Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Humans ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

Circulating cell-free nucleic acids are defined as extracellular DNAs or RNAs in blood with physiological or pathological origins. Previous studies showed that the concentration of cell-free nucleic acids in the blood of cancer patients is significantly higher than in healthy people. Further studies showed that the genetic and epigenetic alterations of circulating cell-free nucleic acids are relevant to cancer development and progression, including mutation, hypermethylation, loss of heterozygosity, change of integrity, and abnormal expression of microRNAs. Detection of circulating cell-free nucleic acids shows promising potential in cancer screening, diagnosis, personalized treatment, and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing attention in the study of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (ALS)and bone metabolism, which is accompanied by osteopenia and osteoporosis. Interleukin(IL) -6, a cytokine that strongly promotes bone resorption, participates in the regulation of bone metablism.OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between changes of bone mineral density(BMD) and serum IL-6 content in AIS.DESIGN: A controlled non-randomized concurrent study involving patients with AIS and and healthy volunteers.SETTING: The clinic and wards of the department of spinal surgery of a university-affiliated hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six patients with AIS(6 males and 30 females aged 12 to 18 years) were treated in the Department of Spinal Surgery, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical College of Nanjing University from July to October 2003, who had a Cobb angle ranging from 34° - 109° and curvature of the thoracic spine. Thirty-six healthy adolescent volunteers(7 males and 29 females within the range of 13 - 18 years old) served as the control group.METHODS: The BMD was measured at L2- L4 and the proximal femur;(including the femoral neck, greater trochanter and Ward' s triangle) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and serum IL-6 determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① BMD of the lumbar spine and femur ② Comparison of serum IL-6 content of all the subjects.RESULTS: The BMD of AIS patients at L2- L4, femoral neck, greater trochanter and Ward' s triangle was 0.79±0. 12, 0.78±0. 12, 0.65± 0. 10, and 0. 69 ± 0. 13 g/cm2, respectively, all significantly lower than the corresponding measurements of the control group(1.09 ± 0. 11, 0.95 ± 0. 11,0. 78 ± 0. 10, and 0. 88 ± 0. 11 g/cm2, respectively, P ＜ 0. 001), whereas the serum IL-6 content in the patients was significantly higher than that in the control subjects ( P ＜ 0. 005). The changes of BMD at the lumbar spine and the three sites of femur were negatively correlated with serum IL-6 in AIS patients( P ＜ 0. 001 ), but not so in the control group( P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: The BMD is decreased and serum IL-6 elevated in patients with AIS, and excessive secretion of IL-6 might be one of the important factors of osteopenia in AIS.

Objective The CYP19 gene product enzyme aromatase mediates the conversion of the androgen testosterone to es -tradiol.The aim of this study is to investigate whether the CYP19A1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with the susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and serum hormone levels. Methods We conducted a case-controlled study, which included 373 PCOS patients and 313 healthy controls.We genotyped SNP rs2899470 in the subjects using the polymerase chain re-action-restriction fragment length polymorphism ( PCR-RFLP) method and analyzed the frequencies of genotypes and alleles as well as the association of different genotypes with age , menarchal age, body mass index (BMI), and serum levels of hormones. Results The gen-otypic distributions of rs2899470 GG, TG, and TT in the PCOS women were 44.5%, 49.6%, and 5.9%, respectively, significantly dif-ferent from 39.3%, 48.6%, and 12.1%in the healthy controls (P=0.013).The frequency of the G allele was 69.3%in the former, remarkably higher than 63.6%in the latter (P=0.025).The rs2899470 genotypic frequencies were associated with the serum E 2/T lev-els in the PCOS patients. Conclusion SNP rs2899470 in the CYP19A1 gene is associated with the susceptibility to PCOS , and so is the genotype of rs2899470 with serum E2/T levels, which may be attributed mainly to the reduced activity of aromatase .

Objective To observe whether sodium arsenite(NaAsO2)can activate the expressions of hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1)of normal human liver cell line named Chang liver.Methods Chang liver cells were exposed to NaAsO2 at 10 μmoL/L,0(contml),2,6,12,24 h and at 0(control),5,10,25,50 μmol/L in 12 h, followed by the measuring of the expressions of HO-1 protein in ceUs with western blot.Results In 10 μmol/L groups Chang liver cells exposed for 6,12,24 h cultured in vitro,the expressions of HO-l protein(3.97±0.72, 12.92±2.98,23.29±3.82)was significantly higher than that of control(1.00±0.00),and compared with the control, the difference being statistically significant(F=85.83,P＜0.01;t=-9.42,-8.95,-13.83,respectively,P＜ 0.05 or＜0.01).In 12 h,5,10,25 and 50 μmol/L groups cultured in vitro,the expressions of HO-1(16.34±0.25, 7.75±0.39,7.93±0.14,12.48±0.35)was significantly higher than that of control(1.00±0.00).and compared with the control,the difference being statistically significant(F=85.83,P＜0.01;t=-36.25,-30.19,-86.40, -56.40,respectively,all P＜0.01).Conclusion Inorganic arsenic call induce the activation of HO-1,promote the expression of protein in a time-and dose-dependent manner.

Adult ; Fever ; etiology ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Polyps ; complications ; Stomach Diseases ; complications

OBJECTIVETo observe the synergic or antagonistic effect of needling acupoints Fengchi (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10), and Jiaji C4-C6 (EX-B2) on vertebro-basilar insufficiency (VBI).

METHODSSelf-control method was used and 20 cases of VBI were respectively treated with acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10), Jiaji (EX-B2). Their combination and the changes of vertebro-basilar artery's (VBA) systolic velocity of blood flow was detected.

RESULTSThe VBA's systolic velocity of blood flow after acupuncture were increased in all the 3 groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), with no significant difference among the 3 groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10) or Jiaji (C4-C6 ) or their combination can increase VBA's systolic velocity of blood flow, improving blood supply of vertebro-basilar artery, but they have no synergic or antagonistic effects.

Objective To develop an up-converting phosphor technology based lateral flow assay ( UPT-LF) to detect ricin toxin ( RT) quickly, accurately and quantitatively.Methods Ricin-monoclonal antibodies were prepared and their affinity was evaluated before four types of monoclonal antibodies with the highest titer were applied to couple with the up-converting phosphor nano-particles ( UCP-NPs) as the bio-conjugate and disperse on the analysis membrane as the test line, respectively.Following systematic optimization to establish the RT-UPT-LF strip, the sensitivity, precision, quantita-tive ability and specificity of RT-UPT-LF were evaluated.Results The detection could be accomplished within 15 min and the detection limit of the RT-UPT-LF assay could reach 0.5 ng/ml within the quantitative detection range of 0.5-1000 ng/ml.Other non-specific toxins at a concentration of 1000 ng/ml did not cause any non-specific reactions.Conclusion The developed RT-UPT-LF strip provides a new means for on-site quantitative detection of ricin toxin.

AIM: To examine the effect of acrylic ester and thermosol respectively as pressure sensitive adhesive matrix of zhitong huoxue extract ( Rhizoma Corydalis,Radix aconiti,Radix Paeoniae alba,Radix et notoginseng ginseng,etc) on the dissolution of effective constituent from zhitong huoxue extract.METHODS: The in vitro release experiment was carried out on Permcell diffusion cell,HPLC method was applied to determining the cumulative elease rate of tetrahydropalmatine,aconitine,paeoniflorin and ginsenoside Rg_1 from zhitong huoxue pressure sensitive adhensive.RESULTS: The acrylic ester matrix had sound controlled release profile in vitro of alkaloid components.In KT-A thermosol matrix,the in vitro release rate proved to be inversely proportional to the molecular weight (R = 0.91 ) of the effective constituents,while the 2501 s matrix presented a steadily cumulative release rate over 12 h (30% -43% ).CONCLUSION: Good release rates are observed with effective constituent with small molecular weight,adhesive composition of matrix has an obvious effect on the in vitro release behavior of zhitong huoxue extract.

Objective To study the clinicopathological characteristics and the prognostic factors in metastatic pancreatic tumor.Methods The clinical data of 32 patients with metastatic pancreatic tumors were retrospectively analyzed.The survival of the patients were evaluated with the KaplanMeier method.Univariate analysis was done by log-rank test.Results The primary foei of these32 patients included:9 lung cancer,6 renal cell carcinoma,5 gastric cancer,12 others.The median survival was 15.5 months in the radical surgery group (n 8),18 months in the cryosurgery group(n=3),8 months in the group with palliative bypass operation (n=9),6 months in the group with local radiotherapy (n=3),and 5 months in the group without treatment (n=9).Univariable analysis revealed the type of primary tumor,treatment of the primary tumor,interval between diagnosis of primary tumor and pancreatic metastases,localized pancreatic metastasis,and treatment of the metastatic pancreatic tumor were associated with prognosis.Conclusions Metastatic pancreatic tumors are rare.Long term survival can be achieved with pancreatic resection in a highly selected subset of patients according to the type of primary tumor.Therapeutic cryosurgery as a new minimally invasive,targeted and immunologic method needs to be further evaluated.