Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Drug Antagonism ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; drug effects ; Lead ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic predictors of nasal NK/T cell lymphoma.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic feature data of 61 patients with nasal NK/T cell lymphoma proven by pathological examination from Jan. 1997 to Jan. 2005 were collected. Expression of survivin, CD44, nm23, p53, Ki-67, MDR-1 and CD95 was detected by immunohistochemical staining in 30 patients with available histologic specimens. The correlation between these factors and prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTSIn univariate analysis, performance status, LDH level, clinical stage, initial treatment response, CD56, Ki-67 and CD95 were found to be the prognostic factors associated with time to progression (TTP) in nasal NK/T cell lymphoma, while the performance status, B symptoms, LDH level, initial treatment response, Ki-67 and CD95 were demonstrated as prognostic factors related to overall survival. In multivariate analysis, clinical stage, initial treatment response and performance status were independent prognostic factors for TTP, while the latter two factors were independent prognostic factors of overall survival.

CONCLUSIONClinical stage and initial treatment response, and performance status are found to be independent prognostic factors for TTP, whereas the latter two factors are demonstrated as independent prognostic factors of the overall survival. Overexpression of Ki-67 may be an unfavorable prognostic factor, but overexpression of CD95 may be a favorable one.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; statistics & numerical data ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Ki-67 Antigen ; analysis ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nose Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use ; fas Receptor ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo establish a simpler and more accurate method for evaluating in vitro ischemic injury and neuroprotective effects of drugs through improving experimental instrument and quantitative index in mouse brain slices.

METHODSAn incubation instrument was developed and its application tested. 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) was used as a substrate to biosynthesize formazan standard in mouse brain slices, and formazan was isolated, purified and identified. Ischemic injury of mouse brain slices was induced by oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD), the produced formazan from TTC in the cortex and striatum was measured at 490 nm spectrophotometrically. Edaravone and ONO-1078 were added into the incubation medium to observe their neuroprotective effects.

RESULTThe incubation instrument worked well for incubating brain slices and obtaining stable results efficiently. Standard formazan was biosynthesized and purified with a purity of 99.3%, and showed a linear range of 0.05 - 1 mg/ml in absorbance at 490 nm (r=0.9997). OGD decreased formazan production in the cortex and striatum in a duration-dependent manner. Edaravone (0.01 to 1 micromol/L) recovered OGD-induced decrease of formazan production, but ONO-1078 showed no effect.

CONCLUSIONThe incubation instrument and quantitative measurement of formazan developed in this study are efficient,accurate and simple for evaluating ischemic injury and neuroprotection,which can be used in screening of neuroprotective drugs in vitro.

Alprostadil ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antipyrine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Brain Ischemia ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Formazans ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Staining and Labeling ; Tetrazolium Salts ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety and efficacy of low-concentration inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in the treatment of hypoxic respiratory failure (HRF) among premature infants.

METHODSSixty premature infants (gestational age ≤ 34 weeks) with HRF were randomized into NO and control groups between 2012 and 2013, with 30 cases in each group. Both groups received nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) or mechanical ventilation. NO inhalation was continued for at least 7 days or until weaning in the NO group. The general conditions, blood gas results, complications, and clinical outcomes of the two groups were analyzed.

RESULTSThe NO group showed significantly more improvement in blood gas results than the control group after 12 hours of treatment (P<0.05). After that, the change in oxygenation status over time showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in total time of assisted ventilation and duration of oxygen therapy between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, and pneumothorax in infants showed no significant differences between the NO and control groups (P>0.05), but the incidence of IVH and mortality were significantly lower in the NO group than in the control group (7% vs 17%, P<0.05; 3% vs 13%, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNO inhalation may improve oxygenation status and reduce the mortality in premature infants with HRF, but it cannot reduce the incidence of BPD and the total time of mechanical ventilation or nCPAP and duration of oxygen therapy. NO therapy may have a brain-protective effect for premature infants with HRF and does not increase clinical complications.

Administration, Inhalation ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; complications ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Nitric Oxide ; administration & dosage ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; blood ; complications ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics and significance of thrombocytopenia after therapeutic hypothermia in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODSNinety-six inpatients with severe brain injury were randomized into three groups: SBC (selective brain cooling) group (n=24), MSH (mild systemic hypothermia) group (n=30), and control (normothermia) group (n=42). The platelet counts and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThrombocytopenia was present in 18 (75%), 23 (77%) and 15 (36%) patients in SBC group, MSH group and control group, respectively (P<0.01). Thrombocytopenia, in which the minimum platelet count was seen 3 days after hypothermia, showed no significant difference between SBC and MSH group (P>0.05). Most platelet counts (37 cases, 90%) in hypothermia group were returned to normal level after 1 to 2 days of natural rewarming. The platelet count in SBC group reduced by 16%, 27% and 29% at day 1, 3 and 5 respectively compared with the baseline value. Good recovery (GOS score 4-5) rate of thrombocytopenia 1 year after injury for hypothermia group (17 cases, 37%) was significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSTherapeutic hypothermia increases the incidence of thrombocytopenia in severe TBI, and patients with thrombocytopenia after therapeutic hypothermia are associated with unfavorable neurological prognosis.

Adult ; Brain Injuries ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothermia, Induced ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Thrombocytopenia ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the permeability of rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) and possible molecular mechanism.

METHODSMonolayers of primary rat BMECs were separated and cultured, and then treated with (LPS group) or without LPS (control group). The barrier integrity was measured by transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) assay. The degrees of RhoA activation were determined by Pull-down assay. The expression levels of p115RhoGEF, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and claudin-5 proteins were detected by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe average TEER values of rat BMECs in the LPS group were 108.3±4.2 Ω•cm2 and 85.4±2.5 Ω•cm2 respectively 3 and 12 hrs after LPS treatment, which were significantly lower than that in the control group (159.0±8.6 Ω•cm2). Compared with the control group, the activity of RhoA started to increase 5 minutes after LPS treatment, and the expression of p115RhoGEF protein started to increase 1 hr after LPS treatment and the cellular protein levels of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5 decreased significantly 3 hrs after LPS treatment in the LPS group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLPS may activate the p115RhoGEF/RhoA pathway and decrease protein expression of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5, resulting in an increased permeability of rat BMECs.

Animals ; Brain ; blood supply ; Capillary Permeability ; drug effects ; Electric Impedance ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors ; analysis ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors ; Tight Junctions ; chemistry ; rhoA GTP-Binding Protein ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) A1555G mutation in nonsyndromic hearing impairment (NSHI) patients from Gansu province.

METHODSSubjects included 802 students selected from five Deaf-Mute Schools in Gansu. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of all patients. The mitochondrial DNA target fragments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Mutations were detected by AIw26I digestion and sequence analysis.

RESULTSThe homoplasmic A1555G mutation was found in 67 individuals from 802 patients (8.4%). Fifteen of these 67 patients had family histories.

CONCLUSIONSThe mtDNA A1555G mutation had a higher incidence in Gansu population with nonsyndromic hearing impairment than other studies. The data not only gaven more evidences that the prevalence of mtDNA A1555G mutation in china was higher than that in Europe and America, but also gaven valuable information for gene diagnosis, genetic counseling and would improve the safety of aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy.

Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Deafness ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular genetic causes and their characteristics of deafness in Ningxia province, we established screening of three common hereditary deafness genes in 336 deaf and hard-of-hearing patients in this district.

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were obtained from a total of 336 patients with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in parts of special education schools in Ningxia province to extract genomic DNA. The mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA m.1555A > G mutation was screened by PCR Alw26I digestion and sequence analysis PCR and direct sequencing were used to analyze the coding region of GJB2 and exons 8 and 19 of SLC26A4. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS 11.0 software. Frequencies of different GJB2 or SLC26A4 mutations were compared between Han and Hui people.

RESULTSAmong these 336 patients, seven cases (2.08%, 7/336) were found to carry mtDNA 12S rRNA m.1555A > G homozygous mutation, 45 cases (13.39%) were caused by GJB2 mutations and 28 cases (8.33%) had two mutated alleles (homozygote and compound heterozygote) of SLC26A4. In detail, 16.67% (56/336) patients carried GJB2 mutations including 11 single mutant carriers. The allele frequency of c.235delC and c.299_300delAT were 9.52% (64/672) and 2.68% (18/672), respectively, making up 81.19% (82/101) of all pathogenic mutated alleles for GJB2. The single mutant allele carriers of SLC26A4 is 32, and two types (c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G) accounted for 95.29% (24/27) mutations, totally. We also found that statistically significant differences in c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G frequencies between Han and Hui people (c.919-2A > G, χ(2) = 8.229, P = 0.004; c.2168A > G, χ(2) = 5.277, P = 0.022). However, there was no statistically significant difference in GJB2 mutation between Han and Hui people.

CONCLUSIONSGJB2 mutation was a primary cause for non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in Ningxia province, and c.235delC was the most common mutant forms of GJB2. c.919-2A > G and c.2168A > G were common mutant forms of SLC26A4, their frequencies were also statistically significant differences between Han and Hui people.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; China ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Young Adult

The paper analyzes the current problems of medical students'humanistic quality and the causes,points out the necessity of strengthening the humanistic quality of medical students,and puts forward the countermeasures to be taken by libraries of medical colleges in the humanistic quality education for college students,including strengthening the construction of medical humanistic resources,doing well of medical humanistic reading guide and entrance education for new students,and strengthening reading promotion activities,etc.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and predictors of acute stress disorder (ASD) in the victims affected by Wenchuan earthquake in China.

METHODSA random clustered sampling method was used. Of 891 victims enrolled in the study, 874 were completely assessed with the ASD constructive questionnaire and diagnosed with DSM-IV criteria. Sociodemographic variables were obtained. Also, the major symptoms of ASD (i.e., general symptoms to a traumatic event; dissociative symptoms; re-experiencing symptoms; hyper-arousal symptoms; avoidance symptoms) were recorded.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of ASD was 12.59% (110/874). The incidence rates of ASD for female and male were 15.16% (72/475) and 9.52% (38/399) respectively. There was a significant difference between female and male on the incidence rate of ASD (chi(2) = 6.26, P = 0.01). Logistic regression indicated that the ASD diagnosis was predicted by gender (beta = 0.58, P = 0.01, OR = 1.79), the condition of casualties of family members (beta = 0.60, P = 0.01, OR = 1.82), and the condition of sharp properties loss (beta = 1.02, P = 0.01, OR = 2.76).

CONCLUSIONThe major earthquake should have great influence on mental health of victims. The efforts to reduce casualties and property loss might help to prevent ASD. Further research is needed on gender difference among traumatic events.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; China ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires