Animals ; Biomarkers ; Hexanes ; poisoning ; toxicity ; Humans ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; etiology

Objective To explore the changes and the tendency of breast cancer radiotherapy in China within the past decade.Methods A survey on breast cancer radiotherapy in 1 999 and 2006 was conducted in 4 hospitals located within the southeast coastal region of China,including patients'clinical characteristics,the purpose of radiotherapy and its techniques.Results The percentage of breast conservative treatment(BCT)increased from 3%in 1999 to 13%in 2006.For radiotherapy techniques in 2006 compared with 1999,the growth trend was found in use of breast immobilization devices(80% vs.46%),treatment planning system(70% vs.23%),and CT simulation(14%vs.0).The frequency was increased in the chest wall irradiation after masteetomy(90%vs.67%),but decreased in internal mammary region(30%vs.76%)and axilla(37%vs.69%)treatment.There were no differences in total dose and fractionation prescription.Conclusions BCT was performed more frequently,but postmastectomy radiotherapy was still essential option in China at present.Although some advanced techniques were applied frequently in clinical practice.Simulation,treatment planning,and irradiation target design were urgent for improvement and standardization.

Objective To investigate the importance of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in the development of quinolone resistance in clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria.Methods A total of 541 consecutive clinical isolates of gram-negative ba- cilli resistant or intermediate to ciprofloxacin were screened for the qnrA gene by PCR.Conjugation experiments were carried out with azide-resistant E.coli J53 as a recipient.The aac(6')-Ib-cr gene was detected.The mutations in the quinolone-resist- ance-determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA and parC genes were identified in qnrA positive strains.Results qnrA was identi- fied in 7 of the 541 strains.Among the qnrA positive strains,5 were Enterobacter cloacae.No qnrA was detected in nonfer- menters.Quinolone resistance was transferred in 4 of 7 qnrA positive strains.Transconjugants had 12-to 125-fold increases in MIC of ciprofloxacin relative to that of the recipient.Seven strains contained qnrA with a nucleotide sequence identical to that originally reported.Two transconjugants with higher ciprofloxacin MICs contained aac(6')-Ib-cr gene.Mutations occurred in the QRDR of the gyrA and parC genes in 5 PCR-positive clinical strains.Conclusions Transferable plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance associated with qnrA is highly prevalent in clinical strains of Enterobacter spp.aac(6')-Ib-cr gene and mutations in the quinolone targets may co-exist with qnrA,which may contribute to the further increase of resistance to quinolones.

20% improvement in 4/7 primary indices.Sharp declines in several parameters were noticed during 3 to 6 months.Pain in 9 patients disappeared.There was also a statistically significant decrease in TNF ? transcripts in the PBMC.Conclusion Thalidomide is a reasonably promising drug for treating resistant ankylosing spondylitis and its biological mechanism is related to the gene expression suppression of proinflammatory cytokine TNF ?.

OBJECTIVETo compare the protein difference between B. henselae Houston and B. henselae Marseille by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

METHODProtein samples were prepared by vorterx, ultrasonic treatment, and centrifugation. Protein concentrations were determined by Bradford method. Protein difference was compared by the first IEF and the second SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

RESULTSProtein concentrations in samples of Bartonella henselae Houston and Bartonella henselae Marseille were 2.117 microg/microL and 2.200 microg/microL respectively. Sample protein of 40 microg for IPG strips loading was perfect. The results of 2-DE in pH 4 to 7 IPG strips showed that the total protein spots of Bartonella henselae Houston and Bartonella henselae Marseille were 375 and 379 respectively, 95% of the spots were the same between the two strains of Bartonella henselae.

CONCLUSIONThe procedure of 2-DE may prove successful for the proteomic analysis of Bartonella henselae. Bartonella henselae Houston and Bartonella henselae Marseille are different genotypes.

Bacterial Proteins ; analysis ; metabolism ; Bartonella henselae ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Genotype ; Proteomics

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Yijing Huoxue Cuyun Decoction (YHCD) in adjusting hypoestrogenemic response induced by clomiphene.

METHODSInfertile patients caused by ovulation disturbance were randomly divided into 2 groups. The 60 patients in the observed group were treated with clomiphine plus YHCD, and the 58 patients in the control group were given clomiphine plus estradiol valerate.

RESULTSBy scoring on the cervical relaxation and improvement of cervical mucus, 38 patients (63.3%) in the observed group had Insler score of more than 8 points, while that in the control group was only 25 (43.1%), comparison between the two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05). The endometrium thickening in the observed group was 0.98 +/- 0.19 cm, significantly different to that in the control group (0.85 +/- 0.21 cm, P < 0.01). Twenty-five patients in the observed group (41.7%), and fourteen patients in the control group (24.1%), respectively got pregnancy, the pregnant rate in the former was obviously higher than that in the latter (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONYHCD can ameliorate hypoestrinemia induced by clomiphene and increase the pregnant rate in patients.

Adult ; Clomiphene ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Estrogens ; blood ; deficiency ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; drug therapy ; Ovulation ; drug effects ; Ovulation Induction ; Phytotherapy

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Atherectomy, Coronary ; instrumentation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible mechanism of compound Chinese sour taste herbs (CS) in preventing and ameliorating diabetic macroangiopathy by analyzing the effects of CS on the deposition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and gene expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in the aorta tissue of rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODSRat model of T2DM was established by peritoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) and high caloric diet feeding. Experimental SD rats were divided into the normal group, the model group, the aminoguanidine (AG) group, and the CS group. At the end of the 8th and 12th week, the fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured by glucose oxidase method; content of AGEs and collagen in aorta detected by fluorescent method and gene expression of RAGE in aorta determined by Real-time PCR method.

RESULTSFBG, AGEs and collagen contents and RAGE expression in aorta of model rats were all higher than those in the normal control group (P <0.05), while all these indices were lower in the CS group than in the model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCS could realize the goal for preventing and ameliorating diabetic macroangiopathy by way of suppressing the production of AGEs and down-regulating the gene expression of RAGE in aorta of T2DM rats.

Animals ; Aorta ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; metabolism ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products ; Receptors, Immunologic ; genetics ; metabolism

Experiments were performed to study the voltage-dependence of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic current (mIPSC) frequency and amplitude using patch-clamp technique with whole cell recording in optic tectal slices of Xenopus. The following results have been observed. (1) When the membrane potentials of a neuron were depolarized or hyperpolarized stepwise from a resting potential via recording pipette to inject a DC current, the frequency and/or amplitude of mIPSCs increased or decreased respectively. The frequency of mIPSCs increased gradually with depolarizing membrane potential and it attained to the maximum as the membrane potential was held at +10 mV. (2) The amplitude increased slightly as the neuron was depolarized. When the depolarization of membrane potential reached -30 or -40 mV, the amplitudes of mIPSCs were maximal. Further depolarization resulted in a decrease of amplitude. Meanwhile, the large mIPSCs appeared when the membrane potential depolarized to a range between -20 mV and +10 mV. (3) With Ca(2+)-free bath solution, the frequency and amplitude of mIPSCs also increased stepwise progressively on depolarization of membrane potential, but the increase was less marked as corresponding value in normal saline perfusion. (4) When the [K(+)](o) in bath solution increased, the frequency of mIPSCs decreased markedly and the amplitude of mIPSCs decreased slightly. If the external K(+) concentration increased further to higher than 20 mmol/L, the neuron produced a marked slow inward or outward membrane current. The possible mechanism underlying the voltage-dependence of mIPSC frequency and amplitude is discussed briefly.
Animals ; Brain ; cytology ; physiology ; Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials ; physiology ; Membrane Potentials ; physiology ; Miniature Postsynaptic Potentials ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; physiology ; Xenopus

Objective To study the expression and the relation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)and matrix metal proteinase-2(MMP-2)in rectal cancer and evaluate their roles in rectal carcinogen- esis and development.Methods The expression of VEGF and MMP-2 in 52 cases of rectal cancer was de- tected by immunohistochemical SP technique.12 cases normal rectal tissue served as the control group.Re- suits The expression of VEGF in rectal carcinoma(67.3 %)was much higher than that in control group(P