AIM: To determine the role of Fas antigen and caspase-8 in modulating apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells induced by bacterial redox protein azurin. METHODS: The human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS was treated with bacterial redox protein azurin (150 mg/L) for 6, 12, 24 and 48 h, respectively. Cell immunohistochemistry and quantitative image pattern analysis were applied for detecting the expression of Fas antigen. Caspase-8 activity was detected using caspase-8 fluorescent assay kit. The apoptotic rate was measured by FCM. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the expression of Fas antigen and activity of caspase-8 significantly increased in U2OS cells treated with 150 mg/L azurin (P

BACKGROUND:We built Sprague-Dawley rat models with mild, moderate, and severe spinal cord injuries to accord with the spinal cord injury types for basic empirical study, and consequently to further understand the microenvironmental change in Sprague-Dawley rats with spinal cord injury, and to provide help for clinical treatment. OBJECTIVE:To observe the changes in nerve function, pathological manifestation and motor sensory evoked potential in Alen’s models and Sprague-Dawley rats with complete spinal cord transection at different time points after spinal cord injury by simulating the microenviroment in Sprague-Dawley rats. METHODS: A total of 125 healthy adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into group sham operation group, 100 gcf hit potential group (20 g×5 cm), 200 gcf hit potential (20 g×10 cm), 300 gcf hit potential group (20 g×15 cm), and spinal cord complete transection group with 25 rats in each group. At 1, 5, 7, 14 and 28 days after model establishment, the degree of spinal cord injury was identified by the BBB scores of motion function, motor evoked potential, and pathological section. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Totaly 24 Sprague-Dawley rats died in the experiment. The death rate and the rate of complications were highest in the spinal cord complete transection group. The BBB score of each group was decreased. The BBB scores in every group increased as time went on. There were significant differences between each surgery group and the sham operation group at corresponding time points (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the 300 gcf hit potential group and the spinal cord complete transection group at corresponding time points (P > 0.05). (2) In each surgery group, the infiltration of inflammatory cels and obvious sweling of neurons were visible at 1 day after injury. Neural cels reduced with time prolonged. At 28 days after injury, a large number of astrocytes proliferated, scar and spinal cord cavity formed. Above symptoms were worse in the 300 gcf hit potential group and spinal cord complete transection group than in the 100 gcf and 200 gcf hit potential groups. (3) Significant differences in amplitude and latency were detectable between each surgery group and the sham operation group (P < 0.05). No significant difference in amplitude and latency was detected between the 300 gcf hit potential group and the spinal cord complete transection group at corresponding time points (P > 0.05). Results confirmed that hit potential of 20 g×5 cm, 20 g×10 cm and 20 g×15 cm can simulate the microenvironment of Sprague-Dawley rats with mild, moderate and severe spinal cord injury. The rate of complication was lower in modified Alen’s model of different hit potentials than in models of spinal cord complete transection, and was more accorded with basic research.

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of syringinand and pedunculoside in Zhuang medicine Yuyang powder. METHODS:HPLC was performed on the column of Agilent ODS with mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (gradient elution)at a flow rate of 1 ml/min,the detection wavelength was 210 nm,the column temperature was 30℃,and the in-jection volume was 5μl. RESULTS:The linear range was 0.71-3.55μg for syringin(r=0.999 7)and 1.62-8.10μg for pedunculoside (r=0.999 8), respectively;RSDs of precision, stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 3%;recoveries were 100.8%-104.9%(RSD=1.7%,n=6) and 96.0%-100.8%(RSD=2.2%,n=6). CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple,stable and reproducible,and can be used for the simultaneous determination of syringinand and pedunculoside in Zhuang medicine Yuyang powder.

Objective To study the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)in Marchiafava-Bignami disease.Methods (1)12 cases of Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD)patients with 6 month follow-up and 12 hedthy adults were clone MRI DWI;(2)MR imaging characteristics of 12 patients were observed on the corpus callosum and the other gray-white matters;(3)The ADC values of the central part and marginal area of the corpus callosum and the other gray-white matters were measured,data analysis were carried out completely by random design.Results Hyperintensity on the corpus callosum were showed in 12 patients on DWI,typical“sandwich sign”was seen on the sagittal T2 WI in 1 1 cases,and gray-white matters beside the corpus callosum were involved other in 6 cases;The ADC values of central and marginal area of the corpus callosum and the other gray-white matters had significant differ-ence between the improved clinical symptom group and,unimproved clinical symptom group and the control group (P < 0.05 ). There were no significant differences in the ADC values for the other white matters.Conclusion DWI can be used to reflect the change of MBD.Low ADC values in the corpus callosum and cortex are associated with a poor prognosis.

Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Fatty Liver ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis ; blood ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; blood ; Thymosin ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction in treatment planning of impacted teeth.

METHODSThirty-two orthodontic patients with impacted teeth aged from 13 to 17 years were enrolled, including 15 with impacted maxillary canines, 8 with impacted premolars and 6 with second molar impaction and retention. All the impacted teeth were examined by spiral CT scan and 3D reconstruction to determine the 3D position of the tooth in relation to both the crown and root, and the proximity to the roots of other teeth. The data were used for treatment planning and determination of the suitable direction of the orthodontic forces, approaches of surgical exposure, and the position of the attachment to be bonded.

RESULTSNormal occlusion was achieved for 15 patients with transposition maxillary canines and 5 with lower position premolar. Three malformed premolars were extracted after traction. For 9 patients with second molar impaction and retention, normal occlusion was achieved after extraction of the third molar or moving the first molar mesial.

CONCLUSIONSpiral CT scan and 3D reconstruction can accurately determine the 3D position of the impacted tooth and provide assistance in the treatment planning to achieve a higher success rate of orthodontic correction.

Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Malocclusion ; therapy ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontics, Corrective ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Tooth, Impacted ; diagnostic imaging

This paper reports one case of atypical falciparum malaria imported from Africa,whose blood smear contains many large trophozoites,with punctiform or massive brown pigment granules,the body shape of the plasmodium is similar to that of Plas-modium vivax and Plasmodium ovale. After the gene detection by PCR,the case was diagnosed as falciparum malaria. As large tro-phozoites were rarely seen in the peripheral blood of non-severe falciparum malaria cases,much attention should be paid to the identification of Plasmodium falciparum and other plasmodia in microscopic examinations.

OBJECTIVEWe dynamically measured serum inhibin B and estradiol in the early stage of hormonal stimulation to predict the ovarian response in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

METHODSA total of 57 patients (<40 years of age) who underwent the first cycle of long protocol IVF or introcytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment were included. Serum inhibin B, estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels were measured four times: (1) on Day 3 of the menstrual cycle (basal); (2) on the day before the first administration of gonadotrophin (Gn) (Day 0); (3) on Day 1 of Gn therapy; and (4) on Day 5 of Gn therapy. Comparisons of these measurements with ovarian responses and pregnancy outcomes were made and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS(1) On Day 1 and Day 5 of recombinant FSH (rFSH) stimulation, ovarian response, i.e., numbers of follicles, oocytes, fertilized oocytes, and embryos, had a positive correlation (r(s)=0.46~0.61, P=0.000) with raised inhibin B and estradiol concentrations, but a negative correlation (r(s)=-0.67~-0.38, P=0.000 or P<0.01) with total rFSH dose and total days of rFSH stimulation. (2) No significant variation (P>0.05) between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups on the basis of mean age or on all hormone concentrations at four times of the IVF cycle was observed. However, all the seven patients aged >35 years did not reach pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS(1) Serum inhibin B and estradiol concentrations obtained shortly after Gn therapy may offer an accurate and early prediction of ovarian response; (2) Low levels of serum inhibin B and estradiol obtained shortly after Gn stimulation indicate the need for a longer period of Gn treatment and a higher daily dosage; (3) No obvious pregnancy difference among patients of age <35 years was found; however, IVF pregnancy outcome is significantly lower in women of age >35 years.

Adult ; Cell Count ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; blood ; pathology ; therapy ; Inhibins ; blood ; Menstrual Cycle ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle ; drug effects ; physiology ; Ovary ; drug effects ; physiology ; Ovulation Induction ; methods ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDFor the renal transplant recipients, anemia is one of the common complications and becomes a major medical issue before transplantation. Haemoglobin (Hb) is used as a prognostic indicator, although the optimal pre-transplantation Hb concentration associated with positive prognosis is still controversial. The aim of this study was to detect the optimal Hb concentration on predicting the graft survival and function.

METHODSA retrospective cohort study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of the patients who received renal transplantations at our center from January 2004 to June 2008. Patients were divided into two groups: high Hb group (≥ 100 g/L, n = 79) and low Hb group (< 100 g/L, n = 63). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding sex, age, blood type and tissue types. Renal function among the two groups was measured and compared. Panel reacting antigens (PRA) of all the recipients were negative. The effect of preoperative hemoglobin concentration on the postoperative renal function recovery in both groups was further analyzed.

RESULTSA total of 14 acute rejection episodes occurred, including 5 patients in the high Hb group (7.9%) and 9 in the low Hb group (11.4%, P > 0.05). The serum creatinine level at one-year post-transplantation of the low Hb group was significantly higher than that of the high Hb group ((117.8 ± 36.3) µmol/L vs. (103.1 ± 35.5) µmol/L, P < 0.05). For one-year actuarial patient and graft survival, incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), serum creatinine concentrations at 1, 3, 6 months post-transplantation, the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, post-transplantation anemia (PTA) and post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) of both groups, there were no statistically significant differences.

CONCLUSIONPre-transplantation Hb concentration has significant effect on one-year creatinine concentration, but can not significantly affect acute rejection episodes, DGF, PTA, CMV infection and PTDM.

Adult ; Creatinine ; blood ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; blood ; Graft Survival ; physiology ; Hemoglobins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Kidney Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in electromyographic activities of the temporal and masseter muscles at different positions of the mandible.

METHODSTwenty orthodontic patients with Angle Class II malocclusion and mandibular retrusion (ANB<6°) aged 10-14 years were enrolled in this study. All the patients were treated with Forsus fixed functional appliance combined with MBT straight-wire appliance. The electromyographic activities of the temporal (T) and masseter (M) muscles before, during and after functional treatment were evaluated by assessing the average integrated electromyogram (EMG) and T/M ratio at clenching status in different mandibular positions.

RESULTSAfter functional forward positioning of the mandible, the electromyographic activities of the temporal and masseter muscles decreased and T/M ratio increased significance at the clenching status (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe appliance insertion and activation is associated with a decreased EMG activity of the temporal and masseter muscles, and the T/M ratio is correlated to the position of the mandible.

Adolescent ; Child ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion, Angle Class II ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Masseter Muscle ; physiopathology ; Orthodontic Appliances ; Retrognathia ; physiopathology ; Temporal Muscle ; physiopathology