OBJECTIVE: To establish an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for determination of Hg in biological samples. METHODS: The samples were digested with microwave digestion instrument. ICP-MS was applied to detect Hg in blood, urine and hair specimens by using 115In as an internal marker. The ability of gold to eliminate the memory effect of mercury was investigated with the gold amalgamate produced by gold and mercury. RESULTS: The limits of detection were in the 0.01 microg/L, and the accuracy of the method ranged from 97.0% to 107.1%. The concentration of gold was 10 microg/L and the memory effect of mercury was resolved. CONCLUSION The method is accurate, rapid, sensitive and suitable for the cases of mercury poisoning and the clinical diagnosis and monitoring for patients with mercury poisoning.
Forensic Toxicology ; Hair/chemistry* ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Mercury/urine* ; Mercury Poisoning/diagnosis* ; Microwaves ; Reference Standards ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Specimen Handling/methods*

Objective:To explore the clinical pathological characteristics and improve the recognition in the diagnosis and treatment of incidental (stage T1a -T1b)prostate cancer.Methods:Seven hundred and seventy-one patients who underwent TURP from May 2004 to September 2013 were analyzed retro-spectively.In our institution,TURP specimens should be totally submitted in an extensive sampling method.The tumor area was outlined by estimation of an experienced genitourinary pathologist and calcu-lated by the image analysis system software (Image J 1.47 h).The tumor area was then multiplied by the thickness of tissue.The total sum of all tumor volume was the estimated tumor volume.The clinical and pathological factors,follow-up results were obtained and we aimed to collect information about the period of watchful waiting (WW),PSA progression status,intervention status during the follow-up,the reason for intervention on WW and the type of intervention.Results:The average age of 771 patients was (71.3 ±5.9)years old,and the average BMI was (23.9 ±3.1)kg/m2 ,preoperative average tPSA was (4.4 ±2.8)μg/L.Eighty-six (11.2%)cases of incidental prostate cancer were detected.The patients in T1a group (77 cases,89.5%)had tumor volumes of (12.3 ±12.6)mm3 ,and the patients in T1b group had tumor volumes of (105.1 ±41.8)mm3 .The range of tumor volume was 0.4 -180.2 mm3 . The volume of all the 86 cases was less than 500 mm3 as the threshold of insignificant cancer.All the pa-tients were managed by WW.The mean follow-up time was 88.9 (27.9 -150.1)months.The Gleason score was <7 in 79 patients,and ≥7 in 7 patients.There was no significant difference in age,preopera-tive tPSA,preoperative PSAD,postoperative tPSA,prostate volume and TURP resection between T1a group and T1b group (P >0.05).Among 84 patients without follow-up losts,PSA progression occurred in 5 patients.One T1a patient underwent radical prostatectomy (RP)as an intervention,and 3 patients underwent hormone therapy.One patient in T1b group underwent radiotherapy for PSA progression and one was treated because of patient preference without evidence of disease progression.There were no pa-tients who died due to prostate cancer.Conclusion:Eighty-six (11.2%)cases of incidental prostate cancer were detected.The tumor volume of all the cases was insignificant cancer.The clinical outcomes of IPCa were satisfactory with the initial treatment of WW in the Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method for determination of Cr, Cd, As, Tl and Pb in blood. METHODS: The samples were digested by microwave digestion instrument. ICP-MS was applied to determine Cr, Cd, As, Tl and Pb in blood by using 115In as an internal standard. RESULTS: The limits of detection were in the range of 0.00001-0.00249 microg/L. The accuracy of the method ranged from 90.1% to 110.7% and the precision ranged from 4.0% to 7.9%. CONCLUSION The method is accurate and rapid with superior sensitivity and linear range. It could be used in the poisoning cases caused by Cr, Cd, As, Tl and Pb.
Arsenic/blood* ; Cadmium/blood* ; Chromium/blood* ; Forensic Toxicology ; Humans ; Lead/blood* ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Metals, Heavy/blood* ; Titanium/blood*

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the influence of CYP3A5*3 (rs776746) genetic polymorphism on blood concentration of tacmlimus (TAC) and renal function in renal transplant recipients during the stable period.METHODS:A total of 98 renal transplant recipients during the stable period receiving TAC-based triple anti-rejection scheme (TAC + sodium mycophenol +predrnisone acetate) after surgery and regular follow-up were selected from our hospital during Jan.1995-Dec.2014.The follow-up information during Jan.-Dec.2016 was also collected.Trough concentration of TAC in renal transplant recipients was determined by chemiluminescence microparticle immuno assay.Standard blood concentration (C/D) was calculated after corrected with body weight and daily dose.Scr level was detected with dry chemistry method.CYP3A5*3 genotype was detected by PCR-RFLP and direct sequencing.The relationship of CYP3A5*3 genetic polymorphism with TAC C/D value and Scr level was determined by Kruskal Wallis H or Mann-Whitney U assay.RESULTS:Among 98 renal transplant recipients,there were 9 cases of CYP3A5*3 *1/*1(AA) genotype,37 cases of *1/*3 (AG) genotype and 52 cases of *3/*3 (GG)genotype.The gene frequencies were 9.18％,37.76％,53.06％,which were all in line with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P＞0.05).There was no statistical significance in trough concentration of TAC among different genotypes (P＞0.05).There was statistical significance in TAC dose and C/D value among different genotypes (P＞0.05).TAC dose of CYP3A5*3 *3/*3 genotype recipients was significantly lower than those of *1/*3 and *1/*1 genotype recipients;that of *1/*3 genotype recipients was significantly lower than that of *1/*1 genotype recipients.C/D value of *3/*3 genotype recipients was significantly higher than those of *1/*3 and *1/*1 genotype recipients;that of *1/*3 genotype recipients was significantly higher than that of *1/*1 genotype recipients,with statistical significance (P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in Scr levels among different genotypes (P＞0.05).CONCLUSIONS:CYP3A5*3 genetic polymorphism significantly influences blood concentration of TAC in renal transplant recipients during the stable period,and *3 allele carriers have higher C/D values and need smaller TAC daily dose.CYP3AS*3 genetic polymorphism may be not associated with Scr level.

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may alter DNA repair capacity and, consequently, lead to genetic instability and carcinogenesis. Several studies have investigated the association of the Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln polymorphisms in the xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group D (XPD) gene with the risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), but the conclusions have been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to more precisely estimate these relationships. A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, and Chinese Biomedical (CBM) databases. Ultimately, 6 studies of Asp312Asn, comprising 3,095 cases and 3,306 controls, and 7 studies of Lys751Gln, consisting of 3,249 cases and 3,676 controls, were included. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95%confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the strength of each association. Overal , no association was observed between the Asp312Asn polymorphism and NHL risk (homozygous:OR=1.11, 95%CI=0.94-1.32;heterozygous:OR=1.00, 95%CI=0.89-1.11;recessive:OR=1.12, 95%CI=0.95-1.31;dominant:OR=1.02, 95%CI=0.92-1.13;and al ele comparison:OR=1.04, 95%CI=0.96-1.12) or between the Lys751Gln polymorphism and NHL risk (homozygous:OR=0.97, 95%CI=0.83-1.15;heterozygous:OR=0.96, 95%CI=0.86-1.06;recessive:OR=1.00, 95%CI=0.86-1.16;dominant:OR=0.96, 95%CI=0.87-1.06;and al ele comparison:OR=0.98, 95%CI=0.91-1.05). Furthermore, subgroup analyses did not reveal any association between these polymorphisms and ethnicity, the source of the controls, or the NHL subtype. These results indicated that neither the Asp312Asn nor Lys751Gln XPD polymorphism was related to NHL risk. Large and well-designed prospective studies are required to confirm this finding.

OBJECTIVETo investigate serum IL-18 levels in mice with collagen-induced arthritis treated by recombinant adenoviral vector containing mIL-18BP and mIL-4 fusion gene (AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4).

METHODSArthritis was induced by injection of collagen in male DBA-1/BOM mice. Mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were intra-articularly injected with 10(7)pfu/6μL of AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4; and in mice of control groups AdLacZ or PBS were used. The animals were sacrificed at week 1, 2 and 4 after treatment. Serum IL-18 levels were determined by ELISA at the different time points.

RESULTThe mean serum levels of IL-18 at weeks 1, 2, and 4 after injection of AdmIL-18BP/mIL-4 were (36.5±5.4)ng/L, (32.5 ± 3.2) ng/L and (28.7 ±2.9)ng/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than those at the same time point of AdLacZ group [(66.2 ±5.1)ng/L, (69.2 ±4.2)ng/L and (77.7 ±3.9)ng/L] and PBS group [(67.3 ±7.1)ng/L, (71.9 ±1.8)ng/L and (78.7±4.1)ng/L] (P<0.01 at all time points). In the therapy group, there were no significant differences in the mean serum concentrations of IL-18 at all time points.

CONCLUSIONThe serum IL-18 levels in CIA mice are down-regulated by treatment of recombinant adenovirus containing mIL-18BP and mIL-4 fuse gene, which might be a promising therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; blood ; therapy ; Gene Fusion ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Interleukin-18 ; blood ; genetics ; Interleukin-4 ; genetics ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred DBA

PURPOSE: Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychostimulant. It is often adopted as a tool to modulate brain activations in fMRI studies. However, its pharmaceutical effect on task-induced deactivation has not been fully examined in fMRI. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of caffeine on both activation and deactivation under sustained attention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Task fMRI was acquired from 26 caffeine naive healthy volunteers before and after taking caffeine pill (200 mg). RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed an increase in cognition-load dependent task activation but a decrease in load dependent de-activation after caffeine ingestion. Increase of attention and memory task activation and its load-dependence suggest a beneficial effect of caffeine on the brain even though it has no overt behavior improvement. The reduction of deactivation by caffeine and its load-dependence indicate reduced facilitation from task-negative networks. CONCLUSION: Caffeine affects brain activity in a load-dependent manner accompanied by a disassociation between task-positive network and task-negative network.
Brain ; Caffeine* ; Eating* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term*

A new clinical teaching mode of standardized treatment in colorectal cancer for fellows in training is reported here with good results. This one-year program included medical ethics education, humanistic management, pre job training, clinical thinking mode, surgery teaching, and computerized teaching. This new clinical teaching mode with distinct features is effective and introduced in this article.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Education, Medical, Graduate ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and susceptibility to keloid in a southern Chinese population.

METHODSThe p53 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-reverse dot blot (PCR-RDB) and DNA direct sequencing in 45 patients with keloid and 60 unrelated healthy controls.

RESULTSThe frequency of the p53 Pro allele among keloid patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (chi2 = 4.485, P = 0.034). The Pro/Arg and Arg/Arg genotype distribution among keloid patients was not significantly different from that among healthy controls (chi2 = 0.949, 1.346; P = 0.330, 0.246, respectively). However, the Pro/Pro genotype frequency among keloid patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (chi2 = 4.375, P = 0.036). The p53 Pro/Pro genotype significantly increased the risk for developing keloid, compared to the combination of Pro/Arg and Arg/Arg genotypes,with the odds ratio (OR) of 2.400 (95%CI: 1.048-5.498).

CONCLUSIONSDetermination of the p53 codon 72 genotype may be used as a stratification marker to predicate high-risk individuals for keloid.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Codon ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Keloid ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics ; Young Adult

Microplastics refer to plastic fibers, particles, or films with a particle size less than 5 mm, and microplastics pollution has become one of the major global environmental problems. Microplastics can be exposed to the human body through ingestion, inhalation and skin contact, affecting maternal and fetal health through mechanisms such as cytotoxicity and signal transduction, energy homeostasis and metabolic disorders, immune dysfunction, and as carriers of microorganisms or toxic chemicals. The purpose of this paper is to review the physical and chemical properties of microplastics, human exposure pathways, maternal-fetal effects, and its mechanisms.