Biomarkers ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Xylenes ; analysis

Plant insect-resistantgenetic engineering hasopened a new way to prevent and cure against the insect pest incrop and wood productions. With the progresses instudies, many insect-resistantgeneswere cloned and characterized. The classification of most insect-resistantgenes from plant, the functionalmechanism and the applications of theplantinsect-resistantgenes, the problems and prospectsforusing the plant insect-resistant genes in genetic engineering was described.

Objective To study the effect of Tibetan MedicineManu-Xitanggranules on the expression of prostaglandin E2 and TNF-a on adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats.Methods A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the Aspirin group, the low-, medium- and high- dose Manu-Xitang granules groups (each group with 10). Complete Freund's adjuvant method was used for the adjuvant arthritis model except the control group. All the groups started treatment at 8th day, and the treatment last 20 days. The low-, middle- high-dosage groups were treated with 2.0, 1.0, 0.5g/(kg body weight) Manu-Xitang granules, while the the Aspirin group with ASP (0.27 g/kg), control and medol groups with the equal Volume saline. The body weight, the swelling of primary side of arthritis index were observed. The levels of PGE2 and TNF-α were measured by ELISA.Results At 6th, 12th, 18th day, compared with the model group, the body weights in Aspirin group, the low-, middle-, high-dosage groups significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); at the 6th day, the foot swelling (0.40% ± 0.18%, 0.50% ± 0.25%, 0.55% ± 0.35%vs. 0.85% ± 0.15%) in the Aspirin group, middle-, and high-dosage groups significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). And the PGE2 (0.66 ± 0.31vs. 0.39 ± 0.11) and TNF-a (0.72 ± 0.24vs. 0.50 ± 0.15) in the high- dose group were significantly lower than the model group (P<0.05).Conclusions The Tibetan medicineManu-Xitanggranules could treat AA through the changes of PGE2 and TNF-a.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardia ; Enteral Nutrition ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Intubation, Gastrointestinal ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery ; Time Factors

?Proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( PDR ) is a group of disease characterized by neovascular disease complication of diabetes mellitus. Neovascular diseases of eye are one of the major causes of blindness of the world. Recent studies showed that vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor ( PEDF ) are now accepted as the key cytokine in the development of diabetic retinopathy. Recent progress in the investigation of VEGF and PEDF of PDR are summarized in this review.

Objective To study the metabolic change of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS)in the visual cortex and optic radiation region of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).Methods 1H-MRS was performed in 20 patients with DR and 20 healthy volunteers on GE 1.5 T MR system respectively.Metabolic peaks of N-acetylasparte(NAA),creatine(Cr,in 3.02 and 3.94 ppm),choline-containing compounds(Cho)and myo-inositol(mI)were observed,and the ratios were analyzed by each other.Independent-samples t test was performed between two sets of data.Results In both visual cortex and optic radiation,the ratios of ml/Cr and mI/CrSee in DR group(0.664 ± 0.052 and 1.453±0.068 in visual cortex,0.717±0.074 and 1.484±0.114 in optic radiation)were significant higher than those in normal group(0.602±0.047 and 1.249±0.044 in visual cortex,0.679 ± 0.075 and 1.334±0.089 in optic radiation,P＜0.05).In DR group,the ratios of CrSec/Cr,Cho/Cr and NAA/Cr in visual cortex and optic radiation were 0.458±0.043 and 0.488±0.052,0.481±0.057 and 0.807±0.110,1.633±0.105 and 1.709±0.140 respectively.In control group.the ratios of those were 0.484±0.041 and0.502±0.056,0.471±0.065 and 0.786±0.109,1.625±0.098 and 1.716±0.135 respectively.The ratios of CrSec/Cr,Cho/Cr and NAA/Cr had no statistic difference between two groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion mI/CrSec is a typical change in the visual cortex and optic radiation region,1H-MRS as a noninvasive examination could provide biochemical and metabolic informations for diabetic patients.

Objective The Toxicology study of Tibetan medicine MNXT granules was observed to provide basis for clinical safe medication.Methods The acute toxicity test in mice was conducted with the oral maximum-tolerated dosage,and then toxicity reaction and death situations in mice at 14d after the intragastric administration (ig) one day at 3 times was observed; Long-term toxic test:the does of MNXT granule 13.23 g/kg · d-1,6.667 g/kg· d-1,3.33 g/kg· d-1 (equivalent 100,50,25 times of the clinical dosage) were continuous administered to medicating groups for 30 days,and blank group was given distilled water instead.The rats'behavior,appearance,food intake,water intake,body weight were observed,and the blood,blood biochemical parameters,the main organ coefficient,anatomical,pathological morphology were determined at 30d after administration and 15d after withdrawal.Results The maximum study medication dose of Tibet an medicine MNXT granule was 39 g/kg (equivalent to 300 times the clinical dose) and the mice had not any adverse reaction.Long-term toxicity test:the rats' blood and blood biochemical parameters,the main organ coefficient,anatomical,pathological morphology had not significant differences compared with the blank grou? during the 30d administration and 15d withdrawal.Conclusion Toxicity of the Tibetan medicine MNXT granules was not observed in acute or long-term toxicity test.

Salinity is the main limitation factor for plant growth and crop production.Many approaches to enhance plant resistance to salinity by genetic engineering have been developed.Over-expressions of salt-tolerance related genes encoding proteins involved in signal transduction pathways,ion channels and compatible solutes synthesis for the stabilization of biological structures under salinity stress are the most often used strategies.The recent progresses in genetic engineering to improve salt tolerance in plants and the possible problems in researches was reviewed.

With development of wide-host-range vector systems,Tn5 transposon and its derivative vectors have been widely applied to genetic research of gram-negative bacteria.The applications of Tn5 transposon mutagenesis technology to genetic researches of bacteria were briefly discussed,including researches on biological control mechanisms of biocontrol bacteria,identification of bacterial essential genes,discovering virulence genes of bacterial pathogens,characterization of metabolism regulatory genes and genetic improvements of bacteria.

Background Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is one of the major causes of retinal detachment surgery failure.Based on proteomic studies of PVR vitreous,the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-6 (IGFBP-6) protein was specifically expressed in the vitreous and serum of PVR patients.Furthermore,its expression level is higher in the vitreous and serum in severe PVR patients than that in mild PVR patients.Objective This experiment was to detect the expression of IGFBP-6 in a PVR rat model.Methods Seventy 7-week old male SPF Wistar rats were included and were randomized into the PVR model group and control group.A mixture of RPE-J cell suspension(5 μl) and platelet-rich plasma (5 μl) was intravitreally injected in the left eyes of adult Wistar rats to establish the PVR model,and normal saline solution was administered in the same way in the control group.The rat eyes were clinically examined 1 week,2,3 and 4 weeks after injection,and PVR was graded based on the criteria of Francine.The animals were sacrificed after 1 week,2,4 or 8 weeks for the preparation of retinal sections and liver extraction.Expression levels of IGFBP-6 mRNA in the rat retina and liver were assayed by real-time Q-PCR.The expression of IGFBP-6 protein in the rat serum and vitreous was detected by ELISA.The use of animals complied with the Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals by State Science and Technology Commission.Results Purified IGFBP-6 RNA was extracted from the liver and retina of Wistar rat and quantified by real-time Q-PCR.The expression level of IGFBP-6 mRNA in retina was (3.79± 1.33) × 10-4 in the PVR model rats,showing a significant decline in comparison with the control rats with a level of(8.32±2.96) × 10 4,4 weeks after injection (t =3.42,P＜0.01).The expression of IGFBP-6 mRNA in the 4th week was significantly lower than that of 1 week,2 or 8 weeks after the establishment of the PVR model(P＜0.05).No significant difference was found in the IGFBP-6 mRNA level in the liver between the PVR group and control group(27.60± 14.01 × 10 4 vs.25.01 ± 12.04 ×10-4,respectively),as well as among the different time points(P＞0.05).IGFBP-6 mRNA content in the retina was significantly reduced in grades 1,2 or 3 of the PVR groups compared with the control group(P＞0.05),but there was no significant difference among the different grades of PVR groups (P＞0.05).Concentrations of IGFBP-6 protein in grades 1,2 and 3 of the PVR model group were (221.00 ± 19.32),(229.63 ± 18.89) and (225.70 ± 26.71) μg/L,with a significant elevation in comparison with (173.25 ±21.11) μg/L of the control group (t =2.14,P＜0.05).However,there was no significant change among the different grades of PVR groups(t=1.24,1.46,P＞0.05).The concentrations of IGFBP-6 protein in the vitreous and serum were higher in PVR rat samples (vitreous:225.44±19.36 μg/L;serum:108.48 ± 15.78 μg/L) than in control rats (vitreous:173.25 ± 21.11 μg/L,serum:95.96 ±17.40 μg/L)(P＜0.05).Conclusions The concentrations of IGFBP-6 protein in the vitreous and serum increase in PVR rats.The results indicate that the increased IGFBP-6 in the vitreous might be a localized autocrine secretion of the eye.