Influences of Airway Obstruction Caused by Adenoid Hypertrophy on Growth and Development of Craniomaxillofacial Structure and Respiratory Function in Children.

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a common disease in otorhinolaryngology. Children with chronic snoring and hypoxia are susceptible to long-term nasal obstruction, while long-term open-mouth breathing may cause craniofacial bone development disorders and dull facial expressions, the so-called adenoid face. The purpose of this work is to analyze the influence of AH-induced airway obstruction (AO) on the growth and development of craniomaxillofacial structure and respiratory function (RF) in children. The clinical data of 56 AH children (observation group) and 42 healthy children with physical examination (control group) who visited the Hebei Eye Hospital during the same period were retrospectively analyzed. All children received acoustic rhinometry and X-ray cephalometric measurements. The upper airway structure, sleep disorder score, and A/N value of nasopharyngeal lateral X-ray images were compared between cases and controls. For AH children, sleep tests were also performed to assess their RF. X-ray cephalometric measurements of facial morphology showed obvious vertical growth, mandibular retrognathia, and enlarged mandibular angle in AH children. AH mainly affects the size of the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airway. AH children presented with higher nasal airway resistance (5.11 ± 1.95 cmH2O/L min) and lower nasopharyngeal volume (NPV) (16.86 ± 3.93 cm3) than controls. Of the AH children, 45 had abnormal RF, including 4 with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The A/N value of nasopharyngeal lateral X-ray images was significantly higher in AH children than in controls. Besides, worse sleep quality was found in AH children. The above differences were all of statistical significance. The above indicates that AH can affect the size of the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airway, change children's respiratory mode and RF, increase nasal resistance, and decrease NPV, resulting in upper respiratory tract stenosis, as well as craniomaxillofacial and oral malformations, which affects children's normal growth and development.

Endopeptidases, exopeptidases, and glutamate decarboxylase in soybean water extract and their in vitro activity.

The proteolytic activity of some soybean endogenous proteases have been clarified in the previous studies, but the information concerning the roles of these proteases and some other unknown ones during soybean processing are scarce. Herein, 16 endopeptidases, 13 exopeptidases, 24 inhibitors (two serpin-ZX and one subtilisin inhibitor firstly identified), and one glutamate decarboxylase were identified in the soybean water extract by the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Amongst the identified endopeptidases, just the aspartic endopeptidases (optimal at pH 2.5-3 and 35-45 °C) showed the detectable proteolytic activity by the tricine-sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and protease inhibitor assay analyses, whereas serine, cysteine, and metallo- endopeptidases (except P34 probable thiol protease) did not. Free amino acid analysis showed that the exopeptidases and glutamate decarboxylase were optimal at pH 6 and 45 °C, and by 6 h incubation, the free amino acids and γ-aminobutyric acid almost doubled.

Atypical ovarian carcinoid tumor with widespread skeletal metastases: a case report of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 in a young woman.

BACKGROUND: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited condition affecting multiple endocrine organs, resulting in significant morbidity and decreased life expectancy. Early tumor identification allows for timely patient management, reduces morbidity, and improves disease outcomes. Patients with MEN1 typically present with primary hyperparathyroidism caused by multiple parathyroid tumors, however, thymic and bronchial carcinoid tumors are also less common manifestations. MEN1-related neuroendocrine tumors often show hematogenous metastasis, with the liver being the most common metastatic site. Skeletal metastases from neuroendocrine tumors are extremely rare. As few as 50 case reports were identified in a recently published literature review on skeletal metastases from carcinoid tumors. To our knowledge, studies related to MEN1 have not been previously conducted. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of MEN1-related atypical ovarian carcinoid presenting as the first disease manifestation in a 30-year old woman. After two years, another atypical carcinoid was incidentally diagnosed in the contralateral ovary during a caesarean section. Syndromic MEN1 was not diagnosed clinically despite her young age and bilateral involvement. The patient remained disease-free for two years without further adjuvant treatment prior to clinic presentation with complaints of chest discomfort and body pain. Radiologic and pathologic investigations identified multifocal simultaneous neuroendocrine tumors involving the parathyroid, thymus, pancreas, and adrenal glands, in addition to multiple other metastatic sites. The findings ultimately resulted in the patient being diagnosed with MEN1. CONCLUSIONS: This extremely rare case emphasizes that ovarian carcinoids, especially when bilateral, could be the initial manifestation of MEN1. The significance of this differential diagnosis was highlighted by the subsequent detection of widespread skeletal metastasis resulting from the carcinoid tumors. A low threshold of suspicion, systemic diagnostic work-up, and regular follow-up are of utmost importance to timely diagnosis of MEN1.

Expression of PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 is associated with differentiation status and histological type of endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most frequent gynecological malignancy and a major cause of morbidity and mortality for women worldwide. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligands programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2) have been well studied in lung cancer, melanoma and renal-cell cancer. However, few studies have been performed in EC. The purpose of the present study was to assess the expression of PD-1, PD-L1 and PD-L2 in 35 human normal endometrial tissue samples and 75 human EC tissue samples using immunohistochemical staining. It was found that 61.3% of ECs were positive for PD-1 staining, which was almost exclusively found in the tumor-infiltrating immune cells. By contrast, PD-1 was not expressed in the tumor cells or normal endometrial tissues. It was also found that 14.3% of normal endometria and 17.3% of EC tissues were positive for PD-L1 expression, while 20.0% of normal endometrium and 37.3% of EC tissues were positive for PD-L2 expression; however, there was no statistically significant difference between the normal endometrium and EC tissues. PD-1 expression in the tumor-infiltrating immune cells was more frequently found in the moderately and poorly-differentiated ECs and non-endometrioid (type II) ECs than in the well-differentiated ECs and endometrioid (type I) ECs. Similarly, PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in the tumor-infiltrating immune cells was more frequently found in the moderately and poorly-differentiated ECs and type II ECs than in the type I ECs. The present findings indicate a possible better outcome for future treatment with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody-based therapies against these subgroups of endometrial cancers with frequent expression of the PD-1/PD-L1/PD-L2 axis.

[The role of HO/CO in the spinal nociception transmission and hyperalgesia of rats induced by formalin].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of heme oxygenase and carbon monoxide (HO/CO) in the development of spontaneous pain and hyperalgesia of rats induced by formalin injection. METHODS: Zinc protoporphyrin Znpp (the inhibitor of HO) was intrathecally injected to the rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Hemin (the agonist of HO) was intrathecally injected to the normal rats. The weighted pain scores were used to evaluate the degree of pain response. Thermal withdrawal latency and mechanical withdrawal threshold were observed to assess the degree of thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. RESULTS: After the intrathecal injection of Znpp, the weighted pain score obviously reduced in a dose-dependent manner compared with the rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Intrathecal injection of Znpp had no obvious effect on thermal withdrawal latency and mechanical withdrawal threshold in injected feet compared with formalin group. But there was a prolongation in a dose-dependent manner in non injected feet. Intrathecal injection of Hemin to normal rats could shorten the thermal withdrawal latency and reduce the mechanical withdrawal threshold on both sides of hindpaws. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal injection of the HO inhibitor produced prominent inhibition to pain related behavior and thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia induced by formalin injection. Intrathecal injection of HO inductor could induce thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia in normal rats. The results indicated that HO/CO took part in the processes of spinal cord nociceptive information transmission and the development of thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia.

[Effect of formalin inflammatory pain on expression of HO-1 in spinal cord of rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether formalin inflammatory pain can induce the change in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in the spinal cord of rats or not and the time course character. METHODS: 42 SD rats were divided into 7 groups (n = 6): control formalin 6 h, formalin 12 h, formalin 1 d, formalin 2 d, formalin 3 d and formalin 7 d groups. Rats were subcutaneously injected with 0.2 ml 0.5% formalin into the ventral surface of right hind paw to induce periphery inflammatory pain. The immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression of HO-1 protein in laminae I - II of the spinal cord dorsal horn and the area around canalis centralis of the I5 spinal segment of rats. RESULTS: There are rare HO-1 immunoreactive cells in the laminae I - II of the dorsal horn and the area around canalis centralis of the I5 spinal segment of rats of control group and HO-1 immunoreactive cells were light in staining degree. Comparing with control group, the numbers of HO-1 immunoreactive cells in the I - II laminae of dorsal horn and area around canalis centralis were increased in the rats at 6 h after formalin injection. The number and staining degree of HO-1 immunoreactive cells were further increased at 12 h and peaked at 1 d after formalin injection. They didn't return to normal level at the 7th day. There were no difference in right and left dorsal horn in the number and staining degree of HO-1 immunoreactive cells at the same time after formalin injection. CONCLUSION: Formalin inflammatory pain induced increased expression of HO-1 in the spinal cord dorsal horn and the area around canalis centralis of rats. At 1 d after injection of formalin, the increased expression of HO-1 was the most obviously.

[Effects of nitric oxide on spontaneous pain reaction and neuronal apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats induced by formalin inflammatory pain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether formalin inflammatory pain can induce neuron apoptosis in rats spinal cord or not and the effects of nitric oxide on the spontaneous pain reaction and neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain. METHODS: Formalin-induced paw licking time was used to reflect the degree of spontaneous pain of rats, and the flow cytometry was used to detecte neuron apoptosis rate of spinal cord. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the apoptosis ratio of spinal neuron was increased in the rats with formalin inflammatory pain, and peaked at 3d after formalin injection. Pre-intrathecal injection of NOS inhibitor L-NAME inhibited the nociceptive behavioural response in double phases induced by fonnrmalin injection and cut down the neuron apoptosis ratio of spinal cord of rats with formalin inflammatory pain. Nociceptive behavioural response and incraesed neuron apoptosis in the spinal cord were induced by intrathecal injection of L-Arg in normal rats. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that formalin inflammatory pain could induce the apoptosis of spinal neurons. The neurons apoptosis was the most significant on the third day after formalin injection. The increased pruduction of NO in spinal cord could promote the transmit of nociceptive information and participate the induction of neuronal apoptosis during the formalin inflammatory pain.

Pore-scale investigation of viscous coupling effects for two-phase flow in porous media.

Recent studies have revealed that viscous coupling effects in immiscible two-phase flow, caused by momentum transfer between the two fluid phases, can be important in porous medium systems. In this work, we use a three-dimensional parallel processing version of a two-fluid-phase lattice Boltzmann (LB) model to investigate this phenomenon. A multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) approximation of the LB equations is used in the simulator, which leads to a viscosity-independent velocity field. We validate our model by verifying the velocity profile for two-phase flow through a channel with a square cross section. We then simulate co-current flow through a sphere-pack porous medium and obtain correlations of the relative permeabilities as a function of capillary number, wettability, and the fluid viscosities. The results are qualitatively consistent with experimental observations. In addition, we calculate the generalized permeability coefficients and show that the coupling coefficients are significant and the matrix is nonsymmetric. We also find a strong correlation between the relative permeability and interfacial area between fluids, indicating that both the common extension of Darcy's Law and the generalized formulation accounting for viscous coupling effects do not provide adequate insight into two-phase flow processes in porous media. This work lends additional support for the hypothesis that interfacial area is a key variable for multiphase flow in porous medium systems.