Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVETo explore the main pathogenic factor causing the peptic ulcer of taxi drivers, which provide the basis for its prevention.

METHODS98 taxi drivers were inspected by electronic endoscopy, according to the inspection all cases were divided into ulcers group and normal group. Then various factors were statuses by the logistic regression analysis according to the results of questionnaire.

RESULTSThe prevalence of peptic ulcer of taxi drivers was 52.0%, and logistic regression analysis showed that dining time, taste spicy, meals temperature, smoking,alcohol, mental stress, HP infection and stomach health knowledge were statistically significant (P < 0.05), which would be the risk factors for peptic ulcer of taxi drivers.

CONCLUSIONBy emphasis on diet and lifestyle adjustments, stress regulation on the basis of eradication of HP infection will help the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcer of the taxi driver.

Adult ; Automobile Driving ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Peptic Ulcer ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effect of Taohong Siwu Decoction (TSD) in regulating functions of endothelial cells and treating arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO).

METHODSThe ASO model was prepared by using high-fat diet plus intimal injury. They were randomly divided into the model group (n = 10), the normal control group (n = 9), the low dose TSD group (group A, n = 12), the middle dose TSD group (group B, n = 10), and the high dose TSD group (group C, n = 9). Eight weeks after modeling, the limb blood perfusion was observed using laser Doppler flowmetry. The arterial morphology was observed using light microscope and transmission electron microscope. The number of circulating endothelial cells (CECs) was determined using Percoll density gradient centrifugation method. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1, ET-1, and NO were detected using double antibody sandwich assay of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe ASO rat model was successfully established. Blood lipids levels significantly increased, the blood perfusion of left hind limbs significantly decreased, the number of CECs in the peripheral blood significantly increased, the arterial lumen was irregularly narrowed, the ultra-structure of vessel walls was damaged, serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1, and ET-1 significantly increased, and the serum level of NO significantly decreased in the model group, showing statistical difference when compared with the normal control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, significant improvement in the aforesaid indices was shown in group B and C (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe injury and abnormal functions of endothelial cells is an important pathological process of ASO. As an effective recipe for treating ASO, TSD could protect vascular endothelial cells and improve the secretion function of vascular endothelial cells.

Animals ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans ; blood ; drug therapy ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Interleukin-1 ; blood ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To study the clinical feature,treatment,and prognosis of the cytomegalovirus (CMV)pneumonia patients treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.Mlethod The patients received immunosuppressor against kidney disease in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from June 1999 to December 2006.CMV antigen of leucocyte in the peripheral blood and/or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of these patients were detected with immunocytochemical methods,and 21 patients were found suffering from CMV pneumonia.The 21 patients were introvenously injected with ganciclovir 5～10 mg/(kg?d),and the immunosuppressive agent treatment suspended.Their clinical feature and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results The 21 patients received corticosteroids before CMV pneumonia contracted,of them,13 patients had been intensively treated with Methyllprednisolone with mean total dose(3.2?0.6)g.Of them,15 had been treated with cyclophosphamide with mean total dose(3.8?1.3)g.The median time from the beginning of using immunosuppressor to the onset of CMV pneumonia was 25(13～92)days.All patients had fever,cough, shortness of breath and X-ray showed interstitial pneumonia,of them,19 patients developed hypoxemia,and 11 patients' CMV antigen was positive in the leucocyte from bronchial lavage fluid.The result showed 9 patients survived and 12 died.The average duration of treatment with ganciclovir was(26.2?6.3)days. CMV pneumonia is a serious complication in patients who were treated with immunosuppressor against kidney disease.The mortality is high.Ganciclovir is a medicine of choice to treat CMV pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of osteopontin mRNA and its correlation with clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer and elucidate its role in tumor invasion and distant metastasis.

METHODSThe expression of OPN mRNA was detected by semi-quantitive RT-PCR. The relationship between the relative content of OPN mRNA and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer was analyzed.

RESULTSIn 66 cancer tissue samples, a 330 bp band was detected in 50 cases, the positive rate of OPN mRNA expression was 75.8% (50/66). The expression in all 20 cases of normal gastric mucosa was negative. The expression was associated with the depth of tumor invasion, diameter, lymph node metastasis and but had no correlation with differentiation grades. The 66 patients were followed up for 10 approximately 27 months (mean 16 months). The OPN mRNA expression positive group (50 cases) had recurrence in 15 patients and the negative group (16 cases) had only 1 case with recurrence (P = 0.05); 10 patients died in OPN mRNA expression positive group but no patient died in OPN staining negative group (P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOPN mRNA is over-expressed in gastric cancer. It reflects the progression of disease and association with poor prognosis of gastric cancer. OPN may play an important role in the process of distant metastasis in gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteopontin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Mouse L1210 leukemia cell line is widely used as a model in the study of tumorigenesis, as well as the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs; however, like other suspension cell lines, the mouse L1210 cell line has lowest transfection efficiency, that many barriers exist to study about the structure, function, as well as metabolism in leukemia cells. This study was aimed to obtain higher transfection efficiency of L1210 cell line to facilitate scientific research. The transfection efficiencies of nucleofector and liposome in L1210 leukemia cells were detected by converted fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry using EGFP (enhance green fluorescent protein); cell viability was observed by trypan blue exclusion test. The results showed that the transfection efficiency of nucleofector primarily through reporter gene pEGFP by Amaxa Nucleofector(TM) nuclear transfer apparatus was significantly higher than lipofectamine 2000 transfection, furthermore, in the same cell density (2 × 10(6)/ml) and plasmid content (10 µg), the transfection efficiency of nuclear transfer apparatus default mode A-20 was higher than that of other modes (S-18, T-20). Its survival rate was up to 50.5% after 24 hours. Cell viability of liposome transfection reached to 88% after 24 hours, but the transfection efficiency was lower (< 1%). It is concluded that the nuclear transfer apparatus A-20 transfected L1210 can reach higher transfection efficiency up to 61.6%, which is significantly higher than that of lipofectamine transfection. The survival rate is up to 50.5% well meeting the needs of scientific research. Higher transfection efficiency is helpful for in-depth research about the morphology, functions and pathogenesis in leukemia model L1210, and provides more searching space for the treatment of leukemia diseases.
Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Nucleus ; genetics ; Cell Survival ; genetics ; Genes, Reporter ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Liposomes ; Mice ; Transfection ; methods

OBJECTIVETo compare the impact of various types of neck dissection on postoperative shoulder function.

METHODSThe shoulder functions of 66 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and cN0 necks who underwent various types of neck dissection were evaluated by Constant's shoulder function test and neck dissection impairment index at least 12 months after surgery.

RESULTSThe patients with accessory spinal nerve reserved had better shoulder function than those with accessory spinal nerve resected. In the group with accessory spinal nerve reserved, the patients receiving selective neck dissection (SND) showed better shoulder function than those with modified radical neck dissection (MRND). The shoulder dysfunction and pain arising from SND were minor in patients with selective neck dissection.

CONCLUSIONSThe shoulder function after SND was superior to those after RND and MRND.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mouth Neoplasms ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Neck Dissection ; methods ; Shoulder ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Quchi (LI 11) on blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines in the patient of essential hypertension and to investigate the mechanism.

METHODSSixty cases of essential hypertension were randomly divided into an EA group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). In the EA group, bilateral Quchi (LI 11) were selected; and in the control group, western medicine Nicardipine was taken. The variation of blood pressure and blood plasma catecholamines were examined before and after the treatment.

RESULTS(1) After treatment, there were significant reduction in the levels of systolic blood pressure and diastole blood pressure in both groups (P < 0.01); (2) After treatment, significant reduction in levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline were also found in both groups (P < 0.01), however, no significant differences in the level of dopamine were observed in both groups (P > 0.05); (3) The effective rate of 66.7% in the EA group was similar to that of 70.0% in the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBoth EA at Quchi (LI 11) and western medicine are able to beneficially regulate blood pressure of patients with essential hypertension through adjusting blood plasma catecholamines.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Catecholamines ; blood ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of refracture in patients suffering from osteoporosis-related fractures as well as effective interventions.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to January 2008, both out-patients and in-patients in our hospital who were over 50 years old and suffered from osteoporosis-related fractures were selected for this research. They were divided into fracture group and refracture group. The refracture rate was followed up for 2 years, during which 11 patients developed refracture, thus were included in the refracture group. Therefore, 273 patients, 225 first-fracture cases, aged (67.7+/-8.5) years, and 48 refracture cases, aged (72.7+/-9.5) years, were included in this study. General data including age and sex, fracture types, femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores tested by dual-energy X-rays absorptiometry (DEXA), Charlson index, time-frame between two fractures as well as mobility skill assessment were collected and analyzed by single-factor and multivariate statistical methods.

RESULTSFemales accounted for 70.2% of the fracture group and 77.1% of the refracture group. The most common refracture type was vertebral fracture for the first time and femoral neck fracture for the second time during the follow-up. The second fracture happened 3.7 years after the first one on average. The refracture rate was 2.12% within one year, and 4.66% within two years. Risk factors for a second fracture in osteoporotic fracture patients included age (larger than 75 years, HR equal to 1.23, 95%CI 1.18-1.29; larger than 85 years, HR equal to 1.68, 95% CI 1.60-1.76), female sex (HR equal to 1.36, 95%CI 1.32-1.40), prior vertebral fractures (HR equal to 1.62, 95%CI 1.01-2.07), prior hip fractures (HR equal to 1.27, 95%CI 0.89-2.42), BMD T-score less than -3.5 (HR equal to 1.38, 95%CI 1.17-1.72) and weakened motor skills (HR equal to 1.27, 95%CI 1.09-1.40).

CONCLUSIONSThe risks of second fracture among patients with initial brittle fracture are substantial. There is adequate time between the first and second fractures for interventions to reduce the risks of refracture, especially for the old women with a vertebral or hip fracture. Medication, motor functional rehabilitation and fall-down prevention training are helpful.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Density ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motor Skills ; Multivariate Analysis ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; etiology ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo introduce the hairy roots of Phellodendron chinense and determine the content of its active constituents.

METHODTransformed hairy roots of P. chinense were obtained by the transformation of Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4, R1600, ATCC15834 and R1000.

RESULT AND CONCLUSIONIt was clearly demonstrated that T-DNA of A. rhizogenes Ri plasmid was integrated into the cells of hairy roots by PCR. The content of berberine hydrochlodride, which was determined by HPLC, was higher in hairy roots than that in the axenic plantet and callus.

Berberine ; analysis ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Culture Techniques ; methods ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Phellodendron ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rhizobium ; genetics ; Transformation, Genetic