Animals ; Carbon Disulfide ; adverse effects ; Light ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of aluminum citrate (AC), rare earth compounds (REC) and sodium selenite (SS) on the surface elements of chrysotile fibers and the inhibitory mechanisms of three compounds for chrysotile-induced biological activities.

METHODSAfter being soaked in 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml aluminum citrate solutions, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml mixed rare earths solutions or 125, 250, 500 and 1000 microg/ml sodium selenite solutions for 10 min or 1 hour, the fabrication and the levels of surface elements of chrysotile fibers were determined.

RESULTSAluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite all could be adsorbed by chrysotile fibers. After pretreatment of chrysotile fibers with aluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite solutions for 10 min or 1 hour, the corresponding elements or ion on the surface of chrysotile fibers increased with the increase of concentration of the solutions.

CONCLUSIONPretreatment of chrysotile with aluminum citrate, mixed rare earths or sodium selenite solutions can change the fabrication and the levels of surface elements of chrysotile fibers, and inhibit the biological activities of chrysotile by "sealing" some "active sites" on the surface of chrysotile fibers.

Asbestos, Serpentine ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Citric Acid ; chemistry ; Metals, Rare Earth ; chemistry ; Sodium Selenite ; chemistry

Patients with hypoxia pulmonary hypertension (HPH) are often accompanied by dyspnea, fatigue, and headache. With the development of the disease, the right ventricle gradually collapses and eventually leads to death. Hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling is an important pathological basis of HPH, and the remodeled pulmonary vessels will form permanent thickening. The mechanism of hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling is relatively complex. At present, there are few studies on drugs for pulmonary vascular remodeling on the market, mainly focusing on the alleviation of pulmonary vasoconstriction. It was found that hypoxia induces calcium overload in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), resulting in the proliferation of PASMCs. The main mechanisms include: ① abnormal expression of calcium pumps; ② abnormal calcium channels in the plasma membrane of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells; ③ overexpression of calcium-sensitive receptors in cells; ④ the expression of Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger type-1 was abnormal. This review summarized several mechanisms of hypoxia induced calcium overload leading to pulmonary artery remodeling, hoping to provide a new idea for the treatment of HPH.

Objective　In view of the fact that asbestos is not only a key occupational hazard, but also an important environmental pollutant, it is necessary to develop a proper method to decrease the carcinogenecity of asbestos fibers. This study was designed to determine if the surface modification of chrysotile asbestos fiber (CAF) with rare earth compounds (REC) can ameliorate CAF-induced DNA damages in human embryo lung (HEL) cells. Methods　After incubation with REC solution at different concentrations at room temperature for 1 h, natural and REC-pretreated CAF was added to cell culture at various doses. At the selected time as the experiment designed, DNA damages of the HEL cells were detected by Unscheduled DNA Synthesis (UDS) and Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) assays. Results　The UDS induced by natural CAF was elevated with the increase of CAF doses. There was a good dose-response relationship between the UDS and the amount of CAF in the medium and the coefficient of correlation (R) was 0.958 at P<0.05. In REC-pretreated CAF groups, the UDS declined with the increase of REC doses. Both catalase (CAT) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) also reduced the CAF-induced enhancement of UDS. In SCGE assay, CAF induced DNA chain breakage and the magnitude of DNA chain breakage increased in a dose-dependent manner and the coefficient of correlation (R) was 0.992 at p<0.01, while REC-pretreated CAF significantly decreased the induction of DNA chain breakage in a dose-dependent manner(r=0.989, p<0.05). Conclusion　It can be concluded that CAF-induced DNA damages in HEL cells may be partly mediated by oxygen derivatives, and the surface modification of CAF with REC might hide critical sites on the fiber surface, thereby reducing the fiber-mediated production of oxygen derivation and lowering the CAF-induced UDS and DNA chain breakage in HEL cells.

Objective To explore the effect of recovery sleep on the executive function after 36 h of total sleep deprivation by event related potential technology.Methods Thirteen healthy male college students participated in two trials. At the first trial normal sleep as control was investigated. At the second trial participants experienced 36 h of sleep deprivation and then accepted 8 h recovery sleep. In each trial six Go/Nogo tests were employed to test the executive control function and the ERP data were recorded. Results There was no statistical difference in behavior and ERP results at each time point as the subjects had normal sleep. After 36 h of sleep deprivation, the behavior results were statistically significant when compared to the baseline. The amplitude and latency of Nogo-N2, Nogo-P3 on Fz electrode, the amplitude and latency of Nogo-P3 on Cz electrode showed statistical significance when compared to the baseline. After 8 h recovery sleep, the average correct reaction time and the Go correct reaction rate had statistical significance compared to 36 h value. The amplitude of Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 had no statistical significance compared to the baseline.However,it was of statistical significance[(-6.80 3.95)vs(-3.37 2.63)μV,(10.63±6.62)vs(5.63±5.45)μV,(9.49±7.37)vs(6.08±6.56)μV] compared to 36 h value. The latency of the recovery value of Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 was statistically significant[(254.14±15.55)vs(243.08±13.97)ms(382.14±41.07)vs(349.17±30.36)ms,(369.86±26.48)vs(347.48±29.24)ms]compared to the baseline.Conclusion As the time of sleep deprivation is prolonged, the executive function is impaired and the executive function is not completely recovered after 8 h recovery sleep.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate autogenous vein grafts and inside-out vein grafts as conduits for the defects repair in the rabbit facial nerves.

METHODSThe 10 mm segments of buccal division of facial nerve were transected for 48 rabbits in this study. Then the gaps were immediately repaired by autogenous vein grafts or inside-out vein grafts in different groups. All the animals underwent the whisker movement test and electrophysiologic test during the following 16 weeks at different time points postoperatively. Subsequently, the histological examination was performed to observe the facial nerve regeneration morphologically.

RESULTSAt 8 weeks after operation, the facial nerve regeneration has significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in electrophysiologic test and histological observation. However, at the end of this study, 16 weeks after operation, there was no significant difference between inside-out vein grafts and standard vein grafts in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration.

CONCLUSIONThis study suggest that both kinds of vein grafts play positive roles in facial nerve regeneration after being repaired immediately, but the autogenous inside-out vein grafts might accelerate and facilitate axonal regeneration as compared with control.

Animals ; Axons ; physiology ; Facial Nerve ; physiology ; surgery ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Veins ; transplantation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the anti-tumor effect of a novel gene-viral therapeutic system CNHK300-murine endostatin (CNHK300-mE) on gastric cancer.

METHODSSGC-7901 gastric cancer cells (5 x 10(7) cells/mouse) were injected s.c. into the right flank of Balb/c nude mice, grown to 4-5 mm to demonstrate tumor take, and 10(9) pfu/100 microl CNHK300-mE virus was injected into tumors. Tumor sizes were measured with calipers every other day. Serum samples were obtained by retro-orbital puncture and level of endostatin expression in serum was quantitated by ELISA. Fifteen days after treatment, all mice were sacrificed and tumors were excised for immunohistochemical staining of PCNA, hexon and vWF. Tumor cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL method.

RESULTSFrom the 7th day post-treatment, the bearing tumors of mice treated with CNHK300-mE were significantly smaller than those of control group treated with PBS. Seven days after treatment, expression of endostatin was (2115 +/- 770) ng/ml, significantly higher than that of control group. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that hexon was expressed in treated tumor cells, and PCNA LI (label index) [(55.0+/-1.4)% vs control (74.1 +/- 0.4)%, P<0.05], microvessel density (MVD) of CNHK300-mE treated tumors decreased significantly. Apoptosis obviously increased in tumor cells[(78.4 +/- 9.1)% vs control (15.2 +/- 0.5)%, P<0.01]. Apoptosis bodies and crystal grid were found in tumor cell nuclear by electron microscope.

CONCLUSIONSGene-viral therapeutic system CNHK300-murine endostatin can replicate in gastric cancer cells. The mouse endostatin gene cloned into CNHK300-mE expressed in high level. CNHK300-mE may induce tumor cells apoptosis, reduce the expression of PCNA and efficiently suppress gastric cancer growth through inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Endostatins ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Stomach Neoplasms ; therapy ; Telomerase ; genetics ; Transfection ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin in lung cancer and to study the interaction between the two molecules.

METHODSThe expression and correlation of connexin 43 and E-cadherin were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (S-P method) in 85 samples of primary squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. In addition, connexin 43 expression vector was transfected into the lung giant cell carcinoma cell line LH(7) followed by analyses of connexin 43 and E-cadherin expressions, the growth rates and cell cycle profiles of the transfected cells.

RESULTSComparing with the adjacent non-neoplastic lung tissue, expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin was decreased in a correlative fashion in both squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Their expression reversely correlated to the degree of tumor cell differentiation, P-TNM stage, and status of lymph note metastasis. The expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin increased significantly after transfection of connexin 43 expression vector into the LH(7) cells (P < 0.05). Both expressions were limited in the cytoplasm before or after the transfection. The proliferation rate of LH(7) cells was significantly decreased by connexin43 expression (P < 0.05), along with an increase of cell population at G(1) phase and a decrease of percentage of cells in S and G(2) phases (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSquamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of lung have a low level of connexin 43 and E-cadherin expression, which are correlated with the clinicopathologic features of the tumors. Transfection expression of connexin 43 gene induces an E-cadherin overexpression and an inhibition of LH(7) cell proliferation indicating the significant role of onnexin 43 in the regulation of cell proliferation.

Adult ; Aged ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; Connexin 43 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo study the clonality of polygonal cells and surface cuboidal cells in the so-called pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH).

METHODS17 female surgically resected PSH were found. The polygonal cells and surface cuboidal cells of the 17 PSH cases were microdissected from routine hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Genomic DNA was extracted, pretreated through incubation with methylation-sensitive restrictive endonuclease HhaI or HpaII, and amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction for X chromosome-linked androgen receptor (AR) and phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) genes. The length polymorphism of AR gene was demonstrated by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining. The PGK gene products were treated with Bst XI and resolved on agarose gel.

RESULTSAmongst the 17 female cases of PSH, 15 samples were successfully amplified for AR and PGK genes. The rates of polymorphism were 53% (8/15) and 27% (4/15) for AR and PGK genes respectively. Polygonal cells and surface cuboidal cells of 10 cases which were suitable for clonality study, showed the same loss of alleles (clonality ratio = 0) or unbalanced methylation pattern (clonality ratio < 0.25).

CONCLUSIONSThe polygonal cells and surface cuboidal cells in PSH demonstrate patterns of monoclonal proliferation, indicating that both represent true neoplastic cells.

Chromosomes, Human, X ; genetics ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phosphoglycerate Kinase ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma ; genetics ; pathology ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; X Chromosome Inactivation

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M .hyopneumoniae) and Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M .hyorhinis) infections are common in China .To investigate the prevalence of M .hyorhinis and M .hyopneumoniae in Jiangsu Province of China ,a mo-lecular epidemiological survey was conducted from 399 nasal swab samples of unvaccinated pigs using nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (nested PCR) .Nasal swab samples were collected from Jiangquhai porcine lean (JQHPL) strain pigs and other West-ern breeds .Clinical samples were taken from each pig and divided into different groups based on ages of pigs (7 ,14 ,21 ,28 , and 35 days) .Results indicated that the prevalence of M .hyorhinis was 70 .9% from different herds in Jiangsu Province in China ,while the prevalence of M .hyopneumoniae was 13 .5% .M .hyorhinis infection was more common in pigs for less than 5 weeks of age compared to M .hyopneumoniae infection .Co-infection was also observed in 30 samples (7 .5% ) in which both M .hyorhinis and M .hyopneumoniae were detected .The M .hyorhinis infection increased as the animals grew from 7 to 35 days .The M .hyopneumoniae infection did not change significantly as the pigs grew older .Significant difference of M .hyorhi-nis infection was observed between other Western breeds and JQHPL pigs (P<0 .001) .JQHPL pigs appear to be more sensi-tive to the M .hyorhinis infection as compared to the other Western breeds .However ,there is no obvious relationship between the breed type and M .hyopneumoniae infection (P>0 .05) .