[A trend analysis of the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing, China, from 2006 to 2014]

Objective: To investigate the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing, China, from 2006 to 2014, and to analyze the harm, features, and trend of occupational diseases in Chongqing. Methods: The data of new cases of occupational diseases from 2006 to 2014 were collected, and the patients with a confirmed diagnosis of occupational diseases were selected as study subjects to analyze the incidence of occupational diseases in Chongqing. Results: There were 17499 cases of occupational diseases in total in Chongqing from 2006 to 2014. Among these patients, 17124 (97.86%) were male, most of whom (95.40%) had occupational pneumoconiosis, and 375 (2.14%) were female, most of whom (72.80%) had occupational chemical poisoning. There were 16400 cases (93.72%) of occupational pneumoconiosis in total, mainly coal workers' pneumoconiosis (55.87%) and silicosis (43.02%) , and the main industries involved were coal mining and washing, railway transport equipment manufacturing, and mining and washing of bituminous coal and anthracite. There were 724 cases of occupational poisoning in total; there were 281 cases of acute occupational poisoning, mainly gas poisoning (39.86%) and carbon monoxide poisoning (33.10%) ; there were 443 cases of chronic occupational poisoning, mainly poisoning caused by benzene (47.63%) , mercury and its inorganic compounds (32.74%) , and lead and its inorganic compounds (9.03%) . Conclusion: Occupational diseases in Chongqing are mainly occupational pneumoconiosis, and occupational health supervision should be enhanced in the industries of coal mining and washing and railway transport equipment manufacturing to protect workers' health.

Isolation, expression, and characterization of a hydroperoxide lyase gene from cucumber

A full-length cDNA coding for hydroperoxide lyase (CsHPL) was isolated from cucumber fruits of No. 26 (Southern China type) and No.14-1 (Northern China type), which differed significantly in fruit flavor. The deduced amino acid sequences of CsHPL from both lines show the same and significant similarity to known plant HPLs and contain typical conserved domains of HPLs. The recombinant CsHPL was confirmed to have 9/13-HPL enzymatic activity. Gene expression levels of CsHPL were measured in different organs, especially in fruits of different development stages of both lines. The HPL activities of fruit were identified basing on the catalytic action of crude enzyme extracts incubating with 13-HPOD (13-hydroperoxy-(9Z,12E)-octadecadienoic acid) and 13-HPOD + 9-HPOD (9-hydroperoxy-(10E,12Z)-octadecadienoic acid), and volatile reaction products were analyzed by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). CsHPL gene expression in No. 26 fruit occurred earlier than that of total HPL enzyme activity and 13-HPL enzyme activity, and that in No. 14-1 fruit was consistent with total HPL enzyme activity and 9-HPL enzyme activity. 13-HPL enzyme activities decreased significantly and the 9-HPL enzyme activities increased significantly with fruit ripening in both lines, which accounted for the higher content of C6 aldehydes at 0–6 day post-anthesis (dpa) and higher content of C9 aldehydes at 9–12 dpa.

Cloning of insertion sequence IS1485 from Enterococcus species

We have cloned and identified an insertion sequence, IS1485, that was present in several members of the genus Enterococcus. IS1485 exists in varying copy numbers with at least 12 copies in E. durans (ATCC 11576), 3 copies in E. faecium (ATCC 19434), and one copy each in E. faecalis (ATCC 19433) and E. avium (ATCC 14024). It was also detected in clinical strains of E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavus, and E. saccharolyticus. IS1485 is 1366 bp in length, it has imperfect terminal inverted repeats with 25 of the terminal 39 residues matched, and it contains three open reading frames exceeding 50 codons, designated orfA, orfB, and orfC. The largest, orfB, was located 36 bp downstream and in the -1 reading frame relative to orfA; orfC is oriented in the opposite direction and overlaps orfA. The genetic organization of IS1485 resembles that of members of the IS3 family of transposable elements. Sequence homology exists with several members of the IS3 family especially with IS199 from Streptococcus mutans.

Iodized oil enhances the thermal effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound on ablating experimental liver cancer

The influence of the biological medium on high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for ablating experimental liver cancer was studied. In study 1, the temperature rise in the focal zone in the presence of iodized oil or castor oil was observed in vitro. The results showed that HIFU with iodized oil produced a higher and faster temperature rise than did HIFU with castor oil, whether high-power (500 W/cm2) or relatively low-power (136 W/cm2) conditions were used (P = 0.0008 and P = 0.0004 respectively). With the excised liver samples, the temperature also rose higher and more rapidly after injection of iodized oil into the liver than when castor oil was injected (P = 0.0239), and the target liver tissue revealed more radically and extensive destruction with iodized oil than with castor oil. In study 2, 48 nude mice, bearing primary liver cancer LTNM4 implanted subcutaneously, were randomly divided into four groups. Group I (n = 12) were the controls, group II (n = 12) were injected with iodized oil alone, group III (n = 12) received HIFU treatment, and group IV (n = 12) were exposed to HIFU after iodized oil injection. Significant inhibition of tumor growth was seen in groups III and IV as compared with group I or group II (P < 0.05), the tumor growth inhibition rate on the 28th day after treatment being 87% and 93% respectively. Significantly improved survival was noted in groups III and IV compared with groups I and II (P < 0.05). Histologically, group IV showed more complete tumor necrosis than did group III. These data suggest that HIFU combined with iodized oil might have achieve of synergism, location and targeting in the treatment of liver cancer.

High-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of experimental liver tumour

This project aimed to determine the adequacy and accuracy of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for ablating experimental liver tumour, and to assess imaging methods for monitoring the therapeutic results. The rabbit liver pseudotumour model was established by injection of Freund's complete adjuvant into the liver; the animals then received HIFU therapy via laparotomy at the focal point of the beam (1.1 MHz, 500 W/cm2, 20 s). The rabbits were sacrificed at scheduled times after treatment and liver tumours were examined histologically. Sequential imaging of the liver tumour was performed before and after HIFU treatment. HIFU accurately destroyed the rabbit liver tumour and induced coagulation necrosis 24 h later. Sonographic imaging studies revealed that characteristic changes occurred. A hyperechoic mass turned to a hypoechoic lesion with no Doppler signal, and a high echogenic rim appeared 24 h after HIFU treatment, correlating well with the pathological changes of a sonoablated lesion. These results verify that HIFU has the power to ablate liver tumour quite adequately and accurately, and that sonography is useful for monitoring sonoablated liver tumour.

High-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of experimental liver tumour

This project aimed to determine the adequacy and accuracy of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for ablating experimental liver tumour, and to assess imaging methods for monitoring the therapeutic results. The rabbit liver pseudotumour model was established by injection of Freund's complete adjuvant into the liver; the animals then received HIFU therapy via laparotomy at the focal point of the beam (1.1 MHz, 500 W/cm2, 20 s). The rabbits were sacrificed at scheduled times after treatment and liver tumours were examined histologically. Sequential imaging of the liver tumour was performed before and after HIFU treatment. HIFU accurately destroyed the rabbit liver tumour and induced coagulation necrosis 24 h later. Sonographic imaging studies revealed that characteristic changes occurred. A hyperechoic mass turned to a hypoechoic lesion with no Doppler signal, and a high echogenic rim appeared 24 h after HIFU treatment, correlating well with the pathological changes of a sonoablated lesion. These results verify that HIFU has the power to ablate liver tumour quite adequately and accurately, and that sonography is useful for monitoring sonoablated liver tumour.

[Mechanism of intracellular calcium homeostasis in heat-exposed cardiomyocytes of rats]

The activity of Ca(2+)-ATPase and calcium content were measured in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and mitochrondria of myocardium from 40 adult female Wistar rats after exposure to 37 degrees C, 39 degrees C, 41 degrees C and 43 degrees C for 40 min respectively in vitro. The 45Ca uptake, intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the relatively active calmodulin content were also observed in cultured cardiomyocytes from 120 neonatal Wistar rats under the same condition of heat exposure. The results showed that (1) the activity of Ca(2+)-ATPase of SR and mitochrondria of myocardium decreased after heat exposure, (2) the calcium content of SR and mitochrondria also showed a tendency of decrease with increase of exposure temperature, (3) the 45Ca uptake and mean [Ca2+]i increased, whereas the calmodulin content decreased. It is suggested that disturbances of intracellular calcium homeostasis may be responsible for cardiac functional disorder after heat exposure.

[Sodium nitroprusside in treating acute high-altitude pulmonary edema]

Sodium nitroprusside (NP) alone Was given to the 39 cases with acute high-altitude pulmonary edema (AHPE). 33 of them (84.6%) fully recovered and 6 (15.38%) obviously improved in 72 hours. The total efficacy was 100%. There was obvious improvement in the cardiac pumping and contractile function as well as total peripheral resistance. The mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) decreased from 52.22 +/- 7.51mmHg to 25.13 +/- 10.36mmHg in 3 to 5 hours after the first dose. Strophanthin K was given to another 11 cases with AHPE, But none fully recovered or obviously improved. During the 72 hours of treatment, 4 improved slightly, 4 showed no therapeutic effect and 3 became worse. The heart rate was reduced obviously and cardiac contractile function strengthened while the cardiac pumping function and total peripheral resistance had no change. Vasodilator therapy is a new method for AHPE treatment and this study shows that the NP is an ideal drug in treating AHPE and that dilation of the small pulmonary arteries by NP may explain its efficacy.