Stratum corneum,the outermost layer of the mammalian skin, has its unique structural,biophysical and biochemical characteristics.The form of stratum corneum is a continuous sheath of protein-enriched corneocytes embedded in an intercellular matrix enriched in nonpolar specialized lipids.It provides an impermeable barrier from exogenous noxious substances and prevents the body from transdermal water loss.Recent researches suggest that its morphological and functional abnormalities can be induced by various environmental effects such as ultraviolet radiation,mechanical friction,organic solvents,etc.However,the mechanism of the injury-repair process remains unclear.Several cytokines and ceramide may be involved in the regulation.

Objective To compare the cardiomyocyte apoptosis and early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement under propofol-or midazolam-combined anesthesia.Methods Forty NYHA class Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients (aged 48-64 yr and weighing 45-78 kg) undergoing cardiac valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomly divided into midazolam group (Group M) and propofol group (Group P) (n=20each). The patients were premedicated with morphine 0.1 mg/kg i.v. and scopolamine 0.3 mg i.v. Anesthesia was induced with midazolam 0.2 mg/kg (in Group M) or propofol 2 mg/kg (in Group P) combined with fentanyl 10 μg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg, and maintained with propofol 5 mg. kg-1·h-1 (in Group P) or midazolam 0.1 mg·kg-1·h-1(in Group M) and intermittent i.v. boluses of fentanyl and vecuronium after tracheal intubation. The patients were mechanically ventilated with PETCO2 maintained at 35-45 mm Hg. Myocardial tissues were obtained from the right atrium before and after CPB for determination of apoptosis in cardiomyocytes (by TUNEL). The apoptotic index was calculated. The expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was determined by immunohistochemical avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) technique staining. The mean airway pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored. Aortic cross-clamping time, surgical and CPB times, spontaneous recovery of normal heart beat, emergence from anesthesia, extubation time and duration of ICU stay were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results The percentage of spontaneous recovery of normal heart beat after release of aortic cross clamp was significantly higher and the need for dobutamine support was significantly less in Group P than in Group M ( P ＜ 0.05). The emergence from anesthesia was significantly more rapid, the extubation time and the ICU stay were significantly shorter in Group P than in Group M (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in apoptosis index and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 before CPB between the two groups. The apoptosis index and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were significantly increased after CPB in Group M and significantly higher than those after CPB in Group P (P＜0.05).Conclusion Cardiomyocyte apoptosis in patients undergoing CPB can be inhibited and the postoperative recovery is more rapid under propofol-combined anesthesia.

AIM: To investigate the effect of testosterone with varied concentrations on the fibr inolysis activity of HUVEC and its mechanism. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cul tured as recommended. After confluence, the cultures were treated with testoster one(3 ?10 -10, 3?10 -9, 3?10 -8,3?10 -6, 3?10 -5 m ol/L) , and the control confluent cells were cultured in the same medium witho ut steroid. MTT experiment was repeated for 72 hours to investigate each groups' cell proliferation. The tPA and PAI-1 antigen levels were assayed with ELISA K its. Then with HUVEC incubated in androgen receptor antagonist (flutamide) 3 hou rs previously, the experiment was repeated. RESULTS: Testosterone at physiologic or lower concentrations (3 ?10 -10 to 3?10 -8 mol/L ) stimulated the secretion of tPA by HUVEC (P

Objective To explore the role of MMP-9 in blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and to promote rMSCs migration.Methods To investigate the effect of MMP-9 on the permeability of BBB,an in vitro model of BBB was established and performed Transwell experiments.To observe the pathologic changes of the cerebral cortex,rat brains from Sham treated group,HIBD group,MMP-9 treated group and TIMP-1 (intervention) treated group at different time points (0.5,1,3,7,14 d) were prepared and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and quantified the brain water content.Permeability of BBB examined by EB values measurement.MMP-9 protein level of rat cortex was detected by Western Blot.The number of Brdu labeled rMSCs in the rat cerebral cortex of each group was quantified by Immunohistochemistry (IHC).Results Transwell experiments results showed that migration of rMSCs increased remarkably in hypoxic condition compared to that of normal control (P＜0.01).The number of rMSCs migrated in the MMP-9 treated group was much more than that of negative control group and TIMP-1 group (P＜0.01).The results of pathology showed that compared to HIBD group,brain water content and the permeability of the BBB were increased in MMP-9 treated group but reduced in TIMP-1 treated one.The expression of MMP-9 protein in MMP-9 treated group was reached the peak at 3 d point,which was higher than that of HIBD group and TIMP-1 group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The quantity of Brdu labeled rMSCs crossed BBB in MMP-9 treated group was extremely higher than that of HIBD group (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusions The expression level of MMp-9 protein was improved after hypoxic-ischemic.MMP-9 could facilitate the migration of rMSCs through vitro BBB and control the opening of BBB,which indicate that MMP-9 may facilitate the migration of rMSCs through BBB into brain.

Objective To investigate the effect of polymorphism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) promotor region gene,plasma tissue plasminogen activator(t-PA)and PAI-1 on patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism(APTE).Method Fifty-two patients with APTE were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of traditional enviromnent risk facters,and there were26 patients in each gnup,and auother 57 healthy indiriduals as controls were analyzed.The genotypos of subjects were determined for the 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene using polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.Plasma PAI-1 and tPA were measured by ELISA.Results(1)The ratio of 4G/4G genotype in group without traditional environment risk factors was much higher than that of the other two groups.(2)Plasma t-PA decreased and plasma PAI-1 elevated significantly in group without traditional environment risk factors compared with that of the other two groups.(3)Except the 5G homozygous,plasma PAI-1 level in group without traditional environgment risk factors was significantly higher than the other two groups.There existed correlation between 4G allele and plasma PAI-1.Conclusions 4G/5G polymorphism of PAI-1 gene is associated with AFFE.4G/4G genotype increases the risk of APTE for individuals without traditional risk factors.There are hypercoagulation and hypofibrinolysis in APTE patients without traditional risk factors.

Objective To compare the treatment effectiveness of AO/ASIF proximal femoral nail (PFN) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) in treatment of intertrochanterie fractures. Methods A retrospective study was done on 233 patients with intertroehanteric fractures treated from August 2004 to December 2006. The patients were divided into PFN group (188 patients) and PFNA group (45 patients) for comparing operative procedures and postoperative functional recovery. Results There was statistical difference in aspects of incision length, blood loss and operation time between two groups. The follow-up for 22.8 months showed excellence rate of 89.9% in PFN group and 91.1% in PFNA group, with statistical difference (X2 = 0.06, P > 0.05). There occurred hip varus in one patient and antirotation nail cutting-out in two in PFN group, which was not found in PFNA group. Conclusion PFN and PFNA are both good choices for treatment of intertrochanteric fractures. Compared with PFN, PFNA has more advantages in reducing operation time and blood loss especially for the eider patients with osteoporosis.

Objectives: To reveal the morphological features of the stratum corneum lipids in hairless mouse epidermis. Methods: Ruthenium tetroxide and osmium tetroxide were compared as post fixative in the preparation of hairless epidermis for transmission electron microscopic examination. Results: Both reagents reveled characteristic membrane coating granules within the granular layer. Whereas, the transformation of the membrane coating granule contents into multiple lamellae at the interface between the granular and cornified layers and the persistence of these lamellae through all levels of the stratum corneum were demonstrated only by ruthenium tetroxide fixation. Conclusions: The distinctive patterning of the intercellular lamellae reflects the nonrandom organization of the stratum corneum lipids. In addition, the ruthenium tetroxide postfixation technique is a useful method in the investigation of the morphological features of the stratum corneum lipids.

Objective: To establish an HPLC-fluorescence detection method for the determination of thioguanosine-monophosphate (TGMP), thioguanosine-diphosphate (TGDP) and thioguanosine-triphosphate (TGTP) in red blood cells (RBC), as well as quantify the individual thioguanine nucleotides metabolites in kidney transplant recipients with azathioprine (AZA) therapy.Methods: The individual thioguanosine phosphates were extracted from RBC by dichloromethane and subsequently oxidized by potassium permanganate.The separation was achieved on a Nucleosil C18 column (150 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm) with an ion pairing reagent and detected by a fluorescence detector (excitation at 315 nm, emission at 390 nm).The mobile phase consisted of 20 mmol·L-1 potassium phosphate buffer (pH was adjusted to 6.8 by 5 mmol·L-1 tetrabutylammonium hydrogensulfate)-acetonitril (80:20) with the flow rate of 1.0 ml·min-1.Results: TGMP, TGDP and TGTP were quantified from RBC within the range of 50-500, 50-1000 and 100-5 000 pmol·ml-1, respectively.The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 50, 50 and 100 pmol·ml-1 RBC for TGMP, TGDP and TGTP, respectively.The intra-and inter-day RSDs were below 7.0% with the method recovery between 95.0% and 103.6%.The mean extraction recovery was above 90%.The assay was applied in the blood samples of 30 kidney transplant recipients with AZA therapy, and the results indicated that TGTP was the predominant phosphate metabolite in RBC.Conclusion: The method is simple, rapid, sensitive and specific, and it can quantitatively determine the individual thioguanosine phosphates in RBC of kidney transplant recipients with AZA therapy.

Objective To investigate the clinical values and characteristics of whole body bone ima-ging (SPECT/CT)in detecting bone metastases in the preoperative patients with lung adenocarcinoma or squa-mous cell carcinoma for staging and determining the best treatment plan.Methods Eighty-two preoperative patients with primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma performed 99 Tcm-MDP SPECT/CT whole-body bone imaging.One week before surgery,parts of positive lesions performed MRI scan.The differ-ence of the incidence of bone metastasis was analysed by χ2 test.Results In all 82 patients with lung cancer, there were 38 adenocarcinomas and 44 squamous cell carcinomas.Bone metastases were detected in 38 cases, the incidence rate was 46.3%.Of which,among lung adenocarcinoma,the incidence rate was 57.9% (22 /38),and the incidence rate was 36.4% (1 6 /44)in lung squamous cell carcinoma,and the difference was sta-tistically significant (χ2 =1 2.66,P =0.027).The most common area was bilateral ribs,followed by vertebra, pelvis,bones of the extremities and skull.Conclusion Lung adenocarcinoma compared with squamous cell carcinoma is prone to bone metastases,and bone metastases are more common in bilateral ribs.It has important value that whole body bone imaging in screening for bone metastases of pre-operative patients with lung cancer for staging and making the treatment plan.

Objective To explore the influence of levothyroxine(L-T4) in the treatment of primary hypothyroidism on myocardial enzymes and lipids.Methods 78 patients with primary hypothyroidism were selected and treated with L-T4 for 12 weeks.The fasting serum levels promote thyroid hormone(TSH),free T3 (FT3),free T4 (FT4),total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),aspartate aminotransferase enzyme (AST),creatine kinase (CK) and its isoenzyme (CK-MB),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) were monitored and analyzed before and after treatment.Results After L-T4 treatment for 12 weeks,compared with before treatment,TSH,TC,TG,LDL-C,CK,CK-MB,LDH,AST were significantly decreased or restored (t =10.5223,26.8498,22.7699,16.2735,22.9329,13.1910,32.0907,22.9597,all P ＜ 0.01).The FT3 was negatively correlated with TG (r =-0.3782),LDL-C(r =-0.3506),AST(r =-0.2843),LDH(r =-0.2974),CK(r =-0.3726) (all P ＜ 0.01)and CK-MB(r =-0.2559) (P ＜ 0.05).FT4 was negatively correlated with TC (r =-0.2660),TG (r =-0.4661),LDL-C(r=-0.5119),LDH(r=-0.5936),CK(r=-0.4877),CK-MB(r=-0.5463) (all P＜0.01)and AST(r =-0.2328) (P ＜0.05).TSH was positively correlated with TC(r =0.5341),TG(r =0.7567),LDL-C(r =0.8240),AST (r =0.3923),LDH (r =0.8073),CK (r =0.9661),CK-MB (r =0.7336) (all P ＜0.01).TSH had,the best correlationship with CK (r =0.9661).Conclusion L-T4 can significantly improve the thyroid function and reduce the blood lipids,myocardial enzymes levels of patients with primary hypothyroidism.