Objective To study the distribution characteristics of radon progeny at different air quality index (AQI) and evaluate health risks for the exposed population.Methods EQF3120 Monitor was used to monitor the concentration of radon and its daughters.The relevant air quality data was provided by the environmental monitoring station at Suzhou Industrial Park.SPSS 16.0 software was used for statistical description,principal component analysis and simple correlation analysis.Environmental radon exposure-caused effective dose to lung region was estimated by using the radon dose formulas.Results Radon progeny in fog haze weather in winter of Suzhou Industrial Park had relationships with NO2,SO2,O3,PM10 and PM2.5.The correlation coefficient of 214Bi were 0.741,0.681,-0.431,0.597 and 0.675.The correlation coefficient of radon progeny with PM2.5 was greater than that with PM10.When AQI ＞ 200,the effective dose to residents outdoor from radon and its short-lived progeny was 0.63 mSv/a.Conclusions Higher AQI results in higher concentration of attached radon progeny.There is little variation in concentration of unattached radon progeny.Fog and haze can increase exposure of the population to inhalated radon.

Objective Mongolian gerbil can make themself urine concentration for saving water and adapt to the harsh desert environment, due to their very unique moisture control system in the body.Methods Mongolian gerbil is resistant to drought on account of their special kidney. Histology of the kidney, ureter and bladder in Meriones Unguiculataus were observed by light microscopy using HE staining.Results The results showed that compared with rats and mice, the Mongolian gerbils have more developed distal tubules, and well developed inner renal medulla.Conclusions We hope that the findings of this study enrich our understanding of the histology of urinary system in Mongolian gerbils and provide support for the laboratory animalization of this animal.

Objective To evaluate the value of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in differentiatied diagnosis for stromal tumour and lipoma in duodenal tract.MethodsThe EUS images of 44 cases of stromal tumour(30 cases) and lipoma( 14 cases) which were confirmed by pathological results were analyzed retrospectively.The location,size,layer of origin,margin,internal echo pattern and homogeniety of the lesion were recorded and compared.Results Compared with lipoma,stromal tumour showed a significant difference in the layer of origin,margin,internal echo and homogeniety ( P ＜ 0.05 ),but there was no statistical difference in the lesion location and size( P ＞0.05).ConclusionsEUS is greatly helpful to the differential diagnosis of stromal tumour and lipoma in duodenal tract.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of frozen-thawed murine islets which were transplanted into diabetic rats after cultured with hyperbaric oxygenated rotary cell culture system (HORCCS). Methods The purified rat islets were divided into two groups: A. In vitro experiment groups (IvEG) : The rat islets in each subgroup were cultured in HORCCS or common medium for 30 days, then evaluated for the intracellular DNA and insulin contents of islets, and the viability and insulin secreting level of islets. B. Islet transplantation experimental groups (TxEG) : The frozen-thawed islets were cultured in HORCCS or common medium for 7 days, and then transplanted into the recipients. We observed the blood glucose level (BGL) and insulin secreting level in the recipients as well as the uhrastructure change of islets in TxEG. Results The viability and insulin secreting level of islets cultured with HORCCS at 14th day were much higher than those cultured with common medium (P <0.05). The blood glucose level in recipients transplanted with islets cultured with HORCCS recovered to normal value at the 2nd week and lasted for 8 weeks. All these recipients maintained the normal glucose tolerance curve. Electronic microscopy found microchannel outlets on the surface of the frozen-thawed islets cultured with HORCCS. Conclusions Frozen-thawed islets cultured with HORCCS could establish nutrient transmission microchannels, which were not only capable of oxygen and nutrients transmission, but also improving cryopreservation solution to diffuse inside the islet cells evenly and uniformly. So this method not only lessens islet damage from cryopreservation, but also improves the effect of transplantation.

Objectives: To inveatigate Helicobacter pylo r i (Hp) in dental plaque and its relevance to gastric disease.Methods: 40 physical examination subjects were recruited. Subgingival plaque and gastric biopsy samples were respectively collected for detection of Hpby in vitroculture. Results: Hpwas identified in gastric biopsy from ten of thirty-seven (27.03%) subjects with proven chronic gastric disease. From five of the ten, Hpwas isolated in their dental plaque. None of three subjects without chronic gastric disease had Hpin their gastric bi opsy. However, Hpwas found in dental plaque from one of the three.C onclusion: The results suggest that dental plaque is an ecological niche of Hp. Oral Hpmay be related to chronic gastric disease.

Objective : To investigate the effect of aluminum exposure on expression of miR-497-5p, wingless murine breast cancer virus integration site family member 3a (Wnt3a), β-catenin protein, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) protein and tau protein in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, so as to provide insight into unraveling the mechanisms underlying aluminum exposure-induced abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein. Methods: PC12 cells were exposed to Al(mal)3 at concentrations of 0, 100, 200, 400 μmol/L for 24 h. The viability of PC12 cells was measured using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The relative expression of miR-497-5p and Wnt3a was detected using a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay, and the expression of Wnt3a, β-catenin, GSK-3β, P-GSK-3β (Ser9), tau and p-tau (Ser396) proteins were determined using Western blotting. Results : The viability of PC12 cells appeared a tendency towards a decline with the increase of aluminum dose (Ftrend=323.473, P=0.001). RT-qPCR assay detected that the relative miR-497-5p expression appeared a tendency towards a rise with the increase of aluminum dose (Ftrend=14.888, P=0.031), and the relative Wnt3a expression appeared a tendency towards a decline with the increase of aluminum dose (Ftrend=165.934, P<0.001). The miR-497-5p expression negatively correlated with the relative Wnt3a expression (r=-0.693, P=0.012). The expression of Wnt3a (Ftrend=357.656, P=0.001), β-catenin (Ftrend=208.750, P=0.001) and p-GSK-3β (Ser9) proteins (Ftrend=512.583, P<0.001) appeared a tendency towards a decline with the increase of aluminum dose, and the expression of GSK-3β (Ftrend=39.965, P<0.001), tau (Ftrend=277.929, P=0.006) and p-tau (Ser396) proteins (Ftrend=96.247, P=0.002) appeared a tendency towards a rise with the increase of aluminum dose. Conclusion Up-regulation of miR-497-5p and GSK-3β expression and down-regulation of Wnt3a and β-catenin expression may be a mechanism underlying aluminum exposure-induced abnormal phosphorylation of tau protein.

BACKGROUND:Whether the knee is a risk factor for hip fracture is controversial. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of knee osteoarthritis in the development of low-energy hip fracture. METHODS:Total y 116 patients with mild traumatic femoral neck fractures and intertrochanteric fractures admitted from October 2014 to January 2015 were enrol ed and retrospectively analyzed. There were 38 males and 78 females. The mean age of onset was (69.2±14.5) years, and al the patients were diagnosed as have simple hip fractures. Anterioposterior and lateral X-ray examination for the hip and knee was performed for each patient. General information, Kel gren-Lawrence grading, scores on Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Index of Osteoarthritis were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Among the 116 cases, there were 66 cases of femoral neck fractures, 48 of intertrochanteric fractures and 2 of subtrochanteric femoral fractures. According to the Kel gren-Lawrence grading, there were 0 case of grade 0, 21 of grade I, 51 of grade II, 44 of grade III, and 0 of grade IV. Average Kel gren-Lawrence grading was 2.19±0.72 in fractured side and 1.51±0.52 in non-fractured side, and there was a significant difference between the fractured side and non-fractured side (P<0.05). Average score of HSS was 78.4±8.09 in fractured side and 80.2±8.1 in non-fractured side, with statistical difference (P<0.05). These findings indicate that knee osteoarthritis may have some adverse effects in the development of low-energy hip fracture, which can increase the incidence of femoral neck fracture and intertrochanteric fracture.

To develop a recombinant lentivirus co-expressing structural protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and secreted Gaussia Luciferase (Gluc), we first constructed an expression vector that encoded HCV structural protein (C, E1, E2) and GLuc named pCSGluc2aCE1E2. The expression of HCV proteins and Gluc was confirmed by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and the detection of luciferase activity. Recombinant lentivirus (VSVpp-HCV) was developed by the co-transfection of pCSGluc2aCE1E2 into 293T cells with pHR'CMVA8.2 and pVSVG. The infectivity of VSVpp-HCV was confirmed by luciferase activity detection, IFA and western blotting. Virus-like particles were identified using electron microscopy after concentration. The results showed that the level of luciferase activity correlated with the expression of HCV protein after the infection of cells with lentivirus VSVpp-HCV. Therefore, the expression level of HCV proteins could be evaluated by detecting the luciferase activity of Gluc. In conclusion, this research pave a way for the development of transgenic mice that express HCV proteins and Gluc, which enable the evaluation of anti-HCV therapy and vaccine in vivo.
Animals ; Copepoda ; Genes, Reporter ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Luciferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Viral Structural Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore the value of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in differential diagnosis of ectopic pancreas and stromal tumor in stomach.Methods The clinical data and endoscopic ultrasound findings of 40 patients with ectopic pancrea and 141 patients with stromal tumor were retrospectively analyzed,including the location,size,growth pattern,layer of origin,internal echo pattern and so on.All patients were diagnosed pathologically.Results Ectopic pancreas were predominantly located in the antrum (92.5％) and stromal tumor were mainly located in the gastric body (45.4％),the antrum (23.4％) and the fundus (22.0％),there was a significant difference in lesion' s location between two diseases (P ＜0.001).There was no statistical difference in the ratio of longest/shortest diameter of the lesion size(P =0.057).But there was statistical difference in lesion size between ectopic pancrease and stromal tumor [(19.98 ± 12.80)mm vs (11.25 ± 3.61)mm].Mural growth pattern was most common in ectopic pancrease (82.5％) and mural growth pattern (37.6％),extraluminal growth pattern (24.8％) and intraluminal growth pattern (22.7％) in stromal tumor (P ＜0.001).The third layer (75.0％) was predominant in ectopic pancrease while the fourth (54.6％) and the second layers (34.0％) in stromal tumor (P ＜0.001).With regard to internal echo pattern,hypoechoic (32.5％),intermediate (27.5％) and heterogeneous (27.5％) was predominant in ectopic pancrease and homogeneous hypoechoic lesion (72.3％) in the stromal tumor (P ＜ 0.001).Conclusions There were statistical differences between ectopic pancrease and stromal tumor in the location,size,layer of origin,growth pattern and internal echo pattern under EUS.EUS plays an important role in identification of ectopic pancrease and stromal tumor.

Objective To express and characterize the virus-like particles( VLPs) of H5 subtype containing of hemagglutinin ( HA ) and matrix 1 ( M1 ) protein by using Baculovirus-insect cells .Methods Full length genes encoding HA protein from the A/Indonesia/05/2005(H5N1) strain and the M1 protein from the A/Anhui/01/2005 ( H5N1 ) strain were cloned into a baculovirus expression vector to construct pFBD-M1-HA.The expression of HA and M1 proteins were detected by Western blot and indirect immunoflu-orescence after the transfection of Spodoptra frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with recombinant baculovirus.Pu-rified VLPs were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and visualized with transmission electron microscope.The biologi-cal activity of purified VLPs was detected by hemagglutination test.Results The HA and M1 proteins of H5 subtype expressed by baculovirus-insect cells could be self-assembled into the functional mature VLPs.The hemagglutination titer of VLPs was as high as 1024 HAU/50μl.Conclusion The H5 subtype VLPs as pre-pared in this study would pave a way for the development of a candidate recombinant A ( H5) vaccine.