OBJECTIVETo investigate the differential plasma protein profiles in patients with hyperlipidemia & atherosclerosis (H&A) of different patterns of phlegm-stasis syndrome (PSS) for seeking their biomarker proteins.

METHODSTwo-dimensional gel electrophoresis and gel screening graphical analysis were performed on plasma proteins got from 146 patients; corresponding protein spots were fetched from the gel for two-stage mass-spectrometric analysis by quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry; then the differential proteins for PSS were discriminated by Fisher discriminate analysis.

RESULTSExcepting two uncertain proteins, 7 differential proteins were screened out from the 11 differentially expressed plasma protein spots with variability over 100% in the inter-block matching. Classic analysis found that haptoglobin precursor and fibrinogen gamma chain were possibly the plasma biomarker proteins for H & A; fibrinogen beta chain and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were that set apart PSS from non-PSS; fibrinogen gamma chain, albumin and apolipoprotein A-I precursor were for phlegm syndrome; haptoglobin precursor, adrenomedullin binding protein precursor, albumin and complement component C4 were for stasis syndrome; albumin and adrenomedullin binding protein precursor were for the phlegm-stasis mutual blocking syndrome. Moreover, the above mentioned expressions of possible marker proteins had their own special rule of changing in the transforming progress of PSS.

CONCLUSIONThis study reported, for the first time, the existence of evident variation of functional protein constitution in different patterns of PSS, and definite compatibility being detected in some functional proteins, which may be the marker proteins for making diagnosis and prognosis of PSS in H&A. Besides, preliminary proof for the transformation of PSS has gained at the functional protein level.

Adult ; Atherosclerosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Blood Proteins ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; diagnosis ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Proteomics

Objective: To summarize the application and efficacy of fresh autologous pericardial tri-leaflet pulmonary artery conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: A total of 18 relevant patients received fresh autologous pericardial tri-leaflet pulmonary artery conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in our hospital from 2007-08 to 2012-12 were studied. The patients were at the mean age of (2.12±2.02) years with body weight ≥ (9.41±3.62) kg including 10 male. Echocardiography was followed-up at 1 month, 3-6 and ≥12 months post-operation. Results: All 18 patients had successful operation. 2 patients died at early post-operative stage including 1 with severe infection and respiratory failure, 1 with low cardiac output syndrome. 16 survivors had the average ICU stay time (140.2±124.5) h, mechanical ventilation (94.4±87.6) h, transcutaneous O2 saturation at quiet condition without O2 inhalation at (97.1±3.34) %. There were 3 patients lost contact during followed-up period and 13 received periodical examination. No obvious calcification was found in chest X-ray; echocardiography showed infrequent stenosis of right ventricular outflow tract, pulmonary valve ring and main pulmonary artery; left and right pulmonary artery stenosis at the second place. Conclusion: The safety and efficacy of fresh autologous pericardial tri-leaflet pulmonary artery conduit for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction was fine for treating relevant patients, the mid and long term effect should be further observed.

Objective To study the prevalence and trend of tuberculosis for related policy development in Shandong.Methods The population under the current study was randomly sampled,using both stratified clustering sampling and proportional population sampling methods,following the national survey protocol.A total of 35 clusters including about 1500 subjects per cluster were established,representing a population of 9.31 million.Questionnaire interview and chest X-ray exam were applied to all inhabitants above 15 years of age.Sputum microscopy and culture were given to all suspected cases with cough longer than 2 weeks or having abnormal X-ray results.Results In total,54 279 subjects were interviewed and examined,accounting for 95.78％ of eligible population.Of them,183 active pulmonary tuberculosis cases were identified,with 60.11％ asymptomatic.Two of the 35 (5.71％) clusters had no active tuberculosis cases found,and 24(68.57％) did not show smear positive results.The standardized prevalence rates of active,smear positive and bacteriologic positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases were 270.87/105,17.45/105 and 29.57/105,with the estimated case numbers as 211 900 (170 100-253 600),13 600 (5800-21 500) and 23 100 (13 200-33 000)respectively.Compared to the survey in 2000,the rates on smear positive and bacteriologic positive tuberculosis had decreased significantly,at a rate of 81.63％,and 75.56％ respectively.The rates in urban areas and in women decreased quickly than those in rural areas and in men.People living in the rural areas,being elderly or males,had significantly higher prevalence rates of tuberculosis.Conclusion Remarkable reduction of tuberculosis prevalence had been achieved despite the fact that tuberculosis remained a major public health problem in Shandong province.Symptomatic patients should be under more serious concern in order to improve the detection of early cases.More efforts should be given to rural population,especially elderly,male population.

OBJECTIVETo provide reference for the safe needling depth of Dazhui (GV 14), Jianzhongshu (SI 15), Xuanshu (GV 5) and Mingmen (GV 4) in clinical acupuncture and moxibustion treatment.

METHODSThirty-two adult volunteers were divided into 3 groups, thin person group, moderate person group and fat person group according to Luo's indexes, and computer-aided tomography was used to measure the needling depth of Dazhui (GV 14), Jianzhongshu (SI 15), Xuanshu (GV 5) and Mingmen (GV 4).

RESULTSThe safe depths of perpendicular needling were different for persons of different somatotypes, for example the needling depth for Dazhui (GV 14) was (32.86 +/- 3.96) mm for the thin person group, (37.76 +/- 4.91) mm for the moderate person group, and (47.93 +/- 5.30) mm for the fat person group.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

This research established an HPLC method for determination of six C-Glycoside flavones of warer-soluble total flavonoids from Isodon lophanthoides var. gerardianus (Benth.) H. Hara, and studied the antitumor activity of the warer-soluble total flavonoids. The HPLC system consisted of Kromasil 100-5 C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column and a solution system of methanol, acetonitrile and 0.5% formic acid gradient elution at a flow rate of 0. 8 mL x min(-1) and the wavelength of detector was at 334 nm. The column temperature was 25 degrees C. The antitumor activity of water-soluble flavonoids was assayed using HepG2 cell as the tested cell. The linear ranges of vicenin II, vicenin III, isoschaftoside, schaftoside, vitexin, 6, 8-di-C-a-L-arabinosylapigenin were 0.25-2.53, 0.12-1.20, 0.37-3.69, 0.16-1.63, 0.19-1.92, 0.14-1.42 microg, respectively. The average recoveries (n = 6) were 99.6% (RSD 0.87%), 100.2% (RSD 2.0%), 99.6% (RSD 1.8%), 97.9% (RSD 1.5%), 98.8% (RSD 1.2%), 98.6% (RSD 1.2%), respectively. After exposure in 24, 48, 72 h, the total flavonoids showed inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells with IC50 as the evaluation index, the IC50 values of 1.89, 1.71, 1.51 g x L(-1), respectively. The method is quick, simple and accurate with good re- producibility, and can be used for determination of vicenin II, vicenin III, isoschaftoside, schaftoside, vitexin, 6, 8-di-C-a-L-arabino- sylapigenin in the warer-soluble total flavonoids from L lophanthoides var. gerardianus. The warer-soluble total flavonoids from L lophanthoides have inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Flavones ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Isodon ; chemistry ; Monosaccharides ; analysis ; pharmacology

Objective To express the plasminogen activator(Pla) of Yersinia pestis and one of its gene fragments,and to detect their immunological reactivity.Methods The pla gene and its specific gene fragment pla-c were amplified by PCR using the EV76 strain as a template.PCR products were then ligated with the plasmid pET32a (+).The recombinant plasmids pET32a (+)-pla and pET32a (+)-pla-c were subsequently trausformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3).The expressed products were purified by HIS affinity chromatography,and their immunological reactivity was detected by Western blotting.Results The recombinant Pla(52.8 × 103) was expressed as inclusion bodies,and the recombinant Pla-c protein (24.0 × 103) was expressed in the soluble form.These two recombinant proteins reacted with anti-Yersinia pestis EV76 rabbit sera.Conclusions The recombinant Pla and its specific fragments have displayed immunological reactivity,and can be served as an alternative diagnosis method for Yersinia pestis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the resident dietary cadmium exposure in Jiangsu province and assess its safety.

METHODSCadmium concentration of 229 food items under 12 food groups were obtained from the food surveillance program in Jiangsu province between 2001 and 2006. Food consumption data of 778 food items of 3938 residents who were classified into four age groups (< 7, 7-, 13-, 18-) were got from the Nutrition and Health Status Survey of the Jiangsu resident in 2002 by 24 h dietary recall on three consecutive days. Dietary cadmium exposures for the residents of different age groups were obtained by using both point estimation and simple distribution estimation through integrating the two datasets above. The safety of dietary cadmium exposure was assessed.

RESULTSPoint estimation showed that the average dietary cadmium intakes of different age groups ranged from 5.7 to 8.6 microg/kg, accounting for 567.1% - 857.1% of the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI, 1.0 microg/kg). Result of simple distribution method showed mean daily cadmium exposure of different age groups ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 microg/kg, accounting for 20% - 40% of PTDI. Mean weekly cadmium exposure ranged from 1.4 to 2.5 microg/kg, accounting for 20% - 35.7% of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI, 7.0 microg/kg). The mean daily dietary cadmium exposure for different groups were as follows: < 7, 0.4 microg/kg; 7-, 0.3 microg/kg; 13-, 0.2 microg/kg; 18-, 0.2 microg/kg. Differences of daily dietary cadmium exposures among groups were significant (F = 69.0, P < 0.05). The mean weekly dietary cadmium exposure for different groups were: < 7, 2.5 microg/kg; 7-, 2.0 microg/kg; 13-, 1.4 microg/kg; 18-, 1.4 microg/kg. Differences of weekly dietary cadmium exposures among groups were also significant (F = 41.6, P < 0.05). The P97.5 of daily cadmium exposure for < 7 and 7- were 1.4 and 1.2 microg/kg, respectively, both of which were higher than PTDI. The P99.0 of daily cadmium exposure for 13- and 18- were 1.3 and 1.1 microg/kg, respectively. The daily dietary exposure from cereals for different age groups were 21.5 - 253.4 microg/kg, occupying 42.2% - 47.8% of the total daily exposure. Vegetables were 8.0 - 119.4 microg/kg, occupying 14.6% - 20.1%.

CONCLUSIONThe average level of dietary cadmium exposures for residents in Jiangsu province calculated by simple distribution estimation were much lower than that calculated by point estimation and were considered to be at no risk. P97.5 or P99.0 of daily or weekly dietary cadmium exposure of different age groups exceeded PTWI and PTDI. The main food types of dietary cadmium exposure were cereals and vegetables.

Adolescent ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Child ; Diet ; Environmental Exposure ; Food Contamination ; Humans ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of infrared radiation and magnetic field therapy on cartilage damage in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSKnee osteoarthritis was induced in 24 adult New Zealand rabbits by prolonged fixation of the knee joint in extension for 6 weeks. The rabbits were subsequently randomized into control group (without treatment), infrared therapy group, magnetic field therapy group and the combined infrared and magnetic field therapy group. At the end of the first, second and third weeks of the therapy, respectively, 2 rabbits from each group were sacrificed to observe the general changes and histopathology of the condylar cartilage of the femur, and the findings were assessed using Mankin scores.

RESULTSCompared with other groups, the rabbits in the combined therapy group showed significantly milder cartilage damage (including injury of the cartilage surface and chondrocyte's proliferation and disarrangement) with significantly lower Mankin scores (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in the findings between the two groups with exclusive infrared or magnetic field therapy (P>0.1).

CONCLUSIONCombined infrared and magnetic field therapy can effectively alleviate cartilage destruction, shortens the disease course and enhance the therapeutic effects in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis.

Animals ; Cartilage, Articular ; drug effects ; pathology ; Femur ; pathology ; Infrared Rays ; therapeutic use ; Knee Joint ; pathology ; Magnetic Field Therapy ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; pathology ; therapy ; Rabbits

Breast cancer is bound up with the environment. As a consequence of DNA damage induced by environmental carcinogens, a number of sophisticated sensing and transduction systems are initiated and the signal is conveyed simultaneously to multiple effectors. This process ultimately results in cancer. The protein kinase Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) that encoded by ATM gene is the master regulator of DNA damage response. In this consecutive reaction, the protein kinase ATM responds to the DNA damage by phosphorylating a variety of downstream substrates, which plays an important role in the inhibition of the development of breast cancer. After ATM gene mutate, DNA damaged could not be accurately repaired and finally accelerates breast cancer transformation and proliferation. With the further research of ATM gene structure, function and breast cancer susceptibility, the extensive attention is paid to the relationship between ATM gene and breast cancer susceptibility. We reviewed the research advances in breast cancer susceptibility in several aspects of ATM gene, including mutation, polymorphism and methylation.
Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; genetics ; DNA Damage ; DNA Methylation ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

Streptomyces S24 has broad spectrum against Aspergillus spp. in food and feed, such as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Asperegillus alutacells. The objective of this study was to improve the production of antifungal substances produced by S24 and to test their inhibitory effects on Aspergillus flavus. By using one-factor-at-a-time experiment and orthogonal design method, we optimized the fermentation medium. The composition of an optimized medium for the production of antifungal substances contained (g/L): starch soluble, 10; Glucose, 40; yeast extract, 8; soybean powder, 24; KH2PO4 4; and CaCO3 0.8. As a result, the productivity of antifungal substances could reach to 10 235.45 microg/mL, and this value was 2.81 times higher than that of initial medium before optimization. Additionally, inhibitory effects of the products on Aspergillus flavus were analyzed. Antagonistic tests indicated that the antifungal substances greatly inhibited mycelium growth and spores germination of Aspergillus flavus. We observed through microscope that the mycelia grew abnormally, such as contorting, bulging, vacuole increasing and the cytoplasmic contents inside effusing and the spores appeared unusual, such as gathering, deforming, cytoplasmic contents inside effusing and fracturing.
Adsorption ; Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Aspergillus flavus ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Aspergillus niger ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Food Contamination ; prevention & control ; Streptomyces ; chemistry ; growth & development ; metabolism