Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Bartonella henselae ; Cat-Scratch Disease ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; physiopathology ; Child ; Female ; Humans

Background Epidemiological investigation in human has been conclusive. In postmenopausal women,the incidence of cataract is higher than men at the same age. In addition,hormone replacement therapy may protect against the development of cataract. However,this role of androgen is not clear. Objective This study was to explore the effects of estrogen and androgen on anti-oxidative ability of lens after ovariectomy. Methods Fifty-six three-month-old clean female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group,sham operation group, castration group,estrogen eyedrops group;estrogen injection group;androgen eyedrops group;androgen injection group and 8 rats for each. Ovariectomy was performed in the rats of castration group and gonadal hormone application group, and estradiol benzoate solution or testosterone propionate solution were utilized topically or systemly in 5 months after ovariectomy for 6 weeks respectively. Only abdominal cut was curried out in sham operation group. The lenses of rats were examined weekly under the slit lamp. The serum estrogen and androgen levels of rats were detected before,after operation and 6 weeks following the administration of gonadal hormone. The contents of superoxide dismutase( SOD) , glutathione( GSH) ,malondialdehyde( MDA) and water-soluble protein ( WSP) in rat lens homogenate were detected at the end of the experiment. Utilization of animals complied with the Regulation for the Administration of Affair Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission. Results No opacity of lenses was found during the experiment duration in various groups. The serum estradiol levels of rats in sham group were insignificantly different from normal groups in various time points( P>0. 05). The evident decline of serum estradiol was detected in the rats of castration group and gonadal hormone application groups compared with sham group in 5 months after operation( all P<0. 01). However,at the sixth weeks after the system use of estradiol or testosterone,the serum estradiol levels were significantly higher than the castration group and topical application groups of gonadal hormone(P<0. 01). The contents of SOD,GSH and WSP in lenses were considerably increased,but the MDA level in lenses was decreased after system use of estrogen ( P<0. 01). The activity of SOD and GSH were lower after system use of testosterone in comparison with castration rats ( P < 0. 05 ). Conclusion Estrogen can protect lens against oxidation damage. However, androgen, to a certain extent, may contribute to the development of oxidative damage in OVX female rats.

OBJECTIVETo explore the changes of rat testicular spermatogenic epithelium stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo.

METHODSTwenty Wistar rats were divided into two groups: control group and experimental group. The control group was treated with pyrogen-free saline (1 ml/kg) and the experimental group was injected ip with saline containing LPS (1 mg/kg) once every two days. Two groups were operated after ten days in order to investigate the testicular pathological changes by HE staining and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen( PCNA), alpha-catenin in spermatogenic epithelium by immunohistochemistry assay.

RESULTSThe testes of the experimental group showed inflammatory changes. The positive expression of PCNA in seminiferous epithelium was significantly lower than that of control group. The number of positive cells in every seminiferous, in which only spermatogonia were stained in experimental group were 59 +/- 5 and it showed significant decrease compared with the control (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the percentage of such seminiferous tubules was 0.673 +/- 0.054 and increased apparently (P < 0.01). The expression of alpha-catenin in testicular tissue of the experimental group declined (P < 0.01), and cellular positive granular light density was 0.150 +/- 0.014.

CONCLUSIONThe ability of spermatogonium proliferation and the function of conglutination of cells under inflammatory condition of the testes declined, which may be one of the etiologies of male infertility.

Animals ; Bacterial Toxins ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Orchitis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seminiferous Epithelium ; metabolism ; alpha Catenin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of orthodontic treatment on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in adult low-angle patients with skeletal class III malocclusion.

METHODSSixteen adult female low-angle patients with skeletal class III malocclusion were included in the study. All patients were treated with OPA-K straight wire technique. Lateral cephalometric and corrected transcranial projection films were taken before and after treatment. Cephalometric analysis was carried out. All data were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSAfter orthodontic treatment, the linear measurement and area of anterior space in TMJ increased by 0.27 mm (P < 0.001) and 0.70 mm(2) (P < 0.01), respectively, while the posterior space decreased by 0.24 mm and 0.67 mm(2), respectively (P < 0.001). Linear ratio decreased from 22.13% to 9.64% (P < 0.001), and area proportion decreased from 1.56 to 1.19 (P < 0.01). Anterior space became equal to the posterior space. Cephalometric analysis showed that point Co, Ar, Go and Pg were all retruded (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter orthodontic therapy, the condyle moved posteriorly to normal concentric position, which would be helpful in alleviating temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptom in adult low-angle patients with skeletal class III malocclusion.

Adolescent ; Female ; Humans ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; pathology ; therapy ; Matched-Pair Analysis ; Orthodontics, Corrective ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporomandibular Joint ; pathology ; Young Adult

Objective To compare real-time PCR and gomori-methenamine silver stain in the diagnosis of pneumocystis peumonia (PCP).Methods 2 525 unrepeated specimens from suspected PCP patient admitted in Peaking Union Medical College Hospital were collected in 2014.2 492 samples were detected by gomori-methenamine silver stain,33 samples were detected by real-time PCR,and 429 samples were detected by both methods at the meanwhile.With clinical diagnosis as reference standard,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the two methods were analysised.Results Positive rate of gomori-methenamine silver stain was 1.2 ％ (30/2 492).The first three specimen types were sputum,tracheal intubation suction and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,the positive rate was 0.70 ％ (13/1 845),4.00％ (10/250) and 2.72％ (7/257) respectively.Positive rate of realtime PCR was 34.20％ (158/462),and the positive rate of sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was 30.61％ (105/343) and 44.54％ (53/119) respectively.The sensitivity were 13.97％ vs 72.07％,specificity were 100％ vs 94.24％,positive predictive value were 100％ vs 92.14％ and negative predictive value were 55.36％ vs 78.26％ for gomori-methenamine silver stain and real-time PCR respectively.All of which were statistically significant analysed by x2 test for paired data.The x2 value and P alue were x2 =68.625,P＜0.01;x2 =4.296,P＜0.05;x2 =6.380,P＜0.01 and x2 =11.873,P＜0.01.Conclusion The real-time PCR had higher sensitivity,fewer interference factors and more clinical diagnostic value,so clinicians should make more use of real-time PCR to diagnose PCP earlier.

Objective To analyze the stress distribution in all-ceramic crowns when it was subjected to load.Methods A 3D numerical model of the all-ceramic crown of the right mandibular first molar was generated from scanned CT images.Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate the stress distribution in the all-ceramic crown when it was subjected to 5 load conditions.Results Stress distributions under 5 loading conditions were obtained.Stress concentrations were generally found near the loading areas at the veneer and at the lower surface of the core beneath the loading areas.In the 5 loading conditions, it was found that when the crown was loaded with vertical concentrated load, the tensile stresses around the shoulder areas were uniform, while stress concentration with maximum of 32.25 MPa was found at the shoulder areas in lingual-buccal direction when loads were applied at an angle of 10° with the tooth axis on the buceal side.The masticatory load which was applied at 20° with the tooth axis on the buccal side would cause stress concentration at the shoulder in mesial-distal direction.The maximum value could reach 11.29 MPa.Conclusions The occlusal surface of the all-ceramic crown must be trimmed to increase multiple contact zones with the opposite surfaces in antagonist teeth to avoid excessive concentrated stress that may cause crown failure.

Objective To investigate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor function of upper limbs of stroke patients. Methods 80 stroke patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. Both groups accepted routine rehabilitation, while the experimental group accepted anodal stimulation, and the control group received sham stimulation. They were assessed with Brunnstrom stages of arms and hands, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of upper extremities, Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Motor Assessment Scale (MAS) and modified Barthel Index (MBI) before and 1 month after treatment. Results All the scores improved in both groups after treatment (P<0.05), and improved more in the Brunnstrom stages of arms and hands, FMA, ARAT in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion tDCS may promote the recovery of arms and hands function of stroke patients.

OBJECTIVESTo detect the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of circulating DNA in the plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to assess its potential as a clinical predictive marker.

METHODSThree high-polymorphic microsatellite markers D8S277, D8S298 and D8S1771 located at chromosome 8p were selected to detect LOH in plasma DNA of 62 HCC patients. The associations between LOH and its clinicopathological features, including HBsAg, liver cirrhosis, serum AFP level, tumor size, tumor cell differentiation, and intrahepatic metastasis were also examined.

RESULTSIn plasma DNA of the 62 HCC patients, LOH was found at one or several loci in 36 (58.1%), and heterozygosity at D8S277, D8S298, and D8S1771 loci was 74.2% (46/62), 75.8% (47/62), and 69.4% (43/62), respectively. LOH frequency at D8S277, D8S298 and D8S1771 was 32.6% (15/46), 44.7% (21/47), and 46.5% (20/43), respectively. LOH in plasma DNA was more frequently detected in the patients with intrahepatic cancer metastasis than those without metastasis (62.5 percent vs. 26.1 percent, P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant correlations were observed between LOH at these loci and other clinicopathological features analyzed in this study.

CONCLUSIONSLOH at D8S298 in plasma DNA may be a potential predictive marker of intrahepatic metastatic recurrence after surgical resection of the HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; DNA ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and explore the relationship between MDSC and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

METHODSBone marrow, peripheral blood and peripheral blood stem cells were obtained from 12 healthy hemopoietic stem cell donors before and on day 5 after G-CSF mobilization. Flow cytometry was employed to examine the number of MDSC, and the relationship between MDSC number and the incidence of GVHD was analyzed.

RESULTSIn normal physiological conditions, MDSC could be detected in the peripheral blood and bone marrow with a cell percentages of (1.35±0.35)% and (2.44±1.11)%, respectively, showing a significantly higher cell percentage in the bone marrow (P=0.015). On the 5th day after G-CSF mobilization, the percentage of MDSCs increased to (4.01±1.82)% in the peripheral blood and to (4.38±2.19)% in the bone marrow, showing no significant difference between them (P=0.083). The mobilization caused a significant increase in the number of MDSCs in the peripheral blood (P=0.047) but not in the bone marrow (P=0.761). The number of MDSCs in the collected samples showed a significant inverse correlation to the incidence of GVHD (P=0.048).

CONCLUSIONSMDSCs are present in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of healthy donors, with a greater number in the bone marrow. G-CSF can mobilize the MDSCs from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood to increase number of MDSCs in the peripheral blood, which may contribute to a lowered incidence of GVHD in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; administration & dosage ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; methods ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of down-regulated tryptase expression in mast cells on the synthesis and release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) of vascular endothelial cells.

METHODSTryptase-siRNA (small-interfering RNA) vector was constructed to inhibit tryptase expression in P815 cells. The medium of P815 cells treated by the tryptase-siRNA (RNAi-P815 group) or pure vector (P815 group) was collected and used to culture bEnd.3 cells. The messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in bEnd.3 cells and their protein levels in the medium were measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.

RESULTSIL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNAs in bEnd.3 cells cultured in RNAi-P815-conditioned medium decreased significantly compared to those in P815-conditioned medium. Consistently, IL-6 and TNF-alpha protein levels in the medium of bEnd.3 of RNAi-P815 group were lower than those of P815 group.

CONCLUSIONReduced tryptase expression significantly inhibited the synthesis and release of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in vascular endothelial cells. RNA interference targeting tryptase expression may be a new anti-inflammatory strategy for vascular diseases.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Down-Regulation ; genetics ; Endothelial Cells ; enzymology ; secretion ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; secretion ; Mice ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transgenes ; Tryptases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; secretion