OBJECTIVETo study the mutagenicity and teratogenicity induced by ammonium dinitramide(ADN).

METHODSAccording to technical specifications for toxicity determination of chemicals, Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay (Ames assay), in vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, sperm malformation test and teratogenesis test were used to detect the mutagenicity and teratogenicity induced by AND.

RESULTSWhen the exposure doses of AND were 8-5000 pg/plate, the result of Ames assay was negative. As compared with control group, the micronucleus rate of mice exposed to 113.8 mg/kg AND significantly increased(P<0.05), the sperm malformation rates of mice exposed to 54.4-272.0 mg/kg AND did not increased significantly. The survival rate of fetuses decreased, the rate of assimilated fetuses increased, the rate of fetus sternum agenesis enhanced in mice exposed to 319 mg/kg AND, as compared with controls. The rates of in the 4th-6th fetus sternum agenesis in groups exposed to 21.3, 79.7 and 319 mg/kg AND were higher than that in control group. The malformation rate of fetus bowels in groups exposed to 319 mg/kg AND was higher than that in control group. The teratogenic index of ADN was 30.

CONCLUSIONAND may be a mutagen and induce the teratogenic effect.

Animals ; Embryo, Mammalian ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Micronucleus Tests ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Nitrites ; toxicity ; Pregnancy ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; toxicity ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; pathology ; Sternum ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the acute, subacute and subchronic toxicity induced by ammonium dinitramide (ADN), and to ascertain the gradation and target organs of acute toxicity induced by AND.

METHODSAccording to technical specifications for toxicity determination of chemicals, the oral tests for acute, subacute and subchronic toxicity induced by AND were performed for 90 days.

RESULTSThe oral LDx for mouse and rat was 568.9 mg/kg and 616.6 mg/kg ADN respectively. The gradation of acute toxicity induced by AND was low level. The results of oral subacute and subchronic toxicity tests (for 28 and 90 days) showed that a gain in weight in group exposed to 123 mg/kg AND was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05), the TBIL and ALT in group exposed to 61.6 and 123 mg/kg AND significantly increased and the ratio of liver weight to body weight obviously decreased, as compared with control group, the number of animals with hepatic pathological changes in group exposed to 61.6 and 123 mg/kg AND was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe gradation of acute toxicity induced by ADN was low level. When the exposure dose of AND was 30.8 mg/kg, the adverse effect was not observed, and the target organ was liver.

Animals ; Body Weight ; Female ; Liver ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Nitrites ; toxicity ; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds ; toxicity ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Toxicity Tests, Acute ; Toxicity Tests, Subchronic

BACKGROUNDThe DFNB1 locus, which contains the gap junction beta-2 (GJB2) and gap junction beta-6 (GJB6) genes, plays a key role in the nonsyndromic and sporadic hearing impairment. Mutations of DFNB1 result in autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI). Previous researches have identified mutations in GJB2 and GJB6, but single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DFNB1 locus have not been studied. So we chose five SNPs to evaluate whether there is difference between deafness people and normal-hearing people in Han Chinese.

METHODSFive SNPs in the DFNB1 region were examined using a case-control association study between cases with sporadic hearing impairment and controls with normal hearing. The HWEsoft and SHEsis softwares were used to analyze the results.

RESULTSSingle-locus association analysis showed a positive association for three SNPs: rs9315400, rs2274084 and 235delC. When we compared the distributions of the haplotypes, we also found significant differences between cases and controls in the haplotype combination of rs2274084 and rs2274083 (chi(2) = 12.978, df = 3, global P = 0.004719).

CONCLUSIONSThe haplotypes composed of rs2274084 and rs2274083 suggested that C-C may be a risk haplotype for the sporadic hearing impairment while T-T may be protective against hearing impairment. From that point of view, we can conclude that the SNPs of DFNB1 locus also plays an important role in sporadic hearing impairment cases.

Adolescent ; Child ; Connexin 26 ; Connexin 30 ; Connexins ; genetics ; Female ; Haplotypes ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

OBJECTIVETo measure the utility value of different skeletal malocclusion for patients receiving orthodontic treatment.

METHODSUtility value of different skeletal malocclusion for patients was measured by rating scale and time trade-off.

RESULTSThe youth group had higher utility values than adult group for skeletal malocclusion Class II (protruding facial type) with median mandibular angle. The utility value of skeletal malocclusion Class III (concave facial type) with low mandibular angle was the lowest, and the utility value of skeletal malocclusion Class II (protruding facial type) with median mandibular angle was the highest. There was no difference in the utility values by rating scale and by time trade-off.

CONCLUSIONFor some skeletal malocclusion, the youth had different utility values with the adult.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cephalometry ; Face ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III ; Mandible

OBJECTIVETo study the activity of esterases, including butyrylcholinesterase (BchE), carboxylesterase (CarbE), paraoxonase (PonE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and to explore the effect of genetic polymorphism on the activity of esterase for workers exposed to organophosphorus pesticides (OPs).

METHODSTwo hundred and forty-one long term OPs directly exposed workers and 151 indirectly exposed workers in the same factory were taken as study group. One hundred and sixty unexposed persons were taken as control group. The activity of serum enzymes was measured and the polymorphic distribution was detected using 7900 genotype detecting system and CMOS Chip technique. The effect of long-term exposure to organophosphorus pesticides was analyzed.

RESULTSThe activities of BchE, CarbE and PonE were independent on the gender or age in control group. Average values of Carb and BchE activities of directly and indirectly exposed workers were lower than those in control group respectively. PonE activity in directly exposed group was lower than that in control group. AChE activity in directly exposed group was lower than that in indirectly exposed group. All the differences were significant (P < 0.01). In the direct exposure group, the frequency of three variants of butyrylcholinesterase gene K (BCHE-K) polymorphism was 74.3%, 24.1% and 1.6% for UU, UK and KK respectively. Frequency of allele U and K was 0.863 and 0.137 respectively in the same group. Frequency of three variants of PON192 polymorphism was 15.0%, 45.5% and 39.5% for AA, AB and BB respectively in direct exposure group. Gene frequency of low activity (PON*A) and high activity (PON*B) was 0.378 and 0.622 respectively. Frequency of three variants of PON55 polymorphism was 96.2%, 3.8% and 0% for MM, LM and LL respectively in direct exposure group. Frequency of allele M and L was 0.981 and 0.019 respectively in the same group. The activity of PON was different in various genotypes of PON192 and PON55.

CONCLUSIONThe long-term exposure to OPs could inhibit the activities of CarbE, BchE, PonE and ACh E in different level. The genetic polymorphisms of PON192 and PON55 affect the activity of PonE, which is related to the detoxification of OPs and health impact.

Acetylcholinesterase ; metabolism ; Adult ; Alleles ; Aryldialkylphosphatase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Butyrylcholinesterase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carboxylesterase ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Organophosphorus Compounds ; adverse effects ; Pesticides ; adverse effects ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

In this study, laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) was used to determine the location and relative quantity of flavonoids in the leaves of Apocynum venetum L. from the top, middle and basal parts of the branch. The leaves of the plants of one, two and three years old, separately, were collected in July. ANOVA and LSD test were employed in the statistical analysis. The results indicated that flavonoids located mainly in xylem conduit of vein, collenchyma, epidermic cells and cuticle. The data of flavonoids contents under statistical analysis showed that difference existed in the leaves of different parts and different ages. This study provided the reliable scientific material about the analysis of the ecological and the exploitation of the leaves of Apocynum venetom L.
Apocynum ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Time Factors

Resveratrol, isorhapontigenin and pinosylvin, isolated from Gnetum parvifolium, and their analogues have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activity of HIV-1. Natural product 12a and analogues (12d, 12e, 12g) display significant inhibitory activity of HIV-1 replication. Among them, compound 12d (trans-3, 4, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene) exhibits the most potent anti-HIV-1 activity with an IC50 value of 1.84 micromol x L(-1).
Anti-HIV Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Gnetum ; chemistry ; HIV-1 ; drug effects ; physiology ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; virology ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

The pertussis surveillance system has been established since 2009 in Tianjin, and continuously improved over the past 10 years. This system determines the definition and classification of pertussis, establishes simple and feasible sampling methods and laboratory detection methods in clinical practice, standardizes the report management of pertussis cases and the treatment of epidemic situations. After the implementation of the surveillance system, the number of reported pertussis cases increased from 26 in 2009 to 802 in 2017, the number of diagnosed cases increased from 19 in 2009 to 662 in 2017, the reported incidence rate of pertussis increased from 0.16/100 000 in 2009 to 4.28/100 000 in 2017, and the number of medical institutions of reporting perutssis cases increased from 2 in 2009 to 53 in 2017. The specimen collection rate of the reported cases reached up to 93.66%. These results show that the sensitivity of pertussis surveillance has been improved and show that the data from the surveillance system may reflect more precisely the epidemical characteristics of perutssis in Tianjin.
Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Pertussis Vaccine ; Whooping Cough

Objective To identify measles vaccine failures in Tianjin,China using a measles virus IgG avidity assay.Methods The China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention (CISDCP) was used to collect information about measles cases and blood specimens in Tianjin from 2013 to 2015.Measles-specific IgM and IgG antibodies were detected using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).Avidity testing for measles IgG was performed using a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA).Results A total of 284 confirmed measles cases were identified.Of this total,262 (92.25％) were in patients aged ≥ 20 years.High avidity was exhibited in 172 (60.56％) cases,while 80 (28.17％) cases demonstrated low avidity.High avidity was detected in only 21.43％ of cases in patients aged ＜ 1 year.The proportion of high avidity increased with age,and was significantly higher in patients aged 30-39 years at 70.07％ (x2 =17.27,P =0.002).Of the 52 measles cases in patients with a history of vaccinations,41 (78.85％) cases showed high avidity,indicating secondary vaccine failures (SVF).In these vaccinations,there was no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05) in clinical severity between high avidity and low avidity cases.However,regardless of vaccination status,clinical severity was significantly lower in high avidity cases (P ＜ 0.001) than in low avidity cases.The percentages of positive measles IgM results in high avidity and low avidity cases were 66.28％ and 91.25％,respectively.Geometric Mean Concentration (GMC) was significantly lower in high avidity cases at 33.73 U/mL,compared to 166.07 U/mL in low avidity cases.Conclusions Low clinical severity and inconclusive IgM antibody results are more likely in high avidity measles cases.Measles cases were more common in adults.Therefore,a further dose of vaccines should be recommended for 30-39 years in Tianjin.