Arsenic is one of the important metalloid elements, which is widely distributed in nature. Arsenic can cause many health hazards. However, the toxic mechanisms of arsenic have not yet been fully understood. In recent years, many studies have shown that epigenetic regulation and control mechanism is associated with arsenic toxicity. Histone modification is an important epigenetic regulation and control mechanism, changes in its patterns may be one of the mechanisms by which arsenic alters the gene expression. We reviewed the effects of arsenic on regulation of histone methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination.

Objective To evaluate the value of bispectral index(BIS)monitoring as an indicator for extubation sedation level after children's oper?ation by total intravenous anesthesia. Methods One hundred and eighty children(2?13 years old)were randomly divided into six groups with 30 cases in each. Group A kept BIS 56?60,and Group B 61?65,Group C 66?70,Group D 71?75,Group E 76?80,Group F 81?85 till extubation. All children were given fentanyl,propofol and cisatracurium besilate when induced,and maintained with propofol and remifentanil. All cases kept BIS 40?55 during the operation. Then the changes of electrocardiogram,mean arterial pressure,heart rate,SpO2,postoperative complications and recovery time were observed. Results Groups A and B were extubated at deep anesthesia,cycle stability,but with high incidence of adverse reactions and awaked with a long time. Groups E and F were extubated when awaked,but with greater stimulation and easier agitation. Groups C and D were lighter hemodynamic responses,less respiratory effects and less postoperative complications of anesthesia. Conclusion The BIS level of 66?75 is a good se?dation level for extubation,especially in the level of 71?75.

Objective On the basis of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ), to establish and appraise a new prognostic evaluation system for elder patients with respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation in order to predict hospital mortality in the respiratory intensive care unit. Methods Two hundred and thirty-eight senile patients with respiratory failure having had mechanical ventilation during their hospitalization were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: model group (n=138) and validation group (n=100). Data of model group were analyzed by monofactorial and multifactorial regression analysis to screen the risk factors. Risk factors were given numerical values according to different grades, and complementary scoring system was then established. APACHE Ⅱ system was combined with complementary scoring system with Logistic multiple regression to form SRFMV system, a special evaluation system for the senile patients with respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation. One hundred patients from validation group were evaluated by both SRFMV system and APACHE Ⅱ system, and the results were then compared to assess the validity and reliability of SRFMV system. Oxygenation index, positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP), tidal volume, phlegm quantity and character, and pulmonary auscultation were selected to serve as standard for complementary scoring system. Mortality equation was set up with logistic multiple regression analysis. Results The predication sensitivity and specificity evaluated by SRFMV system in validation group (0.878 and 0.821, respectively) outstripped that evaluated by APACHE Ⅱsystem (0.818 and 0.771, respectively); the area under ROC curve in SRFMV system and the X2 value in Lemesshow-Hosmer statistic (0.911 and 13.77, respectively) also outstripped that in APACHE Ⅱsystem (0.860 and 11.808, respectively). Conclusions SRFMV system is of better sensitivity and specificity, in which the prediction of mortality is closely consistent with the reality. SRFMV system can be applied to obtain valid predictions of relevant outcomes in senile patients with respiratory failure underwent mechanical ventilation.

Recently,to assess the reproductive effects of bisphenol A (BPA),the environmental estrogen,has become a focus of stusy. Investigations,to date,have focused on the effects on the reproductive system including the morphogenesis of tissues and organs,endocrine and the toxic mechanisms of action,particularly in males. Based on the study results concerning BPA’s impacts on male reproduction,the further study directions in this field were presented in this paper.

Objective To investigate the relationship between tumor metastasis-related Rac1 mRNA expression levels and gastric carcinomas metastasis, and to investigate the significance of Rac1 as a tumor marker for the evaluation of gastric carcinomas metastasis and distinguish between benign and malignant lesions. Methods This experiment used fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR TaqMan probe technology, chose Rac1 target gene fragment, which was cloned into the pET-20b (+) vector, constructed recombinant plasmid, and established the Rac1 mRNA fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR standard curve. And then the Rac1 mRNA levels were detected in 52 cases of gastric carcinoma tissues,52 cases of para-carcinoma tissues and 12 cases of benign gastric disease tissues. Its association with the metastasis of gastric carcinomas was analyzed. Results The positive rates and levels (median, P25-P75) of Rac1 mRNA were 100. 0% ,7.41 ×105 (3. 50 × 105-4. 36 × 106) copies/μl in gastric carcinomas, 46. 2% ,0(0-1.73 × 104) copies/μl in parscarcinoma tissues, 33. 3%, 0(0-3.55 × 103) copies/μl in benign tissues. The positive rates and leves(x2 =43.16,x2Xk-w = 64. 19, P ＜0. 01)among the three groups were significantly different. When the critical value of Rac1 mRNA level was 1.73 × 104 copies/μl determined by ROC, the sensitivity and specificity were 88. 5% and 100% respectively. When the critical value of Rac1 level was 7.49 × 105 copies/μl, the sensitivity and specificity were 57.9% and 78. 6% respectively. ConclusionThe Rac1 mRNA level detected with fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR has reference value to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions and evaluate gastric carcinoma metastasis.

Objective To study the relationship between the expression of perforin, granzyme B and the cytotoxicity of NK cells, after NK cells were purified and expanded with different cytokines. Meth-otis It was detected that the mRNA expressions of perforin, ganzyme B from 8 donors, and the cytotoxcity of NK cells to target I(562 cells by competitive qualitative RT-PCR. Results The mRNA expressions of perforin, granzyme B by purified and expanded NK cells with different cytokines were markedly enhanced, and IL-2 +IL-15 group, IL-2 + IL-12 + IL-15 group were significantly higher than others. It is consistent that the relationship between the mRNA expressions of NK cells and the cytotoxicity of NK cells to I(562 cells. Conclusion The mRNA expressions of perforin, granzyme B of NK cells with different cytokines were obviously.

Objective To investigate the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on the secretion of interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon(IFN)-γ and the proportion of Th17,Tc17,Th1 ,Tc1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods Thirty hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. PBMCs were separated from SLE patients and healthy controls and then was cultured in vitro by medium or PMA/Ionomycin or PMA/Ionomycin +dexamethasone for six hours. Four- color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the percentage of Th17,Tc17,Th1,Tc1 cells in PBMCs. Concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in plasma and the supernatants of PBMCs which were cultured for 24 hours were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γwere elevated in SLE patients as compared to the controls(P ＜ 0.05). No significant differences were observed between patients and controls for the spontaneous production of IL-17 and IFN-γ or percentage of T subsets expressed by PBMCs. After the stimulation of PMA,compared with the controls,the level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in the supematants of PBMCs and the percentages of Th17 and Tc1 in SLE patients increased significantly(P ＜ 0. 05). However,there showed no significant differences between SLE patients and the controls for the percentages of Th1 and Tc17 cells. DEX could significantly decrease the production of IL-17(P ＜ 0. 01)and the percentages of Th17,Tc1 cells by the active PBMCs(P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions There is abnormal expression of T subset cells and their cytokines in vivo of SLE patients. DEX can interfere with immunological pathological process in the cytokine network imbalance of SLE patients and shows powerful inhibition of IL - 17. Our results may provide some laboratory evidence for the clinical application of corticosteroids.

The safflower floret is a traditional Chinese medicine used to promote blood circulation and remove obstruction in the channels. The spines on its bracts are considered a handicap when manual harvest is involved. In this study, cDNA-SRAP was used to systematically investigate which genes are associated with the spines. Sixty pairs of possible primer combinations were used on two cDNA pools representing spininess and spinelessness. Six transcript-derived fragments were identified, of which two with low recombination were sequenced successfully and named as GPY-1 and GPY-2. By using the RACE method, the full-length cDNA of GPY-2 is cloned and named as CTL-spn. The full-length cDNA of CTL-spn was 1 679 bp long with a 1 524 bp ORF encoding a 508 aminoacid protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of the CTL-spn gene shared a high homology (97%) with other known ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunits. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA of GPY-1 and GPY-2 accumulated in only spiny lines. Considering the important role of ATP synthase CF1 alpha subunit in plants, it may directly take part in the formation process of spininess and enhancing resistance reaction of spiny safflower. Also, our results provide the important insights for breeding spineless cultivars of safflower.

Objective To study the usefulness of combined flow cytometry (FCM) and polymerasechain reaction examination for clonal TCR gene rearrangements in the diagnosis of T-cell lymphoma (T-NHL). Methods Histopathologic features, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, cytomorphologic evaluation and TCR gene rearrangements of 32 T-NHL were reviewed retrospectively. The control cases were 18 reactive lesions and 1 histiocytic necrotizing lymphaderitis. Results Out of 32 T-NHL,23 were diagnosed as T-NHL by FCM / TCR gene rearrangements. Of 19 control group, 17 were diagnosed as reactive lesions by FCM / TCR gene rearrangements. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 71.9%, 89.5% and 78.4%, respectively. Conclusions FCM / TCR gene rearrangement is a very important technique in diagnosing T-NHL. Thus, patients with fine needle aspiration cytology can be saved from having an invasive surgery.

Aim To analyze the blocking effect of ( ± ) doxazosin [ ( ± ) DOX ] , ( -) doxazosin [ ( -) DOX] and ( +) doxazosin [( +) DOX] on the vaso-constriction of rat isolated mesenteric arterioles media-ted by α1-adrenoceptors. Methods The vasoconstric-tion induced by phenylephrine ( Phe) in the rat isola-ted mesenteric arterioles ( the second- and third-order branches) was recorded using DMT wire myograph sys-tem 620M, and theα1-adrenoceptor antagonistic activ-ity of ( ± ) DOX and its enantiomers was analyzed. Results The inner diameter of second- and third-or-der branches of the rat mesenteric artery was (162. 5 ± 5. 3) μm (n=11) and (103. 1 ± 2. 3) μm (n=23), respectively. The values of normalized preload of the second-and third-order branches, which were calculat-ed by the LabChart software, were (2. 93 ± 0. 51) mN ( n =11 ) and ( 2. 64 ± 0. 50 ) mN ( n =23 ) ( P >0. 05 ) . Vasoconstrictive responses to Phe in the sec-ond-order branche of rat mesenteric artery under nor-malized preloads were not significantly different from those under 5 mN preload;however, the Emax values of the Phe-induced vasoconstriction under 10 mN, 15 mN and 20 mN preloads were decreased by 12%, 29%and 43% ( P<0. 01 ) respectively compared with those under normalized preload. The concentration-response curves for Phe were shifted to right in a concentration dependent manner by ( -) DOX or ( +) DOX at 0. 001 , 0. 01 and 0. 1 μmol · L-1 without significant change in their Emax values in the second-and third-or-der branches of rat mesenteric artery. Schild plot anal-ysis indicated that ( -) DOX, ( +) DOX and ( ± ) DOX non-competitively inhibited the vasoconstrictive responses to Phe in the second-order branches, and the rank order of pKB values was ( +) DOX ( 8. 67 ± 0. 10 ) , ( ± ) DOX ( 8. 53 ± 0. 090 ) , ( -) DOX (7. 85 ± 0. 09). However, schild plot analysis indica-ted that ( -) DOX and ( +) DOX competitively inhibi-ted the vasoconstrictive responses for Phe in the third-order branch, and the rank order of their pKB values was ( ± ) DOX ( 8. 68 ± 0. 17 ) , ( +) DOX ( 8. 48 ± 0. 10 ) , ( -) DOX ( 7. 48 ± 0. 140 ) . Conclusion The α1-adrenoceptor blocking activity of ( -) DOX is much weaker than that of ( +) DOX or ( ± ) DOX in the rat isolated mesenteric arterioles, and there is a tendency to enhance the activity of ( ± ) DOX in third-order branches of the rat mesenteric artery though theα1-adrenoceptor blockade effect of ( ± ) DOX is not significantly different from ( +) DOX.