Objective: To study the changes of hepatic caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities during liver regeneration in rats. Methods: Liver regenerati on model was produced by 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) in male SD rats. Then the rats were sacrificed and the liver homogenate were prepared. Hepatic caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities were determined at 8 different time points during the liver regeneration at the absorbance of 405 nm. Results: Hepatic caspase-3 activity increased significantly 3 h, 6,72 h, 120 h and 168 h after PH compared with that of control group(P<0.001); Hepatic caspase-8 activity increased 168 h after PH(P<0.05) and had no obvious change at any other time points. Conclusion: Our result suggests that the increase of caspase-3 activity during the liver regeneration may be mainly induced by the mitochondrial pathway.

Objective: To observe the serum profile of Th17-related cytokines(IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23, and TGF-β) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, so as to study the role of Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Methods: Seventy-eight patients with PBC, 30 patients with HBV-related posthepatitic cirrhosis(PHC), and 60 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. The serum levels of above five Th17-related cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23 in PBC group were significantly higher than those in HC group (P<0.05); the levels of TGF-β were comparable between the PBC group and HC group. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TGF-β were significantly lower and IL-17 A, IL-23 were significantly higher in the PBC group compared with those in the PHC group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that PBC patients are in a status of chronic inflammation. Th17 subset may play an important role in the development and progression of PBC.

Animals ; Decompression ; Decompression Sickness ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Electroencephalography ; Electromyography ; Electrophysiology ; Male ; Rabbits

Objective To investigate the evolution of CXCL10 in blood plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during relapses of multiple sclerosis (MS),and the correlation between these and the clinical neurological dysfunction.Methods Fifty-three patients with definite MS during relapsing state (relapsing MS group) diagnosed by the McDonald criteria;fifty-three patients with definite MS during remitting state ( remitting MS group);thirty-two patients with non-inflammatory neurologic disease ( NIND group) and fiftythree healthy controls (NC group) were enrolled in the study.Each patient clinical status was evaluated with the Expanded Disability Status Scale ( EDSS).Plasma and CSF levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunoassay.Results ( 1 ) The CXCL10 level in plasma in relapsing MS group elevated significantly between the 2nd ( (601 ± 365 ) pg/ml,t = - 2.898,P = 0.001) and the 4th ( (575 ± 297 ) pg/ml,t = -2.651,P=0.003) week after relapsing;GXL10 in CSF (n =32) did not changed significantly in the 4th week after relapsing( (1807 ±803) pg/ml).(2) The CXCL10 level in plasma in relapsing MS group were significantly higher than that in the healthy control group ((248±130) pg/ml,(=4.895,P=0.000) and remitting MS group ((287 ±118) pg/ml,t = 3.555,P = 0.001 ).( 3 ) The CXCL10 level in CSF in relapsing MS group (( 1774 ± 604) pg/ml) was significantly higher than that in NIND group ( ( 122 ± 114) pg/ml,t= 15.192,P =0.000).(4) The CXCL10 level in plasma in relapsing MS group had correlation with that in CSF (r=0.792,P=0.001).The CXCL10 level in CSF in relapsing MS group had correlation with EDSS scores (r = 0.526,P = 0.002 ).Conclusions The CXCL10 level in plasma might be implemented as a paraclinical marker of disease activity in MS.The CXCL10 level in plasma of MS may be relevant to that in CSF.The CXCL10 level in CSF of MS may indicate the clinical neurological dysfunction.

As the largest research-oriented specialty department in national traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, the Department of Critical Care Medicine in Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine insists on the development mode combined with clinical medicine and scientific research. By taking clinical and basic researches for integrative medicine preventing and treating acute myocardial in-farction and sepsis as a breakthrough, authors explored key problems of Chinese medicine in improving the prognosis related diseases and patients' quality of life. In recent 3 years our department has successively become the principal unit of the national key specialties cooperative group of critical care medicine (awarded by State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine), the key clinical specialties (awarded by National Health and Family Planning Commission), and Guangzhou key laboratory construction unit, and achieved overall lap in clinical medical treatment, personnel training, scientific research, and social service.
Biomedical Research ; China ; Clinical Medicine ; Critical Care ; Hospital Departments ; organization & administration ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Quality of Life

Andrology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Physicians

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic features, treatment response and prognosis of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA).

METHODSAmongst a total of 6 287 patients with central nervous system tumors encountered in Nanjing General Hospital of PLA during the period from 1980 to 2004, 15 cases of PXA were found. Two additional cases of PXA were also retrieved from the authors' consultation files. The clinicopathologic features of the 17 cases were studied. Follow-up information was available in 10 patients.

RESULTSThe age of the patients ranged from 12 to 55 years (mean = 30.8 years). The male-to-female ratio was 6:11. Commonest clinical symptoms included seizures, headaches and dizziness. The tumors in 16 patients were located in the superficial cerebral cortex (94.1%). Seven cases (41.2%) involved the temporal lobe. The size of the tumors varied from 2 to 7 cm (mean = 4.3 cm). Cystic degeneration was noted in 9 cases. For those in-house cases, total tumor excision was performed in 12 patients and subtotal tumor excision was performed in 3 patients. Amongst the 10 patients with follow-up information available, 8 were alive. The post-operative survival ranged from 10 months to more than 13 years (mean survival = 6 years). Classic histopathologic features included an admixture of mononuclear cells, bizarre multinucleated giant cells, spindled cells and lipid-rich vacuolated cells. The tumor cells were associated with abundant lymphocytes and reticulin fibers. They showed little tumor necrosis or mitotic activity. Immunohistochemical study demonstrated diffuse positive staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin and S-100 protein. Seventy-seven percent of the cases also showed positive staining for CD34. One case had anaplastic transformation, with increased mitotic activity (mitotic count >or= 5 per 10 high power fields). The tumor cells infiltrated the underlying cerebral cortex with extension into perivascular spaces in 2 cases. Radiologic examination revealed tumor recurrence with diffuse leptomeningeal spread in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONSPXA is low-grade glial tumor, corresponding to WHO grade II. Cases with typical pathologic features and total tumor excision carry favorable prognosis. Local recurrence or anaplastic transformation may occur in rare examples. Histologically, PXA can be mistaken as WHO grade IV giant cell glioblastoma, as both entities possess tumor giant cells. PXA however harbors lipiodized astrocytes and lacks coagulative tumor necrosis and high mitotic activity. Frequent expression of CD34 in PXA is also helpful in differential diagnosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Glioblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; S100 Proteins ; analysis ; Young Adult

Cryptosporidium andersoni ATP-binding cassette (CaABC) is an important membrane protein involved in substrate transport across the membrane. In this research, the nucleotide binding domain (NBD) of CaABC gene was amplified by PCR, and the eukaryotic expression vector of pEGFP-C1-CaNBD was reconstructed. Then, the recombinant plasmid of pEGFP-C1-CaNBD was transformed into the mouse intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) to study the iron transportation function of CaABC. The results indicated that NBD region of CaABC gene can significantly elevate the transport efficiency of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and HCO3 - in IECs (P<0.05). The significance of this study is to find the ATPase inhibitors for NBD region of CaABC gene and to inhibit ATP binding and nutrient transport of CaABC transporter. Thus, C. andersoni will be killed by inhibition of nutrient uptake. This will open up a new way for treatment of cryptosporidiosis.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters/*chemistry/*genetics/metabolism ; Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Calcium/metabolism ; *Cloning, Molecular ; Cryptosporidiosis/parasitology ; Cryptosporidium/chemistry/genetics/*metabolism ; Humans ; Iron/metabolism ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Protozoan Proteins/*chemistry/*genetics/metabolism ; Sequence Alignment

Objective To investigate the incidence and bacterial etiology of stent associated respiratory tract infec-tion (SARTI) caused by two types of airway stents.Methods Silicone and coated metal airway stent were placed into patients with central airway stenosis caused by varied pathologies. The incidence of stent related respiratory tract infection,bacteria etiology of SARTI and improved dyspnea score were compared between two groups receiving different airway stent.Results 1)Totally 171 patients received airway stents, and among them, 39 patients (22.81%) developed SARTI.2)The incidence of SARTI in metal stent group and silicone stent group was 29.21% (26/89) vs.15.85% (13/82),P<0.05;3)Bacterial spectrum of SARTI was different in metal and silicone stent groups:staphylococcus aureus was 38.46% vs. 69.23%,respectively;candida albicans was 23.08% vs. 0%,re-spectively;Singular proteus was 7.26% vs.0%,respectively;4)The narrowed lumen was improved from 74.27%± 7.13% to 17.64%±6.22%in the metal stent group,while the data was improved from 74.94%±9.18% to 12.68%± 8.32% in the silicone stent group (P<0.01). Accordingly, the dyspnea symptomscore was improvedfrom 2.85 ± 0.89 to 0.85±0.68 in metal stent group,and from 2.88±0.91 to 0±0.61 in the silicone stent group (P<0.05). Conclusions Compared with metal airway stents,silicone stents have a lower incidence of SARTI,which mightbe due to the projections in the silicon stent surface and wider expanded in the bronchial stenosis.

Objective To understand the mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP) infection degree in community children by testing specific IgM antibodies against MP in different age bracket group in Shanghai Meilong area. Methods Using random sampling method, blood specimens of 1 817 children from kindergartens and primary or junior high schools in Meilong area were obtained. Children were from 2 to 15 years old, 969 males, 848 females. The specimens were tested for IgM antibodies against MP using with gelatin particle agglutination test. The data were statistically analyzed using with ?2 test. Results Five hundred and fifty-nine (30.7%) IgM antibodies against MP were positive from 1 817 blood specimens. The positive percentages were 27.34% and 34.66% for males and females, which had significant difference(?2=11.383 P=0.001). The higher percentage was detected from kindergarten children than primary and junior high school children(P=0). The positive percentages of anti-mycoplasma IgM had no significant differences between different kindergartens and primary schools(P=0.526,0.232). On the contrary, between different junior high schools, there were siginificant differences (?2=9.825 P=0.002). Conclusions MP is an important pathogenic mycoplasma cause for respiratory tract infections in Meilong area. It is relative to childhood asthma. The prevention and cure of MP infection for children shall be paid more attention.