Calcineurin is a serine-threonine protein phosphatase that plays a pivotal role in a wide series of crucial physiologic processes such as T-cell activation, apoptosis, skeletal myocyte differentiation, and cardiac hypertrophy. A new family of regulators of calcineurin (RCANs) has been shown to modulate calcineurin activity through direct binding of it in vivo. Calcineurindependent signals are transduced to the nucleus by nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) transcription factors that undergo nuclear translocation upon dephosphorylation and promote transcriptional activation of target genes. The recent researches have revealed that RCAN1 modulating catalytic activity of calcineurin can function as an endogenous backfeed inhibitor during the calcineurin-NFAT signalling pathway. RCANs have now been implicated in several pathological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, down syndrome and cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, the RCAN family is a rational, functional name for RCAN gene and it is proposed in 2007. It is, therefore, necessary to review the RCAN gene, RCANs and the roles of RCANs in a wide variety of diseases especially including Alzheimer’s disease. It is suggested that regulation of RCAN expression may be a new target on neurodegeneration disease.

Hexanes ; Hexanones ; blood ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure

Objectives To explore the correlation of level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with pulmonary function in adult with asthma. Methods Patients were divided into Asthmatic group(n=62)and Control group (n=28). The Asthmatic group was further divided into Mild Group (n=6), Moderate Group (n=13) and Severe Group (n=43). Serum levels of 25-hy?droxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], denoted as 25(OH) Vit D was detected by ELISA. Pulmonary function indicators,including FVC (forced vital capacity) , FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) , FEV1%predicted , and FEV1/FVC%were deter?mined by a pulmonary function testing device. General profiles such as medical history, age and height as well as serum VitD levels were compared between subgroups of the asthmatic groups and between two genders. Serum levels of 25 (OH) VitD were compared between asthmatic group and control group while its correlation with FEV1%predicted were calculated in all three sub asthmatic groups. Results There was no significant difference in medical history, age, height and the 25(OH) VitD levels between male and female participants. Serum 25(OH) Vit D level was significantly lower in the asthmatic patient group [(29.69±20.45) nmol/L] compared to that in control group [(75.16±4.06) nmol/L] (P<0.05). It was significantly lower in severe sub group than those in the mild and moderate sub groups. The differences were both statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were positive correlations between serum 25(OH) Vit D levels and FEV1%predicted ( P<0.05) in all sub asth?matic groups. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in asthmatic patients, and there is a strong correlation between 25(OH) Vit D asthma severity as well as between lung function.

Objective To analyse the expression patterns of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3(VEGFR-3) at the protein and mRNA level,and to detect the biological function of VEGFR-3 in the lymphangiogenesis of the embryos. Methods A total of 61 specimens of skin were investigated by immunohistochemical staining with a polyclonal antibody against VEGFR-3 in embryo 15-day-old(E15) and in embryo 21-day-old(E21).The expression of VEGFR-3 mRNA was studied in situ hybridization. Results The positive expression of VEGFR-3 can be seen in lymphatic vessels of the embryonic skin.The occurrences of VEGFR-3 protein in lymphatic vessels in E15 and in E21 were 38.71%(12/31) and 73.33%(22/30) respectively,the expression level of VEGFR-3 protein in E21 was significantly higher than that in E15(?~2=7.408,P

Objective To observe the expression of PECAM-1 in colorectal cancer in rat and to explore the mechanism of lymphatic metastasis of tumor. Methods Wistar rats were used to make the animal model of primary colorectal cancer,by using HE staining,the cancer type and progression of cancer were devided.By immunohistochemistry staining,the expression of PECAM-1 in tumor tissue,blood vessels and lymphatic vessels were observed. Results PECAM-1 expression in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels were observed in normal tissue,while its expression on tumor tissue and lymphatic vessels decreased according to the cancer progression.Conclusion PECAM-1 may be involved in the early process of tumor cells adhering to the endothelium;decreased expresson of PECAM-1 on lymphatics may be related with lymphangiogenesis and the opening of endothelial junction of lymphatic vessels.

Objective To sum up clinical experiences of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy by microsurgery. Methods A retrospective review was conducted in 50 cases with epilepsy,and temporal lobe was resected by microsurgery from June 1996 to Oct. 2003. Results Follow-up patients from six months to five years.The follow up showed healing outcome in 25 cases,good results in 13 cases,unsatisfactory outcome in 9 cases,no improvement in 3 cases.Slight paresis 6 cases,divagation 8 cases,psychosis 5 cases and no death case. Conclusions Application of microsurgery can obvously improve the clinical result of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and decrease the complication after operation.

Background To provide clinical evidence for ablative application by comparison of the analgesic effect following different thalamotomy in rats.Methods Thirty rats were randomly assigned into sham and 4 thalamotomies groups: central medial thalamic nucleus ( CM), parafascicular thalamic nucleus ( PF), ventral posterolateral thalamic nucleus (VPL), and CM +Cigulum (cg). Two μL 10% phenol dissolved in glycerin were used for stereotactic thalamotomy. The thermal pain thresholds before and after procedures were evaluated with the tail stimulate test. The formalin test was carried out in an open field apparatus where the animal formalin-induced responses (licking duration, flexing duration, and flinching frequency of the injected paw) were recorded for 60 min.Results Changes of pain thresholds in all ablative groups were significantly higher than that in the sham group, especially it was higher in VPL group. Differences of the factor thalamotomy were found to be due to the shorter licking in the ablative groups than that in the sham group (P ＜0.01 ), whereas flexing duration and flinching frequency were only slightly affected by thalamotomy. Moreover, licking duration was lower in VPL group than in CM and CM + cg groups ( P ＜0.05), whereas nociceptive responses did not differ between the CM and CM+cg groups (P ＞0.05).Conclusions In acute period, CM, PF, VPL, CM + cg neurolysis all showed to elevate the thermal pain threshold and to reduce the pain-induced behavioral responses related to supraspinal neural circuits (licking of the injected paw). Among them, the damage of VPL might be the most active one. CM + cg damage did not get better antinociceptive effect than single CM ablation.

Objective To study the ultrastructural features of initial lymphatics of gastric carcinoma,to discuss the metastasis mechanism of malignant cells by lpmphatics. Methods The postoperative samples of patients with gastric cancer were obtained in center,peripheral and normal region of cancer.Common Resin-embedded specimens were made.Lymphatics were located by hemithin sections under light microscope and observed by ultrathin sections under electron microscope. Results There were no lymphatics in carcinomatous centre region.Compared with normal region,there were more initial lymphatics in peripheral region of gastric carcinoma.The lumina were dilated and irregular and the endothelium were destroyed;The organelle of endothelial cells changed obviously.The distribution and morphology of the lymphatics did not changed evidently in the normal region.Conclusion These results suggest that amount,ultrastructure and morphology of lymphatics changed in peripheral region of carcinoma;Gastric cancer cells may invade lymphatics via destroyed parts of endothelium or interendothelial openings.

Objective To investigate the relationship between low serum calcium concentration and hematoma volume in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods Between January 2012 and October 2014,870 consecutive patients with intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,West China Hospital,Sichuan University were enrolled prospectively.The patients completed laboratory serum calcium concentration and head CT examinations within 24 h after attack,and the baseline data and laboratory findings were collected.According to the normal reference value of laboratory serum calcium concentration,the patients were divided into a hypocalcemia calcium group (<2.1 mmol/L;n=193) and a normal calcium group (2.1-2.7 mmol/L;n=677).Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the blood serum calcium concentration and the hematoma volume on admission.Results (1) The hypocalcemia group compared with normal calcium group,the proportion of male patients was high (73.6% [n=142] vs.66.0% [n=447]),the median score for Glasgow coma scale was lower (9 vs.11),and the median hematoma volume was larger (33.86 cm3 vs.21.69 cm3).The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05).(2) Spearman correlation analysis showed that the lower serum calcium level on admission was weakly negatively correlated with the volume of hematoma in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (r=-0.113,P<0.01).Conclusion The study suggested that the hypocalcemia on admission was mostly males in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage,the condition was serious,the volume of hematoma was larger,and the lower serum calcium concentration was negatively correlated with the hematoma volume.

Objective To investigate the values of combined detection of serum pancreas autoantibodies (PAB),anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies(ASCA),goblet cell autoantibodies(GAB) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies(PANCA) and fecal calprotectin(FC) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD).Methods The serum and feces samples from IBD patients,including 107 with definite Crohn's disease(CD) and 98 with definite ulcerative colitis(UC),and 79 non-IBD patients as the control were collected.Serum PANCA,ASCA,GAB and PAB were detected by an indirect immunofluorescence assay,and FC concentration by double-antibody sandwich ELISA.The results from different patients were compared and analyzed.Results The positive rates of serum PANCA,GAB,PAB and ASCA in 205 IBD patients were 36.1％,29.8％,38.0％ and 4.9％,respectively.The FC concentrations in IBD,CD and UC patients were significantly higher than that in the control(P ＜ 0.01),while there was no statistical difference between CD and UC patients (P ＞ 0.05).The positive rates of PANCA in CD and UC patients were 8.4％ and 66.3％,respectively,while those of PAB in CD and UC patients were 65.4％ and 8.2％,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity of PAB,PANCA,GAB,ASCA,FC and their combination in the differential diagnosis of IBD and non-IBD were 38.0％,36.1％,29.8％,4.9％,54.1％,63.4％ and 98.7％,96.2％,94.9％,100％,68.4％,93.7％,respectively.The area under the ROC of the combination of 5 markers was 0.819 in differentially diagnosing IBD and non-IBD.The area under the ROC of PANCA for the differential diagnosis of UC was 0.816,while that of PAB for the differential diagnosis of CD was 0.823.Conclusion GAB is an autoantibody associated with IBD,which may be helpful for the auxiliary diagnosis of IBD.PAB and PANCA are the important serological markers for the diagnosis of CD and UC,respectively.The combination of FC with PAB,PANCA,GAB and ASCA may be used for the differential diagnosis of IBD and non-IBD,but has little value in distinguishing CD and UC.