Subcutaneous and brain abscesses caused by Nocardia farcinica in China.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to W Chen.
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OBJECTIVE: To further investigate the expression of MAGE-1 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The tumors and adjacent liver tissue from 45 HCC patients and liver tissue from 28 non-HCC patients (16 with liver cirrhosis and 12 with normal liver) were characterized by RT-PCR. A 421 bp PCR product from a cDNA fragment spanning exons 1, 2 and 3 was sequenced. The HLA type was assayed by standard ELISA in 43 HCC patients. RESULTS: Thirty-two of 45 tumor tissues from HCC patients expressed MAGE-1 mRNA (71.1%). In contrast, MAGE-1 mRNA was not detected in adjacent tissues. Three were found to have point mutations at 3 identical sites resulting in the substitution of two amino acid residues. The most frequent HLA types in 43 HCC patients were: HLA-A2, 53.5%; A11, 25.6%; A24, 20.9%; A33, 20.9%; HLA-B13, 28.3% and B35, 23.2%. Expression of HLA-A33 (20.9%) was higher in HCC patients than that predicted in the normal Chinese population (8.8%). There was no discemable correlation between MAGE-1 expression and alpha-FP level, tumor size and hepatitis B or C virus infection. The identification of peptides which are restricted by haploptypes other than A1 should increase the opportunity for peptide based immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that MAGE-1 mRNA is highly expressed in HCC tumor tissue in Chinese patients. Previously unreported point mutations in the MAGE-1 gene are described and may also provide additional opportunities for immunotherapy.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of tetrandrine (Tet) pulmonary targeting microspheres on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and its selective role on pulmonary circulation. METHODS: Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres were synthesized by spraying desiccation, the content of tetrandrine in pulmonary targeting microspheres is 32%. Twenty Wistar rats were exposed to hypoxia for three weeks, the rats were given Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres and Tet aqueous solution respectively and another 10 rats were as normal control. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was measured by a right cardiac catheterization, mean systemic blood pressure (mSBP) was measured by left femoral catheterization. RESULTS: At the end of hypoxic treatment, rats developed pulmonary hypertension. mPAP in the rats receiving Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres decreased more obviously than the rats receiving Tet aqueous solution (P < 0.05), and the effects maintained for 60 min after administration. However, the mSBP remained normal in rats receiving Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres. CONCLUSION: Tet pulmonary targeting microspheres can improve the effect of Tet on the hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and Tet has the selective role on the pulmonary circulation.
OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the relationship between the expression of nuclear retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR beta) mRNA in oral carcinogenesis and squamous cell aberrant differentiation. METHODS: A total of 69 rat tongue carcinogenesis specimens induced by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) were detected for RAR beta mRNA by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: With the progress of tongue carcinogenesis and epithelium cell disdifferentiation, the expression of RAR beta mRNA was down-regulated. The positive rate of RAR beta mRNA in normal, hyperplasia, mild-moderate dysplasia, severe dysplasia, in situ carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was 100.0%, 87.5%, 75.0%, 72.2%, 45.5% and 18.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The down-regulation of RAR beta mRNA may be associated with the epithelium cell aberrant differentiation and may be an important molecular mechanism of oral carcinogenesis.
OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility of guiding operation planning and complication prevention. METHODS: Ten patients suffer from Maxillofacial bone tumour were examined with spiral CT. Firstly, to get three-dimensional reconstructive image of tumour and other tissues. Secondly, use 3D-cut software to cut off every layer of normal tissue and tumour mass. Lastly, to compare virtual operation with mimic operation in virtual operation process. RESULTS: Three-dimensional mimic operation clearly displays the relationship between tumor and surrounding tissues, reflect the actual operation condition. CONCLUSIONS: It is very useful designing operation program and predicting the potential complications before the actual operation.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of immune bovine whey on cell-associated glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity of S. mutans MT8148. METHODS: The immune milk was collected from cows immunized with cell-associated GTF overexpression strain B-29-33 of S. mutans MT8148. The control milk was from non-immunized cows. The immune absorbed whey was gotten from immune bovine whey which was absorbed with lyophilized Formalin-killed B-29 whole cells. Three kinds of whey were subdivided into three groups: 50 microliters, 70 microliters, 90 microliters. The content of insoluble glucan was estimated colorimetrically by anthrone method. RESULTS: The control bovine whey had an enhancing GTF activity (407.00%-485.62%). The immune absorbed whey inhibited partly the enhancing GTF activity (208.74%-273.00%). The immune whey inhibited significantly the GTF activity (70.24%-38.62%) and the inhibition showed a tendency to depend on doses. CONCLUSIONS: The immune bovine whey inhibits significantly the cell-associated GTF activity of S. mutans MT8148.
OBJECTIVE: To study the dynamic changes in the dermal cell cycles contents of hydroproline and ratios of collagen type I/III in the burned wound. METHODS: The dermal cell cycles, contents of hydroproline, ratios of collagen type I/III and pathologic changes were dynamically observed in 48 deep partial burn rats (TBSA 10%), attempting to investigate the process of deep partial burn wound healing. RESULTS: The percentage of S-phase reached the highest point on PBD 10. On PBD21, it was still significantly higher than that of normal group. OHP increased gradually after burn, and peaked on PBD14. On PBD21, the level of OHP was still significantly higher than that of normal group. The ratios of collagen type I/III decreased gradually and significantly lower than those of the normal group after burn. The strips of WBC infiltrating into wound were observed on PBD3, 7 and 10. On PBD 14, a large number of regenerative epidermal cells crept over wound surface. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammation is obvious from PBD3 to PBD10. The proliferation of dermal cell and the synthesis, deposition of new collagen are predominant from PBD10 to PBD14, and the repair of dermis is not complete on PBD21. The proliferation and migration of epidermal cells are major activities from PBD14 to PBD21.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of melanoma antigen-3 (MAGE-3) mRNA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and probe into the theoretical feasibility that MAGE-3 antigens can be developed as a new peptide vaccine for immunotherapy in HCC patients. METHODS: The expression of MAGE-3 mRNA in HCC tissues and the adjacent non-HCC liver tissues was studied using RT-PCR in 45 HCC patients. The results were compared with those of 16 cirrhotic patients and 12 patients whose liver tissues were pathologically normal. MAGE-3 mRNA positive PCR products were DNA sequenced in 3 HCC patients. The sequenced fragments of MAGE-3 cDNA were used as template by which a [alpha(32)P] labeled probe was synthesized and employed for Southern blot analysis. HLA class I-A and -B typing of 43 HCC patients were assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: Of the 45 HCC samples, 35 (78%) expressed MAGE-3 mRNA and six HCC adjacent tissues were also positive in MAGE-3 expression. Pathological examination showed cellular heteromorphism in these adjacent tissues. The non-HCC liver tissues from cirrhosis and normal liver samples were not MAGE-3 mRNA detectable. The DNA sequence confirmed that the target gene fragment in all of the 3 samples of PCR products was MAGE-3 cDNA. Southern blotting result confirmed that of RT-PCR assay. In HCC patients, the predominant types of HLA were A(2) (53.5%), A(11) (25.6%), A(24) (20.9%), A(33) (20.9%), B(13) (28.3%), and B(35) (23.2%). MAGE-3 mRNA expression in HCC showed no correlation with the level of serum AFP and the size of the tumor. CONCLUSIONS: MAGE-3 mRNA is expressed at a high percentage of HCC samples. This tumor rejection antigen may be used as peptide vaccine for immunotherapy of HCC patients. The phenomena that some non-HCC adjacent tissues with heteromorphism can express MAGE-3 like their paired HCC tissues indicate that the expression of MAGE-3 may be an indicator in the early stage of carcinogenesis of liver tissues.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the changes in the values and directions of surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) after phacoemulsification with three different-sized scleral tunnel incisions and to evaluate their clinical results. METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups; the length of the scleral tunnel incision was 3.2, 5.5 and 7.0 mm respectively in A, B and C groups. Keratometry measurements were obtained preoperatively, at postoperative 1 week, 1 month and 6 months respectively. SIAs were analyzed by "Cravy vector method". The mean SIA and uncorrected visual acuity were compared among the groups up to 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Eyes in A group displayed significantly less mean SIA and better uncorrected visual acuity than B and C groups at 1 week postoperatively (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences between any groups at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the mean SIA and uncorrected visual acuity between B and C groups throughout the whole study period (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SIAs in eyes of 3.2 mm incision group of phacoemulsification are less and more stable; a better and quicker rehabilitation of uncorrected visual acuity can be obtained in the early postoperative period.
OBJECTIVE: To study apoptosis induced by cadmium chloride and the alteration in activity of stress activated protein kinase (SAPK) in adrenocortical cells. METHODS: Fasciculata-glomerulosa (FG) cells of male guinea pigs were dispersed and primarily cultured in vitro. Features of apoptotic cells were observed using combined labeling with annexin-V and propidium iodide (PI) and flow cytometry, and activity of SAPK was determined with immunoprecipitation and chemiluminescence assay. RESULTS: Apoptosis rate of FG cells increased with dose of cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)) two hours after treatment with 6.25 - 200.00 micromol/L of it. The average percentages of apoptotic cells ranged from 9.90% to 82.35%, with significant difference in the groups treated with 25, 50, 100 and 200 micromol/L of CdCl(2), as compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that occurrence of apoptosis correlated with the dose of cadmium chloride in a dose-response pattern. In the meanwhile, there were obviously elevated percentages of apoptotic cells as the increase in duration of incubation, ranging from 5.58% to 73.08% for incubating cells with 50.00 micromol/L of CdCl(2), from 15 minutes to four hours. Duration of incubating cells with cadmium chloride correlated to occurrence of apoptosis in a time-effect manner. There were no remarkable changes in the activity of SAPK in adrenocortical cells two hours after incubation with 25.00 - 100.00 micromol/L of CdCl(2). CONCLUSIONS: Apoptosis can be induced by cadmium chloride in adrenocortical cells and its mechanism should be studied further.
This study was aimed to determine the distribution and change of ET-1 in the lung of rat with chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Immunohistochemical analysis (Avidin-Biotion Complex) was used to localize the ET-1 immunoreactivity in the rat lung. The ET-1 concentration in plasma and in lung homogenate was measured by radioimmunoassay. In normal rats, the mean ET-1 concentration in venous plasma was 2.25 +/- 0.68 ng/L, in arterial plasma 1.52 +/- 0.63 ng/L and in lung 1.75 +/- 0.46 ng/L. There was no significant increase of ET-1 level in rats exposed to hypoxia for 2 hours, but there was significant increase of ET-1 after 24 hours hypoxia, and the high levels of ET-1 were maintained in the sustained hypoxia. There was significant correlation between the ET-1 level in arterial plasma(or in lung homogenate) and the maen pulmonary artery pressure. Similaryly, there was significant negative correlation between ET-1 in arterial plasma(or in lung homogenate) and PaO2. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the ET-1 immunoreactivity was seen in the endothelium of pulmonary arteries, particularly more positive staining was seen in the band between the endothelium and the smooth muscle cells. Chronic hypoxia elevated the mean pulmonary arterial pressure, caused vessel remodelling and the right ventricular hypertrophy. These changes were accompained by an increase of ET-1 in plasma and lung homogenate. The expression and production of ET-1 were localized to endothelium and airway epithelium in the lungs.
The changes of type I collagen in the lung tissues of rats with hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) and its relationship to the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were investigated. The blood dynamic indexes of pulmonary circulation were measured by using Swan-Ganz. The distribution of type I collagen in pulmonary arteries, bronchi and plumonary interstitial was observed by using streptavidin peroxidase method (SP). The morphologic changes of small pulmonary arteries and the level of type I collagen were determined by image pattern analysis technique and gray scale scanning, respectively. The results showed, compared with the controls, mPAP of the hypoxic rats elevated (from 2.12 +/- 0.25 to 3.95 +/- 0.43 kPa, P < 0.01), their small pulmonary arteries, walls thickened (MT% from 16.35 +/- 2.64 to 35.83 +/- 3.55, MA% from 26.83 +/- 3.40 to 59.68 +/- 4.90, P < 0.01) and lumen narrowed. The distribution of type I collagen was mainly in the external layer of pulmonary arterial walls; the positive degrees of gray scale scanning increased and had a positive linear relationship to the mPAP and MT%. These findings suggest that the increase of type I collagen contents in pulmonary arteries is closely related to the development of HPH.
OBJECTIVE: On the basis of SFE and CGC to establish a method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of major components in Liuyingwan pills. METHOD: Orthogonal design and variance analysis were used to optimize the four variables (temperature, pressure, volume of modifier and static extraction time) of SFE, and the quantification was completed by CGC. RESULT: The optimized conditions are as follows: pressure 48.2 MPa, temperature 60 degrees C, 0.2 ml ethyl acetate as modifier and static extraction 10 min. The recoveries of borneol and eugenol are 101.93% (RSD 1.56%) and 98.43% (RSD 2.26%) respectively. CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional methods, SFE is rapid, convenient and accurate in determining borneol and eugenol.
A method based on SFE and CGC has been developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of major components in Psoralea corylifolia L.. The orthogonal design method and the analysis of variance are used to optimize the five variables (temperature, pressure, volume of modifier, static extraction time and CO2 dynamic extracting volume) of SFE and the optimized conditions listed as follows: temperature 70 degrees C, pressure 38.5 MPa, static extraction 1 min, dynamic extraction 7 mL and 60 microL CHCl3 as modifier. The recoveries of psoralen and isopsoralen are 96.93% (RSD 1.87%) and 98.43% (RSD 2.06%) respectively. Being compared with conventional methods, the SFE as an alternative technique for sample preparation will be most useful in the quality control of Chinese traditional medicines.
A method for the determination of six major ginsenosides in panax species by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection at 203 nm is described. The six major ginsenosides, which were reported to account for more than 90% of the total ginsenosides content of the panax species' root, were successfully separated using gradient HPLC. The column to be used was a Cosmosil-C18 reversed-phase, 4.6 mm i.d. x 250 mm, 5 microns (Japan), connected with a C18 guard column and the mobile phase was acetonitrile and water. The calibration curves of the six ginsenosides were all linear over the range of 25 mg/L-300 mg/L with good correlation coefficients (> 0.99). The recoveries for the ginsenosides were all above 80%. For real samples and recovery study, the major ginsenosides were ultrasonically extracted by methanol. The extracts were evaporated to 1 mL, under vacuum, at about 50 degrees C and then diluted by methanol. Just prior to HPLC analysis, the sample solutions were filtered using a C18 cartridge. This method has been successfully applied to the analysis of four commercial panax samples.
The distribution of the peptidergic neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus(SCN) in five adult male SD rats was examined by multi-immunolabelling for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and somatostatin(SOM). The immunoreactions were visualized with an Elite ABC Kit(Vector Lab). The substrates in the peroxidase reaction were diaminobenzidine(DAB), tetramethylbenzidine(TMB) and 4-chloro-1-naphtol. The results showed that the differences in distribution and population of VIP-, AVP- and SOM-like neurons existed in the rostral, intermediate and caudal regions of the SCN and these neurons were overlapped and SOM-like neurons were scattered among them in the area between VIP- and AVP-like neurons. These findings may provide new morphologic evidences for explaining the functional mechanism in the SCN.
This investigation was made to elucidate the role of endothelin (ET) in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and the preventing effects of BQ-123, an ETA receptor antagonist. Thirty male Wistar rats were divided into three groups and exposed to air, isobaric hypoxia or isobaric hypoxia plus BQ-123 for 3 weeks. The pulmonary artery pressure was measured by right cardiac catheterization. The plasma level of ET-1 was measured by RIA method. Histologic sections of the lungs were examined by a computerized image analyser. In hypoxic rats, the pulmonary artery pressure and the thickness of wall of arteriole were significantly increased, and right ventricular hypertrophy was developed. The plasma level of VEGF in rats treated with hypoxia (192.3 +/- 43.1 pg/ml) was significantly increased as compared with that of normal rats (128.2 +/- 28.1 pg/ml), P < 0.01. Chronic BQ-123 treatment prevented the developments of pulmonary hypertension, thickening of pulmonary arteriole and right ventricular hypertrophy induced by hypoxia. These result indicate that chronic hypoxia can result in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and increased plasma level of ET-1, and the ETA receptor antagonist can prevent hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
A moniliformin(MON)-degrading bacterium strain, named as Y21-2, was isolated from the mycotoxin-contaminated soil from Heilongjiang Province by the enrichment microculture technique. This strain can grow with MON as its sole carbon and energy source. In the minimal medium with 500 micrograms/mL MON, the number of cells increased from 10(7) to 10(10). Traditional taxonomy, assays of its G + C content and 16S rDNA sequence homology identified Y21-2 as Rhizobiaceae, Ochrobactrum sp. Resting cell suspensions prepared from induced Y21-2 can degrade MON with great speed, which also suggested the existence of enzymes committed to MON degradation in the cell.