Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque and multiple risk factors of angiocardiopathy,and to evaluate the injuries caused by different risk factors to subclinical target organ to control the general risk factors of angiocardiopathy.Methods Four hundred and twenty six outpatients and impatients,treated in our hospital from May 2007 to May 2009 with the results of color ultrasonic examination,were divided into carotid atherosclerotic plaque group(284 cases) and no carotid atherosclerotic plaque group( 142 cases).The clinical information including their age,body mass index,smoking condition,past medical history such as hypertension,diabetes mellitus and hyperlipoidemia were recorded,and the levels of total cholesterol(T C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol( HDL-C),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),triglyceride (TG),lipoprotein ( a ) ( LP (a) ),apolipoprotein A - 1 ( Apo A 1 ),apolipoprotein B ( Apo B ),highsensitivity C-reactive protein( hs-CRP),homocysteine ( HCY),microalbuminuria( MAU ) and uricacid(UA) were determined by lab tests.The independent variable and univariable data were processed and analyzed statistically to find out the risk factors of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.Results Age and drinking were significantly correlated with the carotid intima-media wall thickening(IMT) (P ＜ 0.001 ).Overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,age,increased MAU and HCY could independently predict carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation ( x2 =71.35,38.45,t =3.26,x2 =37.23,t =118.51,6.723 and 3.17respectively,Ps ＜ 0.05 ).The aggregated number of the risk factors was correlated to IMT and carotid atherosclerotic plaque ( P =0.0001 ).Conclusion Age,drinking,overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,MAU and HCY are risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation,and the contribution of each factor can multiply and overlap,more risk factors means greater risk.

BACKGROUNDTuberculosis remains the leading cause of human death. Currently, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only available vaccine against tuberculosis but its efficacy is highly variable. Thus, developing new tuberculosis vaccines becomes an urgent task. In this study, we evaluated in BALB/c mice the humoral and cellular immune responses of recombinant BCG expressing the antigen ESAT-6 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

METHODSEscherichia coli-BCG shuttle plasmid named pDE22-esat-6 was constructed by inserting the BamHI/EcoRI digested esat-6 gene PCR product into the similarly digested parental plasmid pDE22. BCG cells were transformed with pDE22-esat-6, which was named recombinant BCG (rBCG). BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously on the back with 100 microl normal saline containing 10(6) CFU of BCG or rBCG. They were sacrificed after 4 weeks to detect their humoral and cellular responses.

RESULTSThere was no any significant differences in the growth characteristics between the conventional BCG and rBCG. In immunized mice, the IgG antibody titres of rBCG group were as high as 1:8000, which was significantly higher than that in BCG group (1:1400, P < 0.05). The elicited IFN-gamma level of rBCG group was (1993 +/- 106) pg/ml, which was also significantly higher than that in BCG group ((1463 +/- 105) pg/ml, P < 0.05). The splenocyte proliferation index of rBCG group reached 4.34 +/- 0.31, which was higher than that of BCG group (3.79 +/- 0.24, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONrBCG secreted expressing antigen ESAT-6 stimulated stronger humoral and cellular immune responses than BCG did, and, therefore may be the better vaccine against mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial ; genetics ; immunology ; BCG Vaccine ; immunology ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of multiple displacement amplification (MDA) to apply in the non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

METHODSMaternal blood was obtained from 20 pregnant women at 7 to 25 weeks of gestation. After the discontinuous density gradient centrifugation with Percoll, the fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) were stained with Kleihauer test. All positive NRBCs were collected by micromanipulator and then performed with MDA. Sex and short tandern repeat (STR) analysis were determind from a small aliquot of the reaction. The origin of NRBCs was verified and prenatal diagnosis of DMD was made at the same time.

RESULTSThe product length of MDA was >15 kb, while primer extension preamplification (PEP) is only about 1 kb. We completed non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis of 6 fetus at high risk of DMD using MDA. The results were all coincident with amniotic fluid control.

CONCLUSIONThe MDA method which provides a highly uniform representation across the genome, representing the entire genome with minimal amplification bias, shows good application prospects.

Erythroblasts ; metabolism ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Fetal Diseases ; blood ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Humans ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; blood ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods

In order to prove the feasibility of preparation of the drug-incorporated stent by immersing stent wires in the monoclonal antibody (mAb) solution, fluorescence stain and image analysis were used to evaluate the L-PLA-coated stent. Absorption was measured using a radioisotope technique after preparing the mAb-incorporated stent, and the absorption curve was determined from the absorption data. In an in vitro perfusion circuit, the antibody was eluted from the stent matrices, and the related influence factors were evaluated based on the release data.
Absorption ; Alloys ; chemistry ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; chemistry ; immunology ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Graft Occlusion, Vascular ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; chemistry ; immunology ; Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex ; immunology ; Polymers ; analysis ; chemistry ; Time Factors

Compounds from Lingzhi has been demonstrated the ability for inhibiting tyrosinase (a key enzyme in melanogenesis) activity. In this study, we investigated the anti-melanogenic activity from the submerged mycelial culture of Ganoderma weberianum and elucidated the skin lightening mechanism by B16-F10 murine melanoma cells. From the cellular context, several fractionated mycelium samples exhibited anti-melanogenic activity by reducing more than 40% extracellular melanin content of B16-F10 melanoma cells. In particular, the fractionated chloroform extract (CF-F3) inhibited both secreted and intracellular melanin with the lowest dosage (25 ppm). Further analysis demonstrated that CF-F3 inhibited cellular tyrosinase activity without altering its protein expression. Taken together, our study has demonstrated that the chemical extracts from submerged mycelial culture of G. weberianum have the potential to serve as an alternative anti-melanogenic agent.
Chloroform ; Ganoderma ; Melanins ; Melanoma ; Monophenol Monooxygenase ; Mycelium ; Reishi ; Skin

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of open probability (Po) of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (BK channel) in diabetic coronary smooth muscle cells and elucidate the underlying cellular electrophysiology mechanisms of coronary dysfunction.

METHODSRat coronary smooth muscle cells were isolated from control group and diabetic group. BK single channel currents were recorded by patch clamp technique in inside-out configuration. Open probabilities were calculated and compared between two groups. After exposure to DHS-1, a specific BK channel activator, Po at 0.2 and 1 µmol/L free Ca(2+) were compared between control and diabetic groups.

RESULTSIn the presence of 0.2 µmol/L free Ca(2+), the Po at baseline was significantly lower in diabetic rats than in control rats (0.0032 ± 0.0012 vs. 0.095 ± 0.036, P < 0.05). Cytoplasmic application of DSH-1 significantly increased the Po to 0.335 ± 0.096 (P < 0.05 vs. baseline) in control rats, whereas DSH-1 had no effect in diabetic rats (Po = 0.022 ± 0.018, P > 0.05 vs. baseline). In the presence of 1 µmol/L free Ca(2+), the Po at baseline was also significantly lower in diabetic rats than in control rats (0.210 ± 0.055 vs. 0.458 ± 0.077, P < 0.05). Cytoplasmic application of DHS-1 further robustly enhanced Po to 0.823 ± 0.019 (P < 0.05 vs. baseline) in control rats and to 0.446 ± 0.098 in diabetic rats (P < 0.05 vs. baseline of diabetic rats; P < 0.05 vs. control rats with DHS-1).

CONCLUSIONThe decrease of Po of BK single channel in coronary smooth muscle cells may be a potential cause for coronary dysfunction in diabetic rats.

Animals ; Coronary Vessels ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible influence of cryoglobulinemia on the antiviral effect in chronic hepatitis C patients, who were treated with combination therapy of pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin.

METHODSForty consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) were enrolled in the study. They received pegylated interferon alfa-2a (40kD, 180mug/w) along with ribavirin. Baseline cryoglobulins were detected in the sera by cryoprecipitation. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotyping was performed and HCV viral load was detected at baseline, and at 4, 12 weeks during treatment, 24 weeks after cessation of treatment.

RESULTSEighteen (45.0%) patients infected with HCV were cryoglobulins positive at baseline. Mean serum HCV RNA level in cryoglobulins positive patients was higher than that in cryoglobulins negative patients (6.36+/-0.63 vs. 5.70+/-1.20, P = 0.032). The rapid virological response (RVR) rate was statically different between cryoglobulins positive patients and cryoglobulins negative ones (6/18, 33.3% vs. 15/22, 68.2%, P = 0.028). In contrast, no difference was found in early virological response (EVR) rate between the cryoglobulins positive patients and cryoglobulins negative ones (14/17, 82.4% vs. 18/21, 85.7%, P = 1.0). Sustained virological response (SVR) rate in cryoglobulins positive and cryoglobulins negative was different (0/3, 0 vs 6/6, 100%, P = 0.012). The rate of patients achieved RVR was different between the patients infected with HCV genotype 1 b of two groups (cryoglobulins positive: 2/13, 15.4% vs cryoglobulins negative 14/21; 66.7%, P = 0.005). However, the rate of EVR in patients infected HCV genotype 1 b was not statistically different (cryoglobulins positive: 9/12, 75.0% vs. cryoglobulins negative 17/20; 81.2%, P = 0.647).

CONCLUSIONThe rates of RVR and SVR achievement in cryoglobulinemia positive CHC patients are lower than those in cryoglobulinemia negative CHC patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cryoglobulinemia ; complications ; virology ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Viral ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Hyperpolarized (HP) carbon-13 ( 13C) MRI represents an innovative approach for noninvasive, real-time assessment of dynamic metabolic flux, with potential integration into routine clinical MRI. The use of [1- 13C]pyruvate as a probe and its conversion to [1- 13C]lactate constitute an extensively explored metabolic pathway. This review comprehensively outlines the establishment of HP 13C-MRI, covering multidisciplinary team collaboration, hardware prerequisites, probe preparation, hyperpolarization techniques, imaging acquisition, and data analysis. This article discusses the clinical applications of HP 13C-MRI across various anatomical domains, including the brain, heart, skeletal muscle, breast, liver, kidney, pancreas, andprostate. Each section highlights the specific applications and findings pertinent to these regions, emphasizing the potential versatility of HP 13C-MRI in diverse clinical contexts. This review serves as a comprehensive update, bridging technical aspects with clinical applications and offering insights into the ongoing advancements in HP 13C-MRI.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether the clustering of risk factors, both environmental and genetic, increases the risk of essential hypertension (EH) and the accumulation of risk factors influences the blood pressure level in normotensives.

METHODSOn the basis of a prevalence survey, 501 subjects of Mongolian ethnicity (243 hypertensives and 258 normotensives) who were not related to each other were selected to conduct a case-control study. All subjects were interviewed with questionnaires and their blood specimens were collected. Renin gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, a new genetic marker, was genotyped with PCR and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

RESULTSOverweight, alcohol consumption, and renin gene I/D polymorphism were significant risk factors of EH (P<0.05). The odds ratios (OR) for the number of risk factors were 2.39 (95%CI: 0.98-6.74) for one risk factor, 5.03 (95%CI: 2.06-14.18) for two, and 6.09 (95%CI: 1.85-22.38) for three respectively after adjusting for age and sex. In normotensives, age- and sex-adjusted mean blood pressures increased with more accumulation of risk factors. However, there were no significant differences among the different blood pressure levels according to the number of risk factors (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONOverweight, alcohol consumption, and renin gene I/D polymorphism are risk factors of EH in the Mongolian ethnic population of China. The accumulation of the risk factors causes a sharp increase of the risk of EH.

Adult ; China ; ethnology ; Cluster Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mongolia ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors

To evaluate the papilla alterations around single-implant restorations in the anterior maxillae after crown attachment and to study the influence of soft tissue thickness on the papilla fill alteration. According to the inclusion criteria, 32 patients subjected to implant-supported single-tooth restorations in anterior maxillae were included. The patients were assigned to two groups according to the mucosal thickness: (i) group 1, 1.5 mm s mucosal thickness 3 mm; and (ii) group 2, 3 mm Adult ; Crowns ; Dental Implantation, Endosseous ; methods ; Dental Implants, Single-Tooth ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported ; Esthetics, Dental ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gingiva ; anatomy & histology ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Tooth Cervix ; anatomy & histology ; Young Adult