Objective To study the influence of high-fluoride on thyroid function and brain damage. Methods Thirty-six Wistar rats were randondy divided, according to weight and gender into 3 groups(12 rats each), i.e. control group, high fluoride group, and high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group. The rats were fed with normal tap water containing no more than 5 mg/L NaF and the tap water added 100,100 mg/L NaF, respectively. After 7 months of experiment, the rats in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group were given with 0.04% thyroid tablet( 1.8 ml·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) by gastric perfusion for three weeks. The contents of TT_3 and TT_4 in serum were detected by radio-immunological assay; the histomorphology in thyroids and brains were observed under microscopy; and the protein level of NMDAR2B subunit of glutamate receptor in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 was measured by immunohistochemistry. Results As compared to the values of TT_3 and TT_4 in serum of rats in control group[ (0.97 ± 0.15), (84.03 ± 12.45)nmol/L], TT_3 and TT_4 in high fluoride group were obviously lower [(0.24 ± 0.07), (15.16 ± 2.08)nmol/L, all P < 0.01]; while no changes in TT_3 and TT_4 were detected in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group[ (1.02 ± 0.19), (85.63 ± 9.55)nmol/L, all P < 0.05] as compared to controls, but higher than those in high fluoride group(all P < 0.01 ). The pathological changes including partial hyperplasy, arrangement disorder, atrophy, and decreased colloid of the thyroid follicular epithelial cells in high fluoride group were observed under microscopy. In high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group, the degree of the thyroid cellular hyperplasy was relatively slight as compared to high fluoride group. The swelling and disarrangement of neurons in the hippocampus were observed in high fluoride group, whereas the changes of the neurons were not so obvious in high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group. The grey values of NMDAR2B positive cells in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 in high fluoride group(167.05 ± 7.31 ) were significantly increased as compared to controls (92.53 ± 9.67 ) or high fluoride plus thyroid tablet treatment group( 101.66 ± 12.21, all P < 0.01 ). Conclusions High fluoride can induce the decreased function and changed histomorphology in thyroid and result in pathological damages in the brains of rats. However, treated with thyroid tablet to those having damages induced by high fluoride, the thyroid function and morphology can be normal, and the brain damages can be alleviated. The results indicate that hypothyroidism caused by high fluoride might be an important participating factor in brain damages caused by fluorosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bronchi ; Child ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Mesh ; Trachea ; Young Adult

AIM To investigate the protection of plicamycin on apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) of rat. METHODS TUNEL, Hoechst 33258 staining, agarose gel electrophoresis and fluorescein diacetate staining were used to detect morphological and biochemical characteristics of apoptosis in primary rat CGN. RESULTS Being pre-incubated with plicamycin for 1 h and lasting for 24 h, rat CGN apoptosis induced by low potassium basal modified Eagle′s medium for 24 h was inhibited in a plicamycin concentration-dependent manner. This effective concentrations of plicamycin were from 50 to 200 nmol·L-1, and the maximum inhibitory rate of plicamycin on CGN apoptosis was near 80% at 200 nmol·L-1. CONCLUSIONPlicamycin inhibits rat CGN apoptosis induced by low potassium.

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Objective To observe the abnormal Minnesota code (MC) distribution and interrelated characteristic on electrocardiograms (ECGs) of the adult Kazakh population.Methods Resting ECGs and blood press of randomly sampled 30 000 adult Kazakh people in three Northern regions of Xinjiang were continuously examined and analyzed,using Minnesota code recommended by WHO as the classification of ECG.Results The overall rate of abnormal ECG findings was 248.60‰,and the main abnormality in males was 146.83‰,compared to 157.71‰ in females.The prevalence rates of abnormal ST-T changes,the total arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation (AF) were 100.03‰,71.17‰ and 2.83‰ respectively.There were statistically significant differences among the main abnormities from the three regions.Conclusion The ECGs abnormalities of adult Kazakh people were high.There was significant relation found between the main abnormalities and hypertension.The prevalence of AF was different from the domestically reported literature that calls for further study.

BACKGROUNDSeasonal influenza epidemic occurs every year in Guangzhou, which can affect all age groups. Young children are the most susceptible targets. Parents can decide whether to vaccinate their children or not based on their own consideration in China. The aim of this study was to identify factors that are important for parental decisions on vaccinating their children against seasonal influenza based on a modified health belief model (HBM).

METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China. A total of 335 parents who had at least on child aged between 6 months and 3 years were recruited from women and children's hospital in Guangzhou, China. Each eligible subject was invited for a face-to-face interview based on a standardized questionnaire.

RESULTSUptake of seasonal influenza within the preceding 12 months among the target children who aged between 6 months and 36 months was 47.7%. Around 62.4% parents indicated as being "likely/very likely" to take their children for seasonal influenza vaccination in the next 12 months. The hierarchical logistic regression model showed that children's age (odds ratio [OR] =2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44-4.68), social norm (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.06-4.06) and perceived control (OR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.60-5.50) were significantly and positively associated with children's vaccination uptake within the preceding 12 months; children with a history of taking seasonal influenza vaccine (OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.31-4.76), perceived children's health status (OR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.68-6.74), worry/anxious about their children influenza infection (OR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.19-4.48) and perceived control (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.65-6.22) were positively association with parental intention to vaccinate their children in the future 12 months. However, anticipated more regret about taking children for the vaccination was associated with less likely to vaccinate children within the preceding 12 months (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08-0.52).

CONCLUSIONSThe modified HBM provided a good theoretical basic for understanding factors associated with parents' decisions on their children's vaccination against seasonal influenza.

Child, Preschool ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Influenza Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Influenza, Human ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Male

Actins ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Giant Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Osteoclasts ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of incidental focal (18)F-FDG uptake in the colon and rectum and characteristics of functional anatomic form for differential diagnosis of colorectal benign or malignant diseases.

METHODSClinical data and images of incidental focal hypermetabolism focus in colon and rectum of 37 individuals undergoing (18)F-FDG PET-CT were analyzed retrospectively. According to the eventual outcomes of pathological examination and clinical follow-up, these cases were divided into four subgroups: malignant disease, benign tumor (including precancerous change), inflammation and physiological uptake. Radioactive uptake level (SUVmax) and change of delayed imaging (RI) of focal hypermetabolism focus were compared between groups. The data analysis was performed using variance analysis.

RESULTSThe average SUVmax was 6.3±3.7, 8.8±6.5, 5.2±1.4, and 3.8±0.9 in malignant disease (n=11), benign (precancerous) tumor (n=9), inflammation (n=9) and physiological uptaking (n=8) respectively. The average SUVmax was 7.6±5.6 in benign and malignant tumor, and 4.7±1.5 in inflammation and physiological uptake. The distinction of average SUVmax was not statistically significant between benign and malignant tumor or inflammation and physiological uptake. But it was higher in tumors as compared to inflammation or physiological uptake with a statistically difference (P<0.05). The RI was 0.3±0.2, 0.4±0.1, 0.3±0.2, 0.4±0.2 in above 4 groups respectively, and the differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidental focal hypermetabolism focus in the colon the rectum during (18)F-FDG PET-CT may indicate potential colorectal malignant diseases and precancerous lesions. SUVmax value in focal hypermetabolism focus in the colon and rectum can help to distinguish tumor from inflammation or physiological uptake. But there is no diagnostic value for distinguishing malignant disease from benign tumor.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Colonic Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Rectal Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies

The aim of the study is through observing the morphology of the prepared influenza virus (H1N1) with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to explore the application of AFM on the research of the external character of viruses and provide a new, simple and efficient technique for the study of the viral morphology. TEM image was obtained by negatively stained influenza virus with 1% Phosphotungstic Acid; AFM image applied the tapping mode to influenza virus without any further treatment in air at room temperature, and the morphology parameters, including length (diameter), Ra and Rq are calculated by sectional analysis. The shapes of influenza virus A are spherical, filamentous or other pleomorphous particles observed by both AFM and TEM. TEM image of influenza virus A is two-dimensional image, and viral surface has visible spikes, while AFM exhibits the three-dimensional image that can be described with several quantifiable indexes through sectional analysis. AFM phase images show viral surface clearly which is characterized by rugged feature and gear-like protuberance. As compared with TEM, AFM is a new research tool for viral morphology study with the advantages of simple sample preparing, visible interface and is intuitionistic for researchers. The surface characteristic parameters of viruses provided by AFM can be served as the main quantifiable indexes for viral morphological study.
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Atomic Force ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

To investigate the significance of duel-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (D-FISH) in monitoring the response to interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), the D-FISH method was employed to detect the proportion of the interphase nuclei cells with bcr/abl fusion gene in the bone marrow of patients with CML before and after IFN-alpha therapy, and the results were compared with those of bcr/abl fusion mRNA by RT-PCR and Philadephia chromosome (Ph) by conventional cytogenetic analysis. The results showed that the mean detectable rate of bcr/abl fusion gene before and after IFN-alpha therapy was 96.4% and 58.6% respectively, in 22 patients who were bcr/abl-positive before IFN-alpha therapy by D-FISH method, was 94.0% and 70.1% respectively, in 2 patients of Ph-negative before treatment. Major, minor and no responses were seen respectively in 4, 4 and 14 cases from 22 patients by D-FISH method. The results also showed a good correlation with the analysis of RT-PCR and conventional cytogenetics. In conclusion, D-FISH method could directly detect the bcr/abl fusion gene of the interphase cells in bone marrow of patients with CML. It can overcome the defect of conventional cytogenetic methods which analyze only the cells in metaphase and the drawback of RT-PCR unable to quantify the bcr/abl fusion gene. D-FISH provides a more convenient and reliable method for evaluating the degree of clone remission to patients with CML after IFN-alpha therapy.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reproducibility of Results ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Treatment Outcome