Objective To explore the change of serum uric acid(UA) levels in patients with multiple sclerosis(MS) and its clinical significance.Methods A quantitative enzymatic assay according to the manufacturer's protocol was adopted to detect serum UA levels in 43 patients with MS and 45 normal.Results The mean serum UA level in patients with MS was significantly lower in comparison with controls( P

Background Aberrant proliferation of residual lens epithelial cells (LECs) is one of main causes of posterior capsular opacification (PCO).Researches indicated that Wnt3a signaling pathway promote proliferation of epithelial cells,but its effect on LECs is still unclear. Objective The present study was to investigate the effects of Wnt3a on proliferation of human LECs and its mechanism and to provide a new gene target in the prevention and treatment of PCO. Methods Human LECs line (SRA01/04 cells ) was cultured and then incubated to 6-well plate at the density of 4×105/well.A human Wnt3a cDNA expressing vector targeted human LECs was constructed to increase the Wnt3a expression in SRA01/04 cells,and pcDNA3-HA expression vector was used as the control group.The expression of Wnt3a was identified by Western blot assay after transfected.The growth and proliferation of SRA01/04 cells were detected by MTT and flow cytometry (FCM).The expressions of β-catenin,cyclin D1 and c-myc in the cells were detected by Western blot assay.β-Catenin expression was localized using immunofluorescence assay,and the expression and localization of proliferating cell nuclear antigen ( PCNA ) were analyzed by immunocytochemistry for the exploration of the active mechanism of Wnt3a to proliferation of LECs.Results Human Wnt3a cDNA expression vector was designed successfully and transiently transfected to SRA01/04 cells,and Wnt3a/SRA01/04 cells and pcDNA3-HA/SRA01/04 cells were obtained.The expression of Wnt3a was verified in the Wnt3a transfected group compared with the control group.MTT indicated that the cell proliferating rate was significantly different between the Wnt3a transfected group and the control group ( Fgroup =15.235,P =0.005 ;Ftime =369.677,P =0.000),and that in various time points after transfected was significantly different (t =20.843,P=0.001 ;t =26.214,P＜0.001 ;t=25.177,P=0.001 ;t =35.516,P＜0.001 ;t =615.056,P＜0.001 ).The proportion of SRA01/04 cells in G1 phase was 51.74％ in the Wnt3a cDNA transfected group,with a significantly decrease in comparison with 79.44％ of the control group.However,the proportion of SRA01/04 cells in S phase in the Wnt3a cDNA transfected group was higher than that of the control group (36.23％ versus 12.34％ ).The positive expression rate of PCNA protein in SRA01/04 was (47.00％ ±7.58％ ) in the Wnt3a cDNA transfected group and ( 16.00％ ±3.61％ ) in the control group with a significant difference between them (t =8.256,P＜0.01 ).After 48 hours of transfection of the Wnt3a cDNA,the expression amount of β-catenin proteins was higher and the immunofluorescence was stronger in cell nucleus,and the expressions of cyclin D1 and c-myc proteins were elevated in Wnt3a/SRA01/04 cells. Conclusions The overexpression of Wnt3a activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and downregulates the expression of a subset of target genes,including cyclin D1 and c-myc,which plays an important role in promoting the proliferation of human LECs.

To investigate the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of beta-chain hemoglobin fragments, 17 fragments were synthesized by microwave-assisted solid-phase synthesis method. Wang resin or Trt(2-Cl) resin, Fmoc and HBTU-HOBt were used as solid carrier, N-terminal amino acid protecting groups and coupling reagents, respectively. The ACE inhibitory, alpha-glucosidase inhibitory, antibacterial and antitumor activities of the synthesized fragments were assayed. In vitro, Val-Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Thr showed high ACE inhibitory activity (IC50 = 7.42 micromol x L(-1)). The results indicate that there are two active sites in Val-Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp-Thr-Gln-Arg-Phe, one consists of Val-Val-, and the other -Gln-Arg-Phe. Peptides showed high ACE inhibitory activity when the N-terminal was hydrophobic amino acid such as Val and C-terminal tripeptide contained Phe, Trp or Arg. Some of the fragments showed low a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. No antibacterial activity or antitumor activity was detected in vitro. The results indicate that these peptides have a potential antihypertensive effect and possible application in the treatment of hypertension.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Extremities ; blood supply ; Intestine, Small ; cytology ; pathology ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross Infection ; etiology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; microbiology ; Retrospective Studies

Arteriovenous Malformations ; therapy ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; abnormalities ; Pulmonary Veins ; abnormalities ; Septal Occluder Device

Objective To study the diagnostic value of multi-direction adjusted multiplanar reconstruction (MPR)by 64-slice CT myelography (CTM)in diagnosing cervical nerve injury,and the possibility of the MPR to replace conventional myelography and CT direct-scanning axial images.Methods Twenty-six patients with cervical nerve root injury were examined by conventional myelograpby and 64-slice CT using isotropic parameters.Then multi-direction MPR were performed to display nerve roots on coronal and sagittal planes besides axial images.Twenty-six patients were performed surgical operations and diagnosis were obtained.The coincident diagnosing rate with surgical operations results were compared statistically among multi-direction MPR,direct-scanning axial CT images,conventional myelography.The numbers of images were also compared between axial MPR and direct scanning axial CT images.Results Direct sign of nerve root avulsion was the loss of normal nerve root defect seen in the Isovist filled thecal sac in 6d-slice CT,which was found in 31 nerve roots.Indirect signs included:(1)Traumatic pseudomeningocele: 29 nerve roots showed the leak of Isovist into nerve root sheath,and extended into foramina;(2)Arachnoid cyst: 26 nerve roots clearly displays cystic distension in nerve root,which has low- density fine clew form septation from subarachnoid cavity and no nerve root in the cyst ;(3)Deformity of the subarachnoid space : deformity of thecal sac,partially lack of Isovist into arachnoid space,which was found in 17 nerve roots.The coincident diagnosing rate of cervical nerve root injury by multi-direction adjusted coronal MPR imaging was 92.6% (50/54),which was higher than by axial CT (77.8%,42/54)and conventional myelography (68.5%,37/54),There was significant difference between the conventional myelography, direct-scanning axial CT,multi-direction MPR images (Kappa = 0.686,0.772,0.920, respectively,P

Objective To study the clinical application of quantitative ultrasound(QUS) which evaluate skeletal status of children and adolescents.Methods Subjects were children and adolescents aged 0-18 years old.Tibia/radial bone strength was obtained using QUS.Children who were younger than 2 years old only were measured at midpiece of tibia,and children who were older than 2 years old were measu-red at midpiece of tibia and radius.At the same time,calcium in peripheral blood was measured by the method of atomic absorption.Results 1.Radial and tibial bone strength presented nonlinear growth with age in healthy children and adolescents.2.Bone strengths of different anatomic-sites were different and the disparity rate of evaluation at different anatomic sites was 30.1%.3.The bone strength of the children who had some risk factors that could induce decrease of bone strength or had some diseases of bone metabolism was lower than healthy children.Composition of low bone strength children was 71.1% in high risk children,and was 47.9% in those who had some symptom or physical sign of calcium deficiency.4.Composition of low bone strength children was 44.2% in those who had normal peripheral blood calcium,and composition of normal bone strength children in those who had low peripheral blood calcium was 59.7%.The 2 methods had no correlation.Conclusions QUS is a quite useful technique in evaluation skeletal status of children and adolescents,and is sensitive for high risk children.It is necessary to measure radius and tibia,and consider blood calcium and bone strength to evaluate practical level of calcium and nutritional state of children.

Objective To investigate the influence of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) on neurological development of preterm infants.Methods The preterm infants were classified into 2 groups( PPROM group and control group).The neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) and CDCC of infants in two groups were measured and compared after retrieved:gestational age 40 weeks,3 months and 6 months.Results Psycho-moter developmental index(PDI) of PPROM group after retrieved gestational age 3,6 months was significantly lower than that of control group(Pa

In view of the present situation that edible marine shellfishes are combinedly contaminated by different kinds of lipophilic toxins, common lipophilic shellfish toxins in marine shellfishes were simultaneously detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and the safety risk of commercial marine shellfish was evaluated using the risk assessment method based on combined contamination of various toxins. Under the optimum conditions, satisfactory recoveries (63. 3％ - 88. 8％ ), precision ( relative standard deviations RSD≤14. 5％ ) and sensitivity (limit of detection in the range of 0. 5-2. 7 ng / g) of the method were achieved for all the analytes. Among the 105 commercially available shellfish samples, 42. 86％ of the samples had at least a kind of toxin. The highest average content was 47. 6 μg / kg of DTX1, which was the most serious contaminant for marine shellfishes. The total Expose Risk Index (∑ERI) was calculated based on Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) and Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) of each toxin to evaluate the safety risk of commercial marine shellfish. The results showed that the ratio of commercially available marine shellfish with safety risk was 19. 05％ and the food safety risk of scallop was the highest. In summary, a new method based on the combined contamination of lipophilic shellfish toxins was successfully developed for risk assessment of the commercial marine shellfish. The proposed method is more harsh compared with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regulation and can make shellfish consumers better to avoid the risk of poisoning.