Objective To assesse the quality of life of patients after cardiac pacemaker implantation using the Chinese version of SF-36.Methods Ninety-eight patients with permanent cardiac pacemaker implantation were investigated before and after the operation in terms of quality of life by using the Chinese version SF-36.Results Successful surgery was performed on all the 98 patients.The previous symptoms of the patients were improved to vari- ous extend after the operation.The quality of life of the patients was significantly improved after operation as demon- strated by the significant difference of the scores in 9 domains of SF-36 when compared with those before the operation (P

Benzene ; adverse effects ; analysis ; chemistry ; Catalysis ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment ; Vehicle Emissions ; analysis ; Workplace

In temporomandibular disorders (TMD), pain takes place when neuropeptides stimulate synovial tissue to produce several cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which activate neurons and glia of synovial membrane at the bilaminar regions of temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It has been reported that, after neurogenic differentiation, the synovial mesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs), deriving from TMJ, possess the same cytological features as the neuronal cells. This study examined the ability of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) to stimulate SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs secreting inflammatory cytokines during TMD, evaluated the mutual effects of inflammatory cytokines and neuropeptides and tested the analgesic effect of hyaluronic acid (HA). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs in the presence of neuropeptides were measured by ELISA. SP and CGRP produced by SMSCs and neurogenic SMSCs were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that the expression of SP and CGRP was significantly enhanced in the neurogenic SMSCs in response to IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and the effect was remarkably inhibited by HA. IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, in return, could be enhanced in the neurogenic SMSCs upon stimulation by SP and CGRP. Neuropeptides and inflammatory cytokines might work mutually on the TMD pain. The HA-mediated analgesic effect may be implicated in the inhibition of SP and CGRP expression in neurogenic SMSCs.

To demonstrate the current strategies for treating cartilage defects of knees and the related research. Published papers about cartilage defects were searched and reviewed. The current strategies for the treatment were summarized. Based on the research of our study and others, the conclusion how to treat cartilage defects was made. The current ways for treating cartilage defects include micro-fractures, chondrocytes transplantation, mosaicplasty and tissue engineering; Research on functional magnetic resonance imaging in the early diagnosis of cartilage defects, cartilage degeneration is gradually increasing. There is still no effective treatment of cartilage defects and tissue engineering has brought new hopes for the treatment of cartilage defects , functional magnetic resonance imaging has some significance in early diagnosis of cartilage defects, cartilage degeneration.
Animals ; Cartilage Diseases ; surgery ; therapy ; Cartilage, Articular ; surgery ; Humans ; Knee ; surgery ; Tissue Engineering ; Transplantation, Autologous

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; genetics ; metabolism ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

Immobilized penicillin acylase was used for bioconversion of penicillin G into 6-APA in aqueous two-phase systems consisted of a light-sensitive polymer PNBC and a pH-sensitive polymer PADB.Partition coefficients of 6-APA was found to be:about 5.78,in the presence of 1% NaCl.Enzyme kinetic showed that reaction reached equilibrium at 7h or so.The 6-APA mole yields were 85.3%(pH 7.8,and 20 ℃) and this value was about 20%higher than control in reaction of single aqueous phase buffer.Partition coefficient of penicillin G(Na) washardly changeable,while partition coefficient of product,6-APA and phenylacetate acid was significantly changeable.Reason is due to Donnan effect of phase systems andhydrophobicity of products.The change of partition coefficients of products also affects bioconversion yield of products.In the aqueous two-phase systems,substrate,penicillin G,products 6-APA and phenylacetate acid are biased in top phase,while immobilized penicillin acylase is completely partitioned in bottom.Substrate,penicillin G enters into bottom phase,and it is catalyzed into 6-APA and phenylacetate acid,then the products enter into top phase.Finally,inhibition of substrate and products is removed to result in improvement of products yield.Moreover,immobilized enzymehashigher efficiency than immobilized cells and occupy smaller volume.Comparing with free enzyme,immobilized enzymehashigher stability,longer use life,completely partitioned in bottom phase and recycle.Bioconversion in two-phase systems using immobilized penicillin acylase showed outstanding advantage.The light-sensitive copolymer forming aqueous two-phase systems could be recovered by laser radiation at 488 nm or filtrated 450 nm light,while pH-sensitive polymer PADB could be recovered by isoelectric point(pH 4.1).The recovery of the two copolymers was 95%~99%.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the stability of estazolam in biological samples preserved in formaldehyde solution. METHODS: The dog was given intragastric administration of estazolam with a dose of 37.6 mg/kg and killed 2 h later. Heart, liver, kidney and brain of the dog were cut up into 1 g and preserved in 4% formaldehyde solution respectively. The content of estazolam in biological samples and formaldehyde solution were analyzed by HPLC at different times. RESULTS: The content of estazolam in heart, liver, kidney and brain or in formaldehyde solution reduced gradually followed with the extention of preservation time. At the 63rd day, estazolam content in four tissues were 0.8%, 1.7%, 1.0% and 2.2% of the original content respectively. CONCLUSION Estazolam in tissues can diffuse into formaldehyde solution and decomposed quickly, so biological samples contained estazolam should not be preserved in formaldehyde solution.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Brain Chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dogs ; Drug Stability ; Estazolam/poisoning* ; Forensic Toxicology/methods* ; Formaldehyde ; Hypnotics and Sedatives/poisoning* ; Kidney/chemistry* ; Liver/chemistry* ; Male ; Solutions ; Time Factors ; Tissue Preservation/methods*

OBJECTIVETo study the expression level of B7-H1 protein in the eyeball tissues of mice receiving corneal allograft transplantation and explore the role of B7-H1 protein in corneal immune privilege.

METHODSMouse models of corneal allograft transplantation were established, and the corneal opacity and angiogenesis index was evaluated according to the Sonoda method. Eight weeks later, the mice were examined for the occurrence of graft rejection, and the expression level of B7-H1 protein in the eyeball tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, using 8 normal mice as the control group.

RESULTSB7-H1 protein was expressed highly in the corneal and the choroidal/ciliary body in the normal control mice and the survived mice, but was absent in mice with graft rejection.

CONCLUSIONB7-H1 protein may play a role in the immune privilege following corneal allograft transplantation in mice.

Animals ; B7-H1 Antigen ; immunology ; Corneal Transplantation ; Female ; Immune Tolerance ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Transplantation, Homologous ; immunology

Boronic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Bortezomib ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; POEMS Syndrome ; therapy ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Pyrazines ; therapeutic use ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVETo assess the incidence, etiology, physiological and clinical features, mortality, and predictors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 5 314 patients admitted to the ICU of our hospital from April 1994 to December 2003 was performed in this study. The ARDS patients were identified with the criteria of the American-European Consensus Conference (AECC). Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation III (APACHE III), multiple organ dysfunction syndrome score (MODS score), and lung injury score (LIS) were determined on the onset day of ARDS for all the patients. Other recorded variables included age, sex, biochemical indicators, blood gas analysis, length of stay in ICU, length of ventilation, presence or absence of tracheostomy, ventilation variables, elective operation or emergency operation.

RESULTSTotally, 131 patients (2.5%) developed ARDS, among whom, 12 patients were excluded from this study because they died within 24 hours and other 4 patients were also excluded for their incomplete information. Therefore, there were only 115 cases (62 males and 53 females, aged 22-75 years, 58 years on average) left, accounting for 2.2% of the total admitted patients. Their average ICU stay was (11.27+/-7.24) days and APACHE III score was 17.23+/-7.21. Pneumonia and sepsis were the main cause of ARDS. The non-survivors were obviously older and showed significant difference in the ICU length of stay and length of ventilation as compared with the survivors. On admission, the non-survivors had significantly higher MODS and lower BE (base excess). The hospital mortality was 55.7%. The main cause of death was multiple organ failure. Predictors of death at the onset of ARDS were advanced age, MODS > or = to 8, and LIS > or = 2.76.

CONCLUSIONSARDS is a frequent syndrome in this cohort. Sepsis and pneumonia are the most common risk factors. The main cause of death is multiple organ failure. The mortality is high but similar to most recent series including severe comorbidities. Based on this patient population, advanced age, MODS score, and LIS may be the important prognostic indicators for ARDS.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; mortality ; physiopathology ; Retrospective Studies