Biomedical subjects

F Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to F Zhou.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

[Mortality study of major non-communicable diseases in Shanghai, from 1951 to 1998].

OBJECTIVE: To study the transition of major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Shanghai. METHODS: Demographic and mortality data since early 1950s in Shanghai was used. Linear regression model was employed to evaluate the mortality trends of diseases. RESULTS: During the past five decades, age-adjusted mortality had been gradually decreasing, with leading cause of deaths shifting from infectious diseases to NCDs. In 1998, the average life expectancy reached 77.03, and the three leading causes of deaths, i.e. tumor, cardio-vascular diseases and respiratory diseases, accounted for 75% of all deaths. The crude mortality of major NCDs increased consistently. However, the age-adjusted mortality trends of major NCDs decreased during the past two decades after a 30-year's increase. Turnover took place in the late 1970s for tumors, for coronary heart in late 1980s diseases and in the early 1990s for strokes. For malignant tumors, the age-adjusted mortality of breast cancer, cancer of colon and rectum did not significantly decrease in the past two decades. CONCLUSION: The increase of crude mortality of major NCDs was mainly due to the trend of aging in Shanghai. It is suggested that the risk factors of major NCDs had decreased to some extent but the behavior and dietary related risk factors remained serious.

China↗

PubMed2001

Vitamin D receptor and PCNA expression in severe parathyroid hyperplasia of uremic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in parathyroid proliferation and resistance of parathyroid glands to 1,25(OH)2D3 with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). METHODS: This study used archive parathyroid with 7 uremic patients. The expression of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and VDR was evaluated in nineteen-surgically excised parathyroid tissues, including 11 diffuse hyperplasia (DH-type) and 8 nodular hyperplasia (NH-type) of parathyroid glands, by immunohistochemistry (avidin-biotin complex method). RESULTS: The weight of parathyroid in SHPT was remarkably increased by 16.1 times. The numbers of parathyroid cells were increased by 1.86 times. The rate of PCNA was remarkably increased in parathyroid hyperplasia with SHPT compared with that in control group [(6.35 +/- 3.36)@1000 vs (1.73 +/- 1.31)@1000, P < 0.001]. The number of PCNA in DH-type was lower than that in NH-type (P < 0.001). The density of VDR in the parathyroid with SHPT was significantly decreased [(40.28 +/- 13.13)% vs (83.79 +/- 3.77)%, P < 0.001], VDR immunoreactivity expression in NH-type was lower than that in DH-type [(27.14 +/- 4.12)% vs (49.84 +/- 7.33)%, P < 0.001]. A significantly negative correlation was found between VDR density and the weight of the parathyroid (r = -0.46, P < 0.05), the same as VDR and PCNA (r = -0.75, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: VDR density was significantly decreased in parathyroid tissue of uremic patients showing nodular hyperplasia compared with that in diffuse hyperplasia and there was significantly negative correlation between VDR density and the weight of the parathyroid, and this may contribute to the progression of SHPT. Furthermore, VDR deficiency may cause the resistance of parathyroid cells to 1,25(OH)2D3, in part.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

[Transfusion transmitted virus infection in mother-to-infant transmission].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the perinatal infection of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) in the mother-to-infant transmission and molecular evidence. METHODS: TTV was examined in serum from 104 mothers and umbilical blood of their infants by a semi-nested polymerase chain reaction technique. TTV nucleotide sequences isolated from two sets of mother/infant pairs were analyzed. RESULTS: The TTV detection rate was 13.46% (15/104), and it was 4.81% (5/104) in the umbilical blood of their newborns. Homology analysis was done by sequencing between positions 1,915 and 2,185 of the published TTV genome, Analysis of TTV sequences from the 2 pairs of mother and infant both infected confirmed a genetic link between the virus of the infected mother and their infected infants. CONCLUSIONS: There is a possibility of vertical maternal-fetal transmission of TTV.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

[Analysis of factors influencing the clinical in a frozen thawed embryo transfer program].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors influencing the outcome in a frozen thawed embryo transfer (FTET) program. METHODS: Sixty FTET cycles performed in 53 cases from September 1997 to May 2000 were analyzed retrospectively. The related parameters were compared between the conceived and non-conceived cycles. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy eight out of 252 thawed embryos were survival. Embryo transfers were undergone in 57 cycles (53 patients), resulting in 17 pregnancies (30% per transfer or 28% per thawed cycle). There were no significant difference between conceived and non-conceived cycles in terms of the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocols, numbers of developed follicle and oocyte retrieved, fertilization rate, numbers of frozen embryo and the luteinizing hormone, estradiol, progesterone levels on human chorionic gonadotropin triggering day. The percentage of good quality embryo before freezing and after thawing and survival thawed embryos were higher in conceived cycles than those in non-conceived cycles (83.8% Vs 60.7%, 76.8% Vs 50.0%, 82.4% Vs 66.3%, respectively P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Good quality of frozen-thawed embryos and the trilaminar sonographic pattern of endometrium may be reliable predictors of success in pregnancy.

Cryopreservation↗

PubMed2001

[Malignant hypertension presenting with renal damage: a clinical and pathological analyses].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features and pathological characteristics of malignant hypertension (MHPT) with renal damage. METHODS: The blood pressure, eye ground, urinalysis, renal function and extrarenal presentations of malignant hypertension patients, who had been hospitalized in recent eleven years, were analyzed retrospectively. There were 27 patients, 21 males and 6 females, aged from 19 to 51 years. At the same time, the clinical and pathological features of primary MHPT were compared with those of renal parenchymal MHPT. RESULTS: Among these patients, primary hypertension was diagnosed in 10 cases (37%), glomerulonephritis in 10 cases (37%), renovascular hypertension in 1 case (3.7%), and undetermined etiology in 6 cases (22.3%). The common renal presentations were those of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and progressive renal failure. Compared with those who were diagnosed as renal parenchymal MHPT, primary MHPT patients had lower urinary protein excretion (P = 0.001) and most of them had family history of hypertension. Renal biopsy was done in 13 cases, revealing primary MHPT in 4 cases and glomerulonephritis in 9. Typical pathological findings for primary MHPT were fibroid necrosis, marked intimal hyperplasia ("onion skin" like change) and ischemic changes of glomeruli. Severe glomerulonephritis, hyalinosis and thickening of renal arterioles were the main changes in MHPT with renal parenchymal diseases. After intensive therapy, the renal functions of some primary MHPT patients improved markedly. CONCLUSION: Malignant hypertension presenting with renal damage was not very rare. It was usually misdiagnosed. The clinical presentations, pathological findings and prognosis of primary MHPT were different from those of renal parenchymal MHPT.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

The delayed induction of c-jun in apoptotic human leukemic lymphoblasts is primarily transcriptional.

Because of their ability to induce lymphoid cell apoptosis, glucocorticoids have been used for decades to treat certain human leukemias and lymphomas. Studies presented in this paper complement our previous work demonstrating that sustained induction of the proto-oncogene c-jun plays a crucial role in the glucocorticoid-induced apoptotic pathway in CEM cells, human leukemic lymphoblasts. Results from measurements of c-jun mRNA half-life with RNase protection assays and of transcription by nuclear run-on assays indicate that, in the dexamethasone-sensitive cloned CEM-C7 cells, c-jun is induced at the transcriptional level. Consideration of time-course, however, suggested that this might be a secondary or possibly a delayed primary response. Use of cycloheximide to block protein synthesis strongly induced c-jun mRNA, suggesting that there had been relief from a labile protein repressor of transcription. Comparing the level of induction by cycloheximide with that of dexamethasone indicated that the two did not induce by an identical mechanism. The high induction by cycloheximide obscured simple interpretation of elevated c-jun mRNA levels after concomitant administration of cycloheximide and dexamethasone. This was resolved by nuclear run-on experiments, which showed that the dexamethasone induction of c-jun mRNA in this system does require protein synthesis.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2000

Oligonucleotide-capped gold nanoparticles for improved atomic force microscopic imaging and enhanced selectivity in polynucleotide detection.

A novel assay for selective determination of polynucleotides using atomic force microscopy in conjunction with the formation of the probe/target/DNA-gold nanoparticle sandwich structure at a gold surface is described. A 17-mer probe was attached to the surface for subsequent hybridization with a polynucleotide target. Due to the flat orientation of the probe-target hybrid with respect to the surface and the spatial obstruction of the unhybridized probes near the hybrids, the AFM images are not clear. The hybridization efficiency was estimated to be about 1.1% since certain surface features could not be resolved. The utilization of 30-mer-capped gold nanoparticles not only provides another dimension of selectivity, but also reorients the previously formed probe-target hybrid in such a way that the strands of the target become tethered with respect to the surface. This reorientation improves the resolution in imaging the hybridized target molecules and provides an accurate determination of the hybridization efficiency (16%).

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2000

New diarylmethylpiperazines as potent and selective nonpeptidic delta opioid receptor agonists with increased In vitro metabolic stability.

Nonpeptide delta opioid agonists are analgesics with a potentially improved side-effect and abuse liability profile, compared to classical opioids. Andrews analysis of the NIH nonpeptide lead SNC-80 suggested the removal of substituents not predicted to contribute to binding. This approach led to a simplified lead, N, N-diethyl-4-[phenyl(1-piperazinyl)methyl]benzamide (1), which retained potent binding affinity and selectivity to the human delta receptor (IC(50) = 11 nM, mu/delta = 740, kappa/delta > 900) and potency as a full agonist (EC(50) = 36 nM) but had a markedly reduced molecular weight, only one chiral center, and increased in vitro metabolic stability. From this lead, the key pharmacophore groups for delta receptor affinity and activation were more clearly defined by SAR and mutagenesis studies. Further structural modifications on the basis of 1 confirmed the importance of the N, N-diethylbenzamide group and the piperazine lower basic nitrogen for delta binding, in agreement with mutagenesis data. A number of piperazine N-alkyl substituents were tolerated. In contrast, modifications of the phenyl group led to the discovery of a series of diarylmethylpiperazines exemplified by N, N-diethyl-4-[1-piperazinyl(8-quinolinyl)methyl]benzamide (56) which had an improved in vitro binding profile (IC(50) = 0.5 nM, mu/delta = 1239, EC(50) = 3.6 nM) and increased in vitro metabolic stability compared to SNC-80.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

N,N-Diethyl-4-(phenylpiperidin-4-ylidenemethyl)benzamide: a novel, exceptionally selective, potent delta opioid receptor agonist with oral bioavailability and its analogues.

The design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of a novel class of delta opioid receptor agonists, N, N-diethyl-4-(phenylpiperidin-4-ylidenemethyl)benzamide (6a) and its analogues, are described. These compounds, formally derived from SNC-80 (2) by replacing the piperazine ring with a piperidine ring containing an exocyclic carbon carbon double bond, were found to bind with high affinity and exhibit excellent selectivity for the delta opioid receptor as full agonists. 6a, the simplest structure in the class, exhibited an IC(50) = 0.87 nM for the delta opioid receptors and extremely high selectivity over the mu receptors (mu/delta = 4370) and the kappa receptors (kappa/delta = 8590). Rat liver microsome studies on a selected number of compounds show these olefinic piperidine compounds (6) to be considerably more stable than SNC-80. This novel series of compounds appear to interact with delta opioid receptors in a similar way to SNC-80 since they demonstrate similar SAR. Two general approaches have been established for the synthesis of these compounds, based on dehydration of benzhydryl alcohols (7) and Suzuki coupling reactions of vinyl bromide (8), and are herewith reported.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2000

Distinctness of spore and vegetative cellular fatty acid profiles of some aerobic endospore-forming bacilli.

A gas chromatographic analysis method was employed to determine the cellular fatty acid (CFA) profiles of spores and vegetative cells of some aerobic endospore-forming bacilli. The harvests of experimental strains were processed to obtain pure spores and acquire whole cell fatty acid methyl esters for the subsequent gas chromatographic analysis, and the corresponding vegetative cells were set as control. Evaluation of reproducibility of spore CFA components revealed that, provided under standardized experimental procedure, spore CFA composition was stable enough for research purposes. Fatty acids recovered in spores in greater quantities were saturated branched-chain acids containing 15 and 17 carbon atoms, similar to the vegetative cells. Commonly, the proportions of saturated branched-chain acids in spores were greater than in vegetative cells. The dendrograms obtained by cluster analysis provided some meaningful taxonomic information of the experimental strains. The fatty acids analysis of spores seems to be a promising supplementary tool for the chemotaxonomic research of aerobic endospore-forming bacilli.

Bacillaceae↗

PubMed2000

Isolation-rearing of rats produces deficits as adults in the serotonergic innervation of hippocampus.

Isolation-rearing of rats causes a variety of behavioral changes, including anxiety, learning deficits and sensory changes related to schizophrenia. Similar changes are seen following loss of serotonin during development. Thus, the effects of isolation-rearing on behavior may be due to changes in serotonin. Sprague-Dawley rats were raised in groups of four (social animals) or in isolation, from postnatal day 22 until postnatal day 64. The hippocampi were examined immunochemically for changes in serotonin. Our findings show that serotonin terminals are lost throughout the CA regions of hippocampus, where there is also an associated loss of dendrites, but not in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Thus, some of the brain and behavioral changes seen in isolation-reared animals could be due to loss of serotonin.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Proton extrusion is an essential signalling component in the HR of epidermal single cells in the barley-powdery mildew interaction.

We propose a model for activation of the epidermal cell hypersensitive response (HR) in the barley/powdery mildew interaction. The model suggests that the plasma membrane proton pump (H+-ATPase) of epidermal cells is activated following penetration by an avirulent powdery mildew fungus. This will cause an acidification of the apoplast towards the mesophyll cells, thereby activating generation of H2O2 from the mesophyll, which subsequently triggers the epidermal cell to undergo HR. The model is supported by the following data: (1) the earliest HR-related H2O2 is found in the attachment zones between the epidermal cell and underlying mesophyll cells; (2) scavenger treatment reduces HR; (3) treatment of leaves with low-pH (3.5) citrate and succinate buffers causes more cells to undergo HR in the compatible interaction, while treatment with the same buffers at pH 5.5 reduces the number of HR-cells in the incompatible interaction; (4) race-specific proton extrusion is observed underneath epidermal tissue detached from leaves inoculated 15 h earlier; and (5) treatment of leaves with fusicoccin, an activator of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase, increases the number of HR-cells in the compatible interaction.

Ascomycota↗

PubMed2000

Effects of estradiol and progesterone on susceptibility and early immune responses to Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the female reproductive tract.

We have used a previously described rodent model to examine the influence of hormonal environment on susceptibility and immune responses to genital Chlamydia infection. Ovariectomized rats were administered estradiol, progesterone, or a combination of both, infected with Chlamydia trachomatis via the intrauterine route, and sacrificed 5 days later. Histopathological examination showed severe inflammation in the uteri and vaginae of progesterone-treated animals, whereas animals receiving estradiol or a combination of both hormones showed no inflammation. Large numbers of chlamydiae were found in vaginal secretions of progesterone-treated and combination-treated animals, while estradiol-treated animals had none. Tissue localization showed that numerous chlamydial inclusions were present in the uterine epithelium of the progesterone group and the cervicovaginal epithelium of the combination group. Examination of the acute immune responses of the infected animals showed that maximum activation was present in the draining lymph node cells from the progesterone-treated group, and these cells were producing large amounts of interleukin-10 and gamma interferon compared to other hormone-treated groups. In contrast, spleen cell proliferation was suppressed in progesterone-treated animals compared to other hormone-treated groups. We conclude that progesterone increases and estradiol decreases susceptibility to intrauterine chlamydial infection in this rat model. Our data demonstrate that hormone environment, at the time of infection, has a profound effect on the outcome of microbial infection in the female reproductive tract.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Diffuse axonal injury due to lateral head rotation in a rat model.

OBJECT: The authors investigated the ramifications of producing diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by lateral head rotation in a rat model. METHODS: Using a special injury-producing device, the rat's head was rapidly rotated 90 degrees in the coronal plane at an angular velocity of at least 753.13 rad/second and an angular acceleration of at least 1.806 x 10(5) rad/second2; the rotation was complete within 2.09 msec. There were no statistically significant changes in PO2, PCO2, pH, or blood pressure values at 5, 15, or 60 minutes after head rotation compared with their respective preinjury baseline values. The rats exhibited posttraumatic behavior suppression for an average of 12.6 minutes. The mortality rate was 17%. The rats that survived had diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage around the brainstem and upper cervical cord, but no obvious brain contusion. In sections stained with silver or hematoxylin and eosin, axonal swelling and bulblike protrusions at the axonal axis were observed in the medulla oblongata, midbrain, upper cervical cord, and corpus callosum between 6 hours and 144 hours postinjury. The axonal injuries were most severe in the brainstem and were accompanied by parenchymal bleeding. The density of bulblike axonal protrusions peaked 6 hours postinjury in the medulla oblongata and 24 hours postinjury in the midbrain. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid lateral head rotation can produce DAI characterized by severe damage to the rat brainstem.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Influence of HBV/C mutation on HLA expression of host cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of HBV/C mutation on host cellular HLA expression. METHODS: HBV expression vectors carrying wild or variant HBV/C gene were constructed and transferred into HepG(2) cells. HBV/C gene expression on the host cells was identified. The expression of HLA-I and HLA-DR on the host cell membrane was detected. RESULTS: DNA segments similar with HBV/C gene size and HBcAg were detected by PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Almost all HepG(2) cells expressed HLA-I but not HLA-DR. The fluorescence intensity of HLA-I expression on host cells was different: HepG(2) was 57.8 and wild vector 54.3. The wild HBV/C gene declined significantly to 31.2. While V60, G87 and L97 increased to 43.0, 54.0 and 69.4, respectively. L97 was greatly increased with 11.6 higher than HepG(2). HLA-DR had no significant expression. CONCLUSION: Replication and expression of HBV/C gene can influence HLA-I expression on the host cells directly. Influence of variant gene on HLA-I expression is different from the wild gene. This might relate with the exacerbation of diseases resulting from HBV mutation.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Distribution of interleukin-6 receptors (CD(126) and CD(w130)) on circulating lymphocytes in patients with lupus nephritis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of IL-6 receptors (CD(126) and CD(w130)) on lymphocytes in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). METHOD: The percentages of lymphocyte subsets were examined by direct two colour immunofluorescence on flow cytometry. RESULTS: (1) In active and inactive cases, the percentages of CD(+)(4) cells obviously decreased as compared with the normal controls (P < 0.01). Increased numbers of CD(+)(8) cells could be detected in LN patients (P < 0.05), especially in active cases (P < 0.01). Lymphocytes of active cases contained significantly greater percentage of CD(+)(23) cells than those of normal subjects (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the percentage of CD(+)(23) cells was statistically lower in the inactive cases than in normal subjects (P < 0.01). No significant difference in the percentages of CD(+)(126) and CD(+)(w130) cells was observed among the active, inactive and healthy groups (P > 0.05); (2) The proportion of CD(+)(4) CD(+)(126) and CD(+)(4) CD(+)(w130) cells in total lymphocytes was significantly lower in the active than in the inactive ones or normal subjects (P < 0.05; P < 0.01), whereas that of CD(+)(8) CD(+)(126) and CD(+)(8) CD(+)(w130) cells was not different among the active, inactive and normal subjects (P > 0.05). The proportion of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(126) cells and CD(+)(23) CD(+)(w130) cells augmented significantly in the active (P < 0.05), whereas it lessened in the inactive without statistical meaning as compared with the normal subjects (P > 0.05). (3) There was a positive correlation between the percentage of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(126) cells and that of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(w130) cells in total lymphocytes in the active group (r = 0.756, P < 0.05). However, no correlation between the percentage of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(126) cells and that of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(w130) cells in total lymphocytes was found in the inactive (r = 0.376, P > 0.05) or normal group (r = 0.256, P > 0.05); (4) The fraction of CD(+)(23) cells expressing CD(126) and CD(w130) was related to the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and lymphopenia (P < 0.05, P < 0.005). But it was neither associated with the number of damaged organs and the degree of damage, not with that of ANA, anti-dsDNA antibody and complements (C(3) and C(4)) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LN patients present not only B cell hyperactivity but also T cell abnormality. In active cases, there is abnormal distribution of IL-6 receptors on lymphocytes: reduced CD(126) and CD(w130) expression on CD(+)(4) cells and elevated CD(126) and CD(w130) expression on CD(+)(23) cells. Detecting the proportion of CD(+)(23) CD(+)(126) cells or CD(+)(23) CD(+)(w130) cells in total lymphocytes may serve as one of activity indexes for LN patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

[Analysis of clinical epidemiology for 208 patients of measles and some lessons learned].

OBJECTIVE: To survey the epidemic patterns and clinical characteristics of a relatively large scale measles epidemic in Shenzhen, 1998. METHODS: Morbidity among permanent and temporary residents in 4 different age groups, related to their history of measles vaccination among the infant cases of 8 month olds among the two types of residents. Using data originated from the hospital documents of 208 measles cases in 1998. RESULTS: Among the total 208 cases: (1) Of 107 cases of temporary residents in age > 8 mon., 79.4% were unvaccinated while 41.7% were unvaccinated among 72 cases of permanent inhabitants in age > 8 mon.; (2) The two peaks fell on 9 month to 5 year olds (32.7%), in which predominant cases were permanent inhabitant, while among the 14 - 36 year group (33.7%) temporary resident accounted for 71.4%; (3) Among 208 cases, there were 29 in 3 - 7 mon. olds, taking up 14.0% of the whole, who all did not receive the vaccinations. Seventeen of the 29 cases (58.6%) of the said children had mothers with positive histories of measles while the infants manifested atypical mild measles. The rest 12 of the 29 cases (41.4%) whose mothers had an negative histories of contracting measles, 4 infants manifested typical measles and 8 atypical mild measles. CONCLUSIONS: (1) One of the main causes of this epidemic was the unsound history of vaccination in the population; (2) In Shenzhen, preventive measures should focus on infants and young children among permanent inhabitants while focusing on adolescents and youths on temporary residents; (3) It was suggested that in Shenzhen, infants born to mothers without measles history or infants at the age borderline for measles immunization but without vaccination should receive it; Women in reproductive ages without measles history or vaccination should be considered as vaccination receivers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

A novel class of eukaryotic zinc-binding proteins is required for disease resistance signaling in barley and development in C. elegans.

Barley Rar1 is a convergence point in the signaling of resistance to powdery mildew, triggered by multiple race-specific resistance (R) genes. Rar1 is shown to function upstream of H2O2 accumulation in attacked host cells, which precedes localized host cell death. We isolated Rar1 by map-based cloning. The sequence of the deduced 25.5 kDa protein reveals two copies of a 60-amino acid domain, CHORD, conserved in tandem organization in protozoa, plants, and metazoa. CHORD defines a novel eukaryotic Zn2+-binding domain. Silencing of the C. elegans CHORD-containing gene, chp, results in semisterility and embryo lethality, suggesting an essential function of the wild-type gene in nematode development. Our findings indicate that plant R genes have recruited a fundamental cellular control element for signaling of disease resistance and cell death.

Alleles↗