Objective: To study the significance of DNA content in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Methods: DNA content and cell cycle of the cells in 18 cases of oral SCC were analized by image cytometry (ICM). Results: The DNA index (DI) and proliferation index (PI) were remarkably heigher in SCC than in normal epithelium ( P

A quail-origin subtype of the influenza virus was isolated from a human-infecting H7N9 subtype of the avian influenza virus found in a live poultry market and was given the name A/Quail/Hangzhou/1/ 2013 (H9N2). We analyzed the whole genome of this virus and its biologic characteristics. Sequence analyses suggested that the: HA and NS genes belonged to a CK/BJ/1/94-like lineage; NA, NP, PA and PB1 genes belonged to a SH/F/98-like lineage; M and PB2 genes belonged to a G1-like lineage. Analyses of key amino acids showed that the cleavage site in HA protein was PSRSSR ↓ GL, and that the HA protein had a human receptor-binding site with Leu226. Deletion of amino acids 69 - 73 was detected in the stalk of NA protein, the M2 protein had an Asn31 mutation, and the NS1 protein had two mutations at Ser42, Ala149. The intravenous pathogenicity of this virus was 0.36. A study in chickens suggested that all inoculated birds shed the virus from the trachea and cloaca on the third day post-infection (p. i. ) until 11 days. All chickens that had direct contact shed the virus on the second day p. i. until 8 days. Results of virus reisolation suggested that lung and tracheal tissues could shed the virus in 5 days, whereas the other organs could shed the virus in 3 days. These results suggest that this virus strain is H9N2 subtype LPAIV, whose lineage is prevalent in mainland China. This research provides evidence on how to monitor and prevent the H9N2 subtype of the avian influenza virus.
Animals ; Chick Embryo ; Chickens ; China ; Genotype ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Quail ; virology

Objective To investigate the correhtion between cognitive impairment and cerebral atherosclerosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods Acute ischemic stroke patients without cognitive impairment were recruited before symptom onset.The Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was used to evaluate the cognitive function.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to identify the infarct locations and sides.Magnetic resonance angiography,CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography were used to identify atherosclerotic arteries.Resul~ A total of 101 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled,including 75 (74.3％) with cognitive impairment.The proportions of age (54.54 ± 12.59 years vs.64.43 ± 10.37 years;t =-3.960,P ＜0.001),years of education ≤6 years (50.7％ vs.11.5％;x2 =12.257,P ＜ 0.001),and cerebral atherosclerosis (89.3％ vs.50.0％;x2 =18.137,P ＜0.001) of the cognitive impairment group were significantly higher than those of the normal cognitive function group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cerebral atherosclerosis was an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in patients with acute ischemic stroke (odds ratio 1.720,95％ confidence interval 1.005-2.942;P=0.048).MoCA score was negatively correlated with the offending vessels (r=-0.365,P＜ 0.001) and the most severe vessels of atherosclerotic degree (r=-0.243,P =0.014).Conclusions Most patients with acute ischemic stroke had cognitive impairment in the early stage after onset,and the MoCA scores was negatively correlated with the degree of cerebral atherosclerosis.Cerebral atherosclerosis was an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in patientswith acute ischemic stroke.

Objective To explore current status of health-related productivity loss and its risk factors among nurses.Methods Stanford presenteeism scale (SPS-6) and self-designed questionnaire were used to investigate current status of health-related productivity loss and its risk factors among 1122 nurses working in a tertiary hospital in Changchun city.Results Compared with hired nurses,age and work seniority of permanent nurses were significantly higher(Z =-19.49,-19.28 ;P ＜0.05).The average score of SPS-6 of all the participants was 20.05 ± 4.37.The score of SPS-6 of married nurses was significantly lower than other nurses (Z =-3.52,P ＜ 0.05) ; and the score of SPS-6 of nurses less than 30 years old was significantly higher than those above 30 years old (Z =-2.49,P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences between the SPS-6 score of education degree and department.(Z =-1.37,x2 =0.58 ; P ＞0.05).The result of GLM showed that employment status and work seniority were independent risk factors of health-related productivity loss among nurses.The scores of SPS-6 of permanent nurses was significantly lower than hired nursed (x2 =4.48,P ＜ 0.05),and those who had worked for less than 3 years showed significantly higher score of SPS-6 than those who had worked longer (x2 =12.89,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Health-related productivity loss do exist among nurses.Improving health management may help to reduce this loss of productivity.

In the process of evolution, pathogenic Streptococcus pyogenes secretes an immunoglobulin G-degrading enzyme IdeS which can specifically cleave the hinge region of immunoglobulin G in order to escape the immune response against the host. On the one hand, IdeS can be used for IgG fingerprinting as a tool enzyme combined with mass spectrometry technology. On the other hand, IdeS can be used to treat the antibody-responsive diseases produced by autoimmunity as a therapeutic protein. In this study, the backbone of plasmid pCold was used to construct two expression vectors of recombinant protein IdeS, which were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli Shuffle T7. After purification by affinity chromatography, the recombinant IdeS activity was detected and their activity differences between the two were compared. Among them, the yield of the recombinant IdeS containing the His6-tag at the N-terminus was 4 mg·L^-1, and the cleavage reaction with antibody IgG1 at 1∶200 (m/m) at 37 ℃ for 30 min could complete. However, the yield of the recombinant IdeS containing both the N-terminal His6 tag and the C-terminal silica affinity tag (silica bing peptide, SiBP) is 1.5 mg·L^-1, and the degradation reaction with antibody IgG1 at 1∶20 (m/m) at 37 ℃ for 30 min could reach the end. The C-terminal fusion peptide has a great influence on the yield and activity of IdeS, which is not conducive to subsequent application in drug development. Above all, the recombinant IdeS containing the His6-tag at the N-terminus expressed by this system has high activity and can fully meet the needs of antibody drug development and mapping analysis of IgG.

In this article, two research cases are employed to show the rationale of the stepped-wedge design, under what situations that such a design is desirable, and how it can be implemented. Stepped-wedge design seems to suit to randomized controlled trials in which the entire study population will receive intervention programs as they would "provide more advantages than harm". When intervention can not be given to all the targets simultaneously due to limited resources, this design is particularly useful. The stepped-wedge design is also relevant when there is a hope to detect or control the time trend effect on the effectiveness of the intervention strategy. On the other hand, however, this design requires longer trial duration and presents a number of statistical challenges. Hence, careful planning and monitoring are essential to ensure that a robust evaluation is undertaken.

Objective To analyze the ultrasonic features of interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) and its relationship with related deformities so as to improve the prenatal diagnosis of isomerism.Methods Pregnant women who received prenatal care in Peking University People's Hospital or who were referred to our hospital for suspected malformation of fetus between January 2010 and December 2013 were enrolled in this study.Fetal echocardiography and abdominal transverse section were performed routinely.Spatio-temporal image correlation technology was used to further clarify interrupted IVC if azygos vein was broadened or IVC disappeared in the fetal abdominal transverse sections.Based on the presence of cardiac structural abnormalities,interrupted IVC was divided into isolated IVC interruption and complex IVC interruption.Neonatal echocardiography was performed in women with continued pregnancies.In women with terminated pregnancy,fetus was autopsied after induced labor.Results In total,12 cases of interrupted IVC were diagnosed,including 5 cases of isolated IVC interruption with full-term delivery and 7 cases of complex IVC interruption.Neonatal echocardiography,abdominal ultrasound were all normal in the 5 cases of isolated IVC interruption except for 3 cases complicated with sistus inversus viscerum.All the 7 cases of complex IVC interruption had induced labor because of some congenital cardiac abnormalities.Autopsy showed that 6 cases had left isomerism,and 1 case had right isomerism.Conclusions Interrupted IVC can be easily identified in prenatal diagnosis due to the typical ultrasonic features.Complication with some congenital cardiac abnormalities often indicates isomerism,especially left isomerism.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of arecoline on hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats and to elucidate its possible mechanism.

METHODSForty five Wistar rats were fed with high fructose diet for 12 weeks to induce type 2 diabetic rat model. rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8): control group, model group and model group were treated with different dose (0, 0.5, 1, 5 mg/kg) of arecoline. After 4 weeks, the fasting blood glucose, blood lipid and insulin level measured , mRNA expression of liver constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the protein expression of p-AKT and glucose transporter4 (GLUT4) were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS1.5 mg/kg arecoline could significantly decrease the level of fasting blood glucose, blood lipid, blood insulin level and liver G6Pase, PEPCK, IL-6, TNF-alpha mRNA level in type 2 diabetes rats. 1.5 mg/kg arecoline also could significantly increase CAR, PXR mRNA level and p-AKT and GLUT4 protein expression.

CONCLUSIONArecoline improved hepatic insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes rats by increasing the mRNA levels of CAR and PXR leading to the creased glucose metabolism and inflammation related genes expression.

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Glucose Transporter Type 4 ; metabolism ; Glucose-6-Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Insulin Resistance ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (GTP) ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; metabolism ; Receptors, Steroid ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

In order to clarify the metabolism pathways of scandoside methyl ester, the analysis of metabolites profiling in four kinds of liver microsomes was performed by using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography/ electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS). The data obtained from the 0 h-incubation and the 2 h-incubation were compared and analyzed. After incubation, 5 metabolites of scandoside methyl ester were found in rat, Beagles, rhesus monkey and human liver microsome. The results showed that scandoside methyl ester's major metabolic pathway in the liver microsomes is hydrolysis, oxidation and reduction reactions, and there are certain kinds differences between species. The study provides a research base for further research about iridoid compounds in vivo metabolic pathways.

A systematic review was undertaken, including studies that evaluated the incidence of the blood system adverse events of Tripterygium wilfordii (TWP). Medline, Embase and the Cochrane library were searched for relevant studies, including RCT, cohort studies and case series, of patients treated with TWP published in English and Chinese from inception up until May 25th, 2013 with the keywords including "Tripterygium wilfordii", "toxicity", "reproductive", "side effect", "adverse", "safety" and "tolerability". Relevant information was extracted and the incidence of the blood system adverse events was pooled with MetaAnalyst software. Besides, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed based on age, mode of medicine, observation time and disease system. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 49 articles were included in the meta-analysis, they were split into 54 researches incorporated in the analysis. There is a large degree of heterogeneity among the studies, so data was analyzed using random-effects model and the summary estimates of incidence of the blood system adverse events was 6.1%. The weighted combined incidence of three major blood system adverse events were white-blood cells decreasing 5.6% (95% CI, 4.3% - 7.3%), hemoglobin decreasing 1.7% (95% CI, 0.5% - 5.0%) and platelet decreasing 1.8% (95% CI, 1.0% - 3.1%), respectively . Sensitivity analyses based on 45 studies with high quality showed the combined value was close to the summary estimate of total 54 studies. The current evidence indicates that the incidence of the blood system adverse events induced by TWP was high; attentions should be paid on to the prevention and treatment of the blood system adverse events.
Blood Cells ; drug effects ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Tripterygium ; adverse effects