Objective:To investigate serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods:VEGF ELISA Quantikine kit.The serum RF level was also d etermined using Beckman Array 360.Results:The serum concen tration of VEGF was significantly higher in patients with RA than in healthy co ntrol(P＜0.01).Conclusion:It suggests that VEGF is involved in the pathog enesis of RA and that measurment of serum concentration of VEGF is noninvasive, usful method for monitoring the disease activity of RA.

Chronic Disease ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; Humans

Animals ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Syncope, Vasovagal ; metabolism ; physiopathology

ObjectiveTo compare the effect of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) on pulmonary function in post-thoracotomy patients.Methods33 ASA Ⅰ～Ⅱ patients undergoing selective esophagectomy were randomly divided into the PCEA group (n=16, treated with morphine plus bupivacaine) and PCIA group (n=17, treated with morphine plus droperidol) for 3 days postoperatively. Pulmonary function indices including respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (Vt), vital capacity (Vc) and pulse oximetry (SpO2) were recorded before operation and on the first 2 days after operation. Pain scores with visual analogue scale (VAS) at rest, deep breathing and with cough, and adverse effects were also recorded.ResultsRR increased, Vt , Vc and SpO2 decreased markedly in both groups postoperatively compared with the base line (P<0.01), but there were no significant differences between two groups. VAS scores were much lower in PCEA group, especially, when the patient was at deep breathing or during coughing (P<0.001).ConclusionPCEA is superior to PCIA in pain relief, but contributes no more than PCIA in improving pulmonary function in post-thoracotomy patients.

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) on postoperative nausea and vomit (PONV) in gynecologic and obstetric patients. Methods56 gynecologic or obstetric patients (ASA Ⅰ～Ⅱ) scheduled for lower abdominal surgeries were randomly allocated to receive either 1 mg/ml morphine plus 0.1 mg/ml droperidol intravenously (group PCIA) or 0.1 mg/ml morphine plus 0.125% bupivacaine (group PCEA-Ⅰ) or 0.1 mg/ml morphine plus 0.1 mg/ml droperidol plus 0.125% bupivacaine (group PCEA-Ⅱ) epidurally. 4, 24, and 48 h after operation, pain scores with visual analogus scale (VAS), sedation scores with Ramesay and the incidences of nausea, vomiting, pruritus, respiratory depression were assessed. ResultsVAS scores in the two PCEA groups were much lower than that of PCIA (P<0.01). The incidences of nausea and vomiting in PCEA-Ⅱ group were significantly lower than those in PCIA group (P<0.05), incidences of other side-effects such as pruritus, respiratory depression etc. were similar between the three groups (P>0.05). ConclusionThe regimen morphine/droperidol/bupivacaine by PCEA shows superiorities in relieving pain and reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting in gynecologic and obstetric patients.

Aged ; Dermatomyositis ; complications ; diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Female ; Hoarseness ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans

Abstract?AIM: To investigate the influence of propylene glycol mannite sulfate ( PGMS ) on the expression of tumor necrosis factor -α( TNF-α) and interleukin-1β( IL-1β) , in diabetic retinopathy by a rat model, to study the mechanism of PGMS against diabetic retinopathy, and provide a reliable theoretical and experimental evidence for the PGMS to be applied to clinical prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy.?METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups, normal control group, diabetic control group and PGMS in group, the PGMS in groups included the doses of 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg. 1% streptozotocin ( STZ) of 60 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in rats to establish the diabetic models. The PGMS with the doses of 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg were used to gavage in different groups of models for 12wk.Twelve weeks later, the animals were sacrificed and retinas were isolated. The aqueous humors and serums were taken, expressions of TNF-αand IL-1βprotein in retinas, aqueous humors and serums were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) , respectively.The location and the expression of TNF-αand IL-1βprotein in retina tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.?RESULTS: Twelve weeks after the use of PGMS, the level of blood glucose was not changed.ELISA showed that the expression of TNF-αand IL-1βprotein in serum and retina was significantly increased in diabetic control group than in normal control group(P<0.05), but in the groups which PGMS was given reduced, lower than those in diabetes mellitus( DM) group, especially as the concentration of PGMS increased ( P<0.05 ).But the levels of aqueous humor's TNF-αand IL-1βproteins in PGMS group were not reduced.Immunohistochemistry showed that the TNF -α protein was almost not expressed in normal control group. But the TNF-αprotein was highly expressed in diabetic control group. The expression mainly located in the ganglion cell layer, the inner plexiform layer, outer plexiform layer and pigment epithelium. The TNF-αprotein was weakly expressed at the group of 50mg/kg PGMS, the TNF-αprotein was almost not expressed at the group of 100mg/kg PGMS.When the normal control group was detected, the IL-1βprotein was weakly expressed in the outer plexiform layer.But the IL-1βprotein was also highly expressed in diabetic control group.The expression mainly located in the inner plexiform layer, outer plexiform layer and pigment epithelium. The IL -1βprotein was weakly expressed at the group of 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg PGMS.?CONCLUSION:PGMS can treat the diabetic retinopathy by downregulating the expressions of TNF-αand IL-1βin early diabetic retinopathy.PGMS maybe have a good control effect on early diabetic retinopathy.

Objective:To investigate the effects of survivin antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on expression of survivin and ACC-M cell apoptosis. Methods: A phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) of specific target survivin was designed and synthesized and then transferred to ACC-M cell line by lipofectin. At the same time blank control group, sense oligonucleotide (SODN) group were set up for comparison. MTT assay was used to detect cytotoxicity. Apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry. Survivin expression was determined by RT-PCR and Western-Blotting. Results: Compared with control group and SOND group, in ASODN groups, the expression of survivin mRNA and protein were obviously weak, apoptosis rate apparently increased, cells growth was inhibited. There was no obviously difference in SODN and control groups.Conclusion:ASODN can down-regulate the expression of survivin gene in ACC-M cell line specifically. It plays an important role in inducing tumor apoptosis and suppressing cell proliferation.

Objective To identify novel mutations in the GATA6 gene associated with congenital atrial septal defects (ASD).Methods This was a case-control study.A cohort of 220 unrelated Han-race patients with congenital ASD and 200 unrelated ethnically matched healthy individuals used as controls,who were admitted to Tongji University Affiliated Tongji Hospital from January,2007 to October,2011,were recruited.The peripheral venous blood samples from the participants were prepared.All the coding exons and their flanking sequences of the GATA6 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced using the di-deoxynucleotide chain termination technique.The acquired sequences were aligned with the sequences derived from GenBank by BLAST to identify the sequence variations.The software ClustalW was used to analyze the conservation of the altered amino acids.Results Three novel heterozygous missense GATA6 mutations,c.250G ＞A (p.A84T),c.649G ＞C (p.G217R) and c.1270A ＞C (p.S424R),were identified in 3 of 220 ASD patients,respectively.None of the three mutations was detected in 200 healthy control individuals.A cross-species alignment of GATA6 encoded protein sequences showed that the mutated amino acids were relatively conserved evolutionarily.Conclusion The identification of novel GATA6 mutations associated with ASD contributes to the reveal of the mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of ASD.

ObjectiveTo enhance the fund efficiency of dental research programs supported by National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC) and to reveal the achievements and progresses of the funds.MethodsThe data of programs in dental and craniofacial field supported by NSFC from 1999 to 2006 and completed between 2003 and 2009 were collected based on the final reports by the investigators.The data of personnel training,research publication,patent,awards,and academic communication at domestic and international levels were all collected and analysed. Results There were 307 grants in total,including 185 general programs,73 Young Scientists Funds,13 regional funds,3 Key Programs,1 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and 32 others.An average of 4 postgraduate students was trained by each program.In general,the outcomes of general programs were better than those of Young Scientists Fund,and the latter was better than regional fund.There was steady increase each year in the amount of papers published in SCI journals,and about half of the investigators published SCI papers.In addition,9 patents were registered and 13 prizes were won, and the investigators participated 610 domestic and international exchanges.Conclusions The continuously increase of NSFC support in dental field has led to substantial achievement,although patent application,the quality of papers and novel ideas need to be improved.