Objective To explore the influence of thyroid status on serum level of leptin and expression of leptin mRNA in rats with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.Methods Fifty rats were artificially rendered hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism by L-thyroxine or methimazole and divided into 5 groups.The serum of T 3,T 4,TSH,leptin concentration and expression of leptin mRNA were measured in 5 groups.Results Serum leptin concentration was significantly correlated with weight of rats in 5 groups(P

Atrial Flutter ; Fetus ; Humans

Objective To investigate the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax expression in white matter of fetal rats after maternal endotoxin administration. Methods Pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups: infection group and control group. The infection group was established by intraperitoneal injection of endotoxin in pregnant rats when gestation was 70% complete (15 days). The control group was treated with normal saline. The fetal rats were killed at 2, 4, 12, 24 and 72 hours after maternal endotoxin administration. The pathological changes in placenta and in fetal rat brain were determined by HE staining. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in fetal rat brains. Results The major pathological changes in fetal rats niter maternal endotoxin administration included neutrophil infiltration in the placenta, weak staining of white matter and focal infarction. After maternal endotoxin administration, the expression of Bcl-2 gradually decreased from 2 h and arrived at the valley at 12 h, while that of Bax gradually increased 2 h and reached a peak at 12 h. Between the endotoxin-gronp and the control group, the number of positive cells of Bcl-2 and Bax in brain of the fetal rat had significant difference at 4, 12, 24 and 72 hours (P< 0.01 ), and there was no significant difference at 2 h (P > 0.05). The ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in the endotoxingroup was significantly higher than that in the control group at each time point (P<0.01).Conclusion Endotoxin can be used to eatablish intrauterine irfection models and the infection may cause damage to the white matter. Overexpression of Bcl-2 protects cell from apoptosis, but Bax may function as a cell death effector pro-tein. The ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 may play an important role for apoptosis in the lesion of the white matter.

Objective To investigate the levels of interleukin 1? (IL 1?) and tumor necrosis factor ? (TNF ?) in both serum and CSF in patients with Alzheimer's disease Methods Eleven patients with Alzheimer's disease,13 patients with vascular dementia (VD) and 13 healthy controls were analyzed by using commercial ELISA kits Results The average serum level of IL 1? was found higher in AD patients(60 13?17 81 pg/ml) than in VD patients(38 51?14 39 pg/ml) and in healthy controls(33 98?16 31 pg/ml)( P

Objective: Clone, express and purify human recombinant calreticulin (CRT). Methods: Human CRT cDNA was amplified from total RNA of human lung cancer cell line A549 cells by RT-PCR. Then, PCR product was subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-15b. After sequencing, this recombinant plasmid was transformed into E.coli. Rossetta. Recombinant CRT was expressed in host cells by IPTG induction. Resulted protein was purified by Ni-NTA resin under denature condition and dialyzed to recover its native structure. SDS-PAGE and Western blot method were used to identify the expression and purification of reconbinant CRT. Results: Human CRT cDNA was cloned from total RNA of A549 cells. CRT prokaryotic expression vector pET-15b-crt was constructed. Reconbinant CRT was induced to express in E.coli and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatograph. Conclusion: A method for prokaryotic expression and purification of human recombinant CRT was successfully established. This method laid a foundation for the subsequent CRT research.

BACKGROUND: High incidence rate in the morning and low incidence rate in the evening is the regularity of stroke; however, there are no clear reports on changes of concentration of plasma endothelins and its relationship with onset of cerebral thrombus.OBJECTIVE: To investigate dynamic regularity of plasma endothelins in patients with acute cerebral thrombus within 24 hours and its correlation with episode.DESIGN: Case-controlled study.SETTING: Center of Radio-immunology and Department of Laboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 32 patients with cerebral thrombus were selected from Neurological Department of Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University from January 2002 to January 2003. There were 20males and 12 females with mean age of (61.5±4.1) years. Ten patients had history of diabetes mellitus combined with hypertension, 8 had history of hypertension, 1 had history of diabetes mellitus, and 13 did not have history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Another 30 healthy subjects were selected from the same hospital including 13 males and 17 females with the mean age of (58.1±6.25) years. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects.METHODS: Radio-immune analysis was used to determine the dynamic changes of plasma-endothelins level in 32 patients with cerebral thrombus and 20 healthy subjects at 2, 8, 14 and 20 o'clock.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Plasma-endothelins level of patients in cerebral thrombus group and control group at the four time points within 24 hours; ② Plasma-endothelins level of patients with or without cerebral thrombus at the four time points within 24 hours.RESULTS: Totally 32 patients with cerebral thrombus and 30 subjects in control group entered the final analysis. ① Plasma-endothelins level in cerebral thrombus group day and night was higher than that in the control group (t=29.1-30.5, P ＜ 0.001). The level was the lowest [(69.96±3.92) ng/L] at 2 o'clock within 24 hours but the highest at 8 o'clock [(78.55±3.80) ng/L,(t=5.67, P ＜ 0.01)]. ② Levels of endothelins in patients with history of hypertension and cerebral thrombus were obviously higher than those in patients without history of hypertension and cerebral thrombus at 2, 8, 14 and 20 o 'clock within 24 hours [(73.28±7.89), (64.52±5.29) ng/L; (82.39±8.62),(75.81±5.14) ng/L; (81.39±8.62), (70.32±5.97) ng/L; (82.47±5.04),(65.27±5.14) ng/L, (t=2.11-5.17, P ＜ 0.05-0.01)].CONCLUSION: Plasma-endothelins level in patients with acute cerebral thrombus has rhythm changes within 24 hours. The changes are high in the morning and low in the evening, and this is accorded with high onset of cerebral thrombus in the morning.

Objective To evaluate the value of MR and CT examinations in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and compare 2008 staging system with 1992 staging system and 2002 UICC staging system for NPC. Methods MR and CT images of seventy-six cases with NPC were studied. According to 2008 staging system and taking MR as a standard, differences between these two examinations were evaluated under the new NPC staging system, and three staging system were compared by MR findings. Results MR was inconsistent with CT in eveluating invasion of medial pterygoid muscle(22,24 cases), lateral pterygoid muscle( 15, 11 cases), skull base(35, 32 cases) and intracranial fossa( 11,6 cases), but no statistical diffence existed ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). There were statistical difference ( P ＜ 0. 05 )between MR and CT in determining invasion of parapharyngeal space( 50, 61 cases), retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis(48, 23 cases), stage T1 (18, 11 cases), T2 (15, 22 cases), N0 (18, 24 cases) and N1(33, 27 cases) with differences of 11 cases, 25 cases, 7 cases, 7 cases, 6 cases and 6cases respectively.For invasion of parapharyngeal space, CT showed 11 cases more than MR while 5 cases were comfirmed as compression by local tumor and 6 cases were proved as retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis according to MR. For retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis, MR presented 25 cases more than CT. These two reasons above mainly caused the differences of T-staging and N-staging. For 2008 staging system, when compared with 1992 staging system, there were 9 cases upstaging and 1 case downstaging in T classification, 16 cases upstaging in N classification, and 15 cases upstaging and 1 case downstaging in clinical classification; and when compared with 2002 UICC staging system, there were 7 cases, 10 cases and 12 cases upstaging in T,N, and clinical staging respectively. Conclusions Compared with MR examination which was regarded as standard by 2008 staging system of NPC, there were some differences in demonstrating invasion of parapharyngeal space and retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis by CT. Compared to 1992 staging system and 2002 UICC staging system, 2008 staging system mainly made T and N classification of tumor upstage,resulting in upstaging in clinical classification.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV)infection screening by saliva polymerase chain reaction.Methods From November 1,2010 to February 29,2012,6733 newborns born in Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital were enrolled.Saliva samples (0.2 ml) were collected within 3 days after birth,CMV-DNA was detected by real time-polymerase chain reaction and hearing screening was done with EroScan transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions at the same time.The positive rate of congenital CMV infection screening was calculated and clinical manifestations were analyzed.Chi square test was applied to statistical analysis.Results Totally 6733 newborns were screened and 107 of them were found to be positive with CMV DNA,the positive rate was 1.59％ (107/6733),among which 88 were asymptomatic (82.2％) and 19 were symptomatic (17.8 ％).The major clinical manifestations of the neonates with positive CMVDNA were pathological jaundice (13 cases),hepatomegaly (5 cases),granulocytopenia,thrombocytopenic purpura,anemia and small for gestational age (two cases each).Fourteen newborns had only one major clinical manifestation,three newborns had two major clinical manifestations and two newborns had three major clinical manifestations.There was no statistical difference between newborns with positive and negative CMV DNA on hearing screening [hearing loss in one ear:8.4％ (9/107) vs 5.8％ (382/6626); hearing loss in two ears:3.7 ％ (4/107) vs 2.4 ％ (159/6626),x2 =2.776,P=0.241].Conclusion It is feasible to screen congenital CMV infection with saliva sample.

To evaluate multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) in mediastinal lymph node metastasis of T1 and T2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:A total of 32 patients with T1 and T2 NSCLC from February 2004 to October 2012 were selected. Preoperative MSCT assessment of mediastinal lymph nodes was performed on basis of the pathological results. Results:Lymph nodes with diameters of≥10 mm were evaluated, and the sensitivity and specificity of the MSCT mediastinal lymph node me-tastases were 82.4%and 92.4%, respectively. Lymph node size, primary tumor location, and visceral pleural invasion showed statistical significance in forecasting mediastinal lymph node metastases (P<0.05). Conclusion:MSCT can be used for the effective evaluation of mediastinal lymph node metastasis, lymph node size, and position of primary tumor. and visceral pleural invasion of the tumor had a higher risk of mediastinal lymph node metastasis.

Objective To study the changes of motor cortex in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)while executing sequential finger tapping movement by using blood oxygenation level dependent(BOLD)functional MRI.Methods Fifteen patients with definite or probable ALS and 15 age and gender matched normal controls were enrolled in the BOLD study,and all the subjects were right-handed with no other diseases or any recent medication history.A 3.0 T MR scanner was employed and gradient echo EPI(GRE-EPI)sequence was used to acquire the functional images.Subjects executed sequential finger tapping movement at a frequency of 1-2 Hz during a block design task.fMRI data were analyzed by using statistical parametric mapping(SPM)2.Volume of activated brain areas was compared with the use of a Student's t-test.Results Bilateral primary sensorimotor cortex(PSM),bilateral posterior aspect of premotor area(PA),bilateral supplementary motor area(SMA),contralateral inferior lateral premotor area (ILPA),bilateral parietal region(PAR),and ipsilateral cerebellum showed activation in both ALS patients and normal controls when executing the same motor task.The activation areas in bilateral PSM and bilateral posterior aspect of PA(right hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(924.5±141.1)mm3,control(829.9±98.4)mm3,P=0.05;right hand contralateral activation:ALS(9143.8±702.8)mm3,control(8638.8±506.4)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(1162.5±357.4)mm3,control(902.5±184.2)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand contralateral activation:ALS(8255.2±870.2)mm3,control (5934.6±616.4)mm3,P＜0.05),bilateral SMA(right hand bilateral activation:ALS(6564.3±720.6)mm3,control(4710.7±416.3)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand bilateral activation:ALS(6970.5±961.8)mm3,control(3688.9±672.3)mm3,P＜0.05),and ipsilateral cerebellum(right hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(2720.0±1154.2)mm3,control(254.3±84.4)mm3,P＜0.05;left hand ipsilateral activation:ALS(4794.4±1237.0)mm3,control(1689.0±719.6)mm3,P＜0.05)were significantly larger in ALS patients than in normal controls.Extra activation areas including ipsilateral ILPA,contralateral cerebellum and bilateral posterior limb of internal capsule were only detected in ALS patients.Conclusions Similar activation areas were seen in both groups while executing the same motor task,but the activated areas were more prominent in ALS group.The increased activation areas in ALS patients may represent neural reorganization.while the extra activation areas in ALS patients may indicate functional compensation.