Objective To evaluate the application of chromogranin A (CgA) as a marker in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Methods Serum chromogranin A were detected by means of ELISA technique in 35 cases of prostate carcinoma,10 cases of benign prostate hyperplasia and 30 cases of healthy subjects. Results Serum CgA [(162?12.5)ng/ml] of patients with prostatic carcinoma was significantly higher than those of healthy subjects and of BPH( P

Objective To investigate the influence of perioperative continuing aspirin therapy on tooth extraction surgery in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.Methods A total of 926 patients with coronary heart disease who required tooth extraction were enrolled in this study.Among them,241 patients discontinued aspirin therapy before tooth extraction,685 patients continued aspirin therapy before tooth extraction.The entering rate of operation was evaluated.100 patients continuing aspirin and 100 patients discontinuing aspirin were randomly selected.Systemic pressure,diastolic pressure and heart rate before and after tooth extraction were detected.100 matched healthy elderly patients were selected as normal control group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk for tooth extraction.Results The entering rate of operation was 67.9％ (131 cases) in 193 patients with angina pectoris discontinuing aspirin therapy and 82.1 ％ (312 cases) in 380 patients with angina pectoris continuing aspirin therapy (x2 =14.77,P＜0.01).The entering rate of operation was 41.7％ (20 cases) in 48 patients undergoing coronary revascularization and discontinuing aspirin therapy,and 80.7％ (312 cases) in 305 patients undergoing coronary revascularization and continuing aspirin therapy (x2=33.95,P＜0.01).The changes in systolic blood pressure before versus after dental extraction had a significant difference between the discontinuing aspirin group and control group [(15.9±5.5) mmHg vs.(12.2±4.7)mmHg,P＜0.05,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa],while had no significant difference between the continuing aspirin group and control group [(13.6±4.5) mmHg vs.(12.2±4.7) mmHg,P＞0.05].There were no significant differences in changes in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in the intraoperative period between the patients and controls (P＞0.05).The bleeding rate in patients continuing aspirin therapy was not significantly different as compared with control group (P＞ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that perioperative discontinuing aspirin therapy remained the second significant risk factor for tooth extraction.Conclusions Preoperative administration of aspirin should be continued in dental extraction surgery in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.

Objective To summarize our surgical experience in repair and functional reconstruction for compound defects of proximal phalanx and dorsal skin at multiple digits,Methods Six patients with multiple digital defects were treated in our department between June 1996 and March 2005.At the first stage,free iliac bone grafts were used to repair defects of proximal phalanges and temporary syndactyly between adjacent affected fingers was created through digital palmar skin sutures.The defects were covered with free flap transfer finally.Dorsalis pedis flaps were used in four patients,a lateral arm flap in one and a lateral thoracic flap in one respectively.At the second stage,a partial debulking procedure and division of syndaetyty followed three to six months later.Additional procedures were performed in three eases to reconstruct the digital extensor function through tendon transfer.The follow-ups ranged from six months to nine years.Results The flaps survived uneventfully in the six patients postoperatively.The dorsal aspects of reconstructed fingers demonstrated an aesthetically pleasing effect after the flap debulking procedures and division of syndactyly.Follow-up X-Ray examinations showed good lilac bone union and nearly normal structure of digital bone.The distal interphalangeal extension restored to normal in the three cases after extensor reconstruction.Conclusions Iliac bone graft to repair phalangeal defects and free flap transplantation to cover skin defects can be a good treatment for compound defects of proximal phalanx and dorsal skin at multiple digits.Secondary plastic procedure may greatly improve the appearance of a reconstructed digit,and extensor re- construction the function of distal interphalangeal extension too.

Objective To explore the causal influences between activated regions in executive control network when participants were performing attention network test (ANT)under passive hyperthermia using Granger causality analysis.Methods Thirty male healthy participants which were randomly divided into control group (n=1 5)and experimental group (n=1 5)performed ANT task during two thermal conditions:hyperthermic condition (50℃)and normothermic condition (20℃)during functional magnetic reso-nance imaging.The data processing was performed using statistical parametric mapping 8 (SPM8).Granger causality analysis was performed on the resulted activated regions,as well as the correlations of the GC values with the reaction time in both groups.Results Between-group comparisons on Granger causality analysis revealed significantly enhanced influences of anterior cingulate gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex,and bidirectional influences between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right superior parietal lobule,but decreased influence between right superior parietal lobule and right inferior parietal lobule.The correlation analysis showed significant correlation between GC value of right superior parietal lobule to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the reaction time in control group (r=-0.558,P =0.031),but yet there was no significant correlation in experimental group (r=0.355,P =0.257).Conclusion Heat stress affected the causal influences within the executive control network,which subse-quently disrupted the executive control performance during passive hyperthermia.

BACKGROUND:Chondrocytes may dedifferentiate when they are cultured in vitro,and the capacity of synthetizing glycosaminoglycan (GAG)is also reduced,how to delay the dedifferentiation of chondrocytes is a crucial topic in the field of tissue engineering.OBJECTIVE:To observe the performance of chondrocytes synthetizing GAG at different inoculum densities.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A controlled cellular experiment was performed at the laboratory of Department of Orthopaedics in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between January 2007 and May 2007.MATERIALS:Five New Zealand rabbits of one month old were used in this study.METHODS:Articular chondrocytes were isolated from both knees and digested using 0.4% pronase enzyme and 0.025% Ⅱ type collagenase.The chondrocytes harvested from the same rabbit were divided into two sets,one was seeded at a constant density of 2×104/cm2 in primary and subculture,the other was cultured at a reduced density of 2×103/cm2 following cellular adhesion.Cellular morphology and proliferation were observed under inverted microscope.The culture media were renewed after the primary cells and passage 1 cells were confluent.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:GAG concentration was determined using the modified precipitation method with Alcian blue at 12,24,36,48 and 60 hours following the renewal of culture media.RESULTS:Articular chondrocytes in the primary high-density culture group were polygonal with clear boundaries,they have shown to form colony at 3-4 days.Cells around colonies were more slender than those in the center of colonies,shaping as long polygon.There was no obvious change observed in the morphology of passage 1 cells.In the low-density culture group,cells scattered at early stage and formed colonies at 7 days,cellular morphology showed no significant differences in comparison with high-density culture group.The time of primary cells becoming confluent in the low-density culture group was prolonged compared with high-density culture group.The GAG concentration in supernatants in the primary cells of low-density culture group was significantly lower than that in primary cells and passage 1 cells of high-density culture group (P＜0.001,P＜0.05).The GAG concentration showed a greater difference along with the prolonging of culture time.CONCLUSION:High-density culture is better then low-density culture to enhance the performance of chondrocytes synthetizing GAG and to retard the velocity of chondrocytes dedifferentiation,which suggests high-density culture contributes to maintain the chondrocytes phenotype and can be considered as a good way of plate culture.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of blood-brain barrier(BBB) permeability after acute cerebral ischemia in rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) by dynamic contrast-enhanced(DCE)-MRI. Methods Sixty MCAO rat models were established by suture-occlusion method. All rats were divided randomly into twelve groups with different ischemia duration (3 hours, 6 hours, permanent) and reperfusion times (2, 6, 12 and 24 hours after reperfusion). Each group was examined by MRI at the time points. The BBB permeability parameters(Ktrans, Ve, Kep, rKtrans, rVe, rKep) were calculated by Siemens workstation and compared with Evans blue(EB) extravasation results. Multivariate analysis of variance (M-ANOVA), one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), Pearson analysis were respectively used to verify the influences of ischemia duration and reperfusion time on BBB permeability parameters, EB extravasation and relationships between parameters. Results In 3 hours and 6 hours ischemia duration groups, change of BBB permeability after reperfusion appeared biphasic. At 2 hours and 6 hours after reperfusion, BBB permeability increased, while rKtrans values and rVe values rose and rKep values dropped. BBB permeability decreased at 12 hours and increased again at 24 hours after reperfusion. The highest BBB permeability was observed at 6 hours after reperfusion. However, BBB permeability in permanent ischemia groups had uniphasic change, as its increase was rather mild as ischemia time went on. rKtrans values(1.99± 0.79)were positively correlated with rVe values(2.88 ± 1.78) (r=0.93, P<0.01) and negatively correlated with rKep values(0.66 ± 0.21) (r=-0.84, P<0.01). The negative correlation between rVe values and rKep valueswas also significant(r=- 0.80, P<0.01). EB extravasation results were consistent with MRI findings. Conclusions BBB permeability change was biphasic in reperfusion groups, while it was uniphasic in permanent ischemia groups. DCE-MRI may accurately reflect the changes of BBB permeability after acute cerebral ischemia. Both ischemic duration and reperfusion time had influences on BBB permeability. With prolongation of ischemic time, the duration of BBB permeability increase became shorter, BBB damage appeared earlier, with increased degree of ischemic damage.

Cardiovascular Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Smad Proteins ; metabolism ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism

AIM AND METHODSThe purpose of this investigation was to determine the changes of erythrocyte deformability, band-3 protein and actin in the definite volume of erythrocyte membrane after high intensity running training and recovery in rats.

RESULTSLong-term training could significantly improve erythrocyte deformability and the quantity of membrane proteins. Erythrocyte deformability, band-3 protein and actin decreased transitorily at varying degrees after inadaptable high intensity exercise. One and two week training could improve erythrocyte deformability, the quantity of band-3 protein and actin after recovery.

CONCLUSIONAlterations of erythrocyte membrane protein after high intensity training could cause the change in erythrocyte membrane structure and hence influenced erythrocyte deformability. That was maybe one of mechanisms of training effecting erythrocyte deformability.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte ; metabolism ; Erythrocyte Deformability ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To build three-dimensional model of the pancreas and peripanercatic organs to provide morphological basis for imaging diagnosis and operation selection of pancreas diseases. Methods Serial cross-sectional images from the first Chinese visible human dataset were reviewed and the structures of pancreas and peripancreatic organs were reconstructed three-dimensionally by using 3D-Doctor software on PC. Results Three-dimensional structures of pancreas and peripancreatic organs were reconstructed successfully. All reconstructed structures could be displayed in multiple methods and color modes. Conclusions The internal and adjacent struc-tures of pancreas can be clearly shown on the reconstructed three-dimensional images. The visible model is a useful reference both for clinical diagnosis and surgical practice.

Objective To explore the impact and protective mechanisms of head cooling on neural activity during passive hyperthermia.Methods Sixteen subjects were randomly exposed for 1 h to three different conditions: normal (25℃), hot (50℃) and head cooling (chamber:50℃,cold packs:5℃),after environment exposure, rs-fMRI were performed.Regional homogeneity(ReHo) datum at three different conditions were analyzed by REST2.0 to obtain brain areas with statistical difference.Brain voxel with statistical difference were selected as ROIs to ReHo values and were analyzed by One-Way ANOVA with SPSS18.0.Neural activity of brain areas with statistical difference were compared in any two groups by Post hoc.Results The brain regions showing differences among three groups included right orbital frontal cortex,left middle frontal gyrus,bilateral amygdala,left middle temporal gyrus,left hippocampus,bilateral parietal inferior, left precentral gyrus.Compared with normal group, ReHo increased in right orbital frontal cortex, and decreased in left precentral gyrus,left middle frontal gyrus,left parietal inferior,but no changed in bilateral amygdala,left middle temporal gyrus,left hippocampus,right parietal inferior in head cooling group.Compared with hot group,head cooling group showed increased ReHo in left middle temporal gyrus,left hippocampus,right parietal inferior,and decreased ReHo in bilateral amygdala,left parietal inferior,unchanged ReHo in right orbital frontal cortex, left precentral gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus.Conclusion The specified alterations of ReHo may reflect that the head cooling could partially eliminate the impact of passive hyperthermia, and is closely linked with emotional function.