OBJECTIVETo investigate the hazards of aluminum dusts to the exposed workers and the clinical features of aluminosis.

METHODRetrospective investigation on 75 aluminosis patients from a certain factory diagnosed in Shanghai Occupational Diseases Hospital from 1972 to 2004 was carried out.

RESULTSThere were 27 cases of aluminosis I (36.0%), 28 cases of aluminosis II (37.3%) and 20 cases of aluminosis III (26.7%) among 75 cases. The shortest exposure duration was 3 years, and the longest 17 years, and 37 cases of aluminosis occurred after exposure less than 10 years. hest radiographic examination mainly showed irregular micro-shadows: t (22/75), s (4/75), t/u (1/75), t/s (2/75), or predominantly irregular mixed microshadows s/p (5/75), s/r (1/75), t/p (9/75), t/q (5/75); some showed round shape micro-shadows: p (6/75), q (1/75), p/q (3/75), q/p (1/75). 27 cases showed large shadows, 20 cases of them were diagnosed as pneumoconiosis III. A lot of irregular micro-shadows gathered and developed to form uneven, loose and border-irregular masses. Most massive fibrosis looked like stripe or plait, located mostly in middle and upper lung field. 8 patients suffered from aluminosis with single side of massive fibrosis and 12 with both sides of massive fibrosis, accounting for 40% and 60% respectively. Mediastinal and bronchopulmonary lymph nodes were enlarged and calcified, accompanied with pleural thickening.

CONCLUSIONSShort exposure to high concentration of black fused alumina may cause serious aluminosis to the exposes. The hazards of aluminum dusts should not be ignored.

Aluminum Oxide ; toxicity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; Occupational Exposure ; Pneumoconiosis ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Workplace

Taxol is one of the most potent anti-cancer agents, which is extracted from the plants of Taxus species. Isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IPI) catalyzes the reversible transformation between IPP and DMAPP, both of which are the general 5-carbon precursors for taxol biosynthesis. In the present study, a new gene encoding IPI was cloned from Taxus media (namely TmIPI with the GenBank Accession Number KP970677) for the first time. The full-length cDNA of TmIPI was 1 232 bps encoding a polypeptide with 233 amino acids, in which the conserved domain Nudix was found. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that the sequence of TmIPI was highly similar to those of other plant IPI proteins, and the phylogenetic analysis showed that there were two clades of plant IPI proteins, including IPIs of angiosperm plants and IPIs of gymnosperm plants. TmIPI belonged to the clade of gymnosperm plant IPIs, and this was consistent with the fact that Taxus media is a plant species of gymnosperm. Southern blotting analysis demonstrated that there was a gene family of IPI in Taxus media. Finally, functional verification was applied to identify the function of TmIPI. The results showed that biosynthesis of β-carotenoid was enhanced by overexpressing TmIPI in the engineered E. coli strain, and this suggested that TmIPI might be a key gene involved in isoprenoid/terpenoid biosynthesis.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Carbon-Carbon Double Bond Isomerases ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; Paclitaxel ; biosynthesis ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Taxus ; enzymology ; genetics

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of CAG regimen in treatment of primary, refractory and relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and analyse the factors influencing long-term survival. Methods Sixty-one patients with AML ( primary, n = 27; refractory, n = 18; relapsed, n = 16) and 9 patients with MDS were treated with CAG regimen. Examinations on liver and renal function, electrocardiogram and bone marrow cytology were performed before and after treatment, and adverse effects of CAG were observed. Short-term efficacy was evaluated based on clinical manifestation, peripheral blood and bone marrow cytologic examinations. Patients were followed up, overall survival ( OS) and disease free survival ( DFS) were analysed, and long-term efficacy of CAG regimen was evaluated. The factors influencing long-term survival were analysed by Log-rank test of survival curve. Results After a course of treatment by CAG regimen, the total effective rate was 71% , and 34 patients (49%) experienced complete remission. The median time of follow up was 45 months, the median OS was 28 months, and the median DFS was 23 months. Age, level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), remission condition after a course of treatment by CAG regimen and adoption of HD-Ara-C regimen as consolidation treatment were influencing factors for OS and DFS. The dominant clinical adverse effects were bone marrow depression, with 13 d as the median duration of agranulocytosis ( neutrophil <0.5 ×10~9/L) and 9 d as the median duration of thrombocytopenia (platelet <20 ×10~9/L). Conclusion CAG regimen may lead to favourable therapeutic effects in treatment of primary, refractory and relapsed AML and high risk MDS, and may yield less adverse effects and better long-term therapeutic effects. Age, level of LDH, remission condition after a course of treatment and adoption of HD-Ara-C regimen as consolidation treatment are dominant influencing factors for survival.

To study the impact of five different origin processing methods, namely natural drying, drying in baking shop, drying by microwave heating, drying in drum and drying with sulphur fumigation, on the quality of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos from Donghai cultivation base in Jiangsu Province, with the contents of chlorogenic acid and galuteolin and the similarity in HPLC fingerprints as the evaluation indicators. The results showed that different origin processing methods had significant impact on the content of chlorogenic acid and the similarity in HPLC fingerprints, but with no significant difference on the content of galuteolin. By means of drying by microwave heating and drying in drum, the samples showed higher contents of chlorogenic acid, respectively 3.67% and 3.39%. The similarities of HPLC fingerprints were 0.815 and 0.793, respectively. By means of the drying in baking shop and the drying with sulphur fumigation, the contents of chlorogenic acid in the samples were 2. 87% and 2. 53% , respectively. The similarities of HPLC fingerprints were 0.964 and 0.765, respectively. The lowest content of chlorogenic acid in naturally dried samples was 1.92%. The similarity of HPLC fingerprints was 0.940. According to the findings as well as the internal control standards for Lonicerae Japonicae Flos herbs of Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd. , the optimum processing method for Lonicerae Japonicae Flos from Donghai cultivation base was the drying in baking shop. This study provided a theoretical basis for determining the processing method for Lonicerae Japonicae Flos from Donghai cultivation base of Jiangsu Province.
China ; Desiccation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Lonicera ; chemistry ; growth & development ; Quality Control

Objective To study multiple cytokine mRNA expressions of bone marrow stromal cells in patients with multiple myeloma(MM),as well as to explore the role of these cytokines in the occurrence and development of MM.Methods Semi-quantitiative RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of IL- 1?,IL-6,SCF,TPO.Results The mRNA expression levels of IL-1? and IL-6 were higher than that of nor- mal controls and other hematological malignancies(P

Objective To explore the feasibility of employing a risk category system in evaluating the treatment outcome of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated by intensitymodulated radiation therapy (IMRT) alone,and offering evidence for relevant perspective studies.Methods Totally 185 locoregionally advanced NPC patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups for evaluation and comparison.The patients who met at least one of the following criteria were defined as high-risk group and others as low-risk group:GTVnx ＞ 30 cm3;Clinical stage T4N2M0;multiple neck node metastases with 1 node size ＞4 cm,and N3 with any T stage.Results With a median follow up of 110.9 months (6.7-152.4 months),the 5-year overall survival,locoregional relapse-free survival,distant metastasis-free survival for the high-risk group vs.the low-risk group were 61.0％ vs.90.5％ (x2 =30.298,P＜0.05),78.3％ vs.91.5％ (x2 =6.352,P＜0.05)and 71.6％ vs.92.0％ (x2 =16.346,P ＜0.05).Conclusions As a simple and practicable method,the risk category system is helpful for discriminating locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma with different risk-group of treatment failure and in further perspective clinical research.

Objective To investigate the relationship of albumin levels with the prognosis and severity of illness in elderly sep-sis patients.Methods This was aretrospective study.108 elderly sepsis patients were enrolled from October 2014 to Decem-ber 2015.All patients were divided into survivors group (83 cases)and death group (25 cases)based on the 28-day progno-sis.The differences of clinical data and laboratory were compared between two groups.According to the albumin levels,all patients were divided into three groups,normal albumin group (≥35 g/L,24 cases),and mild hypoproteinemia group (28 g/L≤ALB<35 g/L,52 cases)and severe hypoproteinemia group (<28 g/L,32 cases),respectively.The mortality rate was compared in the groups.Spearman Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze ALB and other factors.Results In all 108 pa-tients,the 28-day mortality rate was 23.1%,and 77.8% of the patients with hypoproteinemia.ALB level [31.7 (28.3~35.7)g/L vs 25.8 (21.7~31.8)g/L,P<0.001]and Hb [128 (110~140)g/L vs 102 (84~132)g/L,P=0.015]in death group were significant lower than that in survival group.Meanwhile,APACHE II scores [20 (18~23)vs 22 (19~24),P=0.015]and SOFA score [6 (5~6)vs 6 (6~7),P<0.001]were higher than that in survival group.The mortality decreased with the increase of ALB level (43.8% vs 21.2% vs 0%,P<0.05).ALB had a negative correlation with APACHEⅡ score (r=-0.190,P=0.049)and coma (r=-0.311,P=0.001),and had a positive correlation with Hb (r=0.449,P<0.001).Conclusion The incidence of hypoproteinemia was high in elderly sepsis patients.ALB level was associated with prognosis and severity of illness among the patients.

Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Neck Injuries ; Vertigo

Objective To explore the effects of forepaw sensorimotor deprivation in early life on hippocampus-dependent spatial reference learning and memory in rats. Methods Newborn SD rats were randomly assigned to experiment group (deprivation of forepaw sensorimotor function, n=53) and control group(n=55). Rats of postnatal day 13 (PN13) in experiment group were seleeted, and models of forepaw sensorimotor deprivation were established by microsurgical technique. Open field tests and Morris water maze tests were performed during the time periods of PN25(PN21-31), PN35 (PN31-39), PN45(PN41-50) and PN60(PN56-64) to evaluate the locomotor activity and spatial reference learning and memory, respectively. Results In open field tests, there was no significant difference in parameters of locomotor activity and exploratory behavior between the two groups (P>0.05). In Morris water maze tests, eontrol group performed significantly better than experiment group during training sessions and probe tests on PN25 and PN35 (P<0.05). While on PN45, although there was no significant difference between the two groups during training sessions, control group performed significantly better than experiment group during probe tests (P<0.05). Conclusion The deprivation of forepaw sensorimotor in early life has no signifieant effect on the locomotor activity and exploratory behavior of rats, but can impair the spatial reference learning and memory.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the changes of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activation in lung tissues and expression of cytokines in homogenate from lung tissues in infant rabbits with mechanical ventilation (MV) caused lung injury.

METHODSForty-five general grade healthy infant rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) CONTROL: with no MV (NMV, n = 9); (2): Conventional MV (CMV, n = 9): V(T) = 8 ml/kg; (3): MV with large tidal volume (V(T)) (LMV, n = 9), V(T) = 24 ml/kg. NF-kappaB activity in nuclear protein from lung tissues was measured with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA); quantity of IkappaBalpha in cellular plasma from lung tissues was analyzed with Western blotting method; TNF-alpha and IL-8 mRNA and their concentrations in homogenate were measured from lung tissues with RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively.

RESULTSAt all time points NF-kappaB activity was higher in LMV than that in CMV and NMV groups (P < 0.01). Quantity of IkappaBalpha decreased progressively in LMV with time (P < 0.01) as compared to CMV and NMV. The expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-8 and their protein quantity in lung tissues significantly increased in LMV after ventilation compared to that in CMV and NMV (P < 0.01). The expression level of TNF-alpha reached its peak at 4 hrs and IL-8 at 6 hrs after ventilation then TNF-alpha decreased significantly at 6 hrs after ventilation. Pathological examination of the lung tissues showed that as MV extended over the time in LMV, alveolar structures were severely destroyed and large number of WBC infiltrated in both alveolar sacs and pulmonary interstitia with RBC leakage. However, there was less lung injury in CMV and no obvious injury in NMV.

CONCLUSIONSIkappaBalpha degradation and NF-kappaB activation were involved in modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in lung tissues during the occurrence of lung injury caused by injuring MV.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Interleukin-8 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tidal Volume ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury ; metabolism