Objective To investigate the effects of intravenous injection of α-crystallin on retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and some important organs of the Long Evans rats. Methods RGC were retrogradelabeled by fluorogold through bilateral superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body for seven days before optic nerve crush injury. Twenty-three Long Evans rats were used for this study, including three rats of normal control group and 20 rats of experimental group. Twenty rats were randomly divided into saline control group and three α-crystallin injection groups, which received tail vein injection of 1.25 ml isotonic saline and three different concentrations (1 × 10-2 , 1 × 10-1 and 1 g/L) of α-crystallin respectively, once every two days and totally seven times. After two weeks, the labeled RGC were counted, and the pathological changes on liver, kidney, brain, spleen and the lungs were investigated. Results Compared with the normal control group, although the number of RGC markedly decreased after two weeks of optic nerve crush injury in every group, the number of RGC in α-crystallin-treated groups was more than those in the saline control group. There were 2074± 150 RGC per mm2 in normal control group, 85 ± 15 RGC per mm2 in saline control group, 124±26 RGC per mm2 in 1 × 10-2 g/L α-crystallin group, 128± 31 RGC per mm2 in 1 × 10-1 g/L α-crystallin group, 164 ± 20 RGC per mm2 in 1 g/L α-crystallin group (F= 18. 660,P＜0. 01). No congestion, swelling, inflammation and other pathological changes were found in liver,kidney, brain, spleen and lung. Conclusions Intravenous injection of α-crystallin protein has protective effects on RGC after the optic nerve crush injury, and no significant effects on important organs.

Amniotic Fluid ; cytology ; Cardiomyopathies ; therapy ; Humans ; Stem Cells ; cytology

Purpose: To report 2 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma occurring in a thyroglossal duct remnant, and to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic methods by reviewing the literature. Methods: An asymptomatic midline mass occurring in the upper neck was the sole presenting complaint in 2 cases. The preoperative evaluation included a complete head and neck examination, B-ultra sound examination and FNAB. The Sistrunk procedure was done. A lobectomy( case 1) and a lumpectomy ( case 2) were performed respectively, because of the abnormality found in their thyroid gland. A modified neck dissection was performed in case 2 because of regional lymphadenopathy. The following histologic studies were carried out on tissues with HE stain. Results: Diagnoses of thyroglossal duct carcinoma were made by several pathologists. Tissues from thyroid were first diagnosed as nodular goiter in case 1 and thyroid adenoma in case 2. In case 2, one positive lymph node and invasion to the hyoid bone was found. Conclusions: Malignant lesions are rare in the thyroglossal duct remnant. The diagnostic criteria is acknowledged. Resection of the thyroglossal duct carcinoma by the Sistrunk procedure is an adequate surgical approach. But the controversy about further treatment will continue because of the lack of large series of patients and the 10 to 20 year follow-up.

Chromatography ; methods ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Mass Spectrometry

Background Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ)related hypertension.Superoxide anion,produced by NAD(P)H oxidase,plays important roles in hypertension and its complications.Ang Ⅱ infusion increases cerebral NAD(P)H oxidase activity,which is inhibited by angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker(ARB)candesartan and NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor.However,the underlying mechanism of ARB in preventing hypertensive stroke is not elucidated clearly.Objective To investigate the effects of candesartan on the expression of cerebral NAD(P)H oxidase mRNA in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRsp).Methods Twelve-week-old salt-loaded SHRsp were treated with candesartan [1.0 mg/(kg?d)],trichlormethiazide [TCM,1.6 mg/(kg?d)] or vehicle(n=12 in each)for 2 weeks.Age-matched salt-loaded WKY rats were served as control(n=12).Blood pressure was measured every week.After two weeks,cerebrums were harvested and 24 h urine was collected.Urinary albumin was examined by ELISA.Cerebral cortex NAD(P)H oxidase subunits(p22phox,p47phox and gp91phox)mRNA expression were assayed by real-time PCR.Results The systolic blood pressure was increased significantly in salt-load SHRsp.Candesartan and TCM reduced SBP to the similar level.Urinary albumin excretion and cerebral cortex NAD(P)H oxidase subunits were markedly higher in salt-loaded SHRsp than those in salt-loaded WKY rats.Incidence of stroke was significantly reduced in candesartan treated group as compared with TCM treated SHRsp(P

Objective To investigate the changes in the expression of glutamate-aspartste transporter in spinal dorsal horn in rats with inflammatory pain and chronic morphine tolerance. Methods Thirty healthy male SD rats in which intrathecal (IT) catheters were successfully placed without complications were randomized into 3 groups ( n = 10 each): normal saline group ( group NS), arthritis group ( group A), and arthritis + morphine group (group AM). NS 50 μl was injected into the ankle joint of the left hindlimb in group NS, while complete Freund's adjuvant was injected in the other two groups instead. After 3 days, group NS and A received IT NS 10 μl twice a day for 7 consecutive days, group AM IT morphine 10 μg (10 μl) twice a day for 7 consecutive days. Mechanical pain threshold (MPT) was measured before IT administration and at day 2, 4, 6 and 8 after IT administration (T0-4). The animals were sacrificed after the last MPT measurement. The spinal cords were isolated for determination of GLAST expression in spinal dorsal horn. Results Compared with group NS, MPT was significantly decreased in the other groups and GLAST expression was down-regulated in group AM (P ＜ 0.05). Compared with group A, no significant change was found in MPT at T3,4 (P ＞ 0.05), while GLAST expression was down-regulated in group AM ( P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion The development of chronic morphine tolerance is related to the decrease in the function of GLAST in spinal dorsal horn in rats with inflammatory pain.

Objective To investigate the effect of recruitment maneuver(RM) on surfactant proteins in young piglets with acute lung injury and the possible mechanisms of lung recruitment after RM.Methods The piglet model of ALI was established by lipopolysaccharide intravenous injection,12 male piglets were randomly divided into two groups:conventional ventilation group(control group) and RM with low tidal volume group(RM group).After 8 hours of ventilation,mRNA expression of surfactant protein-A(SP-A),SP-B,SP-C,SP-D in the piglet lungs were determined by real time PCR and SP-A protein distribution was assessed by immunohistochemistry.Biochemical analyses of TP,total phospholipids(TPL),DSPC were conducted as well.SP-A levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and plasma were measured by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results As compared with control group,RM group had higher expression of SP-A,SP-B,SP-C and SP-D.SP-A average gray values of control group and RM group were 97.8±6.4 and 106.3±8.5,and there was significant difference(P＜0.01).RM group showed significant increase of TPL,DSPC and DSPC/TP.The concentration of SP-A in BALF was higher in RM group than that of the control group,however,SP-A plasma level was lower in RM group than that of the control group.Conclusion RM can increase suffactant protein expression in ALI animals,alleviate surfactant protein dysfunction and regulate the concentration of SP-A,which may improve alveolar recruitment following the RM and alleviate ventilator-induced lung injury.

Objective To promote preventive and therapeutic measures for osteoporosis by investigating the prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) in connective tissue disease patients who were taking corticosteroid and identify the associated risk factors of osteoporosis.Methods Thirty-eight female patients who had connective tissue diseases and were taking corticosteroid in PU MCH rheumatology outpatient clinic were studied and followed up from Oct 2006 to April 2007.Lumber spine and right femoral bone mineral density were determined bv dual energy X ray absortiometry (DEXA).Clinical information was obtained from a questionnaire of history and medical records.Duration and accumulative dosage of glucocorticoid intaking.menopause time were obtained retrospectively.Correlation analysis between BMD and clinical information was conducted.Results ① In 38 patients,23 (61%) patients showed a normal BMD,10 (26%) were osteopenia,3 (8%) were iu the osteoporotic range,while 2 patienLs (53%) had fragile fracture.② Compared with patients with normal BMD,subjects with low BMD had significantly older age,longer period after menopause and higher accumulated dose of corticosteroids.③ Postmenopausal women had significantly lower BMD in lumber and hip than premenopausal women.④ Either of vertebral and right hip BMD correlated negatively with the accumulated dosage of cortieosteroids by simple linear regression.⑤ The correlation between BMD and accumulated dosage of corticosteroids improved after correcting for the effect of age by partial correlation analysis (Pearson partial vertebral r=-0.8,P=0.009;right hip r=-0.3,P=0.010).⑥ A stepwise multivariate linear regression model was constructed to explore the relationship between the different clinicsl factors studied and a low BMD.Two statistically significant variables were menopause status (P=0.0000) and a higher steroid accumulated dosage (P=0.008).Conclusion Low BMD is common in connective tissue disease patients receiving corticosteroid.Risk factors for low BMD are postmenopause.duration and the accumulated dosage of glucocorticosteroid.The high prevalence of low BMD implies that more attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and fractures in connective tissue disease patients who are taking corticosteroids.

Objective　The authors present a retrospective analysis of 22 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL) in order to provide a reasonable basis for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods　This report involves a clinicopathological study of 22 patients with histologically proven PCNSL,all diagnosed between January 1993 and May 2000. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis are used to determine prognostic factors significantly associated with an unfavorable or favorable impact on survival. Results　The cohort included 11 men and 11 women whose median age at diagnosis was 49.5 years. At the end point of follow-up, 11 died. The median survival time for the patients in study was 14.5 months. With univariate and multivariate regression analysis, prognostic factors significantly associated with survival included intrathecal injection(P=0.005) and local/diffuse neurological deficit(P=0.031). Conclusion　There continues to be a significantly increasing incidence of PCNSL. This survey throws light on the clinical and prognostic features of this uncommon disease. Through univariate and multivariate regression analysis the authors highly recommend a theraputic regime including surgery, intrathecal injection and chemotherapy, especially those drugs capable of passing blood-brain barrier, for example high dose MTX.