Objective To establish a euglycemic clamp technique in beagle dogs. Methods The euglycemic clamp technique was applied in healthy beagle dogs and the blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide, insulin and glucagon were monitored during the clamp. Results The blood glucose was controlled within the basal level.The coefficient of variation was less than 5% during the clamp. The serum insulin concentration finally reached(40.0±3.8)mIU/L stably and a significant inhibition was shown in endogenous insulin by the determination of C-peptide. But there was no significant increase in serum glucagon compared with basal values.Conclusion Methodology confirmed that the euglycemic clamp technique is successful in beagle dogs and can be applied in the study of pharmacodynamics of insulin preparations.

Objective To study the integration and expression of HLA-B2704 gene in HLA-B2704 transgenic mice. Methods HLA-B2704 gene was introduced into fertilized eggs of C57BL/6?Kunming and Kunming?Kunming by microinjection. The founder mice were screened by PCR for integration of HLA-B2704 transgene and were then further confirmed by southern blot. RT-PCR and flow cytometry were carried out to detect the expression of HLA-B2704 gene at mRNA and protein level. Results Ten F0 hybrid mice carried HLA-B2704 gene in 101 F0 hybrid mice, 3 of 64 (4.7%) hybrid mice from Kunming?Kunming and 7 of 37 (18.9%) hybrid mice from C57BL/6?Kunming background carried HLA-B2704 gene. Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference in the integration rate between the two groups (P

Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock and left main coronary artery disease is called left main shock syndrome. It is reported that the morbility and mortality of the syndrome is approximately 0.46%and 55%-80%, respectively. However, the best treat-ment strategy in these cases is unknown. In this article, we present a patient with LMSS who successively underwent emergency percutane-ous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting with hemodynamic support within 5 days. The patient is now on his three month uneventful out-patient follow-up.

Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Polycystic Kidney Diseases

OBJECTIVETo classify the blood vessel distribution of the expanded skin in the mastoid region and its relevance to reasonable and reliable design of the expanded flap for auricular reconstruction in congenital microtia.

METHODSThe blood vessel distribution of the expanded skin in the mastoid region was observed by light permeation test. The expanded flaps with different ratio of length to width were designed according to their blood vessel distribution types.

RESULTSThe vascular distribution of the expanded skin in 403 cases was divided into five types. All the flaps survived completely.

CONCLUSIONSThe blood vessel distribution type of the expanded skin in mastoid region has great significance for the design of post-auricular expanded flap in auricular reconstruction.

Congenital Abnormalities ; surgery ; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Ear ; abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoid ; surgery ; Skin ; blood supply ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Tissue Expansion Devices

OBJECTIVETo classify and repair "Butterfly Ear" deformity which presents characters of dysplasia of inferior auricle of ear and congenital bat ear.

METHODThe repairment procedures include: type I: auricular cartilage flap inversion folding technique. type II: local ear skin flap. type III: soft tissue expander autogenous, rib cartilage framework.

RESULTSThe method was used in 19 cases from October 2001 to March 2005. Postoperative follow-up showed satisfactory results in all cases.

CONCLUSIONAccording to "Butterfly Ear" deformity classification, different technique could be applied.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; classification ; surgery ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical significance of serum free light chain (sFLC) levels in nonsecretory multiple myeloma (NSMM).

METHODSNine NSMM patients were hospitalized in our department from Feb 2002 to Sep 2006 and no M-components was found in their serum and urine by immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). sFLC was assayed by immuno-nephelometry. The clonality of sFLC was estimated by serum kappa:lambda sFLC ratio. Meanwhile, serum immunoglobulin, total kappa and lambda light chain level were also determined in these patients.

RESULTSIncreased serum concentrations of either kappa or lambda sFLC (and abnormal kappa/lambda ratios) were detected in 6 of 9 patients with NSMM although their serum immunoglobulin levels were not elevated and total kappa:lambda light chain ratios (1.32 - 2.20) were in the reference range. All the 9 patients had clonal IgH gene rearrangements.

CONCLUSIONQuantification of sFLC by immuno-nephelometry is more sensitive than that of serum total light chain measurement and is helpful in estimating the clonality of the light chain in patients with NSMM.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and laboratory features and risk factors of multiple myeloma (MM) with extramedullary disease (EM) and its extraosseous localizations at diagnosis and during the course of MM.

METHODSThe clinical features, survival rate and prognostic factors were retrospectively analyzed in 40 patients having EM from a total of 418 MM patients hospitalized in Changzheng Hospital from 1993 to 2006.

RESULTSAmong the 40 patients, the first three localizations of EM involved soft tissue, pleura or peritoneum and central nervous system (CNS). Median duration of follow-up was 30 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 28 months. Twenty-five patients (6%) were found to have EM at diagnosis (group A), and their median OS was 16 months and 15 patients (3.6%) developed EM during the course of the disease (group B), and their expected median OS was 72 months. There was a significant difference between group A and B (P = 0.0045) for OS. Compared with those in group A, patients in group B had a higher percentage of plasmacytes (P = 0.022) and plasmablasts (P = 0.029) in bone marrow, and less advanced stage for international staging system (ISS) (P = 0.027). Log-rank univariate analysis showed that higher CRP level, higher serum LDH, Stage II and III for ISS, Hb < 110 g/L at diagnosis were poor prognostic factors. However, multivariate analysis with COX model showed none of them were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONEM tumors are not a rare manifestation of MM. Soft tissue in the commonest area involved. Higher serum CRP and LDH level, more advanced stage for ISS, anemia and having EM are poor prognostic factors of MM.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; complications ; pathology ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Analysis

Objective To explore the effect of transplantation of neural stem cells(NSCs)pretreated with brain-derived neurotrophic fac-tor(BDNF)on acute ischemic stroke in mice.Methods NSCs from a newborn(one day)C57BL/6 mouse were isolated and cultured in vi-tro.A total of 150 healthy C57BL/6 mice,ten-week-old,were randomly divided into five groups,that group A accepted sham operation,and groups B,C,D and E were subjected to focal ischemia by photothrombosis.Group D was transplanted NSCs 24 hours after ischemia,while group E transplanted NSCs pretreated with BDNF and group C accepted same volume of medium.All the groups were tested with rotarod test and grip strength one day before transplantation and three,seven,14,21 and 28 days after transplantation.The differentiation of NSCs in groups D and E were observed immunofluorescence staining of microtubule-associated protein-2(MAP-2)and glial fibrillary acidic pro-tein(GFAP).Results The time on rotarod arranged from more to less was groups E,D and B(P<0.05)three,seven,14,21 and 28 days after transplantation,as well as grip strength 14,21 and 28 days after transplantation(P<0.05).The Edu/GFAP positive cells and Edu/MAP-2 pos-itive cells were found in both groups D and E.Conclusion Transplanting NSCs can promote the behavioral recovery after ischemic stroke, and it is more effective as pretreated with BDNF.

1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) is an important material for chemical industry, therefore, there is much interest in the production of 1,3-PD. The gene dhaT encoding 1, 3-propanediol dehydrogenase ( PDOR) of Citrobacter freundii was amplified by PCR. Sequence analysis of the similarity at the nucleotide and amino acid level between the gene encoding C. freundii PDOR and that of C. freundii ( U09771 ) were 78% and 90% , respectively. The recombinant plasmid pSE-dhaT was constructed by inserting dhaT gene into expression vector pSE380 and then transformed E. coli JM109. The recombinant strain was induced by IPTG to express dhaT. Further more the recombinant enzyme was purifed from recombinant E. coli by Ni-nitrilotriacetate affinity chromatography followed by Sephacral S-300 gel filtration. A single obvious protein about 42kDa could be obtained by the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of recombinant enzyme. The purified enzyme was used to determined enzyme property on the substrate of propionaldehyde and 1, 3-PD. The optimal temperature and optimal pH of the purified enzyme were 37℃, 8.0 for reduction and 25℃, 10. 5 for oxidation, respectively; and the kinetic property of PDOR about Km and V max were 10. 05mmol/L, 37. 27?mol/min/mg for propionaldehyde and 1. 28mmol/L, 25. 55?mol/min/mg for 1,3-PD, respectively; The deduced dhaT gene product (388 amino acids) showed a specific reduction activity of 49. 50U/mg and oxidation activity of 79. 92U/ mg. There also have a putative iron-binding motif ( G-XX-H-X-X-A-H-X-X-G-X-X-X-X-X-P-H-G) as a fingerprint pattern in the recombinant enzyme, the motif is fully conserved among these 1, 3-propanediol dehydrogenase. It is beneficial to the researches of high producing 1, 3-propanediol by gene engineering strain.