Objective To study the clinical significance of recognizing Zuckerkandl tubercle (ZT) during thyroid surgery. Methods One hundred and sixty-one patients (218 sides) having underwent thyroid lobectomy or thyroidectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The presence of ZT, the position and size of ZT, and the relationship between ZT and recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), superior parathyroid (SP) were observed. Results In 218 sides, 179 sides (82.1%) found ZT, with right side in 93 cases and left side in 86 cases. The main relationship between ZT and RLN was A type, accounting for 90.5%(162/179). There were no statistical differences in ZT grade and the relationship type between ZT and RLN between left side and right side (P>0.05). There was negative correlation in ZT grade and the relationship type between ZT and RLN (r=-0.269, P<0.01). In right side, 92.3%(72/78) of SP located on the top of ZT at 10-11 o′clock position;in left side, 94.6%(70/74) of SP located on the top of ZT at 1-2 o′clock position. Conclusions ZT is an important anatomical mark in the thyroid surgery, which helps to identify and protect the RLN and SP, so as to reduce surgical complications.

Objective To explore central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) of cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC).Methods We evaluate the clinical data of 245 patients with cN0 unilateral TPC undergoing total thyroidectomy and bilateral central lymph node dissection.Results Central lymph node metastasis of cN0 TPC was 36.8％ (91/245),significantly related to gender(x2 =5.626,P =0.018),age (x2 =6.255,P =0.012),tumor size (x2 =20.063,P ＜ 0.001) and capsule invasion (x2 =15.024,P ＜ 0.001).The central lymph node metastasis was 51.7％ (60/116) in 116 patients with tumor size ＞ 1 cm,and the contralateral CLNM was 22.4％ (26/116) which was related to capsule invasion (x2 =9.737,P =0.002) and delphian LNM(x2 =10.982,P =0.001) There were 6 cases (2.4％) suffering from temporary unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.96 cases (39.2％) suffered from temporary hypoparathyroidism and 3 cases (1.2％) from permanent hypoparathyroidism.The median follow-up time was 40 months.6 cases were found regional lymph node recurrence on the ipsilateral side.Tumor size ＞ 1 cm was significantly related with recurrence (P =0.008),as CLNM with higher recurrence rate (P =0.001).Conclusions CLNM is common in cN0 PTC patients,and central lymph node metastases increase the risk of recurrence.Prophylactic bilateral central lymph node dissection is suggested for tumor size ＞ 1 cm cases.

Lyotropic liquid crystal(LLC) is generally a kind of micelle association formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic lipid polymers in polar solvents. It have been applied in the study of drug delivery of administration of oral, skin injection, ocular, and cavity channel routes(including buccal cavity, nasal cavity, vagina), et al. Medical liquid crystal mainly includes lamellar phase, inverse hexagonal phase and inverse cubic phase. Inner assembling order in different structures of liquid crystals will affect the drug localization, viscosity, molecular interactions, and further drug release in vitro and in vivo, pharmacokinetics and so on. Thus, it is very important to characterize their microstructures. In this article, the characterization methods of LLC microstructures are comprehensively described based on the research of LLC as drug delivery carrier and related literatures, which can provide reference for further study of LLC drug delivery system.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic significance of endoscopic findings in Henoch-Schonlein purpura(HSP),especially when abdominal pain preceded the cutaneous lesions.Methods The clinical data and gastroscopic findings in 37 cases of children with HSP were studied and analysed retrospectively in order to detect the pathological changes in the stomach and duodenum mucosa.The biopsy was taken in the pathological changeing place,and the relationship between clinical and endoscopic findings was analyzed.Results Detection rate of the pathological changes in the stomach and duodenum mucosa was 62.2%,31.3% of which experienced only cutaneous lesions,100% of which presented the acute abdominal pain.Three patients were not checked up the pathological changes.Of them,1 had arthritis,2 had Henoch-Schonlein nephritis.Characteristically endoscopic findings in the stomach and duodenum mucosa were found.The endoscopic findings included anabrosis,hyperemia,edema and hemorrhage.Conclusions Detection rate of the pathological changes in the stomach and duodenum mucosa is higher.Endoscopy is very helpful to the early diagnosis of HSP in children,especially abdominal pain presented firstly.

Heart Neoplasms ; pathology ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Rhabdomyoma ; pathology

AIMTo investigate the protective effects of adenovirus-mediated hepatocyte growth factor (Ad-HGF) on injury of rat cortex neurons induced by in vitro serum-free culture.

METHODSFlow cytometry was used to assay the transfection rate of rat cortex neurons infected by adenovirus-mediated green fluorescent protein(Ad-GFP) at different multiplicity of infection (MOI) to find out the best MOI in experiment. ELISA was used to elucidate the expression patterns of cortex neuron. Neutral red stain and PI-Hoechst 33342 double stain were used to compare the viability of cortex neurons, which were cultured in serum-free medium for 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h respectively, among the Ad-HGF transfected group, the Ad-GFP transfected group and the control group.

RESULTSIt was found that when MOI was 50 PFU per cell, a transfection rate as high as 99.3% was maintained and Ad-HGF was able to express in cortex neurons effectively and persistently. In addition, the death rate and apoptotic rate of cortex neurons (infected 2 hours after seeding) cultured in serum-free medium for 12 h in Ad-HGF transfected group was significantly lower than that in both the Ad-GFP group and the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAd-HGF plays a protective role against in vitro serum-free culture induced injury on rat cortex neurons infected 2 hours after seeding. Though its effects on rat cortex neurons infected 5 days after seeding are not so remarkable, Ad-HGF also has the potential to protect cortex neurons from serum-free culture induced injury.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between genetic polymorphisms of 7 SNPs in PTPN22 and PADI4 genes and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Yunnan.

METHODSA case-control study was carried out on 192 patients of rheumatoid arthritis and 288 healthy controls. Genotypes of rs33996649 and 1858 loci within PTPN22 gene, and rs11203366 and rs874881 loci within PADI4 gene were determined with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Genotypes of rs1635579, rs2428736 and rs2240340 in PADI4 gene were determined with pyrosequencing.

RESULTSThe frequencies of alleles and genotypes of rs2240340 locus in PADI4 gene showed a significant difference between rheumatoid arthritis and controls in Yunnan population (P U+003C 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOur results suggested that rs2240340 in PADI4 gene is associated with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Yunnan.

Alleles ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hydrolases ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 22 ; genetics ; Protein-Arginine Deiminases

High-Frequency Ventilation ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn ; therapy

Objective To investigate the effects of 3 different ventilation methods,including conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV),high frequency oscillatory ventilation(HFOV) and partial liquid ventilation (PLV),on the changes of inflammatory factors and pulmonary surfactant associated protein A (SP-A) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in newborn piglets with acute lung injury(ALI).Methods Twenty-four newborn piglets,no more than 3 days old,were enrolled.After ALI made with saline lavage(38 ℃,35 mL/kg),newborn piglets were randomly assigned to 4 groups:control group (n =6,no ventilation),CMV group(n =6),HFOV group(n =6),and PLV group(n =6).Piglets were sacrificed after being ventilated for 24 h.Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin-8 (IL-8),interleukin-1 (IL-1) and SP-A in BALF were measured quantitatively by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results In 3 groups using different ventilation methods,the population mean of TNF-o,IL-8,IL-1 and SP-A were statistically different (all P =0.000).SP-A in PLV group and HFOV group were higher than that in CMV group (all P ＜ 0.05),while IL-8,IL-1 and TNF-α in PLV group were lower than those in CMV group (all P ＜ 0.05),IL-8 and TNF-α in PLV group were lower than those in HFOV group (all P ＜ 0.05),IL-8 and TNF-α in HFOV group were lower than those in CMV group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Pulmonary inflammatory reaction was different in 3 ventilation groups.Compared with CMV and HFOV,PLV attenuated inflammatory reaction,so it could increase the expression of SP-A and decrease the degradation of SP-A.

Objective: To evaluate the immunogenicity of HIV-1 clade C/B’ vaccine based on modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vector in mice. Methods: Mice were inoculated with 3-dose HIV vaccine by intramuscular injection. Blood sample were collected every second week, and then the antibodies against HIV were detected. At week 6, mice were killed and cellular immune responses were examined by ELISPOT. Result: The number of spot forming cells in the 107 pfu/ml -dose group was more than those of 105 pfu/ml -dose and 106 pfu/ml -dose groups significantly. HIV specific antibodies emerged at week 2 and elevated rapidly at week 4 and week 6. The level of specific IgG in the 107 pfu/ml -dose group was more than those of 105 pfu/ml -dose and 106 pfu/ml -dose groups significantly. Conclusion: The ADMVA induces both humoral immunoresponse and cellular immune responses.