BACKGROUNDGlucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity/GC resistance is an important etiological and prognostic factor in multiple diseases and pathophysiological processes such as scald, shock and asthma. The function of GC was mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Scald not only decreased the expression of GR but also reduced the affinity of GR, which played an important role in GC resistance in scalded rats. Whereas the molecular mechanism responsible for the decrease of GR affinity resulted from scald remains unclear. Recent studies showed that the changes of heat shock proteins (hsp) especially hsp90 and hsp70 of GR heterocomplex were associated with GR low affinity in vitro.

METHODSThe affinity of GR in hepatic cytosols and in the cytosols of SMMC-7721 cells were determined by radioligand binding assay and scatchard plot. GR heterocomplex in cytosols were captured by coimmunoprecipation and the levels of hsp90 and hsp70 of GR complex were detected by quantitative Western blotting.

RESULTSSimilar with that of hepatic cytosol of scalded rats, a remarkable decrease of GR affinity was also found in the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The level of hsp70 of GR complex in hepatic cytosol of scalded rats (30% total body surface area immersion scald) and in cytosol of heat stressed human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 were both increased by 1.5 fold, whereas no change of hsp90 in GR heterocomplex was found. According to the correlation analysis, there may be a positive relationship between increased hsp70 of GR complex and decreased GR affinity in the cytosols.

CONCLUSIONSThe primary results indicated that the level of hsp70 of GR heterocomplex was increased in the hepatic cytosol of scalded rats and the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The increase of hsp70 of GR complex might be associated with the decrease of GR affinity.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Burns ; physiopathology ; Cell Line ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Heat-Shock Response ; physiology ; Immunoprecipitation ; Protein Binding ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTamsulosin, an alpha-1 receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated effective in promoting distal ureteral stone passage and in reducing pain associated with stone expulsion. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tamsulosin in comparison with nifedipine and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on the expulsion rate of distal ureteral stones at different sizes.

METHODSWe assigned 314 patients to three categories: I, the stone with maximal diameter of 4.0 - 5.9 mm; II, 6.0 - 7.9 mm, and III, 8.0 - 9.9 mm. Patients in each category were randomly subdivided into three treatment subgroups: group A (nifedipine group), group B (tamsulosin group), and group C (ESWL group). Stone-free rate and the dose of analgesics were recorded weekly during the 4-week follow-up period.

RESULTSThree hundred and three patients completed the study. The results showed that nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments promoted a small (4 - 8 mm, categories I and II) stone expulsive rate that was comparable with ESWL treatment. Nonetheless, when the stone diameter was 8.0 - 9.9 mm, ESWL showed a greater stone free rate than nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments; no significant difference existed between the latter two therapies. Although the ESWL treatment group required the least analgesics, tamsulosin treatments required less pain medication than nifedipine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTamsulosin treatment is recommended for patients with the stone diameter smaller than 8 mm because of its feasibility, effectiveness and safety. ESWL is more appropriate than tamsulosin therapy for the patients whose stones are larger than 8 mm.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nifedipine ; therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureteral Calculi ; drug therapy ; therapy

BACKGROUNDMore and more Chinese drink hot water from water dispensers while many children were scalded due to this change. The present study aimed to propose a feasible strategy for prevention.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted for all water dispensers related pediatric burns admitted to Changhai Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009.

RESULTSThe number of new cases and incidences of pediatric burns due to hot water from water dispensers was significantly increasing year after year. In the total 238 involved cases, 175 cases happened on males and 78.9% were at the age of 1 - 4 years. The burn areas were mainly located in upper extremities. All water dispensers in the surveyed families had no isolate protection devices and 85.2% of their locations were easy for children to reach. Nearly half of the children were in the same room with their guardians when injured. Total 196 burned children were playing the taps of water dispensers before injured, unfortunately, 80.6% of them have not been stopped until burned.

CONCLUSIONAs the kind of burns is quite serious and with bad outcome, some recommendations should be followed, such as buying water dispensers with protection devices, keeping children from touching them and so on.

Accidents, Home ; Adolescent ; Burns ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Water

Background More and more Chinese drink hot water from water dispensers while many children were scalded due to this change.The present study aimed to propose a feasible strategy for prevention.Methods A retrospective study was conducted for all water dispensers related pediatric burns admitted to Changhai Hospital from January 2005 to December 2009.Results The number of new cases and incidences of pediatric burns due to hot water from water dispensers was significantly increasing year after year.In the total 238 involved cases,175 cases happened on males and 78.9％ were at the age of 1-4 years.The burn areas were mainly located in upper extremities.All water dispensers in the surveyed families had no isolate protection devices and 85.2％ of their locations were easy for children to reach.Nearly half of the children were in the same room with their guardians when injured.Total 196 burned children were playing the taps of water dispensers before injured,unfortunately,80.6％ of them have not been stopped until burned.Conclusion As the kind of bums is quite serious and with bad outcome,some recommendations should be followed,such as buying water dispensers with protection devices,keeping children from touching them and so on.

OBJECTIVETo compare indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (anti-dsDNA).

METHODSA total of 125 serum samples were obtained from patients with established or suspected autoimmune disease, and 82 samples were used for ANA detection and 57 for anti-dsDNA detection using both IIFA and ELISA. Fourteen samples were examined for both ANA and anti-dsDNA. In cases where discrepancy occurred in the results by the two methods, extractable nuclear antigens were detected using immunoblotting.

RESULTSThe positivity rate of ANA detected by IIFA and ELISA was significantly different (87.8% and 73.17%, respectively, P<0.01), but the positivity rate of anti-dsDNA was similar between IIFA and ELISA (77.19% and 71.93%, respectively, P>0.05). The percent agreement between the two testing methods with different cutoff values of ANA and anti-dsDNA showed significant differences (P<0.01), and for some uncommon patterns, the percent agreement of the two methods was lowered in ANA detection but remained unchanged for anti-dsDNA with different ANA patterns. High percent agreements of the two methods were obtained with the cutoff ANA titer of 1:100 and the cutoff anti-dsDNA value of weak positivity, but they demonstrated a significant difference in testing low-titer ANA and anti-dsDNA.

CONCLUSIONIIFA is more sensitive than ELISA in detecting the total ANA and anti-dsDNA. ELISA prescreening combined with IIFA can obtain the information of the nuclear pattern and allow the observation of the titer alterations. The combination of two or more testing methods can greatly enhance the accuracy of the results.

Antibodies, Antinuclear ; analysis ; DNA ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experience in repair of deep burn and traumatic wounds with combined transplantation of different types of pedicled skin flaps in lower extremities.

METHODSTwo hundred and thirty-six patients with 271 deep wounds in lower extremities after burn or trauma were repaired with muscular skin flaps, local fascial flaps and island flaps with vascular pedicle (more than 20 types) in our department from Jan. 1998 to Sept. 2008.

RESULTSComplete necrosis of skin flaps occurred in 1 case, congestion and necrosis over the edge of skin flaps occurred in 3 cases, which were healed after grafting, and other skin flaps survived well with soft texture. Skin flaps were too bulky in 26 cases, among them 17 cases were thinned, and the appearance of other skin flaps were satisfactory. In 68 patients with functional region injury were recovered to certain extent without contracture.

CONCLUSIONSSkin flaps with pedicles, multiple transplantations if necessary, can repair deep wounds satisfactorily in lower extremities after deep burn or trauma injury.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Burns ; surgery ; Buttocks ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Wound Healing ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and long-term effect of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF) on deep partial-thickness burn wounds.

METHODSThirty-seven burn patients were enrolled in this study and were observed by randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled protocol. An area of deep partial-thickness burn wounds from each patient was divided into control (C) and treatment (T) portions. The wound in C was treated with normal saline while that in T with rhEGF. The patients were followed-up for 1 and 4 years after wound healing. The healed wounds were evaluated by modified Vancouver scar scale in terms of scar index (SI).

RESULTS1 year after wound healing, it was found that the SI in T group (7.19 +/- 1.67) was obviously lower than that in C group (8.92 +/- 1.78, P < 0.01). The SI in T group (6.12 +/- 1.54) was still evidently lower than that in C group (8.09 +/- 1.81, P < 0.01) four years after wound healing. There were no signs of development of tumor or cancer in all the tested burn wound areas.

CONCLUSIONExternal application of rhEGF might be beneficial to the healing quality of deep partial-thickness burn wound with less scar formation and better long-term effects, and it is safe.

Adult ; Burns ; drug therapy ; Double-Blind Method ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing ; drug effects ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDTumor necrosis factor-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) gene has been shown important in cardiac remodeling. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the variants of TNFAIP3 gene are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients.

METHODSFour representatives of all the other single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TNFAIP3 gene were tested for association with hypertrophy in two independent hypertensive populations (n = 2120 and n = 324).

RESULTSWe found that only the tag SNP (rs5029939) was consistently lower in the hypertensives with cardiac hypertrophy than in those without cardiac hypertrophy in the two study populations, indicating a protective effect on LVH (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) 0.58 (0.358 - 0.863), P = 0.035; OR (95%CI) = 0.477 (0.225 - 0.815), P < 0.05, respectively). Multiple regression analyses confirmed that the patients with G allele of rs5029939 had less thickness in inter-ventricular septum, left ventricular posterior wall, relative wall thickness and left ventricular mass index than did those with CC allele in the hypertensive patients in both study populations (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThese findings indicate that the SNP (rs5029939) in the TNFAIP3 gene may serve as a novel protective genetic marker for the development of LVH in patients with hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; genetics ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3

OBJECTIVEStroke is a complex disorder caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Epidemiological studies have provided evidence of genetic influence on the development of human stroke. However, genetic changes which contribute to the development of stroke are not well known. This study was designed to gain a deep insight into that aspect.

METHODSUsing cold-stimuli plus high-salt intake as environmental risk factors, the authors established a hypertension model in rats, which produced a complication of stroke. Then, they used the suppression subtractive hybridization(SSH) technique to identify the differential genes that specifically expressed in total cerebrum tissue of the rats in stroke group. A comparison was made between two populations, namely the control group and stroke group.

RESULTSBy the use of SSH approach, a total of 576 clones were generated in this study from two subtractive libraries, among them 456 clones were usable and were analyzed. Genes for metabolism transcripts in stroke group were shown to be up-regulated (P<0.01). Mitochondrial transcripts were observed in a high rate of 26.5%.

CONCLUSIONThe findings suggested that mitochondrial genes should induce an increased sensitivity to stroke through the changes of gene expressions. Mitochondrial genes probably play important roles in the causes and effects of stroke.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Male ; Mutation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stroke ; etiology ; genetics ; pathology