The types of synapses and some morphological features of the synaptic submicroscopic structures of rat hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (HVM) have been described in this study. A total of 1 005 synapses is observed. The percentage of axo-dendritic synapse is 96.6%. It covers the majority of the total number of synapses. The percentage of axo-somatic synapse is 2.8% and axo-axonic synapse is 0.5% of the total number of the synapses. The crest synapse which is never reported in the HVM was found to be 0.1%. Its postsynaptic elements come from clubbed finger-like dendritic crest which is characterized by prominent postsynaptic membrane thickening and subsynaptic dense bodies. Two presynaptic terminals contact the wall of the crest process side by side and contain spheric vesicles. In the axo-dendritic and axo-somatic synapses, the parallel synapse (including synaptic complex), the tangent-like synapse and serial-like synapse have been observed.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM: To study the autophagy of prostate cancer PC-3 cells induced by CD147 in vitro.ME-THODS:Themethod of amino acid starvation to induce autophagy was used.The expression of CD147 was detected by Western blotting.To study the functional effects of CD147 on autophagy in prostate cancer PC-3 cells, the down-regulation of CD147 expression was induced by the technique of RNAi.The conversion of autophagic marker protein LC3-I to LC3-II was determined by Western blotting.The cell death after starvation-induced autophagy was analyzed by trypan blue exclu-sion assay.RESULTS:The CD147 expression gradually increased in starvation-induced autophagy.The down-regulation of CD147 significantly increased the expression of autophagy-related protein LC3-II compared with control group.Mean-while, the cell death rates increased from (19.3 ±3.1)%and (22.3 ±3.5)%in control groups to (38.4 ±3.1)%in si-lencing the expression of CD147 in the PC-3 cells (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:CD147 inhibits starvation-induced auto-phgy and autophagy death in the prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

Objective To investigate the long-term prognosis an d recorery of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis(JRA).Methods The cases diagnosed JRA in our hospital over the period of 1988～1992 we re followed up for the conditions of disease,the deteriorated joints,the treatme nt and the living conditions of patients.Results Ninty-six ca ses were followed up(involving male 66 cases,female 29 cases,the mean age of on set 8.21?3.17 years )except for a case who died of lymphoma.There were 44 cases with systemic JRA ,2 cases of them died after 7-years onset and 23 cases developed severe destructive arthritis.There were 38 oligoarthritis cases,27 cases of them stiu had active disease during 10-year following-up and 9 cases were diagnosed sacroiliitis.There were 13 polyarthritis and 3 cases of them were RF positive, who had developed severe destructive arthritis.Conclusions The prognosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is not desirable,especially in systemic JRA,whose prognostic factors are related to age of onset,the lasting of fever,the markers of phlegmasia activity and the condition of systemic involvement and treatment.Oligoarthritis about 30 % may develop into ankylosing spondylitis.The probability of destructive arthritis is hi gher in polyarthritis with more RF positive and poor prognosis.

The 1.23 kb DNA fragment encoding the early protein EP0 of pseudorabies virus (PRV) Ea strain was amplified by PCR technique and cloned into pBluescriptII sk+.Three sequencing plasmids containing the partial fragment of the EP0 gene were constructed and the sequences were obtained by Sanger's sequencing technique. Compared with PRV InFh strain, there were multipile site-mutations and a deleted-mutation in the EP0 gene of PRV strain Ea，and the diversity of amino acid residues also existed.Then, the EP0 gene was inserted into an expression vector, pET-28a, fused into the downstream of the 6ΧHis-Tag in frame, to yield the expression plasmid pETEP0. After induction by IPTG, a high expression of fusion protein was obtained, SDS-PAGE analysis and Western blotting showed that the fusion protein was 62kD and the protein was specific to antisera against PRV Ea strain. This indicated that the EP0 gene be expressed in BL21(DE3) and the expression products have immuno-genicity.

Objective To detect the characteristics of benign infantile seizures.Methods Fifty seven cases of benign infantile seizures were analyzed.Results All patients had a normal development before and after the onset of the seizures.The age of onset was from 1.5-30 months.The main manifestations included tonic clonic seizure,staring and motion arrest,64.9 % occurred in clusters.A family history of epilepsy or febrile seizures was present in 6 cases.Interictel electroen cephalograms were normal.The seizures were easily ceased after taking phenobarbital,carbamazepine or valproate.Antiepileptic drugs(AEDs)were discontinued in 51 patients.The mean ages of seizure stopping were 12.8 months and mean seizure′s durations were 4.1 months.Conclusion The benign infantile seizures can be easily controlled with a single AEDs for short time with favorable prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of 6 h 99mTc-diethyl iminodiacetic acid (99mTc-EHIDA) planar hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS),6 h tomographic HBS and 24 h planar HBS in diagnosis on biliary atresia(BA).Methods Seventy cases(32 male,38 female) with continuous jaundice received planar and tomographic HBS in Beijing Friendship Hospital from Jan.2005 to Dec.2007.The mean age was 48.7 d (29 d-4 months).According to final diagnosis,all cases were divided into BA group (45 cases) and non-BA group (25 cases).All cases fasted at least 4 hours before HBS.The equipment was 3 head IRIX from Philips company with low energy high resolution collimator.The tracer was 99mTc-EHIDA and the radiochemistry purity was more than 95 percent.The dosage was 7.4 MBq/kg.All diagnosis demonstrated by operation pathology and clinical follow-up.All cases received HBS at 5,10,15,20,30 min and 1,6 h after tracer injection.HBS would ended if radioactivity appeared in gallbladder or intestine.These cases would received tomographic HBS and 24 h HBS if radioactivity did not appear in gallbladder or intestine at 6 h post injection.All these images were analyzed by 2 or more nuclear medicine physicians.Results There were not radioactivity appearing in gallbladder and intestine on planar and tomographic HBS of 27 cases,which suggested the BA.There were radioactivity appearing in gallbladder and intestine on planar and tomographic HBS of 30 cases,which suggested the non-BA.Positive rate of 6 h tomographic HBS was significantly higher than that of 6 h planar HBS and there was significantly difference between the 2 methods.Positive rate of 6 h tomographic HBS was significantly higher than that of 24 h planar HBS and there was significant difference between the 2 methods.Conclusions 99mTc-EHIDA HBS is a noninvasive,safety,valuable examing method and has definitely clinical value in the diagnosis on BA.The clinical value of 6 h tomographic HBS is significantly higher than that of 6 h planar HBS and 24 h planar HBS.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical and laboratory features and the prognosis of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

METHODData of 39 cases of JDM complicated with ILD hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2005 to December 2011 were collected. The clinical features, laboratory data and prognosis of these children were analyzed.

RESULTOf the 39 cases studied, 16 were boys, and 23 girls. The average age of onset was 5.6 years, and 61.5% of the patients' age of onset (24 cases) was under 6 years. Rashes (17 cases, 43.6%), simultaneous eruption of rashes and muscle weakness (14 cases, 35.9%), fever (4 cases, 10.1%), or muscle weakness (3 cases, 7.7%) were common initial symptoms of the disease. Only 51.3% of the patients (20 cases) had the symptoms of respiratory system, but (24 cases) 61.5% were complicated with that of the gastrointestinal system; (27 cases) 69.2% had at the same time electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities. The chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed cord or band-like shadows in their lungs of more than half of the cases (25 cases, 64.1%), and other changes included ground glass-like shadow (10 cases, 25.6%), net and lineation-like shadow (9 cases, 23.1%), nodular change (5 cases, 12.8%). The patients complicated with lung essential infiltration accounted for as high as 71.8% (28 cases). These imaging changes were largely seen on both dorsal sides of their lungs. Severe patients also had mediastinal emphysema, pneumothorax, pneumorrhagia or aerodermectasia. Twenty-four patients underwent pulmonary function examination, and 62.5% of the patients' pulmonary function (15 cases) was abnormal. The fatality rate of the cases studied was 10.1%.

CONCLUSIONThe imaging changes of patients suffering from JDM with ILD were often more severe as compared to the clinical symptoms, and were often complicated with damages to other systems and organs. The prognosis of those patients was poorer than others. Patients with JDM especially at a younger age of onset and with various organ damages should be examined with chest HRCT examinations as early as possible.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatomyositis ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Male ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Muscle Weakness ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Prognosis ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To investigate the attitudes of urban and rural community members toward total banning on smoking in public places and to explore the factors associated with these attitudes, in three counties/cities in China. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in three counties/cities in 2004, including Xin' an county of Henan province, Anyi county of Jiangxi province, and Mianzhu city of Sichuan province. A total of 5642 residents at age of 18-69 years old were interviewed face-to-face with a uniform questionnaire by locally-trained interviewers, through a random three-stage stratified sampling in each county. Factors were assumed to be associated with attitudes, using chi-square test in univariate analysis and non-conditional logistic regression model in multivariate analysis. Results The prevalence of current smoking among respondents was 44.3%. 80.7% (1379/1709) of the current smokers reported smoking often or sometimes in public places. Only 9.6% (479/4983) of the respondents reported that their indoor workplaces had totally banned on smoking. 43.5% of the respondents supported a total smoking ban strategy in pubic venues. The results of multivariate logistic regression model showed that eight factors were significantly associated with support for the total smoking ban in public places included region, residency, age, gender, education, smoking status, awareness about passive smoking hazards, and hearing of any message on tobacco control through media differences of rates regarding the factors as: residents in urban to rural areas (OR=1.29), elderly to youngsters (30-49 vs. 18-29, OR=1.46; 50-69 vs. 18-29, OR=1.71), female to male(OR=1.27), high-educated to less-educated ones, quitters to current smokers (OR=1.90), nonsmokers to current smokers (OR=2.01). Those who know messages on health hazards of passive smoking (OR=2.26), or heard of message on tobacco control through media (OR= 1.43). Conclusion Results from our study revealed that a thorough smoke-flee policy in public places should be developed and implemented in these three counties/cities.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by myofibroblast foci in lung parenchyma.Myofibroblasts are thought to originate from epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).Wnt1 and lithium chloride (LiCl) induce EMT in alveolar epithelial cells (AECs),but the mechanisms are unclear.AECs were treated with Wnt1 and LiCl,respectively;morphological change and molecular changes of EMT,including E-cadherin,fibronectin,and vimentin,were observed.SB203580 was administrated to test the role of p38 MAPK signaling in EMT.Then AECs were treated with siRNAs targeting p38 MAPK to further test the effects of p38 MAPK,and the role was further confirmed by re-expression of p38 MAPK.At last β-catenin siRNA was used to test the role of β-catenin in the EMT process and relationship of β-catenin and p38 MAPK was concluded.Exposure of AECs to Wnt1 and LiCl resulted in upregulation of vimentin and fibronectin with subsequent downregulation of E-cadherin.Wnt1 and LiCl stimulated the p38 MAPK signaling pathways.Perturbing the p38 MAPK pathway either by SB203580 or through p38 MAPK siRNA blocked EMT and inhibited fibronetin synthesis,which were reversed by transfection of p38 MAPK expression plasmid.β-catenin siRNA attenuated the EMT process and decreased p38 MAPK phosphorylation,indicating that β-catenin is involved in the EMT-related changes through regulation of p38 MAPK phosphorylation.These findings suggest that p38 MAPK participates in the pathogenesis of EMT through Wnt pathway and that p38 MAPK may be a novel target for IPF therapy.

Aflatoxins, found in contaminated food, are potent hepatocarcinogen. The aflatoxin-detoxiczyme (ADTZ) isolated from the edible fungus Armillariella sp., detoxifies aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). This paper reports on the characterization of immobilized ADTZ using a hydrophobic adsorption method. The ADTZ was isolated from cryo-homogenated fungus, previously cultivated at 24 - 28 degrees C for 20 - 30 days, using n-alkyl amino-agar beads. Various adsorption conditions of the enzyme to n-alkyl or n-octyl amino-agar beads were carried out. The effects of enzyme immobilization on different alkyl amino-agar beads, at different pH values (5.5 - 7.5), at different temperature (20 - 40 degrees C) and at different salt concentrations were investigated. The enzyme activity was measured at OD360 by reacting 133.3 ng/mL of AFB1 at 30 degrees C for 30 min with the immobilized ADTZ. The Km value of the immobilized enzyme, determined using Schematic Linewearver-Burk plot, is 3.308 x 10(-3) mol/L, lower than that of free enzyme, which is 2.16 x 10(-6) mol/L. This indicated the affinity of the detoxiczyme to AFB1 decreased after immobilization. The immobilized enzyme activity in oil-phase (n-hexane) was also studied with different concentration of water. After the treatment of the immobilized ADTZ, the toxin no longer causes liver toxicity in the rat toxicity test, no longer causes mutagenicity in Ames test and is no longer toxic in the chicken embryo test. Results also indicated that the pH stability, the thermostability and the freezing stability of ADTZ were improved after the immobilization.
Absorption ; Aflatoxin B1 ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Animals ; Chickens ; Enzyme Stability ; Enzymes, Immobilized ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Multienzyme Complexes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Rats ; Temperature ; Toxicity Tests