Adult ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Dimethylformamide ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male

Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Diarrhea ; epidemiology ; etiology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Rotavirus ; Rotavirus Infections ; epidemiology

Biomarkers, Tumor ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; Genes, p16 ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Mucous Membrane ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

This study was aimed to analyze the BP1 binding site sequence upstream of β-globin gene in Chinese Han population, and to investigate polymorphism in the BP1 binding site upstream of β-globin gene, so as to provide the basis for exploration of relation between polymorphisms in the BP1 binding site and β-globin expression. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocytes of 110 healthy individuals in Chinese Han population. Sequence of the BP1 binding site upstream of β-globin gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, the polymorphic variation in the BP1 binding site was determined by DNA sequencing. The results indicated that 2 polymorphism loci were found in the BP1 binding site upstream of β-globin gene, they were C/T at the -551 bp region and (AC)(n)(AT)(x)T(y) at the -530 bp region in Chinese Han population. Frequencies of C and T were 60.4% and 39.6% at position -551. Analysis of the (AC)(n)(AT)(x)T(y) polymorphism revealed 9 different genotypes: (AC)(2)(AT)(9)T(5), (AC)(2)(AT)(8)T(5), (AC)(2)(AT)(7)T(7), (AC)(3)(AT)(7)T(5), (AC)(2)(AT)(8)T(9), (AC)(3)(AT)(8)T(5), (AC)(2)(AT)(10)T(3), (AC)(2)(AT)(11)T(3), and (AC)(2)(AT)(7)T(5) at position -530. Frequencies of 9 (AC)(n)(AT)(x)T(y) polymorphisms were 33.2%, 29.1%, 24.1%, 5.4%, 3.2%, 1.8%, 1.4%, 0.9%, and 0.9% respectively. It is concluded that rich (AC)(n)(AT)(x)T(y) polymorphisms at the -530 bp region in the BP1 binding site upstream of β-globin gene are found in Chinese Han population. (AC)(2)(AT)(9)T(5), (AC)(2)(AT)(8)T(5), and (AC)(2)(AT)(7)T(7) are 3 major polymorphisms among Chinese Han population, and (AC)(3)(AT)(8)T(5) is a novel polymorphism at the -530 bp region. More studies should be done to explore relation between (AC)(n)(AT)(x)T(y) polymorphisms and β-globin expression.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Binding Sites ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; beta-Globins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo examine vibrio cholera (V.C) in aquatic products of littoral area, Zhejiang Province and to provide scientific evidence for administration of aquatic products and cholera epidemic control.

METHODSAll 990 samples of aquatic products collected from local markets, eateries and aquafarms in three chosen areas. Samples were proliferated in alkaline liquid medium, and purified in NO: 4 medium, the isolations were identified biochemically, and phenotype of strains were defined by phagocyte and coagulation with V.C. diagnostic serum. Three virulence genes (ctx, ace, zct) of the isolated strains were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTSThere were 1.41% samples caught by V.C., having a carrying rate highest in turtles of 8.9%. 14 strains were defined as three serogroups, and the numbers of Inaba, Ogawa, and Hikojima types were 2, 2, 10 respectively. Virulence genes had detected in 9 of 12 stains. All genes were detected in 5 strains, only ZOT genes in 3 strains, and both CTX and ACE genes in 1 strain.

CONCLUSIONSAquatic products from inshore in Zhejiang Province caught with V.C. strains might be divided into three serogroups. Most of them should be virulence genes. Cholera epidemic outbreak might be caused by those contaminated products.

China ; Food Microbiology ; Genes, Bacterial ; Seafood ; microbiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Virulence Factors ; genetics

BACKGROUNDRecent studies suggest that circulating DNA may be a potential tumor marker for lung cancer, but most of these studies are conducted between healthy controls and lung cancer patients, with few or no benign lung disease patients included. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of plasma DNA quantification in discriminating lung cancer from the healthy and benign lung disease.

METHODSPlasma DNA was extracted with a QIAamp DNA Blood Midi kit and quantified by a PicoGreen dsDNA quantitation kit in 44 healthy individuals, 36 benign lung disease patients and 67 lung cancer patients. Discrimination power was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTSPlasma DNA values were significantly increased in lung cancer patients, especially in those with metastases, and in benign lung disease patients compared with that in the healthy individuals (P < 0.001, respectively). The values in lung cancer patients were significantly increased compared with that in the benign lung disease patients (P < 0.001). The area under the curve was 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92 - 0.99] for the healthy versus lung cancer, 0.73 (95% CI 0.64 - 0.83) for lung cancer versus benign lung disease, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.80 - 0.91) for lung cancer versus the healthy and benign lung disease.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma DNA quantification has a strong power to discriminate lung cancer from the healthy and from the healthy and benign lung disease, less power to discriminate lung cancer from benign lung disease. Plasma DNA quantification may be useful as a screening tool for lung cancer.

DNA ; blood ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging

BACKGROUNDDiffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) was originally and is still primarily reported in Japan, rarely in other countries. As macrolide therapy is effective for this disease with once dismal prognosis, familiarity with its clinical features is urgently needed, especially for clinicians outside Japan. The objectives of this study were to investigate the clinical features of DPB in a Chinese population and propose diagnostic procedures that will lead to increased awareness of this treatable disease among clinicians, ultimately allowing for more rapid diagnosis.

METHODSAfter a literature review, the clinical features of DPB were histopathologically confirmed in a series of 9 cases either by open lung biopsy or video-assisted thoracic surgical biopsy, resulting in the largest series of confirmed DPB cases in a non-Japanese population. Here, the cases are retrospectively described and diagnostic procedures are discussed.

RESULTSPersistent cough, sputum, and exertion dyspnea occurred in 89% of patients, a history of or current chronic sinusitis in 78%, centrilobular micronodules appearing on chest CT scans in 100%, coarse crackles in 78%, FEV1/FVC < 70% in 44%, PaO2 < 80 mmHg in 56%, and titer of cold hemagglutinin > or = 1:64 in 11%. According to its clinical diagnostic criteria, diagnosis was definitive in 44%, suggested in 33%, and excluded in 23% at the time of diagnosis. However, DPB was clinically considered before confirmation in only 22% of patients, with the remaining 78% of cases missed or mistaken for other diseases. Of the 9 cases, 8 received transbronchial biopsies before confirmation of the diagnosis, but all showed non-specific inflammation.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough its clinical features may vary with disease course and ethnic populations, most cases of DPB can be diagnosed or suggested according to clinical diagnostic criteria. However, underdiagnosis as a result of unfamiliarity with its clinical features and diagnostic criteria prevails. If difficulty in diagnosis arises, the diagnosis should be based on clinicopathological features and the exclusion of other diseases. Few cases can be confirmed by transbronchial biopsies; in these cases, either an open-lung biopsy or a video-assisted thoracic surgical lung biopsy should be recommended.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Bronchiolitis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hemagglutinins ; blood ; Humans ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of ischemic postconditioning (IP) against different degrees of testicular ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rabbits.

METHODSForty-two white male rabbits were equally randomized into 7 groups: a control, 3 IR (R1, R2 and R3), and 3 IP (P1, P2 and P3) groups. Testicular models of different degrees of ischemia were established in the IR and IP groups. Before reperfusion, ultrasonography showed homogeneous echoes with slightly decreased blood flow in R1 and P1, heterogeneous echoes with obviously decreased blood flow in R2 and P2, lamellar or fragmental low echo areas absent of blood flow signals in R3 and P3. Then the IR groups were directly subjected to perfusion, and the IP groups to 3 episodes of 30-second reperfusion followed by 30-second ischemia. All the groups underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) before reperfusion and, after 3 days, examined for the contents of malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and histology, and observed for the pathological changes of the testicular tissue.

RESULTSBefore reperfusion, no significant differences were found in the CEUS parameters beta, time-to- peak (TTP), peak-base intensity (PBD) and half of declining time (DT/2) between R1 and P1, R2 and P2, and R3 and P3 (P>0.05). There were remarkable differences in MDA and SOD between R1 and P1, and R2 and P2 (P<0.05), but not between R3 and P3 (P >0.05). Johnson's score, apoptosis index and ultrastructure showed marked differences between R1 and P1 (P<0.05) but not between R2 and P2, and R3 and P3 (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONIP can attenuate IR-induced testis injury, but the effect varies with the degree of ischemia, and its pathological manifestation differs from the biochemical one.

Animals ; Ischemic Postconditioning ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; Superoxide Dismutase ; analysis ; Testis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the coding sequence of GJB2 gene in six pedigrees with nonsyndromic hearing loss in order to find deafness-causing mutations in the GJB2 gene, and to explore the inherent pattern of deafness-causing mutations in the GJB2 gene.

METHODSGenomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood for the probands and their family members. Coding sequence of the GJB2 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, sequence variations were determined by DNA sequencing. Amplified fragments with overlapping peaks on sequencing chromatogram were sequenced by TA cloning in order to determine whether the mutations originated from the same allele.

RESULTSMutations in the GJB2 gene were found in 4 out of the 6 pedigrees with nonsyndromic hearing loss. Four types of mutations were detected in the GJB2 gene, which were 235delC, 299-300delAT, 79G>A+341A>G, and 109G>A. Compound heterozygous polymorphisms 79G>A and 341A>G, and mutations 109G>A and 235delC had deafness-causing effects.

CONCLUSIONHeterogeneous mutations of the GJB2 gene are frequently seen in patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss. Sometimes, polymorphisms may cause deafness when they are combined. Environmental factors and other genes may contribute to hearing loss caused by the GJB2 gene mutations.

Base Sequence ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Inheritance Patterns ; genetics ; Male ; Pedigree

OBJECTIVETo compare the impact of unilateral acute testicular ischemia on the hemodynamics and histology of the contralateral testis of the rabbits under consistent anesthesia with that of the rabbits in the conscious state.

METHODSForty-two healthy male white rabbits were randomly divided into an anesthetic group (Group A) to receive injection of sodium pentobarbital (PS) and a non-anesthetic group (Group B), each including a control group of 5 animals (A0 and B0), an incomplete testicular ischemia group of 8 (A1 and B1), and a complete testicular ischemia group of 8 (A2 and B2). Testicular ischemia models were constructed by color Doppler ultrasonography. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was used to observe the perfusion of the contralateral testes before and after ligating and loosening the unilateral spermatic cord in each experimental group. The control animals also underwent CEUS and measurement of the heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) at the corresponding time. Histological structure changes in the contralateral testes of the rabbits were observed in both anesthetic and conscious states.

RESULTSPS anesthesia markedly suppressed the HR and BP of the rabbits. The parameters in Groups of A0, A1 and A2 showed no statistically significant changes after unilateral ligation of the spermatic cord, while Groups B1 and B2 displayed significantly decreased peak-base difference (PBD) and prolonged arrival time (AT) and half time of descending peak intensity (HT). Groups A1, B1 and B2 showed significantly increased PBD and prolonged HT shortly after loosening the spermatic cord. Focal pathological and ultrastructural changes were observed in the contralateral testes of the ischemic rabbits, but no significant difference was found in Johnson's score in comparison with the controls. The apoptotic cells were remarkably increased in Groups A1, B1 and B2.

CONCLUSIONAcute testicular ischemia may induce injury to the contralateral testis to some degree, and a reflexive sympathetic response may cause hemodynamic changes in the non-anesthetic state. And the neural and vascular inhibitory effects of anesthesia could make insignificant changes of blood perfusion in the contralateral testis.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Reperfusion Injury ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Testicular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Testis ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography