Objective To localize the upper airway obstruction of patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS)with the Cinema Magnetic Resonance(Cine-MR) and fiber optic laryngoscope with Müller maneuver(FLMM)before operation and discuss the clinical application values.Methods Before operation, FLMM and Cine-MR were applied to 22 patients diagnosed as OSAHS by Polysomnography(PSG).Medical examinations conducted in this study from September 2015 to April 2016 to examine the obstruction of the soft palate region, the lingual region and epiglottis.Results There were complete agreements between the Cine-MR and FLMM at locating obstruction sites of the soft palate (n=22/n=22),and there were moderate agreements between the Cine-MR and FLMM in locating obstruction sites of the retroglottal region(n=13/n=6),epiglottal region (n=4/n=2)and multiple level(n=13/n=6), respectively.Conclusion For those moderate and severe OSAHS patients with multiple sites obstruction , the preoperative application of the Cine-MR and FLMM together will be better in locating the obstruction sites.

Animals ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To suty the MRI manifestations of juvenile acute articular cartilage injury of the knee joint.Methods MRI findings of cartilage,subcartilage low signal line and subcarilage bone were analysed retrospectively in 53 juvenile patients (ranged in age from 4~27 years) with acute articular cartilage injury confirmed by arthroscopy.Results Sixty-nine cartilage injuries were showed by MRI in 53 patients,including patellas in 25,femoral lateral condyles in 22,femoral medial condyles in 11,trochlea of the femur in 2,and tibial plateau in 9.Acute articular cartilage injury appeared as pure cartilage fracture in 46, including complete split of the cartilage in 22 sites,partly split of the cartilage in 20 sites,and fissur-like fracture in 4 sites.Osteochondral fracture were observed in 23 sites,including avulsion fracture in 13 and osteochondral subsided in 10.Articular cartilage loose bodies and osteochondral loose bodies were found by MRI in 6 and 13,respectively.Conclusion MRI is the best non-invasive method for studying cartilage injury.

BACKGROUND:The levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are increased during infectious brain edema, and are positively relevant to the degree of brain damage. However, whether TNF-α can enhance blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability remains unclear, especially in vitro.OBJECTIVE: To understand the changes and possible mechanism of the BBB permeability induced by TNF-α in vitro.DESIGN: Randomized controlled cell model study in vitro.SETTING:Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University; Department of Biochemistry, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University.MATERIALS: Twenty 7-day-old healthy Sprague-Dawley rats, of clean grade and either gender, were provided by the Animal Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. TNF-α was purchased from sigma Company; DMEM fluid medium and fetal bovine serum were purchased from Hyclone Company; Y-27632 was purchased from Alexis Company,and rabbit anti-human factor Ⅷ -related antigen was purchased from Zymed Company; Mouse anti-rat glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was purchased from Neomarkers. Other biochemical reagents were imported (Sigma Company).METHODS: This experiment was carried out in the Xiangya Hospital, Central South University between March 2004 and April 2005. Brain microvascular endothelial cells and astrocytes were co-cultured 10 days to set up rat models of BBB in vitro. Then, the cells were divided into 4 groups: model group(BBB models were prepared), TNF-α group ( BBB model incubated with 0.01 g/L TNF-α for 5 hours), Y-27632 pretreated group ( BBB model incubated with 30 μmol/L Y-27632 for 1 hour before 0.01g/L TNF-α challenge ) and Y-27632 control group (BBB models only incubated with Y-27632 as those in the Y-27632 pretreated group). The effect of TNF-α on BBB permeability was observed by detecting the 125 I -BSA, which passed through the inserts at each time point (30,60,120 and 240 minutes) using .γradioimmunoassay counter.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 125 I -BSA, which passed through the inserts in rat models of BBB at different time points after intervention.RESULTS: The 125 I -BSA, which passed through the inserts in rat models of BBB, was all significantly higher in the TNF-α group than in the other groups at 30, 60, 120 and 240 minutes after intervention, respectively (P ＜ 0.01), and reached the peak at 240 minutes; The 125 I -BSA, which passed through the inserts, was lower in the Y-27632 pre-treated group than in the TNF-α group at 30 and 60 minutes after intervention (P＜ 0.01). There was also significant difference in 125 I -BSA permeation between Y-27632 pretreated group and Y-27632 control group after 120 minutes (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION: TNF-α can increase BBB permeability, and Y-27632 pretreatment can early reverse the effect of TNF-α on BBB permeability.

Three female patients admitted with elevated creatine kinase,impaired muscle on electromyogram,and positive repetitive nerve stimulation and neostigmine tests were diagnosed as polymyositis (PM) with myasthenia gravis (MG).Twenty five more cases were retrieved by literature search,and the clinical data of total 28 cases were analyzed.There were 10 males and 18 females with an average age of 56 years.The clinical manifestations include dyspnea(43％),dysphagia(43％),ptosis (43％),dysarthria(29％),diplopia(18％),cough after drinking(14％),myalgia(11％).Thirteen out of 26 cases (50％) had positive results in repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) and 10/11 showed positive reaction in neostigmine test.Serum positive anti-acetylcholine receptor was detected in 21 out 23 patients (91％).

[Summary] A total of 352 pregnant women were selected in Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Serum levels of TSH and FT4 were determined and pregnancy outcome were observed in all subjects. According to the standard of American Thyroid Association(ATA) published in 2011 and the Chinese Guideline of Gestation Thyroid Disease published in 2012, the subjects were grouped into control(0. 1≤TSH≤2. 5 mIU/ L), observation(2. 55. 17 mIU/ L)during first-trimester(T1)and control(0. 2≤TSH≤3. 0 mIU/ L), observation(3. 05. 22 mIU/ L) during second-trimester(T2). The results showed that the rupture of membranes, preterm labor, and total obstetrical adverse events in the observation group were significantly higher than those in control group during T1(all P<0. 05), no statistical significance between control group and treatment group. The rupture of membrances in the observation group was significantly higher compared with control group during T2 ( P < 0. 05), no significant difference in other adverse pregnancy outcomes between these two groups. Compared with control group during T1, the proportion of adverse pregnancy outcomes in observation group during T1 was significantly increased(P<0. 05). The elevated TSH is one of the risk factors for the increased incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes at the first half of pregnancy, especially during T1. L-T4 treatment reduces the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Objective To observe the expression of caspase-3 and transposition of Omi/HtrA2 in H9C2 by erythropoietin and/or Omi/HtrA2 silencing to explore the related anti-apoptotic mechanisms.Methods The cultured H9C2 cardiomyocytes were divided into control group,H/R group (anoxia 2 h and re-oxygenation 24 h), and different concentrations of EPO treatment groups.The release rate of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)in cell supernatant was measured in each group.Expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and Omi/HtrA2 were measured by Western blot;then the transposition of Omi/HtrA2 between cytoplasm and mitochondria was observed.Specific siRNA interfering fragment was transfected into H9C2 cardiomyocytes by liposome method.Its silencing effect on Omi/HtrA2 was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot.The survival rate,release rate and expression of cleaved caspase-3 were measured.And the expression of Omi/HtrA2 was measured in cytoplasm and mitochondria in H9C2 (transposition of Omi/HtrA2 ).Results Compared with H/R group,the release of LDH and expression of cleaved caspase-3 were decreased; the transposition of Omi/HtrA2 from mitochondria to cytoplasm in H/R treatment groups was increased compared with control group,while that in EPO (20 IU/mL)group decreased.si-HtrA2 group transfected with siRNA showed a decreased release of LDH and expression of cleaved caspase-3 with all significant variances (P <0.05).Conclusion EPO exerts a cytoprotective effect by inhibiting the transposition of Omi/HtrA2 and hence the activation of caspases-3 pathway.

AIM:To determine if lysophosphatidic acid(LPA)regulates the proliferation of astrocytes(AS)and to approach the mechanism of the process.METHODS:The cerebral AS of the neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and divided randomly into control group,PKC excitomotor(PMA)group,LPA group,PKC-? inhibitor(Ro31-8220)group,Ro31-8220+PMA group and Ro31-8220+LPA group.The proliferation of the cells was detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry(FCM).The concentration of intra-cellular calcium ion of the cells([Ca~(2+)]_i)which were labeled with Fura-2/AM was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometer.The change of PKC-? inside the cells was observed by Western blotting.RESULTS:LPA and PMA stimulated the proliferation of AS,they also enhanced the expression of PKC-? and increased the concentration of [Ca~(2+)]_i.After pretreated with Ro31-8220,the abilities of LPA that mentioned above were decreased.The change of [Ca~(2+)]_i was associated with the diversity of PKC-?.CONCLUSION:LPA promotes the proliferation of AS via the way of PKC-? and Ca2+.

Glypican-3 (GPC3) is an oncofetal protein anchored on the plasma membrane and highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).GPC3 could he used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of HCC and the serum levels of GPC3 in liver cancer patients has a significant role for their prognosis.Moreover, GPC3 in HCC cells is immunoreactive, rendering it a suitable target for the treatment of HCC.Nowadays, several clinical trials targeting GPC3 for HCC therapy have already been conducted: new anti- GPC3 antibodies are generated; the clinical trials about its combination administration with other targeted medicines are being in progress; (tP(3-targeted TRAB, GPC3 vaccines and GPC3-based chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T) therapy are under investigation.In this review, we briefly discuss the structure of GPC3, its role in HCC pathogenesis and summarize the recent development in the clinical application of GPC3.We firmly believe that GPC3 would be a promising target for HCC therapy.And further studies focusing on GPC3 should provide us more solid evidence.

Objective To observe the pathologic changes of corneal lesions in rabbits induced by mustard gas and changes of lymphocytes in the pathologic development so as to discuss the role of lymphocytes in the pathogenic process.Methods Thirty-five New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into experiment group and control group according to the random number table.In experiment group,rabbits were exposed to 0.2 ml of mustard gas liquid (400 μl/L) for a period of 4 minutes and were divided into 6 subgroups at 15 min,2 h,1 w,3 w,4 w,and 8 w after injury.Corneal tissue from each group was collected to detect changes of lymphocytes with aid of HE and immunohistochemical stainings.Results In experiment group,corneal epithelium was dropped totally,basement membrane was exposed,swelling was thickened,matrix layer was loosened and swelled,and collagen fibre was ranged loosely at 15 minutes and two hours ; corneal epithelium appeared multi-layer hyperplastic change in acute restoration period at 1 week; basal corneal epithelium cells appeared irregular column arrangement in chronic inflammation period at 3 and 4 weeks; around 10％ of toxic corneas had delayed reaction with partial corneal epithelium resloughed,fundus membrane appeared,edema thickened,and stroma collagens loosened and swelled at eight weeks.Immunohistochemical Envision staining showed positive expression of plymphomonocytes (CD20,CD45RO,and LCA) inside matrix layer at corneoscleral junction.Conclusions Ocular exposure to 400 μ/L mustard gas for a period of four minutes leads to direct and delayed lesions to cornea,which presents at one week and eight weeks respectively.The lymphocyte-mediated cellular and humoral immunity responses may be involved in the pathogenic process.