AIM: To comparatively analyze the pain related factors levels and therapeutic response in patients treated with ~(99)Tc-MDP and ~(153)Sm-EDTMP for painful skeletal metastases. METHODS: Plasma endothelin (ET), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), thromboxane B_2 (TXB_2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F_ 1? (6-k-PGF_ 1? ) levels were analyzed in 93 patients with painful skeletal metastases prior and 3 months after treatment. 55 cases were just treated with 153 Sm-EDTMP (group A); 19 cases were treated only with 99 Tc-MDP (group B); and 19 cases were treated with both 153 Sm-EDTMP and 99 Tc -MDP (group C). RESULTS: 69.1 %, 73.7 % and 89.5 % of the patients were experienced pain relief 3 months after treatment in groups A, B and C, respectively. Comparative analysis shows that: ET and 6-k-PGF_ 1? levels increased significantly 3 months after treatment in all patients (P

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; microbiology ; Male ; Methicillin Resistance ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the molecular characteristics and epidemiological signification of patients with low-level HBsAg. Methods PCR and gene sequencing were used to detect HBV DNA and Tyr-Met-Asp-Asp(YMDD) mutant in 136 serum samples with low-level HBsAg and 44 sernm samples with high-level HBsAg. Genotyping was performed in 47 cases with HBV DNA 10~5 copies/L by concentration method and 37 cases with high-level HBsAg. S gene sequences and serotypes were analyzed in 14 cases with HBV DNA 105 copies/L and 29 cases with high-level HBsAg. S gene sequences were compared with the consensus sequence of Chinese strain by BioEdit software. Results The HBV DNA-positive rate, YMDD mutation rate and HBV DNA load (logarithm) in low-level and high-level HBsAg group were 34.6% (47/136), 0% (0/136), 6.5±1.4 and 84.1% (37/44), 9.1% (4/44), 8.9±1.8, respectively. There was statistically significant differences between two groups (for concentration method,χ~2 = 30.8, P < 0.05; for direct method, χ~2 = 53.5, P < 0.05; for YMDD mutation ratio, P = 0.003, For HBV DNA (log), t = 6.5, P < 0.05). The genotypes in low-level HBsAg group included type B (16/47), type C (5/47) and non-classified ones(26/47). There were significant differences between two groups (χ~2=21.8, P <0.01). The serotypss included adw (7/14), ayw (4/14), adr (2/14) and ayr (1/14). There were significant differences in genotypes (χ~2 = 13.5, P < 0.05) but not in serotypes between two groups (χ~2 = 4.7, P >0.05). S gene sequencing results showed no S gnne variation was detected, but there were 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 16 cases, which would not result in the alternation of amino acid. Conclusions Low-replication phenomenon of HBV DNA was present in patients with low-level HBsAg. The major genotyps and serotype was type B and adw/ayw, respectively. Polymorphic variants have been found in the S gene. The existence of low-level HBsAg might be related with its own molecular characteristics resulting in low expression of HBsAg or immune tolerance induced by low-level HBsAg after HBV infection.

To further explore the result of bilingual teaching in pediatrics,we randomly chose 200 undergraduates of 4 class and released students'questionnaires about bilingual teaching with teaching content before and after class to assess students'understanding of bilingual teaching and analysed appraisal result.We found no significant difference of student score between students accepting bilingual teaching and not accepting the bilingual teaching,but there was difference for English tests and expression level.So we think that students can fully accept the bilingual teaching of pediatrics under the premise with selecting appropriate teaching methods and means.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and the mid-term effects of unilateral pedicle screw fixation and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in treating lumbar degenerative diseases.

METHODSFrom August 2005 to May 2010, 56 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases underwent lumbar posterolateral fusion,their clinical data were retrospective analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups (unilateral group and bilateral group) according to fixation methods,27 patients in unilateral group who were underwent unilateral pedicle screw fixation, including 18 males and 9 females with a mean age of (57.5 ± 7.1) years old (ranged from 41 to 66 years); and 29 patients in bilateral group who were treated with bilateral pedicle screw fixation (on the basis of the above, with contralateral vertebral pedicle screw fixation), including 19 males and 10 females with a mean age of (54.6 ± 5.1) years old (ranged from 43 to 68 years). The clinical data such as operation time, blood loss volume, hospitalization time and cost were compared between two groups. JOA score system was used to evaluate the neurological function. And fusion status and cage-related complication were also analyzed.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 36 to 60 months with an average of 45.8 months. No iatrogenic nerve, blood vessels or organs injury were found during operation. Operation time, blood loss volume, hospitalization time and cost in unilateral group were better than that of bilateral group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in JOA score between two groups (P > 0.05). Two patients in unilateral group developed with cage related complications, 1 case was cage displacement and 1 case was cage subsidence, while 2 patients in bilateral group developed with complications of no-fusion, and there was no significant differences between two groups (P = 0.58).

CONCLUSIONUnilateral pedicle screw fixation is a satisfactory method and can obtain good effects in treating lumbar degenerative diseases in mid-term, however, the indications should be well considered.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedicle Screws ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular mechanism of pain associated with chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) in the rat model of prostatic inflammation.

METHODSThirty-six male SD rats were equally randomized to an experimental and a control group, the former injected with 50 μl of 3% λ-carrageenan into the ventral prostate to make the model of non-bacterial prostatic inflammation, while the latter with the same volume of sterile saline solution. At 1, 2 and 4 weeks after modeling, the prostate, L6-S1 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord were harvested for examination of the expressions of the nerve growth factor (NGF), transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), and calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

RESULTSThe expressions of NGF, TRPA1 and CGRP in the prostatic tissue were all significantly increased in the experimental group as compared with the control (P <0.05), with a gradual decrease with the prolonging of time (P <0.05). In the L6-S1 DRG and spinal cord, the expressions of NGF, TRPA1 and CGRP exhibited no significant differences between the experimental and control groups at 1 week after modeling (P >0.05) and kept at high levels in the experimental group at 2 and 4 weeks, though not significantly different from those at 1 week (P >0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in the expressions of the three proteins in the experimental rats among different time points (P <0.05), but not between the two groups at any time point (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe molecular mechanism of CP/CPPS can be evaluated in the rat model of prostatic inflammation established by injecting λ-carrageenan into the prostate. TRPA1 may play an important role in connecting the upstream and down-stream pathways of CP/CPPS-associated pain.

Animals ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; metabolism ; Carrageenan ; Chronic Disease ; Chronic Pain ; metabolism ; Ganglia, Spinal ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factor ; metabolism ; Pelvic Pain ; metabolism ; Prostatitis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; TRPA1 Cation Channel ; TRPC Cation Channels ; metabolism

Objective To prove the interaction between hepatitis virus C(HCV)nonstruetural protein 4A(HCV NS4A)and calcium modulating cyclophilin tigand(CAML)with yeast-two hybrid- ization and coimmunoprecipitation.Methods The gene encoding CAML was cloned,and subcloned into the yeast expression vector pGADT7 and eucell expression vector pcDNA3.1/His-A.The back- cross test between HCV NS4A and CAML was performed in yeast cells.After that,the pCMV-Myc/ NS4A plasmid and pcDNA3.1/His-A-CAML plasmid were co transfected into 293 cells and,then, coimmunoprecipitation and Western blot were performed.Results The gene encoding CAML was cloned sucessfully,and then the gene was subcloned into yeast expression vectors,pGADT7.After the interaction between NS4A and CAML was ensured in yeast cells,the eukaryotic expression vec- tors of NS4A and CAML were constructed and their interaction was ensured again by Co-immunopre- cipitation.Conclusions The interaction between HCV NS4A and CAML is proved.CAML is one of the proteins involved in Ca~(2+)signaling,which suggests that the interaction of HCV NS4A and CAML may be a new clue of the chronic mechanism of HCV infection.Future studies will be required to de- fine the physiologic significance of this interaction.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of melatonin on proliferation and apoptosis of fibroblasts in human hypertrophic scar and its mechanism.

METHODSFibroblasts from human hypertrophic scar were isolated and cultured with DMEM medium containing 10% FBS, and then they were divided into control (C, added with ethanol), low concentration (LC, added with 1 × 10(-5) mmol/L melatonin), middle concentration (MC, added with 1 × 10(-3) mmol/L melatonin), and high concentration (HC, added with 1 mmol/L melatonin) groups according to the random number table. After being cultured for 24 hours, cell morphologic change was observed under microscope; XTT-PMS assay was used to examine cell proliferative activity; cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with flow cytometry after double staining of FITC and PI, and the levels of cyclin E, p53, and Fas mRNA were determined with fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Data were processed with analysis of variance and LSD test.

RESULTS(1) Fibroblasts in C group were spindle-shaped with growth in colonies. Along with the increase in melatonin concentration, fibroblasts in LC, MC, and HC groups gradually dispersed, deformed and atrophied, with shrunk cellular membrane, and decrease in ratio of nucleus and cytoplasm. (2) Proliferative activity of fibroblasts in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration (1.49 ± 0.15, 1.24 ± 0.20, and 0.92 ± 0.09), which were lower that in C group (1.79 ± 0.10, F = 67.61, P < 0.05). Cell ratios of S and G2/M phases in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, which were all lower than those in C group [(10.6 ± 1.1)%, (6.1 ± 1.2)%, (3.2 ± 0.8)% vs.(16.9 ± 1.3)%, F = 286.10, P < 0.05; (13.5 ± 1.1)%, (9.8 ± 1.0)%, (6.0 ± 0.7)% vs. (16.7 ± 1.6)%, F = 162.69, P < 0.05]. Apoptotic rates in early and late stages of LC, MC, and HC groups increased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, all higher than those in C group (with F value respectively 424.05, 236.44, P values all below 0.05). The expressions of cyclin E mRNA in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, which were lower than that in C group (1.58 ± 0.21, 0.90 ± 0.20, and 0.24 ± 0.12 vs. 2.90 ± 0.30, F = 266.79, P < 0.05), while the expressions of p53 mRNA and Fas mRNA showed opposite tendency (with F value respectively 10.11, 12.03, P values all below 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMelatonin can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of fibroblasts in hypertrophic scar through regulating the gene expressions of cyclin E, p53, and Fas.

Adult ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclin E ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

Orthotopic liver transplantation has proven to be effective in the treatment of a variety of life-threatening liver diseases, however, the limitations of donated organs available and long-term immunosuppression provided an impetus for developing alternative therapies. Cell replacement strategies have been one major effective approach for overcoming the obstacles of organ transplantation in recent years. The exogenous cells should be able to proliferate and differentiate into mature hepatic cells after grafting. Use of mature hepatocytes is also hampered by limited tissue source and inability to proliferate and maintain the function for a long term in vitro. Embryonic stem cells are immortal and pluripotent and may provide a novel cell source for potential cell therapy. This review summarizes the mechanisms of controlling early liver development and hepatic differentiation of visceral endoderm in embryoid bodies, and provides an overview of diverse differentiation systems in vitro and in vivo that were applied to hepatic research in recent years. Several studies have demonstrated that ES cell-derived hepatocytes can incorporate into liver tissue and function in vivo , but a few of them have shown complete restoration of liver function after transplantation into mice with liver diseases. Further studies should be made to exploit efficient methods and clinical applications of hepatocytes derived from ES cells in the future. In addition to clinical transplantation for treatment of liver diseases, ES cells can provide a valuable tool for drug discovery applications and study on of molecular basis of hepatic differentiation.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; transplantation ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo improve the diagnostic accuracy of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver by analyzing its findings by helical CT multiphase scanning.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of the plain scanning and dynamic enhanced scanning helical CT findings was conducted in 20 pathologically verified FNH cases.

RESULTSOn plain CT scans, the FNH lesions appeared as heterogeneous or homogeneous hypodense areas. In the arterial phase, all lesions were vigorously and homogeneously enhanced except for the central scar and lesions in 1 case. In 6 cases, tortuous and dilated arteries were seen in the center or peripheral of the lesion in 16-slice spiral CT. In the portal venous phase and delayed phase, the lesions were slightly hyperdense, isodense or slightly hypodense. Central scar was found in 13 cases, which showed late enhancement. Atypical findings included multinodular FNH in 2 cases, pseudocapsular enhancement in 2 cases, calcification in 1 case, and necrosis in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONMultiphase helical CT scanning can fully display the pathological and blood supply characteristics of FNH and improve the differentiation of FNH from other malignant hypervascular tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia ; diagnostic imaging ; Hepatic Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Liver ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods