Objective To review the clinical characteristics of paraganglioma of the urinary bladder with 5 cases reprt.Methods The clinical data of 5 patients (2 males and 3 females,age 23-68 years)with paraganglioma of the urinary bladder were reported.Two cases were diagnosed by ultrasonography during health examination,1 case was found by hematuria,1 had difficulty of voiding,and 1 presented with palpitation,chest discomfort while urination.Two cases were clinical diagnosed as bladder paraganglioma,1case urachal carcinoma,and 2 cases bladder tumor.Cystoscopy showed a protruding tumor within the bladder or bladder had compressed changes.One case of tumor located in the triangle,1 in the posterior wall,1in the top,2 in the anterior wall.Three cases of biopsy were negative.Three cases of preoperative endocrine examinations showed norepinephrine significantly higher.Results Laparoscopic partial cystectomy was performed in 3 cases,open partial cystectomy in 1 case,and transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in 1 case.One case had the complication of stress cardiomyopathy during TURBT,3 cases found intraoperative hypertensive crisis.The bleeding volume was 20-800 ml (average 126 ml),and I case received blood transfusion.During the follow-up period for 3-48 months,the blood pressure was normal,and no recurrence was found.Conclusions Bladder paraganglioma is uncommon and easily misdiagnosed.For the patients with bladder tumor,accompanied by changes in blood pressure,palpitations during urination should be highly suspicious of bladder paraganglioma.Partial cystectomy is the main treatment method.

Objective To observe the protection of human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT cell, from UVA damage by resveratrol and its possible mechanism. Methods HaCaT cells were incubated with or without 0.01 mmol/L or 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol after exposure to 5 J/cm2 UVA irradiation. Unirradiated HaCaT cells-without the treatment with resveratrol served as the control. After another 24-hour culture, MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of cells, RT-PCR and Western-blot to measure the iNOS mRNA and protein expression respectively, electron microscopic technique to observe the changes in cell ultrastructure. Results After irradiation with UVA of 5 J/cm2, the proliferation of HaCaT cells decreased with the absorbance at 490 nm descending from 0.889±0.083 to 0.542±0.004, while a significant increase was observed in the relative expression level of iNOS mRNA and protein in HaCaT cells (1.532±0.041 vs 0.009±0.003, 1.331 ±0.046 vs 0.003±0.001, both P < 0.05) with the presence of typical apoptotic cells. The treatment with 0.01 and 0.1 mmol/L resveratrol significantly promoted the proliferation of irradiated cells with the absorbance at 490 nm being 0.753±0.435 and 0.892±0.173 respectively, but inhibited the mRNA (0.853±0.038 vs 1.532±0.041, 0.392±0.033 vs 1.532±0.041, both P< 0.05) and protein expression level (0.809±0.018 vs 1.331±0.046, 0.412±0.026 vs 1.331±0.046, both P< 0.05) of iNOS in irradiated cells, and the resveratrol of 0.1 mmol/L was more effective than that ofO.01 mmol/L in all tested parameters (P< 0.05). Furthermore, no apoptofic cells or necrotic cells were observed in irradiated ceils incubated with resveratrol. Conclusion Resveratrol effectively protects HaCaT cells from UVA damage, which may be related to the inhibition of UVA-induced iNOS expression by resveratrol.

Objective To investigate the typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate and its confidence interval in tank-transported copper ore by using bootstrap resampling techniques. Methods Bootstrap resampling method, coupled with kernel density estimation, introduced to acquire the typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate in copper ore. Results The typical value of gamma-radiation dose rate in copper ore was expressed as the central tendency of the means of resampling, and two kinds of confidence interval, empirical percentile and bias-corrected accelerated confidence interval, were provided as standard error. Conclusion It is clearly demonstrated that this method has an advantage to give a robust description in explanation of central tendency and variation range of gamma-radiation dose rate data profiles.

Objective To investigate the role of cyclophilin A (CypA) and CD147 in the process of skin aging. Methods Twenty cases of tissue samples from junior group(＜15 years old), middle age group(30-40 years old)or old age group (＞65 years old) were collected from photophobic and exposal parts of skin, respectively. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were carried out to semi-quantitatively detect the expression level of CyPA and CD147. Results IHC demonstrated that both CyPA and CD147 were expressed in both photophobic and exposal parts of normal human skin in all 3 groups. The expression levels of both CyPA and CD147 were increased with increase in age. There were significant differences in both CyPA and CD147 expression among 3 groups (P<0.05). CyPA and CD147 were also positively correlated in all 3 groups. Similar results were achieved by ISH. Conclusion The interaction between CD147 and CyPA might play an important role in the process of skin aging.

Objective To study the subacute inhalation toxicity of Ivermectin TC, and obtain its non-observed adverse effect level(NOAEL).Methods It was performed on the doses of Ivermectin TC 190, 380, 750 mg/m3, the solvent control group (0.03%Tween-80 solution) , the control group and additional group ( there were 6 female and 6 male Sprague-Dawley rats for each group) .The animals inhaled with nose-only exposure for 4 weeks (4 h/d, 5 d/week) .The additional group should be observed another 14 days after exposing.At the end of experiment, the rats were killed, the routine and biochemical detection, the body weight and organ to body weight ratios were all measured.Results In the high exposure group, clinical signs of rats included hair fluffy, dull, salivation, tremors were recorded at the exposure period;in female rats, feed efficiency was decreased, ALT and liver to body weight ratio were increased; in male rats, BUN and ALT were increased, CHOL and body weight for the 4th week were decreased.Histopathological examinations revealed that swelling in the liver cell was seen in some female rats at high exposure group.Conclusion The results suggested that the NOAEL of Ivermectin TC in SD rats was 380 mg/m3(4 h/d for 28 days).

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of the diameter of the esophageal hiatus on multislice spiral CT(MSCT)and to present the MSCT manifestations of esophageal hiatus hernia (EHH).Methods(1)The distance between diaphragmatic crura(DDC),which indicated the diameter of esophageal hiatus,was measured in 140 normal adult patients on their thoracic and/or abdomenal CT images.(2)The DDC of 56 patients with EHH diagnosed by barium examination was measured on MSCT, and the MSCT findings were analyzed retrospectively.Results(1)The DDC of 140 normal adult cases were(13.44?4.41)mm on average and increased with age.The mean DDCs of patients under the age of 59 year-old(80 cases)and over 60-year-old(60 cases)were 11.03?2.10 mm and 16.67?4.64 mm respective]y,there was a significant difference(t=8.762,P

15mm~2)of dural sac cross-sectional area to values smaller than 75 mm~2 was found during examination in axial loading,or if a suspected disc herniation,narrow lateral recess,narrow intervertebral foramen,or intraspinal synovial cyst changed to being obvious at the axial loading examination,they were regarded as additional information.Results After axial loading CT examination,AVI was found in 16 of 40 patients.A significant decrease of dural sac area was found in 13 patients.Intervertebral disc herniation was more severe in 7 patients,lateral recess or interverbral foramen narrowed in 4 patients,no intraspinal synovial cyst was found.After axial loading MRI examination,AVI was found in 19 of 60 patients.A significant decrease of dural sac area was found in 13 patients.Intervertebral disc herniation became severe in 10 patients,lateral recess or interverbral foramen narrowed in 8 patients,no intraspinal synovial cyst was found.AVI was found in 32 of 79(40.5%)patients with sciatica and 2 of 20(10.0%)patients with low back pain(?~2=7.45 P

Allergic rhinitis(AR)in children is non-infectious chronic inflammatory disease in the nasal mucosa which was largely determined by IgE when the body is exposed to allergens. It was believed that Th1/Th2 immune imbalance is the main pathogenesis of AR;however,more and more studies put emphasis on the integrality of individual immune system of the disease. Systematic discussion on the pathogenesis of natural immunity and acquired immunity in allergic rhinitis may provide useful AR treatments in the future.

In Taiwan, the first human-infecting H6N1 avian influenza virus was isolated in 2013. To better understand the origin, evolutionary relationship and pathogenesis of the H6N1 virus, we studied the adaptive evolution and evolutionary dynamics of the hemagglutinin (HA) genes of the H6N1 virus in Taiwan. We felt that such studies woud contribute to the further study and control of the virus. Datasets were gained from the Flu and Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) databases. Then, phylogenetic trees and evolutionary dynamics were reconstructed. The evolutionary rate and characterization of adaptive evolution were analyzed by bioinformatic methods. Results indicated that the HA genes of H6N1 in Taiwan were divided into at least five types, and that the new types that the infected human H6N1 belonged to could be local advantage type at present. Evolutionary dynamics revealed the viral population expanded first at the end of 1971, reduced sharply in 2008, and then increased slightly. Three sites were identified under positive selection, suggesting that various sites might increase the adaptive ability of the virus. Eighty-nine sites were under negative selection, revealing that these sites might play an important role in the replication and epidemiology of the virus. Interestingly, site 329 upstream from the cleavage site was also under negative selection, suggesting that this site might be associated with the virulence of H6N1. These data suggest that the HA genes of the Taiwanese H6N1 virus have been undergoing adaptive evolution, and that an outbreak may occur again. Hence, more attention should be paid to the identified sites, to enable timely monitoring and control of a future epidemic.
Animals ; Birds ; Evolution, Molecular ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; Influenza in Birds ; virology ; Taiwan

Objective To investigate the changes of the gray matter in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on the voxel based morphometry (VBM).Methods 35 patients with RA and 30 healthy volunteers with age,sex and education level matched performed a high-resolution 3D-T1-weighted whole brain structural scan by GE Signa HDxt 1.5T MRI scanner.The high resolution T1WI images were preprocessed by the VBM 12 implemented in the SPM 12 software to display the gray matter structures of the RA patients and the healthy volunteers.T test was used to compare the morphological changes of gray matter between the RA patients and the volunteers.Results The gray matter volume gray matter volume in the right lentiform nucleus,left frontal lobe and left cerebellum posterior lobe significantly decreased in RA patients,and their gray matter volume had no correlation with the clinical indications.The increase of gray matter volume was not found in the RA patients.Conclusion RA patients show decreased gray matter volume in several cerebral regions,which suggests that RA can lead to the brain structural abnormalities.VBM can provide an objective imaging evidence to evaluate the cerebral morphological abnormalities of RA.