Objective To determine whether the previously isolated transforming sequence, designated the Tx gene, which was derived from a Chinese human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell line CNE-2, is mutated in NPC cell lines and biopsy tissues.Methods DNA samples prepared from various cell lines and 11 cases of NPC biopsies were subjected to analysis with the modified polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) silver staining technique to screen for possible point mutation(s).Results Mobility shifted bands were revealed in two NPC cell lines, CNE-2 and HONE-1, but not in non-NPC cell lines, including stomach cancer cell line HGC-1, colon cancer cell line SW-480 and cervical cancer cell line HeLa. No sequence changes or polymorphisms were found in 11 cases of primary NPC biopsies.Conclusions In most cases of NPC, activation of this transformation-associated sequence does not involve a mechanism of gene mutation. The role played by this gene in NPC is to be further determined.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

In order to study neurotransmitter receptor regulation in the basal ganglia involved in the functional changes underlying levodopa-induced motor complications, quantitative autoradiography was used to observe receptor bindings of dopamine D1 and D2, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) and amino butyric acid (GABA) in the basal ganglia of rats that had unilateral nigrostriatal lesions and had been chronically treated with levodopa until motor complications developed. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups: normal, denervated and treatment-complicated groups. The results showed that response duration to levodopa became progressively shorter and abnormal involuntary movement (AIM) score was progressively increased during the course of levodopa treatment. Chronic treatment augmented D1 receptors more than denervation, and reduced D2 receptors that were also increased by dopamine denervation. Striatal NMDA receptors were substantially up-regulated in the treatment-complicated group. Levodopa treatment did not change receptors of nigral AMPA, pallidal GABA, and subthalamic GABA, which remained the same as that in denervation group. However, chronic treatment reversed the increase of nigral GABA receptors caused by the lesion. It was concluded that a shortening of response duration and AIM mimicked levodopa-induced motor complications of Parkinson's patients. These data suggested that up-regulation of dopamine D1 and NMDA receptors in the striatum leads to an imbalance of stimulation through the striatal output pathways, which is associated with levodopa-induced motor complications.

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) greatly contributed to the successful outcomes of prevention and control on both AIDS and drug abuse in China. However, the features on drug abuse changed in the past decades, and the prevalence of new psychoactive substances abuse potentially somehow offset the achievement of MMT. This paper concised the information on research and surveys of this issue that targeting on the current situation, characteristics, related factors and relevant public health problem on new psychoactive substances abuse, among patients who have been on MMT, in China.
Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methadone/therapeutic use* ; Opiate Substitution Treatment ; Prevalence ; Psychotropic Drugs/adverse effects* ; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers ; Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The bones are the most common sites of breast cancer metastasis. Upon arrival within the bone microenvironment, breast cancer cells coordinate the activities of stromal cells, resulting in an increase in osteoclast activity and bone matrix degradation. In late stages of bone metastasis, breast cancer cells induce apoptosis in osteoblasts, which further exacerbates bone loss. However, in early stages, breast cancer cells induce osteoblasts to secrete inflammatory cytokines purported to drive tumor progression. To more thoroughly evaluate the role of osteoblasts in early stages of breast cancer metastasis to the bones, we used green fluorescent protein-labeled human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435, which both induce osteolysis after intra-femoral injection in athymic mice, and the murine pre-osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 to modulate osteoblast populations at the sites of breast cancer metastasis. Breast cancer cells were injected directly into the femur with or without equal numbers of MC3T3-E1 cells. Tumors grew significantly larger when co-injected with breast cancer cells and MC3T3-E1 cells than injected with breast cancer cells alone. Osteolysis was induced in both groups, indicating that MC3T3-E1 cells did not block the ability of breast cancer cells to cause bone destruction. MC3T3-E1 cells promoted tumor growth out of the bone into the extraosseous stroma. These data suggest that breast cancer cells and osteoblasts communicate during early stages of bone metastasis and promote tumor growth.
Animals ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Femur ; pathology ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; physiology ; Osteolysis ; etiology ; Tumor Burden

Bovine theileriosis is a tick-borne disease that is hampering the development of the domestic cattle industry in northern China. This study involved a molecular survey of bovine Theileria species in 137 blood samples from cattle in the Jilin province of China. The DNA samples were screened by species-specific 18S rRNA PCR. Results revealed that 19.7% (27/137), 17.5% (24/137) and 10.9% (15/137) were found to be infected with Theileria sinensis, Theileria orientalis, respectively. Mixed infection was found in 8.8% (12/137). The overall detection rates of Baishan, Yanji, Jilin and Liaoyuan districts was 60.0%, 17.5%, 5.3% and 0%, respectively. There is little information on the detection and distribution of bovine Theileria species in northern China. Therefore, this study provides important data for understanding the epidemiology of Theileria species and designing appropriate approaches for the diagnosis and control of bovine theileriosis in northern China.

In this study, we treated transgenic Huntington's disease (tgHD) model rat with deep brain stimulation (DBS) and evaluated the cognitive and motor outcome. The results showed that the surgery of implanting electrode improved cognition, increased correct rate and decreased response bias in choice reaction time (CRT) task, with similar extent on various genotypes. After long-term DBS to globus pallidus externa( GPe), correct rate was enhanced. The enhancement was genotype related. Additionally, the motor time and reaction time in CRT task reflecting the movement initiation kept the same value, but the chorea-form movement of homozygous rats was rectified prominently after the treatment of DBS. The present results demonstrated that the operation of long-term DBS to globus pallidus externa can improve the cognition and motor outcome of tgHD rats, which implied DBS operation might shed light on HD patients in the future.

Objective To identify new recombinant antigens with potential for diagnosis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrom (HFRS) and establish reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphism (RT-PCR-RFLP) for genotyping of hantavirus. Methods One group of primers was used to clone the full-length S genome segment and the partial S genorme segment of the N-terminal. The two cloned genes were both fusionally expressed and non fusionally expressed in the T7 system. The other group of primers was used to establish a RT-PCR method to detect RNAs in 37 virus isolates, 2 positive standard virus strains of hantavirus and 5 negative controls. The method for typing RFLP was set up by digesting the PCR products of 20 virus isolates with Ras Ⅰ and Hind Ⅲ. Results The non-fusionally expressed products with a working concentration of 1:10 000 by chapping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), presented good biological activity though yields were lower than that of the fusionally expressed products.The specific component of the hantavirus genome (299 bp or 577 bp) wes seen in all viral samples. The genotyping of hantavirus showed that 9 out of the total were hantann (HTN) viruses, 8 were seol (SEO) viruses and 3 were not determined. Conclusions The good working titrer of expressed recombinant antigen showed that it has the potential to replace the natural antigen for detecting hantavirus antibodies. On comparison with cELISA, the detection rates for these two methods were 100% and 84.6%, and the coincidence rate was 84.6%. The former had a 15.4% higher sensitivity than the latter. The typing efficiency of RT-PCR-RFLP and sero-typing method was 85% (17/20) and 55% (11/20), respectively, showing that the former was 30% higher than the latter, while their results were highly consistant.

OBJECTIVELow or moderate consumption of red wine has a greater benefit than the consumption of other beverages in the prevention of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease and this is increasingly attributed to the polyphenol compounds in red wine, such as resveratrol. In the present study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol on platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSPlatelet aggregation in rabbits and normal subjects was measured using Born's method.

RESULTSResveratrol, at 10 - 1000 micromol/L, significantly inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro induced by collagen, thrombin, and ADP in healthy subjects. The inhibitory effect was concentration-dependent. Hypercholesterolemia induced by high-cholesterol diet enhanced ADP-induced platelet aggregation. Resveratrol 4 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation in vivo despite no changes in serum lipid levels.

CONCLUSIONSResveratrol inhibits platelet aggregation both in vitro and in vivo. This may be one of the mechanisms by which resveratrol prevents atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Arteriosclerosis ; prevention & control ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology

Attaining higher peak bone mass and strength in early life stage is critical for reducing risk of osteoporosis or lower bone mass later in life. Genetic factors such as race and gender are mostly responsible for the variability and timing of reaching peak bone mass. In general, Asians have lower areal bone mineral density and would reach peak bone mass earlier when they are compared to Caucasians. Among different lifestyle factors, strong evidence is only available for positive effects of dietary calcium and physical exercise on bone accretion. Studies showed that the calcium intake of Chinese population at all ages is well below the recommended intake levels. To develop peak bone mass and strength to reach their genetic potentials, achieving adequate calcium and vitamin D intake through promoting dietary intake and/or supplementation, are strongly recommended, especially in Chinese adolescents.