Objective To investigate the clinical significance of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)in the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease(KD)and its complications of coronary arterial lesions(CAL).Methods Twenty-three inpatients with KD were admitted in hospital from Jan.2005 to Dec.2006,whose venous blood samples were obtained during the acute and convalescent stage respectively,and CAL was detected with 2-Dechocardiography.Twenty-seven venous blood samples(12 febrile children and 15 normal physical examination children)were collected as healthy controls.Serum levels of MMP-9 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay(ELISA).According to the results of echocardiography,children were divided into 2 groups:with CAL group(n=13)and without CAL group(n=10).Results During the acute stage,serum MMP-9 levels were significantly higher in KD than those in controls(Pa

Cerebral Cortex ; physiology ; Humans ; Neural Pathways ; physiology ; Taste

OBJECTIVE: To observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of Yishen Huanji Decoction (YSHJD), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on military overtraining-induced kidney injury in a rat model. METHODS: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group and YSHJD-treated group. The military overtraining-induced kidney injury in rats was established by forcing to run on the treadmill for 8 weeks. The rats in YSHJD-treated group were administered with YSHJD at the same time. The 24-hour urines were collected every weekend for detecting the contents of urinary sediment, 24-hour urine total protein, 24-hour urine albumin and activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG). The blood and renal tissues were collected after 8-week training, and the levels of serum urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (SCr) were detected. Angiotensin II (Ang II) was detected by radioimmunoassay and activity of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in kidney was analyzed by chemical colorimetric method. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, after 8-week training, the contents of 24-hour urine protein, activities of NAG in urine, and the levels of BUN and SCr in rats in the untreated group and YSHJD-treated group were obviously increased (P<0.05), and these parameters of the YSHJD-treated group were lower than those of the untreated group (P<0.05). The contents of Ang II in blood plasma and kidney of rats in the untreated group and YSHJD-treated group were higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.05), and had no statistical difference between the untreated group and YSHJD-treated group. Compared with the normal control group, the activity of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in kidney of rats in the untreated group was obviously decreased (P<0.05), and had no statistical difference between the normal control group and YSHJD-treated group. CONCLUSION: YSHJD can protect against military overtraining-induced kidney injury in rats by decreasing the contents of 24-hour urine protein, BUN and SCr, and the activity of NAG, and increasing the activity of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase.

Background and purpose:Esophageal carcinoma is a common malignant tumor.Patients with esophageal carcinoma have a low survival rate.CD44 gene and CYP2E1 gene are related to invasion and metastasis of esophageal cancer,therefore we studied CD44 and CYP2E1 gene polymorphism in regard to its relationship with esophageal cancer. Methods :We analyzed CD44 and CYP2E1 genetic polymorphism in 45 cases with esophageal cancer and adjacent tissues by PCR technology. Results :CD44 protein was significantly over-expressed in tumor tissues than that in adjacent tissue(P

Acute Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Respiration, Artificial ; Tracheotomy ; methods

Objective To study the preventive and therapeutic effects of losartan and vitamin E on kidney injury induced by overtraining in a rat model. Methods Forty SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups (10 each): control group, model group, losartan group and vitamin E group. Rats in control group were fed with conventional diet. Rats in other three groups were forced to run on the treadmill for 8 weeks, once a day for 20 minutes and 5 days for each week, till exhaustion to induce the kidney injury. Rats in losartan group and vitamin E group were gavaged either with losartan or vitamin E everyday. Urine was collected at the end af each week, urine protein and N-acety-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were detormined, and the serum urea nitrogen, creatinine (SCr), angiotensin Ⅱ, Na+-K+-ATP-ase activity in kidney were analyzed after 8 weeks' training. Results After 8 weeks' training, the urine protein, NAG in urine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), SCr were obviously increased in model group, losartan group and vitamin E group as compared with that in control group, while those in model group were higher than that in losartan group and vitamin E group (P0.05). Na+-K+-ATP-ase activity of renal tissue were obvionsly lower in model group and losartan group than that in control group and vitamin E group (P

Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerosis. Treating dyslipidemia in elderly patients requires specific knowledge and understanding of common dyslipidemias and the relative safety of various pharmacologic agents in the presence of possible multiple comorbidities. Lifestyle modification remains the first step in the treatment of dyslipidemia; however, it can be difficult to sustain and achieve acceptable compliance in the elderly and it is best used in combination with drug therapy. Statins are widely accepted as the first-line therapy. Several recent studies have demonstrated that statins are safe and effective in the elderly. However, it is important to note that there is very limited data regarding the effects of dyslipidemia treatment on morbidity and mortality in patients over 85 years of age. In summary, the clinicians must recognize that the presence of dyslipidemia in the elderly poses substantial risk of coronary events and stroke. The available evidence has demonstrated that in most elderly patients who are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, treatment of dyslipidemia with appropriate therapy reduces the risk, and when used carefully with close monitoring for safety, the treatment is generally well tolerated. With increasing life expectancy, it is critical for physicians to recognize the importance of detection and treatment of dyslipidemia in the elderly.

Objective To discuss the set-up isocenter error based on kilovolt cone beam computed tomography (KVCBCT) and to investigate dose deviation led to set-up isocenter error. Methods 21 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma ( NPC ) treated with image guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT)were investigated. The online KVCBCT scan, rigid image registration, set-up error was gained for 376 sets before radiotherapy. We sampled ten and fifteen setup isocenter error in the 376 sets randomly. Without changing beam angle,fields size and leaf sequences and dose weight et al. , we only replaced new isocenter and accumulated the new plan for ten or fifteen plans. We compared the percentage deviation between ten,fifteen times accumulated plans and normal ten , fifteen times plans. Results All 376 sets of KVCBCT image were analyzed for 21 cases. Under the condition of non-correction, the setup isocenter errors are 0. 75mm ± 1.13 mm, 0. 92 mm ±2. 15 mm,0. 82 mm ± 1.24 mm in left-right, superior-inferior and anteriorposterior directions respectively. So, we developed the margins which were 4 mm,6 mm、4 mm in three directions respectively from clinical tumor volume to planning tumor volume (PTV) calculated by two parameters model. In the fifteen accumulated plan, the deviation in the dose of 95% PTV (D95) was -7. 5% - - 11.9%, and the deviation in the D50 was -5. 1% - -8. 2%. Conclusions It is possible of small effects to normal organs and targets because of small error of patient displacement in one fraction.However, many small errors can led to considerable dose difference in targets and normal tissue in thirty fractions of all treatments period. So, according to two parameters model, PTV margin can be designed new planning and depended on IG-IMRT technique, which it will be significantly reduced these dose differences.

Objective To determine the planning target volume margins of head and neck cancers treated by image guided radiotherapy (IGRT).Methods 464 sets cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images before setup correction and 126 sets CBCT images after correction were obtained from 51 head and neck cancer patients treated by IGRT in our department.The systematic and random errors were evaluated by either online or offline correction through registering the CBCT images to the planning CT.The data was divided into 3 groups according to the online correction times.Results The isocenter shift were 0.37 mm±2.37 mm, -0.43 mm±2.30 mm and 0.47 mm±2.65 mm in right-left (RL), anterior-posterior (AP) and superior-inferior (SI) directions respectively before correction, and it reduced to 0.08 mm±0.68 mm, -0.03 mm±0.74 mm and 0.03 mm±0.80 mm when evaluated by 126 sets corrected CBCT images.The planning target volume (PTV) margin from clinical target volume (CTV) before correction were:6.41 mm,6.15 mm and 7.10 mm based on two parameter model, and it reduced to 1.78 mm,1.80 mm and 1.97 mm after correction.The PTV margins were 3.8 mm,3.8 mm,4.0 mm;4.0 mm,4.0 mm,5.0 mm and 5.4 mm,5.2 mm,6.1 mm in RL, AP and SI respectively when online-correction times were more than 15 times, 11-15 times,5-10 times.Conclusions CBCT-based on online correction reduce the PTV margin for head and neck cancers treated by IGRT and ensure more precise dose delivery and less normal tissue complications.

Objective To observe the expression level of HOXB6 gene on the differentiation and proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells(HSC) to colony forming unit-granulocyte-monocyte(CFU-GM),erythroid progenitor(CFU-E) and colony forming unite-T-lymphocyt(CFU-TL).And the proliferation procress was affected by all-transretinoic acid(ATRA).Methods 1.By the colony culture in vitro,the impact of ATRA on the CFU-GM,CFU-E,CFU-TL colony formation were surveyed;the expressions of HOXB6 gene were observed on the differentiation procress of HSC to CFU-GM,CFU-E and CFU-TL affected by ATRA on the 3rd,7th,12th.2.Real-time fluorogenic quantitative reserve transcription-polymerize chain reaction(FQ-RT-PCR) method was used to explore the possible mechanism of ATRA up-regulated to human cord blood CFU-GM,CFU-E and CFU-TL in gentic level.Results 1.HOXB6 gene had a regulatory function in the differentiation procress of hematopoiesis.During the differentiation and proliferation of HSC to colony forming CFU-GM or CFU-E,CFU-TL in vitro,the expressions of HOXB6 gene were significant positive.2.Compared with the expressions of CFU-GM and CFU-TL HOXB6 mRNA on day 3,the quantity of HOXB6 mRNA was obviously higher on day 7 and lower on day 12,respectively in each group.Compared with the expression of CFU-E HOXB6 mRNA on day 3,the quantity of HOXB6 mRNA was obviously higher on day 12 in each group.3.Compared with the HOXB6 gene of control group,the expressions of HOXB6 gene of group ATRA were up-regulated remarkable.Conclusions 1.HOXB6 gene has a regulatory function in the differentiation procress of hematopoiesis.HOXB6 gene plays an important role in the progress which can be associated with the regulating effect of HOXB6 gene on the differentiation and proliferation of CFU-GM,CFU-E and CFU-TL.2.During the differentiation and proliferation of HSC,the expression of HOXB6 gene is regular in time.3.Low concentration of ATRA(60 ?mol?L-1) can up-regulate the expression of HOXB6 gene,which confirms the theory that the normal hematopoie-tic lineage determination and maturation rely on the stable and consistent expression of HOXB6 gene.