The water-soluble 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-stabilized CdTe (MPA-CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized by aqueous suspension.The study showed that the fluorescence quenching process of Cu2+ to MPA-CdTe QDs,whose largest emission peak was 599 nm,could be described well by the theory of fluorescence quenching in competitive absorption systems and its modification of Stern-Volmer equations.By fittings,the results showed a good polynomial relationship between the fluorescence intensity F0/F and the concentration of Cu2+,when the concentration was in the range of 2.28 × 10-6-18.24 × 10-6 mol/L and 4.8 × 10-7-12 × 10-7 mol/L,and two polynomial equations were respectively elucidated based on dynamic and static quenching in competitive-absorption systems:F0/F =7.999-2.470c +0.339 c2,F0/F =3.154-0.160 c +0.049 c2 and degree of fitting are 0.991 and 0.993,respectively.The detection limit was 1.326 × 10-7.

Background Retinal neovascularization (RNV) is one of the major causes of blindness worldwide,but the pathogenic mechanism of this disease remains unclear, and therapeutic modalities need to be improved.Therefore,it is necessary to identify ocular protein markers with significant expression changes during RNV, thereby providing novel therapeutic targets for neovascular retinopathies.Objective This study was to investigate retinal vessel morphological characteristics and protein expression profiling in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR).Methods Forty four C57BL/6J mouse pups were randomly divided into normal control group and OIR group at postnatal day 7 (P7).The mice in the normal control group were raised under the normal air for 10 days.The mice of the OIR group were exposed to (75±2)％ oxygen for 5 days.The mother mice were alternated between the two groups every day.The mice of the OIR group returned to normal air at P12.Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) was retrobulbarly injected at P17 mice from both groups, and the retinal flatmounts were prepared after fixation.The FITC-dextran-labeled retinal vessels were observed and quantified;the paraffin sections of eyeballs were processed for hematoxylin and eosin staining,and the number of pre-retinal vascular cell nuclei was quantified.The total proteins were extracted from the eyes, and the expression profiling was analyzed by a customized protein array and verified by Western blot and ELISA.Results The retinal flatmounts labeled with FITC-dextran showed that the peripheral retinal microvessels in the OIR group were tortuous, disorganized with neovascular buds,and the vascular obliteration was prominent in the center of retina.Contrastly,the vessels were smooth,organized, and evenly distributed in the normal control group.The percentage of vascular obliteration area in the OIR group was (25.53±2.16)％ ,which was significantly higher than (0.66±0.36)％ in the normal control group (t=-27.61 ,P＜ 0.01).The number of pre-retinal vascular cell nuclei,as revealed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, was (28.41 ± 3.97)/slide in the OIR group, which was substantially higher than (0.16±0.31)/slide in the normal control group (t =-54.42,P＜0.001).Protein array showed that 10 out of the 62 examined pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic cytokines exhibited more than 1.5-fold expression changes,including 3 up-regulated cytokines and 7 down-regulated cytokines;4 cytokines showed more than 2-fold expression changes,in which 3 cytokines were down-regulated and 1 cytokine was up-regulated.The differential expressions were verified by Western blot and ELISA.The expression trends of platelet factor 4 (PF-4), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), selectin P (SELP), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) ,soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor Ⅱ (sTNF-RⅡ) and chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 16 (CXCL16) were consistent with those revealed by protein array.PF-4,VEGF-A and SELP were up-regulated,and the other 3 were significantly down-regulated (all at P＜0.05).Conclusions Differential expression patterns of the cytokines,including PF-4,VEGF-A, SELP, VCAM-1, sTNF-RⅡ and CXCL16, are identified between normal and OIR mouse eyes.These differential expression patterns suggest that under the condition of OIR,the platelet system is activated,and proinflammatory factors are down-regulated.PF-4 might become a new target for VEGF-independent therapeutic strategy against RNV.

BACKGROUNDNeoadjuvant chemotherapy provides an excellent model for evaluation of potential predictive factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of different biological factors in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty-five patients treated with 4 cycles of neoadjuvant taxanes and anthracycline were included in this retrospective study. Using pretreatment biopsy materials, immunohistochemical studies were performed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), HER-2, Ki-67 and p53 protein expression. The associations among biological markers and clinical and pathological complete response (pCR) were analyzed.

RESULTSThe overall clinical response was 86%, including 33% clinical complete response (cCR) and 53% clinical partial response. The pCR was just 17%. In the univariate analysis, only HER-2 overexpression was predictive of cCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P=0.018). No significant associations between other biological factors and cCR were found. Absence of ER, PgR expression and overexpression of HER-2 were predictive of the pCR (P=0.002, 0.001, 0.01, respectively). Ki-67 and p53 failed to show an association with pCR. In multivariate analysis, overexpression of HER-2 remained as an independent variable in predicting the cCR (P=0.021). However, negative ER was the only parameter that maintained statistical significance in predicting the pCR (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with overexpression of HER-2 and negative hormonal receptor status are much more likely to respond to neoadjuvant taxane and anthracycline chemotherapy than those with the opposite characteristics. These factors could serve as predictive markers for this regimen.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Breast Neoplasms ; chemistry ; drug therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Receptors, Progesterone ; analysis ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis

Objective To evaluate the effect of iodine supplementation on improvement of developmental quotient (DQ) at the critical period of infant brain development.Methods Pregnant,lactating women and infants less than 3 years old were supplemented with iodized oil in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture(Linxia Prefecture) Gansu Province in 2006-2010.Before and after the intervention(2006,2007-2010),five townships were randomly selected in the north,the south,the east,the west and the center of eight counties(cities) of Linxia.One village was chosen from each of those townships and 20 infants,20 pregnant women and 20 lactating women were randomly selected in each village(insufficient was made up from the neighboring villages).Urinary iodine(UI) level of the infants,pregnant and lactating women were determined by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.DQ value of infants was measured before and after supplementation of iodized oil in 2006 and 2010.UI value of pregnant,lactating women and infants was monitored every year after iodine supplementation.Results Before iodine supplementation(2006),the median UI level of pregnant,lactating women and infants was 89.28,84.85,107.3 μg/L,respectively.After iodine supplementation,the medians UI level in 2007,2008,2009 and 2010 were,respectively,pregnant women:136.0,187.8,118.2,175.8 μg/L; lactating women:135.2,159.8,187.5,163.5 μ g/L; infants:139.6,174.7,190.7,168.4 μg/L.Before iodine supplementation,the DQ value of infants was 92.8 ± 16.3,and the average score of gross motor,fine motor,adaptive capacity,language and social behavior was 93.7 ± 20.0,91.4 ± 20.0,92.4 ± 19.0,90.3 ± 20.0,96.4 ± 22.1,respectively.After iodine supplementation,the DQ value of infants was 104.3 ± 13.8,and the average score of gross motor,fine motor,adaptive capacity,language and social behavior was 104.8 ± 21.5,104.1 ± 17.2,104.8 ± 16.1,99.9 ± 19.1,108.0 ± 22.7,respectively,which were higher than that before iodine supplementation (t =-10.43,-10.77,-13.78,-14.28,-9.96,-15.33,all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Iodine deficiency at the critical period of brain development can affect the intellectual development of infants and young children at all functional areas of intelligence.Iodine supplementation at the critical period of brain development can prevent mental retardation caused by iodine deficiency disorders.

Alleles ; Amelogenin/genetics* ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Determination Analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the susceptibility of children to develop intrauterine hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection through studying the association between interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) + 874 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and intrauterine HBV infection.

METHODSThe subjects were selected from outpatients who were in our hepatitis B (HB) vaccine following-up clinics. The subjects whose mothers were HBV carriers were inoculated with HB vaccine or HB vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Intrauterine HBV infection was defined as peripheral blood HBsAg and/or HBV-DNA positive at birth and lasting for six months (group I). Normal immune children were defined as peripheral blood negative for HBV marker since birth and afterwards HBsAb titers were above protective level (group II). The subjects were composed of the following two groups. Group I consisted of 46 children with intrauterine HBV infection. Group II was composed of 73 normal children. A Taqman fluorescence polymerase chain reaction for the IFN-gamma + 874 SNP was performed for both groups.

RESULTSIFN-gamma + 874 SNP was tested successfully for every subject. Frequencies of AA, AT and TT genotype were 67.4%, 19.6% and 13.0% in the intrauterine HBV infection group, and 45.2%, 30.1% and 24.7% in the normal immune children group. A significant difference was found in the frequency distribution of IFN-gamma + 874 genotype between the two groups (chi(2) = 5.102, P = 0.02389). In the intrauterine HBV infection group the AA genotype was more common than in normal immune group.

CONCLUSIONThere is an association between IFN-gamma + 874 SNP and intrauterine HBV infection. This study suggested the possibility that IFN-gamma + 874 SNP might be important in determining an individual's susceptibility to development of intrauterine HBV infection.

Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B ; genetics ; transmission ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and membrane-type 1 metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in lung of rats exposed to paraquat (PQ) and the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza monomer IH764-3 on above expression.

METHODSNinety adult healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the control group (group A, 6 rats), the exposure group (group B, 42 rats) and the group treated by Salvia miltiorrhiza monomer IH764-3 (group C, 42 rats). The group B and C were treated intragastrically with 1ml of PQ (50 mg/kg), and the group A was treated intragastrically with normal saline. The group C was treated intraperitoneally with 1 ml Salvia miltiorrhiza monomer IH764-3 at the dose of 40 mg/kg a day. The group A and B were treated intraperitoneally with 1 ml normal saline day. The expression of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP was detected on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 35th days after exposure for all groups.

RESULTSAs compared with the expression level (0.305 ± 0.045) of MMP-2 mRNA in group A, the expression levels of MMP-2 mRNA in Group B significantly increased, which were 0.654 ± 0.077, 0.623 ± 0.051, 0.637 ± 0.024, 0.533 ± 0.043 and 0.552 ± 0.050 on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st days after exposure, respectively (P < 0.01). As compared with group A, the the expression levels of MMP-2 mRNA on the 1st, 3rd, 7th days in Group C slightly increased, but the expression levels of MMP-2 mRNA on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st days in Group C were 0.523 ± 0.074, 0.567 ± 0.097, 0.514 ± 0.058, 0.359 ± 0.018 and 0.374 ± 0.020, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in group B (P < 0.01). As compared with the expression level (0.391 ± 0.058) of MT1-MMP mRNA in group A, the expression levels of MT1-MMP mRNA in Group B significantly increased, which were 0.796 ± 0.021, 0.762 ± 0.043, 0.590 ± 0.010, 0.803 ± 0.076 and 0.680 ± 0.034 on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after exposure, respectively (P < 0.01). As compared with group A, the expression levels of MT1-MMP mRNA in Group C significantly increased, which were 0.594 ± 0.010, 0.653 ± 0.044 and 0.564 ± 0.009 on the 1st, 3rd and 21st days after exposure, respectively (P < 0.01). The expression levels of MT1-MMP mRNA in Group C were significantly lower than those in group B (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression changes of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP genes of lungs in rats intragastrically exposed to PQ could result in the unbalance the synthesis and degradation of ECM, which may be a cause of lung fibrosis. The Salvia miltiorrhiza monomer IH764-3 could affect the expression of MMP-2 and MT1-MMP genes to a certain extent, resulting in the reduction of lung fibrosis.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Paraquat ; toxicity ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Salvia miltiorrhiza

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of infliximab combined with surgery in the treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn disease (CD).

METHODSClinical data of 15 patients with perianal fistulizing CD receiving infliximab combined with surgery in the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from March 2010 to June 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. One week after operation, all the patients received infliximab infusion thrice at weeks 0, 2, and 6. Crohn disease activity index (CDAI), perianal Crohn disease activity index (PDAI), body mass index (BMI), routine blood test and endoscopy were evaluated at week 0, 14. Adverse reactions and healing time were recorded.

RESULTSAt week 14, the response rate was 100% with 86.7% (13/15) complete responders. One patient had local improvement and one developed recurrent fistula. The mean healing time was 32.5 (20-45) d. Anorectal stenosis in 4 patients was significantly improved. At week 14, CDAI decreased to 114.0±90.3 from 230.5±97.5 after IFX treatment. PCDAI decreased to 2.8±3.2 from 9.9±3.4, and BMI increased to (21.5±3.0)kg/m(2) from (19.1±3.1)kg/m(2). C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), platelet and neutrophil were significantly decreased from baseline (all P<0.01). Intestinal mucosa healed completely in one patient. There were no serious adverse events except hypokalemia in one patient and severe infusion reaction in another.

CONCLUSIONInfliximab combined with surgery is effective and safe for perianal fistulizing CD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Crohn Disease ; complications ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infliximab ; Male ; Rectal Fistula ; drug therapy ; etiology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo summarize the experience in performing reoperation of valve dysfunction after congenital heart disease procedure.

METHODSFrom 1994 to 2001 we reviewed the data of 13 patients with valve dysfunction after congenital heart disease operation, in which 8 patients after ventricular septal defect, 3 after atrioventricular canal and 2 after respectively tetralogy of Fallot and atrial septal defect were corrected. Before the first operation, 6 patients had presented the mild to moderate mitral regurgitation, 1 had aortic regurgitation. Other 6 patients had valves dysfunction occurring after the first operation, among them, 2 suffered from respectively residual shunt of the ventricular septal defect, 2 had anterior chordae rupture of tricuspid valve, one had an operative injured aortic valve and one had surviving of right ventricular outlet obstruction. Thirteen patients were reoperated, including mitral valve replacement in 6, tricuspid valve replacement in 2, aortic valve replacement in one, aortic valve replacement consists with mitral valve repair and tricuspid valve repair in one and tricuspid valve repair in 3. Concomitant procedures were performed.

RESULTSLow cardiac output occurred in 3 cases and there were 2 early deaths, due to cerebral air-embolism, respiratory and circulatory failure respectively. Other 11 cases discharged and were followed up well.

CONCLUSIONSIt is important to safeguard and repair the valvular construction and function during the operation in congenital heart disease. Reoperation should be performed timely for obtaining recurrent and a good results.

Adult ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics and treatment of Fournier's gangrene.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 23 cases of Fournier's gangrene, all with flare and pains in the scrotum and penis and different degrees of involvement of the scrotum, penis, perianal area, perineum, inguinal and lower extremities. The patients were treated by early debridement, incision-drainage, anti-infection and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, respectively. Scrotoplasty was performed for 11 of the cases, penile and scrotal dermatoplasty for 7, and penile amputation and urethral fistulation for 2 with penile necrosis. One of the cases underwent suprapubic cystostomy, and another 1 received colostomy.

RESULTSTwenty of the patients were recovered and 3 (1 with diabetes and 1 with AIDS) died after surgery.

CONCLUSIONFournier's gangrene is a fatal disease. Early diagnosis and timely surgical intervention are essential for the management of the disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Fournier Gangrene ; diagnosis ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penis ; pathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; pathology ; surgery