Objective To investigate the relationship between antiendothelial cell antibodies(AECA)and anticardiolipin antibodies(ACA)in patients with lupus nephritis. Methods 58 sera from patients with lupus nephritis were studied. ELISA technique were used to detect both AECA and ACA, and immunoblotting was performed to determine specific endothelial targets. Results The prevalence of IgG-AECA and IgG-ACA positive were 36.2% and 39.7% respectively in the patients with lupus nephritis. 17 out of 23 patients with ACA had higher titers of AECA, while only 4 out of 35 patients without ACA were AECA positive(P

Adult ; Gamma Rays ; Humans ; Male ; Radiation Protection ; instrumentation ; Space Suits

Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of Tang Shen Ning(TSN,a prescription of traditional Chinese medicine)for curing the early stage of diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods: Adopting random and double-blind controlled trial methods,several indexes were observed in terms of uric micro-amount albumin excretion rate,creatinine clearance,hemorheology and platelet function et al.Results: TSN could significantly reduce urinary albumin,glomerulus's hyper-filtration,improve blood stream transform and inhibit platelet aggregation.Conclusion: TSN could protect renal functions during the early stage of DN.

Objective To study the effect of fluoride on bone metabolism in rats, and to understand the mechanism of pathogenesis of skeletal fluorosis. Methods A total of 80 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups that included control group (distilled water), low-dose group(NaF, 50 mg/L), medium-dose group (NaF,100 mg/L) and high-dose group(NaF, 150 mg/L), respectively. After being bred for 12 weeks, the rats were put to death (etherization). Incidence of dental fluorosis was estimated, and serum was collected. Radioimmunoassay was employed to detect the levels of osteocalcin (BGP), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin (CT), respectively.Colorimetry method was employed to determine the levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP). Results Incidence of dental fluorosis between the four groups was significantly different statistically(x2 =82.81 ,P ＜ 0.01 ). The incidence was significantly different(x2 = 22.67, 40.00, 40.00, all P＜ 0.01 ) between low-dose ( 80%, 16/20), medium-dose ( 100%, 20/20), high-dose groups ( 100%, 20/20) and control group (0,0/20),respectively. Serum levels of BGP, PTH, CT were significantly different between the groups(F = 38.614, 20.778,3.023, P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05). There was no significant difference between the four.groups of ALP and ACP in serum (F = 0.609,2.895, all P ＞ 0.05 ). Serum BGP in low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups[ ( 19.60 ± 12.79),(33.41 ± 10.81 ), (39.46 ± 9.51 )mg/L, respectively] was significantly higher than that of the control group[ (7.35 ± 3.22)mg/L, all P ＜ 0.01 ]. Serum PTH in low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups[ (72.27 ± 25.38), (67.80 ± 12.01), (106.52 ± 36.37)pmol/L] was significantly higher than that of the control group[(47.08 ± 9.22)pmol/L,all P ＜ 0.01 ]. Serum PTH of the high-dose group was significantly higher than that of the low-dose and the mediumdose groups(all P ＜ 0.01 ). Serum CT in medium-dose and high-dose groups[ ( 13.39 ± 2.07), ( 15.05 ± 4.77)pmol/L ] was significantly lower than that of the control group[ (26.06 ± 28.31 ) pmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05 ] and also significantly lower than that of the low-dose group [ (24.49 ± 14. 10) pmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05 ]. Conclusions Fluoride affects bone metabolism in rats, BGP, PTH and CT play a key role in the pathogenesis of skeletal fluorosis.

Objective To explore humor experience and its relationship with theory of mind in patients with schizophrenia. Methods sixty?one schizophrenic patients without treatment and sixty?three healthy subjects were assessed with the Humor Picture Test ( HPT) ,Humor Video Test ( HVT) and the Theory?of?Mind Picture?Se?quencing Task ( ToM?PST) . Results Compared with healthy subject in HPT,schizophrenic patients showed sig?nificantly higher non?humor picture rating score (24.41 ± 8.82 vs 28.41 ± 11.56, P<0.05),and less humor picture rating score (45.65 ± 11.49 vs 34.41 ± 13.06, P<0.05). Compared with healthy subject in HVT,schizophrenic patients also showed significantly less humor video rating score (3.56 ± 0.57 vs 2.46 ± 0.79, P<0.01) and the number of standard humorous moments (3.68 ± 1.19 vs 2.42 ± 1.40, P<0.01) and the sensitivity of standard hu?morous moments?d’(humor) score (1.11 ± 0.46 vs 0.47 ± 0.42, P<0.01). Schizophrenic patients had significant?ly less total score (39.89 ± 12.33 vs 58.76 ± 0.64, P<0.01) of ToM?PST compared to normal control. Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between d’ ( humor) score and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS) total score ( r=-0.380, P<0.01) for the patients. There was significantly negative correlation between non?humor picture rating score and ToM?PST total score ( r=-0.316, P<0.05) ,and positive correlation between d’ (humor) score and ToM?PST total score ( r=0.400, P<0.01) in schizophrenic patient. After controlling for the PANSS total score,the correlation between d’(humor) score and ToM?PST total score remained significant. Conclusion Schizophrenic patients have poor humor experience,which is related to the impairments of theory of mind.Humor experience deficit may share a common neuropsychological base with the impairment of theory of mind.

Spleen kidney Yang deficiency (SKYD) diarrhea is a common syndrome in tranditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Until now, there is not an ideal SKYD diarrhea rat model for the research. In this study, we compared single factor way (method I, injecting hydrocortisone and gavaging Sennae Folium) with compound factors way(method II, gavaging adenine, improper diet, exhaustion, and gavaging Sennae Folium) on establishing SKYD diarrhea rat model. After modelling, diarrhea index, D-xylose excretory rate, NOS/cGMP signal transduction system, organ index and histopathology examination were used to evaluate the two ways. The results showed that, compared with health group, all the assessment criterias of method I and method II had significant differences (P < 0.01, 0.05). In addition, the index such as diarrhea index, NOS/cGMP signal transduction system, organ index (kidney, testis and thymus) and histopathology examination had significant differences (P < 0.01, 0.05) between method I and method II. In conclusion, the compound factors modelling method better conforms to the symptom of diarrhoea model caused by SKYD. This new modelling method provides a basis for studying on TCM astringents warming and tonifying the spleen and kidney, relieving diarrhea.
Animals ; Diarrhea ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Xylose ; metabolism ; Yang Deficiency ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVEIt was revealed that t(8; 21) (q22; q22) was one of the most common chromosomal aberrations in acute non-lymphoid leukemia. The translocation was found to be involved in the AML1 gene on the chromosome 21 and the ETO gene on the chromosome 8, and resulted in the formation of AML1/ETO fusion gene on the derivative chromosome 8. The fusion gene was a transcription factor and played a direct role in the leukemogenesis. The translocation was mainly observed in M(2), accidentally in M(4) and M(1) and rarely in MDS. Here we studied the main clinical data in children with acute non-lymphoid leukemia (ANLL) carrying the AML1/ETO fusion gene. In addition, we discussed the significance of the detection of AML1/ETO fusion gene in the diagnosis and prognosis of children with ANLL.

METHODSThe authors investigated 29 patients in our hospital from December 2000 to March 2002. The patients were divided into two groups. Group A included 21 patients, 14 males and 7 females. They were 3.6 to 14 years old and the median was 9. Group B included 8 patients, 6 males and 2 females. They were 0.8 to 14 years old and the median was 6. Diagnosis was made according to FAB and MIC criteria and the expression of AML1/ETO fusion gene was detected with nested RT-PCR. The patients were treated according to DA, DAE or BFM regimen, respectively. The main clinical indexes including age, Hb, white blood count, platelet, blasts in PBC and BM, and time of arrival at complete remission (CR), were compared statistically between the two groups with t test of independent samples.

RESULTSAll the 21 patients in group A were found carrying AML1/ETO, and 17 patients (81%) were classified as M(2), the other 4 cases were of M(2) developed from MDS-RAEB-T, M(4Eo), M(5) and eosinophil leukemia, respectively. Eighteen out of 20 patients whose effects could be assessed reached CR, and the CR ratio was 90%. Two patients in group B were of AML-M(1), 3 M(2), 1 M(3), 1 M(4), and 1 M(5), respectively. None of them was found carrying AML1/ETO. Seven cases reached CR and the ratio was 87.5%. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the above clinical indices.

CONCLUSIONSBetween the two groups of patients there was no significant difference in the above clinical indices. RT-PCR for the detection of AML1/ETO in children with ANLL was quick, convenient and sensitive, and could be regarded as a useful method for the diagnosis and prognosis of ANLL.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; classification ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prognosis ; RNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; metabolism ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; genetics

The regulation of foreign gene expression in Insect-Baculovirus Expression System is very complex. In this report, the effect of 5'-UTR in the expression of hGH gene in cultured Sf9 cells was examined. A 18 bp length in the end of 5'-UTR of hGH (human Growth Hormone, hGH) cDNA including a stem-loop structure was deleted by PCR. The truncated hGH cDNA, delta 1hGH was cloned in pFastBac1, named pFast-Bac-delta 1hGH. After transforming into E. coli. DH10Bac, which have a shuttle vetor-Bacmid, the delta 1hGH was integrated into Bacmid by site-specific transposition, and an expression vector, rBacmid-delta 1hGH DNA was acquired. By transfecting the cultured Sf9 cells with the recombinant expression vector DNA, pure recombinant virus, rAcV-Bac-delta 1hGH was obtained, and hGH gene was expressed. Immuno-blot and Chemiluminescent assay revealed that the expressed hGH had normal immunological activity, the amount of hGH expression level in Sf9 cell supernatant infected with rAcV-Bac-delta 1hGH containing the truncated 5'UTR was four to five times higher than that infected with rAcV-Bac-hGH.
5' Untranslated Regions ; genetics ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Human Growth Hormone ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Insecta ; cytology ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; isolation & purification ; metabolism

The method of monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay has a great importance in the study of quality control of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and detection of trace components in vivo animals. Synthesis of small molecule artificial antigen is the prerequisite for the establishment of this method. In present study, catalpol-BSA was synthesized by sodium periodate oxidation method. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry ( MALDI-TOF-MS) and molecular exclusion chromatography showed that catalpol was successfully conjugated with BSA. The mice could specifically produce anti-catalpol antibodies with titer up to 1:8000. The artificial antigen of catalpol was successfully synthesized.
Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antigens ; chemistry ; immunology ; Immunoassay ; Iridoid Glucosides ; chemistry ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness on comprehensive health education intervention program regarding reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted diseases (RTIs/STDs) among reproductive age population in the rural areas of China.

METHODSData were generated from the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented by the State Family Planning Committee and the Ministry of Health from 1998 to 2002, which covered 32 counties in 22 provinces. A quasi-experimental design was used. Six counties were selected from 32 project counties as intervention group, while 6 non-project counties were taken as controls which were similar in number of population and economic level to the counties as selected. Subjects of the study were mothers with children under 3 years and men under 35 years of age. A total number of 675 mothers and men were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by strictly trained investigators. Logistic model was used to compare the difference of knowledge on RTIs/STDs between intervention group and control group. OR value was used to describe the degree of the difference.

RESULTSOver the 18 month intervention period, persons in the intervention group had more knowledge of RTIs/STDs than those in control group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that intervention was significantly associated with better knowledge on factors as transmission, risks, symptoms, management and prevention of RTIs/STDs with 95% CI of OR as 2.4 - 6.4, 2.0 - 4.8, 3.0 - 6.4, 1.9 - 5.7 and 1.8 - 6.8 respectively, after controlling the demographic factors. Level of education was an important factor influencing the subjects to receive knowledge on RTIs/STDs.

CONCLUSIONComprehensive health education intervention programs had significant impact on knowledge about RTIs/STDs among the target population, indicating that the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented in the rural areas of China had been successful.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; prevention & control ; Genital Diseases, Male ; prevention & control ; Health Education ; Humans ; Male ; Rural Health ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; prevention & control