OBJECTIVETo determine the correlation between DNA load of human papillomavirus (HPV) and recurrence of condyloma acuminata (CA).

METHODSThe HPV6/11 and HPV16/18 DNA load of 31 cases of primary CA and 32 cases of recurrent CA were detected by real-time fluorogenic quantitative PCR.

RESULTSAmong the 63 CA patients, 62 cases were HPV6/11 DNA positive. The positive rate was 98.4%. The ranges of HPV6/11 DNA load in primary and recurrent CA were 1.4x10(3)-6.7x10(7) copies/ml and 1.2x10(4)-3.6x10(8) copies/ml respectively. Of 62 cases with HPV6/11 DNA positive, 7 cases were HPV16/18 DNA positive (11.3%). The ranges of HPV16/18 DNA load in primary and recurrent CA were 1.9x10(3)-1.6x10(4) copies/ml and 1.4x10(5)-1.7x10(7) copies/ml respectively. The HPV6/11 and HPV16/18 DNA load in recurrent CA were higher than in primary CA (P < 0.05). The DNA load of HPV6/11 was positively correlated with times of recurrence and course of disease (r=0.37 and 0.30 respectively).

CONCLUSIONCertain correlation exists between DNA load of HPV and recurrence of CA.

Adult ; Condylomata Acuminata ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Papillomavirus Infections ; virology ; Recurrence ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viral Load

Objective:To discuss the management principles and skills for treatment of intractable ureterostenosis under ureteroscope.Methods:Our management experience on 19 patients with intractable ureteral stenosis was retrospectively analyzed.The 19 cases included urological TB-caused multiple ureteral stenosis,oncothlipsis to ureters from intestinal tract or gynecology,restenosis 3 months to 12 years after pelviureteric junction plasty,operative site stenosis after ureterolithotomy. double ureter back flow accompanied by stenosis,ureter imperforation after renal parenchyma lithotomy without placing double"J",ureter imperforation 3 months after extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy due to ureterolith,tubal bladder stoma stenosis after renal transplantation,restenosis after tubal bladder stoma due to distal ureterostenosis,and so on.All the patients were treated under ureteroscope.The management methods included:the Wolf 8/9.8 CH12?and Wolf 6/7.6 CH5?ureteroscope was used as a dilator to dilate the stenoses:balloon expanding under ureteroscope was used to dilate the stenoses;the ureter pliers was used to expand the stenoses to different directions;the cold knife was used to open the stenoses;if the diameter of stenoses were smaller than the that of the ureteroscopes,F4.5 or F3 double"J"tubes were inserted guided by a wire under ureteroscope; and 2 or 3 weeks later,a larger tube or two tubes were introduced into the stenoses already dilated partly by the former tube. Results:Ureteroscopic method failed in treating 2 patients in our group and succeeded in treating all the other patients.The outcomes of patient were fine during 9 months to 3 years'follow-up.Conclusion:It is difficult to treat patients with intractable ureterostenoses.With good experience in manipulation of ureteroscope,the flexible application of several techniques according to the different conditions of different patients can guarantee successful treatment in most patients.

OBJECTIVETo prepare and characterize monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and polyclonal antibodies against nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and to establish antibodies-based sandwich ELISA for detecting N protein of SARS-CoV, which might apply to early diagnosis of patients with SARS-CoV infection.

METHODSBALB/c mice were immunized with purified recombinant N protein of SARS-CoV for producing mAbs, and New Zealand white rabbits were immunized for producing polyclonal antibodies. The identification of antibodies was performed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect fluorescent-antibody assay (IFA), and Western immunoblotting. Capturing and detecting antibodies were selected by pairing the mAbs and polyclonal antibodies one by one and an antibodies-based sandwich antigen capture ELISA was used for detecting N antigen of SARS-CoV.

RESULTSNine mAbs and hyperimmune rabbit polyclonal antibodies, specifically against SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein were obtained. Using paired ELISA assay, three mAbs N1E8, N8E1 and N10E4 were selected as capturing antibody and rabbit polyclonal antibodies as detecting antibody then triple antibodies-based sandwich ELISA was established following horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G. The recombinant N protein was used as a standard to establish a detection sensitivity of approximated 50 pg/ml with this assay. When tested with 420 serum specimens from serologically confirmed SARS patients, the positive rates of serum N protein were 90.1%, 23% and 0%, in which sera collected from 1 to 10 days, 11 to 20 days and beyond 21 days respectively after the onset of symptoms. The specificity of the assay was 99.86% in 715 control serum specimens. There was no cross-reaction with other respiratory viruses and coronaviruses.

CONCLUSIONSpecific and high affinity mAbs and rabbit polyclonal antibodies were obtained. By paired and optimized sandwich ELISA, a sensitive and specific antigen capture ELISA was established for detecting N antigen of SARS-CoV, which might apply to early diagnosis, source tracing and epidemiological studies of SARS.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; biosynthesis ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Nucleocapsid ; immunology ; Rabbits ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; virology

Objective To explore the effects of p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA)-α protein on the apoptosis and fibrosis of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) induced by high glucose.Methods HPMCs were induced by 50mmol/L D type glucose or mannitol for 72 hours respectively,flow cytometry was employed to detect the rate of apoptotic cells,and theexpression levels of apoptosis-and fibrosis-related proteins were detected by Western blotting.The untreated HPMCs were transfected with Lenti-PUMA-α,and the treated cells were transfected with shRNA-PUMA-α,the number of apoptotic cells and the expression levels of apoptosis-and fibrosis-related proteins were detected with the methods mentioned above.Results Flow cytometry showed that the rate of apoptotic HPMCs increased after being induced by high glucose for 72 hours,and Western blotting revealed that the expression levels of pro-apoptotic and pro-fibrotic related proteins increased,but the arrestins of apoptosis and fibrosis-related proteins decreased.Up-regulation of PUMA-α promoted apoptosis and fibrosis,while down-regulation of PUMA-α alleviated apoptosis and fibrosis of HPMCs.Conclusion High glucose may accelerate apoptosis and fibrosis of HPMCs by up-regulating the expression of PUMA-α.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of combining red yeast rice and Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) in lowering cholesterol in patients with primary hyperlipidemia, the later has also been shown to remove cholesterol in in vitro studies.

METHODSA double-blind clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering effect of the combination of red yeast rice and L. casei. Sixty patients with primary hyperlipidemia were recruited and randomized equally to either the treatment group (red yeast rice + L. casei) or the control group (red yeast rice + placebo). One red yeast rice capsule and two L. casei capsules were taken twice a day. The treatment lasted for 8 weeks, with an extended follow-up period of 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was a difference of serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level at week 8.

RESULTSAt week 8, the LDL-C serum level in both groups was lower than that at baseline, with a decrease of 33.85±26.66 mg/dL in the treatment group and 38.11±30.90 mg/dL in the control group; however, there was no statistical difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The total cholesterol was also lower than the baseline in both groups, yet without a statistical difference between the two groups. The only statistically signifificant difference between the two groups was the average diastolic pressure at week 12, which dropped by 2.67 mm Hg in the treatment group and increased by 4.43 mm Hg in the placebo group (P<0.05). The antihypertensive activity may be associated with L. casei. Red yeast rice can signifificantly reduce LDL-C, total cholesterol and triglyceride.

CONCLUSIONThe combination of red yeast rice and L. casei did not have an additional effect on lipid profifiles.

OBJECTIVESTo investigate whether three strains of probiotics, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes, had signifificant inhibitive effects on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori).

METHODSThis is a 4-week, randomly assigned, parallel-group, doubled-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Fifty patients with a positive H. pylori infection urea breath test (△UBT) result > 10% and without ulcer symptoms were randomized into a treatment group and a placebo group by a computer generated allocation sheet with 1:1. These subjects took one capsule of probiotics or placebo twice daily. The primary measurement was the change in △UBT values.

RESULTSThe △UBT values during the 4-week treatment period and the 2-week follow-up period were not signifificantly different between the treatment group and the placebo group, indicating that the inhibitive effects on H. pylori were comparable between both groups. The monocyte count (%) was 5.77±1.11 in the treatment group versus 5.09±1.12 in the placebo group (P=0.044), and the basophile count was 0.55±0.32 in the treatment group versus 0.36±0.23 in the placebo group (P=0.024) at week 2 of the treatment period, both of which reached statistical signifificance. The monocyte count was 5.75±1.26 in the treatment group and 4.72±0.99 in the placebo group at the end of the follow-up period (P=0.003).

CONCLUSIONThere was no signifificant inhibitive effects of the three probiotic strains (L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, and L. sporogenes) on H. pylori. Probiotics can not play the same role as antibiotics in the eradication of H. pylori, the role of probiotics is likely to be important as adjuvant to the triple or quadruple therapy for H. pylori, especially in resistance cases.

Adult ; Aged ; Breath Tests ; Demography ; Double-Blind Method ; Endpoint Determination ; Female ; Helicobacter pylori ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lactobacillus ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Probiotics ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Urea ; analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between occupational stress and hypertension in steel production workers.METHODS: By the stratified cluster sampling method,1 580 steel production workers from an iron and steel group company were selected as study subjects. Occupational stress was measured by the Chinese version of Job Content Questionnaire.The identification of having occupational stress was the ratio of job requirement dimension score over job self-decision dimension score turned to be ≥1. 00. The steel production workers' blood pressure was measured by the updated mercury sphygmomanometer. The effect of occupational stress on blood pressure in steel production workers was analyzed. RESULTS: The dimension score of job self-decision in hypertension group was lower than that in non-hypertension group [20( 16,23) vs 20( 17,24) scores,P < 0. 05]. There was no statistical significant difference in occupational stress ratio,job requirement and social support dimension scores between two groups( P > 0. 05). The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that job self-decision and social support scores were negatively correlated with the incidence of hypertension [odds ratios( 95% confidence intervals) were 0. 68( 0. 51,0. 90) and 0. 54( 0. 45,0. 76),P < 0. 01]. CONCLUSION: Job selfdecision and social support are the influencing factors of the incidence of hypertension in steel production workers. The correlation among occupational stress,job requirement and hypertension are not found in steel production workers.