Objective To investigate the changes of calcium /calmodulin - dependent protein kinase Ⅱ (CAMKⅡD) gene expression in 3T3 - L1 preadipocyte diffe-rentiation and TNF - ? regulation of CAMKⅡD gene expression on matured adipocytes. Methods 3T3 - L1 preadipocytes were cultured and differentiated into adipocytes. The levels of CAMKⅡD gene mRNA expression at various times were evaluated by RT-PCR. Matured adipocytes were interfered with 0.1,1.0,10.0 ?g/L TNF - ? and the levels of CAMKⅡD gene mRNA expression were evaluated. Results The levels of CAMKⅡD gene mRNA expression in 3T3 - L1 adipocytes were significantly down- regulated at first day, compared with those at zero day (P0. 05). CAMKⅡD gene mRNA expression decreased significantly at 12 hours after treatment with 10.0 ?g/L TNF-?, treatment of matured adipocytes with TNF - ? did not have any regulation role on it. Conclusions CAMKⅡD gene is involved in the differentiation of adipocytes and related to the etiology of obesity. The changes in the level of CAMKⅡD gene mRNA expression during 3T3 - L1 preadipocyte differentiation may contribute to the differentiation and adipogenesis of adipocytes. It seems that TNF - ? does not have any regulation role on the expression of CAMKⅡD genes.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of Crocin against hypoxia damage of cardiac myocytes of neonatal rats and the regulation of HIF-1 and prolyhydroxylase (PHDs).

METHODSA model of CoCl2 simulated hypoxia damage was established in primary cultural myocardial cell. Expression levels of HIF-1alpha, VEGF, iNOS, as well as PHD1, 2, 3 protein in myocardial cells were detected by Western blot.

RESULTSCompared with CoCl2 group, the viability of myocardial cell was significantly increased after treated 24 h at 10(-5)mol/L Crocin (P < 0.01), HIF-1alpha, VEGF and iNOS were expressed higher than those in Crocin + CoCl2 group (P < 0.01), the expression of PHD2 was significantly increased (P < 0.01), while the expression of PHD3 was remarkably reduced in Crocin + CoCl2 Group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCrocin has better protective effect on hypoxic damage of myocardial cell. The mechanisms of protective effect of Crocin may be related to the activation of HIF-1-mediated pathway of the hypoxia response. PHDs may be involved in the pathophysiology regulated process of myocardial cells.

Animals ; Carotenoids ; pharmacology ; Cell Hypoxia ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Homeodomain Proteins ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Procollagen-Proline Dioxygenase ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

To understand Lophatherum gracile plant community's structural characteristics, a survey of community structure and species diversity was conducted through quadrat sampling in Yongchuan district of Chongqing. The results showed that there were 386 species vascular plants, belonging to 117 families and 229 genera. Based on habitat, community structure and species composition, L. gracile were found in three community types: Pinus massoniana community, banboo community, shurb community. Vertical structure was composed of three layers, including tree layer, shrub layer and herb layer. Species in shrub layer was the richness. P. massoniana is the only dominant species of the community, it can not regenerate naturally, the shrub layer has a greater effect on the community of L. gracile in the future. In addition, the banboo community and shurb community is not stable because of human's activity. Therefore, the community characters of L. gracile should be taken care of conservation when the resources are utilized.
China ; Ecosystem ; Pinus ; physiology ; Plants ; Poaceae ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of lead on the thyroid function of occupationally exposed workers.

METHOD157 workers occupationally exposed to lead in a smelting factory were investigated. The concentration of lead in air at workshop was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) and the levels of blood lead (PbB) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) by ZnPP meter, as well as the indexes of thyroid function, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T(3)), thyroxin (T(4)), free T(3) (FT(3)), and free T(4) (FT(4)) in serum by radioimmunoassay.

RESULTSThe workers with higher level of blood lead (> 2.88 micro mol/L) showed lower levels of T(3) [(1.54 +/- 0.39) nmol/L] and FT(3) [(5.50 +/- 1.26) pmol/L] than those with lower blood lead level [PbB: (1.92 approximately 2.88) micro mol/L group, T(3): (1.71 +/- 0.45) nmol/L, FT(3): (6.12 +/- 1.64) pmol/L, P < 0.05]. There was no obvious effect of length of service on thyroid hormone of exposed workers.

CONCLUSIONHigher level of blood lead may cause certain damage to thyroid function by inhibiting deiodination of T(4). No obvious relation between length of service and thyroid function was found.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; toxicity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Thyroid Gland ; drug effects ; physiology

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Software ; Treatment Outcome

To investigate the risk factors of hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver failure. Nine-hundred-and-seventy-six hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients with liver failure were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical data (sex, age, family history, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, celiac infection, pulmonary infection, liver kidney syndrome, upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage) and laboratory findings (albumin, globulin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, cholinesterase, K+, Na+, creatinine, international normalized ratio (INR), alpha-fetoprotein, HBV DNA, white blood cell, hemoglobin, platelet) were collected and used to screen the risk factors for hepatic encephalopathy by univariate and multiple regress analyses. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage [risk (R) = 0.993, relative hazard (RH) = 2.699, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.567-4.651], pulmonary infection [R = 1.043, RH = 2.839, 95% CI: 1.680-4.797], INR [R = 0.257, RH = 1.293, 95% CI: 1.220-1.370], AST level [R = 0.001, RH = 1.001, 95% CI: 1.000-1.001], and cirrhosis [R = 0.569, RH = 1.815, 95% CI: 1.112-2.965] were closely correlated with hepatic encephalopathy. HBV-infected patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, pulmonary infection, prolonged INR, elevated AST, or liver cirrhosis should be carefully monitored for indications of hepatic encephalopathy to initiate timely therapeutic interventions.
Adult ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of Shh and Wnt5a genes in the limb buds of NIPBL fetal rats and the association of these two genes with Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). METHODS: A total of 72 NIPBL fetal rats were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 36 rats in each group. The limb buds were collected from 12 fetal rats each on embryonic days 10, 11 and 12 (E10, E11 and E12) respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression of Shh and Wnt5a. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression of Shh and Wnt5a was detected in the limb buds on E10, E11 and E12, and the experimental group had significantly lower expression than the control group (P<0.01). The mRNA and protein expression of Shh and Wnt5a in limb buds was at a low level on E10, followed by an increase on E11 and a reduction on E12, and the expression on E12 was still lower than that on E10 (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The mRNA and protein expression of Shh and Wnt5a are consistent. The pathogenesis of CdLS may be associated with the low mRNA and protein expression of Shh and Wnt5a inhibited by the low expression of NIPBL gene.
Animals ; De Lange Syndrome ; Hedgehog Proteins ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Wnt-5a Protein

BACKGROUNDTrichophyton rubrum is superficial fungi characteristically confined to dead keratinized tissues. These observations suggest that the soluble components released by the fungus could influence the host immune response in a cell in contact-free manner. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze whether the culture supernatant derived from T. rubrum grown in the nail medium could elicit the immune response of keratinocyte effectively.

METHODSThe culture supernatants of two strains (T1a, T XHB ) were compared for the β-glucan concentrations and their capacity to impact the innate immunity of keratinocytes. The β-glucan concentrations in the supernatants were determined with the fungal G-test kit and protein concentrations with bicinchoninic acid protein quantitative method, then HaCaT was stimulated with different concentrations of culture supernatants by adopting morphological method to select a suitable dosage. Expressions of host defense genes were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction after the HaCaT was stimulated with the culture supernatants. Data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, followed by the least significant difference test.

RESULTSThe T. rubrum strains (T1a and T XHB ) released β-glucan of 87.530 ± 37.581 pg/ml and 15.747 ± 6.453 pg/ml, respectively into the media. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2), TLR4, and CARD9 were moderately up-regulated in HaCaT within 6-h applications of both supernatants. HaCaT cells were more responsive to T1a than T XHB . The slight increase of dendritic cells-specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3-grabbing nonintegrin expression was faster and stronger, induced by T1a supernatant than T XHB . The moderate decreases of RNase 7, the slight up-regulations of Dectin-1 and interleukin-8 at the mRNA level were detected only in response to T1a rather than T XHB . After a long-time contact, all the elevated defense genes decreased after 24 h.

CONCLUSIONThe culture supernatant of T. rubrum could directly and transiently activate the innate immune response of keratinocytes.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; drug effects ; Keratinocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Trichophyton ; metabolism ; beta-Glucans ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the molecular cytogenetic characteristics in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

METHODSInterphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to detect trisomy 12, deletion of 13q14 and 17p13 in 60 patients with CLL.

RESULTSOut of the 60 patients, 41 (68.3%) had at least one kind of molecular cytogenetic aberrations. Two (3.3%) had two kinds of abnormalities. Trisomy 12 was found in 12 (20.0%) cases, 13q14 deletion in 24 (40.0%) cases and 17p13 deletion in 5 (11.7%) cases. The number of trisomy 12 cells ranged from 4.0% to 34.0%, 13q14 deletion ranged from 22.0% to 93.0% and 17p13 deletion ranged from 6.0% to 68.0%. There was no significant difference among each Binet stages.

CONCLUSIONFISH is a more rapid, accurate and sensitive technique in analysis of chromosome aberrations in CLL. FISH may provide accurate information of molecular cytogenetics for CLL.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17 ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Trisomy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of blood pressure and serum lipids, and examine the relationship between hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Hei Yi Zhuang Chinese living in Guangxi.

METHODSA total of 1056 people of Hei Yi Zhuang ethnicity were studied. Blood pressure, body height, body weight, and serum levels of lipids and apolipoprotein were measured. The data were compared with those in 925 people of Han ethnicity, who live in the same region.

RESULTSSystolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). The prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension and hypertension was also significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein (Apo) B, and the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia were significantly lower in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.05). Serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the Apo A1 to Apo B ratio were significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). The prevalence of hypertension in Hei Yi Zhuang Chinese was positively associated with triglycerides (r = 0.425, P < 0.05), whereas the prevalence of hypertension in Han Chinese was positively correlated with total cholesterol (r = 0.623, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe present study revealed a significant difference in blood pressure and serum lipids between Hei Yi Zhuang and Han ethnic groups, and an association between hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; Blood Pressure ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Sampling Studies ; Young Adult