Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Mutation ; Pain Insensitivity, Congenital ; complications ; genetics ; pathology ; Receptor, trkA ; genetics

Objective To approach the clinical significance of Clara cell secretary protein(CCSP) in bronchial asthmatic children. Methods Serum were collected from 50 cases during asthmatic attacks, 22 asthmatic children who were in stable conditions, and 20 healthy children. Serum CCSP concentrations were measured by a human CCSP enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Asthmatic children had significantly lower levels of CCSP in serum during asthmatic attacks(P

AIMTo isolate and purify gonyautoxins from Alexandrium mimutum Halim Amtk2 strain.

METHODSThe ethanol extracts of culture Alexandriun minutum Halim Amtk2 were isolated by means of gel filtration chromatography, the toxin fraction obtained was then purified by ion exchange chromatography.

RESULTSFrom 100 liter of cultivation liquid of Alexandrium mimutum Halim Amtk2 (6.74 +/- 0.31) x 10(9) cells were obtained. The ethanol extracts of Alexandriun minutum Halim purified by gel filtration chromatography obtained gonyautoxins mixture 29.59 mg. 4.06 mg of the mixture was further purified by two steps of ion exchange chromatography, and obtained pure GTX-4 (0.40 +/- 0.002) mg, GTX-1 (5.95 +/- 0.03) x 10(-2) mg, GTX-3 (6.92 +/- 0.05) x 10(-4) mg and GTX-2 (0.11 +/- 0.005) mg.

CONCLUSIONPure gonyautoxins can be obtained by means of gel filtration chromatography and ion exchange chromatography from ethanol extracts of cultured Alexandriun minutum Halim Amtk2 strain.

Animals ; Chromatography, Gel ; methods ; Chromatography, Ion Exchange ; Dinoflagellida ; chemistry ; Marine Toxins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Saxitoxin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To explore the role of Clara cell secretory protein(CCSP) in asthmatic children and compare the levels of CCSP in sera and induced sputum.Methods Thirty-four children with asthma who were in remission and 25 healthy controls were enrolled.Sera and hypertonic saline-induced sputum were obtained in asthmatic children,and sera alone were obtained in control subjects.The le-(vels) of CCSP were measured in sera and induced sputum by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Results Asthmatic children,compared with controls,had significantly lower concentration of CCSP in sera(P

BACKGROUNDBreast cancer remains the most important cancer among women worldwide. The disease itself and treatment may have a profound impact on the patients' psychological well being and quality of life. Depression is common in breast cancer patients and affects the therapeutic effects as well as prolongs the duration of hospital stay. However, few studies reported the effectiveness of music therapy on depression and duration of hospital stay of female patients with breast cancer after radical mastectomy.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty subjects were recruited to this clinical trial and randomly allocated to two groups. The experimental group (n = 60) received music therapy on the basis of routine nursing care, whereas the control group (n = 60) only received the routine nursing care. The whole intervention time was from the first day after radical mastectomy to the third time of admission to hospital for chemotherapy. Data of demographic characteristics and depression were collected by using the General Questionnaire and Chinese version of Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) respectively. One pre-test (the day before radical mastectomy) and three post-tests (the day before discharge from hospital, the second and third admission to hospital for chemotherapy) were utilized. Duration of hospital stay was calculated from the first day after radical mastectomy to the day of discharged from hospital.

RESULTSThe mean depression score of all subjects was 37.19 ± 6.30. Thirty-six cases (30%) suffered from depression symptoms, with 26 (72.2%) mild depression cases, 9 (25.0%) moderate depression cases, and 1 (2.8%) severe depression case. After music therapy, depression scores of the experimental group were lower than that of the control group in the three post-tests, with significant differences (F = 39.13, P < 0.001; F = 82.09, P < 0.001). Duration of hospital stay after radical mastectomy of the experimental group ((13.62 ± 2.04) days) was shorter than that of the control group ((15.53 ± 2.75) days) with significant difference (t = -4.34, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSMusic therapy has positive effects on improving depression of female patients with breast cancer, and duration of hospital stay after radical mastectomy can be reduced. It is worthy of applying music therapy as an alternative way of nursing intervention in clinical nursing process of caring female patients with breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; surgery ; Depression ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Radical ; psychology ; Middle Aged ; Music Therapy ; methods

Objective To investigate the distribution of hemoglobin(Hb)and prevalence of anemia in pregnant women living in the Tibetan Plateau area.Methods Random sampling method was used and fingertip blood sample was tested.Related sociodemographic information was collected.We adjusted the hemoglobin measurements based on the different levles of altitude,using three different methods from CDC.Dirren's and Dallman's to estimate the prevalence rates of anemia.Results Three hundred and eighty pregnant women were included.The mean Hb was 127.6 g/L.Tibetan had a lower Hb (126.6 g/L)than people from other ethnicities(134.6 g/L)with rural pregnant women having a higher Hb(130.4 g/L)than that of urban ones(125.9 g/L).After controlling the gestational age,results remained the same.Different method used for correction of hemoglobin would cause different prevalence rates of anemia which were all higher than the pre-adjusted prevalence rates:70.0% for CDC method,77.9% for Dirren's method and 41.3% for Dallman's method respectively.After analyzing the erythrocyte arameters,we could not conclude that population in our study was under the early stage of the iron deficiency anemia.Conclusion Higher altitude could affect the levels of hemoglobin concentration significantly.Currently adopted hemoglobin correction methods might not be suitable for Tibetan pregnant women.We suggested that it was imperative to establish a relationship between altitude and hemoglobin of Tibetan women during pregnancy in order to correctly evaluate the prevalence of anemia.

Objective To analyze the viral genetic characteristics of hantaviruses carried by Microtus maximowixzii in Yakeshi of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and its relationship with Hantaan virus (HTNV) and Seoul virus (SEOV) viruses as well as to identify the natural host of Khabarovsk virus (KHAV).Methods HV specific RNAs were detected by RT-PCR.Complete S and M segment were amplified from the RNA-positive samples.Phylogenetic analysis were performed to estimate the genetic characterization and the relationship with other hantaviruses.Results Fifty two Microtus maximowixzii voles were captured in Yakeshi areas.Of those voles,hanta-viral RNA was tested positive in 5 samples (9.62％).Complete S and M segments sequences were obtained from 5 and 2 lung samples,respectively.The complete S segment was consisted of 1848 to 1861 bp,and the M segment consisted of 3662 bp.These viruses were closely related to each other with 92.5％-96.4％ for the S segment sequences and 88.9％-95.4％ for the M segment sequences.They shared a higher identity with KHAV found previously in Yakeshi and KHAV of Russia.However,they were obviously different from the other hantavirus species.The 5 strains had the consistent secondary structure of nucleocapsid protein (NP) and glycoprotein (GP).When further comparing their secondary structures with those of HTNV and SEOV,our results indicated that there were no obvious differences in NP between KHAV and both HNTV,SEOV but with obvious difference in GP.Based on the S and M segment sequences,phylogenetic analyses revealed that these 5 strains clustered together with KHAV and formed a distinct lineage.Furthermore,all known KHAV strains could be divided into two small branches with a nucleotide divergence more than 5.3％.Conclusion Our research data revealed that KHAV was highly endemic among Microtus maximowixzii in Yakeshi area which supported the notion that Microtus maximowixzii had been the natural host of KHAV in the area.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of sulindac on proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells and its antineoplastic mechanisms.

METHODSHuman gastric cancer BGC-823 cells were incubated with sulindac at various concentrations and for different times. Morphological changes of BGC-823 cells were observed under an inversion microscope. MTT colorimetric assay was used to examine the effect of sulindac on the proliferation of BGC-823 cells. Flow cytometry was used to determine the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy was performed to examine cell apoptosis morphology. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expressions of COX-2, bcl-2 and ki-67 in the cells.

RESULTSsulindac induced morphologic alterations in BGC-823 cells, inhibited cell proliferation, increased the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase and decreased the proportion of cells in S phase, induced apoptosis of BGC-823 cells, and decreased expressions of COX-2, bcl-2, ki-67 in the cells. All the effects were in a time- and dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Some characteristic morphologic features of apoptosis were revealed by transmission electron microscopy.

CONCLUSIONsulindac may inhibit the growth of gastric cancer BGC-823 cells in vitro and the anti-tumor mechanism may be related to changes in cell cycle distribution, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of expression of COX-2, bcl-2, and ki-67.

Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sulindac ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

The uracil in DNA comes from either the misincorporation of dUTP in place of dTTP or deamination of cytosine. In the latter case, it can result in a GC to AT transition mutation if the uracil is not removed before DNA replication. Base excision repair (BER) is a major pathway for removing DNA lesions arising from endogenous processes as well as those induced by exposure to exogenous chemicals or irradiation. BER is initiated by DNA glycosylases that excise aberrant bases from DNA by cleavage of the N-glycosidic bond linking to the base of its deoxyribose sugar. Uracil N-glycosylase (UNG) is the enzyme responsible for the first step in the BER pathway that specifically removes uracil from DNA. The UNG gene undergoes both temporal and spatial regulation mainly at the level of transcription. Normally cancer cells undergo over-proliferation and up-regulate their UNG during tumorigenesis. In this study we examine the correlation between UNG level and carcinogenesis, and explore the possibility of using UNG as a marker for cancer diagnosis. Human UNG gene was amplified from the total RNA of the human choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3, by RT-PCR. After purification, the 942bp full-length UNG cDNA coding sequence was digested with EcoR I and Sal I, and cloned into the digested pET-21 to construct a recombinant vector, pUNG. The UNG protein was expressed under the control of T7 promoter in E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells induced with IPTG. After ultrasonic treatment, the cell lysate and precipitate were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and a 39kD band was detected. The plasmid was serially diluted at appropriate concentrations and employed as standards in the subsequent quantification. Total RNAs were extracted from 18 pairs of clinical samples, each pair contains a sample of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue and its surrounding normal esophageal epithelia. The copy numbers of UNG mRNA in these RNA samples were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR using a Lightcycler (Roche). UNG was present in 13 cases of ESCC (13/18, n = 18) but absent in all of the normal tissues. The results indicated that there was a correlation between high level of UNG expression and the carcinogenesis of ESCC.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cloning, Molecular ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uracil-DNA Glycosidase ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of angiogenesis inhibitor and its combine with chemical drug in suppressing the growth of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

METHODSAcc-M cells were inoculated subcutaneous into BABL/C nu/nu mice. The mice were divided into control, different dose of TNP-470 treatment groups, 5-Fu treatment group and TNP-470 plus 5-Fu treatment group. Treatments were given 48 hours after inoculation. The mice were sacrificed on the 22nd day and excised tumors were weighted. Tumors were also investigated by immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural observations.

RESULTSTNP-470 100 mg/kg/qod efficiently inhibited the growth of Acc-M tumors. TNP-470 30 mg/kg/qod combined with 50 mg/kg/week 5-Fu also resulted in significant growth inhibit of the tumors. TNP-470 suppressed tumor growth by inhibiting neovascularization, therefore inducing apoptosis of Acc-M cells. All experimental groups had different degrees of VEGF and bFGF express.

CONCLUSIONSince ACC is a slow developing tumor, blood supply is not so sufficient as sarcomas. Angiogensis inhibitor may inhibit its growth in high dosage. Combining medium dosage of angiogensis inhibitor with chemical drug may have synergistic result in inhibiting ACC growth.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; drug therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclohexanes ; pharmacology ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Sesquiterpenes ; pharmacology