Animals ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; Genes ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; pathology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo identify the genetic alterations in nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP).

METHODSComparative genomic hybridization was applied to investigate the genomic imbalance (the gain or loss of genetic material) in 7 cases of NSCLP.

RESULTSIt showed that the loss of chromosome DNA copies happened in chromosome 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 20, 22 and the gain of chromosome DNA copies happened in chromosome 5, 15, 18, 19. Conclusions 13q had a high frequency (71.4%) of chromosome loss.

CONCLUSIONSAbnormal chromosome DNA copies happen in all the patients with NSCLP. Most of the patients have chromosome DNA copies loss. It suggests that loss of inhibitory gene may be related to the NSCLP. The related inhibitory gene may locate in 13q.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; Cleft Lip ; genetics ; Cleft Palate ; genetics ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; DNA ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

Digital potentiometers have been used in medical instruments. This paper describes the structure and principle of a digital potentiometer, especially its interfacing with a single chip processor and its programming.
Computers ; Equipment Design ; Equipment and Supplies

OBJECTIVETo study the association of TGF-alpha gene Taq I polymorphism and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in Chinese.

METHODS107 patients with NSCL/P and 136 healthy controls were examined for TGF-alpha/Taq I genotypes. TGF-alpha/Taq I typing was carried out by digesting the locus specific polymerase chain reaction amplified products with alleles specific Taq I restriction enzyme (PCR-RELP).

RESULTSThe C2 allele frequency of TGF-alpha/Taq I in patients with NSCL/P (16%) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (8%). The C2 genotype frequency of TGF-alpha/Taq I in NSCL/P patients with positive family history (12.5%) was significantly higher than that in healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONThese findings demonstrate the role of TGF-alpha as a gene of major effects in the development of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate clefts in human. These findings suggest that a family history of clefting may correlate with the TGF-alpha Taq I rare variation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cleft Lip ; genetics ; Cleft Palate ; genetics ; DNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Taq Polymerase ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor alpha ; genetics

To study the chemical constituents of the 95% ethanol extract of Psidium guajava. Compounds were separated by using a combination of various chromatographic methods including silica gel, D101 macroporous resin, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and spectral data Eighteen compounds were isolated and identified as (+) -globulol (1), clovane-2beta, 9alpha-diol (2), 2beta-acetoxyclovan-9alpha-ol (3), (+) -caryolane-1 ,9beta-diol (4), ent-T-muurolol (5), clov-2-ene-9alpha-ol (6), isophytol (7), tamarixetin (8), gossypetin (9), quercetin (10), kaempferol (11), guajaverin (12), avicularin (13), chrysin 6-C-glucoside (14), 3'-O-methyl-3, 4-methylenedioxyellagic acid 4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15), p-hydroxy-benzoic acid (16), guavinoside A (17) and guavinoside B (18). Compounds 2-9 and 14-16 were isolated from this plant for the first time. The ethanol extract showed 61.3% inhibition against the proliferation of colon cancer cell line SW480.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; analysis ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Psidium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the anti-tumor recurrent and metastatic efficacy of Ru'ai Shuhou Recipe (RSR) on HER2 positive breast cancer, to evaluate the effects of RSR on the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in the recurrence and metastasis of HER2 positive breast cancer, thus revealing its anti-tumor recurrent and metastatic mechanisms.

METHODSSelected were 30-week-old HER2/neu transgenic spontaneous breast cancer mice FVB/neu. The primary tumor resection was carried out. After surgery they were randomly divided into the blank control group, the RSR group, the Herceptin group, and the combination group (RSR + Herceptin group). The treatment lasted for 4 months. The inhibition rate of the recurrent tumor volume and the inhibition rate of the lung metastasis were evaluated. The expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1), and TIMP-2 in the recurrent tumor tissue were detected using Western blot.

RESULTSBy the end of the treatment the average recurrent tumor volume was 11.11 +/- 8.71 cm3 in the blank control group and 5.56 +/- 5.55 cm3 of the RSR group, showing statistical difference between the two groups (P = 0.037). The average lung metastatic nodule was 16 in the blank control group and 10 in the RSR group. The inhibition rate of lung metastasis was 37. 85% in the RSR group, but with no statistical significance. The expression level of activated MMP-2 in the RSR group was down-regulated when compared with the blank control group, the Herceptin group, and the combination group (P < 0.05). The expression of MMP-9 of the RSR group, the Herceptin group, and the combination group was significantly down-regulated when compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05). The expression of MMP-9 of the RSR group and the combination group was further down-regulated when compared with the Herceptin group (P < 0.05). The expressions of both TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 of the RSR group, the Herceptin group, and the combination group were all up-regulated when compared with the blank control group (P < 0.05). The increased expression of TIMP-1 was more significantly in the RSR group and the combination group when compared with the Herceptin group (P < 0.05). It was higher in the combination group than in the RSR group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRSR could inhibit the tumor recurrence of FVB/neu mice. It could reduce the degradation of extracellular matrix and increase the protective effects of extracellular matrix. It might achieve its anti-tumor effect through effecting the invasive and metastatic capabilities of breast tumor cells.

Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Phytotherapy ; Postoperative Period ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; metabolism

This study was purposed to investigate the role of cytokines in pathogenesis of lymphoma-associated anemia. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and EPO in serum from 45 lymphoma patients and 12 normal controls were detected by using ELISA, the EPOR level on bone marrow cells were detected by flow cytometry, the CFU-E of bone marrow cultured in vitro was counted under inverted microscope. The results showed that 25 (55.6%) out of 45 newly diagnosed lymphoma patients had anemia before diagnosis, 13 (28.9%) had anemia during therapy, 7 (15.5%)never had anemia. The IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in serum of patients with moderate and severe anemia were significantly higher than those in patients with mild anemia and without anemia as well as normal controls. The EPO, IL-6 and IFN-γ levels correlated negatively with Hb concentration in patients, the EPOR level in patients without anemia significantly higher than that in patients with anemia and normal controls. The bone marrow CFU-E amount in patients showed positive correlation with Hb and EPOR levels. It is concluded that the increased IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 may contribute to the anemia in lymphoma, and yet the EPO and EPOR levels are elevated to balance negative regulatory effects on hematopoiesis and maintain normal hematopoiesis.
Adult ; Aged ; Anemia ; blood ; etiology ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytokines ; blood ; Erythropoietin ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-1 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Lymphoma ; blood ; complications ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Erythropoietin ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Teratoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

Recently, we have reported a new gfp gene isolated from Aequorea macrodactyla. The protein purified from expressed E. coli exhibited an excitation peak at 476 nm and an emission peak at 496 nm. However, the drawback of only maturing to fluorescence at low temperature limited its applications. In this paper, we further describe twelve mutants of GFPxm. Seven mutants produced enhanced fluorescence when expressed in E. coli at higher temperature (37 degrees C). After six hours of induction at 25 degrees C, 32 degrees C and 37 degrees C respectively, the relative fluorescent intensities of GFPxm16, GFPxm18 and GFPxm19 were higher than that of EGFP, moreover GFPxm16 and GFPxm163 could preserve high fluorescent intensity even expressed at 42 degrees C. Four mutants of the seven could reach high expression level in three kind of mammalian cells. Another 6 mutants had red-shift of excitation-emission maxima, and longest excitation-emission maxima were 514nm and 525nm. Another three mutants had two excitation peaks, and one mutant had only one UV-excitation peak. The most exciting result is the mutant of OFPxm with orange color. The mutant has an excitation peak at 509 nm and an emission peak at 523nm. 523nm is yellowish green but the protein is orange observed by eyes. The mutant could reach high expression level and matured at higher temperature but the fluorescent intensity was comparatively low because of low quantum yield.
Animals ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Luminescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of acupuncture on neurofunction and neuropsychological factors of chronic alcoholic peripheral neuropathy (CAPN) patients.

METHODSTotally 120 CAPN patients were assigned to the common treatment group, acupuncture group A, and acupuncture group B according to random digit table, 40 in each group. All patients recieved conventional drug therapy. Besides, patients in the acupuncture group A were additionally needled at Pishu (BL20), Weishu (BL21), Xuehai (SP10), Yinlingquan (SP9), Zusanli (ST36), Yanglingquan (GB34), Jiexi (ST41), Xuanzhong (GB39), Xiangu (ST43),Taixi (KI3), Quchi (LI11), Waiguan (SJ5), Hegu (LI4), and so on. On these bases patients in the acupuncture group B were needled at Sishencong (EX-HN1), Yintang (EX-HN3), Neiguan (PC6), Taichong (LR3), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taiyang (EX-HN5). Acupuncture was performed once a day, 14 times as a course; and then once on every other day, 14 times in total for 4 weeks. All treatment lasted for 8 successive weeks. Neuropathy Impairment Score in the Lower Limbs (NIS-LL), Neurological Severity Score (NSS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed, motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) were detected before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter 8 weeks of treatment the scores of NIS-LL and NSS significantly decreased in the 3 groups, with statistical difference as compared with before treatment (P < 0.05). Scores of NIS-LL and NSS decreased more in acupuncture groups A and B than in the common treatment group (P < 0.05), and more obvious in acupuncture group B (P < 0.05). Compared with the same group before treatment, MCV and SCV of median nerve, ulnar nerve, common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve increased in acupuncture treatment group A and B after 8-week treatment (P < 0.05). MCV of median nerve, MCV and SCV of common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve significantly increased in the common treatment group (P < 0.05). Compared with the common treatment group, SCV of median nerve, MCV and SCV of ulnar nerve, common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve obviously increased in acupuncture treatment groups A and B after treatment (P < 0.05). MCV of ulnar nerve, MCV and SCV of common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve obviously increased more in acupuncture treatment group A than in acupuncture treatment group B (P < 0.05). At week 8 after treatment scores of HAMD and HAMA were obviously lowered in acupuncture groups A and B, with statistical difference as compared with before treatment (P < 0.05). The scores of HAMD were also decreased in the common treatment group, as compared with before treatment (P < 0.05). At week 8 after treatment scores of HAMD and HAMA were obviously lowered more in acupuncture treatment group B than in acupuncture treatment group A (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture therapy could effectively improve the neurofunction of CAPN patients, and improve complicated anxiety and depression by additionally needling at Sishencong (EX-HN1), Yintang (EX-HN3), Taichong (LR3), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taiyang (EX-HN5).

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Alcohol-Related Disorders ; therapy ; Anxiety ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; therapy