Objective To study the effect of sub-chronic exposure to dehamethrin(DM) on the behavior of mice in learning and memory.Methods 60 Female SPF Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups and given DM by gavaging for 60 days.Morris water maze (MWM) was used to evaluate spatial memory in mice.Results After exposure to DM,the escape latency of the solvent control group and the treatment groups were (12.20±6.5)s,(14.99±5.4) s,(15.64±8.3)s,(22.71±6.2)s on the fifth day.The escape latency of the high-dose group was higher than those of the low-dose group (P=0.0041) and the solvent control group (P=0.019) in the navigation test.The number of crossing position of the platform in the high-dose group ((2.93± 1.53)times) and the middle-dose group ((3.40± 1.12) times) were lower than that in the solvent control group ((5.87 ± 1.55) times) and the low-dose group ((4.90± 1.41)times)(P＜0.05).Conclusion Sub-chronic exposure to DM can damage the spatial learning and memory of mice.

0.05). Conclusions Biopsy for the malignant melanoma in female genital tract has high misdiagnosis rate. Immunohistochemistry assay could improve diagnosis markedly.The FIGO staging system fails to predict the prognosis accurately.Surgery plays an important role in treatment,while the adjuvant chemotherapy could improve survival effectively.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of the near infrared Raman spectroscope in diagnosing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODSNear infrared Raman spectra of ten normal mucosa, twenty OSCC and thirty oral leukoplakia (OLK) cases were collected in the research. Based on the previous researches, the information of the subtracted spectra of compared group was gained by the characteristic band in them. A Gaussian radial basis function support vector machine was used to classify spectra and establish the diagnostic models. The efficacy and validity of the algorithm were evaluated.

RESULTSBy analyzing the subtracted mean spectra, the increasing peak intensity in wavenumber range of 500-2 200 cm(-1) hinted us of the high contents of DNA, protein and lipid in OSCC, which elucidate the high proliferative activity. The increasing peak intensity in the wavenumber range of 500-2 200 cm(-1) hinted us of the high contents of DNA, protein and lipid in OSCC, which elucidate the high proliferative activity, but the difference between OLK and OSCC was not as much as that between normal and OSCC. The Gaussian radial basis function support vector machine showed powerful ability in grouping and modeling of normal and OSCC, and the specificity, sensitivity and accuracy were 100%, 97.44% and 98.81% correspondingly. The algorithm showed good ability in grouping and modeling of OLK and OSCC, the specificity, sensitivity and accuracy were 95.00%, 86.36% and 96.30%.

CONCLUSIONCombined with support vector machines, near infrared Raman spectroscopy could detect the biochemical variations in oral normal, OLK and OSCC, and establish diagnostic model accurately.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Humans ; Leukoplakia, Oral ; Mouth Mucosa ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrum Analysis, Raman

OBJECTIVEOver the last few decades, diabetic cardiomyopathy has been identified as a significant contributor in cardiac morbidity. However, the mechanisms of diabetic cardiomyopathy have not been clarified.

METHODSIn the present study, a diabetic rat model was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The myocardial CD147 expression and extent of glycosylation, as well as thematrixmetalloproteinases(MMPs) expression and activity, were observed in the diabetic and synchronous rats.

RESULTSThe results showed that CD147 located on sarcolemma of cardiomyocytes. The myocardial CD147 expression and glycosylation were significantly increased in the diabetic rats as compared with the control. Expression of MMP-2 protein, MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were also increased in left ventricular myocardium in the diabetic rats. Tamoxifen only inhibited the enhanced expression of myocardial CD147 in the diabetic rats, but not in synchronous control rats. Tamoxifen inhibited glycosylation of myocardial CD147 in both diabetic and control rats. The inhibition of tamoxifen on CD147 glycosylation was stronger than on the expression in the myocardium. The extent of myocardial CD147glycosylation was positively related toMMP-2 and MMP-9 activity. Tamoxifen induced an inhibition of myocardial MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in the control and diabetic rats.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that myocardial CD147 expression, especially the extent of glycosylation, regulates MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity, then accelerates cardiac pathological remodeling inducing diabetic cardiomyopathy. Tamoxifen inhibits myocardial CD147 glycosylation and further depress the activity of MMPs. Therefore, tamoxifen may protect the diabetic rats against diabetic myocardium.

Animals ; Basigin ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Diabetic Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Glycosylation ; Heart ; drug effects ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Rats ; Sarcolemma ; metabolism ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology

This study was designed to explore the RNA interference technique in inhibition of the expression of the mouse fibrinogen like protein 2 (mfgl2), which has been reported to be involved in the development a variety of diseases including fulminant viral hepatitis. A plasmid named p-mfgl2shRNA,complementary to the sequence of mfgl2 was constructed, while another short hairpin RNA (shRNA)which was a mutated form of the mfgl2shRNA sequences was used as a control. A plasmid named pEGFP-mfgl2 expressing the mfgl2-EGFP fusion protein was also constructed for the screening of the effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression. By cotransfection of p-mfgl2shRNA and pEGFP-mfgl2 or pcDNA3.1-mfgl2 expression construct into CHO cells or HeLa cells, the inhibition of mfgl2 expression by mfgl2shRNA was analyzed by direct observation through fluorescent microscopy, FACS, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. The experiments showed the significant inhibitory effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression at 48h post-transfection in both CHO and Hela cell lines with the inhibitory efficiency as high as 80.1%. The study demonstrated that the construct of p-mfgl2shRNA successfully interfered with the mfgl2 expression in vitro.

Vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (VEGF121) was expressed as inclusion bodies by recombinant Escherichia coli. High concentrations of both biomass (46 g dry cell/L) and VEGF121 inclusion bodies (4.5 g/L) were obtained by applying a high-cell-density culture. After the inclusion bodies were washed and dissolved, VEGF121 was refolded at 0.2 mg/ml by ultrafiltration in refolding buffer with a yield of 81%. Renatured VEGF121 was purified by anion chromatography and Sephacry S-100 chromatography with purity higher than 95% and fnal purification yield of 31%. The purified VEGF121 could stimulate the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as demonstrated by a biological activity assay.

BACKGROUNDDiagnosis and treatment for respiratory symptoms (RSs) of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is more difficult than that for common esophageal symptoms. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency (RF) treatment on RSs of GERD in a preliminary 12-month follow-up observation.

METHODSFrom April 2006 to October 2008, 505 GERD patients with mainly respiratory presentations such as wheezing, chronic cough or hoarseness, were treated by endoscopic RF. A questionnaire was completed before and after treatment, using a six-point scale ranging from 0 to 5 to assess symptom severity and frequency. The symptom score was the sum of frequency and severity.

RESULTSSymptom scores were significantly improved at the end of the follow-up period. The mean heartburn score decreased from 5.31 to 1.79. The mean regurgitation score decreased from 5.02 to 1.64; mean cough score decreased from 6.77 to 2.85; mean wheezing score decreased from 7.83 to 3.07; and mean hoarseness score decreased from 5.13 to 1.81 (P < 0.01). No major complications or deaths occurred. Minor complications included temporary post-procedural retrosternal unease or pain (n = 106; 21.0%), mild fever (n = 86; 17.0%), transient nausea/vomiting (n = 97; 19.2%), and transient dysphagia (n = 42; 9.3%). Thirty-five (6.9%) patients had recurrence of symptoms. Endoscopic RF treatment was repeated in six patients, and laparoscopic fundoplication was performed in seven.

CONCLUSIONEndoscopic RF is an effective and safe means to treat RSs in patients with GERD.

Adult ; Aged ; Cough ; surgery ; Esophagogastric Junction ; physiopathology ; radiation effects ; Esophagoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Heartburn ; surgery ; Hoarseness ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radio Waves ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study human vestibular cerebral representations by combining right-sided ice-water stimulation at 0 degree C with blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) and to evaluate the value of this method in the functional localization of human vestibular cortex.

METHODSTwenty right-handed volunteers (12 men and 8 women) received unilateral irrigation of the right external auditory meatu for 15 s with 15 ml of water at 0 degrees C during fMRI in complete darkness. The functional imaging of brain cortex was acquired with a 1.5-T MRI scanner (Signa Infinity Twin + Excite; General Electric Co., USA). The successive functional images from each subject were analyzed as a group with statistical parametric mapping software (SPM 99).

RESULTSUltimately, data obtained from 17 subjects were analyzed (3 subjects were eliminated from data because of head movement exceeding 2 mm). The group analysis showed bilateral (particularly left-sided) cortical activation, associated with caloric stimulus involving in temporoparietal junction extending into the posterior insula, supramarginal gyrus in the inferior parietal lobe, precuneus, supplementary motor area (SMA), the ventrolateral portion of the occipital lobe, cuneus and lingual gyrus, superior temporal gyrus and cingular cortex.

CONCLUSIONSIce-water stimulation at 0 degree C in fMRI reveals a widespread cortical network involved in vestibular signal processing in human. As the functional localization of vestibular cortex could be determined precisely, ice-water stimulation at 0 degree C in fMRI would hold great promise as a sensitive and reproducible tool for the research in human vestibular cortex.

Adult ; Brain Mapping ; Cerebral Cortex ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Ear, Inner ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Vestibular Nuclei ; anatomy & histology ; physiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore GAGA-like element binding protein in human cells.

METHODSYeast one-hybrid system was used to screen the GAGA-like element binding proteins in HTLV-1 transformed Jurkat cell cDNA fusion library. Total RNA extracted from Jurkat cells was first labeled by reverse transcription, and was taken as cDNA probe to hybridize with the candidate positive clones.

RESULTS9 positive clones were obtained, and 6 out of the 9 clones were positively hybridized with the cDNA probe.

CONCLUSIONS6 candidate clones encoding for GAGA-like element binding proteins were obtained from Jurkat cells for further investigation.

Carrier Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Drosophila Proteins ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 ; genetics ; Humans ; Jurkat Cells ; Leukemia, T-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques

OBJECTIVETo investigate mutations of KRAS gene and clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal carcinomas (CRC) in Chinese.

METHODSTumor cells were collected by microdissection from paraffin-embedded tumor specimens and adjacent normal colon tissues from 167 CRC patients. Genomic DNA was extracted and mutations of KRAS gene (codons 12 and 13) were detected by scorpions amplification refractory mutation system (Scorpions ARMS).

RESULTSKRAS mutations were identified in 66 patients (39.5%), including G13D (21 cases, 12.6%), G12D (15 cases, 9.0%), G12V (13 cases, 7.8%), G12C (6 cases, 3.6%), G12A (5 cases, 3.0%), G12S (4 cases, 2.4%) and G12R (2 cases, 1.2%). Female patients had a higher KRAS mutation rate than male (50.0%, 29/58 vs.33.9%, 37/109, P < 0.05). However, KRAS mutations did not correlate with the patient age, tumor sites, histological types and grades (P > 0.05). Additionally, 7 of 18 patients with metastatic CRC had KRAS gene mutations. Overall, KRAS gene mutation was identified in 59 patients among 149 primary CRC (39.6%). There was no significant difference in KRAS mutation between primary and metastatic tumors (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe detection rate of KRAS mutation is higher in female CRC patients than the males. The presence of KRAS mutation does not significantly correlate with the patients' age, tumor site, differentiation grades and histological types. There was no significant difference in KRAS mutation between the primary and metastatic tumors.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; genetics ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Codon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; genetics ; secondary ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult ; ras Proteins ; genetics