Objective To investigate the changes of serum interleukin 8(IL-8) level in children with thyroid disfunction and its clinical significance in children with autoimmune thyroid disease(AITD).Method Serum IL-8 of 30 children with hyperthyroidism,16 children with hypotyroidism and 20 health children were detected by double antibody enzyme linked immunossorbent assay(ELISA).Results Serum IL-8 levels in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism children were significantly higher than that in controls(P0.05).With the remission of the diseases, IL-8 levels decreased; there was a significant difference between serum IL-8 levels in patients before and after therapy (P

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone is an important pathogenic factor of left ventricular hypertrophy. There has been evidence that the extract of red sage root (a Chinese herb) can intervene the synthesis of aldosterone.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of tanshinone Ⅱ A on expression of genes related to aldosterone synthesis in myocardium. DESIGN:A randomized and controlled trial. SETTING :Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. MATERIALS:The experiment was performed at the laboratory of Emergency Department, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology from November 2002 to March 2004. Totally 20 male 12-week-old rats with spontaneous hypertension were randomly divided as hypertension group and tanshinone Ⅱ A group. METHODS:Rats in each group were injected tanshinone Ⅱ A or distilled water in the same volume respectively through caudal vein. After 12-week administration,the rats were put to death by decapitation, and the samples of myocardium were prepared. The expressions of CYP11B1mRNA and CYP11B2 mRNA, or myocardial genes related to aldosterone synthesis were examined with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and referring to the amplification primers of glyceraldehydes 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:The levels of CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 mRNA related to aldosterone synthesis in myocardium.RESULTS :Totally 20 rats were involved in the trial and all entered in the final result analysis without any loss of value. ① Quantitative analysis of expression of myocardial CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 genes in rats of two groups: Taking 100bp Plus Ladder as Marker,clear amplified strands could be seen at 440bp,461bp and 336bp sites,DNA sequencing proved they were the encoding gene segments of CYP11B1,YP11B2 and GAPDH. ②Qualitative analysis of expression of myocardial CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 genes in rats of two groups:The expressive levels of CYP11B1 and CYP1 1B2 mRNA contents in tanshinone Ⅱ A group were significantly lower than those in hypertension group (0.924±0.121 vs 1.343±0.132,P ＜ 0.05;1.017±0.119 vs 1.675±0.126,P 0.01). CONCLUSION:Tanshinone Ⅱ A could directly down-regulate the expression of CYP1 1B1 and CYP1 1B2 mRNA, the genes related to aldosterone syn thesis, so that it inhibited the biological synthesis of aldosterone in myocardinm, thus playing a role to resist hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy.

Arthropods of medical importance such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies are one of the key drivers of arthropod-borne diseases outbreak, posing a great threat to global public health security. For further understanding the transmission mechanisms of arthropod-borne diseases and establishing the prevention and control measures, a series of experiments of arthropods infection need to be carried out under laboratory conditions. Besides the regular biosafety requirements, some specific considerations need to be taken into account when performing arthropod infection and the infected arthropod rearing. Except for the physical containment composed of biosafety facilities, a comprehensive assessment of the biosafety risks during operations and corresponding preventive measures are also critical to eliminate or mitigate the biosafety risks. In this paper, we introduce our practice in handling mosquito infection with Risk Group 2 pathogens in Arthropod Containment Level-2 (ACL-2) laboratory, with an aim to provide a reference for researchers in related fields.

The erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor (Eph)B4 receptor is closely associa-ted with tumor growth and angiogenesis,which is over-expressed in a wide variety of tumors.Molecular probes targeted for EphB4 receptor can improve the accuracy and specificity of tumor diagnosis.A lot of molecular probes targeted for EphB4 receptor have been designed,which are expected to provide new means for the early diagnosis and therapeutics of tumors.

The mRNA levels of adiponectin in adipose tissue and adiponectin receptor R1 in skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats were examined by semi-quatitative RT-PCR.The expression of adiponectin receptor R1 was not altered in the skeletal muscle of type 2 diabetic rats as compared with normal rats.The serum adiponectin level was decreased in diabetic rats due to the decline of adiponectin mRNA level in adipose tissue and rosiglitazone improved the adiponectin deficiency.

Objective To observe the effects of chronic arsenic exposure on estrogen receptor-binding fragment-associated gene 9 (Ebag9) and estrogen-responsive finger protein (efp) mRNA expression in female rat' s myocardium.Methods Fifty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups according to arsenic (As2O3) concentrations in drinking-water:0.00(control),0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups and RT-PCR was used to detect Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression of myocardium at the 32 weeks of experiment.Results Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression levels in 0.00,0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups were respectively as follows:0.54 ±0.14,0.52 ± 0.10,0.48 ± 0.24,0.58 ± 0.13,0.45 ± 0.19 and 0.85 ± 0.14,0.86 ± 0.12,0.87 ± 0.09,0.99 ±0.10,0.86 ± 0.19.Compared to the control group,Ebag9 mRNA level of the 0.20 mg/L group was increased,and decreased in other groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant(all P ＞ 0.05).Compared to control group,the efp mRNA level of 0.20 mg/L group increased significantly(P ＜ 0.05),and showed increased tendency in other arsenic groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression have changed in myocardium of rats exposed to chronic arsenic.Arsenic may has endocrine disruptor effect to female rat's myocardium.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion therapy plus Liu's pediatric massage (tuina) for children with recurrent respiratory tract infections due to qi deficiency of spleen and lung. Methods: A total of 60 children who met the inclusion criteria were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the visiting sequence, with 30 cases in each group. Children in the observation group were treated with moxibustion therapy plus Liu's pediatric massage, and those in the control group were treated with Liu's pediatric massage alone. The incidence of respiratory tract infections and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms score were observed and recorded in both groups before and after treatment. And the clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups. Results: The total effective rate of the observation group was 93.3％, and that of the control group was 83.3％. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptoms score and total times of infections in both groups were all statistically different from those before treatment (all P<0.05). The differences in TCM symptoms score and infection frequency before and after treatment in the observation group were statistically different from those in the control group (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Moxibustion therapy plus Liu's pediatric massage has a better effect in improving the clinical symptoms and reducing the frequency of respiratory tract infections for children with recurrent respiratory tract infections due to qi deficiency of spleen and lung than the pediatric massage alone.

Objective To study the influence of arsenic exposure on menstruation.Methods A cluster sampling method was applied to select the subjects of women aged 10 to 65 from Linhe,Hangjinhouqi and Wuyuan counties in Inner Mongolia in 2004.Drinking water samples were collected to detect arsenic levels,and menstrual related situation was surveyed.The subjects were divided into four groups according to drinking water arsenic concentration:control(≤0.01 mg/L),low(＞ 0.01-0.10 mg/L),moderate(＞ 0.10-0.20 mg/L) and high(＞ 0.20mag/L).Results A total of 602 women were surveyed.There were 83 subjects exposed to arsenic before menarche and their menarche age was (14.37 ± 1.54) years old.There were 90 people exposed to arsenic before menopause and the menopause age was (48.13-0.41) years old.The age of menarche and menopause were positively related to the years of arsenic exposure,and correlation coefficients were 0.268 and 0.278 (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared to control group(14.0％,16/112),menstrual abnormality rate decreased in low(12.1％,21/173) and high dose groups(10.2％,19/186),while increased in the moderate dose group(18.2％,16/88),but the differences were not statistically significant(x2 =3.664,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Long-term arsenic exposure delays the menarche and menopause age,suggesting that arsenic has certain endocrine disruption or estrogen-like effects.

Objective To build a foundation for determination of C reaction protein,C reaction protein was expressed and purified,and the immune reactivity of the purified protein was identified.Methods The CRP cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR from human liver cDNA library and inserted into expression vector pCRTT/NT.The recombined plasmid CRP-pCRTT/NT which expressed the fusion protein of CRP was then transferred into lysogenic host strain E coli.BL21 (DE3).The target protein was identified using SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).Affinity chromatography was used for protein purification.The immune reactivity of purified CRP was identified by Western blot using anti-CRP specific antibody.Results Recombiant human CRP was expressed in inclusion bodies of E.coli with a six histamine tag.The purify of recombinant protein was detected by SDS-PAGE as a single band at 30 000 and was identified by Western blot.Conclusions A plasmid expressed CRP protein is constructed and the purification system of CRP protein is established.The immune reactivity of the purified protein is identified by Western blot,which makes a good base for the preparation of CRP test kit.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the serious response during tilt-table test (TTT) and its prophylactic management.

METHODSeventy-six elderly patients were tested at a tilt angle of 70 degrees for a maximum of 45 min and then subjected to isoproterenol-provocative tilt testing. ECG and blood pressure were monitored during the test and patients were kept at normal saline condition through a peripheral intravenous duct.

RESULTSFifty-one of 76 patients were defined as positive including 23 having serious response; 6 of the 23 patients had arteriosclerosis involving internal carotid arteries and 7 cases had bradycardia, two of which were associated with II degrees -I A-V block and the others with chronic atrial fibrillation. The serious response consisted of cardiac arrest for more than 5 s (6 cases), or serious bradycardia for more than 1 min (7 cases) or serious hypotension for more than 1 min (10 cases). Those with serious response were managed by returning to supine position, thus driving up legs and intravenous atropine, CPR (2 cases with cardiac arrest) and needing oxygen supplementation (11 cases). Only 2 hypotension patients recovered gradually by 10 min after emergency management, while others recovered rapidly with no complications.

CONCLUSIONAlthough non-invasive, TTT may result in serious response, especially in elderly. Therefore proper patient selection, control of isoproterenol infusion and close observation of vital signs are decisive for a safe consequence.

Aged ; Female ; Heart Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Patient Selection ; Syncope ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Tilt-Table Test ; adverse effects