Iron uptake mechanism of Vibrio alginolyticus was primarily investigated. V.alginolyticus could survive in the medium with high-concentration iron chelator. The strain of V. alginolyticus isolated from diseased fish produced more siderophore than that from marine environment. The extract of siderophore from V. alginolyticus could stimulate the growth of Escherichia coli mutant AN93. Under iron limitation,the growth rate was decreased and several outer membrane proteins were induced. Adding iron into the iron-limited medium the normal growth could be recovered.

The epieardial adipose tissue in 210 subjects with or without metabolic syndrome (MS) was measured by echocardiography.The thickness of epicardial adipose tissue in male with MS group was significantly greater than that in men without MS [(9.10?3.59) mm vs (6.82?3.00) mm,P

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of urotensin II (UII) on the lung of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) with congenital heart disease and investigate the meaning of this phenomenon.

METHODThirty eight patients with CHD were divided into three groups according to pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP) measured in cardiac catheterization and surgery: normal pulmonary pressure group (N group, PASP < 30 mm Hg, n = 10), mild PH group (M group, PASP ≥ 30 mm Hg, n = 15), severe or moderate PH group (S group, PASP ≥ 50 mm Hg, n = 13). The expression of UII protein and UII mRNA in pulmonary arterioles were measured separately by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis and in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis.

RESULT(1) The results of UIIIHC staining: The UII protein expression of group M was higher than that of group N (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 14.34 ± 2.18, P < 0.01), but less than group S (20.22 ± 3.58 vs. 28.92 ± 3.22, P < 0.05). (2) The results of UIIISH mRNA staining were similar to IHC staining, the A value of group M was higher than group N (12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 8.85 ± 1.41, P < 0.05), less than that of group S(12.51 ± 2.02 vs. 25.35 ± 4.33, P < 0.01). (3) Correlation study: there was a positive correlation between the A values of UIIIHC and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.64, P < 0.01, n = 38), a positive correlation between the A values of UIIISH and pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.58, P < 0.01, n = 38).

CONCLUSIONThere was the expression of Urotensin II protein and mRNA in the lung of pulmonary hypertension patients with congenital heart disease, and these expression may involve the formation of pulmonary hypertension of congenital heart disease.

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; complications ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; etiology ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Infant ; Lung ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Severity of Illness Index ; Urotensins ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore the biological functions of retinoic acid-inducible gene-I(RIG-I) in vivo through phenotype analysis of RIG-I knockout mice. Methods The gene expression of RIG-Ⅰ in various tissues of mice was examined with Northern blotting and semi-quantitative RT-PCR.The phenotypes observed included body weight measurement,differential count of peripheral blood cells,metabolic parameters measurement and histopathologic examination. ResultsRIG-Ⅰ expressed in various tissues of mice with different levels.No gross developmental abnormalities and expected maturation arrest in granulocytic differentiation were observed in RIG-Ⅰ knockout mice.However,RIG-Ⅰ knockout mice exhibited an unexpected increase in the ratios of neutrophiles to lymphocytes in peripheral blood and increased susceptibility to bacteria infection. Conclusion RIG-Ⅰ may play an important role in immune regulation in mice.

OBJECTIVETo search the forming cause and the correlation between the clinical phenotype and chromosome band by the cytogenetic analysis on a case of ring chromosome 21 syndrome.

METHODSIdentification and location of 21 ring chromosome were performed with the G-banding, C-banding, N-banding, high-resolution banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques.

RESULTSIt was found that the karyotypes of the patient's parents are normal. The patient's karyotype is 46,XY, r(21)[91]/46,XY,r(21;21)(p11q22.3;p11q22.3) [5]/45,XY,-21[4].

CONCLUSIONThe clinical phenotype of ring chromosome 21 syndrome is related to the deletion of distal segment of 21q, and the abnormal sexual development of male is related with the deletion of 21q22.3.

Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Disorders ; genetics ; pathology ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; genetics ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; methods ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Phenotype ; Ring Chromosomes ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of low-temperature plasma on inactivation of bacterial spores and explore the mechanism.

METHODSDielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was employed to generate the atmospheric low-temperature plasma for treatment of B.subtilis var. niger spores with the gas spacing of 3, 4 and 5 and treatment time intervals of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 s. The survived colonies was counted with plate counting method, and the killing log value (KLV) at different treatment times was calculated. The inactivation effect of electric field on B.subtilis var.niger spores was also investigated and the spores treated with low-temperature plasma were observed with transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSWith the gap spacing of 3, 4 and 5 mm, the KLV of low-temperature plasma on B.subtilis var.niger spores within 25, 30 and 35 s of exposure was more than 5. The germicidal effects of the electric field on B. subtilis var.niger spores were rather poor. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated total destruction of the surface and interior structure of the spores by low-temperature plasma.

CONCLUSIONSLow-temperature plasma is effective for inactivation of the bacterial spores with a time and dose dependence. The penetrating effect of charged particles and oxygenation effect of the reactive oxygen species might play a dominant role in plasma-induced bacterial spore inactivation, while the role of electric field is negligible.

Bacillus subtilis ; growth & development ; Cold Temperature ; Microbial Viability ; Plasma Gases ; pharmacology ; Spores, Bacterial ; growth & development ; Sterilization ; methods

OBJECTIVETo understand the awareness of occupational hazards to ultraviolet (UV) and sunscreen awareness, protective measures in Wuhan City traffic police on duty outside.

METHODSThe investigation included questionnaire survey in Wuhan City 367 traffic police on duty outside, talk with them face to face, fill in the questionnaires, and medical examine skin of exposed parts of body of them and 134 Wuhan City administration staffs.

RESULTSThey understand UV harm to the human body and skin well (94.8% of them know that UV harm to skin), did not understand sun skin care and protective measures enough, and did not adopt enough sun skin care and protective measures (only 3.8% of them use sun skin care more than twice); but contrast to older persons, younger traffic police had better understanding of UV radiation damage on the human body and the skin, and sunscreen products and protective measures, paid more attention to sunscreen, and had less chance of sunburn (in the past 5 years, 18.3% of younger traffic police had sunburnt more than 3 times, but for older traffic police, the number is 30.3%). Traffic police had more skin problems than administration staffs in exposed parts of body (Traffic police face appears oily and large pores, facial pigmentation spots, face telangiectasia, deep wrinkles crude rates respectively were 73.7%, 40.4%, 36.5%, 10.4%, but for administration staffs, the numbers respectively were 26.1%, 15.7%, 15.7%, 1.5%).

CONCLUSIONUV can induce skin problems in exposed parts of body. The traffic police should be enhanced the publicity and education on UV-related knowledge and occupational hazards, especially for older traffic police.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Police ; Skin ; pathology ; Sunscreening Agents ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Ultraviolet Rays ; adverse effects

Rheum franzenbachii (called Tudahuang in local) has some similarities with R. palmatum (rhubarb) collected by "China Pharmacopoeia" and is often used as a substitute of rhubarb. Can Tudahuang simply replace rhubarb in the application or whether is there difference between Tudahuang and rhubarb, and what is the difference it is important to verify the difference and understand its proper application in the field of clinical practice. In this paper, we discussed the differences of the two herbs from the views of chemistry, efficacy and toxicity based on the author's previous research work as well as literatures, by using the major role of the rhubarb "diarrhea" as the basic point. The analysis result showed that the role of diarrhea Tudahuang was much weaker than that of rhubarb. The reason lies in the difference between the contents of combined anthraquinones component. While acute toxicity in mice of Tudahuang is stronger than that of rhubarb. Thus, Tudahuang should not simply replace rhubarb in practice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; toxicity ; Humans ; Mice ; Rheum ; adverse effects ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of colon cancer TH-29 cells and to explore its molecular mechanisms.

METHODSPhorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was used to induce the activity of SphK1 and N, N-dimethylsphingosine (DMS) was used to suppress the activity of SphK1. Cell prolieration and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The migration and invasion capabilities of the cells were assessed in Transwell chambers. The activity of SphK1 was assayed by autoradiography. Western blot was used to evaluate the protein expression of SphK1, p38, phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) and SAPK/JNK.

RESULTSPMA and DMS were able to induce and suppress the activity and protein expression of SphK1 in a time-dependent manner, respectively. PMA enhanced and DMS suppressed the cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Being treated with 100 nmol/L PMA or 50 µmol/L DMS for 0, 6, 12, 24 h, the cell apoptosis rates of PMA group were (9.35 ± 0.84)%, (7.61 ± 0.48)%, (5.53 ± 0.76)% and (0.56 ± 0.33)%, contrastly, that of DMS group were (9.18 ± 0.94)%, (12.06 ± 1.41)%, (19.80 ± 2.36)% and (31.85 ± 3.60)%, respectively. Compared with the control group, the cell migration and invasion capabilities of the PMA group were significantly enhanced, and that of the DMS group were significantly suppressed. The migration cell number of control, PMA and DMS groups were 68.75 ± 6.15, 109.33 ± 11.63 and 10.83 ± 2.48, the invasion cell number of control, PMA and DMS groups were 55.42 ± 4.50, 90.58 ± 7.06 and 9.58 ± 2.39, respectively. With the elevating activity and expression of SphK1, the protein expressions of p38, p-p38 and SAPK/JNK were strikingly suppressed. On the contrary, after treating with DMS the protein expressions of p38, p-p38 and SAPK/JNK were enhanced.

CONCLUSIONSSphK1 potently enhances the prolieration, migration and invasion of colon cancer HT-29 cells, meanwhile suppresses the cell apoptosis. The suppressing of the p38 and SAPK/JNK signalling pathways may be one of its molecular mechanisms.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinogens ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; HT29 Cells ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Kinase 4 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) ; metabolism ; physiology ; Sphingosine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Time Factors ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

AIMTo study the effects of genistein on proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts in neonatal rat calvaria cultures.

METHODSOsteoblasts were isolated from neonatal rat calvaria through trypsin and collagenase digestion, and cultured in the presence of different doses of genistein (10(-5) mol/L, 10(-6) mol/L and 10(-7) mol/L). The proliferation and DNA and collagen synthesis of osteoblasts were assayed by MTT method and 3H-TdR and 3H-proline incorporation. The activity of ALP were measured by ALP assay kit.

RESULTSGenistein significantly increased osteoblast 3H-TdR and 3H-proline incorporation and MTT, 10(-6) mol/L genistein increased ALP activity.

CONCLUSIONGenistein increased osteoblast DNA and collagen synthesis in neonatal rat calvaria cultures, and promoted osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; biosynthesis ; DNA ; biosynthesis ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar