OBJECTIVETo discuss the individual operation standard and safety on the deep puncturing at Tianshu (ST 25).

METHODSThe deep insertion through the peritoneum about 1-2 millimeter was taken as individual standard depth at Tianshu (ST 25) for 39 patients. Using CT cross-section scanning and image surveying, the regression analysis was conducted on the impacts of abdominal circumference (AC,cm) to the peritoneum depth.

RESULTSIt was concluded the formula for calculating the satisfactory depth of individual insertion at Tianshu (ST 25), depth = -0.562 + 0.045 x AC.

CONCLUSIONThe depth of insertion, 1-2 millimeter through peritoneum at Tianshu (ST 25) is safe and feasible in acupuncture treatment, which can be used significantly as the reference and guidance for the assessment of clinical operation and safety on the deep puncturing of the other acupoints on the abdominal region.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regression Analysis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

LRP16 is a novel gene which was found in our laboratory by using methylation-sensitive restriction landmark genomic scanning (RLGS) technique. In order to clone the full-length cDNA of this leukemia relapse associated gene, the method of rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) was employed. By optimizing some procedures of RACE method, the 5'- and 3'-untranslated region of LRP16 cDNA was successfully sequenced. Then, the full length of LRP16 cDNA and open reading frame (ORF) was constructed and was registered in GenBank. The above-mentioned procedure demonstrated RACE technique is a rapid and sensitive method for cloning unknown gene. Especially, it is very useful to cloning the 5'- and 3'-untranslated region of a novel gene.

OBJECTIVESince most reports on bystander effect have been only concerned with radiation-induced damage, the present paper aimed at disclosing whether low dose radiation could induce a stimulatory or beneficial bystander effect.

METHODSA co-culture system containing irradiated antigen presenting cells (J774A.1) and unirradiated T lymphocytes (EL-4) was established to observe the effect of J774A.1 cells exposed to both low and high doses of X-rays on the unirradiated EL-4 cells. Incorporation of 3H-TdR was used to assess the proliferation of the EL-4 cells, expression of CD80/86 and CD48 on J774A.1 cells was measured with immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, respectively. NO release from J774A.1 cells was estimated with nitrate reduction method.

RESULTSLow dose-irradiated J774A.1 cells could stimulate the proliferation of the unirradiated EL-4 cells while the high dose-irradiated J774A.1 cells exerted an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of the unirradiated EL-4 cells. Preliminary mechanistic studies illustrated that the differential changes in CD48 expression and NO production by the irradiated J774A.1 cells after high and low dose radiation might be important factors underlying the differential bystander effect elicited by different doses of radiation.

CONCLUSIONStimulatory bystander effect can be induced in immune cells by low dose radiation.

Animals ; Antigen-Presenting Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; radiation effects ; Antigens, CD ; immunology ; B7-1 Antigen ; immunology ; B7-2 Antigen ; Bystander Effect ; radiation effects ; Cell Division ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Coculture Techniques ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; immunology ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; X-Rays

Objective To explore the biological functions of retinoic acid-inducible gene-I(RIG-I) in vivo through phenotype analysis of RIG-I knockout mice. Methods The gene expression of RIG-Ⅰ in various tissues of mice was examined with Northern blotting and semi-quantitative RT-PCR.The phenotypes observed included body weight measurement,differential count of peripheral blood cells,metabolic parameters measurement and histopathologic examination. ResultsRIG-Ⅰ expressed in various tissues of mice with different levels.No gross developmental abnormalities and expected maturation arrest in granulocytic differentiation were observed in RIG-Ⅰ knockout mice.However,RIG-Ⅰ knockout mice exhibited an unexpected increase in the ratios of neutrophiles to lymphocytes in peripheral blood and increased susceptibility to bacteria infection. Conclusion RIG-Ⅰ may play an important role in immune regulation in mice.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on protein synthesis in rat cardiomyocytes exposed to gamma-ray irradiation.

METHODSPrimary cultured cardiomyocytes were irradiated with single-dose (20 Gy) gamma ray in the absence or presence of HGF (40 ng/ml) added in the cell culture 3 h before the exposure. Forty-eight hours after irradiation, the total cellular protein was measured and cell cycle analyzed by flow cytometry. The cardiomyoctes were also infected with AdGFP 48 h after irradiation and the fluorescence intensity of the green fluorescence protein (GFP) in the cells determined by flow cytometry 48 h after infection.

RESULTSThe protein synthesis was decreased significantly in the irradiated cardiomyocytes as compared with the control group (P<0.01), but was remedied significantly by incubation of the cells with HGF before the exposure (P<0.05). Flow cytometry revealed much lower mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of GFP in irradiated cardiomycytes than in cells without the exposure (P<0.01); The MFI was higher in HGF-treated cardiomyocytes than in cells without HGF treatment following the exposure (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONGamma ray irradiation inhibits protein synthesis in cardiomyocytes, and HGF may attenuate this effect of gamma ray exposure for cardiomyocyte protection.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Gamma Rays ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Protein Biosynthesis ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To investigate the effects of duration of untreated psychiatry (DUP) on the white matter integrity in first-episode medication-free patients with schizophrenia. Methods The Chinese version of Nottingham Onset Schedule was used to assess the DUP of 39 first-episode medication-free patients with schizophrenia. According to the median of DUP, the 39 patients were grouped into long-DUP group and short-DUP group. Diffusion weighted images of the 39 patients' whole brains were acquired with a Half-Fourier Acquired Single-Shot Turbo Spin Echo (HASTE) sequence.After being preprocessed with DTI-studio and statistical parametric mapping software (SPM5), the fractional anisotropy (FA) images of the 2 groups were compared by two-sample t-test with SPM5 software. The differences of gender, age, education level and total scores of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores between the 2 groups were also detected. Results No significant difference was noted on gender, age, education level, PANSS scores between the 2 groups (P＞0.05).Subjects of long-DUP group showed significantly reduced FA value in the right anterior cingulate fasciculus (x=8, y=40, z=24) and left prefrontal white matter thresholded (x=32, y=34, z=4) as compared with that of short-DUP group at a level of P＜0.001 (uncorrected). Conclusion Extension of the duration of DUP will reduce the white matter integrity in first-episode medication-free patients with schizophrenia.

To compare the clinical outcome of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) and autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) in treatment of patients with acute leukemia in first remission, 41 patients received APBSCT, 17 patients received unpurged ABMT and 30 patients received purged ABMT. The results showed that hematopoietic recovery was significantly earlier after APBSCT than that after purged or unpurged ABMT. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), relapse rate (RR) and transplant-related mortality (TRM) for all patients of 3 groups were 51.7%, 41.7% and 6.8%, respectively. DFS and RR were significantly influenced by disease types (ALL or AML) and intervals between diagnosis and CR(1) or CR(1) and transplant. The main causes of transplant-related death were infection and hemorrhage. After APBSCT, DFS, RR and TRM were 48.4%, 43.9% and 4.9%, respectively, and did not differ significantly from those found in unpurged ABMT (47.1%, 45.6% and 11.8%) or purged ABMT (66.5%, 29.6% and 6.7%). It is concluded that the clinical outcome of APBSCT is similar to unpurged or purged ABMT but APBSCT allows faster recovery of hematopoiesis and needs less transfusion support.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Bacterial Infections ; etiology ; mortality ; Bone Marrow Purging ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Child ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; etiology ; mortality ; Humans ; Leukemia ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; therapy ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVETo analyze the high risk factors for tumor recurrence in short term after hepatectomy for the patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSFive hundreds and two patients with primary HCC underwent hepatectomy were included from January 1997 to December 2008. Among these patients, males were 419 cases and females were 83 cases. The age was 14 to 82 years (average age 54 years). The results of evaluation on 2 months after resection and tumor recurrence and survival were analyzed.

RESULTSAccording to the operative and pathologic findings and the evaluation on 2 months after hepatectomy, the patients with vascular invasion, palliation resection, cutting edge pathologic residual tumor, lymph notes metastasis, serum AFP level continuing higher after resection or(and) positive TACE (tumor dyeing on TACE within 1 month and a deposit of lipiodol on CT scan) were high risk factors (high-risk group, 106 cases, 21.1%), the recurrence-free survival was 22%, 9% and 3% (1, 2 and 5 year) and overall survival was 52%, 25% and 8%. On the non-high risk group patients, the recurrence-free survival was 84%, 67%, 42% and 31% (1, 2, and 5 year) and overall survival was 97%, 85%, 56% and 35%. The bigger tumor, poor differentiation, tumor invading to liver capsule, satellite focus and TNM III-IV stage in high-risk groups were more significantly than that in non-high-risk groups.

CONCLUSIONThe vascular invasion, palliation resection, cutting edge pathologic residual tumor, lymph notes metastasis, serum AFP level continuing higher or (and) positive TACE within 2 months after resection are high risk factors for HCC patients in short term after hepatectomy, which mean tumor remnant.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; mortality ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

Acupuncture ; standards ; Acupuncture Therapy ; standards ; China ; Complementary Therapies ; standards ; Guideline Adherence ; Herpes Zoster ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; standards ; Risk Assessment ; Severity of Illness Index

Suicide,a major public health problem,is the death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die.In this paper,we reviewed the genes encoding serotonin system,calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 C,γ-aminobutyric acid,and spindle and kinetochore associated complex subunit 2,as well as their related brain regions,from the perspective of imaging genetics,aiming to provide new ideas for the research and intervention on suicidal behavior.
Brain ; Humans ; Suicidal Ideation ; Suicide