Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a serious threat to public health worldwide with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and all-cause morbidity and mortality. In this study, a urinary metabolomic approach was performed on high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry to discriminate 36 male MetS patients and 36 sex and age matched healthy controls. Pattern recognition analyses (principal component analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminate analysis) commonly demonstrated the difference between MetS patients and no-MetS subjects. This study found 8 metabolites that showed significant changes in patients with MetS, including branch-chain and aromatic amino acids (leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan), short-chain acylcanitine (tiglylcarnitine), tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate (cis-aconitic acid) and glucuronidated products (cortolone-3-glucuronide and tetrahydroaldosterone-3-glucuronide). The candidate biomarkers revealed in this study could be useful in providing clues for further research focusing on the in-depth investigation of the cause of and cure for MetS.

Objective To investigate the effects of trimetazidine on the oxidative stress in maintenance he-modialysis (MHD) patients. Methods Eighty-six MHD patients and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited in the study. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) was measured by colorimetry and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in serum was measured by hydroxylamine method. The levels of serum malondialdehyde (MDA) were meas-ured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Serum advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All MHD patients were randomly divided into two groups, treatment group (n = 46) and control group (n = 40), who had undergone hemodialysis for at least three months before the study and were in a stable clinic status without signs of infection or disease activity. In the treatment group,20 mg of trimetazidine was taken orally three times each day for twenty-four weeks, when the parameters for oxidative stress were studied. The levels of GSHPx. SOD, MDA and AOPP in serum were measured before and after the treat-ment. Results At the initiation of the investigation, the serum levels of GSHPx [(584.37±215.70) μmol/L, (580.87±309.12) μmol/L vs (769.06±302.46) μmol/L] and SOD [(347.87±82.09) kU/L, (348.16±75.33) kU/L vs (428.34±15.23)kU/L] in the M HD patients were significantly lower than those in the normal eontrol group (P < 0.01), whereas the content of MDA [(4.94±1.32) nmol/L, (4.97±1.61) nmol/L vs (3.56±0.46)nmol/L] and AOPP [(120.95±59.24) μg/L,(121.76±69.12) μg/L vs (47.69±20.15) μg/L] in MHD patients was higher than those in the control group( P < 0.05 and P <0.01, respectively). After treatment for twelve weeks, the scores of GSHPx and SOD were significantly increased in the treatment group compared to that before treatment (P <0.01). However, the contents of the MDA and AOPP decreased. There were significant differences in the levels of GSHPx, SOD,MDA and AOPP between the two groups of MHD patients after the treatment with trim-etazidine. Conclusions Trimetazidine in maintenance hemodialysis patients appears to be associated with an im-provement of oxidative stress.

Aim To observe the effect of kanamycin on the change of Ca2+ concentration in outer hair cells caused by acetylcholine to explore the relationship between kanamycin ototoxicity and the cochlear efferent nervous system.Methods After the guinea pigs were killed by decapitation,the OHCs were isolated in artificial perilymph and divided into three groups:control group,acetylcholine(ACh) group and kanamycin + ACh group.OHCs were loaded with Fluo-3/AM for 30 min and then the change of Ca2+ fluorescence intensity was observed.Results Ca2+ fluorescent intensity in OHCs remained basically unchanged in control group,increased 3.06 times(n=6) in ACh Group,and increased 1.75 times(n=6) in kanamycin +ACh Group.Conclusions Kanamycin can obviously inhibit the increasing of Ca2+ concentration in OHCs caused by ACh.

Objective:To study the frequency and distribution of HLA-A alleles and HLA-A*02 subtypes in the lung cancer patients in Yunnan Xuanwei area.This study aims at providing the significant genetic information for lung cancer research and treatment.Methods:Genomic DNA samples were collected from lung cancer patients and healthy donors residing in Yunnan Xuanwei area.HLA-A alleles and HlA-A*02 subtypes were typed by PCR-SSP assay.Case-control study was used to study the difference of frequency distribution between patients and normal controls.The polymorphisms of HLA-A*02 were also observed in cancer patients.Results:The positive rates of HLA-A*02 was significantly higher in cancer patients than in healthy controls (P=0.004,OR=2.432,95% CI=1.314-4.500),which were 68.75% and 47.50%,respectively.The gene frequency of HLA-A*02 was significantly higher in cancer patients than in healthy controls(P

Objective To investigate the expression of Ezrin in gastric cancer tissues and its clinical significance.Methods Gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal gastric tissues from 60 patients with gastric cancer were collected from June 2008 to May 2009 at the Southwest Hospital.The mRNA and protein expressions of Ezrin were detected by using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot.The relationship between Ezrin and the gender and age of patients,and tumor differentiation,pathological staging,depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis was analyzed.All data were analyzed using the t test,chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation.Results The Ezrin mRNA expression level was increased in 33 (55％) cases of adjacent normal gastric tissues and 21 (35％) cases of gastric cancer tissues; the Ezrin protein expression level was increased in 45 (75％) cases of adjacent normal gastric tissues and 22 (37％) cases of gastric cancer tissues.The mRNA and protein expressions of Ezrin in the normal adjacent gastric tissues were 1.30 ± 0.04 and 3.57 ± 0.45,respectively,which were significantly higher than 0.53 ± 0.36 and 0.96 ± 0.18 in the gastric cancer tissues ( t =5.309,22.617,P ＜ 0.05 ).The mRNA expression of Ezrin was positively correlated with the protein expression of Ezrin (r =0.602,P ＜ 0.05 ).The mRNA and protein expressions of Ezrin were related to the pathological stages,depth of invasion and state of lymph node metastasis (x2 =6.41,6.49,4.62; 5.40,8.87,4.12,P ＜ 0.05),but not to the gender,age and tumor differentiation (x2 =0.50,0.07,1.07 ; 0.01,1.16,1.96,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The mRNA and protein expressions of Ezrin are significantly decreased in the gastric cancer tissue,which might be responsible for genesis,development and metastasis of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVETo explore the scientificity of Yunqi theory based on incidence of disease related recognitions such as year evolutive phase, host climatic qi, six climatic factors, celestial manager qi, qi in the earth by analyzing data of hypertension incidence.

METHODSA total of 1,265 inpatients with confirmed first diagnosis as hypertension were recruited at Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from February 4, 1999 to February 4, 2011. Each period (including year evolutive phase, host climatic qi, guest climatic qi) was deducted based on Yun-qi theory. Their ratios of different phases and qi in the total number of hypertension inpatients number were calculated and statistically tested.

RESULTSThere was statistical difference in ratios at year evolutive phase, celestial manager qi, and qi in the earth (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of hypertension has certain difference in each period, which is consistent with Yun-qi theory.

Beijing ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Incidence ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi ; Research

AIMTo compare the thresholds of auditory brain-stem response (ABR) and frequency characteristics in five normal rodent species: CBA, BABL/c, C57BL, KunMing mice and guinea pigs.

METHODSAuditory brain-stem responses in four species of mice and guinea pigs were investigated with IHS-SmartEP 3.91 system. The thresholds and characteristics of ABR in each frequency were measured by the stimulated sound of tone-pip. Acoustic frequency-threshold curves in these five rodent species were made. The optimal response frequencies were assessed.

RESULTSThe thresholds of guinea pigs were the lowest in five rodent species, and KunMing mice, CBA mice, BALB/c mice, C57BL mice in turn. All the thresholds of ABR in these experimental animals were the lowest in 10 kHz. The thresholds became increasing in higher frequency (> 10 kHz), and in lower frequency (< 10 kHz). This was a common characteristic in frequency threshold curves of ABR in these five rodent species.

CONCLUSIONThe hearing of guinea pigs was the best in these five rodent species. The hearing of KunMing mice was sharper than those of the other mice. Stimuli of 10 kHz was the optimal frequency in these live rodent species, and the optimal frequency range was from 8 kHz to 24 kHz.

Acoustic Stimulation ; Animals ; Audiometry ; Auditory Threshold ; physiology ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; physiology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Inbred CBA ; Species Specificity

AIMTo explore the effect of Cdc25B overexpression on the development of mouse two-cell embryos.

METHODSThe pBSK-Cdc25B was in vitro transcribed into 5'-capped mRNA for microinjection by using mMESSAGE mMACHINE kit. The Cdc25B mRNA was microinjected into mouse embryos at two-cell stage in order to observe the embryonic development and cleavage rate. Using protein kinase activity assay and Western blot to detect the MPF activity as well as the phosphorylation status of Cdc2-Tyr15 in Cdc25B overexpression group respectively.

RESULTSThe mouse embryos with Cdc25B overexpression developed to the four-cell stage 48 h after the hCG injection with the percentage of cleavage over 40% compared with the embryos in control groups which still remained at the two-cell stage. Moreover, MPF activity increased significantly after Cdc25B mRNA injection. The phosphorylation status of Cdc2-Tyr15 was coincident with MPF activity.

CONCLUSIONThe results indicate that Cdc25B overexpression in early mouse two-cell embryos reverses two-cell block and promotes their development into four-cell stage by activating MPF.

Animals ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Division ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; Embryonic Development ; physiology ; Female ; Male ; Maturation-Promoting Factor ; metabolism ; Mice ; Microinjections ; Mitosis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Zygote ; growth & development ; metabolism ; cdc25 Phosphatases ; physiology

Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Infant, Newborn ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors ; analysis ; genetics ; Male ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; blood ; genetics ; pathology