Objective To explore the correlation of the apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) with plasma 8-iso-prostaglandin F2? (8-iso-PGF2?) level in order to confirm the peroxidation damage of hyperbilirubinemia in neonates with jaundice.Me-thods One hundred and twenty-nine neonates who were 2 to 7 days old were divided into 4 groups:slight jaundice (43 cases),moderate jaundice (38 cases),serious jaundice (18 cases),and healthy control(30 cases)groups.Plasma 8-iso-PGF2? levels were assayed by enzyme immunoassay(EIA),and the apoptosis rates of PBMC were determined by flow cytometry.Results 1.There was no significant difference in the apoptosis rate of PBMC between normal and slight jaundice neonates (P=0.108);apoptosis rate of PBMC was increasing with the aggravation of jaundice.2.Plasma 8-iso-PGF2? level in normal neonates was 14.74?6.71 ng/L,there was no difference between normal neonates and neonates with slight jaundice(P=0.502).Plasma 8-iso-PGF2? levels in neonates with moderate and serious jaundice were much higher(Pa=0).3.Positive correlation existed between plasma 8-iso-PGF2? level and PBMC apoptosis rate (r=0.602 P=0).Conclusions Hyperbilirubinemia can induce peroxidation damage,resulting in increase of PBMC apoptosis.Plasma 8-iso-PGF2? level can accurately eva-luate the peroxidation damage in neonates with jaundice.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on autophagy in the hippocampal neurons of rats with traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 12-16 weeks,weighing 340-370 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=80 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (group S),traumatic brain injury group (group TBI) and dexmedetomidine group (group Dex).The rats were subjected to a diffuse cortical impact injury caused by a modified weight-drop device to induce TBI.Dexmedetomidine 15 μg/kg was injected intravenously immediately after TBI in Dex group.At 24 and 48 h after TBI,neurological deficit score (NDS) was assessed,Morris water maze test was performed,and brains were removed for detection of brain water content in the brain tissue.At 6,12,24 and 48 h after TBI,the expression of hippocampal LC3]Ⅱ was determined using Western blot analysis.Results Compared with group S,brain water content and NDS were significantly increased at 24 and 48 h after TBI,the escape latency was prolonged,and the expression of hippocampal LC3 Ⅱ was upregulated at 6,12,24 and 48 h after TBI in TBI group.Compared with TBI group,brain water content and NDS were significantly decreased at 24 and 48 h after TBI,the escape latency was shortened,and the expression of hippocampal LC3 Ⅱ was down-regulated at 6,12,24 and 48 h after TBI in Dex group.Conclusion The mechanism by which dexmedetomidine reduces TBI is related to inhibition of autophagy in the hippocampal neurons of rats.

Objective:To investigate the impact of self-concealment,self-disclosure,coping style and per- ceived social support on university students'loneliness.Methods:Loneliness and related factors were assessed among 482 university students using scales including UCLA Loneliness Scale,Self-concealment Scale(SCS),Self-disclosure Index(SDI),Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire(SCSQ)and Perceived Social Support Scale(PSSS).Results: The level of university students'loneliness was not high(36.5?7.4);males experienced more loneliness than fe- males(37.4?7.5/35.4?7.3,F=8.25,P0.05). Regression analysis showed that SCS,SCSQ and PSSS predicted UCLA effectively(?=0.207,-0.218,0.157, -0.380).The testing of mediating effect indicated that SCS had direct and indirect impact on UCLA through nega- tive coping style and PSSS;SDI had only indirect impact on UCLA through positive coping style and PSSS.Conclusion:SCS,SDI,SCSQ and PSSS are important factors influencing UCLA,and the intervention of univer- sity students'loneliness should focus on these variables.

Objective To evaluate myocardial apoptosis with 99Tcm-C2A-GST myocardial imaging using the recombined C2A domain of Synaptotagmin Ⅰ by gene engineering. Methods ( 1 ) The C2A gene was inserted into the prokaryotic glutathione S-transferate (GST) fusion protein expression plasmid pGEX-6P-1. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21. C2A-GST fusion protein was purified after BL21 was induced with isopropyl-β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). (2)The activity of fusion protein was identified by cell binding test with fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC)-C2A-GST. (3) The C2A-GST fusion protein was labeled with 99Tcm using 2-iminothiophene hydrocoride method. Radiochemical purity was determined with thin layer chromatography. (4)99Tcm-C2A-GST (7.4 MBq) was injected to ischemia-reperfusion rat models through tail vein. The image was acquired with SPECT at 1 h after injection, and then hearts were removed, rinsed with saline and dyed with triphenyl tetrazolium coride (TTC). The ischemic myocardium was separated from the viable myocardium and was weighted. Its radioactivity was measured by gamma counting. The difference of uptake of radiotracer between ischemic myocardium and normal myocardium was compared using percentage activity of injected dose per gram of tissue ( % ID/g) with standard deviation. SPSS 12.0 and t-test were used for data analysis. Results ( 1 ) C2A-GST fusion protein wassuccessfully expressed and its relative molecular weight was 3.8 × 104. (2) FITC-C2A-GST binding to apoptotic cells could be observed by fluorescent microscopy. (3) The radiochemical purity of 99Tcm-C2A-GST was (98.90 ±0.43)%. (4)The imaging studies showed that there was focal uptake of radioactivity in the ischemic myocardium. In vitro uptake of 99Tcm-C2A-GST was (2.41 ±0.32) % ID/g by the ischemic myocardium, however 99Tcm-C2A-GST-N-hydroxysuccinimide (C2A-GST-NHS) was (0. 82 ± 0. 24) % ID/g. There was statistically significant difference between those two groups (t = 10. 6, P ＜0.01 ). Conclusion The C2A domain of Synaptotagmin Ⅰ expressed by gene engineering can be used as the tracer for noninvasive detection of ischemic myocardium in the ischemia-reperfusion rat model.

Amifostine ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Benzene ; toxicity ; Blood ; drug effects ; Blood Cell Count ; Male ; Mice ; Random Allocation

The growing status of Anoectochilus roxburghii seedling was observed and the survival rate of seedlings, height, stem diameter and plant fresh weight under the conditions of different transplanting substrate compositions, planting density, shading rate were measured. The results showed that the effects of different transplanting substrates, planting densities, shading rates and nutrient solutions on the growing status of A. roxburghii plantlets varied greatly. A. roxburghii plantlets demonstrated a high survival rate and better growing status under the Following conditions: the ratio of peat and river sand as 2: 1, the planting density as 3 cm x 3 cm, the shading rate as 70%, and the nutrient solution as 1/4MS. The findings of the study provide a solid technical solution for the artificial cultivation of A. roxburghii plantlets.
Breeding ; methods ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Orchidaceae ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Seedlings ; drug effects ; growth & development ; Survival Analysis

It has been proposed that activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays crucial roles in the polarization of adaptive immune responses. A synthetic Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligand, Pam3CSK4, has been reported to modulate the balance of Thl/Tn2 responses. We evaluated the modulation effect of Pam3CSK4 on allergic immune response in a mouse rhinitis model sensitized to house dust mite allergen (HDM). Mice were sensitized and challenged with Dermatophagoides farinae allergen (Der f), and then the allergic mice were treated by Pam3CSK4. Nasal allergic symptoms and eosinophils were scored. Der f-specific cytokine responses were examined in the splenocytes and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Serum level of total IgE was also detected. After establishing a mouse allergic rhinitis model with HDM, we have showed that Pam3CSK4 treatment not only ameliorated the nasal allergic symptoms remarkably but also decreased the eosinophils and total inflammation cells in BALF significantly. Analysis of cytokine profile found that' IFN-γ released from either BALF or stimulated splenocytes increased markedly in Pam3CSK4-treated mice, while IL-13 decreased significantly. Moreover, serum level of total IgE was significantly lower in Pam3CSK4-treated mice than in the untreated. Thus, in an allergic rhinitis mouse model developed with HDM, Pam3CSK4 was shown to exhibit an antiallergic effect, indicating its potential application in allergic diseases.

BACKGROUNDTo evaluate the influence ultrasonic processing on the aggregation of PrP(Sc) in the brain extracts prepared from the scrapie-infected hamsters, and to seek for the way to prepare lower molecular PrP(Sc) polymer.

METHODSThe extracts of infected brains were prepared with a lysis solution, and treated with ultrasonics at various conditions during the different phases. The distribution and aggregation state of PrP(Sc) were analyzed by proteinase K treated. Western blot, and afterwards, quantitatively calculated with a commercially supplied software Image Totaltech.

RESULTSThe amount of PrP(Sc) in the supernatant of brain homogenates was 1.29-to 1.58-fold increased with appropriate sonication (15 s for 30 times). At the same conditions of ultrasound, the PrP amount in the supernatant prepared from the scrapie-infected hamster brain was significantly increased, whereas that prepared from healthy animal used as normal control showed little change. Comparative analyses of PrP(Sc) pellets prepared by high-speed centrifugation revealed that about 90% PrP(Sc) released into supernatant after ultrasound processing.

CONCLUSIONAppropriate sonication of homogenate of scrapie-infected brain increases the extracted amount of PrP(Sc), being favorable to laboratory diagnosis. Larger molecular PrP(Sc) aggregates can be crashed by ultrasonic processing, engendering lower molecular PrP(Sc) polymers.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Chemistry ; Cricetinae ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; PrPSc Proteins ; analysis ; Scrapie ; metabolism ; Sonication

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to compare the biodistribution and PET imaging of (11)C-PDT and (18)F-FDG in a mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma, and to evaluate the value of (11)C-PDT as a new tracer for PET imaging of lung cancer.

METHODSTwenty four lung adenocarcinoma-bearing mice were randomly divided into two groups, 12 each. The mice received (11)C-PDT or (18)F-FDG injection i.v. respectively. The biodistribution of (11)C-PDT or (18)F-FDG in the mice was measured with a well-gamma detector at 60 min after injection. The PET imagings of mice were performed using either of the two tracers.

RESULTSConsiderable uptake of the both radioactive tracers in the tumors was observed. The tumor uptake of (11)C-PDT [(0.65 +/- 0.20)%ID/g] was significantly lower than that of (18)F-FDG [(7.44 +/- 1.56)%ID/g, P < 0.01]. In the (11)C-PDT group, the highest uptake was observed in the liver, kidney and blood in a successively declining order, while the highest uptake of (18)F-FDG was seen in a order of heart, tumor and kidneys. The tumor/muscle ratio of (11)C-PDT uptake was relatively high (2.02 +/- 0.56), but still lower than that of (18)F-FDG (2.95 +/- 0.49, P < 0.01). All values of other tumor/organ ratios (T/NT) of (11)C-PDT uptake were < 2. High radioactive uptake was showed in the tumor and abdominal organs on PET images in the tumor-bearing mice injected with (11)C-PDT, and (18)F-FDG uptake was showed in the heart, tumor and abdominal organs. The tumor PET images with (11)C-PDT and (18)F-FDG were all clear.

CONCLUSIONThe uptake of (11)C-PDT in lung cancer is higher than that in muscle tissues, and pulmonary cancers can be detected by PET imaging. (11)C-PDT may be a promising PET tracer for lung cancers.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Carbon Radioisotopes ; pharmacokinetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; pharmacokinetics ; Kidney ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Podophyllotoxin ; pharmacokinetics ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tissue Distribution

BACKGROUNDThe diagnosis of diffuse hepatic lesions in early stage is a tough task at any time for clinical conventional imaging. Magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (MR DWI) can detect the changes of tissue structure at molecular level. This study was designed to determine the value of DWI in the diagnosis of diffuse liver lesions in early stage.

METHODSDiffuse liver lesions were induced by diethylnitrosamine in 42 rats of test group. Fourteen rats in control group were fed with pure water. Dynamic changes of MR DWI were observed every week in both groups during the early stage of diffuse liver lesions (1 to 12 weeks after drug administration in the test group). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of liver parenchyma in different stages and pathologic changes were analyzed.

RESULTSThe process of diffuse hepatic lesions in the test group was classified into three stages according to pathological changes, namely hepatitis, hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. No obvious morphological changes were shown by conventional imaging in both groups during this stage. But MR DWI demonstrated heterogeneous signal changes in early stage of hepatic cirrhosis in the test group. No significant change of ADC values was found in the control group between different weeks (P > 0.05). The ADC values of the test group declined from the fifth week, and after the tenth week the ADC values were significantly different between the test and control groups at gradient factor (b) value 300 sec/mm(2) (P < 0.05). At b value 600 and 1000 sec/mm(2), significant difference was seen between the two groups from the sixth week onward. The range of ADC value of the groups was (1.7 - 0.9) +/- (0.40 - 0.04) mm(2)/sec (b = 600) and (1.38 - 0.75) +/- (0.07 - 0.35) mm(2)/sec (b = 1000), respectively. Dominant pathological changes included swelled hepatocytes within 1 to 4 weeks after the administration of diethylnitrosamine in the test group, hyperplasia of fibrous tissues in 5 - 8 weeks and formation of cirrhotic nodules in 9 - 12 weeks.

CONCLUSIONSMR functional DWI could detect diffuse liver lesions earlier than conventional morphological imaging. ADC value as a marker for early diagnosis of diffuse liver lesions could also be used to inspect changes of the lesions.

Animals ; Diffusion ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar