Objective To investigate the endocrine disrupting chemicals contamination in source water and tap water in a city and to provide the scientific data for the water quality inspection,management and water treatment.Methods Fifteen samples of source water and tap water were collected in April,2006 and February,2007.Extraction of potential EDCs from samples was performed in columns packed with XAD-4 resins by using solid-phase extraction(SPE).Each sample was dried under a gentle air stream for 1 h and eluted with a mixture of acetone(20 ml) and dichloromethane(40 ml) for 3 times.The extracts were collected into a glass flask,evaporated under a gentle air stream and suspended again in 0.5 ml dichloromethane.Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used for quantitative or qualitative analysis of the organic pollutants and the optimum conditions were determined.Results Seventy-eight organic pollutants were identified from the water samples.Most of them were phthalates,hydrocarbon,phenol,and benzene.Phthalates were found in all samples.Among them,bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(CAS# 117817),di-n-butyl phthalate(CAS# 84742),and pentachlorophenol(CAS# 87865) were regarded as suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals.The concentration of bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and di-n-butyl phthalate ranged 0.004 75-4.450 ?g/L and 0.002 25-2.39 ?g/L,respectively.The concentration of pentachlorophenol was 0.727 ?g/L.Conclusion The source water and tap water in this city has been seriously polluted by organic pollutants,the main endocrine disrupting chemicals detected in the present investigation are phthalates and pentachlorophenol and the related health effects remain to be studied.

Aim To study the effect of resveratrol on proliferation of liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells and the relevant mechanism.Methods SMMC-7721 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol.Cell proliferation was tested by cell proliferation assay and colony-forming experiment.The effect of resveratrol on cell cycle of SMMC-7721 cells was detected by flow cytometry.The activation of mTOR/p-mTOR proteins was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with control group, resveratrol inhibited SMMC-7721 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.01);cell cycle detection showed that SMMC-7721 cells were arrested at G0/G1 phase by resveratrol;Westren blot assay showed that resveratrol down-regulated p-mTOR expression.Conslusion Resveratrol inhibits human SMMC-7721 cell proliferation and arrests the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, while the inhibition mechanism may be related to activation of mTOR signaling pathway by resveratrol.

A simple, rapid and sensitive colorimetric reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was developed for rapid detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The method employed six primers that recognized sequences of a nucleocapsid gene for amplification of nucleic acids under isothermal conditions at 63 degrees C for 60 min. Products were detected through a LA-320c Loopamp Turbidimeter (real-time RT-LAMP) or visual inspection of color change by pre-addition of Hydroxynaphthol Blue dye (visual RT-LAMP). Specificity of RT-LAMP was validated by detection of several human coronaviruses and common respiratory viruses. MERS-CoV real-time RT-LAMP had a linear correlation (R2) of 0.995 at 10(3)-10(6) copies. The limit of detection of real-time RT-LAMP, visual RT-LAMP and quantitative real-time PCR was 500, 1000 and 100 copies/reaction, respectively. The established RT-LAMP assay was demonstrated to be a rapid screening tool for MERS-CoV infection, and could be suitable in resource-limited clinical sites and for field studies.
Coronavirus Infections ; virology ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Humans ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Reverse Transcription

Objective To study the electroacupuncture effects of the single point Zusanli or Sanyinjiao on simple obese rats and to observe the regulation of fat metabolism.M[ethods Before and after the treatment,the body weights and lengths of rats in each group were measured tO calculate the Lee's index;besides,total cholesteriol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) in the rat blood were also determined.Finally,the rats were treated and observed for tWO courses,and SPSS11.5 statistical software was employed to conduct statistical analysis of the experimental data.Results A significant difference was observed about the effects on the height,weight,Lee's index,TC and TG between treatment group and the model group or normal control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01),but no significant difference between treatment group and normal control group (P>0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao points has effects on simple-obesity rats,which can make weight loss and decrease Lee's index,TC and TG levels.The underlying mechanism may relate to the improvements of fat metabolism.

Objective To express the N protein of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus ( MERS-CoV) in prokaryotic expression system and evaluate the immunogenicity of the purified recombinant N protein.Methods The gene encoding N protein of MERS-CoV was synthesized and cloned into the vector pET30a to construct the recombinant expression plasmid pET30a-MERS-CoV-N.The transformed E.coli BL21 ( DE3) strains carrying expression plasmid were induced by IPTG to express N protein.The expressed protein was purified by using affinity chromatography.SDS-PAGE and Western blot assays were used to iden-tify the expressed N protein and evaluate its immunogenicity.Results The recombinant N protein was suc-cessfully expressed in soluble form with the size of 46×103 .The results of Western blot assay showed that the recombinant N protein could specifically react with rabbit serum samples positive for antibodies against N protein B-cell epitope peptide and mouse anti-His tag antibodies.No positive band against N protein was found when primary antibody was used with thirty adult serum samples from Beijing in 2008.Conclusion N protein of MERS-CoV was successfully expressed in prokaryotic expression system.The successful expres-sion of N protein laid the foundation for immunological diagnosis of N protein of MERS-CoV and researches on its immunogenicity.

To investigate the genetic character and origin of the first imported infection case of middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (named as MERS-CoV_China GD01), RNA was extracted from swabs of this patient followed by RT-PCR amplification. All coding gene of structural (S, E, M, E) and accessory (ORF3, ORF4a, ORF4b, ORF5, ORF8b) proteins were sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses of structural protein coding genes of MERS-CoV_ China GD01 indicates that several substitutes exists in S coding gene and its origin belong group 5 of MERS-CoV, which were recent circulated in Saudi Arabia area, while other three structural genes (N, E, M) were very conserved. Phylogenetic analyses of accessory protein coding genes of MERS-CoV China GD01 indicates that several substitutes exists among ORF3, ORF4a, ORF4b and ORF5, while ORF8b was conserved. In conclusion, genome of MERS-CoV_ China GD01 was general conserved although several genetic variations were found among structural and accessory protein coding genes. This is the first report on sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of the first imported MERS case in China, which may pay the way for prevention and control of imported MERS-CoV infection.
China ; Conserved Sequence ; Coronavirus Infections ; transmission ; virology ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genomics ; Humans ; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus ; genetics ; physiology ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

INTRODUCTIONThe Singapore Polyposis Registry (SPR) was established in 1989 in Singapore General Hospital (SGH). The aims were to provide a central registry service to facilitate identification, surveillance and management of families and individuals at high risk of colorectal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis is a review of published literature in the department.

RESULTSThe registry currently has 253 families with several genetic conditions-93 familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) families, 138 Amsterdam-criteria positive presumed Lynch syndrome (LS) families, 12 families with Peutz Jeghers syndrome, 2 families with Cowden's syndrome, and 8 families with hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome (HMPS). There are also 169 families with a strong family history of colorectal cancer but no abnormal genes yet identified. In FAP, a diagnostic tool developed has allowed a 94% local APC germline detection rate in FAP families. Knowledge obtained studying the phenotype of FAP patients has allowed better choice of surgery between ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) against an ileal-rectal anastomosis (IRA). In LS, our review has noted a highly heterogenous mutational spectrum and novel variants made up 46.7% (28/60) of all variants identified in this cohort. This may suggest that our Southeast Asian ethnic groups have distinct mutational variants from Western populations. Pathogenic mutations were only confined to MLH1 and MSH2, and identified in 28.8% of families.

CONCLUSIONThe impact of predictive gene testing for hereditary cancer risk in clinical practice has allowed evolution of care. Risk-reducing surgery and aggressive surveillance allows reduction in morbidity and mortality of patients. The SPR will continue to grow and improve outcomes in hereditary colorectal cancer patients and families.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; ethnology ; genetics ; surgery ; Disease Management ; Female ; Genetic Testing ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; MutL Protein Homolog 1 ; MutS Homolog 2 Protein ; genetics ; Mutation ; Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary ; classification ; diagnosis ; ethnology ; genetics ; surgery ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Registries ; statistics & numerical data ; Singapore ; epidemiology

Acute Disease ; Adenovirus Infections, Human ; Child ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Typing ; Respiratory Tract Infections