 in brain in the expreimental groups of 12 hour and 24 hour were higher than that of non-pretreatment( P

Objective To investigate a new method in correction of epicanthus.Methods Asymmetrical Z-plasty was used in correcting epicanthus and lengthening palpebral fissure in 42 cases with 84 eyes.It could be combined with double-eyelid-blepharoplasty to create beautiful eyes.Results All 42 cases with 84 eyes had satisfactory outcome after half a year to 2 years follow-up.The epicanthus scar was conspicuous in the first 6 weeks and it subsided gradually.In the three cases.the hypertrophic scar occurred in the epicanthus,but it softened and became inconspieuous 6 mouths after operation.Conclusion Asymmetrical Z-plasty is a new and reliable method for correction of epicanthus with inconspicuous scar and little chance of recurrence that can be widely used.

Objective To investigate the clinical effectiveness of hysteroscopy in cervical conization for benign lesions. Methods A total of 1026 patients with benign cervical lesions were treated by cervical conization under a hysteroscope from January 2000 to December 2006. Results The operation time was 5-25 min and the intraoperative blood loss was 5-100 ml. The patients received re-examination 3 menstrual cycles after the operation. Among them, 990 patients were cured (cure rate,96.5%); the other 36 patients (34 improved and 2 ineffective) were cured after the second operation. No surgery related complications occurred. Conclusion Hysteroscopy is effective for cervical conization. The method is worth being widely used for fewer complications.

Objective To seek the method for the correction of inadequate nasotip projection with the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene(ePTFE) implants to reduce the complications caused by the traditional method.Methods The enhanced ePTFE implants were used to correct the deformity of the inadequate nasotip projection by the nasal median incision of butterfly-shape together with lateral incision of marginal nosewing.Results This rhinoplasty was correcred in 536 cases of saddle nose with the correction of the inadequate nasotip projection.All the cases were followed up for 3 months to 6 years.533 cases(99.4 %) got satisfactory results and 3 cases(0.6 %) failed with wound infection,in which the implants were taken out and replaced after 3 months,and all the three cases got satisfactory results.Conclusion It is an effective new method for the correction of the inadequate nasotip projection.

Objective To prospectively determine whether position and size of tumor region of interest (ROI) influence estimates of lung cancer vascular parameters at 256-slice CT perfusion study.Methods After institutional review board approval and informed consent,16 men and 11 women with lung cancer underwent 70-second CT perfusion study. Perfusion, blood volume, peak enhancement weredetermined for 60 or 120 mm2 circular ROIs placed at the tumor edge and center and around (outlining) visible tumor. ROI analysis was repeated twice by two observers in the same way to get the average values.The correlation between the measurements and microvascular density counts was determined in 19 patients with operation.Measurements were compared by using Pair-Samples t test,a difference with P≤0.05 was significant.Results Perfusion,blood volume,peak enhancement measurements were substantially higher at the edge than at the center for both 60 and 120 mm2 ROI. For 60 and 120 mm2 ROI,median of the three measurements were (M=15.40,9.50 ml · min- 1 · 100 ml - 1,M =35.60,25.40 ml · 100 g-1,and M=16.47,10.20 HU),respectively,at the edge versus(M =14.80,8.52 ml · min- 1 · 100 ml- 1,M =33.50,23.90 ml · 100 g- 1,and M =15.64,9.40 HU),respectively,at the center(t value was 10.95,9.80,7.06,2.93,7.74 and 10.09,respectively,all P ＜ 0.05 ). Measurements varied substantially depending on the ROI size,values for the ROI for outlined tumor were intermediate between those at the tumor edge and center.Perfusion(M=12.51 ml.min- 1 · 100 ml-1),blood volume(M=29.31 ml.100 g-1),peakenhancement (M =12.93 HU) for the ROI outlining tumor were intermediate between those at the tumor edge and center.There was a good correlation between perfusion,blood volume,peak enhancement for the ROI outlining tumor and microvascular density[ ( 19.43 ± 8.78 ) vessels/0.74 mm2 ],respectively ( r value 0.732,0.590 and 0.544,all P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Position and size of tumor ROI substantially influence ultimate perfusion values.ROI for outlined entire tumor is more reliable for perfusion measurements and more appropriate clinically than use of arbitrarily determined smaller ROI.

BACKGROUND:The main change of knee osteoarthritis is cartilaginous degeneration and secondary bone hyperplasia. The mechanism of these pathological changes is unclear, but some experiments have proved that the onset of knees osteoarthritis is closely related to inflammatory substances.
OBJECTIVE:To discuss the role of inflammatory substances in the pathogenesis of knee osteoarthritis.
METHODS:According to diagnostic criteria set by the American Colege of Rheumatology, we selected 60 knee osteoarthritis patients as experimental group, and another 60 patients undergoing the operative treatment of traumatic amputation or meniscus injury (except knee injury) as control group. After extracting synovial fluid samples from two groups, ELISA assay method was used to detect the levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor α, basic fibroblast growth factor, and osteopontin. The nitric oxide level in the synovial fluid was detected with nitric oxide detection kit. The content of lipid peroxidase was detected using TBA fluorescence method.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:We found higher levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor α, basic fibroblast growth factor, osteopontin, nitric oxide, and lipid peroxidase in knee osteoarthritis patients, and these levels were positively correlated with knee osteoarthritis. These inflammatory substances are realy involved in the inflammation process of knees osteoarthritis.

Objective To evaluate the difference in efficacy and safety between ~(131)Ⅰand antithyroid drugs (ATD)in the treatment of Graves'disease in children and adolescents.Methods MEDLINE(1966-2005), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials(Cochrane Library Issue 2,2006),EMBASE(1984-2004), CBMDISK(1978-2005)and CNKI(1994-2006)were searched by computer.Isotopes(1989-2004),Radiologia Pratica(1986-2005),Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism(1985-2004),and Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America(1988-2001)were manually searched.Trials comparatively analyzed ~(131)Ⅰand antithyroid drugs on the treatment of Graves'disease in children and adolescents were included.The quality of the study methodologies such as randomization,blinding and allocation concealment was evaluated and meta-analysis was performed by Revman 4.2 software.Results Five non-randomized controlled trials involving 538 patients were included.Among these trials one was prospective and the rest were all retrospective.~(131)Ⅰwas more effective in increasing the complete remission and decreasing the rate of recurrence as compared with ATD,but the rate of hypothyroidism was significantly increased after ~(131)Ⅰtreatment.Conclusion Based on the five studies,the evidence suggests that ~(131)Ⅰtherapy is effective and safe for children and adolescents,and the total curative effects in Graves'disease are superior to ATD.However great shortage of randomized controlled trial(RCT),and problems concerning randomization,blind method,follow-up and statistic analysis still exist in clinical controlled trials, hence more RCT with high quality should be conducted.

The spinal cords of three men, nine cats, three dogs and four rabbits were chosen for the present investigation. It was found that the thoracic segment of the spinal cord is longer than the other segments in man and animals. The volume of the gray substance in the lumber enlargment are larger than that in the cervical enlargment in man, cat, dog and rabbit, The cross—section areas of the white substance of the spinal cord in man increase clearly at the cranial level but that of the rabbit does not.Based on the measurements we found that the move of the gray substance anteriorly in man and cat may be the mark of evolution of the mammals. Perheps the spinal eord of eat is a satisfectory specimen in neuro anatomical and neurophysiological laboratory.

Objective To evaluate the agreement between contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and histopathology in rabbit model of abdominal aortic atherosclerosis (AS)in early and development period.Methods Twenty-four healthy Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups:control group,hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks and 16 weeks (each for 8 rabbits).Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for abdominal aorta was performed using sonicated perfluorocarbon albumin contrast agent.Imaging characteristics of abdominal aorta plaque of rabbits were monitored by two-dimensional mode,ultrasound visual grades were analyzed quantitatively before and after injection of contrast agent.Histopathologic changes were observed by HE staining.Results Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging allowed early detection of AS and showed gradual progression of atherosclerosis over time.After contrast agent injected,intimal indentification and plaques checking-out ratio were improved.The ultrasound visual grades were increased after contrast imaging in hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks [(2.26± 0.27)vs.(1.79 ±0.25)] and 16 weeks [(3.54 ±0.43) vs.(3.20 ±0.25)] (all P＜0.05).The plaque detection rate was improved after contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging than before angiography in hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks [77.8％ (7/9) vs.55.6％ (5/9)] and 16 weeks [88.2％ (15/17) vs.70.6％ (12/17)](P ＞ 0.05).The imaging of ultrasound agreed well with pathological examination results.Conclusions Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can effectively improve intimal and plaque imaging,and increase the detection accuracy of early and progressive pathology.

Cell sheet engineering is an important technology to harvest the cultured cells in the form of confluent monolayers using a continuous culture method and a physical approach. Avoiding the use of enzymes, expended cells can be harvested together with endogenous extracellular matrix, cell-matrix contacts, and cell-cell contacts. With high efficiency of cell loading ability and without using exogenous scaffolds, cell sheet engineering has several advantages over traditional tissue engineering methods. In this article, we give an overview on cell sheet technology about its applications in the filed of tissue regeneration, including the construction of soft tissues (corneal, mucous membrane, myocardium, blood vessel, pancreas islet, liver, bladder and skin) and hard tissues (bone, cartilage and tooth root). This techonoly is promising to provide a novel strategy for the development of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. And further works should be carried out on the operability of this technology and its feasibility to construct thick tissues.
Cells, Cultured ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Regenerative Medicine ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Tissue Engineering