Mercury is one of the ubiquitous environmental neurotoxins which causes adverse effects on the development of children's neural system.Considering the severe neurotoxicity of mercury,finding and minimizing the sources of mercury exposure is essential for children's health.Amongst the mercury compounds,the toxicity of organic mercury is the most severe.Methyl mercury (MeHg) is the most detrimental and represents a major source of human exposure of mercury.Recent studies on molecular mechanisms of MeHg neurotoxicity points out that MeHg mainly mediates its toxic effects through the impairment of intraceilular calcium homeostasis,alteration of glutamate homeostasis,and oxidative stress.These concepts provide the biochemical interpreting of MeHg neurotoxicity.This review provides the current information on mercury,including environmental sources,neurotoxicity,and molecular mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity.It will be helpful to find some effective ways of interfering children mercury exposure.

Lead exposure is toxic to children.With the development of industry,lead exposure of children becomes more and more serious.Bone is the major target organ for lead loading.In terms of bone development,childhood is a critical period for the production of peak bone mass,and keeping it normal is important for the measurement of bone health and decreasing the morbidity of osteoporosis.Recent research revealed that children's bone mineral density is affected by elevated level of blood lead and this effect is mainly through the inhibition of the activity of osteoblast cell,the influence on calcium and phosphorus metabolism,and the retardation of children's bone growth.Therefore,the review focuses on the source,toxic effect,and the influence on bone mineral density and its mechanism of children lead exposure.

cases were histologically confirmed to be patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 4 cases to be patients with adenocarcinoma. The majority of the patients received stereotatic radiotherapy on the basis of external radiation. The single dose for stereotatic radiation was 5～10Gy, once every two days, 4～8 fractions, the total dose was 26～42 Gy by using 5～6 non-coplanar stationary beams or arc radiation. The patients′ CT was checked 2～3 months after treatment, there were 8 cases of CR( 26.7%), 18 cases of PR(60%),4 case of NR (13.3%).The median survival time was 12 months and the survival of 1 year and 2 years was 84 % and 61.2% (using Kaplan-Meier methods). The total effective rate was 86.7%. The results suggested that stereotatic radiotherapy (SRT) is effective for lung cancer at palliative and radical treatment. Combined with external irradiation, it can increase the doses of target and shorten the course of treatment.

Objective To isolate and identify pathogenic f ungus in a patient with intracranial infection.Methods Specimens were taken from the spinal fluid of the patient.Then,microsco py and fungal culture were done to identify the pathogen.The hi stopathologic features were reprod uced through animal pathogenicity s tudy in a mice model.Results According to the colony appearance i n culture medium,the morphological features in microscopy,such as conidia arrangement and size,germ tube forming site,this fungus was identified as Bipolaris spicifera.Hyphae and swollen hyphal cells resembling chlamydospores,septate pi gmented hyphae were observed in brain tissue specimen of mice experimental model,which were consiste nt with phaeohyphomycosis.Conclu-sion This is the first case of phaeohyphom ycosis caused by Bipolaris spicifera reported in China.

Objective To investigate the effects of propofol on the changes in myocardial Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4)and TNF-αand NF-κb protein expressions in ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R).Methods Thirty healthy male SD rats weighing 250-320 g were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10 for each):Group A,sham operation;Group B,I/R;and Group C,propofol + I/R.In Groups B and C myocardial I/R was induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD)for 30 min,followed by 120 min reperfusion.In Group C propofol was given intravenously 1 0 min before myocardial ischemia,followed by continuous infusion of propofol at 5 mg/(kg·h)until the end of 120 min reperfusion.In Groups A and B normal saline instead of propofol was given. The myocardial tissues were taken at the end of 120 min;ultrastructural changes of myocardial cells were observed under X-ray electron microscope and the expressions of TLR-4 mRNA as well as TNF-αand NF-κb protein were determined.Results Ultrastructural observation under electron microscope showed significantly worsened damage in myocardial tissue structure and mitochondria in Groups B and C compared with Group A.The myocardial expressions of TLR-4 and TNF-αand NF-κb protein were significantly higher in Groups B and C than in control Group A.The myocardial expressions of TLR-4 and TNF-αand NF-κb protein were down-regulated in Group C compared with Group B.Conclusion Intravenous injection of propofol can protect against myocardial damage.Propofol can suppress the increase in myocardial TLR-4 and TNF-αand NF-κb protein expressions induced by I/R.

Reverse transcription-PCR and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) were used to determine the expression levels of Syk gene and the methylation status of its promoter in tissue samples from 60 patients with cervical cancer, 50 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and 20 normal controls. We also analyzed the association of the methylation status and expression levels of Syk gene with linicopathological features of patients. The expression rates of Syk gene in 20 normal cervical tissue samples and 18 CIN Ⅰ samples were both 100% ; those of CIN Ⅱ- Ⅲ and cervical carcinoma were 56% (18/32)and 35% (21/60) respectively. Among cervical carcinoma patients, the expression of Syk mRNA was detected in one out of 13 cases with lymph node metastasis (1/13) and in 20 out of 47 cases with no lymph node metastasis (43%). The methylation of Syk gene in promoter region was detected in 34 out of 60 cases of cervical carcinoma (57%) ; while there was no methylation in CIN cases. In 13 cases with lymph node metastasis, 11 were found to have the methylation of Syk gene. The methylation rate of Syk promoter in cervical carcinoma was higher than that of CIN tissue( x~2 = 7. 13, P ＜0. 01 ). The methylation status of Syk gene was correlated with the lymph node metastasis ( P＜ 0. 05 ), but not with other clinicopathological parameters ( P ＞ 0. 05). There was a significant correlation between methylation status and expression level of Syk gene ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). The hypermethylation leads to silencing of the Syk gene in human cervicalcarcinoma. Syk hypermethylation may be associated with oncngenesis, metastasis of cervical carcinoma.

Objective To develop a murine model for infection by Cladosporium carrioni. Methods A total of 72 ICR mice were equally divided into 4 groups, group A (healthy mice inoculated by C. Carrioni suspension of 1 × 108 cfu conidia mL-1, group B (immune-suppressed mice inoculated by C. Carrioni sus pension of 1 × 108 cfu conidia mL-1), group C (immune-suppressed mice inoculated by C. Carrioni suspen-sion of 1 × 106 cfu conidia mL-1), group D (healthy mice inoculated by sodium chloride solution). C. Car-rioni suspension or sodium chloride solution was subcutaneously inoculated into foot pads of mice. On day 7, 30 and 60 after inoculation, 6 mice were killed in each group followed by the measurement of thickness of foot pads, pathology and mycology of skin samples taken from foot pads. Results In group A, B and C, there were swelling, blackening, ulceration and crusts at the inoculation site of all mice, with a morbidity of 100%. The thickness of foot pads in group A on day 30 was significantly higher than that on day 7 (2.40 ± 0.45 mm vs 2.85 ± 0.47 mm, P < 0.05), but lower than that on day 60 (1.64 ± 0.13 ram, P < 0.05). In group B, increased thickness of foot pads was observed on day 30 compared with that on day 7 and day 60 (2.19 ± 0.27 mm vs 1.80 ± 0.21 mm and 1.86 + 0.22 mm, respectively, both P < 0.05), which was the case with group C (1.98 ± 0.06 nun vs 1.51 ± 0.11 mm and 1.82 ± 0.09 mm, respectively, both P < 0.05). No significant changes occurred to the thickness of foot pads in group D from day 7 to day 60 (P > 0.05). Pathological changes in group A, B and C included necrosis, abscess and chronic granuloma formation; dark brown sclerotic bodies were observed on HE and PAS staining as well as on direct microscopy; cultures of tissue samples grew Cladosporium carrionii. The mice in group D remained uninfected. Conclusion Mouse model for chromoblastomycosis may be established by subcutaneous inoculation of Cladosporium carrionii suspension into foot pads of healthy or immuno-suppressed mice.

Objective To develop a rapid and reliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure to detect the pathogenic fungi in clinical specimens. Methods Skin, nail and hair samples were taken from patients suspected of being infected with superficial mycosis. Pathogens were detected by PCR based on the ITS1 primer, and the results were compared with those from microscopic examination and culture. Results One hundred and twelve patients were recruited in this study. For PCR, microscopic examination and culture the sensitivities were 80.7%, 96.5% and 70.2%, the specificities were 100%, 89.1% and 100%, the positive predictive values were 100%, 90.2% and 100%, and the negative predictive values were 83.3%, 96.1% and 76.4%, respectively. The PCR process could be completed within 24 h. Conclusions PCR assay has good specificity and accuracy, while fungal culture takes 2 weeks to get the results. PCR is helpful for making rapid clinical diagnosis, which leads to the appropriate treatment of superficial fungal infection.

Objective To investigate the potential effect of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide(CTAB)separated mannan of cell wall from Candida albicans on the production of IL -6and IL -8in h uman peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)induced by lipopoly saccharide(LPS).Methods PBMCs were pretreated with differen t concentrations of CTAB mannan(1.000mg /mL?0.100mg /mL?0.010mg /mL)for 24h.LPS(50?g /mL)was added and co-incubated for 24h.And a t 48h,the supernatants were collected.At 24h and 48h,only the super-natants of stimulated by CTABmannan were collected.LPS(50?g /mL)was the positive control,unstimula ted culture medium the negative control.The con tents of IL -6and IL -8in the supernatants were determined by ELISA.Re-sults At 24h and 48h,no IL -6and IL -8were detected in 3different concentration-CTAB mannan groups.LPS could induce IL -6(478.507?24.876ng /mL),IL -8(529.655?53.279ng /mL).The contents of IL -6and IL -8of negative control were not detectable.In 1.000mg /mL CTAB mannan +LPS group the contents of IL -6were(85.620?16.058ng /mL,P=0.004),IL -8were(123.940?20.319ng /mL,P=0.011).In 0.100mg /mL CTAB mannan +LPS group,IL -6(210.086?27.874ng /mL,P=0.007),IL -8(206.798?31.878ng /mL,P=0.022).In 0.010mg /mL CTAB mannan +LPS grou p,IL -6(201.387?32.396ng /mL,P=0.014),IL -8(203.133?36.012ng /mL,P=0.015).Conclusion CTAB mannan of cell wall from Candida albicans could downregulate the production o f IL -6and IL -8from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells induced by LPS.

A 19-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for erythema and nodules on the face and postauricular region for 6 years. Microscopic examination of lesion scrapings revealed brown septate hyphae. A restricted, velvety and black colony grew on Sabouraud's dextrose agar. Slide culture on potato dextrose agar plate showed flask-shaped phialides at the apex of or around the hyphae with clear collarettes and flaring apex,mucilage-encapsuled, round to oval, semi-endogenous phialosporae accumulating at the apex of the phialides,giving a flower-like appearance. Anti-fungal susceptibility test showed that the fungus was sensitive to itraconazole, terbinafine and amphotericin B, but resistant to fluconazole. Sequence analysis of the ITS1-ITS4 region revealed a 98% consistency with the reference sequence of ITS1-ITS4 of Phialophora verrucosa. On the basis of above findings, the patient was diagnosed with cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis. Clinical improvement was seen after treatment with oral itraconazole (400 mg/d).