Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Echinocandins ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Lipopeptides ; Mycoses ; drug therapy

Objective To observe the expression of STEAP4 gene(a novel obesity-related gene) during the period of human preadipocyte differentiation and to explore the relationship between the STEAP4 gene expression and adipocytes differentiation,adipogenesis.Methods Human preadipocytes were cultured and differentiated into the matured adipocytes in vitro.Adipocytes morphology and lipid accumulation were observed during this process.Total RNA was extracted from adipocytes at various time points (preadipocyte,Day 0,Day 4,Day 6,Day 8,Day 11,Day 14,and Day 17) and the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression was measured by fluorescent real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polyme-rase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The level of STEAP4 mRNA expression remained high in preadipocytes.In the presence of differentiation medium (Day 4),there was a transient upregulation in the expression of STEAP4 gene.After that,with the human preadipocytes being differentiated into matured adipocytes,the expression of STEAP4 mRNA was downregulated and reached the lowest level in fully differentiated adipocytes.There was a significant difference between any 2 detected phases in the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression (Pa

Objective:To identify the effect of ?-synuclein overexpression on mitochondrial membrane structure with atomic force microscopy. Methods:?-syn expression was mediated by AAV (adeno-associated viral vector) and Recombinant AAV/?-syn and AAV/LacZ viral particles were stereotaxically injected in the left side of rat substantia nigra (SN) for rat model of ?-synuclein overexpression. Mitochondria were isolated from rats SN of Brain. Mitochondria were analysis with JC-1 staining,atomic force microscopy and Western blot. Results:By 16 weeks post-infection of AAV-?-syn,the level of ?-syn increased about 2 times in mitochondrial fraction with Western blot and mitochondrial membrane potential (??) decreased with JC-1 staining. Furthermore,mitochondria swelling and porous like structure formed on the mitochondrial membrane with atomic force microscopy. Conclusion:The data suggested that ?-syn could accumulate in mitochondria,might form mitochondrial membrane pores and lead to ?? decreases. ?-syn might lead to mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.

Objective To observe the outcomes of intranasal endoscopic holmium laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy in the treatment of chronic dacryocystitis. Methods Forty-seven patients(47 eyes) with chronic dacryocystitis underwent intranasal endoscopic holmium laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy.The postoperative follow-up included lacrimal irrigation and intranasal endoscopic examination. Results The patients were followed up for 3 to 6 months.The cure rate was 87.2%,the improvement rate was 6.4%,and the total effective rate(cure rate+improvement rate) was 93.6%.Conclusion Intranasal endoscopic holmium laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy causes no scar in the face,less nasal tissue damage,shorter operation time and less hemorrhage,and does not affect the lacrimal irrigation system,which allows correction of intranasal causes of failure in traditional dacryocystorhinostomy.

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

Background Carotid stenosis is one of the important causes of ocular ischemic diseases,To study their relationship is helpful for us to classify and manage the ocular ischemic diseases.Objective This study was to investigate the correlation between ocular ischemic diseases and carotid stenosis.Methods Twenty patients with internal carotid artery stenosis rate more than 60％ defined by digital subtraction angiography(DSA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were selected,including 9 patients with lateral carotid artery stenosis and 11 patients with bilateral carotid artery stenosis.The best corrected visual acuity,intraocular pressure and fundus examinations were carried out,and the peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end diastolic velocity (EDV) of the central retinal artery(CRA) were detected with color doppler flowimaging (CDFI).The resistance index(RI) was calculated by the formula RI =PSV- EDV/PSV.The correlation between internal carotid artery stenosis rate and PSV or RI was evaluated by Spearman rank correlated analysis.Results The subjective inanifestations included transient amaurosis in 77.4％ frequency and visual blur in 22.6％ frequency in the 31 carotid artery stenosis.Twelve eyes(38.7％ ) appeared the ocular vascular abnormality.Other 2 patients were diagnosed as hypoperfusion retinopathy complicated by neovascular glaucoma.A negative relationship was found between internal carotid artery stenosis rate and PSV of CRA ( r =-0.41,R2 =0.168,P =0.021 ＜0.05 ),but no significant relationships was found between internal carotid artery stenosis rate and RI ( r =- 0.26,R2 =0.068,P =0.159 ).Conclusions Carotid artery stenosis can cause the of ocular ischemic symptoms.The characteristics of retinal hemodynamics is the type of low speed and normal resistance.

Background Inherited retinal degeneration,one of the major causes of blindness worldwide,comprises a large number of disorders characterized by a slow and progressive retinal degeneration.Interleukin-1 (IL-1)was recognized to be involved in inherited retinal degeneration.Whether IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) can arrest retinal degeneration is worthy of investigation.Objective This study was to investigate the effects of IL-1ra on photoreceptor apoptosis in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats.Methods The use of the animals complied with the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.The SPF RCS rats aged 9,15,16,25,30,35,40,50 and 60 postnatal days were collected,with 9 rats for each age group.Retinal sections were used for the TdT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) cell apoptosis assay.1 μl of IL-1ra (1.8 g/L) was intravitreally injected in the right eyes of 9 RCS rats aged 15 postnatal days and PBS was used in the same way in the fellow eyes.The injection procedure was repeated on the 20 th and 25 th day,respectively.The rats were sacrificed on the 30 th day and retinal sections were prepared for the TUNEL assay.The differences in the percentage of the positive cellular nuclei area among different ages of rats were compared by one-way ANOVA,and the differences in retinal layer thickness between IL-1ra injection group and PBS injection group were assessed by paired t test.Results Photoreceptor apoptosis appeared in 20-day-old RCS rats and progressed and peaked in 30 and 35-day-old rats and then reduced,showing a significant difference among rat of various age groups (F=28.020,P＜0.01).Images from TUNEL assay showed a weaker and less TUNEL staining in the IL-1ra injected eyes than the PBS injected eyes in 30-day-old rats.The total area and relative area of TUNEL positive nuclei were (223.052±153.092) μm2 and (2.206±1.531) ％ in the IL-1ra injected group,and those in PBS injected group were (1235.050±359.767) μm2 and (7.269± 1.624) ％,with a significant difference between them (t =4.370,t=3.250,P＜0.01).The cone and rod thickness was (15.324±9.035) μm in the IL-1ra injected group and (49.566±4.605)μm in the PBS injected group,showing a significant difference (t =22.674,P＜0.01).However,no significant difference was seen in the outer nuclear layer thickness between the two groups (t =0.268,P＞0.05).Conclusions IL-1 participates in the pathogenesis and development of inherited retinal degeneration of RCS rats.The use of IL-1ra might be a potential approach in the treatment of inherited retinal degeneration.

Objective To study the effect of antiapoptosis factors PED/PEA-15 and XIAP on prostate cancer cells(PC-3)apoptosis.Methods The expressions of XIAP and PED/PEA-15 in prostate cancer cells(PC-3)were respectively assayed using the RT-PCR technique.XIAP and PED/ PEA-15 specific siRNA vectors were designed and constructed and then were transiently cotransfected into PC-3 cells under induction of liposome.The effects of siRNA vectors on PED/PEA-15 and XIAP transcription were assayed by RT-PCR technique,and the effect of XIAP and PED/PEA-15 on cancer cell apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry and microscope observation.Results PED/PEA- 15 and XIAP were both highly expressed in PC-3 cells.Enzyme digestion analysis and DNA sequencing confirmed that the PED/PEA-15 and XIAP-specific siRNA expression vectors were constructed successfully.The designed siRNA sequences of PED/PEA-15 and XIAP could specifically inhibit their transcription.The PC-3 cells which were cotransfected with PED/PEA-15 and XIAP- specific siRNA vectors were more sensitive to doxorubicin.The apoptosis rate of cotransfected cells was significantly increased.Conclusions PED/PEA-15 and XIAP might be involved in the development of prostate cancer.

In order to construct an integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine, the authors and their cooperators have completed a lot of researches for identifying Chinese animal medicines using DNA barcoding technology. Sequences from GenBank have been analyzed simultaneously. Three different methods, BLAST, barcoding gap and Tree building, have been used to confirm the reliabilities of barcode records in the database. The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine has been constructed using three different parts: specimen, sequence and literature information. This database contained about 800 animal medicines and the adulterants and closely related species. Unknown specimens can be identified by pasting their sequence record into the window on the ID page of species identification system for traditional Chinese medicine (www. tcmbarcode. cn). The integrated DNA barcoding database for identifying Chinese animal medicine is significantly important for animal species identification, rare and endangered species conservation and sustainable utilization of animal resources.
Animals ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; Databases, Nucleic Acid ; Eukaryota ; classification ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time trends and age-related characteristics of mortality and disease burden for cardiocerebrovascular diseases (CVD) in Hunan, China during three periods (1973-1975, 1990-1992 and 2004-2005).

METHODSThe cardiocerebrovascular death data of Hunan residents were collected by three national retrospective sample surveys of death. Cause-specific mortality, proportion, years of potential life lost (YPLL) and associated indicators were identified in the population of Hunan in above mentioned three periods. Time trends of age-specific mortality rate were assessed by fitting curvilinear regression lines and the increase rates of mortality with age were analyzed in each period.

RESULTSThe standard all-cause mortality of residents in Hunan decreased (chi2 = 189.947, P < 0.001, chi2 = 54.201, P < 0.001; chi2 = 27,396.898, P < 0.001) while the standard mortality for CVD increased (chi2 = 54.201, P < 0.001; chi2 = 27,396.898, P < 0.001) from 1973 to 2005. The age-specific mortality rate for CVD increased with age in all three periods, especially for citizens older than 60 years. There were age stages in each period in which the mortality increase rate was the fastest (10-14 and 15-19 years old in 1973-1975; 10-14, 15-19 and over 80 years old in 1990-1992; 15-19 and over 80 years old in 2004-2005). Exponential regression function (y = b0e(b1x)) can be used for the proper description of age-specific mortality change. The ratio of YPLL for CVD in all death causes showed increase trend (chi2 = 275,630.407, P < 0.001). YPLL rate (YPLLs per 1000) in 1973-1975 was higher than those in 1990-1992 and 2004-2005. YPLL rate was positively correlated with mortality in all periods.

CONCLUSIONSThe mortality for CVD increased with time and aging. People older than 60 years were threatened by CVD mostly. Mortality trend analysis also found higher CVD deaths in people age 15-19 in Hunan residents.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Cause of Death ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Life Tables ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; trends ; Time Factors