OBJECTIVETo explore the intervention of baicalin on signal transduction and activating transcription factor expression of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.

METHODSRecruited were UC patients at Outpatient Department of Digestive Disease, Inpatient Department of Digestive Disease, Center for Digestive Endoscopy of College City Branch, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Southern Hospital affiliated to Southern Medical University from June 2010 to January 2011. They were assigned to the UC group (33 cases) and the diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) group (30 cases). Another 30 healthy subjects were recruited as a healthy control group. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro intervened by different concentrations baicalin were taken from UC patients. IL23R gene expressions in vitro intervened by different concentrations baicalin were detected using Q-PCR. Expressions of signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) , STAT6, phosphorylated-STAT4 (p-STAT4), and p-STAT6 were detected using Western blot. Serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Effects of different concentrations baicalin on expressions of PBMCs, and levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 of UC patients were also detected.

RESULTSCompared with the negative control group, 40 µmol baicalin obviously decreased IL23R gene expression of UC patients (P <0. 01). Compared with the healthy control group and the IBS-D group, p-STAT4/STAT4 ratios increased, p-STAT6/STAT6 ratios decreased, levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 all increased in the US group (all P <0. 05). Compared with the negative control, 5 and 10 µmol baicalin groups, 20 and 40 moL baicalin obviously decreased p-STAT4/STAT4 ratios (all P <0. 05); 20 and 40 µmoL baicalin obviously increased p-STAT6/STAT6 ratios (all P <0. 05); 20 and 40 µmoL baicalin obviously lowered levels of IFN-γ and IL-4, and elevated IL-10 levels (all P <0. 05).

CONCLUSION40 µmoL baicalin could in vitro inhibit p-STAT4/STAT4 ratios, adjust p-STAT6/STAT6 ratios and related cytokines, thereby balancing the immunity and relieving inflammatory reactions of UC.

Activating Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; therapeutic use ; Blotting, Western ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Phosphorylation ; STAT6 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Recombinant human BMP-2 was compounded with chitosan/gelatin/hydroxyapatite(HCG) scaffold and the complex was sterilized by 60Co radiating. Osteoblast isolated from cranial bones of newborn rat was primary cultured and seeded onto the complexes. 3 days after culturing, scanning electron microscope(SEM) was applied to detect the compatibility of the cell with the complex. SEM showed osteoblast attached closely with the complex and grew well in its pores. Then the complexes with osteoblast modification were implanted into athymic nude mice subcutaneously. 8 weeks after implantation, X-ray photograph and histological observation were applied to detect the bone formation of the complexes. Under X-ray a high-density areas consistent with the shape of the implanted complex could be seen. Histological observation also proved there was bone formation in the interspace of the complex. A conclusion was drawn that rhBMP-2 compounded HCG scaffold had good osteogenesis ability in vivo.

The study was aimed to investigate the effective therapeutic method for patients with multiple myeloma accompanied with amyloidosis. A 58-year-old patient diagnosed as multiple myeloma accompanied with amyloidosis in four limbs was enrolled in this study. The various clinical and laboratorial examinations were performed, including bone marrow smear, immunologic test, radiography and so on. Patient received chemotherapeutic drugs and then autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT). The result showed that hematopoietic reconstitution was achieved at 23 days after auto-HSCT. Immunofixation electrophoresis was normal. There was only 0.6% plasma cells in the bone marrow. In conclusion, the auto-HSCT may be an effective treatment for multiple myeloma accompanied with amyloidosis in four limbs.
Amyloidosis ; complications ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; complications ; surgery ; Transplantation, Autologous

Objective To observe expression of neuron specific enolase (NSE) gene in the brain of rats induced by iodine excess. Methods One hundred and fifty one-month weaning Wistar rats were divided into ten groups according to 5 × 2 factorial experiment. Rats were fed with normal feedstuff and water of a series of iodine concentration by adding potassium iodide respectively: norrmal iodine (NI), five-fold high iodine (5HI), ten-fold high iodine(10HI), fifty-fold high iodine(50HI) and one hundred-fold iodine(100HI). After these rats were fed for three or six months, rat serum thyroid hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay including TT4, TT3, FT4, FT3, rT3 and the mRNA level of NSE in rat brain tissue was studied using RT-PCR technique. Results The levels of serum TT4 and TT3 were significantly different in five iodine level groups(F values were 18.867,27.287, both P < 0.01). The interaction between time and iodine level in TT4 was significant in our study(F values were 2.486, P < 0.05). The levels of TT4 and TT3 of 100 HI group at third and sixth month were lower than those of NI, 5HI, 10HI, 50HI groups in the same period (all P < 0.01). The levels of serum FT4, FT3 and rT3 were significantly different at different time(F values were 4.968,27.046,59.776 respectively, P < 0.05 or < 0.01) and in different iodine level groups(F values were 33.058,28.420,17.482 respectively, all P < 0.01). Moreover, the interaction between time and iodine level in FT3 and rT3 was significant in our study(F values were 6.894,5.233 respectively, both P < 0.01). FT4, FT3 and rT3 in 100HI group were lower than that of other iodine dosage groups at the same time (P < 0.05 or < 0.01). The levels of NSE mRNA in brain tissue was significantly different in five iodine level groups (F values were 29.006, P < 0.05). The levels of mRNA NSE of 100HI group in both three and six months (0.61 ± 0.19,0.61 ± 0.22) were all lower than that of any other groups[NI(0.73±0.13 and 0.72 ±0.26), 5HI (0.72 ± 0.15 and 0.72±0.16), 10HI (0.73 ±0.32 and 0.70±0.13), 50HI(0.71±0.18 and 0.69±0.31), all P < 0.05]. The results of correlation analyses show that the levels of serum FT3 and FT4 had correlations with the levels of NSE mRNA (P < 0.05) both in three and six months(r values were 0.987, 0.969 in three month, and 0.890, 0.910 in six month respectively). Conclusions The expression of NSE gene can tolerant the excess of iodine to a certain extent. Exposure to heavy excess iodine(100HI) can decrease the mRNA level of NSE gene. FT4 and FT3 may both have important roles on the regulation of NSE mRNA induced by excess iodine.

Abstract: Objective　To predict the potential distribution of talaromycosis marneffei (TSM) and analyze its driving factors, so as to provide evidence for the surveillance and prevention of this disease. Methods　The data of all laboratory-confirmed, non-duplicating TSM published in the English and Chinese literature from the first case in January 1964 to December 2018 was collected. A Maxent ecology model using environmental variables, Rhizomys distribution and HIV/AIDS epidemic was developed to forecast ecological niche of TSM worldwide, as well as identify the driving factors. Results　A total of 705 articles (477 in Chinese and 228 in English) were obtained during the study period. After excluding imported cases, a total of 100 foci information were included in the model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of the model was 0.997 for the training set and 0.991 for the test set. Maxent model revealed that Rhizomys distribution, mean temperature of warmest quarter, precipitation of wettest month, HIV/AIDS epidemic and mean temperature of driest quarter were the top 5 important variables affecting TSM distribution. In addition to identifying traditional TSM endemic areas (South of the Yangtze River in China, Southeast Asian, North and Northeast India), other potential endemic areas were also identified, including parts of the North of the Yangtze River, Central America, West Coast of Africa, East Coast of South America, the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Conclusion　Our finding has discovered hidden high-risk areas and provided insights about driving factors of TSM distribution, which will help inform surveillance strategies and improve the effectiveness of public health interventions against TM infections.

OBJECTIVETo study the HIV infection rate and relevant behavioural characteristics among drug users (DUs) in the 15 cities of China-Gates HIV/AIDS Program.

METHODSBy literature review from the public security sector and expert consultations, the size of drug using population was estimated, questionnaire was used to survey relevant behavioural characteristics of DUs, and blood specimens were collected for HIV, syphilis and HCV testing.

RESULTSIn 2007, the number of registered DUs in the 15 cities was 176 004, while the estimated number was 477 989. DUs mainly used heroin and crystal meth. Of the survey subjects, 41.0% (2685/6155) had correct knowledge about HIV/AIDS, and Hangzhou 97.6% (410/420), Qingdao 85.5% (342/400), Wuhan 69.7% (308/442), Kunming 63.8% (255/400), Shanghai 45.4% (237/522), Xi'an 44.5% (178/400), Nanjing 38.8% (155/400), Beijing 36.5% (237/650), Guangzhou 29.5% (122/413), Haerbin 25.4% (114/447), Haikou 23.8% (96/402), Chongqing 22.4% (90/401), Sanya 20.0% (80/400), Tianjin 16.2% (41/253), Shenyang 9.8% (20/205), and the difference among the cities has statistical significance (χ(2) = 1482.833, P < 0.05). The rate of needle sharing at the last injection was 10.8% (665/6155), and Hangzhou 10.8% (45/420), Chongqing 26.4% (106/401), Guangzhou 2.6% (11/413), Shenyang 31.3% (64/205), Shanghai 0.4% (2/522), Kunming 10.8% (43/400), Beijing 10.6% (69/650), Tianjin 5.4% (14/253), Xi'an 3.3% (13/400), Wuhan 17.9% (79/442), Sanya 20.0% (80/400), Haikou 2.2% (9/402), Haerbin 8.5% (38/447), Nanjing 21.4% (86/400), Qingdao 1.5% (6/400), and the difference among the cities has statistical significance (χ(2) = 483.044, P < 0.05). Only 5.0% (8737/176 004) of DUs and 1.2% of HIV positive DUs participated in needle exchange. The HIV, syphilis and HCV infection rates were respectively 2.76% (155/5620), 3.38% (190/5620) and 32.35% (1818/5620). The HIV infection rates of different city was:Hangzhou 0.4% (1/273), Chongqing 7.5% (30/401), Guangzhou 2.9% (12/413), Shenyang 0.5% (1/205), Shanghai 0.32% (1/316), Kunming 16.25% (65/400), Beijing 2.6% (16/624), Tianjin 2.0% (5/253), Xi'an 1.25% (5/400), Wuhan 0.24% (1/411), Sanya 1.75% (7/400), Haikou 0.2% (1/402), Haerbin 1.1% (5/447), Nanjing 1.1% (3/275), Qingdao 0.5% (2/400), and the difference among the cities has statistical significance (χ(2) = 354.203, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe HIV prevalence rate of IDUs in 15 cities slowly decreased although the HIV prevalence rate of IDUs in Chongqing and Kunming and other cities had surpassed the international warning level. The risk of sharing needles for HIV infection was dropped, and more attention should be paid to the potential risk of HIV transmission via unsafe sex due to the use of new drugs, such as amphetamine chloride.

China ; epidemiology ; Drug Users ; HIV ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Hepacivirus ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Syphilis ; epidemiology ; Treponema pallidum ; Urban Population

OBJECTIVETo explore the relevant factors of the causes of sexual orientations of gay.

METHODFrom March to June 2013, 350 gays were recruited from one music bar and three bath centers where gays frequently visited in Changsha city, by proportional stratified sampling method. Meanwhile, another 332 males who identify themselves as non-homosexuality were also recruited considering the composition of ages, gender and educational background. Questionnaire survey was conducted to all the subjects, with 300 effective ones reclaimed. The questionnaire included the general demographic information, traits of character, the condition of foster in childhood and information of family members. The differences between the gays and non-homosexuality groups were analyzed to explore the causes of the sexual orientations of gays.

RESULTSThere were statistical significant differences between gays and non- homosexuality group on following indexes (χ(2) was 59.63, 5.90, 16.01, 84.99, 161.57, 77.77, 112.32, 190.84, 30.10 respectively, all of P < 0.05) :had a tender father and an impervious mother, were physically weak, not agile, physically inactive, attentive to details, highly conservative, not adventurous, and radical in childhood, were raised as girls before the age of 18, liked to dress as girls before the age of 18, don't liked to play toy knives and toy guns before the age of 18, suffered from sexual abuse before the age of 18 (e.g. forced to expose private parts or forced to have sex) by adults, had read or watched books or films about homosexual and experienced sexual pleasure from that before the age of 18. The rate of gays on these indexes was separately 62.3% (187/300), 57.7% (173/300) , 62.3% (187/300) , 63.0% (189/300), 67.3% (202/300) , 62.7% (189/300), 68.0% (204/300), 65.0% (195/300) and the rate on these indexes of non-homosexuality group was separately 21.3% (64/300), 28.0% (84/300) , 25.0% (75/300) , 12.7% (38/300), 31.3% (94/300), 17.7% (53/300) , 12.7% (38/300), 42.7% (128/300) . The rate of gays on these factors:the youngest boy in family, had the father or twin brothers who were homosexual or self identified as gay was 62.7% (188/300), 56.0% (168/300) and 62.0% (18/29) respectively; and the rate was 40.7% (122/300), 4.0% (12/300) and 20.0% (2/10), respectively among non-homosexuality group. The difference showed statistical significance (χ(2) was 34.52, 193.14, 5.27 respectively, all of P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe correlative factor of sexual orientation of gays maybe was family relationship, tend and education since childhood, psychological characteristics, sexual experience during puberty.

Adult ; Homosexuality, Male ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Sexual Behavior ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of verapamil and hypothermia on the spermatogenesis of rats after testicular torsion.

METHODSSixty healthy pubertal male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into 5 groups: A (testis torsion), B (testis torsion + verapamil), C (testis torsion + hypothermia), D (testis torsion + verapamil + hypothermia) and E (control). After treatment, the left testis was removed for the observation of the histological changes under the microscope and measurement of the percentage of apoptotic cells by flow cytometry.

RESULTSHE staining showed disordered arrangement, reduced layers and decreased number of spermatogenic cells, apoptotic bodies, necrosis and partial invasion of inflammatory cells in all the groups but E, most obvious in Group A. The apoptosis rates of germ cells in Groups A, B, C, D and E were (32.11 +/- 2.20)%, (20.18 +/- 1.50)%, (20.02 +/- 1.90)%, (13.75 +/- 1.40)% and (8.56 +/- 0.90)%, respectively, and the Makler scores in the 5 groups were (14.47 +/- 1.35), (15.45 +/- 0.75), (15.48 +/- 0.75), (16.22 +/- 0.72) and (19.60 +/- 0.56), respectively, both with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe increased apoptosis of germ cells after testicular torsion-and-reposition may reduce the spermatogenesis of the testis. Either verapamil or local hypothermia can enhance testicular resistance against injuries, and the combination of the two can more efficiently prevent the germ cells from apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spermatogenesis ; Verapamil ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relations between anti-myelin basic protein antibody (anti-MBP) variation and myelinoclasis in the brain stem following brain trauma.

METHODSIn rat models of brain trauma, MBP content and anti-MBP titer in the blood were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at different time points after brain trauma, and the degree of myelinoclasis in the brain stem slices was assessed with osmic acid staining.

RESULTSEarly after brain trauma, MBP content in the blood increased followed by significant reduction 10 days later. Four days after the trauma, anti-MBP titer was markedly increased, accompanied by obvious exacerbation of myelinoclasis in the brain stem, both reaching the highest levels on day 10, at the point of which anti-MBP titer increased by 4 folds and the number of myelinoclasis by 10 folds compared with the control group. Anti-MBP titer and brain stem myelinolysis both lowered 30 days later. Correlation analysis showed an intimate positive correlation between anti-MBP titer and the degree of myelinoclasis.

CONCLUSIONAfter brain trauma, MBP is released as a specific antigen into the blood to stimulate the immune system for anti-MBP production, and the antibody is intimately related to the brain stem myelinoclasis.

Animals ; Antibodies ; metabolism ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; Brain Stem ; immunology ; pathology ; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS ; etiology ; immunology ; Female ; Male ; Myelin Basic Protein ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; blood ; immunology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors ; blood ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the practical value and the advantages of globe geographical positioning with wireless communication monitoring and supervision system in the field survey.

METHODSSpots which were randomly sampled by the National Ministry of Health for the investigation were chosen in the endemic areas for schistosomiasis in Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Portable GPS CEC9680 was used for collecting relevant waypoints and track, recording on-the-spot geographical positions. The positioning data package was sent back synchronously in the form of short message of SMS to the monitoring service center, and the moving routes of the terminal receiver monitored were displayed on the GIS map to achieve real-time supervision and staff scheduling.

RESULTSWith globe geographical positioning with wireless communication monitoring and supervision system, accurate positioning of 12 spots in the provinces of Jiangsu and 3 trial spots for schistosomiasis control with comprehensive treatment designated by the State Council has been established with real-time communicating recording, and monitoring systems.

CONCLUSIONThe globe geographical positioning with wireless communication monitoring and supervision system has provided a technical platform for the survey of schistosomiasis and other infectious diseases.

Animals ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Epidemiological Monitoring ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Schistosomiasis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; prevention & control