Objective To study the morphologic and pathological characteristics of cat scratch disease(CSD).Methods Eight cases with clinical data and tissue blocks were collected in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province.The tissues were successively stained by hematox- ylin and eosin,Warthin-Starry(W-S),acid fast and periodic acid-schiff(PAS)methods to study the histopathological changes and pathogens.Results W-S positive Bartonella henselae was the major pathogen of CSD and there was no acid-fast or PAS positive pathogen could be found in the tissues. There were three forms of histological representation as follows:plasmocytoid monocytes(PMO)and monocytoid B-cells(MBC)hyperplasia plus neutrophils immersion in lymphatic sinus(2 cases); MBC rich granuloma and micro-abscess formation(3 cases); starlit abscess with little or no bacteria in the granuloma(3 cases).Conclusions Bartonella henselae mainly transmits through cats.Contact histo- ry with cats and lymphadenectasis suggest the possibility of CSD.The diagnosis can be confirmed by the presence of W-S staining positive bacteria,MBC rich granuloma or micro-abscess and neutrophil reactions in histopathological exam.

Animals ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Physical Endurance ; physiology ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

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 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.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Jiawei Mojie Tablet (JMT) in treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD) by observing its effect on plasma oxytocin (OT) level in patients in menstrual period.

METHODSSixty-three patients with PD enrolled in the study were randomly divided into the JMT group (n = 33) and the control Group (n = 30, treated with Yueyueshu Granule) to observe the change of OT level in the menstrual period before and after treatment.

RESULTSOT level in patients with PD was obviously higher than that in healthy subjects (P < 0.01), and was positively correlated with the degree of pain (r = 0.738, P < 0.01). OT level reduced significantly after treatment (P < 0.01), the reduction was more significant in the JMT group than that in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJMT could reduce the OT level in menstrual period.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Dysmenorrhea ; blood ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Oxytocin ; blood ; Tablets

OBJECTIVETo construct a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase beta (PI4K-beta) mutant with the 325th to 373rd amino acid codons deleted, and try to develop a simple method for constructing middle fragment deletion mutant.

METHODSIn line with the mechanism of gene splicing by overlap extension(SOE), an additional PCR was used to get the PI4K-beta mutant in which the 325th to 373rd amino acid codons were deleted. Then the mutated gene was cloned into pCMV-Tag4A mammalian expression vector.

RESULTSA mutant with the 325th to 373rd amino acid codons deleted was constructed successfully.

CONCLUSIONThe improved SOE is a very effective and reliable method to construct middle fragment deletion mutant. It is worthy to be popularized.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutation ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; Sequence Deletion

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.

Adolescent ; Altitude ; Brain ; drug effects ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Tablets

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of evodiamine on the proliferation and the immune function of thymocytes and splenocyte of mice from three germlines, which were 8 weeks old masculinity BALB/c, C57BL/6 and F1 hybridization mice. Cells of thymus and spleen were harvested and prepared as unicellular suspension. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT method, while the concentration of IL-2 was detected by ELISA, mRNA levels of bcl-2 and cdk2 in cells treated with evodiamine were detected by RT-PCR, the apoptosis rate and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration were analyzed by FCM, and the protein levels of BCL-2, CDK2 and BAX were determined by fluorescence microscope. The results indicated that at 0.5, 0.75 and 1 micromol/L, evodiamine inhibited the proliferation and externalization of thymocytes and splenocytes stimulated with ConA (p < 0.05). At 0.75 micromol/L, evodiamine inhibited the secretion of IL-2, decreased the mRNA level of bcl-2 and cdk2, and induced apoptosis of thymocytes and splenocytes (p < 0.05). Intracellular ROS concentration increased significantly after treatment with evodiamine for 12 hours (p < 0.05). The death rate increased at a prolong period of time. After treatment with evodiamine for 24 and 48 hours, the cells were divided into two groups, one of which was negatively stained by 2 7-dichlorofluorescein (DCF), which indicated that ROS level decreased significantly in the dying cells. It is concluded that evodiamine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of thymocytes and splenocytes from different germline mice, and at the same time decreases secretion of IL-2 through down-regulating bcl-2 and cdk2 levels.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Quinazolines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Species Specificity ; Spleen ; cytology ; immunology ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; immunology

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of THY1 protein expression in epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry (IHC) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining were used to detect the protein expression of THY1, Ki67 and cell apoptosis in 76 epithelial ovarian cancers by tissue microarray. The correlation between THY1 expression and patients' clinical features was analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 76 epithelial ovarian cancer samples, 64 were informative for IHC and TUNEL assays and 42 (65.6%) among them showed down-regulated/loss expression of THY1 protein. A significant positive correlation of THY1 protein expression with clinical stage and distant metastasis was observed in this ovarian cancer cohort (P < 0.05). The more advanced the tumor stage, the more frequency of loss expression of THY1 protein. In addition, the mean positive rate of Ki67 staining in tumors with down-regulated/loss expression of THY1 was 33.7% +/- 3.5%, significantly higher than that in the tumors with normal expression of THY1 (17.3% +/- 6.1%, P = 0.0027). However, no significant correlation was observed between THY1 protein expression and tumor cell apoptosis as well as patients' survival in this series (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDown-regulated/loss expression of THY1 protein in epithelial ovarian cancer is significantly correlated with cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in the epithelial ovarian cancer, and it may be used as one of the new molecular biomarkers to predict the disease progression in patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Thy-1 Antigens ; metabolism