Aged ; Anthracosis ; complications ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; complications

Aged ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; complications ; Male ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; microbiology

AIM: To investigate the role of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the growth of Müller cells using a co-culture system in vitro . METHODS: Müller cells were cocultured with RPE cells under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions in Transwell chamber culture system. Müller cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. The number of cells which migrate through micropores and stay on the outer bottom side of insert systems were observed and counted. RESULTS: The activities of proliferation and migration of Müller cells when cocultured with RPE cells were significantly higher than those of the Müller cells when cultured alone at all time points under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. However, for both the coculture and control groups, there is no significant difference between the measurements at 3 and 6 hours. CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests that RPE, when co-cultured with Müller cells, can stimulate migration and proliferation of Müller cells under both hypoxic and normoxic conditions in a time-dependent manner; how-ever, there is no evidence to support the synergetic interaction of RPE and Müller cells co-cultured under hypoxic conditions.

To set standards for histomorphological studies on Lysimachia fortunei, an efficacious and widely applied folk medicine in this study, in order to develop its resources. Its species were identified by observing plant morphology and herbs appearance characters, preparing slices with routine methods and defining structural characters. According to the results of morphologic observation, leaves, stamen and pistil of this plant were different from the descriptions in Flora of China. The whole herb can be used in medicines, mainly including rhizomes, stems and leaves. According to the findings in the first study on microscopic structures, its rhizomes, stems and leaves were characteristic and worth identifying. The transaction tissue structures of rhizomes and stems were under developed and contained endodermis, secretory structures; Stems had sclerenchymata of different shapes of sclereids; Leaves were bifacial and had vascular bundles under midribs, which were surrounded by parenchymal sheathes. On the surface of leaves, stomata, glandular hairs and keratin lines were morphologically different in upper and lower epidermis. The herbal power had glandular hairs, sclereids and vessels. In conclusion, herbs of L. fortunei can be identified by the above histomorphological characteristics, which lays a foundation for further development and application of L. fortunei.
Medicine, Traditional ; Plant Leaves ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plant Stems ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Plants, Medicinal ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; Primulaceae ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development

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 evaluate the clinical efficacy of standardized house dust mite allergen specific immunotherapy (SIT) for rhinitis and asthma in children. Methods Forty-two children with allergic rhinitis and asthma who received a standardized house dust mite allergen SIT in our hospital were enrolled in our study. The result of allergen skin prick test, serum specific IgE levels (sIgE) of house dust mite and dust mite,pulmonary function and symptom scores were analysed before and at one year after treatment in all children. Results Skin indexes of house dust mite and dust mite, symptom score were significantly decreased at one year after treatment,but the levels of house dust mite and dust mite sIgE,lung function test (FVC,FEVt,MEF25-75) showed no significant differences. Conclusion Children with allergic rhinitis and asthma have significant improvements in their skin sensitivity and clinical symptoms by given SIT for one year,but the impact of SIT on airway inflammation needs further observation.

Objective To investigate the effect of comprehensive intervention therapy of reducing fat on sex hormone and growth hormone(GH) in adolescent girl students with simple overweight and obesity.Methods Girl students with simple obesity were accepted a comprehensive measures composed of aerobicexercise,reasonable diet,behavior modification for 10 monthes,and their sex hormone and GH were detected and analyzed before,during and after test respectively.Results GH and estradiol(E_2) levels were significantly lower in obese subjects than those in normal subjects,but the level of testosterone(T) was highter,and GH and E_2 were increased obviously after reducing fat.Level of T decreased significantly(P

Objective:to do clinical study on effect of sleep-related behavior modification and relaxation training on insomnia.Method:44 outclinic patients with insomnia received sleep-related behavior modification and relaxation training for 8 weeks. Using self-designed inventory to assess the outcome.Result:the time of sleep increased since the third week, and increased continuously. After the intervention, the rate of satisfaction about sleep increased from 23% at the baseline to 86.1%. 36 of the 44 patients completed the 8-week clinical study. Conclusion:sleep-related behavior modification and relaxation training can improve sleep of patients with insomnia.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of the Pro12Ala variant in peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) gene with rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODSThe genotypes of the Pro12Ala variant in the PPAR gamma gene were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 421 unrelated subjects of the Han population in the Sichuan Province of China, including 207 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis and 214 subjects without the disease. The clinical data were also collected and analyzed.

RESULTSThe allele frequencies in the case and control groups were 98.79%, 95.79% for allele P and 1.21%, 4.21% for allele A; the genotype frequencies were 97.58% and 91.59% for PP, 2.42% and 8.41% for PA, and 0 for AA. The A allele frequency was much lower in the RA group than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONThe above data showed that the Pro12Ala variant of the PPAR gamma was associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The A allele might be a protective factor for RA. The Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPAR gamma gene in Sichuan Han population is similar to that in other populations in China, but different from that in European and American populations.

Adult ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

BACKGROUND: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) have low immunogenicity and it is unclear whether insulin producing cells (IPCs) that differentiate from hUC-MSCs have low immunogenicity. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the immunogenicity of IPCs differentiating from hUC-MSCs in vitro and after IPCs transplantation into the host. METHODS: (1) The hUC-MSCs were induced to differentiate into IPCs according to the modified scheme. Flow cytometry assay was used to detect the immunophenotype and apoptotic rate of IPCs in a cytotoxicity test. (2) Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the proliferative capacity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the one-way mixed lymphocyte assay. (3) The IPCs were then transplanted into the abdominal cavity and left renal capsule of mice, and then the infiltration of immune cells was detected by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The IPCs highly expressed HLA-ABC and lowly expressed HLA-DR, CD40 and CD80. The apoptosis rate of IPCs increased with the increase of pre-sensitized splenocytes in the cytotoxicity test. In the one-way mixed lymphocyte assay, IPCs inhibited the proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells when the target ratio was 10:1 and 50:1. After IPCs transplantation, the number of lymphocytes was increased in the transplanted site. In summary, our results show that IPCs that differentiate from hUC-MSCs maintain low immunogenicity in vitro,but have some immunogenicity after transplantation into the host due to microenvironment changes.