Objective To investigate the prevalence of anti-endothelial cell antibody fAECA) in the sera of patients with connective tissue diseases(CTD)complicated with pulmonary arterial hyperten-sion (PAH)and to detect the specific antigens of AECA which may be related to clinical manifestations.Methods AECA was detected with Western blotting in 39 CTD patients with PAH.22 CTD patients without PAH and 30 healthy donors.Results The prevalence of AECA was 82%in CTD patients with PAH.73%in CTD patients without PAH and 20%in healthy donors.Anti-22 000 AECA was only detected in CTD patients with PAH(15%).Anti-75 000 AECA was more frequently detected in CTD patients with PAH than in thosewithout PAH(51%vs 23%.P＜0.05).In CTD patients complicated with PAH.anti-75 000 AECA was morefrequently detected in those with Raynaud's phenomenon or with positive anti-RNP antibody.Conclusion AECA can be more frequently detected in CTD patients with or without PAH.Furthermore,anti-22 000 and anti-75 000 AECA may play a special role in CTD patients with PAH.

Objective Application of the second metatarpophalangeal joint by traction prolong trans- plant repair the defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint,reconstruct the function of it.Methods By means of the apparatus to prolong finger in advance,then transplant the second metatarpophalangeal joint to recon- struct metacarpophalangeal joint for seven cases of obsolete defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint.Results The average of finger prolong was 2.6 cm,consultation from 1 to 4 years.average 2.5 years,thai the trans- plant joints have all survived and osteal concrescence.Through the criterion Chinese Medical Association,good rate was 85.7%. Conclusion It' s a good method to repair obsolete defects in the metacarpophalangeal joint by transplant traction prolong of the second metatarpophalangeal joint.

BackgroundOur previous study showed that erythropoietin (EPO) protects the photoreceptor from apoptosis in retinal detachment(RD) rat,but its signal transduction pathway remains unknown.Objective The present study was to investigate the effects of EPO on signal transduction pathway in RD.MethodsTwentyfour albino clean Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups.5 μl PBS was injected into vitreous cavity of rats in RD+PBS group,and 400 ng EPO(5 μl) was used at the same way in RD+EPO group.Three days later,the rats were sacrificed and the retina was isolated in each group.The expression levels of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2),p-JAK2,Akt,p-Akt,extracellular regulated protein kinase-1/2 ( ERK-1/2 ),p-ERK-1/2,signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 ( STAT5 ),p-STAT5,nuclear factor-kB (NF-sB) and p-NF-kB were detected by Western blot assay.The administration of experimental animals followed the Standard of ARVO.ResultsThree days after RD,the expression levels of JAK2,Akt and ERK-1,ERK-2 in retinas among normal group,RD,RD+PBS,RD+EPO groups were statistically insignificant different ( F =0.298,P =0.826 ; F =0.681,P =0.588 ; F =0.978,P=0.450;F=1.115,P=0.399 ),but the levels of p-JAK2,p-Akt,p-Erk-1 and p-Erk-2 among these 4 groups were significant difference ( F=24.435,P =0.000; F=48.163,P =0.000;F =19.092,P =0.001; F =14.393,P=0.001 ),and those in RD+EPO group was significantly higher than that in RD and RD+PBS groups( P＜0.05 ).The expression levels of STAT5 and NF-kB among the 4 groups were no significantly differences (F =1.136,P=0.391 ;F=0.696,P=0.580),but after the phosphorylation of STAT5 and NF-kB,the differences was significant ( F =14.189,P =0.001 ; F =40.103,P =0.000 ).Those in RD,RD + PBS,RD + EPO groups did not increase either (P＞0.05).Although the levels of p-STAT5 and p-NF-kB in RD,RD+PBS,RD+EPO groups were significantly higher than those in normal control group( P＜0.05 ),the level of p-STAT5 in RD+EPO group was not significantly higher than that in RD and RD + PBS groups (P ＞ 0.05 ). Conclusions PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK-1/2 signal transduction pathways might participate in the protecting process of EPO to photoreceptor in RD rats.

Objective： The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of veinal high dose Leucovorin ＋ 5-FU and cisplatin regimen（PFL1） and oral high dose Leucovorin＋ 5-FU and cisplatin regimen（PFL2） in the treatment of the patients with reccurent nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: From January 1997 to December 1999,53 cases of histologically proven advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were unrandomly divided into 2 groups, of whom 28 cases were treated with PFL1 regimen, 25 cases with PFL2 regimen. Results: Complete response rate and respose rates of PFL1 regimen and PFL2 regimen were 17.9％, 64.3％,and 16％, 56％,respectively. All the patients had been followed-up till December 1999. Thirteen patients died and fifteen patients survived and median remission duration was 10.5±5.24 months(range,5-21 months) and median survival duration was 12.5±5.13 months(4-35 month) of PFL1 group. Fourteen patients died and eleven survived and median remission duration was (9.3±3.10) m (4-28 m) and median survival duration was(11.2±3.66) m (4-28 m) of PFL2 group. There was no significant difference in complete response rate, respose rate, median remission duration and median survival duration between the two groups (P>0.05). PFL1 and PFL2 chemotherapy regimens for nasopharyngeal mass, metastasis of neck or abdomen lymphnode, metastasis of lung were effective;for metastasis of bone, the efficacy of releasing pain was good, but the response rate was unsatistactory;for metastasis of liver had no effect. The major toxicity included neucopenia， nausea， vomiting， mucositis et al. （P>0.05）. Vein inflammation had significant differences between two regimens (P<0.05). Alepecia and pigmentation had very significant differences between two regimens (P<0.01). Conclusions: Veinal or oral high dose Leucovorin + 5-Fu+cisplatin were effective combinnation in the chemotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the survival duration were longer.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of aloesin and arbutin on normal cultured human melanocytes in synergetic method.

METHODSBuilding up the system of cultured human melanocytes. The cultured melanocytes in vitro were treated with the mixture of aloesin and arbutin. The cell viability and tyrosinase activity was measured by MTT assay, utilization of L-Dopa as the substrate respectively; melanin content was measured by image analysis system. Furthermore, the effects of the mixture on melanocytes were compared with that of aloesin and arbutin.

RESULTSThe mixture of aloesin and arbutin showed an inhibition on tyrosinase activity of human melanocytes and reduced significantly melanin content. Between the mixture and the single use of aloesin or arbutin, there is significant difference (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the mixture has little influence on melanocytes viability and there is negative significance.

CONCLUSIONThe mixture of aloesin and arbutin can significantly inhibit the tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis of cultured human melanocytes. It showed the effects of aloesin and arbutin in a synergistic manner. It is worth to give farther study later.

Arbutin ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; drug effects ; metabolism

AIMObservations on medullary ischemia region, the morphology of neurons and changes of respiration and blood pressure were made, in order to give evidences on how medullary ischemia affects respiration and circulation and give some advices on how to protect from it.

METHODSUsing cats as the experimental animals, the different parts of the basilar artery trunk were ligated. The changes in the density of blood vessels, the morphology of neurons in the brainstem, the electromyogram (EMG) of the diaphragm and the blood pressure of the femoral artery were investigated.

RESULTSThe density of blood vessels notably decreased in the medulla after ligating the basilar artery trunk. The ischemic range induced by ligation of the different parts of the basilar artery trunk overlapped, mainly locating in the medulla rostral to the obex. The soma were swelled and the Nissl bodies decreased in some of neurons in the ischemic region of medulla. The duration of inspiration (T1) and expiration (TE) shortened, respiratory frequency (RF) increased, and mean blood pressure (MBP) decreased in the experimental groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThere is an obvious overlap of the areas in which blood supplied by different parts of the basilar artery trunk. Medullary ischemia can involve in changes of respiration and blood pressure. The ischemic damage of neurons in the medulla might be the structural basis of the changes in the respiratory and circulatory functions.

Animals ; Basilar Artery ; Blood Pressure ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Cats ; Medulla Oblongata ; pathology ; Respiration ; Respiratory System ; blood supply ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo find the reasons why patients always have temporomandibular disorders (TMD) after condylar fracture by analyzing the stress distribution change of the condylar surface whose subcondylar fracture ware fixed by miniplate during the whole healing process.

METHODSAnalyzing the stress distribution change of the condylar surface whose subcondylar fracture were fixed by miniplate during the whole healing process by three-dimension finite element method (3D FEM).

RESULTSDuring the whole healing process of the fracture, the miniplate osteosynthesis was helpful to the biomechanics environment rehabilitation of the condylar local, but it still had difference with normal after fixing 12 weeks long.

CONCLUSIONThe difference of stress distribution of condylar surface that fractured and fixed by miniplate with normal may be part of the reason of TMD after the subcondylar fracture miniplate osteosynthesis.

Adult ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Mandibular Condyle ; Mandibular Fractures

Objective To establish a method performance verification project and experimental method for the clinical chemiluminescence immunoassay.Methods Referring to CLSI evaluation protocols and pertinent literature,and by combining our actual works,we designed a verification procedure and experimental method.By Using these above,the precision,accuracy,analytical sensitivity,analytical measurement range,clinical reportable range and biotic interval of AFP on the Bayer Centaur 240 chemiluminescence immunoassay system were verificated.Results would be compared with the declaration of the manufacturer or desirable specifications derived from biologic variation.Results The results showed that the between-day inaccuracy on AFP levels at 77.4 ng/ml and 168.0 ng/ml was 5.70% and 4.84% respectively,these were consistent with manufacturer's inaccuracy claimed.The relative bias between the results measured for calibrator at four levels and target value was less 5.0%,and the relative bias between the results measured for EQA control sample at five levels and target value was-3.4% to 11.9%.Lower limit of detection was 1.04 ng/ml,lower slightly manufacturer's analytical sensitivity claimed.Biologic limit of detection was 2.65 ng/ml-3.53 ng/ml,functional sensitivity was 3.53 ng/ml.Analytical measurement range was 3.53-912.00 ng/ml,within manufacturer's liner range claimed.Clinical reportable range was 3.53-182 400.00 ng/ml.Reference interval was 0.6-7.7 ng/ml,within manufacturer' s claimed.Conclusions The main performances of the detection system are accorded with the declaration of the manufacturer.The performance verification procedure and experimental method of our research ars simple and practical,which has important significations for building medical laboratory and laboratory accreditation, improving quality of the chemiluminescence immunoassay.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) in the sera of connective tissue diseases (CTD) patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and its correlation with clinical manifestations.

METHODSAECAs in sera of 39 CTD patients with PAH, 22 CTD patients without PAH, and 10 healthy donors as controls were detected with Western blotting. The prevalence of different AECAs in different groups was compared and its correlation with clinical manifestations was also investigated.

RESULTSThe prevalence of AECAs was 82.1% in CTD patients with PAH, 72.7% in CTD patients without PAH, and 20.0% in healthy donors. Anti-22 kD AECA was only detected in CTD patients with PAH (15.4%). Anti-75 kD AECA was more frequently detected in CTD patients with PAH than in those without PAH (51.3% vs. 22.7%, P < 0.05). In CTD patients with PAH, anti-75 kD AECA was more frequently detected in those with Raynaud's phenomenon or with positive anti-RNP antibody.

CONCLUSIONAECAs could be frequently detected in CTD patients with or without PAH, while anti-22 kD and anti-75 kD AECA might be specific in CTD patients with PAH.

Adult ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged

The transmission cycle of echinococcosis was established in 1853.More than 160 years have elapsed since Iceland initiated control measures to break the transmission cycle of echinococcosis in 1863.Control plans have been implemented in more than a dozen countries/territories,and lessons have been learned from failures as well as successes.In this review,we fo-cus on the failure experiences,which have also promoted successes in the control of cystic echinococcosis(caused by the para-site Echinococcus granulosus)in regions including Iceland,New Zealand,Uruguay,Wales(England),Turkana(Kenya),and Sardinia(Italy).The causes of the failures were analyzed,and the effects of health education,dog deworming,and con-trol measures for infected animal slaughter on echinococcosis control are comprehensively summarized.However,no suc-cessful experience has been reported in the control of alveolar echinococcosis(caused by the parasite Echinococcus multilocu-laris).On the basis of the biological characteristics of E.mul-tilocularis parasitization in dogs for a duration of 30 days and larvae parasitization in rodents,the fundamental measure for controlling alveolar echinococcosis is administration of monthly deworming treatments to dogs in high prevalence areas.