Acetylcholine and A23187, two acetylcholinergic agonists, were used to induce the stimulus-secretion coupling of the isolated rat adrenal medulla cells. Morphometry of numerical density and electron probe X-ray quantitative microanalysis were adopted to measure the alterations in the number and calcium content of chromaffin granules in adrenal medulla cells during the agonist treatment. Secretion of epinephrine was detected by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was found that the Ca content of the isolated rat adrenal medulla chromaffin granules dropped significantly after a 10-min incubation with the agonists, whereas the number of chromaffin granule decreased slowly during the agonist treatment and the epinephrine concentration raised significantly after a 20-min incubation with the agonists. The decrease of granule Ca content occurred earlier than the increase of epinephrine concentration, suggesting that the calcium released from chromaffin granule may in part account for the induced cell secretion.

Objective To isolate and identify the adult neural stem cells from the parenchyma of spinal cord in adult mouse.Methods The parenchymal spinal cord from adult mouse was dissected and dissociated by mechanical trituration.The tissue suspension was cultured in serum-free DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with EGF and B27.The cell colonies generated from a single cell were screened by limited dilution and incubated with BrdU.The cell colonies were transferred into medium with serum to induce differentiation.The cells were identified with antibodies to Nestin,BrdU,MAP2 and GFAP by immunofluorescence staining.Results The cells were cultured for seven days to generate proliferative neurospheres.The majority of cells in these neurospheres expressed Nestin and were differentiated into MAP2-positive cells and GFAP-positive cells in medium containing with fetal bovine serum.Conclusion A significant number of neural stem cells are present in the parenchymal adult mouse spinal cord and can proliferate and also give rise to neurons and glia in vitro.

Animals ; Biofilms ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; metabolism ; Genes, Bacterial ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics ; metabolism

A great achievement has been made on burn pathology research in China since 1958. These advances include: pathological changes in burn wound, the healing process of burn wound and its mechanism modulated by growth factors especially bFGF, intermingled transplantation of allo-skin or xeno-skin with auto-skin for coverage of extensive third degree burns, characteristic postburn inflammatory reaction, pathological changes and evolution in various internal organs, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), pathological changes in phosphorus burn, pathological changes in endotoxemia in burn, the role of vascular endothelial cell in pathogenesis of postburn visceral organ dysfunction as well as steam and smoke inhalation injury.
Burns ; pathology ; China ; Humans ; Skin Transplantation ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVEElucidate the medicinal licorice species circumscription in order to develop licorice resources in China and select new cultivars.

METHODPCR amplification, DNA sequencing and cladistic analysis.

RESULTAcquire the ITS sequences and phylogenetic tree of 8 licorice species.

CONCLUSIONAccording to results Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa and G. glabra var. glandulosa should be combined into G. and G. glabra respectively and G. egladulosa is an independent species.

Base Sequence ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Glycyrrhiza ; classification ; genetics ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pharmacognosy ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics

Objective To assess the value of 11 C-methionine (MET) PET/CT for the diagnosis of residual or recurrent glioma in comparison to 18 F-FDG PET/CT. Methods Forty-six patients suspected of residual or recurrent glioma underwent both 11 C-MET and 18 F-FDG PET/CT within 5-day interval. The glioma was considered as positive on PET/CT images based on ( 1 ) visual judgment of higher tracer uptake compared with the normal gray matter; (2) semiquantitative analysis of tumor to contralateral normal gray matter (T/G) and contralateral normal white matter (T/W) ratios. The diagnosis was confirmed by stereotsctic biopsy or radiological findings of MRI or CT and clinical follow-up ( ＞6 months). The Chi-square test and paired t test were used for statistical analysis. Results Residual or recurrent glioma was confirmed in 36 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of 11C-MET and 18F-FDG PET/CT were 94.4% (34/36) vs 47.2% (17/36), 90.0% (9/10) vs 100% (10/10), 93.5% (43/46) va 58.7% (27/46) (x2 =19. 429, 1. 053, 15. 294, P ＜0.001, ＞0.05, ＜0.001 ), respectively. The T/G and T/W ratios of residual/recurrent giloma by 11 C-MET were significantly higher than those by 18 F-FDG (T/G ratio: 1.68 ± 0.23 vs 1.13 ±0.51, t = 5. 877, P ＜ 0. 001; T/W ratio: 2.52 ± 0.28 vs 1.42 ± 0. 57, t = 10. 470, P ＜0. 001 ). Conclusion 11 C-MET PET/CT is more sensitive and accurate than 18 F-FDG PET/CT for the detection of residual or recurrent glioma.

Objective To study the risk behaviors on diarrhea among the adults of Beijing.Methods 13287 adults aged over 18 years in Dongcheng,Xicheng,Haidian,Changping,Huairou and Tongzhou districts in Beijing were selected with a multi-stage stratified sampling method.Information on the demographic characteristics,with or without symptoms on diarrhea in the last year,and behaviors related to diarrhea,were collected through a self-designed questionnaire.Results The reported total prevalence of diarrhea symptoms in the last year was 17.6％ and,in urban areas as 16.8％,in rural areas as 18.2％ respectively.The differences on the reported prevalence rates of diarrhea in different age groups,background of education and occupations groups among urban residents were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Items as eating raw seafood or freshwater products,using the same chopping block and knife at the time when processing raw and cooked food,not being used to regular physical exercise etc.were the risk factors to diarrhea among adults from urban areas,with OR (95％CI) as 1.26 ( 1.07-1.48),1.37 (1.16-1.63) and 1.38 ( 1.20-1.59),respectively.The reported diarrhea prevalence rates related to sex,age,education background and occupations among rural residents did not show significant differences (P＞0.05).Without hand-washing habit before eating or after toilet-using,eating raw seafood or freshwater products,using the same chopping block and knife at the time when processing raw and cooked food,not being used to regular physical exercise etc.seemed to be the risk factors on diarrhea among adults in the rural areas with the OR(95％CI) as 1.85 (1.51-2.25),1.39 (1.17-1.67),1.44 (1.24-1.67) and 1.46 (1.27-1.67),respectively.Conclusion The prevalence reported on diarrhea symptoms among adults from the rural areas was higher than the urban adults.Diarrhea was related to health-related habits,eating habits and regularity of taking physical exercises.

Objective To establish and assess a comprehensive index system on adult health literacy which related to infectious disease.Methods A multi-stage stratified sampling method was carried out among adults aged over 18 years,in Bcijing.A questionnaire survey was used to collect the information on adult health literacy situation related to infectious disease,with answers scored.Degrees of difficulty and difference together with confirmatory factor analysis were used to screen the indications from the questionnaires so as to establish a comprehensive index system.Methods as Cronbach a coefficient,split-half reliability,confirmatory factor analysis and cluster analysis methods were used to assess the reliability and validity of the index system.Results The sample size was 13 287 with valid questionnaires as 13 001.There were 30 indexes selected to establish the comprehensive index system on adult health literacy related to infectious disease.The Cronbach a coefficient was 0.777,and the split-half reliability was 0.609.Data from Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that each of the standardized regression coefficient was significant,and there were significant differences between the groups of being clustered by Q cluster analysis method (P＜0.001).9.9％ of the residents were classified as having enough knowledge on health.Conclusion The index system set for adult health literacy that related to infectious disease showed good reliability and validity thus could be used as a good tool to evaluate the levels of health literacy which related to infectious diseases,in Beijing.

BACKGROUND(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is the most widely used radiotracer in tumor imaging, but its use for brain gliomas and recurrence is limited by the high (18)F-FDG uptake in normal brain tissue. (11)C-methionine (MET) has low uptake in the normal brain tissue, providing potential advantages over (18)F-FDG. The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic value of (11)C-MET compared to (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with suspected primary and residual/recurrent gliomas.

METHODSEighty paired PET/CT scans using (11)C-MET and (18)F-FDG were performed on 44 newly diagnosed patients with suspected gliomas and 36 post-operative patients with suspected residual/recurrent tumors. PET/CT results were evaluated by visual and semiquantitative analysis. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detection of gliomas and residual/recurrent tumors were calculated using visual analysis. Tumor to contralateral normal gray matter (T/G) ratio was calculated for semiquantitative analysis.

RESULTSFinal pathology of the 44 newly diagnosed patients included 26 gliomas (14 high-grade and 12 low-grade tumors) and 18 non-glioma benign lesions. Residual/recurrent gliomas were verified in 28 patients and excluded in 8/36 post-operative patients by subsequent histopathologic examination and/or clinical follow-up for more than six months. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of (11)C-MET PET/CT were 88.5%, 83.3% and 86.4% for gliomas and 96.4%, 87.5% and 94.4% for residual/recurrent gliomas, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of (18)F-FDG PET/CT were 50.0%, 88.9% and 65.9% for gliomas and 46.4%, 100.0% and 58.3% for residual/recurrent gliomas, respectively. (11)C-MET had a higher sensitivity than (18)F-FDG (83.3% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.031) in low-grade gliomas, but had no significant difference in sensitivity from (18)F-FDG for high-grade gliomas (92.9% vs. 64.3%, P = 0.219). (11)C-MET T/G uptake ratios in high-grade gliomas, low-grade gliomas and benign lesions were 1.94 ± 0.53, 1.78 ± 0.61 and 1.06 ± 0.34, respectively. (18)F-FDG T/G uptake ratios in high-grade gliomas, low-grade gliomas and benign lesions were 1.05 ± 0.37, 0.66 ± 0.14 and 0.63 ± 0.17, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS(11)C-MET PET/CT is superior to (18)F-FDG PET/CT in detecting and delineating gliomas and residual/recurrent tumors, especially low-grade gliomas and residual/recurrent lesions present in gray matter, but its role in non-invasive grading of the tumors is limited.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Glioma ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Methionine ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; methods ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe study was to describe the breastfeeding status of children under the age of three in counties of western China and to provide evidence to the government for decision-making on intervention.

METHODSA cross-sectional study with probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) sampling method was used. The information on breastfeeding was obtained through memory of the mothers. Fourteen thousand and seventy-seven children were studied. Data on breastfed status in counties of western China was compared with those of the children from the survey of the counties of western China in 2001.

RESULTSThe breastfeeding rate of children under 3 years old in western China was 96.5%. However, the overall breastfed rate of children under 6 months were only 33.4%, with rates of 11.4% and 22.0% on exclusively and predominantly breastfed groups respectively. Timely first-suckling rate was 43.5% with the continued breastfeeding rate (1 year) as 64.9%, but the continued breastfeeding rate (2 year) was only 9.7%. Reasons causing mothers to wean would include according to her own intention and to be able to attend the physical labor while exclusive breastfeeding under 6 months was for the growth and development of children, which might reduce the two-week prevalence of diarrhea. Major risks of exclusive breastfeeding of children under 6 months were seen as: level of education of the mothers, economic depression of the counties and mother's nationality (if as minority).

CONCLUSIONMost of the children were ever or being breastfed at the time of interview with timely first-suckling took place earlier than in 2001. However continued breastfeeding did not last long. During these five years, the exclusive breastfeeding rate had been at low level, especially at the economic depression and the minority area.

Breast Feeding ; epidemiology ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Weaning