Objective To explore the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on the expression of survivin in PC12 cells and the neuroprotective function of H2S on PC12 cells.Methods Different concentrations of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) were used to treat the PC12 cells at different times.Dose-effect (50-800 μmol/L) and time-effect (0-180 min) on the expression of survivin were evaluated by Western blotting.Cell viability was tested by using cell counter kit-8.Results NariS treatment at the concentrations from 50 to 200 μmol/L for 30 min could up-regulate the expression of survivin in a dose dependent manner,however,when the concentration of NariS was above that,the expression of survivin decreased gradually;when the concentration of NariS reached 800 μmoi/L,the expression level of survivin was lower than the normal level.Treatment with 400 μmol/L NariS within the range of 0-60 min could promote the expression of survivin in a time dependent manner,but with the extension of time,the expression of survivin was declined.On the other hand,400 μmol/L NaHS preconditioning could enhance the expression of survivin promoted by CoCl2 and reduce the injuries of PC12 cells induced by CoCl2 to increase the cell viability.Conclusion H2S increases the expression ofsurvivin in a dose and time dependent manners at certain degree,which may be related to the protection of PC12 cells against chemical hypoxic damage.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene Val66Met polymorphism and clinical characteristics of first episode schizophrenia in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSGenotyping of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was carried out for 135 schizophrenic patients and 483 healthy controls with TaqMan probe technology. The patients' psychotic symptoms were assessed using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS).

RESULTSA significant difference was found in genotype distribution and allelic frequency of the Val66Met polymorphism between the two groups (P< 0.01). In patients, Met homozygotes had a significantly higher score in anxiety/depression factor, cognitive factor and total score of PANSS than Val carriers.

CONCLUSIONBDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The Met/Met genotype of BDNF Val66Met variant may be a risk factor for symptoms in first episode schizophrenia patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Schizophrenia ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for determination of strychnine and brucine in formaldehyde fixed tissue by LC-MS/MS analysis. METHODS: The samples were pretreated with solid phase extraction using SCX cartridges and separated on SB-C18 column with mobile phase 0.1% formic acid : 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile (75:25). Electrospray ionization (ESI) source was utilized and operated in positive ion mode. Multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode was applied. External standard method was applied for quantitation. RESULTS: The chromatographic separation of strychnine and brucine in formaldehyde fixed nephritic and hepatic tissues resulted successfully. The standard curve was linear in the range of 0.002-2.0 microg/g for strychnine and brucine in formaldehyde fixed tissues, and the correlation coefficient was more than 0.996. The limits of detection (LOD) of strychnine and brucine in nephritic tissues were 0.06ng/g and 0.03 ng/g, respectively. The LOD of both chemicals were 0.3 ng/g in hepatic tissues. The extraction recovery rate was more than 74.5%. The precision of intra-day and inter-day were both less than 8.2%. CONCLUSION Strychnine and brucine can be sensitive to be determined in formaldehyde fixed tissue by LC-MS/MS analysis. It can be applied in the forensic toxicological analysis.
Chromatography, Liquid/methods* ; Forensic Toxicology ; Formaldehyde/chemistry* ; Formates ; Kidney/metabolism* ; Limit of Detection ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mass Spectrometry ; Molecular Structure ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization/methods* ; Strychnine/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Tissue Distribution

BACKGROUND: We examined changes in hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) during the four sequential phases of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection: hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic infection (EPCI) and hepatitis (EPCH), followed by HBeAg-negative chronic infection (ENCI) and hepatitis (ENCH). We compared the performance of serum HBcrAg, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HBV DNA in predicting EPCH and ENCH. METHODS: We enrolled 492 consecutive patients: 49 with EPCI, 243 with EPCH, 101 with ENCI, and 99 with ENCH. HBcrAg was detected by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays. HBsAg and HBeAg were detected by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassays. HBV DNA was detected by real-time PCR. Predictive performance of HBcrAg, HBsAg, and HBV DNA was evaluated using ROC curves. RESULTS: Areas under ROC curves (AUCs) of HBcrAg, HBsAg, and HBV DNA for predicting EPCH were 0.738, 0.812, and 0.717, respectively; optimal cutoffs were ≤1.43×105 kU/mL, ≤1.89×104 IU/mL, and ≤3.97×107 IU/mL, with sensitivities and specificities of 66.3% and 77.6%, 65.0% and 93.9%, and 60.5% and 79.6%, respectively. AUCs of HBcrAg, HBsAg, and HBV DNA for predicting ENCH were 0.887, 0.581, and 0.978, respectively; optimal cutoffs were >26.8 kU/mL, >2.29×102 IU/mL, and >8.75×103 IU/mL, with sensitivities and specificities of 72.7% and 95.1%, 86.9% and 39.6%, and 89.9% and 92.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HBsAg and HBV DNA were the best predictors of EPCH and ENCH, respectively. HBcrAg is an important surrogate marker for predicting EPCH and ENCH.
Area Under Curve ; Biomarkers ; DNA ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; Hepatitis* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVETo determine the pulmonary pathological changes in hematological malignancy patients with pulmonary complications.

METHODS17 hematological malignancy patients underwent surgical treatment were evaluated retrospectively. The pathological changes of all the surgical specimens were examined postoperatively by standard hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.

RESULTSPathological examination confirmed: aspergillus infection in 9 patients, sub-acute inflammation (fibrosis and hematoma formation) in 3, and each in 1 of pulmonary infarction with granulomatous tissue in the periphery; granulomatous inflammation with calcified tubercle; alveolar dilation and hemorrhage, interstitial fibrosis and focal vasculitis; intercostal neurilemmoma; and moderate-differentiated adenocarcinoma accompanied by intrapulmonary metastasis. And several operative complications (1 case of fungal implantation, 3 pleural effusion and adhesions and 2 pulmonary hematoma) were occurred. The coincidence rate of pre- and post-operative diagnosis was 9/14 (64.3%). After surgery, 8 patients were received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT, allo-gene or autologous), with 7 succeeded. On effective secondary antifungal prophylaxis, 4 of 5 patients of aspergillosis succeeded in transplantation with free from mycotic relapse, one patient died from fungal relapse.

CONCLUSIONHematological malignancies with persistent and/or resistant pulmonary infection, hemoptysis, or unexplained lung diseases, should be treated in time by surgery operation to effectively eliminate residual disease and obtain a definitive diagnosis, so as to create a prerequisite condition for the following treatments. Moreover, the secondary antifungal prophylaxis can provide active roles for patients scheduled for chemotherapy and/or HSCT.

Aspergillosis ; diagnosis ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Lung Diseases ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local