Biomedical Research ; China ; Preventive Medicine ; Research Support as Topic

Biomedical Research ; China ; Preventive Medicine ; Research Support as Topic

OBJECTIVETo analyze the projects of the general program in preventive medicine submitted to and funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 2004 to 2006, and to discuss the disadvantages of these projects and foundation trends.

METHODS4124 projects submitted and 656 projects supported in 16 fields of preventive medicine between 2004 to 2006 were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS1082, 1378 and 1664 projects were submitted to NSFC and 199, 210 and 247 projects were financially supported in last three years, respectively, with selecting rate 18.4%, 15.2% and 14.8%, respectively. The number and the selection rate of projects supported in the different study fields from 2004 to 2006 were 15 (7.5%), 24 (11.4%) and 18 (7.3%) in environmental health, 8 (4.0%), 12 (5.7%) and 15 (6.1%) in occupational health, 30 (15.1%), 24 (11.4%) and 31 (12.6%) in nutrition and food hygiene, 3 (1.5%), 4 (1.9%) and 4 (1.6%) in child and adolescent health, 14 (7.0%), 20 (9.5%) and 20 (8.1%) in toxicology, 7 (3.5%), 7 (3.3%) and 2 (0.8%) in social medicine, 17 (8.5%), 22 (10.5%) and 31 (12.6%) in epidemiology, 7 (3.5%), 7 (3.3%) and 10 (4.0%) in endemiology, 2 (1.0%), 5 (2.4%) and 5 (2.0%) in biostatistics, 0 (0%), 2 (1.0%) and 1 (0.4%) in health laboratory technology, 7 (3.5%), 2 (1.0%) and 7 (2.8%) in vector biology, 15 (7.5%), 9 (4.3%) and 16 (6.5%) in parasitology, 0 (0%), 2 (1.0%) and 0 (0%) in disinfection, 58 (29.1%), 51 (24.3%) and 58 (23.5%) in infectious disease, 3 (1.5%), 1 (0.5%) and 5 (2.0%) in sexually transmitted disease, 13 (6.5%), 18 (8.6%) and 24 (9.7%) in dermatology, respectively. The contents of these research subjects reflected that more importance has been attached to the fields of preventive medicine. However, it is necessary that original and innovatory research should be further strengthened, and the field and prospective study should be emphasized in the future.

CONCLUSIONRapid advancement have been made in the fields of toxicology, epidemiology, environmental health, nutrition and food hygiene, and infectious disease, while other areas such as social medicine, health laboratory technology, disinfection and sexually transmitted disease need a rapid advancement. In general, the levels of the projects received and funded have been elevating yearly.

China ; Financial Support ; Fund Raising ; Preventive Medicine ; economics ; statistics & numerical data ; Research Support as Topic ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVEIt is well documented that epilepsy can increase neurogenesis in certain brain regions and cause behavioral alternations in patients and different epileptic animal models. A series of experimental studies have demonstrated that neurogenesis is regulated by various factors including glucocorticoid (CORT), which can reduce neurogenesis. Most of studies in animal have been focused on adulthood stage, while the effect of recurrent seizures to immature brain in neonatal period has not been well established. This study was designed to investigate how the recurrent seizures occurred in the neonatal period affected the immature brain and how CORT regulated neurogenesis in immature animals.

METHODSNeonatal rats were subjected to 3 pilocarpine-induced seizures from postnatal day 1 to day 7. Then neurogenesis at different postnatal ages (i.e. P8, P12, P22, P50) was observed. Behavioral performance was tested when the rats were mature (P40), and plasma CORT levels following recurrent seizures were simultaneously monitored.

RESULTSRats with neonatal seizures had a significant reduction in the number of Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeled cells in the dentate gyrus compared with the control groups when the animals were euthanized on P8 or P12 (P<0.05); whereas there was no difference between the two groups on P22. Until P50, rats with neonatal seizures had increased number of BrdU-labeled cells compared with the control group (P<0.05). In Morris water maze task, pilocarpine-treated rats were significantly slower than the control rats at the first and second day, and there were no differences at other days. In probe trial, there was no significant difference in time spent in the goal quadrant between the two groups. Endocrine studies showed a correlation between the number of BrdU positive cells and the CORT level. Sustained increase in circulating CORT levels was observed following neonatal seizures on P8 and P12.

CONCLUSIONNeonatal recurrent seizures can biphasely modulate neurogenesis over different time windows with a down-regulation at early time and up-regulation afterwards, cause persistent deficits in cognitive functions of adults, and increase the circulating CORT levels. CORT levels are related with the morphological and behavioral consequences of recurrent seizures.

Age Factors ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Critical Period (Psychology) ; Dentate Gyrus ; cytology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Glucocorticoids ; blood ; Male ; Maze Learning ; physiology ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seizures ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo establish an accurate and efficient method for detecting recent thymic output function and analyze the content of T-cell receptor (TCR) rearrangement excision circles (TRECs) within peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

METHODSAccording to the specific sequence of TCRdelta, the primers and the fluorescent probe (TaqMan) were designed and synthesized. The standard quantitative template was constructed by T/A cloning. The method for detecting TRECs was established after optimization of reaction condition, then its specificity, sensitivity and stability were tested. Quantitative detection of TRECs in DNA of PBMCs from normal individuals and patients of chronic hepatitis B were preformed by real-time PCR using TaqMan technique.

RESULTSDetection of TRECs was quick and accurate by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The CV value of Ct was 1.06%, the product was specific which was confirmed by electrophoresis and sequencing and the method showed high sensitivity. The mean value of TRECs from normal individuals was (7767.4 +/- 2369.5) copies/10(6)PBMCs in healthy controls at age 21.45 but (28,374.4 +/- 7820.4) copies/10(6)PBMCs in those at age 16.20 (P < 0.05). The mean value of TRECs from patients with chronic hepatitis B was (6480.9 +/- 2031.2) copies/10(6) PBMCs in those at age 21.45, which was statistically significant as compared with normal individuals at age 21.45.

CONCLUSIONReal-time fluorescence quantitative PCR for detecting the TRECs is an accurate, efficient and stable method and the recent thymic output function might decrease in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Adult ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta ; genetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Thymus Gland ; immunology ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the wrist joint of coal miners who work in excavation and vibration department.

METHODSForty-three coal miners with the hand-arm vibration disease served as the observation group while 20 workers who were not working in the vibration department acted as the control group. The patients in the observation group were divided into five subgroups according to the time when they received vibration. The regularity of the development of signs and symptoms of MRI was observed and analyzed.

RESULTSThe hydroarthrosis was most found in MRI. There were significant difference in hydroarthrosis (chi(2) = 8.80, P < 0.01), osteoporosis and osteomyelitis (chi(2) = 3.91, chi(2) = 5.01, P < 0.05 respectively) between the observation group and the control group. The edema of bone marrow and the avascular necrosis of ossa carpi were found only in the observation group and not found in the control group. The hydroarthrosis and the edema of bone marrow occurred most in the early stage of vibration. The signal in the edema of the bone marrow of the distal end of the radius was decreased in the GE sequence T(2)WI with the specificity.

CONCLUSION(1) Changes in the wrist joint occur in the early stage of the vibration work, and can be found in the MRI. (2) The edema of the bone marrow of the distal end of the radius is of great value in the diagnosis of the hand-arm vibration disease.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vibration ; adverse effects ; Wrist Joint ; pathology

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleosides ; therapeutic use ; Pyrimidinones ; therapeutic use ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Young Adult

A novel inhibitor series for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were designed and synthesized. Using succinate and malonate as zinc binding groups and long hydrophobic substituents to bind with S1' pockets, the compounds showed micromolar inhibition and selectivity for MMP-2 over others. And we found a better activity compound. It is a chance to find a better precursor of MMP-2 inhibitors with activity and bioavailability by further optimization of compounds.
Drug Design ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Objective To analyze the prevalence and risk factor of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin colonization in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).Methods One thousand six hundred and seventyeight newborns (938 boys and 740 girls) in NICU were selected,with a mean age of (5.9 ±6.4) days,ranging from 1 to 28 days.Nasal swabs were collected by medical cotton and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) was isolated.All of SA was detected and the mecA gene was detected to determine MRSA through PCR method.The rate of MRSA skin colonization was recorded,and the correlation was analyzed between the rate of MRSA skin colonization and some parameters.The rates of MRSA skin colonization of different time points were compared.Results In NICU,the rate of SA and MRSA skin colonization were 21.10％ (354/1678 cases) and 3.69％ (62/1678 cases),respectively.With the prolongation of hospital stay,the rate of MRSA skin colonization increased,in the order of 7 d ＞ 3 d ＞ 1 d,and the differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).But the rates of MRSA skin colonization had no significant difference between 7 d and 14 d (P ＞ O.05).Logistic regression analysis showed negative correlation between gestational age,weight,and Apgar scores with MRSA skin colonization but positive correlation between surgery or invasive procedures and antibiotics exposure with MRSA skin colonization.Conclusions Newborns in NICU have high rate of MRSA skin colonization.With the prolongation of hospital stay,the rate of MRSA skin colonization has an increase within 7 days.Gestational age,weight,Apgar scores,surgery or invasive procedures and antibiotics exposure are risk factors of newborn MRSA skin colonization.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of the downregulated expression of the prostate androgen regulated (PAR) gene on the cell cycle and apoptosis of PC3 cells as well as on the expression level of Bcl-2/Bax.

METHODSAfter transfecting PC3 cells with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PAR, we detected the inhibitory effect of PAR depletion on the proliferation of the PC3 cells by MTT assay, determined their apoptosis by flow cytometry, and measured the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax by Western blot.

RESULTSThe expression of PAR was suppressed by siRNA, the G2-M phase PC3 cells were increased to (29.95 +/- 3.25)%, and the apoptosis of the cells was enhanced to (20.61 +/- 2.73)%, with statistically significant difference from the control group (P < 0.01). Western blot showed a decreased expression of Bcl-2, an increased expression of Bax, and an elevated ratio of Bax to Bcl-2.

CONCLUSIONDownregulation of the PAR expression increases the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and Bax expression, and thus induces the G2-M phase arrest and apoptosis of PC3 cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostate ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism