Seventeen kinds of serum free amino acids (FAA) of 35 healthy persons in endemic area of Keshan disease and 38 patients with Keshan disease were determined and compared with 31 healthy persons in non-endemic area. It was found that mean values of total FAA, essential amino acids, non-essential amino acids and serum protein of inhabitants in endemic area of Keshan disease were significantly lower(P

Objective To explore the distribution rule of metastatic lymph node in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods 315 histopathologically proved NPC patients were studied retrospectively.All patients had had their nasopharynx scanned by MRI with plain and contrast enhanced sequences.The distribution of lymph node was divided into six cervical levels plus retro- pharyngeal nodes(RN) according to RTOG guidelines proposed in 2003.Results 254 out of 315 patients (80.6%) had lymph node involvement,with 81 in the right neck alone,72 left neck alone,and 101 both necks;73 in RN alone,21 neck node alone,and 160 both necks and RN node.Skip metastasis was found in only 4 patients (1.6%).There was significant difference in BN metastasis between the primary tumor be- ing located merely on the superior/posterior wall and lateral wall (78% vs 49%,P＜0.01).The incidence of lymph node metastasis in T1,T2,T3 and T4 patients was 73.5%,91.2%,71.9%,73.5% (P＞0.05), respectively,without significant difference between early or advanced T stage in node distribution (P＞0.05).Conclusions The incidence of lymph node metastasis is high in nasopharyngeal carcinoma,with retropharyngeal node being the most commonly involved,but the incidence of skip metastasis is very low. There is no significant difference between T stage and the incidence of lymph node metastasis.So is the dis- tribution of metastatic node.

Background The construction of tissue-engineered corneal endothelium needs the functional seeding cells,so how to culture a large amount of functional corneal endothelial cells (CECs) is an urgent problem to be solved.Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of aqueous humor on bovine CECs in vitro.Methods Aqueous humor of 1.2 ml was collected from the anterior chamber of bovine and sterilized,and the liquid supernatant was obtained.The bovine CECs were isolated from bovine cornea and then cultured in low glucose Dulbecco Modified Eagle Medium with 10％ fetal bovine serum (FBS) in vitro.Aqueous humor was added into the medium with the final concentration of 2.5％,5.0％,l0.0％,15.0％ and 20.0％,respectively,and no aqueous humor was added in the control group.Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect the absorbency value of CECs for the evaluation of cell proliferation.Progression of the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM).After confluence of the cells was reached,1 ml plastic spear tip was used to scratch the cell single layer,and the cells were incubated consequently in medium with 10％ FBS and with or without aqueous humor for 24 hours.Healing area of the cell single layer was measured.The cells were incubated at a density of 6 × 105 cells/ml and cultured using medium with or without 10.0％ aqueous human for 5 days,and the number of the cells was analyzed by DAPI fluorescence technique.Results Under the phase-contrast microscopy,the confluent CECs showed a slabstone-like and hexagonal appearance.CCK-8 assay revealed that the absorbance values of CECs was significantly different among the various culture groups (F=4.051,P =0.007),and the absorbance value in different concentrations of aqueous human culture groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.01).FCM showed that the percentage of the cells in S-G2 phases was (34.80-±3.13)％ in the 10.0％ aqueous humors group and (23.06±1.13)％ in the control group,showing a significant difference (t =-5.729,P=0.005).The scratch test showed that the healing area of the cell signal layer was (0.116±0.019) mm2 in the 10.0％ aqueous humors group and (0.358 ±0.049) mm2 in the control group,showing a significant difference (t =13.842,P =0.000).The density of cells in the 10.0％ aqueous humor group was (1439± 1 10)/field,which was more than (1162±45)/field in the control group (t =-11.020,P=0.000).Conclusions Aqueous humor at the concentration of 10.0％ promote the growth and proliferation of bovine CECs.The result suggests that 10.0％ aqueous humor can be used as a promoting agent during the culture of CECs.

Objective To investigate the feasibility and image quality of coronary artery angiography with 640-slice CT system in the pacemaker patients. Methods ECG-triggered 640-slice CT coronary angiography was performed in 16 pacemaker patients. Image quality of the fifteen coronary segments and metal-related artifact originating from pacemaker were assessed by two experienced radiologists in consensus.Image quality was assessed using a 4-point grading scale. ECG trigger information was recorded. Results The rate of available diagnostic images was 99. 07% ( Grade 1 in 83.64%, Grade 2 in 15.42%, Grade 3 in 0. 47% and Grade 4 in 0. 47% of patients, respectively). Image quality and the effect of streak artifact were similar between the high heart rate group and low heart rate group ( P ＞ 0. 05 ) and between normal pacing group and arrhythmia group ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). In coronary MSCT angiography, streak artifact of the pacemaker can render segments of the coronary artery uninterpretable, especially on S1, S2, S3, S4 and S8 segments of the coronary artery. Small shifts in the reconstruction window resulted in significance reduction of streak artifact ( x2 = 151. 818, P ＜ 0. 01 ). Conclusions 640-slice gated CT coronary angiography could provide excellent image quality for patients with pacemaker. The streak artifact induced by pacemaker on some segments of the coronary artery could be improved by small shifts in the reconstruction window.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Lipase ; genetics ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo screen and verify differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer.

METHODSUsing DNA microarray, we screened differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer tissue and its adjacent tissue followed by verification by PCR.

RESULTSA total of 1 444 genes were found to be differentially expressed (differentiation ≥ 1.5-fold; P≤ 0.05) in the prostate cancer tissue, of which 769 (53%) were up-regulated and 675 (47%) down-regulated. Fifty percent of the differentially expressed genes showed a 1.5- to 2-fold differentiation, including 396 up-regulated and 182 down-regulated ones. Additionally, 308 up-regulated and 334 down-regulated genes exhibited a >2- to 5-fold, 46 up-regulated and 78 down-regulated genes a > 5- to 10-fold, and 19 up-regulated and 81 down-regulated genes a > 10-fold differentiation. Verification by subjecting 15 most significantly up-regulated and another 15 most markedly down-regulated genes to quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that most of the genes had a transcriptional profile similar to that in the microarray data, with a Pearson correction coefficient of 0.83 between the microarray data and qRT-PCR results. Totally, 10 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified.

CONCLUSIONDNA microarray analysis provides reliable information on differentially expressed genes in prostate cancer and benign tissues. The 10 significantly differentially expressed genes verified by qRT-PCR could possibly become new bio-markers and specific molecules for tumor identification.

Cell Differentiation ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Based on the deletion information of high virulent PRRSV genome, 3 oligonucleotide primer were designed and synthesized. Specific and sensitive reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays were de-veloped for the detection of high virulent PRRSV. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR assays were evaluated, the results showing that the detection limit of the assay was found to be 0.265 pg of tissue total RNA, and the protocol have no cross-reaction with classical swine fever virus, porcine circovirus type 2,pseudorabies virus, streptococcus, haemophilus parasuis and Escherichia coli. Then 36 cell cultures, two PRRSV live vaccine strains and 184 clinical specimens from 52 farms were tested. Five PRRSV field iso-lates were the high virulent PRRSV; two PRRSV live vaccine strains from normal PRRSV, and 123 speci-mens from 42 farmer were positive (only 1 specimen was normal PRRSV). This RT-PCR method proved to be accurate differential diagnosis of the high virulent PRRSV and normal PRRSV with the characteristics of rapidity, sensitivity and specificity, and has a strong clinical relevance.

Objective To evaluate the development of the sphincter muscle complex(SMC)and defecation function in pediatric patients with congenital anorectal malformations(ARM).Methods A total of 64 children underwent MRI,among whom 39 were patients with ARM,and the others were patients without ARM undergoing MRI because of other dieases.The dimensions of the SMC in different planes were evaluated with different sequences and coils.The relationship between the SMC development and the defecation function was investigated.Results In control group,the absolute value of SMC width was (3.63?0.22)mm,which had a high correlation with age(r=0.998,P0.05).The SMCs in intermediate ARM patients[muscle index(MI)=0.47?0.05]and low ARM patients(MI=0.49? 0.05)were well developed.The SMCs in a portion of patients with high ARM(MI=0.28?0.06)were poorly developed,when MI≤0.18,anorectal contraction pressurewas significantly lower(t=3.55, P0.18[(0.85?0.20)vs(2.24?1.02)kPa].The length of anal canal with high-pressure[(10.88?3.64)vs(20.26?4.34)mm]was shorter(t=5.18,P0.18,the anorectal angle was less than 90 degrees,and normal continent function was found in 21 of 23 cases(91%).Conclusion MRI can be employed to evaluate the development of SMC in patients with ARM,MI was an objective criteria to evaluate the development of SMC.When MI≤0.18, maldevelopment of SMC will be highly suspected.

Diastole ; physiology ; Exercise ; physiology ; Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Systole ; physiology ; Young Adult