Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Workplace

Objective To explore the role of glutamate in inducing cortical neuron damage in newborn rats.Methods The model of damage induced by glutamate was established on cultured cortical neurons in newborn rats with primary cultivation technique.To evaluate the severity of neuron injury, the changes of morphology were observed by inverted microscopy, the cell viability and rate of LDH releasing from neuron were detected by MTT assay and biochemical method,respectively;the rate of neuronal apoptosis was measured by flow cytometer system.Results Under the inverted microscopy, neurons showed obvious toxic damage in glutamate treatment group. Compared with controls,the cell viability significantly decreased (t=4.58 P

AlM: To investigate expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 ( MMP-2 ) and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer ( EMMPRlN) in retinoblastoma (Rb) and the relationships between MMP-2, EMMPRlN and tumor development.METHODS:lmmunohistochemical technique was used to detect expressions of MMP-2 and EMMPRlN in 39 cases of paraffin embedded Rb samples. Quantitative analysis of expressions of MMP-2 and EMMPRlN were assessed by measuring the mean gray scale of Rb tissue with LElCA lM50 Color Pathologic Analysis System. The differences of expressions of MMP-2 and EMMPRlN in each clinical and pathological stage were statistically analyzed, and the same step was also undertaken to study the relationship between Rb with MMP-2 positive expression and that with EMMPRlN positive expression.RESULTS:The positive expression rate of MMP-2 was 90% (Gray value: 109. 64 ± 14. 52; 35/39), and that of EMMPRlN was 85% (Gray value:108. 01±13. 60;33/39). The expressions of MMP - 2 and EMMPRlN were significantly higher in tumors of glaucomatous stage (Gray value:108. 21±11. 47 and 107. 56±14. 32) than those in intraocular stage ( Gray value: 121. 13 ± 11. 32 and 119. 34 ± 12. 66; P<0. 01 and P<0. 05). And the same conclusion can be concluded between those in extraocular stage (Gray value: 91. 03 ± 11. 71 and 92. 26 ± 12. 93) with those in glaucomatous stage (P<0. 01 and P<0. 05). The expressions of MMP-2 and EMMPRlN were significantly higher in tumors with optic nerve invasion (Gray value:103. 89±13. 39 and 105. 23±14. 00) than those without optic nerve invasion ( Gray value: 118. 39 ± 15. 11 and 117. 53±16. 13) (P<0. 01 and P<0. 05).CONCLUSlON:The positive expression levels of MMP-2 and EMMPRlN may correlate with tumor infiltration and metastasis.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; analysis ; Female ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Kidney ; embryology ; metabolism ; Models, Animal ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; analysis ; Uterus ; blood supply

Objective To explore the value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) predicting cardiac events after noncardiac surgery in the aged patients. Methods The level of BNP， the score of Goldman analysis and the cardiac risk grade of ACC/AHA guideline were analyzed in 274 aged patients for cardiac outcome after noncardiac surgery. Results Preoperative BNP concentration>100 pg/ml，score of Goldman≥13，and the high or moderate risk grade by ACC/AHA guideline were related with cardiac events. There was no significant difference in the index such as sensitivity，specificity, accuracy，positive predictive value and negative predictive value for cardiac events between BNP level and cardiac risk grade. Compared with the score of Goldman, BNP was more sensitive （100% vs 55.6%）and negatively predictive （100% vs 96.3%） for cardiac events. Conclusion The risk of cardiac events after noncardiac surgery could be predicted with the level of BNP before operation in the aged patient.

The effects of the feed attractants on Whitmania pigra were studied. The average weight of Wh. pigra were 5.0 g. Arginine was selected as feed attractants, xanthan gum was selected as feed substrate. The times of Wh. pigra going into the inducing room were recorded. The water temperature was 22-25 degrees C during the whole experiment. Arginine that had better inducing effect was chosen to carry on in the gradient experiment. The results showed that the best inducing effect was found when the added amount of arginine was 0.3%, which was close to the arginine content of the natural body fluid of Wh. Pigra and Bellamya purificata, 2.97 mg x g(-1).
Animal Feed ; analysis ; Animals ; Arginine ; analysis ; metabolism ; Body Weight ; Feeding Behavior ; Leeches ; growth & development ; physiology

Objective To observe the activities of serum peroxidase capacity,and lipid peroxidation of children from Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD) areas of Xinghai county in Qinhai province,and to explore the relationship between antioxidant capacity and KBD.Methods Sixty four KBD and forty six health subjects without KBD were chosen from KBD endemic areas,which included primary schools of Tangnaihai,Xialujuan and Qushian of Xinghai county in Qinghai province,and fifty nine age-matched healthy control subjects without KBD were from a non-KBD endemic area,Nanfan primary school of Chang'an county in Shaanxi province.Twenty patients with KBD and twenty control subjects from KBD areas and non-KBD area were extracted by simple random sampling method.2,3-DAN fluorescence technique was used to test the hair and blood selenium.The biochemical techniques were used to test the indicators of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde(MDA),antioxidant enzyme activities,total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC),serum superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT) and glutathione peroxidase(GSHPx).ResultsAll patients with KBD had significantly lower serum GSH-Px activities[ (59.53 ± 25.23)kU/L] and selenium levels in hair[ (67.64 ± 17.28)μg/L] and blood[(36.27 ± 13.29)μg/L],respectively,than that of control subjects from KBD areas [ ( 91.88 ± 22.99 ) kU/L,( 153.32 ± 24.31 ) μg/L,( 63.06 ± 13.66) μg/L ] and nonKBD areas[ ( 122.68 ± 41.74)kU/L,(242.35 ± 38.56)μg/L,(98.93 ± 17.18)μg/L,all P ＜ 0.05].Serum MDA levels in KBD patients[ (4.64 ± 1.11 )μmol/L] were significantly higher than that in control subjects from KBD [(3.31 ± 1.22)μmol/L] and non-KBD areas[ (3.43 ± 1.29)μmol/L,all P ＜ 0.05].On the other hand,T-AOC,SOD and CAT activities were significantly higher in both KBD[(19.80 ± 6.64),(55.80 ± 8.14),(16.45 ± 5.61 ) kU/L] and control subjects[ (21.71 ± 8.82),(57.45 ± 6.96),(15.63 ± 9.18)kU/L] from KBD areas than that of control subjects from non-KBD area[ (13.56 ± 5.38),(42.79 ± 8.10),(6.05 ± 2.71 )kU/L,all P ＜ 0.05 ].Hair selenium levels,blood selenium levels and GSH-Px activity of control subjects from KBD areas were,respectively,significantly lower than that in control subjects from non-KBD area(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions These findings strongly confirm the evidence that KBD patients are susceptible to oxidative stress.The results also show the increase in antioxidant enzymes,which could probably be due to adaptive response to pro-oxidant in KBD state.Hence,there seems to be an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant systems in KBD patients.

Objective To study the exact function of human gene 5 transactivated by pre-S1 protein of hepatitis B virus(PS1TP5)by investigating the gene expression of PS1TP5 in yeast cells. Methods Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was performed to amplify the gene of PS1TP5 using the mRNA of HepG2 cells as template and the gene was cloned into pGEM-T vector.The gene of PS1TP5 was cut from pGEM-T-PS1TP5 vector and cloned into yeast expressive plasmid pGBKT7,then pGBKT7-PS1TP5 was transformed into yeast cell AH109.The yeast protein was isolated and analyzed with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) and Western hybridization.Results PS1TP5 gene was successfully amplified and identified by DNA sequencing.The digested fragment was cloned into pGBKT7 vector and transformed into yeast cell AH109.The results of SDS-PAGE and Western assay showed that the relative molecular weight of the expressed product was about 36 950,and PS1TP5 protein existed in yeast cells.Conclusion The findings suggest that PS1TP5 can be successfully expressed in yeast cell.

The experiment's aim was to optimize the processing technology of Xanthii Fructus which through comparing the difference of UPLC fingerprint and contents of toxicity ingredient in water extract of 16 batches of processed sample. The determination condition of UPLC chromatographic and contents of toxicity ingredient were as follows. UPLC chromatographic: ACQUITY BEH C18 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 microm) eluted with the mobile phases of acetonitrile and 0.1% phosphoric acidwater in gradient mode, the flow rate was 0.25 mL x min(-1) and the detection wavelength was set at 327 nm. Contents of toxicity ingredient: Agilent TC-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), mobile phase was methanol-0.01 mol x L(-1) sodium dihydrogen phosphate (35: 65), flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), and detection wavelength was 203 nm. The chromatographic fingerprints 16 batches of samples were analyzed in using the similarity evaluation system of chromatographic, fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine, SPSS16.0 and SIMCA13.0 software, respectively. The similarity degrees of the 16 batches samples were more than 0.97, all the samples were classified into four categories, and the PCA showed that the peak area of chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and caffeic acid were significantly effect index in fingerprint of processed Xanthii Fructus sample. The outcome of determination showed that the toxicity ingredient contents of all samples reduced significantly after processing. This method can be used in optimizing the processing technology of Xanthii Fructus.
Caffeic Acids ; analysis ; toxicity ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; toxicity ; Quinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; toxicity ; Xanthium ; chemistry ; classification

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation among prevertebral hyperintensity (PVH), sagittal canal diameter on MRI and neurologic function of patients after cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation.

METHODSThe clinical data of 100 patients with cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation were retrospectively analyzed from September 2010 to December 2013. The patients were divided into PVH group and non-PVH group according to the presence of PVH on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. There were 39 patients in PVH group, including 31 males and 8 females, aged from 21 to 83 years old with an average of (58.10 ± 14.78) years; and the other 69 patients in non-PVH group, including 49 males and 12 females, aged from 32 to 77 years old with an average of (55.05 ± 10.36) years. The sagittal disc level canal diameters of subaxial cervical spine were measured on mid-sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. The age, sex, cause of injury, and the segments of spinal stenosis were recorded. American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and motor score were used to evaluate the neurological status.

RESULTSThe ASIA motor score of the group with PVH was 52.56 ± 31.97 while the ASIA motor score was 67.70 ± 22.83 in non-PVH group (P = 0.013). More patients with intramedullary hyperintensity signal on MRI were observed in the PVH group than in non-PVH group (P = 0.006). There was a significant positive correlation between ASIA motor score and sagittal disc level canal diameter of injury segment (P = 0.003). The neurological status was worse in patients with multi-level sagittal canal diameters below 8 mm.

CONCLUSIONThe PVH and the disc-level canal sagittal diameter of the injury segment are associated with neurological status. The patients with multi-level sagittal canal stenosis are vulnerable to severe cervical spinal cord injury.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; pathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology