OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between postmortem interval (PMI) and five RNA markers of rat's skin--β-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), 18S ribosomal RNA(18S rRNA), 5S ribosomal RNA (5S rRNA), and microRNA-203 (miR-203), at different temperatures. METHODS: Eighteen SD rats were randomly divided into three environmental temperature groups: 4 °C, 15 °C and 35 °C, respectively. Skin samples were taken at 11 time points from 0 h to 120 h post-mortem. The total RNA was extracted from the skin samples and the five RNA levels were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Proper internal reference was selected by geNorm software. Regression analysis of the RNA markers was conducted by GraphPad software. RESULTS: 5S rRNA and miR-203 were most suitable internal references. A good linear relationship between PMI and RNA levels (β-actin and GAPDH) was observed in two groups (4 °C and 15 °C), whereas the S type curve relationship between the expression levels of the two markers (β-actin and GAPDH) and PMI was observed in the 35 °C group. The partial linear relationship between 18S rRNA and PMI was observed in the groups (15 °C and 35 °C). CONCLUSION Skin could be a suitable material for extracting RNA. The RNA expression levels of β-actin and GAPDH correlate well with PMI, and these RNA markers of skin tissue could be additional indice for the estimation of PMI.
Actins ; Animals ; Autopsy ; Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases/genetics* ; Postmortem Changes ; RNA ; RNA Stability ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Regression Analysis ; Skin ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between Chinese medical syndrome types and metabolomics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

METHODSTotally 120 NSCLC patients were assigned to asthenia syndrome group and sthenia syndrome group, 60 in each group. Meanwhile, 60 cases of benign pulmonary nodules in physical examinations were recruited as the control group. Tumor tissues or benign pulmonary nodules tissues were obtained by thoracoscope. Changes of their metabolites were observed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Their differences were studied using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). ROC curve analysis was performed in different metabolic compounds of sthenia and asthenia syndromes groups. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the sensitivity of diagnosing syndrome types.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, difference existed in 16 compounds. Of them , contents of citric acid, pyruvic acid, alanine, choline phosphate, glycerol phosphate choline, linoleic acid, oleic acid, lactic acid, inositol were more in the two tumors group than in the control group. Difference existed in 10 compounds between the sthenia syndrome group and the asthenia syndrome group. Of them, citric acid, pyruvic acid, alanine, choline phosphate, glycerol phosphate choline, lactic acid, and inositol were more in the asthenia syndrome group than in the sthenia syndrome group. Contents of valine, glucose, and glutamine were more in the sthenia syndrome group than in the asthenia syndrome group. ROC curve analyses of different compounds indicated that AUC of lactic acid and glucose was more than 0.8 (P < 0.01); AUC of inositol, choline phosphate, and glycerol phosphate choline was more than 0.7 (P < 0.01); AUC of valine, citric acid, glutamine, alanine, and pyruvic acid was more than 0.6 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere existed certain correlation between CM syndrome types and metabolomics of lung cancer. Lactic acid, glucose, inositol, choline phosphate, glycerol phosphate choline, valine, citric acid, glutamine, alanine, pyruvic acid were sensitive diagnostic compounds, and the first four kinds were most sensitive compounds.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Metabolomics ; methods ; Principal Component Analysis ; Pyruvic Acid

OBJECTIVE To investigate the distribution and the resistance of pathogens from the children with VAP in PICU,and to analyze the reasons of antibiotics resistance of the pathogens.METHODS The sputum obtained from the children with final diagnosis of VAP in PICU was cultured and identified from Jan 2005 to Dec 2006.The resistance of the bacteria identified to antibiotics used frequently was determined by Kirby-Bauer method.RESULTS A total of 187 strains were isolated from sputum specimens,of which Gram-negative bacilli and Gram-positive cocci accounted for 76.5% and 23.5%,respectively.Acinetobacter baumannii(17.7%),Escherichia coli(16.0%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(15.0%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae(13.9%) were the most frequently isolates of Gram-negative bacilli.Their resistant rates to ?-lactam antibiotics were high,especially the ESBLs-producing strains in E.coli and K.pneumoniae.The Staphylococcus epidermidis(5.9%),Staphylococcus aureus(4.8%) and Enterococcus faecalis(4.3%) were the most common strains of Gram-positive cocci.No vancomycin-resistanct strains were found,but resistance rates to ?-lactam antibiotics and other antibiotics were high in S.epidermidis and S.aureus.CONCLUSIONS The main strains cultured from the sputum specimens of children with VAP in PICU are Gram-negative bacilli with high resistance rates to antibiotics,especially the ESBLs producing bacilli to ?-lactam antibiotics.Staphylococcus are the main Gram-positive cocci.

OBJECTIVE:To determine serum concentrations of western medicines in patients treated with "traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicine" alone and to evaluate the curative effects.METHODS:A total of 60 epileptic patients who visited our hospital between Feb.1997 and June 2006 were subjected to plasma drug level monitoring and during which the patients were treated with "traditional Chinese antiepileptic drugs" alone.Plasma concentrations of 4 kinds of western medicin-es were determined by FPIA.RESULTS:Of the 60 cases,valproic acid,carbamazepine,phenytoin and phenobarbitone were detected in 18,40,41,and 47 cases/times,respectively.On average,more than two kinds of western medicines were detected in every patient,and the blood concentrations were mostly beyond effective plasma drug concentration.The total curative effects were unsatisfactory.CONCLUSION:The fact that western medicine ingredients detected in these traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicines is inconformity with medication principle of epilepsy.Traditional Chinese antiepileptic medicines should be used with caution in the clinic in the treatment of epileptic patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; drug therapy

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and TACE alone for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Datebases were searched for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and retrospective cohort studies from the establishment of the databases to January 2014. The bibliographies of the included studies were searched, too. After study selection, assessment, data collection and analysis were undertaken, we performed this meta-analysis by using the RevMan5.2 software. Seventeen studies involving 1116 patients met the inclusion criteria with 530 treated with RFA-plus-TACE and 586 with TACE alone. The results of meta-analysis showed that the combination of TACE and RFA was obviously associated with higher 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates (OR1-year=3.98, 95% CI 2.87-5.51, P<0.00001; OR2-year=3.03, 95% CI 2.10-4.38, P<0.00001; OR3-year=7.02, 95% CI 4.14-11.92, P<0.00001) than TACE alone. The tumor complete necrosis rate in patients treated with TACE and RFA was higher than that of TACE alone (OR=13.86, 95% CI 8.04-23.89, P<0.00001). And there was a significant difference in local recurrence rate between two different kinds of treatment (OR=0.24, 95%CI 0.14-0.44, P<0.00001). Additionally, combination of TACE and RFA was associated with higher complete tumor necrosis rates than TACE mono-therapy in the treatment of HCC. However, RFA plus TACE was found to be associated with a lower local recurrence rate than TACE monotherapy. TACE-plus-RFA treatment was associated with a higher response rate (RR) than the TACE-alone treatment (OR=3.90, 95% CI=2.37-6.42, P<0.00001). TACE-plus-RFA treatment did not differ from the TACE-alone treatment in terms of stable disease (SD) rate (OR=0.38, 95% CI=0.11-1.26, P=0.11). Meta-analyses showed that the combination of RFA and TACE was associated with a significantly lower progressive disease (PD) rate (OR=0.15, 95% CI=0.05-0.43, P=0.0005). The rate of AFP reducing or returning to normal in serum in RFA plus TACE group was obviously lower than TACE alone group (OR=4.62, 95% CI 2.56-8.34, P<0.00001). The effect of TACE plus RFA for HCC is better than TACE mono-therapy. The combined therapy can elevate the patients' overall survival rate, tumor necrosis rate and the rate of AFP reducing or returning to normal in serum and decrease local recurrence rate, PD rate compared with TACE alone.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and chronological change of ulcerative colitis(UC) in the Chinese PLA General Hospital in near 16 years. Methods Patients diagnosed with UC during the period from 1994 to 2009 in the Chinese PLA General Hospital were registered and their clinical profiles were analyzed. Results From 1994 to 2009, of 525 patients diagnosed with UC, with a median onset age of 42 years. The predominant form of UC was extensive colitis, which affected almost 33.3% (175/525), left-sided colitis was present in 21.3% (112/525) and rectum was present in 12.4%(65/525). The chronic relapsing type of UC was the most common (69.0%, 362/525 ), followed by the initial onset type (18. 1%, 95/525 ), chronic continuous type with intermittent exacerbations (9.7%,51/525), and acute fulminant type (3. 2%, 17/525 ). Two hundred and twenty-one patients (42. 1%,221/525) were graded as mild, 162 (30.9% , 162/525) as moderate, and 142(27.0%, 142/525) as severe UC. The proportion of mild colitis and rectum was significantly higher in patients with an onset age of over 60 years, compared with those with an onset age of less than 30 years( P ＜0. 05 ). The proportion of UC patients with old age onset ( P ＜ 0. 05 ), male sex ( P ＜ 0. 01 ), mild colitis ( P ＜ 0. 01 ), rectum ( P ＜0. 01 ) , relapse-free type ( P ＜ 0. 01 ) demonstrated a chronological increase from 1994 to 2009.Conclusions The distinctive clinical features and chronological change were seen in UC patients in recent years. Compare to those with an onset at less than 30 years, the proportion of mild colitis and rectum was significantly larger in patients with an onset at over 60 years of age, and the proportion of UC patients with old age onset, male sex, mild colitis, rectum, relapse type were less.

Objective To prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of Computed Tomography (CT)-guided microcoil localization for pulmonary small solid nodules and ground-glass opacity prior to thoracoscopic resection.And to investigate the indication for CT-guided microcoil localization for small solid pulmonary nodules and ground-glass opacity.Methods From December 2012 to February 2014,85 enrolled patients with pulmonary solid nodules and ground-glass opacity underwent CT guided microcoil localization prior to video assisted thoracoscopic surgery.The procedures of localization were performed by trailing method or routine method under CT guided percutaneous pneumocentesis.For Trailing method,the microcoil was placed with the distal part coiled adjacent to the lesion and the proximal end coiled beyond the parietal pleura.By routine method,the entire microcoil was injected adjacent to the lesion.Results CT-guided microcoil placements were successful in all ninety-one lesions,including 15 solid nodules,15 mixed ground glass opacity,and 61 pure ground glass opacity,with an average diameter of 8.75mm(5-26 mm).The Complication rate of the localization procedure was 23.5％ (20/91),with 13 cases of asymptomatic pneumothorax,and 7 cases of pulmonary hematoma.None patient required surgical intervention,nor severe Complication occurred.All patients underwent video assisted thorascopic surgery on the same day or the next few days after microcoil localization.VATS removal of the pulmonary lesions was successful in all patients.However,two of 91 microcoils were found displaced during VATS resection.The success rate of microcoil marking VATS resection for pulmonary small solid nodules and ground-glass opacity was 97.8％.Microcoil marking was required for 84.6 percent of all the resected lesions.Conclusion Preoperatively CT-guided microcoil localization for pulmonary small solid nodules and ground-glass opacity is a feasible safe and effective marking technique for video assisted thoracoscopic resection.The indication for microcoil localization in our study meet the requirement of VATS resection.

Objective To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on myocardial repolarization heterogeneity and the expression of Cx43 during ischemia-reperfusion and the role of Cx43 in the dexmedetomidine for inhibition of myocardial repolarization heterogeneity during ischemia-reperfusion in isolated rabbit hearts.Methods Eighteen healthy adult rabbits,weighing (2.0±0.5) kg,were randomly divided into three groups after Langendorff isolated heart perfusion model had been prepared and K-H fluid had been perfused and balanced 15 min.In the control group (group C),37℃ K-H fluid was continuously perfused and balanced for 150 min.In group IR,K-H fluid was stopped after perfusion continue filling for 15 min,and then made the cardiac stop for 60 min with the injection of Thomas solution 10 ml/kg while the heart was protected by the 4℃ Thomas solution around.Following the reperfusion of 4℃ Thomas solution 5 ml/kg was performed for 30 min and the heart was resuscitated by the perfusion of K-H fluid for 60 min.In dexmedetomidine group given (group DEX),dexmedetomidine was added in the K-H fluid and the Thomas solution 25 ng/ml.The other procedures were the same as those of group IR.The heart rate (HR),90% monophasic action potential duration (MAPD90) were recorded at the time of balance perfusion record 15 min (T0),continue perfusion 15 min/balance 30 min (T1),reperfusion 30 min/balance 120 min (T2) and reperfusion 60min/balance 150 min (T3).The transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR) was calculated.To observe the cardiac reperfusion arrhythmia and rebeating time and recording.Detection expression of Cx43 in the left ventricular myocardial by Western blot and immunohistochemistry at T3.Results Group DEX cardiac resuscitation time was significantly shorter than that of group IR (P<0.05).In group DEX.Compared with T0,HR was significantly decreased and TDR was significantly increased in groups IR and DEX at T2、T3 (P<0.05).Compared with group IR,the TDR of group DEX was significantly decreased at T2、T3 (P<0.05).Compared with group C,the expression of Cx43 was decreased (P<0.05) and the distribution was not uniform in groups IR and DEX.Compared with group IR,the expression of Cx43 was decreased (P<0.05) and the distribution was improved in group DEX.Conclusion Dexmedetomidine could inhibits myocardial repolarization heterogeneity of ischemia-reperfusion injury,and thus play a stable cardiac conduction,reduce reperfusion arrhythmias,and its mechanism may be that dexmedetomidine could inhibits gap junctional uncoupling and inhibits expression and distribution of connexins decreased.

Objective To demonstrate the carbonic anhydrase Ⅲ (CAⅢ) for 25 000 protein decreased in skeletal muscle of myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods The protein molecular properties responsible to antibodies against 25 000 protein and CAⅢ were analyzed by a combination method of two-dimensional electrophoresis and immuno-Western blot. Competitive binding reactions of the antibodies to the purified 25 000 protein and muscular homogenate were observed by using immuno-Dot blot and immuno-Western blot, respectively. The expression of CAⅢ from normal and MG muscles was detected by immuno-Western blot. Results Combination analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis and immuno-Western blot showed that the protein of immunological responsible to antibodies against 25 000 protein and CAⅢ had an identical molecular mass and isoelectric point. Competitive binding reactions proved that 25 000 protein and CAⅢ were the same substance, either by immuno-Dot blot or by immuno-Western blot. In addition, a much similar result was obtained when the levels of 25 000 protein from normal and MG muscles were detected by antibodies against 25 000 protein and (CAⅢ) by immuno-Western blot. Conclusion 25 000 protein decreased in the MG skeletal muscle was proved to be just a known protein CAⅢ, which made a basis for further exploring the relationship of CAⅢ deficiency and MG pathogenesis.