Animals ; Rats ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to estimate the benchmark dose (BMD) of coke oven emissions (COEs) exposure based on mitochondrial damage with the mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) as a biomarker. METHODS: A total of 782 subjects were recruited, including 238 controls and 544 exposed workers. The mtDNAcn of peripheral leukocytes was detected through the real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Three BMD approaches were used to calculate the BMD of COEs exposure based on the mitochondrial damage and its 95% confidence lower limit (BMDL). RESULTS: The mtDNAcn of the exposure group was lower than that of the control group (0.60 ± 0.29 vs. 1.03 ± 0.31; P < 0.001). A dose-response relationship was shown between the mtDNAcn damage and COEs. Using the Benchmark Dose Software, the occupational exposure limits (OELs) for COEs exposure in males was 0.00190 mg/m ³. The OELs for COEs exposure using the BBMD were 0.00170 mg/m ³ for the total population, 0.00158 mg/m ³ for males, and 0.00174 mg/m ³ for females. In possible risk obtained from animal studies (PROAST), the OELs of the total population, males, and females were 0.00184, 0.00178, and 0.00192 mg/m ³, respectively. CONCLUSION Based on our conservative estimate, the BMDL of mitochondrial damage caused by COEs is 0.002 mg/m ³. This value will provide a benchmark for determining possible OELs.
Male ; Female ; Animals ; Coke ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Benchmarking ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; DNA Damage

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consistency and reproducibility of aortic root measurements by Anythink, a semi-automated preoperative CT analysis software, with those of 3mensio. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from December, 2016 to February, 2022 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. A cardiology resident who completed his professional training used both the software Anythink and 3mensio (as the gold standard) to reconstruct the aortic root model and analyze the parameters of the aortic annulus and the surrounding structures. The correlation and consistency of the measurement results of two software were analyzed. Two independent residents also used Anythink software to repeat the measurements for the same patient for assessment of the reproducibility of Anythink measurements. The valve models were selected based on the measurements by Anythink and 3mensio, and similarities and differences of the two software in clinical valve selection were assessed. RESULTS: The measurements of the distances from the anulus plane to the left and right coronary ostium, average diameter of the anulus, anulus area, anulus perimeter, and the angle between the annulus and horizontal plane did not differ significantly between the two software (P > 0.05), and their measurements showed positive correlations (r= 0.884-0.981, P < 0.01). The intra-group and inter-group correlation coefficients of the anulus parameters measured by Anythink ranged from 0.894 to 0.992 and from 0.651 to 0.954, respectively. The Kappa-test values of valve models selected by Anythink and 3mensio based on the average diameter, area diameter and perimeter diameter were 0.886, 0.796 and 0.775, respectively. The intra-group Kappa values for the valve models selected based on Anythink measurements were 0.819, 0.841, and 0.795, and the inter-group Kappa values were 0.812, 0.812, and 0.768, respectively. Compared with the measurements by 3mensio, the recommended area diameter measured by Anythink was slightly greater in patients with postoperative paravalvular leakage, but slightly smaller in patients with postoperative new-onset conduction block. CONCLUSION Anythink has excellent measurement consistency and high reproducibility for aortic root measurements, and trained cardiologists can use Anythink to obtain accurate aortic root parameters before TAVR.
Humans ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Reproducibility of Results ; Retrospective Studies ; Aorta ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

In this paper, we reviewed the initiation and development of radiation medicine in China, field researches on the health effects of nuclear test and the great leap from the final reports, advance in clinical diagnosis and treatment of radiation injury, and research of radiation combined injuries. Nowadays, China makes great efforts to move up further in development and peaceful use of nuclear energy as one nuclear power. So, nuclear development and nuclear safety have ushered in new opportunities and challenges. To this end, we must maintain a clear understanding, grasp new opportunities, meet new challenges, and be prepared for danger. Thus, a bright future for research in radiation medicine will come.

Objective To compare the expression of CD 49f splicing isoforms in different human stem cells and colon cancer cell lines , and construct lentiviral vectors overexpressing specific isoform .Methods The expression of CD49f isoforms in different cells was detected by RT-PCR and real-time PCR.The lentiviral vectors overexpressing CD49f isoforms were constructed by molecular cloning method .The overexpression of CD49f in colon cancer cell line HT29 was confirmed by FCM, Western blot and real-time PCR, the invasive ability was examined by transwell assay.Results CD49f splicing isoform B was highly expressed in H 9 human embryonic stem cell line , while iso-form A expressed in epithelial cells .Both isoform A and B were expressed in mesenchymal cells .CD49f isoforms A and B were also expressed in colorectal cancer cell lines , while HT29 and HCT116 showed higher expression of iso-form A than isoform B , HCT8 and LoVo showed higher expression of isoform B than isoform A .Overexpression of CD49f isoform B greatly increased the invasive ability of HT 29 cells, while isoform A showed no effect .Conclusions The expressions of CD49f splicing isoforms A and B in different types of cells are significantly different , which sug-gests that CD49f isoforms play different biological functions in cells .

Combined radiation-burn injuries mainly occur under the circumstances of nuclear explosion, nuclear accident, nuclear terrorism, depleted uranium attack, as well as secondary injuries following attack on nuclear installation. Combination of burn and radiation injuries bring along more serious whole body damage, more complicated pathological mechanism and much more difficult management. Research progress on the pathological mechanism and medical management of several key links of combined injury were discussed in this paper. (1) Enhancement of early first aid and prevention of early death of wounded. (2) Damage and restoration of hemopoietic function. (3) Disturbance of immune function and prevention and treatment of infection (mainly on the intestinal mucosa immunity and enterological infection). (4) Management of burn wound. (5) The role of several important measures in the comprehensive treatment.
Animals ; Burns ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dogs ; Humans ; Multiple Trauma ; therapy ; Radiation Injuries ; therapy ; Rats

To observe the effects of blood serum from rats with radiation injury, thermal injury and combined radiation-thermal lesions on growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells and the change of their serum cytokine levels, total body irradiation of rats was performed with 12 Gy gamma ray from a (60)Co source, and 30% total body surface area III degree thermal lesion on the back was inflicted with a 5 kW bromotungsten lamp. The blood serum from these animals was collected at 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after injury. Then the blood serum was added to the culture medium of erythrocyte progenitor cells (CFU-E, BFU-E) or granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) at final concentration of 10 microg/ml. The results showed that the colony number of CFU-E, BFU-E and CFU-GM formed after addition of the blood serum from rats with thermal or combined radiation-thermal injury was significantly higher than that from normal rats at 3, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after injury and reached its peak value at 24 hours after injury (342.8, 261.6 and 228.4% respectively from burned rats, 252.4, 205.1 and 174.2% respectively from rats with combined radiation-thermal injury as compared with that of normal rats). However, a few CFU-E, BFU-E or CFU-GM formation was found after addition of the blood serum from irradiated rats. At the same time, the level of TNF alpha and IL-6 in serum of burn group and combined radiation-thermal injury group was markedly higher than that of normal group, even more higher than that of irradiation injury group (P < 0.01). It is concluded that the blood serum from rats with thermal lesion or combined radiation-thermal injury improves the growth of erythrocyte and granulocyte progenitor cells. On the contrary, the blood serum from the irradiated rats shows the inhibiting effects, definitely related to their serum cytokines changes.
Animals ; Burns ; blood ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Multiple Trauma ; blood ; Radiation Injuries ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serum ; chemistry ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo understand the risk factors on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) among their contacts and to develop effective strategy for its control.

METHODSAvailable epidemiological data of SARS cases and close contacts were reviewed and analyzed by SPSS.

RESULTSOut of the 2195 close contacts, 138 (6.3%) were diagnosed as SARS. Among colleagues and classmates of SARS patients, the infection rate was 0.36% versus 31.71% in contacts among families and hospitals, 0.77% in schools. No one was infected among 459 close contacts to SARS in the working unit.

CONCLUSIONSAmong close contacts, factors that facilitating transmission would include: time, extent, frequency and place of contact to the patients, as well as factors related to close contacts as way, time of isolation and age. One of the epidemiological characteristics was that SARS were as clustered in the family among those close contacts. It is important to control the spread of SARS through supervision on the close contacts to patients.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Contact Tracing ; Cross Infection ; transmission ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Isolation ; Quarantine ; statistics & numerical data ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; transmission

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lipopolysacharide (LPS) in different concentrations on the biological features and growth factor secretion power of U937 cell line.

METHODSIn vitro cultured U937 cells were stimulated by 0 (as control), 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, 50.0 and 100 micro g/ml LPS respectively for 24 hours. Thereafter, the cell proliferation ability was determined by MTT method. The cell apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry. The changes in the contents of transforming growth factor beta(1) (TGFbeta(1)) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of the supernatant of the cell culture were assessed by ELISA.

RESULTSApoptosis and TGFbeta(1) secretion could be induced by LPS in dose of 0.1 to 100 micro g/ml when compared with that without LPS challenge (P < 0.05 - 0.01). In detail, LPS in lower dose (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 micro g/ml) could promote the proliferation of U937 (P < 0.05 - 0.01) but exerted no effect on VEGF secretion. In contrary, LPS in high dose (50 and 100 micro g/ml) could promote VEGF secretion (P < 0.01) but exerted no effects on the proliferation of U937 cells.

CONCLUSIONU937 cells could be activated to increase the secretion of TGFbeta(1) by LPS in optimal dose of 0.1 - 10.0 micro g/ml, but the secretion of VEGF could only be promoted by LPS in higher concentration.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; analysis ; secretion ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; U937 Cells ; drug effects ; secretion ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis ; secretion

AIMInducing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) differentiate to myoblasts with 5-azacytidine(5-Aza-CR), investigating the expression of Myf5 and the role of the signal transduction case of p38 in all the course of differentiation.

METHODSSeparating and purifying bone marrow-derived MSCs, inducing MSCs differentiation to myoblasts with 10 micromol/L 5-Aza-CR, assaying the gene expression time of Myf5 with RT-PCR method, the antigen expression of myosin with immunohistochemistry method and observing the changes of the activity of phosphorylation p38 before and after inhibited by SB203580 with Western-blot method.

RESULTSMSCs begin to express Myf5 delayed to the 9th day after inhibited by SB203580. Some of MSCs express myosin at the 7th day after induced; The phosphorylation p38 activity of MSCs enhanced after induced by 5-Aza-CR but obviously decreased after inhibited by SB203580.

CONCLUSIONMSCs can express myogenic regulator factors and orientation differentiate to myoblasts after induced by 5-Aza-CR, p38 really have a positive signal transduction affection in this course.

Animals ; Azacitidine ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myoblasts ; cytology ; Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5 ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism