The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has greatly changed the pattern and natural history of ocular diseases of HIV-infected patients, resulting from the immune recovery and reduction of opportunistic infections. However, ophthalmic complica-tion continues to be concern in AIDS even in the HAART era, especially in developing areas, where absolute majority of HIV-positive patients live. Lack of test facilities and experience, poor conditions of hygiene, different microbiological environment, absence of effective treatment etc., characterize the ophthalmic manifestation of HIV-infected patients in developing countries from that in developed regions and thus pose a great challenge to the ophthalmic treatment in developing area. Not only varied from region to region, ocular complications are distinctive between adults and children. At the same time, the side effects due to the application of HAART pose their own risks of ocular complication and should, therefore, be given more research attention.

OBJECTIVETo explore factors affecting occupational adaptability in nurses for offering basis to increase their occupational adaptability.

METHODSFive hundred and forty-five nurses were investigated with work ability index questionnaire and occupational stress instruments.

RESULTSThere were many risk factors affecting occupational adaptability in nurses. The main variables that influenced occupational adaptability included work-overtime, mental load, social support, physical environment, and job hazards. The social support was the factor increasing the occupational adaptability of the nurses (P < 0.01, OR = 0.912). Five factors including work overtime, mental load, social support, physical environment and job hazards were introduced in the Logistic equation. The established functions were: Logit (P) = -11.357 + 1.011x(1) + 0.335x(2) - 0.076x(3) + 0.260x(4) + 0.129x(5).

CONCLUSIONThere are many risk factors affecting occupational adaptability in nurses. Relevant measures should be taken to promote the occupational adaptability in nurses to reduce the risk factors.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Nurses ; psychology ; Occupational Health ; Risk Factors ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workload ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic potential of previously published enterovirus (EV) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay in detection of EV in CSF samples from children with a diagnosis of aseptic meningitis and to investigate the clinical characteristics of the patients seen in Shandong.

METHODSEV RNA was detected in 187 CSF samples and serum and/or urine samples of a part of patients by RT-PCR and viral culture technique.

RESULTSRT-PCR was positive in all 62 CSF specimens which were positive by cell culture (100%). In addition, 93 of 125 (74.4%) CSF samples negative by cell culture were RT-PCR positive. In 4 of these 93 (4.3%) patients, viral culture of specimens from other sites (serum or urine) was also positive. The sensitivity of CSF RT-PCR based on clinical diagnosis in patients with meningitis of negative bacterial culture results was 82.9% (155/187), which was considerably higher than the sensitivity of CSF virus culture 33.2% (62/187). The results of RT-PCR can be reported within 4 hours, whereas the viral culture of CSF requires 4.6 days for a cytopathic effect to develop. EV meningitis occurred in a sporadic form and in some areas there were outbreaks. The clinical characteristics of 155 patients with EV meningitis were different in different age groups.

CONCLUSIONEV was one of the most common causes of aseptic meningitis in Shandong area. The RT-PCR assay was rapid, sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of EV meningitis and may be a potential tests to shorten hospital stay and reduce the use of antibiotics.

Central Nervous System Infections ; blood ; diagnosis ; urine ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Enterovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Enterovirus Infections ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; Female ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the expression of connexin (Cx) and the function of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in the carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis of gastric cancers.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Cx32 and Cx43 proteins in tissue samples. Indirect immunofluorescence assay was used to investigate the expression of Cx32 and Cx43 proteins in several gastric cancer lines of various differentiation grades. The expression of Cx43 in samples of gastric cancer tissue, adjacent normal tissue and in the gastric cancer cell lines of various differentiation grades was detected by Western blot. Scrape-loading dye transfer (SLDT) technique was used to detect the function of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in the various cell lines.

RESULTSIn the normal gastric mucosa the expression rates of both Cx32 and Cx43 were 100%. In gastric cancers, the expression rates of Cx32 andCx43 were 49.5% (55/111) and 39.6% (44/111), respectively. There was a significant difference between their expression in normal and cancer tissues (P < 0.05). Age of the patients was not significantly correlated with the expression level of Cx32 and Cx43 (P > 0.05). Cx43 expression was significantly associated with the TMN stage, histological type, depth of infiltration and distant metastasis (P < 0.05), but Cx32 expression was not significantly correlated with depth of infiltration ( P > 0.05). In the cancer cell lines, a positive expression of Cx32 and Cx43 was detected in transfected human stomach mucosal cell line (CES-1) and human well differentiated stomach cancer cell line (N87), but negative in the poorly differentiated stomach cancer cell line (BGC-823) at all. Both Cx32 and Cx43 expression rates were 100% in the cell line GES-1. Cx32 expression rate was 49.0% and Cx43 expression rate was 55.0% in the cell line N87. But in the poorly differentiated cancer cell line BGC-823 both Cx32 and Cx43 expression was negative. GJIC function detection showed: GES-1 showed well GIJC function but no GIJC function in the cell lines N87 and BGC-823. The intensity of fluorescence was gradually decreasing from GES-1 cells to N87 cells and almost no fluorescence in BGC-823 cells. Western blotting showed that Cx43 expression in normal tissue was higher than that in gastric cancer tissue, and in the cell lines GES-1, N87 and BGC-823, the bands seemed decreasing progressively. There was very low expression in BGC-823 cells.

CONCLUSIONThe decreasing expression of connexin Cx32 and Cx43 is obviously correlated with the occurrence, development and metastatic potential of stomach cancers.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Cell Communication ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Connexins ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Gap Junctions ; physiology ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of cyclosporine and simulect mono or combination therapy on cardiac allo-transplantation in rats. METHODS: Recipients with allografts were treated with different doses of cyclosporine and/or simulect after cardiac allo-transplantation. Graft survival time was observed; the histopathological examination of graft tissues was performed; and levels of serum IL-2 and IL-4 were determined. RESULTS: Mono or combination therapy with cyclosporine and/or simulect increased the survival of cardiac allografts. With the prolongation of survival time of the grafts, the rejection of grafts was moderated. The serum IL-2 level increased in acute rejected grafts; the serum IL-4 level increased evidently in long survival grafts. CONCLUSION Cyclosporine and simulect have an effect in the prolongation of cardiac allograft survival in rats, and the combination therapy shows an evident synergistic effect.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Basiliximab ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclosporine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; immunology ; Heart Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of allo heart and thymus transplantation by intrathymic inoculation of thymocytes. METHODS: Wistar recipients were given intrathymic injection of allo thymocytes (2 x 10(7)) 14 days before the heart and/or thymus transplantation. Graft survival, histopathology, levels and mRNA expressions of IL-2, IL-4 in serum and cardiac-grafts were investigated. RESULTS: Heart transplantation and heart-thymus composite transplantation with the treatment of CysA for 7 or 14 days prolonged graft survival. Heart transplantation and heart-thymus composite transplantation with intrathymic thymocytes injection induced the long-term survival of allo-grafts transiently immunosuppressed with CysA; IL-4 maintained at high levels but IL-2 kept at low levels in grafts in long-term survivals. CONCLUSION Intrathymic inoculation of allo thymoctyes can induce immune tolerance for both cardiac transplantation and heart-thymus combined transplantation in rats. Thymus graft may play a role in the induction and maintenance of central tolerance.
Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; prevention & control ; Graft Survival ; Heart Transplantation ; Immune Tolerance ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; transplantation

Objective To study the dosimetry of different arrangements of 125I seeds in one plane.Methods Nine different in-plane arrangements of 9 125I seeds (2.035 × 107 Bq/seed) were simulated according to distance (cm) along x (horizontal)- and y( longitudinal )-axis using the 3-dimensional treatment planning system (TPS) (3D-TPS): x0.5, y0. 5; x0. 5, y1.0; x0. 5, y1.5; x1.0, y1.0; x1.0, y1.5;x1.5, y1.5; x0. 5, y0. 5 (2)1.0; x0.5, y1.0 (2)0.5; x1.0, y1.0 (2)0.5. The isodose curves of 40,80, 130, 145 and 200 Gy were created and the area, radius and medical cost under the 40, 80, 130, 145and 200 Gy isodose curves were calculated. Results The area, radius and medical cost under the same isodose curves were significantly different with each 125I seed arrangement. The arrangements which had the biggest area under curves of 40, 80, 130, 145 and 200 Gy isodose were x1. 5, y1. 5; x1. 0, y1. 0; x1. 0,y1. 0; x0. 5, y1. 0 and x0. 5, y1. 0, respectively. Conclusion The matched peripheral dose and therapeutic effect were affected significantly by the geometric arrangement of 125I seeds.

BACKGROUNDSoutheast China is one of the sites of influenza origin. During 2003--2004, nine avian influenza outbreaks took place in Guangdong Province. But no human case was reported. To examine the status of potential human infection by human influenza (H1N1, H3N2) and avian influenza (H5N1, H7N7, H9N2) in the avian influenza epidemic area of Guangdong Province, China, we conducted a seroepidemiologic survey in the people of this area from April to June of 2004.

METHODSThree out of 9 H5N1 avian influenza affected poultry areas in Guangdong were randomly selected, and the population living within 3 kilometers of the affected poultries were chosen as the survey subjects. One thousand two hundred and fourteen people were selected from 3 villages at random. Human and avian influenza antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and microneutralization test (MNT).

RESULTSThe positive rate of antibody to H5N1 was 3.03% in the occupational exposure group and 2.34% in general citizens group; that of H9N2 was 9.52% in the occupational exposure group and 3.76% in the general citizens group. Moreover one case in the occupational exposure group was positive for H7N7. One year later, all previously positive cases had become negative except for one H5N1-positive case.

CONCLUSIONThe observations imply that H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza silent infections exist in Guangdong populations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Chickens ; China ; epidemiology ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Neutralization Tests ; Occupational Exposure

BACKGROUNDCurrently available evidence suggests that outcomes are less favorable when left main (LM) bifurcation lesions are treated with 2-stent techniques compared with a single-stent technique. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of the 2-stent techniques for treating unprotected LM bifurcation lesions in Chinese patients.

METHODSWe enrolled 301 consecutive patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation using 2-stent techniques for unprotected LM bifurcation lesions (MEDINA 1, 1, 1, 70.5%). The 2-stent techniques included crush technique, V stenting, T stenting, and Culottes stenting. After stenting, both vessels were redilated at a high pressure before final kissing balloon (FKB). Clinical and angiographic data were analyzed. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which included death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization.

RESULTSImmediate procedural success was obtained in all cases with a FKB success rate of 95.3%. Follow-up data were available for all patients. The overall incidence of angiographic in-stent restenosis (ISR) rate was 20.3% and most ISRs were of the focal type. During long-term follow-up (mean duration, (54 ± 22) months), the cumulative incidence of MACE was 11.0%, with 8 (2.7%) deaths, 7 (2.3%) myocardial infarctions, and 18 (6.0%) repeated lesion revascularization. MACEs in high SYNTAX score terciles were significantly higher compared with those in low and intermediate SYNTAX score terciles (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSAlthough percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with 2-stent technique for unprotected LM bifurcation lesions was accompanied with a slightly high incidence of ISR, the long-term clinical follow-up is acceptable. Technical modifications and stent innovations may further improve both the angiographic and clinical outcomes for patients with LM bifurcation disease treated by PCI.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coronary Artery Disease ; mortality ; therapy ; Coronary Restenosis ; epidemiology ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; adverse effects ; methods ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

The use of animal medicine has a long history in China, it has the characteristics of high curative effect,strong activity, wide application and great potential. However,the circulation of animal medicine in current market mixed counterfeit variety and complex. Molecular identification technology of DNA barcoding is an emerging molecular biotechnology in recent years, it is a powerful supplement to traditional identification methods. This method can well identify animal species at the molecular level and has high accuracy, it can identify animal medicines quickly and monitor the medicine market effectively. This article summarizes the research process of molecular identification of DNA barcoding, the application of DNA barcoding in medicinal animals identification in recent years, and the limitations of DNA barcoding technology.
Animals ; China ; DNA ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Research