Child ; Humans ; Liver Failure ; therapy ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Plasma Exchange

Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Proteomics

Objective To investigate the effects of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH- a) and antagonist (GnRH-ant) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced ovarian damage in rats.Methods Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley female rats were divided randomly into six groups,which received normal saline (NS),CTX,GnRH-a+NS,GnRH-a+CTX,GnRH-ant+NS,and GnRH-ant+CTX respectively.Levels of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH),luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E_2) were measured successively by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method,and half of the rats were killed in the first week and between the fourth and the fifth week after stop of medication,respectively to compare the weight of the ovaries and the number of the primordial follicles and the growth follicles.Results (1) Throughout experiment,the serum levels of FSH,LH and E_2 of the control group fluctuated slightly,while those in the CTX group kept rising.During medication treatment,compared with the control group[(118?16) ?g/L, (350?35) ?g/L] and the CTX group[(113?15) ?g/L,(289?42) ?g/L],the concentrations of LH [(42 ?8)-(47?7) ?g/L,(31?5)-(36?7) ?g/L] and FSH [(124?45)-(136?32)?g/L,(178 ?54)-(198+27)?g/L] in the GnRH-a groups and the GnRH-ant groups were maintained at low levels significantly and the levels of LH in the GnRH-ant groups were significantly lower than that in the GnRH-a groups,but the levels of FSH in the GnRH-ant groups were significantly higher than that in the GnRH-a groups(P0.05),but the levels of FSH,LH and E_2 of the GnRH-ant+CTX group rose obviously and were similar to the levels of the CTX group,especially the FSH,and the levels of LH and FSH of the GnRH- ant + CTX group [(156?12) ?g/L,(520?44) ?g/L] and the CTX group [(178?18) ?g/L,(546?36) ?g/L] were significantly higher than that of the other four groups [(121?15)-(132?13) ?g/L,(335 ?35)-(359?26) ?g/L] at the 4~(th)-5~(th) week after stop of treatment(P0.05),but the number of all kinds of follicles declined significantly in the GnRH-ant+CTX group[(195?15),(36?12)] and the CTX group [(212?11),(36?9)] compared to the other four groups[(302?15)-(690?43),(44?12)-(58?11),P

Many recent studies have proved that ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING finger domains 1 (UHRF1) is an important nuclear protein associated with tumorigenesis,which plays a significant role in epigenetic regulation,especially in DNA methylation and histone methylation.For its particular domains,UHRF1 plays a critical role in biological behaviors including cell proliferation,cell cycle,and apoptosis.Overexpression of UHRF1 in various tumors is closely associated with the angiogenesis in tumors.This paper will provide a review of the regulation of UHRF1 in DNA methylation and histone methylation,and discuss the potential epigenetic role of UHRF1 in angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular types of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a severe food-poisoning and to trace the possible strains.

METHODSReal-time PCR was applied to detect nuc gene as a specific marker for S. aureus, mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance and 5 other genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins (sea, seb, see, sed, see). Isolates were also performed with 16S rRNA oligonucleotide sequence analyzing by DNAStar MegAlign 5.0 software and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) by BioNumerics Version 4.0 software.

RESULTSThe nuc gene was detected from the 10 isolated strains, sea and seb genes were detected from 7 strains. There were 4 16 S rRNA types and 5 PFGE types found from all the strains.

CONCLUSIONSThree relative S. aureus strains were involved in the severe food-poisoning at least. Molecular subtyping might give a molecular epidemiological evidence and support the source tracing of an outbreak.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; China ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Enterotoxins ; Humans ; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo apply multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) assay and sequencing in study of the carrying status of four pathogenicity-related genes of Vibrio cholerae (V.cholerae) and the variation of ctxA.

METHODSPrimers targeting cholera toxin sub-unit A gene (ctxA), toxin-coregulated pilus gene (tcpA), accessory cholera enterotoxin gene (ace), zonula occludens toxin gene (zot) were designed and the MPCR method was applied to detect the pathogenicity-related genes of 276 strains of V.cholerae isolates. The amplified fragments of ctxA gene were sequenced and the genetic homology of the amplified fragments of ctxA was analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 276 strains of V.cholerae, 93.9% strains from human sources belong to the pathogenicity-related genes type A (ctxA(+)tcpA(+)ace(+)zot(+) type) and 6.1% belong to pathogenicity-related genes type C (ctxA(-)tcpA(-)ace(-)zot(-) type). Type A strains from clinical sources were isolated from patients with mild to severe symptom and carriers, among which 68.5% were isolated from patients with mild symptom and 21.9% from carriers. All 63.6% of type C strains from clinical sources were isolated from patients with mild symptom and 36.4% from carriers. The proportion of type C strains that caused mild symptom was higher than that of type A strains. Of the 78 strains isolated from the environment, 9.0% strains belong to pathogenicity-related type A and 35.9% belong to the pathogenicity-related genes type B (ctxA(-)tcpA(-)ace(+)zot(+) type), while 55.1% belong to pathogenicity-related genes type C. The sequencing results showed little genetic variation among the amplified fragments for ctxA.

CONCLUSIONMPCR disclosed the polymorphic status of pathogenicity-related gene patterns in V.cholerae isolates of Guangzhou, providing effective means for further study on evolution of pathogenicity-related genes among V.cholerae isolates from human and environmental sources. This study also offers significant guidance for effective prevention, control and warning against cholera epidemic in local area.

China ; Cholera Toxin ; genetics ; DNA, Bacterial ; Genes, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo apply pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis(PFGE) in analysing a case of food poisoning caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

METHODSPFGE using restriction enzyme Not I was employed in molecular subtyping of thirty strains of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a case of food poisoning in Guangzhou city and PFGE patterns were analyzed by using BioNumerics Version 4.0 software to perform cluster analysis. Pattern profiles were compared by using the Dice coefficient and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA).

RESULTSThirty strains were of the same type of pulsotype.

CONCLUSIONSMolecular subtyping by PFGE might disclose the epidemiological relationships of the strains from humans, food and the environment, giving a strong molecular epidemiological evidence and a support for the source-tracking of outbreak events.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; methods ; China ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; methods ; Foodborne Diseases ; microbiology ; Humans ; Vibrio parahaemolyticus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of gonadotroph-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (GnRH-a) and GnRH antagonist (GnRH-ant) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced follicle apoptosis in female rats.

METHODSThirty-six female Sprague- Dawley rats were randomized into 6 groups, namely normal saline (NS), CTX, GnRH-a+NS, GnRH-a+CTX, GnRH-ant+NS, and GnRH-ant+CTX groups. The rats were sacrificed between the first and second week after the treatments., and the follicle apoptosis was investigated using TUNEL assay and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe apoptosis rate of the granulose cells in the follicles in late development was significantly higher than that in early follicles, and the apoptosis rate of the oocytes and granulose cells in rats with CTX treatment was significantly higher than that in rats without CTX treatment (P<0.05). The apoptosis rate of the granulose cells in GnRH-a groups (ranging from 33.40 - or + 4.59 to 73.25 - or + 5.35) was significantly higher than that in GnRH-ant groups (27.46 - or + 4.52 to 49.38 - or + 5.02, P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in the oocytes of early follicles between GnRH-a groups (23.48 - or + 4.25 to 36.15 - or + 4.23) and GnRH-ant groups (21.47 - or + 3.81 to 34.04 - or + 5.54, P>0.05). Electron microscopy revealed characteristic apoptotic changes of the oocytes in early follicles and granulose cells in early and late follicles. The apoptotic changes were especially typical in the granulose cells showing the formation of the apoptotic bodies, and the oocytes only showed chromatin condensation and aggregation.

CONCLUSIONIn the rat mode, GnRH-a promotes while GnRH-ant suppressed follicle apoptosis induced by CTX. GnRH analogues regulates mainly granulose cell apoptosis, but have little effect on oocyte apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cyclophosphamide ; toxicity ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; analogs & derivatives ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Granulosa Cells ; pathology ; Oocytes ; pathology ; Ovarian Follicle ; pathology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; diagnosis ; etiology ; genetics ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo apply pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis(PFGE) in the analysis of cholera outbreak events and to determine the molecular epidemiological characteristics of Vibrio cholerae ( V. cholerae) isolates.

METHODSPFGE using restriction enzyme Not I was employed in the molecular subtyping of forty-one strains of V. cholerae isolated in cholera outbreak events from 2003 to 2005 in Guangzhou area and PFGE patterns were analyzed by BioNumerics Version 4.0 software to perform cluster analysis. Pattern profiles were compared by utilizing of Dice coefficient and UPGMA(unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages). Comparison of PFGE typing results was performed with phage-biological typing and pathogenicity-associated genes typing.

RESULTSIn cholera outbreak events, PFGE could discriminate epidemiologically related and unrelated strains, having more discriminatory power than phage-biological typing and pathogenicity-associated genes-typing.

CONCLUSIONSMolecular sub-typing by PFGE could disclose the epidemiological relationships of strains from humans and the environment, providing molecular epidemiological evidence and support for the source-tracking of cholera outbreak events.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; methods ; Cholera ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification