Objective To study the expression of Ca-A/K channel-related molecules glutamate receptor 2 and 1(GluR2/1) in hippocampus tissues of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods A total of 60 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation group and HIBD group. Hippocampal tissues were obtained at 0 h, 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after HIBD. The expression of GluR2, GluR1 and autophagy marker protein Beclin-1, LC3 were detected by Western blot assay. Results Edema and focal softening and necrosis were observed 6 h after HIBD in the brains of neonatal rats. Compared with Con group, at each time point, the expression levels of GluR2 were lower while the levels of GluR1, Beclin-1 and LC3 were higher significantly in HIBD group (P<0.05). The protein levels of LC3, Beclin-1, GluR1 and GluR2 in hippocampus tissues of HIBD group were significantly different among different time points after the estab-lishment of HIBD model (F=10.65~701.14, P<0.01). The protein level of GluR2 was decreased from 1 h to 24 h after HIBD and reached the lowest level at 24 h. The levels of GluR1, Beclin-1 and LC3 were increased at 6 h, plateaued at 24 h and remained there until 48 h. The levels of these proteins returned back to the initial level at 72 h. Conclusions Ca-A/K channel-related mol-ecules GluR2 and GluR1 play important roles in the autophagic cell death of hippocampus tissues in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors for prognosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 82 neonates with NEC confirmed between January 2008 and October 2012. The possible prognostic factors in NEC were investigated by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSIn the 82 cases of NEC, the cure rate decreased with the aggravation of condition (P<0.05). The preterm infants had a significantly higher incidence of NEC than the full-term infants at three or more weeks after birth (P=0.004). The univariate analysis showed that the prognosis of NEC was related to the factors such as sepsis, congenital heart disease, scleredema, peritonitis, metabolic acidosis, hyponatremia, leukocyte disorder, thrombocytopenia, elevated C-reactive protein, and severe abdominal X-ray abnormalities (P<0.05), and the further logistic regression analysis revealed that congenital heart disease, scleredema, and metabolic acidosis were main risk factors for the clinical outcome of NEC (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe onset time of NEC is correlated with gestational age in neonates. There are multiple prognostic factors in NEC; special attention should be paid to the patients with congenital heart disease, scleredema, and metabolic acidosis so that early intervention is performed to reduce mortality.

Enterocolitis, Necrotizing ; mortality ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe changes in the expression of autophagy-related proteins, Beclin-1 and LC3, in the hippocampal tissue of neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) at different time points, and to investigate the effect of rapamycin (Ra) on the expression of the above two proteins.

METHODSA total of 108 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham, HIBD, and Ra groups (n=36 each). The HIBD model was established using the modified Rice method. For sham rats, only the left common carotid artery was separated without ligation or hypoxic treatment. For Ra-treated rats, 0.5 mg/kg Ra was administered by an intraperitoneal injection 1 hour before model establishment. The rats were anesthetized and sacrificed to collect brain tissues at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after model establishment. Changes in the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 proteins in rat hippocampus were examined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe expression level of Beclin-1 in HIBD rats began to increase at 0 hour, peaked at 24 hours, and then declined thereafter, similar as those of Beclin-1 and LC3-II in Ra-treated rats. The expression level of LC3-II in HIBD rats began to increase at 0 hour, peaked at 12 hours, and then declined thereafter. At all time points, both Beclin-1 and LC3-II expression levels were significantly higher in HIBD and Ra-treated rats than in sham rats (P<0.05); except LC3-II at 12 hours, Beclin-1 and LC3-II expression levels were significantly higher in Ra-treated rats than in HIBD rats (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHypoxia-ischemia activates autophagy in rat hippocampal cells, while Ra enhances the expression process of autophagy.

Animals ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; analysis ; Autophagy ; Beclin-1 ; Female ; Hippocampus ; chemistry ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; metabolism ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo seek a better profiling of proteins of hepatoma cells.

METHODSThe homogenate of hepatoma cells QGY-7703 was fractionated into four parts by differential centrifugation: the nuclei, the pellet by 20,000 x g, the pellet by 100,000 x g and the cytosolic supernatant. The four fractions were submitted to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and their electrophoretic patterns were analyzed.

RESULTSIn comparison with the protein pattern of hepatoma cells not fractionated, the patterns of the four fractions display many more protein spots, and a large number of proteins present in the nuclei and cytosolic supernatant were not shown in the not-fractionated samples.

CONCLUSIONPreparation of subcellular fractions before electrophoretic procedures proves to be very useful; not only can it improve the results of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, but also can lead to research into the subcellular level.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; pathology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Proteome ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; blood ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis E virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo detect TB specific T cell responses by using the recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus in Chinese HIV infected patients.

METHODSELISPOT-IFN-gamma assay by using the recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus to detect specific T cell responses in HIV+ patients with or without clinical manifestation of TB diseases.

RESULTSRecombinant ESAT-6 protein specific T cell responses show significant high frequencies in both of TB patients with or without HIV infection than that in the healthy control and HIV+ group without clinical TB diseases.

CONCLUSIONThe ELISPOT-IFN-gamma assay by using recombinant ESAT-6 protein as stimulus could be used in diagnoses of TB infection in Chinese HIV infected patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; immunology ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Female ; HIV Infections ; blood ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; methods ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Tuberculosis ; blood ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the kinesis of cellular immunity in adults who were vaccinated with yeast recombinant hepatitis B(rHB) vaccine and the correlation between cellular and humoral immune responses induced by the vaccine.

METHODSEight adults were vaccinated with rHB vaccine according to 0, 1,2 month schedule. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) were collected at the 3, 8, 21, 34 and 65 days after the first dose. The high purity of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells obtained by sorting from PBMCs were restimulated with recombinant hepatitis B surface antigens (rHBsAg) or peptides. The spot forming cell (SFC) of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT).

RESULTSThe characteristics of IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells appeared different after immunization with rHB vaccine. IFN-gamma of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells could be detected early with stable SFC, while the IL-2 and IL-4 of CD4+ T cells appeared late but increased after the second and third dose of vaccination. The positive rate of IL-4 of CD4+ T cells were significantly correlated with the positive rate of anti-HBs, while the SFCs of IL-4 and IL-2 of CD4+ T cells were also significantly related to the titers of anti-FIBs.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma could be detected early after rHB vaccination in adults, and the positive rates of IL-4 and IL-2 were correlated with that of anti-HBs.

Adult ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunization Schedule ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the dynamic change and clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) on appetite regulating factors in the serum of infantile anorexia.

METHODSEighty cases, in compliance with the diagnostic criteria, aged from 3 to 6 years were randomized into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 40 cases in each one. Additionally, a healthy control group (30 cases) was set up. In the acupuncture group, the pricking method was adopted at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) with the three-edged needle. A few light yellow, transparent viscous liquid or blood was squeezed out after pricking. The treatment was given once a week, for 4 weeks totally. In the medication group, erkangning syrup was administered, 3 times a day, for 4 weeks totally. The ghrelin, leptin and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and the clinical efficacy were observed before and after treatment in each group.

RESULTSThe levels of ghrelin and NPY before treatment in acupuncture group and the medication group were lower apparently than those in the healthy control group (all P < 0.01), but the level of leptin was higher appa-rently than that in the healthy control group (P < 0.01). After treatment, the levels of ghrelin and NPY were higher apparently than those before treatment in the acupuncture group (both P < 0.01), and the level of leptin was lower apparently than that before treatment (P < 0.01). All of the above indices in the acupuncture group were improved obviously after treatment as compared with those in the medication group (all P < 0.01). The remarkable and effective rate were 82.5% (33/40) and 32.5% (13/40) and the total effective rate were 95.0% (38/40) and 45.0% (18/40) in the acupuncture group and medication group separately, the results in the acupuncture group were superior to the medication group (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Sifeng (EX-UE 10) effectively promotes the secretion of ghrelin and NPY and inhibit leptin. It effectively promotes appetite for the children and the efficacy is superior to erkangning syrup.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Anorexia ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Appetite ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Ghrelin ; blood ; Humans ; Leptin ; blood ; Male ; Neuropeptide Y ; blood ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term outcomes of arthroscopy and non-surgical therapy in patients with knee synovial plica syndrome (SPS).

METHODSThirty-one patients with knee SPS undergoing arthroscopic surgery and 27 SPS patients undergoing conservative treatment with articular cavity injection of sodium hyaluronate (control group) were compared for visual pain score (VAS) and the Lysholm score before and after the operation. The patients were followed-up for more than 5 years, and the long-term outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

RESULTSs VAS and the Lysholm scores in both groups were significantly lowered after treatment (P<0.05). The postoperative VAS score was significantly lower while the Lysholm score significantly higher in arthroscopic surgery group than in the control group (P<0.05). Arithmetic mean and the median time of curative effect maintenance were 49 and 43 months in arthroscopic surgery group, as compared with 33 and 29 months in the control group, respectively; the cumulative effect maintenance rate in arthroscopic surgery group was significantly higher than that in the control group (Χ2=4.933, P=4.933).

CONCLUSIONArthroscopic treatment produces better therapeutic effect on knee joint SPS and ensures longer long-term therapeutic effect maintenance than conservative treatment.

Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyaluronic Acid ; administration & dosage ; Injections, Intra-Articular ; Joint Diseases ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Period ; Synovectomy ; Synovial Membrane ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

It is a difficult problem of forensic medicine to accurately estimate the post-mortem interval. Entomological approach has been regarded as an effective way to estimate the post-mortem interval. The developmental biology of carrion-breeding flies has an important position at the post-mortem interval estimation. Phorid flies are tiny and occur as the main or even the only insect evidence in relatively enclosed environments. This paper reviews the research progress of carrion-breeding phorid flies for estimating post-mortem interval in forensic medicine which includes their roles, species identification and age determination of immatures.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Diptera ; Entomology ; Environment ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Postmortem Changes