ObjectiveTo explore the significance of intrauterine infection of hepatitis B virus in pregnant women with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). MethodsTwenty-four pregnant women with HBsAg and HBeAg negative but other HBV markers positive together with their infants were included as study group. Sixteen pregnant women with HBV marker negative and their infants were in the control group. HBV DNA in sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of two groups was detected by nested PCR respectively. Results(1)In the study group, the positive rates of HBV DNA of pregnant women were 33% (8/24) in the sera and 42% (10/24) in PBMCs. Three women were detected HBV DNA in both serum and PBMCs. The rate of HBV infection was 63% (15/24); (2)also in the study group, the positive rates of HBV DNA of the infants were 13% (3/24) in the sera and 25% (6/24) in PBMCs. One newborn was detected HBV DNA in both serum and PBMCs, the rate of intrauterine infection of HBV was 33% (8/24); (3) HBV DNA was detected in sera and/or in PBMCs from four newborns of pregnant women with HBV DNA positive only in PBMCs, the positive ratio was 4/7. ConclusionsHBV intrauterine infection is possible in pregnant women with HBsAg and HBeAg negative. Detecting HBV-DNA in sera and PBMCs of pregnant women and their newborns by PCR is important clinical significance.

Objective To investigate the effects of sevoflurane pretreatment on renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced apoptosis in kidney in rats. Methods Thirty pathogen-free male SD rats weighing 220-260 g were randomized into 3 groups (n=10 each):group control (group C);group I/R and group sevoflurane(group S). Renal I/R was induced by clamping the left renal pedicle for 45 min in I/R and S groups. In group S inhalation of 2.2% sevoflurane in O2 was started at 30 min before operation and maintained throughout the experiment.Venous blood samples were taken at 3 h of reperfusion for determination of serum BUN and Cr concentrations. The animals were then sacrificed and the left kidneys were removed for microscopic examination, detection of apoptosis(by TUNEL)and determination of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) mRNA and protein expression (by RT-PCR and Western blot).Results Renal I/R significantly increased serum BUN and Cr concentrations, apoptotic index(percentage of apoptotic cells) and the severity of necrosis of renal proximal convoluted tubules (0=normal,4=necrosis of whole segment of proximal convoluted tubules).Sevoflurane inhalation attenuated the I/R-induced changes mentioned above.HO-1 mRNA and protein expression was up-regulated by I/R and HO-1 mRNA expression was further up-regulated by sevoflurane inhalation.Conclusion Sevoflurane pretreatment can protect kidney against I/R injury by attenuating cell apoptosis.Up-regulation of HO-1 mRNA expression may be involved in the mechanism.

Objective To understand the evaluation on graduates' professional quality from the employment institutions,and to provide the references for the higher vocational schools in improving students' training model and strengthening students' professional quality. Methods The questionnaires designed independently were answered by the employment institutions hiring 2003-2005 four majors(namely nursing,laboratory science,dental technology,optometry) graduates from Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences. Results The overall evaluation of employment institutions on the graduates was quite good,but the evaluation on graduates' professional ability was low. Conclusion With strengthening the student' specialized knowledge and skill training,higher vocational schools must pay more attention to the students' professional ability education.

Objective To investigate the relationship of folates,vitamin B_(12) with tan phosphorylation and the possible mechanism in Alzhcimer's disease (AD).Method Tau protein phosphorylation was examined in hippocampns of rats of two months old and forty months old treated or untreated by folates and vitamin B_(12) using Western blot and immunohistochemistry with phosphorylation dependent and independent tau antibodies.Results We found that tau phosphorylation in aged rat brain showed a significant higher level than that in the two-month olds.Folates combined with vitamin.B_(12) could decrease tau phosphorylation by 27% at the site of Ser396/404 of hippoeampus in aged rats.Conclusion It suggests folates and vitamin B_(12) may play an important role in preventing the neurodegenerative change via effeeting tau phosphorylation in AD brain.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression profiles of serum Golgi protein-73 (GP73) in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) and determine its clinical value for differential diagnosis.

METHODSSerum protein expressions of GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescence assay, respectively, in patients with PHC (n=80), liver cirrhosis (n=65), and healthy controls (n=50). Inter-group changes were assessed by Kruskal-Wallis test, and significance of these differences was assessed by Mann-Whitney test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and determine the cut-off values for GP73 and AFP. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by the Chi-squared test. Correlation between serum GP73 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman's rank correlation analysis.

RESULTSThe PHC group showed significantly higher serum GP73 (282.0 mug/L) than the liver cirrhosis group (211.8 mug/L) and control group (58.3 mug/L) (H = 93.30, P less than 0.01). For differential diagnosis of PHC and liver cirrhosis, the cut-off value was 318.1 mug/L for GP73 and 13.4 mug/L for AFP. Sensitivity of GP73 was lower than AFP (45% (36/80) vs. 65% (52/80); X2 = 8.02, P less than 0.05). Specificity of GP73 was lower than AFP but no significance was found (83.1% (54/65) vs. 87.7% (57/65); X2=0.27, P more than 0.05). The areas under the ROC curves were not significantly different between GP73 and AFP (0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54~0.72) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z = 1.88, P more than 0.05). The area under the ROC curves increased but not significantly (0.80 (95% CI: 0.73~0.88) vs. 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67~0.83); Z=2.61, P more than 0.05). Serum GP73 was correlated with liver cirrhosis (r=0.27), vascular invasion (r=0.29), and TNM staging (r=0.27) (all P less than 0.05), but not with sex (r=0.13), age (r=0.10), enhanced AFP (> 13.4 mug/L; r=0.03), tumor size (r=0.18), or distant metastasis (r=0.04), all P less than 0.05.

CONCLUSIONSerum GP73 and AFP have comparable diagnostic efficiency, but the sensitivity of AFP is superior for differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and primary hepatic carcinoma. Elevated serum GP73 may be correlated with liver tumor load and aggressiveness.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; Case-Control Studies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; diagnosis ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transcriptome ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study emetic and anti-emetic effects of Rhizoma pinelliae in minks.

METHODThe emetic effect of raw pinellia 2 g kg(-1) (i.g.) was investigated. Three preparations of Rhizoma pinelliae (processed with ginger) were made by ethanol extraction, water extraction and water decoction respectively and their effects on emesis model induced by cisplatin (7.5 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or apomorphine (1.6 mg kg(-1), s.c.) were then studied; the effect of the decoction of ginger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae on rotation-induced emesis model in minks was also observed.

RESULTThe emesis was induced by raw pinellia in minks (P < 0.01); ginger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae, metoclopramide and ondansetron significantly inhibit the emesis induced by cisplatin and apomorphine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGinger-processed Rhizoma pinelliae exhibits a anti-emetic effect in minks, which may be mediated by inhibiting the function of the vomiting center in central nervous system.

Animals ; Antiemetics ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; therapeutic use ; Ginger ; Hot Temperature ; Male ; Mink ; Phytotherapy ; Pinellia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Vomiting ; chemically induced ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of fluvas-tatin formulation on the pharmacokinetics-genetic polymorphis relationship. METHODS We compared the difference between the pharmacokinetics of fluvastatin as an extended-release (ER) 80 mg tablet and an immediate-release(IR)40 mg capsule in terms of drug metabolism enzyme and transporter ge-netic polymorphisms. In this open-label, randomized, two-period, two-treatment, crossover study, ef-fects of BCRP, SLCO1B1, MDR1, CYP2C9, and CYP3A5 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of fluvastatin were analyzed in 24 healthy individuals.Each treatment duration was 7 days with a washout period of 7 days between the crossover.Serum concentration of fluvastatin was evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS The SLCO1B1 T521C genotype had no statistically significant effect on IR 40 mg capsule of fluvastatinafter single or repeated doses.However,for the ER 80 mg tablet,the SLCO1B1 T521C genotype correlated with the AUC0-24of repeat doses (P=0.01). The CYP2C9*3 genotype correlated with the AUC0- 24after the first dose IR 40 mg capsule (P<0.05); however, the difference between CYP2C9*1/*1 and CYP2C9*1/*3 was not statistically significant after repeated doses. CONCLUSION The effect of SLCO1B1 T521C on fluvas-tatin exposure was observed and was more profound in ER and repeated dose administration than in IR and single dose administration.We recommend that formulation should be incorporated into future pharmacogenomics studies and clinical implication guidelines.

Objective To investigate the microbleeding incidence of healthy eldery population and patients with stroke.Methods 30 cases of healthy eldery population,32 cases of cerebral hemorrhage,46 cases of patients with ischemic cerebral vascular diseases were performed of MRI and GRE-T_2 ~* WI examination.Results The microbleeding incidences was 37.5% in cerebral hemorrhage group,28.1% in multiple cerebral infarction group,25.0% in Binswanger's disease group.The most frequently seen microbleeding foci located in ganglia areas,then in thalamus areas,subcortical areas and brain stem,last in cerebellar.Conclusion GRE-T_2 ~* WI,helpful for finding microbleeding and indicating lesion degree of microblooding vessels,plays an important role in the diagnosis of stroke and decision making of treatment.

Animals ; Fatty Liver ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Liver ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Taurine ; therapeutic use

Adult ; Chylous Ascites ; therapy ; Female ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Parenteral Nutrition, Total ; Somatostatin ; therapeutic use