Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Pheochromocytoma ; physiopathology

Animals ; Extinction, Psychological ; physiology ; Fear ; physiology ; Male ; Mental Recall ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Deprivation ; complications ; physiopathology ; Sleep, REM ; physiology

Acupuncture Points ; Biological Evolution ; Humans ; Terminology as Topic

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of expression of dentin sialoph-osphoprotein (DSPP) and dentin sialoprotein (DSP) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) with root resorption following experimental tooth movement in rats.

METHODS36 Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups on average randomly: Control group, light force group and heavy force group. The experimental teeth were drawn-off mesially by the force of 0.392 N in light force group and 0.98 N in heavy force group, with both of the maxillary central incisors as the tooth of anchorage. At the 7th day, the gingival crevicular fluid of rats were collected; the histological slices were made, including the experimental tooth and periodontal tissue; the tissues was stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining to observe the histological changes of the root resorption of rats. Then the expression of DSPP and DSP were assayed by using biochemistry techniques of Western blot.

RESULTSHistological observation: There was not root resorption in control group. Neither root resorption nor cementoclast was observed in light force group. And in heavy force group visible root resorption came out in pressure zone. Western blot results: There was expression of DSPP and no DSP in control group, and there was the expression of DSPP and DSP in both light force group and heavy force group. The result of statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in the expression of DSPP and DSP among three groups. The highest one was heavy force group, followed by the light force group and control group with the least amount of proteins.

CONCLUSIONThere is the expression of DSPP and DSP in gingival crevicular fluid following experimental tooth movement with root resorption.

Animals ; Dentin ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Gingival Crevicular Fluid ; Incisor ; Male ; Orthodontics ; Phosphoproteins ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Root Resorption ; Sialoglycoproteins ; Tooth Movement Techniques

Background Implantation of phakic posterior chamber intraocular corrective lens(ICL)is a new choice for correction of high myopia.Different from laser assisted in situ keratomileusis,implantation of phakic posterior chamber ICL will allow the good imaging quality because it remaines the matched relationship between cornea and lens.But its visual quality after operation is concerned by patient and ophthalmologists.ObjectiveThis study was to observe the effectiveness of implantation of posterior chamber phakic ICL on visual quality in patients with high myopia.Methods Eighty-four high myopia eyes of 42 patients accepted implantation of posterior chamber phakic ICL and follow-up of 6-month duration.The visual acuity,refractive status,wavefront,contrast sensitivity and accommodation were examined and compared before and after surgery.This clinical study complied with Declaration of Helsinki.The written informed consent was obtained from each patient before operation.Results A prospective observational trial design was used.The uncorrected visual acuity and best corrected visual acuity after operation were better than preoperative ones in all of the patients.The eye numbers of ＞ 0.3 were increased after operation in comparison with before operation with a stable result among 1 day,1 month and 6 months after surgery (x2 =10.70,P＞0.05).Spherical equivalent refraction was(-15.38 ± 1.03)D before surgery and(+0.55 ±0.06)at 1 day,(-1.22±0.09)D at 1 month and(-0.68 ± 0.06)D after 6 months,showing a significant difference among them(F=16 559.90,P＜0.05).Total aberrations and higher-order aberrations were 11.00±0.25 and 0.43 ±0.05 before surgery,the wavefront aberrations were 2.21 ± 0.56 and 0.47±0.04 at 6 months after surgery with significant difference(t =1.65,P =0.10).Each spatial frequency contrast sensitivity and glare sensitivity on photopic and seotopie conditions in postoperation were higher compared with the preoperative(P＜0.05).The accommodation in 1 month and 6 months after surgery was greater than that of preoperative in the patients ＜-16 D(preoperation:2.75 ± 1.20 ; postoperation 1 month:5.75 ± 1.44,postoperation 6 months:6.00 ± 1.52)(P＜ 0.05),however,in the ＞-16 D group,no considerably change in accommodation was seen after surgery(F=1597.70,P＜0.05).No significant difference was found in accommodation between before and after surgery in ＞-16 D group(F=2.67,P＞0.05).Conclusions Visual quality of high myopia is obviously improved after implantation of posterior chamber phakic ICL,but its long-term outcome is need to further study.

As the first line of defense of the host immune system, natural killer cells play important roles in anti-tumor immunity, either by direct anti-tumor effects, or by assisting T cell immune responses. However, NK cells are usually functionally exhausted in tumor microenvironment, accompanied with dysregulated expression of an array of surface receptors, restricting the effector potentials of NK cells. NK-based checkpoint immunotherapy aims to trigger anti-tumor efficacy by blocking NK cell surface inhibitory receptors, unleashing NK cells from inhibitory signals of the tumor microenvironment, and reversing NK cell exhaustion, representing a novel strategy in cancer therapy. With more in-depth research to reveal the mechanisms of action, indications, and biomarkers for specific NK cell checkpoint molecules, we shall fully exploit the potentials of NK-based checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.

The aim of this study was to investigate features of abdominal earthquake-related crush traumas in comparison with non-earthquake injury. A cross sectional survey was conducted with 51 survivors with abdominal crush injury in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and 41 with abdominal non-earthquake injury, undergoing non-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans, serving as earthquake trauma and control group, respectively. Data were analyzed between groups focusing on CT appearance. We found that injury of abdominal-wall soft tissue and fractures of lumbar vertebrae were more common in earthquake trauma group than in control group (28 vs 13 victims, and 24 vs 9, respectively; all P < 0.05); and fractures were predominantly in transverse process of 1-2 vertebrae among L1-3 vertebrae. Retroperitoneal injury in the kidney occurred more frequently in earthquake trauma group than in control group (29 vs 14 victims, P < 0.05). Abdominal injury in combination with thoracic and pelvic injury occurred more frequently in earthquake trauma group than in control group (43 vs 29 victims, P < 0.05). In conclusion, abdominal earthquake-related crush injury might be characteristic of high incidence in injury of abdominal-wall soft tissue, fractures of lumbar vertebrae in transverse process of 1-2 vertebrae among L1-3 vertebrae, retroperitoneal injury in the kidney, and in combination with injury in the thorax and pelvis.
Abdominal Injuries/*radiography ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Disasters ; *Earthquakes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed

Design space approach is applied in this study to enhance the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Codonopsis Radix (Dangshen) by optimizing parameters. Total flavonoid recovery, dry matter removal, and pigment removal were defined as the process critical quality attributes (CQAs). Plackett-Burman designed experiments were carried out to find the critical process parameters (CPPs). Dry matter content of concentrated extract (DMCE), mass ratio of ethanol to concentrated extract (E/C ratio) and concentration of ethanol (CEA) were identified as the CPPs. Box-Behnken designed experiments were performed to establish the quantitative models between CPPs and CQAs. Probability based design space was obtained and verified using Monte-Carlo simulation method. According to the verification results, the robustness of first ethanol precipitation process of Dangshen can be guaranteed by operating within the design space parameters. Recommended normal operation space are as follows: dry matter content of concentrated extract of 45.0% - 48.0%, E/C ratio of 2.48-2.80 g x g(-1), and the concentration of ethanol of 92.0% - 92.7%.
Chemical Precipitation ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo explore the methods and effects of repair of occipital and nuchal wounds with inferior trapezius myocutaneous flap after deep electrical bum.

METHODSTwelve patients with high-voltage electrical burn in occipital and nuchal regions were hospitalized to our ward from March 2003 to September 2007. They were repaired with improved inferior trapezius myocutaneous flaps after debridement. Flaps were of two types: (1) blood supply from cutaneous and perforator branches of the original segment of the superficial descending branch of transverse cervical artery. (2) combined blood supply from both superficial and deep descending branches of transverse cervical artery C, i.e., dorsal scapular artery). All flaps carried segmental and limited trapezius muscle cuff surrounding the vascular pedicle of the flap similar to a perforator flap.

RESULTSFlaps survived completely primarily in eight cases. In two patients, infection developed in flaps adjacent to wounds with lignification; they healed after dress change. Necrosis appeared in distal end of flap (one case), it healed after re-operation. One patient with surviving flaps died of sepsis and multiple organ failure 21 days after operation. The flaps which survived were not swollen ; the donor sites at scapular region looked normal without pterygoid or pendulous scapula deformities.

CONCLUSIONInferior trapezius myocutaneous flaps can be used to repair occipital and nuchal wounds, with the advantages of constant blood vessels, reliable blood supply, convenience for application.

Adult ; Burns, Electric ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Skeletal ; transplantation ; Neck Injuries ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Surgical Flaps

OBJECTIVETo investigate the regulatory effect of IFN-gamma on recognition of target cells by human natural killer (NK) cells.

METHODSThe cytotoxic activity of human NK cell lines (NK92, NKL) was detected by MTT method. Expression of NK cell receptors (NKG2D, NKG2A/B, KIR2DL1 and KIR2DS1) and MICA on target cells (the ligand of NKG2D) was measured by RT-PCR.

RESULTSBoth NK92 and NKL cells exerted higher cytotoxicity to tumor cells with MICA expression, while tumors without MICA expression could resist NK cell lysis. IFN-gamma (> 1000 U/ml) inhibited NK lysis of tumor cells with MICA expression through down-regulating the expression of NKG2D, but up-regulating the expression of NKG2A/B and KIR2DL1.

CONCLUSIONIFN-gamma has a negative effect on activation and cytotoxicity of human NK cells by altering the balance between the expression of activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells in favor of inhibition. This may serve to limit NK cell over-activation in vivo.

Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; drug effects ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; analysis ; physiology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; pharmacology ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C ; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K ; Receptors, Immunologic ; metabolism ; Receptors, KIR2DL1 ; Receptors, Natural Killer Cell ; Recombinant Proteins ; Tumor Cells, Cultured