Objective To study the relativity between serum vascular endothelial growth factor(sVEGF),its receptors(sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2) and uterine myoma. Methods Thirty hospitalized patients with uterine myoma were chosen as the study group and the other healthy women of the same age as control group.The levels of sVEGF,sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 of the two groups were determined by using ELISA technology. Results The levels of sVEGF and sVEGFR2 in the study group were much higher than in the control group(P0.05).The levels of sVEGF and sVEGFR2 in women with myoma had no differences during the menstrual cycle.The level of sVEGFR2 was correlated with the number of myoma(P

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of two slot size brackets on torque control when teeth interacted in the same arch.

METHODSAfter the upper arch was aligned and leveled in Typodont study, the inclinations of upper teeth 5 +/- 5 were measured when 0.457 2 mm x 0.635 0 mm OPA-K brackets and 0.558 8 mmx0.711 2 mm OPA-K brackets were filled with 0.431 8 mm x 0.635 0 mm stainless steel wire. This experiment was duplicated 10 times. The inclin of each tooth were transformed to the absolute values of the torque play angle psi by computing program, and paired-t test was used.

RESULTSThe two kinds of slot size brackets were different with statistical significance on torque control. When the brackets were filled with 0.431 8 mm x 0.635 0 mm stainless steel wire, the absolute values of the angle psi in 0.558 8 mm x 0.711 2 mm and 0.457 2 mm x 0.635 0 mm slot size brackets were 6.140 degrees +/- 3.758 degrees and 2.608 degrees +/- 1.479 degrees respectively, and the average difference of that between the two slot size brackets was 3.532 degrees. The absolute values of the angle psi in the upper left and right canine brackets were 2.560 degrees +/- 2.605 degrees, 4.230 degrees +/- 2.817 degrees, 1.260 degrees +/- 0.747 degrees and 2.070 degrees +/- 0.663 degrees respectively, and average differences between them were smaller than that in the other teeth.

CONCLUSIONThere was difference between the two kinds of slot size brackets on torque control, and 0.457 2 mm x 0.635 0 mm slot size bracket controls torque better when filled with the same size wire. In this study, the teeth interaction in the same arch probably caused the result that the difference of two slot size brackets on torque control was less than the study results of the theory calculations and material studys before.

Humans ; Orthodontic Appliance Design ; Orthodontic Brackets ; Stainless Steel ; Tooth ; Torque

BACKGROUNDNontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) had been reported to cause cutaneous infections which are difficult to interpret due to the variability of the clinical manifestations. Among NTM infections, Mycobacterium marinum (M. marinum) are mostly seen to cause skin infection. It is therefore important to establish a rapid approach for detection and identification of M. marinum from lesions of patients with suspected M. marinum infections.

METHODSSpecimens were obtained from 5 patients with swimming pool granuloma. DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed. PCR products were digested with Hae III and BstE II, then analysed by pattern restriction analysis to detect heat shock protein (hsp) 65 kD gene.

RESULTSThe 65 kD hsp gene was found in all specimens from patients with swimming pool granuloma. PCR restriction analysis (PRA) identified all 5 samples to be M. marinum infections, and the result was consistent with that of routine bacteriological identification. The lesions subsided or markedly improved upon treatment.

CONCLUSIONSPRA is a sensitive, specific and rapid method in identification of mycobacteria. Application of this method will be helpful for early diagnosis of mycobacterial skin infections.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; Chaperonin 60 ; Chaperonins ; genetics ; Female ; Granuloma ; microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mycobacterium marinum ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Skin Diseases, Bacterial ; diagnosis ; Staining and Labeling ; Swimming Pools

OBJECTIVEFamilial left ventricular noncompaction(LVNC) is quite rare. We screened for the presence of LVNC and related clinical characteristics in a 5-generation Chinese family.

METHODSComprehensive medical history was obtained from 40 members in a 5-generation Chinese family. Systemic clinical investigations including echocardiography (UCG), routine and ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG), X-rays were performed in 33 family members. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance image (MRI) was carried out in 2 family members.

RESULTSSudden cardiac death (including 1 occurred while following-up) was reported in 7 family members (17.5%, 7/40). LVNC was diagnosed in 10 out of the 33 family members (30.3%) and heart enlargement was evidenced in 3, heart failure in 2, complete left branch conductive block in 3, serious sick sinus syndrome (SSS) treated with permanent pacemaker implantation in 1 and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia treated with radiofrequency ablation procedure in 1 out of these 10 LVNC patients. Primary pedigree analysis revealed that offspring from female patients were at the highest risk to be affected by LVNC (15/18, 83.3%) while LVNC was absent in offspring of male LVNC patients (0/8). Moreover, clinical heart failure symptoms and arrhythmias were more severe in female LVNC patients than in male LVNC patients.

CONCLUSIONPrimary familial investigation reveals the matrilineal inheritance of familial LVNC in this 5-generation Chinese family, further investigations are warranted to explore the potential mutations in the mitochondrial genome responsible for LVNC in this family.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cardiomyopathies ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Young Adult

Animals ; Brain Tissue Transplantation ; Cells, Cultured ; Immunohistochemistry ; Parkinson Disease ; therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schwann Cells ; transplantation ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study clinical features, treatment and curative effects in children with acute clenbuterol poisoning, in order to provide a basis for early diagnosis and treatment.

METHODSClinical data of 28 hospitalized children with acute clenbuterol poisoning in April 2011 were retrospectively studied.

RESULTSOf the 28 patients, there were 15 males and 13 females, aged 1 to 13 years (mean age 6.5±4.8 years). Vomiting, palpitations and limb shaking were found as main clinical manifestations in the patients. Main changes of blood biochemical included hypokalemia, lactic acidosis, hyperglycemia, hypsocreatinkinase. Snus tachycardia and S-T segment depression were observed on ECG. Patients' symptoms were gradually alleviated after 12-78 hours by use of beta blockers, potassium supplement, protecting the heart and other symptomatic and supportive treatment. Blood biochemical indexes were improved after 48 hours of admission. All of the patients were cured after 5 days. The symptoms of the patients do not longer occur during a follow up of half a month.

CONCLUSIONSAcute clenbuterol poisoning is characterized by vomiting, palpitations, limb shaking, hypokalemia, lactic acidosis and tachycardia in children. An early effective treatment of this disease can improve prognosis in children.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adrenergic beta-Agonists ; poisoning ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clenbuterol ; poisoning ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the proliferation of human oral epithelial cancer cell line KB cells and the molecular mechanisms.

METHODKB cells were treated with various concentrations of EGCG for 24 or 48 h. MTT assay was used to test the cell viability. The changes of cell cycle in KB cells treated with EGCG for 48 h were analyzed using flow cytometry. The expressions of cyclin A, cyclin D1 and cyclin E were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTThe viability of KB cells treated with various concentrations of EGCG (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 micromol/L) for 48 h were decreased to (85.4-/+2.4)%, (80.4-/+2.8)%, (51.5-/+4.5)%, (30.2-/+1.9)%, (25.3-/+1.5)%, (20.0-/+1.1)%, respectively, showing significant difference from that of the control group [(100.0-/+2.2)%, P<0.05). EGCG decreased the viabilities of KB cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry demonstrated that treatment with EGCG significantly increased the cell percentage in sub-G1 phase, which was (73.5-/+4.4)% after a 48-h EGCG treatment, significantly different from that in the control group [(47.3-/+3.5)%, P<0.05). EGCG-induced G1 phase arrest was correlated to the down-regulation of cyclin A and cyclin E.

CONCLUSIONEGCG inhibits the proliferation of KB cells by inducing G1 phase arrest, which involves the downregulation of cyclin E.

Catechin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclin E ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; drug effects ; Humans ; KB Cells ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism underlying the effect of combined use of cyclonpamine and hydroxycamptothecin in inducing the apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (OSCC) HSQ-89.

METHODSCCK8 assay was used to investigate the inhibitory effect of cyclopamine on HSQ-89 cells. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed to examine the cell apoptosis following combined treatment with cyclonpamine and hydroxycamptothecin. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to detect the mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, and Bid in HSQ-89 cells after the treatments.

RESULTSCombined treatment with cyclonpamine and hydroxycamptothecin significantly inhibited the cell proliferation compared with hydroxycamptothecin treatment alone, also resulting in a significantly higher apoptosis rate of the cells (P<0.05). The mRNA level of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased after the treatments, especially after the combined treatment. Cyclopamine produced no significant effect on the mRNA levels of Bcl-xl and Bid in the cells.

CONCLUSIONThe combined use of cyclopamine and hydroxycamptothecin significantly down-regulates the expression on of bcl-2 to induce the apoptosis of human OSCC cell line HSQ-89.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Synergism ; Humans ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Veratrum Alkaloids ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDThe rapid transmission and high mortality rate made severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) a global threat for which no efficacious therapy is available now. Without sufficient knowledge about the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), it is impossible to define the candidate for the anti-SARS targets. The putative non-structural protein 2 (nsp2) (3CL(pro), following the nomenclature by Gao et al, also known as nsp5 in Snidjer et al) of SARS-CoV plays an important role in viral transcription and replication, and is an attractive target for anti-SARS drug development, so we carried on this study to have an insight into putative polymerase nsp2 of SARS-CoV Guangdong (GD) strain.

METHODSThe SARS-CoV strain was isolated from a SARS patient in Guangdong, China, and cultured in Vero E6 cells. The nsp2 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo (pCI-neo/nsp2). Then the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo/nsp2 was transfected into COS-7 cells using lipofectin reagent to express the nsp2 protein. The expressive protein of SARS-CoV nsp2 was analyzed by 7% sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The nucleotide sequence and protein sequence of GD nsp2 were compared with that of other SARS-CoV strains by nucleotide-nucleotide basic local alignment search tool (BLASTN) and protein-protein basic local alignment search tool (BLASTP) to investigate its variance trend during the transmission. The secondary structure of GD strain and that of other strains were predicted by Garnier-Osguthorpe-Robson (GOR) Secondary Structure Prediction. Three-dimensional-PSSM Protein Fold Recognition (Threading) Server was employed to construct the three-dimensional model of the nsp2 protein.

RESULTSThe putative polymerase nsp2 gene of GD strain was amplified by RT-PCR. The eukaryotic expression vector (pCI-neo/nsp2) was constructed and expressed the protein in COS-7 cells successfully. The result of sequencing and sequence comparison with other SARS-CoV strains showed that nsp2 gene was relatively conservative during the transmission and total five base sites mutated in about 100 strains investigated, three of which in the early and middle phases caused synonymous mutation, and another two base sites variation in the late phase resulted in the amino acid substitutions and secondary structure changes. The three-dimensional structure of the nsp2 protein was successfully constructed.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that polymerase nsp2 is relatively stable during the phase of epidemic. The amino acid and secondary structure change may be important for viral infection. The fact that majority of single nucleotide variations (SNVs) are predicted to cause synonymous, as well as the result of low mutation rate of nsp2 gene in the epidemic variations, indicates that the nsp2 is conservative and could be a target for anti-SARS drugs. The three-dimensional structure result indicates that the nsp2 protein of GD strain is high homologous with 3CL(pro) of SARS-CoV urbani strain, 3CL(pro) of transmissible gastroenteritis virus and 3CL(pro) of human coronavirus 229E strain, which further suggests that nsp2 protein of GD strain possesses the activity of 3CL(pro).

Animals ; COS Cells ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; biosynthesis ; chemistry ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Models, Molecular ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; SARS Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; drug therapy ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo perform variation and phylogenetics analysis on the SARS-CoV genome sequence (PUMC01) isolated in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

METHODSThe cDNA library of SARS-CoV (PUMC01 isolate) was constructed by means of random-priming strategy. Random selected plasmid was sequenced and the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-PUMC01 was assembled by conventional methods (The Genebank Accession No. of SARS-CoV-PUMC01 is AY350750). The variation and phylogenetics analysis were performed by comparing the PUMC01 sequence with other SARS-CoV isolates.

RESULTSTen variation sites were found by comparing PUMC01 isolate with Tor2 and Urbani isolates. In phylogenetic analysis of 18 SARS-CoV isolates, two classes were observed and there is different differential time between these two classes and the different isolates in each class.

CONCLUSIONSThe evidence of phylogenetic analysis of different SARS-CoV isolates from different region is instructive for understanding the clinical relations between the different isolates and the transmission chain of SARS-CoV.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; China ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Genome, Viral ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; SARS Virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viral Proteins ; genetics