Melatonin is a bioactive substance primarily secreted by the pineal gland.Increasing evidences indicate that melatonin is effective in reducing breast cancer development.Melatonin exerts its anticarcinogenic actions through a variety of mechanisms.Melatonin suppresses estrogen receptor gene,modulates several estrogen dependent signal transductions,inhibits cell proliferation and impairs the metastatic capacity and so on.It has been suggested that enhanced endogenous melatonin secretion or melatonin treatment is beneficial for breast cancer patients.This review describes the mechanisms of melatonin on breast cancer and its possible application.

Objective To investigate the effect of ulinastatin on postoperative cardiac troponin I ( cTnI) in patients underwent carotid endarterectomy ( CEA) under general anesthesia. Methods Forty patients with severe symptomatic carotid artery stenosis underwent unilateral CEA under general anesthesia from January 2011 to March 2012 were divided into either a ulinastatin group or a control group according to a random number table ( n=20 in each group) . Patients in the ulinastatin group received 500 000 U of ulinastatin via veins before induction of anesthesia. The patients in the control group were given the same amount of isotonic saline. The serum concentrations of cardiac troponin I ( cTnI ) were detected before surgery and at day 1,2,and 3 after procedure. Myocardial injury was defined as the cTnI peak concentration>0. 04μg/L . Results The levels of serum cTnI before procedure and at day 1,2,and 3 after procedure in the ulinastatin group were median (M) 0. 00 (0. 00-0. 03) μg/L,0. 07 (0. 00-1. 45) μg/L,0. 01 (0. 00-1. 21)μg/L,and 0. 05 (0. 00-0. 89)μg/L,respectively;those in the control group were 0. 00 (0. 00-0. 01)μg/L,0. 00 (0. 00-1. 42)μg/L,0. 00 (0. 00-1. 39)μg/L,and 0. 00 (0. 00-1. 24)μg/L, respectively. At day 1 after procedure,6 patients ( 30%) in the control group and 11 ( 55%) in the ulinastatin group occurred myocardial injury. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P<0. 05). In all the patients with the increased cTnI levels,the peak cTnI occurred at the first day after procedure,however,they did not reach the level ( >1. 5μg/L) of indicating patients occurring myocardial infarction. Conclusion Ulinastatin may not decrease the postoperative serum cTnI levels in CEA patients under general anesthesia. For whether to the CEA patients have myocardial protective effect,more samples are needed to be confirmed.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Humans ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; poisoning ; Male ; Poisoning ; pathology

Background Meibomain gland is a specially differentiated sebaceous gland lying in the tarsus of upper and lower eyelid.The morphological changes of the gland is associated with a variety of ocular surface diseases.Studying the relationship of morphological and functional change of meibomain gland with ocular surface is of great significance.Objective This study was to observe the change of morphology,structure and function of meibomain gland over aging and investigate the assocation of meibomain gland abnormality with ocular surface.Methods A prospectively cases-observational study was performed.Ninety-three eyes of 93 patients with age-related cataract aged 45 and older were enrolled in Shanxi Eye Hospital from March to September 2016 under the informed consent.The patients were divided into 45 to 59-year group and ≥60-year group according to age or meibomian gland loss ≥ 1/3 group and meibomian gland loss ＜ 1/3 group.The ocular anterior segment,lid margin,meibomian gland orifices and lipids traits were examined by slit-lamp microscope.The ocular surface symptoms were assessed and scored by Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scale.The break-up time of tear film (BUT),tear meniscus height,meibomian gland dropout degree,conjunctival hyperemia and corneal fluorescence staining scores were measured using ocular surface analyzer.Results No dry eye symptom was complained in all the subjects,and their OSDI scores were ＜12.No abnormal changes at the lid margin and the muco-cutaneous junction were observed.No abnormality of the meibomian gland orifices,the lipids traits and drainage was observed under the slit-lamp microscope.BUT was shortened in 42 eyes (45.16％);tear meniscus height was lowed in 52 eyes (55.91％);meibomian gland loss range was ≥1/3 in 58 eyes (62.27％).The meibomian gland loss scores were 1.65±0.79 in the 45 to 59-year group and 1.86±0.72 in the ≥60-year group,showing an insignificant difference between them (t =1.301,P =0.197).But when coming to the correlation analysis,a positive correlation was found between meibomian gland loss scores and age (rs =0.323,P=0.002),and no correlations were seen between age and BUT or tear meniscus height (rs =0.154,P =0.141;rs=-0.024,P =0.821).In addition,meibomian gland loss scores showed a negative correlation with mean BUT (rs =-0.251,P =0.015).The eye number of BUT abnormality in the meibomian gland loss ≥ 1/3 group was more than that in meibomian gland loss ＜1/3 group (P =0.018).Conclusions Meibomian gland loss is more serious over aging in middle aged and elderly population,and serious meibomian gland loss increases the risk of tear film instability.The early meibomain gland dysfunction-like signs occur prior to symptoms,which should raise concern in clinical work.

Objective To detect genetic causes of seizures and developmental retardation in 60 patients with abnormal head magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) ,and to analyze the clinical manifestations and head MRI manifestations in carriers of arylsulfatase A (ARSA) gene mutation.Methods The blood samples of children and genomic DNA were collected.Sixty cases of children with suspected metachromatic leukodystrophy were tested (MLD) by using the second generation sequencing technology.The genotype and phenotype and head MRI findings were analyzed.Results Of the 60 cases of children, 15 cases with gene mutations.There were 7 kinds of ARSA gene mutations, and 3 of them, c.1178C ＞ G, c.1055A ＞ G and c.883 G ＞ A were pathogenic.The others were single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP), which had no relationship with this disease.One of the patients carried only SNP, and 14 of them were carrying pathogenic mutation, c.1055A ＞ G (53.33％) ,c.1178C ＞ G (40.00％) were more common,and c.1055A ＞ G mutation was in 8 cases, of which 5 cases were late-onset type.One case of the 3 patients who were late infantile type was carrying c.1178C ＞ G mutation at the same time.All the eight cases had retardation.One case had hydrocephalus, and 5 cases had epilepsy.All of the 6 patients with c.1178C ＞ G were late-infantile type, and had retardation, including 4 cases of epilepsy, c.883G ＞ A mutation in 1 case,was late-infantile type,and the first symptom was binaural deafness and mental retardation.Three different types of mutations showed no significant difference in brain MRI.Conclusions There are 14 patients who were diagnosed as MLD.c.1178C ＞ G and c.883G ＞ A were late infantile type,and c.1055A ＞G was mostly late-onset type.The changes in head MRI caused by different types of ARSA gene mutations were of no significant differences in performance.

Objective To establish the model of P2 peptide-induced experimental autoimmune neuritis(EAN)in rats and explore the roles of Th_1/Th_2 type eytokines in EAN.Methods Lewis rats were grouped into EAN rats and control rats.The EAN rats were immunized by injection into both hind footpads of inoculums containing 100 ?g or 200 ?g of P2_(57-81)peptide and FCA while the control rats were immunized with FCA only.Clinical scores were compared at the maximum of disease.Supernatant productions of IFN- ?, IL-4 and IL-10 secreted by lymphocytes and obtained on day 14 after the immunization were examined. Histopathological assessment of sciatic nerves was made.Results Peak clinical scores of P2_(57-81)200 ?g (3.6?0.3)group were significantly higher than P2_(57-81)100 ?g group(2.2?0.6,P

Child ; Female ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Pylorus ; abnormalities

Objective To study the genomic molecular organization and genogroup of human metapneumovirus(hMPV) infected infants in Guangzhou of China. Methods Primers were designed on the basis of the genomic sequence of hMPV 00-1 strain(AF371337) in the GenBank, and amplify hMPV genomeby RT-PCR. The PCR-products were cloned to T vector and sequenced, the genomic nucleotide sequences were analyzed with the programs Clustal W/X, DNASTAR and MEGA4. 1. Results The cloned strainhMPVgz01 genome is 13 327 bp in length, the genome contains eight open reading frames in the order 3-N-P-M-F-M2-SH-G-L-5. The genomic sequences of hMPVgz01 strain are compared with those of hMPV in GenBank, revealed that the homology with hMPV group A ranges between 92%-97%, homology with group B is 81%, and with avian metapneumovirus group C is 71%, the highest homology is with BJ1887 strain of genogroup A2b. The N, F, G genes of hMPVgz01 strain are compared with those corresponding genes of hMPV subgroups A1, A2, B1, B2, revealed that the highest homology is also with genogroup A2b. Conclusion The complete nucleotide sequence of hMPVgz01 strain isolated from Guangzhou in China is 13 327 bp in length, GenBank accession No. is GQ153651. Comparison of the genomic sequence and three genes of hMPVgz01 strain with those corresponding sequences of hMPV show the highest homology is with genogroup A2b. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the hMPVgz01 strain revegled that this isolate belongs to genogroupA2b.

Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; diagnosis

Adolescent ; Brain ; pathology ; Child ; Encephalitis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Mycoplasma Infections ; pathology ; Mycoplasma pneumoniae ; pathogenicity ; Retrospective Studies