46, XY Disorders of Sex Development ; complications ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Sex Chromosomes ; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; surgery

AIM To explore the molecular mechanism of hydroquinone genotoxicity in human bronchial epithelial cells and investigate whether human X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1)was involved in protecting cells from the damage caused by hydroquinone. METHODS XRCC1 gene was knocked down by RNA interference and XRCC1-deficient cell was established by transfected recombinant plasmid pEGFP-C1-pU6-dsRNA. Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (normal cells) and cells transfected with the empty vector of pEGFP-C1 (vector cells) were used as the normal control and vector control. All cells were treated with different concentrations of hydroquinone (10-100 μmol·L-1) for 4 h. MTT assay was used to test cell viability and comet assay was used to detect the DNA damage and repairment. RESULTS MTT assay showed that hydroquinone inhibited the growth of cells in a concentration-dependant manner and the survival number of XRCC1-deficient cell was less than that of the two control groups. Comet assay revealed that different concentrations of hydroquinone caused more severe DNA damage in XRCC1-deficient cell line than in control cells and there were no significant difference in the two control groups. CONCLUSION The results suggest XRCC1 be involved in preventing cells from damage caused by hydroquinone.

OBJECTIVETo investigate and analyze the social support for inpatients with occupational diseases and to provide reference and basis for relevant medical and nursing interventions.

METHODSThe social support rating scale (SSRS) was used to investigate the social support for 95 inpatients with occupational diseases.

RESULTSThe total SSRS score of these patients was significantly lower than the national norm (32.5±9.31 vs 34.56±3.73, P < 0.05). The social support was mainly from the family, but medical staff and spiritual support were the main source and type of social support that are expected.

CONCLUSIONPatients with occupational diseases have gained little social support, in both economic and spiritual aspects. In clinical practice, the patient's demand for knowledge of diseases and spiritual needs should be satisfied, and appropriate social support should be provided.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; Social Support ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective To study the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients before and after treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antago- nists.Methods RA and AS patients treated with TNF antagonists infliximab and etanercept between 2003 and 2006 were followed up for the risk of TB infection.The protein purified derivative (PPD) test and chest anteroposterior and lateral view X-ray were done at screening for all these patients.Results Among 67 RA patients screened,1 was PPD positive.One patient developed right supraclavicular lymph node TB 4 months after study completion.Among 203 AS patients screened,27 patients were PPD positive,2 had calcified pul- monary TB foci and 2 had pulmonary TB.PPD positive rates and calcified TB foci or active TB found in RA and AS patients screened were significantly lower than national TB infection rates and prevalence (P＜0.01). Conclusion In this short-term clinical observation,increased risk of TB infection was not found after TNF antagonists treatment in RA and AS patients.However,it is necessary to screen patients for signs of TB infec- tion before TNF antagonists treatment.

BACKGROUNDAmyloid β(1-42) (Aβ(42)) peptide vaccination has been proved to be effective in reducing amyloid burden in brain and improving cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models. But the phase II trial of Aβ(42) peptide vaccine was halted because of T cell-mediated meningoencephalitis. In this study, a DNA vaccine, p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG, was constructed to test whether it would induce predominant T(H)2 immune response upon immunization of BALB/c mice.

METHODSBALB/c mice were vaccinated intramuscularly with p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG plasmids. Aβ(42) peptide, pcDNA3.1(+) empty vector and PBS were injected to the control groups. Expression of interesting gene in injected muscle was identified by immunohistochemistry. Anti-Aβ antibody titers, isotype profiles as well as cytokines in ex vivo splenocytes culture supernatants were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSP(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG plasmid was expressed in muscle after injection detected by immunohistochemistry. The p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG vaccine induced high titers of anti-Aβ antibodies in BALB/c mice. And isotype of the antibodies was mainly IgG1, the IgG1/IgG2a ratio for the p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG group was approximately 5 times greater than that for the Aβ(42) peptide group. Ex vivo cultured splenocytes isolated from mice immunized with p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG exhibited high interleukin-4 response and low interleukin-γ (IFN-γ) response.

CONCLUSIONSImmunization with p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG vaccine primarily induces a T(H)2 type of response, thus reduces the probability of inflammation. This p(Aβ(3-10))(10)-CpG vaccine possesses the basic factors required for a safe and effective AD vaccine.

Alzheimer Disease ; immunology ; therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; immunology ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunity, Humoral ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Muscles ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; therapeutic use

Objective To analyze motion characteristics of the carotid artery wall and to evaluate changes of carotid artery elasticity in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome (MS)by using velocity vector imaging (VVI). Methods A total of 111 elderly patients with metabolic syndrome were continuously enrolled in this prospective study. Patients received a health questionnaire ,physical examinations ,blood biochemical indexes tests ,and carotid artery ultrasound examination. According to carotid intima-media thickness(IMT)and carotid plaques ,patients were divided into a group of MS with carotid plaques (n= 34) ,a group of MS without carotid plaques (n= 31)and a control group (n=46).Dynamic images of the short axial section at 1 cm from the bifurcation of the right common carotid artery were collected in all cases ,and the VVI offline software was used to detect and record the maximum radial velocity (V) ,maximum tangential strain(S)and maximum tangential strain(SR)of each segment as well as the average V(EV) ,average S(ES)and average SR(ESR)of the entire vessel. Results IMT was higher in the group of MS with carotid plaques than in the group of MS without carotid plaques and the control group(P＜0.01) ,and there was no statistical difference between the group of MS without carotid plaques and the control group(P＜0.05).V ,S ,SR ,EV ,ES and ESR in the two MS groups were lower than in the control group. There were statistically significant differences in V ,S ,SR ,EV ,ES and ESR between the MS groups (P＜ 0.01).EV was negatively correlated with hypertension ,hyperglycemia ,hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(r= -0.305 ,-0.625 ,-0.647 and -0.337 ,respectively ,P＜0.01).ES was negatively correlated with hypertension ,hyperglycemia ,hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(r= -0.252 ,-0.673 ,-0.528 and -0.273 ,respectively ,P＜ 0.01 or 0.05).ESR was negatively correlated with hypertension ,hyperglycemia ,hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(r= -0.315 ,-0.697 ,-0.609 and -0.385 ,respectively ,P＜0.01 or 0.05). Conclusions VVI technology can assess the motion characteristics of the carotid artery wall , evaluate changes of carotid artery elasticity earlier than conventional ultrasound in elderly MS patients , and therefore provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis of atherosclerosis.

To develop a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for rapid and sensitive detection of Norwalk GII. 4 primers which recognized 6 distinct regions on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene of Norwalk GII were designed and used for LAMP assay. Norwalk GII RNA was amplified under isothermal conditions (65 degrees C) for 120 min, and LAMP results were then judged with naked eye, SYBR Green I staining, electrophoretic analysis and restriction digestion. To evaluate the specificity of the RT-LAMP, 48 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII and 12 fecal specimens of group A rotaviruses were tested. To compare the sensitivity of the RT-LAMP with that of conventional RT-PCR, Norwalk GII RNA was serially diluted and amplified by RT-LAMP and RT-PCR, respectively. With 46 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII, observation with naked eyes, SYBR Green I staining and electrophoretic analysis were able to detect the PCR products in the RT-LAMP assay. The specificity of RT-LAMP products was also confirmed by digestion of the RT-LAMP products with restriction enzymes. No RNA amplification was observed in 2 fecal specimens of Norwalk GII and 12 fecal specimens of group A rotaviruses. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay with regard to RT-PCR were 100% for Norwalk GII. The detection limits of RT-LAMP was 15.6 pg/tube for Norwalk GII and similar to that of a RT-PCR assay. Compared to RT-PCR, the RT-LAMP assay has been proven to be a rapid, sensitive, specific and accurate method for detection of the Norwalk GII in fecal specimens, and that RT-LAMP assay is potentially useful for the rapid detection of Norwalk GII from fecal specimens in outbreaks of infectious diarrhea.
Caliciviridae Infections ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; Humans ; Norwalk virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; RNA Replicase ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between power Doppler vascularity index (PDVI) and microvessel density (MVD) and evaluate the angiogenesis in high-grade gliomas and the adjacent edema in patients with glioma using intraoperative power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) during gross total resection.

METHODSIn 25 cases of high-grade gliomas undergoing gross total tumor resections, PDUS was performed intraoperatively and the regions of interest within the tumor and the adjacent edema were analyzed with Photoshop software to measure the tumoral and peritumoral blood flow quantified as PDVI. The tumoral and adjacent MVD were determined using immunohistochemical staining for CD34. The correlation between PDVI in the gliomas and the adjacent edema and MVD in the corresponding areas were analyzed using Spearman correlation test.

RESULTSThe measurement of both PVDI and MVD revealed significant difference in vascularity between the gliomas and the adjacent edema (t=0.000, P<0.01), and PDVI was positively correlated to MVD measurement (r=0.7248 in the tumors and r=0.6608 in the adjacent edema).

CONCLUSIONSThe difference in the vascularity between the tumor and adjacent edema allows their distinction by PDUS during operation for high-grade glioma. Intraoperative PDUS provides an accurate and reliable means for measuring vascularity in the glioma and the adjacent edema tissue.

Adult ; Brain Edema ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Brain Neoplasms ; blood supply ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; methods ; Female ; Glioblastoma ; blood supply ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo amplify the PCR with the internal transcribed spacerl regions measure the base sequence of the amplified products of DNA, and to set up an identified standard on the level of molecule.

METHODDNA from the seeds of G. dahurica was extracted by conventional method, and composed peculiar primer was used to amplify with the internal transcribed spacerl regions of the rRNA gene, and the base sequence of the amplified products by stopping the circle of the end of double deoxidation of four color fluorescent mark was measured.

RESULTIt was proved by agar sugar gel electrophoresis that the PCR amplified products of the internal transcribed spacerl regions of the rRNA gene existed. The base sequence of the seeds of G. dahurica's internal transcribed spacerl regions of the rRNA gene was measured.

CONCLUSIONTo measure the base sequence of internal transcribed spacerl regions of the rRNA gene in the seeds of G. dahurica's is a method to identify vegetal Chinese traditional medicine on the level of molecule.

Base Sequence ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Gentiana ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plants, Medicinal ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Seeds ; genetics