Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workplace ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo verify the interaction between secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) and osteoblast-specific factor 2 (OSF-2).

METHODSHA-tagged OSF-2 fusion protein recombinant vector pCMV-HA-OSF-2, which could express in mammal cells was constructed, then identified by enzyme-cutting and transfected into human kidney 293 (HK293) cells with or without Myc-SFRP2 recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pCMV-HA-SFRP2. The interaction between SFRP2 and OSF-2 was detected through coimmunoprecipitation and Western blotting.

RESULTSIn electrophoresis bath, target fragment of SFRP2 coding gene with 800 bp and target gene OSF-2 with 2500 bp could be seen respectively after enzyme-cutting, which showed that pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 and pCMV-HA-OSF-2 were constructed successfully. No HA-OSF-2 expression was detected after pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 or pCMV-HA-OSF-2 transfection. Whereas, HA-OSF-2 expressed by Myc antibody immunoprecipitation after pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 and pCMV-HA-OSF-2 co-transfection.

CONCLUSIONSHA-OSF-2 recombinant vector can express in mammal cells. Interaction exists between HA-OSF-2 and SFRP2.

Cell Line ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; metabolism ; Transfection

A high affinity polyclonal antibody-based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantification of zeranol in bovine urine. On the basis of urine matrix studies, the optimized dilution factors producing insignificant matrix interference were selected as 1:5 in pretreatment. In the improved ELISA, the linear response range was between 0.02 and 1 microg/ml, and the detection limit was 0.02 microg/ml for the assay. The overall recoveries and the coefficients of variation (CVs) were in the range of 82% to approximately 127% and 3.5% to approximately 8.8%, respectively. Thirty-six bovine urine samples spiked with zeranol (ranging from 0.2 to 10 microg/ml) were detected by the ELISA and liquid chromatography (LC) method, and good correlations were obtained between the two methods (R(2)=0.9643). We conclude that this improved ELISA is suitable tool for a mass zeranol screening and can be an alternative for the conventional LC method for zeranol in bovine urine.
Animals ; Calibration ; Cattle ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Indicator Dilution Techniques ; Zeranol ; immunology ; urine

OBJECTIVETo study difference in occupational stress between men and women commercial workers in a supermarket in Yinchuan, Ningxia.

METHODSTotally, 679 commercial workers in a supermarket were investigated with questionnaire of occupational stress indicator (OSI), matched on age, length of service, educational level, marital status and type of work.

RESULTSScore of occupational stress factors, relationships, home/work balance and organizational atmosphere in women commercial workers was 143.48, 30.86, 20.82 and 15.16, respectively, obviously higher than that in men, with 134.89, 28.61, 18.75 and 13.93, respectively. Score of psychological health and satisfaction in women was 39.86 and 14.82, respectively, lower than that in men, with 43.84 and 17.66, respectively, which indicate that occupational stress in women was more severe with a more stressful psychological reaction than in men. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the main predicting factor for job satisfaction was personal relationships in women, and organizational atmosphere, managerial role and workload in men. Those for psychological health was control strategy and organizational atmosphere in women, and organizational atmosphere and recognition in men, those for physical illness was workload in women and support strategy and physical exercises in men, and those for stress level was support strategy in women and coping strategy in men.

CONCLUSIONSWomen commercial workers experienced much more stress, with more severe stress reaction in their work, than men did. The main factors affecting occupational stress reaction and level of stress in women and men were not quite similar.

Adaptation, Psychological ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Commerce ; Female ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Job Satisfaction ; Male ; Sex Factors ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workload

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of sodium metavanadate (SMV) on blood sugar and glucose phosphorylation in mice, and to discuss the possible mechanism of its hypoglycemic effects.

METHODSDiabetic mice (D) and control mice (V) were randomly allocated to drink SMV (0.2 mg/ml) (CV and DV groups) or NaCl (80 mmol/L) (C and V groups) respectively. The study lasted for 5 weeks. Liver glucokinase, muscle hexokinase, blood glucose and insulin were assayed at the end of each week.

RESULTSBlood glucose was higher in the diabetic groups before the administration of SMV, and the blood glucose level of group DV decreased from (18.77 +/- 1.28) to (8.94 +/- 0.94) mmol/L (P < 0.01) after oral administration of SMV for one week. While liver glucokinase increased from (1.29 +/- 0.64) to (15.36 +/- 1.57) mIU/min/mg protein and muscle hexokinase increased from (1.93 +/- 0.50) to (18.62 +/- 1.71) mIU/min/mg protein (P < 0.01) respectively. There was no continuous change of these parameters during the later weeks. No significant change of serum insulin was observed in the diabetic mice. There was a remarkable negative correlation of blood glucose level with liver glucokinase and muscle hexokinase levels.

CONCLUSIONThe hypoglycemic effects of SMV was independent of insulin level. In consideration of the close relations of the activities of liver glucokinase and muscle hexokinase with diabetes, and the improving of impaired glucose phosphorylation in diabetic mice by oral sodium metavanadate, which might be the mechanism of hypoglycemic effects of SMV.

Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; Female ; Glucokinase ; metabolism ; Hexokinase ; metabolism ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; Insulin ; blood ; Liver ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Random Allocation ; Vanadates ; pharmacology

Aged ; Alcoholic Beverages ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; etiology ; Male ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome ; complications

The latest research progress on quantitative determination methods of main active components-lignans from Schisandra chinensis and its preparations has been summarized, such as spectrophotometry, thin-layer chromatography scanning, high performance liquid chromatograpy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and capillary electrochromatography. The characteristics and application areas of every analytical method have also been stated. It offers reference on quality control of crude drug and its preparations of S. chinensis.
Capsules ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Lignans ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Schisandra ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of substance P (SP) on the release of histamine in the human hypertrophic scar tissue, and to explore the prerequisite of their interaction.

METHODSTissue specimens of normal skin and hypertrophic scar from eight hospitalized patients were excised and cut into 0.5 to 1.0 mm3 pieces, and the histamine release by mast cell (MC) under the stimulation of different concentration of SP and calcium, as well as the different affect time of SP, were determined with fluorescence spectrometer. Then the histamine release rate was calculated.

RESULTSThere was obvious release of histamine when SP concentration was 1 x 10(-6) mol/L , and the release rate was (50.0 +/- 3.6) %, which was significantly higher than that by SP in the concentration of 0 mol/L [(44.0 +/- 3.2) %, P < 0.01]. Therefore it seemed to be dose-dependent. About 90% of histamine was released within 15 minutes of 5 x 10(-1) mol/L Substance P stimulation, and it was also time-dependent. The histamine release reached the peak when calcium concentration was 5 x 10(-3) mol/L, which seemed to be dose-dependent, but it decreased transiently when calcium concentration was 1 x 10(-3) mol/L. In all occasions, the influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in hypertrophic scar (HS) was markedly higher than that in normal skin (NS) (P < 0.01). Conclusion The influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in HS was markedly higher than that in NS, and it might be closely related to itching sensation and the formation of hypertrophic scar.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; Female ; Histamine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; metabolism ; Substance P ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH) mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, in order to provide basic information for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSMutations of the PAH gene were detected in exons 1-13 with flanking introns of PAH gene by PCR and DNA sequencing in 47 families with PKU.

RESULTSA total of 25 different mutations were detected in 83 out of 94 PAH alleles (88.3%). Among them, E79fX13, H271R and D415Y have not been reported previously. It was the first time that IVS10-14C to G mutation was reported in Chinese PKU population. The mutations p.R243Q, EX6-96A to G, p.Y356X, IVS401G to A, p.R111X, p.V399V and p.R413P, were the prevalent mutations with relative frequencies of 20.5%, 12.0%, 9.6%, 9.6%, 8.4%, 8.4% and 7.2% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe mutations of the PAH gene in patients with classical phenylketonuria in Henan province were similar to that in other areas of China. Prenatal gene diagnosis for PKU by PAH gene sequencing is efficient for most PKU families.

Base Sequence ; Child, Preschool ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase ; genetics ; Phenylketonurias ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; methods