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Objective: The study was designed to compare the antithrombotic property and safety between nadroparin and unfractionated heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: A prospective, single blind, randomized study was performed. A total of 98 patients (aged 65.1 +/- 8.6 years, female, 28.6%, diabetes, 7.1%) undergoing selective PCI were randomized to be administered intravenously either nadroparin (0.075 ml/10 kg) or unfractionated heparin (100U/kg) for procedural anticoagulation, in whom stable angina was 42.9%, unstable angina, 27.6%, myocardial infarction, 29.6%, two or three-vessel disease, 23.5%, stent, 100%. Blood samples for anti-Xa level were assayed in the first 22 patients of the nadroparin group before and after administration at the following intervals: 8 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h. Bleeding complications were classified according to Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria. The bleeding index (change in hemoglobin) was calculated. All patients were monitored for adverse clinical events (i.e. death, myocardial infarction, need for revascularization) during the period of 30 days after PCI., Results: (1) There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two randomized groups. (2) Plasma anti-Xa activities were 0.10 +/- 0.00 IU/ml at the time just before the administration of nadroparin, 1.89 +/- 0.24 IU/ml, 0.96 +/- 0.24 IU/ml, 0.47 +/- 0.13 IU/ml, and 0.30 +/- 0.12 IU/ml at the time of 8 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h after the use of nadroparin (and the rate of > 0.5 IU/ml were 100%, 100%, 45% and 9% patients), respectively. (3) There were no significant differences in the mean bleeding index, post-PCI hemoglobin and hematocrit between nadroparin and unfractionated heparin group [(1.16 +/- 5.80) g/L vs (0.90 +/- 6.50) g/L, P = 0.858; (129.5 +/- 13.6) g/L vs (125.5 +/- 14.9) g/L, P = 0.175; (39.0 +/- 3.9)% vs (37.9 +/- 4.6)%, P = 0.205]. (4) None of the patients in two randomized groups were observed hemorrhagic events, which including TIMI major or minor bleeding complications, gross or microscopic hematuria, melena, positive stool occult blood. There were no blood transfusions and no hematoma at the vascular access site in either of the group. (5) No death, no recurrent angina pectoris, and no urgent revascularization occurred within 30 days in both groups. One patient in nadroparin group was observed "no reflow" phenomenon that was accompanied with an elevated ST segment and a risen serum level of cTnI. This patient was diagnosed as non-Q-wave myocardial infarction. Though no myocardial infarction was found in unfractionated heparin group, there was no significant difference in the rate of myocardial infarction between the two groups of the study (P = 0.970)., Conclusions: The administration of nadroparin before PCI seems effective and safe. Compared with unfractionated heparin, nadroparin was associated with neither an excess of bleeding nor an increase of clinical complications in this study.

Family hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder caused by mutation in the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. It is characterized by a high concentration of low density lipoprotein (LDL), which frequently gives rise to tendon xanthenes and premature coronary artery disease. We studied a FH family ,which was diagnosed by clinical features and blood lipid tests. The Total cholesterol level of the family was 19.05 mmol/L and the LDL level was 17.06 mmol/L in the proband homozygous FH subjects, while the total cholesterol was 7.96 mmol/L and LDL was 5.55 mmol/L in the heterozygous FH subjects. DNA segments amplified with PCR were sequenced in heterozygous and homozygous FH patients. Two novel identical mutation alleles of GAG683GCG, which caused an amino acid change from Glu to Ala, were detected in Exon4 of LDL receptor gene in homozygous proband. DNA sequencing revealed that the proband's parents were heterozygotes with the same mutational alleles as the proband. These results are in coincidence with the clinical diagnoses. Moreover Epstein-Barr virus transformed lymphocytes (EBV-Ls) were derived by routine virus infection transforming protocol. The cells bounded with the fluorescently conjugated LDL were measured by fluorescence flow cytometry. The ratios of functional LDLR in EBV-Ls originated from homozygous FH, heterozygous FH and normal control were 7.02%, 62.64% and 84.69%, respectively. As a result, the homozygous FH patient's LDLR had 8.29% and the heterozygous FH patient's LDLR had 73.96% of the activity of the control. It is apparent that LDL receptor activity of homozygous FH subject is significantly lower than normal control. The data from fluorescence flow cytometry analysis of EBV-Ls strongly support the clinical diagnoses and the results of DNA sequencing. In accordance with the updated version of UMD-LDLR, the mutant GAG683GCG in Exon4 of LDLR gene which we have identified is a novel mutation of the LDLR gene in human with hypercholesterolemia.

Hypercholesterolaemia contributes to atherosclerosis and coronary artery diseases by inducing endothelial cell injury and dysfunction. Recent studies have provided increasing evidence that EPCs (endothelial progenitor cells) participate in ongoing endothelial repair and postnatal neovascularization. However, the changes in EPCs in patients with hypercholesterolaemia have not been elucidated to date. Therefore we investigated the number and functional activity of EPCs in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Total MNCs (mononuclear cells) were isolated from 20 patients with hypercholesterolaemia and 20 matched control subjects. EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double-positive for DiI-LDL (1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanide percholate-labelled low-density lipoprotein) uptake and lectin binding by direct fluorescent staining under a laser scanning confocal microscope, and were characterized further by demonstrating the expression of KDR (kinase insert domain-containing receptor), CD34 and AC133 by flow cytometry. Proliferation, migration and in vitro vasculogenesis activity of EPCs were assayed using the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] assay, modified Boyden chamber assay and an in vitro vasculogenesis kit respectively. EPC adhesion assay was performed by replating cells on fibronectin-coated dishes and then counting the adherent cells. As a result, the number of EPCs was significantly reduced in patients with hypercholes-terolaemia compared with that in control subjects (41.8 +/- 8.7 compared with 64.5 +/- 16.6 EPCs/x 200 field respectively; P < 0.05). The number of EPCs was inversely correlated with total cholesterol (r = -0.659, P < 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (r = -0.611, P < 0.001) levels. In addition, the functional activities of isolated EPCs, such as proliferative, migratory, adhesive and in vitro vasculogenesis capacity, were also impaired. In conclusion, the results of the present study may state a novel pathophysiological mechanism of hypercholesterolaemia: the reduction of EPCs with decreased functional activity.

Objective: To investigate whether puerarin can augment endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) numbers, promote EPC proliferation, migration and adhesion., Method: Total mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from peripheral blood by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, and then the cells were plated on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. After 7 days culture, attached cells were stimulated with puerarin (to make a series of final concentrations: 0. 1, 0.5, 1, 3 mmol x L(-1)) or vehicle control for the respective time points (6, 12, 24, 48 h). EPCs were characterized as adherent cells double positive for DiLDL-uptake and lectin binding by direct fluorescent staining under a laser scanning confocal microscope. EPCs proliferation, migration and in vitro vasculogenesis activity were assayed with MT assay, modified Boyden chamber assay and in vitro vasculogenesis kit, respectively. EPCs adhesion assay was performed by replating those on fibronectin-coated dishes, then adherent cells were counted., Result: Incubation of isolated human MNCs with puerarin dose increased the number of EPCs, maximum at 3 mmol x L(-1), 24 hours (approximately 1-fold increase, P < 0.01). In addition, puerarin also promoted EPC proliferative, migratory, adhesive and in vitro vasculogenesis capacity., Conclusion: Puerarin can augment the number of EPCs with enhanced functional activity.

Objective: To explore the circadian blood pressure (BP) profile and its influencing factors in essential hypertensive patients after treatment., Methods: Cross-sectional surveillance was carried out in essential hypertensive subjects after treatment whose clinic blood pressure had been under control as 140/90 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) for at least one month. All patients underwent a twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device (spacelabs 90207). The nocturnal fall of blood pressure (BP) was calculated from (daytime mean BP-night-time mean BP)/daytime BP, while 'daytime' values were recorded between 6 h and 22 h and 'night-time' values between 22 h and 6 h. Non-dippers were defined as those whose nocturnal decrease in mean systolic BP and/or mean diastolic BP was < 10% of the daytime BP. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between circadian blood pressure profile and factors as gender, age, height, body mass index (BMI), family history of premature cardiovascular disease, women under age 65 or men under age 55, smoking habits, grade of hypertension, and strategy of antihypertensive drugs., Results: 208 treated essential hypertensive patients were enrolled in the study. 79 individuals were dippers and 129 were non-dippers. Data from logistic regression analysis showed that four factors as age, premature family history of cardiovascular disease, overweight or obesity, and strategy of antihypertensive drugs were significantly influencing the circadian blood pressure profile in treated hypertensive patients. The incidence of non-dippers in patients of 70 years of age or older and those between 60 and 69 were 3.3 and 2.3 times of those with less than 60 (P = 0.009 and 0.031, respectively). The prevalence of non-dippers in patients with a premature family history of cardiovascular disease was 3.7 times greater than those in subjects without a premature history of cardiovascular disease (P = 0.029). Similarly, the incidence of non-dippers in patients of overweight (24 /= 28) were 3.0 and 4.8 times of those in subjects of normal weight (P = 0.003 and 0.009, respectively). Compared with patients treated with long-acting calcium channel blockers (CCBs), patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) alone had less prevalence of nondippers (OR = 0.139, P = 0.010). Patients treated with joint antihypertensive scheme including ACE inhibitors or ARBs(but not including diuretics) had the tendency of lower incidence of abnormal circadian blood pressure rhythm (OR = 0.453, P = 0.118). Patients treated with joint antihypertensive scheme including diuretics (not including ACE inhibitors or ARBs) and with joint antihypertensive strategy including diuretics and ACE inhibitors or ARBs had lower incidence of nondippers (OR = 0.378 and 0.273, respectively; P = 0.030 and 0.011, respectively)., Conclusions: Approximately 2/3 treated essential hypertensive patients had a non-dipper blood pressure profile. Age, premature family history of cardiovascular disease, overweight/obesity, and antihypertensive drugs strategy were correlated with circadian blood pressure profile. Compared with long-acting CCBs, diuretics, ACE inhibitors or ARBs might be helpful in keeping the circadian blood pressure rhythm at normal range.

Accurate delineating of the spatial distribution of soil heavy metal content is essential for pollution assessment and remediation. The objective of this paper is to evaluate various spatial interpolation methods, including ordinary Kriging (OK), simple Kriging (SK), lognormal Kriging (LNK), universal Kriging (UK), disjunctive Kriging (DK) and inverse distance weighting interpolation (IDW) for estimating soil surface Hg content with lognormal distribution, the linear and second-order polynomial trend, and to determine the optimal interpolation method. The predicted errors, statistical feature values and prediction maps obtained by different interpolation methods were compared. The result indicated that first-order trend OK method performed better than both zero and second-order OK methods. Within the method of first-order trend OK, Gaussian semi-variogram model performed better than both the spherical and exponential models. The method using transformed data performed worse than the methods without data transformation because of the 'distortion' effect arising from log transformation. Those with trend effect were better than those without trend effect. First-order trend UK method is the best method among the six methods studied, while the IDW method is the least.

Objective: To study the psychological status and its influencing factors in patients before and after electrophysiology studies and radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA)., Methods: 125 inpatients (71 men, 54 women, mean age 42.91 years +/- 16.1 years) who underwent a scheduled electrophysiology studies and RFCA for the first time and fulfilled entry criteria, were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to receiving either a consent which did not detail specific risk (group B) regarding the procedure or one that detailed the risks (group A). All patients were examined by the Chinese version of Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90) within 24 hours before the procedure (after the consent) and on the third day after., Results: (1) Before the electrophysiology studies and RFCA, scores of anxiety and phobic anxiety constructs were higher than the norm. After the procedure, no specific construct score became higher. (2) After the procedure, patients showed a significantly decrease in the scores of obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychotism constructs, global severity index, total positive symptoms and positive symptom severity index. (3) Women scored higher on somatization, depression, anxiety, phobic anxiety constructs, global severity index and positive symptom total before the procedure. (4) Detail informed consent was not associated with increased mental symptoms when compared with consent that did not detail specific risks., Conclusions: In this study, patients showed slightly anxiety and phobic anxiety before electrophysiology studies and RFCA with women having more mental symptoms before the procedure that called for special attention. Detail information including the course and specific risk regarding the procedure was not associated with increased psychological symptoms. It was suggested that the patients should receive detail information before electrophysiology studies and RFCA.

Objective: To study the association of Macruz index with left ventricular diastolic function of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD)., Methods: The ratio of P/P-R segment (Macruz index) was measured using regular 12-lead electrocardiography in 90 CAD patients, whose mitral E/A wave ratios were determined by means of Doppler echocardiography. The measurements were also performed in 85 patients with non-coronary artery diseases for comparison., Results: The mitral E/A ratio of the CAD patients with 1 or 3 branches involved was lower than 1, while in patients with two branches involved, the E/A ratio exceeded 1. The P/P-R segment ratio of the 3 CAD groups was all over 1.6., Conclusion: The Macruz index is more helpful than E/A ratio to some extent in estimating the left ventricular diastolic function of CAD patients.

ASB-8 is a new member of the human ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing protein family (ASB). This report deals with the expression of ASB-8 protein in lung carcinoma tissue, as well as its biological effect on the proliferation and growth of lung cancer cell line SPC-A1. ASB-8 was expressed in pT7-450 expression vector, and an anti-ASB-8 rabbit polyclonal antibody was prepared. The expression of ASB-8 protein in lung carcinoma tissue was detected using immunohistochemistry. The growth characteristics of the lung adenocarcinoma SPC-A1 cells expressing either exogenous ASB-8 or ASB-8 SB (SOCS box-deficient) was studied by both in vitro cell growth curve and in vivo nude mouse tumor formation assay. Immunohistochemical staining detected positive reaction of 96.8% (30/31) showing that ASB-8 was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues; however, the expression of ASB-8 was lower, or even no expression in noncancerous lung tissues. Significant growth inhibition was observed in SPC-A1 cell line expressing ASB-8 SB on day 4 and persisted to day 6, compared with mock transfected cells (P<0.01). No difference in the growth properties was observed between ASB-8 and mock transfected cells. In vivo study also showed that tumor formation of ASB-8 SB expressing cells was significantly inhibited as compared with that of the control group (P<0.01). Therefore, ASB-8 may play an important role in growth and proliferation of lung cancer, possibly as positive regulator.

Objective: To study the psychologic status and their influencing factors in patients suspected of having coronary disease before and after coronary catheterization., Methods: A hundred fifty-eight inpatients (125 men, 33 women, mean age 66.1 +/- 9.6 years) who underwent a scheduled coronary catheterization for the first time and fulfilled entry criteria were enrolled. All the patients were examined by Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90), a standard self-report symptom inventory on present psychologic status, within 24 hours before the coronary catheterization (after the information consent) and the third day after the procedure., Results: (1) Before coronary catheterization, factorial scores of somatization, anxiety and phobic anxiety were higher than norm (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). After the procedure, only somatization score was higher (P < 0.01). (2) Men had higher scores on obsessive-compulsive and psychotism than women (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), however, women had higher scores on phobic anxiety (P < 0.05). (3) Compared with patients having coronary disease, those with angiographically normal coronary arteries seemed to have higher scores of somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychotism, global severity index and positive symptoms (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (4) After the procedure, significantly decreases in obsessive-compulsive, depression, hostility, global severity index and positive symptom severity index (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) were seen. (5) Patients merely underwent coronary angiography had higher score in phobic anxiety construct than those having had coronary angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (1.34 +/- 0.38 vs 1.15 +/- 0.23, P < 0.05). (6) When compared with the degree of explanation under informed consent, specific risk was not informed mentioned, a higher score in positive symptom severity index was seen (2.56 +/- 0.48 vs 2.46 +/- 0.37, P = 0.02). (7) Higher score was seen on positive symptom severity index when patients aged 70 years or more (2.62 +/- 0.45) than those under 60 years old (2.47 +/- 0.43, P < 0.05) or between 60 and 69 years old (2.45 +/- 0.40, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Patients' psychologic symptoms before and after the coronary catheterization seemed to be related to many factors. The most important appeared one was coronary catheterization itself. Women, patients with angiographically normal arteries, those of 70 years old or more were more likely to have elevated psychologic distress. Detail information including specific risk regarding the procedure was not associated with the increase of psychological symptoms. The findings emphasized the importance of psychologic assessment and counseling for patient who had undergone a scheduled coronary catheterization.

Objective: To study the imprinting status and expression level of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene in colorectal cancer and to provide a clue for the mechanism of carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer., Methods: The expression levels of IGF2 in the paired colorectal cancer and adjacent normal tissue were examined and compared by use of semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The imprinting status of IGF2 was detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The relationships between the expression level of IGF2, its imprinting status, and the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer were analyzed., Results: IGF2 was overexpressed in 82.4% (28/34) of colorectal cancer tissues which was significantly higher than those of the matched normal tissues (P<0.01, t=3.01). 87.5% (14/16) of colorectal cancer showed loss of imprinting(LOI), while 71.4%(10/14) of normal tissues also displayed LOI of IGF2., Conclusion: Overexpression of IGF2 was found to play an important role in carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. LOI of IGF2 may be a prophase manifestation of colorectal cancer.

Background & Objective: A novel membrane-associated gene CT120 was isolated from chromosome 17p13.3 locus in our laboratory. Its mRNA was not expressed in human normal lung tissues, but was abundant in human lung cancer cell line SPC-A-1. This study was designed to investigate the differential expression patterns of CT120 in different lung cancer and noncancerous tissues using immunohistochemistry and to explore the effects of ectopic expression and overexpression of CT120 on cell growth in vitro and in vivo., Methods: A polypeptide at the C-terminus of CT120 was selected by bioinformatics, then was synthesized and conjugated to KLH (a high molecular carrier). The chicken anti-CT120 antibody IgY was prepared with the synthesized antigen and was used to determine the different expression patterns of CT120 in various tumor cell lines and in lung cancer and noncancerous tissues. The effects of ectopic expression of CT120 on NIH/3T3 cell growth were investigated through colony formation analysis. The effect of overexpression of CT120 on the cell growth of A549 was analyzed using growth curve assay and tumor formation assay of transfected cells in nude mice., Results: The novel gene CT120 expressed in various tumor cell lines and expressed remarkably higher in lung cancers than in noncancerous tissues as well as normal lung tissues. Also, it promoted the proliferation of NIH/3T3 and A549 cells in vitro and in vivo., Conclusion: CT120 gene may be a novel candidate gene closely related to lung carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of collagen content intimal thickening and angiotensin II level of iliac arteries after balloon injury in rabbits. METHODS Fifty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly devided into 6 groups: losartan groups, benazapril groups and control groups for 4 weeks or 8 weeks. Every rabbit underwent endothelial debridement of the right iliac artery. lorsartan (15 mg/kg/d) and benazapril (5 mg/kg/d) were orally administrated respectively in losartan groups and benazepril groups from 5 days before until 4 weeks or 8 weeks after balloon injury. RESULTS: Collagen content and intimal area of rabbit iliac arteries were increased after balloon injury. After intervention for 4 weeks with losartan and benazapril, collagen content was decreased in losartan and benazapril groups than in control group 23.58+/-6.16 % and 22.67+/-10.20 % compared with 35.20+/-7.25 % respectively, P<0.05. After intervention for 8 weeks, collagen content was significantly decreased (20.69+/-11.16)% and 25.41+/-11.00 % compared with 42.69+/-13.99 % respectively, P<0.05; Intimal area and intimal to medial area ratio were also decreased in losartan and benazapril groups than in control group; Lumen area was increased in losartan and benazapril groups than in control group(0.79+/-0.25)mm2 and (0.76+/-0.28)mm2 compared with (0.62+/-0.27)mm2 P<0.05; Tissue angiotensin II level was increased in losartan group (516.31+/-70.79)pg/mg.pro compared with (410.72+/-100.11)pg/mg.pro, P<0.05, and decreased in benazapril group than in control group (340.62+/-67.69)pg/mg.pro compared with (410.72+/-100.11)pg/mg.pro, P<0.05. There were close correlation between tissue angiotensin II level and intimal area, or between tissue angiotensin II level and intimal to medial area ratio, or and collagen content in benazapril group, respectively, P<0.05. Conclusion (1) Collagen protein is a dynamic participant in vascular injury. (2) Tissue renin angiotensin system may play an important role in collagen accumulation, intimal thickening and vascular injury after angioplasty. (3) Losartan and benazapril reduce vascular collagen content and inhibit intimal thickening after balloon injury.

Endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide (EMAP) II is a unique cytokine, also known as p43, the active mature form of which exhibits antiangiogenic properties in vivo and in vitro. The proteolytic enzymes associated with the cleavage and release of the active mature form, however, remain unclear. Here we show that, in contrast to prior observations, purified pro-EMAP II is not cleaved by either caspase-3 or -7 in vivo or in vitro. Thus other proteolytic processes, which allow it to induce apoptosis via caspase-3 activation in migrating and dividing endothelium, may be involved in the release of the active mature EMAP II.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the specific sodium-hydrogen antiporter HOE642 could modifies myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. METHODS: The isolated working rat heart model was used. The rats were divided into four subgroups: Ischemic reperfusion (Control group),HOE642 given before Ischemia (HOE-Pr), HOE642 given during Ischemia (HOE-Is), HOE642 given during reperfusion (HOE-Re). LVDP, LVEDP, arrythmia, coronary flow and myocardial enzymes were measured. RESULTS: HOE642 given 15 minutes before ischemia increased coronary flow and significantly improved cardiac function, reduced the severity of ischemia, reperfusion arrhythmia and myocardial CK-MB, LDH release, but had no effect on heart rate. HOE642 given during ischemia only reduced LVEDP, the ischemia severity, reperfusion arrhythmia and myocardial enzyme release. It had no effect on heart rate or LVDP. There were no effects when the drug was given during reperfusion. CONCLUSION: HOE642 demonstrates significant cardioprotective effects. These protective effects are most significant when the drug is given before ischemia is induced.

Semipurified diets containing 30 or 500 ppm of dl-alpha-tocopherol (VE) were fed for 12 weeks to young (3-month-old) and old (20-month-old) Swiss mice. We measured the blastogenic response of splenocytes, the serum VE, and the lipofuscin levels in brains and hearts. We found that old mice fed with 500 ppm VE diet had a significantly higher serum VE level and blastogenic response of splenocytes to concanavalin-A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than those fed with 30 ppm VE diet (p < 0.01). However, the lipofuscin level in the brains and hearts of aged mice declined substantially with the VE supplementation (heart: p < 0.001, brain: p < 0.05). Furthermore, the effects of dietary VE on the serum VE and tissue lipofuscin content in aged mice were much more obvious than in the young animals.

Artenibenzoate is a new schistosomacide. This paper reports the pharmacokinetics of artenibenzoate in rats after oral administration. The concentrations in biological samples were detected by spectrophotometry. The concentration-time curve of the drug in plasma showed a double-peak after 150, 300 and 600 mg.kg-1 ig. Artenibenzoate absorption was fast and peak plasma level was found 1 h after administration. Then, the drug level declined to the lowest in 8 h. A second absorption peak appeared in 12 h. Two hours after oral administration to normal rats, the highest level of artenibenzoate was present in the stomach wall, while appreciable level was found in testicle, liver, spleen, heart, kidney and lung. Artenibenzoate in fat and intestine was lower, almost no drug was detected in brain and muscle. Six hours after oral administration, the drug concentration in various tissues decreased rapidly, but that in testicle, heart, kidney and fat decreased slowly. Urinary excretion was an important route of excretion. Artenibenzoate excreted in urine was about 45.6% of the administered dosage and that in feces 24.8% within a 48 hours period. The excreted amount in bile was 0.54% within 36 hours. Plasma protein binding of artenibenzoate was about 70%. Major unchanged artenibenzoate was detected in the extract from plasma, major reduced-arteannuin from feces, and both unchanged artenibenzoate and reduced-arteannuin from urine after oral administration in rats.

The genes encoding both the cytosolic and mitochondrial serine hydroxymethyltransferases (SHM2 and SHM1, respectively) and a third unidentified gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been isolated and their nucleotide sequences determined. Analysis of the predicted amino acid sequence of the amino-terminal regions, sequence comparison with other genes encoding SHMT enzymes, and subcellular fractionation studies all suggested that the SHM1 gene encodes the mitochondrial SHMT, while the SHM2 gene encodes the cytosolic enzyme. The SHM2 gene but not the SHM1 gene has putative GCN4 sites upstream of the putative TATA box, suggesting regulation of its transcription by the general amino acid control system. Yeast mutants with disruptions at each SHM gene and in both genes were constructed and all mutants had the same growth requirements as the parental strains. Mutagenesis of the double-disrupted, shm1 shm2 yeast yielded strains of a single complementation group that are auxotrophic for glycine. Complementation of the glycine auxotrophy using a yeast genomic library retrieved the SHM1 and SHM2 genes and a third gene designated GLY1. Gene disruption studies demonstrated that inactivation of SHM1, SHM2, and GLY1 is required to yield yeast that are completely auxotrophic for glycine.

We studied the effects of a nutrient supplemented diet on the function of alveolar macrophages of silicosis rats and on the blastogenic response of lymphocytes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity, and lipid peroxidase (LPO) activity in the blood of silicosis patients. The results showed that a nutrient supplemented diet increased the phagocytosis rate (p < 0.01) and index (p < 0.05) of alveolar macrophages of silicosis rats. A nutrient supplemented diet also enhanced significantly the GSH-PX activity (p < 0.001) and the blastogenic response of lymphocytes (p < 0.01), and decreased substantially the LPO content (p < 0.05) in the blood of silicosis patients. We conclude that a nutrient supplemented diet may play an important role in antilipid peroxidation, decreased free radical reaction, stabilizing cell membrane, delaying lung fibrosis, and enhancing immune functions of the body.

We studied the effects of nutrients such as vitamin C, E, B6, niacin, and methionine on the blastogenic response of splenocytes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in lung and liver of mice exposed to SiO2 dust. The results showed that after treatment with SiO2, the blastogenic response of splenocytes decreased significantly (p < 0.001), whereas the LPO level in lung and liver increased remarkably (lung p < 0.05; liver p < 0.001). Vitamin E, C, and niacin strongly enhanced the blastogenic response of T and B splenic lymphocytes to concanavalin-A and to lipopolysaccharide (p < 0.001). The effects of methionine and B6 were much less intense. Other supplied nutrients have been shown to inhibit LPO in lung and liver of mice exposed to SiO2 (p < 0.001).

In this study, children suffering from viral and dietetic diarrhea were treated by bathing their legs and feet with Xi Xie Ting according to the TCM therapeutic principle of Clearing Dampness-Heat, eliminating inflammation to stop diarrhea, diuresis and regulating the functions of Spleen and Stomach. The results showed that there was a significant difference in mean days for disappearance of diarrhea between treatment group and control group (P < 0.01). There were beneficial effects on curtailing the therapeutic course, reducing the times of diarrhea and amount of stool and ameliorating the shape and property of stool.

Zinc finger genes encode proteins containing tandemly repeated zinc-mediated folded structures that are found in several transcriptional regulatory proteins. To identify new zinc finger genes, we have screened at low stringency human cosmid libraries enriched in chromosome 22 sequences with a probe derived from the finger region of the mouse Kruppel-like gene, mKr2. We identified 23 nonoverlapping human cosmids cross-hybridizing with the probe. All sequences obtained from cosmid subclones hybridizing with the probe revealed Kruppel-type consensus sequences. Hybridizations to somatic cell hybrid panels and to metaphase chromosomes revealed that 2 nonoverlapping zinc finger cosmids map to chromosome 22p and 4 map to 22q11.2. The 17 other nonoverlapping cosmids most likely map to other chromosomes. The short arms of acrocentric chromosomes are thought to encode only ribosomal RNA genes. Therefore, the identification of two zinc finger genes on chromosome 22p represents an unexpected finding of unknown significance. The four zinc finger genes that map to 22q11.2 are within the cat eye and DiGeorge syndrome regions and thus provide us with potential candidate genes for these developmental malformations.

A non-radioactive method for in situ hybridization of cosmid probes to metaphase chromosomes is described. Two procedures are involved: (i) hybridization with a cosmid probe labelled by nick translation in the presence of digoxigenin dUTP. The signal is visualized by an alkaline phosphatase conjugated antibody. (ii) FPG banding of the chromosomes. The steps involved in these two procedures are combined in an order which allows simultaneous observation of the banding pattern and the hybridization signal. The metaphases can thus be analysed after a single photographic step. This technique is considerably simpler than the method used previously.

The second smallest chromosome of the human karyotype, i.e., chromosome 22, is involved in many congenital or acquired structural aberrations. This variety can be taken advantage of to determine the exact linear order, from centromere to telomere, of cloned probes and chromosomal breakpoints. Eleven probes were localized with respect to breakpoints of 11 der(22) of independent cell lines using in situ hybridization on metaphasic spreads. The deduced order of the tested probes and that of the breakpoints are in complete agreement with the published genetic map and the karyotypic analysis, respectively. This approach enables a correlation of the genetic map with the chromosomal banding.

The recurrent translocation breakpoint on chromosome 22 of neuroepithelioma has been localized between two probes, D22S1 and D22S15, by both in situ hybridization and somatic cell hybrids. These two probes have further been shown to be genetically linked at theta = 0.0 and a lod score of 5.3. The two probes were unaffected by a partial deletion of the chromosome 22 long arm of a meningioma, showing that the meningioma locus is distal to that of the neuroepithelioma.

Using in situ chromosomal hybridization we have mapped the gene for the T-cell receptor alpha-chain in three different non-malignant T-cell clones occurring in ataxia telangiectasia. The constant region was translocated in each of the three clones. The variable region remained in its original position in two cases and was deleted in one clone which lost the derivative chromosome 14. We have therefore demonstrated that the T-cell receptor alpha-gene is split in at least two of these translocations. To our knowledge, this is the first direct evidence of the involvement of a gene from the immunoglobulin superfamily in chromosomal rearrangements in ataxia telangiectasia.

A transplantable myelocytic leukemia model of LACA mice, designated by the name of L801, was established by intravenous injection of spleen cell suspension from mice with radiation-induced myelocytic leukemia into mice of the same strain. Until now, for more than three years, the L801 has maintained stable and rapid growth and has been reproduced for over 130 serial passages. The incidence of leukemia in inoculated animals was approximately 100% and mean survival time was 10.9 +/- 2.1 days. The L801 is of myelocytic type which has been determined by cytological, cytochemical, pathological and ultrastructural observations. Its karyotype was hypodiploid, characterized by modal number of 39, loss of Y chromosome and an abnormal huge marker chromosome. The cell cycle duration of the L801 was 16 h. C-type viral particles were observed under the electron-microscope. The L801 was sensitive, to varying extents, to various anti-tumor agents. We presume that the L801 is a useful tool in studies on mechanism of leukemogenesis, anti-tumor agent screening and treatment of experimental tumors.

To delimit the 14q32.1 recurrent breakpoint of ataxia telangiectasia clones, we performed an in situ hybridization study with various probes located on the 14q32 band. We thus mapped this breakpoint between the D14S1 and Pi loci. Furthermore, an interstitial duplication including D14S1 and a part of the IgH locus was demonstrated on a t(14;14) clone.