Cochlear Nerve ; chemistry ; pathology ; Cranial Nerve Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Heart Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neurilemmoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate effects of Shenfu injection on the concentrations of plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), activity of Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and heart tissue ultrastructure during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats and its potential mechanism.

METHODSMyocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) was produced by ligation and release of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Ischemia lasted for 30 min and reperfusion for 60 min. Twenty-four healthy male SD rats weighing 230-280 g were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8, each): Group I (Sham-operation group); Group II (I/R group); Group III (Shenfu group), in which Shenfu injection (10 ml/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 30 min before ischemia in animals with I/R. The plasma concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were measured by ELISA, and the heart was harvested for determination of NF-kappaB levels by Ecl-western blot analysis. Electron microscopy was used to study its ultrastructure.

RESULTSAfter reperfusion, NF-kappaB binding activity in myocardial nuclei and the plasma concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were significantly increased in Group II, compared with Group I (P < 0.01), and they were markedly reduced in Group III, compared with Group II (P < 0.01). In addition, electron microscopic examination showed more serious injury of the myocardium ultrastructure in Group II, while in Group III the myocardial ultrastructure was similar to normal state.

CONCLUSIONSShenfu injection inhibits NF-kappaB activity in I/R myocardium and leads to down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokine expression, which might be one of the molecular mechanisms of Shenfu injection in cardioprotection.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myofibrils ; ultrastructure ; NF-kappa B ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of iNOS gene on cell apoptosis and insulin secretion of pancreas islet in rats by RNA inference (RNAi).

METHODSIslets obtained from thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups, and siRNA oligo was purchased from Genepharma in Shanghai. The cultured islets were transfected with iNOS siRNA, and then were divided into five groups. Islet cultured only was taken as blank control group, and cultured with TNF-alpha + IL-1 beta as cytokine group. Islet transfected with negative or iNOS siRNA were taken as negative transfection control group or RNAi group, while that transfected with iNOS siRNA and cultured with TNF-alpha + IL-1 beta as RNAi + cytokine group. Expression of iNOS mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR and iNOS protein was evaluated by Western blot to detect the effect of RNAi. The expression of apoptosis correlated gene, Bax, Fas were analyzed, and the apoptotic cells were identified by TUNEL method meanwhile. Insulin secretion index assay the function of the islets.

RESULTS500 - 600 IEQ islets could be extracted from every rat. RNAi attenuated the expression of iNOS and restrained the synthesis of iNOS protein.With treatment of cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha, the level of iNOS increased remarkably, the expression of Bax and Fas ascended distinctly, and insulin secretion index decreased strikingly. While, the expression of apoptosis gene and amount of apoptotic cells descended in group of RNAi + cytokine, and insulin secretion index were satisfying.

CONCLUSIONThe apoptosis from cytokines to islets mediated by iNOS could be suppressed by RNAi, which leaded to favorable function and survival of islets.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Islets of Langerhans ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare, distinct subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, possessing an aggressive course and poor prognosis with no standard therapy. Twelve patients who have failed at least two initial CHOP or CHOP-like regimens were enrolled in this study and treated with individualized cyclosporine (CsA), prednisone (PDN), and monthly, high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (HDIVIG). The dose of CsA was adjusted individually based on the blood trough concentration of CsA and renal function. All patients were examined for response, toxicity and survival. The most significant toxicities (≥ grade 2) were infection (16.7%), renal insufficiency (8.3%), hypertension (8.3%), diabetes (8.3%) and insomnia (16.7%). Discontinuation of treatment occurred in one patient (8.3%) due to grade 3 renal toxicity and subsequent grade 4 pulmonary infection. Treatment-related death was not observed. The overall response rate was 75.0% (complete response, 33.3%; partial response, 41.7%). With a median follow-up of 25.5 months, the median duration of response was 20 months (range, 12 to 49 months) and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 25.5 months (range, 10 to 56 months). The 2-year PFS rate was 81.5%. Our findings indicate the combination of CsA, PDN and HDIVIG is an effective salvage regimen for refractory or relapsed AITL with predictable and manageable toxicity.
Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Salvage Therapy ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo detect the disease-causing point mutations in the dystrophin gene of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients.

METHODSThe approach of denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) coupling with sequencing was used to screen the point mutations of 79 exons and the untranslated regions of dystrophin gene without large deletions/duplications, which was in 6 unrelated DMD probands from 6 DMD families.

RESULTSFive disease-causing mutations, 697-698insGT, C616T, G1255T, C4279T, and C2302T, were ides created the new stop codons in downstream sites of mutations, respectively. In addition to the disease-causing point mutations, a point mutation T5586+61A in intron 39 was also found at patient 3, and a missense mutation A694T in exon 8 was detected at patient 5. Four point mutations, C2168+13T, 5740-13dupG, G5234A and C5280T, were also detected at patient 6 whose causative point mutation was unavailable. Seven point mutations have not been reported previously. Bi-directional PCR amplification of specific alleles (Bi-PASA) method was established to distinguish the haplotypes of heterozygote or homozygote in a single PCR reaction.

CONCLUSIONVia automated DHPLC screening or detecting the subexonic mutations in dystrophin gene is feasible to clinical laboratories, and also is a superior method in terms of sensitivity and efficiency.

Base Sequence ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Dystrophin ; genetics ; Gene Duplication ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Deletion

OBJECTIVETo study single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and its role in inducing inflammatory cytokines in the cruor-fibrinolysis system of rat.

METHODSTwenty one Wistar rats were divided into four groups: 1) control; 2) low-dose SWCNT (0.15 mg/kg BW); 3) medium-dose SWCNT (0.75 mg/kg BW); 4) high-dose SWCNT (1.5 mg/kg BW). Intratracheal instillation of SWCNT suspensions was administered to rats once per day for 21 days. In order to assess the exposure effect of SWCNT to the rats, activity of Inflammatory cytokine was measured and markers of cruor-fibrinolysis system were studied via ELSIA. Also, change in clotting time was recorded and histopathology was studied.

RESULTSIL-6 and IL-8 concentrations of rats exposed to SWCNT were significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.05). The activity of inflammatory cytokines and histopathological change indicated that oxidative damage occurred. Change in clotting time in rats exposed to SWCNT decreased compared with controls. Meanwhile, t-PA (tissue-tupe plassminogen activator) and AT-III (antithrombin-III) levels in rats exposed to particulates increased or decreased significantly compared with controls (P<0.05). A similar trend was observed for D-dimer (D2D) levels, indicating that SWCNT can impact the cruor-fibrinolysis system of rat.

CONCLUSIONThe results from our study suggest that an increased procoagulant activity and reduced fibrinolytic activity in rats exposed to SWCNT can cause pulmonary oxidative stress and inflammation, due to the release of pro-thrombotic and inflammatory cytokines into the blood circulation of rat.

Animals ; Blood Coagulation ; Body Weight ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Fibrinolysis ; Inflammation ; etiology ; metabolism ; Nanotubes, Carbon ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

The publisher and authors would like to draw the reader's attention to an error in the following article. The Usefulness of Fast-Spin-Echo T2-Weighted MR Imaging in Nutcracker Syndrome: a Case Report. Korean J Radiol 2010;11:373-377. On page 373, the first author's name has been incorrectly spelled as Heong-Leng Wong. The correct spelling is Heong-Ieng Wong.

Nutcracker syndrome occurs when the left renal vein (LRV) is compressed between the superior mesenteric artery and the aorta, and this syndrome is often characterized by venous hypertension and related pathologies. However, invasive studies such as phlebography and measuring the reno-caval pressure gradient should be performed to identify venous hypertension. Here we present a case of Nutcracker syndrome where the LRV and intra-renal varicosities appeared homogeneously hyperintense on magnetic resonance (MR) fast-spin-echo T2-weighted imaging, which suggested markedly stagnant intravenous blood flow and the presence of venous hypertension. The patient was diagnosed and treated without obtaining the reno-caval pressure gradient. The discomfort of the patient lessened after treatment. Furthermore, on follow-up evaluation, the LRV displayed a signal void, and this was suggestive of a restoration of the normal LRV flow and a decrease in LRV pressure.
Abdominal Pain/etiology ; Adult ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Renal Veins/*pathology/surgery ; Stents ; Syndrome ; Vascular Diseases/complications/*pathology/surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of enteral nutrition(EN) on liver function and inflammatory response after abdominal operation in patients with liver dysfunction.

METHODSA prospective multicenter study was conducted. Patients requiring EN for at least 5 days after abdominal surgery with at least 1 abnormal liver function index were included. After operations, EN suspensions(TPF-FOS) were administered for 5 days after the return of bowel function with targeted content of 125.52 kJ(30 kcal)·kg(-1)·d(-1) maintained for a minimum of 3 days. Levels of serum pre-albumin, C-reaction protein(CRP), and liver function index were measured and the incidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS) was recorded before operation and 6 days after EN. Occurrence of gastrointestinal discomfort was monitored during the treatment.

RESULTSNo statistically significant difference was found in pre-albumin between preoperative level and post-EN level[(175.94±71.79) mg/L vs.(192.22±91.26) mg/L, P=0.162]. Patients with abnormal level of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were less after EN compared to the preoperative period(30 vs. 40, P=0.041), as was total bilirubin (3 vs. 9, P=0.034). No significant differences in other indices of liver function were found. Total bilirubin and direct bilirubin decreased after EN support(P=0.000 and P=0.015, respectively). CRP was notably reduced after EN support [(48.74±65.16) mg/L vs.(25.79±23.63) mg/L, P=0.009] and the incidence of SIRS largely declined after EN support(19.0% vs. 10.3%, P=0.059). The incidence of gastrointestinal discomfort was 22.4% on postoperative day 1 and declined to 19.0% on postoperative day 5.

CONCLUSIONFor patients with liver dysfunction, enteral nutrition support with TPF-FOS after abdominal operation can reduce inflammatory response, improve liver function, and maintain serum protein level.

Abdomen ; surgery ; Adult ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; therapy ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; complications ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies

Recent randomized controlled clinical trials in Africa have demonstrated that adult male circumcision (MC) efficiently decreases the rate of HIV, HPV and HSV-2 infections. Many studies have clearly shown that MC is a simple, safe, and cost-effective method for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and urinary tract infection, and for improving genital hygiene. While a 30% MC prevalence exists worldwide, only 5% or less of the Chinese males have undergone circumcision. In this review, we report recent trends in international MC and HIV prevention efforts, as well as the potential benefits and importance of promoting MC in China. We appeal to medical and public health authorities to pay close attention to the international experience in MC and HIV prevention.
Circumcision, Male ; HIV Infections ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Male ; Reproductive Medicine ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; prevention & control