Objective To evaluate the incidence of and risk factors for syphilis seroconversion amomg drug addicts during methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).Methods A retrospective study was performed on drug addicts receiving MMT at MMT clinics in Maanshan,who were seronegative for syphilis before the treatment and followed up by serological tests for syphilis for more than two years.The incidence of and risk factors for syphilis seroconversion during the two years of follow up were analyzed in all the subjects.Results A total of 161 drug addicts were included in this study,of whom,15 experienced seroconversion for syphilis with the average seroconversion rate being 4.66 per 100 person-years.The seroconversion tended to occurr in the early stage of MMT.Both Chi-square analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that syphilis seroconversion was independently associated with nonuse of condoms during the last sexual behavior before receiving MMT.Conclusions Interventions should be undertaken as early as possible to promote safe sexual behaviors among drug addicts at methadone clinics,and to promote condom use is especially important for blocking sexual transmission of diseases.

Objective To optimize the extraction conditions of volatile oil from Angelica Sinensis and Cassia Bark in Wenyang purgation granules.Methods The volatile oil was extracted from Angelica Sinensis and Cassia Bark by the method of steam distillation light oil device with diethyl ether extraction. The yield of the volatile oil was chosen as the evaluation index. The time of dip in water, the ratio of water to herbal medicine material and the time of distillation were used as the main factors. The optimum extraction conditions were investigated by the L9(34) orthogonal design. Results The optimal conditions for extraction process of volatile oil from Angelica Sinensis and Cassia Bark in Wenyang purgation granules were as follows:the time of dip in water was 3 h;the ratio of water to herbal medicine material was 10∶1;the time of distillation was 6 h. Conclusion The optimized conditions of extraction process are stable and feasible.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratin-14 ; genetics ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVE To select the superior one from two skin-cleaning disinfection methods so as to reduce the possibility of hospital infection.METHODS The water plus soaps(control group) and Daniel disinfectants(test group) were used separately to clean and disinfect the skin of patients in intensive care unit(ICU).The degree of skin-cleaning of patients and hand pollution of nurses were observed and analyzed.RESULTS The number of bacteria on the skin of patients of the test group was remarkably lower than that of the control group with a statistically significant difference(t=7.94,P

P21-activated kinases (PAK) participate in a variety of important cellular activities, such as cytoskeleton remodeling, cell migration, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis or survival. PAK also has an important impact on brain development, neuronal differentiation, and regulation of synaptic plasticity in the nervous system. PAK abnormalities result in diseases including cancer, Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neural retardation. Therefore, it is of vital physiological significance to investigate the neuronal function of PAK. In this paper we review the advancement of research on the neuronal biological function and the underlying mechanisms of PAK.
Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Movement ; Cytoskeleton ; physiology ; Humans ; Nervous System ; enzymology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Neurons ; physiology ; Parkinson Disease ; physiopathology ; p21-Activated Kinases ; physiology

OBJECTIVE Although it is generally believed that nicotine accounts for the beneficial effect of smoking on ulcerative colitis, the underlying mechanisms remain not well- understood. Our previous finding that nicotine inhibits inflammatory responses through inducing miRNA-124 prompted us to ask whether the miRNA is involved in the protective action of nicotine on UC. METHODS MiR-124 expression in colon tissues and cells was determined by q-PCR and in situ hybridization. The effect of miR-124 on protective role of nicotine in ulcerative colitis was evaluated in DSS-treated mice and IL-6-treated Caco-2 colon epithelial cells. Expression of p-STAT3/STAT3 was detected by immuno?histochemistry and Western blot analysis. RESULTS miR- 124 expression is upregulated in colon tissues from patients and DSS- induced colitis. Nicotine treatment further elevated miR- 124 level in colon tissues of the mice, in infiltrated lymphocytes and epithelial cells, and augmented miR- 124 expression in lymphocytes isolated from human ulcerative colon tissues. Administration of nicotine also reduced weight loss, improved DAI and decreased HE score in DSS-induced colitis. Moreover, knock?down of miR-124 in vivo significantly diminished the beneficial effect of nicotine, and in vitro on IL-6-treated Caco-2 colon epithelial cells. Further analysis indicated that nicotine inhibited STAT3 activation in vivo and in IL-6-treated Caco-2 colon epithelial cells and Jurkat human T lymphocytes, in which miR-124 knockdown led to increased activation of STAT3. CONCLUSION These data indicated that nicotine exerts its protective action in UC through inducing miR-124 and its effect on STAT3, suggesting that the miR-124/STAT3 system is a potential target for the therapeutic intervention of UC.

In recent years, miR-124 has emerged as a critical modulator of immunity and inflammation. Here, we summarize studies on the function and mechanism of miR-124 in the immune system and immunity-related diseases. They indicated that miR-124 exerts a crucial role in the development of immune system, regulation of immune responses, and inflammatory disorders. It is evident that miR-124 may serve as an informative diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in the future.

Ammonium perchlorate (AP), mainly used as solid propellants, was reported to interfere with homeostasis via competitive inhibition of iodide uptake. However, detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, AP was administered at 0, 130, 260 and 520 mg/kg every day to 24 male SD rats for 13 weeks. The concentrations of iodine in urine, serum thyroid hormones levels, total iodine, relative iodine and total protein, and malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity in thyroid tissues were measured, respectively. Our results showed that high-dose perchlorate induced a significant increase in urinary iodine and serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), with a decrease of total iodine and relative iodine content. Meanwhile, free thyroxine (FT4) was decreased and CAT activity was remarkably increased. Particularly, the CAT activity was increased in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that CAT might be enhanced to promote the synthesis of iodine, resulting in elevated urinary iodine level. Furthermore, these findings suggested that iodine in the urine and CAT activity in the thyroid might be used as biomarkers for exposure to AP, associated with thyroid hormone indicators such as TSH, FT4.

Objective: To examine the effect of chronic exposure to sodium arsenite on liver damages in rats. Methods: Fifty-six healthy adult SD rats (28 males and 28 females) were randomly divided into 4 groups. Rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose groups were given sodium arsenite solutions at doses of 2, 10 and 50 mg/L for successive 24 weeks, while animals in the control group were given deionized water. The rat body and liver weights were measured and the liver coefficient was estimated. The urine arsenic level was detected using atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and hepatic tissue sections were stained with uranium acetate and lead citrate for morphological observations under an electron microscope. Results: The body weights of both male and female rats appeared a tendency towards a rise with the duration of exposure to sodium arsenite (male rat: Wald χ2=3 610.621, P<0.001; female rat: Wald χ2=2 186.217, P<0.001, and there were no significant differences in the rat body weight 24 weeks post-exposure to sodium arsenite in each group, while there was an interaction between time and group (male rat: Wald χ2=15.874, P=0.001; Wald χ2=9.460, P=0.024). There were significant differences in the rat liver weight and liver coefficient in each group (male rat: F=18.964 and 29.968, both P<0.001; female rat: F=11.919 and 15.070, both P<0.001), with the lowest liver weight (10.17±1.15) g and liver coefficient (1.99±0.21)% measured in male rats in the high-dose group, and the highest liver weight (12.91±1.29) g and liver coefficient (4.10±0.56)% in female rats in the high-dose group. The median urine arsenic levels (interquartile range) were 25.60 (30.27), 146.56 (101.06), 1 034.68 (600.06) and 3 796.98 (19 966.89) μg/L in rats in the control, low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups, respectively (χ2=50.211, P<0.001), and the urine arsenic level was significantly higher in the medium- and high-dose groups than in the control group (both P<0.001). Hepatic edema was seen in rats in the low- and medium-dose groups, and hepatic edema, focal hepatic cell necrosis, hyperplasia of bile capillaries and peri-bile capillary endolysis were observed in rats in the high-dose group. Conclusions Chronic exposure to arsenic may cause morphological alterations of rat hepatic tissues, and the rat hepatic damage aggravates with the dose of exposure to arsenic.

Objective:To evaluate the ability of multiplex competitive fluorescence polymerase chain reaction in detection of large deletion and duplication genotypes of X-linked Alport syndrome.Methods:Clinical diagnosis of X-linked Alport syndrome was based on either abnormal staining of type Ⅳ collagen α5 chain in the epidermal basement membrane alone or with abnormal staining of type Ⅳ collagen α5 chain in the glomerular basement membrane and Bowman's capsule/ultrastructural changes in the glomerular basement membrane typical of Alport syndrome.A total of 20 unrelated Chinese patients (13 males and 7 females) clinically diagnosed as X-linked Alport syndrome were included in the study.Their genotypes were unknown.Control subjects included a male patient with other renal disease and two patients who had large deletions in COL4A5 gene detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification.Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes in all the participants.Multiplex competitive fluorescence polymerase chain reaction was used to coamplify 53 exons of COL4A5 gene and four reference genes in a single reaction.When a deletion removed exon 1 of COL4A5 gene was identified,the same method was used to coamplify the first 4 exons of COL4A5 and COL4A6 genes,a promoter shared by COL4A5 and COL4A6 genes,and three reference genes in a single reaction.Any copy number loss suggested by this method was verified by electrophoresis of corresponding polymerase chain reaction amplified products or DNA sequencing to exclude possible DNA variations in the primer regions.Results:Genotypes of two positive controls identified by multiplex competitive fluorescence polymerase chain reaction were consistent with those detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification.Deletions were identified in 6 of the 20 patients,including two large deletions removing the 5'part of both COL4A5 and COL4A6 genes with the breakpoint located in the second intron of COL4A6,two large deletions removing more than 30 exons of COL4A5 gene,one large deletion removing at least 1 exon of COL4A5 gene,and one small deletion involving 13 bps.No duplication was found.Conclusion:Our results show that multiplex competitive fluorescence polymerase chain reaction is a good alternative to classical techniques for large deletion genotyping in X-linked Alport syndrome.