Adult ; Erythema ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Leprosy ; complications ; diagnosis

Dermoscopy ; Facial Neoplasms ; pathology ; Humans ; Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle ; pathology ; Intravital Microscopy ; Male ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Middle Aged ; Skin Neoplasms ; pathology

We report a case of atypical pityriasis rosea in a 24-year-old Malay man. He presented with an 11-month history of three recurrent and persistent episodes of pityriasis rosea associated with oral ulcers. The first episode lasted for one month and recurred within 14 days. The second episode lasted for three months and recurred within nine days. The third episode lasted for seven months. Although all three episodes were not preceded by any prodromal symptoms, a herald patch was noted on three different sites (the left iliac fossa, abdomen and chest) on each successive episode. Recurrent pityriasis rosea and its association with oral ulcers, although quite uncommon, have been reported in the literature. However, reports of multiple recurrences, with prolonged duration of each episode and very short remissions in between, have not been made. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of such unique presentation.
Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Exanthema ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Oral Ulcer ; complications ; diagnosis ; Pityriasis Rosea ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Recurrence ; Treatment Outcome

INTRODUCTIONAlthough a majority of ingested foreign bodies (FBs) pass down the gastrointestinal tract spontaneously, those that are sharp, pointed or large in size need removal to avert serious complications. We highlight the urgent need and utility of endoscopic accessories and technical artistry in safe retrieval of FBs in children.

CLINICAL PICTUREFour children had accidentally swallowed a nail, metallic dumbbell, open safety pin and a cushion pin respectively. They were symptom-free and the abdominal plain radiographs revealed foreign body in the stomach in all the cases.

TREATMENTOesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (OGD) was done in all the patients and could retrieve the nail, metallic dumbbell and open safety pin successfully using a Dormia basket, a polypectomy snare and a pair of rat-tooth forceps respectively. The cushion pin had migrated to the duodeno-jejunal junction within 4 hours of ingestion and necessitated open duodenotomy and retrieval.

OUTCOMEAll patients did well after the procedure with no complications.

CONCLUSIONSSwallowed FBs with pointed or sharp ends or large enough to cross the pylorus and duodenal sweep need removal and in the majority of the cases they can be retrieved by OGD. Sharp or pointed FBs that have crossed the second part of the duodenum necessitate urgent laparotomy for retrieval to prevent complications.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Deglutition ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism and serum lipid profile.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restricted fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine ApoE genotype on 1452 subjects including 1101 cases with cardio cerebrovascular disease including 379 cases with cerebral infarction, 313 cases with cerebral hemorrhage, 257 cases with coronary heart disease, and 152 cases with other types and on 351 healthy controls.

RESULTSAfter adjusting for age, sex and BMI, the subjects with ApoE4 carriers had significantly higher levels of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and ApoB than those with ApoE2 carriers and ApoE3/3 (P < 0.05), and higher level of triglyceride(TG) than those with ApoE3/3 (P < 0.05), while the subjects with ApoE2 carriers had significantly higher levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) than those with ApoE4 (P < 0.05). The effects of ApoE polymorphism exhibited similarity in different sex and age of subjects. Linear regression analysis showed that unlike ApoE3/3, the HDL-C level in ApoE2 carriers tend upward with age (beta = 0.178, P = 0.015), significantly higher than ApoE4 carriers and ApoE3/3 in the cohort of 65-74 years (P < 0.05). The level of TC and TG in ApoE4 carriers had a tendency of downward with age (p = -0.179, P = 0.009; beta = -0.147, P = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONApoE gene polymorphism affected profile of blood lipids and the effects were found in different sex and age. The degrees of effects related to ApoE2 carriers and ApoE4 carriers to blood lipid level seemed to be related to age.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

Objective:To detect the expression of miR-378 in cervical cancer and investigate its effects on the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells as well as the underlying mechanism.Methods:A total of 185 cervical tissue samples of women who received gynecological examination in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2012 to January 2016 were included in this study. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the expression of miR-378 in cervical tissue and C-33A cells. Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression of different cancer genes ATG12, CCND1 and pRb in C-33A cells. BrdU cell proliferation and Transwell invasion assay were performed to determine cell proliferation and invasion. Target Scan was used to predict and screen miR-378 gene targets and verified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay system.Results:The expression of miR-378 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III lesioned tissue and cervical cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in normal cervical tissues ( F = 103.091, t = 9.381, 8.936, both P < 0.05). The expression of miR-378 in cervical cancer tissues with positive lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that in cervical cancer tissues with negative lymph node metastasis ( t = 1.007, P < 0.01). The overexpression of miR-378 in cervical cancer tissues significantly promoted the migration and invasion of C-33A cells ( t = 5.285, P < 0.05), while low expression of miR-378 in cervical cancer tissues significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of HeLa cells ( t = 2.941, P < 0.05). The overexpression of miR-378 in C-33A cells significantly decreased the expression of ATG12, CCND1and pRb ( t = 1.382, 1.431 and 2.086, all P < 0.05). The low expression of miR-378 in C-33A cells significantly increased the expression of ATG12, CCND1 and pRb ( t = 3.961, 3.062 and 2.894, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:miR-378 can greatly promote the metastasis of cervical cancer cells. ATG12, as a direct target of miR-378, provides new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying cervical cancer pathology and therapeutic target.

Objective To investigate the effect of silenced RBM8A gene on the biological behavior (proliferation, migration, and apoptosis) of human endometrial cancer HEC-1A cells and its possible mechanism. Methods The hairpin shRNA targeted by the RBM8A gene was designed, and the best shRNA silencing fragment was screened. The recombinant lentiviral interference vector carrying the target gene was constructed and used to infect HEC-1A cells. Cells with stable knockdown of RBM8A gene were screened by puromycin as the experimental group (shRBM8A), while the shRNA of nonsense sequence was designed as the control group (shControl). CCK-8 method was used to detect cell proliferation, and flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis. Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and EMT signal transduction pathway related proteins. Results In comparison with the shControl group, after RBM8A knockdown, HEC-1A cell proliferation was reduced, apoptosis was increased, migration and invasion ability were significantly inhibited (P < 0.05), the expression of apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase 9 and caspase 3 increased, EMT-related protein E-cadherin expression increased, and Vimentin expression decreased. Conclusion RBM8A gene silencing can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion and promote the apoptosis of endometrial cancer cells. The inhibition of EMT signal transduction pathway may be its mechanism.

INTRODUCTIONCone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a relatively new technological innovation that utilises fl at-panel detector technology to obtain CT-like images. The key strength of a CBCT system is that cross-sectional imaging can be obtained using the angiographic fl at panel unit without having to move the patient, allowing the radiologist to obtain soft tissue imaging during the procedure. This allows treatment planning, guidance, and assessment of outcome to be performed in one interventional suite.

MATERIALS AND METHODSFrom December 2008 to June 2009, 24 CBCT scans were performed during vascular interventional procedures on our department's newly installed multi-axis fl at panel angiographic unit.

RESULTSTen cases were performed for hepatic trans-arterial chemoembolisation, 9 cases for hepatic arterial Yttrium-90 infusion, while 5 cases were for other indications. CBCT was found to be useful in 20 of the 24 cases.

CONCLUSIONOur early experience showed that CBCT was useful in impacting decisions during selected vascular interventional procedures. As CBCT technology improves, we can foresee wider applications of this technology.

Aged ; Angiography ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; standards ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Audit ; Middle Aged ; Radiology, Interventional ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of excessive inflammation in the lung of C3H/HeN(C3H) mice following Chlamydia muridarum(Cm) airway infection.Methods:Chlamydial pneumonitis was induced in C3H and C57BL/6(C57) mice by intranasal inoculation with 1×103IFU (inclusion forming unites) of Cm strains.The expression of TLR2,TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA in the lung at different time point post-infection was measured by RT-PCR.Results:Cm infection induced Toll-like receptors expression in two strains of mice.The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA,especially TLR2 mRNA(P<0.001 or P<0.05),were significantly higher in highly susceptible C3H mice on day 7 and day 14 d post-infection compared with C57 mice.Further studies showed that the expression of MyD88 mRNA was also significantly higher in C3H mice on day 7 post-infection,and maintained high expression untill the day 14.Conclusion:Cm lung infection induced high level of TLR2,TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA expression in C3H mice,which may associate with excessive inflammation in C3H mice.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of interaction between paranoxonase 1 (PON1)gene polymorphism and ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) genetic variation on serum lipid level.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restricted fragments length polymorphism was used to determine PON1 A/B192 and ABCA1R219K genotype of 1019 subjects, including 680 patients with strokes and 339 healthy individuals as controls.

RESULTSNo significant association between A/B192 genotype and any of the lipid measurements was detected. The levels of HDL-C in the subjects with RR, RK and KK genotypes showed a significant upward tendency respectively (P < 0.05); the levels of their triglyceride (TG) tended downward respectively, but there were no significant differences between them. The relationship between R219K genotype and serum lipid level was modified by A/B192 genotype. The levels of HDL-C in the subjects with AA/RR genotype and BB/KK genotype [(1.41 +/- 0.40) mmol/L, (1.41 +/- 0.39) mmol/L] were significantly different from that in the subjects with BB/RR genotype [(1.28 +/- 0.36) mmol/L] (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe result exhibited an interaction of PON1 A/B192 and ABCA1 R219K on serum lipid level.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; genetics ; Aged ; Aryldialkylphosphatase ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA