Embolism, Paradoxical ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology

Objective To summerize the clinical experience of 23 cases of carotid cavernous fistula(CCF) and discuss the treatment strategy. Methods Retrospectively analyzed 23 patients(11 males and 12 females) of CCF,including 14 patients with Barrow type A,1 with type B,1 with type C and 7 with type D. Results Vascular approach for embolization was undertaken in 20 cases by transarterial access and 2 via venous route while 1 case was given up. Among them,9 cases obtained complete occlusion by simple balloon embolization and 5 were treated by direct occlusion of internal carotid artery. Another 5 cases used NBCA glue for the occlusion,1 case was embolized by gelatin-sponge particulates combined with compression of carotid artery,2 cases were treated by coil embolization of cavernous sinus and 1 case was only managed by carotid compression maneuver. We achieved satisfactory clinical results with 21 patients cured and 2 patients improved. Conclusion Complexity and refractory are the characteristic of CCF,and endovascular treatment should be the major choice of treatment. (J Intervent Radiol,2006,15: 323-326)

Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome

BackgroundIt has been proved that,after being forced,the biological soft tissue has stable biomechanical characteristics.However,there is rare study on corneal biomechanics.Rabbit is a main animal for experimental study in ophthalmology.But the biomechanical study of cornea in normal rabbit has not been reported.ObjectiveThis study was to investigate the biomechanical properties of normal rabbit central cornea and acquire the parameter. Methods Ten rabbits were sacrificed and the whole corneas were obtained and 20 central cornea specimens with 7 mm×5 mm of rabbit were prepared and tested on BOSE electroforce 3220-AT biomechanics machine under the room temperature and suitable humidity environment.Uniaxial tension,stress between strain,relaxation and creep were performed and the curves were drawn.The data was collected by wintest system to evaluate the biomechanical parameters of rabbit corneal tissue. ResultsThe maximum distortion intension of rabbit cornea was (7.7432±0.6099)MPa.After three cyclic loading,the stress gradually attenuated and the stress and strain flattened as the time change with the relaxation rate 30.33％.The deformation of the specimens enhanced with time decrease with the creep rate 24.33％. ConclusionsThe biomechanical characteristics of normal rabbit cornea are revealed in this study,which offer the basis for the experimental research of rabbit model aimed at corneal disease.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of curcumin on type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP)and expression of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) in spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in rats.MethodsType 2 diabetes mellitus was induced by high-fat and high-sucrose diet and intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) 35 mg/kg,and confirmed by fasting blood glucose level ＞ 16.7 mmol/L in male SD rats.Type 2 DNP was confirmed by the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWI.) measured on day 14 after STZ administration ＜ 80％ of the baseline value.The rats were then randomly divided into 3 groups ( n =27 each):DNP group,curcumin group (group Cur) and solvent control group (group SC).Curcumin and corn oil 100 mg/kg (25 mg/ml) were given intraperitoneally once a day for 14 consecutive days starting from 14 days after administration of streptozocin in Cur and SC groups respectively.Another 27 rats were chosen and served as control group (group C) and fed with common fodders.MWT and TWL were measured at 3,7 and 14 day after curcumin administration.The expression of IRE1α in spinal dorsal horn and DRG was detected by Western blot.ResultsCompared with group C,MWT was significantly decreased and TWL was significantly shortened,and the expression of IRE1α was up-regulated in DNP,Cur,and SC groups (P ＜ 0,05),Compared with group DNP,MWT were significantly increased,TWL was significantly prolonged,and the expression of IRE1α in spinal dorsal horn and DRG was down-regulated in group Cur (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significantdifference in the parameters mentioned above between DNP and SC groups (P ＞ 0.05).ConclusionCurcumin can attenuate type 2 1)NP and inhibition of the expression of IRE1α in spinal dorsal horn and DRG is involved in the mechanism.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the differential plasma protein profiles in patients with hyperlipidemia & atherosclerosis (H&A) of different patterns of phlegm-stasis syndrome (PSS) for seeking their biomarker proteins.

METHODSTwo-dimensional gel electrophoresis and gel screening graphical analysis were performed on plasma proteins got from 146 patients; corresponding protein spots were fetched from the gel for two-stage mass-spectrometric analysis by quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry; then the differential proteins for PSS were discriminated by Fisher discriminate analysis.

RESULTSExcepting two uncertain proteins, 7 differential proteins were screened out from the 11 differentially expressed plasma protein spots with variability over 100% in the inter-block matching. Classic analysis found that haptoglobin precursor and fibrinogen gamma chain were possibly the plasma biomarker proteins for H & A; fibrinogen beta chain and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were that set apart PSS from non-PSS; fibrinogen gamma chain, albumin and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were for phlegm syndrome; haptoglobin precursor, adrenomedullin binding protein precursor, albumin and complement component C4 were for stasis syndrome; albumin and adrenomedullin binding protein precursor were for the phlegm-stasis mutual blocking syndrome. Moreover, the above mentioned expressions of possible marker proteins had their own special rule of changing in the transforming progress of PSS.

CONCLUSIONThis study reported, for the first time, the existence of evident variation of functional protein constitution in different patterns of PSS, and definite compatibility being detected in some functional proteins, which may be the marker proteins for making diagnosis and prognosis of PSS in H&A. Besides, preliminary proof for the transformation of PSS has gained at the functional protein level.

Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the semen quality and its influencing factors in preconception males in Nanjing area so as to provide some evidence for working out effective intervention measures.

METHODSTotally 687 men receiving preconceptional physical examination were enrolled in this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the subjects along with an analysis of their semen quality.

RESULTSThe median of sperm concentration was 63.3 x 10(6)/ml (95% CI [19.88-119] x 10(6)/ml). The median of grade a sperm was 33.03% (95% CI [19.38-55.05]%), that of grade a + b sperm was 52.08% (95% CI [39.53-69.37]%), and that of teratosperm was 91.75% (95% CI [69-100]%). The median concentration of seminal plasma PMN-elastase was 195.55 ng/ml (95% CI [76.16-3330.38] ng/ml) and that of seminal plasma zinc was 7.62 μmol/L (95% CI [1.5-23, 45] μmol/L). The positive rates of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) were 42.4%, 0.3%, and 2.4%, respectively. The median of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of those whose wives had a history of adverse pregnancy was 20.25% (95% CI [2.15-68.25]%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that mental stress (OR 1.567, 95% CI [1.081-2.27]) and sedentariness (OR 1.772, 95% CI [1.211-2.592]) were independent risk factors for asthenospermia.

CONCLUSIONThe sperm quality of preconception males in Nanjing area is not encouraging, and it can be improved by changing undesirable lifestyle and reducing mental stress.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; etiology ; China ; Chlamydia trachomatis ; isolation & purification ; DNA Fragmentation ; Gardnerella vaginalis ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Leukocyte Elastase ; analysis ; Male ; Preconception Care ; Semen ; microbiology ; Semen Analysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Sperm Count ; statistics & numerical data ; Spermatozoa ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; isolation & purification

Epigenetics comprises the modifications made in gene expressions without changing the DNA sequence itself. Significant epigenetic changes take place during spermatogenesis and fertilization and exert direct influences on embryogenesis. This article provides an overview of the latest researches on epigenetics of male germ cells and a brief discussion on the correlation of sperm with embryogenesis in four aspects: DNA methylation, histone modification, regulation of non-coding RNAs, and genomic imprinting.
Animals ; DNA Methylation ; Embryonic Development ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Genomic Imprinting ; Histones ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo explore methods and clinical outcomes of microsurgical technique in treating patients with severed palm.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to December 2012,45 patients with severed palm were treated by replantation through microsurgical technique, included 37 males and 8 females, aged from 13 to 45 years old with an average of 25. Postoperative survival rate and evaluation standard of upper limb replantation function posposed by Chinese Medical Association were applied for evaluate clinical outcomes after operation.

RESULTSForty-five patients with severed plam were treated by replantation. Thirty-nine patients (121 fingers) were survived,and survival rate was 87%. All patients were followed up 3 to 15.5 months with an average of 11.5 months. According to evaluation standard of upper limb replantation function posposed by Chinese Medical Association, the total score was 80.27 +/- 1.93, and 27 cases got excellent results, 8 good and 4 poor.

CONCLUSIONThe success of replantation of severed palm depends on grasping operation indication strictly, knowing complexity and local anatomic relationship, debridement completely during operation, making full use of remaining organization, arteriovenostomy through microsurgical technique as early as possible, constructing circulation and repairing injuried nerve rationally.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hand Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Replantation ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the changes and significance of concentration of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of bacterial meningitis(BM) in rabbits. Methods A total of 36 rabbits were randomly divided into m eningitis group, meningitis cefotaxime-treated group and control group. BM indu ced by escherichia coli(Ec) via cerebellomedullary cistern inoculated. Normal sa line was injected in control group. CSF was sampled in different time. The conce ntration of CSF sICAM-1 was detected by ELISA.Results 1.There was a low concentration of sICAM-1 in CSF in 85 percent of normal rabbi ts.2.In meningitis group, there was a sharp rise in the concentration of CSF sIC AM-1 at 6 hours after Ec was inoculated, reached a peak level at 12 hours, and t here was higher concentration of CSF sICAM-1 between 6 and 24 hour than that at 0 hour.3.In meningitis cefotaxime-treated group, the concentration of CSF sICAM -1 at 6 hour and 12 hours was similar to meningitis group, the time that get pe ak level was at 24 hours that at 12 hours after making use of antimicrobial agen t.The peak level was higher than meningitis group. The concentration of CSF sICA M-1 decreased markedly at 48 hours that made use of antimicrobial agent 36 hour s later,but the concentration was still higher than the peak level of meningitis group.Afterwards, with the time of making use of antimicrobial agent lengthened ,the concentration of CSF sICAM-1 decreased gradually.4.Experimental results in dicated by correlating analysis to these data that there was positive correlatio n in the concentration of CSF sICAM-1 with the brain water content.Conclusions sICAM-1 participates in the pathological process of BM, and contributes to the damage of blood brain barrier and the formation of brain edema.There is importan t significance that drugs which can resist the discharge of sICAM-1 will be impl ied. J Appl Clin Pediatr,2005,20(2):163-165