Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disease with an estimated prevalence of 10%-16% in the general population. With high mortality and high risk of cardiovascular disease, CKD imposes substantial cost burden. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is tightly associated with CKD, suggesting that it has an important role in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of CKD. This paper reviewed the progress in the biological function, originality, structure, and role in CKD of NGAL.

OBJECTIVETo study clinical effects of one-hole microplate internal fixation for the treatment of collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined with fracture.

METHODSTwenty-two patients (16 males, 6 females) with collateral ligament injuries of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb combined fracture were treated with one-hole microplate internal fixation. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 53 years old with a mean age of 28.5 years old. The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 2 hours to 2 months, and the mean time was 6 days. All the patients had collateral ligament injuries combined with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb. Thirteen patients had injuries in the right hand and 9 patients had injuries in the left hand. There were 18 cases of closed wound and 4 cases of open wound. Eighteen patients had fresh injuries (< 2 weeks) and 4 had old injuries (> 2 weeks). Sixteen patients had injuries in the ulnar collateral ligament of the thumb combined with fracture, 6 patients had radial collateral ligament injuries of the thumb combined with fracture, 4 cases of which were complicated with injuries of abductor pollicis brevis and the end of the flexor pollicis brevis tender. The size of the avulsed fragment was about 3.0 mm x 4.0 mm to 6.0 mm x 7.0 mm.

RESULTSThe incisions of 22 patients healed by first intention. The follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 5 years old,with an average of 2.5 years old. The thumb function was evaluated by Saetta and other evaluation criteria, and 20 patients got an excellent result and 2 good.

CONCLUSIONThe application of one-hole microplate internal fixation in treating collateral ligament injuries with fracture of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb is an effective method.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Collateral Ligaments ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; injuries ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of endoluminal ultrasonography (EUS) and spiral computed tomography (SCT) in preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma.

METHODSBoth EUS and SCT were performed prior to surgery in 68 patients with rectal carcinoma. After radical surgery, the preoperative findings were compared with histologic findings of the operative specimens, and the efficacy of EUS and SCT in staging the rectal carcinoma were evaluated.

RESULTSFor T stage, EUS accuracy was 86.8%, while SCT was 70.6%. The difference was significant (P<0.05). For N stage, EUS accuracy was 67.6% and SCT was 63.2%. The difference was not significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEUS is superior to SCT for the judgement of tumor infiltration depth, but neither is able to provide satisfactory assessment of lymph node metastases.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

This article studied the chemical constituents from the aerial part of Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana. The 60% ethanol extract was eluted with 95% ethanol though HP-20 macroporous adsorption resin column. 12 compounds, including (1) betulinic acid, (2)2, 2, 2'-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) propane bis (2, 3-epoxypropyl) ether, (3) eriodictyol, (4) trans-ε-viniferin, (5) (+)-cis-ε-viniferin, (6) kobophenol A, (7) ampelopsin A, (8) nepalensinol B, (9) cis-miyabenol C, (10) cis-vitisin B, (11) cis-gnetin H and (12) (+)-hopeaphenol, were separated by using normal phase silica gel, ODS, Sephdadex LH-20 column chromatographies and semi-preparative or preparative HPLC. Compounds 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 were separated from the genus Vitis for the first time and compounds 3, 7, 12 were separated from Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana for the first time. At a concentration of 50 μmol · L(-1), compound 6, 7 and 11 showed strong cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell lines with the inhibition rate of 66.58%, 57.16%, 52.84%, respectively.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Vitis ; chemistry

In order to provide plenty of information about the relationship between its structure and function,the structure of a novel housefly pupae D-galactose binding lectin with the molecular weight 55kDa and immune acitivity was analyzed preliminarily.In the first place,oligosaccharide chain was confirmed to be existed in this kind of novel housefly pupae lectin by the method of gel staining,and then its structure was analyzed with the help of protein sequencing instrument,spectrophotometer color contrast,?-elimination reaction,infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy.This kind lectin was a global-shaped monomer with the diameter 75 nm or so and the protein and oligosaccharide content 97.36% and 2.1% respectively.Peptide chain and oligosaccharide chain was linked by O-glycoside bond with the N-terminal blocked and the sugar ring alpinum type.All above was the reliable theory for further analysis of structure.

Aim To investigate the effect of TaorenHonghua drug pair on intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) in rats.Methods Fifty healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,sham group,meloxicam group and Taoren-Honghua drug pair group,with 10 rats in each group.We established dynamic and static forces imbalance of cervical disc degeneration model or sham surgery in rats.12 weeks later,rats were intragastrically administered with meloxicam,Taoren-Honghua drug pair or saline for 30 days.C4/5 and C6/7 discs were harvested from rats.ABOG staining was used for observation of intervertebral disc morphology,real time PCR for mRNA expressions of type Ⅱ collagen (Col Ⅱ) and type Ⅹ collagen (Col Ⅹ),and immunohistochemical staining for Col Ⅱ and Col Ⅹ.Results Compared with model group,Col Ⅱ expression increased,while Col X expression decreased in chondrocyte of intervertebral disc in Taoren-Honghua-treated group(P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Taoren-Honghua drug pair could delay the degeneration of cartilage endplate in rat intervertebral disc.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the inhibitory effect of spinal topical morphine on the dorsal horn projection neurons in nerve-injured rats and its mechanism. METHODS: Single-unit activity of dorsal horn projection neurons was recorded in anesthetized L(5)/L(6) nerve-ligated rats. Allodynia was determined by a behavior test in nerve-injured rats. The evoked neuronal responses to mechanical stimuli applied to the receptive field were determined before and after the spinal topical application of morphine, bicuculline plus morphine, strychnine plus morphine, and both bicuculline and strychnine plus morphine in normal, sham operation, and nerve-injured rats. RESULTS: Spinal topical application of 10 micromol/L morphine significantly inhibited the evoked responses of dorsal horn projection neurons in normal, sham, operation and nerve-injured rats. However, the inhibitory effect of morphine was significantly reduced in nerve-injured rats compared with that in normal and sham operation rats. Furthermore, the topical application of 20 micromol/L bicuculline had little effect on the inhibitory effect of morphine in nerve-injured rats but it almost abolished the effect of morphine in normal and sham operation rats. The glycine receptor antagonist strychnine at 4 micromol/L significantly decreased the effect of morphine in nerve-injured, normal, and sham operation rats. CONCLUSION The loss of tonic GABAergic inhibition contributes to the reduced inhibitory effect of morphine on dorsal horn projection neurons in nerve-injured rats.
Analgesics, Opioid ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Bicuculline ; pharmacology ; Electrophysiology ; Hyperesthesia ; Male ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Pain ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Posterior Horn Cells ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Nerves ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the significance of upper mediastinal lymph nodes dissection for thyroid carcinoma patients.

METHODSThe clinical data of 79 thyroid carcinoma patients who underwent the upper mediastinal lymph node dissection (between January 1984 and December 1998) were retrospectively analysed. There were 45 male and 34 female with a median age of 47 years (range 10 to 74 years). Follow-up was ended on December 31, 2003.

RESULTSHistopathologically, there were 58 (73.4%) papillary carcinoma, 14 (17.7%) medullary carcinoma, and 7 (8.9%) follicular carcinomas. Four of them had poorly-differentiated carcinoma. Upper mediastinal lymph node dissection was carried out in 62 patients through trans-cervical approach, in 10 through an inverted T-shaped incision, and in 7 through a midline sternotomy. Seventy-six patients had 93 neck lymph node dissection procedures, and 47 patients developed paratracheal lymph node metastasis. The overall 5- and 10-year cumulative survival rate was 64.6% and 63.1%, respectively. Mediastinal lymph node recurrence developed only in 10 patients after initial upper mediastinal lymph node dissection. Nine patients died of upper mediastinal lymph node metastasis. Postoperative complications were observed in 11 patients without perioperative death.

CONCLUSIONUpper mediastinal lymph node metastasis is most frequently found in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Surgical dissection of upper mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes through either cervical incision or mediastinotomy is safe and effective with low rate of perioperative complications. It may improve the life quality and survival of thyroid carcinoma patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; secondary ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; secondary ; surgery ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

AIMTo investigate the relationship between M3-R/IK(M3) and arrhythmia in order to find a new target for antiarrhythmic agents.

METHODSUsing the acute ischemic model of rats and patch-clamp techniques, the effects of the M3 receptor on the occurrence of arrhythmias and its possible mechanisms were studied.

RESULTSIn acute ischemic model of rats, the M3 receptor antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine-methiodide (4DAMP) increased the occurrence of arrhythmias, and the M3 receptor agonist choline suppressed the onset and the development of arrhythmias (P < 0. 01). No change was observed after treatment with other receptor antagonists (M1, M2, and M4). With patch-clamp techniques, it was found that choline induced K+ current could be inhibited by 4DAMP. Antagonists toward M1, M2, and M4 receptors all failed to alter the current.

CONCLUSIONCholine modulates the cellular electrical properties of the heart, probably by activating a K+ current via stimulation of the M3 receptor. M3-R/IK(M3) may act as a new target for antiarrhythmic agents.

Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Cell Separation ; Choline ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart Ventricles ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Piperidines ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Muscarinic M3 ; agonists ; antagonists & inhibitors

Replication of duck plague virus(DPV) in artificially infected ducks were detected by in situ hybridization (ISH) which employed a 37bp oligonucleotide as probe designed according to DPV DNA sequence in GenBank. The results indicated that DPV DNA was detected in liver, intestine and bursa Fabricius at 4 h, in spleen and esophagus at 6h, in thymus at 12h post infection; DPV DNA in lung and kidney was detected only in dead ducks and no positive signal was detected in muscle, heart, cerebrum and pancreas. DPV DNA was distributed in cell nucleus and cytoplasm. Hepatocytes, sinus endodermal cells and Kuffer's cells were the mainly infected cell types in liver. DPV DNA was mainly detected in epithelium of villi, in lamina propria of intestinal villi of duodenum, in stratum spinosum of esophagus, and in epithelium, cortex, medulla of bursa Fabricius. The positive signals were mainly detected in medulla of thymus, lymphocytes and macrophages of spleen. The research suggests that ISH is a direct and specific method in detecting DPV DNA in paraffin sections and it's also a good method for virus diagnosis and DNA location of DPV.
Animals ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Ducks ; virology ; In Situ Hybridization ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Virus Replication