OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between expression of Fas, bcl-2 and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in myocardial ischemia in rats.

METHODSMyocardial ischemia was experimentally induced by ligating the left coronary artery. The rate were killed from 10 minutes to 7 days after the operation. Apoptotic myocardial cells were detected by TUNEL method. The expression of Fas and bcl-2 was studied by ABC immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSCardiomyocytic apoptosis appeared from 3 to 36 hours after ischemia. This phenomenon however could not be detected by TUNEL method 7 days after ischemia. The expression of Fas could be detected by ABC immunohistochemistry from 3 hours to 7 days after ischemia, and the expression of bcl-2 from 10 minutes to 7 days. Cardiomyocytic apoptosis and Fas / bcl-2 expression appeared in different regions of myocardium: apoptosis in the ischemic regions, while Fas and bcl-2 expression in regions without obvious ischemia.

CONCLUSIONIn rats, Fas and bcl-2 may not directly regulate apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in case of myocardial ischemia.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

Objective To design the small interference RNA (siRNA) specific to human CCL20 gene by RNA interfering technique, construct its recombinant lentiviral expression vectors, and identify these vectors by DNA sequencing. Methods According to Tuschl’s principle, the siRNA was designed and converted into cDNA of shRNA (small hairpin RNA) of siRNA for CCL20 gene. The cDNA was synthesized and inserted into plasmid pHSER-dsRNA-GFP-SIN which was linearized by restriction endonucleases SpeⅠ and SalⅠ. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into competent E. coli. DH5? cells. The positive recombinant colony was selected by ampicillin medium agar and identified by DNA sequencing. Results Two recombinant lentiviral plasmids of siRNA specific to CCL20 gene were constructed successfully. Their DNA sequence analysis completely coincided with their designed sequences. Conclusion Lentiviral vector-based siRNA expression plasmids against CCL20 gene have been successfully constructed and identified. They will be further used for interfering CCL20 mRNA transcription and lay the foundation for CCL20 gene modified human keratinocyte stem cells.

BACKGROUNDSevoflurane and propofol are widely used anesthetics for surgery. Studies on the mechanisms of general anesthesia have focused on changes in protein expression properties and membrane lipid. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate neural function by altering protein expression. We hypothesize that sevoflurane and propofol affect miRNA expression profiles in the brain, expect to understand the mechanism of anesthetic agents.

METHODSRats were randomly assigned to a 2% sevoflurane group, 600 μg·kg - 1·min - 1 propofol group, and a control group without anesthesia (n = 4, respectively). Treatment group was under anesthesia for 6 h, and all rats breathed spontaneously with continuous monitoring of respiration and blood gases. Changes in rat cortex miRNA expression profiles were analyzed by miRNA microarrays and validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Differential expression of miRNA using qRT-PCR among the control, sevoflurane, and propofol groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

RESULTSOf 677 preloaded rat miRNAs, the microarray detected the expression of 277 miRNAs in rat cortex (40.9%), of which 9 were regulated by propofol and (or) sevoflurane. Expression levels of three miRNAs (rno-miR-339-3p, rno-miR-448, rno-miR-466b-1FNx01) were significantly increased following sevoflurane and six (rno-miR-339-3p, rno-miR-347, rno-miR-378FNx01, rno-miR-412FNx01, rno-miR-702-3p, and rno-miR-7a-2FNx01) following propofol. Three miRNAs (rno-miR-466b-1FNx01, rno-miR-3584-5p and rno-miR-702-3p) were differentially expressed by the two anesthetic treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONSSevoflurane and propofol anesthesia induced distinct changes in brain miRNA expression patterns, suggesting differential regulation of protein expression. Determining the targets of these differentially expressed miRNAs may help reveal both the common and agent-specific actions of anesthetics on neurological and physiological function.

Anesthesia, General ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Methyl Ethers ; pharmacology ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Propofol ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of mild hypothermia on cerebral oxygen partial pressure, carbon dioxide partial pressure, pH and body temperature (PbrO2, PbrCO2, pHbr and BT) in patients with acute severe head injury.

METHODSThirty-eight patients with acute severe head injury were treated with mild hypothermia, meantime PbrO2, PbrCO2, pHbr and BT were monitored in order to study the changes of PbrO2, PbrCO2, pHbr and BT.

RESULTSIn patients with acute head injury, mild hypothermia obviously increased PbrO2, decreased PbrCO2 and CO2 accumulation and acidosis in brain tissue. BT was 1-1.5 deg. higher than rectal temperature (RT) after injury. The BT and RT were decreased when the patients were treated with mild hypothermia, but at the same time the difference between BT and RT was increased.

CONCLUSIONSIn patients with acute severe head injury the direct monitoring of PbrO2, PbrCO2, pHbr and BT was safe and reliable, and is helpful in estimating prognosis and mild hypothermia therapy.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Body Temperature ; physiology ; Brain Injuries ; diagnosis ; mortality ; therapy ; Carbon Dioxide ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods ; Oxygen ; blood ; Probability ; Risk Assessment ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the methods of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for patients with recurrent breast phyllodes tumor.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 26 patients with pathologically proven recurrent phyllodes tumors treated from March 1972 to June 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe mean age of the 26 cases was 45 years, and the median follow-up duration was 83 months. The mean overall survival time of this series was 96 months. The primary breast phyllodes tumor was > or = 5 cm in 10 cases with a recurrence rate of 60.0% (6/10 cases); < 5 cm in 16 cases with a recurrence rate of 31.3% 5/16 cases). After surgical removal of the breast primary tumor, the recurrent tumor was > or = 5 cm in 14 cases with a re-recurrence rate of 35.7% (5/14 cases); < 5 cm was in 12 cases with are-recurrence rate of 50.0% (6/12 cases). There was no statistically significant relationship between the (primary and reccurent) tumor size and recurrence rate (P = 0.094, P = 0.383) or prognosis (P = 0.142, P = 0.486). The benign or malignant nature of the breast phyllodes tumor was significantly correlated with the rate of local re-recurrence (P = 0.046) and prognosis (P = 0.028).

CONCLUSIONThe benign or malignant nature of the breast phyllodes tumor is significantly correlated with the local re-recurrence and prognosis, while the size of the primary breast phyllodes tumor has no significant effect on either re-recrruence or prognosis. The first rescue operation is most important in the treatment of recurrent breast phyllodes tumor. The resection margin should be wide enough. Active surgical treatment can still effectively save the life of the patients with a local re-recurrent tumor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; surgery ; Phyllodes Tumor ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of capillary hemangioma in the brain to improve the diagnosis of capillary hemangioma.

METHODSThe MRI findings were analyzed in 6 patients with pathologically confirmed capillary hemangioma in the brain to define the characteristic MRI features of capillary hemangioma.

RESULTSIn the 6 patients, the capillary hemangiomas were located in the pons (n=1), bulbus medullae (n=1), bilateral cerebellar hemisphere (n=1), right temporal lobe (n=1) or left frontal lobe (n=1). Three patients had subacute hemorrhage, 2 had cystic degeneration and 1 had solid tumors, all shoeing heterogeneous MRI signals. Contrast-enhanced MR scans revealed marked heterogeneous enhancement with clear boundaries of the tumor parenchyma, where spots and thin strips without enhancement were seen in 5 cases; vascular network was seen in 1 case. Drainage vessels connected to the lesions were found in 3 cases.

CONCLUSIONMRI has a high diagnostic value for intracranial capillary hemangioma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Hemangioma, Capillary ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of management of renal stone in non-dilated collecting system by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL) under ultrasound guidance.

METHODFrom September 2003 to April 2005, 132 cases of renal stone in non-dilated collecting system were performed by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. A stent was first inserted into the pelvis through cystoscope, and saline was instilled to dilate collecting system. Antegrade percutaneous access was obtained by B-type ultrasound guidance. A combination pneumatic and ultrasonic lithotrite were used to disintegrate and remove stone under direct vision. Clinical data including operation time, complications and stone free rate were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe percutaneous renal access was successfully established under B-type ultrasound guidance in all patients, immediate phase I lithotripsy was performed in 129 cases and delayed phase II lithotripsy in 3 cases. Operation time ranged from 70 to 130 minutes, average time was (89 +/- 11) minutes, 3 cases were supported by blood transfusion, severe complications did not occur during nephrolithotripsy. Stones were cleared in 114 out of 132 cases (86.4%) during immediate phase I lithotripsy, residual stone fragment was found in 18 cases who received second PCNL or adjuvant extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

CONCLUSIONThe management of renal stone in non-dilated collecting system using PCNL appears to be efficacious and safe under B-type ultrasound guidance.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Calculi ; therapy ; Kidney Calices ; diagnostic imaging ; Lithotripsy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrostomy, Percutaneous ; methods ; Punctures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Travel ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the changes in the tight junctions of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a rat model bearing C6 glioma. Methods Rat models bearing C6 glioma were established in 30 male Wistar rats by stereotactic injection of C6 glioma cells into the caudate nuclei, with another 30 rats as the normal control group. Twenty-one days after the injection, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, and the normal brain tissue, tumor core, tumor margin and the ipsilateral hemisphere tissues 2 mm from the tumor margin were sampled for ultrastructural observation of the BBB using electron microscopy, Immunohistochcmistry and RT-PCR were used to analyze the expression of claudin-5 protein and mRNA in these tissues, respectively. Results MRI revealed tumor formation in the brain 21 days after C6 cell injection. In normal control brain tissues, the paracellular cleft between the adjacent endothelial cells was sealed by continuous tight junction strands, which were found in only 22.23% of the microvesscls in the core of the brain gliomas, and obvious paracellular clefs were found between the adjacent endothelial cells in other microvessels. In the tissues on the tumor margin, intercellular tight junctions were found in 57.15% of the microvessels with the rest microvesseis having obvious paracellular clefts. Immunohistochemistry showed strong claudin-5 positivity in the control brain tissue but yielded negative results in the core of the gliomas. Compared with the core of the gliomas, the tissues on the tumor margin, those 2 mm from the tumor margin and the control brain tissues showed significantly increased claudin-5 expression (P<0.05,respectively). Conclusion In C6 glioma-bearing rats, the continuity of the tight junctions in the BBB is interrupted due to decreased expression of claudin-5 in the brain gliomas.

OBJECTIVETo collect the data of measuring skin thickness of children of both genders of different ages and parts of body with non-invasive high-frequency ultrasound method.

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty-one children from 1 to 18 years of age,without systemic disease or injury in skin, were enrolled in the study and divided into 4 groups: i.e., infant group (112 years of age), pre-school age group (3-6 years of age), school age group (7-12 years for boys and 7-11 years for girls), adolescent age group (13-18 years for boys and 12-18 years for girls), and each group was subdivided into 2 groups according to the gender. The skin thicknesses of children in cheek, chest, abdomen, forearms, fundament and thigh was respectively measured by 13 MHz high-frequency ultrasound.

RESULTSThe region with thinnest skin in children was the cheek, and the thickest was the back and buttock. (1) There were no significant differences in thickness of skin in the same region between genders and also among different age groups (P > 0.05). (2) There were also no obvious differences of thickness of the dermis and the whole skin in the same region between male and female, or among infants, pre-school age and school age groups (P > 0.05). In adolescent group, the average thickness of dermis in male was (1.16 +/- 0.04 ) - (1.98 +/- 0.47) mm, the average whole thickness of skin in male was (1.27 +/- 0.12) - (2.20 +/- 0.45) mm, while those of female were (1.00 +/- 0.18) - (1.60 +/- 0.30) mm and (1.10 +/- 0.17) - (1.83 +/- 0.29) mm (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIt is reliable to measure the skin thickness by 13MHz ultrasound as a non-invasive method. The main factor which determined the thickness of the skin is dermal thickness, especially in males. The significant differences of skin thickness among cheek, back and buttock provide the basis for us to choose the appropriate thickness of skin grafts harvested from different body parts.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermis ; diagnostic imaging ; Epidermis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Sex Factors ; Skin ; diagnostic imaging ; Skinfold Thickness ; Ultrasonography