Animals ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Genes, ras ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore the value of brainstem auditory evoked potential(BAEP),visual evoked potential(VEP)and Revised Visual Retention Test(VRT)in detecting impairment of central nervous system in patients with acute leukemia(AL).Methods Neuropack-Ml type evoked potential machine(Japan)was used to check brainstem auditory evoked potential(BAEP)and visual evoked potential(VEP).BAEP,VEP and VRT were examined in 30 cases with acute leukemia(group AL)and in 30 age and sex matched healthy subjects as a control(groupC).Indexes of BAEP including peak latency(PL)of waves I ,IB ,V and inter-peak latency(IPL)of waves Ⅰ～Ⅲ,Ⅲ ～Ⅴ,Ⅰ～Ⅴand indexes of VEP(P100PL)were determined.VRT was accomplished meanwhile applying B method with C pattern,C method with D pattern,D method with E pattern.The correct scores and error scores were recorded separately.Results BAEP:the abnormal rate of the group AL was 23.3 %.Compared with control group,we found significant longer latency of wave Ⅲ、Ⅴ(P＜0.05)and significant elongation in the mean inter-peak latencies of Ⅰ～Ⅴ(P＜0.05).VEP:the abnormal rate of the group AL was 26.7% ,the P100 PL of the patients was longer than that in the control group(P＜0.05).VRT:the abnormal rate of the group AL was 33.3%.The results of VRT showed that the score in the group AL in D method with E pattern was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion BEAP,VEP and VRT could detect the impairment of central nervous system in patients with acute leukemia sensitively,and give clues to early diagnosis of central nervous system leukemia(CNSL).

Bacillus amyloliquefaciensin can cause infections and the building related ill-health syndrome among newborns, infants and other immunocompromised populations by polluting hospital disinfectants, such as alcohol 75%, moisture housing and food. In this article, we reviewed the prevalence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in environment, food and intrahospital infection, the toxicology by describing its toxicity in mammalian cells, the physicoehemical characteristics by analyzing its special structure of bacterial spores. Its pathogenicity through animal model of disease was discussed as well.(J Glin Pediatr,2010,28(2) :190-192)

Objective To compare the effects of every-other-day dose simvastatin administration with that of daily therapy of same dose.Methods This was a randomized,prospective,nonblinded clinical trial.The 186 patients with high low-density lipoproteim cholesterol(LDL-C) and/or high total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG),low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)was studied.All patients were randomized into two groups.The every-other-day do- sing group recerived 20mg of simvastatin in alternate-day and daily dosing group received 20mg of simvastatin every day.Before and after 6 weeks,12 weeks of treatment,serum lipoprotein,Live function tests and ereatine kinase con centra- tion and so on were drawn and bad-side effect were studies.Results The two groups significantly reduce LDL-C,TC, TG and a little increased HDL-C compared with baseline.No stalistically significant differences existed between the two groups in percentage in decrease in lipoprotain at 6 weeks,12 weeks compared with baseline.The bad-side effect in the two groups also had not a singnificant different.Conclusion The every-other-day dose of simvastatin have similar effi- cacious and safe to daily dosing in patients with hyperlipidemia and some cost savings.It can take a primary prevention to coronary heart disease in patients with relatively low-risk hyperlipidemia.

To study the pharmacokinetics characteristic of loganin, ferulic acid and stilbene glucoside in rat plasma after oral administration of Bushen Tongluo formula. The plasma samples were treated by using liquid-liquid extraction technique, the concentrations were determined by HPLC-UV. Johnson spherigel C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 μm) was adopted and eluted with the of mobile phase of methanol-water containing 0.01% glacial acetic acid in a gradient mode, with the flow rate at 1.0 mL x min(-1), column temperature at 30 degrees C and injection volume of 10 μL. According to the findings, loganin was determined at 235 nm, ferulic acid and stilbene glucoside were determined at 320 nm, with the sample size of 10 μL. The pharmacokinetic parameters of loganin, ferulic acid and stilbene glucoside were calculated by DAS 2. 0 software as follows: C(max) was (0.369 ± 0.042), (0.387 ± 0.071), (0.233 ± 0.044) mg x L(-1); t(max) was (0.226 ± 0.022), (0.282 ± 0.031), (0.233 ± 0.044) h; t(½β) was (6.89 ± 0.20), (10.73 ± 0.11), (6.93 ± 0.09) h; AUC(0-∞) was (1.91 ± 0.36), (3.22 ± 0.52), (1.52 ± 0.33) mg x h x L(-1); AUCO(0-t) was (1.62 ± 0.33), (2.58 ± 0.43), (1.30 ± 0.30) mg x h x L(-1); CL was (20.2 ± 4.0), (1.39 ± 0.23), (31.7 ± 6.9) L x h(-1) x kg(-1), respectively. The results showed that after the oral administration with Bushen Tongluo formula, loganin, ferulic acid and stilbene glucoside showed concentration-time curves in conformity with the two compartment model, with a rapid absorption, loganin and stilbene glucoside was excreted at a moderate speed, and ferulic acid was excreted slowly (but with the highest bioavailability). Bushen Tongluo formula can main maintain plasma concentration with three administrations everyday and so is suitable to be made into common oral preparation.
Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Coumaric Acids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; analysis ; pharmacokinetics ; Glucosides ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Iridoids ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stilbenes ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics

Xylitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, has many interesting applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and odontological industries, owing to its high sweetening power, its anticariogenic properties, and its insulin-independent metabolism. The bioconversion of detoxified hemicellulosic hydrolysate to xylitol by microorganisms could be a cheaper alternative to the current chemical process, since it is a simple process, with great specificity and low energy requirements. However, the success of fermentations for xylitol production depends on the productivity of the strain and its tolerance to different toxic or inhibitory compounds existing in the hydrolysates. In addition, a number of culture process parameters proved to have significant effects on xylitol production in hemicellulosic hydrolysate media. One of the most important control variables in this bioconversion is the aeration level, which affects the biochemical pathways in the xylose metabolism. The production of biomass is favored by aerobic conditions, while under anaerobic conditions xylose cannot be assimilated by yeast, whereas xylitol is formed in oxygen-limited incubation conditions. An adapted Candida sp. with enhanced resistance to the inhibitors in the hydrolysate can directly ferment the simply detoxified corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate to xylitol. In the present study, the combined effects of shaking speed, C/ N ratio, initial pH, and inoculum level on the fermentation of corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate to xylitol by an adapted Candida sp. were investigated using an orthogonal experimental design in flask. As a result, the optimum fermentation conditions were as follows: 180 r/min, a C/N ratio of 50, initial pH 5.5, and an inoculum level of 5% (volume ratio). Moreover, the optimum concentration factor of hydrolysate varied between 3.0 and 3.72 was obtained. Based on these results, in order to evaluate the effect of aeration rate on the fermentation of corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate to xylitol in fermentor, batch fermentations were carried out in a 3.7 L stirred fermentor using four different aeration strategies, including three kind of two-stage aeration strategies, which provided relatively high aeration rate in the early stage but reduced it in the later stage, and including a one-stage aeration strategy provided a constant aeration rate. With respect to xylitol yield, the results indicated that two-stage aeration strategy was significantly superior to one-stage aeration strategy. The highest xylitol yield (0.75 g/g) was obtained with oxygen supply strategy C (3.75 L/min for first 24 h, then lowered it to 1.25 L/min, 2.5 L fermentation medium was employed). In this process, without extensive detoxification of hydrolysate, an adapted Candida sp. can efficiently ferment the simply treated corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate to xylitol under the optimized fermentation conditions. This work should help the development of an efficient process for producing xylitol from corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate on a larger scale by bioconversion.
Aerobiosis ; Candida tropicalis ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Hydrolysis ; Polysaccharides ; metabolism ; Xylitol ; biosynthesis ; Zea mays ; metabolism

Transthoracic echocardiographic characteristics of 17 cases of cardiac amyloidosis (CA), a rare disease in China, were analyzed in order to improve the understanding of the disease. Seventeen cases of biopsy-proven CA, admitted to Wuhan Union Hospital from June 1994 to September 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty normal volunteers served as control group. Left atrial and ventricular functions and mitral inflow velocity were measured by two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)-derived peak systolic wall motion velocities (Sv), peak early diastolic wall motion velocities (Ev), and peak late diastolic wall motion (Av) were measured at the septum, lateral, inferior and anterior corners of mitral annulus from the apical 4- and 2 chamber views. Compared with the control group, the interventricular septal thickness (IVSd), the left ventricular posterior wall (LVPWd), right ventricular transverse diameter (RVTDd) near the end of diastole and the interauricular septum thickness (IASs), left atrial anteroposterior diameter (LAADs), right atrial transverse diameter (RATDs) near the end of systole were increased significantly (all P<0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased (P<0.05) in the CA group. Compared with the control group, Sv, Ev at each wall and Av at almost all walls were significantly decreased in the CA group. In the CA group, Myocardial echoes of interventricular septum and free wall of left ventricle were enhanced evidently and distributed unevenly. The echoes presented as ground glass-like images, with some spotty hyper echoes. Both atria were enlarged, and LVEF decreased, with diastolic function impaired, and mild-moderate hydropericardium found in the CA group. It was concluded that echocardiography was a relatively sensitive and highly specific non-invasive method for the diagnosis of CA.
Amyloidosis/*ultrasonography ; Cardiomyopathies/*ultrasonography ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Echocardiography, Doppler/*methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The regulation mechanism of arecoline on rat hepatic CYP2E1 was studied in vivo. After oral administration of arecoline hydrobromide (AH; 4, 20 and 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) to rats for one week, the hepatic CYP2E1 mRNA level remained unchanged, but the hepatic CYP2E1 protein content was dose-dependently increased. Additionally, although the hepatic CYP2E1 activity was induced by AH treatment, the induction was attenuated with the increase in dosage. The results indicate that the effect of arecoline on rat hepaticdoes not involve transcriptional activation of the gene, but largely involves the stabilization of CYP2E1 protein against degradation or increased efficiency of CYP2E1 mRNA translation, and additionally involve the post- ranslational modification of CYP2E1 protein. Furthermore, the CYP2E1 response is fairly equal among the different species, the induction of rat hepatic CYP2E1 by arecoline suggests that there is a risk of metabolic interaction among the substrate drugs of CYP2E1 in betel-quid use human.
Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 Inducers ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats

Objective To compare the effect between intra-arterial and intra-venous neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)in stage Ⅰb2-Ⅱ b cervical carcinoma.Methods A retrospective analysis Was done on 52 cases of intra-venous NACT and 95 eases of intm-arterial NACT for stage Ⅰ b2-Ⅱ b cervical carcinoma treatad in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 1999.ResulIs The response rate of intraveHous NACT and intra-arterial NACT was 88%(46/52)and 79%(75/95).and the operative rate after NACT Was 81%(42/52)and 72%(68/95)respectively(P>0.05).There were no significant differences in surgery time,blood loss and pest-operative morbidity between these two groups.Pathological parametrial positive rate after NACT in arterial group(6%)Was significantly lower than that of venous group (50%,P>0.05).The venous group had very similar recurrence rates(13%vs 17%)and death rates (9%VS 12%)when compared with the arterial group(P>0.05).Conclusions The intra-arterial and intra-venous NACT for stage Ⅰ b2-Ⅱb cervical carcinoma show similar response rate.operative rate and surgical difficulties.Arterial NACT shows a better effect on parametrial infiltration.

Objective To investigate the biological features of the mouse bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSCs) transfected by humanβnerve growth factor(β-NGF) .Methods BMSCs of GFP transgenic mouse were isolated and cultured .Theβ-NGF re-combinant plasmid vectors were transferred into the cultured BMSCs by LipofectamineTM 2000 .The expression of β-NGF was detec-ted with ELISA .Results The β-NGF recombinant plasmid vectors were successfully transferred into BMSCs of GFP transgenic mouse ,the expression of β-NGF in transfected cells appeared .In addition ,the expression ofβ-NGF could effectively protect the BM-SCs which were injured in transfection process .Conclusion BMSCs of GFP transgenic mouse after transfecton with human β-NGF have the proliferation and differentiation capacity ,and possess the expression ability of β-NGF protein .