Adolescent ; Asthma ; blood ; drug therapy ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-17 ; blood ; Male

Objective: To investigate the expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), multidrug resistance associated protein (MRP1), and glutathione-S-transferases (GST-π) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and their relationship with the biological features of lung cancer. Methods: The expressions of HIF-1α, GLUT1, MRP1, and GST-π mRNA in 36 samples of NSCLC tissues and 12 samples of corresponding adjacent tissues were detected by RT-PCR and semiquantitative agarose gel electrophoresis. Their expression in various TNM staging cancer tissues was analyzed by SAS8.0 statistic software. Results: The expressions of the four genes significantly increased in NSCLC tissues than in the corresponding adjacent tissues (P < 0.01). The expressions of the four genes were significantly higher in the group with lymph node and distant metastasis than that in the groups without lymph node and distant metastasis (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The expressions of HIF-1α and GLUT1 mRNA were significantly increased in T3 and T4 staging cancer tissues than that in T1 and T2 staging cancer tissues (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The expressions of MRP1 and GST-π mRNA had no significant difference between NSCLC tissues at T1, T2, T3 and T4 staging(P >0.05). Conclusion: HIF-1α, GLUT1, MRP1, and GST-π were over-expressed in NSCLC tissues, which were associated with lymph node and distant metastasis. Expressions of HIF-1α and GLUT1 were elevated with the increase in the TNM staging but expressions of MRP1 and GST-π did not correlate with TNM staging. HIF-1α mRNA expression was positively related with the expression of GLUT1 mRNA (P < 0.01). The expression of HIF-1α mRNA was significantly related with the expression of MRP1 and GST-π mRNA in linear dependency (P <0.05). The expression of GLUT1 mRNA was not significantly related with the expression of MRP1 and GST-π mRNA (P > 0.05). The over-expressions of the four genes may be useful markers indicating the carcinogenesis, Progression, and deterioration of NSCLC.

BACKGROUND:Currently, conventional treatment methods for heart failure are al ineffective. OBJECTIVE:To explore the combined effects of human umbilical cord stem cel s and CD133+cel s in mice with heart failure, providing a new insight into the treatment of heart failure. METHODS:Ful-term newborn umbilical cord from vaginal delivery was col ected to isolate CD133+cel s and human umbilical cord stem cel s using lymphocyte separation medium method. Twenty Balb/C nude mice were randomly subjected to mononuclear cel injection (mononuclear cel group) or injection of CD133+cel s combined with human umbilical cord stem cel s (combined group) via the tail vein after establishing heart failure models. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Fourteen days after injection, the body weight and liver, heart and lung mass of mice were significantly larger in the combined group than the mononuclear cel group (P<0.05). After 30 days, myocardial cel s arranged regularly in the combined group, but disorderly in the mononuclear cel group;compared with the mononuclear cel group, the average area of myocardial col agen fibers was significantly decreased in the combined group (P<0.05), and the level of serum matrix metal oproteinase-9 was also significantly lower in the combined group (P<0.05). Masson staining showed that blue-stained col agen fibers in the combined group were less but arranged neatly;however, in the mononuclear cel group, the number of col agen fibers that arranged irregularly was increased to different extents. To conclude, the combined use of CD133+cel s and human umbilical cord stem cel s has desired outcomes in the treatment of heart failure in mice, indicating a higher clinical value.

Objective To explore the culturing strategies,curiculum provision,courses conferring methods,teaching effects as well as the associated managerial evaluations on the basis of Sino-French cooperation on medical education with the hope of summarizing helpful suggestions to Sino-Foreign cooperation on medical education. Methods The achievements of our Sino-French cooperation on medical education were analyzed and compared in the teaching models,culturing strategies along with courses conferring processes among seven-year medical students from both English-teaching and French-teaching classes. Results Our Sino-French cooperation on medical education was featured in its distinct culturing purposes and effective teaching model.Its scientifically formulated culturing strategy found its full expression in French-teaching atmosphere.The Sino-French cooperation on medical education was consistently welcomed and favorably recommended by both faculties and students. Conclusion The Sino-French cooperation on medical education has not only gained precious experience in culturing the cutting-edge medical talents with the international visions but also conduced to fulfill the goal to establish a modernized and internationalized medical school.

Objective To study and compare the protective effects of pmtease inhibitor and corticosteroid on endotoxin-indueed acute lung injury in order to guide the choice of appropriate drugs. Method Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided(random number) into four groups with 8 rabbits in each, namely normal controls(C) ; lipopolysaecharide(LPS) group(L) ; ulinastatin(UTI) group(U) and dexamcthasone(DEX) group (D) .Except group C, all rabbits were injected with a dose of LPS 600 μg/kg iv. Meanwhile the rabbits in group U,group D received UTI(100 000 μ/kg), DEX(5 mg/kg), respectively. The specimens were collected 4 hours later for detecting the levels of TNF-α and NO in serum, and blood gas analysis, histological manifestations, the lung wet/dry weight ratio, lung tissue MPO and SOD activity, lung tissue MDA. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (SNK- q test), and P < 0.05 was considered as significantly different. Results Compared with group C, the lungs of the rabbits in group L had inflammatory granulocyte infdtration, diffused alveolar septum thickening and hemorrhagic spots were observed in pathological examinations. The histological changes of group U and group D were much lessened than those in group L. As groups U and D were compared with group L, there were significant differences inmany biomarkers including lung wet/dry weight ratio[(5.02±0.11),(4.93±0.13) vs.(5.37 ±0.29)],lung tissue MPO activity[(0.51 ± 0.05),(0.54±0.07) vs.(0.82 ± 0.09)] and MDA[(0.82 ±0.05),(0.81 ±0.04) vs.(0.96±0.05)], NO[(296.2± 11.7),(291.7 ± 15.8) vs.(351.8±19.6)] and TNF-α[group D(2.021 ± 0.122) vs. group L(4.999 ± 0.139)],lung tissue SOD activity[(120.3 ± 6.1),(122.6±3.5) vs.(105.1 ± 8.5)] and blood gas analysis[pH(7.30±0.23),(7.30±0.17) vs.(7.22±0.45) and PaO_2( 101.9 ± 6.8).( 102.5 ± 4.7) vs.(80.3 ± 3.3)] ; but there were no differences of above mentioned biomarkers between group U and D( P > 0.05). And there were no significant differences in PaCO_2 betweeu group U and D and group L[(37.0 ± 3.3),(37.6 ± 3.0) vs.(34.8 ± 2.3)]( P > 0.05). Conclusions The protective effects of ulinastatin on endotoxin-induced acute lung injury is comparable to those of dexamethasone, thus the former may be a clinical substitute for the latter with less side effects.

Humans ; Infant ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; complications ; Male ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications

Objective To investigate the serum cystatin C (CysC) level and explore its relationship with cytokines and atherosclerosis (AS) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.Methods A total of 110 stable MHD patients undergoing hemodialysis for at least six months and 60 healthy control people were enrolled in the study.Serum levels of CysC and high-sensitivity Creactive protein (hsCRP) were measured by immunoturbidimetry.The serum levels of total homocysteine (tHcy),IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α were determined by ELISA.Prevalence of atherosclerosis was detected by carotid ultrasonography.The relationship of CysC level and cardiac geometry incidence in MHD patients was analyzed by Logistic regression model.Results The serum CysC level was significantly higher in MHD patients as compared with healthy controls [(6.19±0.95) mg/L vs (0.76±0.21) mg/L,P＜0.01],and the serum levels of hsCRP,tHcy,IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α were significantly higher in MHD patients than those in healthy control group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The serum CysC level was higher in MHD patients with carotid artery atherosclerosis compared to patients without carotid artery atherosclerosis (P＜0.05).CysC was positively correlated with hsCRP,tHcy,IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α respectively (P＜0.05 or P＜O.01),and was positively correlated with carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT) and AS.Besides,a negative correlation was found between the serum CysC level and the serum albumin level (P＜0.05),while CysC was positively correlated with dialysis duration,systolic pressure and iPTH (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Serum CysC level is significantly higher in MHD patients and is correlated with hsCRP,tHcy,IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α as well as carotid artery atherosclerosis,which indicates that CysC is an independent risk factor of AS in MHD patients.

AIM: To investigate the repair mechanism associated with cholesterol synthesis regulated by silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) in rat model of optic nerve damage.METHODS: Preparation of optic nerve damage in 70 rats was randomly divided into normal group (10 rats), resveratrol treatment group ( experimental group 30 rats) and PBS buffer control group ( 30 rats ) . The experimental group and control group was further divided into 3 subgroups ( each group 10 rats ) , respectively. After 7, 14, 21d injected resveratrol or PBS, optic nerve injury were observed, then the rats were sacrificed. Retina was segregated; the surviving retinal ganglion cell ( RGCs ) was counted. Dissection of optic nerve, cholesterol content of them were tested; RT-PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of SIRT1, SREBP2 and HMGCR; Western blot assay was used to test the protein expression levels of SIRT1, cholesterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP2) and HMGCR.
RESULTS:The numbers of RGCs and cholesterol levels of rat model with optic nerve injury decreased significantly (P<0. 01). The mRNA and protein expression levels of SIRT1, SREBP2 and HMGCR were all decreased in a time-dependent manner (P<0. 05). Three components of the three time points, with time injuries were aggravated, and the extent of damage was significantly reduced in the treatment group compared with the control group. But in resveratrol treatment group, the cholesterol levels and mRNA or protein expression of SIRT1, SREBP2, HMGCR in optic nerve were significantly restored in a time-dependent ( P<0.05 ) . The number of surviving RGCs restored significantly in resveratrol treatment group (P<0. 01) in a time-dependent manner.
CONCLUSION:Up-regulating the expression of SIRT1, SREBP2 and down- regulating HMGCR by resveratrol could repair the injury of optic nerve through promoting the synthesis of cholesterol in neurons and retinal ganglion cells in the repair process. SIRT1 may be as a promising new target for treatment on optic nerve damage.

Objective:To investigate the effects of nitric oxide(NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rat model.Methods:An intra-aortic elastase infusion model was used.Control rats received intra-aortic saline infusion.In the remaining groups,intra-aortic elastase infusion was used to induce aneurysm formation.These rats were treated with intraperitoneal injections of saline postoperatively(experimental group),aminoguanidine postoperatively(medicine group).Serum NO and aortic diameter were measured,Changes of histology,iNOS and MMP-9 were observed in the aortic wall.Results:Experimental group produced AAAs with significant production of iNOS,MMPs and serum NO compared with controls.In medicine group reduced aneurysm size and displayed suppression of MMPs expression,inflammatory infiltrates and serum NO production were detected.Conclusion:Expression of iNOS and MMP-9 are induced and serum NO levels are increased in experimental AAA,iNOS and NO production by iNOS play an important role with detrimental effects during experimental aneurysm development.

Objective To investigate effects of volume,distribution and leakage of bone cement in ver- tebroplasty on the adjacent intervertebral bodies using an experimentally calibrated and anatomically accurate fi- nite-element model of elderly L4-L5 vertebral bodies.Methods Computed tomography(CT)scanning was done,at 1 mm intervals,on L4-L5 vertebral bodies of the lumbar spine of an old man cadaver that had no abnormal findings on rnentgenograms.The L4-L5 motion segment data were obtained from the CT scans to establish in computer a three-dimensional finite element model of L4-L5 functional spinal unit(FSU)with the software Ansys 7.0.Compressive load after virtual vertebroplasty on the damaged model,unipedicular and bipedieolar injections and leakage of cement into the intervertebral space,and the resulting endplate and disc stresses of the adjacent vertebral bodies were analyzed in various spatial distributions of the filling material and different loading conditions. An anatomically accurate finite-element model of elderly L4-L5 vertebral bodies was developed.Results The FSU study suggested that changes in stress and strain at adjacent levels were minimal.Furthermore,endplale and disc stresses of the adjacent vertebral bodies were not influenced by bone cement filling volumes or distributions except under bending,whereas asymmetric distribution and leakage of bone cement to the disk increased the stress of adjacent endplates.Conclusion Since asymmetric distribution and significant leakage of cement into the intervertebral space can increase the stresses of endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies and may lead to a fracture, symmetric placement of cement in operation should be achieved and leakage of cement avoided.