Adult ; Animals ; Ear Auricle ; parasitology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Tick Infestations ; Ticks

[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVE To obser ve t he pathological changes of nasal mucosa in rats after instillation of 37℃ normal saline. METHODS Forty-eight qualified rats were given instillation of 37℃ nomal saline 30 times, once per minute. Another 2 qualified rats served as control. After instillation, in the 15, 30 minutes and 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 42th, 28th day respectively, the nasal septum mucosa of 6 rats was observed by light and electron microscopy. The corresponding area of the mucosa of control group was also observed by light and electron microscope. RESULTS Under light microscope, the arrangement of cell was disordered in the 1st, 3rd, 7th days. But there is no damage of vascular gland structure. After 14 days, the disorder recovered. With electron microscope, edema of cells, expansion of perinuclear gap, disorder of cilia and microwilli was found in the 30 minutes, 1st, 3rd day. All these began recover in the 7th days, and completely restored in the 28th day. CONCLUSION 37℃ nomal saline drip can damage nasal mucosa, but the damage is light, which is characterized by disorder and shortage of cilia and microvilli, edema of the epithelial cells. And the damage can recover quickly. It began in the 30 minutes after instillation, reached its peak in the 3rd day. And the recovery began in the 7th day, and completed in the 28 day.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of the hospital intensive treatment by auto-CPAP on elderly patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and to analyse the possible factors related to the effectiveness.Methods Subjects were selected from elderly OSAHS patients over 60 years old.The eligible subjects were divided into intensive treatment group and non-intensive treatment group (non-ITG).Patients in intensive treatment group were intensively treated using auto-CPAP for 3 consecutive days,assisted with targeted health education and guidance,and making proper adjustments to parameters of the auto-CPAP according to treatment outcomes at the previous day.But those in non-intensive treatment group were just treated with auto-CPAP for only 1 day,supplemented by regular health education and guidance.The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI),minimum oxygen saturation (SaO2min),mean oxygen saturation (SaO2mean) and the time spent at SaO2 lower than 90％ (tSaO2＜90％),the occurrence of clinical symptoms and adverse effect,Epworth sleepiness scale(ESS) were compared between both groups.The correlation analyses were also conducted.Results ESS (3.58±3.76 vs.6.84 ± 3.22),AHI [(7.85±6.53) time/h vs.(10.42±7.27) time/h] and tSaO2＜90％[(5.65±15.43) min vs.(15.26±33.14) min] were lower(t=6.902,2.760,2.765,allP＜0.05),while SaO2mean [(96.57±1.53)％ vs.(94.63±1.38)％] and SaO2min [(88.24±4.43)％ vs.(83.28±5.06)％]were higher(t=-9.870,-7.740,both P＜0.05)in intensive treatment group than in non intensive treatment group.The occurrences of clinical symptoms and adverse effect (except for skin allergy) were decreased in intensive treatment group versus non-ITG (all P＜0.05).The AHI after intensive treatment was decreased in females versus males [(7.85±5.19) times /h vs.(11.27±7.78) times/h,t=2.133,P＜0.05].BMI,age,gender and the state of OSAHS were correlated to AHI,SaO2 mean,SaO2 min and tSao2＜90％ after intensive treatment (all P＜0.05).Conclusions The hospital intensive treatment can improve the clinical results and decrease the occurrences of clinical symptoms and adverse effect for elderly OSAHS patients,and is expected to improve therapy compliance,and its curative efficacy is correlated to BMI,age,gender and state of OSAHS before therapy.

OBJECTIVETo observe preliminary efficacy of decompressive unilateral improved transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases.

METHODSFrom August 2009 to December 2011, 28 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases were treated by decompressive unilateral improved TLIF,including 16 males and 12 females with an average of 61 (aged 46 to 71) years old,the courses of disease ranged from 6 months to 6 years. Among them, 20 cases suffered from lumbar spinal stenosis, 8 cases were lumbar disc herniation. Decompressive range included single segment in 24 cases,and double segments in 4 cases; 15 cases were performed operation on the left side, 13 cases on the right side. JOA lower back pain scoring system (29 points) were applied for evaluate preoperative and postoperative symptoms, physical signs and sphincteral functions;Visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to evaluate preoperative and postoperative low back pain.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up 6 to 28 (mean 14) months. Postoperative JOA score and VAS score were 17.9 +/- 2.2, 2.8 +/- 0.7 respectively,and preoperative JOA score and VAS score were 8.5 +/- 1.7, 8.6 +/- 1.2, respectively. There were significant meaning in JOA and VAS scores before and after operation (P < 0.05). Twenty-eight patients were all obtained intervertebral synostosis.

CONCLUSIONDecompressive unilateral improved TLIF for treatment of unilateral radicular lumbar spinal stenosis and lumbar disc herniation,which has advantages of minimally invasive,curative effects,decrease medical costs,is worthy spreading in clinical.

Adult ; Aged ; Decompression, Surgical ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To analyze the changes of thyroid function of healthy primipara before 20 weeks of gestation to establish normal gestational age-specific reference interval of thyroid hormones,and to investigate the prevalence of maternal thyroid disorders during the first half of pregnancy.Methods A total of 1605 healthy primipara without risk factors of thyroid diseases before 20 gestational weeks and 200 non-pregnant healthy women who accepted pre-conception care in Beijing Friendship Hospital from September 2010 to June 2011 were tested for serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid peroxidase antihody (TPOAb) by chemiluminometric immunoanalysis.One thousand two hundred and fourty-three pregnant women among them with negative thyroid antibooly and without previons thyroid diseases were selected as the standard population for normal interval.Gestational age-specific percentile categories for TSH and FT4 were calculated.The prevalence of maternal thyroid disorders was examined by gestational agespecific intervals.Results (1) Compared with non-pregnant women,the median value of serum TSH in pregnant women decreased by 29.56％ to the value of 0.91 mU/L; while that of FT4 rose by 7.79％ to the value of 11.33 pmol/L before 12 weeks; and TSH increased while FT4 decreased during 13 to 20 weeks.(2) The median values and reference intervals (2.5th percentile,97.5th percentile) for TSH were 1.59 mU/L (0.15 mU/L,5.19 mU/L) in no-pregnant women,1.12 mU/L (0.03 mU/L,3.67 mU/L) at 8-12+6 gestational weeks,1.21 mU/L (0.05 mU/L,3.74 mU/L) at 13-16+6 gestational weeks,1.50 mU/L (0.31 mU/L,4.33 mU/L) at 17-19+6 gestational weeks; and the median values and reference intervals (2.5th percentile,97.5th percentile) for FT4 were 9.91 pmol/L (6.69 pmol/L,14.03 pmol/L),10.68 pmol/L (7.98 pmol/L,18.66 pmol/L),10.04 pmol/L (6.18 pmol/L,16.22 pmol/L),9.40 pmol/L (6.44 pmol/L,13.51 pmol/L) respectively.(3) According to gestational age-specific reference intervals,the general prevalence of maternal thyroid disorders,including hyperthyroidism,hypothyroidism,subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroinemia,was 3.55％ (57/1606).At 8-12+6 gestational weeks,13-16+6 gestational weeks and 17 19+6 gestational weeks,the occurrence of hyperthyroidism was 0.00％,0.13％ and 0.00％;that of hypothyroidism was 0.00％,0.13％ and 0.00％; the incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism was 3.60％,2.76％ and 3.00％; the occurrence of hypothyroxinemia was 0.16％,0.26％ and 0.86％,respectively.The positive rate of TPOAb at 8-12+6,13-16+6 and 17-19+6 gestational weeks were 22.91％ (140/611),16.56％ (126/761) and 15.45％(36/233),and the total positive rate of TPOAb was 18.82％ (302/1605).The median level of TPOAb was 38.90,41.87 and 39.10 mU/L,respectively.Conclusions Before 20 gestational weeks,specific changes occur in maternal thyroid function.TSH level decreases during 8 to 12 gestational weeks,and then increases gradually; while FT4 level increases during 8 to 12 weeks,and then decreases gradually.Thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy is common and subclinical hypothyroidisum is the leading problem in thyroid disorders.Screening for thyroid function during early pregnancy is suggested.

AIM:To investigate the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)transfection into c-kitpos cardiac stem cells (c-kit+CSCs) on the cell viability.METHODS: Under the sterile condition, the auricles of SD rats were taken out , and then c-kit +CSCs were collected through enzyme digestion and immunomagnetic bead separation (MACS).The cells were identified by flow cytometry .c-kit +CSCs were transfected with enhanced green fluorescent pro-tein CGRP lentiviral vector ( Lv-EGFP-CGRP) or enhanced green fluorescent protein lentiviral vector ( Lv-EGFP).The cells were randomly divided into Lv-EGFP-CGRP-CSCs group , Lv-EGFP-CSCs group and CSCs group .The transfection was observed under the fluorescence microscope .The transfection efficiency was detected by flow cytometry .The CGRP protein secretion in the cell culture supernatants was detected by ELISA .The viability of c-kit+CSCs transfected with Lv-EGFP-CGRP or Lv-EGFP was measured by CCK-8 assay.RESULTS:c-kit+CSCs were isolated and cultured successfully .The expression positive rate of c-kit was 91.0%and the expression positive rates of CD 45 and CD34 were 4.5% and 4.0%, respectively.After transfected with lentivirus for 48 h, the stable fluorescence in c-kit +CSCs was observed under fluores-cence microscope .The transfection efficiency were 80%when MOI was 20.The level of CGRP was significantly increased in Lv-ECFP-CGRP-CSCs group compared with Lv-EGFP-CSCs group and CSCs group (P<0.05).Meanwhile, transfection with lentiviral vector in each group did not affect the viability of c-kit+CSCs.CONCLUSION:Transfection of Lv-EGFP-CGRP into c-kit+CSCs was successful .The secretion of CGRP was found in the transfected c-kit+CSCs and the viability was not changed after transfection .CGRP-modified c-kit+CSCs may play a role in treating myocardial infarction .

Objective To silence human gene Set7/9 and screen out stable transfection cell line in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 so as to investigate the impact of down-regulation of Set7/9 in cell line HepG2 and provide experimental foundation for studies on the effect of set7/9 in HepG2.Methods The target oligo was designed and synthesized;shRNA interference vector and the control vector were constructed and transfected into HepG2 cells;the stable transfection cells were screened out.Then Real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to detect the silence of Set7/9 according to both gene expression and protein expression level. Results The shRNA interference vector was constructed and transfected into HepG2 cells successfully.Compared with that in the negative control group,the expression of Set7/9 was dramatically downregulated (P < 0.05 ). Meanwhile,the expression of related protein Sirt1 and Suv39h1 was upregulated 8.4 folds and 1.1 fold, respectively.Conclusion Downregulation of Set7/9 expression can upregulate Sirt1 and Suv39h1,suggesting that Set7/9 may affect the activity of HepG2 cell lines.

Objective To investigate the value of whole-liver MR perfusion imaging(MRPI)for early detection of coagulative necrosis after percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI)in rabbit liver VX_2 tumors. Methods VX_2 tumor cell suspension was inoculated into rabbit liver and liver VX_2 tumors[diameter of (2.6?0.6)cm]were induced in 10 male rabbits.MR T_1 WI and T_2 WI were performed to monitor the development of the liver tumor on the 2~(nd)and 3~(rd)week after inoculation.Whole-liver MRPI was performed in the 10 rabbits with liver VX_2 tumors before and 6 days after PEI therapy(1.0 ml ethanol was injected into the most enhanced tumor region under CT guiding).Signal intensity(SI)values of untreated tumor parts and treated areas 6 days after PEI were recorded respectively.The steepest slope(SS)and bolus arrival time (TO)of SI-time curves were measured.The t-Student test was used in statistical analysis of the data.Results There was significant difference in MRPI data between untreated tumor parts[TO:(16.0?1.2)s and SS: 38.9?2.2]and treated areas[TO:(50.8?5.9)s and SS:6.0?1.2]6 days after PEI(t was 15.8 and -39.6 respectively,P

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To cultivate stem-like spheres from SW620 cell line in the specific serum-free medium and evaluate the features of the cancer stem cells, and to investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid ( DHA) and eicosapen-taenoic acid ( EPA) on the growth of SW620 stem cell-like cells.METHODS: Human colon cancer stem cell-like cells ( CSCLC) were obtained from SW620 spheres cultured in serum-free medium.These cells were tested for the expression of SSEA-1 and TRA-1-81 by immunofluorescence staining.The mRNA expression of Sox-2 and Oct-4 was detected by real-time PCR.The efficiency of colony formation on a soft agar gel and tumor formation in the nude mice was compared between SW620 adherent cells and CSCLC.The inhibitory effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin C on both types of cells were measured by MTS assay.MTS assay, Annexin V/PI staining and trypan blue staining were used to determine the effects of DHA and EPA on both types of cells.MTS assay was also used to analyze the combined effect of DHA or EPA with chemotherapeutic drugs on SW620 CSCLC.RESULTS:SW620 cells formed spheres in serum-free culture.The cells from spheres highly expressed SSEA-1 and TRA-1-81, transiently expressed Sox-2 and Oct-4 genes and were more resistant to 5-FU and mitomycin C treatments.These cells exhibited a greater ability in clone formation and tumorigenicity, indica-ting that these cells carried stem cell-like features, hence were considered SW620-derived CSCLC.DHA and/or EPA sup-pressed SW620 CSCLC by inhibiting cell growth, inducing cell apoptosis and sensitizing them to chemotherapeutic drugs. CONCLUSION:The cells with stem cell-like features, such as high efficiency in clonogenicity, tumorigenicity and resist-ance to chemotherapeutic drugs, can be obtained from SW620 spheres cultured in serum-free condition.DHA and EPA in-duce apoptosis in SW620-derived CSCLC and sensitize them to chemotherapeutic drugs.

It was widely believed that the interaction between rice and rice blast fungus can be interpreted by the gene-for-gene hypothesis. Two interaction models between rice blast fungus and anti-disease genes had been briefed. They were receptor-ligand model and guard model. The progress of research about molecular marker and position on avirulence genes of the pathogens of rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) was reviewed, and the methods to clone and the cloned avirulence genes of rice blast fungus were also summarized.