[Experimental study scavenging effect of paraquat by hemoperfusion]

Objective: To determine the scavenging effect and the change of metabolism of paraquat (PQ) using hemoperfusion (HP) once and twice within 12 hours after intoxication and explore the better scheme of HP. Methods: 18 beagles were randomly divided into 3 groups. Single HP group, Double HP group and Control group. Peripheral veins blood was collected at different times within 48 hours after exposure in each group. Toxin concentration was measured, analyzed and compared among 3 groups. Results: 6 hours after exposure, Single HP group and Double HP group has finished the first HP treatment, and the concentration of PQ was lower than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . 10 hours after exposure, there was no statistical difference of toxin concentration among 3 groups (P>0.05) . 12 hours after exposure, Double HP group has finished the second HP treatment, the concentration of PQ was significantly lower than that of Single HP group and Control group (P<0.05) . 24 hours and 48 hours after exposure, there was no statistical difference of toxin concentration among 3 groups (P>0.05) . Statistical difference were not observed in toxicokinetical parameters among 3 groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: HP treatment once and twice within 12 hours after intoxication could effectively reduce the toxin concentration in the peripheral veins blood after HP for about 4 hours, then the toxin concentration would return to the same level as Control group quickly. It was suggested that at the beginning of poisoning, HP treatment once or twice could not significantly change the metabolism of paraquat.

[Prevalence of hypertension and risk factors in Uygur population in Kashgar area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hypertension and risk factors in Uygur adults in Kashgar of Xinjiang. Methods: A total of 4 748 Uygur adults aged ≥18 years selected through cluster random sampling in Shufu county of Kashgar prefecture were surveyed by means of questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory test. The prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rate of hypertension of different groups were calculated and risk factors of hypertension was analyzed by using non-conditional logistic regression model. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension was 15.73% (age-adjusted prevalence was 13.75%). The prevalence rates of hypertension in men and women were 16.36% (age-adjusted prevalence was 12.96%), 15.39% (age-adjusted prevalence was 14.34%), respectively. The rates of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were 59.57%, 52.74%, 21.29%, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension increased with age. Compared with age group 18-34 years, the age groups 55-64, ≥65 years had higher risk of hypertension and the OR values were 10.53, 20.96 for men and 16.27, 33.20 for women. The overweight (OR=1.47 for men, OR=1.82 for women, P<0.05) and obesity (OR=1.88 for men, OR=2.66 for women, P<0.05) also increased the risk of hypertension. The groups with family history of hypertension (OR=3.85 for men, OR=2.34 for women, P<0.05) also had higher risk of hypertension. Hypertriglyceridemia was positively correlated with the prevalence of hypertension in men (OR=1.62, 95%CI: 1.09-2.41). Conclusions: The prevalence of hypertension in Uygur adults in Kashgar area of Xinjiang was at relatively low level. The related risk factors were age, overweight, obesity, family history and hypertriglyceridemia in men and the risk factors were similar in women except hypertriglyceridemia.

[Knowledge, attitude and practice to chronic diseases and associated influencing factors in Uygur population in Kashgar area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region]

Objective: To investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) to chronic diseases and associated influencing factors in Uygur adults in Kashgar of southern Xinjiang, and provide basic information for developing ethnic specific prevention and control strategies for chronic diseases. Methods: With stratified cluster random sampling, investigations, including questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory tests were performed among local residents who were aged ≥18 years and selected in Shufu county in southern Xinjiang. KAP scores were calculated and unconditional logistic regression models were used to analyze influencing factors. Results: A total of 4 772 Uygur adults were surveyed. The awareness rate of chronic disease related knowledge ranged from 4.32% to 56.04%, while the awareness rate of preventive measures were from 1.76% to 85.18% and the participation rate of prevention program varied from 4.00% to 97.99%. The average KAP score was 15.90±4.20 and the rate of total KAP was 47.86%. Multi-factor analysis suggested the pass rate of total KAP score increased with educational level. Other factors positively associated with 'KAP score pass rate' were commercial insurance investment, hypertension, family history of common chronic diseases, female and abdominal obesity, while overweight was negatively associated with the KAP score pass rate. Conclusions: The KAP level on chronic diseases was low in Uygur adults in Kashgar. It is necessary to continuously implement ethnic targeted health education and health promotion campaigns, especially in low education level, low income level, overweight and male groups.

[Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and associated risk factors in Uygur population in Kashgar area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiologic characteristics of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Uygur residents in Kashgar of Xinjiang. Methods: The survey was conducted among the Uygur residents aged ≥18 years selected through stratified cluster sampling in Kashgar by means of questionnaire survey, physical examination and basic laboratory test. The prevalence of different groups were calculated and risk factors of DM was analyzed by logistic vegression model. Results: A total of 4 608 adults were surveyed. The prevalence of DM was 11.31% (standardized prevalence: 10.59%) and the prevalence was 13.65% (standardized prevalence: 12.34%) in males and 10.04% (standardized prevalence: 9.83%) in females. The prevalence increased with age. The prevalence of DM was higher than the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in people aged >60 years, especially in females. The rates of awareness, treatment and control of DM were 28.02%, 21.31% and 5.57%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that people aged 45-55, 55-65 and >65 years had higher risk of DM and the odds ratio were 2.08 (95%CI: 1.24-3.48), 2.73 (95%CI: 1.63-4.56) and 3.90 (95%CI: 2.24-6.78) for men and 2.63 (95% CI: 1.71-4.02), 3.14 (95%CI: 2.00-4.94) and 5.56 (95%CI: 3.47-8.92) for woman, respectively. Family history of DM (OR=2.88 for men, 95% CI: 1.45-5.72; OR=2.52 for women, 95% CI: 1.49-4.26) and BMI≥28.0 kg/m(2) (OR=1.77 for men, 95% CI: 1.19-2.64, OR=1.80 for women, 95% CI: 1.30-2.50) were also risk factors for DM. Conclusion: The prevalence of DM was high in Uygur residents in Kashgar, but the rate of awareness, treatment and control of DM were low. It is necessary to improve the detection rate of DM and conduct targeted prevention and control of DM.

Extraction yields and anti-oxidant activity of proanthocyanidins from different parts of grape pomace: effect of mechanical treatments

INTRODUCTION

White grape pomace is not subject to maceration, keeping nearly all polyphenols of grapes, so they represent important sources of bioactive compounds such as proanthocyanidins. Preparation of plant polyphenol extracts is usually performed using raw material powder. However, the fine particles make the further extraction procedure steps more difficult.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of mechanical treatments on extraction yields and anti-oxidant activity from different parts of white grape pomace.

METHODS

Skins, stems and seeds were isolated from the pomace of white winemaking process. Sequential solvent extraction of polyphenols, first using 80% methanol in water followed by 75% acetone in water, was carried out on both entire and milled (< 1 mm) grape solids; extraction on seed polyphenols was also performed in its squashed form. The phenolic content of each extract was verified by spectrometric and HPLC methods and its anti-oxidant activity was evaluated by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl test.

RESULTS

More total polyphenols can be extracted from each milled tissue than from its entire form. Seeds present the highest total phenol, oligomeric and polymeric proanthocyanidin content, and similar extraction yield was found between milled and squashed tissues. The HPLC analysis showed no difference in extraction yield of low-molecular-weight proanthocyanidins between milled and entire stems. Anti-oxidant activity showed a positive correlation with total phenol content, galloyled oligomers and polymeric proanthocyanidins.

CONCLUSION

The use of entire stems and squashed seeds for solvent extraction of polyphenols makes manipulation simpler and more cost-efficient, providing similar extraction yields to using their powdery forms.

The significance of proline-rich tyrosine kinase2 (Pyk2) on hepatocellular carcinoma progression and recurrence

Understanding the precise molecular mechanisms that trigger liver cancer cell migration and invasion could develop novel therapeutic strategies targeting cancer cell invasion to increase the sensitivity to current treatment modalities. In the current study, 49 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were included prospectively. Liver tumour and adjacent non-tumour tissues were detected for the expression of Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), ezrin and fibronectin at protein and/or gene levels. Correlation between the expressions of Pyk2/FAK with the clinical pathological data was analysed. Protein expression of Pyk2 was also examined in a nude mice orthotopic liver tumour model with higher metastatic potential. There were 59% (29 out of 49) and 57% (28 out of 49) of HCC patients with higher levels of Pyk2 and FAK protein/gene expression, respectively. We observed a positive correlation between the protein and gene expression levels of Pyk2 and FAK (P=0.000, r=0.875). Overexpression of Pyk2 and FAK was significantly correlated with shorter disease-free survival. Patients with higher levels of Pyk2/FAK had larger tumour size and advanced Edmonson grading. In the animal studies, Pyk2 overexpression was found in infiltrative tumour cells and lung metastatic nodules. In conclusion, overexpression of Pyk2 and FAK was found in nearly 60% of HCC patients and was significantly correlated with poor prognosis. The significance of Pyk2 in HCC invasiveness was confirmed by animal studies.

Parametric modeling in food package defect imaging

A novel approach in food package defect detection is proposed based on system identification theory, in which the channel defect detection problem can be regarded as the conventional system identification problem, i.e., estimation of the system impulse response based on the input-output sequence using parametric and nonparametric models. The well-known parametric model ARX has been investigated in this paper. The data are collected with a focused ultrasound transducer (17.3 MHz, 6.35-mm diameter, f/2, 173 microm -6 dB pulse-echo lateral beam width at the focus) scanned over a rectangular grid, keeping the packages in the focus. Performance is measured in terms of detection rate, image contrast, and contrast-to-noise ratio. The results using the ARX model are compared with previous image formation techniques and also compared with the non-parametric method, i.e., spectral analysis. The results show that the ARX model has the comparable detection rate as RFCS and higher detection rate than BAI and RFS (except 6-microm air-filled channel in plastic trilaminate film) for channel in plastic trilaminate film. The ARX model has achieved the moderate contrast enhancement and ranks second in contrast-to-noise ratio enhancement among the compared techniques. The ARX model has a low detection rate for channel defects in aluminum trilaminate film, which shows that its performance is material-dependent. Finally, the parametric method, ARX model demonstrates better performance than the non-parametric method, spectral analysis for food package defect detection.

Identification of a protein isolated from senescent human cells that binds to hepatitis B virus X antigen

Hepatitis B virus-encoded X antigen contributes to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Given that X antigen functions by binding to other proteins, additional X-binding proteins were sought from an adult human liver cDNA library in a yeast two-hybrid system. The results yielded a clone encoding a 55-kd protein that is associated with replicative senescence (p55sen). Binding of p55sen to X antigen was confirmed in vitro by immunoprecipitation and affinity chromatography. The expression of endogenous p55sen inversely correlated with cell growth. Transient transfection of X antigen or p55sen into HepG2 cells stimulated DNA synthesis by twofold to threefold, whereas cotransfection did not, suggesting that these molecules functionally interact. The detection of p55sen in embryonic mouse liver, its absence in adult mouse and human livers, and its reappearance in livers from carriers with chronic liver disease, suggest that it may play important roles in the regulation of liver cell growth. The similarity between p55sen and a notch ligand, which is involved in cell fate determinations during embryogenesis, implies that the binding of p55sen by X antigen may also contribute to an alteration in cell fate, which is characteristic of carcinogenesis.

[Changes in T-lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-2 production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells after thermal injury]

The relative number of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte and its subsets, identified by monoclonal antibodies OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8, and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) were assessed in burn patients by means of indirect immunofluorescence and microassay CTLL-2 3H-TdR incorporation techniques. Comparing with the controls, the relative number of OKT3+ cell in burn patients was decreased occasionally, however, the proportion of OKT4+ cell was significantly reduced and did not recover until the patients were cured. The changes in OKT8+ cell depended on the extent of the burn wound. In minor and moderate burn patients, the proportion of OKT8+ cell was temporarily increased, while in major burn patients, it was increased persistently. The OKT4+/OKT8+ cell ratio declined constantly. The results of the experiment showed that the PBMCs IL-2 production in the patients was persistently lower than normal controls and correlated to the OKT4+/OKT8+ cell ratio. These data indicated that following burn injury, there was insufficiency of relative number in TH cells and relative dominance in Ts cells, which might affect the IL-2 production. These findings suggest that the lowered immunopotency after thermal injury may be attributed to both insufficient TH cells and excessive Ts cells.