Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of the spinal cord during neck flexion in Hirayama disease for diagnosis.Methods MRI examinations in neutral neck position and a fully flexed neck position were performed on 18 cases of Hirayama disease and 31 young normal control subjects.We measured an antero-posterior diameter(APD)and transverse diameter(TD)of the cervical cord at the superior margin of the C6 vertebral body for each position,and investigate the dynamic changes.The different in frequency of these findings between the control and patient groups was examined by means of the x~2 test.The group means were compared by independent-sample t-test.Significance was defined as P

Dendritic cells (DC) play an important roles in the maintenance of central immune tolerance and peripheral immune tolerance. DC can be involved in formation of autoimmune tolerance by many mechanisms and demonstrate strong plasticity, so that DC become hot issue in the research of transplantation tolerance recently. In this article the DC typing and its role, the indirect pathway of DC-inducing immune tolerance, the F1t3L and apoptotic cell role, the modified DC by genetic engineering and the immune inhibitors were summarized.
Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; Immune Tolerance ; Transplantation Tolerance ; immunology

Antineoplastic Agents ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy* ; Mutation ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3

OBJECTIVETo explore the prevalence characteristics and influence factors related to occupation and individuals for musculoskeletal disorders of workers in Chinese mines.

METHODSIn a cross-sectional study of 1900 coal miners from a coal mine, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used to assess the musculoskeletal disorders, and logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the occupational factor and he musculoskeletal disorders.

RESULTSDuring the past year, 1205 miners of 1537 miners (78.4%) complained of the musculoskeletal disorders. The morbidity of lumbago was 59.5%. The morbidity of the musculoskeletal disorders in different body sites of the miners increased significantly with age (P < 0.05). The morbidity of the musculoskeletal disorders in the underground workers was significantly higher than that in the ground workers. According to logistic regression analysis, the repetitive operation and awkward posture were the risk factors for the musculoskeletal disorders in neck, shoulder and upper limbs; the repetitive operation, moving heavy substance and stooping posture were related significantly to lumbago; the musculoskeletal disorders in lower limbs were associated with the long standing and awkward posture.

CONCLUSIONThere is significant correlation between the occupational factors and the musculoskeletal disorders for coal miners.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Coal Mining ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; epidemiology ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of environmental estrogens on the proliferation of breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

METHODSThe tested compounds were n-4-nonyphenol, Bisphenol A and dibutylphthalate. Human estradiol-dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cells were grown in DMEM medium containing 10% bovine serum. Five days before the addition of the test compounds, the cells were washed by phosphate-buffered saline, and the medium was substituted with a phenol red-free DMEM medium containing 5% dextral charcoal-stripped FBS. The respective test compound was added in fresh medium and the control cell received only the vehicle (ethanol). The proliferation of MCF-7 was analyzed by the MTT assay, (3)H-TdR incorporation assay and flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the ethanol control, the proliferation and DNA synthesis of the test cells treated with n-4-nonyphenol (8 x 10(-7) mol/L, 96 h), Bisphenol A (8 x 10(-7) mol/L, 96 h) or dibutylphthalate (32 x 10(-6) mol/L, 96 h) treatment was markedly enhanced in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONn-4-Nonyphenol, Bisphenol A and dibutylphthalate enhanced the proliferation of human breast cancer cell in vitro, which may demonstrate an estrogenic activity.

Benzhydryl Compounds ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dibutyl Phthalate ; toxicity ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal ; toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Phenols ; toxicity

Objective To investigate the effect of seafood intake on the urinary iodine level in women for exploring an alternative to iodine supplementation.Methods Healthy pregnant women and non-pregnant women, aged 20～40 years,were selected during their health examination in local women'S health care in 2006.The types of seafood and its intake frequency were recorded from these women.and urine and kitchen salt samples were collected for iodine determination.Results A total of 198 women including 148 pregnant and 50 non-pregnant women were recmitod for this study;they had a median level of urine iodine of 87.51 mg/L.The median levels of urine iodine of83.49,91.52,166.45μg/L in three group women classified as hardly,seldom and often intake of see food showed significant difference(X2=6.202,P<0.05).Urine iodine level in non-pregnant women taking seafood (90.94μg/L)was higher than that in pregnant women(84.79μg/L),the difference being statistically significant (U=3318.00,P<0.05).The urine iodine in pregnant women with seldom intake of seafood(94.46 μg/L)was significantly higher than that in the hardly intake women(83.28 μg/L),the difference being statistically significant (U=1257.5,P<0.05).During late period of gestation,the urinary iodine in the women ofthree statUS of hardly. Seldom and often intake of seafood were 81.93,97.97 and 140.18 μg/L,respective,with significant differences among them.Conclusions A certain amount of seafood taken every week Can increase urine iodine levels,and a direct relationship Was observed.Therefore,we suggest that it is necessary to advocate taking seafood to pregnant women for prevention of cretinism,particularly in the air.as where iodized salt was difficult to implement.

The study was aimed to detect the expressions of costimulatory molecules on CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells so as to accumulate informations for investigation of mechanism of myelodysplastic syndrome. 11 healthy blood donors as control and 38 patients with MDS de novo were studied. 38 MDS patients were divided into RA/RARS group and RAEB/RAEB-t group according to FAB classification. The expressions of CD28, CD154, CTLA-4, PD-1, CD25 on CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells in peripheral blood were detected by FCM. The results indicated that as compared with normal controls, the expression of CD28 in MDS patients decreased, and CD154 increased. The percentages of CTLA-4, PD-1 and CD25 in MDS were obviously higher than that in normal controls; the differences of CTLA-4, PD-1 and the ratio of CTLA-4/CD28 between RAEB/RAEB-t and RA/RARS were more significant with progressing of MDS. In conclusion, the expressions of costimulatory molecule in MDS patients were abnormal, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDS.
Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; CD28 Antigens ; metabolism ; CD40 Ligand ; metabolism ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Young Adult

The silent information regulator protein 2 (Sir2) and its homologues play an important role in the regulation of cellular physiological processes such as survival, apoptosis, and aging. SIRT1, the mammalian Sir 2 homologue, has been shown to deacetylate a wide range of non-histone substrates and histone substrates. It has been constantly reported that SIRT1 may be associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome, genomic homeostasis, tumors, and neurodegenerative diseases. Calorie restriction may mitigate many major diseases in rodent models by SIRT1-mediated deacetylase activity and prolong the life expectancies in these animals. Therefore, SIRT1 may be emphasized as a new therapy target for many different diseases.
Animals ; Caloric Restriction ; Humans ; Longevity ; Sirtuin 1 ; genetics ; physiology ; Substrate Specificity

OBJECTIVETo investigate function of the Lim-only protein(LMO2) in hemangioblast generated from murine embryonic stem cells differentiation to hematopoietic cells.

METHODSThe hemangioblast-specific expression vector with lmo2 or green fluorescence protein gene was constructed, respectively. The murine embryonic stem cells were transfected by the hemangioblast-specific expression vectors. The neomycin-resistance ES cell clones were obtained after having been screened by G418. The cell clones were spontaneously differentiated into embryo bodies(EB) containing hemangioblast.Expression of the hematopoietic genes was investigated by real-time reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction during EB differentiation.For the EB cells, blast-cloning forming cells analysis and blood-colony forming unit analysis were then performed, respectively. The numbers of the blasts were counted during hematopoietic differentiation.

RESULTSThe hemangioblast-specific expression vector with lmo2 or green fluorescence protein was transfected into ES cells.The neomycin-resistance ES cells generated EBs from 2.5 days to 10 days.Real time reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that overexpression of lmo2 increased the expression of hematopoietic genes(gata1, tal1, Β-h1, and Β-major globin) during EB formation.Blast-cloning forming cells analysis showed that the numbers of the blasts generated by ES/lmo2 was 2-or 3-fold than those in the controls.The total numbers of the blood-colony forming unit or the numbers of the erythrocyte colony-forming unit generated by ES/lmo2 were 2.5 times or 3 times, respectively, when compared with the controls.

CONCLUSIONLMO2 enhances the proliferation and differentiation of hemangioblasts.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; physiology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryonic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; LIM Domain Proteins ; physiology ; Mice

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Bisphenol A in adult rats and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSBPA (in corn oil) was administered orally to 9-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats for 14 days (0, 1 and 5 g/kg bw), and incubated primary Sertoli cells from pubertal SD rats with 0, 10(-7), 10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L BPA.

RESULTSAfter oral administration, a significant decrease in right testis weight was observed in 5 g/kg dose group, but not in the 1 g/kg bw dose group. Germ cells were detached from basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and Sertoli cells in BPA-treated groups. Administration of BPA at 1 g/kg bw and 5 g/kg bw produced both nucleus pycnosis and vacuolized nucleus in germ cells and Sertoli cells. A marked loss in vimentin staining in Sertoli cells from testis of BPA-treated rats was detected. No change in levels of serum estradiol and testosterone was observed after two-week exposure to BPA. In Sertoli cell primary culture, BPA destroyed the cytoskeleton and cell-cell junctions, and elongated Sertoli cells.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that BPA may injure reproductive function of male rats by destroying the cytoskeleton and changing the form of Sertoli cells.

Animals ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoskeleton ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Phenols ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sertoli Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; drug effects ; Vimentin ; metabolism