Objective To study the expression of Ca-A/K channel-related molecules glutamate receptor 2 and 1(GluR2/1) in hippocampus tissues of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods A total of 60 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group and HIBD group. Hippocampal tissues were obtained at 0 h, 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after HIBD. The expression of GluR2, GluR1 and autophagy marker protein Beclin-1, LC3 were detected by Western blot assay. Results Edema and focal softening and necrosis were observed 6 h after HIBD in the brains of neonatal rats. Compared with Con group, at each time point, the expression levels of GluR2 were lower while the levels of GluR1, Beclin-1 and LC3 were higher significantly in HIBD group (P<0.05). The protein levels of LC3, Beclin-1, GluR1 and GluR2 in hippocampus tissues of HIBD group were significantly different among different time points after the estab-lishment of HIBD model (F=10.65~701.14, P<0.01). The protein level of GluR2 was decreased from 1 h to 24 h after HIBD and reached the lowest level at 24 h. The levels of GluR1, Beclin-1 and LC3 were increased at 6 h, plateaued at 24 h and remained there until 48 h. The levels of these proteins returned back to the initial level at 72 h. Conclusions Ca-A/K channel-related mol-ecules GluR2 and GluR1 play important roles in the autophagic cell death of hippocampus tissues in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

BACKGROUNDPathological fractures signify a potentially more aggressive subset of the original disease with higher misdiagnosis rates and inferior oncologic results. The purpose of the present study was to explore the clinical features of neoplastic pathological fracture in extremities.

METHODSFrom August 2002 to December 2010, a consecutive series of 139 patients suffering neoplastic pathological fracture were recruited, including 79 males and 60 females with a mean age of 31.3 years. Fractures were classified into five groups: tumor-like lesions (55), benign bone tumors (13), giant cell tumors (7), primary malignant bone tumors (28), and metastatic bone tumors (36). Based on their inducing forces, pathologic fractures were classified into four grades: spontaneous fracture, functional fracture, minor injury, and traumatic injury. Patients' age, fracture site, histological diagnoses, fracture forces, prodromes, and misdiagnosis were well reviewed. Kruskal-Wallis and χ(2) tests were used to compare forces and prodromes within different types of bone tumors.

RESULTSThe highest pathologic fracture morbidity was 32.3% (45/139), which lay in the 11 - 20 year group, and 86.1% of metastatic tumors occurred in the 50 - 80 year group. The common sites of fractures were femur, humerus, and tibia. The fracture forces in benign bone tumors and tumor-like lesions are the strongest, followed by metastatic tumors and primary malignant bone tumors (H(C) = 80.980, P = 0.000). Sixty-seven patients (48.2%) had local prodromes before pathologic fracture. The incidence rates of prodromes between primary malignant tumors and metastatic bone tumors had no significant difference (P = 0.146), but they were all obviously higher than that of benign bone tumors and tumor-like lesions. Twenty patients experienced misdiagnosis.

CONCLUSIONMinor injury forces and local prodromes are clinical features of neoplastic pathologic fractures and they are also the critical factor avoiding misdiagnoses.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Fractures, Spontaneous ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Derris eriocarpa, a traditional Chinese medicine belonging to the family of Leguminosae, is widely distributed mainly over Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou of China. Modern pharmacological researches on this herb showed that it had extensive bioactivities, such as promoting urination, removing dampness and cough and reducing inspissated mucus and other biological activities. The extensive studies on the chemical constituents of this plant have resulted in the isolation of triterpenoids, steroids, fatty acid and others, but the flavone compounds haven't reported before. In our further research on the ethyl acetate of this plant, nine flavone compounds were obtained by column chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, semi-prep HPLC, polyamide column chromatography and recrystallization for separation and purification. The structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including MS, NMR experiments and comparison with spectroscopic data in the literature, respectively, as diosmetin (1), 3, 3'-di-O-methylquercetin (2), afromosin (3), 6, 3'-dihydroxy-7, 4'-dimethoxyisoflavone (4), odoratin (5), 7, 3'-dihydroxy-8, 4'-dimethoxyisoflavone (6), 6, 4'-dihydroxy-7, 3'-dimethoxyisoflavone (7), 5, 7, 4'-trihydroxy-3, 3', 5'-trimethoxyflavone (8), and alpinumisoflavone (9). All these compounds were isolated from Derris eriocarpa How for the first time. And the in vitro assays showed that compound 2 possessed moderate inhibitory activity against human cancer cells K562 and HEL.
Derris ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells

OBJECTIVESTo detect the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and interleukin 8(IL-8) in seminal plasma of infertile patients, and evaluate the possible relationship between those levels.

METHODSSemen was collected from normal donors (15 cases), infertile men without infection (16 cases), and infertile men with infection (leukocytospermia, 11 cases). The routine analysis of semen was accomplished, and then the levels of IL-8, malondialdehyde (MDA), SOD, and white blood cell (WBC) were examined. The correlative analysis between the level of ROS and other parameters in these populations was made.

RESULTSIn leukocytospermic group, the levels of MDA, WBC, and IL-8 were higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.001). Significantly positive correlation was observed between IL-8 and MDA (r = 0.852, P < 0.001) and between the levels of IL-8 and WBC.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that increased oxidative stress in patients with leukocytospermia may cause the increase of IL-8(r = 0.818, P < 0.01). The increased oxidative stress may be due to defect in ROS scavenging system.

Adult ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; blood ; complications ; Male ; Male Urogenital Diseases ; blood ; complications ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; blood ; Semen

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the effects of BMSCs on the proliferation of cirrhotic fat-storing cells (CFSC) and hepatocytes in vitro.

METHODSBMSCs and hepatocytes were isolated and harvested from the bone marrow and livers of rats. A co-culture system was set up by transwell inserts in which the two chambers were separated by a semipermeable membrane. BMSCs labeled with PKH26 were cultured with hepatocytes/CFSC in the co-culture system and also in a cell-cell direct contact culture system. Anti-albumin and anti-smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA) antibodies were tested by using fluorescence immunocytochemistry. BMSCs and hepatocytes/CFSC cultured alone served as controls. The proliferation level of hepatocytes in the co-culture system was measured. CFSC were cultured with the conditional medium of BMSCs, and their quantities were measured microscopically.

RESULTSExpression of albumin was observed in the hepatocytes of the two culture systems after they were cultured for 72 h but the albumin levels were higher in the cell-cell direct contact culture system (P<0.01). As compared to the controls, the number of hepatocytes was larger in the co-culture system (P<0.01). No expression of alpha-SMA in CFSC was observed in either culture system. The proliferation of CFSC was inhibited by the conditional medium of BMSCs. The longer the time of the co-culturing the more significant was the CFSC growth suppression (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBMSCs can be induced into hepatocytes by a local micro-environment formed by hepatocytes. BMSCs may promote proliferation of hepatocytes and inhibit proliferation of CFSC.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo understand the correlation between CD4+ cell count, HIV viral load (VL) and clinical characteristics among patients when HIV-1 was tested positive and initial AIDS diagnosis was made.

METHODS690 HIV-infected cases from Beijing Di-Tan Hospital were included and under a cross sectional study while SPSS statistical method was used.

RESULTSThe 690 HIV-infected cases would include 458 males and 232 females with age range from 2-72 years (mean age as 35.3). The modes of transmission showed that: homosexual contact taking up 17.5% while heterosexual was 16.7%. Most of the homosexual-infected ones lived in Beijing and most of them had bachelor or master's degrees. 19.4% of the transmission happened between heterosexual/bisexual couples, suggesting that HIV was transmitted through the "bridge population" while the rest were infected by contaminated blood/plasma. Many of the cases were identified when they lately visited the pre-operation surveillance point in the hospital. Serious immunodeficiency symptoms or signs were discovered as: CD4+ count < 50 cell/microl, serious opportunistic infections including pneumocystosis pulmonary, cerebral toxoplasmosis and cryptococcal meningitis. Higher frequencies of diseases seen were dermotosis, pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection, hepatitis and digestive tract moniliasis.

CONCLUSIONBecause of the late identification of the disease, serious immuo-suppression situation often appeared, suggesting that there was an urgent need to improve STD/AIDS knowledge on those HIV (+) people so they might have an early access to accept medical care.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections ; diagnosis ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; HIV Infections ; complications ; diagnosis ; transmission ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

Objective To detect TB specific T cell responses by using the recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus in Chinese HIV infected patients. Methods ELISPOT-IFN-γ assay by using the recombinant ESAT-6protein as stimulus to detect specific T cell responses in HIV( + ) patients with or without clinical manifestation of TB diseases. Results Recombinant ESAT-6 protein specific T cell responses show significant high frequencies in both of TB patients with or without HIV infection than that in the healthy control and HIV ( + ) group without clinical TB diseases. Conclusions The ELISPOT-IFN-γ assay by using recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus could be used in diagnoses of TB infection in Chinese HIV infected patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the perioperation medication on the first patient who was operated facial allotransplantation, including immunosuppressive drug and adjunctive drug, so that to search a effective medication schedule to the patient operated facial allotransplantation.

METHODSFK506, MMF, Prednisone and Zenapax was performed as immunosuppressive regiment in perioperative treatment; meanwhile, anti-infectives was administered to take precautions against all sorts of infections, such as bacterium, virus and fungus. Furthermore, all kinds of adjunctive drug, Losec, glucurolactone and so on, was administered to protect those function of stomach, liver, kidney and so on. Clinical observations were made on the signs and symptoms of graft survival or rejection, as well as immunological indexes were tested in laboratory. Biopsies of graft were also made at 30 d after operation. Side effect and complication of drug was monitored, in case the body suffered harm.

RESULTSFacial allograft was survived, and the temperature and color of skin were normal. Swelling of tissue was gradually subsidise after 4 days, and recovered in a half month. The count and ratio between Th and Ts were normal, skin Biopsies of every time had no found of hyperacute or acute rejection, and side effect and complication of drug had no monitored.

CONCLUSIONSThe regiment of perioperation medication was successfully performed.

Adult ; Face ; surgery ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Tissue Transplantation ; methods ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the kinesis of cellular immunity in adults who were vaccinated with yeast recombinant hepatitis B(rHB) vaccine and the correlation between cellular and humoral immune responses induced by the vaccine.

METHODSEight adults were vaccinated with rHB vaccine according to 0, 1,2 month schedule. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) were collected at the 3, 8, 21, 34 and 65 days after the first dose. The high purity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells obtained by sorting from PBMCs were restimulated with recombinant hepatitis B surface antigens (rHBsAg) or peptides. The spot forming cell (SFC) of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT).

RESULTSThe characteristics of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells appeared different after immunization with rHB vaccine. IFN-gamma of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells could be detected early with stable SFC, while the IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ T cells appeared late but increased after the second and third dose of vaccination. The positive rate of IL-4 of CD4+ T cells were significantly correlated with the positive rate of anti-HBs, while the SFCs of IL-4 and IL-2 of CD4+ T cells were also significantly related to the titers of anti-FIBs.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma could be detected early after rHB vaccination in adults, and the positive rates of IL-4 and IL-2 were correlated with that of anti-HBs.

Adult ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged