Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; epidemiology ; Dyslipidemias ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Smoking ; epidemiology

Proteomics, which has been widely used in life science, is an emerging discipline following genomics. It can help to explore the pathogenic mechanism and early onset marker of Bacillus anthracis, playing an important part in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of B.anthracis. In this paper,the application of proteomics in the research of B.anthracis is reviewed.

Objective To detect the mutations of ATP2C1 gene in patients with Hailey-Hailey dis- ease (HHD).Methods PCR and direct sequencing were performed in 17 patients and 120 healthy controls to screen the mutations in the exons of ATP2C1 gene.Results Eight mutations were identified in nine probands, including three deletion mutations (nt1464-1487 del/nt1462-1485del,1523delAT,2375delTTGT),three splice site mutations (360—2A→G,1415—2A→T,2243+2T→C) and two missence mutations (C920T and G1942T).None of the above mutations was found in the controls.Conclusion Eight specific novel mutations were identified in nine probands of HHD,which could be causative factors of the disease.

For diabetes mellitus, little research has been done on the tissue-based or cell-based drug screening model, which has advantages over traditional animal diabetic model in high specificity, high screening volume, low cost and simple manipulation. Considering that the maintenance of complete islet tissue structure is the prerequisite for islet cells to perform their functions normally, an in vitro islet-based drug screening model for diabetes mellitus was established and evaluated. Pancreatic islets were isolated from 3 weeks old mice of either sex by collagenase digestion and density gradient centrifugation as prescribed by Ramanadham S. The volume of 0.1% (W/V) collagenase IV, 0.1% (W/V) Hyaluroridase and 0.1% (W/V) DNase I were 4 times, 2 times and 1 times that of the islets to be digested. And a 2 hours' cold digestion at 4 degrees C was followed by a 10 minutes' warm digestion at 37 degrees C. Under the optimized digestion condition, the islet recovery could be increased by 10%. The isolated islets could survive 6 weeks in vitro and show stable insulin secretion in the first 10 days after inoculation. The obtained islets were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium at 37 degrees C with 5% CO2. Then a diabetic model was established by selecting streptozotocin (STZ) as the evocator and nitric oxide (NO) as the responding index. After 1 day's inoculation, islets culture was treated with STZ, whose concentration ranged from 0 to 5.0 mmol/L. NO was measured by a colorimetric assay at 540nm based on the Griess reaction for 10 min with 0.1 mL Griess reagent and 0.1 mL culture supernatants. Insulin secretion was assayed by RIA methods. Due to the islets-related inoculation variations, NO release and insulin content were both expressed as a percentage of the value recorded in basal experiment which was in the only presence of Krebs culture medium. It was testified that the amount of NO released from islet itself remained steady at 30-35 mmol/L regardless of the changes of STZ concentration from 0 to 5.0 mmol/L. However the NO content in the supernatants of islets culture had close relationship with STZ concentration. This indicated that in this STZ-induced islet diabetic model, NO mainly comes from STZ when it dissolves in water. On the other hand, when STZ changed from 0 to 5.0 mmol/L, the dose-dependent relationship between NO content and insulin secretion showed that the increase of NO came along with the decrease of insulin secretion, which is an important symbol of islet function. As a kind of oxidative free radical, NO is capable of impair islet cells. Thus, NO is a reliable responding index of the model. The optimal STZ concentration in the model is finally determined to be 5.0 mmol/L, under which condition the NO content and insulin secretion is 10.81 times and 0.43 times that in the medium before STZ is added. So if anything is effective in lowering the NO content in the culture, it could protect islets cells from the oxidative attacks of NO. Finally, as an application of the model, the scavenging effect of KOSCr on NO was studied. In a series of KOSCr with different chromium content, all had shown better NO scavenging effects than KOS itself, which could give us an enlightenment of the influence of chromium ion on oligosaccharide. And 1 g/mL KOSCr with 3.519% chromium content can significantly inhibit the NO formation. This has lain a theoretic basis for the research of KOSCr bioactivity and quality control. These results suggested that the STZ-induced diabetic islet model which is impaired by NO free radical can be used effectively, fast and conveniently when screening potential diabetes drugs.
Animals ; Chromium ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin ; metabolism ; Islets of Langerhans ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Streptozocin ; pharmacology

Case-Control Studies ; Creatine ; urine ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; diagnosis ; urine ; Infant, Newborn ; Lactic Acid ; urine ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests

The burned bone DNA test have became more and more important in identifying the individuals and paternity involved in the fire, explosion disasters as well as burn corpse crimes. As an important genetic marker system, STR has been widely used in forensic individual identification, paternity test and other fields. In this article, the influence of burned temperature and time to STR typing was reviewed, the choice of STR locus and DNA extraction methods were discussed about burned bones.
Bone and Bones/pathology* ; Burns/pathology* ; DNA/analysis* ; Disasters ; Fires ; Forensic Genetics ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Paternity

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of urokinase and low molecular weight heparin in children with nephrotic syndrome complicated with intracranial venous thrombosis.

METHODSUrokinase and low molecular weight heparin were administered to the 5 patients intravenously. The initial dose of urokinase was 2000 - 4000 U/(kg.d), the initial pulse dose was 20 000 - 40 000 U given within 15 - 30 minutes, and the left was infused by using a pump, from the second day 2000 U/(kg.d) urokinase was infused daily for 3 to 7 days. During the treatment thrombin time (TT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were tested 3 times every week, with particular attention to bleeding. Low molecular weight heparin 100 - 120 AXaIU/kg, 1 or 2 times per day was hypodermally injected for a course of two weeks. Anti-platelet drugs: long-term oral administration of dipyridamole 3 - 5 mg/(kg.d) was applied 2 - 3 times every day for 3 months.

RESULTSThe clinical symptoms disappeared after one month of the combined therapy of urokinase, low molecular weight heparin and dipyridamole in 5 cases of nephrotic syndrome complicated with intracranial venous thrombosis in children, the plasma viscosity returned to normal in 1 month, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, fibrinogen degradation products returned to normal in 1 to 2 months, venous thrombosis disappeared after 1 to 3 months in head CT or MRI examination, showing the cerebral venous sinus thrombosis complete recanalization without relapse cases in follow-up.

CONCLUSIONThe early application of urokinase and low molecular heparin and anti-platelet coagulation drugs was effective. The early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of intracranial vein thrombosis in patients with nephrotic syndrome is important.

Adolescent ; Child ; Early Diagnosis ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; complications ; Prognosis ; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial ; complications ; Treatment Outcome ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDFew studies have explored the inward sodium current (INa) kinetics of transitional cardiomyocytes. This study aimed to explore the kinetics of transitional cardiomyocytes types alpha and beta.

METHODSThe whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to study the rapid INa of isolated transitional cardiomyocytes in the Koch triangle of rabbit hearts.

RESULTSMaximal amplitude and density of INa in type alpha and type beta was (-1627 +/- 288) pA (alpha), (-35.17 +/- 6.56) pA/pF (beta) and (-3845 +/- 467) pA (alpha), (-65.64 +/- 10.23) pA/pF (beta) (P < 0.05). Steady state activation curves of INa, fitted to a Boltzmann distribution for both types, were sigmoid in shape. Half activation voltage and slope factors did not significantly differ between types at (-43.46 +/- 0.85) mV (alpha), (-41.39 +/- 0.47) mV (beta) or (9.04 +/- 0.66) mV (alpha), (11.08 +/- 0.89) mV (beta). Steady state inactivation curves of INa, fitted to a Boltzmann distribution in both types were inverse "S" shape. Half inactivation voltage and slope factors were (-109.9 +/- 0.62) mV (alpha), (-107.5 +/- 0.49) mV (beta) and (11.78 +/- 0.36) mV (alpha), (11.57 +/- 0.27) mV(beta), (P > 0.05), but time constants of inactivation were significantly different at (1.10 +/- 0.19) mV (alpha) and (2.37 +/- 0.33) ms (beta), (P < 0.05). Time constants of recovery from inactivation of INa for both types were (122.16 +/- 27.43) mV (alpha) and (103.84 +/- 28.97) ms (beta) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTransitional cardiomyocytes in rabbit hearts show a heterogeneous, voltage gated and time dependent fast inward sodium current. Types alpha and beta show the features of INa similar to those in slow- and fast-response myocytes, with probably better automaticity and conductivity, respectively.

Animals ; Female ; Ion Channel Gating ; Kinetics ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Sodium Channels ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo retrospective analysis the complications after treatment of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures with internal fixation, and propose measures to prevent or reduce surgical complications.

METHODSFrom July 2007 to October 2009, 342 patients with metacarpal and phalangeal fractures were treated with internal fixation,including 203 males and 139 females with an average age of 30.4 years old ranging from 18 to 56 years. There were 217 right hands and 125 left hands, 38 cases of the first metacarpal fracture, 47 cases of the second metacarpal fracture, 52 cases of the third metacarpal fracture, 40 cases of the forth metacarpal fracture, 39 cases of the fifth metacarpal fracture, 43 cases of the proximal phalangeal fractures, 52 cases of the middle phalangeal fractures, and 48 case of the distal phalangeal fractures. The fractures were fixed with K-wires in 129 patients, mini plates in 153 cases, screws in 48 cases, wires in 12 cases.

RESULTSAll 324 patients were followed up for 3 to 15 months (averaged 8.5 months) and complications occurred in 74 patients (22.84%). The main complication was unhealthy wound healing in 24 patients (7.4%), others was adhesion of tendon in 54 patients (16.67%), malunion in 34 patients (10.49%), nonunion in 13 patients (4.01%) and shortening of metacarpal and phalangeal in 21 patients (7.41%).

CONCLUSIONThe important reasons responsible for complications are iatrogenic factors such as unsuitable implant selection, unskillful surgical technique and improper post-operative functional rehabilitation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Finger Phalanges ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Metacarpal Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Recovery of Function ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe morphological and electrophysiological characteristics of cardiac cells in Koch triangle are still disputed. We studied the appearance and electrical properties of these diverse myocytes to elucidate their complex electrophysiological phenomena.

METHODSExperiments were conducted using cooled charge coupling device (CCD) system and whole cell, patch clamp technique to determine the morphology, action potential and sodium current density of single viable myocytes enzymatically isolated from the Koch triangle of rabbit hearts.

RESULTSMorphologically, cardiac cells in shape of spider, tiny spindle, slender spindle, rod and strip were observed in percentage of 3.0 +/- 0.3, 35.0 +/- 5.0, 15.0 +/- 2.0, 40.0 +/- 5.0 and 6.0 +/- 0.7 respectively. The cellular dimensions and capacitance gradually increased in the above order (all P < 0.05). Electrophysiologically, action potential configurations recorded from them were similar respectively to nodal (N), atrial nodal (AN), nodal Hisian (NH), atrial (A) and Hisian like potentials obtained from the intact atrioventricular nodal preparations. Diastolic depolarization appeared in all myocytes except for rod cells. Sodium current density increased in the order of tiny spindle, strip, rod, slender spindle cell (all P < 0.05), but could not be detected in spider-shaped cells. Linear regression analysis revealed that membrane capacitance was correlated negatively to the rate of diastolic depolarization r = -0.70, P < 0.001, but positively to maximum depolarization potential, amplitude of action potential, upstroke velocity and maximum peak value of sodium current density r = 0.84, 0.80, 0.87 and 0.75, respectively; all P < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONSThe results demonstrated that spider-shaped, spindle, rod and strip cells in Koch triangle might correspond to pacemaking, transitional, atrial and Purkinje like cells, respectively. Furthermore, tiny spindle and slender spindle cells were referred to transitional cell alpha (TCalpha) and beta (TCbeta) accordingly considering their distinctive electrical properties. Different myocytes with diverse electrical properties constituted the infrastructure of sophisticated electrophysiological phenomena in Koch triangle. In view of the prominent percentage and electrical properties, tiny spindle and slender spindle cells were presumed to play important roles.

Action Potentials ; Animals ; Atrioventricular Node ; cytology ; physiology ; Female ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Sodium Channels ; physiology