Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Low Back Pain ; etiology ; Male ; Spinal Puncture ; adverse effects

Objective To explore the value of 64-slice spiral CT angiography in diagnosis of pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas(PAVF).Methods 12 patients with suspect PAVF were performed by enhanced scan with 64-SliceCT.Two-dimensional and three-dimensional reformation were performed in all cases including coronal multiplanar reconstruction(MPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP),volume rendering(VR).Resnlts 12 cases were diagnosed as PAVF by 64-SliceCT angiography.Single PAVF in 7 cases,Multi-PAVF in 5cases.We found 20 lesions in 12 patients,Except direct multi-pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in the area of near the heart in one case.Conclusion 64-slice spiral CT angiography is a useful and noninvasive means to identify PAVF and is also useful for therapeutic planning and postoperative follow-up.

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the diagnosis of midline prostatic cysts.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the TRUS manifestations of 87 cases of midline prostatic cysts.

RESULTSOf the total number, 33 cases were diagnosed as Müllerian duct cysts, 21 cases ejaculatory duct cysts and the other 33 cases undifferentiated midline prostatic cysts; 19 cases had dilated seminal vesicles, 19 seminal vesicle agenesis, 9 seminal vesiculitis and 5 dilation of the ejaculatory duct.

CONCLUSIONTRUS, convenient, sensitive, safe and non-invasive, is a desirable method for the diagnosis of midline prostatic cysts.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cysts ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; methods

Anemia of chronic disease is normocytic and normochromic. One of the mechanisms is misbalance of iron metabolism. Hepcidin, a kind of protein secreted by liver is considered to be the hormone regulating iron metabolism. It binds to ferroportin and induces the latter one's internalization. Thus, iron transportation from iron storage cells to serum is reduced. Cytokines are elevated in chronic disease. They stimulate hepcidin expression in liver through JAK2/STAT3 pathway. As a result, iron absorption and reabsorption is blocked, which leads to the misbalance of iron metabolism in anemia of chronic disease. In this article, the hepcidin and its relation to iron metabolism and anemia in chronic disease are reviewed.
Anemia ; metabolism ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Hepcidins ; Humans ; Iron ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo discuss the relationship between estradiol and the mitogenic activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway and the expression of the MAPK in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell-line.

METHODSEpithelial growth factor (EGF) and different concentration of estradiol to induce the expression of phosphospecific ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) in MCF-7 cell line was used and the expression of pERK1/2 with western-blotting was detected. Then antiestrogen ICI 182780 and MAPK inhibitor PD98059 to inhibit the expression of pERK1/2 was used. The cell cycle of MCF-7 was detected by FACS.

RESULTSEGF could significantly induce the expression of pERK1/2. Estradiol could also induce the expression of pERK1/2, but the intensity was less than the induction of EGF. The percentage of cells in the G(2)/M cell cycle after estradiol induction increased (18.38%) compared to the control group (10.52%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMAPK is an important regulatory signal in breast cancer. Its measurement in breast cancer tissues provides information about the degree of activation of various growth factor pathways. This molecule may also provide a molecular target for compounds designed to block cell proliferation.

Breast Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; physiology ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of autologous fascia as a scaffold for the reconstruction of skeletal muscle in vivo.

METHODSTwenty-eight healthy New Zealand rabbits were employed in the study. The anterior tibial muscle in both legs were divided to create a gap of 10 mm in each muscle. One leg was used in the experiment (E, n = 28), while the contralateral as self-control (C). The legs in C group were further divided into 3 groups (C1, C2 and C3). While defects in the midportion of anterior tibial muscle in the hind legs were created in all rabbits. In E group, each defect was filled with a tubule made of autologous fascia lata, and the fascial tubule was filled with tiny muscular granules (< 1 mm x 1 mm x 1 mm). In C1 group (n = 10), the defect was also filled with fascial tubule but with no muscle filling. The defect in C2 group (n = 10) was only filled with muscle granules without fascial tubule. The defect in C3 group (n = 8) received no treatment. The survival rate of the transplantation was grossly observed, and the tissue samples were harvested for histological and ultra-structural examination and immunohistochemical identification of desmin at 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 post-operation weeks. The expression level of alpha-actin DNA in the tissue samples from the midportion of grafted fascia was assessed by RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) in E and C1 groups.

RESULTS(1) Survival rate of the transplantation: In E group, it was 93.33% with near normal tissue contour in the grafting area. The muscle defects were not completely repaired in C1, C2 and C3 groups. (2) Under light and electronic microscopy, marked proliferation of muscular cells surrounding fibrous tissue could be discerned at 2 and 3 post-operation weeks in E group, while only necrotic tissue and fibrosis were observed in C1 and C2 groups, and no definite tissue could be discernible in C3 group. (3) Immunohistochemical staining revealed that over 85% of the cells were positive for desmin in E group, while only less than 25% in C1 group. (4) The expression level of alpha-actin DNA was significantly higher in E group than that in C2 group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThese results suggested that autologous fascia as a scaffold is beneficial for skeletal muscle reconstruction in vivo.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fascia ; transplantation ; Muscle, Skeletal ; surgery ; Rabbits ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Tissue Scaffolds ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVETo determine the efficacy of 2% mepivacaine in conservative dentistry.

METHODSThe patients who needed cavity preparation or access to pulp chamber received local infiltration with 2% mepivacaine. Anesthesia time, anesthetic efficacy and cardiovascular system influences were assessed. 3% lidocaine with epinephrine served as control.

RESULTSIn experiment group, the anesthesia effects were quicker and anesthesia duration was longer than that in control group. Doctors highly appreciated the anesthetic efficacy. Two groups did not show any evident change in blood pressure and heart rate.

CONCLUSION2% mepivacaine is a safe and efficacious local anesthetic drug in conservative dentistry.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anesthesia, Dental ; Anesthetics, Local ; Dental Pulp ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mepivacaine ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of rhIL-6 and rhEPO on hepcidin mRNA expression in HepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes, and mechanism of rhEPO in treatment of anemia of chronic disease (ACD). The HepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes were cultured with medium containing different concentrations of rhIL-6 and rhEPO for a certain time, then mRNA was isolated and its RT-PCR was performed, the bands were photographed and analyzed by UVI band, the hepcidin and G3PDH mRNA ratio were semi-quantitatively analyzed. The expression levels of hepcidin in GepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes at different conditions were compared. The results showed that the hepcidin mRNA expression in HepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes could be enhanced by rhIL-6, the rhEPO could inhibit rhIL6-induced hepcidin mRAN expression. The rhEPO alone basically did not influence hepcidin mRNA expression in HepG2 cells. It is concluded that Hepcidin mRNA expression in HepG2 cells and human primary hepatocytes can be elevated by rhIL-6 with concentration- and time-dependent manner in certain range. rhEPO can inhibit this effect of rhIL-6.
Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; genetics ; metabolism ; Erythropoietin ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Hepatocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hepcidins ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Prognosis ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology