Prevention of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury by short hairpin RNA-mediated caspase-3 gene silencing.

Background: Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury remains a significant problem after lung transplantation. Caspase-mediated apoptotic pathways play an important role in lung ischemia-reperfusion injury, and caspase-3 is presumed to be the "effector" protease in the apoptotic cascade. Silencing gene expression of caspase-3 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) can downregulate the caspase cascade.

[Diagnosis and treatment of esophageal leiomyoma].

Objective: To summarize the experience of diagnosis and treatment of esophageal leiomyoma.

Methods: Clinical data of 52 patients with esophageal leiomyoma were analyzed from 1993 to 2002.

Results: About 54% patients in this group had difficulty of food intake.