Objective To study the relationship between the clinical manifestations and changes of pituitary magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in short stature children with growth hormone deficiency(GHD).Methods The pituitary MRI finding in 38 cases of short stature children diagnosed as GHD(males 23,females 15;5-14 years old,10 children were in pubertas and Tanner Ⅱ-Ⅲ) were analyzed,and the pituitary morphology,size,signal and pituitary stalk's shape and location were observed.SPSS 12.0 soffware was used to analyze the data.Results The forms of pituitery were plaque in 20 children(53%),cupped in 17 children(45%),and carinate in 1 children.In the 22 cases of completely GHD,18 cases had different levels of anterior pituitary dysplasia,abnormal pituitary stalk and/or pituitary signal changes,5 cases without posterior lobe disappeared high signal and 4 cases with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome;the other 4 cases had completely normal pituitary.In the 16 cases of partially GHD,7 cases had varying degrees of pituitary size and/or abnormal pituitary stalk,8 cases had completely normal pituitary,and 1 case had pituitary adenoma.Conclusion Pituitary MRI could assist diagnosis and evaluate pituitary function in short stature children.

Aged ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Neurilemmoma ; pathology ; Scrotum

The present study is aimed to study the effect of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) gene transfer on the contractile function of isolated cardiomyocytes of canines. The cardiomyocytes were isolated with collagenases. The isolated cardiac cells were divided into untransfected group, empty vector group and SERCA2a-transfected group. Recombinant adenovirus vector carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein gene was used for SERCA2a gene delivery. The expression of SERCA2a protein in cardiomyocytes was determined by Western blot. Contractile function of cardiomyocytes was measured with motion edge-detection system of single cell at 48 h after transfection. The results showed, compared with untransfected group, SERCA2a protein level, percentage of peak contraction amplitude under normal condition, percentages of peak contraction amplitude under Ca(2+) or isoproterenol stimulation, time-to-peak contraction (TTP) and time-to-50% relaxation (R50) in SERCA2a-transfected group all increased significantly. While all the above indices in empty vector group did not show any differences with those in untransfected group. These results suggest that the overexpression of SERCA2a by gene transfer may enhance the contraction function of canine myocardial cells.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Dogs ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVEDermabrasion has been of great value in plastic surgery. Dermabrasion was developed for a specific indication; however, within a very short time, the concept of dermabrasion found wide applicability. This study was to investigate the application of dermabrasion in the treatment of acne scars.

METHODSFrom Feb. 1996 to May 2004, a total of 110 patients with acne scar were treated with dermabrasion.

RESULTSPostoperatively, the curative results were achieved in 45 cases; good results in 40 cases and effective results in 25 cases. The study revealed that the patients at 18-46 years of age have good results.

CONCLUSIONSDermabrasion is a good and safe technique to treat the scar of acne.

Acne Vulgaris ; complications ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Cicatrix ; etiology ; surgery ; Dermabrasion ; methods ; Face ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDAlthough clinical treatment for heart failure and sudden death has been improved over the last few decades, the morbidity and mortality of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) have increased. So a better understanding of the underlying molecular events leading to DCM is urgent. Persistent viral infection (especially coxsackievirus group B3) of the myocardium in viral myocarditis and DCM has never been neglected by experts. Recent data indicate that the up-regulation of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) in viral cardiomyopathy contributes to viral infection as a key factor in the pathogenesis of this disease. This study aimed to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of CAR in DCM by the bioinformatic method.

METHODSWe identified the clusters of genes co-expressed with CAR by clustering algorithm based on the public available microarray dataset of DCM (Kittleson, et al. 2005), and mapped these genes into the protein-protein interaction networks to investigate the interaction relationship to each other at the protein level after confirming that the samples are characterized by the cluster of genes in correctly partitioning.

RESULTSThe gene cluster GENESET 11 containing 33 genes including CAR with similar expression pattern was identified by cluster algorithm, of which 19 genes were found to have interaction information of the protein encoded by them in the current human protein interaction database. Especially, 12 genes present as critical nodes (called HUB node) at the protein level are involved in energy metabolism, signal transduction, viral infection, immuno-response, cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, tissue repair, etc.

CONCLUSIONSThe genes in GENESET 11 together with CAR may play a pathogenic role in the development of DCM, mainly involved in the mechanism of energy metabolism, signal transduction, viral infection, immuno-response, cell apoptosis and tissue repair.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; etiology ; Computational Biology ; Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein ; Humans ; Multigene Family ; Receptors, Virus ; genetics ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo develop an HPLC method to determine the contents of danshensu, hydroxysafflor yellow A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B in the water extract of mixed Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Carthami Flos simultaneously.

METHODThe separation were carried out at 30 degrees C on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 mm x 100 mm, 1.8 microm) with formic acid-500 mmol x L(-1) ammonium formate-water solution (0.5:10:90) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile-formic acid solution (100: 0.5) as mobile phase B in gradient mode at a flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1). Detection wavelengths were 280 nm for danshensu, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B, and 380 nm for hydroxysafflor yellow A.

RESULTThe 5 components were separated well with a good linearity (R2 > 0.999 3) in the range of the test concentration. The average recoveries of danshensu, hydroxysafflor yellow A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and salvianolic acid B were 99.1%, 102%, 102%, 98.5% and 101%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThis method is simple, accurate, and repeatable.

Benzofurans ; analysis ; Chalcone ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Cinnamates ; analysis ; Depsides ; analysis ; Lactates ; analysis ; Quinones ; analysis ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

Design space approach is applied in this study to enhance the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Codonopsis Radix (Dangshen) by optimizing parameters. Total flavonoid recovery, dry matter removal, and pigment removal were defined as the process critical quality attributes (CQAs). Plackett-Burman designed experiments were carried out to find the critical process parameters (CPPs). Dry matter content of concentrated extract (DMCE), mass ratio of ethanol to concentrated extract (E/C ratio) and concentration of ethanol (CEA) were identified as the CPPs. Box-Behnken designed experiments were performed to establish the quantitative models between CPPs and CQAs. Probability based design space was obtained and verified using Monte-Carlo simulation method. According to the verification results, the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Dangshen can be guaranteed by operating within the design space parameters. Recommended normal operation space are as follows: dry matter content of concentrated extract of 45.0% - 48.0%, E/C ratio of 2.48-2.80 g x g(-1), and the concentration of ethanol of 92.0% - 92.7%.
Chemical Precipitation ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the mutation of HBV polymerase gene in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine.

METHODSThe restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism (RFLP) assay for HBV DNA sequence determination at the codon 528 and 552 in the HBV polymerase gene associated with lamivudine resistance in vitro. HBV DNA samples extracted from sera of 240 patients were subjected to PCR amplification with primer pairs F2/R2 (552), F3/R2 (528). Each PCR product was digested with Nde I or Nla III.

RESULTSSerum HBV DNA mutation was found in 51/240 patients (38/51M552V, 26/38L528M, 13/51M552I) after therapy for 52 weeks. DNA sequence analysis was performed on samples of 3 patients, and the results were consistent with those of RFLP assay.

CONCLUSIONThe RFLP assay was able to detect the mutation of HBV DNA at codon 552 and 528 which are the principal site of HBV DNA resistant to lamivudine. The specific PCR method for HBV DNA mutation is rapid, simple and specific.

Drug Resistance, Viral ; Gene Products, pol ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo explore molecular controlling mechanism of mitochondrial injury induced by different density of microwave irradiation.

METHODSRats were exposed to microwave irradiation for 1 hour at average power density of 3 mW/cm(2) or 30 mW/cm(2). After microwave irradiation, the changes of pathological ultrastructure of rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus were observed by electron microscope, and mitochondrial transcription factor A (mtTFA) mRNA expression level were determined by RT-PCR.

RESULTSAfter 3 mW/cm(2) microwave irradiation for 0, 3, 24 h, mitochondrial ultrastructure and mtTFA mRNA expression level didn't significantly change in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus. After 30 mW/cm(2) microwave irradiation for 0, 3, 24 h, mitochondrial ultrastructure obviously changed, mtTFA mRNA expression in rat hippocampus significantly increased by 67.00%, 80.00%, 30.00% respectively, and in rat cerebral cortex by 133.00%, 86.00%, 233.00% respectively. There were significant differences between the corresponding groups of hippocampus and cerebral cortex (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNo obvious change in mitochondria was found after 3 mW/cm(2) microwave irradiation, but it was found after 30 mW/cm(2) microwave irradiation. Mitochondria injury in cerebral cortex was more severe than that in hippocampus. mtTFA mRNA may have certain regulation in mitochondrial energy metabolism.

Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microwaves ; adverse effects ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; RNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

Objective To evaluate risk and the direct economic burden of malignant tumor due to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Combing the data of chronic disease surveillance, follow-up and the fifth health service investigation, we calculated the population attributable risk and the direct economic burden for malignant tumor due to type 2 diabetes mellitus in order to estimate the direct economic burden for tumor caused by type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results The relative risk was 1.68 (95%CI: 1.68-1.70) for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus to develop the malignant tumor than the people without type 2 diabetes mellitus. The proportions of attributable risk (AR%) and population attributable risk (PAR%) were 40.57% and 2.05%, respectively. Moreover, the annual average hospitalization costs for malignant tumor reached 11 billion CNY, which took part 6.48% of total health service costs. And the direct economic burden for malignant tumor due to type 2 diabetes mellitus was 0.228 billion CNY. In addition, the top two highest population attributable risks were colorectal cancer and liver cancer, while the top three greatest direct economic burdens for malignant tumor or malignant tumor due to type 2 diabetes mellitus were lung cancer, colorectal cancer and stomach cancer. Conclusion From this study, we found that type 2 diabetes mellitus increased the risks of tumor and therefore lead to sharply increasing in medical costs of malignant tumor. In order to decrease the risk of malignant tumor and medical costs, we should pay more attention to the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the screening of malignant tumor due to type 2 diabetes mellitus.