BACKGROUND:Bacterial adhesion is closely related to the surface properties of cobalt-chromium al oys, and therefore, the surface modification technology has become the focus of research in this area. OBJECTIVE:To verify whether the cobalt-chromium al oy with zirconium nitride coating can improve the bacterial adhesion of metal denture materials. METHODS:Magnetron sputtering deposition method was used to plate zirconium nitride film on the surface of cobalt-chromium al oys (experimental group), and cobalt-chromium al oy specimens uncoated served as control group. Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Actinomyces viscosus were respectively inoculated on the two kinds of test specimen, and at end of culture, the colony counting was done. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the bacterial adhesion test, the number of colonies of three kinds of bacteria in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The number of bacterial adhesion in the control group was significantly higher than that in the experimental group. These findings indicate that the cobalt-chromium al oy covered with zirconium nitride coating can significantly reduce the adhesion amount of Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Actinomyces viscosus, and thus improve bacterial adhesion properties of cobalt-chromium al oys.

Biliary tract diseases have always been one of the important indications for liver transplantation. These biliary tract diseases include congenital atresia of biliary duct, biliary diseases with tendency of malignant transformation, malignant biliary diseases, primary biliary cirrhosis, and secondary biliary cirrhosis. The right time to consider liver transplantation for the above biliary diseases includes situations when transplantation is the only approach to treat the disease, the only effective approach to treat the disease, or one of the effective approaches to treat the disease. Currently there is still no commonly accepted pre-operative evaluation standard for biliary disease-related liver transplantation. However, it is important to obey the following principles. First, the diagnosis should be confirmed; secondary, the necessity or urgency of the liver transplantation should be clarified; and third, the patient and his/her family should understand the whole procedure of transplantation the risk and advantage of the surgery, and the potential life-long intake of immunosuppressors. This article will briefly review all these relavant issues based on the authors' personal experience and clinical cases.
Biliary Atresia ; surgery ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors

Objective To observe the safety and effectiveness of high-dose chemotherapy(HDT) supported by autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells transplantation(APBHSCT) in the patients of terminal or relapsed malignant tumors.Methods The patients achieved CR or PR after 4 cycles of conventional salvage chemotherapy were divided into two groups randomly.26 patients in the research group were adapted APBHSC+HDC,50 patients in the control group were adapted 2～4 cycles of routine chemotherapy.Results In the research group,hematopoiesis was reconstructed in all patients,8 out of 17 patients who achieved PR after 4 cycles of conventional salvage chemotherapy turned into CR after APBHSC+HDC(CR rate 47.1%).In the control group,33 patients who achieved PR after 4 cycles of conventional salvage chemotherapy were still PR after 2～4 cycles of routine chemotherapy.The median survival period in the research group was 11 months,which was longer than the one in the control group.The survival rates of 2,3 and 4 years in the research group were evidently higher than the ones in the control group(P

Objective To establish a New Zealand rabbit model of heart failure by aortic regurgitation.Methods Adapting catheterization-induced aortic regurgitation to establish a volume overloat rabbit model of heart failure.The SBP, LVSP, LVDP, LV+dp/dt and LV ±dp/dt were observed before and after modeling.The successful criteria of heart failure:the LV ±dp/dtmax was decreased more than 40%and the LVDP increased more than 40%, or the LV ±dp/dtmax fell down to less than 40%and the DBP should be decrease more than 40%.Evaluating the model by observing the coat color, mental status, physical activity, calculating the feed consumption index, weight gain index, heart rate, respiration frequency and other indicators.The activity of serum SOD and MDA concentration were assayed to determine the antioxidant capacity of the model animals.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was used to detect the serum cAMP and cGMP con-centration.Gene chip technology was used to analyze the difference of gene expression.Results After modeling, the he-modynamic index of SBP, DBP and LVSP were significantly decreased, LVDP was significantly decreased, LVDP was sig-nificantly increased and the LV+dp/dt and LV ±dp/dt were significantly decreased.Compared with the normal control group, the model animals showed coat withered, less movement, less eating, unresponsiveness, listlessness, and reduced grab resistance after modeling.The respiratory rate of the model group was significantly increased, and this trend was in-creased over time.The serum SOD activity was lower, MDA concentration was higher, cAMP concentration was lower, and cGMP concentration was higher in the model group.665 differentially expressed genes were detected.Compared with the human gene sequences, 16 characteristic genes were obtained.In these 16 genes, which were closely related to heart func-tion, were mainly related to ion channels, muscle contraction, and signal transduction function.Conclusions This repor-ted method to establish rabbit model of heart failure by using aortic regurgitation is reliable.The aortic regurgitation increa-ses cardiac preload, than leads to an increase of the left ventricular end-diastolic volume, and finally results in left ventric-ular hypertrophy and heart failure.The results of myocardial tissue gene chip test show that there are some changes in gene expression of the model rabbits.

Objective To evaluate application effects of mind map in standardized training courses for the new nurses.Method 73 new nurses who graduated for 1-3 years were random divided into an experimental group (n=37) and a control group (n=36).Nursing department organized standardized training course for 73 new nurses for one year.The control group used conventional teaching methods,while the experimental group introduced mind mapping in teaching.Effects were evaluated after one year.Results The average scores of both theory and operation examination in experimental group were better than the control group,and there was significant difference between two groups (P=0.002,0.000).The score of critical thinking ability:the total score of experimental group was (303.89 ±23.81),higher than the total score of the control group (280.36 ± 17.22),and the total score and seven dimension score difference had statistical significance(P＜0.05,for all).Besides,the total score of selfstudy ability in the experimental group (126.54 ± 5.65),was higher than those in the control group (116.58-± 6.36),and the total score and four dimension score difference had statistical significance (P＜0.05).Conclusion Using mind mapping in the standardized training courses for nurses can arouse nurses' interest in learning,improve their critical thinking skills and autonomous self-study ability,and enhance the effectiveness of training.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether exogenous thyroxine(T4) treatment to alcohol-fed dams would ameliorate the detrimental effects of alcohol on the postnatal development of neuropeptide-Y(NPY)-containing neurons of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the offspring. METHODS: Time-pregnant rats were divided into three groups. An alcohol-fed group A received 35 calories of liquid alcohol diet daily from gestation day 6; control group B was fed a liquid diet in which dextrin replaced alcohol isocalorically; and alcohol+T4 group C received 35 calories of liquid alcohol diet and exogenous thyroxine subcutaneously. The features of the growth and maturation of rat brain tissue were observed at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 postnatal days via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Group C showed prominent NPY immunoreactivity in the cerebral cortex compared to group A and B at P7. In group C, NPY-containing neurons were widely distributed in the all layers of cerebral cortex after P14. Also, numerical decreases of NPY-containing neuron were not found according to increasing age in group C. A decrease of NPY-containing neurons, however, was clearly observed in group A compared to group C at P28. In the hippocampus, similar patterns appeared in groups B and C after P7. Especially, in groups B and C, NPY-containing fibers formed plexus in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus at P14. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the increase of NPY synthesis caused by maternal administration of exogenous thyroxine may convalesce fetal alcohol effects, one of the effects of the dysthyroid state following maternal alcohol abuse.
Alcoholism ; Animals ; Brain* ; Cerebral Cortex ; Diet ; Hippocampus ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; Pregnancy ; Rats* ; Thyroxine*

Objective To report the first case of cervical l ymphadenitis caused by Candida albicans in China.Methods A series of clinical,histopatholog ic.and mycologic studies were carried out in an 8year-old-boy with cervical lymphadenitis,who had no definite underlying disease.Candida albicans was isolated fromthe patient.The lymph node was investigated by me ans of culture,pathological and tra nsmission electron microscopic examination and cellular immunology detected by flow cytometer.Results There were several enlarged,warm,a nd fluctuant cervical lymph nodes which varied fr om 1cm?1cm to 4cm?4cm in size.One swo llen node was excised,and Candida albicans was found in the culture.The histopathologic changes of the cervical lym ph node were compatible with chronic granulomatous disease.PAS and methenamine silver(PAM)stain of a touch preparation of the bi opsy specimen revealed budding spores an d pseudohyphae.Lymphopenia with a p roportionate decrease of T-helper a nd T-suppressor cells was shown with flowcytometry.The patient received a combination therapy of surgery,flu conazole,thymosin and so on.After one month,t he patient's condition was improved.Many small lymph nodes disappeared,large lymph nodes became smaller.Tw o months later,only one large lymph n ode could be touched.Conclusion It is the first case of cervical lymphad enitis caused by Candida reported in China.Combination therapy of surgery,fluconazole and thymosin is effective.

Objective To assess the molecular biological characteristics of occult hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) infected blood donors in Shaoxing.Methods 8692 blood donors were screened using ELISA.The occult HBV infection was determined by DNA analysis among the HBsAg negative subjects.DNA sequencing and mutational analysis were further performed in the HBV DNA positive samples.The overall situation of occult HBV infection was hereby evaluated and the possible underlying mechanisms discussed.Results Among the 8644 HBsAg negative subjects out of 8692 blood donors,8 were HBV DNA positive.The occult HBV infection rate was 0.92‰(8/8692).Among the 8 samples,6 were genotype C (75％) and 2 genotype B (25％).In addition,a specific mutation in "a" epitope was observed in 7OBI virus strains by amino acid analysis.Conclusion There were occult HBV infected among blood donors in Shaoxing,which is probably associated with the gene mutation of HBV virus.

AIM:To investigate the effects of thalidomide ( THD) on the activation of connective tissue growth factor ( CTGF) gene promoter induced by transforming growth factor β1 ( TGF-β1 ) in human embryonic lung fibroblasts ( HELF) .METHODS:DNA sequence of CTGF gene promoter was cloned into luciferase reporter gene vector to construct the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pGL 3-CTGFP, and the recombinant vector was transfected into HELF cell line.The effects of TGF-β1 and THD on the activation of CTGF gene promoter were detected by dual-luciferase analysis . RESULTS:TGF-β1 increased the reporter gene activity dose-dependently (P<0.05), with a plateau at 5 μg/L being 2.16 folds as high as the control .TGF-β1-induced increase in the reporter gene activity was also time-dependent ( P<0.05).After exposure to TGF-β1(5 μg/L), the level of luciferase activity reached its peak at 12 h and was 2.52 folds as high as the control .THD significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced increase in the reporter gene activity in a dose-dependent manner , but its basal activity was not changed .CONCLUSION: TGF-β1 stimulates the transcriptional activity of CTGF gene promoter in HELF cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner , while THD may inhibit the effects dose-dependently .

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs in macrophage-rich areas of advanced atherosclerotic lesions and contributes to macrophage apoptosis and subsequent plaque necrosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) on ER stress-induced apoptosis in cultured macrophages and the underlying mechanisms. RAW264.7 cells were incubated with thapsigargin (TG) to establish ER stress model. And Cav-1 expression was detected by Western blot. After being pretreated with filipin(III), a caveolae inhibitor, RAW264.7 cells were assayed with flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy to detect cell apoptosis. Moreover, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression were detected with Western blot. The results showed that Cav-1 expression was markedly increased at early stage of TG treatment (P < 0.05) and then decreased with prolonged or high dose TG treatments. The increasing of Cav-1 expression induced by TG in RAW264.7 cells was abolished under inhibition of caveolae by filipin(III) (P < 0.05). The effect of TG on apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells was further augmented after pretreatment with filipin(III) (P < 0.05). Western blotting showed that MAPK phosphorylation induced by TG was inhibited by filipin(III) in RAW264.7 cells (P < 0.05), whereas CHOP remained unchanged (P > 0.05). These results suggest that Cav-1 may play a critical role in suppressing ER stress-induced macrophages apoptosis in vitro, and one of the mechanisms may be correlated with the activation of p38 MAPK prosurvival pathway.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caveolin 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; physiology ; Filipin ; pharmacology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Macrophages ; cytology ; drug effects ; Mice ; Thapsigargin ; pharmacology ; Transcription Factor CHOP ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism