Equipment Design ; Scalp ; surgery ; Surgical Instruments

Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors ; analysis ; genetics ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; blood ; genetics ; pathology

Aneurysm ; complications ; therapy ; Cardiac Catheterization ; instrumentation ; Child ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Septal Occluder Device

Psychrotrophs were isolated by using four media from low-temperature sewage of sewage treatment plant in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Totally, 154 strains were obtained including 12 filamentous fungi, 46 yeasts, 6 actinomycetes and 90 bacteria. The results of tolerance tests of the isolates to salt, phenol and SDS, and enzyme producing characters of amylase, proteinase and esterase were shown. Then 60 bacterial strains were chosen for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and analysis. The blasting results showed that the strains were assigned to 13 recognized genera , and the Strain 39 exhibited 96.6% similarity to Acinetobacter lwoffii(DSM2403), indicating that it might be a novel species. These results suggested that there were a lot of psychrotrophs and rich bacterial diversity in low-temperature sewage. In addition, which maybe an important and potential library of microbial resources.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of telomerase transcriptional elements-interacting factor (TEIF) in human testis under different status and its relation with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression.

METHODSSpecific antisera against TEIF were generated by immunization of rabbits with purified recombinated partial TEIF. Samples were assigned to three groups according to their pathological types, including 16 normal testes, 8 atrophic testes, and 6 testicular seminomas. They were subjected to immunohistochemical staining of TEIF and hTERT. Results from both TEIF and hTERT were analyzed semi-quantitatively and compared.

RESULTSThe expressions of TEIF and hTERT were detected in all samples of normal, atrophic testes, and seminomas. No differences of TEIF expressions among these three groups were observed (P > 0.05). On the contrary, the expressions of hTERT were significantly lower in atrophic testes compared with those of normal testes and seminomas (both P < 0.05). Nevertheless, co-expressions of TEIF with hTERT were revealed to be in normal and malignant cases (P < 0.05) but not in atrophic testes, which generally presented TEIF expression. The cellular distributions of both proteins were similar and mainly in spermatocytes and some Sertoli cells, while were all negative in the interstitial cells and other stromal cells. Conclusions The uniform expressions of TEIF in all these specimens suggest that it may be a marker of testis and its related diseases. The strong expression of hTERT in normal testes and testicular seminomas comparing with the low expression in atrophic testes may suggest a role for telomerase in maintaining proliferation of germ cells.

Atrophy ; Biomarkers ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Seminoma ; metabolism ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Testicular Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Testis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transcription Factors ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the relationship between the level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and both cerebral artery stenosis and coronary collateral formation in patients with transient carotid artery ischemic attack (TIA).Methods Ninety patients with TIA,admitted to our hospital from January 2007 to December 2010,were chosen in our study.The plasma VEGF level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The location,degree of stenosis and patterns of collateral circulation were examined by digital subtraction angiography (DSA),and the relationships between the level of plasma VEGF and both cerebral artery stenosis and coronary collateral circulation were assessed.Results The VEGF level in patients with cerebral artery stenoses (n=66,[292.65±131.04 ng/L]) increased as compared with that in controls with normal cerebral artery (n=24,[82.83±45.47 ng/L]) with significant difference (P＜0.05).In the 66 patients with cerebral artery stenoses,mild stenosis was noted in 7 (10.7％),moderate stenosis in 15 (22.7％),severe stenosis in 35 (53.0％) and occlusion in 9 (13.7％).When the degree of cerebral artery stenosis became severer,the VEGF level was higher,enjoying positive correlation with the degree of stenosis (r=0.759,P=0.000).No collateral circulation appeared in 7 patients; collateral circulations were formatted in 46 patients with TIA,including anterior communicating compensation (n=11,23.9％),posterior communicating compensation (n=9,19.6％),leptomeningeal anastomosis compensation (n=5,10.9％),extemal carotid artery compensation (n=3,6.5％) and joint compensations (n=18,39.1％); the VEGF level in patients with joint compensations ([388.06±91.27] ng/L) was higher than that in patients with single type of collateral circulation ([303.25±121.65] ng/L,P＜0.05); that in patients with single type of collateral circulation was higher than that in patients without collateral circulation ([177.43±87.87] ng/L,P＜0.05).Conclusion VEGF might enhance the collateral circulation formation and doubly regulate the development of atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the viral pathogen of pneumonia in children.

METHODSA total of 13 642 cases of children pneumonia in 3 years were enrolled in this study. Antigens of viral pathogen in respiratory excretion, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), type 1, 2 and 3 parainfluenza virus, type A and B influenza virus, and adenovirus were detected by direct immunofluorescence method.

RESULTSViral pneumonia accounted for 34.3% of all cases, including 25.8% cases of RSV, 4.7% of parainfluenza virus, 2.4% of type A influenza virus, 0.2% of type B influenza virus and 1.3% of adenovirus. Coinfection was found in 20 cases, in which 17 cases (85%) were infected with RSV and another virus. Positive rates of RSV in children < or = 1 year, 1 to 3 years, and >3 years were 33.1%, 19.7% and 5.1% with a significant difference (chi(2)(trend)=763.4, P < 0.001). The positive rate of adenovirus in children < or =1 year (0.7%) was significantly lower than that in children aged 1 to 3 years and in children >3 years (2.3% and 2.5%) (all P<0.01). The positive rate of type A influenza virus in children aged 1 to 3 years was higher than that in children < or =1 year (chi(2)=18.2, P<0.01). Type 1 parainfluenza virus was found in 1.2% children aged 1 to 3 years with most prevalence (P<0.05). Infection rates of type 3 parainfluenza in children < or =1 year, 1 to 3 years, and >3 years were 4.7%, 3.2% and 1.4% respectively with a significant difference (chi(2)(trend)=52.4, P<0.01). Although there were some differences of infection rate of RSV in different years, it tended to increase from November to next April with a highest rate of 62.8%. Type 3 parainfluenza virus and Type A influenza virus were almost sporadic while type A influenza virus was epidemic in August 2003 with an infection rate of 15.7%.

CONCLUSIONThe highest infection rate of viral pathogen of pneumonia in children is RSV and the follows are parainfluenza, influenza and adenovirus in turn.

Adenoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Adenovirus Infections, Human ; virology ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Orthomyxoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; virology ; Paramyxoviridae ; isolation & purification ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; virology ; Pneumonia, Viral ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; virology ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; isolation & purification

BACKGROUND: Mandibular advancement devices are commonly used in patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome. But wearing with mandibular protraction appliance makes the mandible in an abnormal position, and inevitably affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). As one of the important components of the TMJ, can structural changes of the joint disk impair the TMJ? Are there any differences in the TMJ structure between Angle Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ? What will happen to the TMJ structure in the Angle Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ during mandibular advancement? Is there a same law of TMJ changes for Angle Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ? All of these are undetermined systematically. OBJECTIVE: To compare the changes in the structure of TMJ disk and the differences during mandible advancement between Angle Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ adult males. METHODS: Forty non-apnea adult males were divided into two groups (n=20 per group), including Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ groups, according to the Angle's classification and sagittal skeletal facial type. Each volunteer was scanned by MRI in three positions, including central occlusion (F0), 75% of the maximum mandible advancement (F75) and maximum of the mandible advancement (F100). These indexes that were correlated with morphology of the joint disk in different mandible advancement positions were measured and calculated by MRI, and then analyzed statistically. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In F0, the ratio of disk anterior displacement in the Class Ⅱ group was higher than that in the Class Ⅰ group (P< 0.01). The angle A was decreased as the mandible advanced in both groups from F0to F75(P < 0.01). The rotational angular dimension was increased as the mandible advanced, and the sizes from F0to F100were bigger than those from F0to F75(P < 0.05). Some differences existed in the structure of TMJ disk between Angle Class Ⅰ and Ⅱ adult males. In summary, appropriate mandibular advancement may play a positive role in patients with anterior displacement of the joint disk, but excessive mandible advancement is likely to impair the TMJ disk.

BACKGROUNDAtherosclerosis is an important cardiovascular disease, becoming a major and increasing health problem in developed countries. However, the possible underlying mechanisms were not completely clear. In 2009, our research group first discovered that hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) as a novel gastrotransmitter played an important anti-atherosclerotic role. The study was designed to examine the regulatory effect of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in apolipoprotein E knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice fed a Western type diet.

METHODSC57BL/6 mice and homozygous apoE(-/-) mice were fed a Western type diet. C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with normal saline (5 ml/kg per day) as control group. The apoE(-/-) mice were treated with the same dose of normal saline as the apoE(-/-) group, injected intraperitoneally with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, an H(2)S donor, 56 µmol/kg per day) as the apoE(-/-) + NaHS group and injected intraperitoneally with DL-propargylglycine (PPG, a cystathionine-γ-lyase inhibitor, 50 mg/kg, per day) as the apoE(-/-) + PPG group. After 10 weeks, the mice were sacrificed and the plasma lipids were detected. Sections of aortic root from these animals were examined for atherosclerotic lesions by HE and oil red O staining. The aortic ultrastructure and microstructure were analyzed with the help of light and electronic microscope. Glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), caspase-12, copper-andzinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD) and Mn-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) protein expression in aortic tissues were detected with immunohistochemistry. The level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by using a commercial assay kit.

RESULTSCompared with control mice, apoE(-/-) mice showed increased plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL), decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL), increased aortic plaque size, destroyed ultra-structure of aortic tissue, and increased expression of GRP78 and caspase-12 proteins. Compared with apoE(-/-) mice, H(2)S donor-treated apoE(-/-) mice showed a decreased plasma LDL level, lessened plaque necrosis and attenuated aortic ultra-structural disorder. H(2)S donor-treatment induced GRP78 expression but suppressed caspase-12 expression in aortic lesions. However, compared with apoE(-/-) mice, PPG treated apoE(-/-) mice showed enlarged plaque size, more severe ultrastructural disorder of the aortic tissue and reduced GRP78 staining in aortic lesions. The plasma lipids and the staining of caspase-12 in apoE(-/-) + PPG rats did not significantly differ from those in the apoE-/-mice. Consistently, H(2)S induced SOD expression, accompanied by a reduced level of ROS.

CONCLUSIONH(2)S plays a regulatory role in aortic ERS and reduces atherosclerotic lesions in apoE(-/-) mice fed with a Western type diet.

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; genetics ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Hydrogen Sulfide ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Sulfides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Triglycerides ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression levels of telomere repeat binding factor 1(TRF1) protein in normal kidney tissue and kidney cancer.

METHODSSpecimens of kidney cancer and pericancerous tissues were collected from 32 cases of renal carcinoma. A quantitative Western blotting technique was developed using TRF1 monoclonal antibody to determine the expression level of TRF1 protein in total protein extracts from tissue specimens.

RESULTSThe expression level of TRF1 protein was higher in normal kidney tissues (3.611 +/-1.922 microg/microl) than that of cancer tissues (2.428 +/-1.352 microg/microl) (t=5.776, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression level of TRF1 protein is significantly reduced in kidney cancer and the level is negatively correlated with malignant degree of the cancer.

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Telomeric Repeat Binding Protein 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics