Thyrocytes expressing MHC class Ⅱ molecules were separated from transgenic mice and were co-cultured with autologous spleen T lymphocytes. T cells did not proliferate and were not activated, but CD4+ T cells were promoted into apoptosis.

Data were collected through questionnaire from 505 women enrolled during early pregnancy.Based on soy intake frequency,the subjects were divided into three groups:frequent (three or more times per week),conventional ( more than twice per month but less than three times per week),and occasional ( two or fewer times per month).Serum TSH and FT4 were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay.The urinary concentrations of two primary isoflavones (daidzein and genistein) and creatinine were further assessed in 95 subjects from the three groups.The percentages of frequent,conventional,and occasional consumers were 18.6％,62.6％,and 18.8％,respectively.No difference was found in age,medical records,family history of thyroid diseases,serum FT4,TSH,and prevalence of thyroid dysfunctions among three groups. Both urinary daidzein and genistein levels were significantly higher in the frequent consumers compared with the other two groups.No correlations were found between urinary isoflavone levels and serum FT4 or TSH.These findings suggest that dietary soy consumption during early pregnancy seems not to be associated with the development of thyroid dysfunction.

Objective To determine the factors that influence the development of abnormal thyrotropin (TSH) level in an euthyroid population.Methods We conducted a follow-up study in 3 communities with different iodine status.Of the 3403 euthyroid subjects at baseline screened in 1999,80.1% ( n = 2727 ) was visited and sampled in 2004 for measuring TSH,thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb).Results Iodine status in the 3 communities were stable.Decreased TSH level( <0.3 mU/L) developed in 2.5% (n =68) of sampled subjects,while raised TSH level( > 4.8 mU/L) in 2.4% (n = 64).A logistic analysis showed that risk factors for developing decreased TSH level included positive conversion of TPOAb (OR = 5.5 ),positive TPOAb both in 1999 and in 2004 ( OR = 4.0),positive TgAb in 2004 ( OR = 3.7) and TSH < 1.0 mU/L in 1999 ( OR = 2.6).Risk factors involved in developing raised TSH level included iodine status of Zhangwu community ( OR = 4.1 ),iodine status of Huanghua community ( OR = 3.9),positive TgAb in 2004 ( OR = 3.7 ),positive TPOAb both in 1999 and 2004 (OR =3.6),positive conversion of TPOAb (OR =2.7) and TSH > 1.9 mU/L in 1999 (OR = 2.6 ).Conclusions Exposure to long-term iodine excess imposes danger of developing hypothyroidism.The risk will be even higher when exposing to iodine adequacy after correction of iodine deficiency.An interval between 1.0 and 1.9 mU/L of TSH level was optimul with the least probability of developing abnormal TSH level.

OBJECTIVEImpact of climate warming in winter on the potential epidemics of dengue fever in Hainan was assessed.

METHODSBased on historic data of mean monthly temperature in January from 8 weather observation stations, tendency and amplitude of variation were analyzed. Using 21 degrees C as lowest limit of temperature suitable for dengue fever transmission, impact caused by climate warming on dengue fever epidemic was estimated by means of geography information system (GIS), insect vector and epidemiological features.

RESULTSTemperature in winter in Hainan province had shown an obvious increase. The maximum amplitude of increase appeared in Dongfang which was 1.4 degrees C and the minimum 0.5 degrees C in Shanhudao, but the increase amplitude in the other stations was varied from 0.7 to 1.3 degrees C. By the year of 2050, 21 degrees C contour will have moved 190 km or so northward, nearly spanned 6/7 of distance from south to north in Hainan province and under the condition of daily fraction surviving of Aedes aegypti as P = 0.89, Qionghai city which stands north in Hainan province will probably have become epidemic area of dengue fever all year round.

CONCLUSIONClimate warming in winter will probably make half or more of the areas in Hainan province with temperature that permitting transmission of dengue fever by 2050. Monitoring and prevention of dengue fever in winter should be emphasized.

Aedes ; physiology ; virology ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Climate ; Dengue ; epidemiology ; Dengue Virus ; isolation & purification ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humans ; Insect Vectors ; virology ; Seasons ; Temperature

To explore the antagonistic effect of gingerols against the inflammation induced by lectin from Pinellia ternata. In this study, ELISA method was used to determine the effect of different extracts from gingerols on the release of inflammatory factor TNF-α from macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata. The fluorescence probe was used to determine the effect of gingerols on the changes in ROS of macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata. The western-blot method was applied to study the effect of gingerols on the increase in expression of cell receptor interacting protein RIP3 in macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to study the effect of gingerols on morphological changes in macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata. According to the results, gingerols can significantly inhibit the release of inflammatory factor from macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata, ROS overproduction and increase in RIP3 expression. SEM results showed that gingerols can inhibit the cytomorphosis and necrocytosis induced by lectin from P. ternata. Fresh ginger's detoxication may be related to gingerols' effects in inhibiing release of inflammatory factor, ROS overproduction and increase in RIP3 expression caused by macrophages induced by lectin from P. ternata, which are mainly inflammatory development.
Animals ; Catechols ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Antagonism ; Fatty Alcohols ; pharmacology ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Lectins ; toxicity ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the potential impact of warming climate in winter to the scale and severity of schistosomiasis epidemics in China.

METHODSBased on the data of mean temperature and monthly minimum temperature in January from 126 (out of 733) weather observation stations in China, the trend and oscillation amplitude was analyzed. The impact of warming climate in winter to the scale of schistosomiasis spreading was assessed, using the indices of 0 degrees C mean temperature and -4 degrees C mean monthly minimum temperature in January. Correlation between these two indices was analyzed.

RESULTSEvidences showed the warming climate in winter was seen all over China with the mean monthly minimum temperature and the mean temperature in January had increased 1.3 degrees C and 0.9 degrees C since 1986. The contours of mean monthly minimum temperature -4 degrees C and mean temperature 0 degrees C in January moved 1 - 2 latitudes northward.

CONCLUSIONThe warming climate phenomenon seen in winter was considered favorable to the living of snails in winter, resulting in the possible increase of northward spreading of snails.Thus, monitoring of snails should be paid special attention.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Climate ; Disease Reservoirs ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Schistosoma japonicum ; physiology ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Seasons ; Snails ; parasitology ; physiology ; Temperature

Objective To explore whether maternal subclinical hypothyroidism gives rise to poor performance in the offspring and whether this is associated with the expression of several genes that are under the control of thyroid hormones. Methods Sixty female rats were divided into three groups ( each group n = 20): ( 1 )maternal subclinical hypothyroidism ( total thyroidectomy with T4 infusion), (2) maternal hypothyroidism ( total thyroidectomy without T4 infusion), and (3) control (sham operated). All rats were mated 10 days after the start of infusion. The infusion continued until 10 days postpartum. Pups were sacrificed at postnatal day 3, 7, and 21. The hippocampus was collected and tested for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Rap1 protein expression by Western blotting and for BDNF and neural cell adhesion molecule ( NCAM ) mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction. On day 41-49, rat pups explored the Morris water maze. Time spent in the quadrant previously containing the plat form was recorded. Results The present study found decreases in BDNF mRNA (on day 3 ) and protein levels (on day 3 and 7 ) in hippocampi of pups from subclinical hypothyroidism dams (P＜0.05). No change was observed in the levels of NCAM mRNA, whereas at day 21, expression of Rap1 protein was higher than that of control offspring. In addition, pups of subclinical hypothyroidism dams showed a trend toward depression in short-term memory (P＞0.05), and long-term memory testing revealed a trend toward subclinical hypothyroidism group pups being less able to remember a fixed platform position than controls, spending less time in the proper quadrant ( P＜0. 05 ). Conclusion The long-term memory deficits of pups born to maternal subclinical hypothyroidism dams are likely related with decrease in BDNF expression as well as increase in Rap1 expression in hippocampi.

40 IU/ml were used as cut-off points.(4) TSH level was higher in subjects with positive thyroid autoantibodies than those without antibodies (P

Objective To analyze clinical characteristics of invasive Luminal subtype breast cancer.Methods The data of 162 invasive Luminal subtype breast cancer patients receiving operation in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Science from January 1 st to September 30th in 2002,were collected and the clinical characteristics,recurrences,metastasis and survivals were retrospectively analyzed.Results The median time of follow-up was 92 months,ranging from 4 to 98 months.41 cases (25.3％,41/162) presented local recurrence or metastasis including 32 cases with metastasis ( 19.8％,32/162),2 cases with local recurrences (1.2％,2/162) and 7 cases with both local recurrence and metastasis (4.3％,7/162) ;Disease-free survival (DFS) and the 5-year DFS were 73.1％ and 79.6％,respectively.27 patients ( 16.7％,27/162) died of breast cancer,the overall survival (OS) and 5-year OS were 82.5％ and 85.3％,respectively.According to Kaplen-Meier survival analysis,tumor size,lymph node status and clinical stage were correlated to overall survival time ( P ＜ 0.05 ) ; and rumor size,lymph node starus,grade,clinical stage and PR status were correlated to disease-free survival time ( P ＜ 0.05 ).By multivariate analysis,TNM stage,PR and PCNA were independent prognostic factors correlated to overall survival time (OR=0.633,95％ CI:0.411 -0.976,P＜0.05; OR =0.823,95％ CI:1.012-3.283,P ＜ 0.05) ; TNM stage and PR was independent prognostic factors correlated to disease-free survival time (OR =3.273,95％ CI:1.719 - 6.232,P ＜ 0.01 ; OR =0.599,95％ CI:0.423 - 0.850,P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions In invasive Luminal subtype breast cancers,PR is correlated to fine prognosis,and PCNA is correlated to overall survival time.

Objective To explore the relationship between gene polymorphism of neuropeptide Y (NPY) promoter and cerebral stroke subtypes according to TOAST (Trail of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) criteria in Chinese Han population. Methods The gene polymorphisms at position of-399T/C, -883Tgins/del and -602G/T in NPY promoter were detected by PCR method and gene sequencing in 190 cases of large-artery atherosclerosis stroke (LAA), 260 cases of small-artery occlusion (SAO), 60 cases of cardioembolism stroke (CE), 29 cases of stroke of other demonstrated etiology (ODE),10 cases of stroke of other undemonstrated etiology (UE) and 423 healthy control subjects. The PCR products were directly sequenced. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between gene polymorphism of NPY promoter and cerebral stroke subtypes according to TOAST by removing the confounding variables. Results Significant differences in the frequency of genotype CC and allele C at position of-399T/C were noted between the patients with SAO and controls (P=0.046, P=0.010). Compared with the control group, patients with LAA and SAO were more likely having high level of uric acid, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heard disease (P＜0.05). No statistic differences in the frequency of genotype DD and allele D at position of-883Tgins/del were noted between patients with SAO and controls (P=0.0605, P=0.155). Gene polymorphisms of-399T/C,-883Tgins/del and -602G/T did not associate with an increased risk of having LAA, CE, ODE and UE.Conclusions The gene polymorphisms of promoter in position of-399T/C gene maybe associate with the happening of SAO; allele C at the position of-399T/C may raise the risk of the disease. There is no relationship between the gene polymorphisms of promoter at position of-399T/C, -883Tgins/del, -602G/T and the patients with LAA, CE, ODE and UE. High level of uric acid, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heard disease history are the risk factors of LAA and SAO.