Objective To evaluate the possible molecular pathogenesis of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. The potassium ion channel gene KCNJ4 encodes one of the subfamilies of Kir channels, Kir2.3 subunit, which may play an important role in modulating neuronal excitation. Interference in the function or expression of this gene would cause disturbance of ionic concentrations, thus leading to seizure activity. Methods Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western-blot analysis were used to measure the expression alterations of KCNJ4 mRNA as well as its protein product Kir2.3 channel in temporal cortex samples from patients who had undergone temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy (n=12). Tissue from 10 subjects who did not have epilepsy served as controls. Results The expression of KCNJ4 mRNA (0.438?0.178) and its protein Kir2.3 (M 50=0.063) were significantly decreased in epileptic brain compared with the controls (P

Adrenalectomy ; Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Nephrectomy ; Ureter ; surgery

12E7 Antigen ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Giant Cell Tumors ; pathology ; Giant Cells ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymoma ; pathology ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Myositis Ossificans ; pathology ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Penile Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism

This study was to investigate the permeability and absorbability of capsaicin cubosome across abdominal skin of the SD rats in vitro. Diffusion of capsaicin cubosome and cream was performed with the modified Franz diffusion cell technique. The capsaicin cubosome showed no enhancement of skin permeation within 24 hours. However, the deposition amounts of capsaicin in the rat skin in the cubosome group was markedly higher than those in the commercial cream group (P < 0.01). Cubosome showed excellent characetristic of skin-targed which could be a good carrier for the local transdermal drug delivery system.
Administration, Cutaneous ; Animals ; Capsaicin ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Male ; Particle Size ; Permeability ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skin ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Skin Absorption

75%) in P 21 d in group HO.2.The apoptotic index in group HO was higher than that of group Air on P 3 d(Pa

The purpose of this study is to investigate the preparation of hydroxycamptothecine (HCPT)-loaded cubic crystal liquid embolic precursor solution, and evaluate its in vitro embolic efficiency. Phytantriol was used as cubic crystal liquid embolic material, and the optimal formulation was selected according to ternary phase diagram. Polarized light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to characterize the cubic crystal structure. High performance liquid chromatography and X-ray diffraction analysis were used to investigate the lactone ring of HCPT. In vitro dissolution was preliminary evaluated, and the simulation embolic model was constructed to evaluate the embolic efficiency of precursor solution. Meanwhile, the gelation time and adhesion force were investigated. The results showed that HCPT-loaded precursor solution for embolization had been successfully prepared with low viscosity which was injectable. The precursor solution could transform into Pn3m structure liquid crystal phase gel rapidly when contracting with excess water. The formed HPCT gel remained its lactone form as the same in precursor solution, and expressed the good ability to block the saline flow, and HCPT could keep sustained releasing drug over 30 days. The prepared drug-loaded embolic precursor solution showed a promising potential for vascular embolization and application in clinical treatment of tumor.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; Fatty Alcohols ; chemistry ; Liquid Crystals ; Scattering, Small Angle ; Water ; X-Ray Diffraction

Objective： To investigate the effect of oxLDL and VitE on the expression of CD40 and CD40 ligand(CD40L) in cultured human monoc ytes. Methods： The expression of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes su rface were measured by indirect immunorescence technique in combination with flo w cytometry. Results： Low concentration of oxLDL（≤200 μg/L） significantly increased the expression of CD40 and CD40L in a dose and time dep endent manner. High concentration (>200 μg/L）of oxLDL markedly reduced the exp ression of CD40 and CD40L. When VitE was added, it significantly reduced the ex pression of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes surface induced by oxLDL in a dose-depe ndent manner. Conclusion：It is an important mechanism that the high expression of CD40 and CD40L induced by oxLDL may be contributed to the for mation of atherosclerosis. Antioxidan VitE can partially inhibit the high expres sion of CD40 and CD40L on monocytes surface induced by oxLDL.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the right para-tracheal triangle (RPT) of esophageal carcinoma patients and the technique of dissection.

METHODSOn the top of double mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenectomy, 333 esophageal carcinoma patients received RPT lymphadenectomy through the right pleural apical approach from 1990 to 2001.

RESULTSIn these 333 patients, the lymph node metastasis (LNM) rate in the RPT was 36.40%. A total of 457 nodes among 2 159 nodes removed gave a metastasis degree of 24.96%. The LNM rates in RPT for cervical, upper third, middle third, and lower third segments of esophagus were 66.67%, 45.45%, 34.19% and 15.79% (P < 0.05), while their respective metastasis degrees were 44.44%, 27.04%, 24.32% and 18.92% (P > 0.05). The frequency of positive nodes in the RPT for PTI, PT1, PT2, PT3 and PT4 was 0, 17.24%, 28.7%, 45.16% and 53.57%, while those of metastasis degree were 0, 8.77%, 17.62%, 33% and 41.17% (P < 0.01). The frequency of LNM in the RPT in papillary, erosive, patch-like and covert type of early tumor was 40%, 3.85%, 0 and 0 (P < 0.05), while those of the metastasis degree were 29.41%, 1.82%, 0 and 0 (P < 0.01). Higher rate of LNM in progressive stenotic esophageal carcinoma was observed compared with those of the other gross types (56.52%, P < 0.05), so was the degree (P < 0.01). The frequency of LNM in the RPT for mono-focal and multi-focal tumor was 34.98% and 70% without significant difference (P > 0.05), while the degree was 24.29% and 53.33% (P < 0.05). Postoperative complications were: leak (0.6%), and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (1.2%). No injury of vein or infra-clavicular artery, tracheal damage or mortality occurred.

CONCLUSION1. The lymph node metastasis from esophageal carcinoma has a tendency of wide spread and right para-tracheal triangle is an important region to be doomed. 2. With location, depth of tumor invasion and differentiation of tumor as major factors affecting LNM of esophageal carcinoma, dissection of this region should be paid more emphasis. 3. In early lesions, higher frequency of LNM in the RPT is found in papillary and erosive lesions than in the other macroscopic types. 4. Exposing the RPT, lymph node by dissection through a right pleural apical approach is very important and significant.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardia ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Esophagus ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of astragalus on tubulointerstitial lesions in rats with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and to explore the possible mechanism.

METHODSTwenty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The rat model of IgA nephropathy was induced by intragastric administration of bovine serum albumin and injections of LPS and CC14. Six weeks later, the rats with IgAN were randomly treated with oral astragalus (3 g/kg/d, for 6 weeks) or normal saline. Normal control rats which were not subjected to IgAN were treated with normal saline. The number of urinary erythrocytes and urinary protein and B-D-N-Acetyl glucosaminidase (NAG) contents were determined by Pan-automatic biochemistry analyzing meter. Expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in tubulointerstitial tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. A semiquantitative score was used to evaluate the degree of renal pathologic lesions.

RESULTSThe number of urinary erythrocytes (74.02+/-16.58 / microL vs 383.23+/-4.94 /microL) and urinary protein (13.88+/-4.94 vs 59.82+/-14.73 mg/L) and NAG contents (2.84+/-0.31 vs 5.24+/-0.80 U/L) in the astragalus-treated IgAN rats decreased remarkably compared with those in the IgAN rats without astragalus treatment (P<0.01). Expression of the NF-kappaB and MCP-1 in the renal tissues in the IgAN rats without astragalus treatment was significantly higher than that in the astragalus-treated IgAN rats and normal control rats (P<0.01). There were significant differences in the scores of renal pathologic lesions between the IgAN rats with or without astragalus treatment (6.03+/-0.46 vs 10.57+/-1.23; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAstragalus can decrease the number of urinary erythrocytes and urinary protein and NAG contents, and relieves tubulointerstitial lesions, possibly through the down-regulation of NF-kappaB and MCP-1 expression in rats with IgAN.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Chemokine CCL2 ; analysis ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney Tubules ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factor RelA ; analysis