Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; isolation & purification ; Paraffin Embedding ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; microbiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEJianyate Hao (JYTH) , a traditional Chinese medicine formula, which has been used effectively to treat depression in the past ten years. The purpose of this study was to explore the antidepressant effect of acute administration with JYTH and its possible mechanism.

METHODthe animals behavioral despair models of depression, the tail suspension and forced swimming tests, were used to explore the antidepressant effects of JYTH. In addition, the locomotor activity test was used to detect the change of locomotor activity. The monoamine oxidase activity in the mouse brain was also determined by using fluorospectrophotometry.

RESULTJYTH (17.5, 35, 70 g x kg(-1), ig) could decrease the duration of immobility in both tail suspension and forced swimming tests, and the effect of JYTH (35 g x kg(-1) ig) was resembling imipramine (10 mg x kg(-1), ip) in relieving depression. And the effective doses (17.5, 35, 70 g x kg(-1), ig) did not alter locomotion activity. Moreover, JYTH (35 g x kg(-1), ig) was found to inhibit monoamine oxidase activity in the mouse brain.

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that JYTH exerts antidepressant effect in animals behavioral despair tests and the underlying mechamism may involve the inhibition monoamine oxidase activity in the mouse brain.

Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Depression ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Monoamine Oxidase ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the clinical significance of CT angiography(CTA)in the diagnosis of arterioportal shunts(APS)associated with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods One hundred and twenty-seven consecutive HCC patients accepted both dynamic enhancement CT and DSA examinations.The interval between CT and DSA exam was from 3 to 15 days.Based on transverse CT images in hepatic artery phase,CTA was performed for all the patients.By contrast with DSA results,the capabilities of transverse CT and transverse images combined with CTA in APS diagnosis were analyzed. Results In all 127 HCC cases,52 cases with APS were confirmed by DSA(40.94%),33 with central type of APS and 19 with peripheral type.Diagnostic sensitivity of APS based on transverse CT and combined CTA with transverse CT images were both 94.23%(49/52).However,specificity was 84.00%(63/75) and 97.33%(73/75),respectively,accuracy was 88.19%(112/127)and 96.06%(122/127),the predictive value of positive cases was 80.33%(49/61)and 96.08%(49/51),and the predictive value of negative cases was 95.45%(63/66)and 96.05%(73/76).Combined with CTA,false positive cases of 4 central type of APS and 6 peripheral type of APS were excluded which were demonstrated by transverse CT images.By contrast with DSA,the coincidence rate of the type of APS diagnosed by transverse images combined with CTA was 88.46%(46/52),including 90.91%(30/33)of central type of APS and 84.21%(16/19)of peripheral type.The supplying arteries of central type of APS were intuitively displayed by CTA in 23 cases,19 from proper hepatic artery and 4 from gastro-duodenal artery.Conclusion CTA techniques based on the dynamic enhancement CT exams could effectively promote the specificity and the accuracy of APS diagnosis.

Objective To understand the prevailing status of coal-burning endemic fluorosis in Henan, and to provide scientific grounds for endemic fluorosis prevention. Methods Undertook general surveillance on factors such as coal using, living habit, main foods, the structure of the houses and the fluoride content in drinking-water among 1832 historical coal-burning endemic fluorosis villages within 13 counties in 2006 and 2007, and conducted focal point sampling survey on 216 villages which still using local high-fluoride. For all children aged 8-12 years of each village, conducted dental fluorosis examination and collected 30 immediate urinary samples for fluoride content determination. Results The fluoride content in drinking-water of all historical fluorosis villages was below 1.0 mg/L. Households having individual kitchens accounted for 93.7%(241 281/257 393), those with stoves having smoke evacuation devices accounted for 41.9% (107 917/257 393), those using local high-fluoride coal for cooking accounted for 28.6%(73 686/257 393), those using local high-fluoride coal for heating accounted for 24.1%(61 924/257 393). Villages with serf-supply of main foods accounted for 95.7%(1753/1832) of all fluorosis villages. Solar drying food was used in all households. Villages with dental fluorosis detection rate for children aged 8 to 12 years above 30.0% accounted for 16.2%(35/216), which axe all in Luoyang City. Among 77.8%(168/216) of fluorosis villages, children' s urinary fluoride concentrations were no higher than 1.50 mg/L. Conclusions Coal-burning endemic fluorosis areas in Henan Province were decreased greatly and the extent of the health hazard was becoming slightly. The detection rate of dental fluorosis for children aged 8 to 12 years of 8 counties had reached the standard for fluorosis control, whereas the other 5 counties had not yet, all located in Luoyang City.

Human Zona Pellucida(ZP), which is a complex matrix surrounding oocytes,is comprised of three immunologically distinct glycoproteins(hZP1, hZP2 and hZP3). Because hZP3 possesses the sperm receptor activity and the acrosome-inducing activity, it has long been used as a candidate antigen to develop an immunocontraceptive vaccine. However, a large amount of native hZP3 protein is unavailable. It is an effective way to express hZP3 protein directly in vitro. Nevertheless, it had been reported that the rhZP3 protein produced in Pichia pastoris was not secreted but accumulated in the cells and could only be purified after being solubilized by strong denaturants. More unfortunately, after purification the final product required 6mol/L urea to maintain solubility. An improved project was advanced with the aim to express secreted and soluble rhZP3 protein in yeast. In this study, the fragment of hZP3 cDNA coding for aa 23 - 408, which the N-terminal leader was removed and most of the C-terminal transmembrane-like domain was reserved, was amplified by two PCR primers including EcoR I and Not I sites respectively and a His6 codon cassette was added to 5'-terminal. The hZP3 insert was incorporated into expression vector pPIC9K. The resulting recombinant yeast expression vector was designated pPIC9K-rhZP3. Linearized pPIC9K-rhZP3 was transformed into Pichia pastoris. After G418 selection, the recombinant Pichia pastoris strains were identified by PCR and the rhZP3 was expressed following the manufacturer' s protocol. Following induction with methanol, the rhZP3 protein was secreted and dissolved into the culture supernatant. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analyses showed that the apparent molecular weight of the expressed rhPZ3 proteins in yeast was smaller and a little size heterogeneity than native ones; after purified with Ni-chelating affinity chromatography, the final product's apparent molecular weight was about 32 - 34KD and their yield more than 20mg/L. We supposed that the C-terminal transmembrane-like domain be useful for secretion of rhZP3 into the culture supernatant and the expressed rhZP3 protein be incompletely digested by proteinases of Pichia into shorter fragments which all were glycosylated inhomogeneously. Fortunately, the fragments of rhZP3 protein can be recognized in Western blot by the polyclonal antibodies to porcine ZP3 which has showed a cross-reactivity with human ZP in vitro. It will be expected that the rhZP3 protein expressed in Pichia pastoris not only has immunogencity, say, it can rise antibodies in vivo to prevent spermatozoa-ovum binding, but also does not contain ovarian factors that might be the cause of undesired side effects, e.g. ovaritis and can be used as a safe immunogen in human antifertility vaccine research.
Blotting, Western ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Egg Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins

Sparganosis mansoni is a kind of parasitic infective disease, rarely seen in clinic. A case of sparganosis mansoni is reported in this article. The patient was a 25-year-old male, who came to Xiangya Hospital on September 26, 2007 because of a mass in the left cheek. A white tape-like body was found during the operation and recognized to be a live parasite. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay of the serum revealed positivity against Spirometra mansoni. The final identification proved that the white tape-like body was Sparganum mansoni. The disease of this patient was caused by eating raw flesh of frogs infected with the Sparganum mansoni.
Adult ; Animals ; Cheek ; Humans ; Male ; Sparganosis ; Sparganum

To investigated Shui nationality folk medicine's awareness to orthopedics & traumatology, the history of orthopedics & traumatology treatment, Shui nationality folk doctors' practicing medicine, heritage, diagnosis and treatment methods and tools, etc, through investigated drug resources category and distribution characteristics of Shui nationality medicine to orthopedics & traumatology treatment, explored and finished Shui nationality medicine orthopedics & traumatology treatment theoretical system. After more than 5 years' exploration and finishing, preliminarily formed the theoretical system framework and medicine application characteristics of Shui nationality medicine treating orthopedics & traumatology. Shui nationality medicine treatment orthopedics & traumatology has distinctive national style, and worthy to further exploration and research.
Bone Diseases ; ethnology ; history ; therapy ; China ; ethnology ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; history ; methods ; Religion and Medicine ; Traumatology ; history ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between heat shock protein 72 (Hsp72) and DNA genetic damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of coke oven workers and the role of Hsp72 in protection of cells from genetic damage induced by coke oven emissions.

METHODSTwo hundred and sixty-seven coke oven workers and thirty controls without occupational PAHs exposure were investigated. Benzo[a]pyrene concentrations in the ambient air individually collected were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Western Blot was used to measure Hsp72 levels and Comet assay was used to evaluate DNA damage degree. Personal information was collected by questionnaire.

RESULTSThe Hsp72 level (G+/-S(G)) and olive comet tail moment (G+/-S(G) of peripheral blood lymphocytes in high-exposure workers (1.24 +/- 0.42 and 4.49 +/- 1.24) were significantly higher than those in low-exposure workers (1.01 +/- 0.35 and 2.99 +/- 1.10, P < 0.05) and control (0.85 +/- 0.34 and 2.40 +/- 1.00, P < 0.05) respectively. The Hsp72 median level of all subjects was used as the limit to divide subjects into high Hsp72 level group and low Hsp72 level group. The rate with high Hsp72 level was 36.7%, 43.1% and 58.3% in control, low exposure and high exposure workers respectively and had a rising tendency following exposure level (P = 0.003). In high Hsp72 level group Hsp72 level in high exposure workers was significantly higher than that in control (P < 0.05), and there was a rising tendency along with the increase of exposed levels. But the olive comet tail moment had no significant difference among three exposed groups (P > 0.05). In low Hsp72 level group there no difference among three exposed groups about Hsp72 levels. The olive comet tail moment in high exposure workers was significantly higher than that in low exposure workers and control (P < 0.01) and high exposure workers in Hsp72 positive group and there was a rising tendency along with the increase of exposed levels. Hsp72 levels had strong negative correlation with the olive comet tail moment (r = -0.503, P < 0.01) in high exposure workers.

CONCLUSIONThe coke oven emissions can induce hsp72 expression. Hsp72 play a role of protecting cells from DNA damage induced by coke oven emissions.

Adult ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; adverse effects ; Coke ; DNA Damage ; HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins ; blood ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

Precisely locating tumors always proves to be difficult. To find a molecule that can specifically bind to tumor cells is the key. Recently, chlorotoxin (CTX) has been proved to be able to bind to many kinds of tumor cells. The CTX receptor on the cell surface has been demonstrated to be matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Many researchers have combined CTX with other molecules, including 131I, Cy5.5, iron oxide nanoparticles coated by polyethylene glycol (NP-PEG), and so on, and thus synthesized various types of probes that can be detected by gamma-camera, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With these methods, the binding degree of CTX could be assessed. These studies demonstrated that CTX has a highly specific binding ability, high stability, and security. CTX could also inhibit or kill the tumor cells. A nonviral nanovector has been developed for gene therapy. As a result, it gradually develops into a new method of diagnosis and targeted therapy of tumors. This article reviews the current progress on CTX including the origin, chemical construction, the mechanism of binding with tumor cells, and the application to tumor imaging diagnosis and therapy.
Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; therapy ; Carbocyanines ; metabolism ; Chloride Channels ; drug effects ; Diagnostic Imaging ; methods ; Ferric Compounds ; metabolism ; Genetic Therapy ; Glioma ; diagnosis ; genetics ; therapy ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Scorpion Venoms ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; enzymology ; Male ; Pancreatic Elastase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar