Abdominal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Groin ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Humans ; Occupational Health ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To study the value of the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in gene diagnosis on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).Methods PCR-RFLP method was used to detect the homozygous deletion of the exon 7 or exon 8 of SMN gene in 20 SMA patients of Type Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and 15 normal individuals.Results Homozygous deletion of exon 7 and exon 8 of the SMN gene were all identified 7/7 in SMA TypeⅠpatients, and 5/5 and 4/5 respectively in SMA Type Ⅱ patients, but only 1/8 of SMA Type Ⅲ patients, and no homozygous deletion was found in the normal controls.Conclusions PCR-RFLP might be recommended as an effective diagnosis for spinal muscular atrophy Type Ⅰand Ⅱ patients, whereas the method might not be as useful in Type Ⅲ as in Type Ⅰand Ⅱ for the gene diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the analgesic efficacy and spinal neurotoxicity of intrathecal (IT) different doses of dexmedetomidine in rats. Methods Sixty male SD rats weighing 180-220 g were randomly divided into 5 groups ( n = 12 each): groupnormal control (group C); group IT normal saline (group N); different doses of dexmedetomidine groups received IT dexmedetomidine 0.75, 1.50 and 3.00 μg/kg respectively (groups D1.3). Paw withdrawal threshold to mechanical stimulation (PWMT)with yon Frey filaments and tail flick latency (TFL) to a thermal nociceptive stimulus were measured before (To, baseline) and at 30 or60 rin after IT dexmedetomidine or normal saline administration (T1, T2 ) and the percentage of the maximum possible effect ( MPE ) was calculated. Lumbar segment of the spinal cord ( L4-6 ) was removed for microscopic examination and determination of c-Fos expression (by immuno-histochemistry) at 7, 24 and 48 h after IT dexmedetomidine or normal saline administration. Results PWMT, TFL and the percentage of MPE were significantly increased after IT dexmedetomidine as compared with the baseline values at T0 in groups D1-3 ( P ＜ 0.05). PWMT was significantly higher at T1 and TFL and the percentage of MPE were higher at T2 in groups D1-3 than in groups C and N,and in group D3 than in groups D1,2 ( P ＜ 0.05). At 7,24 h after IT dexmedetomidine c-Fos protein expression was significantly higher in group D3 than in groups C and N( P ＜ 0.05). There was no significant difference in c-Fos expression at 48 h after IT dexmedetomidine between group D3 and groups C and N ( P ＞ 0.05 ). At 24 h after IT dexmedetomidine c-Fos protein expression was significantly higher in group D3 than in other 4 groups( P ＜ 0.05). Slight spinal cord injury was observed at 24 h after IT dexmedetomidine in group D3. Conclusion IT dexmedetomidine has antinociceptive effect. High dose dexmedetomidine IT can produce transient reversible toxicity to the spinal cord.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with infusion of propofol in anodynia bronchoscopy.

METHODSNinety patients who received selective bronchoscopy were randomized into a group of compound TEAS with infusion of propofol (group A), a group of compound fentanyl with propofol (group B) and a group of simple propofol (group C). In group A, the plaster electrode stimulation was applied at bilateral Hegu (LI 4), Laogong (PC 8), Neiguan (PC 6) and Waiguan (TE 5). The anesthesia was induced after 20 min of stimulation till the end of examination. In group B and group C, the electric stimulation was not adopted. In group B, before anesthesia, fentanyl 1 microg/kg was injected intravenously. Afterwards, the intravenous infusion of propofol was used in the the three groups for anesthesia. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), saturation of pulse oximetry (SpO2) and respiratory rate (RR) were recorded at different time points. The induced dosage and total dosage of propofol, examination time, the awakening time and adverse reactions were observed in the patients of each group.

RESULTSThe difference in examination time was not significant among the three groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative awakening time in group A was earlier than that in group B and group C [(220.3 +/- 110.5) s vs (285.6 +/- 109.4) s, (290.1 +/- 105.1) s, both P < 0.05]. The total dosage of propofol in group C was larger than those in group A and group B [(288.5 +/- 26.7) mg vs (225.1 +/- 30.2) mg, (230.4 +/- 29.3) mg, both P < 0.05]. The induced dosage in group C was larger than those in group A and group B [(193.7 +/- 42.3) mg vs (152.3 +/- 36.1) mg, (155.4 +/- 40.5) mg, both P < 0.05]. Every life physical sign in group A during examination was more stable as compared with that in group B and group C. The incidence of hypotension and bradycardia in group A were lower than those in group C [3.3% (1/30) vs 26.7% (8/30), 0% (0/30) vs 20.0% (6/30), both P < 0.05]. The adverse incidence of oxygen supply in group A was lower than that in group B [6.7% (2/30) vs 33.3% (10/30), P < 0.05]. Intraoperative awareness and improper memory did not happen in postoperative investigation.

CONCLUSIONIn the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with infusion of propofol in anodynia bronchoscopy, the physical sign of patient is stable with less adverse reactions. This method reduces anesthetic dosage and shortens the postoperative awakening time, which can be effectively applied in bronchoscopy.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Analgesia ; Anesthetics, Intravenous ; administration & dosage ; Bronchoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management ; Propofol ; administration & dosage ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

AIM: To investigate the role of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the growth of Müller cells using a co-culture system in vitro . METHODS: Müller cells were cocultured with RPE cells under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions in Transwell chamber culture system. Müller cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. The number of cells which migrate through micropores and stay on the outer bottom side of insert systems were observed and counted. RESULTS: The activities of proliferation and migration of Müller cells when cocultured with RPE cells were significantly higher than those of the Müller cells when cultured alone at all time points under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. However, for both the coculture and control groups, there is no significant difference between the measurements at 3 and 6 hours. CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests that RPE, when co-cultured with Müller cells, can stimulate migration and proliferation of Müller cells under both hypoxic and normoxic conditions in a time-dependent manner; how-ever, there is no evidence to support the synergetic interaction of RPE and Müller cells co-cultured under hypoxic conditions.

Background and purpose:This study investigated the value of cervical ultrasound and TSH-sup-pressed thyroglobulin in the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).Methods:This study analyzed the data on 196 thyroid carcinoma patients who underwent neck dissection after clinically sus-pecious recurrence of DTC in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from Aug. 2010 to Dec. 2014. Among the 196 patients, 62 patients sonographically suspecious recurrence after total thyroidectomy and/or radioactive iodine ablation therapy were enrolled in this study. The ultrasonic features of lymph node involvement were retrospectively analyzed. The value of the ultrasonic features in the diagnosis of lymph node involvement and a TSH-suppressed serum Tg level in the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis of DTC was also evaluated.Results:Of the 62 patients, 59 were pathologi-cally conifrmed with lymph node involvement, 1 case with local recurrence and 2 cases without recurrence or metasta-sis. There were 121 ultrasonographically suspected lymph nodes, conifrmed by pathology, 92 were metastatic ltsions, 25 were non-metastatic, 3 were ifbrous tissue and 1 was striated muscle. The positive predictive rate of cyst, calciifcation or hyper-echogenicity in cortex was 100% in the diagnosis of lymph node involvement. There was a signiifcant difference in disordered vascularity and cyst in cortex between metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes. Forty-nine patients were positive for Tg, whereas 13 were negative. The accuracy, sensitivity and speciifcity of TSH-suppressed serum Tg in the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis of DTC were 82.3%, 81.7% and 100%.Conclusion:The disordered vascularity and cyst in cortex of the lymph node are highly speciifc indexes in diagnosing lymph node involvement. TSH-suppressed serum Tg level has high diagnostic value for detection of recurrence or metastasis of DTC. Cervical ultrasound can identify recurrent or metastatic lesions in both Tg-positive and Tg-negative patients.

Background and purpose:Due to the lack of cost-effective pre-treatment predictors for advanced cervical squamous cell carcinomas treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), both baseline circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/- regulatory T cell (Treg) count and serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) level were measured for this feasibility study. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 44 patients with stageⅡB-ⅣA cervical squamous carcinomas before CCRT. Flow cytometry immunophenotyping and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used for circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count and serum SCC-Ag level testing,respectively. Clinical and pathological characteristics were retrospectively reviewed to analyze the predictive value of the 2 indexes. Results:The baseline circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count was lower in the patient group with positive treatment response than in the group with negative response [(8.78±2.80)%vs (10.95±2.56)%, P<0.05], and the serum SCC-Ag level showed no signiifcant difference between the 2 groups. No correlation was detected between these 2 markers (Spearman’rho=-0.093, P=0.540). Determined by plotting receiver operating characteristic curves, the best cut-off points were 9.76%for circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count and 9.50 ng/mL for serum SCC-Ag level, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that pretherapeutic circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count (OR=1.901, 95%CI:1.112-3.219, P=0.017), but not serum SCC-Ag level (OR=0.998, 95%CI:0.001-4.253, P=0.897), was predictive of clinical response to CCRT. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that pre-treatment CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count was an independent predictor for clinical response to CCRT (OR=3.115, 95%CI:1.253-7.742, P=0.014). Conclusion:Pretherapeutic circulating CD4+CD25+CD127Low/-Treg count is a feasible method to predict clinical response to CCRT in patients with advanced cervical squamous cell carcinomas.

Objective: To observe the conditions of the activating areas in the brain evoked by needling Shenmen (HT 7) acupoint. Methods: Twelve healthy young volunteers were needled at Shenmen (HT 7) acupoint with rotating and twisting techniques. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was adopted to detect the brain activating areas, TR/TE/FA=3560 ms/50 ms/90°. After scanning, the images were dealt with SPM2. Results: Needling Shenmen (HT 7) primarily activated BA2 and BA1 of the gyms postcentralis in right-sided frontal lobe, BA47 of left-sided inferior frontal gyms and BA43 of left-sided gyms postcentralis, and also activated BA40 of inferior parietal lobule in right-sided parietal lobe, BA22 of gyrus temporalis superior in left-sided lobus temporalis, and BA40 of right-sided insula; however, the sham acupoints could not activate these nucleus. Conclusion: Needling Shenmen (HT 7) can activate the relevant functional areas in the brain.

AIM: To investigate the expression of microRNA-375 (miR-375) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to analyze the target genes and signaling pathways regulated by miR-375.METHODS: The expression of miR-375 was examined at tissue microarray of HCC by in situ hybridization.The whole human genome chip and bioinforma-tics analysis were applied to screen out the differential expression genes and signaling pathways in 4 HCC cell lines trans-fected with miR-375 mimic.RESULTS:In situ hybridization showed the expression of miR-375 in HCC tissues were obvi-ously higher than that in tumor-adjacent tissues (P<0.05).There were 20 co-upregulated genes and 17 co-downregulated genes in all 4 cell lines.Bioinformatic analysis showed that there were 54 signaling pathways related to up-regulated genes and 48 signaling pathways related to down-regulated genes in all 4 cell lines.CONCLUSION: miR-375 may play a key role in the pathological process of HCC.The bioinformatic analysis is able to screen the target genes and signaling pathways regulated by miR-375 and to provide an explicit direction for further mechanism research on HCC.