85 cm) before 65 years old and descended after 65 (P

OBJECTIVETo observe the neurological protective effects of progesterone (PROG) on focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and to explore its possible mechanism.

METHODSOne handred and twenty male SD rats were divided into three groups randomly: sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion ( MCAO ) group and PROG + MCAO group( n = 40). The right temporary MCAO model was established by the line-embolism method. The PROG + MCAO group rats were according to 8 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection PROG, after that 30 min, the rats were suffered ischemia/reperfusion. After rats were suffered ischemia for 2 h and reperfusion 0, 24, 48, 72 h stress, the nervous functional defect degree were evaluated by longe scoring, and the expression of two-pore domain K channel 3 (TASK3) mRNA in brain tissue were detected by the real-time PCR.

RESULTSPROG (8 mg/kg) could significantly reduced the nervous functional defect degree in rats after ischemia/reperfusion 24, 48, 72 h (P < 0.05). The results of real-time PCR showed that the TASK3 mRNA expression in the brain tissue at all time points significantly decreased in MCAO group compared with sham-operated group (P < 0.05). However, compared with MCAO group, the expression of TASK3 mRNA in brain tissue at all time points dramatically increased in PROG + MCAO group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPROG can improve the nervous functional defect degree after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, and the mechanism might be associated with up-regulating the expression of TASK3 mRNA in brain tissue.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain ; metabolism ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reperfusion Injury ; drug therapy

Autopsy ; Female ; Hepatoblastoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Rare Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female

OBJECTIVETo construct the acid-sensitive potassium hannel-3(TASK3) eukaryotic expression plasmid and to establish a stable SH-SY5Y cell line expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-tagged TASK3.

METHODSTASK3 coding region was subcloned into pEGFP-N1 plasmid to construct a recombinant vector alled pEGFP-TASK3. The correct recombinant expressing plasmid was transfected with X-feet transfection reagent to SH-SY5Y cells. The cell line stably expressiing EGFP tagged-TASK3 gene was established by screening with antibiotic G418 and fluorescence microscope. The expression and localization of the EGFP tagged-TASK3 fusion protein was detected by Western blot and confocal microscope. Exposure of the SH-SY5Y cell line expressing stably TASK3-eGFP fusion proteins was exposed to different pH media (7.0, 6.7, 6.4, 6.1) for 24 h, the cell viability was assessed with cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8).

RESULTSAll the results of identification by PCR, digestion with restriction endonuclease and sequencing indicated that the recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-TASK3 was constructed correctly. The stable SH-SY5Y cell line expressing EGFP tagged-TASK3 fusion protein was successfully established. Exposure of the wild type SH-SY5Y cells and the stable SH-SY5Y-GFP tag-TASK3 cell line to different pH media (7.0, 6.7, 6.4, 6.1) for 24 h, the cell viability of two group cells significantly reduced with pH declining, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with wild type SH-SY5Y cells, the cell viability of stable SH-SYSY-GFP tag-TASK3 cell line increased significantly with the same pH media, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-TASK3 is successfully constructed and the cell line stably expressing TASK3-eGFP fusion is established which is important for their fundamental research and potential applications.

Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain ; genetics ; Transfection

AIM: To investigate and analyze the changes of corneal biomechanics of normal eyes,forme frusta keratoconus eyes,subclinical keratoconus eyes and clinical keratoconus eyes by Corneal visualization Scheimpflug technology (Corvis ST),and provide clinical basis for early diagnosis of keratoconus.METHODS: Case-control study.We randomly selected 40 normal eyes as normal group,15 forme frusta keratoconus eyes as forme frusta keratoconus group,23 subclinical keratoconus eyes as subclinical keratoconus group,and 40 clinical keratoconus eyes as keratoconus group.The biomechanical parameters of each group were measured by Corvis ST.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves was plotted to distinguish keratoconus from the normal cornea.RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the parameters of biomechanics between normal group and forme frusta keratoconus group (P>0.05).Compared to normal group and subclinical keratoconus group,the parameters second applanation length(AL2),first velocity of applanation (AV1),central curvature radius at highest concavity (HC-radius),deformation amplitude (DA) were revealed statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The biomechanical parameters of the keratoconic group were significantly different from those of normal group except for the second velocity of applanation (AV2),time from the start until the highest concavity(HC-time),peak distance (PD).ROC curve showed that the DA(area under the curve:0.891±0.028) was the best predictive parameter to distinguish keratoconus from the normal eyes.CONCLUSION: The corneal biomechanical parameters of forme frusta keratoconus group are not changed compared with normal group.The changes between normal group and subclinical keratoconus group should combine with other technology to further improve subclinical keratoconic screening.Compared with normal corneas,keratoconus has a great change in biomechanics,which DA diagnosis of the highest efficiency.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of ulinastatin on traumatic brain edema (TBE) accompanied by pulmonary edema due to seawater drowning in rats. Methods Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (nffi8) and ulinastatin treatment group (n=24). A rat model of moderate brain trauma was established by lateral head impact, and pulmonary edema was induced in these rats by pulmonary lavage with seawater to mimic seawater drowning. Twenty-four hours after intmperitoneal injection of ulinastatin, the changes in the cerebral and pulmonary water contents and concentrations of interleukin-1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the brain, lungs and serum were measured, and the histopathological changes of the brain and lung tissues were observed. Results The cerebral and pulmonary water contents and the IL-1β and TNF-α concentrations in the serum, brain and lungs of the rats with brain trauma and pulmonary edema were markedly decreased after ulinastatin injection, which also resulted in obvious improvement of the brain and lung pathologies induced by the injuries. Conclusion Ulinastatin can alleviate traumatic brain edema in rats with pulmonary edema due to seawater drowning by inhibiting the proinflammatory cytokines.

We report a very rare case of a rapidly calcified chronic epidural hematoma (EDH) in a neonate. A 26-day-old female infant was referred to us from a regional hospital because of drowsy mentality and a seizure attack. She was delivered through caesarian section because normal spontaneous vaginal delivery was prolonged and failed. At birth, mild scalp swelling was found on the right frontal area. Scalp swelling was spontaneously resolved and she was discharged without any problems. On the 25th day after her birth, the baby presented with drowsiness and hypotonia following a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a chronic EDH that had a thick layer of calcification. A small burr-hole trephination was performed and a single silastic drainage catheter was inserted. After the operation, a total of 12 ml of liquefied hematoma was drained, and the patient's mentality improved from drowsiness to alertness. The patient was asymptomatic when discharged.
Catheters ; Dimethylpolysiloxanes ; Drainage ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Parturition ; Scalp ; Seizures ; Sleep Stages

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical use of virtual endoscopy in the traumatic ossicular chain disruption with intact tympanum pre- and post-operation.

METHODSThe series consisted of 17 cases with temporal bone fracture and 4 cases with tympanum contusion. All were examinated with a high resolution spiral CT by axial and oblique coronal planes of the temporal bone. Three-dimensional reconstruction was processed using the virtual endoscopy software. Ten cases of traumatic ossicular chain disruption were performed with intact canal wall epitympanum approach Ossicular reposition. Eleven patients with facial paralysis were performed ossiculoplasty and facial nerve decompression. Nine cases re-examinated virtual endoscopy after operation.

RESULTSSeventeen cases with temporal bone fractures and traumatic ossicular chain disruption, including 3 cases with the long process of the incus fracture, 9 cases with incus bone dislocation, and 5 cases with incus shedding. In the 4 cases of tympanum contusion, 2 cases with incus bone dislocation, 2 cases with incus bone shedding. The axial plane of temporal bone CT could only showed the fracture line and the hammer and incus bone irregular shape. Perioperatively virtual endoscopy showed hammer incus joint separation, incus stirrup dislocation and joint deformation. Surgery confirmed that the incus body was torn off below the hammer following bone displacement, soft tissue wrapped articular surface, incus and stapes just connected with soft tissue. During the tympanum contusion operation could see incus bone-shedding was valgus. Three to six months after surgery, re-examinated virtual endoscopy showed incus bone dislocation ossicular chain was restored to normal, temporal bone shedding ossicular chain connecting almost intact Hearing increased significantly to the level of practical hearing. The coincidence of traumatic disruption of the ossicular chain by virtual endoscopy and surgery was 100%.

CONCLUSIONVirtual endoscopy was valuable for providing accurate assessment and individual program for treating and following-up the traumatic ossicular chain disruption.

Ear Ossicles ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; User-Computer Interface ; Wounds and Injuries ; diagnostic imaging