OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of citric acid stimulation on salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), total protein (TP), salivary flow rate, and pH value between Pi deficiency (PD) children and healthy children, thereby providing evidence for Pi controlling saliva theory.

METHODSTwenty PD children were recruited, and 29 healthy children were also recruited at the same time. Saliva samples from all subjects were collected before and after citric acid stimulation. The sAA activity and amount, TP contents, salivary flow rate, and pH value were determined and compared.

RESULTS(1) Citric acid stimulation was able to significantly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, sAA activities, sAA specific activity and sAA amount (including glycosylated and non-glycosylated sAA amount) in healthy children (P<0.05), while it could markedly increase salivary flow rate, pH value, and glycosylated sAA levels in PD children (P<0.05); (2) Although there was no statistical difference in determined salivary indices between the two groups (P>0.05), salivary indices except salivary flow rate and glycosylated sAA levels decreased more in PD children. There was statistical difference in sAA activity ratio, sAA specific activity ratio, and the ratio of glycosylated sAA levels between PD children and healthy children (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONPD children had decreased response to citric acid stimulation.

Child ; Citric Acid ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Saliva ; Salivary alpha-Amylases ; metabolism ; alpha-Amylases

0.5 cm or beneficial anatomical vari- ations displayed on MRCP,were obviously improved and there were no significantly different among the 4 types hilar eholangiocarcinoma.Conclusion MRCP could accurately make the preoperative diagnosis and type of hilar cholangiocarcinoma; the image of second branch of bile duct and the variation of the confluence of hepatic hilar displayed on MRCP has great clinical significance for operative regimes of hilar cholangiocar- cinoma,especially for typeⅣ.It does benefit not only to improve the resection and radical rate of some hilar cholangiocarcinomas, but also to select suitable method of biliary enteric anastomosis and avoid injuring the bile duct in operation.

Objective To evaluate the expression of RAR-? gene in cervical carcinoma cell lines SiHa,HeLa,C33A and Caski and to analyze the relation between their gene expression and the promoter methylation of RAR-? DNA.Methods The expression of mRNA and protein of RAR-? gene in the four cell lines were analyzed by RT-PCR,western blot and immunofluoreseence,respectively.Methylation specific PCR(MSP)was used to check whether there was methylation in the promoter of RAR-? gene.The demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine(5-Aza-cdR)was used to treat methylated cell lines and the change of RAR-? gene methylation and RAR-? gene expression defects were observed.The cell proliferation was assayed with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method.Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of RAR-? in cell lines SiHa,HeLa,Caski and C33A were 0.25 ?0.08,0,0.60?0.19,3.12?0.92 and 0.23?0.07,0,0.14?0.05,0.68?0.21,respectively.The mRNA and protein expression of RAR-? in SiHa,HeLa and Caski cell lines were decreased or silenced, whereas its expression increased in C33A cell line.MSP method showed that there were RAR-? gene methylation in SiHa,HeLa and Caski cell lines,while there was no RAR-? gene methylation in C33A cell line.After treated with 5-Aza-cdR,the mRNA and protein expression levels of RAR-? in SiHa,HeLa, Caski and C33A cell lines were 1.82?0.59,2.13?0.62,1.67?0.43,2.95?0.89 and 0.69?0.21, 0.83?0.29,0.56?0.16,0.64?0.20 respectively.The mRNA and protein levels of RAR-? had a significant difference between before and after interference with 5-Aza-cdR in SiHa,Helm,and Caski cell lines(P0.05).The 5-Aza-cdR treatment could suppress cell proliferation.Conclusions The RAR-? gene expression defects play an important role in the carcinogenesis of cervical cancer.Aberrant methylation in promotor region of RAR-? gene may be an important mechanism for the loss of expression of RAR-? gene.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β(1)) gene-509C/T polymorphism and severe chronic periodontitis in Chinese Hans population.

METHODSTGF-β(1)-509C/T genotype polymorphism was analyzed in 102 patients with severe chronic periodontitis (periodontitis group) and 102 healthy controls (control group) by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.

RESULTSThe distributions of TGF-β(1)-509C/T genotype and allele were significantly different between severe chronic periodontitis group and control group (P < 0.05). TGF-β(1)-509CC, CT and TT genotype frequency were 44.1% (45/102), 47.1% (48/102), 8.8% (9/102) in periodontitis group and 29.4% (30/102), 51.0% (52/102), 19.6% (20/102) in control group, respectively. The relative risk analysis found that C allele carriers had higher risk of suffering from severe chronic periodontitis compared with T allele carriers (OR = 1.718, 95%CI: 1.148-2.569).

CONCLUSIONSTGF-β(1)-509C/T polymorphism is associated with severe chronic periodontitis in Chinese Hans population, and C allele may be an important genetic susceptibility gene for severe chronic periodontitis.

Alleles ; Chronic Periodontitis ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics

Objective To investigate the effects of antihypertension and reversing left ventricular hypertro- phy by carvedilol or bisoprolol in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension.Methods 40 cases of mild to moderate essential hypertension patients were selected for this random single-blind,paralleling controlled clinical study.Results Patients were randomized to take 12.5～25mg carvedilol tablet orlce daily or bisoprolol 2.5～5mg once daily if DBP was still in the range of 12.0～14.6kPa(90～110mmHg)after 2 weeks' placebo baseline. Carvedilol group included 20 cases,bisoprolol group included 20 cases,and the course was 24 weeks.Blood pressure and heart rate were measured and symptoms and signs were recorded.At the end of placebo and in 24 weeks heart ultrasound,blood routine,serum glucose,blood lipid,hepatic function and renal function were examined.SBP,DBP and heart rate of patients in two groups decreased obviously.There were significant differences between the two groups.Ventricular hypertrophy of carvedilol group improved than that in pretherapy.There were significant differ- ences between the two groups.Conclusion Carvedilol was well-tolerated with less side effects such as mild headache,tiredness,dizziness,slightly elevating of serum glucose.Carvedilol could well treat the mild moderate essen- tial hypertension effectively and safely by 12.5～25mg once daily.

The total RNA was extracted from ginseng leaves of Panax ginseng. The Cu/Zn-SOD gene was amplified via RT-PCR and the pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD expression vector was constructed. The pET-28 (a)-Cu/Zn-SOD recombinant plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) competent cells and was induced by IPTG in order to select optimal induction of expression conditions. The target protein was purified by the nickel ions (Ni ) affinity chromatography and the target protein enzyme activity was determinated by the xanthine oxidase method. The similarity of the Cu/Zn-SOD gene sequences and the Cu/Zn-SOD gene sequences of Korean ginseng in NCBI was 99. 00%. The target protein expression level was about 44.42%, and the molecular weight was 16.30 kDa after the pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD recombinants were induced by IPTG. The purified Cu/Zn-SOD protease activity reached 10,596.69 U x mg(-1). The P. ginseng pET-28(a)-Cu/Zn-SOD prokaryotic expression vector was built by the method of molecular biology, which provided the foundation for studying the Cu/Zn-SOD biology function.
Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Panax ; enzymology ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

Objective To determine levels of serum Leptin,insulin like growth factor-1(IGF-1),interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-?) in newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods The asphyxiated and normal term neonates were included.The HIE group contained 45 cases and control group 20 cases.Serum Leptin,IGF-1,IL-6 and TNF-? levels were measured by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results In asphyxiated term neonates,serum Leptin,IGF-1,IL-6 and TNF-? levels were significantly higher or lower than those in control group(all P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy.

METHODSFrom April 2008 to March 2010, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages were performed on 45 patients who suffered from multi-segmental cervical myelopathy, among of them there were 23 male and 22 female, aged from 32 to 67 years (average 53 years). Recording the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores and SF-36 scores in the protocol time point, in order to investigate the clinical outcome, meanwhile, accumulating the pre-operation and postoperation X-ray films of cervical spine for measuring the height of intervertebral space, whole curvature of cervical spine and the rate of fusion by repeated measures analysis of variance.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up time was 28.4 months (24 - 35 months). JOA scores ascended from preoperative 6.5 ± 3.1 to postoperative 13.4 ± 1.7 (F = 17.84, P = 0.001), the 7 scores of SF-36 improved significantly after operation (t = 1.151 - 12.207, P < 0.05), but mental health not. The fineness rate was 91.1%. Height of disc space ascended from preoperative (5.5 ± 1.8) mm to postoperative (8.3 ± 0.8) mm (F = 11.71, P = 0.043), globle curvature of cervical spine ascended from preoperative 5° ± 7° to postoperative 10° ± 14° (F = 234.53, P = 0.000), the change of the two index was significantly, respectively. Fat necrosis in one case and hematoma in another case at the bone donor-site were found, both of the two cases were cured by physiotherapy. All of the 45 cases (111 segments) achieved bone fusion.

CONCLUSIONThe use of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with self-locking cages to treat multi-segmental cervical myelopathy possess many advantages as follows: satisfactory clinical outcome, minimally invasive, higher fusion rate, higher orthopaedic ability.

Adult ; Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Diskectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of vascular resection and reconstruction in the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS117 patients with potentially resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent exploration. Twenty-one patients had exploration or drainage only due to distant metastases, and the other 96 patients received surgical resection. Thirty-one of those had vascular resection and reconstruction, including portal vein resection alone in 21 patients, combined hepatic artery and portal vein resection in 2 and hepatic artery resection alone in 8. Therefore, the patients were divided into four groups: non-surgical resection (21), portal vain resection (21), hepatic artery resection (10) and non-vascular resection (65) and their clinical data were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe hepatic artery resection group had significantly higher perioperative morbidity and mortality rate (80.0% and 20.0%) than non-vascular resection group (16.9% and 1.5%), respectively, (P < 0.05), while no significant difference was found between the portal vein resection alone group and the non-vascular resection group (P > 0.05). Of all resected vessel specimens, vascular wall invasion beyond the adventitia was pathologically confirmed in 82.6% of the portal veins and 50.0% of the hepatic arteries. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 59.0%, 34.0%, and 16.0% in the non-vascular resection group, versus 44.0%, 23.0% and 11.0% in the portal vein resection alone group (P < 0.05) and 18.0%, 0 and 0 in the hepatic artery resection group (P < 0.01), respectively, with a significant difference among the three groups. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in the non-surgical resection group were 13.0%, 0 and 0, respectively, which were similar to those in the hepatic artery resection group. Though a significant difference in survival rates existed between the portal vein resection alone group and non-resected group (P < 0.001), no significant difference was found between the hepatic artery resection group and non-resected group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth portal vein and hepatic artery resection can improve resection rate for hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and portal vein resection may improve the prognosis in selected patients. However, hepatic artery resection can not improve survival and may even lead to an increase of perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Adult ; Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; mortality ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatic Artery ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; mortality

OBJECTIVETo improve computer-assisted imaging analysis for quantitatively measuring brain slice volume of rats and mice in comparison with conventional measuring methods,and to evaluate its usefulness in assessment of focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODSThe accurate volumes of rat and mouse brain slices were measured by weight and special gravity measuring. The areas of brain slices were measured by imaging analysis, then the slice volumes of right and left hemispheres were calculated by multiplying the adjusted thickness of the slices. In addition, the brain slice volumes of right and left hemispheres from focal cerebral ischemic mice were compared to assess ischemic injury using the imaging analysis.

RESULTArea measurement by computer-assisted imaging analysis was linear with different accurate areas (r=1.000). Slice volumes measured by imaging analysis correlated well with the accurate volumes measured by special gravity method, r=0.809 (n=45, P<0.001) in rats, and r=0.844 (n=74, P<0.001) in mice. The brain volumes in ischemic hemispheres were larger than in non-ischemic hemispheres in ischemic mice.

CONCLUSIONComputer-assisted imaging analysis can measure the brain slice volumes accurately and compare right and left hemisphere volumes quantitatively.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley