[Effects of Fe-Cd interaction on the lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities of rice].

Taking rice variety Shennong 265 as test material, a hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Fe (0, 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 mmol Fe2+ x L(-1)) and Cd (0, 0.1 and 1.0 umol Cd2+ x L(-1)) on the lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities of rice plant. When the Fe was supplied alone, the shoot and root dry mass decreased significantly, but this phenomenon would not occur when the Cd was applied simultaneously. Applying Cd alone decreased the root malondialdehyde (MDA) and soluble protein contents, but applying Fe simultaneously alleviated the negative effects of Cd. Applying Fe decreased the Cd concentrations in shoots and roots, whereas applying Cd decreased the shoot and root Fe concentrations, indicating an obvious antagonistic interaction between Fe and Cd. The interaction of high concentration (1.0 micromol x L(-1)) Cd with Fe increased the root MDA and soluble protein contents, and decreased the root superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. These results indicated that applying definite amount of exogenous Fe could decrease the Cd accumulation in rice under low Cd stress, whereas high Cd stress would decrease the Fe absorption by rice and induce the lipid peroxidation in rice plant.

Childhood psoriasis: a study of 137 cases from central China.

BACKGROUND: Childhood psoriasis is common, but it has not been adequately reported in China. This study was undertaken to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical findings in children with psoriasis treated in a 9-year period and to compare the data with those from other studies. METHODS: The data were from 137 children (< or =14 years old) with psoriasis registered in two tertiary hospitals in Wuhan, China between January 2000 and December 2008. They were retrospectively studied. RESULTS: Of the 137 patients, aged between 3 and 14 years, 64 were males (46.7%) and 73 females (53.3%). Eleven patients (8%) had a family history of psoriasis. Infection was the most common precipitating factor (39, 28.5%). Seasonal influence was found in 57 patients (41.6%). Exacerbations in winter and spring were noted in 29 and 16 patients respectively. Plaque psoriasis was the most common type (72 patients, 52.6%), followed by guttate psoriasis (35, 25.5%), psoriasis pustulosa (15, 10.9%), and psoriasis erythroderma (7, 5.1%). The scalp was the most common initial site affected (69, 50.3%). Nail changes were found in 35 patients (25.5%), but no mucosal involvements were observed. Five patients had arthralgia and two showed abnormal X-ray appearance. Most of the affected children had pruritus. The co-morbidities of childhood psoriasis included allergic contact dermatitis (31, 22.6%), eczema (6, 4.3%), vitiligo (5, 3.6%), and alopecia areata (3, 2.2%). Psoriasis was sometimes misdiagnosed as dermatitis seborrheica (11, 8.0%), neurodermatitis (9, 6.6%) and balanitis (7, 5.1%). Some patients were treated with steroids, but there were obvious side-effects after longterm administration. Thiamphenicol was effective in the treatment of refractory psoriasis pustulosa in children. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings differ from those of previous studies, showing a lower rate of family history and a higher incidence of severe psoriasis. Differential diagnosis should be made especially when lesions occur at the scalp, elbow or balanus. Allergic contact dermatitis takes place more frequently in children with psoriasis than in normal children. Systemic corticosteroids should not be routinely used and other safer and more effective treatments are needed for severe cases.

[Expression of neutral endopeptidase and motility-related protein-1 in cutaneous malignant melanoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of neutral endopeptidase (CD10) and motility-related protein-1 (CD9) in malignant melanoma and their clinical significance. METHODS: Immunohistochemical study for CD10 and CD9 using Streptavidin-biotin complex technique was carried out in 48 cases of primary cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), 23 cases of metastatic melanoma and 23 cases of benign nevus. RESULTS: The positivity rate of CD10 was highest in metastatic melanoma and lowest in benign nevus (P < 0.01). In contrast, the positivity rate of CD9 in metastatic melanoma was lower than that in CMM (P < 0.05). The expression of CD9 was inversely correlated with that of CD10 in malignant melanoma (CMM: r = -0.40, P = 0.005; metastatic MM: r = -0.44, P = 0.034). The expression of CD10 and CD9 in CMM also correlated with tumor histology, Clark's level of invasion and presence of nodal metastasis. A similar relationship was also observed for CD10 and CD9 expression in stromal fibroblasts of CMM (r = -0.43, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: CD10 and CD9 expression correlates with the invasiveness and metastatic potential of malignant melanoma; both factors may demonstrate a counteracting effect. These two markers have potential implications in prognostic assessment of CMM. Stromal fibroblasts may also play an important role in the progression of CMM.

[Dynamics of Cd adsorption on rice seedlings root surface with iron coating and Cd uptake by plant].

In a water culture experiment, rice seedlings were grown in a nutrient solution containing 10 micromol Cd x L(-1), and harvested after different durations of growth. Two treatments were installed, i. e. , adding 50 mg Fe2+ x L(-1) to induce the formation of iron coating on seedlings root surface (treatment Fe50), and the control. The study on the dynamics of the Cd adsorption on root surface and of the Cd uptake by plant showed that both in the treatment Fe50 and in the control, the amount of adsorbed Cd on root surface was the highest in the first 2 hours, decreased dramatically then and remained relatively stable thereafter, while the Cd concentrations in roots and shoots increased slowly within the first 8 hours and rapidly then. The increment of Cd concentrations in roots and shoots was smaller in treatment Fe50 than in the control, and the amounts of adsorbed and absorbed Cd also showed the same picture, suggesting that the iron coating on rice root surface had little effect on the dynamics of Cd content in different parts of rice seedlings, and the reduced Cd uptake in treatment Fe50 was probably relevant with the Fe concentration in roots.