OBJECTIVETo reproduce a model of heat injured KC in vitro and explore its apoptosis rate of KC due to heat injury at different temperature.

METHODSHuman KCs were cultured in vitro, and they were incubated at 37, 41, 43, 45, 48, and 51 degrees C respectively for 10 mins in water bath. Trypan blue staining and Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining were used respectively to determine necrosis and apoptosis of KC. Rates of apoptosis and necrosis of KC were analyzed quantitatively by flow cytometer. The proliferation activity of KC after heat injury was detected by MTT test.

RESULTSThe results of trypan blue staining, Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining, and flow cytometer demonstrated that number of apoptotic and necrotic KC increased gradually along with a rise of water bath temperature. The rates of apoptosis and necrosis of KC were respectively (12.3 +/- 3.2)% and (14.1 +/- 1.6)% at 45 degrees C, (27.7 +/- 5.1)% and (58.0 +/- 4.2)% at 48 degrees C. Rate of KC necrosis reached up to (83.0 +/- 5.3)% at 51 degrees C. Inhibition of KC growth reached a stationary phase when the injurious temperature reached 45 degrees C as observed with MTT test.

CONCLUSIONSHeat injury can induce apoptosis and growth inhibition of KC in vitro. Incubating KC at 45 degrees C for 10 mins is a good condition to reproduce a model of heat injured KC in vitro. This model may be used to study the biological character and apoptosis of KC after burn injury.

Apoptosis ; Burns ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effect of intensive insulin treatment on the myocardium of severely scalded rats, and to primarily explore its mechanism.

METHODSEighteen SD rats were divided into three groups, with 6 rats in each group. The rats in burn and intensive insulin group were inflicted with 30% TBSA full-thickness injury on the back. Isotonic saline containing 0.12 U/ml insulin solution, and 100 g/L glucose solution were infused into the rats in the intensive insulin group to keep plasma glucose at the level of 4.0 - 6.6 mmol/L (the total fluid amount was 2 ml x kg(-1) x 8h(-1)). In sham burn group,fluid was given according to physiological demand. The same amount of isotonic saline was infused into the rats in burn group. The venous blood was obtained for the detection of plasma glucose contents, and the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) were recorded via aortic ventricle cannula before scald and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 post-scald hours (PSH). The tissue of the left ventricle was harvested at 6 PSH for the detection of troponin T expression in myocardiocytes.

RESULTSPlasma glucose level was increased to (7.6 +/- 1.7) mmol/L - (8.4 +/- 4.7) mmol/L in burn group during 1-6 PSH, which was significantly higher than that in intensive insulin group (4.5 +/- 0.9) mmol/L - (5.2 +/- 1.3) mmol/L, P < 0.01). Compared with the intensive insulin group, LVSP was markedly decreased in the burn group (60 +/- 11 mm Hg vs 72 +/- 8 mm Hg, P < 0.05) at 1 PSH,whereas LVEDP was increased significantly (21.3 +/- 11.3 mmHg vs 11.7 +/- 5.2 mmHg, P < 0.05). Intensive insulin treatment could significantly inhibit the loss of troponin T protein in myofilaments of myocardium.

CONCLUSIONIntensive insulin treatment possesses a protective effect on myocardia function after severe burns, and it may be related to its preventive effect on the loss of contractile protein in cardiocytes.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Insulin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Troponin T ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxymatrine in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSA multicenter randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted. A total of 144 patients with chronic hepatitis B entered the study for 52 weeks; of them 72 received oxymatrine, and 72 received a placebo. Before and after the treatment, clinical symptoms, liver function, serum hepatitis B virus markers, and adverse drug reactions were observed.

RESULTSIn 144 patients, 14 were dropped and excluded due to inconsistencies in the included standard. Therefore, the efficacy and safety of 130 patients were analyzed. After being treated for 52 weeks, 70.77% of the patients in the study group had a normal ALT level, and in 43.08% and 33.33% their HBV DNA and HBeAg became negative. In the placebo group, 39.68% had normal ALT level, and 12.31% and 3.33% had their HBV DNA and HBeAg become negative. The rates of complete response and partial response in the oxymatrine group were 23.08% and 58.46%, and in the placebo group they were 3.08% and 44.62%. They were significantly higher in the oxymatrine group than in the placebo group. In the oxymatrine treated patients, 12 weeks after its withdrawal, 60.00% had a normal ALT level, 41.54% and 23.33% had both HBV DNA and HBeAg negative. In the placebo group, 31.75% had a normal ALT level, 3.08% and 1.67% had both HBV DNA and HBeAg negative. The rates of complete response and partial response in the oxymatrine group were 21.54% and 47.69%, and in the placebo group they were 0 and 41.54%. They were significantly higher in the study group than in the placebo group. The adverse reaction rates of oxymatrine in the study and the placebo group were 7.69% and 6.15%, respectively, but there was no statistical significant difference between them.

CONCLUSIONOxymatrine is an effective and safe agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alkaloids ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Antiviral Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quinolizines

OBJECTIVETo identify the gene mutation for two Chinese families with autosomal dominant non-syndromic hearing impairment(NSHI).

METHODSTwo NSHI pedigrees with common ancestor were identified by clinical examination and family investigation. Linkage analysis was performed for all known NSHI loci, and all exons and exon-intron boundaries of the non-muscle myosin heavy chain 14 (MYH14) gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced.

RESULTSThe disease-causing gene of these 2 pedigrees was fine mapped to the DFNA4 locus on 19q13.33. A heterozygous transition of c. 359T>C (p.S120L) in MYH14 gene was identified. The mutation was detected in all patients but not in normal members in the two families.

CONCLUSIONIt is the first report that mutation in MYH14 gene can cause dominant non-syndromic hearing impairment in Asian population, suggesting that MYH14 gene can be a disease-causing gene of Chinese patients with hearing impairment.

Female ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Mutation ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; genetics ; Myosin Type II ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective　Mini-invasive Carisolv is an aid to treat dental caries for patients with dental phobia. The article was to investigate the level of pain in caries removal using mini-invasive Carisolv III gel and mechanical methods with four psychological indicators.　Methods　We collected 120 primary molar tooth caries of 60 children treated in our hospital. Two primary molar tooth caries of each child were respectively treated with Carisolv III gel (Group A) and mechanical method (Group B) for caries removal. Psychological indicators including the visual analog scale (VAS), the Frank1 behavior rating scale (Frank1), the Kuttner law (Kuttner), and the Houpt behavior rating scale (Houpt) were used to assess the level of pain, degree of cooperation, pain tolerance and comfort. The clinical efficiency after six months and treatment time were compared between the two groups.　Results　There was no statistically significant difference before treatment between the two groups using the four psychological indicators (P>0.05) , while significant differences were found during and after the treatment between the two groups (P<0.05). Then, Carisolv III gel and mechanical groups for careis removal were compared before, during and after treatment themselves. In the Carisolv III gel group, there was no statistically significant difference using the four psychological indicators (P>0.05). In the mechanical group, there were statistically significant differences before and during treatment or before and after treatment using the four psychological indicators (P<0.05). The treatment time in Carisolv III gel group was longer than in mechanical group (P=0.001). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in filling examination after six months (P=0.082).　Conclusion　Carisolv III gel for caries removal can effectively avoid pain, improve comfort and decrease fear in children, which can be promoted in clinical application.