Electric Stimulation ; Humans ; Hypoglossal Nerve ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; therapy

Total RNA was extracted from leaf of Suaeda hetroptera kitag, then the CMO ( choline monooxygenase) cDNA was amplified using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction ( RT-PCR) method and cloned into pMD-T-simple vector. The positive clones from the Blue/White Screen were sequenced. After confirming its validity, the CMO gene fragment was cloned into pBI121 vector. Double enzyme restriction and PCR analysis indicated that the pBI121/CMO recombinant plasmid was successfully constructed.

This paper focuses on the trends in wearable medical devices for the applications in m-health. The state-of-art technologies for the continuous and noninvasive measurements of physiological parameters, implementation platforms of wearable medical devices - e-textile, and body sensor networks are reviewed here with examples of related recent research projects conducted in different countries. In addition, we introduce our recent research project on the e-textile-based health shirt (h-shirt), which can measure arterial blood pressure noninvasively, continuously and cufflessly.
Biomedical Technology ; instrumentation ; Clothing ; Equipment Design ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; instrumentation ; Textiles

OBJECTIVETo explore a new technique that keep function and good aesthetic shape after reduction mammaplasty.

METHODSThe superomedial glandular pedicle technique was applied with differing patterns of skin incision according to the degree of the mammary hypertrophy. The extra glandular tissue was removed from the lateral and inferior segment of the breast. The remaining superomedial glandular tissue was remodeled a conical shape. The skin incision was sutured after excision of excess skin.

RESULTS36 cases (72 breasts) were treated with this technique. The results were satisfactory and there were no complications. The breasts maintained a lasting and aesthetically pleasing shape and the nipple-areola preserved good sensation.

CONCLUSIONSThe superomedial glandular pedicle is a safe and effective technique that can provide long-lasting outcome. The design of the procedure can be adapted to a variety of skin incision patterns and breast morphologies.

Adult ; Breast ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Liver Transplantation ; methods ; Postoperative Period

Objective To analyze the epidemic tendency of Microtus fascus plague during 2000-2008 in Sichuan province. Methods To investigate the plague each year according to "overall Plan of the Plague in the Whole Nation" and "Surveillance Program of Sichuan Province Plague". Results There were plague epidemic from 2000 to 2008, with the average density as 312.41/ha. 42.57% of the Microtus fuscus were infected by body Fleas. The Fleas Index was 0.88 and the Index for nest Fleas of Microtas fuscus was 55.89. Six kinds of animals were infected by not only the Microtus fuscus but also herd-dog, sand fox, Tibetan sheep, domestic cats and Cricetulus longicaulatus as well. The positive rate of live Microtus fuscus was 0.32% but 22.99% in the dead Microtus fuscus. The overall positive rate on serological test was 6.70%. There were 4 Sections, 11 species and 19 kinds Fleas identified and carrying 3 kinds of fleas, Callopsylla sparsilis, Amphipsylla tntua tutua and Rhadinopsylla dahurica vicina, with the overall infection rate as 0.054%. Conclusion Plague among Microtus fuscus showed a continuous epidemic in Sichuan province during 2000-2008.

Objective To analyzed the variant information on the indices regarding fleas from natural foci of Microtus plague in Sichuan epidemic area during 2000 to 2008.Methods Statistical and analytical methods were used on the surveillance data regarding Microtus fuscus plague.Results There were 19 flea species identified and the share of Callopsylla sparsilis was 62.79 percent while the share of Amphipsylla tuta tuta was 30.90 percent on Microtus fuscus plague.The infection rate of fleas and the flea index were the highest in October and the lowest in December and March.Species as Callopsylla sparsilis,Amphipsylla tuta tuta and Rhadinopsylla dahurica vicina could naturally infect the Yersinia pestis.Conclusion Microtus fuscus plague could become epidemic when animals and flea species were infected.We should emphasis on plague monitoring program so as to prevent the occurrence of the disease.

BACKGROUNDMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding regulatory RNAs whose aberrant expression may be observed in many malignancies. However, few data are yet available on human primary medulloblastomas. This work aimed to identify that whether miRNAs would be aberrantly expressed in tumor tissues compared with non-tumorous cerebellum tissues from same patients, and to explore a possible role during carcinogenesis.

METHODSA high throughput microRNA microarray was performed in human primary medulloblastoma specimens to investigate differentially expressed miRNAs, and some miRNAs were validated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. In addition, the predicted target genes for the most significantly down- or up-regulated miRNAs were analyzed by using a newly modified ensemble algorithm.

RESULTSNine miRNA species were differentially expressed in medulloblastoma specimens versus normal non-tumorous cerebellum tissues. Of these, 4 were over expressed and 5 were under expressed. The changes ranged from 0.02-fold to 6.61-fold. These findings were confirmed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR for most significant deregulated miRNAs (miR-17, miR-100, miR-106b, and miR-218) which are novel and have not been previously published. Interestingly, most of the predicted target genes for these miRNAs were involved in medulloblastoma carcinogenesis.

CONCLUSIONSMiRNAs are differentially expressed between human medulloblastoma and non-tumorous cerebellum tissue. MiRNAs may play a role in the tumorigenesis of medulloblastoma and maybe serve as potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies in future.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medulloblastoma ; genetics ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of CBX7 in human glioma and investigate the potential regulatory effect of abnormally expressed microRNAs on CBX7 expression.

METHODSSemi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were applied to detect the expression pattern of CBX7 in 2 human normal brain tissues, 9 glioma tissues, and 3 glioma cell lines. Miranda algorithm and Ensemble Machine Learning algorithm were combined to predict miRNAs that target human CBX7. The expression of miR-9 in those tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time PCR. After miR-9 overexpression in 293ET and miR-9 knock-down in T98G, luciferase assay and Western blot were used to confirm the effect of miR-9 on CBX7 expression. MTT assay and flow cytometry were applied to detect the effect of miR-9 knock-down on T98G cells.

RESULTSNo obvious difference in the CBX7 mRNA level between normal and tumor tissues was observed, while the protein level of CBX7 was abrogated or markedly reduced in glioma tissues and cell lines. Several miRNAs including miR-9 may target CBX7 by bioinformatics prediction. MiR-9 was up-regulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. In 293ET cell, luciferase activity of CBX7-3'UTR reporter was decreased to 24% after miR-9 overexpression. After miR-9 knock-down in T98G cell, the luciferase activity was increased by 1.8 fold and there was no change of CBX7 mRNA, while the protein level of endogenous CBX7 was significantly increased. The number of survival T98G cells increased and cells in G1 phase decreased after miR-9 knock-down.

CONCLUSIONIn human glioma, CBX7 is down-regulated by the inhibition of miR-9 at posttranscriptional level.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Algorithms ; Blotting, Western ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Child ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Glioma ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo screen out differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in the plasma of children with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), to determine the expression of miR-9-1 in plasma and to preliminarily evaluate the significance of miR-9-1 as a biomarker in MMA.

METHODSPlasma was obtained from 17 MMA children, 10 hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) children without MMA (HHcy group), and 10 normal controls. Of 17 MMA children, 12 had HHcy (MMA+HHcy group), and 5 had no HHcy (MMA group). The differentially expressed miRNAs were screened out by miRNA microarray. Differentially expressed miR-9-1 was selected, and plasma miR-9-1 levels were determined by RT-PCR. Urine was collected from MMA patients who received vitamin B12 treatment, and plasma miR-9-1 levels were determined by RT-PCR after treatment.

RESULTSThe miRNA microarray analysis showed that 26 miRNAs were differentially expressed, among which 16 miRNAs (including miR-9-1) were down-regulated over 2 times, while 10 miRNAs were up-regulated over 2 times. The MMA+HHcy , MMA and HHcy groups had significantly down-regulated miR-9-1 compared with the normal control group (P<0.01). The patients who showed a good response to vitamin B12 treatment had significantly increased plasma miR-9-1 levels, without significant difference compared with the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma miR-9-1 is significantly down-regulated in MMA patients, but it is significantly up-regulated after vitamin B12 treatment, suggesting that miR-9-1 may act as a biomarker in monitoring the progression of MMA.

Adolescent ; Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; genetics ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; genetics ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; blood