Objective To investigate the effects of intravenous injection of α-crystallin on retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and some important organs of the Long Evans rats. Methods RGC were retrogradelabeled by fluorogold through bilateral superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body for seven days before optic nerve crush injury. Twenty-three Long Evans rats were used for this study, including three rats of normal control group and 20 rats of experimental group. Twenty rats were randomly divided into saline control group and three α-crystallin injection groups, which received tail vein injection of 1.25 ml isotonic saline and three different concentrations (1 × 10-2 , 1 × 10-1 and 1 g/L) of α-crystallin respectively, once every two days and totally seven times. After two weeks, the labeled RGC were counted, and the pathological changes on liver, kidney, brain, spleen and the lungs were investigated. Results Compared with the normal control group, although the number of RGC markedly decreased after two weeks of optic nerve crush injury in every group, the number of RGC in α-crystallin-treated groups was more than those in the saline control group. There were 2074± 150 RGC per mm2 in normal control group, 85 ± 15 RGC per mm2 in saline control group, 124±26 RGC per mm2 in 1 × 10-2 g/L α-crystallin group, 128± 31 RGC per mm2 in 1 × 10-1 g/L α-crystallin group, 164 ± 20 RGC per mm2 in 1 g/L α-crystallin group (F= 18. 660,P＜0. 01). No congestion, swelling, inflammation and other pathological changes were found in liver,kidney, brain, spleen and lung. Conclusions Intravenous injection of α-crystallin protein has protective effects on RGC after the optic nerve crush injury, and no significant effects on important organs.

Amniotic Fluid ; cytology ; Cardiomyopathies ; therapy ; Humans ; Stem Cells ; cytology

Purpose: To report 2 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring in a thyroglossal duct remnant, and to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic methods by reviewing the literature. Methods: An asymptomatic midline mass occurring in the upper neck was the sole presenting complaint in 2 cases. The preoperative evaluation included a complete head and neck examination, B-ultra sound examination and FNAB. The Sistrunk procedure was done. A lobectomy( case 1) and a lumpectomy ( case 2) were performed respectively, because of the abnormality found in their thyroid gland. A modified neck dissection was performed in case 2 because of regional lymphadenopathy. The following histologic studies were carried out on tissues with HE stain. Results: Diagnoses of thyroglossal duct carcinoma were made by several pathologists. Tissues from thyroid were first diagnosed as nodular goiter in case 1 and thyroid adenoma in case 2. In case 2, one positive lymph node and invasion to the hyoid bone was found. Conclusions: Malignant lesions are rare in the thyroglossal duct remnant. The diagnostic criteria is acknowledged. Resection of the thyroglossal duct carcinoma by the Sistrunk procedure is an adequate surgical approach. But the controversy about further treatment will continue because of the lack of large series of patients and the 10 to 20 year follow-up.

Asthma, Occupational ; therapy ; Drainage ; methods ; Humans ; Sputum

Chromatography ; methods ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry

Objective To investigate the effect factors and the relationship of diagnostic system efficiency as soft copy reading with medical LCD.MethodsThirty chest images were selected from PACS on-line.Three of high,mid and low-experienced radiologists interpreted the images on different types of displays independently.Design four display levels based on five factors influencing diagnostic system efficiency,including view distance (0.3 m,0.6 m,0.9 m,1.2 m),monitor resolution ( 1 MP,2 MP,3 MP,5 MP),illuminant level (50 Ix,100 Ix,200 lx,400 lx),view angle (0°,15°,30°,45°) and angle of negative effect light (0°,30°,60°,90°).Three indices of misdiagnosis frequency,diagnosis time and frequency of unable to recognize were analyzed.Orthogonal experimental design and software SPSS 13.0 were used to analyze the results.Results The indices were much different for different factors at different levels.According to the index of average misdiagnosis frequency,extreme difference value of view angle was the lowest (1.4) and angle of negative effect light was the highest (5.0).Extreme difference value of view distance,monitor resolution and illuminant level were 2.9,2.8 and 2.5,respectively.ConclusionsThe order of different factors influencing diagnostic system efficiency is as follows: angle of negative effect light,view distance,monitor resolution,illuminant level and view angle.

Objective To investigate the changes in the expression of glutamate-aspartste transporter in spinal dorsal horn in rats with inflammatory pain and chronic morphine tolerance. Methods Thirty healthy male SD rats in which intrathecal (IT) catheters were successfully placed without complications were randomized into 3 groups ( n = 10 each): normal saline group ( group NS), arthritis group ( group A), and arthritis + morphine group (group AM). NS 50 μl was injected into the ankle joint of the left hindlimb in group NS, while complete Freund's adjuvant was injected in the other two groups instead. After 3 days, group NS and A received IT NS 10 μl twice a day for 7 consecutive days, group AM IT morphine 10 μg (10 μl) twice a day for 7 consecutive days. Mechanical pain threshold (MPT) was measured before IT administration and at day 2, 4, 6 and 8 after IT administration (T0-4). The animals were sacrificed after the last MPT measurement. The spinal cords were isolated for determination of GLAST expression in spinal dorsal horn. Results Compared with group NS, MPT was significantly decreased in the other groups and GLAST expression was down-regulated in group AM (P ＜ 0.05). Compared with group A, no significant change was found in MPT at T3,4 (P ＞ 0.05), while GLAST expression was down-regulated in group AM ( P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion The development of chronic morphine tolerance is related to the decrease in the function of GLAST in spinal dorsal horn in rats with inflammatory pain.

Objective To study the time course of effect of methylene blue on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA transcription and protein expression in lung tissue of rats with sepsis, and its mechanism. Methods 126 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham group, sepsis group and methylene blue group. Each group was subdivided into 0-, 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-, and 36-hour subgroups according to the time after operation, with 6 rats in each subgroup. A model of sepsis was reproduced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and the rats in sham group were only opened the abdominal cavity and isolated the membrane of the appendix without CLP. Rats in methylene blue group were given injection of 15 mg/kg methylene blue at all time points after CLP, the remaining rats were given 0.9%NaCl solution in same amount. Six hours after the injection, the rats were sacrificed and the lung tissue was harvested immediately. The expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in lung tissues were determined by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot respectively, and the changes in histopathology were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Results Compared with sham group, the expression of iNOS mRNA was significantly up-regulated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours after CLP in sepsis group (2-ΔΔCt: 2.42±0.66 vs. 1.00±0.38 at 6 hours, P = 0.002; 2.54±0.76 vs. 1.00±0.27 at 12 hours, P = 0.000; 5.46±2.26 vs. 1.00±0.38 at 18 hours, P = 0.000; 3.03±0.62 vs. 1.00±0.33 at 24 hours, P = 0.001), and iNOS protein expression was significantly up-regulated at 12, 18 and 24 hours (gray value: 2.54±0.45 vs. 1.00±0.35 at 12 hours, P = 0.000; 2.65±0.64 vs. 1.00±0.33 at 18 hours, P = 0.000; 3.03±0.59 vs. 1.00±0.24 at 24 hours, P = 0.000). Compared with sepsis group, the expression of iNOS mRNA was significantly down-regulated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours in methylene blue group (2-ΔΔCt: 1.55±0.82 vs. 2.42±0.66 at 6 hours, P = 0.034; 1.84±0.42 vs. 2.54±0.76 at 12 hours, P = 0.016; 2.66±1.09 vs. 5.46±2.26 at 18 hours, P = 0.003; 2.20±0.29 vs. 3.03±0.62 at 24 hours, P = 0.002), and iNOS protein expression was significantly lowered at 12, 18 and 24 hours (gray value: 1.84±0.18 vs. 2.54±0.45 at 12 hours, P = 0.003; 1.87±0.27 vs. 2.65±0.64 at 18 hours, P = 0.008; 2.20±0.50 vs. 3.03±0.59 at 24 hours, P = 0.008). Histopathological observation showed that the degree of lung injury at each time point, including red blood cells effusion, lung interstitial edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, alveolar collapse etc., in sepsis group and methylene blue group were significantly higher than that of sham group, and the degree of lung injury in rats with methylene blue was not significantly improved as compared with that of sepsis group. Conclusions Lung iNOS mRNA expression was significantly increased at 6-24 hours after CLP induced sepsis in rat, and protein expression was increased at 12-24 hours. Methylene blue could inhibit mRNA transcription and protein expression of iNOS in lung of septic rat, but failed to reduce the degree of lung injury in sepsis.

Objective To assess the disease severity and prognosis value by observing the kinetic change of serum procalcitonin(PCT)and PCT clearance rate(PCTc)in the patients with ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). Methods A single-center prospective observational study was conducted. A total of 128 patients with VAP admitted into intensive care unit(ICU)of First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February 2012 to June 2014 were enrolled. The patients were divided into recovery group(n=88)and deterioration group(n=40) according to the therapeutic outcome. The acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ)scores were estimated within 24 hours when VAP was diagnosed. The serum PCT(PCT1,PCT5,PCT7,PCT9)and PCTc(PCTc5, PCTc7,PCTc9)were examined at 1,5,7 and 9 days after the VAP was diagnosed. The diagnostic and predictive performance of PCT,PCTc and APACHEⅡ scores were assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Results APACHEⅡscores in recovery group were significantly lower than those in the deterioration group (14.49±5.30 vs. 18.90±5.30,t=-4.349,P=0.000). There was no significant difference in PCT level(μg/L)at 1 day after VAP was diagnosed between recovery group and deterioration group〔2.84(0.81,6.43)vs. 3.50(0.97,10.27), Z=-1.431,P=0.152〕. With prolonged treatment,PCT was gradually decreased in recovery group,while remained at higher level in deterioration group,which was significantly lowered at 5 days after VAP diagnosed in recovery group compared with that in the deterioration group〔1.28(0.65,3.13)vs. 2.39(0.78,9.35),Z=-2.012,P=0.044〕. PCTc maintained higher level in recovery group which was gradually increased with the improvement of the disease, and PCTc in deterioration group was lowered which was gradually decreased with the development of the disease. PCTc at 5,7,9 days in recovery group was significantly higher than that in deterioration group〔5 d:50.43(20.39,80.60)%vs. -56.68(-286.28,172.92)%, Z=-2.250, P=0.024;7 d:54.01(5.70,102.30)% vs. -76.91(-335.03, 181.21)%,Z=-2.561,P=0.010;9 d:63.88(25.93,101.80)%vs.-133.49(-547.20,280.16)%,Z=-3.133, P=0.002〕. The area under ROC curve(AUC)of PCT5,PCT7,PCT9 predicting the prognosis was 0.591,0.683, 0.746,respectively〔95% confidence interval(95%CI)was 0.456-0.726(P=0.161),0.557-0.808(P=0.005), 0.631-0.860(P=0.000)〕. When PCT9 was 5.65μg/L,the sensitivity of 95%and the specificity of 61%. The AUC of PCTc5,PCTc7 and PCTc9 was 0.648,0.685,0.729,respectively〔95%CI was 0.513-0.783(P=0.028),0.555-0.815(P=0.006),0.607-0.851(P=0.001)〕. When PCTc9 was 92%,the sensitivity was 98%and the specificity was 71%. The AUC of APACHEⅡscore was 0.693(95%CI 0.578-0.808,P=0.003). When APACHEⅡscore was 19.5,the sensitivity was 77%and the specificity was 58%. Conclusions The increased levels of PCT in patients with VAP were associated with the poor control of infection and may indicate the deterioration of VAP,it also can reflect the activity of lung infection in time. Keep observing the dynamic change of PCT and analyzing PCTc is more useful. The PCTc levels may provide evidence of disease progression and helpful in risk stratification in patients with VAP,and lower level of PCTc may accompany serious infection and predict poor prognosis.