OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of bitumen fume on neurotransmitter and ultrastructure of mice brain and to investigate the toxicity of bitumen fume on nerve system of mice brain.

METHODSThe experimental mice were forced to inhale the bitumen fume at different exposure level and in different time periods. The contents of the three transmitters dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in mice brain were measured by the fluorescence meanwhile ultrastructure of mice brain was observed by electronic microscope. The ultrastructure of mice brain was observed under transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe contents of DA, NE and 5-HT in all groups decreased with the increasing of dose and prolonging of time (after 8 week, with the increasing of exposure lever, the content of DA, NE, 5-HT was respectively 2.194, 2.190, 2.181, 2.178 microg/g and 1.148, 1.138, 1.135 and 1.407, 1.403, 1.395 microg), but the results did not show significant differences. The structure of the mitochondria changes included the swollen mitochondria, chromatin margination, pyknosis and apoptosis in neuro cells and the processes of swollen astrocyte cells.

CONCLUSIONThe bitumen fume could induce changes of the ultrastructure of mice brain and affect the contents of neurotransmitter of mice brain.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Hydrocarbons ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; analysis

Objective To observe the long term effects of arthroscopic knee debridement and reconstructing operation for treating osteoarthritis in patients with Kaschin-Beck disease. Methods Thirty-one cases of patients with Kaschin-Beck disease were followed for 6 years after operation of articular clearing by arthroscope. Index of pain, symptoms of self-evaluation, range of motion, walking distance, standing test by affected leg when bending at 30° or 60° were recorded and compared with the preoperative results. Results Twenty-four cases were followed up for 6 years. Six years after operation the pain index(3.38 ± 2.87) was dramatically decreased compared to that before operation (6.88 ± 1.45, t = 5.30, P ＜ 0.05). Patients symptoms markedly improved by subjective self-evaluation was 70.83% (17/24), the effective rate was 100% (24/24). The number of cases that could stand up when leg bending at 30° or 60° were 21,18 cases, respectively, compared with that of preoperative of 14, 11 cases, respectively, the difference was statistically significant(x2 = 5.17,4.27, all P ＜ 0.05). Six years after operation the walking distance(3 cases ＜ 1 km, 11 cases 1 - 5 km and 10 cases ＞ 5 km) were greatly improved compared to the results before operation (12 cases ＜ 1 km, 9 cases 1 - 5 km and 3 cases ＞ 5 km, U = 2.88, P ＜0.05). Six years after operation the knee activity[(132.25 ± 14.52)°] remained at the same level, compared with that of preoperative [(131 .58 ± 14.68) °], the difference was not statistically significant (t = 0.16, P ＞ 0.05) .Conclusions The method of arthroscopic joint debridement to cure Kaschin-Beck disease knee osteoarthritis can significantly reduce pain, improve function and walking distance, with more stable long-term satisfactory outcome.

Objective To understand the genetic polymorphism of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in Guangdong province, as well as to explore methods for identifying and tracing the source of these two foodbome pathogens. Methods Using the automated ribotyping system, two foodbome pathogens were tested with either EcoR Ⅰ or Pvu Ⅱ restriction enzymes. BioNumerics software was then applied for image analysis, database establishment and other corresponding analysis. Results Digestion of 32 Salmonella isolates with Pvu Ⅱ yielded 19 different ribotypes,and digestion of 14 Salmonella isolates with EcoR Ⅰ yielded 2 different ribotypes. Staphyloccus aureus isolates showed greater genetic diversity, whereas EcoR Ⅰ digestion of 49 different isolates yielded 31 different ribotypes. Conclusion Unique Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus isolates could be identified through ribotyping. Although Salmonella serotyping and ribotyping were not strongly correlated, the combination of both restriction enzymes could be used to more effectively identify the genetic relationship among different strains as well as the source of food poisoning. Thus, not only could the genetic relationships amongst the different strains be inferred through ribotyping skills, the source of food poisoning and mode of transmission could also be determined under the use of this method.

Objective To provide an overview of the current knowledge of growth-differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) in heart disease.Data sources To identify relevant publications,we searched PubMED database combining the textual terms of heart,cardiac,cardiovascular disease with GDF-15.Study selection Well-controlled,relatively large-scale,retrospective studies as well as meaningful individual cases were all selected as materials.Results GDF-15 is a distant member of the transforming growth factor-β cytokine superfamily.In myocardium,GDF-15 is weakly expressed under physiological conditions.However,its expression level is increased in response to pathological stress.Growing evidence indicate that elevated levels of GDF-15 is a promising prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular diseases.Moreover,GDF-15 exhibits the properties of endogenous anti-hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and protecting the heart suffering from ischemia and reperfusion insult.Conclusion Ve GDF-15 may be a promising biomarker for evaluation and management of patient with cardiovascular diseases,and have potential protective properties on myocardium.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects and mechanisms of ascorbic acid (AA) and sodium selenite (SS) on growth inhibition and redifferentiation in human gastric cancer cells.

METHODSIn the present study, trypan blue dye exclusion method was used to determine the cell growth curve and mitotic index, cell electrophoresis and colonogenic potential were used as the indexes of redifferentiation. In order to find out the mechanisms of redifferentiation, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) were assayed, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and H2O2 were evaluated.

RESULTSAfter treatment with AA 3 mol/L + SS 2 mu mol/L, the growth rate and mitotic index of human gastric cancer cells (MGc-803) decreased remarkably. The indexes related with cell malignancy were alleviated. For example, cell surface charge was obviously decreased, the electrophoresis rate was dropped from 2.21 to 1.15 mu m.s-1.V-1.cm-1. The indexes related with cell redifferentiation were promoted. For example, the colonogenic potential was decreased to 93.5%. These results indicated that redifferentiation of human gastric cancer cells was successfully induced by AA + SS. The activities of SOD and GPX were significantly higher, while the activity of CAT was slower in treated group than that in the control. The content of MDA was slightly decreased, GSH was sharply decreased, and H2O2 content was dramatically increased.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicated that combination of ascorbic acid and sodium selenite may induce the redifferentiation of human gastric cancer cells and inhibit cell growth by virtue of enhancing the activities of antioxidative enzymes and inducing the formation of H2O2, and altering the cell redox status. Combination of ascorbic acid and sodium selenite may be a potent anticancer agent for human gastric cancer.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Catalase ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mitotic Index ; Sodium Selenite ; pharmacology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; pharmacology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To investigate the expression of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor ? (PPAR?) in trophoblast and relation between PPAR? ligands and trophoblast invasion.Methods We examined the expression of PPAR? by immunohistochemistry,immunocytochemistry and real time quantitative PCR.We next examined,using the cytotrophoblast culture model,the biological role of PPAR? ligands in vitro.Results PPAR? was mainly localized in the nuclei of villous cytotrophoblast and extravillous cytotrophoblast of cell islands and cell columns.In villous tissue and cultured trophoblast from early first trimester,the level of expression of PPAR? mRNA and protein was 36.0?5.1,13.4?3.1 and 1.35?0.08,1.13?0.11;from late first trimester it was 23.3?5.5,6.1?1.3 and 1.17?0.03,0.86 ?0.05,and the expression of PPAR? was obviously decreased (P

Objective To understand non-typhoid Salmonella in diarrhea patients from Guangdong province in order to timely discover the outbreaks caused by them as well as to grasp the serotypes, antibiotic resistance and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types of those strains isolated from this surveillance program. Methods Salmonella strains from diarrhea patients were detected and all the positive strains were tested by serum agglutination, antibiotic susceptibility and PFGE. Results 71 nontyphoid Salmonella strains were isolated from 1128 stoop samples, with a positive rate of 6.29 %. All the strains were divided into 29 serotypes, with Salmonella serotype enteritidis and typhimurium showing the most common serotypes. Most of the strains were sensitive to cephalosporins and quinolones. The antibiotic resistance rates of S. typhimurium were higher than S. enteritidis and S. stanley. Other than S. enteritidis, all the serotype strains did not have the same type of PFGE. 17 S. enteritidis strains digested by Xba Ⅰ were divided to 8 PFGE types while the PFGE 4 type appeared the most common one. 12 S. enteritidis strains were typed again by Sfi Ⅰ and Not Ⅰ , and there were still 3 groups of strains showing the same PFGE pattern. Conclusion Most of the infection caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella was sporadic in Guangdong province in 2007. Cephalosporins and quinolones seemed the best in curing the infection of non-typhoidal Salmonella at the clinics.

Objective To understand the phenotypic characteristics of foodbome Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Guangdong province through carrying out a comprehensive comparison including pulse field gel electrophoresis,ribotyping and serotyping.Methods 74 different Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated from seafood and cases due to food poisoning in Guangdong province were under serotyping and susceptibility testing,in addition to the testing of direct heat hemolysin(tdh)and the heat hemolysin-related hemolysin hormone(trh)via PCR.Ribosomal genotyping(ribotyping)with EcoR Ⅰ restriction enzyme was utilized on 74 different Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates,whereas pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE)with the Not Ⅰ restriction enzyme was used on 74 different Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates.BioNumerics software was used to compare the isolates from different sources,times and places in order to elicit the correlation between different strains.Results Although Vibrio parahaemolyticus was 100.00％ sensitive to chloramphenicol,it still presented different levels of resistance against 13 other antibiotics.Among the 74 different strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus under testing,24.32％ showed positive for the tdh virulence gene,whereas 4.05％ positive for trh.74 different Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were found to belong to 26 serotypes,where the O5:K17 and O2:K28 serotypes were dominant in those isolates that causing seafood-poisoning.The O3:K6 serotype was found to be the dominant of those isolates that causing food-poisoning.Based on ribosomal genotyping,the 74 Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates were divided into 62 different ribotypes,whereas the 74 strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus were divided into 67 different PFGE types,thus exhibiting considerable genetic diversities of the strains.Conclusion Majority of the isolates causing food-poisoning carried tdh virulence gene.PFGE was shown to have the highest resolution,followed by ribotyping with serotyping being the lowest,where the combination of the three could improve the resolution.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic association between schizophrenia and polymorphism of D-amino acid-oxidase (DAAO) gene.

METHODSA total of 112 parent/offspring trios in which the proband met the Amerecan Classification and Diagnostic Criteria for Mental Disorders (Fourth Revised Edition) were included in this study. Correlation analysis between schizophrenia and DAAO gene polymorphism and haplotype relative risk analysis were conducetd by using PCR and SNP typing in all the nuclear families.

RESULTSThe rs3918347 allele was correlated to schizophrenia (P = 0.014). Allele A was a protective factor (Z = -2.37) and allele G the hazard factor (Z = 2.37). The frequency of rs3918347 allele A was 0.41 and that of the allele G was 0.59. The rs3741775, rs3825251 and rs4964770 alleles were not associated with schizophrenia. Three haplotypes of C/G in the rs3825251-rs3918347, G/T in the rs3918347-rs4964770, C/G/T in the rs3825251-rs3918347-rs4964770 were associated with schizophrenia (P = 0.021, 0.036, and 0.028, with genotype frequencies of 0.33, 0.28, and 0.15, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe nucleotide polymorphism of DAAO gene is associated with schizophrenia in Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Schizophrenia ; genetics ; Young Adult

The murine bone marrow endothelial cell line (mBMEC) has been maintained by means of subculture and cryopreservation for over 10 years since it was established in our laboratory. This study was aimed to newly identify biological characteristics of this cell line for further study. The cultured mBMEC cells were observed by inverted microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). PECAM-1 (CD31) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) were detected by immunofluorescent staining. The phagocytotic activity of the cells in culture was tested by using fluorescent acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL). The cell growth kinetics analysis and karyotype analysis were performed. The results showed that the adherent cells were mostly elliptical, rounded and spindle-shaped, and some of them connected to each other to form cord- and network-like arrangements in mBMEC cultures at subconfluence. The adherent cells grew up to confluence as a cobblestone-like monolayer. Several ultrastructural features of the endothelial cells could be observed in TEM sections of the cultured cells. More than 94% of mBMEC cells were positive for either CD31 or vWF. The phagocytotic ingestion of Dil-Ac-LDL occurred in 98.5% of cells. In normal culture conditions, the cells grew with a mean population doubling time of 54.6 hours and the maximal mitotic index was 38 per thousand in the rapid growth period. The colony yields were 4.33% to 7.40% depending on the plating density of cells. Karyotypes of all the cells were aneuploidy with a greater percentage of hyperdiploid. It is concluded that mBMEC cells retain the fundamental properties of endothelial cells, but the growth kinetics and biological behaviors are slightly different from those in the early days after the establishment of this cell line.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Karyotyping ; Mice ; Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism