Incidence and risk factors of tuberculosis among the elderly population in China: a prospective cohort study.

Background: China is facing challenges of the shifting presentation of tuberculosis (TB) from younger to elderly due to an ageing population, longer life expectancy and reactivation disease. However, the burden of elderly TB and influence factors are not yet clear. To fill the gap, we generated a cohort study to measure the magnitude of TB incidence and associated factors among the elderly population aged 65 years and above in China.

CX-3543 Promotes Cell Apoptosis through Downregulation of CCAT1 in Colon Cancer Cells.

Aim: Colon cancer-associated transcript-1 (CCAT1), located in the vicinity of transcription factor c-Myc, was first identified in colon cancer. A small-molecule compound CX3543 (Quarfloxin) selectively targeting Myc G-quadruplexes has entered phase II clinical trials for neuroendocrine carcinomas. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between CX3543, CCAT1, and cell apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

[Methylation status of the IL-10 gene promoter in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients].

Interleukin 10(IL-10), as an immunoregulatory cytokine, plays an important role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-10 gene silencing is associated with the chromatin remodeling in differentiated Th1 and Th2 cells. To explore the relationship between IL-10 promoter methylation and gene silencing in the pathogenesis of RA, IL-10 mRNA, protein expression and promoter methylation status were analyzed in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 34 RA patients and 30 healthy controls by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), respectively.

[Polymorphism of five short tandem repeat loci on chromosome X in Hebei Han population].

Objective: To investigate the polymorphism of DXS6801, DXS6809, DXS7423, DXS7424, DXS9902 five loci in Hebei Han population.

Methods: The PCR products were detected by the polyacrylamide gel electrophresis and DNA sequencing analysis.

Results: Among 114 irrelative males and 118 irrelative females from Hebei Han population, 31 alleles were found in the 5 loci.

Effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide on diacylglycerol-PKC signaling pathway in rat pulmonary interstitial macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide.

Aim: To investigate the effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) on the diacylglycerol-protein kinase C (DAG-PKC) signaling pathway in rat pulmonary interstitial macrophages (PIM) stimulated by lipopolysaccaride (LPS).

Methods: The PIM from rat lung tissues were isolated using the collagenase digestion method combined with alveolar lavage and pulmonary vessel perfusion. DAG content and PKC activity were measured by radioenzymatic assay.

[Studies of DNA polymorphism at D7S21 locus in Hebei Han population].

To study the polymorphism at D7S21 locus in Hebei Han population, 124 unrelated individuals were detected rapidly by Minisatellite Variant Repeat-Polymerase Chain Reaction (MVR-PCR) and polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining,and digital codes were obtained. About 36 digital codes were obtained from each individual. No two unrelated individuals shared the same codes.

[Polymorphic analysis of four Y short tandem repeat loci in Han nationality of Hebei province in China].

Objective: To investigate the distribution of the polymorphism of the Y-chromosomal loci DYS438, DYS439, GATA A7.1 and GATA A7.2 among Han population in Hebei province.

[Sequence polymorphism of mtDNA HV1, HV2 overlapping fragments and coding region 8430-8673nt in Han population of Hebei province].

Objective: To investigate the sequence polymorphism of mtDNA HV1,HV2 overlapping fragments and coding region encompassing position 8430-8673 in Hebei Han population.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) combined with sequencing method was used to detect the haplotype distribution of mtDNA in 100 Hebei Han individuals.

Results: Ninety-one haplotypes were noted in 100 unrelated individuals.

Effect of lipopolysaccharide on expression and characterization of cholecystokinin receptors in rat pulmonary interstitial macrophages.

Aim: To investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the expression and the binding characteristics of cholecystokinin receptors (CCK-R) in rat pulmonary interstitial macrophages (PIMs).

Methods: The PIMs isolated from rat lung tissues were purified by the collagenase digestion method combined with alveolar lavage and pulmonary vessel perfusion. The expression of CCK-R mRNA was detected by RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis and the binding experiments were performed by radioligand binding assay (RBA).

[Changes of iNOS genes expression in liver following ischemia and reperfusion of limbs and their significance in rats].

Aim: To detect the changes of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in liver following ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of hindlimbs and to elucidate their significance.

Methods: I/R was established using the occlusion of the femoral arteries for 4 h and reopening for 2-24 h in rats. The expression of iNOS mRNA, and iNOS protein and the nitrotyrosine (NT), a marker of peroxynitrite (ONOO-), in liver tissue were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical technique, respectively.

Expression and cell-specific localization of cholecystokinin receptors in rat lung.

Aim: To elucidate whether CCK receptors exist in lung tissues and their precise cellular localization in the lung.

Methods: CCK-AR and CCK-BR mRNA expression and cellular distribution in the rat lung were detected by highly sensitive method of in situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and conventional in situ hybridization.

Results: CCK-AR and CCK-BR gene positive signals were observed in bronchial epithelial cells, alveolar epithelial cells, pulmonary macrophages and vascular endothelial cells of the rats' lung by in situ RT-PCR.

Effect of cholecystokinin octapeptide on tumor necrosis factor alpha transcription and nuclear factor-kappaB activity induced by lipopolysaccharide in rat pulmonary interstitial macrophages.

Aim: To elucidate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of an intestinal neuropeptide, sulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (sCCK-8), the effects of sCCK-8 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression and NF-kappaB activity in pulmonary interstitial macrophages (PIMs) were studied.

Methods: PIMs from rat were stimulated with LPS (1 mg.L(-1)) in the presence or absence of sCCK-8 (10(-8)-10(-6)mol.