Adolescent ; Adult ; Bleomycin ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hemangioma ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo recognize the clinical features of the bronchiolitis obliterans.

METHODClinical manifestation, chest X-ray, computed tomography (CT) and pulmonary function of 4 cases with bronchiolitis obliterans were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTTwo cases were after Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), the other 2 were after severe pneumonia, including one suffered from adenovirus pneumonia. Cough, tachypnea and wheezing persisted in all the 4 patients. The symptoms lasted for at least 6 weeks, in one case for over one year. Crackles and wheezing were present in all the 4 cases. Hyperinflation was seen in chest radiographs in all cases. On pulmonary CT/high-resolution CT (HRCT), patchy opacity and bronchial wall thickening were seen in each patient. Areas of air trapping were seen in three cases. Bronchiectasis was seen in 2 cases, atelectasis and mosaic perfusion were seen respectively in one case. PO(2) was low in all the four cases. Wheezing was not responsive to beta(2) agonist and other bronchodilating therapy. Prednisone was used at a dose of 1 mg/(kg.d) in 3 cases. Two cases were followed up for 3 months. The clinical condition of one case was improved, whose wheezing and bronchiolar constriction disappeared, cough and dyspnea were also relieved. However, the condition of one patient was not improved, although the wheezing disappeared. The HRCT of these two cases showed no improvement.

CONCLUSIONClinical symptoms of BO were cough, tachypnea, and wheezing after acute lung injury. Crackles and wheezing were the most common signs in the BO. Chest radiographs showed hyperinflation. Pulmonary CT showed bronchial wall thickening, bronchiectasis, atelectasis, and mosaic perfusion. Pulmonary function tests suggested obstruction of small airway.

Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumonia ; complications ; Pneumonia, Viral ; complications ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; complications ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the material foundation of the fusion of bcr and abl genes, and to explore the pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia.

METHODSBy FISH combined with laser confocal scanning microscopy, the three-dimension (3D) distribution of bcr and abl genes in the interphase nuclei of normal and irradiated IM-9 cells was studied in each cell cycle phases.

RESULTSabl and bcr genes distributed non-randomly in the interphase nuclei of IM-9 cells. abl gene preferably located at the outer layer and bcr near the core of the nucleus. The two genes were drawn near each other most in G(0) phase. The relative distance between the homologous genes was greater at proliferation phase than at quiescence phase. After irradiation, the relative distances from the two genes to the core and between the two genes were shortened, with the shortest distance between the two genes in S phase.

CONCLUSIONIrradiation could change the 3D-distribution of abl and bcr genes in the interphase nuclei of IM-9 cell and accelerate them to draw near each other.

Cell Nucleus ; genetics ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; radiation effects ; Gene Fusion ; radiation effects ; Genes, abl ; genetics ; radiation effects ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Interphase ; genetics ; radiation effects ; Lymphocytes ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr ; genetics ; radiation effects

OBJECTIVELamivudine resistant HBV strains in Shenzhen were detected at multiple sites and in large amounts to understand further the distribution of lamivudine resistant mutants.

METHODS552 Hepatitis B patients's sera were examined using genechip method. Among them, 192 samples of lamivudine resistant mutant were further analyzed.

RESULTSIn those 192 lamivudine resistant samples, 191 were YMDD mutants, 124 mutants of codon 528 and 9 mutants of codon 555. 88% YMDD mutants were multi-mutants of YVDD and codon 528; single mutants of YIDD; multi-mutants of YIDD and codon 528. 91% codon of YMDD mutants were GTG, ATT; the other 9% were ATA, ATC.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that mutants of codon 552 (YMDD) are core mutants. Mutants of codon 528 and 555 are incidental mutants, YVDD mutants always emerge with mutants of codon 528, but YIDD mutants appear differently. 9% YMDD mutants's codons are ATA or ATC. This may be the reason for the low positive rate shown by using the conventional PCR methods.

Amino Acid Motifs ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Codon ; genetics ; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Point Mutation

AIMTo study the effect of intrathecal injection of MK-801, a NMDA receptor antagonist, on the NOS activity and NO content of hippocampus in rat during the process of formalin-induced inflammatory pain as well as the pain behavior of rat.

METHODSThe degree of pain was determined by observing the time of licking and biting the injected paw. NOS expression in the hippocampus was determined by using NADPH-d histochemical staining. NO content of hippocampus was determined by assaying NO3; and NO2.

RESULTSSubcutaneous injection of formalin elicited a characteristic pain behavioural response consisting of licking and biting the injected paw, etc. Intrathecal injection of MK-801 could shorten obviously the time of licking and biting representing pain behavioural response in phase 2. It is suggested that intrathecal injection of MK-801 could block the pain behavioural response induced by formalin (P < 0.05). The number and staining degree of NADPH-d positive neurons in formalin group significantly increased at 12 h after the formalin injection in CA1, CA2-3 and DG of hippocampus compared with control group as well as NO content, however, the number and staining degree of NADPH-d positive neurons in formalin + MK-801 group significantly decreased in contrast to those of formalin 12 h group as well as the NO content (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIntrathecal injection of NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 could inhibit the NOS activity and NO production in hippocampus of rat, which showed the increase of hippocampal NO production was mainly induced by the peripheral nociceptive information input.

Animals ; Dizocilpine Maleate ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Formaldehyde ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; Injections, Spinal ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I ; metabolism ; Pain ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; antagonists & inhibitors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the necessity of detecting on the expressive intensity and pattern of HBsAg and HBcAg in the livers of chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSHBsAg and HBcAg were detected in paraffin-embedded liver tissue by EnVision immunohistochemistry. Serum hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) was tested by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The degrees of hepatic inflammatory activity (grade) and fibrosis (stage) of liver biopsies were determined according to the standard of the Chinese program of prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis.

RESULTSThe expression of HBsAg was not correlated with the grade, the stage and the levels of serum HBV DNA (P > 0.05). Liver HBcAg expressive intensity was not correlated with the grade (r=0.02, P > 0.05), while negatively correlated with the stage (r=0.28, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with the serum HBV DNA levels (r=0.53, P < 0.01). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was negatively correlated with the grade (r=-0.27, P < 0.01). The grade in cytoplasmic pattern group was higher than in nuclear pattern group and in mixed pattern group (P < 0.01), and that in mixed pattern group was higher in nuclear pattern group (P < 0.01). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was negatively correlated with the stage (r=-0.23, P < 0.01). The stage in cytoplasmic pattern group was higher than in nuclear pattern group and in mixed pattern group (P < 0.05). Liver HBcAg expressive pattern was positively correlated with the levels of serum HBV DNA (r=0.22, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDistinguishing the expressive intensity and pattern of HBsAg and HBcAg in the liver of chronic hepatitis B may not help understand the degree of hepatic lesion. The detection of HBcAg in liver tissue of CHB may be beneficial for the antiviral therapy.

Adult ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Hepatitis B Antigens ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; biosynthesis ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; pathology ; virology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Virus Replication ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antitubercular Agents ; adverse effects ; Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Female ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

Objective: To establish the immortalized mouse brain microvascular pericytes model and to apply to the cerebrovascular toxicants screening study. Methods: Brain pericytes were isolated from 3 weeks of mice by tissue digestion. Immortalized pericyte cell line was constructed by infecting with LT retrovirus. Monoclone was selected to purify the immortalized pericyte cell line. The pericyte characteristics and purity were explored by immunocytochemistry. Cell proliferation was measured by using the Pomega MTS cell Proliferation Colorimetric Assay Kit. Pericytes were treated with 0, 160, 320, 640, 1 280, 2 560 μmol/L lead acetate, 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 μmol/L cadmium chloride and 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 μmol/L sodium arsenite in 24 hours. Cell toxicity of each group was determined by MTS assay, median lethal dose (LD₅₀) was calculated in linear regression. Results: Mouse brain pericytes were successfully isolated by tissue separation and enzyme digestion method. After immortalized by LT retroviruses, monoclone was selected and expanded to establish pericyte cell line. The brain pericytes exhibited typical long spindle morphology and positive staining for α-SMA and Vimentin. The proliferation of brain pericytes cell lines was very slowly, and the doubling time was about 48 hours. The proliferation of immortalized brain pericytes cell lines was very quickly, and the doubling time was about 24 hours. After lead acetate, cadmium chloride and sodium arsenite treatment for 24 hours respectively, gradual declines in cell viability were observed. The LD₅₀ of lead acetate was 2 025.0 μmol/L, the LD₅₀ of cadmium chloride was 36.6 μmol/L, and the LD₅₀ of sodium arsenite was 33.2 μmol/L. Conclusion The immortalized mouse brain microvascular pericyte model is established successfully by infecting with LT retrovirus, and can be applied to screen cerebrovascular toxicants. The toxicity of these toxicants to immortalized mouse brain microvascular pericyte is in sequence: sodium arsenite,cadmium chloride, lead acetate.

Objective: To investigate the effects of cerebral cavernous malformation 3 (CCM3) gene knockout on the lead exposure-induced blood-brain barrier malfunction in mice brain, and the relationship between CCM3 knockout and the Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Wide type (WT) mice and CCM3⁺/- mice were divided into 4 groups, control group and lead exposed group in WT as well as CCM3^+/- mice. Lead exposed groups were treated with 0.05% lead acetate in drinking water for 12 weeks, while control group drink deionized water freely. Blood lead and brain lead levels in each group were detected by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The brain tissue of each group was made into paraffin sections, whose morphology were observed by HE staining. The expression of Aβ_1-42 in brain tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry and the brain capillaries were labeled by VRGFR2. The protein expression of Claudin-5, ZO-1, and p-Tau was detected by Western blot. The brain tissue RNA was extracted and the relative expression of LRP-1 mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR. Results: The levels of blood lead WT (216.07±84.16) and CCM3^+/- (189.64±101.86) μg/L in lead exposed group were higher than those in control group WT (19.52±11.46) and CCM3^+/- (11.79±8.20) μg/L, the difference was statistically significant (t=4.18, P=0.006; t=3.79, P=0.016). The levels of brain lead WT (1.78±0.69) and CCM3^+/- (1.74±0.66) μg/L were higher than those in control group WT (1.06±0.87) and CCM3^+/- (0.97±0.64) μg/L, the difference was statistically significant (t=3.67, P=0.018; t=3.88, P=0.015). The HE staining showed no obvious lesions in the brain of each group of mice. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that there was no Aβ₁-42 deposition in the brain of mice in each group. The numbers of microvessels in the brain of CCM3^+/- mice in the lead exposed group were decreased. Compared with the relative expression levels of Claudin-5 (WT: 1.30±0.03, CCM3^+/-: 1.07±0.08) in control group mice brain, the relative expression of Claudin-5 (WT: 0.96±0.04, CCM3^+/-: 0.59±0.01) was decreased with statistical significance (F=199.27, P<0.001). The relative expression level of LRP-1 gene mRNA in brain of lead exposed group (WT: 0.32±0.10, CCM3^+/-: 0.06±0.01) was higher than that of unexposed group (WT:1.00±0.06, CCM3^+/-:2.12±0.18), the difference was statistically significant (F=288.29, P<0.001). The relative expression level of LRP-1 gene mRNA in brain of CCM3⁺/- mice exposed to lead was lower than that of WT mice ((0.06±0.01)vs(0.32±0.10), t=26.90, P<0.001). Conclusion The mice did not show significant AD-like lesions under low-does lead exposure, but resulted in early damage of brain blood-brain barrier and early changes of AD-like lesions in mice, with CCM3^+/- mice being sensitive to lead exposure stronger than that of WT mice, suggesting that deletion of CCM3 gene may be one of the potential risk factors for accelerating the development of AD in mice exposed to lead.

Purpose: The prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with parotid lymph node (PLN) metastasis remains unclear. This study was performed to investigate the prognostic significance and optimal staging category of PLN metastasis and develop a nomogram for estimating individual risk. Materials and Methods: Clinical data of 7,084 non-metastatic NPC patients were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. A nomogram was established based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The accuracy and calibration ability of this nomogram was evaluated by C-index and calibration curves with bootstrap validation.ResultTotally, 164/7,084 NPC patients (2.3%) presented with PLNs. Multivariate analyses showed that PLN metastasis was a negative prognostic factor for OS, progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS). Patients with PLN metastasis had a worse prognosis than N3 disease. Five independent prognostic factors were included in the nomogram, which showed a C-index of 0.743. The calibration curves for probability of 3- and 5-year OS indicated satisfactory agreement between nomogram-based prediction and actual observation. All results were confirmed in the validation cohort. Conclusion NPC patient with PLN metastasis had poorer survival outcome (OS, PFS, DMFS, and LRFS) than N3 disease. We developed a nomogram to provide individual prediction of OS for patients with PLN metastasis.