0.05);2)After 12,24,36 months' treatment,BP was decreased significantly in each group (P0.05).Conclusion Both combined spirono- lactone/HCTZ and captopril/HCTZ significantly reduced BP and LVMI or LVMI and the maguitude of reduction was further enhanced after prolonged treatment.

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of needling method for regulating mental activities and soothing liver on melancholia.

METHODSOne hundred and ten cases of depression were selected according to the diagnostic criteria of depression in mood disturbance (emotional and mental disturbance) and randomly divided into a regulating mental activities and soothing liver needling group (n=50), a traditional acupuncture group (n=30) and a prozac treatment group (n=30). Their therapeutic effects were evaluated by Hamilton depression scale, Self-rating depression scale (SDS), psychiatric self-rating scale (SCL-90).

RESULTSIn the regulating mental activities and soothing liver needling group, 34 cases were cured, 10 cases were markedly effective, 4 cases were effective and 1 cases were ineffective, with the cured rate of 69.4% and the total effective rate of 98.0%, which were significantly better than those in the traditional acupuncture group (the cured rate was 48.3% and the total effective rate was 89.7%), and was not significantly different with the prozac treatment group (the cured rate was 64.0% and the total effective rate was 96.0%).

CONCLUSIONThe needling method for regulating mental activities and soothing liver has a better therapeutic effect on depression.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Depression ; therapy ; Depressive Disorder ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVESTo construct an eucaryotic expression plasmid carrying the BMP7 gene and express in MSCs.

METHODSThe BMP7 gene was cloned into the eucaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1. At the same time, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated and cultured in vitro. The plasmid carrying the BMP7 gene was transfected into MSCs.

RESULTSPCR and digesting demonstrated that the eucaryotic expression plasmid -pcDNA-BMP7 was obtained. RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods showed that the BMP7 gene was expressed in MSCs.

CONCLUSIONConstruction of an eucaryotic expression plasmid carrying BMP7 gene and expression in MSCs provide a sound basis for gene therapy using the BMP7 gene and the ideal seeds for tissue engineering.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Engineering ; Transforming Growth Factor beta

BACKGROUNDIt is generally accepted that gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors with poor prognosis. We aimed to explore the relationship of the immunity of the central nervous system and the genesis and development of glioma.

METHODSG422 glioma was implanted in the brain of BALB/c mice (immuno-competent mice), nude mice (T cell related immuno-deficient) and complement C3 knock-out mice (complement C3 related immunodeficient). The survival time of the host, growth and histopathology of the tumor, and concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in tumor tissues were assessed.

RESULTSTumor spheres were formed in all mice after injection, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive staining of the cells declared their glioma origin. The longest median survival time of (44.3 ± 6.0) days was found in BALB/c mice, followed by (24.8 ± 5.2) days in nude mice and the shortest (18.6 ± 5.8) days in complement C3 knock-out mice. Accordingly, the growth of the tumor was fastest in complement C3 knock-out mice, followed by the nude mice and slowest in the BALB/c mice. Although the proportions of infiltrating CD68(+) lymphocytes in tumor tissues showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), TNF-α level in the nude and C3 knock-out mice, (28.11 ± 4.86) µmol/L and (22.87 ± 6.36) µmol/L respectively, were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than that in the BALB/c mice, which was (230.21 ± 39.17) µmol/L. The INF-γ level was highest in the BALB/c mice ((180.76 ± 29.19) µmol/L), followed by the nude mice ((113.46 ± 23.76) µmol/L) and then the C3 knock-out mice ((16.84 ± 4.45) µmol/L).

CONCLUSIONSThe G422 glioma implanted in the brains of mice with different immune ability would be a useful model for studying the relationship of the immune system and tumor in the central nervous system. Furthermore, the T cells and complement C3 compartments of the immune response may affect the growth of implanted tumors and inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and INF-γ.

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Brain Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Complement C3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glioma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice, Nude ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Pseudoaneurysm is a rare yet potentially life-threatening condition,typically arising as a complication of myocardial infarction,cardiac surgery,trauma,or infection.The incidence of postoperative pseudoaneurysms in congenital heart disease patients is exceedingly low.Traditional surgical intervention involves excising the pseudoaneurysm and repairing its base;however,this approach entails significant surgical trauma and elevated risk.This case report details the diagnosis of a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm(LVPA)in a 6-month-and-10-day-old child following corrective surgery for congenital heart disease.At 7 weeks of age,the patient underwent repair for ventricular septal defect,atrial septal defect,and pulmonary valve dilation.A LVPA was identified three months postoperatively.Four months after the initial procedure,successful percutaneous closure of the pseudoaneurysm was achieved via transfemoral access under transthoracic echocardiographic guidance.Postoperative follow-up confirmed optimal positioning of the occluder and satisfactory recovery in the child.This case underscores the efficacy and minimal invasiveness associated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous closure for newly developed LVPA in pediatric patients.

Seventy Escherichia coli isolates recovered from diseasedchickens diagnosed with colibacillosis in Henan Province,China, between 2004 and 2005 were characterized forantimicrobial susceptibility profiles via a broth doublingdilution method. Overall, the isolates displayed resistanceto trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100%), oxytetracycline(100%), ampicillin (83%), enrofloxacin (83%), and ciprofloxacin(81%), respectively. Among the phenicols, resistance wasapproximately 79% and 29% for chloramphenicol andflorfenicol, respectively. Molecular detection revealed thatthe incidence rates of the floR, cmlA, cat1, cat2 and cat3were 29, 31, 16, 13, and 0%, respectively. Additionally,10% of the isolates were positive for both floR and cmlA.As these antimicrobial agents may potentially inducecross-resistance between animal and human bacterialpathogens, their prudent use in veterinary medicine ishighly recommended.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; *Chickens ; China/epidemiology ; Chloramphenicol/pharmacology ; DNA, Bacterial/chemistry/genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Escherichia coli/*drug effects/growth & development ; Escherichia coli Infections/epidemiology/microbiology/*veterinary ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests/veterinary ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Poultry Diseases/epidemiology/*microbiology ; Thiamphenicol/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the etiologic agents of the SARS and develop diagnostic method for this disease.

METHODSThirty-six nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens from 27 patients with SARS in Shenzhen were collected. The samples were aliquotted to three parts and subjected to molecular assays for human metapneumovirus, chlamydia and a novel coronavirus, which was reported recently to be the etiologic agent of SARS. Nested RT-PCR was used to amplify the RNA polymerase gene of the novel coronavirus and the PCR products were sequenced directly or after cloned to pMD18-T vector.

RESULTSHuman metapneumovirus and chlamydia genes were detected in none of the specimens using the RT-PCR and nested-PCR, respectively. The novel coronavirus gene were amplified in 6 of 36 specimens, the sequence analysis indicated that this novel coronavirus is unrelated to any other coronavirus reported previously. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid alignment between this coronavirus and others was not more than 40% and 70% to 82%, respectively, while the nucleotide sequence cloned from the 6 patients were identical.

CONCLUSIONSThe SARS patients in Shenzhen were infected with coronavirus and this novel coronavirus is associated with SARS. The sequence analysis indicated that the coronavirus from SARS patients in Shenzhen is the same as that identified from other areas such as Canada and Hong Kong. A specific diagnostic nested RT-PCR was developed to identify this novel coronavirus infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of absent ductular reaction (DR) at hepatocellular-stromal boundaries in early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSCytokeratin (CK)7 and CK19 expression was detected by the SP immunohistochemistry method in 112 hepatic nodules taken from 20 cases of early HCC, 26 cases of HCC with nodules more than 3 cm, 20 cases of high-grade dysplastic nodule (HGDN), 26 cases of low-grade dysplastic nodule (LGDN), and 20 cases of cirrhosis (CIR). DR/CK7 and DR/CK19 were assessed separately on a semi-quantitative scale and statistically analyzed.

RESULTSThe mean age of the patients in the study was 53.71 years-old, and the study population consisted of 73 males and 39 females. The follow-up time ranged from 3 to 90 months. Positive CK7 and CK19 staining was detected in the cytoplasm of DR-positive hepatobiliary cells, interlobular bile duct, and a portion of hepatic cells. All of the DR/CK7- and DR/CK19-positive cells were localized around the non-invasive nodules. Specimens with focal or diffuse DR/CK7- and DR/CK19-loss had more robust stromal invasion. Specimens from early HCC cases showed greater DR/CK19 loss than specimens from HGDN cases, LGDN cases and CIR cases (all P less than 0.01). DR/CK7 loss of early HCC was less than HCC with nodules more than 3 cm (P less than 0.05), and more than LGDN cases and CIR cases (both P less than 0.01).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of DR/CK7 was very similar to that of DR/CK19 (P more than 0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis indicated that DR/CK7 and DR/CK19 were positively correlated with tumor-free time (P less than 0.01) and negatively correlated with early recurrence time as well as death rate (both P less than 0.01). Furthermore, cases showing DR/CK7 or DR/CK19 loss had lower overall survival rate and tumor-free survival rate (P less than 0.01) and higher early recurrence rate (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDR/CK7 and DR/CK19 immunostaining may help to distinguish non-invasive HGDNs from both minimally-invasive and overtly-invasive HCCs by identifying small foci of invasion and predicting increased risk of invasiveness.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; pathology ; virology ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-19 ; metabolism ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDCongenital vascular rings may often cause unexplained respiratory symptoms in infants and young children. Their diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. Few studies of vascular rings have been reported in China. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and surgical management of infants and children with congenital vascular rings.

METHODSClinical histories, physical examinations, investigations, image studies and surgical interventions were retrospectively evaluated in 7 children (age range: 2 months-4 years, mean 7 months) with congenital vascular rings. Chest radiography was performed in all patients. Echocardiography and computed tomography (CT) with 3-dimensional (3D) reconstructions were performed in 6 patients. Esophagography, cardiac catheterization and angiography, and bronchoscopy were performed in 1, 1 and 4 children, respectively.

RESULTSSix of the 7 patients had respiratory symptoms, including recurrent cough, stridor and wheeze. Age at onset of symptoms ranged from 1 month to 11 months. Chest X-ray showed nothing important on the vascular rings, besides bronchitis and pneumonia. Contrast-enhanced CT diagnosed vascular rings in 6 patients. Four patients had double aortic arches, two had balanced arches and two were right arch dominant. One patient had a right aortic arch with left ligament and 1 patient had a pulmonary artery sling. Echocardiography failed to diagnose vascular rings in 2 patients. The esophagogram of 1 patient showed esophageal compression. Bronchoscopy of 4 patients showed compression of the distal trachea. Five of the 7 patients underwent surgical division of the vascular rings. Surgical observation confirmed the CT findings in each patient.

CONCLUSIONSPatients, especially infants or young children, with recurrent respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, stridor and wheeze, should be examined for the possible presence of congenital vascular rings. Contrast-enhanced CT can clearly show the anatomy of vascular rings. As a noninvasive technique, echocardiography is helpful for diagnosis. Early surgical management in symptomatic patients is effective.

Aorta, Thoracic ; abnormalities ; Child, Preschool ; Cough ; etiology ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

By the method of single preimplantation embryos differential display polymerase chain reaction (SPEDDRT-PCR), 25 reprogramming cDNA fragments were obtained from single 2-cell, 8-cell embryos and blastula. After cloning and sequencing, five of them were identified by reverse-Northern and characterized with stage-specific expression during reconstructed embryo development. This results will help to isolate full length reprogramming genes and study their function during embryonic development.
Animals ; Blastocyst ; metabolism ; physiology ; Blotting, Northern ; Embryo, Mammalian ; metabolism ; Embryonic Development ; genetics ; physiology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; genetics ; physiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Rabbits