Objective: To investigate the developmental toxicity of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene in zebrafish embryos. Methods: AB wild-type male and female zebrafish were selected to mate and spawn, then the eggs were cultured with Holt buffer solution. Six dose groups ( 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0 μg/mL ), a solvent control group and a cosolvent control group, were set up with 20 embryos each. Malformations and death of embryos were observed at 48, 72 and 96 hpf ( hours post fertilization ), the mortality and 50% lethal concentration ( LC50 ) were also calculated. Results: At 48, 72 and 96 hpf, the LC50 of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene on zebrafish embryos were 1.668, 1.043 and 0.895 μg/mL, respectively, with a downward trend. After 72 hpf, when the concentration reached 2.0 μg/mL, all the zebrafish died. In the range of 0.4-2.0 μg/mL, the mortality of zebrafish at 48, 72 and 96 hpf increased with the increase of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene concentration ( all P<0.05 ); the malformation rate of zebrafish embryos at 48 hpf increased with the increase of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene concentration ( P<0.05 ). Zebrafish embryos exposed to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene led to yolk sac edema, pericardial edema and spinal curvature. Conclusion 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene can affect the development of zebrafish embryos, which will lead to lethal and teratogenic effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of autologous peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-PBHSCT) and its therapeutic effect on refractory rheumatism among preschool children.

METHODSThree boys with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) respectively, 3 to 6 years old with the mean age of 5 years with 3.5 to 22 months course of disease with 14 months on average, received auto-PBHSCT. Their conditions were so severe that conventional therapy failed to control the diseases. The changes of both clinical manifestations and immunologic indexes were observed before and after transplantation with long term following up at specialty clinic of rheumatism.

RESULTThe time when neutrophil count >or= 0.5 x 10(9)/L in the 3 children was days +9, +13 and +11 respectively, that of platelet count >or= 20 x 10(9)/L was days +14, +18 and +13 respectively. The cellular immune function remained abnormal with CD4 cells at a low level and CD4/CD8 being inverted. As to the JDM child, the skin rash had disappeared and his muscle tone was improved to grade 5 within one month after the transplantation. The EMG and serum creatase level returned to normal and muscle MRI findings were improved greatly within 2 months after the transplantation. As to the JSLE child, skin rash and proteinuria had disappeared, MRI of brain showed that the pathological changes had been absorbed and EEG returned to normal 3 months after the transplantation, all the autoantibodies turned to negative within 8 months after transplantation. As to the JRA child, the arthritis had been improved remarkably within 3 weeks after auto-PBHSCT. There was no swelling of joints nor movement limitation 3 months post transplantation. The steroids and immunosuppressive drugs were discontinued post transplantation. Cushing syndrome disappeared. Their body heights increased by 10 to 15 cm in the past 18 months, and they all returned to school. There was no relapse during follow-up periods of 25 - 27 months.

CONCLUSIONThe therapy with auto-PBHSCT for refractory rheumatism among preschool children was remarkably effective in a short-term, yet the safety and long-term effect still need to be further studied.

Child ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Rheumatic Diseases ; therapy ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the possible mechanism of aqueous extract of detoxified cottonseeds (CTN-W).

METHOD AND RESULTCTN-W 0.01, 0.03, 0.10, 0.30 mg.mL-1 was incubated directly with the synaptic membrane extracted from the cerebral cortex in rats, and adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity was detected by using radio-immunoassay.

RESULTShowed that CTN-W could activate AC in a dose-dependend manner. After incubation with PC12 cells in the presence of corticosterone 2 x 10(-4)mol.L-1 for 48 h, CTN-W 0.08, 0.4, 2 mg.mL-1 protected PC12 cells from the lesion induced by corticosterone.

CONCLUSIONAntidepressant and anxiolytic effects of CTN-W are related with the activation of AC-cAMP pathway in signal transduction system, thus protecting neurons from the lesion. These two aspects maybe partly form the mechanism of CTN-W's action.

Adenylyl Cyclases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Anti-Anxiety Agents ; pharmacology ; Antidepressive Agents ; pharmacology ; Corticosterone ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gossypium ; chemistry ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Synaptic Membranes ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo detect the serum specific proteins in tumor-like polypoid lesions of the gallbladder patients and establish diagnostic model.

METHODSSurface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) technique and WCX Magnetic Beads were used to detect the serum proteomic patterns of 23 patients with tumor-like PLG, 21 patients with non tumor-like PLG and 26 normal persons. Biomarker Wizard and Biomarker Patterns Software were used in combination to analyze the data.

RESULTSPreliminary screening out 22 representative specific proteins for the diagnosis of the tumor-like PLG. Analysis system under the conditions set selected 3 specific proteins to establish diagnostic model for the tumor-like PLG. The sensitivity and specificity of the model for the diagnosis of the tumor-like PLG were 100% and 89.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSELDI-TOF-MS technique can select specific protein of the tumor-like PLG, and establish diagnostic model of the tumor-like PLG.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyps ; diagnosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

BACKGROUNDBipolar electro-coagulation has a reported efficacy in treating epilepsy involving functional cortex by pure electro-coagulation or combination with resection. However, the mechanisms of bipolar electro-coagulation are not completely known. We studied the acute cortical blood flow and histological changes after bipolar electro-coagulation in 24 patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.

METHODSTwenty-four patients were consecutively enrolled, and divided into three groups according to the date of admission. The regional cortical blood flow (rCBF), electrocorticography, the depth of cortex damage, and acute histological changes (H and E staining, neuronal staining and neurofilament (NF) staining) were analyzed before and after the operation. The t-test analysis was used to compare the rCBF before and after the operation.

RESULTSThe rCBF after coagulation was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). The spikes were significantly reduced after electro-coagulation. For the temporal cortex, the depth of cortical damage with output power of 2-9 W after electro-coagulation was 0.34 ± 0.03, 0.48 ± 0.06, 0.69 ± 0.06, 0.84 ± 0.09, 0.98 ± 0.08, 1.10 ± 0.11, 1.11 ± 0.09, and 1.22 ± 0.11 mm, respectively. Coagulation with output power of 4-5 W completely damaged the neurons and NF protein in the molecular layer, external granular layer, and external pyramidal layer.

CONCLUSIONSThe electro-coagulation not only destroyed the neurons and NF protein, but also reduced the rCBF. We concluded that the injuries caused by electro-coagulation would prevent horizontal synchronization and spread of epileptic discharges, and partially destroy the epileptic focus.

Adult ; Electrocoagulation ; methods ; Epilepsy ; surgery ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Temporal Lobe ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo detect the serum specific proteins in pancreatic cancer patients and establish diagnostic model by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) technique.

METHODSTwenty-nine serum samples from patients of pancreatic cancer were collected before surgery and an additional 57 serum samples from age and sex matched individuals without cancer were used as controls, SELDI-TOF-MS technique and WCX magnetic beads were used to detect the protein fingerprint expression of all the serum samples and the resulting profiles between pancreatic cancer patients and controls were analyzed with biomarker wizard system, established the model using biomarker patterns system software. A double-blind test was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the classification model.

RESULTSA panel of four biomarkers (relative molecular weight are 5705, 4935, 5318 and 3243 Da) were selected to set up a decision trees as the classification model for screening pancreatic cancer effectively. The result yielded a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 97.4%. The double-blind test challenged the model with a sensitivity of 88.9% and a specificity of 89.5%.

CONCLUSIONSSELDI-TOF-MS offers a unique platform for the proteomic detection of serum in pancreatic cancer patients. It also offers a noninvasive method to further study the proteomic changes in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; Proteomics ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of highway transportation on the quality of blood components so as to provide experimental basis to meet the needs of military operations. The transport condition was simulated by random vibration test. The red blood cells, leukocyte-reduced red blood cells, washed red blood cells were randomly vibrated (C Road) for 4 hours. Then, these blood components were stored in refrigerator for 15 days (4 degrees C). Six milliliters of blood were collected before vibration, after vibration, and at day 15 days of storage after vibration, respectively. The suspension was isolated. The free hemoglobin (FHb), routine hematological parameters, and biochemical indexes were determined. The results showed that FHb, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), K(+) of red blood cells and leukocyte-reduced red blood cells did not significantly change after vibration and storage. However, FHb, LDH and K(+) of washed red blood cells increased significantly after simulated transportation (p < 0.05). The levels of these parameters at day 15 of storage after vibration were also significantly higher than those after vibration (p < 0.01). The changes of other hematological parameters were not significant in three blood components after vibration (C Road) and storage for 15 day. In conclusion, red blood cells and leukocyte-reduced red blood cells were qualified for clinic transfusion even after transportation within 4 hours for 15 day storage later, if they were kept in proper blood container and protected from damping. However, the washed red blood cells could not be used for clinic after similar transport in the military operations.
Blood Preservation ; Cryopreservation ; Erythrocytes ; chemistry ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Transportation ; Vibration

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of the depth of jaundice, the duration of jaundice and preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) on postoperative complications and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODSA retrospective review was performed of the medical records of 1025 patients who underwent PD between June 1986 and December 2010. The patients comprised 659 men and 366 women, ranging from 4 to 81 years old with a mean age of (54 ± 12) years. The indications for PD were malignant disease in 869 patients (84.78%) and benign or borderline tumors in 156 patients (15.22%). The operative procedures performed were pylorus-preserving modification in 279 patients and conventional PD, i.e. Whipple's operation in 746 patients. Complications after PD were compared among the different groups which was classified according to the depth of obstructive jaundice, the duration of obstructive jaundice and whether undergoing preoperative biliary drain or not, and the analysis was made by variance analysis and χ(2) test respectively.

RESULTSThe depth of jaundice did not significantly affect the incidence of complications after PD except for the hemorrhage complication (χ(2) = 11.06, P = 0.03). The duration of jaundice had no much influence on the postoperative complications and mortality. PBD could not reduce the postoperative complications and mortality, however, it would increase the incidence of postoperative incision infection (χ(2) = 9.84, P = 0.01). No significant relationship was observed between the duration of PBD and the postoperative complications and mortality.

CONCLUSIONSEither the depth or duration of obstructive jaundice has no relationship with the postoperative complications and mortality after PD but the postoperative hemorrhage. Patients undergoing PD can not be benefited from PBD. Consequently, PBD should not be performed routinely, but it can be used in some serious patients with severe depth of jaundice who can not received surgery at once.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the tissue culture and rapid-proliferation techniques of Pueraria mirifica.

METHODThe tender branch were used as explants and cultivated in different media. The optimum media for inducing buds, proliferation and rooting were selected by adjusting the kinds and doses of plant hormones and special compounds.

RESULTThe medium of MS + IBA 0.05 mg L(-1) + BA 0.5 mg L(-1) was suitable for buds inducing and could be used in the first generation cultivation; MS + IBA 0. 02 mg L(-1) + BA 0.2 mg L(-1) and MS +BA 0.1 mg L(-1) were employed by turns in subculture, 25 days propagation coefficient was 3.0; and the medium of 1/2MS + IBA 0.1 mg L(-1) + IAA 0.2 mg L(-1) + C (special compound) 10 mg L(-1) was used for roots inducing, the rooting rate was 76.9%. Rooting plantlets were transplanted in spring and summer; the surviving rate was 81.0%.

CONCLUSIONThis technique system could be employed for rapid propagation of P. mirifica.

Pueraria ; growth & development ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

OBJECTIVETo construct human-SCID chimeric mice through implantation of mononuclear cells from human cord blood and study the immunoreaction of SCID-Hu IC mice immunized with rAd5HPV16L1-E7 vaccine.

METHODS(1) Experiment groups were injected with the suspension of mononuclear cells from human cord blood through a tail vein; the control ones were injected with non serum RPMI 1640 medium. Eight weeks after implantation, blood was collected and human serum IgG level in the mice were tested, and human CD45, CD3 and CD19 were determined. (2) SCID-Hu IC mice were divided into two groups: in group A the mice were immunized intraperitoneally with rAd5HPV16L1-E7 virus and in group B the mice were immunized through nasal drip with rAd5HPV16L1-E7 virus. At the end of fourth week, the serum specific IgG antibody to rAd5HPV16L1-E7 virus, IFN-gamma in culture medium of spleen lymphocyte and T-lymphocyte propagation were tested.

RESULTS(1) In the experiment groups, the number of mice positive for human IgG was 10/15, the average values of CD45, CD3 and CD19 were (9.39+/-4.21), (3.25+/-3.99) and (1.69+/-0.75), respectively. In the control ones, the human IgG, CD45, CD3 and CD19 were negative. (2) The results in the experiment groups showed that the IFN-gamma and T-lymphocyte stimulated by HPV16 protein were higher than those in the non-stimulated group (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSION(1) The results indicated that the construction of human-SCID chimaera through the implantation of mononuclear cells from human cord blood into SCID mice was successful. They also indicated that the reconstructed SCID-Hu IC mice has the ability to produce immune response against rAd5HPV16L1-E7 recombinant virus.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Antigens, CD19 ; blood ; CD3 Complex ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; transplantation ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; immunology ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; genetics ; immunology ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Viral Vaccines ; immunology