Objective To study immunological property of chimeric BPVL1 / HPV16 E7 virus-like particles (VLPs) in mice. Methods HPV16 E7 gene was cut into three fragments, ligated to BPVL1 sequence, respectively, and then expressed as chimeric VLPs. The ability of the chimeric VLPs to stimulate in vivo cytotoxic response was analysed with lymphocytes taken from mice C57BL/6J lymph nodes. Results A strong CTL response against C-2 cells (HPV16 E7 aa47-59 transfected EL-4 cell) was induced in mice immunised with chimeric VLPs BPVL1 / HPV16 E7(b). Furthermore, no CTL response was detected against EL-4 cells in immunized mice. Conclusions Chimeric BPVL1/HPV16 E7 VLPs, serving as antigens, can activate mouse T lymphocytes and elicit a strong antigen-specific CTL response. Chimeric BPVL1/HPV16 E7 VLPs could be used as an efficient antigen delivery system, and might provide a novel strategy for HPV16 vaccine design.

Heart Neoplasms ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn

The change in serum level of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG),an oxidative stress biomarker,in patients with active Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) during corticosteroid treatment was observed.The serum level of 8-OHdG was significantly increased in patients with active GO as compared with that of normal controls and patients with Graves' disease (P ＜ 0.05).After systemic corticosteroid treatment,patients with GO showed significantly lowered 8-OHdG level as compared with that before treatment and patients with Graves' disease.These changes in serum 8-OHdG level were accompanied by decreases in clinical activity score (P ＜ 0.05) during corticosteroid treatment.Oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of GO.Serum 8-OHdG level may be used as an objective and quantitative parameter in patients with GO during immunosuppressive treatment.

Objective: To study the feasibility of closed and three-dimensional reconstruction of maxillary defects with titanium mesh and free forearm flap. Methods: Maxillary defects, 3 of type Ⅱ and 7 of type Ⅲ, due to tumor or trauma were closely reconstructed with titanium mesh to restore the profile of maxilla and with radial flap to close the oral and the nasal wound surfaces following total maxillectomy (in 3 cases) and subtotal maxillectomy(in 7 cases). Results: 10 cases were followed up for 3～18 months. All the flaps were alive. The maxilla nasal and oral cavity were restored in all the cases and denture was applied in 3 cases. No neoplasm were fond by CT. Mouth opening was 2.5～4.0cm. Epithelium on the surface of the titanium mesh was found by nasopharyngoscope in 2 cases. Conclusion: The closed and three-dimensional reconstruction of maxillary defect with titanium mesh and free forearm flap can restore the shape and the function of maxilla.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Waiguan (TE5) and Zhigou (TE6) in treating post-stroke hand spasm.MethodSixty patients with post-stroke hand spasm graded≥Ⅰand≤Ⅲby the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) were randomized into a treatment group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at Waiguan and Zhigou plus rehabilitation training, while the control group was by dry rehabilitation training alone. The acupuncture and rehabilitation were performed once a day, 5 sessions a week, totally for 3 months. The change of hand spasm degree was observed by using MAS; the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) was adopted to observe the change of hand function; the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was used to observe the change of the activities of daily living (ADL).ResultAfter treatment, there was a significant difference in comparing the MAS score between the two groups (P<0.05); there was a significant difference in comparing the FMA score between the two groups after treatment (P<0.05); after intervention, there was a significant difference in comparing the MBI score between the two groups (P<0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture at Waiguan and Zhigou can significantly improve the hand spasm sate after stroke; acupuncture plus rehabilitation can substantially improve the hand function and ADL of the patients, and can produce a more significant efficacy compared to dry rehabilitation training.

OBJECTIVETo study therapeutic effects between hook plate fixation and modified Weaver-Dunn surgery for the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

METHODSForty patients with fresh acromioclavicular joint dislocations of type III according to Rockwood classification were reviewed. All the patients were divided into two groups: hook plate fixation group and modified surgery group. There were 20 patients in hook plate fixation group, including 13 males and 7 females, with an average age of (37.45 +/- 14.29) years old; 12 patients had injuries in the left and 8 patients had injuries in the right; preoperative Constant-Murley score was 40.75 +/- 10.40. And there were 20 patients in modified surgery group,including 11 males and 9 females, with an average age of (41.65 +/- 14.83) years old; 11 patients had injuries in the left and 9 patients had injuries in the right; preoperative Constant-Murley score was 42.75 +/- 8.18. The Lazzcano standard, Constant-Murley score and imaging changes were used to evaluate shoulder joint function before and after surgery.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up,and the duration ranged from 7 to 32 months,with an average of 24 months. According to Lazzcano evaluation, 16 patients got an excellent result,3 good and 1 poor in modified surgery group with no re-dislocation, and 1 patient had pain more than middle degree; while in hook plate fixation group, 9 patients got an excellent result, 7 good and 4 poor, 1 patient had re-dislocation, and 3 patients got pain more than middle degree. The therapeutic effects of modified surgery group were better than those of hook plate fixation group. Constant-Murley scores:preoperative 42.75 +/- 8.18 vs 93.40 +/- 4.04 at the latest follow-up in modified surgery group; preoperative 40.75 +/- 10.40 vs postoperative 88.40 +/- 4.81 and 92.05 +/- 4.49 at the latest follow-up in hook plate fixation group. The postoperative scores all improved compared to preoperative scores in two groups. And there was no statistical difference of scores at the latest follow-up between two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe surgery of allograft tendon transplantation combined with anchor fixation to strengthen coracoclavicular ligament, as well as part transposition of acromiocoracoid ligament and resection at the distal part of clavicle may got safety fixation and less postoperative complications compared with hook plate internal fixation.

Acromioclavicular Joint ; injuries ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Case-Control Studies ; Clavicle ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthopedic Procedures ; instrumentation ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective To examine the clinical manifestations and pulmonary radiological features in patients with triphosgene poisoning.Methods Clinical manifestations,laboratory tests and CT scans were analyzed retrospectively in 17 patients with triphosgene poisoning.We focused on the severity,development and repair of pulmonary impairment.Results Plain film and CT scans in five mild cases demonstrated bilateral scattered pulmonary patchy shadows.Of 12 cases with moderate to severe diseases,three showed bilateral multiple pulmonary patchy shadows and nodules with confluence of part of the lesions on plain film and CT scans;bilateral lungs were involved in nine cases with imaging findings of bilateral disseminated pulmonary round or ovary nodules with different size,ill-defined and partly-confluent patchy shadows and thickening of both interlobular septum and the wall of bronchus.Of clinical interests,imaging findings were closely correlated with clinical course and laboratory results.Conclusion Radiological examinations with plain films and CT scans could reveal the severity,evolvement of pulmonary edema in patients with triphosgene poisoning,and these are of clinical benefit in the early management and prognostic evaluation of patients with triphosgene poisoning.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between cervical curvature and cervical sympathetic symptoms.

METHODSThe clinical data of 318 patients with cervical spondylosis who underwent surgical treatment in our department between July 2003 and December 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into group without sympathetic symptoms (n = 284) and group with sympathetic symptoms (n = 34) . The curvatures of both groups on cervical lateral radiographs were measured using Borden method and statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTSThe incidence of abnormal cervical curvature in group with cervical sympathetic symptoms were 67.6% (23/34), which was significantly higher than that in group without cervical sympathetic symptoms (50.7%, 144/284) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCervical curvature abnormality may be an independent factor that affects the cervical sympathetic symptoms.

Adult ; Aged ; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases ; etiology ; Cervical Vertebrae ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylosis ; complications ; pathology

Objective To evaluate feasibility of flap fenestration in management of the condition that a stent-graft is wrongly deployed in false lumen of aortic dissection.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on a case of Stanford type B aortic dissection who was confirmed that the stent-graft had been wrongly deployed in false lumen of aortic dissection by CT angiography (CTA) after endovascular repair.Thereafter,an additional surgical management was carried out.At length,flap fenestration at 2 cm below pre-deployed stent-graft was performed using an Outback catheter so as to link false and true lumens.Successively,another stent-graft was placed via the access to draw blood flow from false lumen back to true lumen and then coil embolization was performed for distal breach of the dissection.Results Surgery was carried out under local anesthesia,with operation duration of 170 minutes and intraoperative blood loss of 350 ml.The chest and back pain disappeared after operation.The patient commenced to take food and take off-bed activity at the very day of operation in absence of paraplegia,visceral ischemia,or other complications.Aortic CTA at postoperative one week showed ideal positioning of stent-graft,fluent blood flow of aorta and major visceral artery,and vanishing of false lumen.Conclusions Flap fenestration at far-end of pre-deployed stent-graft so as to draw blood flow back to true lumen by connecting the new placed stent graft to pre-deployed stent-graft is an effective treatment for mis-deployment of stentgraft in false lumen of aortic dissection.Outback catheter for flap fenestration is characterized by accurate location and high safety.

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) for improving the cardiac function of Sjogren's syndrome (SS) model rats based on Keapl-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

METHODSTotally 48 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups by random digit table, i.e., the blank control group,the model control group,the APS group, and the hydroxychloroquine group, 12 in each group. Except those in the blank control group, 0. 1 mL mixed antigen protein of sufficiently emulsified Freund's complete adjuvant and submandibular gland protein was injected from two feet plantar to induce SS model. The intervention was started from 19th day after inflammation induction. Equal volume of normal saline was given to rats in the blank control group (1 mL/100 g), APS was administered to those in the APS group (1 mg/100 g), and hydroxychloroquine (0.03 125 g/kg) was administered to those in the hydroxychloroquine group. All rats were intervened once per day for 30 consecutive days. Changes of rats' body mass and drinking water quantity, submandibular gland index, spleen index, histological changes of glands were observed. Changes of the heart function were monitored using invasive hemodynamics. Serum reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-35 (IL-35)were detected using ELISA method. The pathological changes were observed using HE staining. The protein expression of ROS, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), glutathione (GSH), and thioredoxin (TRX) were observed by immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expression of Keap1, Nrf2, and ARE was detected using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The protein expression levels of gamma-glutamic acid and a half long glycine synthetase (gamma-GCS) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in the myocardial tissue were determined by Western blot method. Results Compared with the blank control group, the quantity of drinking water, submandibular gland index, spleen index, heart rate (HR), cardiac index (HI), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVEDP), MDA, ROS, TNF-alpha, ROS protein expression, RNS protein expression, Keap 1 mRNA expression, Maf mRNA expression, Nfr2 mRNA expression, and HO-1 protein expression, and gamma-GCS protein expression significantly increased (P <0.01); body mass, +/-dp/dtmax, SOD, TAC, IL-35, GSH, and TRX significantly decreased (P <0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the quantity of drinking water, submandibular gland index, spleen index, LVEDP, MDA, ROS, TNF-alpha, ROS protein expression, RNS protein expression, Keap1 mRNA expression, Maf mRNA expression, Nfr2 mRNA expression, and HO-1 protein expression, and gamma-GCS protein expression significantly decreased (P<0.05); body mass, +/-dp/dtmax, SOD, TAC, IL-35, GSH protein expression, and TRX protein expression significantly increased (P < 0.05, P <0.01) in the AR group and the hydroxychloroquine group. In the hydroxychloroquine group HR increased (P <0.05). In the AR group HR and LVSP decreased (P <0. 05, P <0. 01). Compared with the hydroxychloroquine group, HR, LVEDP, - dp/dtmax, y-GCS protein expression significantly decreased (P <0. 05, P <0. 01); SOD, TAC, GSH, TRX, HO-1 protein expression increased (P <0.01 )in the AR group. HI was positively correlated with ROS (P <0. 05). LVSP and LVEDP were positively correlated with Keap1 -Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways (P <0. 01) , and negatively correlated with TAC (P <0. 05, P <0. 01 ). +/-dp/dtmax was negatively correlated with Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathways(P <0.05), and positively correlated with TNF alpha (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSDeclined heart function exists in SS rats. The mechamechanism of APS for improving the heart function might be closely correlated with activating Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; Blotting, Western ; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; metabolism ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Polysaccharides ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; Submandibular Gland ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Thioredoxins ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism