Effectiveness of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids against microbial pathogens / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Microorganisms provide both beneficial and harmful effects to human beings. Beneficial effects come from the symbiotic relationship that exists between humans and microbiota, but then several human illnesses have turned some friendly microbes into opportunistic pathogens, causing several microbial-related diseases. Various efforts have been made to create and utilize antimicrobial agents in the treatment and prevention of these infections, but such efforts have been hampered by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Despite extensive studies on drug discovery to alleviate this problem, issues with the toxicity and tolerance of certain compounds and continuous microbial evolution have forced researchers to focus on screening various phytochemical dietary compounds for antimicrobial activity. Linolenic acid and its derivatives (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) are omega-3 fatty acids that have been studied due to their role in human health, being important for the brain, the eye, the cardiovascular system, and general human growth. However, their utilization as antimicrobial agents has not been widely appreciated, perhaps due to a lack of understanding of antimicrobial mechanisms, toxicity, and route of administration. Therefore, this review focuses on the efficacy, mechanism, and toxicity of omega-3 fatty acids as alternative therapeutic agents for treating and preventing diseases associated with pathogenic microorganisms.

Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of the lipid extract from Mantidis ootheca on Pseudomonas aeruginosa / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The aim of this study is to assess the antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties of the lipid extract from Mantidis ootheca against the gentamycin resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The chemical composition of the lipid extract and its relative proportion were determined using the technique of gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antibacterial susceptibility tests were performed using a disc diffusion assay and the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) was determined by way of the agar dilution method. The anti-biofilm test was carried out with crystal violet staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There were 16 compounds detected, and the most abundant components were sesquiterpenoids, monoterpenes, and trace aromatic compounds. The MIC for P. aeruginosa was 4 mg/ml and the eradication effect on preformed biofilms was established and compared with a ciprofloxacin control. The results of our study indicated that a lipid extract from M. ootheca could be used as a topical and antibacterial agent with anti-biofilm activity in the future.

Clinicopathological and prognostic analysis of 178 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinicopathological characteristics and the prognostic factors in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical and pathological data of 178 cases with hypopharyngeal cancer from January 2000 to December 2006 were studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 178 hypopharyngeal cancer, the median survival time was 42.8 months (1 - 127 months). Total 3- and 5-year survival rates were 47% and 35%, respectively. The 5-year survival rates of stage I + II, stage III and stage IV were 76.2%, 46.7% and 29.6%, respectively. The second primary carcinoma occurred in 14.0% patients (25/178), of them 18 patients with synchronous carcinoma and 7 patients with metachronous carcinoma. The independent risk factors associated with the prognosis of these patients were T staging, N staging, clinical staging, performance status (PS), smoking index and treatment model (all P < 0.01). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that smoking index, staging of tumor and treatment were independent risk factors of prognosis. The rate of larynx function preservation was increasing with years from 2000 to 2006.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Surgery plus radiotherapy is the most important treatment for the patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. Tumor stage and treatment model are important predictors of survival in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer.</p>

Comparison of rabbit retinal fixation techniques: chemical fixation and microwave irradiation / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background Conventional chemical method to fix the entire eyeball results in the edema of retinal nerve fiber layer and therefore influent the evaluation of tissue structure.Research showed that microwave irradiation can avoid this phenomenon. Objective This study was to investigate the appropriate energy and time duration of microwave irradiation for fixation of rabbit eyes specimen and compare the influence of different fixation methods on retinal structure. Methods Twenty-two New Zealand white rabbits were sacrificed by using venous air embolism.The eyeballs were enucleated from the rabbits and immersed in chemical reagents with glacial acetic acid,methyl aldehyde and chloroform for 2 days as the control group.The eyeballs were immersed in 400 ml physiological balance solution immediately,and then were fixed by microwave irradiation for 80,160,240 and 320 seconds under the lower power as the microwave irradiation groups.In the microwave irradiation+chemical fixation group,the specimens were immersed in chemical reagents for 1-2 hours after the microwave radiation.The morphology of retinal structure was examined and area of retinal detachment was calculated by hemotoxylin and eosin staining under the light microscope. Results A better fixation effect was obtained in the retinal section of microwave radiation for 240 seconds in comparison with that of the traditional chemical reagent fixation method for 2 days.The retina detachment ratio was 16.3%±11.5% for simple microwave method,50.0%±24.5% for chemical method,and 6.7%±7.8% for microwave+chemical method.showing a significant difference among 3 groups(F=32.43,P=0.000).Retinal staining was clear and retinal structure was almost normal in the specimens of microwave+chemical fixation group with 200-240 seeonds microwave irradiation and 1-2 hours chemical fixation. Conclusion Microwave irradiation method is a more ideal way for the fixation of retina because of taking short duration,lower toxicity and better staining.The combination of microwave radiation and chemical reagents can acquire an excellent quality of retinal section.

Changes of HSP70, bFGF and TGF-beta1 expression in rat brain after concussion / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the changes of expression of relevant factors in rat brain after concussion injury and to provide scientific basis for forensic estimation of brain injury interval.@*METHODS@#Brain tissues were sampled from the established SD rat animal model of brain concussion, routinely processed and stained with HE and immunohistochemically stained with antibodies directed against heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The sections were examined under light microscope with IMAGE analytical system and homologous statistical analysis.@*RESULTS@#The expression of HSP 70 was observed in 30 minutes after brain injury. The amount of neurons expressing HSP 70 increased gradually, reached its peak at 12 hours and then declined at 24 hours after brain injury. The expression of bFGF was observed 3 hours after injury in brain stem, reached its peak at 12 hours, and then declined. The expression of TGF-beta1 was detected 6-24 hours after brain injury, remained at its peak up to 3 days.@*CONCLUSION@#Brain injury can induce a chronological expression of HSP70, bFGF and TGF-beta1. The results can be a potential for estimating the age of brain injury using several markers.

Effect of Kang'ai Injection on serum level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with esophageal carcinoma during radiotherapy / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Kang'ai Injection (KAI) on serum level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (slL-2R) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) during radiotherapy (RT), and to investigate its synergistic effect with RT and its influence on immunological function of the body.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and seventy patients with EC, who had missed the chance of surgical operational therapy, were assigned to the treated group (90 cases) and the RT group (80 cases), and at the same time a control group consisting of 80 inpatients without tumors was set up. Patients in the RT group were treated with RT alone but KAI was given additionally to those in the treated group, with 50 ml given once per day via intravenous dripping, 15 days as one course, and 2 courses administered in total. The immediate therapeutic efficacy and changes of serum slL-2R and VEGF levels were observed, and the effect of KAI on patients' quality of life (QOF) was evaluated by Karnofsky scoring.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 16 patients of the treated group it was completely remission (CR), in 54 partially remission (PR), in 18 it was stabilized disease (SD) and in 2 progressive disease (PD), with the total effective rate (CR + PR) as 77.8%, while in those of the control group it was 12, 46, 18, 4 and 72.5%, respectively, the immediate therapeutic efficacy in the treated group was somewhat better than that in the RT group, but showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). Serum levels of slL-2R and VEGF in all the patients before treatment were higher than those in the control group, which were decreased after treatment in both groups ( P<0.05), but the improvement in the treated group was better than that in the RT group, showing significant difference (P<0.05), and patients' QOF improved more significantly in the former as well (62.2% vs 40.0%, P< 0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KAI in combination with RT in treating patients with EC could enhance the immunological function of patients, improve their QOF and enhance their sensitivity to RT.</p>

Differences of Angiotensin II receptor expression between systemic and pulmonary circulation in children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>It has been shown that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) can reduce the ratio of pulmonary and systemic circulation blood flow (Qp/Qs) and thus decrease the blood flow of left-to-right shunt in children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions. This suggests that there are differences in the expression of Angiotensin II receptors between systemic and pulmonary circulation. This study aimed to explore the differences of Angiotensin II receptors type 1 and type 2 (AT1 and AT2 receptors) expression between systemic and pulmonary circulation in children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Lung and skeletal muscular tissues were obtained from 20 children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions by biopsy during operation. The specimens were stained by immunohistochemistry techniques for AT1 and AT2 receptors. The technique of morphometric analysis was used to measure the immunoreactivity of AT1 and AT2 receptors (expressed by IOD values) of pulmonary, skeletal muscular and pleural small vascular wall the diameter of which was 15-100 microm.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The immunoreactivities of AT1 and AT2 receptors of pulmonary small vascular walls [(124 +/- 95)x10(3) and (85 +/- 62)x10(3) respectively] were significantly lower than those of skeletal muscular [(219 +/- 156)x10(3) and (155 +/- 139)x10(3) respectively] and those of pleural small vascular walls [(279 +/- 191)x10(3) and (175 +/- 128)x10(3) respectively] in children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of AT1 and AT2 receptors in small vascular walls of systemic circulation was higher than that of pulmonary circulation in children with left-to-right shunt congenital cardiac lesions.</p>