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.

An HPLC method to determine six alkaloids of the Coptidis for Chinese Pharmacopoeia of 2015 Edition was established through C18 column. The mobile phase was CH3CN-0.25 mol·L-1 NH4Ac (36:64) (containing 8 mmol·L-1 SDS and adjusting pH 9.3 with ammonia) at the flow rate of 1 mL·min-1, the detective wavelength was 270 nm and the column temperature was 35 oC. The linear ranges of jatrorrhizine hydrochloride, columbamine hydrochloride, epiberberine hydrochloride, coptisine hydrochloride, palmatine hydrochloride and berberine hydrochloride were 0.006 96-0.233, 0.004 75-0.152, 0.003 30-0.528, 0.006 31-1.010, 0.004 71-0.753, 0.017 8-2.884 μg·mL-1, respectively. The average recoveries were 99.65%, 98.59%, 98.49%, 98.66%, 98.64%, 98.63% and RSD were 0.03%、0.15%、0.21%、0.12%、0.28%、0.23%, respectively. The method is simple and accurate, and can be used to determine the contents of jatrorrhizine, columbamine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine and berberine in the Coptidis.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) for thyroid imaging reported and data system (TI-RADS) 4 class ≤ 10 mm thyroid nodules.Methods The preoperative ultrasound features of patients with thyroid nodule who received USFNAB examination were retrospectively analyzed,the malignant risk of each nodule was evaluated and classified according to TI-RADS.TI-RADS 4a class thyroid nodules and diameter ≤ 10 mm of 365 patients were classified as suspicious nodules and received US-FNAB examination.The nodules were classified as ＜5 mm and 5-10 mm groups.The results of cytologic diagnosis were compared with the pathological diagnosis,and the differences for nodules with different size were analyzed.Results Among 365 TI-RADS 4 class thyroid nodules diagnosed by the cytology,68 nodules were malignant;81 nodules were suspicious of malignancy;193 nodules were benign;6 nodules were unsatisfactory;and 17 nodules were undetermined.According to postoperative pathology or follow-ups,153 nodules were malignant and 212 nodules were benign.The difference between US-FNAB results and pathology was not significant (P ＞ 0.05).Cytologic positive rate and actually malignant rate of the nodules in 5-10 mm group were higher than ＜ 5 mm groups (P ＜ 0.05).The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and accuracy of US-FNAB cytological diagnosis of TI-RADS 4 class thyroid nodule were 92.2％,96.2％,94.6％,94.4％and 94.5％,respectively.Conclusion US-FNAB examination is valuable for the diagnosis of TI-RADS 4a class thyroid nodules and improves the preoperative diagnosis.

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.