Dust ; analysis ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Power Plants

Humans ; Infant ; Spasms, Infantile ; therapy

Heavy metal treatment in wastewater by biosorption using moulds was introduced. Different uptake capacities of several different moulds were reviewed. Some factors affecting biosorption were summarized. The mechanism of moulds adsorption and techniques of immobilization were also discussed. In addition, the development tendency of heavy metal treatment in wastewater by biosorption using moulds was envisioned.

Objective To explore the different influence of antiepileptic drugs(AEDs)at therapeutic levels to the maturation of brain.Methods 180 healthy Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were divided into infant and adult group.Each age group was administered with PB,CNP,VPA,TPM or normal saline respectively in persistent 5 weeks.The steady-state plasma concentrations of AEDs at the experimental dosage were coincided with the range of clinical therapeutic concentrations.After AEDs withdrawed,the effects of AEDs on cognitive function were assessed by Morris water maze and two-way shuttle box at different time points.Body and brain weight were got immediately when the rats were sacrificed.Histological changes of brain were observed by HE staining,Nissl staining and transmission electron microscopy.Results(1) For immature rats,1 day or 14 days after AEDs withdrawed,there were significant differences between groups exposed to PB or CNP and control group in escape response latency(ERL)in the two-way shuttle box.Even after one month ERLs of immature rats receiving CNP((6.05?2.04)s)or PB((5.81? 1.75)s)were still longer than that of untreated controls((4.75?2.43)s,P

2', 3', 5'-Tri-O-acetyl-N6-(3-hydroxylaniline)adenosine (WS070117) is a derivative compound of natural product cordycepin. It has significant lipids regulating activity and low toxicity which has been proved by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In this study, 1H NMR-based metabolomics was used to investigate the dose-related effects of WS070117 on hyperlipidemia of high-fat-fed hamsters. The hyperlipidemic hamsters were administrated with six different doses of WS070117, including 3, 12, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1). 1H NMR spectra of hamster serum were visually and statistically analyzed using two multivariate analyses: principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). As a result, WS070117-treated groups showed dose-related regulation of metabolites associated with lipid metabolism, choline metabolism and glucose metabolism. The dose of 3 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of WS070117 only exhibited a little lipids regulating activity. However, the doses of 12 and 50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) of WS070117 both regulated the contents of metabolites to reverse significantly toward normal levels. When the dose of WS070117 reached 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1), it was more effective than positive control drugs. The work suggested that NMR-based metabolomics might be a valuable approach to evaluate dose-related effects of lipids regulating compounds.
Adenosine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cricetinae ; Hyperlipidemias ; metabolism ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Lipid Metabolism ; drug effects ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Metabolomics ; Multivariate Analysis ; Principal Component Analysis

Objective To investigate the correlation between α1-adrenergic receptor and the pathological behavior of cholangiocarcinoma, and the effects of norepinephrine (NE) on the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939. Methods Thirty-six samples of cholangiocarcinoma were resected in Southwest Hospital from August 2002 to March 2008. The expression of α1-adrenergic receptor in the 36 samples of cholangiocarcinoma tissue and 4 samples of normal bile duct tissue were detected by SABC technique. The proliferation of cholangio-carcinoma cell line QBC939 was detected after processing the cells with NE, phentolamine and prazosin. All the data were analyzed by chi-square test. Results The high positive expression rate of α1-adrenergic receptor was 68% (17/25) in patients with lymph node metastasis, which was significantly higher than 9% (1/11) in patients without lymph node metastasis (χ2=10.604, P<0.05). The high positive expression rate of α1-adrenergic receptor was 85% (11/13) in patients with middle and low positioned cholangiocarcinoma, which was significantly higher than 30% (7/23) in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (χ2=9.753, P<0.05). NE promoted the proliferation of cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 by stimulating the expression of α1-adrenergic receptor, and in a concentration-dependent manner. The proliferative effect was weakened as time passed by, and it was eliminated by phentolamine and prazosin. Conclusions The expression of α1-adrenergic receptor is diverse due to lymph node metastasis and the location of the tumor, α1-adrenergic receptor with high expression may play an important role in the proliferation and metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective To investigate the characters of the COL3A1 gene polymorphisms in Chinese population of Hunan region and the relationship between the COL3A1 gene polymorphisms and ischemie stroke.Methods Objects examined were composed of 70 healthy controls,110 patients with acute cerebral infarction.The frequencies of the genotypes were detected by using PCR-SSLP techniques and correlated PCR segements were analyzed by directly sequence to detect the COL3A1 gene polymorphisms.Result There were significant differences in the distribution of VNTR with COL3A1 genotype polymorphism between the patients of acute cerebral infarction and healthy controls,the former being 0.93,the latter 0.43,with a significant difference(P

ObjectiveTo investigate the cytotoxicity and gene transfection mediated by NMPCS/DNA nanoparticles.MethodsN-methylene phosphonic chitosan (NMPCS) was synthesized using one-step reaction under homogeneous conditions.The NMPCS/DNA nanoparticles were prepared using complex coacervation method.The cytotoxicity of NMPCS alone and its complexes with plasmid DNA were determined by MTT assay on HeLa cells.The gene transfection mediated by NMPCS/DNA nanoparticles were investigated using pGL3control vector as reporter gene.ResultsThe MTT results suggested that the NMPCS and NMPCS/DNA complexes showed significantly lower cytotoxicity than PEI and PEI/DNA complexes,respectively.The gene transfection mediated by NMPCS/DNA nanoparticles were greatly improved compared with unmodified chitosan.ConclusionNMPCS would demonstrate great potential as a novel,safe,efficient non-viral vector for gene delivery.

ObjectiveTo isolate and identify endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) from human umbilical cord,and to study the cell proliferation and gene transfection of green fluorescent protein plasmid in vitro.MethodsEPCs were isolated from human umbilical cord in enzyme digestion method.The biological characteristics of EPCs were identified by flow cytometry and laser confocal microscope.The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene transfection mediated by EPCs was investigated using Lipofectamine 2000 as transfection reagent.ResultsEndothelial progenitor cells isolated from umbilical cord formed typical endothelial cell colony 9 days later.These cellsdisplayed an improved positive expression of CD133 and kinase insert domain receptor (KDR).The endotheliallineage characteristics of expanded cells were confirmed by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-UEA-1 binding and DiI-ac-LDL uptake assay with the aid of laser confocal microscope.The transfection results demonstrated high expression of EGFP taking EPCs as host cell.ConclusionEndothelial progenitor cells isolated from umbilical cord can be propagated and induced to differentiate into endothelial cells in the appropriate culture conditions.EPCs demonstrated to be an ideal carrier for gene and cell therapy.

Objective To explore link of change of plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Method The hsCRP enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods were used to measure plasma CRP levels in 21 patients with lone paroxysmal AF (LPAF) during AF and 7 days after return to sinus rhythm ;28 patients with lone sustained atrial fibrillation(LSAF) and 27 patients with rheumatic heart disease and chronic AF(RHD).Levels of plasma CRP were compared to levels in 32 patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia(PSVT) and 20 voluntary healthy subjects. Results Patients with LPAF,LPAF and RHD had high levels of CRP when compared with PSVT and the healthy subjects.No significant changes of CRP levels were found between the onset AF patients and those after 7 days of recovery.Patients with lone persistent AF and rheumatic heart disease with persistent AF had higher levels of CRP than those with LPAF,but have no significance.There were positive correlation between the duration of AF and the levels of CRP.But there were no relation with left atrial size on echocardiography,sex and ages. Conclusion These results indicate that elevated CRP levels in AF patients may play an important role in the occurrence and sustainment of AF.