Objective To determine the protein expression of P14ARF,MDM2 and mutant type P53 (P53mt) in skin specimens of coal-burning-type of endemic arseniasis patients and to reveal the molecular mechanism of the disease.Methods Sixty skin specimens from 60 endemic arseniasis patients including 35 of skin lesions patients,19 of precancerous lesion and 6 of skin cancer and 9 normal skin specimens from non-cancer patients were studied.Expression of P14~,MDM2 and P53mt was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using corresponding monoclonal antibodies.Results There was significant difference in the positive rates of P14ARF,MDM2 and P53mt among the 4 groups(x2 =9.39,6.21,20.64,all P ＜ 0.05).The positive rates of P14ARF in precancerous lesion and skin cancer specimens were 46.1％ (6/19) and 33.3％ (2/6),respectively,which were significantly lower than that of the normal skin specimens [88.9％(8/9),all P ＜ 0.05].Decreased expression of P14ARF was correlated with the development of dermopathy (P ＜ 0.05).The positive rates of MDM2 and P53mt in skin lesions,precancerous lesion and skin cancer specimens were 54.2％ ( 19/35 ),63.2％ (10/19),66.7％ (4/6) and 25.7％(9/35),73.7％(14/19),83.3％(5/6),respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the control (0,0,all P＜ 0.05).The expression of MDM2 and P53mt increased with the development of dermopathy(all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions P53mt protein in skin tissue of coal-burning-type of endemic arseniasis patients is over expressed.Abnormal expression of P14ARF and MDM2 may be one of the reasons lead to abnormal cell cycle control disorders and may play a role in the development of endemic arseniasis.

Objective To investigate the levels of serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and relationships with c1inicopatho1ogica1 characteristics and their clinical significance. Methods The concentrations of serum VEGF and bFGF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) in 40 patients with NSCLC before and after chemotherapy. Results The level of serum VEGF in patients with Ⅳ stage NSCLC was significantly higher than that of Ⅲ stage(P

Objective To investigate the state of drinking water defluorination project in Dagang district and study urinary fluoride levels and detect dental fluorosis of children aged 8 to 12, and to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of fluorosis. Methods Five defluorination projects in rural streets (towns) with highfluoride water and 2 urban water supply projects were choosen to investigate the running status in Dagang district Tianjin in 2009. Five rural and 2 urban schools were choosen to select 100 children aged 8 to 12 (for gender, age matched) in each primary school to study urinary fluoride levels and detection of dental fluorosis. Results A total of 66 defluorination projects in 73 villages were surveyed, among which 61 projects actually worked normally with using rate 92.4%(61/66). Water qualification of all projects could not be ensured due to direct project managers'lack of necessary expertise. In 2009, water qualification rate were 39.3%(24/61 )among the project normally used,with highlighted problem of biological pollution. A total of 490 children aged 8 - 12 in 5 rural towns were surveyed,dental fluorosis rate were 90%(441/490), and dental fluorosis index were 1.82. A total of 207 children aged 8 - 12in 2 urban areas were surveyed, the detection rate of dental fluorosis was 49.8%(103/207), and dental fluorosis index were 0.86. The urinary fluoride level of 230 children aged 8 - 12 in the 5 villages were surveyed. The Range of geometric mean of urinary fluoride were 1.82 - 2.70 mg/L. The urinary fluoride of 102 children aged 8 - 12 in the 2 urban area were surveyed. The Range of geometric mean of urinary fluoride were 1.53 - 1.72 mg/L. Conclusions There was phenomenon of high coverage, low utilization rate and less water consumption in the villages of Dagang district, Tianjin drinking water defluoridation projects, thus the health effects of the projects was minimum.Significant health effects is found in the defluorination projects in the urban areas with high coverage and high utilization rate. Studying new water improvment methods and new forms of water supply system is urgent for solving the problems met in the ineffective water defluorination project.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of decitabine (DAC) on proliferation and apoptosis of leukemia NB4 and K562 cells. The proliferation inhibition of DAC on NB4 and K562 cells was detected by Trypan blue staining. After treatment of DAC at different concentrations, the changes of cell cycle and CD11b expression was determined by flow cytometry. The cell morphological changes were observed by Wright's staining. The DNA ladder was used to detect cell apoptosis. The results indicated that DAC significantly inhibited the proliferation of NB4 and K562 cells in dose-and time-dependent manner. The median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DAC-treated NB4 and K562 cells for 72 h was 0.113 µmol/L and 0.138 µmol/L, respectively. After treating these two cell lines with DAC at different concentration for 72 h, the cell ratio in G0/G1 phase significantly increased, while the cell ratio in S phase obviously decreased in 0.15 µmol/L DAC group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of myeloid differentiation antigen CD11b of both cell lines significantly increased in contrast to the control group (P < 0.05). The cell morphology detected by Wright's staining displayed partial differentiation and apoptosis after treating NB4 and K562 cells with DAC for 48 h. Typical apoptotic DNA ladder was observed in 0.15 µmol/L DAC group at 48 h. It is concluded that DAC can inhibit NB4 and K562 cell proliferation, induce cell differentiation and apoptosis, but more obviously for NB4 cells.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Azacitidine ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of melatonin (MT) on the abnormal reactivity of thoracic aorta and pulmonary artery induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups randomly: (1) Vehicle group; (2) LPS group: LPS (4 mg/kg, i.p.); (3) LPS+MT group: MT (5 mg/ml, i.p.) was given 30 min before LPS and 60 min after LPS (4 mg/kg ,i.p); (4) MT group: received two doses of MT, 90 min after the first injection of MT another dose of MT was given. Six hours after LPS injection,the rats were killed and both thoracic aortic rings (TARs) and pulmonary artery rings (PARs)were prepared. The reactivity of TARs and PARs in the four subgroups was tested separately. The contraction response to phenylephrine (PE) and the endothelium-dependent relaxation response (EDRR) to ACh were observed with the isolated artery ring technique. Concentration-response curves were generated with ACh or PE (1 x 10(-8) - 1 x 10(-5) mol/L). Superoxide dismutes (SOD) activity and the content of malondialhyde (MDA) in artery tissues were detected. For TARs, LPS significantly reduced the contraction response to PE compared with the vehicle group (P<0.01) and the curve of cumulative dose responses to PE in the LPS group shifted downward. Although EDRR to ACh in the LPS group had the tendency to decrease but still showed no significant difference compared with the vehicle group (P>0.05). For PARs, EDRR to ACh was depressed significantly in the LPS group (P<0.01), while no effect on contraction response to PE in the LPS group was observed, compared with the vehicle group (P> 0.05). Compared with the LPS group, TARs in the LPS+MT group exhibited an increased contraction response to PE, but were still lower than that in the vehicle group. Similarly, EDRR to ACh of PARs in the LPS+MT group was improved significantly and there was no difference between the LPS+MT group and the vehicle group. The vascular reactivity was unaffected in MT group compared with the vehicle group in both TARs and PARs. SOD activity in the LPS +MT group increased significantly and the content of MDA decreased markedly compared with the LPS group. These results suggest that MT may improve the vascular reactivity in endotoxemia rats due to its antioxidant properties.
Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; physiopathology ; Endotoxemia ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Pulmonary Artery ; physiopathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo analyze the differential proteomics in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) induced by chemical hypoxia-mimetic agent cobalt chloride (CoCl(2)) by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass-spectrometry.

METHODS2-DE was performed to separate proteins from treated and untreated human umbilical cord MSC with CoCl(2). 2-DE images were analyzed by ImageMaster 2D Platinum software 6.0. The differential expressed proteins was identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. The differential proteins were classified based on their functions.

RESULTS2-DE reference patterns of CoCl(2) treated human umbilical cord MSC were established. A total of twenty-six differential proteins were identified, of them eleven proteins were up-regulated and fifteen down-regulated. Their biological functions involved in carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism and modification, lipid metabolism, coenzyme and prosthetic group metabolism, cell cycle, immunity and defense, cell structure and motility, signal transduction, protein targeting and localization, neuronal activities, muscle contraction, etc. Peroxiredoxin1 (Prdx) was down-regulated, whereas alpha-enolase (ENO1) and vesicle amine transport protein 1 homolog (VAT1) up-regulated.

CONCLUSIONThe effects of hypoxia on human umbilical cord MSC were participated by multiple proteins and involved in multiple functional pathways.

Cobalt ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo analyze the improper pattern in mandarin monosyllable recognition test among the patients with Auditory Neuropathy (AN) in order to work out the common characteristics in speech recognition which might be suitable for diagnosis of AN.

METHODSSixteen AN patients (32 ears) were studied and 22 patients (32 ears) with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were set for control. In accordance with audiogram pattern, all subjects were then divided into the up-type hearing (15 ears) and non up-type hearing (17 ears) groups. All 64 ears were tested in high intensity by mandarin monosyllable test material which we have developed before. Monosyllable performance scores from testing ears and improper patterns were recorded respectively. Eight improper patterns were then defined as follows: consonant only, vowel only, tone only, consonant and vowel, consonant and tone, vowel and tone, all phonemes and no response.

RESULTSThe score of patients with AN was lower than those patients with SNHL in monosyllable recognition test (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found between subgroup of up-type hearing loss and SNHL group in percentage correct scores of monosyllables, consonants, vowels, and tones statistically (P > 0.05), but significant lower score was found in subgroup of non up-type hearing loss compared with SNHL group in these 4 percentage scores concerned (P < 0.001). Chi square test presented a significant difference in improper pattern proportion between AN and SNHL groups (P < 0.001), which could be related to more proportional tone recognition in the former's incorrect items. Improper pattern proportions between two AN subgroups presented a significant difference statistically (P < 0.001), which could be related to a larger proportional recognition of tones and vowels in subgroup of up-type hearing loss compared with subgroup of non up-type hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONSA poor performance might be a major clinical feature identified AN from SNHL in mandarin tone recognition. There are significant differences between AN patients with up-type hearing loss and patients with non up-type hearing loss in performance of monosyllable recognition and improper pattern proportion of tones and vowels. A psychophysical testing may be a key potential in diagnosis of AN in further clinical application.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Audiometry, Speech ; Child ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Central ; physiopathology ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Language ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Speech Perception ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo develop a set of Mandarin monosyllabic list for the goal to use as a standardized speech recognition assessment tool in China with sufficient validity, reliability and sensitivity.

METHODSThirty lists were designed based on the following criteria: efficiency, phonemic-balance, familiarity and coverage, while each list was designed corresponding to 25 monosyllables. These lists were read by a male broadcaster, recorded digitally and composed into compact disc. Our work consisted of three phases. Phase I: Sixty adults with normal hearing were recruited from Beijing to repeat as many syllables which they heard as possible. According to the randomized block design, 30 lists were presented with 6 intensities including -1 dB, 5 dB, 11 dB, 15 dB, 21 dB and 27 dB HL(speech). The lists and intensities were counterbalanced across all participants. Recognition scores in individual intensities for each list were calculated, and then logistic regression was utilized to fit Performance-Intensity (P-I) function. Two-way (list No. and Intensity) repeated measurement analysis of variance and Post-Hoc Tukey HSD test indicated that 22 lists were equivalent. Phase II: Twenty-two oral/aural normal adults were recruited to assess monosyllable recognition scores with the 22 equivalent lists at 10 dB HL(Speech), according to the Latin-Square design. Tests were administered twice for all participants with the same procedure and situation during 6 to 35 day intervals. The differences in scores (after a "rationalized" arcsine transformation) among 22 lists across over the two sessions is 9.3%, the data were collected from 22 participants, the measurement error was calculated by SD (standard deviation), the critical difference (CD) for test score improvement was 18.3% (determined as SD x 1.96, in 95% confidence level). Phase III: Eighteen participants with sensorineural hearing loss were recruited to assess recognition perception using 18 equivalent monosyllable lists at 30 dB suprathreshold based on Latin-Square design. Tests were administered twice by using the same procedure and situation within 1 to 16 day intervals. The same approach in Phase II was utilized to calculate SD (8.3%). The CD was calculated as 16.3% (in 95% confidence level).

RESULTSA set of standardized Mandarin recognition assessment material had been developed and it consisted of 22 equivalent phonemic-balanced lists with 25 monosyllables each. Approximately, every single list took 2 minutes, and thus it might be appropriate for clinical assessment. The P-I functions reveal that the recognition threshold was (8.30 +/- 0.84) dB HL(speech) and the slope of PI functions was (4.0 +/- 0.3)%/dB for adults with normal hearing. When a set of Mandarin monosyllable lists was utilized as an assessment tool, the critical difference of 18.3% (for normal-hearing adults) and 16.3% (for hearing-impaired adults) would be a key for clinicians to assess the improvement of speech recognition ability appropriately with statistically significance.

CONCLUSIONIn this study, a new Mandarin monosyllabic lists has been successfully developed with a sufficient validity, reliability and sensitivity for clinical evaluations, thus it might be convenience and helpful to be used as a standardized speech recognition assessment tool in China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Audiometry, Speech ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phonetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Speech Articulation Tests ; Speech Discrimination Tests ; Young Adult

The present study aimed to determine the role of tissue injury in migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) intravenously transplanted into heart and to establish experimental basis for improving stem cell therapy in its targeting and effectiveness. MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of male Sprague-Dawley rats and purified by density centrifuge and adhered to the culture plate in vitro. Female rats were divided randomly into four groups. Myocardial ischemia (MI) transplanted group received MSCs infusion through tail vein 3 h after MI and compared with sham-operated group or normal group with MSCs infusion, or control group received culture medium infusion. MI was created in female rats by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery. The heart was harvested 1 week and 8 weeks after transplantation. The characteristics of migration of MSCs to heart were detected with expression of sry gene of Y chromosome by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Ultrastructural changes of the ischemic myocardium of the recipient rats were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). One week or 8 weeks after transplantation, sry positive cells were observed in the cardiac tissue in both of MI transplanted group and sham-operated group, the number of sry positive cells being significantly higher in MI transplanted group (P<0.01). No significant difference was found in the number of sry positive cells between 1 week and 8 weeks after transplantation. No sry positive cells were observed in the hearts of control and normal group. In addition, the ultrastructure of some cells located in the peri-infarct area of MI rats with MSCs transplantation was similar to that of MSCs cultured in vitro. These results indicate that MSCs are capable of migrating towards ischemic myocardium in vivo and the fastigium of migration might appear around 1 week after MI. The tissue injury and its degree play an important role in the migration of MSCs.
Animals ; Cell Movement ; Cell Tracking ; Female ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Myocardial Ischemia ; therapy ; Myocardium ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) for its better understanding. Methods The clinical manifestations and endocrine alterations were analyzed retrospectively in 2 PSIS cases, and the literatures concerning this disease were reviewed. Results Both of the 2 adult patients had definite history of head injuries, and one of them exhibited nervous system sequelae. The diagnoses remained erroneous for 15 and 2 years, respectively. This disease was characterized by gradual clinical hypopituitarism, and both of the 2 patients were admitted for pituitary crisis, which occurred for several times in 1 case;neither of the patients had diabetes insipidus. Endocrine examination suggested hypofunction of the thyroid gland, sexual gland and adrenal glands due to hypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed pituitary atrophy, pituitary stalk interruption and posterior lobe hyperintensity in the infundibular recess. So far only 2 juvenile cases of traumatic PSIS were reported, which had distinct differences from early-onset PSlS and from simple traumatic hypopituitarism without pituitary stalk interruption. Conclusion Traumatic PSIS is a rare clinical entity. In cases of endocrine alterations following head injury, traumatic PSIS might be suspected and appropriate treatment should be administered.