Objective To study the association between house dust endotoxin levels and the airway responsiveness as well as allergen sensitization in adolescence in the urban and rural areas of Guangdong province.Methods Middle school students,aged 13-14,188 (male 109,female 79) from Guangzhou,129(male 70,female 59) from Conghua with positive responses,and 231 (male 125,female 106) and 307(male 145,female 162) of their respective reference students are selected from questionnaire prescreening.A detailed questionnaire,the lung function test,histamine bronchial provocation test,skin prick test and peripheral blood eosinophil count are undertaken.Seventy-six students from Guangzhou and 80 from Conghua were selected randomly for mattress dust sample collection to detect the levels of endotoxin.Results The prevalence of wheeze symptom,diagnosed asthma,nasal symptoms and allergic rhinitis of Guangzhou was significantly higher than that of Conghua (P＜0.0001),with 28.6％,27.7％,66.0％,46.4％ for Guangzhou respectively,and 5.0％,2.5％,31.0％,6.2％ for Conghua respectively.The positive rates of bronchial provocation test and skin sensitization against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(Der.p),D.farinae (Der.f),cat and dog allergen in the students of Guangzhou were significantly higher than that of Conghua (P＜0.0001).The positive rate of cockroach of Conghua was significantly higher than that of Guangzhou (P＜0.0001).The levels of endotoxin (amount,concentration and load) of samples from Conghua were significantly higher than that from Guangzhou (Conghua:6452 EU,10.95 EU/mg,1794 EU/m2 ;Guangzhou:1591 EU,6.45 EU/mg,508.80 EU/m2,respectively).PD20-FEV1 was correlated positively with endotoxin amount(r=0.174,P＜0.05).The diameters of the skin wheal size for Der.p and Der.f were correlated inversely with endotoxin amount and load (P＜0.001).Conclusion The prevalence of wheeze symptom,diagnosed asthma,nasal symptoms and allergic rhinitis in 13-14 year-old adolescent of Guangzhou was significantly higher than that of Conghua.Cockroach was the second major allergen of Conghua followed by house dust mite.The level of endotoxin was correlated positively with PD20-FEV1,but correlated inversely with skin sensitization to Def.p and Der.f.The study suggests that environmental endotoxin may have effect to protect children from developing allergic diseases.

AIMTo study the transfection and anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) effect of the co-modified hepatocytes-targeting cationic liposomes encapsulating anti-HBV antisense oligonucleotides (asON) , and to investigate the transfection mechanisms of the liposomes.

METHODSDipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and 3beta-[N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol (DC-Chol) were used as the lipids, beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside (sito-G) and Brij 35 were used to modify the liposomes. Flow cytometry (FCM), fluorescence microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were utilized to evaluate the transfection improvement of the asON encapsulated in the liposomes in primary rat hepatocytes and the antigens inhibition activity in HepG 2.2.15 cells. The transfection mechanisms were evaluated based on the influence of wortmannin, nigericin, and asialofetuin on the antigens inhibition in HepG 2.2.15 cells by ELISA.

RESULTSThe co-modification with sito-G and Brij 35 significantly improved the transfection of the liposomes in primary rat hepatocytes and antigens inhibition effect in HepG 2.2.15 cells. Both transfection efficiency and antigens inhibition effect showed to be concentration-dependent with the asON-encapsulating liposomes. In fluorescence microscopy, the transfected cells showed strong fluorescence in primary rat hepatocytes, especially in the nuclei. Wortmannin, nigericin and asialofetuin decreased the antigens inhibition of the asON-encapsulating liposomes to different levels. Cationic liposomes modification with sito-G and Brij 35 could improve the transfection and antigens inhibition effect of the asON. The transfection mechanisms of the co-modified liposomes included endocytosis and membrane fusion. The ligand sito-G was confirmed to be able to enhance asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR)-mediated endocytosis.

CONCLUSIONCo-modified hepatocytes-targeting cationic liposomes would be a specific and effective carrier to transfer asON into hepatocytes.

Androstadienes ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Asialoglycoproteins ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Endocytosis ; drug effects ; Female ; Fetuins ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatitis B Antigens ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liposomes ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Nigericin ; pharmacology ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; chemistry ; genetics ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; Transfection ; methods ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; pharmacology

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of combining the injection of beta-sheet breaker H102 with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) on APP transgenic mice behavior, P-tau, apoptosis and the expression of relevant enzymes in the brain.

METHODSAPP transgenic mice were randomly divided into model group, hUCMSC group, H102 group, H102 with hUCMSC group and a group of C57BL/6J mice with the same age and background was set as normal. After two weeks and four weeks, the ability of spatial reference memory was tested by Morris Water Maze. After four weeks, immunohistochemical stain and Western blot were done to detect the content of Bad, Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, P-tau, GSK-3beta, PP-2A and PP-1 in mice brain.

RESULTSThe ability of memory of hUCMSC in 2 weeks group was slightly improved than that in the model group. hUCMSC in four weeks group, H102 group and H102 with hUCMSC group significantly improved the ability of and memory, and reduced the phosphorylation of tau and brain cell's apoptosis of the Alzheimer disease (AD) mice.

CONCLUSIONBeta-sheet breaker H102 together with transplanting hUCMSC is an effective therapeutic strategy for AD.

Alzheimer Disease ; therapy ; Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor ; genetics ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Maze Learning ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Peptides ; therapeutic use ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology

AIMTo prepare fluorescein sodium (FS) cationic liposomes and investigate the influence of cationic lipid (DC-chol) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with different molecule weight (MW) on cationic liposome incorporation efficiency, cellular delivery and fluidity of liposome membrane.

METHODSUsing FS as a model material for encapsulation, the liposomes were prepared and separated (by sephadex G-50 1 cm x 20 cm column), and the liposome incorporation efficiencies was measured. The interaction between the FS and cationic liposomes was investigated by measuring the change of fluorescent spectrum. The cellular uptake of different liposome forms by choosing HepG2 2.2.15 as an in vitro cell culture assay model, and the influence of PEG on the fluidity of liposome membrane with the technique of fluorescence polarization were investigated.

RESULTSCationic lipid and different PEGs showed great effects on increasing liposome incorporation efficiency (from 0.64% to 86.57%), cellular uptake (from 2.18% to 48.46%) and fluidity of liposome membrane. The effect of PEG was MW dependent, and with the increase of MW, the incorporation efficiency and transfection was improved, and the fluidity of liposome membrane increased.

CONCLUSIONAddition of cationic lipid and high MW PEG into cationic liposomes can enhance the cellular delivery and fluidity of cationic liposomes. Also, they can improve the incorporation efficiency of cationic liposomes.

Cholesterol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Fluorescein ; Hepatoblastoma ; pathology ; Humans ; Liposomes ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Membrane Fluidity ; drug effects ; Molecular Weight ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Transfection ; methods ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo study mechanism of the apoptosis of rat pancreas islet β cell strain (INS-1 cells) induced by sodium arsenite.

METHODSINS-1 cells were exposed to sodium arsenite at the different concentrations. MTT assay was used to detect the viability of INS-1 cells. The potentials on mitochondrial membrane and lysosome membrane of INS-1 cells were determined with the fluorescence spectrophotometer. The apoptotic levels of INS-1 cells exposed to sodium arsenite were observed by a fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry.

RESULTSAfter exposure to sodium arsenite, the viability of INS-1 cells significantly decreased with the doses of sodium arsenite. At 24 h after exposure, the OD values of the mitochondrial membrane potentials declined observably with the doses of sodium arsenite (P < 0.01). At 48 h after exposure, the OD values of the lysosome membrane potentials significantly increased with the doses of sodium arsenite (P < 0.01). At 72 h after exposure, the apoptotic cells were observed under a fluorescence microscope and enhanced with the doses of sodium arsenite. The apoptosis cells with light blue, karyopyknosis, karyorrhexis, apoptotic body and chromatin concentration appeared. The results detected with flow cytometry indicated that after exposure, the apoptotic INS-1E cells significantly increased with the doses of sodium arsenite.

CONCLUSIONSThe sodium arsenite can induce the apoptosis of INS-1 cells through the mitochondria-lysosome pathway.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Arsenites ; toxicity ; Cells, Cultured ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; drug effects ; Lysosomes ; metabolism ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sodium Compounds ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological significance of positive CK7 expression in human colorectal carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was used to detect CK7 and CK20 protein expressions in 68 cases of HCC, 20 cases of canalicular adenoma (CA), 5 cases of serrated adenoma (SA) and 20 cases of hyperplastic polyps (HP).

RESULTSThe positivity rate of CK20 expression was 89.7% in HCC, and 100% in CA, SA and HP. In HCC, the expression rate of CK7 (39.7%) was not correlated with Dukes' classification, differentiation and tumor location. CK7 positivity rate in colon cancer was 35.7% (15/52) and 42.3% (11/26) in rectal cancer. CK7 expression was negative in CA. CK7 positivity rate in SA was 49% and 30% in HP.

CONCLUSIONCK7 is a possible marker for colorectal carcinogenesis from HP to SA, and ultimately to HCC, and examination of the colorectal polypoid lesions for CK7 expression can be significant for estimating the colorectal polypous cancerization.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cytoplasm ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of young children's mothers on infant feeding and to evaluate the effects of nutritional education in the rural areas.

METHODSA cluster sampling method was used to select the local health station. Five hundred and fifteen mothers, who had infants with age of 4 - 6 months, were recruited for the questionnaire survey on the nutritional knowledge in rural areas of Tianjin municipality. The mothers were randomly divided into intervention group I (160), intervention group II (180) and control group (175). The mothers in the intervention group I were educated with feeding guideline on infants and young children and had had Group lectures and advisory from experts about maternal and child nutrition for teaching them how to feed their children; while, the mothers in the intervention group II were trained with feeding guideline on infants and young children by themselves; and the mothers in the control group received routine guidance at the local health station. The follow-up evaluation on nutritional knowledge of the mothers in each group was carried out after 3 and 6 months intervention, respectively.

RESULTSThe educational background had significant effect on KAP scores: KAP scores of the mothers with primary education or less (8.3 +/- 2.2) were significantly lower than that of the mothers educated with high school (9.4 +/- 1.6) and university (9.6 +/- 1.8) (LSD t = 3.70, P < 0.001). After being educated with feeding guideline on infants and young children, the knowledge of infant's mothers was greatly improved and KAP scores of the mothers after intervention were higher than that of the baseline (F = 183.556, P = 0.006); the percentage of correct answer on nutrition knowledge in the intervention groups was significantly higher than that of the control group. At six months of intervention, the KAP scores of intervention group I (12.0) and intervention group II (11.6) were higher than that of the control group (10.5) (LSD t = 5.96, P < 0.001; LSD t = 4.25, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONProviding nutritional and health education to the infant's mothers should be helpful for improving infant's feeding pattern and ensuring the adequate growth and development of infants.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Mother-Child Relations ; Mothers ; education ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVETo explore the morphotic characteristics of hypoechoic nodules in the outer gland of the prostate with benign

METHODSTwenty-two hyperplastic hypoechoic nodules in the prostatic outer gland were biopsied guided by prostatic hyperplasia. transrectal ultrasound. The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry combined with computer assisted quantitative image analyses were adopted to examine the mean percentages of the area densities of stroma, epithelium, glandular lumen and smooth muscle cells.

RESULTSThe area densities of stroma, epithelium, glandular lumen and smooth muscle cells were (72.52 +/- 13.14)%, (20.57 +/- 9.01)%, (6.85 +/- 4.51)% and (24.14 +/- 6.31)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONHyperplastic hypoechoic nodules may develop in the outer gland as well as in the inner gland of the prostate, but the mean percentages of the components are different between the two kinds of nodules.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Epithelium ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle, Smooth ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Prostate ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography

Objective To master the present situation of medical equipment utilization by the nurse in some hospital and the knowledge requirements for medical equipment operation under doctor-nurse integration mode in order to complete the training system for medical equipment operation. Methods Totally 251 pieces of questionnaires were issued and collected on the knowledge requirements for medical equipment operation. Statistical analysis was executed on essential personnel information, common medical equipment, knowledge requirements for medical equipment operation, the mode of acquiring corresponding knowledge and etc. Results The personnel involved in the questionnaire was characterized by low age, short working lifetime, low educational level and etc; the common medical equipment included sphygmomanometer, monitor, infusion pump, injection pump and etc;the knowledge was required on complicated emergency treatment equipment such as ventilator and defibrillator; the mode for acquiring the knowledge included teaching by skilled teachers, training in the department, training by the factory engineer and studying the video or courseware on equipment operation. Conclusion It is a useful measure to improve the training effect and training level of the medical equipment by directed training and operating knowledge provided according to the current situation and requirement of the nurse using medical equipment under doctor-nurse integration mode.