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.

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

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 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

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

OBJECTIVETo explore the recognition ability and abnormal processing characteristics to basic emotional faces in the early phase in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

METHODSPhotos of Chinese static faces with four basic emotions (fearful, happy, angry and sad) were used as stimulus. Twenty-five ASD children and twenty-two age- and gender-matched typical developed children (normal controls) were asked to match the emotional faces with words. Event-related potential (ERP) data were recorded concurrently.

RESULTSN170 latencies for total emotion and fearful face in the left temporal region were faster than in the right one in normal controls (P<0.05), but the results were not noted in ASD children. Further, N170 latencies in the left temporal region of ASD children were slower than normal controls for total emotion, fearful and happy faces (P<0.05), and their N170 latencies in the right temporal region were prone to slower than normal controls for angry and fearful faces.

CONCLUSIONSThe holistic perception speed of emotional faces in the early cognitive processing phase in ASD children is slower than normal controls. The lateralized response in the early phase of recognizing emotional faces may be aberrant in children with ASD.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) three dimensional (3D) reconstruction for maxillofacial diseases.

METHODSSixty patients with maxillofacial diseases underwent the scanning of MSCT with 3D reconstruction. Among them, 34 patients with maxillofacial fracture, 10 patients with maxillofacial tumors and tumor-like diseases, and 16 patients with congenital deformities. The MSCT scanned with slice thickness of 2 mm. The methods of 3D reconstruction included multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), shaded surface display (SSD), and volume rendering (VR). The results were compared with what was observed during operations.

RESULTSTotally 36 cases of maxillofacial fracture were shown by 2D or 3D imaging and were validated by the observations during operation. The MSCT with 3D reconstruction imaging was significantly superior to 2D axial imaging in maxillofacial fracture. Three dimensional imaging could clearly show the spacial anatomy of facial, fragment displacement, and tracing fracture lines. However, 2D imaging had better effectiveness than 3D imaging in observing deep structure and fine fracture. In maxillofacial tumors and tumor-like diseases, 3D imaging was significantly superior to 2D axial imaging in showing the tumor shape and spacial relationships between tumors and surrounding structures. Two dimensional imaging and MPR imaging were excellent to reveal internal structure and pathological changes of tumors. 2D imaging and MPR imaging also achieved better results in showing tumors extended to soft tissues. In maxillofacial congenital deformities, 3D imaging were superior than 2D imaging.

CONCLUSION3D imaging has an important value in the diagnosis and clinical assessment of maxillofacial fracture, tumor-like diseases, and congenital deformities.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Male ; Mandibulofacial Dysostosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Maxillofacial Abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Maxillofacial Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the relationship between the genotype and the hematologic characteristics in the fetuses with different types of thalassemia.

METHODSFetal blood samples were taken by cordocentesis, and hemograms from 572 fetuses at the gestational age of 18 to 38 weeks were examined. According to the genotypes of thalassemia, there were 117 fetuses with heterozygous alpha-thalassemia-1, and 60 with homozygous alpha-thalassemia-1. Twenty had beta-thalassemia mild, and 9 had beta-thalassemia major, respectively. The hematological parameters in these groups were compared with reference group in which 366 cases were included.

RESULTSIn alpha-thalassemia groups, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) significantly decreased (P < 0.001), but in heterozygous alpha-thalassemia-1, red blood cell (RBC) increased. In homozygous alpha-thalassemia-1, RBC decreased significantly (P < 0.001), but white blood cell and nucleated erythrocyte increased (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between beta-thalassemia and reference group in most hematological parameters except for decrease of MCHC.

CONCLUSIONSIn the fetal period, the hemogram of the fetuses with alpha-thalassemia changes significantly, while it does not change in beta-thalassemia. For the couple with heterozygous alpha-thalassemia, hemogram can provide some information for prenatal screening and diagnosis for those fetuses with alpha-thalassemia, especially for homozygous, but genotype detection is necessary for confirming the diagnosis.

Blood Cell Count ; Cordocentesis ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Erythrocyte Volume ; Erythrocytes, Abnormal ; Female ; Fetus ; physiopathology ; Genotype ; Gestational Age ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hemoglobins, Abnormal ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Thalassemia ; blood ; classification ; diagnosis ; genetics ; alpha-Thalassemia ; blood ; genetics ; beta-Thalassemia ; blood ; genetics

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

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