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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

Objective To survey gene expression profiles in nonlesional refractory temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE)and to further verify the difference of gene expression.thus to evaluate the possible molecular pathogenesis of this kind of epilepsy that can help to supply a new way for the diagnosis and treatment.Methods The TLE samples and control cases were studied by means of cDNA microarray consisting of 1 8 000 genes.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)Was performed to measure the expression alterations of SH3GL2.BTNN2A2 and KCNJ4 mRNA in temporal cortex samples from patients who had undergone temporal lobectomy surgery for intractable epilepsy.Tissue from 10 subjects who did not have epilepsy served as controls.Results The known genes differently expressed in those TLE samples involved immunity correlation factor genes,signal conduction genes,ion channel transportation genes;mitochondria function genes and SO on were identified.Among which.the expression of SH3GL2 mRNA Was significantly increased in epileptic brain(1.022±0.547)compared with the controls(0.446±0.171,t=-3.181).In TLE group(0.481±0.196),the expression of BTN2A2 mRNA was also significantly higher than that of control subjects(0.243±0.111,t=3.351).Compared with control group(O.795±0.112),the expression of KCNJ4 mRNA Was significantly decreased in TLE patients(0.438±0.178).Conclusions cDNA microarray is an efficient and high.throughout method to survey gene expression profiles in intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.The variation of those gene expressions might be a potential etiological agent for TLE that may offer a novel target for anticonvulsant therapy.

High altitude retinopathy ( HAR ) refers to the body which can't adapt to the hypobaric hypoxia environment at high altitude leading to retinal diseases, which typically manifested as retinal hemorrhages, optic disc edema and cotton wool spots. With the development of high altitude medicine, HAR become a hot topic of eye research in recent years. New researches show a significantly higher incidence of HAR, and HAR has a close contact with acute mountain sickness, high altitude cerebral edema and high altitude pulmonary edema. A further study in pathogenesis and prevention measures of HAR will promote the prevention of altitude sickness. Traditional Chinese Medicine has achieved good effects in the prevention of altitude sickness, but the effect and mechanism of herbs on HAR has not been reported. Through read and summarize the relevant literatures and reports, the author will give an overview of the research advances on HAR's pathogenesis and application of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Objective To evaluate clinical outcome in postoperative patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with concurrent chemotherapy and dendritic cells (DCs) vaccine as well as alteration of immune function. Methods Sixty-four postoperative patients with advance gastric cancer were divided into control group and DC vaccine group, In control group, 38 patients were treated with LCH regimen consisted of 5-fluorouracil 0.75 g/d_(1-5) and oxaliplatin 0.2 g/d_1. In DC vaccine group,blood sample was obtained from 26 patients who were followed by LCH regimen treatment next day.One week after the chemotherapy, patients were immunized with DC vaccine for 2 times at interval of one week. The second cycle was performed after 28 days. The percentages of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells and cytokine levels before and after treatment were compared between two groups. The therapeutic effects (including no remote metastasis and enlarged lymph nodes in cavity and/or tumor reduced in volume) were also evaluated. Results The concentrations of T lymphocytes (CD3~+ and CD4~+ ), NK cells, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12 and interferon-γ in DC vaccine group were significantly increased after vaccination compared with those before vaccination (P＜0.05), and even higher than those in control group (P＜0.05). The effective rate was higher in DC vaccine group (80. 76%) than that in control group (68.42%) with significant difference (P＜0. 05). The side effects of chemotherapy such as the decreased peripheral white blood ceils and immune cells were less serious in DC vaccine group compared with control group (P＜ 0.05), while the uncomfortable incidence of gastrointestinal tract and peripheral neuritis showed no significant difference between two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusions Application of concurrent chemotherapy and DC vaccine in patients with advanced gastric cancer after surgical treatment may achieve a short-term efficacy, meanwhile it can reduce the side effects induced by chemotherapy.