OBJECTIVETo explore biomechanical properties and stress-strain of mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery.

METHODSAfter the model of mucosa scars was made, the mucosa scars and normal mucosa were excised and examined immediately by tensionometry.

RESULTSThe mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery were compared with normal mucosa. The Poisson's ratio of mucosa scars and normal mucosa was 0.5 and 0.49, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two groups. The ultimate Young's modulus of mucosa scars was about 24.22 MPa, however, it declined to 3.32 Mpa in normal mucosa.

CONCLUSIONSThe mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery are biomechanically weaker than normal mucosa. It can be used for further research, such as maxillary orthognathic surgery, distraction osteogenesis, and orthodontic treatment.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cicatrix ; physiopathology ; Cleft Palate ; surgery ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Osteotomy, Le Fort

Growth patterns of trichome and contaminative bacteria in Spirulina sp. liquid culture were observed, and it was found that the number of neutral and alkalophilic bacteria was always 105～106 times of that of Spirulina sp. trichome. It would be very difficult to get real pure Spirulina sp. strain by classical methods of dilution plate, capillary and single trichome selecting methods. A great deal of contaminative bacteria was washed out by two pretreatment processes. Low speed centrifugation was designed to wash the strains which usually deposit at bottom, and filtration method was designed to treat the strains usually floating at surface. Sandwich plate and dilution plate were designed for the purification of the mobile strains and non-mobile strains, respectively. A lot of strains were purified by the above processes and pure single trichome formed pure colonies on plates.

AIMTo clone and analyse the coding cDNA sequence of alpha1, beta2 and gamma2 subunit of GABAA receptor in American king Pigeon.

METHODSWithdrew total RNA from the American king pigeon brain, reverse transcribing general primers to acquire a gene set cDNA. Designing specific primers of three subunit mRNA of the GABAA receptor, by RT-PCR respectively expanded the conservative gene of al subunit, beta2 subunit and gamma2 subunit of GABAA receptor, and carried on clone, plastid identification and the sequence measurese of three genes.

RESULTSThe experiment on sequence measures has succeeded that sequence analysis indicated that lengths of the conservative gene of alpha1 subunit, beta2 subunit and gamma2 subunit of GABAA receptor was respectively 899 bp, 597 bp and 563 bp, homology on reference sequence was respectively 94.99%, 94.64% and 96.28%.

CONCLUSIONHomology is high on the conservative gene of alpha1 subunit, beta2 subunit and gamma2 subunit of GABAA receptor of brain tissue of pigeon and chicken but there is a discriminating characteristic in different kinds of animals.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cloning, Molecular ; Columbidae ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, GABA-A ; classification ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the erectile and ejaculatory function of sacral tumor patients after sacral nerve root resection and investigate the relationship of erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction (EED) with the level of sacral nerve injury.

METHODSThis retrospective study included 47 male patients aged 16 to 63 (32.6 +/- 6.8) years treated by sacral tumor resection between January 2008 and August 2013. According to the levels of the sacral nerve roots spared in surgery, the patients were divided into four groups: bilateral S1-S3 (n=16), unilateral S1-S3 (n=21), unilateral S1-S2 (n=6), and unilateral S1 (n=4). The patients were followed up for 12 to 41 (27.2 +/- 10.9) months by questionnaire investigation, clinic review, and telephone calls about their erectile and ejaculatory function at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and in August 2013.

RESULTSIn the bilateral S1-S3 group, the incidence rates of EED were 31.25% (5/16), 25% (4/16), and 12.5% (2/16) at 3, 6, and 12 months respectively after surgery, with recovery of erectile and ejaculatory function in August 2013. The incidence rates of EED in the unilateral S1-S3 group were 85.71% (18/21), 71.43% (15/21), 52.38% (11/21), and 42.86% (9/21) at 3, 6 and 12 months and in August 2013, respectively; those in the unilateral S1-S2 group were 100% (6/6), 83.33% (5/6), 83.33% (5/6), and 66.67% (4/6) at the four time points; and those in the unilateral S1 group were all 100% (4/4). No statistically significant differences were found in the incidence rate of EED among the patients of different ages or tumor types (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of postoperative EED in male patients treated by sacral tumor resection is closely related to the mode of operation. Sparing the S3 nerve root at least unilaterally in sacral tumor resection is essential for protecting the erectile and ejaculatory function of the patient.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ejaculation ; physiology ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organ Sparing Treatments ; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Sacrum ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; injuries ; surgery ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

0.05). Dysphasia resolved significantly after stent placement in both groups.The improvement of dysphasia was more significant in Group A than in Group B after 2 months of stent placement(1.37?0.56 in group A, 1.82?0.50 in group B,P=0.004).The median survival period was longer in Group A than in Group B (7 months vs 4 months).The mean survival period was also longer in Group A than in Group B (8.3 months vs 3.5 months).There was a statistically significant difference in the survival period between the two groups(P

Objective To compare the effect of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and right ventricular apex (RVA) pacing on ventricular systolic synchrony using gated blood pool SPECT (GBPS).Methods A total of 50 patients implanted with pacemaker due to high degree or complete atria-ventricular block were enrolled in the study. Twenty-three patients were RVOT paced ( Group A, n = 23) and 27 were RVA paced (Group B, n=27). Twenty-four patients with malignancy, normal echocardiographic findings and no history of cardiac diseases were scheduled for pre-chemotherapy evaluation of cardiac structure and function and were enrolled as control group ( Group C, n = 24). All patients underwent GBPS imaging and the values of phase angle (PS), mean phase of each wall, standard deviation (SD) of mean phase of each wall, lateral-septal motion delay of left ventricle ( LV Sep-Lat Delay), septal-right ventricular (RV) delay of LV ( LV Sep-RV Delay) and LV-RV Delay were acquired. The parameters of ventricular systolic synchrony among the three groups were compared using one-way ANOVA. Results The mean phase of LV lateral wall in Groups A and B were significantly higher than that in Group C: Group A (120.50 ±40.58) ms; Group B (103.23±28.34) ms; Group C (84.63 ±22.38) ms (F=7.72, P ＜0.05). There was no significant difference between Groups A and B ( t = 1.30, P ＞ 0.05 ). The mean phase of RV in Group A was significantly larger than those in Groups B and C: Group A ( 137.05 ± 39.27) ms, Group B ( 100.85 ± 23.79) ms,Group C (59. 13 ±30.52) ms (F=35.55, P＜0.05). PS, SD and LV Sep-Lat Delay in Groups A and B were significantly higher than those in Group C: (85.73 ± 12.00)°vs (89.85 ± 15.61 )°vs (58.95 ±9.87)°, (27.68±10.66) ms vs (26.15 ±13.02) ms vs (15.63 ±8.35) ms, (25.06±34.23) ms vs (2. 62 ± 60. 31 ) ms vs ( - 23.66 ± 31.39) ms, F = 41.54,8.55,6.81, all P ＜ 0.01 ), however, there was no significant difference between Groups A and B ( t = 0. 68, 0.68, 1.30, all P ＞ 0.05 ). LV Sep-RV Delay and LV-RV Delay were significantly different among the three groups ( LV Sep-RV Delay: Group A (57.60 ±56.77) ms, Group B (6.36 ±61.88) ms, Group C ( -41.89 ±35.78) ms; LV-RV Delay:Group A (47.36 ±42.59) ms, Group B ( 3.08 ± 38.81 ) ms Group C ( - 26.50 ± 20.99 ) ms, F = 20. 32,25.38, both P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion Both RVA and RVOT pacing increase the segmental phases detected by GBPS, causing inter- and intra- ventricular asynchrony compared with patients without pacemakers.

OBJECTIVETo assay ligustilide content in the herb of Szechwan Lovage Rhizome (Chuanxiong, CX), which is the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong in order to assess the quality.

METHODLigustilide was quantitatively analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography in 21 CX samples. An Alltima C18 column (4.6 mmx 150 mm, 5 microm) was used as the analytical column. The mobile phase consisted of water and acetonitrile (40:60). The flow rate was maintained at 1.0 mL x min(-1) with the column temperature at ambient conditions. The detection wavelength was set at 350 nm.

RESULTThe average content of Z-ligustilide in 21 CX samples was found to be 7.40 +/- 3.54 mg x g(-1)(x +/- s, n = 21). Therefore,the content of Z-ligustilide in CX should not be less than 0.66% (calculated on the dried basis).

CONCLUSIONThe overall analytical procedure is rapid and accuracy which is considered suitable for the quantitative analysis of ligustilide in CX. The amount of ligustilide in CX samples collected from different cultivation areas was obviously different. However, a relatively higher content of ligustilide was generally found in the CX collected from its main cultivated areas.

4-Butyrolactone ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Ecosystem ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Reproducibility of Results ; Rhizome ; chemistry

To explore the functions of human ribonuclease 9 (RNase 9), we constructed a mammalian fusion expression vector pcDNA-hRNase9, prepared recombinant human RNase 9-His fusion protein from HEK293T cells and determined its N-terminal amino acid sequences. According to the determined mature protein, recombinant human RNase 9 was prepared in E. coli. Ribonucleolytic activity and antibacterial activity of recombinant human RNase 9 were detected, and the distribution of human RNase 9 on tissues and ejaculated spermatozoa and in vitro capacitated spermatozoa were analyzed via indirect immunofluorescence assay. The results showed that recombinant human RNase 9 did not exhibit detectable ribonucleolytic activity against yeast tRNA, but exhibited antibacterial activity, in a concentration/time dependent manner, against E. coli. Immunofluorescent analyses showed that the predicted human RNase 9 was present throughout the epididymis, but not present in other tissues examined, and human RNase 9 was also present on the entire head and neck regions of human ejaculated spermatozoa and in vitro capacitated spermatozoa. These results suggest that human RNase 9 may play roles in host defense of male reproductive tract.
Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Anti-Infective Agents ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Epididymis ; enzymology ; Escherichia coli ; enzymology ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Ribonuclease, Pancreatic ; metabolism ; Ribonucleases ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Seminal Plasma Proteins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Testis ; enzymology ; Young Adult

AIMTo investigate the effects of exercise on JNK phosphorylation, protein and gene expression.

METHODSMale rats were randomly divided into control and trained groups. The trained rats were submitted to 1 h or 1.5 h of exercise daily and had a fragment of their excised gastrocenemius muscle, 24 h or 48 h after the last training session. The train lasted for 7 weeks. The changes in the expressions of JNK and p-JNK were determined by Western blotting. The expression of JNK mRNA was determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSGlucose tolerance test found that blood insulin concentration was decreased with exercise training. Exercise led to a marked increase in p-JNK of trained groups 24 hours after exercise in rats that exercised for 1 hour per day and 24 and 48 hours after the exercise in those that exercised for 1.5 hours per day as compared with controls, and the protein expression of JNK significantly increased 24 and 48 hours after the exercise in rats that exercised for 1.5 hours per day. JNK mRNA was increased by exercise 1.5 h/d, 24 h after the last training session.

CONCLUSIONExercise could increase muscle responsiveness to insulin, improving the total JNK and p-JNK and mRNA expression.

Animals ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Insulin ; physiology ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley