Background Studies showed that macophenolic acid (MPA)down-regulates and inhibits the expression and secretion of tissue growth factor and inflammatory factor,and further impacts the proliferation and inflammation process.Pterygium is an inflammatory and proliferative lesion.Whether MPA has an inhibitory effect on pterygium is unclear.Objective This study was to investigate the antifibrotic effects of macophenolic acid on pterygium fibroblasts(PFBs) in vitro and discuss its mechanism.Methods Pterygium tissue was obtained from pterygium patient during the surgery.PFBs were cultured using explants and identified with vimentin immunohistochemisty.0,0.125,0.250,0.500,1.000 μmol/L MPA were added into the culture medium,respectively,and the cells were cultured in the medium without MPA as the control group.MTT colorimetry was used to find the optimization effective concentration of MPA and evaluate their inhibitory effect on PFBs,and BrdU fluorescence staining was used to assess the growth statue of PFBs.Expressions of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB),p65 and inhibitor of NF-κB-α(IκB-α) in the cells were detected by Western blot.Results The cells was spindle in shape 3 days after cultured and showed the vortex and radial arrangement with the positive response to vimentin.With the increase of MPA,the proliferative value of PFBs (A560)showed gradually decline,with a significant difference among the five groups (F =42.874,P＜0.01).In addition,the proliferative value of PFBs (A560) significantly lowed as the prolong of MPA active time(F=26.038,P＜0.01).BrdU fluorescence staining showed a significant decrease of DNA synthesis of PFBs with the elevation of MPA dose among the five groups(F=175.279,P＜0.05),and the A560of PFBs DNA synthesis in different concentrations of MPA groups was lower than that of the control group (all at P＜0.05).No apoptotic and necrotic cell was found after MPA action by DAPI staining.The expression level of p65 in the PFBs was 0.886±0.072 and 1.542±0.124 in the MPA group and the control group,indicating a declined value in the MPA group(P＜0.05).However,the expression value of IκB-α in the cytoplasm PFBs was significantly higher in the MPA group compared with the control group(2.141 ±0.305 vs.1.559±0.267) (P＜0.05).Conclusions MPA has an inhibitory effect on the growth of PFBs,which probably is related to the arresting of NF-κB pathway.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of 6 h 99mTc-diethyl iminodiacetic acid (99mTc-EHIDA) planar hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS),6 h tomographic HBS and 24 h planar HBS in diagnosis on biliary atresia(BA).Methods Seventy cases(32 male,38 female) with continuous jaundice received planar and tomographic HBS in Beijing Friendship Hospital from Jan.2005 to Dec.2007.The mean age was 48.7 d (29 d-4 months).According to final diagnosis,all cases were divided into BA group (45 cases) and non-BA group (25 cases).All cases fasted at least 4 hours before HBS.The equipment was 3 head IRIX from Philips company with low energy high resolution collimator.The tracer was 99mTc-EHIDA and the radiochemistry purity was more than 95 percent.The dosage was 7.4 MBq/kg.All diagnosis demonstrated by operation pathology and clinical follow-up.All cases received HBS at 5,10,15,20,30 min and 1,6 h after tracer injection.HBS would ended if radioactivity appeared in gallbladder or intestine.These cases would received tomographic HBS and 24 h HBS if radioactivity did not appear in gallbladder or intestine at 6 h post injection.All these images were analyzed by 2 or more nuclear medicine physicians.Results There were not radioactivity appearing in gallbladder and intestine on planar and tomographic HBS of 27 cases,which suggested the BA.There were radioactivity appearing in gallbladder and intestine on planar and tomographic HBS of 30 cases,which suggested the non-BA.Positive rate of 6 h tomographic HBS was significantly higher than that of 6 h planar HBS and there was significantly difference between the 2 methods.Positive rate of 6 h tomographic HBS was significantly higher than that of 24 h planar HBS and there was significant difference between the 2 methods.Conclusions 99mTc-EHIDA HBS is a noninvasive,safety,valuable examing method and has definitely clinical value in the diagnosis on BA.The clinical value of 6 h tomographic HBS is significantly higher than that of 6 h planar HBS and 24 h planar HBS.

Objective To investigate the situation of prevalence,treatment and control of hypertension in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)by CROSS-sectional study. Methods Nine hundred out-patients with CKD in our department from November 2006 to March 2007 were enrolled in the study,including 480 male and 420 female.Among 900 CKD cases,354 patients underwent maintenance dialysis,including 228 on hemodialysis and 126 on peritoneal dialysis.Results The prevalence of hypertension in CKD patients was 80.2%(nude 83.5%vs female 76.4%,P<0.01).The prevalence of hypertension in patients on dialysis was significantly higher than that in non-dialysis patients(90.1%vs 73.8%,P<0.01),but there was no significant difference between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis cases.Antihypertensive treatment rate was 92.4%in CKD patients with hypertension.and was significantly higher in patients on dialysis than that in non-dialysis patients(95.6%vs 89.8%.P<0.01).The control rate according to current recommendations for CKD patients (BP<130/80 mm Hg) was very low. Control of both SBP and DBP was only achieved in 20.4% of non- dialysis patients. The control rate of hypertension (BP< 125/75 mm Hg) in patients with proteinuria >1 g/24 h was 8.4%. The proportion of dialysis patients with BP<140/90 mm Hg was significantly lower than that of non-dialysis patients (45.2% vs 55.5%, P<0.01). The percentage of hemodialysis patients with BP < 140/90 mm Hg was significantly higher than that of peritoneal dialysis patients (49.8% vs 36.5%, P<0.05). The prevalence of hypertension was associated with the decrease of renal function and the increase of age. The prevalence of hypertension in diabetic nephropathy was higher than that in primary glomerular diseases. Patients received 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more kinds of antihypertensive drugs accounted for 37.2%, 37.5%, 19.3% and 5.9% respectively. The combination of calcium channel blocker (CCB) and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors was more frequently used in CKD patients. The CCB was the most frequently prescribed drug (74.1% ), followed by angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers (ARB) (48.4%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) (25.6%) and alpha, beta-blockers (24.7%). Conclusions The prevalence of hypertension in CKD patients is quite high, which is associated with the progression of renal function, increase of age, the type of underlying kidney disease, obesity and diabetes mellitus. The control of hypertension is unsatisfied in CKD patients, especially in dialysis patients and those with overt proteinuria.

BACKGROUND: At present, the researches on steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head are mostly concentrated on the treatment of formed necrosis. And there are fewer reports on how to prevent the ostoenecrosis of the femoral head in the course of steroid therapy.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of preventive medication on femoral head structure and blood flow in steroid-induced osteonecrosis.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment.SETTING: Department of Pharmacology, Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Shaoguan University; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Province Yuebei People's Hospital.MATERIALS: Thirty adult New Zealand rabbits of either sex, whose body mass was (2.5±0.5) kg.METHODS: The experiment was carried out in the Central Laboratory,Medical College of Shaoguan University, the Department of Electron Microscope, the Northern Campus of Guangzhou, Sun Yat-sen University, and the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guangdong Province Yuebei People's Hospital from April to July 2005. ①Thirty rabbits were divided randomly into 3 groups with 10 rabbits in each group: control group with intramuscular injection of 1 mL/kg normal saline twice a week and meanwhile, intragastric administration of normal saline(10 mL/d), steroid group with intramuscular injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate(1 mL/kg) twice a week and meanwhile, intragastric administration of normal saline(10 mL/d),treatment group with intramuscular injection of dexamethasone sodium phosphate(1 mL/kg) twice a week and meanwhile, intragastric administration ofXuesaitong(25 mg/kg), Zhibituo(350 mg/kg) and alendronate(5 mg/kg)daily for 8 weeks. ②After 1 week of drug withdrawal, the blood flow of femoral head was measured in all the rabbits with radioactive microsphere technique, and the histological changes were observed under light microscope and electron microscope.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Blood flow of the femoral head in each group.②Histological and morphological changes, and ultrastructure of the femoral head cartilage in each group.RESULTS: ①The blood flow in the treatment group was more than that in the steroid group[(0.261±0.042), (0.197±0.053) mL/(min·g), q=6.10,P ＜ 0.01]. Compared with the control group[(0.243±0.039) mL/(min ·g)],the difference was not significant. ②The number of empty bone lacunae in the treatment group was fewer significantly than that in the steroid group [(15.22±5.49), (24.78±7.87) pieces, q=6.35, P ＜ 0.01]. However, there was no difference between the treatment group and control gruop [(10.38±3.78)pieces].③In the treatment group, the bone cells were normal, the endoplasmic reticula were abundant and the cellular nuclei were of normal shape.In the steroid group, the bone cells contracted in volume, the pyknosis occurred, the chromatin gathered to the edge and the bone lacuna enlarged.CONCLUSION: While using steroid hormone for long, using Xuesaitong,Zhibituo and alendronate may elevate the blood flow of femoral head, improve the tissue structure of bone and prevent or lighten steroid-induced necrosis of femoral head.

BACKGROUNDExternal stents have been used to reduce intimal hyperplasia of vein grafts. The aim of the present study was to define the size of an external stent appropriate for a particular graft by comparing vein grafts with different sizes of external stents.

METHODSA series of paired trials was performed to compare femoral vein grafts with different sizes of external stents, where 30 modeled canines were equally divided into three groups: 6-mm external stent vs non-stent control, 4-mm vs 6-mm external stent, and 4-mm vs 8-mm external stent. At day 3 after operation, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) was done to observe blood flow in the lumen. Four weeks later, CDFI was re-checked and the veins were harvested, stained and measured.

RESULTSAll grafts were patent without formation of thrombosis. External stents significantly reduced intimal thickness of the vein grafts with a 6-mm external stent compared with the vein grafts without external stents (P < 0.05). The vein grafts with the 4-mm external stent had similar intimal, medial and adventitial thicknesses compared with those with the 6-mm external stent and the 8-mm external stent.

CONCLUSIONSExternal stents can reduce intimal hyperplasia of vein grafts. Stents of different diameters exert the similar effect on prevention of intimal hyperplasia.

Animals ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Dogs ; Femoral Vein ; transplantation ; Hyperplasia ; Stents ; Tunica Intima ; pathology ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

Different factors including hybridization solution components, hybridization temperature, and the concentration and proportion of the labelled primer, which affected the sensitivity and specificity of single mutation identification, were exploited. Asymmetric PCR increased the hybridization sensitivity, and the asymmetric multi-PCR did not affect the specificity, while the sensitivity was improved a little. Among 30 lung cancer samples detected with the oligonucleotide microarray, 12 was found P53 gene mutations and 5 had K-ras gene mutations. The P53 gene mutations identified by the oligonucleotide microarray was proved 80% same as the sequencing results. The obvious statistical relations of K-ras and P53 gene mutations with tumor type, tumor stage and smoking were not obtained because of less samples and mutation sites.
Genes, ras ; genetics ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Oligonucleotides ; genetics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

This manuscript aims to study the main points of Chinese medicine nursing and its precautions for patients with diabetic nephropathy,and to better guide the clinical nursing work of TCM.To summarize the experience of traditional Chinese medicine clinical nursing work for patients with diabetic nephropathy in our department,and to explore effective methods of traditional Chinese medicine nursing to standardize the traditional Chinese medicine nursing work for diabetic nephropathy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the performance of 18F-FDG three-head tomography with coincidence imaging and serum tumor marker assays in identifying lung lesions in 104 patients with abnormal findings on chest X-ray or computer tomography.

METHODSA prospective evaluation of 18F-FDG coincidence imaging and the measurement of 3 serum markers for lung cancer ( carcinoembryonic antigen, CYFRA21-1 and neuron specific enolase) were performed within one week in 104 inpatients with suspected lung malignancy. All images were analyzed visually. It was considered positive for malignancy if the 18F-FDG uptake was increased relative to that in the adjacent lung tissue, and was focal. The serum tumor marker test was considered positive for malignancy if the serum level of at least one marker was elevated.

RESULTS66 patients were proven to have lung cancer by pathology, and 38 patients had benign lung diseases. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of 18F-FDG coincidence imaging and serum tumor markers in assessing lung cancers were 80. 0% , 77. 2% , 77. 9% and 56. 0% , 60. 9%, 64. 4% , respectively. 18F-FDG coincidence images in assessing lung lesions showed significantly higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy than serum tumor markers. Four patients with lung cancer had negative findings on 18F-FDG coincidence images but showed positive serum markers.

CONCLUSION18F-FDG coincidence imaging is a powerful tool for evaluating patients with lung lesions suggestive of malignancy. Although the determination of serum marker levels is less accurate than 18F-FDG coincidence imaging, the combination of a positive 18F-FDG coincidence result and positive tumor markers may be helpful in improving the diagnosis of lung cancers.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; blood ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; Keratins ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; blood ; Plasma Cell Granuloma, Pulmonary ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Prospective Studies ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; blood ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging

Background: and Purpose Mutations in the FIG4 gene have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) type 11 in Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study was to identify FIG4 variants in a cohort of 15 familial ALS (FALS) indexes and 275 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients of Han Chinese origin. Methods: All 23 exons of FIG4 were sequenced using targeted next-generation sequencing.An extensive literature review was performed to detect genotype-phenotype associations of FIG4 mutations. Results: No FIG4 variants were identified in the FALS patients. One novel heterozygous missense variant (c.352G>T [p.D118Y]) and one novel heterozygous nonsense variant (c.2158G>T [p.E720X]) in FIG4 were identified in two SALS patients. The p.E720X variant is interpreted as likely pathogenic while the p.D118Y variant is a variant of uncertain significance. The patient carrying the p.E720X mutation developed lower-limb-onset slowly progressive ALS, and survived for 11.5 years. The patient harboring the FIG4 p.D118Y variant also presented with progressive ALS, with the score on the ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised (ALSFRS-R) decreasing by 0.4 per month. The rate of decrease in the ALSFRS-R scores from symptom onset to diagnosis seemed to be lower in the patients carrying FIG4 variants than the no-FIG4-mutation ALS patients in this study. Conclusions Our findings suggest that ALS patients carrying FIG4 mutations are not common in the Chinese population and are more likely to exhibit slow progression.

OBJECTIVETo provide evidence for more accurate diagnosis of birth defects based on the pathoanatomy of congenital malformations.

METHODSData used in this study were obtained from Luliang City Hospital and three county hospitals of Shanxi province between February 2004 and March 2006. Autopsy and pathological examination of 160 dead fetuses and stillbirths were performed. Photos of dead fetuses and stillbirths were taken, tissues were cut into sections for pathological examination under microscope, all pathological information was recorded, and percentage of birth defects was calculated.

RESULTSThe proportion of dead fetuses and stillbirths with or without congenital malformations was 84.4% (135/160) and 15.6% (25/160), respectively. There were 16 categories of major external and internal birth defects in 135 cases of such defects. Congenital heart defects, anencephaly and spina bifida had a higher prevalence rate in the study period. The prevalence rate of non-malformation death and birth defects < 28 gestational weeks and internal anomalies > or = 28 gestational weeks was 14.61% (61/4175) and 17.25% (72/4175), respectively. A total of 413 in situ anomalies were found in 135 cases of autopsy. Spina bifida, anencephaly, congenital heart defects, aplasia or accessory lobe of lung, renal agenesis and dysplasis and congenital hydrocephaly were more closely associated with severe malformations than with mitis malformations. The cases of dead fetuses and stillbirths with multiple malformations (> or = 2 in situ anomalies) had a higher proportion (74.1%), whereas those with isolated malformations had a lower proportion (25.93%).

CONCLUSIONThe occurrence of congenital malformations in different embryonic developmental stages affects multiple organs. Postmortem examination of internal and multiple malformations of fetal deaths and stillbirths can provide more accurate diagnostic information for birth defects.

Cause of Death ; China ; epidemiology ; Congenital Abnormalities ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Population Surveillance ; Pregnancy ; Stillbirth