OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homebox 1 (ZEB1) in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its relationship to the incidence of hypospadias.

METHODSPrepuce tissues were collected from 37 children aged 6-15 months undergoing hypospadias repair and 11 age-matched controls receiving circumcision. Based on the position of the urethral meatus, the hypospadias cases were classified as severe (n = 13) and mild-moderate (n = 24). The mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of the ZEB1 protein was remarkably higher in the severe (100% [13/13]) and mild-moderate hypospadias patients (75.0% [18/24]) than in the controls (9.1% [1/11]), with statistically significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). RT-PCR showed the integrated density value (IDV) of the ZEB1 mRNA expression to be (0.67 ± 0.21), (0.81 ± 0.24), and (1.55 ± 0.29) in the control, mild-moderate, and severe hypospadias patients, respectively, significantly higher in the severe hypospadias than in the control and mild-moderate hypospadias groups (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two (P = 0.64).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ZEB1 is significantly increased in hypospadias patients, and its upregulation is positively correlated with the severity of hypospadias, which suggests that the overexpression of ZEB1 may contribute to the development of hypospadias.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Circumcision, Male ; Foreskin ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; classification ; etiology ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Penis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Urethra ; Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1

Acute Disease ; Anemia ; etiology ; Child ; Fever ; etiology ; Humans ; Leukemia ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Patient Care ; Prognosis

Objective To increase the awareness of virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.Methods Sixteen cases of virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome were retrospectively analyzed.Results All presented with persistent high fever,cytopenia,hepato-splenomegaly,hepatic dysfunction,hypertriglyceridemia,hyperferritinemia,coagulopathy,hypofibrinogenemia,cytokine storm and a low natural killer cell activity.All patients had lymphohistiocytic accumulation in bone marrow.Treatment with high-dose gamma-globulin and high-dose methylprednisolone.Clinical symptoms and laboratory improved,and five patients died.Conclusion Aggressive early diagnosis and treatment are critical to improve survival.

BACKGROUND:Acellular nerve scaffolds have the three-dimensional structure of natural nerves and low immunogenicity,but their effect on long nerve defects is still not ideal.Therefore,it is necessary to construct tissueengineered nerve using acellular nerve and seed cells in order to improve the therapeutic effect.OBJECTIVE:To systemically review the efficacy of combination of acellular nerve grafts (ANGs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or Schwann cells (SCs) transplantation in the treatment of sciatic nerve defects in a rat model.METHODS:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effects of combination of ANGs and MSCs or SCs transplantation for sciatic nerve defects in rats were searched in PubMed,The Cochrane Library,EMbase,CNKI,WanFang and VIP from inception to July 2016.Three reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,extracted data,and assessed the risk of bias of included studies.Then,a Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manger5.3 software.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:A total of 10 RCTs involving 252 rats were included.The results of meta-analysis showed that:compared with the control group (simple acellular nerve scaffold group),the sciatic functional index (SFI) of the combined group (combination of ANGs and MSCs or SCs transplantation) were superior at 2 weeks [SMD=2.73,95％ CI (1.92,3.45),P ＜ 0.000 01],4 weeks [SMD=4.57,95％ CI (3.43,5.70),P ＜ 0.000 01],6 weeks [SMD=1.62,95％CI (0.18,3.06),P=-0.03],8 weeks [SMD=4.90,95％ CI (2.96,6.84),P ＜ 0.000 01] after surgery.The nerve conduction velocity [SMD=1.39,95％ CI (0.99,1.78),P ＜ 0.000 01),latency period (MD=-0.98,95％ CI (-1.19,-0.76),P ＜ 0.000 01],and amplitude [SMD=1.23,95％ CI (0.62,1.85),P ＜ 0.000 1] were superior at 12 weeks after surgery.The myelin sheath thickness was superior at 8 weeks [MD=0.14,95％ CI (0.07,0.21),P ＜ 0.000 1],12 weeks [SMD=1.85,95％ CI (1.63,2.08),P ＜ 0.000 01] and the number of myelinated nerve fibers were superior at 12 weeks [SMD=3.59,95％CI (2.63,4.55),P ＜ 0.000 01] after surgery.The gastrocnemius wet weight was superior at 8 weeks after surgery [SMD=4.22,95％ CI (2.40,6.03),P ＜ 0.000 01].Current evidence indicates that the combination of ANGs and MSCs or SCs can promote the regeneration and functional recovery of the peripheral nerve.Due to the limited quality of the included studies,the above conclusion should be verified by conducting high-quality and large-scale RCTs.

Seven compounds were isolated from fermentation extract of cave-derived Metarhizium anisopliae NHC-M3-2 by silica gel, semi-preparative HPLC and other chromatographic methods. Their structures were elucidated by UV, IR, MS and NMR methods as 2,3-dehydroindigotide G (1), (-)-regiolone (2), naphtho-γ-pyrone (3), indigotide G (4), indigotide B (5) destruxin A (6) and destruxin B (7). Compound 1 is a new glycoside naphthopyranone compound. The anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) activity of these compounds was evaluated. The EC₅₀ and CC₅₀ of compound 3 against HBV were 4.5 μmol·L^-1 and 92.3 μmol·L^-1, respectively. This is the first report of the antiviral activity of compound 3.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the total saponins of Panaxginseng (TSPG) on cells expression of apoptosis-related genes bax and bcl-xl in HL-60 cells and its mechanism inducing apoptosis of HL-60 cells. The morphology of HL-60 cells was observed under normal and fluorescence microscopes; the percentage of apoptotic HL-60 cells was assayed by flow cytometry and the DNA ladder was observed by DNA agarose gel electrophoresis; the expression changes of bax and bcl-xl mRNAs were detected by RT-PCR after HL-60 cells were treated with TSPG at final concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 microg/ml for 48 hours. The results showed that the percentage of apoptotic HL-60 cells went up as the dose increased, the typical apoptotic cell morphology and the appearance of apoptotic DNA ladder could be observed when treated with 0 - 400 microg/ml TSPG for 48 hours. At the same time and same range of concentration, the expression of bax mRNA increased and the bcl-xl expression decreased gradually. When higher than 400 microg/ml of TSPG was used, cell necrosis appeared and the percentage of apoptotic HL-60 cells even decreased. It is concluded that the apoptosis or necrosis in HL-60 cells can be induced by TSPG at certain range of concentration, and the percentage of apoptosis is dose-dependent. The effect on up-regulation of bax mRNA and down-regulation of bcl-xl mRNA probably play an important role in apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by TSPG.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Panax ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the effect of capsaicin on IA and IK in cultured rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons.

METHODSWhole-cell patch clamp technique was used to record the IA and IK before and after capsaicin perfusion at different concentrations.

RESULTSIn capsaicin-sensitive (CS) neurons, capsaicin was shown to selectively inhibit IA in dose-dependent manner, the IC50 was 0.99 micromol x L(-1). Yet capsaicin showed no inhibitory effect on IK, capsaicin (10 micromol x L(-1)) only slightly inhibited IK by 13.2%. In capsaicin-insensitive (CIS) neurons, capsaicin (1 micromol x L(-1)) showed no significant inhibitory effect on IA and IK, capsaicin (10 micromol x L(-1)) only slightly inhibited IA and IK by 16.8% and 15.3%, respectively. Neither 1 micromol x L(-1) nor 10 micromol x L(-1) capsaicin showed effect on the G-V curve of IA and IK.

CONCLUSIONCapsaicin was found to selectively inhibit the IA current in CS neurons, and this effect may contribute to hyperalgesia when capsaicin was first used.

Animals ; Capsaicin ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; cytology ; physiology

Anaphylaxis is increasingly in children, which is currently undernotified, underdiagnosed, and undertreated in China.In order to further improved the understanding and management of anaphylaxis, this issue reviews the pathogenesis, triggers and risk factors, clinical diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis, thus offers the recommedations of anaphylaxis in Chinese children based on previous published evidence-based guidelines and practice parameters.Recommendation aims to develop guiding principles for the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis in children, and provide a framework for the development of new guidelines.

OBJECTIVETo study the anatomy of lateral crural skin flap nourished by cutaneous branches of peroneal artery and its clinical application as vascularized skin flap transfer.

METHODSIn 20 cadavers specimen with 40 lower limbs, the cutaneous branches of the peroneal artery were dissected and their measurements were recorded. In the other 30 adult legs, their perforating points of the cutaneous arteries of peroneal artery were detected with supersonic Doppler flow meter. With the aid of anatomic and supersonic Doppler flow meter study, vascularized transfer of lateral crural skin flap pedicled by cutaneous branches of peroneal artery were successfully performed in 21 clinical cases.

RESULTSIn altogether 40 legs studied, 140 cutaneous branches were found. One to seven branches were found on one specimen, the average was 3.5 branches, in one leg was a high perforating skin branch. The perforating points of the cutaneous branches were mostly (76% cases) appeared within 7 - 21 cm length below the protruding point of head of fibula. The external diameter of the thickest cutaneous branch of each leg was (1 .4 - 2.9) mm, (1.8 +/- 0.4) mm, while the external diameters of two vena concomitants were (3.0 +/- 0.5) mm and (2.4 +/- 0.4) mm. 145 artery perforating points in 30 legs were detected by Doppler, with an average points of 4.8. The skin flaps taken in the 21 clinical cases were 5.0 cm x 3.5 cm - 28 cm x 11 cm in size. All the transferred free flaps survived uneventfully.

CONCLUSIONSThe lateral crural skin flap is nourished by a variable number of cutaneous branches of peroneal artery. The main branch can meet the demand of microvascular anastomosis. The free transfer of lateral crural flap by anastomosis of cutaneous branch of peroneal artery is superior to lateral skin flap transfer by anastomosis of main trunk of peroneal artery with the merit of simple procedure, minimal trauma and more physiological circulation established.

Adult ; Aged ; Arteries ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Humans ; Leg ; blood supply ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDTo evaluate the utility of rabbit ladderlike model of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) for the future investigation of computed tomography perfusion.

METHODSA total of 72 New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: 36 rabbits in the test group were administered 25 Gy of single fractionated radiation to the whole lung of unilateral lung; 36 rabbits in the control group were sham-radiated. All rabbits were subsequently sacrificed at 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 h, and 1, 2, 4, 8,1 6, 24 weeks after radiation, and then six specimens were extracted from the upper, middle and lower fields of the bilateral lungs. The pathological changes in these specimens were observed with light and electron microscopy; the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-a) and transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β₁) in local lung tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS(1) Radiation-induced lung injury occurred in all rabbits in the test group. (2) Expression of TNF-a and TGF-β₁ at 1 h and 48 h after radiation, demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the test and control groups (each P < 0.05). (3) Evaluation by light microscopy demonstrated statistically significant differences between the two groups in the following parameters (each P < 0.05): thickness of alveolar wall, density of pulmonary interstitium area (1 h after radiation), number of fibroblasts and fibrocytes in interstitium (24 h after radiation). The test group metrics also correlated well with the time of postradiation. (4) Evaluation by electron microscopy demonstrated statistically significant differences in the relative amounts of collagen fibers at various time points postradiation in the test group (P < 0.005), with no significant differences in the control group (P > 0.05). At greater than 48 h postradiation the relative amount of collagen fibers in the test groups significantly differ from the control groups (each P < 0.05), correlating well with the time postradiation (r = 0.99318).

CONCLUSIONSA consistent and reliable rabbit model of RILI can be generated in gradient using 25 Gy of high-energy X-ray, which can simulate the development and evolution of RILI.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Lung Injury ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; metabolism ; Male ; Rabbits ; Radiation Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; metabolism ; Radiography ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; X-Rays