ObjectiveTo investigate the application value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of shoulder abnormality among patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA).MethodsShoulders of 41 RA patients and 20 healthy volunteers were examined by high frequency ultrasound and physicians.Abnormal ultrasonography and clinical appearance were recorded.Results Abnormalities,such as tendonitis of long head of biceps tendon(14 shoulders),synovitis ( 15 shoulders),rotate cuff degeneration (6 shoulders),bone erosion (25 shoulders) and joint effusion(10 shoulders),were found in RA patients and only 16 shoulders were found abnormal by clinical examination.The positive rate of ultrasound (43.9％) was significantly higher than that of clinical examination (19.5％,P =0.001 ).Only a small amount of effusion was found in tendon sheathes of 2 biceps in the control group.ConclusionsMost of shoulder abnormalities can be detected by ultrasound and the sensitivity of ultrasound is higher than that of clinical examination.Ultrasonography is valuable in the diagnosis of shoulder RA.

Hypoxia-induced 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) is an essential mediator to constrict pulmonary arteries (PA). The signaling pathway involved in 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstriction remains obscure. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that hypoxic PA constriction induced by 15-HETE was possibly regulated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) pathway. PA ring tension measurement, Western blot and immunocytochemistry were used in the study to determine the possible role of ERK1/2 in 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstriction. The organ bath for PA rings tension study was employed. Adult male Wistar rats were raised in hypoxic environment with fractional inspired oxygen (FIO2, 0.12) for 9 d. PA 1~1.5 mm in diameter were dissected and cut into 3 mm long rings for tension study. ERK1/2 up-stream kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059, which blocks the activation of ERK1/2, was used. The results showed that pretreatment of PD98059 significantly blunted 15-HETE-induced PA vasoconstrictions in the rings from hypoxic rat. Moreover, in endothelium-denuded rings, PD98059 also significantly attenuated 15-HETE-induced vasoconstriction. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of rat was enhanced evidently when stimulated by 15-HETE. Thus, the data suggest that ERK1/2 signaling pathway is involved in 15-HETE-induced hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Animals ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids ; antagonists & inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVEUsing high resolution melting (HRM) to analysis MDR1 C3435T in people exposed to benzene.

METHODSRestriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was utilized to detect the polymorphism of MDR1 3435 in 121 benzene-exposed workers, and the results were compared with the HRM in 10% samples and were confirmed with direct sequencing for six people in them.

RESULTSBy direct sequencing, consistent results of benzene-exposed workers with RFLP or HRM were got. The new high resolution melting curve analysis is more efficient, more convenient, and cheaper than RFLP.

CONCLUSIONHigh-resolution melting analysis provides a valid approach to efficiently detect DNA genetic diagnosis, which is suitable for detect susceptible genes in occupational surveillance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; Benzene ; Genotype ; Genotyping Techniques ; methods ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of MDR1 C3435T on the peripheral white blood cell counts in workers exposed to benzene.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-one benzene-exposed workers and 110 healthy controls without benzene exposure were enrolled in this study. White blood cell counts influenced by the polymorphism of MDR1 gene were analyzed.

RESULTSThe frequency of MDR1 3435 C/C, C/T, T/T in healthy controls was 37.27%, 46.36%, 16.37%, respectively, and it was 38.84%, 41.33%, 19.83% in the benzene-exposed workers, respectively. The frequency of the MDR1 gene was also not significantly different between benzene exposed workers and controls. Subjects exposed to benzene with MDR1 3435 mutation genotype (T/T) had the significantly lower WBC [(5.46 ± 1.51) × 10(9)/L] than those carrying wild type (C/C) and heterozygous (C/T), whose WBC were (6.08 ± 1.28) × 10(9)/L (P = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONP-glycoprotein encoded by MDR1 gene may be implicated into the hematotoxicity of benzene. Subjects carrying MDR1 3435 T/T genotype may have a higher risk of benzene poisoning.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; Adult ; Benzene ; adverse effects ; Control Groups ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To observe the effects of Langchuangqing granule on the secretion of IL-6 ,IFN-γin rats spleen lymphocytes and apopto-sis gene p53 , C -myc. Methods Rats were administered with Langchuangqing granule 22.8 g? kg -1 by gavage for 3 days.At the same time, spleen cells were separated in ICR mouse.The large dose group with 90%volume fraction, middle dose group with 50%volume fraction, small dose group with 20% volume fraction, positive drug group with spleen cell suspension plus dexamethasone, control group with of spleen cell suspension plus blank serum were included this study. Spleen lymphocytes in rats were cultured for 24 h in vitro.Levels of IL-6 and IFN-γwere measured by radioimmunoassay in rats spleen lymphocytes supernatant.The expression of apoptosis gene p53 and C -myc were detected by immunohistochemical method.Results Levels of IL-6 and IFN-γwere significantly decreased in serum containing Langchuangqing granule in large, middle dose group and dexamethasone compared with control group. The expression of apoptosis gene p53 was significantly decreased in all groups.The expression of apoptosis gene C-myc were sig-nificantly decreased in the large dose group (P<0.05).Conclusion The mechanism of Langchuangqing granule can inhibite levels of IL-6, IFN-γand the expression of apoptosis gene p53 and C-myc.

Adult ; Balloon Occlusion ; instrumentation ; Cardiac Catheterization ; methods ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Vascular Fistula ; therapy

Adult ; Drainage ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; surgery ; Humans ; Jugular Veins ; Radiography ; Vena Cava, Inferior ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging

AIMTo study the protective effects of phenolic alkaloids from Menispermum dauricum (PAMd) on inflammatory injury following focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

METHODSThe right middle cerebral artery of the rat was occluded by inserting a nylon suture through the internal carotid artery for 2 h, followed by reperfusion by withdrawing the suture. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) was observed by immunohistochemistry staining. The adhesiveness and infiltration of leucocytes were observed by HE staining. The activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the content of nitric oxide (NO) in the cortex and hippocampus were measured.

RESULTSPAMd was shown to markedly inhibit ICAM-1 expression, alleviate the adhesiveness and infiltration of leucocytes, and decrease the MPO activity and the NO content in ischemic cortex and hippocampus.

CONCLUSIONPAMd has protective effects on inflammatory injury following focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by inhibiting ICAM-1 expression, alleviating the adhesiveness and infiltration of leucocytes and decreasing the generation of NO.

Alkaloids ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; Benzylisoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; metabolism ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Leukocytes ; pathology ; Male ; Menispermum ; chemistry ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tetrahydroisoquinolines ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

In genetic modification of plants, once the transformants are obtained, selection markers are no longer required in mature plants. At present, the Cre/lox site-specific recombination system is most widely used to eliminate the selectable marker genes from the transgenic plants. In this study, attempt was made to favour the selection of marker-free plants in the re-transformation method. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) can be directly visualized in living cells, tissues or organisms under UV illumination. This advantage of GFP is exploited in the development of a practical approach in which GFP is used as a visual marker to monitor the removal of the selectable marker gene from transgenic plants. For that purpose, the pGNG binary vector was constructed, in which the GFP gene (gfp) was linked to the expression cassette Nos P-nptII-NosT and the two units were cloned between two directly-orientated lox sites. The CaMV 35S promoter was placed before the first lox site and used to drive GFP expression. The beta-glucuronidase gene (gus) of Escherichia coli was cloned behind the second lox site without a promoter, thus would not be expressed in this position. Tobacco plants were first transformed with pGNG and selected on kanamycin (Kan)-containing media. Regenerated transgenic shoots were readily singled out by GFP fluorescence. The GFP-expressing plants were then re-transformed with pCambia1300-Cre containing hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hpt) as a selectable marker gene. The Cre-mediated recombination resulted in the elimination of lox-flanked genes, herein gfp and nptII, from the plant genome and brought the GUS gene next to the 35S promoter. Our data demonstrated that transgenic plants free of nptII were easily selected by monitoring the loss of green fluorescence, and at the same time, GUS (here as a target protein) was expressed in the nptII-free plants. Finally, hpt and cre were removed from the progenies of the nptII-free plants by gene segregation.
Genetic Markers ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; Plasmids ; Recombination, Genetic ; Tobacco ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of FHIT protein and its potential application in diagnosing classic Hodgkin lymphoma.

METHODSImmunohistochemical study using EnVision method for FHIT tumor suppressor protein, hematopoietic stem cell markers CD133/AC133 and CD34, B-cell marker CD20, T-cell marker CD3 and oncoprotein c-erbB2 was performed on 33 cases of classic Hodgkin lymphoma.

RESULTSThirty-three of the Hodgkin lymphoma cases (90.9%) expressed FHIT protein. The antigen was mainly located in the cytoplasm, nucleus and membrane of classic Reed-Sternberg and Reed-Sternberg-like cells. Normal B and T lymphocytes, as well as their malignant counterparts, were negative for FHIT protein; whereas monocytes, histiocytes and dendritic cells were positive. All the cases studied were negative for CD133/AC133, CD34, CD3 and c-erbB-2. Two of the 33 cases showed positive staining for CD20 in some of the Reed-Sternberg cells.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of FHIT protein can be used as a useful adjunct in diagnosing classic Hodgkin lymphoma.

AC133 Antigen ; Acid Anhydride Hydrolases ; metabolism ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD20 ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytoplasm ; metabolism ; Female ; Glycoproteins ; metabolism ; Hodgkin Disease ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Peptides ; metabolism ; Reed-Sternberg Cells ; metabolism ; Sensitivity and Specificity