Adult ; Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

AIM:To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),tissue metalloproteinase inhibitor-1(TIMP-1),MMP-9/TIMP-1 and carotid atheromatous plaque stability in cerebral infarction patients.METHODS:80 patients with cerebral infarction were categorized as microemboli-negative group(n=70)and microemboli-positive group(n=10),20 normal human were served as control group.The MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels in plasma were determined by mean of ELISA in 3 groups.RESULTS:The levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in plasma were significantly higher in cerebral infarction patients than those in control group(P

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an antiangiogenic factor which is effective in tumour inhibition in a variety of tumours and has not yet been studied in bladder tumour before. In this study the expression of PEDF, interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and -8 (IL-8) in bladder tumours was investigated. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 64 bladder tumour and 23 normal uroepithelium samples. Expression change of the factors was compared with clinicopathological parameters. Correlations between PEDF, IL-1α and IL-8 were analyzed. None of the factors was in relation to gender, tumour occurrence, and size or onset pattern. PEDF (P=0.014) and IL-1α (P=0.049) expression was down-regulated with grade progression. PEDF expression was lower in normal uroepithelium than in papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP) (P=0.000) and carcinoma (P=0.009) whilst IL-1α (P=0.000 and P=0.000 respectively) and IL-8 (P=0.000 and P=0.023 respectively) expression was higher in the same grouping. PEDF expression had a negative correlation with IL-8 in PUNLMP (P=0.049, r=-0.578) as well as in tumour grouping (P=0.033, r=-0.276). Deranged expressional change of PEDF, IL-1α and IL-8 could be in relation to loss of differentiation from normal uroepithelium to papillary lesion and eventually to carcinoma.

One hundred and seventy-two strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from Taxus mairei,Cephalotaxus fortunei and Torreya grandis cv.merrillia.The result of the antifungal assay shows that ninety strains of the fungi have antagonism against one or more botanical pathogenic fungi,such as Neurospora sp.,Trichoderma sp.,Fusarium sp.etc.The percentage of antifungal strains to tested strains are as follows:40% Cephalotaxus fortunei,54.2% Taxus mairei,57.1% Torreya grandis cv.merrillia.Thirty-five strains have high antifungal activities,and their inhibition zone diameter is at least 15mm.The active endophytic fungi were identified as 18 genera,most of which belong to Paecilomyces and Fusarium etc.

A 2,4 -dichlorophenol degrading Pseudomonas strain GI241-1 was isolated from a soil sample. The dienelactone hydrolase gene, designated as dcpD which encodes dienelactone hydrolase involved in transforming cis-2-chloro-dienelactone into 2-chloromaleylacetic acid, was cloned from this bacterium strain. The gene cloning strategy was to construct genomic library after location of its neighbouring gene by Southem blot and to screen the aim transformant by dot blotting. Sequencing results showed that length of dcpD is 702bp. The sequence of dcpD and the deduced amino acid are different from the relative sequences registered in the GenBank.

Objective To compare the relative efficacy and quality of extraction of human fecal DNA using four methods.Methods Real-time PCR were utilized for analysis both quantification and quality of the fecal targeted bacteria(including gut all eubaeterium,Bacteriodes-PrevoteUa group,Bifidobacterium spp Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus spp)by using 16s rRNA gene-targeted genus or group-specific primer sets.Results The negative rat of PCR product from method 3(phenol-chloroform plus bead-beating) was about 40%(4/10)by using universal primers,the PCR inhibition disappeared after fecal DNA purified with column.The total fecal 16s rRNA gene copy numbers(per gram of wet weight of feces)as well as the numbers of Bacteriodes-Prevotella group from method 1(QIAamp~DNA stool mini kit)and 4(QIAamp~ DNA stool mini kit combined with bead-beating)was higher significantly than that from method 2(FastDNA ~Kit,Biol01)and 3(P

0.05).The median survival time was 32 weeks in group A compared to 27 weeks in group B(P

Objective To evaluate the protecting effects of matrine on chemotherapy related hepatic lesion and its possible mechanism.Methods The positive rate and severity of hepatic lesion were compared between pa- tients being treated with or without matrine during chemotherapy processes.Furthermore,the difference of liver pro- tecting effect of this Chinese medicine between hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection chemotherapy patients and disinfec- tion patients were also analyzed.Results Both the rate of hepatic lesion and level of ALT in matrine treated group were much lower than those in untreated group in chemotherapy patients.The rate of hepatic lesion and level of ALT in HBV infection patients were higher than those in HBV disinfection patients in untreated group,while the signifi- cant difference of these two parameters between HBV infection patients and disinfection patients were disappeared in matrine treated group.Conclusion Matrine has hepatic protecting effect in chemotherapy related liver lesion.

Objective To identify a unique protein as a novel genetic marker for rapid molecular typing of Mycobacteriutn tuberculosis Beijing genotype strains by comparing the proteome of Beijing genotype strains with non-Beijing strains.Methods Fifty-six clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuber- culosis were analyzed by spoligotyping to determine genotypes.The two-dimensional electrophoresis (2 DE)was used to compare the global protein patterns between Beijing genotype strains and non Bei jing strains.Differential expressed proteins were measured by matrix assisted laser desorption ioniza tion lime of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS).The data obtained from peptide mass fingerprinting were compared in protein database.The genes encoding differential expressed proteins and their upstream were sequenced.Results Forty nine of the 56 isolates were Beijing genotype strains and 7 isolates were non-Beijing strains.A unique protein Rv0927c was identified,which is absent in Beijing genotype strains compared with 7 non Beijing strains and H37Rv.There were two characteristic mutations in Beijing genotype strains,a deletion of AGC at nucleotide position 421 of Rv0927c and a 127 G→A muta- tion in the upstream of Rv0927c.but not in non Beijing strains and H37Rv.Conclusion Characteris tic mutations of Rv0927c in Beijing genotype strains can be used as a novel genetic marker for rapid molecular typing of Mycobacteriuln tuberculosis Beijing genotype strains and non Beijing strains.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of prevention program on iodine deficiency disorders and iodine nutritional status of residents in Guangdong Province.Methods Probability proportionate to size sampling(PPS) was employed in surveillance of iodine deficiency disorders.Thirty counties(cities,districts) were selected in Guangdong Province.In each county(city,district) one township(street) was selected; in each township (street) one primary school was selected and in each primary school 40 children aged 8-10 were chosen to examine their thyroid and to collect salt samples at their home for determination of salt iodine.Out of the 40 children,12 children were chosen to collect urine samples for determination of urinary iodine.From the primary schools chosen,40 grade 5 students were selected for intelligence quotient(IQ) test.In the nearby of the primary schools,3 townships(towns,street) were selected and in each township(town,street) 5 pregnant and 5 lactating women were selected to collect their urine samples for determination of urinary iodine.Type-B ultrasonic was used in measuring the thyroid volume.The iodine content of urine samples was measured by the method of arsenic and cerium catalysis spectrophotometry.The iodine content of salt was determined quantitatively with the titration method.IQ was tested by Chinese combined Raven's test.According to geographical location and the implementation of iodized salt,the effects of iodized salt on iodine deficiency disorders were analyzed in the plains and the Pearl River Delta Coastal region with mild iodine deficiency(iodized salt implementation region,referred to as the plains and the PRD),historical iodine deficiency areas (iodized implementation region) and the eastern and the western coastal areas of Guangdong(areas with non-iodized salt problem,referred to as the eastern and the western Guangdong).Results A total of 1200 children aged 8 to 10 were examined by type-B ultrasonic test,and goiter rate was 3.5％ (42/1200).The differences of goiter rate between the plains and the PRD,the historical iodine deficiency areas and the eastern and the western Guangdong were statistically significant (x2 =6.6,P ＜ 0.05).The goiter rate (6.1％) in the eastern and the western Guangdong was significantly higher than that of the plains and the PRD and the historical iodine deficiency areas (3.3％,2.0％,x2 =5.6,7.1,all P ＜ 0.05).A total of 1200 salt samples were examined.The median and coefficient of variation of iodine in the salt were 31.0 mg/kg and 23.2％,respectively.Coverage of iodized salt was 97.5％(1170/1200) while 96.1％(1153/1200) of consumed iodized salt was qualified.The median urinary iodine of 1200 children aged 8-10 was 186.5 μg/L,and the differences of median urinary iodine between the plains and the PRD,the historical iodine deficiency areas and the eastern and the western Guangdong were statistically significant(x2 =5.9,P ＜ 0.05).The median urinary iodine of the eastern and the western Guangdong(162.4 μg/L) was significantly lower than that of the plains and the PRD(207.5 μg/L,x2 =8.7,P ＜ 0.01).The difference of median urinary iodine between the plains and the PRD,the historical iodine deficiency areas and the eastern and the western Guangdong was statistically significant(x2 =58.9,P＜ 0.01).The median urinary iodine of the eastern and the western Guangdong(109.6 μg/L) was significantly lower than that of the historical iodine deficiency areas and the plains and the PRD(152.9,155.2 μg/L,x2 =18.3,20.6,all P ＜ 0.05).The mean IQ of the 1208 grade 5 students was 102.8 ± 14.3.The IQ of the plains and the PRD(104.3 ± 13.9) and the historical iodine deficiency areas(102.7 ± 14.3) was significantly higher than that of the eastern and the western Guangdong(100.3 ± 14.7,t =3.8,2.1,P＜ 0.01 orP＜ 0.05).Conclusions The goal of iodine deficiency disorders elimination is achieved as scheduled in Guangdong Province.The health level of general population has been improved significantly.Iodine nutrition is in the appropriate range (100-199 μg/L) in general population but low in pregnant women.The selling of non-iodized salt in the eastern and the western Guangdong Province should be followed closely.