Niemann-pick protein C1(NPC1) is a large integral membrane glycoprotein that resides in late endosomes,whereas niemann-pick protein C2(NPC2) is a small soluble protein found in the lumen of lysosomes.NPC1 protein is believed to facilitate the transport of lipids,particularly cholesterol,from late endosomes/lysosomes to the Golgi apparatus,endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane.NPC2 primarily plays a role in the egress of cholesterol and glycolipids from lysosomes.Mutations in either NPC1 or NPC2 result in aberrant lipid transport from endocytic compartments,which results in lysosomal storage of a complex mixture of lipids,primarily cholesterol and glycosphingolipids.The NPC proteins regulate sterol homeostasis through production of LDL cholesterol-derived oxysterols.Oxysterols are endogenous ligands for the liver X receptors(LXRs),which can upregulate ATP binding cassette transporter A1(ABCA1) expression.ABCA1 may have antiatherogenic effects through the efflux of it-mediated cholesterol.Meanwhile,NPC1 heterozygote mutation confers substantial resistance to lesional necrosis and lesional macrophage apoptosis.Study of the NPC proteins will help us for further understanding of the mechanisms involved in atherogenesis.

High density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C) has received extensive attention because of its cardiovascular protective effects.Recent studies showed that HDL could promote reverse cholesterol transport ( RCT ) , be anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and induce angiogenesis. Apolipoptrotein A-I (apoA-I), the most abundant protein of HDL, plays a pivotal role in the HDL mediated-functional activities.Short peptides based on the amphiphilic alpha helix structure of apoA-I have been designed and aimed at imitating the function of apoA-I.The function and metabolism of these mimetic peptides depend on their amino acids component and sequence , and have been proved to exert protection in against cardiovascular disease , infection, inflammation and oxidative damage, metabolic syndrome and tumor.Clinical trials confirmed their benefits, but high cost put them out of the practical applications..

Objective To evaluate the application of the inlay butterfly cartilage graft technique in myringoplasty.Methods Thirty--eight ears in 38 patients (experiment group) with dry central drum perforations were treated with inlay butterfly cartilage myringoplasty,and 46 ears in 46 patients with underlay temporalis fascia myringoplasty (control group).Results After a mean follow-up of 6 months,the healing rate did not differ between two groups (92.1% in experiment group,91.3% in control group,P＞ 0.05).Average pure-tone hearing threshold improved than 10 dB and closure of the air-bone gap (ABG) within 10 dB were not different (P ＞ 0.05).The cured patients were followed up for 12-38 months,there was no ear perforation of drum in experiment group,but 4 ears in control group.Condusion Inlay butterfly cartilage myringoplasty is the reliable and ideal method for tzeating dry central drum pedoration with high success rate.

Objective To evaluate the clinical and endoscopic features of ulcerative colitis(UC). Methods The cases of UC were collected from 1975 to 2001. According to the diagnostic criteria of Chengdu conference, 486 and 490 patients were diagnosed as UC in our hospital from 1975 to 1994 and from 1995 to 2001 respectively. Their records were retrieved and the data were analyzed for sex, age, presentation, the course of the illness and lesion range. Results In the two groups from 1975 to 1994 and from 1995 to 2001, the proportion of patients diagnosed as UC under colonoscopy was increased from 3.51% to 4.44%. The ratio of male to female was 1.67 and 1.25 respectively. The mean age at the diagnosis increased from 42.4 years old to 51.5 years old, and the peak age was between 30 and 49 years old, between 40 and 49 years old and greater than 60 years old respectively. The typical clinical manifestations of UC were bloody mucopurulent stool, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Proctosigmoiditis or proctitis was found in 269 patients (55.4%) and 316(64.5%), left side colitis in 84(17.3%) and 68(13.9%), pancoltitis in 58( 11.9% ) and 70(14.3%) respectively. In the two groups, there were 437( 89.9% ) and 443(90.4%) patients who had the course of less than 10 years respectively. The definitive diagnosis of UC was dependent on biopsy. Conclusions The lesions of UC are commonly located in the left side colon, the course of UC is short, the age of onset is relatively high in the middle and old aged group, and the prevalence of both malignancy and complications is low. Colonoscopy with biopsy is considered to be the major means for the diagnosis of UC.

This paper gives a brief introduction of the significance and background of the digital pictures' database in CQMU.It introduces its design methods,realization approaches,and solutions to the pictures' patent claim.Meanwhile this paper also han- dles its functions in editing pictures online,indexing pictures off line and its management.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater for nasal mucosa of allergic rhinitis mice model, and explore the possible mechanism of nasal irrigation with seawater in treatment of allergic rhinitis. METHOD: We used Der pl to make allergic rhinitis model of BALB/c mice, and divided them into three groups randomly. Nasal irrigation with hypertonic seawater (HS) or isotonic seawater (IS) in the treatment group 1-14 days after modeling, and black control (BC) group was given no treatment after modeling. Normal control (NC) group was given no treatment, the number of rubs and sneezings in each group were counted in 30 min after the last nasal irrigation. Mice were then killed 24 h after the last therapy. The noses of mice from each group were removed and fixed, then the slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, the others were observed by transmission electron microscope. RESULT: Mice with hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater were significantly improved in rubs and sneezings compared to the black control group (P<0. 05); The number of eosinophiles in mucosal tissues of HS group and IS group had no significant difference with that of the black control group (P> 0. 05); Ciliated columnar epithelium cells in mucosal tissues of HS group and IS group were arranged trimly, better than that in the black control group. Morphology and microstructure in nasal mucosal of HS group was closer to the normal group than in IS group. CONCLUSION The injury of nasal mucosa ciliated epithelium was significantly improved by nasal irrigation with hypertonic seawater and isotonic seawater, and the former is better than the latter, the mechanism of nasal irrigation with seawater in treatment of allergic rhinitis may rely on repairing the injured nasal mucosa ciliated epithelium, thereby the symptoms of nasal was reduced.
Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nasal Lavage ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nose ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; therapy ; Seawater

[Summary] A total of 215 pregnant women at mid-gestation were enrolled, and their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured. Of them, 38 (17. 7%) were classified as cases with vitamin D sufficiency, 70 (32. 5%) as insufficiency, and 107 (49. 8%) as deficiency. Compared with the sufficient group, parathyroid hormone level increased and osteocalcin level decreased significantly in the deficient group. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women and is associated with their potential disorder of bone turnover.

BACKGROUND: Extensive liver resection or liver transplantation operated on patients with combined hepatic cirrhosis and other complications correlates with high morbidity and mortality.Child-Turcotte-Pugh scoring system is now widely used in the assessment of liver function.This classification scheme includes three clinical indicators and two biochemical indices;however,it seems difficulty on directly evaluating functional status of hepatocytes.OBJECTIVE: To explore the practicability of bioluminescence adenosine triphosphate (ATP) determination assay to assess the functional reserve of residual hepatocytes,DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING: Case contrast study,which was carried out in the Second Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University from January 2005 to March 2006.PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two patients who underwent major extra-and intra hepatic surgery including liver transplantation were randomly divided into three groups based on hepatic cirrhosis grading standard,including normal group (n=7),macronodular cirrhosis group (n=9),and micronodular cirrhosis group (n=16).METHODS: Routine examination and biochemical indexes of liver were performed preoperatively,including glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) and total bilirubin (TBIL).Liver specimens were delivered by aseptic technique during operation and enzymatic digested.Cell suspension was cultured and centrifuged.Hepatocytes were counted and dispensed cell suspension to be used for ATP extraction and measurement.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ATP content,preoperative biochemical parameters of liver function,and correlation between biochemical parameters and ATP content.RESULTS: The ATP content in the macronodular cirrhosis group was significantly higher than that in the micronodular cirrhosis group and normal group (P=0.000 1,0.004).While,the ATP content in the micronodular cirrhosis group was also significantly higher than that in the normal group (P=0.004).ATP content (mole/cell) wassignificantly positively correlated with serum glutamic oxalacetic transarninase (r=-0.609 3,P=0.000 2) and TBIL (r=0.614 5,P=0.000 2).CONCLUSION: ATP assay can directly evaluate functional reserve of liver parenchyma and reflect high operative risk status (HORS) and course of postoperative recovery in major hepatic resection.

Objective Following up with otoscopy after the middle ear surgery in order to understand the prognosis and recurrence of the surgical cavity. Methods Four hundred and eighty-three ears after middle ear surgery were followed up with otoscopy to understand the situation of its dry ear, surgical cavity lesions as well as whether there was recurrence. Among 483 ears with middle ear surgery, 172 ears were performed with tympanoplasty, 211 ears with tympanoplasty plus modified mastoidectomy, 26 ears with up wall mastoidectomy plus tympanoplasty, 15 ears with radical mastoidectomy, 59 ears with mastoid surgical cavity repair. Results By otoscopy 12 ears were found with secondary tympanic membrane perforation, 9 ears with tympanic membrane perforation without healing, 36 ears with granulation in tympanic membrane or mastoid, 23 ears with recurrent cholesteatoma, 11 ears with middle ear effusion, 5 ears with canal stenosis, 16 ears with fungus infections in surgical cavity, 2 ears with prolapse of artificial auditory ossicles, 3 ears with necrosis of mastoid cavity flap. The time of dry ear after the surgery in open mastoidectomy was (2.1 ± 0.4) months. Conclusion Following up regularly with otoscopy after middle ear surgery is benefit to the clearance of residual disease, preventing recurrence and promoting early dry ear.

Objective To evaluate the effect of transurethral feedback microwave thermotherapy with the ProstaLund CoreTherm Device(PLFT) in high risk patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Methods Sixty-six high risk patients diagnosed with BPH, including aged ≥80 in 32 pa-tients, hypertension in 31 patients, diabetes in 5 patients, heart failure in 8 patients, chronic obstruc-tive pulmonary disease in 8 patients, cerebral infarction in 11 patients, fracture, amputation or joint stiffness unsuitable for lithotomy position in 3 patients, abnormal blood coagulation in 4 patients, pan-creatitis in 2 patients, cardiac arrhythmia in 6 patients and malignant tumor in 3 patients, were treated with PLFT using individual power at urethral local anesthesia, resulting in coagulation necrosis in 15%-30% of prostate tissue around urethra. Meanwhile, real-time monitoring the temperature of prostate and the tissue around it was used. All patients were evaluated by comparing volume of pros-tate, maximal urinary flow (Q_max), international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and quality of life questionnaire (QOL) in pre-treatment and three months after respectively. Results All of patients well tolerated PLFT. There was bleeding lightly, infection lightly and temporary incontinence. There was no severe surgical complication. After three months, the volume of prostate reduced from 62. 2 ml to 44.5 ml; IPSS decreased from 23. 4 to 11.7; QOL decreased from 4.5 to 2.4; Q_max rised from 4, 2 ml/s to 11.2 ml/s. All differences reached significance. Conclusion PLFT is one of effective and safe treatments for patients with BPH especial BPH complicating with severe conditions.