OBJECTIVETo establish and evaluate a rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with depression for further elaborating the disease.

METHODSTwenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal group (group N), T2DM group (group T) and T2DM with depression group (group T + D), with 8 rats in each group. The T2DM rat model was induced by high fat diet and low dose of Streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and in addition, the T2DM rats were made restraint stress for 21 days. After the model was established, the insulin tolerance test (ITT) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were performed. Then the rat depression level was analyzed by open field test, and the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA)was determined by ELISA to confirm the model identity.

RESULTSThe blood glucose level in group T and group T + D didn't return to the normal level at 180 minutes in the ITT and OGTT test; Compared with the group N, the max movement distance, retaining time in the central zone and the retaining frequency within 5 minutes in the group T + D decreased; 5-HT and DA level in the serum of rats in. group T + D was reduced.

CONCLUSIONA rat model of type 2 diabetes mellitus associated with depression has been successfully established by high fat diet and injection of low dose streptozotocin in combination with restraint stress for 21 days. This rat model is useful for further relevant studies.

Animals ; Depression ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diet, High-Fat ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Restraint, Physical ; Serotonin ; Streptozocin ; Stress, Psychological

The fruit of Lycium ruthenicum is a common folk medicine in China. Now it is popular for its antioxidative effect and other medical functions. The adulterants of the herb confuse consumers. In order to identify a new adulterant of L. ruthenicum, a research was performed based on NCBI Nucleotide Database ITS Sequence, combined analysis of the origin and morphology of the adulterant to traceable varieties. Total genomic DNA was isolated from the materials, and nuclear DNA ITS sequences were amplified and sequenced; DNA fragments were collated and matched by using ContingExpress. Similarity identification of BLAST analysis was performed. Besides, the distribution of plant origin and morphology were considered to further identification and verification. Families and genera were identified by molecular identification method. The adulterant was identified as plant belonging to Berberis. Origin analysis narrowed the range of sample identification. Seven different kinds of plants in Berberis were potential sources of the sample. Adulterants variety was traced by morphological analysis. The united molecular identification-origin-morphology research proves to be a preceding way to medical herbs traceability with time-saving and economic advantages and the results showed the new adulterant of L. ruthenicum was B. kaschgarica. The main differences between B. kaschgarica and L. ruthenicum are as follows: in terms of the traits, the surface of B. kaschgarica is smooth and crispy, and that of L. ruthenicum is shrinkage, solid and hard. In microscopic characteristics, epicarp cells of B. aschgarica thickening like a string of beads, stone cells as the rectangle, and the stone cell walls of L. ruthenicum is wavy, obvious grain layer. In molecular sequences, the length of ITS sequence of B. kaschgarica is 606 bp, L. ruthenicum is 654 bp, the similarity of the two sequences is 53.32%.
Berberis ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; China ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; chemistry ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; standards ; Lycium ; classification ; cytology ; genetics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Species Specificity

BACKGROUNDThe blood vessels of a transplanted organ are the interface between donor and recipient. The endothelium in the blood vessels is thought to be the major target for graft rejection. Endothelial cells of a transplanted organ can be of recipient origin after transplantation. In this study, we tested whether endothelial chimerism correlated with the graft rejection and cold ischemia.

METHODSWe studied the biopsy samples from 34 renal transplants of female recipients who received the kidney from a male donor for the presence of endothelial cells of recipient origin. We examined the tissue sections of renal biopsy samples by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for the presence of endothelial cells containing two X chromosomes using a biotinylated Y chromosome probe and digoxigenin labelled X chromosome probe, and then analyzed the relationship between the endothelial cell chimerism and the rejection and cold ischemia.

RESULTSEndothelial chimerism was common and irrespective of rejections (P > 0.05). The cold ischemic time of chimerism group was longer than no chimerism group ((14.83 +/- 4.03) hours vs (11.27 +/- 3.87) hours, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is no correlation between the percentage of recipient endothelial cells in vascular endothelial cells and the type of graft rejection. The endothelium damaged by ischemic injury might be repaired by the endothelial cells from the recipient.

Animals ; Biopsy ; Endothelial Cells ; pathology ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Transplantation ; Male ; Mice ; Time Factors ; Transplantation Chimera ; Transplantation, Homologous

Objective To investigate the effect of hepatitis B virus X (HBx)protein on the apoptosis of placental trophoblastic cells and its potential mechanism.Methods A pcDNA3.1 expression vector of HBx gene was constructed and transfected into JEG-3 and HTR-8 human placental trophoblastic cell lines,respectively.After transfection for 48 h,RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analyses were made to detect HBx mRNA and protein expressions.Flow cytometry was used to detect the early apoptosis status of JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells.The expressions of PI3K and p-Akt were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blotting.Results After transfection for 48 h,RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analyses showed that HBx mRNA and protein expressions were detected in JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells.Flow cytometry revealed that early apoptosis of JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells was reduced by pcDNA-HBx transfection (P <0.05).Immunofluorescence and Western blotting showed that PI3K and p-Akt were significantly upregulated in HTR-8 cells (P < 0.05 ).Conclusion HBx gene can be transfected into JEG-3 and HTR-8 human placental trophoblastic cell lines,respectively.After the transfection,the early apoptosis of JEG-3 and HTR-8 cells is reduced.Its inhibition on apoptosis is related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling path-way.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pulmonary function in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients during the convalescent period.

METHODSFollowup 89 outpatients of SARS. The follow-up study included interview, physical examination, and pulmonary function test.

RESULTSThe interval between hospital discharge and functional assessment was 1.75 +/- 0.53 months (0.5-3.4 months). Mild to moderate abnormalities in pulmonary function were found in 48 patients (53.9%). Diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) was impaired in 38 patients (42.7%); in 7 patients (7.9%), lung function was restrictive defect combined DLco impairment; Other patterns of impairment were revealed in 3 patient. Dyspnea during acute phase and CT during the convalescent period were found to have significant influences on DLco and total lung capacity (TLC).

CONCLUSIONSDiffusing capacity impairment as well as restrictive defect persist in convalescence SARS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Convalescence ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Status ; Humans ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; physiopathology

ABSTRACT:In recent years ,there has been high prevalence of murine typhus in Yunnan Province ,People's Republic of China .A large outbreak of murine typhus occurred in Xishuangbanna Prefecture ,Yunnan Province in 2010 .However ,not all cases were confirmed by laboratory assays ;therefore ,field epidemiologic and laboratory investigations of murine typhus in Xishuangbanna Prefecture were conducted in 2011 .Blood samples were collected from clinical diagnostic cases at the acute and convalescence stages of murine typhus in Xishuangbanna Prefecture ,Yunnan Province ,from June to September of 2011 ,and blood and spleen samples were collected from mice sharing the same habitats as the patients .Immunofluorescence assays were used to test for the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against Rickettsia typhi in sera from patients and mice .Real‐time PCR was used to detect the groEL gene of R .typhi in blood clots from patients at the acute stage and in spleen tissue from mice .A total of 1 157 clinically diagnosed murine typhus cases occurred in Xishuangbanna Prefecture ,Yunnan Province in 2011 ,with an incidence of 102 .10/100 000 .Of these cases ,80 were investigated by laboratory assays and 74 of 80 patients were confirmed to have murine typhus .The coincidence rate between the clinical diagnosis and laboratory detection was 92 .50% .The positivi‐ty rate for IgG antibodies against R .typhi was 14 .0% (14/100) for Rattus f lavipectus ,while the rate by PCR was 9 .0%(9/100) .That laboratory diagnoses confirmed that the severity of the murine typhus outbreak in Xishuangbanna cannot be ig‐nored .The distribution of host animals transmitting R .typhi underscores this conclusion .

Animals ; Cellular Reprogramming ; Dentate Gyrus ; cytology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Mice ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; transplantation ; Swine

A variety of novel 2-(1-substituted-piperidine-4-ylamino)quinazoline derivatives were prepared and their antiproliferative activities on five cancer cell lines were evaluated by MTT assay. Quinazolines 4j-4l, 5a, 5b and 5d bearing a small hydrophobic alkyl group on piperidine ring exhibited potent antitumor activities with IC50 values at micromolar level. Compound 41 displayed significant in vivo antitumor activity with 72.9% inhibition on H22 tumor growth and 80% inhibition on Lewis lung cancer growth at a dose of 200 mg x kg(-1).
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Quinazolines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy of high-dose cytarabine (HD-Ara-C) based chemotherapy for post-remission treatment in patients with t(8;21) (q22;q22) AML-M2 and those with normal karyotype AML-M2.

METHODSAML-M2 patients were grouped into with (21 cases) or without (23 cases) t(8;21) (q22;q22) karyotype groups. After achieved remission by induction therapy, all patients received four cycles of HD-Ara-C (3 mg/m2 per 12 hours by three-hour infusion day 1 to day 3) with either mitoxantrone (7 mg m(-2) d(-1)) or aclarubicin (30 mg m(-2) d(-1)) or etoposide (70 mg m(-2) d(-1)) for 3d as post-remission treatment.

RESULTSRelapse rate in the t(8;21) and the normal karyotype groups was 29% and 57% respectively (P<0.05); 3 year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 71% and 43% respectively (P < 0.05). and 3 year over-all survival (OS) rate was 76% and 65% respectively (P >0.05).

CONCLUSIONFour cycles of high-dose cytarabine based combination chemotherapy as post-remission treatment improves long-term disease-free survival in patients with t(8;21) (q22;q22) AML-M2.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; genetics ; Cytarabine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe genotype of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor and effectiveness of therapy, but its role in cytotoxic chemotherapy is still unknown. Previous studies indicated that certain EGFR mutations were associated with response and progression free survival following platinum based chemotherapy. Our recent studies have identified that EGFR genotypes in the tumour tissues were not associated with response to the first-line chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated associations of EGFR genotypes from plasma of patients with advanced NSCLC and response to first-line chemotherapy and prognosis.

METHODSWe enrolled 145 advanced NSCLC patients who had received first-line chemotherapy in our department. We examined plasma EGFR genotypes for these patients and associations of EGFR mutations with response to chemotherapy and clinical outcomes.

RESULTSThere were 54 patients with known EGFR mutations and 91 cases of wild types. No significant difference was detected in the response rate to first-line chemotherapy between mutation carriers and wild-type patients (37.0% vs. 31.9%). The median survival time and 1-, 2-year survival rates were higher in mutation carriers than wild-types (24 months vs. 18 months, 85.7% vs. 65.7% and 43.7% vs. 25.9%, P = 0.047). Clinical stage (IV vs. IIIb), response to the first-line chemotherapy (partial vs. no) and EGFR genotype were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONPlasma EGFR mutations in the Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC is not a predictor for the response to first-line chemotherapy, but an independent prognostic factor indicating longer survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; Survival Rate