OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence on the synaptic protein expression in different brain regions of ICR mice after lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) exposure during postnatal period.

METHODSTwo male and 4 female healthy ICR mice were put in one cage. It was set as pregnancy if vaginal plug was founded. Offspring were divided into 5 groups randomly, and exposed to LCT (0.01% DMSO solution) at the doses of 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg by intragastric rout every other day from postnatal days (PND) 5 to PND13, control animals were treated with normal saline or DMSO by the same route. The brains were removed from pups on PND 14, the synaptic protein expression levels in cortex, hippocampus and striatum were measured by western blot.

RESULTSGFAP levels of cortex and hippocampus in the LCT exposure group increased with doses, as compared with control group (P < 0.05), while Tuj protein expression did not change significantly in the various brain regions of ICR mice. GAP-43 protein expression levels in the LCT exposed mouse hippocampus and in female ICR mouse cortex increased with doses, as compared with control group (P < 0.05). Presynaptic protein (Synapsin I) expression levels did not change obviously in various brain regions. However, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) expression levels of the hippocampus and striatum in male offspring of 10.0 mg/kg LCT group, of cortex of female LCT groups, and of female offspring in all exposure groups, of striatum, in 1.0 or 10.0 mg/kg LCT exposure groups significantly decreased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEarly postnatal exposure to LCT affects synaptic protein expression. These effects may ultimately affect the construction of synaptic connections.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Corpus Striatum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitriles ; toxicity ; Pyrethrins ; toxicity ; Synapsins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression and distribution of hepatocyte-enriched transcriptional factors during the differentiation of hepatocyte by rat bone marrow stem cells in vitro.

METHODSMesenchymal stem cells were isolated from rat bone marrow and induced into mature hepatocyte in vitro. The mRNA expression levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4 alpha), CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) alpha and beta were compared between induced and non-induced cultures using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The distribution pattern of HNF4 alpha was detected by immunofluorescence staining and observed by fluorescence microscope.

RESULTSTranscriptional factors HNF4 alpha, C/EBP alpha, and C/EBP beta were expressed in the induced cells during the culture process. The mRNA expression levels of HNF4 alpha and C/EBP alpha were significantly higher in induced cultures than those in non-induced cultures in the early stage, whereas C/EBP beta expression was significantly up-regulated in induced cultures at the late stage (P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed that HNF4 alpha was located in the cell nucleus of differentiated cells.

CONCLUSIONThe characteristic time-dependent expression of transcriptional factors HNF4 alpha, C/EBP alpha, and C/EBP beta during the hepatocyte differentiation by bone marrow stem cells demonstrates that the expressions of these transcriptional factors are closely related to the initiation and maintenance of hepatocyte differentiation.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the risk factors and prevention strategies of post-operative complications in elderly patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODSData of 107 elderly patients (≥75 years) undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer were collected from January 2006 to December 2009 in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital. POSSUM and E-POSSUM scoring systems were used to predict post-operative complications. ROC curve and observe/expect(O/E) were used to assess the validity of scoring systems. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the independent risk factors associated with post-operative complications of elderly patients with colorectal cancer.

RESULTSThe predictive complication rates of E-POSSUM and POSSUM in elderly patients with colorectal cancer were 13.9%-86.6%(average, 32.7%) and 19.1%-99.1% (average, 55.5%). The predictive validity of E-POSSUM was better than POSSUM(AUC of ROC: 0.862 vs. 0.576, O/E: 0.771 vs. 0.454), the former was closer to the actual complication rate(25.2%, 27/107). Concurrent diabetes mellitus(P=0.019) and rectal lesion(P=0.005) were independent risk factors associated with surgery-related post-operative complications. Anastomotic leakage was the most common surgery-related post-operative complications. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(P=0.026), ASA score(P=0.025), intestinal obstruction(P=0.037) and perforation(P=0.001) were independent risk factors associated with non-surgery-related post-operative complications. Pulmonary infection was the most common non-surgery-related post-operative complication.

CONCLUSIONSThe application of E-POSSUM scoring system can provide more accurate prediction of post-operative complications in elderly patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. Positive interventions should be taken for high-risk patients to prevent post-operative complications.

Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Risk Factors

Objective:To evaluate the psychological pain of patients with head and neck cancer aged ≥60 years old before and after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).Methods:Distress Thermometer (DT)(Chinese version) was used to investigate the degree and problems of psychological pain before and after IMRT for 85 elderly patients with head and neck cancer. The results before and after IMRT were compared by paired t-test. Relevant factors were identified by Logistic regression analysis. Results:The median age in the cohort was 66 years old (60-85 years old). The incidence rates of psychological pain were 73% and 87% before and after IMRT ( P<0.001). The corresponding incidence rates of severe distress were 6% and 34%( P<0.001). The main distress problems before IMRT were memory loss/attention deficit, worry, oral pain, economic problems, stress, sleep problems, and dry nose. The significantly-increased distress problems after IMRT were oral pain, constipation, eating, nausea, and dry nose. Logistic regression analysis showed gender ( OR=5.520, 95% CI 1.437-21.212, P=0.013), pre-treatment PG-SGA score ( OR=1.220, 95% CI 1.048-1.421, P=0.010) and medical insurance ( OR=0.230, 95% CI 0.053-0.995, P=0.049) were the relevant factors of the severe psychological distress before IMRT. Occupation ( OR=2.286, 95% CI 1.291-4.050, P=0.005) and medical insurance ( OR=0.089, 95% CI 0.029-0.276, P<0.001) were the relevant factors of severe psychological distress after IMRT. Conclusion:The incidence rate of distress is high in elderly patients with head and neck cancer before IMRT, which can be aggravated after IMRT, primarily the treatment-related physical pain problems.

OBJECTIVETo analyse retrospectively the diagnosis and treatment of severe pneumonia in kidney transplantation recipients.

METHODSBetween January 1999 and December 2003, 172 adult patients underwent kidney transplantation at our department. In all severe pneumonia cases, empirical therapy was initiated with aztreonam, erythromycin and ganciclovir. And the therapy was switched to proper antibiotics according to the results of sensitivity testing. Responsible pathogen was detected by study of BAL (bronco-alveolar-lavage), sputum and blood specimen. Analyses included cell differential count, cytopathologic examination and cultures for bacteria, fungi and viruses. The immunosuppressive therapy was drastically reduced. Hypoxia was relieved by BiPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure) or mechanical ventilation if necessary.

RESULTSSeventeen cases (9.9%) of pneumonia were observed in the 172 recipients, only 11 (65%) patients experienced severe pneumonia, 1 (9%) of them died. Fever was the most common symptom on presentation (82%). On presentation 46% of the patients presented with classical clinical syndrome of fever accompanied by cough and dyspnea. Positive rate of BAL and blood culture were 100% and 46% respectively. BiPAP and mechanical ventilation were required in 6 and 2 cases respectively.

CONCLUSIONBAL is preferred for early detection of responsible pathogen. A combination of drastic reduction of the immunosuppressive regimen, implementation of appropriate empirical antibiotics, proper BiPAP or mechanical ventilation are important.

Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous ; adverse effects

BACKGROUNDMuch research has been focused on ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) to the transplanted organs. As a free radical, nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in IRI. In this study, the production of NO and its functions during IRI were monitored in rat models after allotransplantation of kidney grafts.

METHODSOf 75 male LEW rats, 30 served as donors, and the remaining 45 rats were divided into three groups (15 rats in each group): controls (group 1), kidney allotransplantation followed by bilateral nephrectomy during reperfusion (group 2), 2 hours before operation, donors and recipients were treated with N(G)-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NO synthase inhibitor, at a dose of 30 mg/kg (group 3). Bilateral nephrectomies were performed while kidney grafts were reperfused. The kidney grafts were hypothemically stored for 24 hours. The production of NO before and after reperfusion was measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The creatinine level, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the protein carbonyl content in tissue samples were recorded on the first and the fifth day after operation. The data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance. Differences were considered to be statistically significant when a P value was less than 0.05.

RESULTSAfter reperfusion for 15 minutes, the production of NO increased remarkably and kept increasing till 120 minutes, after which the level returned to normal. In group 3, which was pretreated with L-NAME, creatinine levels were higher than those in group 2 at the 24th hour (4.10 +/- 0.50 mg/dl vs. 3.77 +/- 0.42 mg/dl, P < 0.05) and the 120th hour (3.19 +/- 0.79 mg/dl vs. 2.22 +/- 0.53 mg/dl, P < 0.05). GFR levels in group 3 were lower than those in group 2 at the 24th hour (0.50 +/- 0.12 ml/min vs. 0.71 +/- 0.19 ml/min, P < 0.05) and the 120th hour (0.59 +/- 0.38 ml/min vs. 1.27 +/- 0.23 ml/min, P < 0.01). The content of protein carbonyl in tissue samples of group 3 was lower than that in group 2 at the 24th hour (29.01 +/- 7.02 nmol/mg protein vs. 49.39 +/- 13.13 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05), but was higher than that at the 120th hour (75.71 +/- 16.74 nmol/mg protein vs. 57.93 +/- 15.32 nmol/mg protein, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter transplantation of hypothemically stored kidney grafts, the increased NO production in the early stage has protective effects on the transplanted kidney. Application of L-NAME to inhibit NO production is harmful to the recovery of the renal functions of kidney grafts.

Animals ; Creatinine ; blood ; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; biosynthesis ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of vitamin B on treatment of hyperhomocysteinemia and endothelial dysfunction in renal-transplant recipients.

METHODSThirty-six stable hyperhomocysteinemic renal-transplant recipients were randomly assigned to vitamin treatment (group A, n = 18, folic acid 5 mg/d, vitamin B(6) 50 mg/d, B(12) 1000 microg/d) or controlled group (group B, n = 18) for 6 months. All subjects underwent assessment of levels for creatinine, creatinine clearance, average pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride and fasting homocysteine. Endothelial function was evaluated using high-resolution vascular ultrasound.

RESULTSThe levels of homocysteine markedly decreased in group A [(13 +/- 4) micromol/L vs (20 +/- 5) micromol/L, t = 5.3, P < 0.01] after treatment, whereas no significant changes were observed in group B. In group A, endothelium dependent [(12 +/- 5)% vs (9 +/- 5)%, t = 2.9, P < 0.01] and independent [(18 +/- 4)% vs (12 +/- 5)%, t = 3.4, P < 0.01] vasodilatation responses significantly increased after treatment, no significant changes were observed in group B. Endothelium dependent [(9 +/- 6)%, t = 2.8, P < 0.01] and independent [(12 +/- 5)%, t = 3.5, P < 0.01] vasodilatation responses of group A were significantly lower than that of group B after treatment.

CONCLUSIONSVitamin B supplementation can reduce the levels of homocysteine and improve the endothelial function in hyperhomocysteinemic renal-transplant recipients.

Adult ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Female ; Folic Acid ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitamin B 12 ; administration & dosage ; Vitamin B 6 ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo determine the relationship between polymorphisms in the genes encoding IL-1, IL-6, and IL-10 with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in Chinese population.

METHODSWhole-blood samples were taken from 77 patients with PBC and 160 healthy controls. DNA was extracted and the polymorphisms at positions IL-1 +3953, IL-1RN intron 2, IL-6 -174, and IL-10 -1082, -819, and -592 were determined by using sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction (SSP) or polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

RESULTSThe frequency of IL-1RN1,1 allele in PBC group was significantly higher than in control group (90.9% vs 79.4%, P=0.026), and the frequency of IL-1RN1,2 in PBC group was significantly lower than in control group (6.5% vs 18.8%, P=0.013). There was no significant difference in the frequence of IL-1RN*2 allele between PBC group and control group (P=0.06). Of the 77 patients with PBC, 4 patients were IL-6 -174GC, 73 were IL-6 174GG. All the 160 health controls are IL-6 -174GG (P=0.0036). The frequence of IL-6 -174C allele in PBC group was significantly higher than that in control group (P=0.0038). No significant differences of polymorphisms for IL-1 +3953 and IL-10 (-1082, -819 and -592) were found between PBC group and control group.

CONCLUSIONThe polymorphisms of IL-1RN and IL-6 -174G/C appear to be associated with PBC, and the polymorphisms of IL-1 +3953 and IL-10 promoter gene are not associated with PBC in a Chinese population.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether three biallelic polymorphisms at the position -592, -819 and -1082 in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene were associated with the incidence of autoimmune liver disease.

METHODSThe IL-10 -592 and IL-10-1082 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms analysis (PCR-RFLP), while polymerase chain reaction- sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) assay was used to detect IL-10 -819 polymorphisms.

RESULTSAmong 54 Chinese patients with AIH or 77 Chinese patients with PBC versus healthy controls, the frequency of AA, GA genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -1082 position was 87.0% or 83.1% versus 90.0%, 13.0% or 16.9% versus 10.0%, respectively (P > 0.05), the GG genotype in Chinese populations is absent; the frequency of CC, CT, TT genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -819 position was 11.11% or 9.1% versus 8.1%, 44.4% or 53.3% versus 45.0%, 44.4% or 37.7% versus 46.9%, respectively (P > 0.05); the frequency of CC, CA, AA genotypes at IL-10 gene promoter -592 position was 4.9% or 14.3% versus 10.0%, 51.2% or 53.3% versus 51.9%, 43.9% or 32.5% versus 38.1%, respectively (P > 0.05). No alleles differed significantly in each groups.

CONCLUSIONThere were no association between IL-10 gene polymorphisms and autoimmune liver disease

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between Chinese patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and the polymorphisms of cytotoxic T lymphocyte -associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) gene promoter (-318) and exon 1 (+49).

METHODSThe CTLA-4 promoter (-318 T/C) and exon 1 (+49A/G) polymorphisms were genotyped via restriction fragment length polymorphism methods in 62 Chinese AIH patients, 77 Chinese PBC patients and 160 healthy controls.

RESULTSThere was no difference in the distribution of CTLA-4 promoter -318 T/C polymorphisms between AIH patients and controls, but the C allele frequency was significantly increased in patients with AIH, compared to controls (P=0.02, OR=2.43). The distribution of CTLA-4 gene exon 1 49 A/G genotypes exhibited significant difference between PBC patients and controls (P=0.006), and the frequency of G allele showed a significant increase in PBC group as compared with controls (P=0.0046, OR=1.8). Although the genotype distribution of the CTLA-4 exon 1-promoter gene displayed no significant difference between AIH and PBC patients and controls, the occurrence of GG-CC was increased in the patients of the two groups (AIH: 32.3%, PBC: 37.7%; control: 22.5%).

CONCLUSIONThe above findings suggest that the polymorphisms of CTLA-4 gene probably confer susceptibility to AIH and PBC in the Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; China ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Hepatitis, Autoimmune ; ethnology ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics