Mitochondrial-related gene expression profiles suggest an important role of PGC-1alpha in the compensatory mechanism of endemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Keshan disease (KD) is an endemic dilated cardiomyopathy with unclear etiology. In this study, we compared mitochondrial-related gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from 16 KD patients and 16 normal controls in KD areas. Total RNA was isolated, amplified, labeled and hybridized to Agilent human 4 × 44k whole genome microarrays.

[Detection of serum PICP and PINP and COL1alpha1 DNA sequence analysis in patients with arsenic poisoning in Dazhuyuan Town, Ankang area in southern Shaanxi Province].

Objective: To investigate type I collagen metabolism in patients with arsenic poisoning in Dazhuyuan town, Ankang area in southern Shaanxi province known for high-level exposure to arsenic (As), fluoride (F) and selenium (Se).

Methods: This case-control study involved 29 patients with arsenic poisoning from Dazhuyuan, a town in Ankang area of Shaanxi province affected by coal-borne endemic arsenicosis. Thirty individuals without arsenic poisoning from Chang'an county of Xi'an city were included as the control group.

[Organic gallium improves tretinoin-induced osteoporosis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of organic gallium and gallium chloride on bone metabolism and their therapeutic effect against tretinoin-induced osteoporosis in rats.

Methods: Rat models of osteoporosis was established with intragastric administration of tretinoin at the daily dose of 85 mg/kg for 15 days and randomized into control, organic gallium and gallium chloride groups. After administration of the corresponding treatments (none for the control group) for 4 weeks, the changes of the indices for osteoporosis were evaluated through biochemical and pathological approaches.