Abstract: Objective To detect the polymorphisms of drug resistance-related genes pvcrt-o and pvmdr1 of Plasmodium vivax in lazan city in the China-Myanmar border, in order to guide the treatment plan of Plasmodium vivax. Methods A total of 48 Plasmodium vivax samples were collected from Lazan in the China-Myanmar border in 2007, and fragments of pvcrt-o and pvmdr1 genes were amplified by PCR and sequenced. The sequences were aligned with the Salvador I (Sal-I) strain reference genome sequences to determine the presence of SNPs. Results The target fragments of pvcrt-o gene were amplified from 39 Plasmodium vivax samples, while pvmdr1 genes were amplified from 40 samples. Amongst them, 25 samples had AAG insertion before the 10th amino acid (K10 insertion) of pvcrt-o gene, accounting for 64.1%. Non-synonymous mutations were detected at three loci of pvmdr1 gene (T958M, Y976F, and F1076L), the mutation rates were 100%, 22.5%, and 55.0%, respectively. There were three haplotypes of pvmdr1 gene, of which the triple mutant 958M/976F/1076L accounted for 22.5% (9/40), the double mutant 958M/Y976/1076L accounted for 32.5% (13/40), and the single mutant 958M/Y976/F1076 accounted for 45.0% (18/40). The proportion of strains with pvcrt-o and pvmdr1 gene mutation is 63.16%, which is significantly different from those only with pvmdr1 mutation. Conclusions The proportion of pvcrt-o and pvmdr1 gene mutation of 48 Plasmodium vivax isolates is high in the China-Myanmar border, and there is a certain degree of correlation between the two gene mutations. To assess changes in Plasmodium vivax drug resistance in this region, it is required to improve the surveillance of these two molecular markers.

Aortic Valve/surgery* ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/surgery* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Heart Rupture ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To develop a specific CZE method for the determination of methamphetamine in whole blood after solid phase extraction. METHODS: With the doxapram as internal standard, Oasis column was used to extract drugs from whole blood and the sample was analysized by CZE. RESULTS: The method showed excellent linearity and the linear correlation coefficient was 0.994. The relative standard deviation for between-day and within-day were 5.31% and 2.22%, respectively. CONCLUSION The method is effective, simple, reliable and has been used in the determination of methamphetamine in whole blood.
Doxapram/chemistry* ; Electrophoresis, Capillary/methods* ; Forensic Medicine ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Methamphetamine/poisoning* ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Solid Phase Extraction ; Solvents/chemistry*

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of various glucose levels on the structure and function of cultured neonatal rats cardiomyocytes.

METHODCultured neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes were treated with various glucose levels for 5 days: control (5.5 mmol/L); high (25.5 mmol/L); intermittent high (5.5 mmol/L or 25.5 mmol/L in every 12 hours interval); high (25.5 mmol/L) + PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220 (50 nmol/L). Then, the cell beating frequency was counted, the cardiomyocytes diameters were measured and the expressions of PKC-alpha, PKC-beta(2), p-PKC-alpha, p-PKC-beta(2), NF-kappaB and c-fos were determined by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with control group, cardiomyocytes beating frequency, diameters as well as the expressions of PKC-alpha, PKC-beta(2), p-PKC-alpha, p-PKC-beta(2), NF-kappaB and c-fos were significantly increased in high glucose concentration (all P < 0.05) and intermittent high glucose treatment further amplified these changes (all P < 0.05 vs. high glucose and control groups). High glucose induced changes could be significantly attenuated with PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220.

CONCLUSIONHigh, especially intermittent high glucose could lead to diabetic cardiomyopathy by promoting cardiac hypertrophy, increasing beating frequency via activating PKC/NF-kappaB/c-fos pathways.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the transvesical approach to the surgical treatment of seminal vesicle mass.

METHODSTransvesical removal of seminal vesicle mass was performed for 5 patients aged 45-69 (mean 51) years. The clinical symptoms included those involving the lower urinary tract such as frequent micturition and urgency in 3 cases (1 accompanied with dyschezia), hematospermia in 1, and lower abdominal and perineal malaise in the other. Two masses were in the left side and the other 3 in the right, ranging from 3 to 10 cm (mean 5 cm) in size, detected by transrectal ultrasonography, CT, MRI or digital rectal examination. The mean course of disease was 9 (2-18) months.

RESULTSAll the 5 patients were treated successfully and uneventfully, with a mean operation time of 75 minutes, a mean blood loss of 140 ml and a mean hospital stay of 10 days. Pathological examinations revealed 2 cases of seminal vesicle cyst with infection, 1 cystadenoma, 1 phyllode tumor and 1 prostatic hyperplasia. A 3-72 months follow-up showed that all the patients were free of symptoms and had normal sexual function.

CONCLUSIONTransvesical removal of seminal vesicle mass, with small incisal opening, good visual field and easy operation, is an effective surgical procedure for seminal vesicle disease.

Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Genital Diseases, Male ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Seminal Vesicles ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo observe the cytotoxic effect of thermo-chemotherapy with cisplatin on osteosarcoma OS-732 cell line and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSThe osteosarcoma OS-732 cell line was treated with different temperature, cisplatin alone and 43 degrees C +cisplatin for 1 h, respectively and the in vitro cytotoxic effect was observed with MTT assay. The cell cycle and the apoptotic rate were analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM); the cellular apoptosis was observed also with electron microscope.

RESULTThe cytotoxicity index increase markedly as the temperature elevated or the concentration of cisplatin increased. While treated with 43 degrees C hyperthermia and cisplatin simultaneously, the cytotoxicity index increased to 72.37%;the cell cycle of the treated OS-732 cells line was changed with marked increase in S phase and decreasing in G(2)/M phase. The apoptotic rate increased markedly with the highest of 56.47%. Electron microscope showed the characteristic apoptotic alterations.

CONCLUSIONHyperthermia with cisplatin enhance cytotoxicity on osteosarcoma OS-732 cell line and the induced cell apoptosis may be one of the mechanisms of enhanced cytotoxicity by thermo-chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bone Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Combined Modality Therapy ; DNA Damage ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Osteosarcoma ; pathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To assess the lower tear meniscus height (LTMH), central tear film thickness (CTFT), and central corneal epithelial thickness (CCET) after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK). METHODS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of 20 patients who had DALK in one eye over a three-month period. LTMH, CTFT, and CCET of the operated eyes and the unoperated fellow eyes were measured using high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT). Correlations between three OCT assessments and age, time following surgery, graft size, bed size, and the number of residual sutures were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to patients with keratoconus, patients with other corneal conditions had significantly higher CCET in the fellow eye (P=0.024). For all patients, CCET in the operated eye was significantly negatively correlated with the number of residual sutures (R=-0.579, P=0.008), and was significantly positively correlated with time following surgery (R=0.636, P=0.003). In the fellow eye, a significant positive correlation was found between age and CCET (R=0.551, P=0.012), and a significant negative correlation between age and CTFT (R=-0.491, P=0.028). LTMH was found to be significantly correlated between operated and fellow eyes (R=0.554, P=0.011). There was no significant correlation between LTMH and age, bed/graft size, time following surgery, or residual sutures (all possible correlations, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Patients with keratoconus tend to have a thinner central corneal epithelium. Corneal epithelium keeps regenerating over time after DALK. DALK did not induce a significant change in tear volume compared with the fellow eye. Postoperative tear function might depend on an individual's general condition, rather than on age, gender, bed/graft size, time following surgery, or residual sutures.
Adult ; Corneal Transplantation ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Epithelium, Corneal/pathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tears ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and safety of fire needling on rat with rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODSForty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a methotrexate (MTX) group and a fire needling group, 10 rats in each group. The 0.1 mL of normal saline was subcutaneously injected in rat's right back paw in the normal group, while the other groups received subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mL of complete Freund's adjuvant to establish the model. The pricking method was applied in the fire needling group at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2), "Zusanli" (ST 36) and Ashi points with a depth of 5 mm, once every three days, and totally eight times were required. In the MTX group, with intragastric administration of 2.0 mg/kg per rat, the treatment was given once every seven days, and totally four times were required. The weight, swelling rate of foot, joint pain score and polyarthritis index of rats in each group as well as the pathological change of liver tissue under light microscope were observed.

RESULTSThe weight, swelling rate of foot, joint pain score and polyarthritis index in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), after the treatment, the above-mentioned indexes in the two treatment groups were obviouly dereased as componed with those in the model group (all P < 0.01), and there were statistical differences between the fire needling group and MTX group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the normal group, inflammatory cells were appeared with a cluster distribution in the liver cells of rats in the model group. The inflammatory cells were reduced in the MTX group and fire needling group, and liver cells had degenerative edema and cell nucleus were largen and deformed in the MTX group.

CONCLUSIONThe fire needling has significant efficacy for rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) without any damage to the liver, which coud have a better control of disease progression of rheumatoid arthritis .

Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods ; Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of eyelid margin cleaning using Deep Cleaning Device for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction-associated dry eye. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, open-label, investigator-masked, and self-controlled study. We randomly assigned one eye of patients with meibomian gland dysfunction-associated dry eye to the treatment group, and the other eye to the control group. Both groups received artificial tears and lid warming; the treatment group received an additional one-time in-office eyelid margin cleaning using Deep Cleaning Device. Non-invasive tear break-up time (NITBUT) and tear meniscus height (TMH) of each eye, and Standard Patient Evaluation for Eye Dryness II (SPEED II) score of each patient were evaluated before and at one week after treatment. RESULTS: Thirty eyes of 15 patients were enrolled. No adverse effects occurred during the treatment. Compared with the baseline values, the SPEED score decreased significantly at one week after treatment (mean±95% confidence interval, 11.00±0.99 vs. 5.67±1.67, P<0.0001), the NITBUT-first in the treatment group increased significantly at one week after treatment ((4.74±1.27) s vs. (7.49±2.22) s, P=0.01). The NITBUT-first was significantly longer in the treatment group ((7.49±2.22) s) than in the control group ((5.17±0.91) s) at one week after treatment (P=0.042). No significant differences were found in other tear film parameters between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Eyelid margin cleaning using the novel Deep Cleaning Device is a convenient, effective, and safe treatment for patients with meibomian gland dysfunction-associated dry eye.
Adult ; Aged ; Dry Eye Syndromes/therapy* ; Eyelids/physiopathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Male ; Meibomian Gland Dysfunction/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Tears

BACKGROUNDThe feasibility of the mapping of quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) named flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery exempting separate T1 measurement (FAIREST) is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of FAIREST in the measurement of regional CBF (rCBF) in healthy volunteers.

METHODSEighteen healthy volunteers underwent magnetic resonance (MR) scanning with the sequence of FAIREST. While they were at rest, rCBF values were obtained in various brain regions of interest (ROIs). The same scheme was repeated on every subject after two weeks. Statistical analysis was made to determine the effect of location, scan and side on the measurement of rCBF.

RESULTSThe mean CBF values were (122+/-28) ml x (100 g)(-1) x min(-1) and (43+/-10) ml x (100 g)(-1) x min(-1) in the gray and white matter respectively. There was significant main effect of location (t=-12.5, P<0.01), but no significant effect of side. Paired t-test of ROIs in the same slice showed no significant difference in most sites between two scans, except in the gray matter of the bilateral frontal lobes (t=2.18-2.34, P <0.05). However, the rCBF values of the same structure obtained from different slices showed a significant difference (t=-3.49, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONFAIREST is a reliable technique in the measurement of rCBF, but different imaging slice may affect the agreement of rCBF across the scans.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male