Environmental Exposure ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; Environmental Pollutants ; analysis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Risk Assessment

Objective To evaluate retrospectively the role of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT associated with MRI in the localization of epileptogenic foci. Methods Sixty-seven patients with medically resistant epilepsy were included from 2003 to 2008. All underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI for presurgical evaluation as well as post-surgical evaluation 12 to 65 months after operation. Based on postoperative seizure occurrence, patients were divided into two groups. One group was free of seizures ( Engel classification Ⅰ, Group 1) and the other was with postoperative seizure occurrence of any type ( Engel classification Ⅱ-Ⅳ, Group 2). X2-test or Fisher's exact test was used for the statistical analysis. Results About 71.6% (48/67) patients were defined as group 1, and 19 patients were group 2 ( 11 were Engel Ⅱ , 5 were Engel Ⅲ, and 3 were Engel Ⅳ ). In Group 1, no statistically significant difference was found between concordant (45/63) and discordant findings (3/4) with regard to 18F-FDG PET/CT and MRI images (Fisher's exact test, P ＞0.05). For 41 patients that showed focal abnormality both on MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT, 80.5% (33/41) were found in group 1. For 20 patients that showed focal lesions on MRI while with multi-focal or generalized abnormal metabolism on 18F-FDG PET/CT, 11 (55.0%) were in group 1 and9 (45.0%) were group 2. There was no significant difference (33/41 vs 11/20, X2 =4.34, P ＜0.05 ). Conclusion 18F-FDG PET/CT associated with MRI may offer more helpful information for pre-surgical evaluation and prediction of prognosis of epileptic patients.

Objective To determine the prevalence and characteristics of the del(GJB6-D13S1830) in Connexin30(Cx30) gene in children with prelingual deafness.Methods Forty-six prelingual deaf children and 30 children with normal comprehension were obtained,and the del(GJB6-D13S1830)in the Cx30 gene were screened by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) in 2 groups.Results Three cases of 46 deaf children were found to have heterozygous del(GJB6-D13S1830) in Cx30 gene.The rest deaf children and the normal controls did not harbor this deletion.Conclusion The heterozygous del(GJB6-D13S1830) in Cx30 gene is one of causes of prelingual deafness.

Homocysteine ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Metallothionein ; pharmacology

Overexpression of human ether-脿-go-go (eag) related gene (hERG) has been found in a broad range of human leukemia cell lines and primary human leukemia. The block of hERG protein might be a potential therapeutic strategy for leukemia. Gambogic acid (GA) has recently exhibited marked anti-tumor potency on solid tumors of various derivations. Here, we investigated the anti-leukemia effects of GA and its relation to the regulation of hERG in K562 leukemia cells in vitro. K562 cells were treated with various concentrations of GA (0.125-8.0 micromol/L) for 0-72 h. MTT assay was used to evaluate the inhibition effect of GA on the growth of K562 cells. Cell apoptosis was measured through both Annexin-V FITC/PI double-labeled cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. Cell cycle regulation was studied by a propidium iodide method. RT-PCR and Western blot were applied to detect the expression level of hERG in K562 cells. GA presented striking growth inhibition and apoptosis induction potency on K562 cells in vitro in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The IC(50) value of GA for 24 h was 2.637+/-0.208 micromol/L. Moreover, GA induced K562 cells arrested in G(0)/G(1) phase, accordingly, cells in S phase decreased gradually, and no obvious changes were found in G(2)/M phase cells. Under the transmission electron microscopy, apoptotic bodies containing nuclear fragments were found in GA-treated K562 cells. After treatment with GA of 2.0 micromol/L for 24 h, the percentage of apoptotic cells was increased from 4.09% to 18.47% (P<0.01). Overexpression of hERG channel was found in K562 cells, while GA could down-regulate it at both protein and mRNA levels (P<0.01). It was concluded that GA exhibited its anti-leukemia effects partially through down-regulating the expression level of hERG channel in K562 cells, suggesting that GA may be a potential agent against leukemia with a mechanism of blocking hERG channel.

Adult ; Foot Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Melorheostosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; X-Rays

OBJECTIVETo explore therapeutic effect and action mechanism of regulating spleen-stomach needling on diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODSUsing multi-centric, randomized, controlled and blind principles, 144 cases of DN were divided into an observation group and a control group according to random digital tab, 72 cases in each one. Based on regular treatment of diabetes, the regulating spleen-stomach needling was applied at Zhongwan (CV 12), Quchi (LI 11), Hegu (LI 4) and Xuehai (SP 10), etc. in the observation group while Shenshu (BL 23), Taixi (KI 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Yanglingquan (GB 34), etc. were selected in the control group by reference of Acupuncture and moxibustion. The treatment was given twice a day, six days as a treatment session with interval of one day between sessions. Totally six weeks were required. Changes of clinical symptoms and signs, fast blood glucose (FBG), urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), lymphocyte membrane cholesterol, propanediol (MDA), PCO, 8-hydroxydeoxy guanosine (8-OHdG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+ were observed before and after treatment in two groups.

RESULTSAs for improving clinical symptoms and signs, total effective rate was 84.29% (59/70) in the observation group and 55.56% (40/72) in the control group, which had statistical difference between two groups (P<0.01). As for regulating glycometabolism [(6.25 +/- 0.32) mmol/L vs (8.09 +/- 0.63) mmol/L], reducing UAER [(154.43 +/- 55.14) mg/24h vs (268.91 +/- 77.65) mg/24h], restraining over-expression of MCP-1 [(137.59 +/- 36.15) pg/mL vs (166.89 +/- 42.82) pg/mL], regulating level of oxidative stress, prohibiting oxidation of protein and adjusting quantity and activity of T lymphocyte subgroup, the observation group was superior to the control group (P< 0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe regulating spleen-stomach needling is an effective method for treatment of DN, which cold improve glycometabolism disturbance-induced progressive kidney injury, recover glomerular filtration, reduce urinary albumin excretion rate, restrain overexpression of MCP-1, adjust level of oxidative stress, prohibit oxidation of protein, increase protectiveness of membrane, adjust quantity and activity abnormity of T lymphocyte subgroup, leading to repairing lymphocyte damage and improving immune expression to delay kidney damage.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; immunology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spleen ; physiopathology ; Stomach ; physiopathology

Background and Purpose:TIP30 is a newly found tumor suppressing protein that has low level expression in many kinds of tumor cell lines,and it inhibits the growth of tumor cells of different origin.In this article,we want to probe into the value of a newly found tumor suppressor gene TIP30 as a molecular marker for the prediction of relapse or metastasis of lung cancer patients.Methods:In our present study,immunohistochemical analyses of a retrospective database of pathologic specimens were used to demonstrate the expression of TIP30 protein in NSCLC.Results:The low expression of TIP30 protein in NSCLC tumor tissue was statistically significant in the clinical stage,relapse or metastasis or 5 year disease-free survival rate,whereas low levels of TIP30 expression did not relate to histologic type and histologic differentiation.Conclusions:TIP30 protein may be used as a molecular marker to identify and predict the relapse or metastasis of NSCLC,and may provide a new clue for the clinical doctor to evaluate the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

Backgroud and Objective Proline-rich tyrosine kinase2(Pyk2) is a Ca~(2+) sensitive,non-receptor tyrosine protein kinase.Previous reports showed Pyk2 involved in development of left ventrieular hypertrophy. The present paper aimed to study the effects of valsartan on ventricular hypertrophy and its effect on the expression of Pyk2 in myocardium in renovascular hypertensive rats(RHR).Methods Two-kidney and one-clip(2K1C) renal hypertensive model was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by chronic partial occlusion of left renal artery,and ran- domized to receive valsartan (30 mg/kg?d) or without treatment for 4 or 8 weeks.Left ventricular mass to body mass ratio was measured.Pyk2 protein expression and phosphorylation was detected by Western blotting.Results Blood pressure,left ventricular mass to body mass ratio,Pyk2 activity in myocardium of RHR were increased gradu- ally.Valsartan reduced BP and prevent myocardial hypertrophy(P

A high productive poly ?-glutamic acid(?-PGA) strain PGA-N in a culture medium containing no L-glutamine was isolated from fermentation products.With the following identifications of colony mor-phology,physiological and biochemistry experiments,and genetics,the strain PGA-N was classified as a Bacillus licheniformis.According to the product environment,the base culture medium having no L-glutamine was simulated.In order to enhance the production of the strain PGA-N,the fermentation condi-tions,such as carbon source,nitrogen source,were optimized and the ?-glutamic acid production reached 5.16 g/L after getting the optimum formulation of this culture medium.PGA-N was mutagenized with com-bination of NTG and UV.A mutant PGA-N-C10 was screened which PGA production was increased from 5.16 g/L to 8.82 g/L.The study also investigated the effects of agitation speed on the cell biomass,?-PGA production and the ?-PGA molecular weight.The ?-PGA yield of PGA-N-C10 was as high as 11.00 g/L when the agitation speed was 400 r/min.