A Complete Form of Pachydermoperiostosis Accompanied by a Pituitary Microadenoma.

Pachydermoperiostosis is a rare genetic disease that is associated with HPGD (15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase) and SLCO2A1 (solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2A1) gene mutations. It is characterized by three major phenotypes, namely, pachydermia, periostosis, and digital clubbing. Clinically, misdiagnoses such as acromegaly and thyroid acropachy are commonly confused with pachydermoperiostosis. Integral medical history, physical examination, endocrinological tests, and multiple disciplinary cooperation are extremely significant in the accurate diagnosis of pachydermoperiostosis. The co-existence of pachydermoperiostosis and pituitary adenoma is rarely recorded and discussed. In this case, we present a young male patient with a complete form of pachydermoperiostosis and a nonfunctional pituitary microadenoma, which has rarely been reported.

Improvement of Basal Cell Carcinomas in Patients with Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome Following by 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy: A Case Report.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is a rare autosomal dominant-inherited disease characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas, multiple keratocystic odontogenic tumors, palmar and/or plantar pits. A 50-year-old male patient presented to our hospital with multiple plaques and maculopapular lesions on his face and trunk for more than 20 years. A skin biopsy revealed a number of discrete nests of basaloid cells in the dermis where the peripheral cells are arrayed like a palisade. Multiple odontogenic keratocysts and falx cerebri calcification were found. The diagnosis of NBCCS was made. We treated this patient with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) with red light activation, 5% imiquimod cream and surgical excision for the basal cell carcinomas. All the skin lesions on his face improved substantially after eight sessions of red-light ALA-PDT from clinical observation. Red-light ALA-PDT proved to be a good therapeutic method for NBCCS in this case.

Protective effect of Rhizoma Dioscoreae extract against alveolar bone loss in ovariectomized rats via regulation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of Rhizoma Dioscoreae extract (RDE) on preventing rat alveolar bone loss induced by ovariectomy (OVX), and to determine the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway in this effect. Female Wistar rats were subjected to OVX or sham surgery. The rats that had undergone OVX were treated with RDE (RDE group), vehicle (OVX group) or 17ß-estradiol subcutaneous injection (E2 group). Subsequently, bone metabolic activity was assessed by analyzing 3-D alveolar bone construction, bone mineral density, as well as the plasma biomarkers of bone turnover. The gene expression of alveolar bone in the OVX and RDE groups was evaluated by IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays, and differentially expressed genes were determined through reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The inhibitory effect of RDE on alveolar bone loss in the OVX group was demonstrated in the study. In comparison with the OVX group, the RDE group exhibited 19 downregulated genes and 1 upregulated gene associated with the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in alveolar bone. Thus, RDE was shown to relieve OVX-induced alveolar bone loss in rats, an effect which was likely associated with decreased abnormal bone remodeling via regulation of the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.

[Electrophysiological effects of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on pacemaker cells in guinea-pig left ventricular outflow tract and the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the electrophysiological effects of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on the spontaneous slow response action potentials in guinea-pig left ventricular outflow tract and the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs onI/R. METHODS: The action potentials of pacemaker cells in guinea-pig left ventricular outflow tract were recorded by conventional intracellular microelectrode technique. The influences of ischemia(I) 10 min, reperfusion(R) 2 min, and R 15min on the spontaneous slow response potentials were investigated. The effects of lidocaine, propafenone, amiodarone, verapamil, adenosine, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on I/R were also studied. Electrophysiological parameters were examined:velocity of diastolic depolarization(VDD), rate of pacemaker firing(RPF), maximal diastolic potential(MDP), maximal rate of depolarization(Vmax), amplitude of action potential(APA), 50% and 90% of duration of action potential(APD50 and APD90). RESULTS: ①In I 10 min group, the values of VDD, RPF, Vmax and APA were decreased markedly compared with control group (P<0.05, P<0.01).In R 2 min group, VDD and RPF were increased significantly(P<0.01), MDP was increased notably(P<0.05), APD50 and APD90 were shortened significantly compared with I 10 min and control group. Vmax was increased markedly vs control group(P<0.05). APA was decreased notably vs I 10 min group (P<0.05), but was increased markedly vs control group(P<0.05). In R 15 min group, the action potentials recovered gradually to the levels of control group. ② Compared with I 10 min/R 2 min group, 1 µmol/L lidocaine, 10 µmol/L propafenone, 1 µmol/L amiodarone, 1 µmol/L verapamil, 50 µmol/L adenosine, and 10 µmol/L SNP decreased VDD and RPF significantly. CONCLUSIONS: I/R injury can trigger abnormal spontaneous activities of guinea-pig left ventricular outflow tract.The electrophysiological effects of I/R injury on left ventricular outflow tract can be treated by antiarrhythmic drugs.

[Electrophysiological effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on pacemaker cells in guinea pig left ventricular outflow tract].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the electrophysiological effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on pacemaker cells of left ventricular outflow tract. METHODS: By using conventional intracellular microelectrode technique to record action potentials, series antiarrhythmic drugs were used to investigate the electrophysiological features and regularities of spontaneous activity of left ventricular outflow tract. RESULTS: (1) Perfusion with 1 micromol/L quinidine resulted in a significant decrease in rate of pacemaker firing (RPF, P < 0.05), velocity of diastolic depolarization (VDD, P < 0.05), amplitude of action potential (APA, P < 0.05), and maximal rate of depolarization (V(max), P < 0.05), and a marked prolonging in 50% and 90% of duration of action potential (APD50 and APD90, P < 0.05). (2) 1 micromol/L lidocaine decreased RPF, VDD, MDP, APA and V(max) significantly (P < 0.05), shortened APD50 and APD90 notably (P < 0.05). (3) 1 micromol/L propafenone led to a significant decrease in RPF (P < 0.01), VDD (P < 0.05), APA (P < 0.05), V(max) (P < 0.01), and a marked prolonging in APD50 (P < 0.01) and APD90 (P < 0.05). (4) Application of 5 micromol/L propranolol resulted in a significant decrease in RPF and VDD (P < 0.01), MDP and APA (P < 0.01), V(max) (P < 0.05) and a notable prolonging in APD50 and APD90 (P < 0.05). (5) Perfusion with 1 micromol/L amiodarone resulted in a significant decrease in RPF and VDD (P < 0.01), APA (P < 0.01), V(max) (P < 0.05), a marked prolonging in APD50 (P < 0.01) and APD90 (P < 0.05). (6) 1 micromol/L verapamil significantly decreased RPF and VDD (P < 0.01), MDP and APA (P < 0.05), V(max) (P < 0.05), notably prolonged APD50 and APD90 (P < 0.01). (7) 50 micromol/L adenosine significantly decreased RPF and VDD (P < 0.05), APA (P < 0.05), V(max) (P < 0.01), markedly shortened APD50 and APD90 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: All kinds of antiarrhythmic drugs can decrease the autorhythmicity of guinea pig left ventricular outflow tract. By altering APD50 and APD90, they can affect effective refractory period (ERP) and having a significant effect on autorhythmicity of left ventricular outflow tract.

Flow injection-chemiluminescence determination of amoxycillin using potassium permanganate and formaldehyde system.

It was found that amoxycillin can react with potassium permanganate in an acidic medium to produce chemiluminescence, which is greatly enhanced by formaldehyde. The optimum conditions for this chemiluminescent reaction were studied in detail using a flow-injection system. The experimental results indicate that, under optimum conditions, the chemiluminescence intensity is linearly related to the concentration of amoxycillin in the range 5.48 x 10(-8)-2.74 x 10(-6) mol/L, with a detection limit (3sigma) of 4.1 x 10(-8) mol/L. The relative standard deviation was 1.0% at 1.1 x 10(-6) mol/L amoxycillin (n = 11 measurements). This method has the advantages of high sensitivity, fast response and ease of operation. The method was successfully applied to the determination of amoxycillin in raw medicines and capsules.