Objective To study the effect of siRNA targeting survivin gene on the apoptosis of malignant melanoma cell line A375. Methods The eucaryotic expression vector of pU-survivin-siRNA was constructed and transfected into the A375 cells by electroporation. The protein expression of survivin was examined by Western blotting, and cell apoptosis by flow cytometry. Results The transfection of pU-sur-vivin-siRNA significantly down-regulated survivin expression ( 0.24 ?0.02 in the transfected group versus 0.98 ?0.21 in the control group ) in A375 cells, and promoted cell apoptosis ( 83% in the transfected group versus 28% in the control group, P

Objective To identify and compare melanin distribution in iris and skin tissues of rabbits from four breeds including WHBE rabbit.Methods Ferrous sulphate staining was performed for iris and skin tissue of rabbits from different breeds.Results It showed dark green staining in both iris stroma and iris pigment epithelium of WHBE rabbit, while light green staining was observed in its follicles.Conclusion The results of histologic evaluations provide some clues to the future research on mechanism of WHBE rabbit phenotype mutation.

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote articular chondrocyte proliferation, maintain and promote the synthesis of cartilage proteoglycan and type II col agen in chondrocytes. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound can effectively improve the carticular chondrocyte proliferation, increase the cellmembrane permeability, and promote chemicals or genes delivery, so as to improve the biological effects of chemicals.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound mediated Clematis chinensis Osbeck on the proliferation of cartilage cells and the expression of type II col agen and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro, and explore the effect and mechanism of Clematis chinensis Osbeck mediated by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on cartilage damage.
METHODThe rabbit knee articular chondrocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro. cells of the second generation in logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into four groupcontrol group, low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) group, Clematis chinensis Osbeck (CCO) group, and CCO+LIPUS group. After cells were cultured under different conditions for 3 days, cellproliferation was measured with cellCount Kit-8 assay. The secretion of type II col agen was detected by cytochemical staining method, and the expression of TGF-β1 was assayed by western blot analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of cells in the other three groups were significantly higher than that in control group at 3 days after culture (P<0.05), while the CCO+LIPUS group had the most cells. Cytochemical staining showed that the area and absorbance value of type II col agen in cartilage cells were significantly increased in CCO+LIPUS group, compared with control group (P<0.05), and the difference with control group was larger than the amount of that of LIPUS group and CCO group with control group. Western blot analysis showed that TGF-β1 was significantly expressed in CCO+LIPUS group, and the relative gray value was significantly higher than the other groups (P<0.05). Both low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and Clematis chinensis Osbeck can promote the proliferation of cartilage cells and expression of type II col agen and t-β1 of rabbit knee articular chondrocytes cultured in vitro. The combined method could produce synergistic effects.

Objective To investigate the effects of the intervention,rehabilitation and speech development of children with severe hearing loss in some rural areas.Methods 61 children,including 35 males and 26 females,were diagnosed as severe hearing loss with ABR and 40 Hz-AERP from June 2004 to July 2008.All the children failed hearing screening or visited the hospital as outpatients.The ages ranged from 2 to 72 months with the average age of 17.59 months.During telephone follow-up,the questionnaire was used to gather the data regarding the usage of hearing aids,hearing and speech rehabilitation,speech development,and communication abilities.Results 33 (54.10%) children were fitted with hearing aids,and 2 (3.28%) received cochlear implants,while 26(42.62 %) neither had hearing aids nor cochlear implants.10 cases with hearing aids also had speech training,whereas 23 children with hearing aids did not receive the training.2 cases with cochlear implants and 2 cases with hearing aids were found to have good speech development and communication ability,while 31 cases with hearing aids had delayed speech development.26 cases without any devices had to rely on sign language for their commumication.Conclusion Children in rural area with severe hearing loss experience greater speech and communication difficulties because many of them have no access to intervention and speech training.The results suggest that it would be very important to increase public awareness and educate parents to have their children wear hearing aids and receive speech training.

BACKGROUND: Naloxone has a significant arousal effect on many types of comas. It is usually believed that this is because its inhibition on endogenous opioid peptides. But depth of coma is not necessarily positively correlated to endorphin (EP).OBJECTIVE: Based on existing findings on direct stimulating effect of naloxone on cerebral cortex, further studies need to be done to explore whether it is dose-dependent or not.DESIGN: Single-factor design based on cells.SETTING: Neurology department in a university hospital and the neurology department in a hospital of a military medical university of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: This study was completed in the Laboratory Center of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Thirty healthy new born Wistar rats, regardless of their gender, aging 8 - 12 days and weighing 150 -250 g, were selected.METHODS: The experiment was performed at room temperature. The perfusion slot were placed on the microscope stage, and cells with smooth surfaces, triangle or pyramidal shapes, strong refraction and more than one neurites were selected for patch clamp experiment. Patch clamp whole-cell recording technique was used to measure the pyramidal cells of the frontal lobe immediately after separated from the Wistar rats, and to investigate the fluctuations of their membrane potential of cerebral cortex neurons and the frequencies of their spontaneous electric activities after administration of naloxone at different doses.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The neural excitatory reaction rate, depolarization amplitude and increasing rate of spontaneous electric activities after administration of different doses of naloxone were selected as main outcome measurements.RESULTS: The excitatory reaction rates of cerebral cortex neurons immediately after separation to doses of naloxone(100, 50, 10, 1, 0. 1 μmol/L)were 83%, 67%, 86%, 71% and 33%; while the depolarization amplitude of them were 9. 8, 9.6, 8.4, 5.2 and 1. 3 mV respectively; and the corresponding spontaneous electric activity were increased by 587% , 375% ,291%, 125% and 69%.CONCLUSION: Naloxone can induce excitatory reactions in cerebral cortex neurons directly, and the reactions have proved to be dose-dependent.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the classification criterion and surgical treatment strategy of intrathoracic esophageal injury caused by foreign body.

METHODSEighty-four patients with intrathoracic esophageal injury caused by foreign body in our department from January 1980 to April 2004 were divided into 4 grade: grade I was non-penetrated injury of esophagus (18 cases); grade II was esophageal perforation with mild mediastinitis (39 cases); grade III was esophageal perforation with severe intrathoracic infection (17 cases); grade IV was aortoesophageal fistula (10 cases). Based on the degree of esophageal injury and the extension of inflammation, operative procedures were selected including esophagotomy, esophageal reparation, esophagectomy, mediastinal drainage, reparation of fistula and replacement of aorta.

RESULTSPatients in grade I and II were all cured . One death occurred in grade III (1/17), the same in Grade IV was 9 (9/10).

CONCLUSIONSClassification of esophageal injury caused by foreign body is helpful to the decision of surgical treatment strategy. The prevention of aortoesophageal fistula is the key point of reducing of mortality.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Esophageal Perforation ; classification ; etiology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; Esophagoscopy ; Esophagus ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; complications ; Humans ; Infant ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the staging criteria and surgical treatment strategy of traumatic intrathoracic esophageal perforations by foreign bone.

METHODSFifty-seven patients with intrathoracic esophageal perforations caused by foreign bone in our department from January 1980 to June 2006 were studied. Patients were divided into 4 grades: grade I was esophageal perforation without mediastinitis (n=17), grade II was esophageal perforation with severe mediastinitis (n=13), grade III was esophageal perforation with severe empyema (n=21), grade IV was esophageal perforation with tracheal or aorto-esophageal fistula (n=6). Based on the stage of esophageal perforation, operative procedures were selected including esophagotomy, esophageal repair, esophagectomy, mediastinal drainage, and esophagus reconstruction with colon.

RESULTSIn grade I, II and III, all but one patient experienced satisfactory healing of the esophagus. One patient died of multi-organ failure from septic complication. No leakage was observed. Normal swallowing function and improved weight gain was achieved in all the patients. There were 2 deaths in grade IV (2/6).

CONCLUSIONSGrading of esophageal perforation caused by foreign bone is helpful to the decision of surgical treatment strategy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Esophageal Perforation ; classification ; surgery ; Esophagus ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; classification ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

To investigate the possible role of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 in the pathogenesis of psoriatic lesions and to supply theoretical basis for the gene therapy for psoriasis, the expression of IL-10 and IL-12 P35, P40 mRNA in 12 cases of psoriatic lesions and 6 normal skin tissues was detected by using RT-PCR technique. The results showed that the expression of IL-10 mRNA in the psoriatic lesions was significantly lower than that in the normal skin tissues (P<0.001). The expression of IL-12 P35 was positive both in the psoriatic lesions and in the normal skin tissues. IL-12 P40 mRNA was expressed positively only in the psoriatic lesions but negatively in the normal skin tissues. It was suggested that IL-12 might take an important role in the occurrence and progression of psoriasis, but IL-10 might have certain role in the regression of psoriasis.

20?10~9/L.The proteinuria decreased or disappeared.The antinuclear antibody decreased or became negative.The level of complement was increased.The following complications were ob- served:septicemia in 2 patients,cytomegalovirus infection in 2 patients,renal toxicity in 1 patient,acute left heart failure in 3 patients and cardiac arrhythmia in 3 patients.There was no transplantation related mortality. Conclusion APBSCT may improve the disease activity and the immunological markers in SLE.It is a valid therapy for refractory SLE,but the long-term effects need to be observed.

To investigate the possible role of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 in the pathogenesis of psoriatic lesions and to supply theoretical basis for the gene therapy for psoriasis, the expression of IL-10 and IL-12 P35, P40 mRNA in 12 cases of psoriatic lesions and 6 normal skin tissues was detected by using RT-PCR technique. The results showed that the expression of IL-10 mRNA in the psoriatic lesions was significantly lower than that in the normal skin tissues (P<0.001). The expression of IL-12 P35 was positive both in the psoriatic lesions and in the normal skin tissues. IL-12 P40 mRNA was expressed positively only in the psoriatic lesions but negatively in the normal skin tissues. It was suggested that IL-12 might take an important role in the occurrence and progression of psoriasis, but IL-10 might have certain role in the regression of psoriasis.