OBJECTIVE: To probe the correlation between the postmortem interval (PMI) and the DNA degradation of costicartilage and dental pulp cells in human being after death, and to seek a new method for estimating PMI. METHODS: The image cytometry was used to measure the DNA degradation under different ambient temperatures (30-35 degrees C, 15-20 degrees C) in 0-15 days after death. RESULTS: The average DNA content of two kinds of tissue was degradated with the prolongation of PMI. But there was a plateau period of 0-4 days for dental pulp cells of human being in 15-20 degrees C. There was a high negative correlativity P<0.01 between the average DNA content and PMI. CONCLUSION PMI could be estimated accurately according to the DNA degradation of costicartilage and dental pulp cells in human being after death.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Autopsy ; Cartilage/metabolism* ; DNA/metabolism* ; Dental Pulp/cytology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postmortem Changes ; Ribs/metabolism* ; Temperature ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

Carcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; metabolism

A 57-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for a 7-year progressively spreading plaques involving the entire body surface, and multiple irregularly sized red nodules and infiltrated patches on the face, trunk and limbs. Histopathological examination showed pleomorphic tumor cells diffusely dis-persed throughout the dennis, giving an appearance of low proliferation. Some cells with cytoplasmic pro-cesses appeared multiangular in shape, lmmunohistochemically, tumor cells were negative for CDla or S-100, but positive for CD45, FXIIIa, CDl4, MHC- Ⅱ, CD68 and lysozyme with extracellular interstitial expression. Ultrastructurally, the cells exhibited cytoplasmic processes and irregularly sized nuclei; no Birbeck granules were observed. Vesicules of low electron-density were seen diffusely in cytoplasm and extracellular matrix. The case is herein diagnosed as cutaneous non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis, which presents with a chronically invasive clinical course. These cells may develop from immature dermal dendritic cells.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter absolute ethanol injection treatment on varicose veins of lower extremity.Methods twenty-there patients with 25 varicose veins of lower extremity were treated by puncture of great saphenous vein above 1—2 cm of complicated inner ankle,perforating catheter to the point below the 3—4 cm of the conjunction of great saphenous vein and Femoral vein and pressing the conjunction of these two veins.Under the monitor of DSA,inject the absolute ethenal slowly while retrieve the catheter little by little(one limb with varicose veins injected total volume 15—20 ml),in the mean time,using contrast agent to monitor the level of embolism until the formation of total embolism in the all great saphenous veins.Results All the cases were retrospectively followed up with CDFI examination after 3—12 months of the surgery,No blood flow were seen in the 25 embolismic great saphenous vein.Clinical symptom were alleviated obviously after 2—3 weeks of treatment;varicose veins were collapse after 3 to 7 days.Two eases of leg ulceration were healed after 4 to 6 weeks of operation.20 limbs were found mild swelling in the 2 day after the surgery.However,all the cases were disappeared after 1 to 2 weeks;4 treated limbs developed delayed paresthesia in the 3 day after the surgery,and recovered totally in the 2 weeks.No complications of deep vein thrombosis,lung thrombosis etc al,were found after operation.Conclusions Using transcatheter injection of absolute ethanol to treat varicose veins of lower extremity has the advantage of less invasion,more safety and low appearance of complications.The short term efficacy is solid while the long term effect needs further evaluation.

Cold Temperature ; Dinoprost ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Dust ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; urine ; Thromboxane B2 ; analogs & derivatives ; urine ; Weather

OBJECTIVETo explore the expressions of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cytochrome P450 (aromatase) in the testis of sexually mature male SD rats and their significance.

METHODSEighteen male SD rats, 6 five-week, 6 seven-week and 6 ten-week old, were selected for this study. Paraffin sections of the left testis were made and the expressions of eNOS and P450 observed by the immunohistochemical ABC method.

RESULTSPositive expressions of eNOS and P450 were found to be + + +, + and + + in the Leydig cells of the five-week, seven-week and ten-week old rats, respectively, and they were also observed in a few spermatocytes, though with no regularity.

CONCLUSIONIn the Leydig cells of sexually mature male SD rats, eNOS and P450 are differently expressed in different stages of sexual maturation, and they are correlated as well.

Animals ; Aromatase ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sexual Maturation ; Testis ; metabolism

Animals ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Fatty Liver ; genetics ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features and immunophenotype of desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), and to assess the feasibility of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as a diagnostic adjunct for DSRCT in routine practice.

METHODSThe clinical (number = 15), cytologic (number = 1) and histopathologic (number = 14) features of 15 cases of DSRCT were investigated. The immunophenotype was studied by LSAB method using a panel of antibodies. RT-PCR was performed in one case using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue for EWS-WT1 fusion gene mRNA.

RESULTSAmong the 15 patients studied, 13 were males and 2 were females. Their age ranged from 12 to 38 years (mean age = 23.8 years). Most presented with vague abdominal discomfort, distension or pain, accompanied by nausea, constipation and weight loss. Physical examination showed a palpable abdominal mass with ill-defined borders and tenderness. Ultrasound and computerized tomographic examination revealed single or multiple nodular tumor mass(es) in the peritoneal cavity, measuring 3 cm to 25 cm in greatest diameter (mean tumor diameter = 8.6 cm). Cytologic examination in 1 case showed clusters of small round cells in a hemorrhagic background. The tumor nuclei were hyperchromatic and contained inconspicuous nucleoli. Mitotic figures were readily identified. The cytoplasm however was scant. Histologically, the tumor was composed of small, round, ovoid to spindled cells arranged in nests of various shapes and sizes, embedded in a desmoplastic and focally hyalinized stroma. Immuno- histochemically, all cases showed diffuse and strong staining for AE1/AE3, vimentin, desmin and neuron-specific enolase. Some of them also expressed CAM5.2, epithelial membrane antigen, CD57, chromogranin A, synaptophysin and WT1. They were all negative for myogenin, CK5/6, CD117, calretinin and CD99. RT-PCR successfully amplified the EWS-WT1 chimeric mRNA in 1 case using paraffin-embedded tissue. Subsequent DNA sequencing showed that the gene fusion involved exon 7 of EWS and exon 8 of WT1 genes. The fusion gene contained KTS sequence.

CONCLUSIONSDSRCT is a highly malignant small round cell tumor occurring predominantly in the abdominal or pelvic cavity of young to middle-aged males. It is characterized by multiphenotypic differentiation. The peculiar perinuclear dot-like staining pattern for vimentin and desmin is characteristic for DSRCT. EWS-WT1 fusion transcript can be detected in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue by RT-PCR, which may thus serve as a useful diagnostic adjunct for DSRCT.

Abdominal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Child ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pelvic Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To understand the current status and relative factors on knowledge, attitude, practice to contraception among college students in Beijing and to provide evidence for developing aimed contraceptive service and education in colleges. Methods Quantitative surveys were employed, questionnaire was conducted anonymously among 12 450 unmarried college students under informed consent. Results Among 12 129 students, acknowledgement of contraceptive knowledge among females was superior to males in college(P=0.000). Rates on the favor for unmarried sexual practice and 'sexual liberation' were 81.9% and 60.2% for males, comparing to 74.8% and 54.3% for females respectively. The prevalence rates for masturbation were 74.3% for males and 24.9% for females respectively. 18.4% of the male and 10.5% of the female students had ever experienced unmarried sexual intercourse. Among those students who had sexual experiences, 29.4% of the males had made their sex partners pregnant and 23.1% of the female students had experienced unexpected pregnancy. Statistical significance was found between males and females (P=0.000) in terms of attitudes and behaviors. 51.3% of the male and female students took contraceptive measures during the episode of first sexual intercourse. The excuses for not taking any measures would include: sexual intercourse happened incidentally, not interested in using condom, only one sexual experience would not cause pregnancy, etc. Conclusion The prevalence of unmarried sexual intercourse among college students had been rising. Among those who had experienced unmarried sexual intercourse, the rate of taking contraceptive measures was low and the incidence of unexpected pregnancy was high. It is urgent to strengthen the education and service programs on contraception among college students.

OBJECTIVETo study the association between decreased ligand binding activity of glucocoid receptor (GR) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), the molecular chaperone of GR, after acute lung injury (ALI) in mice.

METHODSIn mouse models of oleic acid-induced ALI, the levels of GR, Hsp90 and Hsp70 were dynamically observed using Western blotting, and the binding capacity and binding affinity of GR assessed with radioligand binding assay.

RESULTSAfter ALI, pulmonary edema was significantly aggravated in the mice with significantly increased lung body index and lung water ratio. GR increased within 1 h after the injury, but then decreased significantly to the lowest level at 12 h after the injury, and the levels of Hsp90 and Hsp70 was increased obviously and reached the highest at 12 h. Radioligand binding assay showed that the Bmax decreased gradually and Kd value increased, and these changes were consistent with the changes of Hsp90/GR.

CONCLUSIONThe ligand binding activity of GR is related to the changes of Hsp90 after ALI.

Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Oleic Acid ; Radioligand Assay ; Random Allocation ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; metabolism