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Objective To observe the expression of connexin 36 (Cx36) in the striatum and motor cortex of rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD) in order to explore whether gap junction is involved in the pathogenesis of the cortex-basal ganglia circuit disturbances in PD. Methods Hemi-parkinsonian rat model was produced by stereotaxically injecting 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to right medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting analysis were used to observe the expression changes of Cx36 in the striatum and motor cortex. Double immunofluorescence labeling was used to analyze the expression of Cx36 in enkephalin (ENK) positive medium spiny neurons and Parvalbumin (PV) positive interneurons in the striatum. Results Immunohistochemical staining showed Cx36 expression was elevated in the right striatum as well as right motor cortex of PD group compared with normal control group (t = 2.474, P = 0.048; t = 2.614, P = 0.040). Double immunofluorescence labeling staining revealed that ENK-positive striatum neurons were elevated (t = 3.987, P = 0.007) and Cx36 expression was increased in ENK-positive striatum neurons (t = 3.271, P = 0.017) in PD group compared with normal control group. While PV-positive interneurons decreased (t = 2.777, P = 0.032) and Cx36 expression was down-regulated in PV-positive interneurons (t = 2.624, P = 0.039) compared with the normal control group. Western blotting indicated that the 6-OHDA lesion induced a significant upregulation of Cx36 to (119.31 ± 8.92)% in comparison with the normal group [(104.05 ± 3.82)%] in right striatum (t = 3.516, P = 0.024). In right motor cortex Cx36 increased to (138.20 ± 17.88)% , induced a significant upregulation of Cx36 in the right motor cortex in comparison with the normal control group [(105.27 ± 2.82)%; t = 4.068, P = 0.015]. Conclusion The Cx36 expression was generally increased in the striatum and motor cortex of PD rat model, with upregulation in ENK-positive striatum neurons but downregulation in PV-positive interneurons, suggesting that gap junction dysfunction may play an important role in the disturbance of cortex-basal ganglia pathway in PD.

Gap junctions (GJ) is an important way to transmit signals among body cells. Studies have confirmed that changes on structure and composition of gap junction proteins are associated with many kinds of diseases. Movement disorders is a common disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which has a certain degree of correlation with GJ, and it has become a key factor in the domestic and foreign research of pathogenesis and treatment mechanism of central nervous system diseases. This paper reviews GJ and its relationship with movement disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the antigenic epitopes of N protein's canine distemper virus (CDV).

Objective: To investigate the values of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell osmotic fragility test(ROFT) and hemoglobin A2(HbA 2 ) in screening of α-thalassemia in Guangdong area., Methods: A total of 285 peripheral blood samples in patients treated in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2017 were collected. The detection of thalassemia gene was used as the gold standard, while blood routine examination, hemoglobin electrophoresis, and red cell osmotic fragility test were simultaneously performed. The optimal cut-off values in MCV, MCH, ROFT and HbA 2 in α-thalassemia were determined by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve)., Results: The most common types of α-thalassemia gene was --SEA/αα (54.59%). Compared with the control group, the differences in MCV, MCH, ROFT and HbA 2 showed statistically significantce between different types of α-thalassemia (P<0.05). The best cut-off values of MCV, MCH, ROFT, and HbA 2 in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia were 81.45 fl, 27.35 pg, 79.95%, and 2.55% respectively., Conclusion: For different laboratories, the cut-off values need to be established for screening α-thalassemia suitable in their own local region．The values of MCV, MCH, ROFT and HbA 2 shows higher accuracy and sensitivity in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia. It is recommended to use MCV<81.45fl, MCH<27.35 pg, ROFT<79.95% and HbA 2 <2.55% as the standards for screening α-thalassemia in Guangdong area.

Purpose: To analyze the clinical features, histopathological features, treatment and prognosis of carcinosarcoma in oromaxillofacial head and neck region., Methods: The clinical and histopathological data of 10 cases with carcinosarama were collected from database of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital and further analyzed., Results: A total of 10 cases (8 males and 2 females) of carcinosarcoma were collected and analyzed. The age of patients ranged from 20 to 81 years (mean: 44, median:45.5). The tumor size was related to the primary site. The main clinical manifestations indicated rapid increase of foreign body sensation or mass, even feeling of pain. Pathologic examination confirmed the presence of carcinoma and sarcomatoid stroma. Carcinosarcoma had low incidence and was easily misdiagnosed. Diagnosis depended on pathologic examination especially immunohistochemistry. The prognosis was poor, and 5 year survival rate was 50%., Conclusions: Diagnosis to carcinosarcoma depends on pathological examination after operation. Complete resection + free flap transplantation + postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy are conventional treatment.

Objective: Using two antithrombotic treatment (clopidogrel vs. clopidogrel combined warfarin) strategies after femoral-popliteal artery angioplasty prospectively, to evaluate which strategy is more effective for the restenosis prevention., Methods: Totally 50 patients referred for endovascular treatment (including the percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stent implantation) of the superficial femoral artery and popliteal artery from January 2008 to May 2009 were randomly divided into clopidogrel group (group A, 25 cases, 30 limbs) and clopidogrel plus warfarin group (group B, 25 cases, 33 limbs) before operation. Clinical outcomes and restenosis rate of the target lesions were evaluated at 3, 6 and 12 months after operation., Results: Totally 88 patients were screened for participation in the study, 56 patients were included after the follow-up of 12 months. At 3 months, the rates of restenosis were 16.7% in group A and 18.2% in group B (χ² = 0.025, P = 0.874). At 6 months, the accumulated restenosis rates were 36.7% in group A and 36.4% in group B (χ² = 0.001, P = 0.98). At 12 months, the accumulated restenosis rates were 53.3% in group A and 42.4% in group B (χ² = 0.75, P = 0.387). Analysis for the critical limb ischemia sub-group showed that follow-up of 12 months, the accumulated restenosis rate was 8/10 in group A and 6/12 in group B (χ² = 1.023, P = 0.312)., Conclusion: The clopidogrel alone treatment for PTA or PTA plus stent implantation of femoral popliteal artery has no statistically significant difference in comparison with the clopidogrel combined warfarin treatment in terms of the cumulative vascular restenosis rate at 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively.

Objective: To study the preliminary antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of polysaccharide extracted from Lycoris aurea., Methods: The scavenging activities of the polysaccharide in vitro on superoxide radical (O2-*), hydroxyl radical (*OH), alkyl radical (R*) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were investigated by modified chemical systems. Meanwhile, the antimicrobial activities were tested using paper-discagar diffusion method., Results: In general, the antioxidant activities of the polysaccharide were lower compared with Vc. However, the scavenging effects to *OH and H2O2 were parallel to Vc. Meanwhile, polysaccharide from Lycoris aurea had strong antimicrobial activities against Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus pumilus and Staphylococcus aureus., Conclusion: The polysaccharide extracted from L. aurea can scavenge *OH and H2O2 effectively and inhibit Gram-positive bacterias.

Objective: Chinese jianpi herbal recipe Weichangan (WCA) could increase the survival rate of advanced gastric cancer. This study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanism of WCA in treatment of gastric cancer by cDNA array, real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical technique., Method: A human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901 grafted onto nude mouse was used as the animal model. The mice were divided into 3 groups, one control and the two representing experimental conditions. Animals in the two experimental groups received either WCA over a 34-day period or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) over 6-day period starting at 8th day after grafting. Control animals received saline on an identical schedule. Animals were killed 41 days after being grafted. To assess the effect of therapy tumor weight was determined by a electron balance immediately after the animals killed. SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in xenografts. For detection of apoptotic cells, apoptotic indices (AI) were examined by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. SP method was also used to detect the expression of cleaved Caspase-3. The expression profiles in paired WCA treated gastric cancer samples and the N. S. control samples were studied by using a cDNA array representing 14, 181 cDNA clusters. The alterations in gene expression levels were confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR. SP method was used to detect the expression of Phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2., Result: When compared with controls, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by treatment with the WCA or 5-FU (P < 0.01, respectively). The average of tumor inhibitory rate in WCA group was (44.32 +/- 5.67)% and 5-FU (47.04 +/- 11.33)%. The average labeling index (LI) for PCNA in WCA group and 5-FU group was significantly decreased compared with the control group respectively. AI of human gastric cancer xenografts in nude mice was significantly increased to (9.72 +/- 4.51)% using TUNEL method in WCA group compared with the controls (2.45 +/- 1.37)%. 5-FU group was also found a significantly increased AI compared with the controls. The expression of cleaved Caspase-3 in WCA group and 5-FU group was significantly increased compared with the control group respectively. There were 45 different expression ESTs among the control sample pool and WCA sample pool. There were 24 ESTs up-regulated in WCA samples and 21 ESTs down-regulated. These 45 ESTs contains 35 cloned genes and 11 unknown ESTs. By using Real-time Quantitative PCR, the expression level of Stat3 (2(-deltadeltaCT) = 0.16) , RIPX (2(-deltadeltaCT) = 0.18), ROD1 (2(-deltadeltaCT) = 0.23) and bcl-2 (2 (-deltadeltaCT) = 0.10) was lower in WCA group than that in control group respectively. The expression of Phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2 in WCA group and 5-FU group was significantly decreased compared with the control group respectively., Conclusion: Chinese jianpi herbal recipe WCA could inhibit gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 growth in vivo. WCA could induce gastric cancer cell apoptosis and suppress proliferation. Its mechanisms might be involved in the down-regulation of Stat3, RIPX, ROD1 and bcl-2 gene.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of Chinese herbal recipe Weichang'an (WCA) in inducing cell apoptosis of human gastric cancer grafted onto nude mice., Methods: The high performance liquid chromatography was used for monitoring the stability of WCA. A human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 grafted in nude mouse was used as the animal model. The mice were divided into untreated group and two experimental groups. Animals in the two experimental groups received either WCA over a 34-day period or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) over a 6-day period starting at the 8th day after grafting. Animals in the untreated group received normal saline on an identical schedule. Animals were killed 41 days after being grafted. To assess the effect of the treatment on tumor, the tumor weight was determined by the electron balance immediately after the animals were killed. SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in grafts. Apoptotic indices (AI) of the tumor cells were examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate fluorescence nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. SP method was also used to detect the expressions of cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9. SYBR green dye I real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time quantitative [corrected] PCR) was used to assess the related gene alterations in mRNA level. The expressions of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2 proteins were detected by using SP method., Results: Compared with the untreated group, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by treatment of WCA or 5-FU (P<0.01, respectively). The tumor inhibition rate in the WCA-treated group was 48.70% and that in the 5-FU-treated group was 60.10%. The average labeling index (LI) for PCNA in the WCA-treated group and 5-FU-treated group was significantly decreased as compared with that in the untreated group, respectively. The AI of human gastric cancer grafted in the nude mice detected by using TUNEL method was significantly increased to (9.72+/-4.51)% in the WCA-treated group, while it was (2.45+/-1.37)% in the untreated group. 5-FU-treated group was also found a significantly increased AI compared with the untreated group. The expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the WCA-treated group and 5-FU-treated group were significantly increased as compared with those in the untreated group. But caspase-8 showed no significant alteration either in the WCA-treated group or in the 5-FU-treated group. The expression levels of Stat3 (2(-)delta delta C(T))=0.16) and bcl-2 (2(-)delta delta C(T))=0.10) detected by using real-time quantitative [corrected] PCR were lower in the WCA-treated group than those in the untreated group. The expressions of phospho-Stat3 (Tyr705) and bcl-2 in the WCA-treated group were significantly decreased as compared with those in the untreated group., Conclusions: Chinese herbal recipe WCA can inhibit gastric cancer cell SGC-7901 growth in vivo, induce gastric cancer cell apoptosis and suppress the cell proliferation. WCA induces apoptosis through the caspase-9 and caspase-3 pathway in vivo. Its mechanism might be involved in the down-regulation of Stat3 and bcl-2 genes.

Objective: To estimate the benchmark dose for osteoporosis caused by cadmium exposure in a Chinese general population with an epidemiological study., Methods: The inhabitants living in both cadmium polluted and non-polluted areas served as the exposure group and the control group. Urinary cadmium (UCd) and Blood cadmium (BCd) were used as exposure biomarkers while the Z score was used as effect biomarker for the osteoporosis., Results: The UCd and BCd in the habitants of the polluted areas were significantly higher than those in the habitants of the control area on average (P < 0.05) and the UCd and BCd in the habitants of the highly polluted areas were significantly higher than those in the habitants of the moderately polluted area on average (P < 0.05). The bone mineral density was significantly decreased in the groups of the highest UCd and BCd level compared with the 5 microg/g Cr group with the significant difference (P < 0.05). The morbidity of the osteoporosis would increase significantly with the increase of the cadmium exposure (P < 0.05) with the linear correlation (P < 0.05). BMDs were calculated using BMDS Version l.3.2 software and BMDLs were also determined. The BMDL of UCd for cadmium-induced osteoporosis was higher than those representing cadmium-induced renal dysfunction., Conclusion: High level of cadmium exposure can induce osteoporosis, which occurs later than renal damage related to cadmium exposure. The BMD is a practical method.

Near-infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and pattern recognition techniques were applied to develop a fast identification method of a Chinese patent medicine-donkeyhide glue. Samples from different manufactures (eight genuine samples and six counterfeits) were collected, and their NIR spectra were obtained. NIR spectra were pretreated with multiplicative signal correction (MSC) and wavelet transformation to diminish baseline offset. Similarity and Mahalanobis distance methods were separatemy used to qualify donkeyhide glue. For the similarity calculation, spectra of the two real ones were selected as standards, and then others were compared with the standards to obtain the match value. All the samples were rescanned once for the Mahalanobis distance methods, and totally twenty eight spectra were separated into three sets for cross-validation. The two methods can both distinguish the counterfeits of donkeyhide glue successfully. The proposed method is accurate and robust, and could be used in the discrimination of other traditional Chinese medicines.

Objective: Based on two sets of data from occupational epidemiology, Benchmark dose (BMD) was applied to estimate biological exposure limit (BEL)., Methods: Cadmium exposed workers were selected from a cadmium smelting and a zinc products factory and control group was selected from doctors or nurses and staff from shops living in the same area; Urinary cadmium (UCd) was used as exposure biomarker and urinary beta(2) microglobulin (UBM), NAG (UNAG) and albumin (UALB) were as effect biomarkers. All urine parameters were adjusted by urinary creatinine. Software of BMDS (Version 1.3.2, EPA.U.S) was used to calculate BMD., Results: Calculated abnormal prevalence was based on the upper limit of 95% of effect biomarkers in control group; There are significant dose response relationship between the prevalence of effect biomarkers (UBM, UNAG and UALB) and exposure biomarker (UCd); BEL was 5 microg/g creatinine for UBM as effect biomarker, It consists with the recommendation of WHO; BEL was 3 microg/g creatinine for UNAG as effect biomarker; BEL can be estimated by using the method of BMD; the more sensitive biomarker would used, the more occupational people would protected., Conclusion: The application of BMD in estimating biological exposure limit (BEL) is proper. UNAG is suggested as most sensitive biomarker to be used to estimate BEL for cadmium exposure.

Objective: To explore the latent neurobehavioral function impairments by traffic exhausts and other factors on the children., Methods: Two primary schools were chosen according to the air quality report in Beijing. School B is located at seriously exhausts polluted area while school A is at less polluted area. All children in grade three and grade four were selected as our objects. The survey was conducted based on the agreement of the children's parents. NES was employed to measure the children's neurobehavioral functions while the 24 hour NO2 and SO2 personal exposure levels, Zinc Protoporphyrin (ZZP) and CO levels in expiration gas were measured. Then, Answertree was used., Results: It is indicated that neurobehavioral functions of children were associated with the education level of children's mothers, children's personal COHb levels and personal SO2 exposure levels., Conclusion: The children, whose mothers' education level were middle, with high personal COHb levels and SO2 exposure levels were the high risk population.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), transduces a broad range of extracellular stimuli into diverse intracellular responses. It has been reported that ERK is involved in the modulation of nociceptive information and central sensitization produced by intense noxious stimuli or peripheral tissue inflammation. Our previous studies showed that the spinal neurons sensitization was involved in morphine withdrawal response. This study was to investigate the role of the spinal ERK in morphine dependence and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal response. To set up morphine-dependent model, rats were subcutaneously injected with morphine (twice a day, for 5 d). The dose of morphine was 10 mg/kg on the first day and was increased by 10 mg/kg each day. On day 6, 4 h after the injection of morphine (50 mg/kg), morphine withdrawal syndrome was precipitated by an injection of naloxone (4 mg/kg, i.p.). Using anti-phospho-ERK (pERK) antibody, the time course of pERK expression was detected by Western blot. U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor, or phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligonucleotides (ODN) was intrathecally injected 30 min or 36, 24 and 12 h before naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. The scores of morphine withdrawal symptom and morphine withdrawal-induced allodynia were observed. One hour after naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, pERK expression in the spinal dorsal horn was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis and Western blot was used to detect the expression of cytosolic and nuclear fraction of pERK in the rat spinal cord. The results showed that the expression of cytosolic and nuclear fraction of pERK, not non-phospho-ERK, in the spinal cord was gradually increased following the injection of morphine. When morphine withdrawal was precipitated with naloxone, the expression of the spinal pERK further increased. Intrathecal administration of U0126 or antisense ODN against ERK decreased the scores of morphine withdrawal, attenuated morphine withdrawal-induced allodynia and also inhibited the increase of pERK expression in the spinal cord of morphine withdrawal rats. These results suggest that activation of the spinal ERK is involved in morphine-dependent and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal response.

Objective: To evaluate the growth-inhibiting and anti-metastasis effects of Weichang'an Decoction (WCAD) on orthotopic transplant nude mouse model of human gastric cancer., Methods: Forty-one nude mice were implanted with SGC-7901 cells at orthotopic site, whereas 25 were implanted with SGC-7901 cells subcutaneously. Then the nude mice in each transplantation model were divided into the same three groups which were WCAD-treated group with WCAD 0.5 ml/d taken orally, 5-FU-treated group with 5-FU 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally injected weekly and untreated control group with physiological saline 0.5 ml/d taken orally. The growth-inhibiting rates of transplant tumors were detected and the metastatic lesions were examined in the orthotopic transplant mouse model while PCNA-positive rate and apoptotic index (AI) were observed in the subcutaneous transplant mouse model., Results: The growth-inhibiting rates in the WCAD-treated and 5-FU-treated groups of orthotopic transplant mouse model were 40.82% and 37.92% respectively whereas those of subcutaneous transplant mouse model were 48.70% and 60.10%. The incidence rates of metastasis in perigastric lymph notes, lymph nodes in the porta hepatis, liver, diaphragm and peritoneum in the WCAD-treated and 5-FU-treated groups were lower than those in the untreated control group, and the total metastasis rates in the WCAD-treated, 5-FU-treated and the untreated control groups were 30.77%, 28.57% and 71.43% respectively with significant differences (P<0.05). The total PCNA-positive rates in the WCAD-treated and 5-FU-treated groups were obviously lower than that in the untreated control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01) while the AI was higher than that in the untreated control group (P<0.01). The growth-inhibiting rate, total PCNA-positive rate and total metastasis rate in the WCAD-treated group had no significant differences as compared with those in the 5-FU-treated group, but the AI in the WCAD-treated group was significantly higher than that in the 5-FU-treated group (P<0.05)., Conclusion: WCAD has the inhibiting effects on tumor growth and metastasis of gastric cancer which is orthotopic implanted onto nude mice. This effect may be obtained by proliferation suppression and apoptosis induction in cancer.

Pseudomonas fluorescens 2P24, a biocontrol agent for soil-borne diseases has been isolated from the wheat take-all decline soil, and was characterized with efficient production of antifungal compounds. In this study, the gacS gene was cloned by PCR from the P. fluorescens 2P24 genomic library. Nucleotide sequencing indicated that the gacS gene contains 2754 bp, and is predicted to encode a peptide of 917 amino acids with molecular mass of 101 kD. The deduced amino acid sequence shares 91% identity to that of the sensor kinase GacS of P. chlororaphis and 89% identity to GacS of P. fluorescens CHAO. Further research revealed that the gacS-knock-out mutant was unable to produce anti-fungal metabolites, such as 2,4-DAPG, HCN and proteinase. Moreover, it lost the ability to inhibit the growth of Gaeumannomyces graminis in Petri dish and to control the development of wheat take-all disease in greenhouse. The complemented strain containing a plasmid-bearing gacS gene could restore all of the lost phenotypes. The results indicated that GacS in an important regulatory factor and directly controls the synthesis of key biocontrol factors and the biocontrol efficacy of P. fluorescens 2P24.

Our previous studies showed that spinal neurons sensitization was involved in morphine withdrawal response. This study was to investigate the roles of spinal protein kinase C (PKC) alpha, gamma in morphine dependence and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal response. To set up morphine dependence model, rats were subcutaneously injected with morphine (twice a day, for 5 d). The dose of morphine was 10 mg/kg in the first day and was increased by 10 mg/kg each day. On day 6, 4 h after the injection of morphine (50 mg/kg), morphine withdrawal syndrome was precipitated by an injection of naloxone (4 mg/kg, i.p.). Chelerythrine chloride (CHE), a PKC inhibitor, was intrathecally injected 30 min before the administration of naloxone. The scores of morphine withdrawal symptom and morphine withdrawal-induced allodynia were observed. One hour after naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, Fos protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis and Western blot was used to detect the expression of cytosol and membrane fraction of PKC alpha and gamma in the rat spinal cord. The results showed that intrathecal administration of CHE decreased the scores of morphine withdrawal, attenuated morphine withdrawal-induced allodynia and also inhibited the increase of Fos protein expression in the spinal cord of morphine withdrawal rats. The expression of cytosol and membrane fraction of PKC alpha was significantly increased in the spinal cord of rats with morphine dependence. Naloxone-precipitated withdrawal induced PKC alpha translocation from cytosol to membrane fraction, which was prevented by intrathecal administration of CHE. During morphine dependence, but not naloxone-precipitated withdrawal, PKC gamma in the spinal cord translocated from cytosol to membrane fraction, and intrathecal administration of CHE did not change the expression of PKC gamma in the spinal cord of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal rats. It is suggested that up-regulation and translocation of PKC in the spinal cord contribute to morphine dependence and naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in rats and that PKC alpha and gamma play different roles in the above-mentioned effect.