Objective To investigate the effect of carboxyl methyl chitosan on hypertrophic scars by establishing a hypertrophic scar model on the ventral side of rabbit ears.Methods Full-thick-ness excisional wounds,1 cm in diameter,were made in the ears of 12 adult New Zealand white rabbits,and 123 hypertrophic sears were made in all.Then the rabbits were divided into 3 groups:group A was an experimental group (carboxyl methyl chitosan,500μg/ml),group B was a control group 1 (triamcinolone),and group C was control group 2 (physiological saline).All the scars were injected with drugs on the 30th and 40th days after operation,and then the samples were collected on the 35th and 45th day and analyzed.Results Compared with group C,group A appeared to be flatter,softer,and lighter in color;the area density of fibroblast decreased using HE stain and masson stain (P<0.05),and hydroxyproline content and hypertrophic index were also lower than group C (P<0.05).There were no significant differences of those criteria between group A and group B (P>0.05).Conclusion Injection of carboxyl methyl chitosan into Iocal hypertrophic scars On rabbit ears has similar effects to triamcinolone,and both of them can prevent and cure hypertrophic scars in proliferative stage.

Objective To investigate the expressions of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) protein and mRNA in the lung of rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: sham operation (SO), intrahepatic portal hypertension (IHPH), prehepatic portal hypertension (PHPH) and portasymstimic shunt (PCS). Two weeks after preparation of rat models, the following measurements were performed: arterial blood gas analysis; the concentrations of NO in lungs; in situ hybridization of ecNOS and iNOS mRNA expressions in lung tissue sections with digoxin-labeled ecNOS and iNOS oligonucleotide probes; expressions of ecNOS and iNOS proteins by immunohistochemisty; image and semiquantitative analysis of the expressions of ecNOS, iNOS and their mRNA. Results PaO_ 2 was (73.85?6.51) mmHg in IHPH rats, significantly lower than that in PHPH, PCS and SO rats97.39? 1.33, 95.23?2.22 and (99.05?0.75)mmHg, respectively.The level of lung NO of IHPH was(19.78?5.33)?mol per gram of protein,much higher than that of PHPH, PCS and SO 13.21?3.99,13.89?3.16 and (8.71?1.68)?mol per gram of protein,respectively. In capillary endothelia, positive expressions of ecNOS mRNA and ecNOS protein in IHPH(4.96?0.82,4.11?0.28) were significantly higher than those of PHPH (1.81? 0.39, 1.63?0.18), PCS (1.88?0.53,1.83?0.16)and SO(1.19?0.32,0.98?0.20). Conclusion The expressions of NOS protein and mRNA in the lung of rats with hepatopulmonary syndrome were increased, and the level of lung NO was elevated, which seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Objective To detect CD_(36) expressions in polycystic ovary (PCO), and to explore its correlation with local androgen and insulin at transcription level. Methods From August 2002 to February 2003, 12 patients with asymmetric PCO, 15 primary or secondary infertile patients without endocrine disorders and 8 polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with bilateral PCO were recruited. Extraction of follicular fluid and detection of testosterone(T), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), insulin (INS) and androstenedione (A_2) were performed. Relative CD_(36) mRNA expression level of human ovarian inner thecal cells was analyzed by auto image analysis system (IAS) after RT-PCR. Results The level of CD_(36) mRNA expression in thecal cells was 0.24?0.07 in polycystic ovary of PCO group and 0.21?0.05 in bilateral ovaries of PCOS group, respectively, which were significantly lower than 0.83?0.13 in normal ovaries (P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the surgical options and clinical effects of delayed osteoporotic vertebral collapse.

METHODSFrom May 2010 to October 2014, 19 patients (20 vertebrae) with delayed osteoporotic vertebral collapse(Kümmell's disease) were enrolled in this study. There were 7 males and 12 females, aged from 65 to 87 years old with a mean of (73.5±5.62) years. According to Li staging system of Kümmell's disease, 3 cases were stage II, 13 cases (14 vertebrae) were stage III without spinal cord injury, 3 cases were stage III with spinal cord injury. Patients were respectively treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) or percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP) on the basis of the degree of postural reduction during operation. Injected cement volume, cement leakage, vertebral height restoration and local kyphotic reduction were observed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index(ODI) were respectively used to assess the pain and function before and after operation. Frankel grade were used to evaluate neurological status.

RESULTSSeven vertebrae with satisfactory postural reduction were treated with PVP, 13 vertebrae with unsatisfactory postural reduction were treated with PKP, 3 patients with spinal cord injury were treated with decompression and posterior short segment fixation at the same time. All patients were followed up from 10 to 48 months with an average of 21.2 months. Cement leakage occurred in 4 cases with no symptom, 1 cases in PVP group and 3 cases in PKP group, there was no significant difference between two groups(=0.561). The priming volume of cement was (6.40±0.94) ml in PVP group and (5.46±1.09) ml in PKP group (>0.05). Three days after operation vs preoperation, the vertebral height restoration and kyphotic improvement was(31.71±11.35)%, (9.79±4.64)° in PVP group and (24.77±8.51)%, (8.15±2.97)° in PKP. There was no significant difference between two groups(>0.05). Three days after operation, VAS of low back pain and ODI in all patients were improved than preoperative data(<0.05), but there was no significant difference between two groups or between postoperative at 3 d and final follow up(>0.05). Nerve function of 3 patients underwent decompression and fixation from Frankel D to E.

CONCLUSIONSAccording to Li staging system and the degree of introperative postural reduction, individualized surgical treatment for Kümmell's disease can obtain good clinical results. Bad postural reduction during operation maybe a risk factor of cement leakage.

Human diphyllobothriasis is a parasitic disease caused by ingestion of larvae (plerocercoids) in raw or undercooked fish and commonly found in temperate areas. Rare cases were reported in tropical or subtropical areas especially in children. The first documented case of pediatric diphyllobothriasis in Taiwan had been reported 11 years ago. Here, we report another 8-year-old girl case who presented with a live noodle-like worm hanging down from her anus, with no other detectable symptoms. We pulled the worm out and found the strobila being 260 cm in length. Examination of gravid proglottids showed that they were wider than their lengths, containing an ovoid cirrus sac in the anterior side and the rosette-shaped uterus. Eggs extracted from the uterus were ovoid and operculated. Diphyllobothrium latum was confirmed by molecular analysis of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The girl was treated with a single oral dose of praziquantel, and no eggs or proglottids were observed from her stool in the subsequent 3 months. The reemergence of human diphyllobothriasis in non-endemic countries is probably due to prevalent habit of eating imported raw fish from endemic areas. This pediatric case raised our concern that human diphyllobothriasis is likely underestimated because of unremarkable symptoms.
Anal Canal ; Child ; Diphyllobothriasis ; Diphyllobothrium* ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Eating ; Eggs ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; Female ; Humans ; Larva ; Ovum ; Parasitic Diseases ; Praziquantel ; Taiwan* ; Uterus

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the micronuclei frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes of workers.

METHODSTwo hundred thirty six plywood workers were divided into 3 exposure groups (low, middle and high) according to internal exposure biomarker (formaldehyde human serum albumin conjugate, FA-HSA), which was detected by ELISA. The concentrations of formaldehyde (FA) in air of two workshops were measure using the high performance liquid chromatography. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test was used to detect the micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in 236 workers.

RESULTSThe average concentrations of FA in the low and high exposure workshops were 0.58 +/- 0.20 and 1.48 +/- 0.61 mg/m3, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The average concentrations of serum FA-HAS of workers in two workshops were 69.22 +/- 15.37 and 136.29 +/- 89.49 pg/ml, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The results of CBMN test showed that the micronucleus frequencies in low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.94 +/- 1.72, 2.10 +/- 1.92 and 2.10 +/- 1.70 per thousand, respectively, there were no significant differences between groups. However, the micronucleus frequencies in accumulative low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.36 +/- 1.36, 2.31 +/- 1.81 and 2.49 +/- 1.92 per thousand, respectively, there were significant differences between different accumulative exposure groups (P < 0.01). The results of correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between accumulative exposure levels and micronucleus frequencies (r(s) = 0.321, P < 0.01). The accumulative exposure doses may be a risk factor for high micronucleus frequencies in workers exposed to FA (P(trend) = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONFA-HSA levels can serve as an internal exposure biomarker for assessing the exposure level of workers exposed to FA. Accumulative formaldehyde exposure resulted in an increase of micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in plywood workers.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Formaldehyde ; adverse effects ; blood ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Micronucleus Tests ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Respiratory Hypersensitivity ; blood

【Objective】 To investigate whether the dedifferented human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells（hMSC）modified by IDO gene can get improved ability to survive oxidative stress as well as to induce regulatory T（Treg） lymphocytes.【Methods】The dedifferentiated hMSC（De- hMSC）were obtained by a transient adipogenic induction and subsequent recovery culture in normal medium. The IDO gene modified De-hMSC （IDO/De-hMSC）were prepared by retroviral infection using recombinant retrovirus harboring IDO gene. The De- hMSC infected by retrovirus containing ZsGreen1 gene，the non- infected De- hMSC and hMSC were set as controls. Exogenous expression of IDO protein was confirmed by Western blot. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect the immunophenotype of IDO/De- hMSC ， and their osteogenic/adipogenic differentiation abilities were also assessed. Cell survival rates under the oxidative stress of 300 μmol/L t- BHP were determined by Annexin V- FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC） were isolated and treated with conditioned medium containing the culture supernatant of hMSC，De-hMSC，Mock/De-hMSC and IDO/De-hMSC，respectively. Changes in the proportion of CD4+ CD25+ CD127low Treg cells in PBMC were determined by triple fluorescent labeling flow cytometry.【Results】The De-hMSC modified by IDO gene still have the immunophenotype as well as the osteogenic/adipogenic differentiation abilities that are typical of mesenchymal stem cells. When challenged by 300 μmol/L t-BHP，the number of viable cells in De-hMSC significantly elevated compared with hMSC（P<0.05），and the survival advantage of De-hMSC was not obviously affected by IDO gene modification（P>0.05）. Conditioned medium containing the supernatant from IDO/De- hMSC dramatically up- regulated the percentage of CD4+CD25+CD127low Treg cells in PBMC in contrast to the control groups（P<0.05）.【Conclusions】IDO/ De- hMSC have the same immunophenotype and differentiation capacity as the native hMSC ，and can simultaneously enhance the ability of hMSC to survive against oxidative stress and to induce Treg cells ，which may be a potential modification strategy of mesenchymal stem cells for immunosuppressive therapy.

ObjectiveTo investigate an outbreak of norovirus diarrhea in a welfare home for the elderly in Shanghai， and to analyze the epidemiology and virus genotype characteristics of the epidemic， thus providing a scientific basis for the prevention and control of norovirus epidemic. MethodsCase definition was clarified. After case definition， a standardized questionnaire was used to carry out case investigation to make comprehensive analysis in combination with field epidemiological investigation and laboratory tests results. ResultsThe epidemic lasted for 14 days， and 23 cases were reported with an incidence rate of 12.37% （23/186）， including 3 males and 20 females. There were more cases on the 1st， 4th and 6th floor of the main building in the welfare home， accounting for 52.17% （12/23） of total cases. 19 cases were reported in the main building， with an incidence rate of 11.59% （19/164）； 4 cases were reported in the auxiliary building， with an incidence rate of 18.18% （4/22）. There was no significant difference in the morbidity between the main building and the auxiliary building （χ²=0.779，P>0.05）. The main clinical manifestations were vomiting and diarrhea. There was a significant difference in the incidence of vomiting symptoms among the elderly， nursing staff and other staff in the welfare home （χ²=10.216， P<0.05）. But there was no significant difference in the incidence of diarrhea among the elderly， nursing staff and other staff （χ²=1.218， P>0.05）. Fecal samples were collected from 23 cases， 1 case family member， 68 risk personnel and 14 environmental surface swab samples. Norovirus GⅡ was detected in stool samples of 19 cases， 1 family member and 36 risk personnel. ConclusionOutbreak of norovirus infection is reported in a welfare home in Shanghai. The close contact between the elderly and health workers might lead to the outbreak.

Animals ; Cdc20 Proteins/metabolism* ; Cell Line ; Embryo, Mammalian/embryology* ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Infertility, Female/metabolism* ; Mice ; Mutation ; Oocytes/metabolism*