EXPRESSION OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-9 IN HUMAN ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMAL TISSUES

Objective To study the effects of MMP-9 （Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9） in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms （AAAs） by localizing the expression of MMP-9 in the aneurysmal tissues. Methods By , the frozen sections （5μm） with aneurysmal tissues （n = 10） were incubated with MMP-9 antibody-added agents, then the sections were stained and observed under the microscope to localize the expression of MMP-9, which displayed a brown precipitate within the arterial walls. The normal arterial wall tissues（n= 10） and the diseased arterial wall tissues from the arterial occlusive diseases （AODs） （n= 15） were also immunized exactly the same way as control. Results A quantity of positive granules which appeared within the aortic media showed the strong expression of MMP-9 in the AAAs, with the positive rate reaching 95 % （19/20）, while no expression of MMP- 9 was observed in the normal artery. However, the scattered distributed positive granules were seen within the arterial wall of some cases of the AOI）s, implying the weak positive expression of MMP-9 in this disease with the positive rate of 26.7% （4/15）. There was a significant difference of the expression of MMP-9 within the arterial wall between the AAAs and AODs（P〈0.01 ）. Conclusion High expression of MMP-9 within the aortic media faciliatates the degradation of collagen and elustin fibres and subsequent dilation of the aortic artery , thus playing an important role in the pathogenesis of AAAs. To refrain MMP-9 from enhanced expressing within the aortic wall is of clinical significance in the prevention and treatment of AAAs.     

Determinants affecting ferry users’ waiting time at ferry terminals

Transportation - The paper develops a model to examine how different factors influence ferry users’ waiting time at the terminals. The estimations are based on interviews of 10,952 Norwegian...     

腹主动脉瘤患者血浆MMP-9含量测定及其意义

目的　初步探讨基质金属蛋白酶 9(MMP 9)在腹主动脉瘤 (AAAs)致病机制中的作用。方法　采集 2 0 0 2年 2月至2 0 0 2年 8月德国科隆大学医院血管外科中心收治的 35例AAAs患者治疗前后的血液标本 ,利用酶联免疫分析方法(ELISA)逐一测定血浆MMP 9含量 ,并检测同期住院的 10例动脉硬化闭塞性疾病 (AODs)患者的血浆MMP 9含量作为对照。结果　AAAs患者术前血浆MMP 9含量明显高于AODs患者 [(90 .2 5± 9.12 ) μg·L-1vs.(2 3.5 8± 7.33) μg·L-1,P <0 .0 5 ],治疗后 1月血浆MMP 9含量明显下降 ,与术前相比有显著差异 [(2 8.5 5± 8.35 ) μg·L-1vs.(90 .2 5± 9.12 ) μg·L-1,P <0 .0 5 ],而与AODs患者无显著差别 [(2 8.5 5± 8.35 ) μg·L-1vs.(2 3.5 8± 7.33) μg·L-1,P >0 .0 5 ]。AODs患者治疗前后的MMP 9血浆水平无明显变化 [(2 3.5 8± 7.33) μg·L-1vs.(2 5 .2 8± 5 .78) μg·L-1,P >0 .0 5 ]。结论　腹主动脉瘤患者血浆MMP 9水平的明显升高 ,提示MMP 9与腹主动脉瘤的发病有密切关系 ;动态监测MMP 9含量变化有望成为腹主动脉瘤的早期诊断及术后疗效判断的重要手段。