Cost of Illness ; Disabled Persons ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Life Tables ; Pneumoconiosis ; economics

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Rats ; Sulfinic Acids ; pharmacology

Objective To investigate the distribution status of coal-burning fluorosis (endemic fluorosis) areas in Luoyang and to provide scientifc evidence for making strategies in prevention and control. Methods In 2006, a household per village was chosen to carry the general survey so as of disease condition, living habits and housing structure among 941 coal-burning pollution fluorine sickness natural villages in Yanshi, Mengjin, Xin'an, Luanchuan counties and Geely area which were under the jurisdiction of Luoyang. In the general survey, the sampled village having a population of more than 500 person was considered as a major survey village, and water fluoride, 8 - 12 year-old child fluorine spot on tooth and the urinary fluoride were surveyed. Water fluoride and the child urinary fluoride determination used the fluoride ion selective electrode method, and the children's dental fluorosis used Dean method. Results The endemic fluorosis of Luoyang existed 742 in endemic fluomsis villages, compared with history, a decrease of 199 in number. Ninety-six point seven per cent( 142 543/147 419) of the households were consuming smoke-free coal. Households using intact kitchens accounted for 93.6%( 137 919/147 419). Of which 63.0%(86 889/137 919) of kitchens were mixed up with bedrooms. Total 125 060 people were using coal- fired furnace for heating, of which 87.8%(109 802/125 060) had smoke-free facilities, 12.2%(15 258/125 060) had none. Among 52 endemic villages with population of more than 500 people surveyed, a total of 183 water samples were collected, 2 had water fluoride exceeding 1.0 rag/L, the highest water fluoride being 1.04 rag/L, averaging 0.39 mg/L Sixteen villages had a prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children less than 30.00%, accounting for 30.8% (16/52), 36 endemic villages the prevalence of dental fluorosis detection rate of more than 30.00%, accounting for 69.2%(36/52). Twenty-thrce villages had a dental fluorosis index greater than 0.6, severe dental fluorosis was not found. Real-time measurement of 1408 urine samples of children aged 8 - 12 showed that urine fluoride highest value 6.88 nag/L, the minimum value of 0.10 mg/L, geometric mean 1.10 mg/L. The prevalence rate of dental fluorosis for children was 36.06%. Conclusions In Luoyang city, numbers of coal-burning endemic fluorosis villages are less than before, children's dental fluorosis has significantly declined, however some people still use kitchens connecting with bedrooms and lack smoke-free facilities, they need to be educated to change lifestyle and improve furnace to reduce soot fluoride pollution.

The prescription combinations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focuses on the taste and channel tropism, the Qi movement, as well as the compatibility according to multiple combination principles and medicinal property and flavor combination of several traditional Chinese medicines. With the in-depth study on the prescription compatibility, researchers have realized that the medicinal property theory is the core of TCM combinations. However, there is no definite method for combinations based on medicinal properties. In this paper, the authors put forward an method for designing prescription combinations based on bipartite graph and the greedy algorithm. With the medicinal property combinations of Siweilurong Pills for example, the authors proved this method could provide ideas for quickly choosing herbal medicines for prescription combinations, and discussed the prospect of this method in substituting previous and endangered herbal medicines and banned medicinal materials.
Algorithms ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phytotherapy

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Amino Acid Motifs ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gene Products, pol ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation

Objective To retrospectively study the biodistribution of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE as a SSTR imaging agent in human subjects.Methods A total of 106 patients with suspected disease were enrolled in this study.All patients were histologically proven for having either a single tumor ＜2 cm or without evidence of tumor during follow-up.Patients underwent PET/CT whole-body scan 17-100 min after intravenous injection of 55.2-220.0 MBq 68Ga-DOTA-TATE.ROI was drawn for measuring SUV of tracer-avid pathologies.One-way analysis of variance and two-sample t test were used for statistical analysis.Results High 68Ga-DOTA-TATE avidity was found in pituitary,with SUVmax of 4.00± 1.21.Tracer was excreted mainly through urinary system resulting in highest uptake in the urinary tracts.The SUVmax of kidney cortex was 19.01 ± 5.45.Mediastinal blood pool and liver SUVmax were 0.93±0.33 and 7.69±2.26,respectively.Mild uptake of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE was found in the brain,cerebellum,lung and muscle,all lower than that of mediastinal blood pool.Moderate accumulation of 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE (close to or slightly higher than liver) was found in adrenal gland and spleen,with SUVmax 7.61 ± 3.42 and 8.63± 2.31,respectively.Other organs (pituitary,salivary gland,thyroid,pancreas,small intestine,colon,uterus,prostate and bone) showed tracer uptake in the range between those of mediastinal blood pool and liver.68Ga-DOTA-TATE distribution in pancreas was not uniform.Nine patients had focal accumulation in the uncinate process of pancreas with highest SUVm~ up to 8.48.However,the SUVmax and SUV in the rest of pancreas (head,neck,body and tail) showed insignificant difference (F values:0.703,0.563,both P＞0.05).68Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake in each organ reached equilibrium quickly after injection but with slight increase over time.The changes in SUV,however,showed insignificant difference among organs,including different parts of pancreas (t values:from -0.09 to 1.75,from-1.70 to-0.42,respectively,all P＞0.05).Conclusions The biodistribution of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE reaches equilibrium shortly after intravenous administration and is stably maintained.The biodistribution activities are organ-specific,and characteristic to that of SSTR concentration.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of a new CD44 variant on invasion of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, and its possible mechanisms.

METHODSThe full length cDNA encoding CD44v17 was obtained from the total RNA isolated from the MCF-7/ADR cells by reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and subcloned into pMD19-T vector. The CD44v17 gene sequence and reading frame were confirmed by two restriction enzymes and nucleotide sequencing, and then inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1. The pcDNA3.1-CD44v17 was transfected into MCF-7 cells by Lipofectamine. The changes of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression at gene and protein levels were detected by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. The number of the cells through the artificial matrix membrane in every group was counted to compare the change of the invasive ability regulated by CD44 variant. The ERK and p-ERK were investigated by Western blotting to approach the molecular mechanisms of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression regulated by CD44 variant.

RESULTSThe new gene sequence was successfully cloned into recombinant vector pcDNA3.1 and identified by the two restriction enzymes. It was confirmed that the reconstructed plasmid contained the sequence of CD44 gene variant which was composed of 1 to 4 exons, 16 to 17 exons, and 1 to 205 bases of 18 exons. The new gene sequence was sent to NCBI for publication and obtained the registered number FJ216964. The up-regulated levels of the CD44 gene mRNA and protein were respectively detected by RT-PCR and flow cytometry in MCF-7 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-CD44v17. The invasiveness of the cells and the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were clearly activated by hyaluronic acid (HA) treatment and blocked by CD44 neutralizing antibody. Pretreated MCF-7/CD44v17 cells with the neutralizing antibody against CD44 and the inhibitor of MAPKs signaling pathway strongly block the expression of p-ERK.

CONCLUSIONA new CD44 gene variant has been found in adriamycin-resistant human breast cancer MCF-7/ADR cells. The expression vector pcDNA3.1-CD44v17 has been cloned and constructed successfully. HA can be integrated with CD44 variant and then regulates the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, which increases the invasion ability of MCF-7 cells through the Ras/MAPK signaling pathway.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Hyaluronan Receptors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hyaluronic Acid ; pharmacology ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Phosphorylation ; Plasmids ; Protein Isoforms ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation (TAES) combined intravenous injection and/or Neiguan (P6) injection with droperidol in preventing and treating post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after thyroid tumor surgery.

METHODSRecruited were 120 female patients who underwent selective thyroid tumor surgery were randomly assigned to the control group, the TAES group, the IV group (intravenous injection of droperidol), and the P6 group [Neiguan point (P6) injection of droperidol], respectively, 30 cases in each group. Thirty min before anesthesia induction, 2 mL 0.9% normal saline injection was intravenously injected to those in the control group. Patients in the TAES group received TEAS at bilateral P6 points. 2.5 mg (1 mL) droperidol added in 1 mL 0.9 normal saline was intravenously injected to those in the IV group and injected at bilateral P6 points of those in the P6 group. The occurrence and severity of PONV were observed within 0 - 6 h and within 6 - 24 h after operation in each group.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the incidence and the severity of PONV within 0 - 6 h and within 6 - 24 h after thyroid surgery were significantly reduced in the three treatment groups (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the incidence or the severity of PONV among the TAES, IV and P6 groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTEAS at P6 could dramatically reduce the occurrence and the severity of PONV after thyroid tumor surgery. Besides, it got equivalent effect to that by intravenous injecting droperidol or by injecting droperidol at P6.

Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; prevention & control ; Prospective Studies ; Single-Blind Method ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; surgery ; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

OBJECTIVETo explore a convenient and effective method for norovirus nucleic acid extraction from oysters suitable for long-term viral surveillance.

METHODSTwo methods, namely method A (glycine washing and polyethylene glycol precipitation of the virus followed by silica gel centrifugal column) and method B (protease K digestion followed by application of paramagnetic silicon) were compared for their performance in norovirus nucleic acid extraction from oysters. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect norovirus in naturally infected oysters and in oysters with induced infection.

RESULTSThe two methods yielded comparable positive detection rates for the samples, but the recovery rate of the virus was higher with method B than with method A.

CONCLUSIONMethod B is a more convenient and rapid method for norovirus nucleic acid extraction from oysters and suitable for long-term surveillance of norovirus.

Animals ; Centrifugation ; methods ; Norovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Ostreidae ; virology ; RNA, Viral ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo detect the MSX1 gene mutation in a Chinese family with oligodontia.

METHODSBlood samples were obtained from seven affected and seven unaffected individuals in the pedigree. All exons and flanking intronic boundaries of the MSX1 gene were amplified with polymerase chain reaction technique and then directly sequenced. The website of bioinformatics was used to predict the effect of the mutation on the function.

RESULTSA splicing mutation (IVS1-2A > G) was found at position -2 near the 3' end of the IVS1 of MSX1, which made a change of the intron 1 splice acceptor site. None of the mutation was found in normal individuals of the family and in 100 unrelated healthy matched control individuals.

CONCLUSIONSIVS1-2A > G was a novel splicing mutation identified in the MSX-1 gene and it might be responsible for nonsyndromic oligodontia in this family.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; MSX1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Tooth Abnormalities ; genetics ; Young Adult