OBJECTIVETo follow up the cohort of a certain factory and analyze the death cause of the employees.

METHODSA dynamic cohort was adopted and the study population consisted of all workers stayed at the factory for more than 1 year. The cohort data was mainly from the personnel ministry in the factory,the death data provided by the personnel ministry,the labour union and the hospital. All cause of death of the all employee and the death condition of radiation group and no-radiation group were analyzed and compared.

RESULTSThe mortality of the workers in the factory was significantly lower than national population, the SMR of all cause of death in all employee, radiation group and no-radiation group were 0.41 (95% CI: 0.37-0.45), 0.24, 0.75 respectively; all cancer death in the three group was 0.59, 0.40 and 0.92. But the death order was different in radiation group and no-radiation group,the order of liver cancer was list first in radiation group, which was unlike that of the nation order and the no-radiation order.

CONCLUSIONThere have no excess death in the factory, but the order of liver cancer is precedence.

Cause of Death ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced ; mortality ; Nuclear Reactors ; Occupational Exposure ; Power Plants ; Prospective Studies ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) on levels of neuropeptide Y1-36 and calcitonin gene-related peptide immune reactive substances (ir-NPY, ir-CGRP) in blood plasma and pons-oblongata after hypoxia-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) in neonatal rats.

METHODSSeven-day old rats were randomized into HIBI group (A), HIBI + SM group (B) and sham operation group(C). And each group was subdivided into 4 subgroups according to the different time after operation. 0.5 ml SM was injected intraperitoneally immediately and every 12 hrs afterwards. Changes of ir-NPY and ir-CGRP levels in plasma and pons-oblongata were observed immediately and 12, 24 and 48 hrs after HIBI by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSPlasma levels of ir-NPY and ir-CGRP in different times after HIBI were all significantly raised but those in pons-oblongata were either raised or lowered to a certain degree. Part of the elevated ir-NPY could be reversed by SM injection.

CONCLUSIONCentral and peripheral neuropeptide Y1-36 and calcitonin gene-related peptide take part in the pathophysiological process of HIBI, SM could partially reverse the abnormal post-HIBI elevation of ir-NPY, which may be one of the pathways of SM in promoting recovery of damaged brain function.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain Ischemia ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Male ; Neuropeptide Y ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo establish the diagnosis evidence of objective tongue inspection for liver cancer (LC) patients with damp-heat syndrome (DHS) by dynamically observing their tongue figures using modern tongue image analytic apparatus, and to explore the effect of intervention on the tongue figures.

METHODSTongue figures were collected from 142 LC patients with DHS by tongue image analytic apparatus. Red (R), green (G) and blue (B) values were analyzed. The r and g values were calculated requesting r=R/(R+G+B), g=G/(R+G+B), and b=1-r-g, and scored in combination with Chinese medical symptoms scale. The tongue figure and correlated scores were collected from 59 of them 3 days after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization intervention.

RESULTSThe range of objective tongue inspection of LC patients with DHS was as follows: as for tongue fur, 0.360

CONCLUSIONThe range of objective tongue inspection of LC patients with DHS could be known by collecting and analyzing objective indicator of tongue figures, thus laying foundation for further studies with analysis of correlation between intervention and Chinese medicine based on tongue figures.

Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Observation ; Syndrome ; Tongue ; pathology

OBJECTIVEX-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is the most common inherited disorder of peroxisomal metabolism which is characterized by demyelination of central nervous system, impaired adrenal cortex and abnormal accumulation of very long chain fatty acids in body fluid and tissues. In this study, the clinical features and the genotype-phenotype relationship were investigated so as to help early diagnosis.

METHODSClinical data of 89 Chinese patients with X-ALD were analyzed and mutation spectrums in 53 of the patients were investigated by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSOf the 89 cases, 60 (67.4%) had childhood cerebral ALD (CCALD, mean age of onset was 6.5 years, range 2 - 10 years), 18 (20.2%) had adolescent cerebral ALD (ACALD, mean age of onset 12.1 years, range 11 - 19 years), 7 (7.9%) had adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN, mean age of onset 23 years, range 6 - 39.5 years), and two cases were asymptomatic and another 2 had simple Addison's disease only. CCALD was the most common and severe phenotype, visual impairment was the most common initial symptom in CCALD and ACALD patients. Twenty four cases (63%) in whom hydrocortisone and ACTH were measured showed adrenal insufficiency. Forty five different mutations were identified in 53 patients. Missense mutations were the most common. No hotspot mutation was found in these patients and 1415delAG, the most frequent mutation found worldwide seemed not to be the real "hotspot" in these Chinese patients. The same phenotype may be due to diverse genomic mutations. A single mutation may result in different phenotypes even within a family.

CONCLUSIONThe phenotype distribution, initial symptom and gene mutation spectrum of Chinese patients may not be completely consistent with those in other countries. The clinical phenotype of the disease had no definite relationship with the nature of gene mutations.

Adolescent ; Adrenoleukodystrophy ; genetics ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation, Missense ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate prognostic factors in patients with stage IB-IIA of cervical carcinoma treated by surgery.

METHODSBetween December 1992 and December 2001, 111 patients with stage IB-IIA cervical cancer surgically treated were analyzed. Median age 40 years. According to 1994 FIGO Staging System: IB 80 (IB1 40, IB2 40) and IIA 31. There were 93 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (83.5%), 17 cases of adenocarcinoma (15.3%) and one case of small cell carcinoma. All patients were treated by radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy, 74 patients had preoperative adjuvant radiotherapy, 24 patients had postoperative adjuvant treatment. Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the survival, the related prognostic factors were assessed by Cox regression and chi(2) test.

RESULTSThe overall 5-year survival rate was 85.9%, being 89.1%, 90.7% and 78.4% for stage IB1, IB2 and IIA, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that tumor size (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.479, P = 0.152), tumor type (HR = 1.440, P = 0.264), clinical stage (HR = 1.380, P = 0.354), adjuvant treatment (HR = 1.210, P = 0.450), lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.432, P = 0.540), endocervical involvement (HR = 2.244, P = 0.036), depth of myometrial invasion (HR = 3.295, P = 0.06) and multiple sexual partners during pregnancy (HR = 10.172, P = 0.000) were of prognostic significance. The latter two were the most important factors indicative of poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONThe depth of myometrial invasion and multi-partners combined with pregnancy are closely related to the prognosis while the pre- and/or postoperative adjuvant therapy should be considered for stage IB-IIA cervical cancer with deep myometrial invasion and in pregnant patients with multiple sexual partners.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Burden ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVEX-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is the most common peroxisomal disorder characterized by progressive demyelination of the central nervous system, adrenal cortex insufficiency and accumulation of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in tissues and body fluids due to the impaired beta-oxidation in peroxisomes. X-ALD shows a wide range of phenotypic variation. Childhood cerebral form (CCER) is the most common phenotype with severe neurological symptoms and often the average interval from onset to total disability or death is 3 years. So far no effective treatment is available for the underlying defect. Screening for carriers of mutated relevant gene and prenatal diagnosis are very important for the prevention of the disease. In this study, the authors explored the method of carrier screening and prenatal diagnosis of X-ALD.

METHODSThe plasma VLCFAs levels of 83 suspected carriers for ALD were determined by using GC/MS and ABCD1 gene mutational analysis was performed in 31 of them. Amniocentesis was performed in 9 suspected carriers for ALD during 18 - 30 gestational weeks. The VLCFAs level of cultured amniocytes was tested with GC/MS. ABCD1 gene mutational analysis was performed on two cases (one was a male and the other a female) whose VLCFAs levels of amniocytes were found elevated. The plasma VLCFAs levels were measured in five of the nine prenatally diagnosed children when they were 1 day to 3.5 years old.

RESULTSFifty-one of 83 suspected carriers had high plasma VLCFAs levels; 29 of 31 suspected carriers showed ABCD1 gene mutation. Among the nine fetuses, four were males and five were females. The VLCFAs levels of the cultured amniocytes were high in two cases, one was female and the other a male. ABCD1 gene mutational analysis of these two cases showed a 871G > A (E291K) mutation and a 726G > A (W242X) mutation, respectively, which confirmed the biochemical result. The VLCFAs levels were normal in the rest of cases and five of them were confirmed by postnatal plasma VLCFAs assay.

CONCLUSIONThe carrier screening and prenatal diagnosis are very important for prevention of the X-ALD. Only the combined use of plasma VLCFAs level analysis and ABCD1 gene mutational analysis could detect X-ALD carriers correctly. ABCD1 gene mutational analysis and postnatal plasma VLCFAs level test verified that amniocytes VLCFAs level analysis is a reliable prenatal diagnostic method for this disease.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family D, Member 1 ; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; genetics ; Adrenoleukodystrophy ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Adult ; Fatty Acids ; analysis ; Female ; Genetic Carrier Screening ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Mutation ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the mRNA expression levels of p53-mediating DNA damage and repair genes in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of workers and their exposures to benzene in their working environment.

METHODSThe mRNA expression levels of p53 and related genes were determined by SYBR Green I chimeric fluorescence quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes of 72 workers, who were classified into group A (46 direct exposure to benzene) and group B (26 indirect exposure to benzene) based on their positions, and 29 controls. The differences of gene expression levels were analyzed by software REST 2005. Meanwhile, the peripheral blood leukocytes, hemoglobin and platelet of workers and controls were counted. Benzene content was measured in the samples of toluene, used as raw material, and spraying agents and benzene, toluene and xylene concentrations in the air of workplaces were monitored.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the mRNA expression levels of p53, Ku80, Ape1 and Mdm-2 between group A or group B and control group (P > 0.05). The expression up-regulation of p21 mRNA was found, but without significant difference (P > 0.05). However, the mRNA expression levels of Rad51, Bcl-2, Bax, Xpa and Xpc in group A and Rad51 in group B were downregulated significantly (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, both the counts of white blood cell, hemoglobin and platelet in group A were (4.93 +/- 1.27) x 10(9)/L, (123.97 +/- 11.80) g/L and (124.02 +/- 41.22) x 10(9)/L respectively and platelet in group B (135.80 +/- 39.44) x 10(9)/L were significantly lower than in control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe mRNA expression levels of some p53-mediating DNA damage and repair genes are downregulated in the workers chronically exposed to low benzene concentration. The working environment impacts on health of group A workers are greater than the ones of group B.

Adult ; Benzene ; adverse effects ; DNA Damage ; DNA Repair ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

A number of mechanical cell stimulators have been used to study the effect of mechanical stimulation on cells in vitro. But the efficiency of these devices is not fully desirable. We recently developed a new device for mechanical cell stimulation, the centrifugal force stretcher, and compared its efficacy with that of the traditional Flexercell Strain Unit. When the mechanical stretcher circumrotates with certain speed, cardiac myocytes attached on the plate are stretched and elongated by centrifugal force. Neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were isolated by enzymatic dissociation from the hearts of 3~5 d old Sprague Dawley rats, and were mechanically stimulated by traditional 20% stretch and 180 r/min centrifugal force for 12 and 24 h. The effects of mechanical stimulation on the hypertrophic response of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes and production of angiotensin II (Ang II) were examined. Compared with the non-stretch group, the radioactivity of (3)H-leucine incorporated into the stretch-stimulated cardiac myocytes in the centrifugal force stretch group was significantly higher [(1295.17+/-51.19) vs (1122.67+/-51.63) in 12 h; (1447.5+/-35.96) vs (1210.67+/-90.92) in 24 h, P<0.05]. Ang II was also dramatically increased by 128% in 12 h (P<0.05) and 139% in 24 h (P<0.01). After the myocytes was stretched for 24 h, the LDH level in the medium in the Flexercell Strain Unit group was significantly higher than that in the centrifugal force group [(14.5+/-8.7) U/L vs (7.8+/-4.3) U/L, P<0.05]. The centrifugal force stretcher is a new and improved mechanical cell stimulator with the same effects on the protein synthesis and Ang II secretion of the cardiac myocytes, and the damage to the cells bronght by this stimulator is relatively slighter in comparison with the Flexercell Strain Unit.
Angiotensin II ; secretion ; Animals ; Cell Biology ; instrumentation ; Cells, Cultured ; Centrifugation ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; metabolism ; Protein Biosynthesis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tensile Strength

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value of CT/HRCT for the coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) with large opacities.

METHODSSixty-two patients with CWP were examined with both chest radiograph and CT/HRCT scan. Comparison was done.

RESULTSLarge opacities were found in 19 patients in the chest radiograph of 62 patients with CWP. The detection rate was 30.6%. Thirty large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Forty-three patients with large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 69.4%. One hundred and twenty-three large opacities were found using CT/HRCT. Ninety-three more large opacities were found by CT/HRCT than by chest radiograph. The total detection rate of large opacities by CT was 4.1 times than by chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 18.58, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT found all patients with large opacities detected in the chest radiograph. Seventeen patients with Stage III large opacities (>or= 1.0 cm x 2.0 cm) were found by the chest radiograph. The detection rate was 27.4% (17/62). Twenty-seven large opacities were found using chest radiograph. Thirty-four patients with Stage III large opacities were found using the CT/HRCT. The detection rate was 54.8%. The found Stage III large opacities added up to 67. The found Stage III large opacities by CT/HRCT were 40 more than using chest radiograph. Both differences were statistically significant (chi2 = 9.63, P < 0.01). CT/HRCT was reliable to show the morphology, the inside structure, the tiny lesion and the special location of the large opacities of CWP. It could provide more important information for differential diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONCT/HRCT is significantly better than the chest radiograph in the diagnosis of complicated CWP. It can find the large opacities that the chest radiograph can not. It has a great diagnostic and practical value as an assistant examination method. CT/HRCT could be considered as the reference and evidence for staging progression in diagnosis of pneumoconiosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anthracosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

AIMTo assess the possible role of genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair gene XRCC1 (X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1) during spermatogenesis by investigating the associations of one promoter polymorphism (T-77C) and two exonic polymorphisms (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) in XRCC1 gene with risk of idiopathic azoospermia in a Chinese population.

METHODSThe genotype and allele frequencies of three observed polymorphisms were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism based on a Chinese population consisting of 171 idiopathic azoospermia subjects and 247 normal-spermatogenesis controls.

RESULTSIn our study, all the observed genotype frequencies were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The 399A (GA+AA) allele frequency for idiopathic azoospermia subjects and controls was 0.216 and 0.269, respectively. Compared with GG genotype, the AA genotype of Arg399Gln showed a significant association with a decreased risk of idiopathic azoospermia (odds ratio = 0.315; 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.86). However, no significant differences were found between the cases and controls for T-77C and Arg194Trp polymorphisms. The major haplotypes of XRCC1 gene were TCG, TTG and TCA, whereas no haplotypes appeared to be significantly associated with idiopathic azoospermia based on the cutoff of P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONIn a selected Chinese population, AA genotype of Arg399Gln appears to contribute to a decreased risk of idiopathic azoospermia, while we have not any evidence of involvement of XRCC1 T-77C and Arg194Trp polymorphisms in idiopathic azoospermia.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Azoospermia ; ethnology ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; genetics ; Risk Factors ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1