Altitude ; Animals ; Arvicolinae ; Gene Expression ; Hypoxia ; Rats ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

The mesencephalic auditory nuclei,the nuc leus mesencephalicus lateralis,pars dorsalis (MLd) and nucleus intercollicularis (ICo),were investigated in the adult songbird (Lonchura striata) for met -e nkaphalin (ENK) immunoreactivity and neuronal connectivity. It was found that th e ENK labeled fibers and neurons were distributed in the MLd margin and ICo, but were nearly absent in the central MLd. After a neural tracer biotionylated dext ran amine (BDA) was injected into the MLd margin, the labeled fibers and neurons were found in the brain nuclei or areas from telencephalon to medulla. There we re five nuclei or areas project to MLd margin:the cup of n. robustus archistriat alis (RA) of telencephalon, the n. preopticus anterior (POA) of hypothalamus, th e n. parabrachialis ventrolateralis (PBv1) of pons ,the n. rostral ventrolatera l medulla (RVL) and the n.infraolivaris superior (IOS) of medulla. The MLd margi n projected to two diencephalic areas, the shell of n. ovoidalis (Ov shell) and the lateral hypothalamus (LHy). The projections from MLd margin to PBv1 and hypo thalamus suggest that the MLd margin in the songbird may play an important role in the integration of anditory-vocalization, endocrine and other physiological activities.

Dextrocardia is a rare anomaly where the heart is located on the right side of the chest instead of the normal left side. Ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) with such an inverted anatomy may be challenging for the manipulation of the catheters. Here we report a case of dextrocardia who underwent ablation for persistent AF guided by image integration system.
Atrial Fibrillation ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Dextrocardia ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Dextrocardia is a rare anomaly where the heart is located on the right side of the chest instead of the normal left side.Ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) with such an inverted anatomy may be challenging for the manipulation of the catheters.Here we report a case of dextrocardia who underwent ablation for persistent AF guided by image integration system.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the status of complementary feeding frequency (CFF) for infants and young children in southwestern China.

METHODSA total of 3644 infants and young children aged 6 - 24 months from urban and rural areas of Chengdu, Kunming and Guiyang were selected by stratified random cluster sampling from March to June in 2011. Data of CFF in the recent one month were collected through the questionnaires, and assessed quantitatively by a new comprehensive evaluation system. Level and distribution characteristics of CFF for infants and young children among different month groups in urban and rural areas were analyzed.

RESULTSAverage CFF score was 8.1 ± 3.1, and the score for all was 54.1% of total score (15 points). The average score of urban and rural groups was 8.9 ± 3.0 (59.3% of total score) and 7.4 ± 3.0 (49.1% of total score) respectively (t = 15.60, P < 0.05). Ratio of ≥ 80.0% of total CFF score was 12.2% (443/3644) for all. The rate of urban and rural group was 18.0% (324/1796) and 6.4% (119/1848) respectively (χ(2) = 136.64, P < 0.05). Average CFF score in 6 - 8, 9 - 11 and 12 - 24 months groups was 7.0 ± 2.9 (46.4% of total score), 8.1 ± 3.0 (54.1% of total score) and 9.0 ± 3.0 (60.1% of total score) respectively (F = 148.27, P < 0.05). The CFF score increased with months growing.

CONCLUSIONStatus of CFF for infants and young children in southwestern China is generally inadequate, with differences between urban and rural groups. This problem is more serious in early month infants and rural areas and should be emphasized and improved.

China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Food ; statistics & numerical data ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Nutrition Surveys ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urban Population

Novel dosage forms emerges more and more in recent years. One of them is liquid-filled hard gelatin capsules, which adopt gelatin or the hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) as capsule shell. The liquid-filled hard gelatin capsule is increasingly getting attention because of its new-concept dosage form design, which deliver liquid drugs by solid form. The paper mainly introduces application, pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality assessment, prospect of liquid-filled hard gelatin capsules, and focuses on the application and pharmaceutical manufacturing (preparation) of liquid-filled capsule. It is suggested that the capsule is suitable for various liquid or semi-solid natural plant extract and achieve different release profiles. The preparation adopted liquid-filled hard capsules technology. The influence factors concluded property of shell and device of filling. The quality was often evaluated by moisture content of capsule shell, dissolution rate etc. At the same time, it was pointed out that the new dosage form has remarkable marketing prospect and bring profits for enterprises.
Capsules ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Gelatin ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo explore the expression and clinical significance of Semaphorin4D (Sema4D) mRNA in peripheral blood lymphocyte, Sema4D on platelet surface, soluble Sema4D (sSema4D) in plasma in patients with cerebral infarction.

METHODSTaking 299 patients with cerebral infarction as the case group while 195 healthy adults as the control group. The mRNA expression of Sema4D was detected by Real-time PCR, and Sema4D expression on platelet by flow cytometry, sSema4D by ELISA. Then, the expression of Sema4D on platelet surface and the concentration of sSema4D in plasma of the 195 selected patients following 2 weeks' treatment were tested.

RESULTSThe expression of Sema4D mRNA significantly increased in the case group \[(2.23, 2.66)×10(4) IU/ml\] than in the control group \[(0.49, 0.53)×10(4)IU/ml\] (P < 0.01). The level of Sema4D on platelet surface in the case group (191.62 ± 46.56) significantly decreased than in the control group (303.33 ± 112.66) (P < 0.01). But the concentration of sSema4D in plasma in the case group \[(1.34 ± 0.56) µg/L\] was obviously higher than in the control group \[(0.61 ± 0.31) µg/L\] (P < 0.01). The expression of Sema4D on platelet was obviously relevant with the concentration of sSema4D in plasma in the case group with the correlation coefficient as 0.328 (P < 0.01). The expression of Sema4D on platelet obviously peaked up following 2 weeks' routine therapy in the case group, which was close to that in the control group. Meanwhile the concentration of sSema4D in plasma was downward corrected to the normal in the case group.

CONCLUSIONThe increased expressions and plasma levels, and reduced expressions on platelet of Sema4D in acute period, which returned to normal 2 weeks after treatment in the case group may be related to the occurrence of acute cerebral infarction, reflecting the development process of cerebral infarction.

Aged ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; metabolism ; Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Semaphorins ; blood ; metabolism

Gerbil forebrain ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury model was used to study the effects of D(1) and D(2) receptor agonists and antagonists on neuronal apoptosis of hippocampal CA1 area. All animals were tested for habituation deficits in an open field test on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after reperfusion. The animals were then killed, and brains underwent paraffin embedding for hematoxylin-eosin staining, in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxy-UTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and immunohistochemistry (bax, bcl-2). The result of open field test showed that the I/R group was significantly impaired (higher activity scores) when compared with the control group. Pretreatment with pergolide significantly reduced this habituation impairment. Forebrain ischemia for 5 min resulted in extensive CA1 apoptosis on the 3rd and 7th days after I/R injury. About 95% neurons in hippocampal CA1 area entered apoptosis and only 2%-7% pyramidal neurons stayed alive due to an inhibition of bcl-2 expression and an increase in bax expression. Pretreatment of pergolide attenuated neuronal damage caused by transient ischemia. Infusion of pergolide could induce the expression of bcl-2 and reduce the expression of bax. Pretreatment with SKF38393, SCH23390 and spiperone had no effects on these changes in this transient I/R injury model. All these results indicate that pergolide plays an important role in the protection of hippocampal neurons from apotosis through upregulating the expression of bcl-2 protein and reducing the expression of bax protein.
2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Dopamine Agonists ; pharmacology ; Dopamine Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Gerbillinae ; Hippocampus ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; physiology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Pergolide ; pharmacology ; Prosencephalon ; physiopathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Dopamine D1 ; Receptors, Dopamine D2 ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein

This study aims to analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of HIV-1 strains prevailing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Beijing, China. The pol gene fragments from 250 newly diagnosed HIV-1-infected MSM individuals during 2006-2010 in Beijing were amplified by RT-nested PCR, sequenced, and phylogenetically analyzed. HIV-1 pol gene from 189 individuals were amplified and analyzed; 81 (42. 9%), 3 (1. 6%), 2 (1.0%), 88 (46. 6%), and 15 (7.9%) individuals were infected with HIV-1 subtypes B, B', C, CRF01_AE, and CRF07_BC, respectively. The subtypes B and CRF01_AE could both be grouped into two clusters, and CRFO7_BC strains shared high homology and were presumed to originate from a common ancestor. The HIV-1 circulating in MSM in Beijing had a lower genetic diversity than in heterosexuals. The HIV-1 epidemic (2006-2010) in MSM in Beijing was actually a rapid spread of HIV-1 CRF01 AE and B, or rather native strains of the two viruses.
Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Genetic Variation ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Homosexuality, Male ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo employ reverse first dorsal metatarsal artery island flap to recover the donor site of great toe after free lateral pulp flap transfer, and decrease the morbidity of microsurgical donor site.

METHODSFrom February 2000 to June 2004, 12 cases of soft tissue defect in thumb and finger were treated by free lateral pulp flap of great toe transplantation, and that the secondary defect of great toes were repaired by reverse first dorsal metatarsal artery flap according to the anatomical communicating between first dorsal metatarsal artery and plantar metatarsal artery. The donor exposure of dorsal pedis were straightly sutured.

RESULTSAll the lateral pulp flaps of great toe and the reversed first dorsal metatarsal flaps survived uneventfully with desirable appearance and sensation. In thumb and finger defect reconstructed with lateral pulp flaps of the great toe, there was in mean static two-point discrimination of 6 mm at 10 month follow-up, that was 10 mm in reverse flaps.

CONCLUSIONSIt is an instructive and practical creation to adopt the reverse first dorsal metatarsal artery flap to recover the raw surface in the lateral aspect of the great toe, which minimizes the morbidity at the donor site and gains the twin-win results.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arteries ; transplantation ; Female ; Finger Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsus ; blood supply ; Middle Aged ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; pathology ; Young Adult