Background Conventional chemical method to fix the entire eyeball results in the edema of retinal nerve fiber layer and therefore influent the evaluation of tissue structure.Research showed that microwave irradiation can avoid this phenomenon. Objective This study was to investigate the appropriate energy and time duration of microwave irradiation for fixation of rabbit eyes specimen and compare the influence of different fixation methods on retinal structure. Methods Twenty-two New Zealand white rabbits were sacrificed by using venous air embolism.The eyeballs were enucleated from the rabbits and immersed in chemical reagents with glacial acetic acid,methyl aldehyde and chloroform for 2 days as the control group.The eyeballs were immersed in 400 ml physiological balance solution immediately,and then were fixed by microwave irradiation for 80,160,240 and 320 seconds under the lower power as the microwave irradiation groups.In the microwave irradiation+chemical fixation group,the specimens were immersed in chemical reagents for 1-2 hours after the microwave radiation.The morphology of retinal structure was examined and area of retinal detachment was calculated by hemotoxylin and eosin staining under the light microscope. Results A better fixation effect was obtained in the retinal section of microwave radiation for 240 seconds in comparison with that of the traditional chemical reagent fixation method for 2 days.The retina detachment ratio was 16.3%±11.5% for simple microwave method,50.0%±24.5% for chemical method,and 6.7%±7.8% for microwave+chemical method.showing a significant difference among 3 groups(F=32.43,P=0.000).Retinal staining was clear and retinal structure was almost normal in the specimens of microwave+chemical fixation group with 200-240 seeonds microwave irradiation and 1-2 hours chemical fixation. Conclusion Microwave irradiation method is a more ideal way for the fixation of retina because of taking short duration,lower toxicity and better staining.The combination of microwave radiation and chemical reagents can acquire an excellent quality of retinal section.

Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA-224 in HepG2 cells and analyze its target genes to reveal its role in the carcinogenesis of hepatoma. Methods The genes with differential expression in HepG2 cells and LO2 cells were obtained by gene expression microarray analysis. The up-regulated target genes of microRNA-224 were predicted by bioinformatics method, and their functions were analyzed. Results Compared with LO2 cells, microRNA-224 was highly expressed in HepG2 cells. A total of 264 target genes of microRNA-224 were predicted, including genes involved in cell cycle, signal transduction, cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Conclusions MicroRNA-224 is highly expressed in HepG2 cells. MicroRNA-224 plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of hepatoma via regulating the expression of its target genes directly or indirectly.

Objective To explore the influence of montelukast on plasma nitric oxide in preschool children with asthma.Methods Forty-four preschool children with asthma aged 2-5 years who firstly met a criterion of asthma and treated 4 weeks with montelukast were investigated;and nitric oxide levels of plasma were inspected respectively before treatment and after treatment 1 week,4 weeks.Results The level of nitric oxide in the plasma of asthmatic children was obviously higher than that in normal control group(P

The 1H-NMR fingerprints of three different species tibetan medicine sea buckthorn were established by 1H-HMR metabolomics to find out different motablism which could provide a new method for the quality evaluation of sea buckthorn. The obtained free induction decay (FID) signal will be imported into MestReNova software and into divide segments. The data will be normalized and processed by principal component analysis and.partial least squares discriminant analysis to perform pattern recognition. The results showed that 25 metabolites belonging to different chemical types were detected from sea buckthorn,including flavonoids, triterpenoids, amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, etc. PCA and PLS-DA analysis showed three different varietiest of sea buckthorn that can be clearly separated by the content of L-quebrachitol, malic acid and some unidentified sugars, which can be used as the differences metabolites of three species of sea buckthorn. 1H-NMR-based metabonomies method had a holistic characteristic with sample preparation and handling. The results of this study can offer an important reference for the species identification and quality control of sea buckthorn.
Hippophae ; metabolism ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Medicine, Tibetan Traditional ; Metabolomics

OBJECTIVETo compare the differences in the clinical function and lumbar and abdominal myodynamia in patiants of lumbar disc herniation treated with moxibustion at Dazhui (GV 14) and Guanyuan (CV 4) and acupuncture.

METHODSForty cases were randomized into a moxibustion group and an acupuncture group, 20 cases in each group. In the moxibustion group, the warm moxibustion was applied alternatively at Dazhui (GV 14) and Guanyuan (CV 4) once every other day, 1 h each time, once every day. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to the corresponding acupoints based on the affected lumbar vertebras, such as Jiaji (EX-B 2), Shens-hu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and Huantiao (GB 30), etc. , once evey day 30 min each time. The treatment for 3 weeks was taken as one session in each group. Totally, one session treatment was required. Surface electromyography (SEMG) of bilateral paraspinal muscle and rectus muscle, and JOA score of low back pain were observed in the two groups.

RESULTS(1) JOA score: the score of subjective symptoms, score of activity of daily living (ADL) and total score were improved obviously as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The results of subjective symptoms score, score of ADL and total score in the acupuncture group were superior to those in the moxibustion group after treatment (6.95+/-0.94 vs 5.50 +/-0.89,10. 90+/-1.86 vs 8.90+/- 1. 92,22.50 +/- 2.82 vs 19.35 +/- 2. 70, all P<0. 05). (2) SEMG comparison: root-mean-square value (RMS) was all reduced in SEMG of the anteflexion, rear protraction, orthostatism, bilateral bending and neck and leg rear flexion for strengthening lumbar muscle as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P< 0.05, P<0. 01). RMS of the anteflexion and bilateral bending in the acupunture group were reduced much obviously as compared with the moxibustion group. In terms of sitting position anteflexion, rear protraction, orthostatism, bilateral bending and neck and leg rear flexion for strengthening lumbar muscle, median frequency (MF) after treatment was all improved as compared with that before treatment in the two groups (P<0. 05, P<0. 01). In terms of anteflexion, the electrode MF after treatment was improved much obviously in the acupuncture group(P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion at Dazhui (GV 14) and Guanyuan (CV 4) and conventional acupuncture all improve muscle function, relieve muscle fatigue, increase the ability of anti-muscle fatigue, strengthen lumbar vertebral stability, release subjective symptoms and improve ADL. But, the effects of moxibustion are slightly lower than those of acupuncture.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Young Adult

This study was designed to explore the RNA interference technique in inhibition of the expression of the mouse fibrinogen like protein 2 (mfgl2), which has been reported to be involved in the development a variety of diseases including fulminant viral hepatitis. A plasmid named p-mfgl2shRNA,complementary to the sequence of mfgl2 was constructed, while another short hairpin RNA (shRNA)which was a mutated form of the mfgl2shRNA sequences was used as a control. A plasmid named pEGFP-mfgl2 expressing the mfgl2-EGFP fusion protein was also constructed for the screening of the effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression. By cotransfection of p-mfgl2shRNA and pEGFP-mfgl2 or pcDNA3.1-mfgl2 expression construct into CHO cells or HeLa cells, the inhibition of mfgl2 expression by mfgl2shRNA was analyzed by direct observation through fluorescent microscopy, FACS, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. The experiments showed the significant inhibitory effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression at 48h post-transfection in both CHO and Hela cell lines with the inhibitory efficiency as high as 80.1%. The study demonstrated that the construct of p-mfgl2shRNA successfully interfered with the mfgl2 expression in vitro.

Objective - To analyze the relationship between cobalt level of post shift urine and individual exposure level of ， cobalt and its compounds in cobalt exposed workers and to explore the feasibility of using urine cobalt as a biomarker. Methods - A total of 148 occupational cobalt exposed workers from a new material company were selected as the exposed ， - - group and 44 non occupational cobalt exposed workers from the company were selected as the control group using the typical sampling method. The exposure concentration of time weighted average of cobalt and its compounds in the workplace air of the - two groups was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry as the individual exposure level. The cobalt levels - - of pre shift and post shift urinary samples of the two groups were detected by this method. The linear relationship between the - cobalt level of post shift urine and the individual exposure level of cobalt and its compounds in the air of the workplace was Results - 3 analyzed. The individual exposure level of cobalt and its compounds in the exposed group was 1.10 131.71 μg/m with （M） 3 the median of 12.23 μg/m. No cobalt and its compounds were detected in the workplace air in the control group. The cobalt - - levels of pre shift and post shift urines in exposed group were higher than those in the control group at the same time point （M： vs ， vs ， P ） - - 1.54 0.56 μg/L 8.77 0.83 μg/L all <0.01 . The cobalt level of post shift urine was higher than that in pre shift （M： vs ，P ）， urine in the exposed group 8.77 1.54 μg/L <0.01 and it was positively correlated with the individual exposure level （ ，P ） ， of cobalt and its compounds Spearman correlation coefficient=0.86 <0.01 . After common logarithm conversion the linear regression equation of the cobalt level of post shift urine and the common logarithm of individual exposure level of cobalt and （x） ：ŷ x（ ；F ， its compounds in the exposed group was as follows = −0.178 + 0.988 coefficient of determination=0.72 =374.75 P ；t ， P ） Conclusion - <0.01 = - 19.36 <0.01 . There was a linear correlation between cobalt level of post shift urine and occupational cobalt exposure level of cobalt exposed workers. Urinary cobalt can be used as a biomarker of occupational cobalt

OBJECTIVETo observe the histological and ultrastructural changes of the skin and hair follicles following hair removal by alexandrite laser in Tibet mini-pigs.

METHODSTwelve healthy Tibet mini-pigs with dark hair were treated with alexandrite laser for hair removal. The skin specimens were taken immediately and at 1 h and 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 days after the laser treatment for observation under optical and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSLaser hair removal resulted in extensive coagulation necrosis, carbonization and falling of the subcutaneous hair shafts, and some of the cells in the outer root sheath and hair bulb underwent degenerative and necrotic changes. One hour after laser treatment, the cells in the outer root sheath and bulb exhibited nuclear condensation, fragmentation and or karyolysis characteristic of cell apoptosis. The cell apoptosis reached the peak level on day 3 after the laser exposure, accompanied by endothelial degeneration in the hair papilla vessels, edema and lymphocyte infiltration in the dermal tissues. Tissue reaction and inflammation were relieved on day 5, and the dermal tissue and follicles recovered their normal structures on day 10. At 60 days after the treatment, the hair follicles decreased markedly but the structure of the residue follicles remained normal.

CONCLUSIONAlexandrite laser exposure results in selective destruction of the follicles by inducing direct coagulation and cell apoptosis to achieve permanent hair removal. Tibet mini-pigs with black hair can be used as the animal model of clinical laser hair removal.

Animals ; Hair Follicle ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Swine ; Tibet

Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; methods ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications

BACKGROUND: Recently, some people believed that the mechanisms of primary hepatic carcinoma might be caused by poor differentiation or disdifferentiation of hepatic stem cells. Studies on hepatic stem cells are in the early stage at present, and the theory of "stem cell origins" of human primary hepatic carcinoma deserves further verification. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activation, distribution, origin and immunological expression characteristics of hepatic stem cells in different histopathologic types of primary hepatic carcinoma. DESIGN: Observational comparative study. SETTING: Tumor Center, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA. PARTICIPANTS: Experiments were performed at the Laboratory of Tumor Center, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from September 2003 to July 2004. We took 94 cases of hepatic cellular cancer, 12 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma and 10 cases of mixed hepatocarcinoma paraffin-embedded tissue blocks as research objects, with 5 cases of liver cirrhosis and 4 cases of normal liver as experimental control. These materials were collected from the archive of the Department of Pathology of Daping Hospital. Primary hepatic carcinoma tissues and corresponding adjacent liver tissues were obtained from patients who had undergone surgery for the removal of their tumors. All the patients were not treated by chemotherapy or radiotherapy before the operation. They had signed the informed consent. Main Antibodies were bought from Santa Cruz Company.METHODS: The histological and immunohistochemical characteristics were examined by haematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (SP method), including mouse antihuman cytokeratin 19 monoclonal antibody, mouse antihuman cytokeratin 7 monoclonal antibody, mouse antihuman cytokeratin 8&&18 monoclonal antibody, mouse antihuman c-kit monoclonal antibody, mouse antihuman Thy-1 monoclonal antibody, mouse antihuman alpha fetoprotein monoclonal antibody. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expression of immunological markers of hepatic stem cells in different histopathologic types. RESULTS: Immunological markers of hepatic stem cells expressed variously in different histopathologic types of primary hepatic carcinoma. Hepatic stem cells differentiated into hepatoma carcinoma cells in all the types. The highest expression rate of hepatic stem cell immunophenotype was found in the mixed hepatocarcinoma (P < 0.05). Immunophenotypes of hepatic stem cells were negative in normal group and cirrhosis group. CONCLUSION: Hepatic stem cells of varied differentiations and origins existed in different histopathologic types of primary hepatic carcinoma.