Adenocarcinoma, Follicular ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Adenoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Papillary, Follicular ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cell Nucleus ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Thyroid Gland ; pathology ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Thyroid Nodule ; diagnosis ; Thyroiditis ; diagnosis

Objective To establish a calcification mode in vitro of human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMCs) induced by β-GP. Methods Primary HVSMCs were obtained from human embryo by plant method and confirmed by stain with α-sm-actin antibody. The cells after 4-6 passages were divided into two groups.The control group was incubated with normal DMEM medium while the calcification group was incubated with the medium containing 10 mmol/L β-glycerophosphate for 10 days.Calcification was confirmed by alizarin red S stain and alkaline phosphatase(ALP) assays. Results The primary cells observed by S-P stain were positive and the cells after being stained were pale yellow. After being induced with β-GP, the cells of calcification group began concentric growth and formed vesicles. Alizarin red S staining showed that the reaction of calcifying nodules was red,ALP activity was higher than that of controls at various time points(4 d,6 d,8 d and 10 d,P＜0.01 ).Conclusion The HVSMCs could be induced into calcification in vitro by β-GP, and this model contribates to further studies of vascular diseases.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Salvianolate on myosin heavy chain (MHC) in cardiomyocytes of congestive heart failure (CHF) rats.

METHODSSixty male SD rats were divided into 6 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the normal control group (NCG), the model group, the Captopril group (CAG), the low dose Salvianolate group (LSG), the high dose Salvianolate group (HSG), the Captopril and high dose Salvianolate group (CSG), 10 in each group. CHF rat model was established with peritoneal injection of adriamycin in all rats except those in the NCG. Equal volume of normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the NCG, once per week for 6 successive weeks. Corresponding medication was started from the 5th week of injecting adriamycin. Rats in the CAG were administered with Captopril solution at the daily dose of 10 mg/kg by gastrogavage. Rats in the LSG and the HSG were administered with Salvianolate solution at the daily dose of 24.219 mg/kg and 48.438 mg/kg respectively by gastrogavage. Salvianolate was dissolved in 2 mL 5% glucose solution and administered by peritoneal injection. Rats in the CSG were peritoneally injected with high dose Salvianolate solution and administered with Captopril solution by gastrogavage. Two mL normal saline was peritoneally injected to rats in the model group, once per day for 8 successive weeks. Eight weeks later, the cardiac function and myocardial hypertrophy indices were detected by biological signal collecting and processing system. mRNA expression levels of alpha-MHC and beta-MHC in cardiac muscle were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Expressions of protein kinase C (PKC) in cardiac muscle were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, heart mass index (HMI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) obviously increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, HMI and LVMI decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). It was more obviously lowered in the CSG group than in the CAG group (P < 0.05). Compared with the NCG, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle decreased, the mRNA expression level of p-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC in cardiac muscle was increased, and the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC and the expression of PKC in cardiac muscle were decreased in HSG, CAG, and CSG groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was statistical difference between the CSG group and the CAG group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSalvianolate could up-regulate the mRNA expression level of alpha-MHC, and down-regulate the mRNA expression level of beta-MHC in cardiac muscle. Its mechanism might be related to decreasing the expression of PKC.

Animals ; Captopril ; Doxorubicin ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Heart Failure ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; metabolism ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the resistant effect of houttuyfonate sodium (SH) combined with imipenem (IMP) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) biofilms.

METHODThe two-fold dilution method was used to examine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested drug. The crystal violet staining was applied to detect the effect of the combination of 1/2MIC, 1MIC, 2MIC of SH, single IMP, 1/2MIC of SH and IMP of various concentrations on the clearance rate of adherent bacteria, growth of biofilms and alginate production. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA)-propidium iodide (PI) doubling staining assay was employed to observe the bacterial viability and morphological changes after membrane dispersion of each drug group.

RESULTSodium houttuyfonate could enhance the effect of IMP against pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. Particularly, the combination group with the concentration of 2MIC showed the highest effect, with P < 0.001 compared with the negative control group. The above results were proved by the bacterial viability and biofilm morphology under fluorescence microscope.

CONCLUSIONAfter being combined with imipenem, sodium houttuyfonate shows a higher effect against biofilms. It is expected that the combination of the two drugs could improve the clinical efficacy of associated infections.

Alkanes ; pharmacology ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Drug Synergism ; Imipenem ; pharmacology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Microbial Viability ; drug effects ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sulfites ; pharmacology

Sodium houttuyfonate (SH) is a derivative of effective component of a Chinese material medica, Houttuynia cordata, which is applied in anti-infection of microorganism. But, the antimicrobial mechanisms of SH still remain unclear. Here, we firstly discovered that SH effectively inhibits the three types of virulence related motility of.Pseudomonas aeruginosa, i.e., swimming, twitching and swarming. The plate assay results showed that the inhibitory action of SH against swimming and twitching in 24 h and swarming in 48 h is dose-dependent; and bacteria nearly lost all of the motile activities under the concentration of 1 x minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (512 mg x L(-1) same as azithromycin positive group (1 x MIC, 16 mg x L(-1)). Furthermore, we found that the expression of structural gene flgB and pilG is down-regulated by SH, which implies that inhibitory mechanism of SH against motility of P. aeruginosa may be due to the inhibition of flagella and pili bioformation of P. aeruginosa by SR Therefore, our presented results firstly demonstrate that SH effectively inhibits the motility activities of P. aeruginosa, and suggest that SH could be a promising antipseudomonas agents in clinic.
Alkanes ; pharmacology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Biofilms ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Fimbriae, Bacterial ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Houttuynia ; chemistry ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; cytology ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Sulfites ; pharmacology ; Virulence ; drug effects

ObjectiveTo establish pediatric serum CysC reference intervals based on the children's hospital laboratory data in Zhejiang Province and analyse the effects of CysClevels on age and gender. MethodsCysC was one of tests of a routine biochemical screening panel employed for most outpatients and inpatients in the children's hospital, and 8 127 subjects (4 264 boys and 3 863 girls) were selected from 13 567 subjects from laboratory information system according to the exclusion criterion with seriously systemic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, elevated values of creatinine, urea or ALT for which 1.5-fold upper limit, serum samples with hemolysis, icterus or lipid turbidity, same patients with non-first-time CysC results and living addresses which were not in Zhejiang. The serum CysC was determined by transmission turbidimetry on Roche DPP modular automatic biochemical analyzer. SPSS 17.0 software and EXCEL 2003 were employed for statistical analysis in this study. Results The serum CysC concentration was a Gaussian distribution after log transformation. The mean Log-transformated CysC lg (CysC) concentration of boys in five age groups ( ＜ 1 month, 1 to 3 months, 4 to 11 months, 1 to 2 years and 2 to 16 years) were 0. 224,0. 170,0. 112,0. 061, -0. 011 (mg/L,lg) respectively, and the mean Log-transformated CysC lg(CysC) concentration of girls in five age groups were 0. 222, 0. 164, 0. 089, 0. 057,-0. 010 ( mmg/L, lg) respectively, and no statistically significant differences between Ig( CysC ) and gender in five age groups were found ( t values were 0. 174, 0. 362, 0. 445,- 1. 464 and - 0. 093, respectively,and corresponding P values all were greater than 0. 05 ). The mean lg ( CysC ) concentrations in five age groups were 0. 222,0. 166,0. 100,0. 059, - 0. 010 ( mmg/L, lg), and significant differences between Lg ( CysC ) and ages by Analysis of Variance were observed ( F = 309. 785 and P = 0 in between-groups totally,P = 0 in any two groups). Serum CysC levels were highest in the age of ＜ 1 month, then declined to the age of 2 years and kept stable in the age of 2 to 16 years. The serum CysC reference intervals for children were as follows:0. 95 -2. 92 mg/L in the age of ＜ 1 month, 0. 81 -2.67 mg/L in the age of 1 to 3 months, 0. 65 -2.45 mg/L in the age of 4 tol2 months, 0. 56 -2. 35 mg/L in the age of 1 year and 0. 45 -2. 13 mg/L in the age of 2 to 16 years. ConclusionsThere is no significant effect on pediatric CysC levels with gender but close correlated with age below 2 years old. It is necessary to establish appropriate age-related reference intervals of serum CysC for efficiently evaluating renal function in local children.

The authors helpfully discuss the design idea,experimental module design,examination methods,and experiment textbook construction in experimental teaching of microbiology,and conduct further researches on the basic skill training,verifying experiment,integrative experiment,and investigative experiment in the course. This study aims to enhance effects of the experimental teaching,to cultivate high potential talents who can master essential knowledge and skills,and creatively carry out scientific research.

Objective To develop a human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) infection risk appraisal model suitable for men who has sex with men (MSM) in Guangzhou,and to provide tools for follow-up the outcomes on health education and behavior intervention.Methods A cros-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou from 2008 to 2010.Based on the HIV surveillance data,the main risk factors of HIV infection among MSM were screened by means of logistic regression.Degree on relative risk was transformed into risk scores by adopting the statistics models.Individual risk scores,group risk scores and individual infection risk in comparison with usual MSM groups could then be calculated according to the rate of exposure on those risk factors appeared in data from the surveillance programs.Results Risk factors related to HIV infection among MSM and the quantitative assessment standard (risk scores and risk scores table of population groups) for those factors were set up by multiple logistic regression,including age,location of registered residence,monthly income,major location for finding their sexual partners,HIV testing in the past year,age when having the first sexual intercourse,rate of condom use in the past six months,symptoms related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and syphilis in particular.The average risk score of population was 6.06,with risk scores for HIV positive and negative as 3.10 and 18.08 respectively (P＜ 0.001 ).The rates of H IV infection for different score groups were 0.9％,2.0％,7.0％,14.4％ and 33.3％,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity on the prediction of scores were 54.4％ and 75.4％ respectively,with the accuracy rate as 74.2％.Conclusion HIV infection risk model could be used to quantify and classify the individual' s infectious status and related factors among MSM more directly and effectively,so as to help the individuals to identify their high-risk behaviors as well as lifestyles.We felt that it could also serve as an important tool used for personalized HIV health education and behavior intervention programs.

Objective To study the difference of attentional bias towards general negative words between non-mediated obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and healthy controls.Methods Event-related potentials (ERPs) were collected from 26 non-mediated OCD patients and 24 normal controls while they performed an emotional Stroop task.Results Compared to healthy controls,OCD patients showed significantly longer reaction time (OCD:(467 ± 14.88) ms,Controls:(409.65 ± 15.49) ms,P＜ 0.01),and had significantly larger P2 and P3 amplitude to all three types of words (P2 amplitude:OCD:(10.41±0.49) μV,Controls:(8.89±0.48) μV,P＜0.05;P3 amplitude:(10.04±0.68) μV,Controls:(7.68±0.67) μV,P＜0.05).In addition,the P2 peak latency of the frontal area in OCD patients was significantly longer than that in healthy controls(OCD:(190.09±4.71) ms,Controls:(179.60±4.72) ms,P＜0.05).Conclusion Current findings suggest that OCD patients are characterized by a general attentional inhibition deficit but not an attentional bias to the negative words.

Objective:To explore the effect of group psychotherapy on damage of theory of mind (TOM) in patients with early-onset schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 60 patients with early-onset schizophrenia were included and divided into the intervention group (n ＝ 30) and the health education group (n ＝ 30).The patients in the intervention group were offered 10 twice a week 2-hour sessions of group psychotherapy,and those in the control were offered group health education twice a week.All participants completed baseline measures and post-intervention measures with the Eye Emotion Recognition and Theory of mind Picture-sequencing Task (TOM-PST).Results:Totally 23 patients in the intervention group and 29 patients in the health education group finished the post-intervention measures.After 5-week intervention,subscores of sad and fear and total score of emotion recognition,total score of TOM-PST,understanding first order error belief,second order error belief,third order error belief,sense of reality,detecting fraud compared to baseline had statistically significant difference in intervention group.In health education group,subscores of joy emotion recognition,understanding first order error belief,third order error belief,total score of TOM-PST compared to baseline had statstically significant difference.The patients with group psychotherapy got higher scores of total score of TOM-PST and understanding second order error belief and third order error belief than the health education group after 5-week intervention (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion:This study suggests the group psychotherapy could partially improve theory of mind with early-onset schizophrenia,and promote the recovery of social cognition.