AlM: To investigate the relationship among carotid atherosclerosis, homocysteine ( Hcys ) and anterior ischmic optic neuropathy( AlON) .METHODS: Sixty-five AlON patients enrolled in AlON group and 70 non - AlON controls enrolled in control group. All the participants in 2 groups were examined by carotid artery color doppler flow imaging to evaluate the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis. Plasma levels of Hcys, vitamin B12 and folate were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The incidence of carotid atherosclerosis, plasma levels of Hcys, vitamin B12 and folate were compared statistically between AlON and control group.RESULTS: Fifty - six AlON patients ( 86%) exhibited carotid atherosclerosis, which was found in 43 control subjects ( 61%) . Fifty - nine AlON patients ( 91%) exhibited increased plasma levels of Hcys compared with that in 38 control subjects ( 54%) . Lowered vitamin B12 was found in 37 patients with AlON ( 57%) and in 43 control subjects ( 61%) . Lowered folate was found in 54 AlON patients ( 83%) and in 32 control subjects ( 46%) . The incidence of atherosclerosis in carotid artery ( P =0. 001), mean Hcys level (P=0. 0005) and lowered folate ( P = 0. 0006 ) were different statistically between AlON group and control group. Mean vitamin B12 level was indifferent between AlON group and control group ( P=0. 0722). Logistic regression analysis showed that carotid atherosclerosis was an a risk factor for AlON (OR=1. 312, 95%CI:0. 927~1. 772), whereas elevated Hcys level (OR=2. 378, 95% CI: 1. 479 ~ 3. 821 ) was also shown to be significant risk factor for AlON. CONCLUSlON: Carotid atherosclerosis and elevated Hcys were related with AlON. Reducing above-mentioned risk factors related to thrombus may be crucial to the prevention and cure of AlON.

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and side effect of hepatocyte growth - promoting factor in treatment of infant hepatitis syndrome. Methods Sixty one cases of infant hepatitis syndrome were chased as the treatment group who hospitalized in our hospital from March 2002 to Feb 2003,and 54 cases of infant hepatitis syndrome as control group who hospitalized during March 2001 to Feb 2002. The treatment group were administrated with hepatocyte growth - promoting factor for 2 weeks. We obser-ved the recovery of patient's liver function (TBIL.ALT, AST) and the side effect of hepatocyte growth- promoting factor after two weeks of the treatment. Results After the treatment,TBIL and ALT decreased significantly in the treatment group of infant hepatitis syndrome. The treatment group was superior to the control group (P

In this study, the general bacterial probe and specific cellulolytic bacterial probes were used to quantify the bacteria in rumen. The total RNA were extracted and then hybridized with general bacterial probe after a dilution of concentration. The result showed that there was a high correlation between the hybridization signal and the dilution of total bacterial RNA. Based on the result above, the quantities of three cellulolytic bacteria in rumen sample were detected. The comparative RNA percentage of three cellulolytic bacteria to total bacterial RNA were similar to the previous reports. It can be concluded that the quantification of bacteria in rumen could be conducted by this approach, and which could be used in future research.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects and mechanisms of diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) on morphology and function of progenitor Leydig cells (PLC) in rats.

METHODSTwenty pregnant SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n = 5): normal control group, DEHP low dose group , middle dose group, and high dose group, which were treated from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND 21 of the pubs with DEHP at the doses of 0, 10, 100, 750 mg/(kg · d) in 0.5 ml of corn oil by gavage respectively. At the end of the treatment, the male pups were killed and blood samples were collected for determination of serum testosterone concentration by chemiluminescence method. The body weight, testis weight and anogenital distance (AGD) were measured. The morphology of PLC was observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein(StAR) in PLC was determined by immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the testis was assayed by real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with normal control group, the serum testosterone and AGD of male pubs from the middle and high dose groups were declined significantly (P < 0.01), the testis weight and body weight from high dose group were decreased significantly (P < 0.01), while the testis weight increased in the low dose group (P < 0.05). Under light microscope, PLC showed hyperplasia and cluster aggregation in the low dose group and focal hyperplasia in the middle and high dose group. The spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules showed decrease, apoptosis and unfix in the high dose group. Under transmission electron microscope, the PLC showed decreased lipid droplets, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondriae in the treated group. The mRNA expression of IGF-I increased in the low dose group, and the protein expression of StAR decreased in the middle and high dose group.

CONCLUSIONLactating exposure to DEHP may interfere with the synthesis of testosterone of PLC in male pubs, the decrease of StAR and the damage of PLC may be involved in it.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate ; adverse effects ; Female ; Germ Cells ; drug effects ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Lactation ; Leydig Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Size ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testis ; Testosterone ; blood

AIMTo study the chemical constituents in the mycelia of Hypomyces sp..

METHODSSilica gel column chromatography was employed for the isolation and purification. Chemical and spectral methods were used to determine the structures of the isolated compounds.

RESULTSTwo compounds were isolated and identified as: hypomycin C (I) and hypomycin D (II).

CONCLUSIONCompounds I and II are new compounds.

Chromatography, Gel ; methods ; Fermentation ; Hypocreales ; chemistry ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Mycelium ; chemistry ; Perylene ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Quinones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic significance of basophil activation test (BAT) in anaphylaxis to non-ionic contrast media through testing the content of CD63, mast cell-carboxypeptidase A3 (MC-CPA3), and terminal complement complex SC5b-9 of the individuals by testing their levels in the normal immune group and the anaphylaxis groups to β-lactam drugs and non -ionic contrast media. METHODS: The CD63 expression of basophilic granulocyte in blood was detected by flow cytometry. The levels of MC-CPA3 in blood serum and SC5b-9 in blood plasma were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The CD63 expression of basophilic granulocyte in blood, the levels of MC-CPA3 and SC5b-9 of anaphylaxis to non-ionic contrast media and β-lactam drugs were significantly higher than that in normal immune group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION There is activation of basophilic granulocytes, mast cells and complement system in anaphylaxis to non-ionic contrast media. BAT can be used to diagnose the anaphylaxis to non-ionic contrast media.
Anaphylaxis/diagnosis* ; Basophils/cytology* ; Carboxypeptidases A/metabolism* ; Complement Membrane Attack Complex/metabolism* ; Contrast Media ; Flow Cytometry ; Granulocytes/cytology* ; Humans ; Mast Cells/cytology* ; Tetraspanin 30/metabolism*

Objective To investigate the prevalence,genotype and epidemiology of plasmid- mediated AmpC enzyme of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.Methods A total of 67 clinical isolates of nonrepetitive cefoxitin-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae collected by Fuzhou General Hospital and Fujian Provincial Hospital during a period of Sept.2004 to Mar.2005 were detected by three-dimensional extract test for AmpC enzyme,and PCR for AmpC enzyme and other ?-lactamase gene amplification and DNA sequencing were carried out for genotype of ?-lactamase.Plasmid transformation experiment was used to study the transfer of cefoxitin resistance.The homology of the isolates was determined by ERIC-PCR fingerprinting.Results At two hospitals in Fuzhou,the prevalence of plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme among cefoxitin-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 16.7% and 10.5%, 8.0% and 0,respectively.Two isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae produced DHA-1 plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme,and 4 isolates of Escherichia cob and one strain of Escherichia coli produced CMY-2 and CMY-22 plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme respectively.Furthermore,5 strains of Escherichia coli with CMY AmpC enzyme were also found simuhaneously to produce TEM-144,CTX-M-27,CTX-M-14 and TEM-1 ?-lactamase respectively.Three strains of Escherichia coli and one isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae could transfer cefoxitin resistance to acceptant bacillus.ERIC-PCR fingerprinting reveals 2 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae came from same clone,but 5 strains of Escherichia coli came from different clones.Conclusions The clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing DHA-1 plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme and Escherichia coli producing CMY-2,CMY-22 plasmid-mediated AmpC enzyme are found in Fuzhou.CMY-22 AmpC enzyme and TEM-144 ?-lactamase are the first reported in the world,GenBank accession number: DO256079,DO256080

Objective To determine the effect of mitochondria on the protection of heat-shock proteins B1(HSPB1) from oxidative damage in rat cardiac cell.Methods HSPB1 gene-transfected rat cardiomyocytes cell line H9c2 (HSPB1 H9c2) and empty vector transfected H9c2 (control) were established,and treated by 0-1000?mol/L H_2O_2 for 2h.And then the cell morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential and endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. Results (1)HSPB1 inhibited the morphological changes induced by H_2O_2 markedly.(2)HSPB1 inhibited the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential induced by H_2O_2.Following the stimulation of 0,75,150,300,500,1000?mol/L H_2O_2,mitochondrial membrane potential in HSPB1 and control H9c2 cells were (10.0?0.11)vs (7.01?0.26),(9.11?0.17)vs (6.05?0.19),(7.69?0.28)vs (5.14?0.28),(6.95?0.13)vs (4.66?0.11),(6.61?0.20)vs (1.85?0.35),(6.60?0.05)vs (1.19?0.01),respectively (all P0.05).Conclusions HSPB1 protects rat cardiomyocytes cell line(H9c2) from oxidative damage,which suggests that stabilization of mitochondrial membrane potential and the decreased endogenous reactive oxygen species after oxidative stress may be involved in the protection of HSPB1 against oxidative stress in H9c2.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on the changes in serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) and blood sugar in severely burned patients, so as to validate the optimal time of rhGH administration.

METHODSForty severely burned patients were enrolled in the study and were randomly divided into control (C), treatment 1 (rhGH given from 7 - 9 PBD, T1) and treatment 2 (rhGH from 10 - 14 PBD, T2) groups. The dynamic changes in serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and blood sugar on the 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 PBDs in all 3 groups of burn patients were determined, analyzed and compared with one another.

RESULTSThe serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and blood sugar levels in T1 and T2 groups were higher than those in C group after the use of rhGH, especially the IGFBP-3 and blood sugar (P < 0.05). There was no difference of all the indices between T1 and T2 groups.

CONCLUSIONIt might be optimal to give rhGH to severely burned patients during 7-9 PBDs.

Adult ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Burns ; blood ; drug therapy ; Female ; Human Growth Hormone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Leptotrombidium scutellare is one of the 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China. It has been found in more than 15 provinces of China. Especially in Yunnan, it was found to be mainly distributed in some mountainous areas with high altitude, low temperature and low precipitation. Rodents and some other small mammals were the most common hosts of L. scutellare. To date, more than 40 host species of L. scutellare have been recorded with very low host specificity, and the main hosts varied in different geographical regions. L. scutellare had a strong resistance against the cold environment, and the temperature and humidity were 2 important factors affecting its growth and development. Among different individuals of their rodent hosts, L. scutellare mites often showed an aggregated distribution pattern, which reflected the interspecific cooperation of the mites. The chromosome karyotype of L. scutellare was 2n=16 and all the 8 pairs of chromosomes were short rod-shaped with metacentric or sub-metacentric types. The isozyme spectrum supported that L. scutellare, L. deliense and L. rubellum were in the same species group. Based on the natural infection, experimental transmission and epidemiological evidence, L. scutellare has been eventually confirmed as the second major vector of scrub typhus in China, which is second only to L. deliense.