Objective To compare the concentration of 3-nitrotyrosine and tyrosine and the ratio of 3-nitrotyrosine/tyrosine in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS) and those with healthy nervous system for definiting the role of free radicals oxidative damage in pathogenesis of SALS. Methods Subjects consisted of 15 patients with SALS and 15 patients with norml nervous system who underwent lumbar anesthesia for surgery. Their CSF was analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results The 3-nitrotyrosine concentration was higher in patients with SALS (228.52?124.30 nmol/L) than that in controls (112.86?47.10 nmol/L) (P

Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; complications ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology

Objective To analyze the clinical features of 27 Chinese patients with Kennedy's disease(KD), a sex-linked inheritance disorder. Methods We collected the clinical data of 27 KD patients whose diagnosis were confirmed by gene examination to analyze their clinical features, as well as their serum levels of sex hormones and biochemical indicators. Results Patients with spinal and bulhar muscular atrophy tend to have an adult onset, exhibiting a slow progression of lower motor neuronal weakness and atrophy involving limbs and bulbar zones. Part of the invalids presented signs of androgen insensitivity such as gynecomastia or reduced sexual function, even though their degrees of sex hormones were normal. There was mild motor functional lesion which correlated with the course of the disease ( r = 0. 77, P = 0. 000). The degrees of creatine kinase ( ( 920. 10 ± 495.54 ) U/L ) and triglyceride ( ( 3.27 ± 2. 78) mmool/L) increased mildly and was significantly different from the levels of healthy ones (107.20 U/L,t =7.517,P =0.000;1.40 mmol/L, t =2.687,P =0.017). Conclusions Basically, Chinese KD patients present the same clinical features as the literature reports, however they have distinctive aspects such as elevated degree of triglyceride. The present research can help us to understand the features of Chinese KD more particularly.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of epididymal hypofunction of rats with varicocele (VC) by observing the changes in the epididymal index, motility of epididymal sperm, expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) and the tumor suppressor protein p53, and epididymal epithelial cells.

METHODSNinety SD rats were equally randomized to a VC model (A), a sham operation (B), and a normal control group (C). At 49 days after surgery, all the rats were executed after weighing. Then the volume of the left epididymis was obtained, the epididymal sperm motility was detected by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), the expressions of HIF-1 alpha and p53 in the epididymal tissue were determined by Western-blot, and the epididymal epithelial cells were observed by HE staining.

RESULTSVC models were successfully established in 27 of the rats. One-way ANOVA test showed no statistically significant differences in the epididymis index among groups A ([40.53 +/- 1.76] x 10 (-5)) , B ([43.31 1.58] x 10( -5)) , and C ( [44. 10 +/- 2.62] x 10 -5) (P > 0.05). Sperm motility and the percentage of progressively motile sperm were significantly lower in group A ([71.86 +/- 5.07]% and [42. 26 +/-4.45]%) than in B ([78.51 4.50]% and [49.08 +/-4. 19]% ) and C ( [79.24 +/- 2.70] % and [52. 23+/- 2. 23] % ) (both P <0.05) , while the expressions of HTF-1 a and p53 were remarkably higher in A (1.74 +/- 0. 16 and 1.71 +/- 0. 11) than in B (0.32 +/- 0. 08 and 0.56 +/- 0.13) and C (0.12 +/- 0. 03 and 0.25 +/-0.06) (both P < 0.05). The epididymal epithelial cells in group A were obviously decreased in number and arranged in loose and disorderly patterns as compared with those in B and C.

CONCLUSIONVaricocele can cause hypoxia in the epididymal tissue, which in turn may lead to epididymal hypofunction.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epididymis ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sperm Motility ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; metabolism

Objective: To investigate the value of the trigeminocervical response (TCR) for revealing bulbar involvement in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Methods: Thirty patients with SBMA and 30 healthy male controls were included in this study. In all of the normal controls, stimulation of the infraorbital nerve on one side produced bilateral short latency waves consisting of a positive/negative wave, p19/n31, the mean latency of which was measured. The mean square root of the ratio between the amplitude of p19/n31 and the mean rectifi ed surface electromyography (EMG) activity preceding the stimulus, the A value, was estimated. The parameters of the TCR were compared between the two groups. Results: Among the patients with SBMA, 21 (70.0%) had delayed latencies of p19/n31 (P < 0.01) and all (100%) had reduced A values (P < 0.01) relative to the normal controls. Conclusions: All parameters of the TCR were signifi cantly different between the patients with SBMA and the normal controls. T

To study the chemical constituents of the traditional Chinese herb Baeckea Frutescens L., a new flavonol glycoside, named 6, 8-dimethylkaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (1), together with seven known compounds: quercetin (2), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (3), myricetin (4), myricetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (5), gallic acid (6), ursolic acid (7) and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-(2'-methoxylpropionyl)-5-methoxy-6-methylbenzene (8) were isolated by using silica gel column chromatography, polyamide column chromatography and recrytallization. Their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis. Among them, compounds 2-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time and compound 8 was first isolated from plant.
Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Flavonols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Myrtaceae ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Toluene ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Nutritional support therapy includes three main components:nutritional screening,nutritional assessment,and nutritional intervention.It is important to emphasize that nutritional screening and nutritional assessment are two different concepts and definitions,which are often confusing for many physicians,nurses,and dietitians.In this review,we present an overview on the main concepts about nutritional screening and nutritional assessment,highlight their features and complementarity,and discuss the future perspectives in the clinical practice.

Objective To investigate DNA methylation markers in the whole blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE),in hope to facilitate the evaluation of SLE severity.Methods Whole blood samples were obtained from 58 patients with SLE(including 14 cases of severe SLE,25 moderate SLE,19 inactive SLE)and 50 healthy controls.Bisulphite sequencing was performed to determine the methylation status of interleukin-2 common receptor gamma chain(IL-2RG)promoter region,and real-time reverse transcriptionPCR to quantify the expression level of IL-2RG mRNA,in these subjects.Results The methylation level of IL2RG promoter region was 0.217 ± 0.140,0.325 ± 0.230,0.342 ± 0.085 and 0.175 ± 0.036 in the patients withsevere,moderate and inactive SLE and healthy controls,respectively.A significant increase was observed in the methylation level of IL-2RG promoter region in the patients with inactive SLE compared with the patients with severe SLE and healthy controls(both P ＜ 0.01),and in the patients with SLE compared with the healthy controls(0.263 ± 0.047 vs.0.175 ± 0.036,P ＜ 0.05).The expression level of IL-2RG mRNA was significantly lower in the patients with SLE than in the healthy controls(2.550 ± 0.823 vs.4.293 ± 1.283,P ＜ 0.05).A negative correlation was observed between the expression level of IL-2RG mRNA and methylation level of IL2RG promoter region in 20 patients with SLE(r =-0.44,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The methylation status of IL2RG promoter region is statistically higher in patients with SLE than in healthy controls,and significantly different between patients with active SLE and those with stable SLE.

Pseudomonas sp. M18 is one of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria capable of producing two kinds of anti-fungal agents: phenazine-1-carboxilic acid (PCA) and pyoluteorin (Plt). The pqsR gene, which encodes a LysR family member PqsR, was amplified from chromosomal genome of strain M18. Using the homologous recombination technique, a chromosomal pqsR inactivated mutant strain M18PRG was constructed in Pseudomonas sp. M18. To study the effect of pqsR gene on Plt biosynthesis, the dynamic curves of Plt production by strains M18 and M18PRG was measured in KMB media. As a result, Plt production of the pqsR mutant was three to four folds higher than that of its parent strain M18. The Plt production was restored to the wild-type level when strain M18PRG was complemented with pqsR gene in trans. The regulation of pqsR gene on Plt production was further confirmed by the pltA′-′lacZ translational fusion analysis. These results indicate that pqsR gene negatively controls the Plt biosynthesis. Additionally, by analyzing the growth curves of wild type strain M18 and pqsR mutant, wecan readily find that PqsR has a negative influence on cell growth. It was also shown that the production of red pigments in strain M18 required the expression of pqsR gene. In conclusion, the data presented in this study clearly demonstrate that PqsR acts as a global regulator involved in many physiological activities in Pseudomonas sp. M18.

Objective To understand the intention to quit smoking and its influencing factors among current smokers in Gansu Province, so as to provide scientific basis for tobacco control. Methods A multi-stage sampling method was used to extract current smokers aged 15-69 years, and a face-to-face survey was conducted using the questionnaire on smoking among residents in China. Intention to quit smoking between current smokers with different characteristics was analyzed. Logistic regression was used to explore influencing factors of intention to quit smoking. Results The intention of current smokers to quit smoking in Gansu Province was 16.4% (95% CI:15.5%-17.3%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that current smokers who were in rural areas (OR=1.199, 95% CI:1.022-1.408, P=0.026); family smoking prohibited (OR=1.767, 95% CI: 1.273-2.454, P=0.001), medical staff discouraged smoking within 12 months (OR=1.599, 95% CI:1.359-1.842, P<0.001), visited smoking clinics (OR=3.089, 95% CI:2.031-4.698, P＜001), higher educational level of junior high school, senior high school and college or above (OR=1.383, 95% CI:1.101-1.736; OR=1.627, 95% CI:1.252-2.116; OR=1.374, 95% CI:1.009-1.873, all P<0.05), tobacco hazards knowledge with higher scores of 1-, 3- and 5-6 (OR=1.248, 95% CI:1.030-1.514; OR=1.574, 95% CI:1.289-1.922; OR=2.288, 95% CI:1.879-2.786, all P<0.05) were more likely to quit smoking; furthermore, smokers aged 20-, 30- years or smoking 20-, 30- years had a lower chance of quit smoking (all P<0.05). Conclusions The intention of current smokers to quit smoking in Gansu province is generally not high. In the future, knowledge of tobacco hazards should be further promoted, medical staff should provide more smoking cessation services during the treatment process, and more smoking cessation clinics should be established.