Objective: To explore the changes of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α), glucose transporter protein-1(GLUT-1), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in hypoxic human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. Methods: The human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were cultured in normoxic and CoCl2-induced hypoxic conditions respectively. MTT assay was used to test the effect of hypoxia on the proliferation of lung cancer cells, and Transwell assay to determine the invasive capacity of hypoxic cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of HIF-1α, GLUT-1 and MMP-2 under hypoxia. The protein levels of HIF-1α, GLUT-1, and MMP-2 were measured with immunohistochemical staining and western blot at different time points after hypoxia. Results: The proliferative and invasive capabilities of lung cancer cells increased under hypoxia condition. HIF-1α, GLUT-1, and MMP-2 were expressed at certain levels in A549 cells under normoxic condition. After hypoxia exposure, the mRNA and protein expression of the three proteins increased in a time-dependent manner. The difference was significant between hypoxia group and normal control group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Hypoxia induced by CoCl2 up-regulates the expression of HIF-1α, GLUT-1 and MMP-2 in lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and stimulates the proliferation and metastasis of lung cancer cells, thus further promotes their tolerance to hypo-xia.

Objective To analyze the therapeutic outcomes and adverse effects of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (hd-IVIg) in the treatment of some severe skin diseases (toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug hypersensitivity syndrome, connective tissue disease, autoimmune bullous disease, acute graft-versus-host disease). Methods Twenty-five cases of severe skin diseases were treated with hd-IVIg (0.4 g/kg/day for a course of 5 days). Results The therapeutic outcomes were different from each other. Of all the cases, 21 improved, especially those of acute onset of toxic epidermal necrolysis and drug hypersensitivity syndrome; 1 adult dermatomyositis and 2 elder bullous pemphigoid were not relieved. A patient with acute graft-versus-host disease died. Three patients presented with minor adverse effects (headache and blood pressure rising). Conclusions hd-IVIg is effective and safe in the treatment of some severe skin diseases. More importantly, it has a substantial effect on shortening disease course and decreasing the dosage of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants as well as on preventing infections.

Objective To study the nursing points of using the methotrexate to cure the psoriasis vulgaris. Methods Analyzed the nursing courses and the clinical datum about 126 patients with psoriasis vulgaris.Results The clinical effects of using the methotrexate to cure the psoriasis vulgaris was satisfactory and safety. The nursing points included psychological nursing for patients, clinical observation during the course of using methotrexate and the self-protection ofnurses.Conclusion Proper nursing and careful using methotrexate can obtain famous curative effect.

Objective To study the ability of standard strain and clinical isolates of Ureaplasma spp. to form biofilms in vitro and to compare the antibiotic susceptibility of sessile cells and their planktonic counterparts. Methods A total of 21 Ureaplasma wealyticum(Uu) isolates recovered from female patients diagnosed with cervicitis and Uu serovar 3 and Uu serovar 8( Uu3, Uu8) were included. Scanning electron microscope and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to identify biofilm formation. Conventional antibiotic susceptibility tests and biofilm susceptibility assays for tetracycline, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin were carried out. The paired rank sum test and was applied to analyze the statistical differences between the MIC and the minimal biofilm inhibitory concentration. The x2 test was applied to analyze the statistical differences of global resistance percentages between planktonic cells and sessile cells. Results Uu3, Uu8 and 21 Uu isolates all can form biofilms in vitro. Minimal inhibitory concentration of sessile cells compared with planktonic cells were obviously higher for tetracycline, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin (P <0.001). Global resistance percentages between planktonic cells and sessile cells were different for erythromycin (9.52% vs 61.90% , P < 0. 001), ciprofloxacin ( 80. 95% vs 100% , P = 0. 035 ) and tetracycline (4. 76% vs 14.29% , P =0.293). Conclusion Uu isolates and Uu1, Uu8 all can form biofilms in vitro, and biofilm formation can strengthen resistance of Uu to antibiotics, even multidrug resistance was observed.

Objective To study the resistance mechanism of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) to erythromycin.Methods The susceptibility of 73 clinical isolates of Uu to erythromycin was evaluated by using broth dilution techniques. PCR and DNA sequencing were carried out to screen hot spot mutations at the variable region of 23S ribosomal RNA in erythromycin-resistant strains of Uu. Moreover, erythromycin resistance methylase genes (ermA, ermB, ermC) and efflux pump genes (mefA/E, msrA/B, mreA) were screened by using PCR with specific primers. Results There were 35 (47.95%) resistant Uu strains out of the 73 isolates, and the minimal inhibitory concentration varied from 8 to 32 mg/L among these resistant strains. The ermB gene was detected in 19 (54.29%) resistant strains, and msrA/B gene in 9 (25.71%) resistant strains. Two resistant strains harbored both ermB gene and msrA/B gene. No mutation at 23S ribosomal RNA or amplification of resistance-associated genes was noted in sensitive or reference strains of Uu. Conclusion The ermB and msrA/B genes may be responsible for the erythromycin resistance of Uu.

OBJECTIVETo study the in-vitro inducing apoptosis mechanism of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells by 2',4'-di- hydroxy-6'-methoxy-3',5'-dimethylchalcone (DMC), a chalcone compound from Cleistocalyx operculatus.

METHODQuantitative DNA fragmentation assay was carried out to detect the effect of DMC of different concentrations on SMMC-7721 cells, according to the method of Sellins and Cohen with some modifications. Telomerase activities of the cells were determined by PCR-ELISA methods. The expression quantity of c-myc and hTERT mRNA were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR The effect of DMC on expression levels of cmyc and hTERT protein were measured by western blot.

RESULTThe percentage of DNA fragmentation increased with notable concen- tration dependence, after treatment with DMC for 48 h. Compared with that of control group, the telomerase activity of the cells de- creased by (66.2 ± 2.1)% after 48 h treatment with 20 μmol x L(-1) DMC, the mRNA expression of c-myc and hTERT decreased by (67.3 ± 2.1)% and (64.4 ± 2.3)%, respectively, and the protein expression of c-myc and hTERT decreased by (69.6 ± 1.9)% and (71.3 ± 2.4)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONDMC can induce SMMC-7721 cell apoptosis and the apoptosis mechanism may be related to the decreased mRNA and protein expression of c-myc and hTERT.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chalcones ; pharmacology ; DNA Fragmentation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Syzygium ; chemistry ; Telomerase ; genetics ; metabolism

Teeth are the hardest organs in the human body. They are not easily affected by external physical and chemical factors to degrade or deform. Dental age assessment has been widely used in forensic practice. Dental image is one of the most common methods in the age estimation. The emergence of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology provides a new way to obtain three-dimensional image of teeth. It has many advantages such as low-dose radiation, short-time scanning, high-precision image, and finical convenience. Recent development of CBCT technology and its application on age estimation are reviewed in this paper.
Age Determination by Teeth/methods* ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography/trends* ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of chronic psychological stress on vascular endothelial dysfunction rats and to explore the intervention and mechanism of Tongxinluo (TXL) on it.

METHODSForty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (with no modeling), the endothelial dysfunction group (the HCY group), the psychological stress group (the model group), and TXL group, ten in each group. Rats in the latter three groups were fed with 3% high methionine diet to duplicate vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED) model. In addition, chronic psychological stress was applied in VED rats using repeated binding method. TXL at the dose of 1.2 g/kg body weight was given by gastrogavage. The plasma endothelin (ET) and angiotensin II (Ang II), serum cortisone (CORT) were detected by radioimmunoassay. The serum nitric oxide (NO) was detected by nitrate reductase. Ultrastructural changes of aortic endothelial cells were observed by transmission electron microscope. Serum levels of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSCompared with the plasma ET level and the serum NO level in the HCY group (161.70 +/- 13.96 pg/mL and 26.82 +/- 13.03 micromol/L), the plasma ET level obviously increased (178.25 +/- 21.85 pg/mL) (P < 0.05) and the serum NO level decreased (24.91 +/- 9.95 micromol/L, P > 0.05), levels of CORT, NE, and E obviously increased in the model group (all P < 0.05). Ultrastructural changes of aortic endothelial cells were obviously injured. Compared with the model group, the plasma ET level (154.74 +/- 13.27 pg/mL), Ang II, CORT, NE, and E obviously decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), the serum NO level obviously increased (34.44 +/- 18.35 micromol/L, P < 0.05). Ultrastructural changes of aortic endothelial cells were obviously improved.

CONCLUSIONSChronic psychological stress could obviously aggravate endothelial injury in VED rats. TXL showed protection on the vascular endothelial structure and function.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stress, Psychological ; drug therapy

Objective To investigate the variance of cost-effectiveness when treat acute myocardial infaretion of different severe extents with different pattern.Methods Acute myocardial infarction patients were selected from emergency eommand center of Guangzhou from October 2003 to December 2005.These patients wew assigned by the center to First-Class Hospitals at Grade 3 and First-class Hospital at Grade 2,and were followed up after 6 months after post-discharge.Cost in hospital and mortality in hospital were registered.The health of all patients were quantificated using SF-36.According to the assigned hospitals,the patients were divided into single infarction group and complex infarction group.Cost in hospital,mortality in hospital,short-term quality of life were compared between the them.Results Compared with and First-Class Hospital at Grade 2 (101 cases),the single infarction patients in First-Class Hospitals at Grade 3 had higber costs in hospital (P=0.016),better society function,affection role,mental health and health status (P

Objective To investigate the extracellular polysaccharide distribution and components of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) after biofilm having been developed in.Methods The standard serotype 3 and serotype 14 belong to biovar Parvo,and the standard serotype 4 and serotype 8 belong to biovar T960 were employed to form biofilrns in vitro.Scanning electron microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope were used to analysis the biofilms and extracellular polysaccharide.We used combination of two different labeled lectins,Canavalia ensiformis(FITC-ConA) and Erythrina cristagalli(ECA) which bind to specific polysaccharide residues to visualize extracellular polysaccharide in biofilms,and average uorescence intensity was evaluated Results All the strains can form the biofilmsin vitro.The biofilm was honeycomb-Like structures mainly,and extracellular polymeric substances accounts for majority of proportions.All the extracellular polysaccharide could be combined with FITC-ConA and ECA,and the total average fluorescence intensity of FITC-ConA was higher than ECA( P＜0.001 ).Conclusion Ureaplasma urealyticum biofilm is honeycomb-like structures mainly.The extracellular polysaccharide contains,galactose,and N-acetyl glucan residual,and the glucose,mannose residual are the main components.