Hearing Loss ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans

Microbiology is an important,fundamental and obligatory course in contemporary life science.This article introduces that teaching group of microbiology in Nankai University realizes transformation of teaching center,fully embodies the modernization of teaching notion and gives full play to students' main effect practically by adhering to teaching reform as center,optimizing teaching method as measure,communicating in and after class and using multi-media and teaching web.Therefore,teaching system is established to adapt to modern teaching notion and eventually microbiology course becomes a cultivation platform to foster elites with both solid fundamental theory and innovating mind.

Objective: To study the effects of TNFα on wound healing. Methods: The skin lesion and incisions were made on mice and rhTNFα was applied in both skin lesion and incision. Tissue strips were evaluated for tensiometry and histologic features after healing. Results: It was found that rhTNFα markedly improved wound healing both in skin lesion and incision wound model, it also markedly enhanced the breaking strength of treated incision and increased wound cellularity in rh TNF α treated groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that TNFα play an important role in regulating inflammatory reactions of local injured tissues and it may improve the functions of fibroblasts, mononuclear phagocytes and endothelial cells. rhTNFα of suitable doses can promote wound healing. This shows that TNFα, as a wound healing promoter, has the potentials for clinical application.

Objective To study the association of prevalence of cardio-cerebro vascular diseases (CCVD) with metabolic syndrome (MS) defined by different criteria in middle and aged people.Methods A cross-section survey was conducted among 1458 people aged 55 years and over in urban and rural areas of Beijing in 2009.MS definitions by World Health Organization (WHO),National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel Ⅲ (NCEP-ATP Ⅲ ) revised,international diabetes mellitus (IDF) and Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) were applied to analyze the association MS with the prevalence of CCVD.Results The risks of CCVD were all significantly higher in patients with MS than with non-MS using 4 definitions of MS.The definitions of WHO and CDS showed well agreement with the prevalence of CCVD.OR values of MS for CCVD were 2.14 folds (95％ CI:1.59-2.87) for WHO definition and 1.91 folds (95％ CI:1.43-2.55) for CDS definition,while OR values of MS for CCVD were 1.68 folds (95％ CI:1.32-2.15) for NCEP-ATPⅢ definition and 1.64 folds (95％ CI:1.26-2.13) for IDF definition as compared to non-MS,respectively.After adjustment for age,sex,region,history of smoking and alcohol drinking,the OR values in above four definitions were 1.91,1.88,1.67 and 1.80,respectively.The OR value of MS was highest for stroke by CDS definition and highest for coronary heart disease by WHO definition.Conclusions MS values defined by WHO and CDS are the optimal index of prevalence for CCVD in middle and aged people.

The study was aimed at exploring the effect of noise on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in serum, nitric oxide (NO) level in the cochlea and the protective action of alpha-lipoic acid against noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Sixty guinea pigs (350-400 g) were divided randomly into three groups (control group, noise+saline group and noise+alpha-lipoic acid group). Serum and cochlear tissue were treated immediately after noise exposure (4-kHz octave band, 115 dB SPL 5 h) to determine the level of TAC and NO, respectively. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured before and immediately after exposure. The threshold of hearing in the control group was relatively stable, while the hearing threshold in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than those in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group (P<0.05). TAC level of the noise+saline group was significantly lower than that of the control group P<0.05 . TAC level of the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly higher than that of the noise+saline group P<0.05 , while there was no significant difference in the levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The NO level of the cochlear tissue in the noise+saline group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). Cochlear NO level in the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group was significantly lower than that of the noise+saline group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in cochlear NO levels between the noise+alpha-lipoic acid group and the control group (P>0.05). The results obtained indicate that noise exposure causes a decrease in serum TAC and an increase in NO in cochlea. alpha-Lipoid acid exerts a protective effect against hearing loss in acoustic trauma through its antioxidant effects.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cochlea ; metabolism ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Guinea Pigs ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Random Allocation ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; blood ; Thioctic Acid ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

AIMTo study the characteristics of neural information encoding of the epileptic networks involved caudate-putamen(CPu) and the hippocampi induced by tetanization of the right CPu in rats.

METHODSExperiments were performed on 59 SD rats. Acute or chronic tetanization of the right CPu (ATRC or CTRC) (60Hz,0.4-0.6 mA, 2 s) was used to induce rat epilepsy.

RESULTS(1) The bursting or primary unit afterdischarges of single neurons were asymmetric in dual hippocampi induced by the ATRC. (2) Continuous sharp waves were observed in ipsilateral or contralateral CPu induced by the CTRC. The oscillatory network seizures with phase shift appeared between two sharp waves in ipsilateral CPu. The frequency of oscillatory waves was negatively correlated with the time and fluctuated from 70 Hz to 110 Hz, then to 35 Hz, and finally to 30 Hz. (3) In the contralateral side primary network after discharges in the CPu were induced by the CTRC. Therefore, the characteristic primary network afterdischarges could be shifted from the CPu or to the HPC, but amplified. On the other hand, HPC sharp waves could be depressed when the CPu network seizures occurred.

CONCLUSIONThe reestablishment of CPu-hippocampal epileptic networks could be transhemispherically promoted by over-activation of the right CPu network, in which bilateral hippocampal neuronal network and CPu neural network were involved in some particular pathophysiological information encoding.

Animals ; Caudate Nucleus ; metabolism ; Epilepsy ; physiopathology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Putamen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To analyze the clinical and imaging features of subependymal giant cell astrocytomas in patients with tuberous sclerosis.Methods The clinical data of 48 patients with tuberous sclerosis,admitted to our hospital from July 2007 to August 2009,were collected.According to the patients' history,sign and MRI results,the clinical features and imaging characteristics of subependymal giant cell astrocytomas were analyzed.Results Four patients with tuberous sclerosis were diagnosed as having subependymal giant cell astrocytomas and 2 of them were also diagnosed as having obstructive hydrocephalus;these 4 patients were male with an average onset age of five years (ranged from 1 to 12 years old).Seizure and skin lesions were found in these 4 patients with 3 presenting cognitive dysfunction.CT scanning showed iso-density or slightly low density in subependymal giant cell astrocytornas and some of these tumors were calcified with high density.MRI showed TIWI iso-signal or low signal and T2WI iso-signai or high signal; FLAIR high signal was presented and asymmetrical signal was also shown when calcification happened;enhanced MRI showed significant intensification on the tumors.Conclusion Some patients with tuberous sclerosis can have subependymal giant cell astrocytomas,the slow-growing tumors,which are often adjacent to the foramen of Monro and lead to obstructive hydrocephalus.Long-term follow-up needs to be conducted to find tumors at an early stage in patients with tuberous sclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the transcription level and protein expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in SW480 cell line and colorectal adenocarcinoma, and to determine whether HIF-1alpha plays a role in angiogenesis through its regulation of VEGF.

METHODSHIF-1alpha mRNA expression was analyzed by in situ hybridization. HIF-1alpha and VEGF protein expressions were determined by immunochemical streptavidin/peroxidase (SP) in SW480 cells and colorectal carcinoma tissue samples and Western blot, using proteins extracted from SW480 cells. Tumor tissue microvessel density (MVD) was determined by CD34 immunostaining of colorectal carcinomas.

RESULTSThe levels of HIF-1alpha mRNA changed significantly in response to different oxygen concentrations and an addition of genistein in SW480 cells. Immunocytochemistry revealed that the levels of HIF-1alpha, VEGF protein expression in SW480 cells were significantly higher under hypoxia than those in nomoxia (P < 0.01, P < 0.05 respectively). However, addition of genistein, an inhibitor of HIF-1alpha, suppressed such responses to hypoxia. Western blot analysis showed that SW480 cells exposed to hypoxia expressed a high level of HIF-1alpha protein, compared to a weak expression in nomoxia. The addition of genistein in hypoxia suppressed the over-expression of HIF-1alpha. The positive rates of HIF-1alpha mRNA by in situ hybridization in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas were 38.9% (7/18) and 67.7% (42/62), respectively. The percentage of HIF-1alpha mRNA positive cells varied significantly from colorectal adenomas to adenocarcinomas at different Duke stages (P < 0.05), and HIF-1alpha mRNA was higher in adenocarcinomas than in adenomas (P < 0.01). The positive rates of HIF-1alpha and VEGF protein expression in adenocarcinomas were 43.5% (27/62) and 37.1% (23/62), respectively. The expression of VEGF elevated as the Duke tumor staging increased. The conformation rate of HIF-1alpha and VEGF was 74.2% (46/62). MVD was significantly higher in HIF-1alpha and/or VEGF positive tumors than those without (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively). Among the four groups, i.e. HIF-1alpha+/VEGF+, HIF-1alpha+/VEGF-, HIF-1alpha+/VEGF- and HIF-1alpha-/VEGF-, the difference of MVD was highly significant (P < 0.01). HIF-1alpha expression was correlated significantly with VEGF expression and microvessel density.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest hypoxia induces the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in colorectal adenocarcinoma. HIF-1alpha may play an important role in angiogenesis and tumor progression by regulating the expression of VEGF in human colorectal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; Microcirculation ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; etiology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

BACKGROUNDHypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a transcription factor, is overexpressed in common human cancers and their metastases. This study aimed at determining the expression levels of HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in SW480 cells and in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissue and ascertaining whether HIF-1alpha and VEGF play important roles in tumor angiogenesis.

METHODSHIF-1alpha mRNA expression was analyzed using in situ hybridization and RT-PCR. HIF-1alpha and VEGF protein were detected in SW480 cells and colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry using streptavidin/peroxidase (SP). Western blot was used to detect HIF-1alpha protein extracted from SW480 cells. Microvessel density (MVD) in colorectal carcinomas was determined by anti-CD34 immunostaining in colorectal carcinomas.

RESULTSOptical density values representing HIF-1alpha mRNA expression levels were found to be significantly higher in SW480 cells in hypoxic conditions than in cells under normoxic conditions (P < 0.05) or in hypoxic conditions but treated with genistein (P < 0.05). The levels of HIF-1alpha and VEGF protein expression in SW480 cells were significantly higher in the hypoxia group than in the normoxia group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively) and hypoxia/genistein group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively). The positive expression rates of HIF-1alpha mRNA changed dramatically when comparing colorectal adenomas with adenocarcinomas of different Dukes' stages (P < 0.05). HIF-1alpha mRNA was also expressed at higher levels in adenocarcinomas than that in adenomas (P < 0.01). HIF-1alpha protein expression correlated significantly with VEGF protein expression and MVD.

CONCLUSIONSHypoxia induces the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF in colorectal adenocarcinomas. HIF-1alpha may play an important role in angiogenesis and tumor progression by regulating the expression of VEGF in human colorectal carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma ; blood supply ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; etiology ; Nuclear Proteins ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Transcription Factors ; analysis ; genetics ; physiology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the protective effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor-N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) with or without neurotrophin 3 (NT3) on hearing in acoustic trauma.

METHODSEighty pigmented male guinea pigs were randomly divided into two groups: sham-exposed group (n=20) and noise-exposed group. The latter was divided into three subgroups: saline group (n=20), L-NAME group (n=20) and L-NAME + NT3 group (n=20). Two days consecutively and 30 min before noise exposure (4 kHz octave band noise at 115 dB SPL for 5 h), subjects in L-NAME and L-NAME + NT3 groups received an intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg; animals in saline group received the same dosage of physiological saline at the same time. Four days before noise exposure, NT3 in artificial perilymph was delivered to the right scala tympani via a mini-osmotic pump in noise + L-NAME + NT3 group. Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were measured before and 10 days following noise exposure. The cochlear tissue was assayed for nitric oxide (NO) level 3 days after noise exposure. Protection was assessed physiologically by the change in ABR threshold shift, and histologically by outer hair cell (OHC) survival.

RESULTSThe hearing thresholds and the number of OHC were relatively stable in sham-exposed group. The obvious threshold shift and OHC loss were observed in the noise-exposed groups. The hearing thresholds, NO level of cochlear tissue and OHC loss in the noise + saline group were significantly higher than those in the noise + L-NAME group (P < 0.01) and noise + L-NAME + NT3 group (P < 0.01). NT3 provided an additive functional (P < 0.01), but not morphological protection with L-NAME (P = 0.095).

CONCLUSIONCompared to L-NAME alone, a combination of L-NAME and NT-3 can provide an additional protection against acoustic trauma in the guinea pig cochlear.

Animals ; Cochlea ; drug effects ; injuries ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Guinea Pigs ; Hair Cells, Auditory ; drug effects ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; prevention & control ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; pharmacology ; Neurotrophin 3 ; pharmacology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors