Objective To delineate the m orp hology and ecology of a new human schistosome species. Methods (1)Adult schistosomes were obtained from infected mice and rabbi ts with cercariae shedding from snails which were infected with miracidia devel oping from the eggs in feces of acute schistosomiasis patients. (2)T he rabbits were dissected during 60-100 d infection period of cecariae, and thei r bladders were taken out for detecting eggs in the urine. (3)Schistosome eggs i n the feces of patients were examined with microscopy. Results (1)There were two types of male worms: one was with an average o f size 8.76 mm long and 0 43 mm wide while the other with an average size of 2 41 mm long and 0 091 mm wide and with undeveloped gynecophoral canal which ap peared in front of ventral sucker (2)There were two types of female worms: one was with an average of size 10 73 mm long and 0 74 mm wide while the other wi th an average of size 3 43 mm long and 0 12 mm wide and was fine, semitranspar ent and tape like with undeveloped ovary and vitellaria. Less than 10 eggs or none were found in t he uterus. (3)There were a lot of degenerated and black eggs in the feces of 2 p atients. (4) Schistosome eggs were detected in the urine and miracidia were hatc hed out from 8 out of 16 infected rabbits.(5) Others: 8 worms were detected in 1 mouse out of 12 dissected mice for evaluation of infectious water with sentry m ice in spite of that no Oncomelania snails were found in the area. Cercariae stayed on water surface in lying position like a c omma. The eggs returned forwardly a fter growing behind the ovary in female worm. ConclusionAccording to the primary investigation in morphology an d ecology, the new schistosome obtained is distinct from the 6 well defined ty p es of human schistosome. It is considered that a new schistosome species should be foun d and temporarily nominated as Schistosoma nanjingi( S.n.)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Xiangdan Injection on mRNA expression of the endothelial vaso-active factors of patients with coronary heart disease and blood stasis. METHODS: Fifty-six patients were randomly divided into two groups:twenty-eight patients were treated according to the therapeutic guide for coronary heart disease as the control group and 28 were given the same treatment plus Xiangdan Injection as the treated group. The expressions of ET-1 and eNOS mRNA were examined with RT-PCR before experiment and ten days later. RESULTS: The positive rate of eNOS mRNA of the treated group increased, while the positive rate of ET-1 mRNA of the treated group decreased after ten day's treatment, with significant differences as compared with that before the experiment. Xiangdan Injection up-regulated the eNOS mRNA expression and suppressed the ET-1 mRNA expression. Changes of expression were not observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: Xiangdan Injection improves the endothelial function of patients with coronary heart disease and blood stasis by regulating the expressions of ET-1 and eNOS mRNA.

BACKGROUND:Artificial tissue-engineered bone combined with acel ular bone matrix has been shown to be favorable for bone repair. OBJECTIVE:To explore the safety and biocompatibility of the stromal vascular fraction of the adipose tissue combined with the acel ular bone matrix-chitosan scaffold in the repair of rabbit radial defects. METHODS:A total of 38 New Zealand rabbits were selected, 3 rabbits were used to extract stromal vascular fraction of adipose tissue, 3 used to prepare acel ular bone matrix and 32 divided into experimental and control groups. Models of rabbit radial defects were established using Brownlow method. The rabbits in the experimental group were treated with the SVF of adipose tissue combined with the acel ular bone matrix-chitosan scaffold, while those controls received no treatment. General situation, gross observation, X-ray examination, histological observation and Lane-Sandhu scores were performed at 2 and 4 months postoperatively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:No infections occurred in both two groups at 2 and 4 months postoperatively, but the activity level and degree of healing in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group. In the experimental group, there were high-density shadows at 2 months postoperatively and the X-ray image of the bone defect site was the same as that of the normal one at 4 months, while bone nonunion occurred in the control group. The bone tissues in the experimental group grew significantly better than that in the control group at 2 and 4 months postoperatively, and the Lane-Sandhu histological scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 2 and 4 months postoperatively (P<0.05). These results indicate that the stromal vascular fraction combined with the acel ular bone matrix-chitosan scaffold exhibits safety and biocompatibility in the repair of rabbit radical defects.

Objective To summarize the experience on clinical diagnosis and treatment for cervical neurilemmoma. Methods The clinical data of 77 cases of cervical neurilemmoma from 1976 to 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The diagnosis was dependent on the anamnesis, clinical presentations, ultrasonography, CT and cytology of fine needle aspiration. Correct preoperative diagnosis was abtained in 51 cases (66. 2% ) , and the misdiagnosis rate was 33. 8% (26/77). All patients underwent surgical resection. The postoperative diagnosis was benign neurilemmoma by pathological examinations. The postoperative complications included recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries (6 cases) , Horner syndrome (4 cases) , tongue deviation (3 cases), neck pain or numbness (2 cases) and reffered pain in limb (1 case). Sixteen patients were followed up, and these symptomes disappeared after 3-11 months. Nerve dysfunction remained in 2 out of 3 patients in whom the vagus was wrongly amputated during the operation. Intraoperative inadvertent sympathetic nerve amputation caused permanent nerve dysfunction. Conclusion B-mode ultrasonography, CT and fine needle aspiration cytology are useful for the diagnosis of cervical neurilemmoma. Surgical resection is most effective among all available therapies.

AIM: To observe the effects of Egr-1 gene knockout on the expression of inflammatory-related factors in pancreatic tissue in a mouse acute pancreatitis model.METHODS: The experimental pancreatitis was induced by high-dose of cearulein in wildtype mice and Egr-1 knockout mice.The pancreatitis indexes,such as serum amylase,pancreata edema,and myeloperoxidase(MPO) levels in pancreata and lungs were recorded.The mRNA levels of tissue factor(TF),plasminogen activator inhibitor(PAI-1),monocyte chemoattractant protein(MCP-1),Gro-1,IL-6 and ICAM-1 were measured by quantitative PCR.RESULTS: Contrary to wildtype mice,typical pancreatitis was not induced by high-dose cearulein in the Egr-1 knockout mice,not only markedly reduced edema in pancreata and lungs,but decreased MPO levels in lungs as well were found.Furthermore,the mRNA of TF,PAI,MCAP,ICAM-1 and IL-6 in pancreata were significantly decreased in Egr-1 knockout mice.CONCLUSION: The severity of pancreatitis and lung damage is ameliorated in Egr-1 knockout mice stimulated by high-dosage of cearulein,which was probably mediated by decreasing expression of inflammatory-related factors in pancreata,such as TF,PAI,MCP-1,ICAM-1 and IL-6.

Objective To discuss the clinical outcomes of C1-C2 pedicle screw fixation in treatment of Jefferson fracture combined with aflantoaxial instability.Methods Eleven adult patients with Jefferson fracture combined with atlantoaxial instability were treated with C1-C2 pedicle screw fixation in our department from January 2006 to December 2009.There were eight males and three females at age range of 20-52 years(mean 36 years).There were eight patients with fresh fractures,three with old fracture and three complicated with odontoid process fracture.The main preoperative clinical symptoms were the limitation of head torsion and pain in the occiput and neck,with no spinal dysfunction in all patients.X-ray,CT scan,three-dimensional reconstruction,MRI scan and skull traction were performed in all patients before operation.Then,the patients were treated with C1-C2 pedicle screw fixation without fusion between C1-C2 under general anesthesia.Results The atlantoaxial dislocation was reduced completely and the patients could move from bed,wearing the neck collar.There was no injury of vertebral artery,spinal cord or nerve roots during operation,but one patient suffered the venous plexus bleeding which was packed with the hemostatic gauze.Eleven patients were followed up for 6-24 months(average 15 months),which showed bone union,with no internal fixation breakage,loosening or dislocation.The internal fixation was removed from seven patients 15 months after operation,with mild limitation of the cervical vertebra torsion(90°-135°,average 115°)but with no limitation of obvious extension-flexion motion.Conclusion C1-C2 pedicle screw fixation has features of simple operation,short segment fixation,solid fixation and high rate of bone healing for treatment of Jefferson fracture combined with atlantoaxial instability.

OBJECTIVETo elucidate how chronic prostatitis affects the expression and activity of the plasminogen activator (PA) system and relates to male infertility.

METHODSTwenty-three normal fertile males and 80 chronic prostatitis patients (40 fertile and 40 infertile) were included in this research. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fibrin overlay method were used to estimate the total PA, and tissue PA (tPA), urokinase type PA (uPA) in semen.

RESULTSTotal PA, tPA and uPA highly expressed in normal males, but decreased in the semen of the chronic prostatitis patients of both the fertile and infertile groups. However, there was no significant difference in total PA between the fertile and infertile patients.

CONCLUSIONChronic prostatitis reduces the secretory function and PA synthesis and secretion of the prostate, but the decrease of PA alone does not cause infertility. PA may be one of the tools for estimating the function of the prostate.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; Male ; Prostatitis ; metabolism ; Semen ; metabolism ; Tissue Plasminogen Activator ; biosynthesis ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; biosynthesis

In this experiment, a novel biotin-avidin conjugation probe was synthesized and employed in the detection of reverse-phase protein microarray. Firstly, the proportion of the biotin-avidin conjugation probe was optimized. Then the rat IgG and goat anti-rat IgG system was served as a model to optimize the fabrication conditions of reverse-phase protein microarray, including the non-specific absorption of streptavidin-Cy3 molecules, spotting buffer as well as protein activities. At last, the biotin-avidin conjugation probe was applied to the detection of the reverse-phase protein microarray. The results show that the protein microarray prepared by using BSA spotting buffer could prevent non-specific absorptions of fluorescent molecules and improve the sensitivity, effectively. In addition, compared with traditional biotin-avidin system, the detection limit could be improved four times using the biotin-avidin conjugation probe. In conclusion, the biotin-avidin conjugation probe has its merits of easy synthesis, low price and could be further conjugated with other signal amplification techniques, which is promising to be used in the detection of protein microarray.
Avidin ; chemistry ; Biotin ; chemistry ; DNA Probes ; Immunoglobulin G ; analysis ; immunology ; Protein Array Analysis ; methods

Objective:To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of a case of early-onset epileptic encephalopathy caused by the UBA5 gene mutation and to review relevant literatures. Methods:The clinical characte-ristics and genetic data of a child with the UBA5 gene mutation in the Department of Pediatrics, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Clinical characteristics and gene variation characteristics of the disease were reviewed in the domestic and foreign databases. Results:(1) The female patient presented infantile spasms at the age of 4 months.Electroencephalogram(EEG) suggested hypsarrhythmia and she was not responsive to a variety of anti-epileptic drugs.Besides, the patient showed severe cognitive and motor development delay, hypotonia, and microcephaly.The results of whole exome sequencing showed that the compound heterozygous mutation of UBA5 gene: exon 3 c. 214C>T (p.R72C) and exon 9 c. 844_c.845 insA (p.Y282Xfs*1), her father carries c. 214C>T mutation and her mother carries c. 844_c.845 INSA mutation.(2) To December 2020, a total of 15 cases of early-onset epileptic encephalopathy caused by the UBA5 gene mutation have been reported abroad.The main clinical manifestations were uncontrollable spasms, abnormal EEG findings, hypotonia, severe cognitive and movement disorders, microcephaly, and brain atrophy.A total of 11 mutation sites of the UBA5 gene were found, all belonging to the autosomal recessive inheritance, of which c. 1111G>A was the most common. Conclusions:The UBA5 gene mutation can lead to early-onset epileptic encephalopathy, which belongs to the autosomal recessive inheritance.It is featured by the early onset, uncontrollable seizures and poor long-term prognosis.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) injection and/or laser photocoagulation on diabetic macular edema (DME) of different morphologic patterns based on optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods:A non-randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted.A total of 79 diabetic patients (108 eyes) who were diagnosed as DME in Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from March 2017 to February 2018 were enrolled.The subjects were divided into diffuse macular edema (DRT) group (41 eyes), cystoid macular edema (CME) group (37 eyes) and serous retinal detachment (SRD) group (30 eyes) according to the morphological characteristics of OCT, and received intravitreal injection of 0.05 ml (0.5 mg) ranibizumab and/or laser photocoagulation according to treatment guidelines.Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) of the subjects were recorded before treatment and 1 month, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment.The morphologic changes of macular edema and complications were recorded.This study protocol adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by an Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (No.2017NL-13-03). Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before any medical examination and treatment.Results:The 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month post-treatment average BCVA (LogMAR) of the DRT, CME and SRD groups were improved in comparison with before treatment, and the average CMT of the three groups at various time points after treatment was reduced than that before treatment (all at P<0.05). For the 39 eyes who received IVR treatment, the 12-month post-treatment average BCVA (LogMAR) of the DRT group was 0.41±0.40, which was significantly better than 0.60±0.40 of the CME group ( P=0.039). The 12-month post-treatment CMT of the DRT group was (286.05±109.56) μm, which was significantly thinner than (338.30±101.87)μm of the SRD group ( P=0.045). For the 69 eyes who received IVR combined with laser photocoagulation treatment, the 6- and 12-month post-treatment average BCVA (LogMAR) of the DRT group were significantly better than those of the CME group ( P=0.048, 0.043), and the average CMT at 12 months after treatment in the DRT group was (304.59±106.66)μm, which was significantly smaller than (369.34±107.80)μm in the SRD group, showing a statistical significance ( P=0.041). During the follow-up, 5 eyes with SRD turned to DRT, and 3 SRD eyes turned to CME.No eye changing from DRT and CME to SRD was found. Conclusions:Intravitreal ranibizumab injection and/or laser photocoagulation can significantly improve BCVA and reduce CMT of DME patients, and the efficacy is better in eyes with DRT than eyes with SRD or CME.