Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Industry ; Inhalation Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Quartz

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of Coxsackie B virus (CBV) with habitual abortion.

METHODSCBV IgM antibody, viral RNA and virions were detected in 86 women with habitual abortion and 40 with induced abortion by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), RT-PCR and virus isolation, respectively.

RESULTSThe positivity rate of CBV IgM were 87.2% and 35% in the two groups, respectively, and the detection rate of the viral RNA was 53.5% and 17.5% in blood lymphocytes, and 59.3% and 17.5% in the placentas. The virions were found in the placentas in 41.9% and 6.9% of the women, respectively. The positivity rates of CBV IgM, viral DNA and virions showed significant difference between the two groups (P<0. 01).

CONCLUSIONCBV might be one of the causes responsible for habitual abortion.

Abortion, Habitual ; blood ; etiology ; Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; complications ; virology ; Enterovirus B, Human ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Lymphocytes ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Microscopy, Electron ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; blood ; virology ; RNA, Viral ; blood

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Panniculitis ; physiopathology ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; pathology ; physiopathology

Objective To evaluate the metabolic characteristics of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in isolated postchallenge hyperglycemia(IPH) and to clarify the factors responsible for the development of IPH. Methods(Eight hundred) and fifty subjects were classified into the following three groups based on the results of a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT): normal glucose tolerance(NGT),n=557;isolated impaired glucose tolerance(iIGT),n=146;and IPH,n=147.Insulin secretion(insulinogenic index) and insulin sensitivity(insulin sensitivity index) were identified in the three groups. Results From NGT to iIGT and IPH in these subjects,the insulinogenic index and insulin sensitivity index were gradually decreased(P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of an oral preparation of Alternathera philoxeroides Griseb (APG) against respiratory syncytical virus (RSV) in mice.

METHODSAPG preparation was administered orally in RSV-infected mice at different daily doses (2.5, 4.5 and 6.5 g/kg) to observe the therapeutic effect of the preparation.

RESULTSDistinct differences were observed between the death rate of the mice treated with APG at daily dose of 4.5 and 6.5 g/kg and that of the untreated mice with infection. After AGP treatment of the mice at 6.5 g/kg, the detection rate of the virus was 31.3% in the blood and 37.5% in the lung tissue, significantly lower than that in the untreated mice. The virus detection rate was 43.8% in the lung tissues of mice treated with APG at 4.5 g/kg, also significantly lower than that in the untreated control. APG treatment at the 3 doses resulted in different lung indices from that of the control.

CONCLUSIONAPG may be effective for treatment of RSV infection.

Administration, Oral ; Amaranthaceae ; chemistry ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Lung ; drug effects ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Preparations ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; drug therapy ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between mitochondrial DNA instability (mtMSI) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) activity in gastric mucosa of various lesions.

METHODSIL-8 level in gastric mucosa was assayed using ELISA method. The mtMSI was detected by PCR-SSCP techniques.

RESULTSmtMSI was observed in 11 out of 30 (36.7%) gastric cancers, 2 of 15 (13.3%) intestinal metaplasia, 2 of 10 dysplasia and 1 of 10 chronic atrophic gastritis. IL-8 level in mtMSI+ group [(76.8 +/- 3.8) pg/mg] was significantly higher than that in mtMSI- group [(48.3 +/- 3.6) pg/mg, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONmtMSI closely correlates with IL-8 level in gastric mucosa and is involved in gastric carcinogenesis.

DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gastric Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genomic Instability ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Metaplasia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Precancerous Conditions ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features of white matter myelin development in preterm infants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

METHODSA total of 31 preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks and a birth weight of <1 500 g were enrolled. According to head MRI findings, these infants were divided into preterm group with brain injury (12 infants) and preterm group without brain injury (19 infants). A total of 24 full-term infants were enrolled as control group. Head MRI and DTI were performed at a gestational age or corrected gestational age of 37-40 weeks. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were measured for the same regions of interest in the three groups.

RESULTSThe preterm group with brain injury showed a significantly lower FA value of the posterior limb of the internal capsule than the preterm group without brain injury and full-term control group (P<0.05). The preterm groups with and without brain injury showed significantly lower FA values of frontal white matter and lenticular nucleus than the full-term control group (P<0.05). The FA value of occipital white matter showed no significant differences among the three groups (P>0.05). Compared with the full-term control group, the preterm groups with and without brain injury showed significantly higher ADC values of the posterior limb of the internal capsule, lenticular nucleus, occipital white matter, and frontal white matter (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAfter brain injury, preterm infants tend to develop disorder or delay of white matter myelination in the posterior limb of the internal capsule. At a corrected full-term gestational age, the preterm infants with and without brain injury have a lower grade of maturity in periventricular white matter and grey matter than full-term infants.

Brain Injuries ; physiopathology ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; physiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Myelin Sheath ; physiology ; White Matter ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in natural killer (NK) cell count in the peripheral blood of asthmatic patients.

METHODSThe number of NK cells in the peripheral blood was determined with flow cytometry in 63 asthmatic patients with acute episodes, 65 patients with stable asthma and 62 healthy nonatopic subjects.

RESULTSA significant decrease in NK cell number was noted in asthmatic patients during acute exacerbation [(13.9-/+9.4) %] in comparison with patients with stable asthma [(22.5-/+12.3) %] and healthy subjects [(19.6-/+10.1)%] (P<0.05), and the NK cell number showed no significant difference between the latter two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONNK cell number is reduced in acute exacerbation of asthma, suggesting its important role in the asthmatic process.

Adult ; Asthma ; blood ; immunology ; Cell Count ; methods ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; cytology ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adolescent ; Biopsy ; Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation of Lung, Congenital ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; adverse effects ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung Diseases ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Lobe Syndrome ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To observe apelin and its receptor (APJ) expressions in human osteoblasts and evaluate the effect of apelin on osteoblasts.Methods The expressions of apelin and APJ in human osteoblasts were tested by RT-PCR and Western blot.After human osteoblasts were treated with apelin,cell proliferation was measured by [~3H] thymidine incorporation and cell counting.Cell function was measured by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity,the secreted osteocalcin level and typeⅠcollagen production .The activation of signaling cascades was tested by Western blot.Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) to blockade APJ was applied to observe effects of apelin on cell proliferation and the activation of signaling cascades.Results Both apelin and APJ were expressed in human osteoblasts.Apelin increased the proliferation and did not show the influences on ALP activity, osteocalcin secretion and type I collagen production in human osteoblasts.Apelin induced activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) downstream effector (Akt),but not mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) such as c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK),p38 and ERK1/2 in human osteoblasts.Suppression of APJ with siRNA or LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor) abolished the apelin-induced cell proliferation and the activation of Akt.Conclusion Human osteoblasts express apelin and APJ.Apelin stimulates the proliferation of human osteoblast via APJ/PI3K/Akt pathway,but has no effect on osteoblast differentiation.