To evaluate the automated segmentation algorithm for detection of intra - retinal layers to process images obtained from ultra- high resolution optical coherence tomography ( OCT ) . Graph theory and the shortest path search based on dynamic programming were applied to automatically segment the 8 intra - retinal layers. We experimentally verified the accuracy and reliability of the algorithm. The results showed that the intra-retinal layer boundaries between automated and manual segmentations matched well. The algorithm successfully segmented the intra- retinal layers in glaucoma, high myopia, and retinitis pigmentosa patients. The proposed automatic segmentation for intra-retinal layers provides a promising tool for quantitative analysis in clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To establish animal models with anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve and evaluate the safety of anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve at molecular level.Methods Location of the ulnar nerve of elbow in 5 rats were found similar to human being by anatomy.Twenty healthy adult SD rats,weighting about 250 g,were performed the anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve in the right forelimbs and the left forelimbs was considered as control group.The bilateral flexor carpi ulnaris muscles were weighed and the slice of cervical spinal cord(C_6-T_1)level were prepared 1 month after the operation.Nissl staining,NADPH-d histochemical staining,IB4 staining and ChAT-immunohistochemical staining were employed to observe the spinal cord(C_6-T_1)level at molecular level;electron microscope was used to observe the ultrastructure of ChAT-positive neurons.Statistical analysis was paired T test.Results The flexor carpi ulnaris muscles in the model group(92.3±9.13mg)and control group(93.2±7.29 mg)were not significantly different(P>0.05).After anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve in rats,no significant differences in cell number and morphology in the cervical spinal cord(C_6-T_1)were found between the model group and the control group(P>0.05).No changes between the 2 groups were noted in the fine structure of anterior horn motor neurons and the expression of nenrotransmitters(P>0.05).Conclusion Anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve can be safely done in the animal models(rats).

OBJECTIVETo identify metastasis-associated genes in tongue carcinoma and to better understand the mechanism underlying tongue carcinoma metastasis. To compared mRNA expression profiles of two tongue carcinoma cell strains with high and low metastatic potentials using microarray technology.

METHODSTca8113 and Tb cells were used as model systems to study the molecular mechanism of tumor metastasis. Two fluorescent cDNA probes labeled with Cy3 and Cy5 dyes were prepared from the mRNA samples of Tca8113 and Tb cells by reverse transcription method. The two color probes were then mixed and hybridized to the cDNA chip constructed by double dots of 1 152 human genes, and scanned at two wave lengths. Differential expression genes from the above two cell lines were analyzed using computer. Then six of the different expression genes were further validated by RT-PCR technique.

RESULTSIn the 1 152 clones of known genes and expressed sequence tags that were analyzed, 37 showed significantly different (minimum 2 folds) expression levels in two cell lines. Among the 37 genes, 15 were up regulated (with ratio more than 2) and 22 down regulated (with ratio less than 1/2). The results of RT-PCR analysis were coincident with those of microarray assay.

CONCLUSIONSome of these genes are known to be involved in human tumor antigen, immune surveillance, adhesion, cell signaling pathway and growth control. It is suggested that the microarray in combination with a relevant analysis facilitates rapid and simultaneous identification of multiple genes of interests and in this study it provided a profound clue to screen candidate targets for early diagnosis and intervention.

Carcinoma ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; Tongue Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo construct the plasmid containing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) of TGF-beta1 expression vector.

METHODSShort chain oligonucleotide was designed according to the TGF-beta1 mRNA sequence provided by Genebank, then DNA segment was gained through annealing after chemosynthesis, and then was cloned to pWH1 vector. The recombinant TGF-beta1 shRNA expression vector was evaluated by using enzyme cutting. At last, the constructed TGF-beta1 expression vector was transfected into salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (Ms) cells by Lipofectomine TM 2000, and its effect on TGF-beta1 expression was observed by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSSuccessful construction was identified by enzyme cutting and the constructed plasmid was called pWH1-TGF-beta1. The shRNA and it inhibited the TGF-beta1 mRNA and protein expression effectively.

CONCLUSIONThe constructed TGF-beta1 shRNA expression vector can block the TGF-beta1 expression in salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma cells.

Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Plasmids ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

OBJECTIVEBrain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study is to investigate the relation between the pre-procedural BNP level and the incidence of recurrence AF after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA).

METHODSPlasma BNP level was measured before CPVA in 69 consecutive symptomatic paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients without heart failure symptom. Atrial thrombus was detected by transesophageal echocardiography in 15 patients and CPVA was not performed in these patients. CPVA was successful in the remaining 54 patients and followed up for 3 months. All patients were asked to keep a log of the duration and frequency of their symptoms and underwent 24 h ECG monitoring at least once per month after the ablation.

RESULTSAt the end of follow up, 39 patients were free of AF recurrence (successful group) and 15 patients experienced AF recurrence (failure group). BNP concentration was below the heart failure range (< 500 ng/L) in 69.6% patients, but exceeded the normal range (0 - 144 ng/L) in 59.4% patients. Median baseline BNP level was significantly higher in failure group than in successful group (371.6 ng/L vs. 97.4 ng/L, P = 0.001). Left atrial (LA) dimension was also larger in failure group than in successful group [(53.3 ± 15.1) mm vs. (45.2 ± 11.2) mm, P = 0.036]. Moreover, BNP level was positively correlated with LA dimension (r = 0.574, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe pre-procedural BNP level and LA dimension are predictive of successful CPVA for PAF patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; blood ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Treatment Outcome

The silent information regulator protein 2 (Sir2) and its homologues play an important role in the regulation of cellular physiological processes such as survival, apoptosis, and aging. SIRT1, the mammalian Sir 2 homologue, has been shown to deacetylate a wide range of non-histone substrates and histone substrates. It has been constantly reported that SIRT1 may be associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome, genomic homeostasis, tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases. Calorie restriction may mitigate many major diseases in rodent models by SIRT1-mediated deacetylase activity and prolong the life expectancies in these animals. Therefore, SIRT1 may be emphasized as a new therapy target for many different diseases.
Animals ; Caloric Restriction ; Humans ; Longevity ; Sirtuin 1 ; genetics ; physiology ; Substrate Specificity

OBJECTIVETo define the clinicopathological features of primary cardiac large B-cell lymphoma.

METHODA case of primary cardiac large B-cell lymphoma was studied with conventional histopathological and immunohistochemical staining in combination with literature review.

RESULTSThe lesion appeared to originate in the right atrium and involved the venae cavae and the left atrium. Microscopic examination showed diffuse proliferation of large atypical lymphocytes with abundant cytoplasm, vestiealer nuelei, thick nuclear membrane and conspicuous nucleoli. Giant tumor cells scattered in the lesion. The neoplastic cells were positive for CD20 and CD79a.

CONCLUSIONPrimary cardiac lymphoma is extremely rare, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. With non-specific clinical manifestations, the majority of primary cardiac lymphomas are of B-cell lineage and a bad prognosis.

Aged ; Antigens, CD20 ; analysis ; CD79 Antigens ; analysis ; Female ; Heart Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of cervical lymph nodes metastasis and explore the surgical treating modality of cervical lymph nodes in the patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

METHODSThe clinic and pathological data of 104 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who had undergone neck lymph nodes dissection from January 2003 to June 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 29 male and 75 female patients. The age of the patients was 12 to 79 years old with a median of 39 years old. Patients were divided into clinic cervical lymph nodes metastasis (cN+) group and clinic no cervical lymph nodes metastasis (cN0) group according the condition of physical examination and image analysis preoperatively and compared respectively with pathological data postoperatively.

RESULTSIn the cN+ group 91.3% (63/69) patients were pN+ while in the cN0 group 52.1% (25/48) patients were pN+. The distribution of metastasized lymph nodes: level VI 64.1%, level II 31.6%, level III 44.4%, level IV 40.2%, level V 12.0%, level I 3.2%. In the cN+ group 86.7% (54/63) patients with lymph nodes metastasis had multi-levels lymph nodes metastasis while in the cN0 group 64.0% (16/25) patients had single-level lymph nodes metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSCervical lymph nodes metastasis in the patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma mainly localize in level II, level III, level IV, level VI, especially level VI. Patients with lymph nodes metastasis had multi-levels lymph nodes metastasis in the cN+ group but single-level in the cN0 group. The surgical treating modality of cervical lymph nodes should also be different in the two group patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck Dissection ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

This study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) on NAFLD in MSG-IR mice and to provide mechanism insights into its therapeutic effect. The MSG-IR mice with insulin resistance were treated with high dose (0.1 micromol.kg-1d-1) and low dose (0.025 micromol.kg-1d-1) of FGF21 once a day for 5 weeks. Body weight was measured weekly. At the end of the experiment, serum lipids, insulin and aminotransferases were measured. Hepatic steatosis was observed. The expression of key genes regulating energy metabolism were detected by real-time PCR. The results showed that after 5 weeks treatment, both doses of FGF21 reduced body weight (P<0.01), corrected dyslipidemia (P<0.01), reversed steatosis and restored the liver morphology in the MSG model mice and significantly ameliorated insulin resistance. Additionally, real-time PCR showed that FGF21 significantly reduced transcription levels of fat synthetic genes, decreased fat synthesis and promoted lipolysis and energy metabolism by up-regulating key genes of lipolysis, thereby liver fat accumulation was reduced and liver function was restored to normal levels. In conclusion, FGF21 significantly reduces body weight of the MSG-IR mice, ameliorates insulin resistance, reverses hepatic steatosis. These findings provide a theoretical support for clinical application of FGF21 as a novel therapeutics for treatment of NAFLD.
Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Dyslipidemias ; metabolism ; Energy Metabolism ; drug effects ; Fatty Liver ; chemically induced ; complications ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Insulin Resistance ; Lipolysis ; drug effects ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; drug therapy ; Sodium Glutamate

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C