AIM and METHODS: To study the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and its significance. Eighty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. MI was produced by left coronary arterial ligation in 80 animals, and eight rats undergoing thoracotomy but not coronary ligation served as controls (sham).Blood samples were drawn from the right atrium before (sham animals) and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 hours and 2, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after MI( n =8,respectively). Serum VEGF concentrations were measured by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific for VEGF. RESULTS: In 8 sham animals, the concentration of serum VEGF was (66 99?17 83) pg/mL. Six hours after MI, the level of serum VEGF significantly increased to (125 68?28 07)pg/mL ( P

Animals ; Beer ; adverse effects ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUND: The association of genetic variation in the IRAK-1 gene with sepsis outcome has been proved. However, few studies have addressed the impact of the IRAK-4 gene variants on sepsis risk. This study aimed to determine whether the polymorphisms in the IRAK-4 gene are associated with susceptibility to and prognosis of severe sepsis in the Chinese Han ethnic population.METHODS: In this case-control study, 192 patients with severe sepsis hospitalized in the emergency department of Zhongshan Hospital from February 2006 to December 2009 and 192 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Exclusion criteria included metastatic tumors, autoimmune diseases, AIDS or treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. This study was approved by the ethical committee of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Sepsis patients were divided into a survival group (n=124) and a non-survival group (n=68) according to the 30-day mortality. Primer 3 software was used to design PCR and sequencing primers. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Seven tagSNPs in IRAK-4 were selected according to the data of the Chinese Han population in Beijing from the Hapmap project and genotyped by direct sequencing. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in genotype and allele frequencies between the two groups.RESULTS: The distributions of all tagSNPs were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The allele and genotype frequencies of rs4251545 (G/A) were significantly different between the severe sepsis and healthy control groups (P=0.015, P=0.035, respectively). Carriers of the rs4251545A had a higher risk for severe sepsis compared with carriers of the rs4251545G (OR=1.69, 95％ CI: 1.10-2.58). The allele and genotype frequencies of all SNPs were not significantly different between the survival group and non-survival group.CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the variants in IRAK-4 are significantly associated with susceptibility to severe sepsis in the Chinese Han ethnic population.

Background Macular hole retinal detachment(MHRD) causes severe decrease of vision.Pars plana vitrectomy has been applied for MHRD.Silicone oil and C3F8 have been used as intraocular tamponade materials,while there are still controversity on their efficacy.Objective This trial was to evaluate the efficacy of vitreous surgery combined with silicone oil or C3F8 tamponade for patients with MHRD in highly myopic eyes.Methods A retrospective case-controlled study was designed.Fifty-one patients who underwent vitrectomy with intraocular tamponade were retrospectively analyzed.The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) before and after surgery were examined and campared between two groups.The rate of recurrent RD and macular hole closed were analyzed.Results There was no significant difference in BCVA between silicone oil group and C3F8 tamponade group before and after surgery(U=266.000,P =0.286 ; U =205.000,P =0.029).The BCVA after surgery was elevated in both groups (Z=-2.729,P =0.006 ; Z =-3.273,P =0.001).The rates of recurrent RD and macular hole closed were no difference between two groups(P=0.894,1.000).There were no other complications but cataract.Conclusions C3F8 tamponade of MHRD in high myopic eyes show the same efficacy as silicone oil tamponade.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze postmortem chemical changes in Landrace costal cartilages and ribs using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and to provide a novel technique for estimation of postmortem interval (PMI). METHODS: The swines were sacrificed by hemorrhage and their costal cartilages and ribs were kept in 20 degrees C. The chemical analysis of the costal cartilages and ribs were performed using ATR-FTIR every 72 h. The correlation between the certain spectral parameters and PMI was also analyzed. The time-dependent changes of costal cartilages were more significant than ribs. RESULTS: There were no obvious changes for the main absorbance bands position, and some absorbance band ratios showed time-dependent changes and significant correlations with the PMI. CONCLUSION ATR-FTIR has the ability to analyze postmortem chemical changes of the swine costal cartilages and ribs, and it can be a new method to estimate PMI based on spectroscopy.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Costal Cartilage ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Hemorrhage ; Models, Animal ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Regression Analysis ; Ribs ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; Swine ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEAn electric monitor of bruxism had been invented in order to evaluate the curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint and stabilization splint.

METHODS20 patients with bruxism were randomly divided into two groups. A cuspid occlusal upheaving splint or a stabilization splint was fabricated respectively for patients. The vertical dimension for each splint was 0.5 mm lower than mandibular postural position. Sleeping time, bruxist time and times of bruxism were recorded with bruxism monitor that was invented for studying bruxing.

RESULTSThe bruxist time and the times of bruxism were decreased obviously in patients with cuspid occlusal upheaving splint, while no significant difference was shown before and after using the stabilization splint.

CONCLUSIONSThe bruxism monitor can automatically measure and record the data of bruxism with splint, which is valuable for clinic. The curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint is better than that of stabilization splint for treating bruxism.

Adult ; Bruxism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Masticatory Muscles ; physiopathology ; Occlusal Splints

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between quinone oxidoreductase1 (NQO1) gene nonsynonymous cSNP and the genetic susceptibility of esophageal cancer.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and Allele-Specific PCR (AS-PCR) were employed to assess the polymorphism of NQO1 genes both in 106 patients with esophageal cancer and control subjects matched by age, gender and origin.

RESULTSIt was shown that no C/C genotype was found at 406 of NQO1. The allelic frequency of NQO1 609T was significantly higher in patients with esophageal cancer than in the control subjects (P < 0.005) and the individuals with 609T allelic genotype of NQO1 gene were at greater risk to develop esophageal cancer (OR = 4.76, 95% CI = 1.064 - 3.397). But Individuals with mutant allele of NQO1 465 genotype did not show the rising risk of esophageal cancer.

CONCLUSIONSThe NQO1 C609T polymorphisms should likely be associated with the genetic susceptibility of esophageal cancer.

Alleles ; China ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

In order to provide a new method for the identification of Placenta hominis, the COI barcode has been employed to identify the P. hominis medicinal materials and its adulterants. Genomic DNA was extracted from the experimental samples. The COI sequences were amplified and sequenced bi-directionally. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner. NJ tree was constructed by MEGA6.0 software. COI sequences can be successfully obtained from all experimental samples. The intra-specific variation and inter-specific divergence were calculated. The average intra-specific K2P distance of P. hominis was 0.001 and the maximum intra-specific distance was 0.008. The cluster dendrogram constructed can be seen that the same genus is together, and distinguished from its adulterants. It is concluded that P. hominis and its adulterants can be correctly identified by DNA barcoding method.
Animals ; Cattle ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Electron Transport Complex IV ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Placenta ; chemistry ; enzymology ; Pregnancy ; Quality Control ; Sheep ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo explore the relative factors on the failure in digit replantation in order to take preventions to control the risk factors.

METHODSFrom January 2013 to December 2013, 236 consecutive patients (311 fingers) underwent digit replantation were collected to analyze retrospectively, involving 183 males and 53 females with an average age of 34.5 years old ranging from 2 to 62 years old (6 cases under 6 years old and 230 cases elder than 6 years old). There were 51 thumbs, 87 index fingers, 78 middle fingers, 63 ring fings and 32 little thumbs. Forty cases(forty fings) who were failured as the observation group, the others as the control group. The factors of age, gender, finger, cause of injury, smoking history, ischemia duration, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair we assessed.

RESULTSAll 236 cases with 311 fingers were replanted, 40 fingers were failured after operation. The relative factors on the failure in digit replantation included smoking history, cause of injury, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair (P< 0.05). There were no significant correlation between the failure and age, gender, finger and ischemia duration (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSmoking history, causes of injury, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair are risks of failure in digit replantation. Before choosing the type of operation, it should be think about the patient's general conditions, injury status, grasp firmly the operative indications and actively carry out surgical treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Finger Injuries ; surgery ; Fingers ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Replantation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Failure ; Young Adult

Objective To measure the level of microglia TRPC6 in mouse MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine)-induced neuroinflammation model and investigate its role in cytokine production and dopaminergic neuron damages. Methods Microglia were sorted by magnetic beads labeled with CD11b antibody and the level of TRPC6 in MPTP-induced neuroinflammation models was measured by western blotting. The proliferation of microglia and damages of dopaminergic neurons induced by MPTP were analyzed by immunofluorescence in CD11b-TRPC6 -/ - mice. Meanwhile, the expression of cryαB and cytokines in microglia was measured by western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Results The level of microglia TRPC6 in MPTP-induced neuroinflammation model was up-regulated. The expression of cryαB was increased and the cytokine level was down-regulated in the microglia in MPTP-injected CD11b-TRPC6 -/ - mice. Moreover, the dopaminergic neuron survival was improved in the MPTP-induced neuroinflammation model after TRPC6 knock-out in the microglia. Conclusions The expression of TRPC6 in microglia is up-regulated after MPTP injection, while in CD11b-TRPC6 -/ - mice the MPTP-induced cytokine expression is reduced, contributing to the improvement of dopaminergic neuron survival.