Aim To investigate the inhibitory effect of paeonol (Pae) on the human esophageal cancer cell line Eca-109 in vitro and in vivo and its effect on apoptosis.Methods Cytotoxic effect of Pae on Eca-109 cells cultured in vitro was measured by MTT assay.Anti-tumor activity was performed on BALB/c nude mice xenografts model.The morphologic changes of tumor tissue were observed under light microscope and transmission electron microscope.The apoptosis index was assessed by TUNEL.Results Pae had significant in- hibitory effect on the proliferation of Eca-109 cells,and the IC50 value was 0.342 mmol?L-1.In the model of human esophageal cancer xenografts in BALB/c nude mice,the inhibitory rates of Pae group (25、50、100、200 mg?kg-1) were 10.67%、23.54%、27.91% and 34.46% respectively.In vivo administration of Pae 100 mg?kg-1 combined with cisplatin 5 mg?kg-1 resulted in a significant inhibition of Eca-109 tumor growth with the inhibitory rate of 77.91%,compared with cisplatin used alone (58.71%).The more apoptotic tumor cells could be seen under light microscope in every theraperutic groups than those in control.Changes of ultrastructure of tumor cells including concentration and side accumulation of the nuclear chromatin,and the fragmentation of the nuclear was observed under transmission electronic microscope.Apoptosis body was also found.The apoptosis indexes of every theraperutic groups were significantly different from the control.Conclusion Pae can inhibit the cell growth and induce apoptosis in human esophageal cancer cell line Eca-109 in vitro and in vivo.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mucociliary Clearance ; Nasal Mucosa ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Radioimmunoassay ; Radioisotopes ; Radionuclide Imaging

Alanine Transaminase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Liver ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

Objective To analyze monitoring results of iodized salt and distribution characteristics of problem areas with non-iodized salt in Gansu province during 2001 - 2009 and to provide a basis to develop countermeasures to iodine deficiency disorders. Methods According to the criterion of "The National Scheme of Iodized Salt Surveillance", two levels of monitoring were carried out on production and wholesale-level(during 2001 -2007) and household-level(during 2001 - 2009). Salt iodine was determined by direct titration method (GB/T13025.7-1999), and Sichuan salt or special salt was determined with an arbitration method. Criteria for qualified iodized salt was (35 ± 15)mg/kg(20 - 50 mg/kg), and for non-iodized salt was ＜ 5 mg/kg. Results During 2001 - 2007, a total of 4900 salt samples at production and wholesale-levels were examined, with a qualification rate of 97.80% (4792/4900). Non-iodized salt rates were all below 5% in Gansu province, consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was higher than 90% after 2003. During 2001 - 2009, cities(states) with non-iodized salt problems appeared 23 times, with Linxia accounting for 39.1%(9/23), Wuwei accounting for 21.7%(5/23). During 2001 -2009, counties(districts) with non-iodized salt problem appeared 123 times, including 68 times of ethnic minorities and state poverty counties, accounting for 55.3%(68/123). During 2001 - 2005 and 2006 - 2009, ethnic minorities and state poverty counties were accounting for 49.4%(44/89) and 70.6%(24/34) in counties with non-iodized salt problem. Conclusions The quality of iodized-salt at production and wholesale level is satisfactory in Gansu province, household consumption rate of qualified iodized salt have reached national standard for eliminating iodine deficiency disorders. But ethnic minorities and state poverty counties are main regions with non-iodized salt problem,these areas will be the key areas of prevention of iodine deficiency disorders in Gansu province in the future.

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of acupuncture and diet on insulin resistance (IR) and to probe the mechanism.

METHODSForty SID rats were equally divided into 5 groups: blank group (group I), model group I (group II), model group II (group III), acupuncture group I (group IV) and acupuncture group II (group V). The groups II, III, N and V were fed with high-fat-sugar-salt forage to made IR model, then the groups I, III and V were fed with normal forage, and the groups II and IV with the high-fat-sugar-salt forage, and the acupuncture groups IV and V received acupuncture treatment. Two weeks later, the fasting blood glucose (FBG), plasma insulin (INS), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), INS antibody and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected.

RESULTSAs compared with group I, FBG and INS increased, ISI decreased in the group II (all P < 0.01); as compared with the group II , FBG and INS decreased (all P < 0.01) and ISI increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the group [II, IV, V; no case with INS antibody (+) in all groups; TNF-alpha in the group II increased compared with that of the group I (P < 0.01), and TNF-alpha in the group III, IV, V decreased compared with that of group II (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture exerts a reversal effect on insulin resistance, and diet can promotes this effect. The mechanism is carried out possibly through decreasing the secretion of TNF-alpha.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Insulin Antibodies ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

To study the possibility of activation of vagus afferent in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through interleukin-1 (IL-1), Wistar rats were randomly divided into LPS group and saline (NS) group. The expression of c-Fos, CD14 and Mac-1 were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. IL-1 bioactivity was determined by L929 cell proliferation. The expression of IL-1R I mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. Our results showed that there were some c-Fos protein expression positive neurons in the nodose ganglion in LPS group, but no c-Fos protein expression positive neurons in the nodose ganglion in control group. The number of macrophages (M phi) in the connective tissue surrounding the abdominal vagus increased significantly in response to LPS i.p. Forty-five minutes after the application of LPS, the IL-1 bioactivity in the supernatant of M phi was increased. Positive IL-1R mRNA neurons were also observed in the nodose ganglion in the LPS group. The results indicate that vagus afferent is activated in response to LPS and that IL-1 production might be involved in the activation of vagus afferent.
Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Interleukin-1 ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Neurons, Afferent ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; biosynthesis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vagus Nerve ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the SCCmec genotyping, subtype and antimicrobial susceptibility tests in methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus to guide the clinical treatment and provide the proof for molecular epidemiology.

METHODSTo detect mecA gene and SCCmec genetyping and subtype in 50 MRSA by PCR. According to CLSI's guideline, antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed with disk diffusion.

RESULTSAll 50 MRSA had mecA genes. 45 strains were SCCmec III types; 3 strains were SCCmec III A types; 2 strains were SCCmec II types. There were no SCCmec I and SCCmec IV types. SCCmec II, SCCmec III and SCCmec III A type strains were all multiresistant.

CONCLUSION50 MRSA are all multiresistant. SCCmec III are the main types.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Genotype ; Humans ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; classification ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Penicillin-Binding Proteins ; Phylogeny ; Staphylococcal Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology

Objective Color doppler ultrasonography of chronic Keshan disease (CKD) was evaluated to provide evidences for clinic diagnosis of the disease. Methods From September to Novermber 2009, according to "Diagnostic criteria of Keshan disease" (GB 17021-1997), 64 cases of CKD were randomly sampled from five Keshan diseased districts in Shandong province, Zoucheng, Sishui, Yishui, Wulian, Jvxian, and Pingyi as patient group. Thirty four healthy volunteers being checked up by Shandong Institute for Endemic Diseases Control and Research were put in control group. All the subjects were examined with Color doppler ultrasonography. The indexes of cardiac structure, left ventricular (LV) systolic function and LV diastolic function were measured.Results Left atrial internal diameter, LV end-diastolic internal diameter, LV end-systolic internal diameter, right ventricular diameter, aorta diameter, right atrial transverse diameter, right atrial long diameter and left ventricle mass of the patient group[(35.38 ± 6.89), (61.57 ± 8.61), (45.39 ± 10.29), (17.22 ± 3.79), (28.69 ± 2.81),(38.00 ± 6.05), (42.68 ± 8.65)mm, (283.22 ± 103.12)g] were higher than that of control group[(26.70 ± 3.27),(45.41 ± 4.93), (26.91 ± 4.35), (13.76 ± 2.27), (24.09 ± 2.89), (31.50 ± 3.32), (35.82 ± 3.14) mm, (156.03 ±39.86)g, t = 6.93, 10.09, 9.98, 4.87, 7.64, 5.81, 4.46, 6.90, all P＜ 0.05]. The LV ejection fraction and fractional shortening of the left ventricular of the patient group[(49.25 ± 14.33)%, (26.11 ± 9.17)%] were lower than that of control group[(73.88 ± 4.04)%, (42.88 ± 3.62)%, t = - 9.79, - 10.22, all P＜ 0.05]. Diffuse hypokinetic motion of the left ventricle reduced in 95% (61/64) of CKD patients, and 5% (3/64) of CKD patients had segmental LV dyskinesia. Seventy five per sent(48/64) of the patients accompanied with mitral regurgitation, and 39% (26/64) of these cases accompanied with tricuspid regurgitation. Meaningful Mitral or tricuspid regurgitation was not found out in control group. Conclusions The CKD patients' bore of atrio-ventricular cavity and LV mass are enlarged, and their motion of ventricle is reduced or partly reduced. They have poor heart function. Mitral regurgitation are more than tricuspid regurgitation. Color doppler Ultrasonography is important in diagnosis of chronic Keshan discase.

This study examined associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and serum folate concentrations with the risk of esophageal precancerous lesions (EPL) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The highest quartile of serum folate concentration significantly decreased the risk of ESCC compared with the lowest quartile (OR=0.11; 95% Cl, 0.04-0.33; P<0.05). MTHFR 677 C>T polymorphism was associated with the risk of ESCC by using chi-square tests (P<0.05). For the CT genotype, the risk of ESCC significantly increased in study participants with low serm folate concentrations (≤26.92 μg/L) compared with participants with high serum folate concentrations (>26.92 μg/L) by using multinomial logistic regression models. The MTHFR genotype may further modify associations between serum folate concentrations and the risk of ESCC, but it was not significantly associated with the risk of EPL.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; blood ; genetics ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; blood ; genetics ; Folic Acid ; blood ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore gender difference of relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms.

METHODSThe cross-sectional study was used to investigate 5338 workers in 13 factories and companies, the depressive symptoms were assessed with Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the perceived occupational stress was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model Questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between occupational stress and prevalence of depressive symptoms.

RESULTSPrevalence of depressive symptoms was 31.8% for all subjects, 33.8% for males and 27.7% for females, gender difference of prevalence was significant (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for males were significantly higher than those for females(P < 0.01 or 0.05), social support, reward and job satisfaction scores for males were significantly lower than those for females (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for workers with depressive symptoms were significantly higher than those for workers without depressive symptoms (P < 0.01) but job control, social support, reward, job satisfaction and positive affectivity scores for workers with depressive symptoms were significantly lower than those for without depressive symptoms (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for male workers with depressive symptoms were significantly higher than those for female counterparts (P < 0.01), but social support, reward, job satisfaction scores for male workers with depressive symptoms were significantly lower than hose for female workers with depressive symptoms (P < 0.01). Ratio of male workers and male workers with depressive symptoms with job strain and ERI > 1, high demands and low control, and high effort and low reward were higher than female counterparts (P < 0.01). The risk of depressive symptoms for female with high demands and low control was about two times as high as that for female workers with low demands and high control for psychological demands and physical demands (OR = 2.0), risk for females was slightly higher than that for males (OR = 2.04 and 2.17, respectively). The risk of depressive symptoms for workers with high efforts and low rewards was about two times as high as that for workers with low efforts and high rewards (OR = 1.70). No interactive effect between gender and job strain and ERI on depressive symptoms were found.

CONCLUSIONThe gender difference of relationship between depressive symptom prevalence and job strain may due to the difference of psychosocial factors between females and males. There may be no interactive effect between psychosocial factors and gender on depressive symptoms.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult