Quorum sensing systems of pathogens are central regulators for the expression of virulence factors. Increasing evidence implies that targeting the quorum sensing system of many pathogenic bacteria is a promising therapeutic approach to control infections. In this work,we isolated 47 strains of actinomycetes from the mud sample of Jiaozhou Bay. Quorum sensing inhibitory activity was monitored by Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. As a result,the culture broth extract of actinomycetes WA-7 was found to have significant quorum sensing inhibitory activity. This strain was assigned to the genus Streptomyces based on its 16S rDNA sequence. Further investigation revealed that the extract could inhibit the quorum sensing-controlled violacein and proteases production of C. violaceum in a concentration-dependent manner.

Objective To explore the clinical significance of serum ProGRP in diagnosis of SCLC.Methods Serum ProGRP were detected in twenty-three SCLC patients,forty NSCLC patients and forty-three patients with benign pulmonary disease whose were definite diagnosis collected from April 15,2016 to July 19,2016,and a contemporary cohort of 40 healthy controls were while recruited.Results The levels of ProGRP in SCLC group were significantly higher than those in NSCLC group,benign pulmonary disease group and healthy control group(P <0.05).The levels of ProGRP in extensive disease group were significantly higher than those in 1imited disease group(P <0.05).There was no significant difference in the positive rates of ProGRP between the sex group and age group (P > 0.05 ).The boundary value of diagnosis of SCLC through ProGRP identified through ROC curve was 65.66 ng/L.The sensitivity and specificity of the ProGRP for the diagnosis of SCLC were respectively 90.9% and 89.9%.Conclu-sion Serum ProGRP can be use as a sensitive and specific index for diagnosis of SCLC,and the level of ProGRP can also be used for the clinical staging of SCLC.

Animals ; Diet ; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated ; administration & dosage ; Insulin Resistance ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and adiponectin on insulin resistance in different fat diet rats.

METHODSThirty weanling female rats were randomly divided into 3 group (n = 10): a low-fat soybean oil (LFS; 22% of total energy fed as fat), high-fat soybean oil (HFS; 40% of total energy fed as fat), or high-fat soybean oil and swimming training at the same time (HFS + T). After fed for 10 weeks, the level of TNF-alpha, adiponectin in serum of rats were observed.

RESULTS(1) The body weight, percentage of body fat of HFS group increased compared with that of LFS group (P < 0.05), however those of HFS + T group were decreased (P < 0.05). (2) The level of serum insulin and ISI in HFS group were increased by LFS group (P < 0.05), in HFS+ T group the levels decreased. (3) And the serum level of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in HFS group were higher than those in LFS group (P < 0.05), the serum levels of adiponectin in HFS group were lower than those in LFS rats, and in HFS+ T group the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were lower than those in HFS group (P < 0.05), the adiponectin level was higher than that in HFS group, and there were no significant difference between LFS group and HFS + T group.

CONCLUSIONExercises training could improve sugar and fat metabolism disorders, which also contributes to improving insulin resistance caused by high-fat diet.

Adiponectin ; blood ; Animals ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Dietary Fats ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Insulin ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective:To investigate the expression of Survivin and it's relationship with the expression of Bcl-2 in sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP).Method:Immunohistochemical method was used to determine the expression of Survivin and Bcl-2 in 30 cases of SNIP,10 cases of sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) and 10 cases of normal inferior concha tissues.Result:Survivin was expressed in 22 of 30(73.3%)cases of SNIP,8 of 10(80.0%)cases of SCC and not expressed in 10(0%)cases of normal inferior concha tissues.Expression of Survivin was significantly higher in SNIP and SCC than in normal tissues.Bcl-2 was expressed in 9 of 10(90.0%)cases of SCC and 2 of 10(20.0%)cases of normal inferior concha tissues.Expression of Bcl-2 was significantly higher in SCC than in normal tissues.Bcl-2 was expressed in 14 of 30(46.7%)cases of SNIP,higher than normal tissues.Expression of Bcl-2 was positively related to expression of Survivin.Conclusion:Survivin may play an important role in the pathway of progression of SNIP and SCC.It may be identified as a new therapeutic target.Bcl-2 may play a synergic role with Survivin in progression of SNIP.

Objective To establish a zebrafish IGFBP-2 gene knock-down model by morphilino modified antisense oligonucleotide injection, so as to investigate the abnormal phenotypes of heart and vessels in early stage of zebrafish development and the expression of zebrafish cardiogenesis related genes. Methods The spatiotemporal expression of IGFBP-2 gene in early stage of zebrafish development was testified by whole mount in situ hybridization with antisense RNA IGFBP-2 probe. The IGFBP-2 morpholino (IGFBP-2 MO) that especially inhibited the gene promoter and standard control morpholino (Con-MO) were designed and synthesized by Gene-tools Corporation. Four different concentration gradients (0.05, 0.10, 0.25 and 1.0 mmol/L) were set as IGFBP-MO injection groups with 0.25 mmol/L Con-MO injection group and wild type group as controls. Contribution to the incidence of heart abnormal phenotypes and mortality rate induced by 4 different IGFBP-2 concentrations injection group was recorded and compared with 2 control groups. Heart abnormal phenotypes at different developmental stages in 0.25 mmol/L IGFBP-2 injection group were observed in detail. To validate the effectiveness of IGFBP-2 MO, the expression of enhanced green fluorescence presented by wild type zebrafish embryos at 12hpf which received single injection of IGFBP-2 EGFP recombinant plasmid and those co-injected with Con-MO or IGFBP-2 MO were detected. To investigate the regulation relationship between IGFBP-2 gene and other cardiogenesis related genes, expression of atrium specific marker gene Amhc was detected in IGFBP-2 MO and wild type group by in situ hybridization. Ventricle specific green fluorescence of Vmhc-EGFP transgenic zebrafish embryos whose IGFBP-2 gene was knocked-down were compared with those untreated. Zebrafish peripheral vascular development in the IGFBP-2 MO group was also checked out by micro-angiography. Results Whole mount in situ hybridization revealed that IGFBP-2 gene expressed in turn at eyes, midbrain and then focused on liver in early stage of zebrafish development. The micro-injection of 0.25 mmol/L IGFBP-2 MO resulted in heart malformation in nearly 60% of all injected zebrafish embryos. Heart malformation phenotypes included slow heart beat, pericardial edema, weak ventricle systole contraction and heart tube looping disorder. Some of them represented atria dilation, blood regurgitation and ciculation obstruction. Wild type zebrafish embryos that received single injection of IGFBP-2 EGFP plasmid DNA or co-injected with Con-MO presented strong enhanced green fluorescence at 12hpf, meanwhile, the fluorescence was barely seen in the embryos co-injected with IGFBP-2 MO. This strongly validated the gene specific knock-down effect of IGFBP-2 MO. Amhc was down-regulated at 48hpf in IGFBP-2 MO group. Vmhc-EGFP transgenic zebrafish down-regulated by IGFBP-2 gene also resulted in attenuated expression of ventriclar-specific green fluorescence protein at 48hpf. Intersegmental blood vessels of IGFBP-2 MO group by micro-angiography at 60hpf demonstrated an sparsate and chaos image, which suggested that IGFBP-2 gene expression was involved in the regulation of normal vascular development. Conclusions Micro-injection of IGFBP-2 MO is an efficient way to knock-down IGFBP-2 gene in zebrafish embryos. IGFBP-2 gene expression down-regulation leads to heart and vessels maldevelopment and have an impact on the expression of cardiogenesis related genes of zebrafish embryos as well. In short, IGFBP-2 plays a critical role in the normal cardiovascular development of zebrafish embryos.

BACKGROUND:Hip fracture has become one of the main reasons for morbidity, death and heavy medical costs in the elderly. With aging, the incidence of hip fractures in the elderly is increased day by day. OBJECTIVE:To investigate and analyze the incidence and distribution of hip fractures in middle-aged and old population from Changning District of Shanghai, China. METHODS:Medical records of patients with hip fracture ICD-9 CODE (femoral neck fracture and intertrochanteric fracture) admitted from July 2008 to June 2013 were col ected at the Changning District Public Health Information Center and Shanghai Shen Kang Medical Al iance Center. Population distributions of Changning District in 2010 and 2011 were provided by the Disease Control Center of Changning District. Then, the crude morbidity of hip fracture was calculated in terms of different ages and genders. For patients aged over 50 years, every 5 years served as an age group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The incidence rate of hip fractures in the population aged over 50 years was 197.04/100 000, 88.51/100 000 in male and 304.73/100 000 in female. The annual standardized incidence rate of hip fracture was higher in female than male (P<0.05). The crude incidence rate of hip fracture was increased dramatical y in the population over 70 years, especial y in females. It indicates that the incidence rate of hip fractures is closed related to age, gender and osteoporosis.

Objective To explore the effect of excessive fluoride on expression of mRNA and protein of Wnt3a and β-catenin in rats' osteoblasts and its correlation with pathogenic mechanism of fluorosis.Methods Thirty-six healthy SD rats,weighting 100-120 g and according to body mass,were randomly divided into three groups(twelve in each group).The rats of control were fed wich tap water(fluoride ＜ 1 mg/L) and the experimental rats were exposed to NaF(low-fluoride group:5 mg/L,high-fluoride group:50 mg/L) added to the drinking water to establish the chronic fluorosis model.After fed for eight morth,all rats were killed and metaphysic of femoral was collected.Rat dental fluorosis was observed and bone fluorine was detected by ashing-fluorin ion selective electrode method.The content of bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b(TRACP 5b) in rats' serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The morphologic changes of the bone were observed by microscopy.The expression of mRNA and protein of Wnt3a and β-catenin in osteoblasts of rats was analyzed with gray scale by hybridization in situ and immunohistochemistry methods,respectively.Results Detection rate of dental fluorosis,fluoride contents of urine and bone were significantly increased [control group:0.0％,(1.26 + 0.17)mg/L,(305.58 ± 91.26)mg/kg; low-fluoride group:66.7％,(2.06 ± 0.64)mg/L,(632.33 ±123.21)mg/kg; high-fluoride group:91.7％,(7.69 ± 1.96)mg/L,(1088.75 ± 156.16) mg/kg] in the rats treated with fluoride,the difference between groups was statistically significant(χ2 =21.6; F =36.57,467.02; all P ＜0.05).The contents of BALP and TRACP-5b in rats' serum were significantly different between groups(F =89.57,7.68; all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with control group[(16.24 + 1.57)U/L],the contents of BALP in rats' serum of the low-fluoride and high-fluoride groups[(31.47 ± 5.30) and (54.61 ± 2.27)U/L] were increased gradually(all P ＜0.05).Compared with the low-fluoride group,the value in the high-fluoride group decreased significantly (P ＜ 0.05).The contents of TRACP-5b in rats' serum of low-fluoride group[(3.45 ± 1.85)U/L] were elevated significantly(all P ＜ 0.05) compared with the control group[(1.26 ± 0.23)U/L] and the high-fluoride group[(2.74 ± 1.85)U/L].The bone cortices were thickened and the bone trabecula was broadened,arranged closely together in chronic fluorosis rats with significant difference compared with the control group.In the low-fluoride and high-fluoride groups,the expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin mRNA (low-fluoride group:132.87 ± 5.72 and 132.57 ± 9.56; highfluoride group:135.60 ± 6.64 and 137.87 ± 9.16) were markedly elevated with significant difference,respectively (F =12.47,5.96; all P ＜ 0.05) compared with those in control groups(119.86 ± 5.04 and 120.58 ± 7.84) by hybridization in situ(P ＜ 0.05),but there was no statistical significance (P ＞ 0.05) of the level of Wnt3a and β-catenin mRNA between low-fluoride and high-fluoride groups.In the low-fluoride and high-fluoride groups,the protein expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin (low-fluoride group:137.50 ± 4.32 and 140.85 + 3.54; high-fluoride group:142.65 ± 11.84 and 152.52 ± 4.64) were markedly elevated with significant difference,respectively (F =10.07,53.82; all P ＜ 0.05) compared with those in control group (124.01 ± 2.63 and 126.75 ± 4.65) by immunohistochemistry(all P＜ 0.05),Wnt3a protein production in the low-fluoride group was increased without statistical significance compared with the high-fluoride group (P ＞ 0.05).But the protein production of β-catenin in the lowfluoride group was elevated with significant difference compared with the high-fluoride group(P ＜ 0.05).The mRNA and protein production of Wnt3a were positively correlated with the mRNA and protein production of β-catenin (r =0.731,0.658; all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Rat bone tissue lesions caused by excessive fluoride may be associated with an increased expression of Wnt3a and β-catenin mRNA and protein in osteoblasts.In chronic fluorosis,fluoride stimulates the overexpression of Wnt3a and β-catenin in the Wnt signal transduction pathway,enhances bone osteogenesis and causes skeletal fluorosis.