Dyspnea ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Inhalation

The whole length of exon 11 of BRCA1 was sequenced (total 3427 bp) in 59 patients and 10 healthy female blood donors. To allow a rapid determination of the different BRCA1 alleles, a sequence-specific primer PCR method (PCR-SSP) was established and was applied to 57 additional female donors. Finally, the full-length coding region of BRCA1 was analyzed through reversed-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA sequencing (total 5554 bp) in one donor with wild-type allele and 2 patients with one or two mutated alleles. By genomic DNA sequencing, 5 homozygous polymorphisms were observed in 18 patients: 2201C>T, 2430T>C, 2731C>T, 3232A>G and 3667A>G All of them were previously observed in Caucasians, Malay and Chinese, but for the first time the mutations were found in one allele (GenBank AY304547). Twenty-six patients and 4 donors were heterozygous at these 5 nucleotide positions. The remaining 15 patients and 6 donors showed a sequence identical with the standard BRCA1 gene. Combined the PCR-SSP results and in a summary, 6 of 67 (9.0 %) healthy individuals were homozygous for the mutated allele, whereas 18 of 59 (30.5 %) breast cancer patients were homozygous. A Chi-square test showed a significant correlation between homozygous mutated BRCA1 allele and breast cancer. The cDNA sequencing showed that 2 additional mutations, 4427T>C in exon 13 and 4956A>G in exon 16, were found. A new BRCA1 allele, which is BRCAI-2201T/2430C/2731T/3232G/3667G/4427C/4956G (GenBank AY751490), was found in Chinese. And the homozygote of this mutated allele may implicate a disease-association in Chinese.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; blood ; Adult ; Exercise ; physiology ; Gonadal Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Serum ; metabolism ; Students ; Testosterone ; blood

Diagnosis, Differential ; Hemangiopericytoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Hemangiosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leiomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rhabdoid Tumor ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Urinary Bladder ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Qiling Decoction (QD) combined highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on expression levels of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells in HIV/AIDS patients.

METHODSTotally 55 HIV/AIDS patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (28 cases) and the combination group (27 cases). Besides, 21 HIV negative patients were recruited as the healthy control group. Those in the treatment group received HARRT alone, while those in the combination group received HAART combined QD. The observation lasted for 24 weeks. Meanwhile, according to peripheral blood CD4+ T cell counts before treatment, HIV/AIDS patients were assigned to three subgroups. For patients in subgroup 1, 1 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 100 cells/microL; For patients in subgroup 2, 101 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 200 cells/lL; For patients in subgroup 3, 201 cells/microL < CD4+ T cell counts < or = 350 cells/microL. Expression of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells, and number of CD4+ T cell counts were detected using flow cytometry (FCM)in HIV/AIDS patients at the pre-treatment baseline, week 4, 12, and 24, as well as those in the healthy control group.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy control group, CD4+ T cell counts and the baseline expression level of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of HIV/AIDS patients significantly decreased, the expression level of Treg cells significantly increased P < 0.01). Compared with before treatment in the same group, CD4+ T cell counts all increased at week 4, 12, and 24 in the two treatment groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the effective rate at various CD4+ T cell levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in expression levels of Th17 and Treg cells between the combination group and the treatment group at any time point (all P >0.05). The Th17/Treg ration significantly increased in the combination group after 24 weeks of treatment, showing statistical difference when compared with the treatment group (U = 2.135, P = 0.038).

CONCLUSIONQD could improve the immune balance of Th17/Treg cells, which might be one of its mechanisms for improving HIV/AIDS patients' immunity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Adult ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; Case-Control Studies ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; HIV Infections ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; cytology ; Th17 Cells ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between enhanced computed tomography (CT) findings and pathological results of rare parotid gland tumors, and improve diagnosis accuracy.

METHODSThe enhanced CT manifestations of 22 cases with pathologically documented rare parotid gland tumors, which included 6 cases of basal cell tumor, 5 cases of myoepithelioma, 4 cases of vascular invasion, 3 cases of lymphatic cyst, 3 cases of lipoma, and 1 case of chondrosarcoma, were retrospectively analyzed. The location, size, shape, density, and relationship with surrounding structure were evaluated on CT images.

RESULTSThe enhanced CT showed that basal cell tumors occurred in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland, with clear boundary, within the cystic lesion. The lesions were moderate to obviously enhanced, which may be accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes. Myoepithelial tumors were located in the superficial lobe of the parotid gland, with a small cystic prone and microcalcification within a few cases. The lesions were moderate to obviously enhanced. Hemangiomas of soft tissue mass prominent in the parotid gland surface were mild to significantly enhanced. Larger lesions may occupy the entire parotid gland, with uneven density and visible vein stone. The CT density values of the lymphatic cyst were usually higher. Chondrosarcoma mainly manifested cystic mass at the calcification edge. Lipoma with fat density mass exhibited clear boundary without enhancement. Fiber separation could be observed in the lesion.

CONCLUSIONCT can reflect the pathological features of rare parotid gland tumors by demonstrating their corresponding imaging features. Enhanced CT is the most effective means of imaging to identify the nature of rare tumor of the parotid gland lesions.

Chondrosarcoma ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Lipoma ; Parotid Gland ; Parotid Neoplasms ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Dietary restriction (DR) can delay senescence,prolong lifespan of mammals and improve their learning-memory activity.The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of DR on hypolipidemic action and liver function of mice with hyperlipidemia.To investigate these effects,hyperlipidemia mouse models were established with high-fat diet (HFD) (34％ of energy),then randomly divided into HFD group,DR30％ group and DR50％ group.Mice in DR30％ and DR50％ group were respectively supplied with HFD as much as about 70％ and 50％ of the consumption of HFD in the mice of HFD group.Rats in control group were fed routinely.After DR for 5 weeks,the average body weight,liver weight,liver index,serum lipids and glucose levels in both DR groups decreased significantly as compared with the HFD group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),so did alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST),lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and the ratio of LDL-C/HDL-C in the DR50％ group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Histopathology examination of liver tissues further proved ameliorative effect of DR on liver function.Western blotting showed that DR significantly increased the expression of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (SIRT1) in liver and adipose,while notably decreased the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors-gamma (PPARγ) in adipose (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The increase of SIRT1 and decrease of PPARγ may be a mechanism by which DR reduces blood lipids and ameliorates liver function.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the imaging manifestations of 16-slice enhanced CT of parotid adenolymphoma in the parotid gland and the corresponding pathology,in order to improve the understanding of the CT imaging manifestations of parotid adenolymphoma in the parotid gland. METHOD: The enhanced CT characteristics of 34 cases of parotid adenolymphoma in the parotid gland confirmed by histological pathology were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: There were totally 86 lesions in 34 cases, of which 12 cases with lesions in bilateral sides and 22 cases with lesions in unilateral side. Sixty-six lesions located behind and below the superficial lobe of the parotid gland. The lesions showed moderate to obvious enhancement at arterial phase, and the cystic region within the lesions showed no enhancement. CONCLUSION The relatively specific enhanced MSCT manifestations of parotid adenolymphoma in parotid gland include lesions located behind and below the superficial lobe of parotid gland unilaterally or bilaterally, sometimes exhibited as multiple masses, with clear edge, obvious enhancement and cystic degeneration inside.
Adenolymphoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Parotid Gland ; pathology ; Parotid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective: To study the effect of flavonoids from seed residues of Hippophae rhamnoides L.( FSH) and Hippophae rhamnoides L. oil(HRO)on serum lipid in female rats with obesity. Methods Female aged rats with obesity were given FSH and HRO by oral administration for 6 w. Serum triglyceride(TG) and cholesterol(TC) were determined every 2 w. The serum free fatty acid (FFA), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),body weight and Lee’s index were measured after 6 w. Results: Serum TG and FFA level decreased significantly in rats given FSH. At the same time, FSH could inhibit the increase in body weight and Lee’s index. HRO could regulate the lipid metabolism and decrease serum TG level significantly in female aged rats with obesity. Conclusion: Both FSH and HRO can improve lipid metabolism in female aged rats with obesity.

Objective To investigate the accuracy of three-dimensional reconstruction coronary angiography with CardiOp-B system in the evaluation of coronary artery stenosis, and make comparison with conventional quantitative coronary angiography(QCA). Methods The imaging data of 33 patients (39 vessel segments) who underwent coronary angiography and received interventional therapy were collected. The vessel diameter, vessel area, diameter of reference vessel rate of stenosed area and lesion length detected by three-dimensional reconstruction coronary angiography and QCA were compared. Results There was no significant difference in the detected minimal vessel diameter, minimal vessel area, diameter of reference vessel, rate of stenosed area and lesion length between three-dimensional reconstruction coronary angiography and QCA in these 39 vessel segments (P > 0.05), while the lesion length detected by three-dimensional reconstruction coronary angiography was significantly longer than that detected by QCA(P < 0.05). Conclusion Three-dimentional reconstruction of coronary angiography with CardiOp-B system demonstrates higher accuracy in the quantitative analysis of coronary artery stenosis compared with conventional QCA.