Adult ; Aged ; Antimalarials ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome ; drug therapy ; JC Virus ; immunology ; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mefloquine ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and the role of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) in the earlobe keloid and find a valid way to treat the keloid with gene therapy.

METHODSThe expression of SFRP2 mRNA and protein was tested with in situ hybridization and Western Blot Analysis method in the different period of earlobe keloid.

RESULTSThe SFRP2 mRNA and protein expression at the keloid edge was significantly high in 12 month group than in 3 or 6 month groups (P < 0.01), but not than in 24 month group. The SFRP2 expression started to decrease in the keloid center 12 month later (P < 0.01). The SFRP2 expression was always higher in edge than in center during all the period (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that SFRP2 may play an important role in the development of keloid, especially at the keloid edge. The high SFRP2 expression in endothelial cells and surrounding tissue is also important. It may be a new way for gene therapy of keloid by decreasing the SFRP2 expression.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ear ; Female ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; methods ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications

OBJECTIVETo study MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 and TIMP-1 expression, and their association to invasion and metastasis of neuroblastoma (NB).

METHODSThe staining status was compared of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2 and TIMP-1 in cryostat sections of tumor tissue in 35 NB patients by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSStrong expression of MMP-2 was detected only in 2 patients with early stage NB (group A without metastasis), but in 9 and 10 respectively with advanced stage NB (group B with local metastasis and group C with distant metastasis) (compared to group A, P < 0.01). Strong MMP-9 staining was found in 4, 8 and 11 patients for group A, B and C patients (group A vs group C, P < 0.05). The expression of TIMP-2 was the strongest in 4 group A patients, but it decreased with progression of the disease. There was no statistical difference in TIMP-1 expression among the three groups of patients.

CONCLUSIONMMP-2, MMP-9 expression may be related to metastasis and progression of neuroblastoma, while TIMP-2 may have an inhibitory effect.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neuroblastoma ; enzymology ; metabolism ; secondary ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Testicular Neoplasms ; enzymology ; metabolism ; secondary ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of C-type natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-C) and large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BK(Ca)) in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) induced porcine coronary artery dilation.

METHODSPorcine coronary artery rings were obtained and treated with BNP (10(-6) mol/L), BNP + NPR-C antagonist cANF4-28 (10(-6) mol/L) and BNP + BK(Ca) blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA, 1 mmol/L). The vascular tone experiments were observed on 10 vessel segments. BK(Ca) current density was measured by the whole-cell patch clamp technique.

RESULTSThe maximum diastolic rate was similar between BNP group (68.51% ± 11.50%) and cANF4-28 + BNP group (65.67% ± 11.90%, P > 0.05) while significantly reduced in TEA + BNP group (28.87% ± 4.55%, all P < 0.05). When the holding potential was set at +60 mV, the BK(Ca) current density of BNP group was (78.48 ± 5.86) pA/pF, which was significantly higher than control group [(53.84 ± 4.55) pA/pF, P < 0.05], which was equally reduced in the TEA group and TEA + BNP group [(28.80 ± 2.76) pA/pF and (30.60 ± 3.88) pA/pF respectively, all P < 0.05 vs. control group].

CONCLUSIONBNP could relax the porcine coronary arterial smooth muscles by increasing BK(Ca) current, and this effect is not mediated by NPR-C.

Animals ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; physiology ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; physiology ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; pharmacology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; physiology ; Swine

BACKGROUNDSerum uric acid (UA), the final product of purine degradation, has been proposed to be a marker for the severity and a possible predictor of mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The objectives of this study were to elucidate whether serum UA level correlates with the clinical features and the hemodynamic variables in Chinese patients with PAH and to compare the difference of the correlates in patients associated with different etiologies.

METHODSSerum UA was assessed in 228 patients with three types of PAH (idiopathic PAH (IPAH), congenital heart disease related PAH (CHD-PAH) and connective tissue disease related PAH (CTD-PAH)) together with other clinical features. After the individualized treatment for at least 6 months, the UA levels and clinical features were re-evaluated in 88 patients.

RESULTSSerum UA was significantly elevated in patients with PAH compared with age-matched control subjects ((350.40 +/- 108.73) micromol/L vs (266.91 +/- 81.38) micromol/L), P < 0.001). Serum UA negatively correlated with cardiac output and mixed venous saturation (SvO(2)) in all three types of PAH (all P < 0.05), positively correlated with the size of right ventricle in IPAH (P = 0.002) and CTD-PAH (P = 0.013) patients and with pulmonary vascular resistance just in CTD-PAH patients (P = 0.001). Serum UA significantly decreased from (365.80 +/- 120.46) micromol/L to (333.67 +/- 117.56) micromol/L in 88 patients (P = 0.006) with vasodilator therapy for at least 6 months, accompanied with a reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance from (15.13 +/- 6.96) Woods unit to (12.00 +/- 5.04) Woods unit (P = 0.001) and an increase in cardiac output from (2.63 +/- 0.98) L/min to (3.08 +/- 1.04) L/min (P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONSSerum UA increases in proportion to the clinical severity of all the three types of PAH, especially the CTD-PAH had a stronger correlations compared with IPAH and CHD-PAH. The serum UA levels also could partly reflect the response to the treatment in patients with PAH.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; blood ; pathology ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Uric Acid ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of traditional Chinese herbal medicine Sijunzi decoction on amelioration of postburn intestinal injury in scalded rats.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e. scald and treatment (T), scald control (S) and normal control (C) groups. The rats in T group were gavaged with the decoction consisting of tangshen, tuckahoe, large head atractylodes rhizome, glycyrrhizic and rhubarb in a dose of 2 ml twice daily, while the rats in C group were just gavaged with the same amount of distilled water. The rats were sacrificed according to the scheduled postburn observation timepoints. The contents of TNF, NO, MDA and ATPase activity in rat plasma and the intestinal mucosa and the S-IgA content in the intestinal mucus were determined respectively. The changes in histopathology of intestinal mucosa were observed. The samples from internal organ tissue and blood were obtained for bacterial culture.

RESULTSThe contents of TNF, NO and MDA in the intestinal mucosa tissue and the rat plasma in scalded rats were lowered significantly by Sijunzi decoction. Furthermore, S-IgA secretion from intestinal mucous cells was maintained by Sijunzi decoction. T cell count was recovered and intestinal mucous barrier injury were lessened, and the bacterial positive rate in the internal organs was decreased.

CONCLUSIONTraditional Chinese herbal medicine Sijunzi decoction might be helpful in alleviation of postburn intestinal injury and in the prevention of intestinal bacterial translocation.

Animals ; Bacterial Translocation ; drug effects ; Burns ; blood ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of abnormal myoelectricity at gastroduodenal anastomosis on gastric emptying in rats.

METHODSRats were randomly divided into experimental group (n=16) and control group (n=16). Pylorectomy and end-to-end gastroduodenal anastomosis were performed in the experimental group and electrodes were implanted in the serosal surface adjacent to the anastomosis. Slow waves were recorded by the implanted electrode in vivo. Gastric emptying was examined by scintigraphy.

RESULTSAt the first week after surgery, antral slow-wave frequency was significantly lower in the experimental group (0.8±1.4 vs. 3.3±1.2, P<0.01), as was the duodenal slow-wave frequency (2.1±0.6 vs. 11.1±0.7, P<0.01). There was no consecutive slow-waves transduction across the pylorus or the anastomosis. Within 12-16 weeks after operation, antral slow-wave frequency in the experimental group and the control group were (8.7±0.6) cpm and (4.0±0.4) cpm, respectively (P<0.01), and duodenal slow-wave frequency were (11.1±0.8) cpm and (10.8±0.7) cpm, respectively (P>0.05). Retrograde and antegrade myoelectricity transduction through the anastomosis were detected. The mean semi-emptying time in the proximal stomach was 14.7 min in the experimental group and 13.6 min in the control group (P>0.05). Radionuclide retention rate was 25.4% in the experimental group and 39.4% in the control group (P>0.05). The mean semi-emptying time in the distal stomach was 25.3 min in the experimental group and 10.5 min in the control group (P<0.01). Radionuclide retention rate was 46.4% in the experimental group and 18.7% in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal myoelectricity in the region of gastroduodenal stoma may delay liquid gastric emptying in pylorectomy rats.

Animals ; Duodenum ; physiology ; surgery ; Gastric Emptying ; physiology ; Gastroenterostomy ; Male ; Myoelectric Complex, Migrating ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Surgical Stomas ; physiology

Welder's siderosis was traditionally described as "benign pneumoconiosis" because of the absence of associated symptoms, functional impairment or pulmonary fibrosis. Although several authors have reported evidence of fibrosis in the lungs of welders, siderosis with local massive fibrosis has been rarely described. In this paper, we present a case of Welder's siderosis with local massive fibrosis mimicking lung cancer.
Fibrosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Siderosis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging

AIMTo study the effect of antiparallel phosphorothioate triplex-forming oligonucleotide (apsTFO) matching with the shear stress response element (SSRE) of tissue factor (TF) gene promoter region on the expression of TF in endothelial cells (ECs) of rat common carotid artery stenosis.

METHODSThe model of common carotid artery middle segment stenosis was established by silica gel pipe loop ligation in SD rats. The mRNA expression and protein synthesis of TF, early growth response-1 (Egr-1) and specificity protein 1 (Sp1) were measured by in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique. GT21-apsTFO, GT20-apsTFO, GT20-psTFO and FITC-labeled apsTFO, matching with the SSRE of TF gene promoter region, were designed, and intravenously injected into rats at 0.5 h before operation. TFO was detected 4 h after the operation, and the mRNA expression and protein synthesis of TF, Egr-1 and Sp1 were detected 6 h after the operation.

RESULTSThere were much fluorescence in vascular tissue, especially in the nuclear of ECs 4.5 h after the injection of apsTFO. The mRNA expression and protein synthesis of TF reduced by 22% - 23% with injection of GT20-apsTFO 6.5 h after stenosis (P < 0.01) and by 10% - 11% with GT21-apsTFO at the same time (P < 0.05). The inhibition by GT20-apsTFO was stronger than that of the GT21-apsTFO (P < 0.05). The expression of TF was not inhibited by the GT20-psTFO (P > 0.05). The mRNA expression and protein synthesis of Egr-1 and Sp1 did not change in the rat treated with GT20-apsTFO, GT20-psTFO and GT21-apsTFO (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONapsTFO could mero-inhibit the expression of TF gene but could not change the expression of Egr-1 and Sp1 protein.

Animals ; Carotid Stenosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Early Growth Response Protein 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Oligonucleotides ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Shear Strength ; Sp1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stress, Mechanical ; Thromboplastin ; genetics ; metabolism