OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experiences in the diagnosis and managements of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD).

METHODSThe clinical and pathologic data of 17 patients with hepatic veno-occlusive disease were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSAccording to the results of imaging examination, clinical data and pathological data, 17 patients HVOD were divided into acute progressive HVOD and chronic HVOD. 2 cases out of the 11 acute progressive cases got improved, 2 cases died after medical treatment and 2 cases died after shunt operation. The 6 chronic HVOD, including 1 case with medical treatment and 5 cases with shunt operation, were cured.

CONCLUSIONLiver biopsy was an efficient method for the diagnosis of hepatic veno-occlusive disease. Acute progressive cases of hepatic veno-occlusive disease should be managed with medical treatment and the chronic cases could be treated with shunt surgery if medical treatment were inefficient.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatic Veins ; pathology ; Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the activation and function of Janus protein-tyrosine kinase (JAK)/ signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT1) signal transduction pathway in kidney,lung and brain of MRL/lpr mice.Methods MRL/lpr mice with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied at the age of 12 weeks up.Non-SLE MRL/lpr mice were used as controls.We used phosphospecific antibodies to detect STAT1 activation in kidney,lung and brain by immunohistochemistry and Western blots.Gene expression of the STAT induced feedback inhibitors of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS-1) was investigated by SYBR green I real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results Phosphorylation of STAT1 protein was markedly activated in these three organs,although renal and pulmonary STAT1 activation were much more evidently activated.SOCS-1 gene expression increased in all three organs,while renal SOCS-1 gene expres- sion increased less than lung and brain.Conclusion The activation of JAK/STATI signal transduction path- way may be pathogenic in the organ involvement and progression of SLE.The pathogenesis of lupus nephritis may also be associated with the down-regulation of SOCS-1 feedback inhibition.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the frequency of micrometastasis in levels lII - IV of clinical negative neck (cN0) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of oral tongue, and to discuss the management of cervical lymph node for cN0 tongue SCC.

METHODSA total of 471 cervical lymph nodes derived from 25 patients with cN0 tongue SCC, including 263 lymph nodes in level III and 208 lymph nodes in level IV, were included in this study. All lymph nodes were re-examined by anti-cytokeratin (CK) immunohistochemical staining combined with semi-serial section per 500 microm.

RESULTSAmong the 25 cases, seven patients were confirmed harboring metastasis in 11 lymph nodes of level III, and no positive lymph node in level IV was detected by routine hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. 11 positive lymph nodes in level IIl, which confirmed by HE staining, were also detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK combined with semiserial section. Among the 460 cervical lymph nodes in which HE staining did not show metastasis, only one lymph node in level III harboring a 2.0 mm x 1.5 mm micrometastasis was detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK, and no positive lymph node in level IV was detected by immunohistochemical staining with CK.

CONCLUSIONThe frequency of occult metastasis in level IV was very low, so it seemed unnecessary to dissect level IV for all patients with cN0 tongue SCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Tongue ; Tongue Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo compare the impact of various types of neck dissection on postoperative shoulder function.

METHODSThe shoulder functions of 66 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and cN0 necks who underwent various types of neck dissection were evaluated by Constant's shoulder function test and neck dissection impairment index at least 12 months after surgery.

RESULTSThe patients with accessory spinal nerve reserved had better shoulder function than those with accessory spinal nerve resected. In the group with accessory spinal nerve reserved, the patients receiving selective neck dissection (SND) showed better shoulder function than those with modified radical neck dissection (MRND). The shoulder dysfunction and pain arising from SND were minor in patients with selective neck dissection.

CONCLUSIONSThe shoulder function after SND was superior to those after RND and MRND.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Neck Dissection ; methods ; Shoulder ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Quchi (LI 11) on blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines in the patient of essential hypertension and to investigate the mechanism.

METHODSSixty cases of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an EA group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). In the EA group, bilateral Quchi (LI 11) were selected; and in the control group, western medicine Nicardipine was taken. The variation of blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines were examined before and after the treatment.

RESULTS(1) After treatment, there were significant reduction in the levels of systolic blood pressure and diastole blood pressure in both groups (P < 0.01); (2) After treatment, significant reduction in levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline were also found in both groups (P < 0.01), however, no significant differences in the level of dopamine were observed in both groups (P > 0.05); (3) The effective rate of 66.7% in the EA group was similar to that of 70.0% in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth EA at Quchi (LI 11) and western medicine are able to beneficially regulate blood pressure of patients with essential hypertension through adjusting blood plasma catecholamines.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Catecholamines ; blood ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

This study was purposed to analyze the changes of T-cell clonality after induction of peripheral T lymphocytes by autogenous DC and cytokines in the preparation of adoptive immunotherapy for leukemias. The bone marrow and peripheral blood from 21 leukemia patients at remission stage after treatment and subjected to adoptive immunotherapy were collected. Their DCs and T-cells were stimulated with cytokines and then were mixed to activate T-cells. T-cell receptor beta variable region (TCRBV) families were amplified by RT-PCR, and genescan method and sequencing of the PCR products were used to observe the clonality changes of T-cells before and after the induction and cultivation of T-cells. The flow cytometry was used to identify CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD3(+)CD56(+) and CD4(+)CD25str(+)FOXP3(+) cells to disclose the ratio change of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), helper T-cells, regulatory T-cells and NK T-cells before and after induction and cultivation of T-cells. The results showed that in the 21 patients, most of the 24 TCRBV families presented as oligoclonal distribution on genescan, several families were not expressed, and only a few families remained polyclonal. TCRBV24 was found to be oligoclonal in all of the 21 patients. DNA sequence analysis of TCRBV24 revealed a common motif of VAG in CDR3 in 3 cases and a common motif of GGG in CDR3 in 2 cases. In patient 5, both TCRBV 24 and TCRBV8 contained the same motif of GGG in CDR3. The identical motif in these patients may suggest that these T-cells recognize the same antigen. The peripheral lymphocytes demonstrated recovery of clonal profile on genescan from oligoclonal profile and absence of several families before the induction and cultivation to typical polyclonal profile in all TCRBV families after the induction by DC and cytokines for 13 days. After the induction and cultivation, the number of lymphocytes increased to 3.38 +/- 1.20 times. CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD3(+)CD56(+) and CD4(+)CD25str(+)FOX P3(+) cells were 71.1 +/- 11.8%, 26.7 +/- 11.4%, 35.7 +/- 12.9%, 3.1 +/- 1.6% and 0.12 +/- 0.1% respectively before the induction and cultivation, and changed to 95.4 +/- 3.2% (p < 0.01), 27.0 +/- 13.1% (p > 0.01), 55.5 +/- 13.8% (p < 0.01), 9.8 +/- 6.1% (p < 0.01) and 0.22 +/- 0.18% (p < 0.01) respectively after the induction and cultivation. It is concluded that the major action of this induction and cultivation method on T-lymphocytes in vitro is the promotion of CTL and NK T-cell proliferation. In leukemic patients at the remission stage, the TCRBV profile is characterized by the oligoclonal proliferation of T-lymphocytes. Several proliferated clones may have the same motif in CDR3, suggesting the recognition of the same antigen by these lymphocyte clones. Cytokine induction and co-culture with autogenous DCs can stimulate the T-lymphocytes to recover their immunocompetence as manifested by the polyclonal profile and the proliferation of CTL and NK-T cells.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Leukemia ; genetics ; immunology ; therapy ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; cytology ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; chemistry ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESevere myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI), or Dravet syndrome, is a severe epileptic encephalopathy. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features and genetic diagnosis of SMEI.

METHODSThe electroclinical data and the mutation of SCN1A gene in 13 children with SMEI were analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 13 children, 10 were males and 3 were females. Eight of them had family history of febrile seizures. The average age of seizure onset was 5.6 months, with a range of 2 to 9 months. The initial seizure was a febrile seizure in 9 patients (69%). Generalized or hemiclonic seizures were often triggered by fever. Eight patients had a history of febrile status. Afebrile seizures occurred from 2 months to 21 months of age. All patients went on to develop multiple seizure types. Generalized tonic clonus seizures (GTCS) were found in 11, partial seizures in 12, atypical absence in 10. Myoclonic seizures were presented in all patients. Twelve patients had 3 or more seizure types. Seizures of all patients had a characteristic of temperature sensitivity. The precipitating factors included fever, hot bath and vaccination. Nine patients (69%) had a history of status epilepticus. Delay in mental development was present in 11 cases, ataxia in 5 and pyramidal sign in 2. EEG was normal in most patients in the first year of life, followed by generalized, focal and multifocal discharges. Brain MRI was abnormal in 2 cases. Seizures were not completely controlled in all patients. Carbamazepine and lamotrigine aggravated seizures in some patients. SCN1A gene mutation was found in 10 cases, including seven missense mutations, two nonsense mutations and one frame shift mutation.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical features of SMEI were seizure onset within one year of age, first event is often a febrile seizure; multiple seizure types and mental delay occurred after the second year of life; seizures have a characteristic of temperature sensitivity; EEG was normal in the first year of life, followed by generalized, focal or multifocal discharges; early diagnosis by testing SCN1A mutation guides selection of antiepileptic drugs.

Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Mutation ; NAV1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Sodium Channels ; genetics

BACKGROUNDTrichophyton rubrum represents the most common infectious fungus responsible for dermatophytosis in human, but the mechanism involved is still not completely understood. An appropriate model constructed to simulate host infection is the prerequisite to study the pathogenesis of dermatophytosis caused by T. rubrum. In this study, we intended to develop a new T. rubrum infection model in vitro, using the three-dimensional reconstructed epidermis - EpiSkin ®, and to pave the way for further investigation of the mechanisms involved in T. rubrum infection.

METHODSThe reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) was infected by inoculating low-dose (400 conidia) and high-dose (4000 conidia) T. rubrum conidia to optimize the infection dose. During the various periods after infection, the samples were processed for pathological examination and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation.

RESULTSThe histological analysis of RHE revealed a fully differentiated epidermis with a functional stratum corneum, which was analogous to the normal human epidermis. The results of hematoxylin and eosin staining and the periodic acid-Schiff staining showed that the infection dose of 400 conidia was in accord with the pathological characteristics of host dermatophytosis caused by T. rubrum. SEM observations further exhibited the process of T. rubrum infection in an intuitionistic way.

CONCLUSIONSWe established the T. rubrum infection model on RHE in vitro successfully. It is a promising model for further investigation of the mechanisms involved in T. rubrum infection.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epidermis ; microbiology ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; Trichophyton ; pathogenicity

BACKGROUNDImiquimod is an imidazoquinoline, which class of compounds are known to have antiviral and antitumoural properties. In recent studies, it was shown that imiquimod modulates the T helper cell type Th1/Th2 response by inducing the production of Th1 cytokines like IFN-gamma, and by inhibiting the Th2 cytokines like interleukin (IL)-4. Several investigators have shown that T-bet and GATA-3 are master Th1 and Th2 regulatory transcription factors. This study investigated whether imiquimod treatment inhibited airway inflammation by modulating transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3.

METHODSThirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, an asthmatic group, and an imiquimod group, which was exposed to an aerosol of 0.15% imiquimod. Twenty-four hours after the last ovalbumin (OVA) challenge, airway responsiveness was measured and changes in airway histology were observed. The concentrations of IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expressions of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma, T-bet and GATA-3 in lung and in CD4(+) T cells were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expressions of T-bet and GATA-3 were measured by Western blot.

RESULTSIt was demonstrated that imiquimod 1) attenuated OVA induced airway inflammation; 2) diminished the degree of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR); 3) decreased the Th2 type cytokines and increased Th1 type cytokines mRNA and protein levels; 4) modulated the Th1/Th2 reaction by inhibiting GATA-3 production and increasing T-bet production.

CONCLUSIONImiquimod treatment inhibits OVA induced airway inflammation by modulating key master switches GATA-3 and T-bet that result in committing T helper cells to a Th1 phenotype.

Administration, Inhalation ; Aminoquinolines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Bronchi ; pathology ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; Eosinophils ; physiology ; GATA3 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Ovalbumin ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; T-Box Domain Proteins ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

This study was aimed to explore the distribution characteristics of the human platelet antigen (HPA) gene of human platelet donors and its polymorphism in Mudanjiang area of Heilongjiang Province in China, to determine platelet antigen system with clinical significance by judging the rate of incompatibility of HPA, as well as to establish a database of donors' HPA. The genotyping of 154 unrelated platelet donors was performed by means of PCR-SSP. The frequencies of gene and genotype were calculated and compared with that in other areas. The results showed that the genes 1a-17a of HPA-a were all expressed in the 154 healthy and unrelated platelet donors. Only genes 1b, 2b, 3b, 5b, 6b and 15b of HPA-b were expressed while genes 4b, 7b-14b, 16b were not expressed. Among the genotypes, aa homozygosity was predominant and HPA15 had the greatest heterozygosity, while HPA3 had lower heterozygosity. There were 23 combined types of HPA, 5 of them had a rate higher than 10%, and the frequencies of the other 18 were lower than 8%. HPA genotype frequencies showed a good consistency to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. It is concluded that the distribution of the allele polymorphism of HPA1-HPA17 in Mudanjiang area has its own characteristics, compared with other areas and some countries, the local HPA genotype database of platelet donors is established in Mudanjiang area, which can provide the matching donors for clinical use with immunological significance.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Alleles ; Antigens, Human Platelet ; genetics ; Blood Donors ; China ; Databases, Genetic ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult