OBJECTIVESTo study the relationship between HBV genotypes and the efficacy of antiviral therapies.

METHODSHBV genotypes of 90 hepatitis B e antigen positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were determined by PCR sandwich hybridization-ELISA technique. Forty-one patients with CHB were treated with lamivudine (100 mg/day) for 48 weeks and 49 patients with CHB were given alpha-interferon (3 MU/QOD) therapy for 48 weeks. The serological, biochemical and virological symbols were measured before, during and after treatment for all the patients.

RESULTSOf the 90 patients, genotype B HBV was found in 16 and C in 74. There was no difference in the rate of response to lamivudine treatment between patients with genotype B or C HBV (33.3% vs. 20.0%) after 48 weeks treatment with lamivudine in the 41 patients. Of the 49 HBeAg positive CHB patients treated with alpha-interferon for 48 weeks, in HBV genotype B and C patients the rates of normalization of ALT were 60.0% and 20.5%; the rate of HBeAg turning to negativity was 50.0% and 17.9%; and the rate of HBV DNA undetectability was 50.0% and 17.9%. The rate of response to the interferon treatment was significantly higher in patients with HBV genotype B compared to those with genotype C.

CONCLUSIONSOur study shows that there is no influence on the lamivudine treatment effects for the HBV genotype B and C CHB patients, but the alpha-interferon treatment for HBV genotype B CHB patients is more effective than that for the genotype C ones.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Genome, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETrace and toxic elements have great influences on the fetus growth during the pregnancy. The status of Pb, As, Cd, Mn and Zn in maternal and umbilical cord blood and influence factors were analyzed.

METHODSFrom September 2006 to April 2007, 130 pairs of maternal blood and cord blood in total were collected at the time of spontaneous delivery or cesarean section. At the same time, the development of newborn was measured immediately. The concentrations of elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the relationship of these elements between maternal and cord blood were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe median (microg/L) concentration of blood Pb, As, Cd, Mn and Zn in maternal blood were 64.32, 3.81, 0.84, 54.26 and 6312.50. And the median (microg/L) of those elements in cord blood were 35.72, 2.84, 0.32, 78.99 and 2250. The levels of Cd (r=0.341, P=0.000) and As (r=0.552, P=0.000) in maternal blood were positively correlated with the elements in the cord blood. From the questionnaire we conclude that the occupational hazardous factors and room decorated were the risk factors for the blood As and Zn levels. After multilinear regression analysis we also found mother weight, occupational hazardous factors and mother systolic pressure might affect the levels of blood Mn, Zn, As and Cd.

CONCLUSIONSThe levels of these elements were affected by environmental and maternal factors. In this study, although the levels of all heavy metals in pregnant women were below those considered hazardous, however, they were still higher than those in the developed countries. The effects of heavy metals of maternal exposure on developing fetuses should deserve attention further.

Adult ; Arsenic ; blood ; Cadmium ; blood ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lead ; blood ; Male ; Manganese ; blood ; Maternal Exposure ; Pregnancy ; Zinc ; blood

Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the technique and significance of mastoscopic axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy.

METHODSSixty-two patients with breast cancer use methylene blue to test axillary sentinel lymph node. Sentinel lymph node was moved with endoscopy, and endoscopic axillary lymph nod dissection was performed. Pathological examination of sentinel lymph node and axillary lymph node was made with HE. To evaluate detection rate and false negative rate in sentinel lymph node.

RESULTSAmong the 62 patients, 61 were confirmed by endoscopic axillary sentinel lymph nod biopsy. Detection rate was 98.4%. Thirty-five cases were no metastasis, 27 cases were metastasis, false negative rate was 0.

CONCLUSIONSMastoscopic axillary sentinel lymph node biopsy has a high detection rate, good efficiency of cosmetic and lower complications. It has higher sensitivity than traditional axillary lymph nod dissection and provide accurate lymph node stages.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic trend of specific antibody against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV in serum collected at various periods among employees in Guangzhou Xinyuan animal market.

METHODSVolunteers from employees of the animal market were recruited and their serum specific antibody against SARS-CoV were determined by enzyme linked immunesorbent assay (ELISA) method.

RESULTSPositive SARS-CoV specific IgG antibody was found 25.61% (n = 328), 13.03% (n = 238), 12.59% (n = 135), 5.04% (n = 139) and 9.43% (n = 53) among volunteers, which were sampled in May 2003, Dec. 2003, Jan. 2004, July 2004 and June 2005 respectively. No specific IgM antibody was found in all of those samples. Among 129 samples which were tested twice or more, 97 were all negative, 18 all positive, 13 changed from positive to negative but only one sample from negative to positive. When the volunteers were divided by the duration of their working experiences as short-term or long-term, those who had worked at animal market for less than or more then 6 months when being tested, the positive rate for long-term employees were relatively constant, however, all of the persons employed after January 2004, when the palm civets and raccoon dogs were culled from the market, were tested negative.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of specific antibody against SARS-CoV in employees of the animal market were somehow related with the presence or absence of palm civet. No serum was tested positive for persons who were employed after palm civets and raccoon dogs were culled from market. This data indicated that the SARS-CoV might have been from the palm civets and raccoon dog, and the animal market seemed to serve as one of the sources of infection.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; Commerce ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Raccoon Dogs ; virology ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; Viverridae ; virology

This study aims to explore the effects of Shenqi Dihuang Decoction on high-glucose induced ferroptosis and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)/glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4) axis in human renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2) and to clarify the underlying mechanism. The cell injury model was established by exposing HK-2 to high glucose, and the Shenqi Dihuang Decoction-medicated serum was prepared. The optimal concentration and intervention time of Shenqi Dihuang Decoction were determined. HK-2 were divided into normal, high glucose, and low-, medium-, and high-dose Shenqi Dihuang Decoction groups. After interventions, the cell proliferation rate in each group was determined and the cell morphology and mitochondrial ultrastructure were observed. Then, the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS), ferrous ion(Fe~(2+)), glutathione(GSH), and malondialdehyde(MDA) and the protein levels of Nrf2, HO-1, GPX4, and xCT were measured. The optimal concentration and intervention time of Shenqi Dihuang Decoction-medicated serum were determined to be 10% and 24 h, respectively. Compared with the high glucose group, high-dose Shenqi Dihuang Decoction promoted the proliferation of HK-2. The cells in the low-, medium-, and high-dose Shenqi Dihuang Decoction groups presented tight arrangement, an increased cell count, improved morphology from a spindle-fiber shape to a cobblestone shape, and improved morphology and structure of mitochondrial membrane and cristae, compared with those in the high glucose group. Meanwhile, all the doses of Shenqi Dihuang Decoction inhibited ROS elevation to mitigate the peroxidation damage, lowered the Fe~(2+) and MDA levels and elevated the GSH level to inhibit lipid peroxidation, and activated the antioxidant pathway to upregulate the protein levels of Nrf2, HO-1, xCT, and GPX4. In conclusion, Shenqi Dihuang Decoction-medicated serum can inhibit high-glucose induced ferroptosis of HK-2 in vitro, which involves the antioxidant effect and the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway.
Humans ; Ferroptosis ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics* ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Epithelial Cells ; Antioxidants ; Glutathione ; Glucose

It is of vital significance to conduct active post-marketing surveillance of Chinese medicine, as an active response to laws, rules and guidelines issued by the China food and drug administration. The standards for technological specifications based on expert consensus have been drafted. These will provide technological support in evaluating adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or adverse drug events (ADEs). The technological specifications for post-marketing surveillance focus on two surveillance designs; one is a large sample registry study to explore general population ADR/ADE characteristics, the other is a nested case-control study to explore the characteristic and mechanisms of ADRs.
China ; epidemiology ; Drug Monitoring ; adverse effects ; standards ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; standards ; Hospital Information Systems ; Humans ; Product Surveillance, Postmarketing ; methods ; standards