Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Min Zhou.
This chapter seeks to unpack ethnicity through a close examination of ethnic language schools and the ethnic system of supplementary education in the immigrant Chinese community in the United States. It sheds light on the specific ways in which ethnic community organizations contribute to educational achievement.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the characterization of hemagglutination and the sequence of HA1 region of the influenza A (H3N2) virus in Zhejiang province and Japan in recent years. METHODS: Hemagglutinin antigenic analysis of influenza A (H3N2) viruses which were isolated in Zhejiang province was carried out and to compare their characterization of hemagglutination and the sequence of amino acids in HA1 region with the virus strains from Japan during the same period. RESULTS: The antigenicity and the amino acid sequence in HA1 region of the virus strains prevalent in Zhejiang in recent years have changed to some extent. Most of the virus strains were lack of hemagglutination reaction to chicken red blood cell and became "O" phase virus strains. The amino acid sequence of HA1 region of the virus strains exhibited only 94.82% of its homology with that of A/Wuhan/359/95 strain. The virus strains of Japan in the same period showed similar characteristics. CONCLUSION: HA1 gene variation of influenza A (H3N2) viruses was the main cause leading to the spread of influenza in the last years.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate CTLA4-Ig's potential role in therapy for allergic asthma by blocking B7/CD28 interactions with cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4-Ig (CTLA4-Ig). METHODS: We divided BALB/C mice into the three groups: Sham/Sham (control), ovalbumin (OVA)/OVA and mCTLA4-Ig. Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage, histology and determination of cytokines were performed 24 hours after airway challenge. RESULTS: In the OVA/OVA group, the number of cells, the percentage of inflamed cells and the level of IL-4 in BALF were increased. Airways in our murine model for allergic asthma underwent pathological changes, which were significantly reduced after treatment with mCTLA4-Ig. CONCLUSION: Blockage of co-stimulation with mCTLA4-Ig can inhibit allergy-specific response of T cells, and asthmatic response as well.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age-related changes of histological structure and DNA repair capacity (P53 protein expression) in oral mucous membrane and try to explain why the elders are prone to oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: The routine HE staining and an immunohistochemical technical (SP method) were used respectively to study the changes of histological structure and P53 expression in normal oral mucosa of different age groups. The SP staining results were evaluated by semiquantity method. RESULTS: 1. With aging, a series of histological changes were observed in the oral mucosa; 2. With aging, an elevating tendency of P53 protein level emerged in the oral mucosa (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The sensitivity to carcinogenic agents in elder people may be accentuated by the age-related histological changes and DNA repair capacity changes of the normal oral mucosa.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age-related changes of P53 protein expression in oral mucous membrane and their effects on pathogenesis of the oral precancerous lesions in elderly people. METHODS: An immunohistochemical technique (SP method) was applied to study the changes of P53 expression in normal oral mucosa and oral leukoplakia(OLK) in different age groups. The staining results were evaluated by semi-quantity method. RESULTS: With aging, an elevating tendency of P53 protein level exhibited in the normal oral mucosa and OLK, respectively. The P53 level in the old with OLK was higher than that in the normal oral mucosa of the old (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: With aging, P53 protein may undergo dysfunction, lead to imperfect DNA repair and excessive DNA damage accumulation, and ultimately facilitate malignant transformation of the oral mucosa in the old.
BRD7 was isolated through cDNA representational difference analysis (RDA) (GenBank accession No. AF152604). Previous studies showed that BRD7 gene was down-regulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells and tissues, and three cSNPs (coding-region single nucleotide polymorphisms) were found on BRD7. In addition, six BRD7-interacting proteins were identified by yeast two-hybrid system. To study the function of this gene on carcinogenesis in NPC, BRD7 gene was transfected into HNE1 cells low-expressed BRD7 by using liposomes and a stable cell line over-expressing BRD7 was established. After two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE), twenty differentially expressed proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS including argininosuccinate lyase, metalloproteinase inhibitor-2 precursor, proteaseome activator28 beta subunit, thyroid transcriptional factor-1, cyclinH (MO15-associated protein), and so on. These differentially expressed proteins are related to cell cycling, transcription regulation, signaling pathway etc. Therefore, BRD7 may exert its functions by mediating differential expression of these proteins.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in inflammatory cells of induced sputum from patients with asthma. METHODS: Induced sputum samples were collected from 11 asthmatics in exacerbation, 19 asthmatics with stable disease and 11 healthy individuals. Sputum samples of 12 asthmatics with stable disease were collected again after treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for 2 weeks. The differential counts of sputum inflammatory cells were studied. NGF was detected using immunocytochemistry and the positive percentages in different cells were measured. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) in sputum supernatants was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: NGF was localized in the plasma of macrophages, lymphocytes and granulocytes. 1. In asthmatics with both exacerbation and stable disease, the NGF positive percentages in macrophages [(77.8 +/- 4.8)% and (68.1 +/- 5.3)%], lymphocytes [(43.2 +/- 9.3)% and (34.2 +/- 11.3)%], and granulocytes [(38.7 +/- 6.2)% and (32.1 +/- 3.7)%] were all significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those in the healthy controls [(37.6 +/- 8.4)%, (12.6 +/- 8.5)%, and (12.7 +/- 8.2)%, respectively]. The differences of those indices between patients with exacerbation and patients with stable disease were also significant (P < 0.01). Patients with exacerbation had significantly elevated levels of IL-5 [(124 +/- 71) ng/L] compared with patients with stable disease [(52 +/- 23) ng/L] and the healthy controls [(26 +/- 12) ng/L] (P < 0.01). 2. In the 12 patients with stable disease evaluated after treatment with ICS, the NGF positive percentages in macrophages [(54.3 +/- 7.3)%], lymphocytes [(22.0 +/- 5.6)%], and granulocytes [(27.0 +/- 4.3)%], and the level of IL-5 [(29 +/- 13) ng/L] were all decreased significantly (P < 0.01) compared with the baselines [(67.0 +/- 5.0)%, (36.0 +/- 9.0)%, (32.0 +/- 3.0)%, and (49 +/- 26) ng/L, respectively]. 3. The NGF positive percentages in both macrophages and granulocytes correlated to the sputum lymphocyte counts (r = 0.723, r = 0.630, P < 0.01; respectively) and the levels of IL-5 (r = 0.652, r = 0.636, P < 0.01; respectively). CONCLUSION: The expression of NGF in macrophages and lymphocytes in the airways is upregulated in asthma, which indicates a potential correlation between NGF and airway inflammation in asthma.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the prevalence and drug tolerance of mycoplasma(Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis) in patients with urogenital inflammation. METHODS: Three thousand and fifty-five patients with urogenital inflammation such as non-gonococcal urethritis(NGU), chronic prostatitis or pelvic inflammation from 1999 to 2003 were included. The results of mycoplasma culture and drug sensitivity test were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 992(32.5%) cases were mycoplasma positive in the 3,055 patients, and there was no significant difference in the yearly positive percentage in the 5 years (P < 0.05). Among them, 701(70.7%) were infected with Ureaplasma urealyticum, 44(4.4%) with Mycoplasma hominis, and 247(24.9%) with both Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis, the Ureaplasma urealyticum infection rate being much higher than that of Mycoplasma hominis and mixed infection (P < 0.01). The high colony counting(> or = 10(4) cfu/ml) in Ureaplasma urealyticum infection patients accounted for 76.7%, while Mycoplasma hominis infection represented only 18.2%. The results of drug tolerance test showed a higher sensitivity to doxycycline, pristinamycin, josamycin and tetracycline (94.3%, 96.6%, 86.5% and 97.4% respectively), and a lower sensitivity to erythromycin and ofloxacin (54.8% and 29.4% respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis should be detected simultaneously and the drug tolerance test is needed for the selection of appropriate antibiotics.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Monocytes/macrophages are prominent in atherosclerotic plaques where the vascular remodeling and plaque rupture may be influenced by the lipids and cytokines at these sites. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of factors found within the vascular wall, such as cytokines, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), on monocyte-derived matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and -9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1). ox-LDL, LDL, and HDL alone had no effect on MMP-1, MMP-9, or TIMP-1 production. However, in the presence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and GM-CSF, ox-LDL enhanced MMP-1 significantly by two- to threefold, increased MMP-9 slightly, and had no effect on TIMP-1 production. In contrast, HDL suppressed the induction of MMP-1 by TNF-alpha and GM-CSF as well as the ox-LDL-mediated increase in MMP-1 production. The enhancement of MMP-1 production by ox-LDL occurred through, in part, a prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)-dependent pathway as indomethacin suppressed and PGE2 restored MMP-1 production. This conclusion was supported further by ox-LDL-mediated increases in PGE2 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) production. These data suggest that the interaction of primary monocytes with ox-LDL and proinflammatory cytokines may contribute to vascular remodeling and plaque rupture.
Cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by the intracellular accumulation of cystine, the disulfide of the amino acid cysteine, in many organs and tissues. Infantile nephropathic cystinosis is the most severe phenotype. Corneal crystal accumulation and pigmentary retinopathy were originally the most commonly described ophthalmic manifestations, but successful kidney transplantation significantly changed the natural history of the disease. As cystinosis patients now live longer, long-term complications in extrarenal tissues, including the eye, have become apparent. A case of an adult patient with infantile nephropathic cystinosis is reported. He presented with many long-term ocular complications of cystinosis. After 4 years of follow-up, the patient died from sepsis. Pathology of the phthisical eyes demonstrated numerous electron-transparent polygonal spaces, bounded by single membrane, in corneal cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and even choroidal endothelial cells. The ophthalmic manifestations and pathology of infantile nephropathic cystinosis are discussed and reviewed in light of the current report and other cases in the literature.