· AIM: To investigate whether heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is induced in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in experimental rat glaucoma and whether the induction of HSP27 by intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation can increase serum autoantibody to HSP27 in the model.IOP elevation、Sham and normal groups by SPSS12.0. IOP was raised by electrocoagulating at least 3 episcleral veins and limbal veins on the right eye of each rat in IOP elevation group and its contralateral eye was used as controls. Immunohistochemical staining for HSP27 was performed in RGCs and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and serum immunoreactivity against HSP27 was detected by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in three groups.RNFL of the eyes with IOP elevation, while it was expressed weakly in untreated control eyes. Compared with sham and normal groups, serum autoantibody to HSP27 was slightly high at 1wk (P ＞0.05) and significantly increased at 2, 3, 4 and 8wk (P＜0.05) in IOP elevation group.enhanced expression of the endogenous HSP27 might play an important role in glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

AIM: To study the experimental method of inducing the chronic intraocular hypertension in rat eyes.METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were randomly divided into ocular hypertension and Sham control groups. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was raised by electrocoagulating at least 3 episcleral and limbal veins on the right eye of each rat in ocular hypertension group and its contralateral eye was used as control. At 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8wk after the electrocoagulation of the veins, IOP were measured. RESULTS: The treatment of electrocoagulation caused a significant IOP increase of the right eyes over the baseline, over the contralateral eyes, and over the sham control eyes (repeated measures ANOVA, P＜0.001). At 1wk,IOP was (30.12± 5.L8 ) mmHg (1kPa=7.5mmHg), and maintained the high IOP up to 8wk.CONCLUSION: The chronic intraocular hypertension model could be successfully created by electrocoagulating three or more episcleral and limbal veins.

Establishment of the “Happy Reading Club” was to create a personal reading space for undergraduates. The reading situation of undergraduates was analyzed with the creation processes of “Happy Reading Club” summa-rized.The reading popularizing activities were described, including questionnaire investigation of reading, sign of DIY “tree”, and recommendation of classic booklist, with the existing problems pointed out.

The tracheocutaneous fistula after tracheostomy is a complex clinical problem. An ideal fistula closure is still difficult at present though a variety of fistula-closing methods have been reported in the literature. We used a turnover skin flap to cover the fistula. All the procedures were completed at bedside under local anesthesia. The fistula was successfully closed and well healed without complications within 7-9 days. It has been proven that this operation is simple, effective, and safe.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cutaneous Fistula ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; surgery ; Respiratory Tract Fistula ; etiology ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Tracheal Diseases ; etiology ; surgery ; Tracheotomy ; adverse effects

Enuresis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL144 sequence variability and clinical disease.

METHODSHCMV UL144 open reading frame (ORF) was amplified by PCR assay in 72 low-passage isolates [65 congenitally infective children and 7 healthy children who were HCMV-DNA positive by quantitative PCR (qPCR)]. All positive PCR products were analyzed by heteroduplex mobility assay and single-stranded conformation polymorphism (HMA-SSCP) and 32 of them were sequenced.

RESULTSFifty-five patient isolates and five healthy children isolates were HCMV-UL144 positive by PCR. Sequencing and HMA-SSCP analysis showed that significant strain-specific variability was present in the UL144 ORF. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequences could be separated into 3 major genotypes. Comparing between UL144 sequences and the corresponding symptoms showed that genotype 2 did not exist in megacolon isolates. And genotype 1 and 3 were the major types among microcephaly and jaundice isolates respectively.

CONCLUSIONSHCMV-UL144 existed in most of low passage isolates and sequences were hypervariable. The UL144 ORF and its predicted product with the high level of sequence variability in different kinds of isolates suggest that UL144 ORF might play a role in HCMV infectivity and subsequent diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; genetics ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice ; genetics ; virology ; Megacolon ; genetics ; virology ; Microcephaly ; genetics ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

BACKGROUNDA number of studies have examined the association between estrogen receptor alpha (ESR-α) gene polymorphisms and bone mineral density (BMD), but previous studies of ESR-α gene XbaI (rs9340799) and PvuII (rs2234693) polymorphisms have been hampered by small sample size, regional restrictions and inconclusive results. Thus a meta-analysis is needed to assess their pooled effects.

METHODSThis study reviewed all published articles indexed in Pubmed using the keywords in the title or abstract. All data were extracted independently by two reviewers using a standard form, the studies were meta-analyzed and minor discrepancies were resolved by authors' discussion.

RESULTSTwenty seven eligible studies involving 8467 women and 2032 men were identified. The XbaI and PvuII polymorphisms were significantly associated with BMD of the lumbar spine. XX and PP homozygotes had a protective effect in comparison with carriers of the x and p alleles, the effects were more significant in premenopausal women or Western women. At the femoral neck, the results were different. XX served as a protective factor in postmenopausal women, Western women, Western postmenopausal women, and men, while PP was likely to serve as a risk factor in Eastern women, Eastern postmenopausal women, and men.

CONCLUSIONSThe XbaI polymorphism is correlated to BMD at diverse skeletal sites. PP had a protective role for the lumbar spine but might be a risk factor for the femoral neck.

Bone Density ; genetics ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; Female ; Femur Neck ; pathology ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo construct a recombinant adenovirus of survivin vector and provid valuable reference for gene therapy of laryngeal cancer.

METHODSThe survivin gene was cloned by PCR. After confirmation by enzyme restriction analysis and sequencing, the gene and the adenovirus vector were recombined together to construct the recombinant adenovirus vector. The recombinant adenovirus vector was confirmed via both sequencing and digestion restriction analysis, and then linearized and transfected into the HEK 293 cell line to generate recombinant adenovirus.

RESULTSThe sequence analysis demonstrated that the survivin gene sequence was the same as published in the literature, suggesting that a recombinant adenovirus vector has been successfully constructed.

CONCLUSIONSA survivin recombinant adenovirus has been successfully constructed.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

Background Restylane, a hyaluronic acid gel, has been widely used as a dermal filler in USA and European countries. This study was designed to study the safety and efficacy of Restylane as a non-permanent dermal filler for facial augmentation therapy in China for the correction of nasolabial folds during a follow-up period of 6 months. Methods The study consisted of a screening visit, a baseline visit during which injection with Restylane was given, and follow-up visits after four weeks, three months and six months. The efficacy was subjectively assessed by comparing the treatment results between pre-treatment and post-treatment. Adverse events were analyzed by severity and duration. Results At six months post-baseline, the subjects and the investigators' independent assessment score of Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale was decreased. Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale was considered to have improved by over 90% in some cases. Adverse events related to product and injection was reported in 21.5% of the injections. A vast majority of the post-treatment reactions were mild. Conclusions The efficacy of Restylane for nasolabial fold in a Chinese population was excellent. Restylane was well tolerated and no systemic reactions or other safety concerns were raised.

BACKGROUNDDonor organ rejection continues to be a significant problem for patients receiving transplants. We therefore tested whether transferring a donor's major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene to the recipient would mitigate the rejection of transplanted hearts in mice.

METHODSH-2K(k) gene from donor mice was amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ligated into a mammalian expression vector, which was then transfected into thymus ground mass cells collected from the recipients. Clones stably expressing the transgene were then injected into the recipients' thymus visualized using ultrasound. Control mice were administered cells previously transfected with empty vector. Following heart transplantation, cardiac activity was monitored electrocardiographically. Recipient thymus cells were tested for MHC antigenicity using flow cytometry and spleen cells were subjected to mixed lymphocyte culture tests. Finally, the transplanted hearts were sectioned, stained and examined under light microscopy.

RESULTSSouthern analysis following nested PCR revealed clear expression of H-2K(k) gene. Following transplantation, electrocardiosignals were detectable highly significantly longer in recipients administered thymal cells expressing donor H-2K(k) than in those receiving control cells. Flow cytometric analysis using an anti-H-2K(k) antibody confirmed its expression in H-2K(k) treated recipients but not in control mice. Mixed lymphocyte cultures containing H-2K(k) treated cells showed significantly less proliferation than those containing control cells. Hearts from control mice showed substantially greater lymphocyte infiltration than those from H-2K(k) treated mice and large areas of necrosis.

CONCLUSIONRejection of transplanted hearts can be mitigated substantially by introducing the donor's MHC into the recipient.

Animals ; Blotting, Southern ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Graft Rejection ; genetics ; immunology ; Heart Transplantation ; immunology ; methods ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Polymerase Chain Reaction