OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of puerarin (Pue) on the neurocyte apoptosis and the p-Akt (Ser473) expression in the ischemic penumbra of rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R).

METHODSThe 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the sham-operation group, the I/R group, the Pue treatment group, and the Pue + LY294002 treatment group (Pue + LY), 12 in each group. The cerebral I/R rat model was established by Longa's suture method. Pue and Pue + specific P13K kinase inhibitor, i.e., LY294002 were administered. The score of the neurological deficit was estimated 1 h followed by 24 h reperfusion. The infarct volume was measured using TTC staining. The number of apoptotic neurons were detected using Tunel method. The expressions of p-Akt (Ser473) was detected using immunohistochemical assay, and the images were analyzed.

RESULTSThe score of the neurological deficit decreased more obviously, the number of apoptosis decreased more significantly, the expressions of p-Akt (Ser473) increased more significantly in the Pue group than in the I/R group (all P < 0.05). The score of the neurological deficit increased more obviously, the number of apoptosis increased more significantly, the expression of p-Akt (Ser473) decreased more significantly in the Pue + LY group than in the Pue group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPue reduced the apoptosis of neurocytes and had protective effects against cerebral I/R injury possibly through activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Male ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety, medium-term and long-term efficacy of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention for unprotected left main coronary artery lesions with 6 French guiding catheter.

METHODSSixty-one patients with unprotected left main coronary artery lesions were treated by 6 French transradial percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2008 and December 2009. The mean age of patients was (66.03 ±10.02)years (44-87). Among 61 cases, 40 had hypertension and 14 had diabetes mellitus; 22 had a history of smoking. The average left ventricle ejection fraction was (62.96 ±12.15)% (range: 28-86) and the average plasma creatinine level was (82.92 ±18.30)μmol/L (range: 44-130). The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after the procedure were evaluated.

RESULTSProcedural success was achieved in all cases. A total of 67 stents were implanted. No in-hospital death occurred. Mean clinical follow-up period was (26.25 ±5.92) months (range: 19-44 months). MACE developed in 6 cases (9.8%) during the follow-up period, including 2 death (3.3%) and 4 case of target lesion revascularization (6.6%). Compared with low-risk group (SYNTAX score<33), MACE was increased in the high-risk group (SYNTAX score>32).

CONCLUSION6 French transradial percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with unprotected left main coronary artery lesions is safe and feasible procedure with desirable medium-and long-term outcomes.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coronary Artery Disease ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; methods ; Radial Artery ; Treatment Outcome

BackgroundThe immunotherapy for retinoblastoma(RB) is gradually concerned recent year.To seek relative immune-associated antigen is a basis of immunotherapy.NY-ESO-1 and NY-SAR-35 are two kinds of genes of cancer testis antigen( CTA ).To understand their expressions in RB tissue can offer index for relative study.ObjectiveThis study was to investigate the expressions of two CTA NY-ESO-1 and NY-SAR-35 in RB and explore the possibility of them as potentially promising targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy of RB.Methods The samples were obtained from 15 RB eyes,12 non-tumor retinopathy eyes and 22 normal eyes with other benign eye diseases.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of NY-ESO-1 mRNA and NY-SAR-35 mRNA in the samples.Genes of positive PCR results were sequenced randomly.The relevance of the expression of the two cancer-testis antigen genes with the clinical characteristics such as tumor stage,tumor size and clinical stage were analyzed.This study was approved by Ethic Committee of Guangxi Medical University.Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before operation. Results NY-ESO-1 mRNA was positively expressed in 6 RB samples and NY-SAR-35 mRNA was expressed in 9 RB samples.In the non-tumor retinopathy samples and normal eye tissues,NY-ESO-1 mRNA and NY-SAR-35 mRNA were absent.No significant relevances were found between the expressions of the NY-ESO-1 mRNA and NY-SAR-35 mRNA with clinical characteristics such as age ( P =0.426,0.822 ),gender ( P =0.180,0.464 ),pathological classification ( P =0.744,0.582 ),tumor size ( P =0.760,0.790),and clinical stage ( P =0.868,0.707 ).Conclusions NY-ESO-1 and NY-SAR-35 have high expressing frequencies in RB tissue and their expressions in RB have specificity.These results offer a clue for the identification of targets antigen of RB.

Human, birds and other mammals can be infected by avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. Bird infections spread among continents in the last 2 years. Human infections become endemic in certain areas, characterized with young patients and high mortality. An unprecedented epizootic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus that is highly pathogenic has crossed the species barrier in Asia to cause many human fatalities and poses an increasing pandemic threat. This summary describes the features of human infection with influenza A (H5N1) in epidemiology and etiology and reviews recommendations for prevention.
Animals ; Birds ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Indonesia ; epidemiology ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; transmission

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF) in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

METHODSBy ELISA method, MCSF concentrations were determined in serum samples obtained from 39 patients with preeclampsia and 40 normal pregnant women as controls. The concentrations of serum MCSF were compared between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy, and between early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia.

RESULTSerum MCSF concentrations were significantly higher in preeclamptic women than those in controls (431.0 kIU compared with 179.1 kIU, P<0.001). There were no significant differences in serum MCSF levels between early-onset and late-onset preeclampsia (P>0.05). Serum MCSF was not correlated with maternal age, gestational age, and placenta weight (P>0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONIncreased level of serum MCSF is an important indicator of preeclampsia and it may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; blood ; Pre-Eclampsia ; blood ; etiology ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) with different fimA genotypes on vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) production by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

METHODSIn the present study, PgATCC33277 (type I fimA genotype), WCSP 115 (type II fimA genotype), W83 (type IV fimA genotype), and Escherichia coli-lipopolysaccharide (Ec-LPS) were designed as experimental group 1, 2, 3, and positive control group, respectively, to stimulate HUVEC, and the un-stimulated HUVEC were analyzed as negative control group. The three strains of Pg were cultured anaerobically in standard condition, and then the Pg cells and Ec-LPS were co-cultured with HUVEC for 2, 6, and 24 h, respectively. The amount of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 produced by HUVEC was detected with flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 by HUVEC were assayed with confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM).

RESULTSThe expression of ICAM-1 on the surface of HUVEC were intensified after infected by Pg with I, II, and IV fimA genotypes (P < 0.05). The amounts of ICAM-1 were 60.27 ± 5.43, 80.81 ± 1.44, and 85.94 ± 2.56 for Pg with type I fimA genotype, 86.69 ± 8.81, 90.19 ± 0.00, and 96.18 ± 0.48 for Pg with type II fimA genotype, 59.66 ± 0.40, 85.79 ± 4.86, and 96.04 ± 2.07 for Pg with type IV fimA genotype at 2, 6 and 24 h after infection, respectively. The up-regulation effects caused by Pg with type II and IV fimA genotypes were stronger than those caused by Pg with type I fimA genotype at different time points except at 2 h (P < 0.05). Under the present experimental condition, infected by Pg with type I, II and IV fimA genotypes stimulated low expression of VCAM-1 by HUVEC, it showed no significant differences among all the groups (P > 0.05). Expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in Pg infected HUVEC were confirmed by CLSM. Infection of HUVEC with Pg resulted in more fluorescence staining of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 compared with that in uninfected HUVEC cultures.

CONCLUSIONSThe virulence and pathogenicity of Pg is associated with its fimA genotypes, Pg with type II and IV fimA genes possess stronger ability to stimulate HUVEC to up-regulate the expression of cell adhesion molecules, which may lead to disorders in vascular endothelial function.

Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Genotype ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; microbiology ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Up-Regulation ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

Female ; Gallstones ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Primary ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Pancreatitis ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between plasma levels of fibrinogen, the-beta455 G/A fibrinogen gene polymorphism and the severity of periodontal inflammation and to explore the possible role of fibrinogen in the association of periodontitis with coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODSA total of 121 patients with moderate to severe periodontitis and periodontally healthy and gingivitis controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood samples were collected and the plasma fibrinogen levels were determined by the clotting method of Clauss. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with Hae III were used to examine the -beta455 G/A fibrinogen gene polymorphism.

RESULTSFibrinogen levels were significantly higher in moderately or severely chronic periodontitis patients [(3.45 +/- 0.68) g/L] than periodontally healthy and gingivitis controls [(2.47 +/- 0.42) g/L, P < 0.001]. The carrier status of the A allele at position -455 in the beta fibrinogen gene was associated with elevated fibrinogen levels and the frequency of the-A455 allele in the beta fibrinogen gene in the patient group was significantly higher than in the control group (P = 0.032). Carriers of the -A455 allele were about 3-fold more likely to have moderate or severe periodontitis as compare to individuals without the -A455 allele( OR = 3. =135, P= 0.008).

CONCLUSIONSFg-beta455 G/A polymorphism may contribute to the elevated plasma fibrinogen levels and put individuals at higher risk of having severe periodontitis. As the independent risk factor of CHD, fibrinogen levels and Fg-beta455 G/A polymorphism may play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

Adult ; Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Periodontitis ; genetics ; Coronary Disease ; genetics ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; analysis ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical features and prognosis of early-onset preeclampsia.

METHODSA total of 115 cases of early-onset preeclampsia were recruited from January 1999 to December 2004 and the data analyzed in terms of the incidence, manifestation, maternal and fetal complications.

RESULTThe early-onset preeclampsia accounted for 13.4% of all preeclampsia diagnosed. The perinatal mortality was 13.3% in early-onset preeclampsia. Dysfunction and hepatic dysfunction were the main maternal complications. The gestational ages at admission and at delivery were significantly correlated with perinatal prognosis (P<0.001). Most cases received regular treatment had good prognosis.

CONCLUSIONEarly-onset preeclampsia is a severe type of preeclampsia.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Pre-Eclampsia ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate and analyze AIDS knowledge of the Chinese peacekeepers in Liberia and to evaluate the effects of AIDS education in order to conduct more effective health education of AIDS and increase AIDS knowledge among the Chinese peacekeepers in the areas with a high incidence of AIDS.

METHODSA questionnaire was designed on the basis of that recommended by WHO to investigate the knowledge of AIDS among the 528 Chinese peacekeepers in Liberia respectively before and after relevant health education, and the results were compared.

RESULTSThere was an obvious deficiency in AIDS knowledge among the subjects before the education and an evident increase after it, and the difference was significant (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese peacekeepers are deficient in AIDS knowledge, and the deficiency can be effectively improved by relevant health education, which is essential for the health of the Chinese peacekeepers in the areas with a high incidence of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Liberia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Military Personnel ; Surveys and Questionnaires