AIM:ToinvestigatetheeffectofP21-activatedkinase1(PAK1)andlymphoidenhancer-binding factor 1(LEF1) on the proliferation of esophagus cancer cells .METHODS:Real-time PCR was applied to detect the mR-NA expression of PAK1 and LEF1 in the esophagus cancer tissues .MTT assay were used to measure the proliferation of hu-man esophagus cancer cell line KYSE transfected with PAK 1 and LEF1.RESULTS: The mRNA expression of PAK1 in the esophagus cancer tissues was lower than that in control group (P<0.05).The mRNA expression of LEF1 and tran-scription factor 4 (TCF4) in the esophagus cancer tissues was higher than that in control group (P<0.05).The prolifera-tion of KYSE cells with over-expression of PAK1 and LEF1 was higher than that in control group .No significant change of apoptosis between the KYSE cells with over-expression of PAK1 and LEF1 and control group was observed .CONCLU-SION:The expression of PAK1 decreases and the expression of LEF 1 increases in esophagus cancer tissues .LEF1 domi-nantly regulates the proliferation of esophagus cancer cells .

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics and diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis VII.

METHODThe clinical and biochemical features of an infant with mucopolysaccharidosis VII confirmed by enzyme assay were analyzed.

RESULTThe 2 month-old male infant showed hydrops fetalis, mental retardation, coarse face, corneal clouding, hepatosplenomegaly, hernias, Alder-Reilly granules in the leucocytes and decreased platelet (32 × 10(9)/L). The biochemical markers showed urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAG) (532.8 mg/L, controls < 70.0 mg/L). The ratio of GAG/creatinine was 161.3 (controls: 26.2 ± 11.7). Serum chitotriosidase activity was 315.8 nmol/(ml·h) [control < 53 nmol/(ml·h)]. Beta-glucuronidase activity was deficient in isolated leukocytes.

CONCLUSIONSevere form of mucopolysaccharidosis VII exhibited characteristics of hydrops fetalis, hepatosplenomegaly, coarse face, thrombocytopenia and Alder-Reilly granules in the leucocytes. The measurements of GAG in urinary and beta glucuronidase in leucocytes are critical to diagnosis and deferential diagnosis.

Glucuronidase ; metabolism ; Glycosaminoglycans ; urine ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocytes ; enzymology ; Male ; Mucopolysaccharidosis VII

Optimization of sensor array is a significant topic in the application of electronic nose (EN). Stepwise discriminant analysis and cluster analysis combining with screening of typical index were employed to optimize the original array in the classification of 100 samples from 10 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine based on alpha-FOX3000 EN. And the identification ability was evaluated by three algorithm including principle component analysis, Fisher discriminant analysis and random forest. The results showed that the identification ability of EN was improved since not only the effective information was maintained but also the redundant one was eliminated by the optimized array. The optimized method was eventually established, it was accurate and efficient. And the optimized array was built up, that is, S1, S2, S5, S6, S8, S12.
Algorithms ; Biosensing Techniques ; methods ; Cluster Analysis ; Discriminant Analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; classification ; isolation & purification ; Electronic Nose ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Principal Component Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Smell

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of obesity and how they related to chronic diseases among middle aged and elderly men in urban Shanghai.Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from a baseline survey from an on-going cohort study of 61 500 men between 40-74 of age in urban Shanghai.Study subjects were recruited from 8 communities of an urban district in Shanghai during 2002 to 2006.General obesity was measured by body mass index (BMI≥28) and,central obesity by waist to hip ratio (WHR≥0.9).Unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of chronic diseases associated with obesity after adjustment for potential confounding factors.Results The aged-adjusted prevalence rates of overweight,overall obesity and central obesity were 36.8%,7.7% and 49.7% respectively.In this population,66.7% subjects had ever been diagnosed with one or more kinds of chronic diseases,in which hypertension ranked first with an age-adjusted prevalence rate of 26.5%.After mutual adjustment for WHR and BMI,obesity (BMI≥28) appeared to be associated with increased prevalence rates of hypertension,coronary heart disease,gallstone,urinary tract calculus and stroke comparing to men having normal BMI (18.5≤BMI＜24) with ORs ranged from 1.16 to 3.13.However,to the lowest quartile,the ORs associated with the highest WHR were between 1.20 and 1.69 for these 5 diseases.All P values for trend tests were less than 0.05.WHR was positively associated with diabetes,with OR as 2.40 (95% CI:2.14-2.70) for the highest quartile comparing to the lowest quartile.BMI was unrelated to the diabetes prevalence.Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease decreased with increasing BMI,but increased with WHR.The corresponding OR was 0.87 (95% CI:0.77-0.98)for the obese men compared to those with normal BMI while 1.26(95%CI:1.14-1.40) for the subjects with the highest WHR comparing to those with the lowest WHR.Conclusion The prevalence rates of hypertension,gallstone,urinary tract calculus,cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were higher in obesity men.Central obesity seemed to be related to high prevalence of diabetes.

OBJECTIVETo observe osteoblast apoptosis in diabetic periodontitis.

METHODSSixty-two SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: Diabetic periodontitis group (DP), periodontitis group (P) and normal control group (N). Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Periodontitis was initiated by ligating floss around maxillary second molars and inoculation of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis). Three or six weeks later, the animals were sacrificed and the specimens were prepared for histological analysis. The percentage of apoptotic osteoblasts was examined. Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA.

RESULTSThe sequence of percentage of apoptotic osteoblasts among each group was group DP > group P > group N. Intergroup comparisons demonstrated that diabetic periodontitis and periodontitis might increase apoptosis of osteoblasts. The percentage of apoptotic osteoblasts in group DP was approximately two times higher than that in group P.

CONCLUSIONThe present study clearly demonstrates that diabetes can increase the apoptosis of osteoblasts in periodontitis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; Osteoblasts ; Periodontitis ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin

At present time, the widely used hepatitis B virus( HBV) vaccines consist of only the small hepatitis B surface antigen expressed in yeast or CHO cells. The frequency of non-responders to these vaccines has increased the demand for a more immunogenic vaccine. Some studies have suggested that the addition of preS region to the vaccine will improve its efficacy. However, the large protein (L) containing the whole preS region can not be effectively expressed in vitro. To overcome this problem, two chimeric contructs, SS1, surface gene containing preS1 region at C-terminus and SS2, surface gene containing preS2 region at C-terminus, were constructed and effectively expressed in our previous studies. Here we further constructed an expression vector containing both SS1 and SS2 expression cassettes by separation and ligation the SS2 cassette to a linearized SS1 expression vector pAO815-SS1. The recombinant vector was transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115 by electroporation. A high-level expression strain (GS115-SS1S2) was established by primary screening for His+ transformants and further analysis for induction products. ELISA results demonstrated that the expressed protein had S, preS1 and preS2 antigenicities simultaneously. Western blotting showed that the product can bind to all of the three antibodies, anti-S, anti-preS1 and anti-preS2. The expression protein was present in the form of particles of 20-35 nm diameter and the yield of recombinant particles reached 300-600 mg/L by fermentation. The SS1 and SS2 polypeptides kept intact in purified particles, suggesting that the stability of preS region has been significantly improved.
Animals ; CHO Cells ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Epitopes ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Peptide Fragments ; genetics ; immunology ; Pichia ; genetics ; Protein Precursors ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo establish a primary culture method of rat testis Leydig cell.

METHODSThe primary rat Leydig cells were treated with or without 4 U/ml human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and testosterone in culture medium was detected by radioimmunoassay. The morphology and biological characteristics of Leydig cell were observed.

RESULTSThe culture cells were highly homogeneous, proliferative and had a high differentiation rate. The high purified Leydig cells were verified by their dynamic morphological changes and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase delta4-delta5 isomerase (3beta-HSD) histochemical staining. The testosterone secretion induced by hCG significantly increased (P < 0.05) 24 hours after inoculation than that induced without hCG in the control.

CONCLUSIONIt suggests that the Leydig cell cultured in vitro may secrete high concentration of testosterone, and this study laid the basis of androgen replacement therapy for partial androgen deficiency in aging male.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cells, Cultured ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; secretion ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Testosterone ; metabolism

Objective To observe the expression ofmicroRNA-134 (miR-134) in the mouse brain tissue with FMR1 gene knockout during the different development periods and its expression characteristic, and explore whether the deficiency of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) can induce the changes of miR-134 transcription. Methods FVB strain male mice, including FMR1 gene knockout (KO, n=15) and their wild type (WT, n=15) counterparts were chosen in the experiment. The expressions of miR-134 in the brain tissues of these KO mice that were 0 d, 4 and 6 w old and the age-matched WT mice were detected by qRT-PCR. Results The transcriptional level of miR-134 in the brain tissue of KO mice had no significant difference as compared with that of age-matched WT mice (P＞0.05). The transcriptional levels of miR-134 in 6-w-old KO and WT mice were significantly decreased as compared with the newbom and 4-w-old same genotype mice (P＜0.05). Conclusion The absence of FMRP does not influence the transcription of miR-134 and the transcriptional level of miR-134 in the brain tissues maintains a high level during the developmental stage of the nervous system and gradually decreases to a low level after grow-up, demonstrating its important role in regulating the development of nervous system.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy combined with Saccharomyces boulardii in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection among children in terms of Hp eradication rate and incidence of adverse events.

METHODSA prospective randomised controlled study was conducted on 240 children with a confirmed diagnosis of Hp infection. These patients were randomized into triple therapy (n=120) and probiotics groups (n=120). The triple therapy group received amoxicillin [40 mg/(kg·d), Tid], clarithromycin [15 mg/(kg·d), Bid] and omeprazole [0.7-0.8 mg/(kg·d), Qd], while the probiotics group received Saccharomyces boulardii (250 mg, Bid) in addition to triple therapy. The course of treatment was 14 days in both groups. The adverse events in subjects were recorded by their parents during treatment. Hp eradiation was evaluated by (13)C breath test at 4 weeks after treatment, and the eradication rate and incidence of adverse events were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe Hp eradication rates were 75.8% (91/120) in the triple therapy group and 85% (102/120) in the probiotics group (P>0.05). Compared with the triple therapy group, the probiotics group had nonsignificantly lower incidence of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain (P>0.05) and significantly lower incidence of stomatitis, constipation and diarrhea (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTriple therapy combined with Saccharomyces boulardii cannot significantly increase Hp eradication rate, but can significantly reduce the incidence of stomatitis, constipation, and diarrhea during treatment.

Amoxicillin ; administration & dosage ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Clarithromycin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; therapy ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male ; Omeprazole ; administration & dosage ; Probiotics ; administration & dosage ; Prospective Studies ; Saccharomyces

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Infant ; Lactulose ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; Male