Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; Endoglin ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Microvessels ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; immunology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the electrical activity property changes in nucleus accumbens (NAc) of heroin-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) rats during different stages of heroin dependence and to explore NAc's roles in the formation of drug dependence.

METHODSRecording electrodes were bilaterally embedded into the NAcs of rats with the aid of stereotaxic apparatus, followed by establishment of heroin-dependent rat model. The NAc electrical activity during 3 different stages of heroin dependence, including heroin pre-exposure, immediate post-exposure and heroin withdrawal, were respectively recorded using EEG wireless telemetry techniques. The frequency distribution (ranging from 0.5 to 30 Hz) and the amplitude of NAc electrical activity were analyzed and measured.

RESULTSHeroin-dependent rat models were successfully established and their withdrawal symptoms were evident. All rats showed a conditioned place preference (CPP) for the white box after 5-10 days of heroin-exposure, and displayed a maximum withdrawal symptoms on 2d after heroin- withdrawal. During all statges of heroin-dependence, the NAc electrical activity contained the highest proportion of delta rhythm and the lowest proportion of alpha2 rhythm. The discharge frequence band was similar across different stages. There was a significantly increased ratio of low-frequency discharges (delta rhythm) and decreased ratio of high-frequency discharges (beta rhythm) in NAc of rats during the immediate post- heroin exposure stage when compared with that during pre-exposure and heroin withdrawal stages. During the withdrawal stage, the ratio of at rhythm was significantly lower than during pre- and post-heroin exposure stages (P < 0.01). Further, the mean discharge amplitude in NAcs during immediate post-exposure and withdrawal stages was significantly increased relative to pre-exposure stage. However, the mean discharge amplitude during heroin withdrawal stage was significantly lower than during immediate post-exposure stage.

CONCLUSIONThe electrical activity properties in rat NAcs showed a significant change during different stages of heroin-dependence, which suggested that neuronal activities in NAcs might contribute to the modulation of drug-dependence.

Animals ; Conditioning, Operant ; Heroin ; pharmacology ; Heroin Dependence ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nucleus Accumbens ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Telemetry

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the age at operation and prognosis in children with severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to ventricular septal defect (VSD).

METHODSForty children with severe PH (increased total pulmonary circulation resistance)due to VSD were divided into two groups based on age at operation(Group I aged less than 2 years and group II more than 2 years). The hemodynamic parameter follow-up was measured by cardiac catheterization at presurgery, one week after surgery and 5-7 years postoperatively.

RESULTSThe ratio of pulmonary arterial pressure and systemic arterial pressure (pp/ps),pulmonary resistance and systemic resistance (R(p)/R(s)), and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and small pulmonary arterial resistance (PAR) were significantly different in two groups (P<0.01). During follow-up in the group less than 2 years, all the hemodynamic parameters were at normal level, while in the group more than 2 years, only p(p)/p(s) and R(p)/R(s) were close to normal level. The pulmonary arterial resistance was still abnormal.

CONCLUSIONAn early operation may be the only way to gain optimal long term result of surgery and decrease the incidence of pulmonary vascular disease in children with PH due to VSD.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Infant ; Male ; Oxygen ; blood ; Vascular Resistance

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Infant ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Vascular Resistance

Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Endosonography ; Giant Cells ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoclasts ; pathology ; Pancreas ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology

The applied value of serum hepcidin in differential diagnosis of infection fevers versus tumor fevers was explored.A total of 432 fever patients were selected according to the domestic fever of unknown origin (FUO) diagnostic criteria from our hospital between June 2010 and November 2013.Venous blood samples were taken on the day 1,5,10 after admission.The infection group (98 cases) and the tumor group (50 cases) were set up based on the clinical and laboratory findings.ELISA was used to determine the serum hepcidin and IL-6 levels.SPSS 13.0 was used for statistical analysis.Hepcidin showed obvious descending trend on the 10th day in both the bacterial infection group (66 cases) and the virus infection group (32 cases),and the descending trend was similar to that of inflammatory indexes such as procalcitonin (PCT),hypersensitive C-reactive protein (h-CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),white blood cell (WBC),and ferritin.Serum hepcidin showed no obvious differences in the tumor group on the day 1,5,10 after admission.In the infection groups,serum hepcidin was positively correlated with IL-6 (r=0.687,P=0.000) and CRP (r=0.487,P=0.026),but had a poor correlation with blood sedimentation,ferritin,PCT and WBC (P＞0.05).Monitoring dynamic changes of hepcidin and related inflammatory factors in patients with fever is expected to be used for clinical identification of infection fever and tumor fever.

OBJECTIVETo study the cytologic features of pancreatobiliary tumors in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided brushing preparations and to evaluate the usefulness of cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary malignancy.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 212 cases of ERCP-guided brush cytology smears performed during the period from January, 2004 to December, 2006. The cytologic diagnosis was confirmed either by the histologic diagnosis or the strict clinical criteria.

RESULTSTwo of the cases studied were unsatisfactory for diagnosis, with no epithelial cells identified. One hundred and thirty-seven smears were diagnosed as "negative", 45 of which subsequently confirmed to be malignant (negative predictive value = 60.2%). Six of the 11 cases with "low-grade atypia" were proven to be malignant (positive predictive value = 54.5%), as compared to 19 of 23 cases of "high-grade atypia" (positive predictive value = 86.4%). All of the 41 cases with cytologic diagnosis of "malignancy" were confirmed to be malignant (positive predictive value = 100%). The cytologic features of malignancy in ERCP-guided brushing preparations included overlapping nuclei, anisonucleosis, coarse chromatin pattern, poor cellular cohesion, tumor diathesis, prominent nucleoli and atypical mitotic figures.

CONCLUSIONSThe accuracy of ERCP-guided brush cytology relies on good specimen preparation and application of morphologic criteria. Grading of cytologic atypia is of clinical significance. A "negative" or "low-grade atypia" cytologic diagnosis requires further diagnostic workup to rule out the possibility of underlying malignancy, while a "high-grade atypia" or "malignant" diagnosis is relatively specific in guiding subsequent management of suspected pancreatobiliary malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biliary Tract Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Biopsy ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cytological Techniques ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Precancerous Conditions ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Specimen Handling ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of integrative Chinese and Western medicine (ICWM) on improvement of the islet beta cell function in treating patients with latent autoimmune diabetes mellitus in adults (LADA).

METHODSEighty-four patients of LADA were randomly divided into 3 groups (20 in A, 33 in B and 31 in C), they were treated respectively with sulfonylurea, insulin and combination of insulin and Chinese medicine. The changes before and after treatment in blood glucose, glycohemoglobin and islet beta cell function were observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the damaged islet beta cell function in Group A was not improved, the secrete peak value of C-peptide was still low and delayed in Group A, but in Group B and C, it shifted earlier, suggesting that a certain degree of improvement and recovery of islet beta cell function. The improving effect in Group C was better.

CONCLUSIONChinese herbal medicine had effect in lowering blood glucose and improving islet beta cell function in patients with diabetes mellitus, and showed a synergistic and enhancing action when combined use with insulin. Early treatment of insulin or combination of insulin and Chinese medicine should be applied to patients with LADA.

Adult ; Autoimmune Diseases ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; C-Peptide ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; classification ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glycated Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Islets of Langerhans ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy

Action Potentials ; Animals ; Electromyography ; Environmental Exposure ; Hypothermia ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seawater ; Thigh ; physiology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferases(GST) M1 with hepatitis beta-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSGenomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of HBsAg carriers, including 91 cases of HCC, 58 liver cirrhosis(LC), 63 chronic hepatitis B(CHB), and 134 normal controls. GSTM1 genotypes were detected by multiplex PCR.

RESULTSThe null genotype of GSTM1 was significantly frequent in patients with HCC compared with controls (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in frequency of GSTM1 null genotype among patients with liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B and normal controls. Subjects carrying null genotypes of GSTM1 had higher risk of developing HCC compared with those carrying positive genotype (OR=1.81.95% CI=1.05 approximately equals 3.12).

CONCLUSIONThe GSTM1-null genotype may be associated with an increased risk of HCC, but not of CHB and LC.

Adult ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; etiology ; genetics ; virology ; Female ; Genotype ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; genetics ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; etiology ; genetics ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic