Adult ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; complications ; Humans ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; complications

Objective To report a case of deep mycosis caused by Rhizomucor chlamydosporus. Methods Medical history,histopathology and laboratory examination were investigated,and fungal identifi- cation by microscopy and culture as well in the patient.Results The patient,a 41-year-old male,initially presented with mild-tender and progressively aggravating masses on the right glutea,both groins,and back of the head of pancreas.Later,ulcer,necrosis,and black crusts developed at the primary lesions accompanied with nausea,vomitting and dysfunction of liver.Pathological examination revealed a chronic granuloma- tous inflammation in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue;and branching,nonseptate and broad hyphae in multinuclear giant cells,tissue spaces and blood vessel lumens,and,few PAS-positive septate hyphae as well as basophilic chlamydospores located in multinuclear giant cells.The isolate was identified as R. chlamydosporus.Conclusions The case of deep mycosis caused by R.chlamydosporus began with invasive granuloma,followed by necrotic ulcer,with condition aggravating rapidly,and the patient finally died of se- rious cachexia.

OBJECTIVESTo detect CEA mRNA levels in benign and malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions and evaluate their clinical significance.

METHODSSamples of pleural and peritoneal effusions from 58 patients with malignant diseases and 76 patients with benign diseases were collected and total RNAs were prepared and subjected to real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR to determine the CEA mRNA levels in these samples. The positive rate of this examination was compared with that of shed cell pathological examination.

RESULTSNineteen samples (32.8%) of pleural and peritoneal effusions from the 58 patients with malignant diseases showed positive results in shed cell examination, while the number of CEA mRNA >1 CN was 46 (79.3%) (chi(2) = 21.81, P = 0.000). Nineteen samples of pleural and peritoneal effusions from the 76 patients with benign diseases showed CEA mRNA > 1 CN (25.0%), which was significantly different from that of the patients with malignant diseases (chi(2) = 38.85, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONCEA mRNA levels in pleural and peritoneal effusions can be quantified by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, which is more sensitive than shed cell pathological examination. This technique is helpful in discrimination of benign and malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions.

Ascitic Fluid ; chemistry ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; genetics ; Female ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pleural Effusion ; chemistry ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods

Baculoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism

AIMTo study the effect of recombinant hirudin (rH) on tPA-induced fibrinolysis and the possible mechanism of its action.

METHODSThe effect of rH on thrombin-fibrin complex (Th-Fn) was detected by 99mTc labeled rH. In the in vitro clot lysis, tPA as plasminogen activator, and recalcified plasma as plasminogen resource were used to study the influence of rH on fibrinolysis by detecting TAFIa, D-Dimer and FXIII.

RESULTSIn a canine model of femoral artery thrombosis, a clear radioactivity strip was imaged in 30 - 60 min on a part image, and the femoral vein thrombosis developed at 30 min. rH efficiently inhibited clot regeneration. Addition of TM could inhibit clot lysis obviously, and CPI could shorten the delay of clot lysis which due to TAFIa. There was a dose-dependent relationship with TM concentration and TAFI activation. FXIII activation was inhibited by low concentration of rH ( < or = 0.2 u x mL(-1)), and the level of fibrinolysis product, D-Dimer, increased.

CONCLUSIONrH could inhibit the thrombin binding to fibrin. rH inhibited the activation of TAFI and FXIII by combining with thrombin which resulted in enhancement of thrombolysis.

Animals ; Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Carboxypeptidase B2 ; metabolism ; Carboxypeptidases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Dogs ; Factor XIII ; metabolism ; Femoral Artery ; Femoral Vein ; Fibrinolysis ; drug effects ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; pharmacology ; Hirudins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Male ; Plant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Protease Inhibitors ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Thrombomodulin ; metabolism ; Thrombosis ; metabolism ; Venous Thrombosis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 4 (WNK4) gene C1155547T polymorphism is associated with essential hypertension (EH) in Xinjiang Kazakhs and to assess the effect of the interaction between this polymorphism and environment factors on EH.

METHODSThe study covered 556 hypertension patients and 341 normotensive controls. The C1155547T was determined by Taqman probe real-time PCR method. Some biochemical index such as glucose, triglyceride and total cholesterol were also measured. All of these results were analyzed with Logistic regression analysis. Additive model was applied to assess the effect of interaction between the WNK4 gene C1155547T polymorphism and environment factors on hypertension.

RESULTSThe C1155547T polymorphism was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both the case and control groups. There was significant difference in the genotype frequencies (P=0.003). The T allele frequency was significantly higher in the patient group (P=0.002). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the age, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol as well as the CT+TT genotype frequency conferred increased risks for EH. Positive interaction between the C1155547T polymorphism and gender, BMI, glucose was observed. The ORs were 3.85 (95%CI:1.23-12.04), 5.91 (95%CI:1.99-17.57) and 8.77 (95%CI:1.04-73.93), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe result suggested that the exon 7 C1155547T polymorphism in WNK4 gene might be associated with EH in Xinjiang Kazakhs, the T allele might be the risk factor of essential hypertension. There were interactive effects between the WNK4 gene C1155547T polymorphism and gender, BMI and glucose.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore a flow cytometry (FCM)-based method for discriminating aneugen- or clastogen-induced micronuclei.

METHODSCells were stained with anti-CD71-FITC and PI, and the PI fluorescent signal intensity of micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) in the peripheral blood of NIH mouse treated with COL or CP was detected by flow cytometry.

RESULTSThe ratio of the median of the intensity of MN-RET fluorescent signals to that of nucleated cell was low in the cyclophosphamide treated mouse, while the median was high in the colchicine treated mouse.

CONCLUSIONThe flow cytometry-based micronucleus assay can be used to discriminate primarily smaller MN induced by the clastogen exposure from the larger MN induced by an aneugen.

Animals ; Colchicine ; toxicity ; Cyclophosphamide ; toxicity ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Male ; Mice ; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective ; Mutagens ; toxicity ; Reticulocytes ; drug effects ; ultrastructure

Objective To investigate whether G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 gene is associated with essential hypertension in a population with Kazakhs ethnicity,in Xinjiang.Methods This study covered 563 hypertension patients and 346 normotensive controls.The variant of G1155942T was determined by the TaqMan probe real-time PCR method.Some biochemical indices such as glucose (GLU),triglyeeride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were also measured.All of these results were under logistic regression analysis.Addictive model was applied to assess the interactive effects between WNK4 gene G1155942T mutation and environmental factors on hypertension. Results The G1155942T polymorphism was consistent with Hardy-Weinberg expectations in both case and control groups.Genotype and allele frequencies of G1155942T were observed (P=0.004,P=0.003).Data through logistic regression analysis showed that factors as age,BMI,total cholesterol as well as the GT + TT genotype frequencies of Exon 8 G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 were responsible for the increased risks for hypertension.Positive interactions between G1155942T mutation and gender,BMI,GLU,the OR were 3.75 (95% CI:1.19-11.80),5.77 (95% CI:1.93-17.21 ) and 8.67 (95% CI:1.03-72.99),respectively.Conclusion Our result suggested that the Exon 8 G1155942T polymorphism in WNK4 gene was associated with hypertension in the studied Kazakhs ethnic group in Xinjiang and the T allele might be the risk factor for essential hypertension.There were interactive effects between WNK4 gene G1155942T mutation,gender,BMI,and GLU.

In this study, we present a preprocessing method for quadrupole time-of-flight(Q-TOF) tandem mass spectra to increase the accuracy of database searching for peptide (protein) identification. Based on the natural isotopic information inherent in tandem mass spectra, we construct a decision tree after feature selection to classify the noise and ion peaks in tandem spectra. Furthermore, we recognize overlapping peaks to find the monoisotopic masses of ions for the following identification process. The experimental results show that this preprocessing method increases the search speed and the reliability of peptide identification.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the current situation of the sexual transmission of HIV in Dehong prefecture, analyze the influential factors, and provide support for drafting pertinent preventive interventions in the future.

METHODSWe had analyzed the data of case report from 2005 to 2007, and the prostitutes surveillance data from 2003 to 2007. A special survey was conducted from October 26 to November 7, 2007. Totally 685 people including prostitutes, the clients of prostitutes, people who were HIV positive and their partners, key insiders were interviewed in order to better understand the influential factors related to sexual transmission of HIV.

RESULTSAmong 1636 cases reported from January 1 to September 20, 2007, 52% were infected through sexual transmission. Among 586 cases infected through sexual transmission, 40.6% had commercial sexual behavior and 28.6% had unmarried sexual behavior. And the average rate of condom use was below 30%. The prostitutes' surveillance data from 2003 to 2007 showed that the HIV positive rate in prostitutes was 3.3% - 5.5%. The rate of condom use in the last month was 29.4% - 84.4% during commercial sexual activity, but it was 9.5% - 34.8% with fixed sexual partners. Although the rate of HIV and AIDS-related knowledge among prostitutes was 95.0%, there were still many misunderstanding regarding certain aspects of HIV and AIDS awareness.

CONCLUSIONSexual transmission has become one of the main transmission routes of HIV in Dehong prefecture. The main factors involved in the sexual transmission of HIV in Dehong prefecture might include the wide spreading of sexual services, cohabitation among unmarried couples, having multiple partners, casual sexual behavior, and the low rate of condom use.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; epidemiology ; transmission ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Notification ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Sex Work ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; epidemiology ; Social Problems