AIM and METHOD: Human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene was transfected into human phagocytic cell U937 and the effects of gene transfer on cytokines and cAMP production were observed. RESULTS: A functional eNOS was stably expressed in transfected U937 cells, but NO release was undetectable in intact transfectants. However, eNOS gene expression upregulated tumor necrosis factor - a release and downregulated interleukin - 10 and cAMP production in either presence or absence of NOS inhibitor N? - monomethyl - L - arginine. CONCLUSION: The function of tranfected eNOS gene product showed cellular speciality. The effector molecule that changed the produced pattern of cytokines and cAMP in phagocytic cells seems not likely the nitric oxide.

Objective To explore the risk factors, pathogenic bacteria, drug resistance and corresponding measures of prevention and treatment on lower respiratory tract infection caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria (ESBLPB) in neonates. Methods The patieats were from the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) of The First People's Hospital of Zhaoqing from Jan. 1998 to Apr. 2001. The secretions of the lower respiratory tract were collected, and bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were done. Results There were 23 positive cases in the 42 cultured cases, and 12 cases out of 23 cases were ESBLPB positive. The positive rate of ESBLPB was 52%(12/23). Of them, 9 cases (75%) had the history of using the third generation cephalosporins, 10(83%) were under mechanical ventilations, 8(67%) were lowbirth weight infants and/or premature infants. There were 21 strains in 12 cases. They were 8(38%)Klebsiella pneumoniae, 5(24%)Enterobacter cloacae, 3(14%) Escherichia coli, 3(14%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1(5%)Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, 1(5%) brevi-flavobacterium strains. The ESBLPBs were sensitive to imipenem, ciprofloxacin, amikacin, levofloxacin, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, meropenem, piperacillin but resistant to other antibiotics. Ten out of the 12 cases were fully recovered from their infection. Conclusion There are multiple factors to increase the lower respiratory tract infections caused by ESBLPB in neonates. The effective measures associated with the infection prevention include intensive sterilization and isolation, and timely immunigation.

Objective To investigate MRI examination methods and imaging manifestations of primary ureteral carcinoma, and to evaluate its clinical values when comparing with other diagnostic imaging facilities. Methods Eighty-seven cases of primary ureteral carcinoma who were operated within recent 8 years came into the study, among which, 35 cases had MRI examinations. For MRI examination, coronal heavy T2WI (water imaging) was performed to show the dilated ureter, then axial T2WI and T1WI were scanned at the obstruction level. 11 cases underwent additional Gd-DTPA dynamic contrast enhanced scans. The original pre-operative diagnostic reports of various imaging facilities were analyzed comparing with the results of operation and pathology. Results MRI showed ureteral dilatation in 33 of 35 cases, no abnormal appearance in 1 case, and only primary kidney atrophy post renal transplantation in 1 case. Among the 33 cases with ureteral obstruction, soft mass at the obstruction level was detected on axial scans in 32 cases. The lesions showed gradual and homogeneous mild to moderate enhancement on contrast MRI. The overall employment rate of imaging facilities was as follows: ultrasound (94. 3% ) , IVU (59. 8% ) , CT (52. 9% ) , MRI (40. 2% ) , and RUP (35. 6% ). The accurate diagnostic rate was as follows: MRI (91. 4% ) , RUP (80. 6% ) , CT (63. 0% ) , ultrasound (47. 6% ) , and IVU (11. 5% ). Conclusion Combination of MR water imaging and conventional sequences can demonstrate most primary ureteral carcinoma lesions and has a highest diagnostic accuracy among the current diagnostic imaging facilities. It should be taken as the first diagnostic imaging method of choice when primary ureteral carcinoma is suspected after ultrasound screening.

AIM: To observe the effect of LPS on CIAS1 gene expression and to analyze the function-structure relationship of its mutation region, the NACHT domain of cryopyrin. METHODS: RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CIAS1 gene in human leucocytes in the presence of LPS. The methods of molecular modeling and bioinformatics were used to observe the relationship of the structure-function of NACHT domain in human CIAS1 gene. RESULTS: LPS increased CIAS1 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. However, the stimulation with LPS at a concentration of 100 mg/L at different time points showed the pattern of early down-regulation and later up-regulation of CIAS1 mRNA expression. The sequence analysis suggested that the motifs Walker A and Walker B, to which the ATP and Mg~ 2+ can bind, were found in the NACHT domaim of CIAS1 gene encoded product cryopyrin. The main points of the disease-associated mutation showed the close relation in sequence and structure to these motifs. The binding sites of Ca~ 2+ and polysaccharide were observed in the leucine rich repeats region of cryopyrin. CONCLUSION: Cryopyrin may act as an important regulator in inflammation. LPS induces human leukocytes to express the CIAS1 gene product.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bloodletting ; Child ; Cough ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

The history of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) was reviewed through summarizing the background and process of the establishment of WFAS. The establishment background was explained in different aspects, named the recovery of acupuncture-Moxibustion in the world, the successive setup of world acupuncture-Moxibustion organizations, the divergences of International Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, striding forward of China reform and opening policy as well as the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO), etc. The establishment of WFAS was introduced on the proposal from eight countries, the important time of the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in China, 1984, divergences and consensus as well as the final phase. The official establishment of WFAS represents the global benefits of acupuncture-Moxibustion colleagues. It is the international organization of acupuncture and moxibustion, contributing to the promotion of acupuncture and moxibustion in the world.
Acupuncture ; history ; organization & administration ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; Societies, Medical ; history

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and therapy of laryngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma(LNEC).Method:Ten cases of LNEC treated in our department were retrospectively analyzed.Result:Eight out of 10 cases were were atypical carcinoid:1 case treated as supraglottic horizontal partial laryngectomy died 22 months after operation; 1 case was lost;the other 6 cases were followed up for more than 2 years. Two cases were small cell type,one received supra-cricoid partial laryngectomy-cricohyoidopexy (SCPL-CHP) ,neck dissection,and radiotherapy,but died after 14 months;the other was receiving radiotherapy.Conclusion:LNEC is a rare malignant tumor and the diagnosis relies on clinical characteristics, histopathological and immunohistochemistry examination. The different types of LNEC should give different treatment protocols.

From cooperation between World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) and World Health Organization, works of academics and standardization, acupuncture-moxibustion education, technique service, organization development, etc., the 27-year development of WFAS since 1987 was summarized and reviewed in details. The growth of WFAS witnesses and promotes the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in the world, so by learning the experience and lessons, WFAS could have a wider path, becoming a core organization for communicating and promoting the development of acupuncture, even the traditional medicine in the world.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; organization & administration ; standards ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; standards ; Global Health ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; standards ; Societies ; history ; World Health Organization

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) has been shown to be associated with the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD),therefore VEGF is a target for the treatment of wet AMD.However,the mechanism of VEGF in the pathogenesis of AMD is not clearly understood.Studying the correlation between VEGF gene polymorphism and AMD is becoming a new research hotspot,but relevant studies on Han Chinese have not been performed.Objective This study was to investigate the association between the VEGF +936C/T gene polymorphism and AMD in the Chinese population.Methods A pilot prospective and nonrandomized controlled trial was designed.This protocol complied with Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethic Committee of Chinese PLA Second Artillery General Hospital.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to entering the study.Two hundred AMD patients and 200 age-and gender-matched normal controls were enrolled in this study.The genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood samples of the subjects,and analysis of the VEGF polymorphisms at the +936 position in the promoter and 3＇-untranslated regions was performed by the restriction fragment length polymorphism method.Frequencies of the VEGF+936C/T genotype were compared between the two groups,and the risk of the VEGF+936C/T gene polymorphism in pre-disposing AMD was evaluated.Results No significant differences were seen in the incidence rates of smoking(P ＝ 0.76),hypertension(P ＝ 0.84),hyperlipidemia (P=0.71),diabetes mellitus (P=0.86) and cardiovascular disease(P=0.89) between the AMD group and the normal control group,and BMI was matched between the two groups (P =0.18).The prevalence of the TT genotype was 9.0％ (18/200)in the AMD group,but that in the normal control was 3.5％ (7/200),showing a significant difference between the two groups (P =0.03).The odds ratio (OR) was 2.73 with a 95％ confidence interval(CI) of 1.11 to 6.68 for AMD in this genotype.The CC and CT genotypes were not significantly different between the two groups (P =0.52,P =0.57).The genotype frequency and allele frequency conformed to HardyWeinberg equilibrium law.There were no significant differences found in the CC,CT,TT genotype frequencies among the early AMD,geographic atrophy AMD and choroidal neovascular AMD (all at P＞0.05).Conclusions The VEGF+936TT genotype is associated with AMD in Han Chinese population.

With the coming of knowledge economics, technical innovation is becoming more and more important.However, the risk accompanied to the technical innovation exists everywhere and is a serious problem demanding prompt solution.Facing the realistic condition, a new idea on the application of vague comprehensive evaluation model to investigating the technical risk in Chinese materia medica innovation project has been put forward.According to the properties of new drug project and the vague mathematic theory, the determined nature issue has been quantified, what happened described objectively, and a model of vague comprehensive evaluation constructed increasingly.The result provides a prerequisite for investment and decision of the technical project.By the analysis of risk factors it is easy and aggressive to control and avoid the risk during the process of project implement.Generally the vague comprehensive evaluation model can be available and benefit to adjust the investment structure and to enhance the scientific decision level.