[Advances in research on apoptosis in the pathogenesis of acquired middle ear cholesteatoma].

Summary Squamous epithelial hyperplasia, cell apoptosis and bone destruction were thought to be three key mechanisms in the pathogenesis of middle ear cholesteatoma. At present, the research on the pathogenesis of middle ear cholesteatoma mainly focuses on these three major pathological events. Studies have shown that various apoptosis-related genes and regulatory factors are associated with the development of cholesteatoma.

[Study on the relationship between neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and platelet lymphocyte ratio and sudden deafness].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neutrophil lymphocyte ratio(NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio(PLR) and the incidence of sudden deafness and its impact on the prognosis. Method: The clinical data of 203 patients with sudden deafness was retrospectively analyzed.Pure tone audiometry, complete blood count and other related examinations were performed before treatment. Hearing type was depending on the diagnostic criteria of sudden deafness; NLR and PLR were calculated. After that, pure tone audiometry was reviewed again and the hearing changes were recorded.The control group was 203 healthy persons without infectious disease. Result: The median NLR and PLR of the sudden deafness group were 2.8 and 126.4, respectively, and that of the control group were 1.4 and 96.9 respectively.The difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.01). The median NLR and PLR of the recovery group were 2.4 and 116.9, and that of the unrecovered group were 3.4 and 145.0,respectively, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). No significant difference of NLR or PLR was observed among the low medium frequency type, high frequency type, flat type and total deafness type for each two pairs(P>0.05). Conclusion: NLR and PLR are higher in patients with sudden deafness than the healthy controls, and are higher in the unrecovered group than in the recovery group. Our result supports the role of inflammatory theory in the pathogenesis of sudden deafness.Therefore, NLR and PLR can be used as a new reliable indicator to evaluate the prognosis of sudden deafness, but NLR and PLR may not have a significant correlation with hearing classification.

[Nasal acinar cell carcinoma：a case report].

Acinar cell carcinoma is a rare type of low-grade malignant tumor of the parotid gland epithelium. The progression of the disease is slow, and its tissue type and cell morphology are diverse. The diagnosis of tumor is difficult so that it is easy to cause missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. A 72-year-old patient, without the history of surgery and trauma, complained of nasal congestion, bloody sputum, and loss of olfactory. CT and MRI suggested that the nasal cavity and sinuses were occupied with soft tissue. An endoscopic nasal cavity and sinus mass resection was performed under general anesthesia. No recurrence was observed after 1 year of follow-up. The nasal symptoms disappeared and the recovery effect was good.

[Diagnosis and treatment of 41 cases of head and neck Castleman's disease].

Objective: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck Castleman's disease (CD), and to improve the understanding of the disease. Methods: The clinical data of 41 patients with head and neck CD treated from January 2007 to July 2017 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: localized CD (LCD, n=27) and multicentric CD (MCD, n=14). The clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, operations, pathological findings and follow-up data were analyzed. Results: LCD was characterized by asymptomatic enlargement of the single lymph node with mild clinical symptoms. The main pathological type was hyaline vascular type, which can be cured by surgical treatment. MCD accompanied by fever 9 cases(64.3%), anemia 8 cases (57.1%), splenomegaly 7 cases (50.0%), respiratory symptoms 6 cases (42.9%), with multiple enlarged superficial and deep lymph nodes with pain, pleural effusion, and edema of lower extremity, C-reaction protein increased in 8 cases (57.1%), hypoproteinemia 8 cases(57.1%), globulin increased 7 cases (50.0%) and neutropenia 6 cases(42.9%). The main pathological type was plasma cell type in 7 cases (50.0%), and also there were 4 cases of hyaline vascular type and 2 cases of mixed type. Chemotherapy with or without rituximab was the main treatment. Most patients received complete or partial remission except for 2 patients who died of lung infection due to chemotherapy. Conclusions: The diagnosis of head and neck CD depends on pathological examination. LCD shows mild symptoms and good prognosis after surgery. However, clinical manifestations of MCD are complex, with relatively poor prognosis after comprehensive treatment.

Characterization of skin friction coefficient, and relationship to stratum corneum hydration in a normal Chinese population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies have demonstrated that some cutaneous biophysical properties vary with age, gender and body sites. However, the characteristics of the skin friction coefficient in different genders and age groups have not yet been well established. In the present study, we assess the skin friction coefficient in a larger Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 633 subjects (300 males and 333 females) aged 0.15-79 years were enrolled. A Frictiometer FR 770 and Corneometer CM 825 (C&K MPA 5) were used to measure the skin friction coefficient and stratum corneum hydration, respectively, on the dorsal surface of the hand, the forehead and the canthus. RESULTS: In the females, the maximum skin friction coefficients on both the canthus and the dorsal hand skin were observed around the age of 40 years. In the males, the skin friction coefficient on the dorsal hand skin gradually increased from 0 to 40 years of age, and changed little afterward. Skin friction coefficients on some body sites were higher in females than in age-matched males in some age groups. On the canthus and the dorsal hand skin of females, a positive correlation was found between skin friction coefficient and stratum corneum hydration (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). In contrast, in males, the skin friction coefficient was positively correlated with stratum corneum hydration on the forehead and the dorsal hand skin (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The skin friction coefficient varies with age, gender and body site, and positively correlates with stratum corneum hydration on some body sites.

Sun-induced changes in stratum corneum function are gender and dose dependent in a Chinese population.

Previous studies have demonstrated that UVB radiation changes the epidermal permeability barrier and stratum corneum (SC) hydration. It is well known that sun exposure causes erythema, sunburn and melanoma. However, whether daily sun exposure alters SC integrity and epidermal permeability barrier function is largely unknown, especially in Chinese subjects. In the present study, we assess the SC integrity, SC hydration and epidermal permeability barrier function following various doses of sun exposure. A total of 258 subjects (124 males and 134 females) aged 18-50 years were enrolled. A multifunctional skin physiology monitor (Courage & Khazaka MPA5) was used to measure SC hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) on the forearms. In males, basal TEWL was higher with higher doses of sun exposure than with lower doses and control, whereas in females, basal TEWL was higher with lower doses of sun exposure than with higher doses and control. In the group with higher doses of sun exposure, TEWL in females was significantly lower than that in males. The barrier recovery was faster in females than in males in both control and lower-dose groups. In both males and females, barrier recovery was delayed with higher doses of sun exposure. In males, sun exposure did not alter SC hydration, while in females SC hydration was lower with lower doses of sun exposure as compared with control and higher doses of sun exposure. These results demonstrated that sun-induced changes in SC function and SC hydration vary with gender and the extent of sun exposure.

Epidermal permeability barrier recovery is delayed in vitiligo-involved sites.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Prior studies have demonstrated that both the skin surface pH and epidermal permeability barrier function vary with skin pigmentation types. Although melanin deficiency is the main feature of vitiligo, alterations in cutaneous biophysical properties in vitiligo have not yet been well defined. In the present study, stratum corneum (SC) hydration, the skin surface pH and epidermal permeability barrier function in vitiligo were evaluated. METHODS: A total of 30 volunteers with vitiligo comprising 19 males and 11 females aged 13-51 years (mean age: 27.91 +/- 2.06 years) were enrolled in this study. The skin surface pH, SC hydration, melanin/erythema index and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured by respective probes connected to a Courage-Khazaka MPA5. SC integrity was determined by measuring the TEWL following each D-Squame application. The barrier recovery rate was assessed at 5 h following barrier disruption by repeated tape stripping. RESULTS: In addition to SC hydration, both melanin and erythema index were significantly lower in vitiligo lesions than in contralateral, nonlesional sites, while no difference in skin surface pH between vitiligo-involved and uninvolved areas was observed. In addition, neither the basal TEWL nor SC integrity in the involved areas differed significantly from that in the uninvolved areas. However, barrier recovery in vitiligo-involved sites was significantly delayed in comparison with uninvolved sites (40.83 +/- 5.39% vs. 58.30 +/- 4.71%; t = 2.441; p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Barrier recovery following tape stripping of the SC is delayed in vitiligo. Therefore, improvement in epidermal permeability barrier function may be an important unrecognized factor to be considered in treating patients with vitiligo.

Variation of skin surface pH, sebum content and stratum corneum hydration with age and gender in a large Chinese population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Evidence suggests the importance of skin biophysical properties in predicting diseases and in developing appropriate skin care. The results to date of studies on skin surface pH, stratum corneum (SC) hydration and sebum content in both genders and at various ages have been inconclusive, which was in part due to small sample size. Additionally, little is known about the skin physical properties of Asian, especially Chinese, subjects. In the present study, we assess the difference in skin surface pH, sebum content and SC hydration at various ages and in both genders in a large Chinese population without skin diseases. METHODS: 713 subjects (328 males and 385 females) aged 0.5-94 years were enrolled in this study. The subjects were divided by age into 5 groups, i.e., 0-12, 13-35, 36-50, 51-70 and over 70 years old. A multifunctional skin physiology monitor was used to measure SC hydration, skin surface pH and sebum content on both the forehead and the forearms. RESULTS: In males, the highest sebum content was found on the forearm and the forehead in the age groups 36-50 (93.47 +/- 10.01 microg/cm(2)) and 51-70 years (9.16 +/- 1.95 microg/cm(2)), while in females, the highest sebum content was found on the forearm and the forehead in the age groups 13-35 (61.91 +/- 6.12 microg/cm(2)) and 51-70 years (7.54 +/- 2.55 microg/cm(2)). The forehead sebum content was higher in males aged 13-70 years than in age-matched females; the sebum content on the forehead in both males and females was higher than that on the forearm. Skin surface pH on the forehead of both males and females over the age of 70 years was higher than that in younger groups. SC hydration on the forehead in both males and females was lower above the age of 70, and the one in males aged 13-35 was higher than that in females (43.99 +/- 1.88 vs. 36.38 +/- 1.67 AU, p < 0.01). SC hydration on the forehead in both males and females did not significantly differ from that on the forearm. CONCLUSIONS: In a large Chinese cohort, the skin surface pH, sebum content and SC hydration vary with age, gender and body site.

Decreased cutaneous resonance running time in cured leprosy subjects.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Leprosy prominently involves both the skin and peripheral neural tissues and some symptoms persist after microbial cure. Because alterations in the dermis also occur in leprosy, we assessed here whether there were changes in cutaneous resonance running time (CRRT), a parameter that is influenced by collagen properties, in cured leprosy subjects. METHODS: A reviscometer was used to measure the CRRT at various directions on the dorsal hand and the flexural forearms of 76 cured leprosy subjects aged 50-85 years and 68 age-matched normal subjects. RESULTS: In comparison to normal subjects, CRRTs on the hands and the forearms were significantly reduced in all directions in cured leprosy, except at the 1-7, 2-8 and 3-9 o'clock directions on the forearms. CRRTs were reduced significantly at both the 4-10 and 5-11 o'clock directions on the forearm in lepromatous (73.33 +/- 4.19 at 4-10 o'clock and 67.44 +/- 2.71 at 5-11 o'clock direction) and borderline lepromatous types (77.58 +/- 5.84 at 4-10 o'clock and 79.85 +/- 6.81 at 5-11 o'clock direction) as compared with normal (143.10 +/- 7.75 at 4-10 o'clock and 125.18 +/- 8.14 at 5-11 o'clock direction). On the hand, CRRTs at all directions, except that at 4-10 o'clock direction, were also significantly reduced in lepromatous and borderline lepromatous types in comparison with normal. Significant differences in CRRT at some directions were found among the various subtypes of leprosy. CONCLUSION: CRRTs were abnormal in the cured leprosy subjects as a whole, but varied with leprosy subtypes, which suggested that the extent of reduction of CRRTs correlates with the severity of immune alteration. These results suggest that CRRT measurements could be a useful approach to quantify the extent of some residual abnormalities in cured leprosy and perhaps could also be used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment.

Abnormalities in stratum corneum function in patients recovered from leprosy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Leprosy involves both the skin and peripheral nervous system. Leprosy patients display an increased incidence of xerosis and altered sensory thresholds, which persist in previously active skin sites. We assessed here whether alterations in stratum corneum (SC) function persist in cured leprosy, and the relationship of epidermal functional abnormalities to each clinical subtype of leprosy. METHODS: A total of 43 cured leprosy subjects and 29 normal control subjects were enrolled in this study. Basal skin surface pH, SC hydration, permeability barrier function as well as barrier recovery rates were measured over previously involved skin sites with a skin physiology monitor. One-way ANOVA and two-tailed Student's t test were used to determine the significance between 2 groups and 3 or more groups, respectively. RESULTS: Competent barrier function was observed in all subtypes of cured leprosy subjects. All cured leprosy subjects except those with the borderline tuberculoid type exhibited a significantly lower SC hydration in comparison with normal subjects. Skin surface pH was significantly elevated in all cured leprosy subjects in comparison with normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A varied spectrum of alterations in SC function remains in all subjects who have recovered from leprosy, but the spectrum of SC functional abnormalities varies with disease subtype.

New hetero silicon-carbon nanostructure formation mechanism.

We report the formation of silicon and carbon hetero-nanostructures in an inductively coupled plasma system by a simultaneous growth/etching mechanism. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were grown during one, three and five hour depositions, while tapered silicon nanowires were progressively etched. The carbon and silicon nanostructures and the interfaces between them were studied by electron microscopies and micro Raman spectroscopies. The potential of this method for large-scale controlled production of nano heterostructures without the requirement of a common catalyst is explored.

Purification and characterization of recombinant forms of murine Tcl1 proteins.

The TCL1 gene, which is located on chromosome 14, plays a major role in human hematopoietic malignancies and encodes a 14-kDa protein whose function has not been determined. This gene is expressed in pre-B cells, in immature thymocytes, and, at low levels, in activated T cells but not in peripheral mature B cells and in normal cells. The Tcl1 protein is similar in its primary structure to a protein encoded by the mature T-cell proliferation gene (MTCP1). The MTCP1 gene is located on the X chromosome and has been shown to be involved in rare chromosomal translocations in T-cell proliferative diseases. The murine TCL1 gene resides on mouse chromosome 12 and is homologous to the human TCL1 and MTCP1 genes. Murine Tcl1 protein has 116 amino acid residues and shares 50% sequence identity with human Tcl1, while the human and mouse Mtcp1 are nearly identical, with conservative differences in only six residues. The TCL1 and MTCP1 genes appear to be members of a family of genes involved in lymphoid proliferation and T-cell malignancies. Our laboratory has undertaken the study of the Tcl1 and Mtcp1 proteins to determine the structure and the function of these related proteins. In the present report, we have produced, using a bacterial expression system, the purified murine Tcl1 protein and a mutant form of murine Tcl1 protein containing a cysteine to alanine mutation at amino acid position 85. The recombinant proteins were purified by chromatography on a Ni-NTA resin followed by reverse-phase FPLC using a buffer system at pH 7.9 and a polymer-based reverse-phase column. The murine Tcl1 recombinant protein displays limited solubility and forms disulfide-linked dimers and oligomers, while the mutant murine Tcl1 C86A protein has increased solubility and does not form higher order oligomers. The purified recombinant murine proteins were characterized by N-terminal sequence analysis, mass spectrometry, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Initial results indicate that the mutant murine Tcl1 C86A protein is suitable for both NMR and X-ray crystallographic methods of structure determination.

Improving the diffraction quality of MTCP-1 crystals by post-crystallization soaking.

Significant improvement in the resolution and quality of the X-ray diffraction of crystals of MTCP-1 protein was observed on post-crystallization soaking. The MTCP-1 crystals grown from 1.5 M ammonium sulfate diffracted to only 3.0 A resolution with some disorder in the diffraction. After post-crystallization soaking in a solution containing 2.0 M ammonium sulfate, the disorder was eliminated and diffraction extended to better than 2.0 A resolution. Both native and selenomethionine-enriched crystals demonstrated better diffraction after soaking for several months. This simple technique may be useful to improve the diffraction quality of protein crystals generally.

Crystal structure of MTCP-1: implications for role of TCL-1 and MTCP-1 in T cell malignancies.

Two related oncogenes, TCL-1 and MTCP-1, are overexpressed in T cell prolymphocytic leukemias as a result of chromosomal rearrangements that involve the translocation of one T cell receptor gene to either chromosome 14q32 or Xq28. The crystal structure of human recombinant MTCP-1 protein has been determined at 2.0 A resolution by using multiwavelength anomalous dispersion data from selenomethionine-enriched protein and refined to an R factor of 0.21. MTCP-1 folds into a compact eight-stranded beta barrel structure with a short helix between the fourth and fifth strands. The topology is unique. The structure of TCL-1 has been predicted by molecular modeling based on 40% amino acid sequence identity with MTCP-1. The identical residues are clustered inside the barrel and on the surface at one side of the barrel. The overall structure of MTCP-1 superficially resembles the structures of proteins in the lipocalin family and calycin superfamily. These proteins have diverse functions, including transport of retinol, fatty acids, chromophores, pheromones, synthesis of prostaglandin, immune modulation, and cell regulation. However, MTCP-1 differs in the topology of the beta strands. The structural similarity suggests that MTCP-1 and TCL-1 form a unique family of beta barrel proteins that is predicted to bind small hydrophobic ligands and function in cell regulation.

Purification and characterization of recombinant forms of TCL-1 and MTCP-1 proteins.

The TCL-1 gene which is located on chromosome 14 plays a major role in human hematopoeitic malignancies and encodes a 14-kDa protein whose function has not been determined. The TCL-1 gene is expressed in pre-B cells, in immature thymocytes, and at low levels in activated T cells but not in peripheral mature B cells and in normal cells. The TCL-1 protein is similar in its primary structure to a protein encoded by the mature T cell proliferation gene (MTCP-1). The MTCP-1 gene is located on the X chromosome and has been shown to be involved in rare chromosomal translocations in T cell proliferative diseases. The TCL-1 and MTCP-1 genes appear to be members of a family of genes involved in lymphoid proliferation and T cell malignancies. Our laboratory has undertaken the study of the TCL-1 and MTCP-1 proteins to determine the structure and the function of these related proteins. In the present report, we have produced, using a bacterial expression system, both purified TCL-1 and MTCP-1 proteins in forms with and without a six His tag sequence. The recombinant proteins were purified by chromatography on a Ni-NTA resin followed by reverse-phase FPLC using a buffer system at pH 7.9 and a polymeric-based reverse-phase column. The MTCP-1 recombinant proteins display greater solubility, do not form disulfide linked dimers or oligomers, and elute at a lower isopropanol concentration than the corresponding TCL-1 proteins. The purified recombinant TCL-1 and MTCP-1 proteins have been characterized by N-terminal sequence analysis, time of flight mass spectrometry, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Initial results have indicated that the MTCP-1 protein with the His tag removed is suitable for both NMR and X-ray crystallographic methods of structure determination.