Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; omega-Conotoxins ; pharmacology

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; methods

Objective To develop a simple, rapid, accurate method to determine selenium in human hair. Methods Digested in the superior grade pure nitric acid, Ni(NO3)2?6H2O was used as the improver and the content of selenium in the hair samples was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. Results Under the designed standard conditions, the detection limit was 0.004 mg/L, in the range of 0.008-0.04 mg/L, the linearity relevance coefficient of absorbency and concentration was 0.996 9, the RSD was 3.7%. At the level of 0.01 mg/L, the recovery rates were 93.8%-98.8%. Conclusion The method is simple, rapid, accurate and is suitable for the determination of selenium in the hair.

Objective To determine the influence of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) on bone density, protein level of skeletal muscle and relative cytokine of osteoporotic rats. Methods Six-month-old SD rats were shamed as control (8 rats) or were ovariectomized (24 rats). The ovariectomized (16 rats) +TGP low dose and high dose group were treated with 50 mg/(kg?d) TGP and 150 mg/(kg?d) TGP respectively for 12 weeks. After the animals were sacrificed, IL-6, TNF-?, IGF-1, TGF-? in serum, protein level of skeletal muscle in right quadriceps femoris, and bone density of right femur and lumbar vertebra were determined. Results Compared with the ovariectomized group, the bone density and the protein level of skeletal muscle in TGP group increased significantly from the baseline (P

The directed molecular evolution of enzyme in vitro can not only improve the efficiency of evolution, but also evolve enzyme according to the investigator's desire. This review summed up the feasible methods of this novel technique.

OBJECTIVETo observe the correlation between constitution of yin deficiency syndrome (YDS) and polymorphism of HLA-DQA1/treatment response of Peg-lFNalpha therapy in HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and to explore constitution of Chinese medicine (CM) in response of interferon therapy.

METHODSTotally 120 HBeAg positive CHB patients who were treated with Peg-IFNalpha were enrolled, and assigned to YDS group (59 cases) and non-YDS group (61 cases) according to classification of CM constitutions. All patients were subcutaneously injected with Peg-IFNalpha-2b (1.0 microg/kg body weight) or Peg-IFNalpha-2a (180 microg), once per week. Effective efficacy was primarily judged when complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) was obtained at month 6. Those with CR or PR completed 1 year therapeutic course. HLA-DQA1 gene types were detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The distribution difference of CM constitutions in patients with CR or PR and their inter-group HLA-DQA1 allele frequency were compared.

RESULTSDifferent treatment responses of Peg-IFNalpha were observed in CHB patients of two different CM constitutions. The ratio of CR + PR was 61.0% (36/59) in YDS group, obviously lower than that in NYDS group [78.7% (48/61), P < 0. 05]. Patients with CR had a lower allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 than those with no-response [14.8% (8/54) vs. 30.6% (22/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Patients with CR had a higher allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0601 than those with no-response [18.5% (10/54) vs. 5.6% (4/72)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0301 was lower in YDS group than in non-YDS group [2. 5% (3/118) vs. 9.8% (12/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). The allele frequency of HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was higher in YDS group than in non-YDS group [33.9% (40/118) vs. 18.9% (23/122)] with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Yet statistical significance was lost after adjustment (Pc > 0.05 for both).

CONCLUSIONSBoth constitutions of CM and HLA-DQA1 gene polymorphism af- fect HBeAg positive CHB patients' response to Peg-INFalpha. Constitutions of YDS and HLA-DQA1 * 0501 was not favorable to response, their association needed to be further studied.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Gene Frequency ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Remission Induction ; Yin Deficiency ; genetics

Objective To study the clinicopathological and imaging features,key points of diagnosis and prognosis of endolymphatic sac tumor.Methods Seven cases of endolymphatic sac tumor were studied with routine histopathological,immunohisochemical staining and CT,MRI scanning.Patients' prognosis and life quality were aesessed by follow-up.Results The clinical symptoms of patients were progressive sensorineural deafness,tinnitus,vertigo and affection of cranial nerves.CT revealed reticular of moth-eaten bony destruction of the petrosal region,and MRI revealed a region of high-signal intensity void of vascular flowing signals.The histopathologic examination of the tumor presented a papillary-cystic pattern.The tumor cells were round or cubaid in shapen,with nuclei in similar shape and size.There were cyst-like structares filled mith pinkish gelatinous.Tumor cells were roundor cuboid in shape,and some of them contained clear cytofrlasm.There was materials,which were stained strongly with PAS.Hemorrhage,cholesterol crystal and foreign body giant cells were found in the tumor stroma with abundant small blood vessels and extravasation of blood,cells with intracellular hematin,and giant cells collagen.There was also proliferation of fibrous connective tissues.Necrosis and bone destruction were also found in some cases.Immunohistochemical results showed that CK and NSE were positive in all the tumors,and CD56 and S-100 were positive in part of cases,GFAP,EMA,CgA,TG and Syn were negative in all the specimens.One patient had received radiotherapy after partial resection.Relapse occurred only in one patient two years after the first surgery,and no metastasis or relapse occurred in the rest of patients.Conclusions Endolymphatic sac tumor is a rare neoplasm.The diagnosis relies mainly on histopathological and immunohisochemical findings.The patients often have good prognosis.

AIM: To analyze the characteristics of neurological ophthalmology manifestation of patients with neurosyphilis. · METHODS: Retrospective and nonrandomized case analysis were used. Totally 22 cases of 39 eyes were included. They were 17 males and 5 females, aged from 34 to 65 years old. The average age were 49. 6 years old. ·RESULTS: The optic nerve atrophy presented in 11 cases of 22 eyes. One eye of them accompanied by left eye oculomotor nerve palsy;5 eyes in 3 cases expressed as optic neuritis acute phase;neuroretinitis appeared in 4 cases of 6 eyes; 1 case of 2 eyes expressed as chorioretinitis accompanied by optic disc edema; central retinal artery occlusion were found in 1 case of 1 eye. Argyll-Robertson pupil was as only manifestation in 2 cases of 3 eyes. In all cases, Argyll-Robertson pupil signs can be seen in 19 eyes. Treponema pallidum particle agglutination test ( TPPA) were positive in all 22 cases. Syphilis rapid plasma reactin test ( RPR ) were positive in 19 of 21 cases. All patients underwent lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid were detected for RPR, cerebrospinal fluid protein, white blood cell count. Cerebrospinal fluid RPR were positive in 13 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid protein were greater than 450mg/L in 18 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count were greater than 5/mm3 in 13 cases. · CONCLUSION: Neurosyphilis involving neuro -ophthalmology often occurs in middle-aged men and subacute onset. Both eyes can suffered from optic nerve disease simultaneously or sequencely. A few can be expressed as other cranial nerve palsy, which may lead to misdiagnosis. Considering medical history, clinical manifestations, ophthalmic examination, serum and cerebrospinal fluid laboratory tests can improve the diagnostic rate.

Accidents, Occupational ; Construction Industry ; Humans ; Occupational Health

Adult ; Aluminum Silicates ; toxicity ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mining ; Occupational Exposure ; Prevalence ; Silicosis ; epidemiology