Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes

DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Deafness ; chemically induced ; genetics ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Mutation

Dept of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Bitehou Medical University, Yantai Shandong 264003, China Aim To explore the behavior and CBS/H2S levels in infralimbic (IL) medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in conditioned fear rats and study the effect of exogenous H2S on conditioned fear extinction of rats and the related mechanism. Methods The rat conditioned fear model was established with sound pairing with an aversive foot shock. Later the repeated single sound was used for extinction training. CBS/H2S con-tent in IL tissues was measured using Western blot and methylene blue method. In vivo extracellular single u-nit recordings were used to examine the frequency of spontaneous discharges of IL neurons. Results 1. CBS/H2S level in IL tissues of conditioned fear model (control group) decreased (P <0. 01) and the freezing level was aggravated (P < 0. 01) , while after extinction training CBS/H2 S level increased (P < 0.01, P < 0. 05) and the freezing level was alleviated (P < 0.01). 2. Freezing level decreased in NaHS group compared with extinction group (P <0. 01) . 3. L-cys-teine increased the frequency of spontaneous discharges of IL neurons (P < 0. 01). Conclusions Learning and memory ability decreases in PTSD model rats owing to the inhibition of CBS/H2S content in IL tissues. The mechanism of behavior improvement of H2S on PTSD model rats may be related to the excitation of H2S on frequency of spontaneous discharges of IL neurons.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in cochlea and endolymphatic sac of guinea pig of two types of animal model of endolymphatic hydrops.

METHODSThirty guinea pigs were divided into three groups at random: surgery group; aldosterone group and control group. Each group included 10 animals. Surgical endolymphatic sac obstruction or aldosterone intraperitoneal injection was used to build the animal models of endolymphatic hydrops. Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to examine the expression of AQP1 in cochlea and endolymphatic sac of animal models. Image processing soft (Image Tool) was used to do the semiquantitative analysis.

RESULTSMiddle to high grade endolymphatic hydrops were found in surgery group. It was most significant in the apical coil, and lessened from the apical coil to the basal coil. Low to middle expression grade in endolymphatic hydrops was found in aldosterone group. Most of them were found in the basal coil. The positions of AQP1 expression in two animal models of endolymphatic hydrops were identical with the control group. In cochlea, no difference of AQP1 expression was found in the surgery and control group (t = 0.718 , P > 0.05) , but the expression of AQP1 was down regulated in the cochlea of aldosterone group (t = 6.609, P < 0.01) while the expressions of AQP1 in endolymphatic sac of aldosterone and control group were no difference between them (t = 0.998, P > 0.05). The quantization of AQP1 protein in the lateral wall of cochlea of aldosterone group was lower than that of control group (t = 13.626 , P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of AQP1 is no change in surgery and control group, but decreased in aldosterone group. The expression of AQP1 may be regulated by the ionic concentration in inner ear of guinea pig.

Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; metabolism ; Cochlea ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endolymphatic Hydrops ; metabolism ; Endolymphatic Sac ; metabolism ; Guinea Pigs

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of aquaporin-1(AQP-1) in the cochlea and endolymphatic sac in guinea pigs with labyrinth destruction.

METHODSChloroform was injected into the tympanum to establish the animal model of labyrinth destruction in guinea pigs, and two-step immunohistochemical method was used to examine the expression of AQP-1 in the cochlea and endolymphatic sac at different time points.

RESULTSAQP-1 expression was fluctuant in accordance with the morphological changes of the spiral ligament fibrocytes in the cochlea: destruction of the spiral ligament cells was followed by AQP-1 expression down-regulation, and AQP-1 up-regulation occurred with the cell regeneration. But no such changes were observed in the endolymphatic sac.

CONCLUSIONAQP-1 may take part in the maintenance of the structural stability of the spiral ligament.

Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; biosynthesis ; Cochlea ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endolymphatic Sac ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunohistochemistry ; Labyrinth Diseases ; metabolism ; Male

In this study, nattokinase gene was amplified by PCR using bacillus subtilis chromosomal DNA as template and cloned into expressed vector pBV220. After transforming recombinant plasmid into E.coli HB101, the recombinant strain was yielded. It was proved that expression products was secretive and expression protein was 12% of total cell protein by SDS-PAGE. Optimum culture time and inducing time was determined as 6h and 5h respectively. The plasmid stability studies showed that recombinant plasmid has excellent segregational stability but the structural stability was not good in the host cell.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of aldosterone on aquaporin and ionophorous protein expressions in the cochlea of guinea pigs.

METHODSRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of Na-K ATPase and epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) mRNA in the cochlea of guinea pigs 6 h after intraperitoneal aldosterone injection. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of aquaporin 1(AQP1) in the cochlea 1 month after the injection.

RESULTSEarly after aldosterone injection, the expression level of Na-K ATPase beta(1) and beta(3) subunit mRNAs remained unchanged and level of ENaC alpha subunit mRNA was up-regulated in the cochlear lateral wall (P<0.05), and 1 month after the injection, the expression of AQP1 protein was down-regulated (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe effect of aldosterone on the cochlea is mediated possibly through its action on the genome, and aldosterone may cause ion concentration alterations to induce endolymphatic hydrops.

Aldosterone ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; metabolism ; Cochlea ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Epithelial Sodium Channels ; metabolism ; Guinea Pigs ; Immunohistochemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

Objective To compare the different effects of 1% diatrizoate meglumine,2.5% mannitol and water as oral contrasts in PET/CT scan in gastrointestinal tract delineation and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake. Methods Sixty-one patients referred for PET/CT scan without gastrointestinal diseases were divided into three groups randomly ( random number method). One liter of 1% diatrizoate meglumine,2.5% mannitol,or water was orally taken by groups 1 (25 cases),2 (20 cases) and 3 ( 16 cases),respectively before scan. The scan was performed with GE Discovery LS PET/CT scanner in two-dimensional (2D) mode 50 min after 18F-FDG (5.55 MBq/kg) injection. Patients with abdominal lesions were excluded from this study. The degree of gastrointestinal filling and 18F-FDG uptake was evaluated by 3 nuclear medicine physicians using visual analysis according to a 4-grade classification method:none,mild,moderate,and high. Statistically analysis was performed by Kruskal-Wallis,Mann-Whitney and paired t tests.Results Both the differences of serum glucose and insulin levels were not significant before and after contrast taken in group 2. Group 2 had better gastrointestinal filling than that of group 1 and also better than group 3 except in rectum. The stomach,jejunum,ascending,and transverse colon were better filled in group 1 than in group 3. The degree of 18F-FDG uptake of group 3 was significantly higher than that of group 2 in stomach,jejunum and ileum (z= -3. 192,-3.290,-3.290,all P＜0.05),and was also significantly higher than that of group 1 (z = - 3. 603,P ＜ 0.05) in jejunum. The degree of 18 F-FDG uptake of group 3 was significantly lower than that of group 1 in ascending colon (z = - 2. 706,P ＜ 0. 05 ) and was significantly lower than that of group 1 and 2 in transverse and descending colon (z= - 3. 503,- 2.403,- 4.225,-4. 027,all P ＜0.05),and was also significantly lower than that of group 2 in rectum (z = -4. 128,P ＜0. 01 ). The maximum CT values in stomach,jejunum,ileum and ascending colon in group 1 were ( 132 ±23),(191 ±31),(313 ±47) and (374±53) HU,respectively,whose difference was significant (t = -7.088--1.781,all P ＜0. 01 ). Conclusion Oral iso-osmotic mannitol intake has better gastrointestinal filling and less physiological 18F-FDG uptake compared to diatrizoate meglumine and water.

OBJECTIVETo study the possibility of measuring quality of life by Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey scale and to subdivide grade range of Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-From Health Survey (SF-36) total cents through a Quality of Life questionnaire among the elderly Chinese.

METHODSThe quality of life of the 167 elderly Chinese in Suzhou was measured simultaneously by SF-36 and the Quality of Life questionnaire developed by Epidemiology Group of Geriatric Medicine Committee of China for the elderly. Validity and reliability were analyzed and subdivided the grade range of SF-36 total scores by Quality of Life questionnaire for the Chinese elderly.

RESULTSEight common factors from factorial analysis were in accordance with their theoretical structure, and the cumulative contribution rates of the Quality of Life questionnaire for the elderly and SF-36 were 74.244% and 72.081%. The split-half reliability of the Quality of Life questionnaire for the elderly was 0.6676. The split-half reliability of SF-36 was 0.9384. In SF-36, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of internal consistency reliability ranged from 0.81 to 0.89, which was satisfactory for group comparison except 0.63 for the social functioning and 0.42 for mental health scale and 0.69 for vitality scale. The Quality of Life questionnaire for old people seemed to have good validity and reliability but the SF-36 was better. The cent of the furthest truncation between the good quality of life and the medium one in the SF-36 was 117 with a Kappa value of 0.58.

CONCLUSIONThe SF-36 scale could be used for measuring and evaluating the quality of life for the Chinese elderly. The cent of the furthest truncation could provide reference to judge the level of the quality of life of the elderly.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Random Allocation ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards

OBJECTIVETo assess the protein expression of a new inhibitor of apoptosis, survivin, and its correlation with spontaneous apoptosis, tumor clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in nasal and paranasal sinus carcinoma (NPSC).

METHODSForty-eight patients with NPSC treated by radical operations from 1991 to 2000 were studied retrospectively. Patients included 23 females and 25 males ranging in age from 20 to 71 years. Spontaneous apoptotic cells were visualized by TUNEL accompanied by HE and PI stain. Immunohistochemistry using SP method was used to assess the expression of survivin.

RESULTSTwenty-five patients (52.08%) survived without recurrence. Recurrence or metastasis occurred in 3 patients (6.25%). Fourteen (29.17%) died from NPSC. Survivin expression was positive in 23 samples (23/48, 47.92%) but no staining was present in normal tissues beside the tumors. The expression of survivin correlated negatively with the index of apoptosis (r = - 0.393, P = 0.006). Patients with positive expression of survivin had lower apoptosis index than those with negative expression (P < 0.05). The expression of survivin in advanced stage tumors (T3 + T4) was higher than early ones (T1 + T2, P < 0.05). Patients with negative expression of survivin had much better prognosis than those with positive expression (P = 0.0346). Multivariate analyses revealed that expression of survivin and histological types were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONAn inverse correlation between survivin expression and the level of spontaneous apoptosis in NPSC suggests that survivin may play an important role in the tumorgenesis of NPSC. Survivin expression may provide a novel predictive indicator for disease-free survival after surgical resection and postoperative radiochemotherapy in NPSC.

Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult