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(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

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

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 clinical outcomes between conventional percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) and targeted PVP in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).Methods A retrospective cohort study was designed to review 215 cases of single level OVCFs hospitalized between January 2014 and December 2015.According to the procedure techniques,the patients were assigned to targeted PVP group (89 cases) and conventional PVP group (126 cases) which was further divided into sufficient filled subgroup (110 cases) and insufficient filled subgroup (16 cases) on basis of cement distribution.Key techniques of targeted PVP included accurate needle insertion to fractured area and cement injection using a push rob with a side opening.Operating time,cement injection volume,rate and types of cement leakage,cement distribution in the fractured area and visual analogue score (VAS) of back pain were compared between the two groups.Results Operating time in targeted PVP group was longer than that in conventional PVP group (P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in cement injection volume and rate and types of cement leakage between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).None in targeted PVP group showed insufficient cement distribution in fractured area,while 16 cases (12.7％) in conventional PVP group (P ＜ 0.05).No significant differences in preoperative VAS of back pain existed among targeted PVP group,sufficient subgroup and insufficient subgroup (P ＞ 0.05).VAS of back pain was significantly decreased after PVP in three groups (P ＜ 0.05).Difference in postoperative VAS of back pain between targeted PVP group and sufficient filled subgroup was insignificant (P ＞0.05).However,postoperative VAS of back pain in insufficient filled subgroup was significantly increased compared with targeted PVP group and sufficient filled subgroup (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Targeted PVP provides sufficient cement to fill the fractured area and decreases incidence of unsatisfactory clinical outcome compared with traditional PVP,indicating a secure and effective new technique in the treatment of OVCFs.

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

OBJECTIVETo observe the preventive protection of Kangdu Bufei Decoction (KBD) on acute severe respiratory syndrome (SARS) in medical personnel of Hong Kong at the epidemic period.

METHODSAt the epidemic period of SARS in Hong Kong, there were 2,601 medical staffs administered with KBD distributed by the Center. It was confirmed that 1,063 persons had taken it for successive two weeks according to the request and returned the effective questionnaire, they were regarded as the TCM group. The control group was consisted of 15,374 subjects who didn't take Chinese herbal medicine. Contents of the questionnaire including the condition of testee in terms of quality of life (QOL), changes of influenza-like symptoms and Warm disease symptoms. Serum immunological examination had been conducted in 37 of the persons in the TCM group.

RESULTSNo one in the TCM group got SARS infection while in the control group, 64 (0.4%) had got. Self-control before and after treatment examination showed that significant improvement appeared in the TCM in aspects of influenza-like and Warm disease symptoms and QOL. The results of serum immunological examination showed that after administration of KBD, the immunity of organism was improved and elevated.

CONCLUSIONKBD could prevent the occurrence of SARS, it is possibly realized through improving symptoms, elevating QOL and enhancing immunity of organism.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Surveys and Questionnaires