Objective To investigate the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Chinese Han polymyositis/dennatomyositis (PM/DM) patients. Methods A casecontrol study of three TNF-α SNPs were undertaken and comparison between cases of PM/DM (n=69) and DM patients ( n=52 ) with normal subjects ( n=57 ) was performed. The genotype of every subject was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results There was no significant difference in the genotypes and alleles frequencies of the three TNF-α SNPs(-238,-308, and -1031)between PM/DM or DM and normal subjects. The haplotype AGT (-238, -308, -1031 ) significantly increased in controls vs PM/DM and DM (PM/DM, P=0.01; DM, P=0.02) subjects. The haplotype AGC was a significant risk factor for DM (P=0.04, 0R=9.84, 95%CI 1.39～69.57 ). The haplotype AGC increased in PM/DM (4.3%)vs controls(0.6% ), but the difference was not significant (P=0.09, OR 7.22, 95%CI 1.02～50.90). The haplotype GGC was significantly decreased in the DM subgroup vs healthy control subjects (P=0.04, OR=0.47,95%CI 0.23～0.99). Conclusion The TNF gene (-238,-308,-1031) haplotype AGC is a risk factor for DM.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of combining real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound for the patients with small ovarian masses.Methods One hundred and seven patients with small ovarian masses were examined with real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography and three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound.The images and the relationship between benign and malignant small ovarian masses were analyzed.Results Benign and malignant small ovarian tumors had statistical differences in these three parameters:the envelope,inner wall and whether there being central vessels.The sensitivity and specificity of combining real-time threedimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound to diagnose malignant small ovarian tumors were 92.9% and 97.3% respectively.Conclusions Combining real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional color Doppler energy can be used to diagnose the small ovarian masses and provide valuable information to identify malignant ovarian tumors.A small ovarian tumor with incomplete envelope,irregular inner wall and there being central vessels indicated the possibility of being malignant.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with thymoma were often neglected in clinical work and delayed the therapy.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of the Ryanodine receptor (RyR) antibody on the assessment of MG.DESIGN: A case analysis.SETTING: Institute of neurology in a hospital of a university.PARTICIPANTS: This experiment was carried out in the Institute of Neurology, Fudan University from June 1999 to March 2002. There were 66 MG patients with thymoma(MGT group), 98 MG patients with non-thymoma (NTMG group), 50 patients with non-myasthenia gravis(NMG) and 123 normal persons (NC group).METHODS: Sarcoplasmic reticulum(SR) abounded in RyR was extracted with differential centrifugation, in order to establish a detecting system of ELISA-RyR-RyR antibody (RyR-ab).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The levels of RyR-ab in serum of researched subjects.RESULTS: Positive rate of RyR-ab in MGT group was higher than that in NTMG and NMG groups(P ＜ 0.01), moreover, the sensitivity and the specificity were 81.8% and 94.5% respectively. The positive rates of MGT groups with different thymus histology were no significant difference(P＞ 0.05). Ages, clinical scores and levels of acetylcholine receptor antibody (AchR-ab) in patients with positive RyR-ab were higher than those in patients with negative RyR-ab( P ＜ 0.01 ) in MG group. The levels of RyR-ab was positive correlated with the severities of clinical symptoms in MG patients, especially the patients in MGT group( r = 0. 626, P ＜ 0.01) . And among the different histological types of MGT, thymoma of epithelioid cells has the highest correlation coefficient ( r = 0. 592, P ＜ 0. 01).CONCLUSION: The detection of RyR-ab has better sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of MGT and the levels of RyR-ab is positive correlatied with the severities of MG patients.

Coal Mining ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; Tuberculosis ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo search for a convenient, safe and effective method for treatment of facial spasm.

METHODSThree hundred and ninety cases of facial spasm were divided into 2 groups in order of visiting: medication group of 200 cases were treated with routine medicine, and acupuncture and laser treatment group of 190 cases treated with acupuncture plus laser radiation. After treatment of 30 days, their therapeutic effects were summarized.

RESULTSThe total effective rate, the cured rate and the 6-month recurrence rate were 93.7%, 64.7%, 6.7% in the acupuncture and laser treatment group, and the corresponding figures were 62.0%, 32.0% and 33.9% in the medication group respectively, with a very significant difference between the two groups in the therapeutic effect (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture plus laser radiation is a convenient and safe method for treatment of facial spasm.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hemifacial Spasm ; therapy ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

This study is to investigate the influence and mechanism of action of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the induced oxidative stress level on Alzheimer's disease (AD) incidence. ADMA concentration, nitric oxide, Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) activity and the concentrations of the induced free radicals including malondialdehyde (MDA), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 34 neurologically normal controls and 37 AD patients were quantitatively determined and statistically compared. The results showed that the ADMA concentration significantly decreased in AD patients, and it showed negative correlation with the NO, iNOS activity, and showed positive correlation with MMSE score. ADMA concentration was negatively correlated with Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio (P<0.01) with the observation that Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio increased while ADMA level decreased in CSF in AD patients. The concentration levels of MDA, 3-NT and ROS significantly increased compared with the control with all the P values less than 0.05. These findings suggested that the ADMA disorder and the oxidative damage effect of the induced free radicals in CSF of AD patients are an important mechanism of AD incidence, and their joint regulation may provide new idea for the prevention and clinical treatment of AD.

Objective To evaluate the radiation dose from enhanced dual-source computed Tomography(DSCT) scan on children with congenital heart disease(CHD). Methods Seventy children with CHD, age from 1 month to 8 years old, were scanned with enhanced DSCT. Children were divided by age into ＜ 1 year old group, 1-5 years old group, ＞ 5 years old group. The differences among three groups were tested by F test. Then, the SNK test was used to compare the difference between each group. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the relationship of dose length product (DLP) with the age,weight, voltage, current, pitch and scan sheet. Results The average value of DLP was (144.46 ±test showed statistical differences of DLP between ＜ 1 year old group and 1-5 years old group, and between ＜1 year old group and ＞5 years old group(q =5.21,6.52,P =0.009,0.004). The difference of DLP between 1-5 years old group and ＞ 5 years old group did not reach significant ( q = 0.28, P = 0.48 ). The differences of ED was not statistically significant among the three groups [＜ 1 year 3.20 mSv, 1-5 years (5.17 ± 1.98 ) mSv, ＞ 5 years ( 3.74 ± 1.33 ) mSv, F = 0.54, P = 0.59]. DLP was positively correlated with age (4.3 years,r = 0.541 86, P = 0.0008 ), weight ( 12.1 kg, r = 0.563 71, P = 0.0004 ), voltage [(95.48±6.99) kV,r =0.632 69, P＜0.01], current [(138.55±40.67) mA,r =0.796 08, P＜0.0001] and scan sheet (236.10 ±46.51 ,r = 0.721 92, P ＜ 0.01 ). DLP was negative correlated with pitch (0.48 ± 0.03,r = - 0.466 93, P = 0.0047 ). Conclusion Higher DLP was observed in children over 1 year old under enhanced DSCT scan, but ED was not statistically significant among the three groups due to the higher K value in the children under 1 year old.

Objective To investigate the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on the secretion of interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon(IFN)-γ and the proportion of Th17,Tc17,Th1 ,Tc1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods Thirty hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. PBMCs were separated from SLE patients and healthy controls and then was cultured in vitro by medium or PMA/Ionomycin or PMA/Ionomycin +dexamethasone for six hours. Four- color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the percentage of Th17,Tc17,Th1,Tc1 cells in PBMCs. Concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in plasma and the supernatants of PBMCs which were cultured for 24 hours were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γwere elevated in SLE patients as compared to the controls(P ＜ 0.05). No significant differences were observed between patients and controls for the spontaneous production of IL-17 and IFN-γ or percentage of T subsets expressed by PBMCs. After the stimulation of PMA,compared with the controls,the level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in the supematants of PBMCs and the percentages of Th17 and Tc1 in SLE patients increased significantly(P ＜ 0. 05). However,there showed no significant differences between SLE patients and the controls for the percentages of Th1 and Tc17 cells. DEX could significantly decrease the production of IL-17(P ＜ 0. 01)and the percentages of Th17,Tc1 cells by the active PBMCs(P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions There is abnormal expression of T subset cells and their cytokines in vivo of SLE patients. DEX can interfere with immunological pathological process in the cytokine network imbalance of SLE patients and shows powerful inhibition of IL - 17. Our results may provide some laboratory evidence for the clinical application of corticosteroids.

Current therapies of organ failure or a wide range of tissue defect are often not ideal. Transplantation is the only effective way for long time survival. But it is hard to meet huge patients demands because of donor shortage, immune rejection and other problems. Tissue engineering could be a potential option. Choosing a suitable scaffold material is an essential part of it. According to different sources, tissue engineering scaffold materials could be divided into three types which are natural and its modified materials, artificial and composite ones. The purpose of tissue engineering scaffold is to repair the tissues or organs damage, so could reach the ideal recovery in its function and structure aspect. Therefore, tissue engineering scaffold should even be as close as much to the original tissue or organs in function and structure. We call it "organic scaffold" and this strategy might be the drastic perfect substitute for the tissues or organs in concern. Optimized organization with each kind scaffold materials could make up for biomimetic structure and function of the tissue or organs. Scaffold material surface modification, optimized preparation procedure and cytosine sustained-release microsphere addition should be considered together. This strategy is expected to open new perspectives for tissue engineering. Multidisciplinary approach including material science, molecular biology, and engineering might find the most ideal tissue engineering scaffold. Using the strategy of drawing on each other strength and optimized organization with each kind scaffold material to prepare a multifunctional biomimetic tissue engineering scaffold might be a good method for choosing tissue engineering scaffold materials. Our research group had differentiated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into bile canaliculi like cells. We prepared poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(ε-caprolactone) biliary stent. The scaffold's internal played a part in the long-term release of cytokines which mixed with sustained-release nano-microsphere containing growth factors. What's more, the stent internal surface coated with glue/collagen matrix mixing layer containing bFGF and EGF so could supplying the early release of the two cytokines. Finally, combining the poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(ε-caprolactone) biliary stent with the induced cells was the last step for preparing tissue-engineered bile duct. This literature reviewed a variety of the existing tissue engineering scaffold materials and briefly introduced the impact factors on the characteristics of tissue engineering scaffold materials such as preparation procedure, surface modification of scaffold, and so on. We explored the choosing strategy of desired tissue engineering scaffold materials.
Glucosides ; chemistry ; Humans ; Stents ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry

Adult ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; complications ; diagnosis ; Hoarseness ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Male