Animals ; Birds ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; Hong Kong ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Poultry ; Public Health ; Public Health Administration

Humans ; Noise, Occupational ; Occupational Exposure

SWNTs are a mixture of 1/3 metallic SWNTs (m-SWNTs) and 2/3 semiconducting SWNTs (s-SWNTs). It is desirable to separate the metallic SWNTs from the semi-conducting ones. In this study m-SWNTs was separated by using a poly[(m-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(p-phenylenevinylene)] (PmPV) derivative and used as photo-thermal media instead of SWNTs. The separation effects of m-SWNTs were evaluated by Raman spectra, molecular modeling and TEM images. The effects of m-SWNTs on MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated with MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. m-SWNTs were separated with high purity. A strong inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth was observed with the m-SWNTs under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Our results will be helpful for the potential applications of m-SWNTs in clinical photothermal cancer therapy.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Light ; MCF-7 Cells ; drug effects ; Models, Molecular ; Nanotubes, Carbon

Objective To explore the effects of hyperglycemia and oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) on the differentiation of macrophage derived THP-1 monocytes. Methods THP-1 human monocytic leukemia cell line was cultured in vitro, and the differentiation of THP-1 cells into macrophages was induced by phorbol esters. The macrophages were then incubated with the absence of D-glucose and ox-LDL (control group), 30 mmol/L D-glucose (hyperglycemia group), 100 μg/mL ox-LDL (ox-LDL group) or 30 mmol/L D-glucose and 100 μg/mL ox-LDL(G-ox-LDL group) for 24 h. High performance liquid chromatography was used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of intracellular cholesterol and cholesteryl esters. Both light microscope with red oil O staining technique and transmission electron microscope were employed to observe the morphology of treated and control THP-1 cells. Results A large number of intracellular red oil O stained granules and lipid vacuoles were observed in ox-LDL group and G-ox-LDL group, the contents of total cholesterol and cholesteryl esters were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05), and the contents of cholesteryl esters were higher than 50% of total cholesterol in both groups. However, only a few intracellular red oil O stained granules and lipid vacuoles were observed in control group and hyperglycemia group, there was no significant difference in the contents of total cholesterol and choleateryl esters between control group and hyperglycemia group (P>0.05), and the contents of cholesteryl esters were less than 50% of total cholesterol in both groups. Conclusion Foam cells form when THP-1 cells are incubated with ox-LDL, while hyperglycemia alone can not convert THP-1 cells to foam cells, indicating that ox-LDL is necessary for the macrophages derived THP-1 monocytes to turn into foam cells.

Objective To investigate the relationships between hyperuricaenia,serum uric acid (SUA) level and the chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adult residents of Pudong New Area,Shanghai.Methods 3326 residents aged 20-80 years were randomly selected from Pudong New Area,Shanghai through multistage sampling and interviewed between April and July of 2008.Fasting blood sample and morning ovid urine sample were collected for each participant for testing of SUA,serum creatinine,urinary albumin and creatinine.Both urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR)and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were calculated to estimate the renal function.Results The overall prevalence of CKD was 16.0％ (age standardized 13.2％ ).The mean values of estimated GFR in participants with CKD and without CKD were (89.19 ± 27.25) and ( 105.88 ± 98.37) ml· min-1 ·(1.73 m2) -1,respectively.The prevalence rates of CKD in serum uric acid quartiles:first quartile,less than 4.2 mg/dl; second quartile,4.2-5.0 mg/dl; third quartile,5.0-6.0 mg/dl; and fourth quartile,6.0 mg/dl or more were 13.9％,15.0％,15.8％and 19.4％ (P＜0.05) respectively,increasing along with the increase of SUA among both sexes.Compared to the serum uric acid first quartile,the multivariate-adjusted odds for CKD of the second,third and fourth quartiles were 1.19 [95％ confidence interval (CI):0.90-1.58],1.27 (95％ CI:1.02-1.70),1.28 (95％ CI:1.10-1.68),respectively. Conclusion Hyperuricaemia was independently associated with the increased prevalence of CKD among population living in the Pudong New Area,Shanghai.

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of mild moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to explore the role of mild moxibustion in relieving pain,reducing stiffness and improving joint dysfunction in patients with KOA.Methods:Eighty patients with KOA were randomly allocated into either a moxibustion group or a medication group by the random number table,with 40 cases in each group.The moxibustion group used mild moxibustion at Neixiyan (EX-LE 5),Dubi (ST 35),Xuehai (SP 10) and Liangqiu (ST 34),30 min each time,3 times a week;the medication group was given celecoxib capsule (celebrex),0.2 g each time,once a day.Both groups were treated for 4 weeks.The visual analog scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC)scores were evaluated before and after treatment.The efficacy of the two groups was compared after treatment.Results:After treatment,the overall efficacy of the moxibustion group was significantly different from that of the medication group (P＜0.05).The VAS and WOMAC scores of the two groups were lower than those before treatment (both P＜0.01).The changes in the VAS and WOMAC scores after treatment in the moxibustion group were significantly different from those in the medication group (both P＜0.05).After treatment,in single item of WOMAC,the changes in pain and joint dysfunction in the moxibustion group were more statistically significant than those in the medication group (both P＜0.05).Conclusion:Mild moxibustion and oral celebrex can reduce the VAS and WOMAC scores of patients with KOA.Mild moxibustion is superior to oral celebrex in relieving pain and improving joint function.

Objective To analyse the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test(HDDST)-related differences in the clinical and biochemical features of the patients with Cushing's disease Methods Cases were drawn from 60 consecutive patients with Cushing's disease,who were then divided into two groups according to the response to the HDDST.The clinical and biochemical features between two groups were compared.Results(1) Of the 60 patients with Cushing's disease,23.3%(14/60)of patients(group A)did not yield results of suppression with the HDDST,and the others(group B)did.No difference was found in the age[(33.8?10.4 vs 36.2?11.2)years]and duration of illness[(2.1?1.6 vs 3.9?3.1)years]between two groups.(2)In clinical features,the patients in group A were more likely to have edema of lower limbs(64.3% vs 32.6%),hypokalemia (71.4% vs 28.3%),secondary diabetes(57.1% vs 26.1%)and purple striae(85.7% vs 54.3%,all P

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Bushen Huoxue Decoction (BHD) on the orphan receptor (Nurr1) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the brain of rats with Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODSOne hundred and twenty SD rats were divided into 100 in the model group and 20 in the normal control group, fifty-eight SD rats from the model group, established into PD model successfully by injuring their substantia nigra (SSN) with 6-hydroxydopamine, were divided equally into the model group and the test group, and they were treated with saline and BHD, respectively, for eight successive weeks. The change in the rats' behavior before and after treatment was observed by counting the cycles of rotation induced by apomorphine injection; the pathology of neurons, level of Nurr1 mRNA expression, and amount of TH positive cells in SSN were observed after treatment.

RESULTSThe rats' behavior was improved in the tested group significantly, the rotation cycle after treatment being 84.0 ± 20.0 cycles/40 min, which was significantly lower than that in the model group (377.0 ± 62.3 cycles/40 min, P<0.01). Besides, the Nurr1 mRNA expression and TH positive cell in the test group were 0.97 ± 0.15 and 49.40 ± 14.72, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the model group, 0.22 ± 0.03 and 5.45 ± 2.58, respectively (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONBHD could treat PD by enhancing the Nurr1 mRNA expression, increasing the TH content in brain, and promoting the repairing of injured neuron in cerebral SSN.

Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Brain ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Neurons ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Parkinson Disease ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Substantia Nigra ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase ; metabolism

Adult ; Herpes Zoster ; etiology ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation