0.05). Conclusion There is abnormal thyroid function in patients with anorexia nervosa. Most of the patients with anorexia nervosa are individuals with low T3 syndrome, rather than hypothyroid. Since this syndrome is reversible, thyroxine is not necessary during the treatment.

Streptomyces sp. A048 was cultured in a complete medium to the last stage of log phase,the hyphae were washed and collected by centrifugation. Then the hyphae were inoculated in liquid medium for chitinase production using two-step fermentation. Activity of chitinase produced by two-step fermentation was 1.1 times higher than that from one-step fermentation,and ferment cycle was for 54 hours,which was 66 hours shorter than that of one-step fermentation. The hyphae and the powder of chitin were co-immobilizated and cultured in liquid medium for 36 hours,activity of chitinase was 1.8 times higher than that from one-step fermentation,and ferment cycle was 54h shorter than that of one-step fermentation. By adding 0.4% cellulose to two-step fermentation,activity of chitinase was 18.52 U/mL that was 4 times higher than that from the control and 10 times higher than that from one-step fermentation. Two step fermentation with chitin and cellulose may be the optimal fermentation process to produce Chitinase from Streptomyces sp. A048.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotype on the interferon (IFN) treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODSNinety-eight patients with chronic hepatitis C were divided into two groups: patients in group 1 (n=53) were treated with Pegasys, 180 ug injected subcutaneously once a week for 24 weeks, and those in group 2 (n=45) were injected with Roferon-A 3 MU three times a week for 24 weeks and then patients in both groups were followed up for another 24 weeks. The virological response at the end of follow up was the primary endpoint for evaluating the effects of IFN treatment. The HCV RNA levels of the chronic hepatitis C patients were determined with COBAS AMPLICOR MONITOR Test, version 2.0, and the HCV serotypes were examined by the means of ELISA using Murex HCV Serotyping 1-6 Assay.

RESULTSOf the 98 cases, HCV in 44 cases was serotype 1, in 23 was serotype 2, in 10 was serotype 3, in 1 was serotype 4, 1 was serotype 5 and in 2 was serotype 6; HCV serotypes in the remaining 17 patients could not determined. In Pegasys treatment group, the biochemical and virological response was not significantly different at the end of treatment between the patients with serotype 1 and non serotype 1 or serotype undetermined patients, but the sustained virological response rate of HCV serotype undetermined group (66.7 percent) was significantly higher than that of serotype 1 patients (27.3 percent) (p=0.035). In Roferon-A treatment group, the virological response rate at 24 weeks and sustained viral response rate at the end of follow-up was not significantly different between serotype 1 and non serotype 1 patients or serotype undetermined patients.

CONCLUSIONAfter the six months treatment course, the HCV serotype had some effects on the treatment response to Pegasys treatment for chronic hepatitic C.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Hepatitis C Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferons ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To assess the changes on the whole night polysomnography (PSG) in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS). Methods The whole night PSGs were recorded from 24 patients with CFS and 33 normal subjects. Results Compared with normal subjects, patients with CFS showed significantly reduced total sleep duration ([488.7?21.7]min vs [515.9?31.7]min, P

OBJECTIVETo generate a gene delivery plasmid carrying the dominant negative form of the protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit a (DN-PP2Aca) driven by a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue-specific promoter and investigate its ability to inhibit growth of cultured hepatoma cells.

METHODSThe gene delivery plasmid was constructed by PCR-amplifying DN-PP2Aca from wild-type PP2Aca using site-directed mutagenesis and then ligating the sequence-verified amplicon downstream of an alpha-fetoprotein enhancer and phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (AFpg) in the luciferase reporter vector pGL3-Basic. Following transfection into two AFP+ hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and HepG3) and two AFP- hepatoma cell lines (SK-HEP-1 and L02), the transcriptional activity of the AFpg-driven DN-PP2Aca plasmid was tested using luciferase reporter gene assay and western blotting. The effect on cell growth was tested using MTT assay. Between group differences were assessed by t-test.

RESULTSThe AFpg-driven DN-PP2Aca plasmid showed high transcriptional activity and protein expression in both HepG2 and Hep3B cells. At 72 h after transfection, the proliferation capacities were repressed by 42.65%+/-3.99% (P = 0.0002) and 39.87%+/-3.91% (P = 0.0002) in AFP+ HepG2 and Hep3B cells, respectively (vs. untransfected). In contrast, the plasmid was transcriptionally inactive in and had no effect on proliferation of AFP- cells.

CONCLUSIONThe AFpg-driven DN-PP2Aca plasmid exhibits selective cytotoxicity against AFP+ hepatoma cells, and may represent a useful gene therapy strategy to treat HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enhancer Elements, Genetic ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Protein Phosphatase 2 ; genetics ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; genetics

Adipose tissue is not simply a depot of energy, but is an active endocrine organ. The adipokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. The proinflammatory adipokines secreted from expanded visceral adipose tissue directly induce insulin resistance and vascular injuries. A better understanding of the endocrine function of adipose tissue may lead to more rational therapy for metabolic syndrome.
Adiponectin ; physiology ; Adipose Tissue ; physiopathology ; Drug Design ; Leptin ; physiology ; Metabolic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Resistin ; physiology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; physiology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of lidocaine on LPS induced apoptosis of cultured adult rat alveolar Type II (AT-II) cells. METHODS: Cultured cells were exposed to LPS and lidocaine for 24 hours. Apoptosis and necrosis rates of cells were detected by flow cytometry and electron microscope. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) was analyzed by using LDH kits. RESULTS: LPS induced the AT-II cell injuries by increasing not only the necrosis and apoptosis rates but also the LDH release of cultured AT-II in vitro. Lidocaine decreased the necrosis and apoptosis rates of AT-II cells. CONCLUSION Lidocaine can directly inhibit the apoptosis and necrosis induced by LPS in cultured AT-II cells.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Epithelial Cells ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Lactate Dehydrogenases ; metabolism ; Lidocaine ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Necrosis ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Prognosis ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

Syringin is one of the main bioactive ingredients in Saussurea involucrata. In this study, various chromatographic techniques were employed to isolate and purify syringin in the polar extraction of cell suspension cultures of S. involucrata. The structure of syringin was characterized by the analysis of spectroscopic data. A quantitative analytical method for the content of syringin in cultures of S. involucrata was established with RP-HPLC. The method is convenient, accurate and reliable. All this results provided a basis for further studies on application of cell suspension cultures of S. involucrata for large-scale production of bioactive compound syringin.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Glucosides ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Phenylpropionates ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; cytology ; Reproducibility of Results ; Saussurea ; chemistry ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo determine the efficacy of 2% mepivacaine in conservative dentistry.

METHODSThe patients who needed cavity preparation or access to pulp chamber received local infiltration with 2% mepivacaine. Anesthesia time, anesthetic efficacy and cardiovascular system influences were assessed. 3% lidocaine with epinephrine served as control.

RESULTSIn experiment group, the anesthesia effects were quicker and anesthesia duration was longer than that in control group. Doctors highly appreciated the anesthetic efficacy. Two groups did not show any evident change in blood pressure and heart rate.

CONCLUSION2% mepivacaine is a safe and efficacious local anesthetic drug in conservative dentistry.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anesthesia, Dental ; Anesthetics, Local ; Dental Pulp ; drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mepivacaine ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged