Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 3 patients from 1 pedigree with congenital nephrogenie diabetes insipidus (NDI) and their 12 family members.The whole coding region of the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene was amplified by PCR and then directly sequenced,A mutation of AVPR2 gene [g1236T→C (L292P)]was found in 3 patients.The patients' mothers were found to have both mutant and normal alleles.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression pattern of caspase-3 and HCLS1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) at different time after cerebral contusion in rat, and explore the new method for estimating the injury interval. METHODS: The cerebral contusion model was established using adult SD male rats. Then the rats were randomly allocated into 8 groups: 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d after cerebral contusion, sham-operation and normal control. Expression of caspase-3 and HAX-1 protein after cerebral contusion in rat was detected by Western blotting. Laser scanning confocal microscope was used to observe the number of HAX-1 positive cells and TUNEL-stained cells after cerebral contusion. RESULTS: The expression of caspase-3 increased parallelly with the time after cerebral contusion and reached the peak value on 3 d. The expression of caspase-3 decreased gradually and still maintained a high level expression on 7 d (P < 0.05). The expression of HAX-1 positive cell went up after injury, and reached the peak value at 6 h (P < 0.05), then turned down gradually after 12 h and went out of detection after 3 d. The number of TUNEL-stained cells increased obviously at 2 h and reached the peak value on 3 d. The number of TUNEL-stained apoptotic cells decreased gradually and still maintained a high level expression on 7 d (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The expression of caspase-3 and HAX-1 after cerebral contusion has time sequential regularity, which may provide new evidence for forensic diagnosis of cerebral contusion interval.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Injuries/pathology* ; Carrier Proteins/metabolism* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Cerebellum/pathology* ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo determine the level of hyaluronic acid (HA) in serum of patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy and to investigate the correlation between the levels of serum HA and stage of the malignant lesions and treatment response.

METHODS44 patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy were analyzed and 24 healthy individuals served as controls. Venous blood was collected from the patients before treatment and the healthy individuals. One week after therapy, venous blood were collected in 24 patients once again. Serum levels of HA were measured with quantitative radioimmunoassay (RIA).

RESULTSBefore treatment, the serum HA concentration in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). Also, the serum HA concentration in patients with OSCC was significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.05). No difference was noted in serum HA concentration between patients with salivary ACC and the control group (P > 0.05). The serum HA concentration of patients in stage III and IV was significantly higher than that of patients in stage I and II (P < 0.05). Serum HA levels decreased in patients after a complete treatment, but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerum levels of HA may be useful in diagnosis of OSCC and was associated with clinical stages in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy. However, it may not be contributory to monitoring treatment response in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignancy.

Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Mouth Neoplasms ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging

It is generally accepted that the inhibition of apoptosis is one of the mechanism of drug resistance to tumor. Members of the bcl-2 gene family are the most important regulators in apoptosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of expression of bcl-2 and bax gene in predicting the prognosis of acute leukemia patients, and to explore the relationship between bcl-2 and bax expression and drug resistance. Seventy patients with acute leukemia entered this study. Expressions of bcl-2, bax and mdr-1 gene were measured by RT-PCR method and FCM. The result showed that: bcl-2 had been widely detected in specimens of blood or bone marrow from acute leukemia patients, the expression levels were much higher than those in normal control (1.46 vs 0.71, P < 0.05), bax expression levels and bax/bcl-2 ratio in patients had no significant difference with the control. No relationships were found between the expression levels of bcl-2 and bax and AL patients' age, sex, platelet counts, hemoglobin levels, percentage of marrow blasts, FAB classification, and S + G(2)M%. Both Bcl-2 protein expression (34.6% vs 69.2%, P < 0.03) and bax/bcl-2 mRNA ratio (37.1% vs 82.9%, P < 0.01) were associated with response to therapy and CR rate, bax/bcl-2 ratio also influences the overall survival time. There was no relationship between bcl-2 and bax expression levels and mdr-1 expression levels.

OBJECTIVETo report two cases of glandular odontogenic cyst and examine its cytokeratin 18,19 expression.

METHODSTwo cases of glandular odontogenic cyst were reported and studied. The cytokeratin 18, 19 expression in these two cases were also investigated using immuno-histochemical staining as well as in the situ hybridization of the cyst epithelium.

RESULTSHisto-pathological examination revealed that ciliated columnar cells, squamous cells and low-columnar cells were found in the superficial layer of the lining epithelium. Several minor salivary glands, mainly composed of seromucous cells were observed near the satellite cyst. CK18 were expressed in all layers of the lining epithelium of varying intensity. CK18 was negative in lining epithelium of the daughter cyst, but CK19 was positive. CK18-mRNA was expressed in all the layers of the lining epithelium, the salivary glands and daughter cysts.

CONCLUSIONSHistological features and CK18 expression may be indicative of the possibility of salivary glandular and odontogenic differentiation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-18 ; metabolism ; Keratin-19 ; metabolism ; Male ; Odontogenic Cysts ; metabolism ; pathology

BACKGROUND:Hand-foot-mouth disease has become a major public health issue in children in China. In the present prospective study we investigated the clinical characteristics and emergency management of children with severe encephalitis associated with NPE caused by enterovirus 71. METHODS:The study was conducted in 2 pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) over a 2-month period. Clinical records were reviewed of critically ill children with severe encephalitis associated with NPE caused by EV71 who were admitted to PICUs during the period of May to June 2008 in Fuyang. RESULTS:We reviewed the complete records of 36 children, of whom 23 (63.9％) were male and 13 (36.1％) female. Their age ranged from 4 to 48 months, with an average of 15.8 months. Al children except one were under 3 years of age. The overal mortality in these children was 19.4％. The average duration of critical life threatening signs and symptoms was 2.1 days (12 hours-5 days). Nervous system diseases included brainstem encephalitis in 27 children (75％), brainstem encephalitis associated with myelitis in 6 children (16.7％), and general encephalitis in 3 chidren (8.3％), respectively. In 12 patients of NPE (33.3％) pink or bloody bubble sputum and asymmetric pulmonary edema or hemorrhage was the primary manifestation but no typical exanthema was observed. Five children died of acute onset of NPE and / or pulmonary hemorrhage with rapid progression of cardiopulmonary failure within hours after admission. Therapeutic management consisted of mechanical ventilation and administration of mannitol, methylprednisolone, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and vasoactive drugs, associated with the need of fluid volume resuscitation in 9 (25％) of the 36 children. CONCLUSIONS:In children less than 3 years of age found to be affected by severe EV71 encephalitis associated with NPE, one fifth may die. The major organ systems infected by severe EV71 include the central nervous system, the respiratory system, and the cardiovascular system. Early diagnosis and evaluation, respiratory support, treatment of intracranial hypertension, and mainttenance of function of the cardiovascular system are the most important therapeutic measures.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experience from treatment of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

METHODSRetrospective analysis of seven patients with SARS in Ditan hospital treated since April 22 in 2004 was performed.

RESULTSIn the 7 patients, 2 were male, 5 were female, and the average age was (35.3 plus/minus 11.3) years. The main clinical manifestations were fever, cough, minor or serious dyspnea, nausea, signs of injury to other organs, and so on. The treatment regiments included oxygen, small dosage and short period of methylprednisolone (1 to 2 mg/kg), use of ventilator, psychological intervention, and treatment of underlying diseases, after which, all the 7 patients recovered.

CONCLUSIONRational use of methylprednisolone and timely use of ventilator were the key steps of treatment.

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cross Infection ; drug therapy ; therapy ; transmission ; Female ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; therapy ; transmission ; Ventilators, Mechanical

BACKGROUNDHyaluronan (HA) is most likely associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Studies have shown that HA levels are often increased in serum of patients with various malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of serum hyaluronan in patients with oral cancer and evaluate the value of serum HA in adjuvant diagnosis, staging and monitoring treatment response in these patients.

METHODSEighty-four hospitalized patients with oral cancer, 65 patients with benign tumors in the oral and maxillofacial region and 67 healthy individuals were included in this investigation. Venous blood was collected from these patients and the healthy individuals before therapy. One week after therapy, venous blood was collected once again in 43 patients with oral cancer. Serum samples were obtained and serum HA levels examined.

RESULTSThe serum HA concentration was significantly higher in oral cancer patients than in patients with benign tumors and in healthy controls (P<0.05). The serum HA level in patients with stages III and IV disease was higher than in patients with stages I and II disease, but there was no significant difference in the HA level between stages I and II nor between stages III and IV (P>0.05). After a complete treatment the HA levels in patients with oral cancer became lower than before treatment, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that the determination of HA levels may provide additional information in diagnosis of oral cancer, but its usefulness as an adjunct in clinical staging and in monitoring treatment response was limited.

Aged ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm Staging

OBJECTIVETo explore the method for establishing animal models of gouty nephropathy complicated with chronic renal failure.

METHODSSix-eight weeks old male Wistar rats were fed with 10% fodder yeast. The adenine at the daily dose of 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 mg/kg was administrated to them by gastrogavage. The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and uric acid (UA) were dynamically monitored. Meanwhile, the pathological changes of rat kidney were observed.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, serum BUN, Cr, and UA obviously increased in rats administered with 100 mg/kg for 7 days (P<0.05). Meanwhile, pathological changes as gouty nephropathy occurred. Along with the prolongation of the modeling time, the aforesaid biochemical indices and pathohistological changes of the kidney were more obvious. The blood Cr level just reached the chronic renal failure level on the 26th day of the administration (about the 4th week), and obviously exceeded the renal failure level on the 41st day (about the 6th week). The blood UA level increased to a higher level on the 7th day of modeling, and maintained at a higher level for a long time. It decreased rapidly from the 41st day to the 48th day. The renal pathological examination showed aggravated infiltration of lymphocytes and stromal fibrous proliferation. On the 48th day of modeling, the proliferation of the fibrous tissue and the interstitial fibrosis were obvious on the bases of the aforesaid changes. The serum BUN, Cr, and blood UA obviously increased in the rats administered with 150, 200, 250, and 300 mg/kg when compared with the normal control group, reaching the level of chronic renal failure (P<0.05). These levels obviously decreased 17 days after restoring to normal fodder feeding, and approached the normal levels till the 35th day.

CONCLUSIONIdeal experimental animal models of gouty nephropathy complicated with chronic renal failure could be established in male Wistar rats by feeding with 10% fodder yeast and 100 mg/kg adenine by gastrogavage for 5 weeks.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gout ; complications ; Hyperuricemia ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; etiology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Uric Acid ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of fibular flap combined with lateral crural flap for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defect.

METHODSBased on the peroneal vascular system, fibular flap combined with lateral crural flap were used for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defect. The fibular flap was used for bone defect, and the lateral crural flap was for the reconstruction of soft tissue defect of the oral cavity and pharynx.

RESULTSDuring the period of Mar. 2005 to Mar. 2007, 26 cases were treated, including 25 cases of defects after tumor resection and 1 case of bilateral maxillary defect. The flaps were harvested without any injury to the peroneal vascular system and perforator. All the flaps were survived. One case of arterial insufficiency and one case of venous thrombosis occurred 12 hours and 24 hours after operation, but the flaps were salvaged after urgent re-operation. All the patients were followed up for 6 months to 2 years. The patients acquired satisfactory appearance with normal social life.

CONCLUSIONSFor complicated oral and maxillofacial reconstruction, fibular flap combined with lateral crural flap can achieve good reconstruction results and could be selected as the first line treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Transplantation ; Facial Injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fibula ; transplantation ; Humans ; Leg ; surgery ; Male ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult