The postnatal development of the ectoplasmic specialization (ES) of Sertoli cells was investigated in the rats from 1st to 8th week after birth and the adult by electron microscopy. At the end of the 1st week. ES is in the beginning of its formation. Some high electron dense materials accumulate in the submembranous regions and short cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum align in these zones. At the end of the 2nd week the short cisternae are fused each other and straight microfilaments bundles appear and are sandwiched between the flattened cisternae and cell membrane. The density of microfilaments is increased in the 3th week and numerous tight junctions appear between adjacent Sertoli cells. The ES is gradually completed in its structure until the 5th week and fully extend and circumscribed around the base of Sertoli cells. Thereafter, there is no more morphological changes. We conclude that the first 5 weeks after birth is the important period for the development of ES of Sertoli cell as well as the blood-testis barrier in rats.

The distribution of microtubules (MTs)in the Sertoli cell of rat testis was studied with indirect immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. We have found that MTs are mainly located in the cytoplasm apical to the nucleus and oriented parallel to the long axis of the Sertoli cell. MTs may extend into the stalks and processes of the cell which embrace different germ cells. With the changes of the architecture of the seminiferous epithelium and the shape of Sertoli cells, there are some regular changes in MTs distribution during the seminifeous epithelium cycle. In stage Ⅰ-Ⅴ, many MTs aggregate around the elongated spermatids and are parallel to their long axis. During stage Ⅶ maturing spermatids are suspended into the lumen by the Sertoli cell processes containing numerous MTs. Some of the MTs conform to the contour of the hook-shaped spermatids heads. After spermiation (stage Ⅶ-Ⅸ), MTs retract from the lumen with the Sertoli cell processes and gather around the spermatids which just start their elongation. These results indicate that the distribution of the MTs in Sertoli cell has close relations with the architecture of the seminiferous epithelium, and the changes of the Sertoli cell shape and the movement of the spermatids.

Objective To approach the changes of cytosol phospholipase A2α(cPLA2α)and nitric oxide (NO)in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)and its significance. Methods One hundred patients with COPD admitted into Department of Critical Care Medicine of Affiliated Wuqing Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM were enrolled,and according to the COPD severity grading standards,they were divided into mild group(25 cases),moderate group(25 cases),severe group(26 cases) and extremely severe group(24 cases);simultaneously,90 cases with normal pulmonary function who had taken health examination were chosen and assigned to the healthy control group. The cPLA2α level was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),the level of uric acid(UA),total cholesterol(TC),triacylglycerol (TG)were detected by enzymatic method,and serum NO metabolites(NOx)level was detected by nitrate reductase method. Results Compared with the healthy control group,the serum levels of cPLA2α and UA in patients with different severity of COPD were significantly increased;along with the increase of patient's COPD grade of severity,the cPLA2α,UA levels were gradually increased,while NOx level was gradually decreased in mild, moderate, severe, extremely severe groups〔cPLA2α(ng/L):125.60±8.17, 155.20±6.42, 190.20±9.32, 255.80±11.28 vs. 88.50±7.99;UA(μmol/L):381.23±32.22,434.95±87.71,464.81±52.65,487.45±82.61 vs. 241.95±52.33;NOx(μmol/L):59.90±17.52,45.60±6.17,38.20±4.08,25.70±3.04 vs. 74.90±18.31,all P<0.05〕. The differences in blood cPLA2αand serum NOx level among groups with different severity of COPD were of statistical significance(P<0.05). The levels of TC,TG among these different severity groups had no statistical significance(all P>0.05). The cPLA2αand NOx levels presented significant negative correlation(rs=-0.798,P=0.013). Conclusion The combined examination of blood cPLA2αand serum NOx levels can evaluate the severity degree of COPD patients,and cPLA2αcan be used as a new target index for COPD grading.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of propofol and remifentanil in different target-controlled infusion(TCI) sequences on hypotension during induction of general anesthesia in hypertensive patients.Methods:A total of 132 patients with hypertension of both sexes, aged 50-75 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classificationⅡ or Ⅲ, with body mass index of 18-30 kg/m 2, scheduled for elective tracheal intubation under general anesthesia, were divided into 3 groups( n=44 each) using a random number table method: group C, PR group and RP group. In group C, propofol(target effect-site concentration 5 μg/ml) and remifentanil(target effect-site concentration 5 ng/ml) were simultaneously given by TCI. Propofol was given by TCI followed by TCI of remifentanil in PR group. Remifentanil was given by TCI followed by TCI of propofol in RP group. The development of hypotension was observed within 10 min after induction of general anesthesia, and the consumption of propofol, remifentanil and ephedrine, time of loss of consciousness, time of tracheal intubation and adverse reactions during the perioperative period were recorded. Results:Compared with group C, the incidence of hypotension during induction was significantly decreased, the consumption of propofol and ephedrine was decreased, and the BIS value was increased when consciousness disappeared, the time of loss of consciousness and time of tracheal intubation were prolonged, the BIS value was increased at loss of consciousness in PR group, and the consumption of ephedrine was significantly decreased, and the time of loss of consciousness and time of tracheal intubation were prolonged in RP group( P<0.05). Compared with PR group, the consumption of ephedrine was significantly decreased, and the time of loss of consciousness was prolonged in RP group( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of responses to tracheal intubation, injection pain, bucking, inhibition ratio, postoperative delirium, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and intraoperative awareness during induction among the three groups( P>0.05). Conclusions:TCI of remifentanil followed by TCI of propofol can decrease the development of hypotension during induction of general anesthesia in hypertensive patients.

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAS)is a disease characterized by intermittent complete or partial upper airway obstruction accompanied by hypoxemia during sleep and is a common cause of difficult intubation.Patients with confirmed or highly suspected OSAS are usually at higher risk for difficult airways.Prediction of difficult airway in OSAS patients is of great significance to prevent perioperative adverse events.The current assessment tools for difficult airways are varied and evaluated inconsistently.In this article,we provide an overview of the various types of predictors of difficult intubation in OSAS and summarize the new trends in the prediction of difficult intubation to help anesthesiologists make accurate preoperative assessments.

Objective To investigate the radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis with a dose-response mouse model, based on the CT image changes of pulmonary fibrosis.Methods Female C57BL6 mice aged 8-10 weeks were randomly divided into 20 Gy or escalated doses of X-ray whole thoracic irradiation ( WTI) groups. CT scan was performed at different time points before and after radiation. The average lung density and lung volume changes were obtained by three-dimensional segmentation algorithm. After gene chip and pathological validation, the parameters of CT scan were subject to the establishment of logistic regression model. Results At the endpoint of 24 weeks post-irradiation, the lung density in the 20 Gy irradiation group was (-289.81± 12.06) HU, significantly increased compared with (-377.97± 6.24) HU in the control group ( P<0.001) . The lung volume was ( 0.66±0.01) cm3 in the control group, significantly larger than ( 0.44±0.03) cm3 in the irradiated mice ( P<0.001) . The results of quantitative imaging analysis were in accordance with the findings of HE and Mason staining, which were positively correlated with the fibrosis-related biomarkers at the transcriptional level ( all R2=0.75, all P<0.001) . The ED50 for increased lung density was found to be ( 13.64± 0.14) Gy ( R2=0.99, P<0.001) and ( 16.17± 4.36) Gy ( R2=0.89, P<0.001) for decreased lung volume according to the logistic regression model. Conclusions Quantitative CT measurement of lung density and volume are reliable imaging parameters to evaluate the degree of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mouse models. The dose-response mouse models with pulmonary fibrosis changes can provide experimental basis for comparative analysis of high-dose hypofractioned irradiation-and half-lung irradiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.