Line scanning quantitative analysis method on silicate with small laser beam ( < 15 μm) was developed using laser ablation sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-SF-ICP-MS). Differences on signal intensity and elemental fractionation induced by different laser sampling patterns were compared. While spot ablation with small laser beam, the elemental signal intensity decreased with time significantly, and the elemental fractionation was obvious. In contrast, the elemental signal intensity by line scanning was higher and more stable and line scanning was free of elemental fractionation. Therefore, identical ablation pattern and condition should be used for the standard and the unknown sample in LA-ICP-MS quantitative analysis. A single pulse experiment was carried out to investigate the washout time when coupled to two-volume ablation cell. The result indicated that the elemental intensity decayed to the background value needed 2-3 s. The optimal parameters on SF-ICP-MS were set to reduce the effect of signal overlapping. Homogeneous sample KL2-G and titanite grains with composition zoning were analyzed by this method. Accurate element contents and element ratios indicated that fast washout time and optimal instrument parameters made it feasible to perform line scanning quantitative analysis accurately. Comparing to traditional microanalysis, line scanning quantitative analysis could reduce the laser beam size (<15 μm) and improve the spatial resolution efficiently. The potential of the technique to unveil compositional complexities in greater detail would help to improve our understanding of geochemical processes in mineral scale.

A prokaryotic expression plasmid containing VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) and sTNFRII(soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II ) genes was constructed. The sTNFRII was cloned by PCR by using special primers which contained VIP gene ORF and a linker in its forward primer. The amplified fragment was inserted into the expression vector pET32a between BamHI and Hind III restriction sites. Transformed E.coli DH5 by pET32a-VIP- sTNFRIIexpressed the fusion protein. After being identified, the protein was purified by ion exchange chromatography and by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The reconstructed protein showed high bio-activity and could be applied for further use.

OBJECTIVETo isolate Nanobacteria from dental pulp stone and perform culturing and the identification of Nanobacteria.

METHODSFreshly collected 27 dental pulp stones were divided into nine samples. Each sample contained three dental pulp stones. All samples were used for the isolation and culture of Nanobacteria. The shape and the growth characteristics of the cultured bacteria were observed. Nanobacteria were identified by von Kossa staining, immunohistochemical staining and indirect immunofluorescence staining, double staining including Hoechst staining and von Kossa staining.

RESULTSThe characteristics growth and morphology of the bacteria detected in seven samples were similar to Nanobacteria. von Kossa staining, immunohistochemical staining, indirect immunofluorescent staining were positive for Nanobacteria. In double staining method, Hoechst staining of the samples was negative for Nanobacteria, but von Kossa staining was positive. Hoechst staining of the dental pulp cells was positive. No Nanobacteria was found in the other two samples.

CONCLUSIONSThe bacteria isolated from dental pulp stone in this study was similar to Nanobacteria in terms of growth rate, morphology and staining properties. These unusual properties of the bacteria may play an important role in the formation of pulp stone.

Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Dental Pulp Calcification ; microbiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Vitro Techniques

OBJECTIVETo investigate the current supply and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among rural-to-urban migrant workers in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Zhongshan and Shenzhen, China and the influential factors for the use of PPE, and to provide a basis for better occupational health services and ensuring the health of migrant workers.

METHODSMulti-stage sampling was used to select 856 migrant workers from 27 SMEs in Zhongshan and Shenzhen, and face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in these subjects. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, and logistic regression.

RESULTSOf all migrant workers, 38.67%were supplied with free PPE by the factory, and this rate varied across industries (furniture industry: 45.81%; electronic industry: 31.46%) and SMEs (medium enterprises: 42.13%; small enterprises: 39.20%; micro enterprises: 22.16%); 22.43% insisted on the use of PPE. The logistic regression analysis showed that factors associated with the use of PPE included sex, age, awareness of occupational health knowledge, and the size of enterprise.

CONCLUSIONThe rates of supply and use of PPE among migrant workers are low. The larger the enterprise, the better the supply of PPE. Male gender, being elder, and high occupational health knowledge score were favorable factors for the use of PPE, while small enterprise size was the unfavorable factor for the use of PPE.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Health Services ; statistics & numerical data ; Protective Devices ; statistics & numerical data ; Rural Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Transients and Migrants ; statistics & numerical data

BACKGROUNDThere are no reports on exnografting cultured human fetal neocortical cells in this infracted cavities of adult rat brains. This study was undertaken to observe whether cultured human cortical neurons and astrocytes can survive and grow in the infarcted cavities of adult rat brains and whether they interconnect with host brains.

METHODSThe right middle cerebral artery was ligated distal to the striatal branches in 16 adult stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats. One week later, cultured cells from human embryonic cerebral cortexes were stereotaxically transferred to the infarcted cavity of 11 rats. The other 5 rats receiving sham transplants served as controls. For immunosuppression, all transplanted rats received intraperitoneal injection of cyclosporine A daily starting on the day of grafting. Immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), synaptophysin, neurofilament, and microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP-2) was performed on brain sections perfused in situ 8 weeks after transplantation.

RESULTSGrafts in the infarcted cavities of 6 of 10 surviving rats consisted of bands of neurons with an immature appearance, bundles of fibers, and GFAP-immunopositive astrocytes, which were unevenly distributed. The grafts were rich in synaptophysin, neurofilament, and MAP2-positive neurons with long processes. The graft/host border was diffuse with dendrites apparently bridging over to the host brain, into which neurofilament immunopositive fibers protruded.

CONCLUSIONCultured human fetal brain cells can survive and grow in the infarcted cavities of immunodepressed rats and integrate with the host brain.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; transplantation ; Brain ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Infarction ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Fetal Tissue Transplantation ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Humans ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Neocortex ; cytology ; Neurons ; transplantation ; Rats ; Synaptophysin ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore potential epigenetic biomarkers for toxic effects, tumor-related chemical prevention and biological monitor by a genome-wide screening for differential DNA methylation during human cell malignant transformation in vitro.

METHODSThe two in vitro cell transformation models included B(a)P-induced human bronchial epithelial cell introduced by H-Ras (HBER) cell transformation and simian vacuolating virus 40 small T antigen induced (SV40 ST-induced) HBER cell transformation. Methylated genes were collected by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation and whole genome amplification (MeDIP-WGA) at three time points during cell transformation which represented different transformation stage. Then, CpG island microarray was used to screen differentially methylated genes. The mRNA levels of hypermethylated genes were also observed by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe CpG island microarray showed that the number of hypermethylated genes in HBER, HBERNT, HBERT cells were 733, 661 and 738 respectively.83 genes were hypermethylated in pre-transformed cell and transformed cell. Moreover, 25 of 83 genes were also hypermethylated in SV40 ST-transformed cell (HBERST). We further confirmed that the mRNA expression of six of these 25 genes, namely family with sequence similarity 178, member A (FAM178A), retinoic acid receptor responder (tazarotene induced) (RARRES1), ubiquitin specific peptidase 28 (USP28), Scm-like with four mbt domains 2 (SFMBT2), family with sequence similarity 59, member A (FAM59A) and nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 3 (NR4A3) were suppressed during B(a)P-induced transformation.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal hypermethylation of specific genes was a common event in the two kinds of human cell transformation models, which shed light on the study for chemical exposure monitor and tumor-related epigenetic biomarkers.

Biomarkers ; analysis ; Carcinogens, Environmental ; analysis ; Cell Line ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; CpG Islands ; DNA Methylation ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genome ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid promotes colon carcinogenesis through downregulation of P53-dependent growth inhibition.

METHODSColon carcinogenesis was induced by injection of azoxymethane (AOM) intraperitoneally. Experimental animals were randomly divided into four groups, receiving regular diet and intraperitoneal injection of normal saline(control group), high ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet with intraperitoneal injection of normal saline(Corn oil group), regular diet with intraperitoneal injection of AOM(AOM group), or high ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet with intraperitoneal injection of AOM (Corn oil+AOM group). Aberrant crypt focis (ACFs) were observed after methylene blue staining and enumerated. Colonic mucosa PCNA and P53 expressions were assessed by RT-PCR and Western blotting, and location of P53 in the colon crypt focis was determined by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSAmounts of ACFs was 1.2±0.3 in the control group, 1.3±0.4 in the Corn oil group, 41.0±4.8 in the AOM group, and 73.3±9.9 in the Corn oil+AOM group, the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). The expression of P53 in normal crypt focis was higher than that in ACFs. High ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid dietary significantly promoted AOM-induced colon PCNA expression, and enhanced AOM-mediated P53 inhibition in colon mucosa.

CONCLUSIONHigh ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet can enhance AOM-induced inhibition of P53 in colon mucosa, resulting in overexpression of PCNA, formation of ACF, and carcinogenesis in the colon.

Animals ; Colon ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; adverse effects ; Intestinal Mucosa ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo research the effects of Alligator Zhikegao on relieving cough, dispelling phlegm and anti-inflammation.

METHODThe coughing tests in mice, the phenol red secreting tests in mice, ear edema tests in mice,and paw edema tests and subcutaneous cotton ball granuloma in rats were adopted for observing the related pharmacological effects of Alligator Zhikegao.

RESULTAlligator Zhikegao could obviously prolong the latent period and decrease the times of mouse coughing, and remarkably inhibit the mouse ear edema (P < 0.001), the rat paw edema and the hyperplasia of subcutaneous cotton ball granuloma in rats. Alligator Zhikegao 11.70 g x kg(-1) could significant improve the carbonic clearances of macrophages (P <0.05) and the hemolysin level in serum (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONAlligator Zhikegao has significant effects on relieving cough, dispelling phlegm, anti-inflammation and immunological regulation.

Alligators and Crocodiles ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Antitussive Agents ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Cough ; drug therapy ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Ear Diseases ; drug therapy ; Edema ; drug therapy ; Expectorants ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glycosaminoglycans ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Granuloma ; drug therapy ; Male ; Materia Medica ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.
Humans ; Interferon-gamma* ; Pityriasis Rosea*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the inhibitive effect on the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) xenografted in nude mice by adenovirus-mediated human endostatin gene.

METHODSThe expression efficiency of endostatin was examined after ECV-304 cells infected with Ad/hEndo by western blot. The hepatoma BEL-7402 cells were injected into Balb/c nude mice to detect the inhibition of Ad/hEndo on the growth of HCC xenografted in nude mice. The expression of endostatin mRNA in tumor tissue was analyzed with RT-PCR, and its distribution in vivo was also analyzed.

RESULTSHigh level expression of endostatin achieved in infected ECV-304 cells by western blot. Ad/hEndo significantly inhibited the growth of xenografted BEL-7402 tumors (F=4.061, P<0.05). The intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) decreased significantly in the treated mice (6.88+/-1.08 vs 13.60+/-1.71, t=9.216, P<0.01). The expression of endostatin mRNA in tumor tissue was detected by RT-PCR in 3 days after administration intratumorally with Ad/hEndo and almost disappeared in 7 days. Endostatin mRNA was mainly located in tumor tissue with a higher concentration than that in heart, lung, spleen and liver after Ad/hEndo administration.

CONCLUSIONAdenovirus-mediated human endostatin gene can be expressed efficiently in vitro and in vivo, and significantly inhibit the growth of BEL-7402 xenografted tumors in nude mice.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Endostatins ; genetics ; pharmacokinetics ; Genetic Therapy ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; blood supply ; therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Distribution ; Transplantation, Heterologous