Objective · To establish a replicative senescence model of human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs), investigate changes in aging related biological characteristics, and provide an efficient cell model for further study on the aging in periodontal diseases. Methods · hGFs were isolated from healthy gingival tissues and cultured with tissue block method in vitro. The tissue source was verified with immunofluorescence. hGFs were continuously cultured and cumulative population doublings (CPD) were calculated and used to draw the curves. Changes in the proliferative capacity of hGFs with CPDs of 10.82, 20.65, 29.52, 42.22, 60.79, and 70.03 were examined with CCK-8. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate changes in the mRNA expression of senescence-related genes p16INK4a and p21Cip1. Results · CPD curves showed that after continuous culture, the CPD value increased gradually and became stable after achieving 70.03. hGFs became flatter and more cell rocessesappeared with the increase of CPD value. The cell proliferative capacity declined and mRNA levels of p16INK4a and p21Cip1 significantly increased (P=0.000). Conclusion · A replicative senescence model of hGFs is established throughcontinuous culture. CPD curves can reflect the aging of hGFs.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect and medication safety of low-dose erythromycin treatment on intractable allergic rhinitis(AR) associated with bronchus asthma.Methods Totally 173 cases of children received outpatient treatment because of AR associated with asthma,their ages ranging from 3 to 14 years.Among them,78 cases developed intractable AR with symptoms of asthma having been controlled or satisfactorily controlled after 2 courses of conventional treatment.Seventy-six children with intractable AR received full follow-up and were randomly divided into observation group and control group.The control group was given different second-generation antihistamines,when necessary,supplemented by nasal glucocorticoids.In the observation group,the same treatment as it was done in control group was continued,plus oral treatment with erythromycin enteric-coated capsules(10 mg?kg-1?d-1,which were taken 3 times a day for 1 month) to the observation group.Both observation group and control group were in accordance with the norms of the treatment of asthma.Results The improvement rate,inefficiency and the total efficiency were different between observation group and control group,and the diffe-rence was statistically significant(?2=12.629,8.412,8.412,Pa0.05).Their liver function was also monitored and was found normal before treatment and after the replacement of drugs for 1 month,including alanine ami-notransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,albumin,globulin,and were found normal.Conclusions On the basis of conventional treatment,low-dose erythromycin treatment of intractable AR is effective and safe.However,the treatment must be limited to the refractory cases,and the appropriate indications must be strictly observed.

Objective To observe the combined poisonous effects of fluoride and aluminum on sex hormone of male rats.Methods Sixteen weaned SD healthy male rats aged two week were selected and divided into control group,aluminum group,fluoride group,fluorine-aluminum group,four rats in each group.All rats in the experimental groups were fed with corn collected from the prevailng areas containing different fluorine contents respectively for 90 days.Serum testosterone(T)and estradiol(E2)were detected.Results Compared separatelv with the control group[(3.317±0.635)μg/L],serum T level of fluorine-aluminum group[(15.994±6.558)μg/L]was higher(P＜0.05),but aluminum[(8.134±3.134)μg/L]and fluorine[(1.868±0.367)μg/L]groups had no significant differences(P＞0.05).Compared separately with the control group[(0.319±0.072)nmol/L],E2 level of the fluorine group[(0.172±0.030)nmol/L]being lower(P＜0.05),and it was not significant differences(P＞0.05)in the control group when compared with aluminum group[(0.282±0.012)nmol/L],and fluorine-aluminum group[(0.265±0.047)nmol/L].Fluorine and aluminum interacted with each other(F=9.82,P＜0.05).Conclusion The combined poisonous effects of fluorine and aluminum may influence sex hormone levels of male rats.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between the levels of HBV DNA loads and beth the clinical characteristics and 48-week prognosis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B. Methods One hundred and forty-three patients with deeompensated cirrhosis of hepatitis B virus infection were divided into lowlevel HBV DNA group [HBV DNA < 105 copies/ml = (46 cases) and high-level HBV-DNA group(HBV DNA 105 copies/ml)(97 cases)]. 21 cases in low-level group and 52 cases in high-level group treated with nucleoside analog. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups on the demography and the baseline in ALT, ALB, TBil, CHE before treatment, while in AST and HBeAg were statistically different. At 48-week, there was no significant difference between the two groups on the liver function. The mortality rate in low-level group was similar to that in high level group. In the low-level HBV DNA patients, hepatocellular carcinoma, spontaneous peritonitis and gnstrointestiual hemorrhage were higer than that in the high-level HBV DNA patients. Conclusion In patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B, those who were in low-level HBV DNA had not got better than that in high-level HBV DNA, which indicated that earlier treatment was also needed in low-level HBV DNA patients.

The elucidation of vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) of the halogenated silane was necessary for the production of silicon derivatives, especially for methylvinyldichlorosilane, due to the lack of the relevant reports. Isobaric VLE for the system methyldichlorosilane-dimethyldichlorosilane-benzene and isobaric VLE of the three binary systems were measured with a new pump-ebulliometer at the pressure of 101.325 kPa. These binary compositions of the equilibrium vapor were calculated according to the Q function of molar excess Gibbs energy by the indirect method and the resulted VLE data agreed well with the thermodynamic consistency. Moreover, the experimental data were correlated with the Wilson, NRTL, Margules and van Laar equations by means of the least-squares fit, the acquired optimal interaction parameters were fitted to experimental vapor-liquid equilibrium data for binary systems. The binary parameters of Wilson equation were also used to calculate the bubble point temperature and the vapor phase composition for the ternary mixtures without any additional adjustment. The predicted vapor-liquid equilibrium for the ternary system was in a good agreement with the experimental results. The VLE of binary and multilateral systems provided essential theory for the production of the halogenated silane.

Objective To explore the social support, quality of life and coping style of elderly inpatients with different number of children and admission times. Methods 164 elderly inpatients were interviewed by social support assessment scale (SSAS), generic quality of life inventory (GQOLI) and coping style scale. Results One hundred sixty four patients were interviewed. Elderly patients that had less than 2 children scored lower(11.73 ± 2.25) on the objective support of SSAS than those had 2 more children (13.57 ±2.52). The difference was statistically significant (P < 0. 05). There was no difference on SSAS between the patients with 2 or less admissions and 3 or more admissions. Elderly patients that had less than 2 children scored lower on GQOLI mazerial life and mental health than those had 2 more children(P <0. 01). Elderly inpatients scored higher than norm in exploring, fantasy, escaping and negative coping score (P <0. 01). Patients who had no less than 2 children scored higher than norm in fantasy, escaping and negative coping score(P <0. 01),lower in family support than that of patient who had less than 2 children; score of exploring, fantasy, escaping and negative coping were higher than norm in patients who had less than 2 and no less than 2 times of admissions. Conclusions Elderly inpatients who has less than 2 children got less objective support, they get worse status of mental health than those who have no less than 2 children; High frequencies of hospitalization have negative impact on the mental health of elderly inpatients; The copying style is affected by number of children and admission times in elderly inpatients.

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical significance of tidal breathing lung function test in 1-4 years old children with wheezing diseases.

METHODSA total of 141 1-4 years old children with wheezing diseases were enrolled as the observed groups (41 cases of asthma, 54 cases of asthmatic bronchitis, and 46 cases of bronchopneumonia). Thirty children without respiratory diseases were enrolled as the control group. All the recruits underwent tidal breathing lung function test. The observed groups underwent bronchial dilation test, and tidal breathing flow volume (TBFV) parameters were evaluated before and after bronchial dilation test.

RESULTSThe observed groups showed obstructive ventilatory disorder (65%) according to the TBFV loop, and their ratio of time to peak tidal expiratory flow (TPTEF) to total expiratory time (TE) and ratio of volume to peak expiratory flow (VPEF) to total expiratory volume (VE) were significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The asthma subgroup had significantly improved TPTEF/TE and VPEF/VE after bronchial dilation test (P<0.05). Taking an improvement rate of ≥ 15% either for TPTEF/TE or for VPEF/VE as an indicator of positive bronchial dilation test, the bronchial dilation test had a sensitivity of 47% and a specificity of 84% in diagnosing asthma in 1-4 years old children. The positive rate was 28% among the children in the asthma subgroup with an TPTEF/TE ratio of ≥ 23% before bronchial dilation test, versus 65% in those with an TPTEF/TE ratio of <23%.

CONCLUSIONSObstructive ventilatory disorder is the main impairment of tidal breathing lung function in 1-4 years old children with wheezing diseases. Tidal breathing bronchial dilation test can reflect a reversal of airway obstruction to a certain extent. The sensitivity of bronchial dilation test for the diagnosis of asthma is not satisfactory in 1-4 years old children with wheezing diseases, but this test has a relatively high diagnostic value in children with severe airway obstruction.

Asthma ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Bronchitis ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Bronchopneumonia ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Respiration ; Respiratory Function Tests ; methods ; Respiratory Sounds ; diagnosis ; drug effects ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore possible mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) for regulating immune function in anxiety disorder (AD) rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on the histology of thymus and expressions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and natriuretic peptide receptor type A (NPR- A) in thymus.

METHODSTotally 34 SD healthy rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (n = 10), the model group (n = 12), the EA group (n = 12). Anxiety model was established in rats of the model group and the EA group by using chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) stimulation. EA (15/25 Hz) at Neiguan (PC6) and Shenmen (HT7) was performed in the EA group, with 15-min needle retaining, once every other day, 15 days in total. Needle was fixed at same acupoints for 15 min without electric stimulus in the other two groups. Anxiety-like behavior was measured by elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. Pathological changes of thymus tissue were observed by optical microscope. Expressions of ANP and NPR-A in thymus were measured by immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSThe thymus tissue in the model group was severely atrophied, with unclear structure of thymic lobules, unclear margin of thymic medulla, loosely arranged lymphocytes ,and obviously enlarged volume of thymic corpuscle. The thymus tissue in the EA group was mildly atrophied, with existent structure of thymic lobules, clear margin of thymic medulla, densely arranged lymphocytes in cortical region, and widened medullary area. Com- pared with the blank control group, the percentage of open-arms entries (OE%) in the total QE times ob- viously decreased in the model group (P < 0.05), ANP expression obviously increased (P < 0.05), and NPR-A expression obviously decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, OE% was obviously elevated (P < 0.05), ANP expression obviously decreased (P < 0.05), and NPR-A expression obviously increased (P < 0.01) in the EA group.

CONCLUSIONEA not only could reduce anxiety of rats, but also could improve chronic stress induced thymus injury through intervening synthesis and secretion of ANP, as well as the expression of NPR-A (a specific receptor of ANP).

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Anxiety Disorders ; therapy ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; metabolism ; Electroacupuncture ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; metabolism ; Thymus Gland ; pathology

OBJECTIVEWU polyomavirus (WUPyV), a new member of the genus Polyomavirus in the family Polyomaviridae, has been found to be associated with respiratory tract infections recently. But the role of the WUPyV as agents of human disease remains uncertain. We sought to describe the detection and clinical characterization of WUPyV in acute respiratory tract infection in children.

METHODFrom July 2008 through June 2009, nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from 771 children who were hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infection in Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, and from 82 asymptomatic children who visited the health checkup clinic. WUPyV was detected by using PCR technology and was identified by using DNA sequencing. All WUPyV-positive specimens were screened for 9 common viruses [influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1 and 3, human metapneumovirus, human bocavirus, adenovirus and rhinovirus] by using PCR or RT-PCR. The clinical data of WUPyV infection were collected and analyzed.

RESULTIn this study, fifteen of the 771 tested specimens with acute respiratory tract infection were positive for WUPyV, the positive rate was 1.95% and all of the asymptomatic children who visited the health checkup clinic were negative. Of the 15 cases who were positive for the virus, the age range was 2 to 48 (mean 18.8) months, 9 (60%) were male and 6 (40%) were female. WUPyV was the sole virus detected in 9 specimens (60%) from patients with acute respiratory tract infection. WUPyV was associated with the co-infection with another respiratory virus in 6 of 15 (40%) cases, most frequently with RSV (n = 4), followed by adenovirus (n = 1) and rhinovirus (n = 1). The most common clinical findings in the patients with WUPyV were cough, fever and wheezing. The most frequent diagnoses were pneumonia (n = 8), bronchiolitis (n = 4), upper respiratory tract infections (n = 2) and bronchitis (n = 1). A severe case was complicated with viral encephalitis.

CONCLUSIONWUPyV may be a respiratory pathogen because it was the sole virus detected in 9 specimens from patients with respiratory illness and all of the asymptomatic controls were negative. The most common clinical findings are cough and wheezing. Young children may be susceptible to infection with this virus and occasionally the infection with this virus may cause severe disease. More comprehensive and in-depth studies are required to prove the pathogenicity of these viruses.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Genes, Viral ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polyomavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Polyomavirus Infections ; physiopathology ; virology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology

AIMTo study whether melatonin has effect on oocyte maturation of mouse in vitro.

METHODSMouse oocytes were cultured in maturation medium, HX-medium, or HX-medium supplemented with FSH, and the effects of MT on meiotic maturation of mouse oocyte were examined.

RESULTS(1) MT at all doses of 0.1 g/L, 0.02 g/L, 0.4 g/L or 0.8 g/L inhibited the formation of PB1 in CEO cultured in maturation medium and had no effect on GVBD. (2) MT could delay GVBD and the extrusion of PB1 in CEOs of mouse oocytes by dynamic curves. In contrast to the control, GVBD and PB1 extrusion of oocytes in the treated groups had been delayed by 8-10 hours and 3-4 hours respectively. (3) MT inhibited the effect of FSH on resumption of meiosis, but no effect on the formation of PB1. (4) MT and HX had cooperation effects on spontaneous oocyte maturation in CEO, but not in DO.

CONCLUSIONMT is able to affect mouse oocyte maturation and the regulation mechanisms may be related to cumulus cells.

Animals ; Female ; In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Oocytes ; drug effects ; physiology ; Oogenesis ; drug effects