Objective To explore the pathological changes by CT scan on localized thermochemotherapy dur- ing and after the operation of human gliomas.Methods Retrospective analysis was given to the CT scan of 37 pa- tients receiving thermochemotherapy during and after the operation,and the relation of the tumorous cells and mi- crovessels and CT density by EM were analyzed.Changes of tumorous cells and microvessels after localized ther- mochemotherapy on C_6 gliomas in rat were analyzed.Results When the tumor was low dense on CT pattern,less cellular number with increasing the amount of fluid between the cells was demonstrated pathologically.On EM,a lower cellular electron density was observed.The amount of fluid in cytoplasm was increased,the cytoplasm was porous,swelling denaturation was chiefly seen in organelle.If the tumor had mixed density on CT,cellular number was more,the amount of fluid was less.On EM,cellular electron density increased correspondingly,the fluid in cyto- plasm decreased,organdie was aggregated.After thermochemotherapy,the tumor reduced,liquefied,and vanished by CT scan.It could be observed that the tumorous cell become smaller,concentrated and cataclased,finally formed apoprotic bodies and separated from the cell in C_6 gliomas in EM.The tumorous vessels was less,smaller and thinker. Some vessels only could see the base membrane and no endothelioid cells.Conclusion The remaining tumors is van- ished by CT scan.The mechanisms of tumors disappearance proposes to explain that thermochemotherapy can dam- age C_6 glioma cells and microvessels,decrease microvessels density and induce tumor ceils apoptosis.That inhibits tu- morous angiogenesis and proliferation.

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between the structure and functional activity of hTNF alpha.

METHODSFour hTNF alpha mutants were constructed, different binding structures and gene responses related with these mutants were studied by the methods of immunoprecipitation and mRNA differential display.

RESULTSThe specific activities and LD50 of the different hTNF alpha mutants indicated their different bioactivities. It was shown that the hTNF alpha mutants had the relative binding affinities to the wild types. The mRNA differential display assay proved that the hTNF alpha mutants stimulated different gene responses.

CONCLUSIONThese results suggest that the specific anti-tumor activities of hTNF alpha mutants are accomplished by inducing different or same gene response at different quantities after its binding to specific receptor.

Amino Acid Motifs ; Apoptosis ; Binding Sites ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Mutation ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; physiology

Human-animal parasitic diseases caused by medical helminths are hazardous to human health. Genetic polymorphism studies on medical helminth populations can not only understand the biological characteristics and genetic structure of their populations, but also help reveal how they adapt to their parasitic environment, thus contributing to deepen our understanding of the epidemiological patterns of parasitic diseases and improve our understanding of accurate prevention and control of parasitic diseases. With the development of molecular biology, molecular markers such as DNA barcodes, simple sequence repeats, and single nucleotide polymorphism markers have been widely used to study the genetic relationships among parasite populations and individuals, and to reveal the genetic variation of parasite populations and the evolution of species origins. In this paper, we systematically review the application of three molecular markers commonly used in the study of genetic polymorphism in medical helminths, with a view to laying the foundation for related research.

OBJECTIVETo improve evidence-based care in the management of tuberculosis, we retrospectively analyzed the bacterial types and drug sensitivity test results of mycobacteria in Guangzhou over the past twelve years (from July 1998 to March 2010).

METHODSOver these twelve years, a total of 14 095 mycobacterial strains isolated from different samples were subjected to type identification and drug sensitivity tests according to the Standard Protocols of Laboratory Diagnostics for Tuberculosis by the Chinese Antituberculosis Association. Chi-square test was performed for statistical analyses for comparisons between groups.

RESULTSOf 14 095 strains of mycobacteria isolated, 10 844 strains (76.84%) were MTB, and 3251 strains (23.16%) were non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM). Compared with the result of the fourth national survey of tuberculosis epidemiology, which showed 11.1% of NTM, the one of our study was significantly different (χ(2) = 69.79, P < 0.001). Drug sensitivity tests of MTB showed tolerance rates of 28.99% (2729/9413), 21.75% (2047/9413), 17.45% (1643/9413) and 11.53% (1085/9413) against isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin and ethambutol, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAn increasing trend was observed in MTB drug tolerance against streptomycin, rifampin and isoniazid, whereas more and more NTM strains were isolated in recent years. These findings are worthy of note for clinicians.

Antitubercular Agents ; pharmacology ; Bacterial Typing Techniques ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Mycobacterium ; classification ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Tuberculosis ; epidemiology ; microbiology

China ; Humans ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of deep hypothermia on the neuronal ultrastructure and nervous system of monkey after selective cerebral profound hypothermia and blood flow occlusion.

METHODSBrain-local extracorporeal circulation was established by right internal carotid artery deep hypothermic perfusion and homolateral external jugular vein backflow, brain blood flow was recovered from circulatory arrest 60 - 80 minutes late and monkey came back naturally.

RESULTSIn all 7 monkeys, 5 were succeeded in being build up the models except for 2 because of technic problems, and 4 of them lived up for ever. The function of nervous system grade, essential organ and neuronal ultrastructure were normal.

CONCLUSIONSelective cerebral profound hypothermia can increase the ability of brain to endure hypovolemia and hypoxidosis and prolong the time of blood flow occlusion.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Extracorporeal Circulation ; adverse effects ; Female ; Haplorhini ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Male ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of genetic polymorphisms of epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPHX1) in the metabolism of styrene in vivo.

METHODSFifty-six styrene-exposed workers, who worked in the painting workshop of an enterprise for manufacturing glass fiber-reinforced plastic yachts in Shandong Province, China for over one year and were protected in approximately the same way, were selected as study subjects. The 8-hour time-weighted average concentration (8 h-TWA) of styrene and the concentrations of mandelic acid (MA) and phenyl glyoxylic acid (PGA) as urinary metabolites were measured. The genetic polymorphisms of EPHX1 were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

RESULTSThe urinary concentrations of MA and PGA were 177.25±82.36 mg/g Cr and 145.91±69.73 mg/g Cr, respectively, and the 8 h-TWA of styrene was 133.28±95.81 mg/m3. Urinary concentrations of MA and PGA were positively correlated with 8 h-TWA of styrene (R=0.861, P < 0.05; R=0.868, P < 0.05). The subjects were divided into high-exposure group (8 h-TWA >50 mg/m(3)) and low-exposure group (8 h-TWA ≤ 50 mg/m(3), and in the two groups, the urinary concentrations of MA and PGA were significantly higher in the individuals carrying high-activity genotypes of EPHX1 than in those carrying low-activity genotypes of EPHX1 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGenetic polymorphisms of EPHX1 play an important role in the metabolic process of styrene in vivo.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; pharmacokinetics ; China ; Epoxide Hydrolases ; genetics ; Glyoxylates ; urine ; Humans ; Male ; Mandelic Acids ; urine ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Styrene ; pharmacokinetics

In order to make clear the packing mechanism of the BmNPV polyhedra, a polyhedrin gene negative recombinant baculovirus, vBmBac(polh-)-5B-EGFP, expressing EGFP was constructed, and used to infect BmN cells jointly with wild-type BmNPV. Fluorescent microscopic observation demonstrated that EGFP and polyhedrin were expressed simultaneously, and the EGFP expression and polyhedra formation occurred in most of the jointly infected cells. Analysis of the purified polyhedra from jointly infected BmN cells showed that the foreign proteins were present in the polyhedra. The results indicated that BmNPV polyhedrin could incorporate proteins other than viral proteins into the polyhedra. It implies that a nonspecific recognition mechanism exists in the embedment of BmNPV polyhedra.
Animals ; Bombyx ; Gene Expression ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nucleopolyhedrovirus ; genetics ; physiology ; Viral Structural Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Virus Assembly

OBJECTIVETo determine the bioinformatical characteristics of differential gene expression in patients with chronic superficial gastritis (CSG) with the Pi-deficiency syndrome (PDS) and those of the non-Pi-deficiency syndrome (non-PDS), i.e. patients of CSG with Pi-Wei dampnese-heat syndrome and healthy persons.

METHODSWith the BRB-Array Tools software package, original data collection and bioinformatic: analysis of gene arrays were conducted in 6 CSG patients of PDS (CSG-PDS), 6 CSG patients of non-PDS (CSG-nPDS), and 6 healthy volunteers (Normal).

RESULTSCompared with non-PDS, the gene expressions: in PDS with regards to protein synthesis, energy metabolism, immune reaction and ionic transport tended to be down-regulated, while those concerning secretion, cytoskeleton and ubiquitinization were up-regulated dominantly.

CONCLUSIONSThe two kinds of samples, CSG-PDS/Normal and CSG-PDS/CSG-nPDS, have their respective gene expression profiles with different characteristics. Gene expression profile has certain referential significance in syndrome classification.

Chronic Disease ; Cluster Analysis ; Computational Biology ; Gastritis ; genetics ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate COX-2 expression in patients with gastric cancer and its relationship with angiogenesis and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer.

METHODSCOX-2 expression and CD34-stained microvessel density (MVD) were detected by immunohistochemical methods in specimens from 96 patients with gastric cancer. The correlations among COX-2 expression, MVD and clinicopathologic features were analyzed.

RESULTSThe COX-2 positive rate and MVD in gastric cancer were significantly higher than those in the normal gastric mucosa (80.2% vs. 13.3%; 32.5+/- 8.3 vs. 13.1+/- 2.4, all P< 0.01). The COX-2 positive rate and MVD in the patients with stage III and IV were significantly higher (91.4% and 34.9+/- 8.7 respectively, P< 0.01), than that in the patients with stage I and II. The COX-2 positive rate and MVD in the cases with lymph node metastasis were 87.9% and (35.0+/- 8.5) respectively, higher than those in the cases without lymph node metastasis (P< 0.05). The Spearman rank correlation test showed a significant correlation between COX-2 expression and tumor MVD (r=0.311, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCOX-2 plays an important role in gastric cancer angiogenesis. COX-2 and angiogenesis induced by COX-2 contribute to tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology