Analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vif gene sequences among men who have sex with men in Heilongjiang province of China.

To identify the current prevalent subtypes and to study the genetic variation of HIV-1 strains in men who have sex with men (MSM) residing in Heilongjiang province, China. We analyzed the characteristics of the nucleotide sequences and the corresponding deduced protein of Vif of HIV-1 strains isolated from 17 drug-naive HIV-1-seropositive MSM. Subtypes B (7.

Parenting stress in Chinese mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders.

Objective: Elevated parenting stress has been observed among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in western countries, but little is known about mothers of Han Chinese children. The aim of the current study was to further the knowledge about stress experienced by Chinese mothers of children with ASD by examining maternal parenting stress in Heilongjiang province of China.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data about participants' demographic characteristics, parenting stress, anxiety, depression, child's behavioral problems, coping strategies, and social support were collected though a questionnaire survey.

Parent-reported health care expenditures associated with autism spectrum disorders in Heilongjiang province, China.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the health expenses incurred by families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those expenses' relation to total household income and expenditures.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, health care expenditure data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Expenses included annual costs for clinic visits, medication, behavioral therapy, transportation, and accommodations.

Replication of the association of a MET variant with autism in a Chinese Han population.

Background: Autism is a common, severe and highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder in children, affecting up to 100 children per 10,000. The MET gene has been regarded as a promising candidate gene for this disorder because it is located within a replicated linkage interval, is involved in pathways affecting the development of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum in ways relevant to autism patients, and has shown significant association signals in previous studies.

Principal Findings: Here, we present new ASD patient and control samples from Heilongjiang, China and use them in a case-control and family-based replication study of two MET variants.

Autism awareness and attitudes towards treatment in caregivers of children aged 3-6 years in Harbin, China.

Objective: To (1) estimate the proportion of people in the community who could correctly recognize autism spectrum disorders (ASD); (2) describe the attitudes towards various treatments for ASD; and (3) identify factors associated with ASD recognition.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Harbin, China (n = 4,947). We estimated the proportions of participants who were at different levels of knowledge about ASD and of their attitudes towards mental health service use.

Knowledge and risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, and their association with information resource among men who have sex with men in Heilongjiang province, China.

Background: In Heilongjiang province, the HIV prevalence in men who have sex with men (MSM) is generally lower than other part of China. However, the official perception for their risk of HIV/AIDS infection has been increasing in the province over the years. Moreover, little information on HIV/AIDS was provided to the communities so that we have disadvantage of controlling HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region.

[Effect of an active component from Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl against respiratory syncytial virus in vitro].

Objective: To study the extraction of an active component LC-4 from Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl and anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) effect in vitro.

Methods: The extration from boiling water of Forsythia suspensa were extracted by hot water extraction and were precipitated by ethanol and were elicited by macroporous adsorptive resins column chromatography.

Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase T1 and bladder cancer risk: a meta-analysis.

In recent years, there have been numerous papers emphasizing the relationship between Glutathione S-transferases polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk, but the findings have not reached a consensus. The relationship between glutathione S-transferase T 1 null genotype and bladder cancer susceptibility is now even more disputable. Therefore, we present a meta-analysis of (nested) case-controlled, genotype-based studies (including 37 studies, 6,986 cases and 9,166 controls) examining this association.

Psychological distress and its correlates in Chinese adolescents.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of severe psychological distress in Chinese adolescents, and to identify the demographic and psychosocial factors associated with psychological distress in this population.

Method: A multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was used to select a sample of adolescents (n = 3109) in Heilongjiang Province (Northeast of China), who were aged 13-18 years old. Psychological distress was measured by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).

Beta-sitosterol inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in SGC-7901 human stomach cancer cells.

Beta-sitosterol is an important phytosterol found in plant food. It has been shown to have antiproliferative effects on cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate, but its effect on stomach cancer cells in vitro is unknown. Proliferation, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis in SGC-7901 human stomach cancer cells were examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, clone formation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assay, acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) double staining, 4',6-diamidine-2'-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining, comet assay, and Western blotting.

Analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nef gene sequences among inmates from prisons in China.

To provide the hard-won information on HIV-1 polymorphism from inmates in prison and to study the genetic variation of HIV-1 strains, we analyzed the characterization of the nucleotide and corresponding protein sequences of naturally occurring nef sequences derived from 16 HIV-1-positive inmates from prisons in China. Nested PCR and DNA sequencing were used to determine nef sequences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a distribution of the viral sequences among subtype B, CRF_BC, and CRF_AE, with subtype B accounting for more than half of the genotypes.

Variation of the oxytocin/neurophysin I (OXT) gene in four human populations.

Oxytocin is a short peptide with multiple functions in human biology and has been implicated in autism. We aimed to determine the normal pattern of variation around the oxytocin gene and resequenced it and its flanking regions in 91 individuals from four HapMap populations and one chimpanzee. We identified 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), all noncoding, including eight that were novel.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid increases PPAR gamma gene expression in adipose tissue of obese rat, and improves insulin resistance.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a class of positional, geometric, conjugated dienoic isomers of linoleic acid. Dietary CLA supplementation has resulted in a dramatic decrease in body fat mass in mice. However, some but not all studies in mice and humans have found that CLA promoted insulin resistance, and there were conflicting reports on the effects of CLA on peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR gamma) activation and expression.

[Effect of ceramide on apoptosis of human colon cancer HT-29 cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of apoptosis and mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes of human colon cancer HT-29 cells induced by exogenous ceramide.

Methods: After HT-29 cells exposed to C2-ceramide for different time, transmission electron microscope and fluorescence microscope were used to observe the morphology change of cells. DNA agarose gel electrophoresis was applied to detect DNA fragmentation of HT-29 cells.

[The anti-respiratory syncytial virus effect of active compound of Glycyrrhiza GD4 in vitro].

Objective: To study the effect on anti-respiratory syncytial virus of an active compound GD4 from Glycyrrhiza in vitro.

Methods: GD4 was extracted from Glycyrrhiza by hot water extraction, dichloromethane extraction and column chromatography. The CPE inhibition assay was used to test the antiviral activity of GD4 on RSV in Hela cells.

[DNA damage and changes of antioxidative enzymes in chronic benzene poisoning mice].

Objective: To study the damage effect of benzene on DNA and its mechanism and the changes of antioxidative enzymes in vivo.

Methods: DNA break in bone marrow cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes of mice exposed to benzene by 4 h static inhalation per day at different concentrations for two months were analyzed with single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE). Meanwhile, the activity of SOD, GSH-Px and the level of MDA in liver, spleen and brain were detected.

[The expression and activity of caspase-8 in the process of vitamin E succinate-induced apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells].

Objective: To investigate the role of caspase-8 in vitamin E succinate (VES)-induced apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma cells.

Methods: The expression and activity of caspase-8 were measured by the Western Blot method with fluorescence and DAPI staining.

Results: VES treatment induced the expression and activity of caspase-8 in a dose-dependent manner; the apoptosis ratio induced by VES was significantly decreased in SGC-7901 cells treated with caspase-8 inhibitor.

[Research on the gap junctional intercellular communication of CHL cells and human cancer cells induced by c9, t11-conjugated linoleic acid].

In order to determine the effects on the gap junctional intercellular communication(GJIC) of CHL cells and human cancer cells induced by c9, t11-CLA and its mechanism. GJIC was observed by using scrape loading and dye transfer(SLDT) on CHL cells blocked by TPA and cancer cells(SGC-7901 and MCF-7) which were treated with various c9, t11-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentrations (25, 50, 100 and 200 mumol/L) of c9, t11-CLA for 24 and 48h, with a negative control. The results showed that c9, t11-CLA can recover GJIC of CHL cell blocked by TPA and similar to negative control at 200 mumol/L 48 h of c9, t11-CLA; c9, t11-CLA also can recover cancer cells(SGC-7901 and MCF-7) at doses of 24 h 100 mumol/L for MCF-7 cells and 24 h 200 mumol/L, 48 h 100 mumol/L, 200 mumol/L for SGC-7901 and MCF-7 cells.

Effects ofcis-9,trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid on cancer cell cycle.

Objectives: To determine the effect of cis-9, trans-11-conjugated linoleic acid on the cell cycle of mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) and its possible mechanism of inhibition cancer growth.

Methods: Using cell culture and immunocytochemical techniques, we examined the cell growth, DNA synthesis, expression of PCNA, cyclin A, B(1), D(1), p16(ink4a) and p21(cip/wafl) of MCF-7 cells which were treated with various c9, t11-CLA concentrations (25 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM and 200 mM) of c9, t11-CLA for 24 and 48 h, with negative controls (0.1% ethanol).

[Estimation of latency period of lung cancer].

A case-control study with time-related factors was conducted to estimate the latency period of lung cancer. This study included 168 incident male cases of lung cancer histologically confirmed and 336 control patients with non-neoplastic diseases. All patients were interviewed in the hospital wards from May 1987 to May 1990.