Objective:To observe the changes of serum adiponectin level in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD),and to study the correlation between the serum level of adiponectin and NAFLD. Methods: A total of 110 patients with NAFLD who were hospitalized from Feb. 2006 to Mar. 2008 were included in this study. The patients were divided into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) group (n=52,group 1) and simple fatty liver group (n=58,group 2). Fifty-four healthy volunteers were taken as normal control (group 3). The height,weight,and body mass index (BMI) were measured in all groups. The fasting blood samples were obtained to examine serum adiponectin,TC,TG,HDL-C and LDL-C. Stepwise regression method was used to analyze relationship between the serum level of adiponectin and NAFLD. Results: The serum adiponectin and HDL-C levels in group 1 and group 2 were significantly lower than those in group 3 (P

The resection can be performed in about 20 percent of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma(PHC) in clinic. However, with the development of interventional treatment such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE), better therapeutic effect has been achieved by two-stage resection such as TACE in patients with unresectable PHC. At present, surgical resection is still regarded as the first choice of PHC, and the principle of comprehensive therapeutic solutions around surgical operation has been established. The pretreatment of TACE is an important measure to improve the therapeutic effect in PHC.This paper discussed the mechanism, effect and value of TACE in pretreatment of unresectable PHC. The selection of operative opportunity, sign, and ways after TACE and the factors affecting prognosis of two-stage resection were also reviewed.

BACKGROUND: The use of elastic nails to treat children with unstable fractures or heavier children often results in shortening, angular or rotational deformities. OBJECTIVE: To provide a theoretical basis for internal fixation choice for femoral long oblique fracture by elastic nails combined with end caps or wire using biomechanical test. METHODS: An identical length oblique midshaft fracture was created in eight small adult cadaveric femurs harvested from four donors. Two 3.5-mm titanium elastic nails were introduced intramedullary into all femur models. According to the different fracture fixations, all models were divided into four groups (group A: titanium elastic nail, group B: titanium elastic nail+wire, group C: titanium elastic nail+caps, group D: titanium elastic nail+wire+caps). Nondestructive axial compression, four-point bending and torsion tests were conducted. Stiffness, displacement and torque were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) In the axial compression tests, stiffness was increased by 509% and displacement was decreased by 74% using the titanium elastic nail+cap combination compared with titanium elastic nail alone (group A) (P <0.01). (2) The titanium elastic nail+wire combination (group B) showed larger stiffness (P < 0.01) and smaller displacement (P < 0.01) in the sagittal plane bending test; and as well as larger stiffness (P < 0.01) and smaller displacement (P < 0.01) in coronal plane bending test; and larger stiffness in torsion test (P < 0.01). The end caps with wire in group D improved the stiffness significantly in all directions. (3) The results have demonstrated that end caps fixation helps to increase the axial stability of the long oblique fracture model, and combined wire fixation increases the structural stability under torsional and bending loads, which provides a good reference for clinical treatment of children with unstable femoral shaft fractures.

Autophagy represents one of the essential cellular mechanism to maintain homeostasis within cells, performing multiple biological functions during tumorigenesis. Base on the unique physicochemical properties of inorganic nanomaterials, supplemented by easy modification and targeting and so on, they could be used to regulate autophagy, controlling the occurrence and development of tumor and finally achieve treatment. This article primarily reviews the application of several representative inorganic nanomaterials, such as Gold nanoparticles, Silver nanoparticles, Iron oxide nanoparticles, Fullerene C60 nanomaterials, Graphene oxide nanomaterials in regulating autophagy of tumor cells and achieving treatment in recent years.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in males in the Fangcheng area of Guangxi.

METHODSWe reviewed the health examination data of males collected from September 2009 to December 2011, including their height, weight, BMI, and serum PSA level. The subjects were categorized as underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), normal (BMI 18.5-22.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 23.0-27.4 kg/m2), and obese (BMI > or = 27.5 kg/m2), and divided into four age groups: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and > or = 50 years old. The PSA levels were stratified by the BMI category for statistical analysis.

RESULTSA total of 2,397 men were included in this study, with a mean age of (37.4 +/- 11.0) yr, BMI of (23.3 +/- 3.4) kg/m2, and PSA level of (0.98 +/- 0.93) microg/L. There were significant differences in the age-associated PSA levels in the groups with BMI < 23 (0.81 microg/L) and > or = 23 kg/m2 (0.78 microg/L) (P < 0.05), as well as in those with BMI < 27.5 (0.81 microg/L) and > or = 27. 5 kg/m2 (0.70 microg/L) (P < 0.05). In the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups, the PSA levels were significantly decreased with the increase of BMI (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIncreased BMI is associated with decreased PSA in men <50 years old in the Fangcheng area of Guangxi, which should be taken into consideration while determining whether to carry out prostate biopsy as part of early prostate cancer detection in young men with marginal PSA levels.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; blood ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEShellfish are recognized as important vehicles of norovirus-associated gastroenteritis. The present study aimed to monitor norovirus contamination in oysters along the farm-to-fork continuum in Guangxi, a major oyster production area in Southwestern China.

METHODSOyster samples were collected monthly from farms, markets, and restaurants, from January to December 2016. Norovirus was detected and quantified by one-step reverse transcription-droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-ddPCR).

RESULTSA total of 480 oyster samples were collected and tested for norovirus genogroups I and II. Norovirus was detected in 20.7% of samples, with genogroup II predominating. No significant difference was observed in norovirus prevalence among different sampling sites. The norovirus levels varied widely, with a geometric mean of 19,300 copies/g in digestive glands. Both norovirus prevalence and viral loads showed obvious seasonality, with a strong winter bias.

CONCLUSIONThis study provides a systematic analysis of norovirus contamination 'from the farm to the fork' in Guangxi. RT-ddPCR can be a useful tool for detection and quantification of low amounts of norovirus in the presence of inhibitors found particularly in foodstuffs. This approach will contribute to the development of strategies for controlling and reducing the risk of human illness resulting from shellfish consumption.

Connexin (Cx), a multigene-encoded transmembrane protein family, forms either gap junctions ( GJ) or hemichannels (HC) to mediate intercellular communication in plasma mem¬brane between adjacent cells or interacts with proteins by its car- boxyl terminal in the cytoplasm to participate in the process of tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, necrosis, invasion, metasta¬sis, drug resistance and stem cell characteristics.However, mi- slocalization of Cx in cytoplasm or nucleus often occurs in many tumors, and involved in the occurrence and development of tumors.Subcellular localization of Cx is affected by post-transla- tional modifications, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation.In this paper the classification and function of Cx, the relationship between subcellular localization of Cx and tumorigenesis and the regulation of post-translational modifica¬tion on Cx are reviewed in order to provide new ideas for the study of Cx as a potential target for cancer therapy.

Aim To explore the apoptosis of small eell lung eancer ( SCLC ) eells HI688 and H446 induced by nitidine chloride and its possible mechanism.Methods The effect of nitidine chloride or cisplatin ( DDP ) on the activity of SCLC cells was detected by j J MTT method; the morphological changes of cells trea¬ted with nitidine chloride or DDP were observed by in- verted fluorescence microscope and HE staining; the effect of nitidine chloride or DDP on apoptosis was de¬tected by flow cytometry; the effect of apoptosis inhibi¬tor Z-VAD-FMK on apoptosis induced by nitidine chlo¬ride or DDP was detected by MTT method.The expres¬sions of Bax , Bcl-2, caspase-3 , PARP, p-PI3K and p- Akt in the cells treated with nitidine chloride or DDP were detected by Western blot.Results MTT results showed that the viability of SCLC cells was significantly reduced after 48 hours of treatment with nitidine chlo¬ ride; compared with DDP, nitidine chloride could in¬hibit SCLC cells with less IC50; inverted fluorescence microscope and HE staining showed that nitidine chlo¬ride could induce apoptosis in SCLC cells, similar to DDP; flow cytometry showed that nitidine chloride J J could induce apoptosis in SCLC cells.The results of MTT assay showed that the inhibitory effect of nitidine chloride on apoptosis of SCLC cells could be partially antagonized by apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK.West¬ern blot results showed that, similar to DDP, nitidine chloride could inhibit the expression of PI3K and Akt, increase Bax, inhibit Be 1-2, and promote the cleavage of caspase-3 and PAH P.Conclusion Nitidine chlo¬ride can induce apoptosis of SCLC cells by inhibiting the activation of P13K and Akt.

Brain activity requires the regulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. GABAergic interneurons are considered to prevent hyperexcitability in brain. Severe GABAergic deficits have been proved to cause pathological hyperexcitability. Most cortical interneurons originate from the ventral telencephalon and then undergo a long tangential migration to the cortex, followed by radial migration into developing cortical plate. Among them, tangential migration is considered to be the main migration manner of interneurons. The process is rather complex but also precise. With the deepening research on the tangential migration of cortical neurons, many molecules have been proved to play important roles in the process of migration. In this review, we mainly describe the migration path and migration manner of interneurons, and its underlying mechanism in two aspects. On the one hand, neurotrophins such as BDNF, NT-4, GDNF, HGF and neurotransmitters such as GABA, Glu, DA can enhance the motility of interneurons. On the other hand, several protein families as well as proteoglycans, such as Ephrin, Sema and Nrg, can bind to membrane-bound or secreted guidance cues of interneurons, providing direction clues for neuronal migration. In this review, we discussed the tangential migration of interneurons in mice, in order to provide novel insights into the regulatory molecular mechanisms of cerebral cortical development and help to develop new targets against defects in neural developments.

BACKGROUNDThis study was designed in an attempt to determine the influence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2), and Ki-67 expressions in patients with breast cancer.

METHODSPre- and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy, paired-tumor specimens from 103 patients with breast cancer administrated with anthracycline or anthracycline combined taxane regimen were collected. Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, Her-2, and Ki-67 was performed by the DAKO EnVision method.

RESULTSAmong the 103 cases, five patients (4.9%) had a complete response (CR), 82 (79.6%) partial response (PR), 15 (14.6%) stable disease (SD), and one (0.9%) progressive disease (PD), yielding an overall response rate (CR + PR) of 84.5%. Nine patients achieved pathological CR. There was a significant decrease in the average index of Ki-67 postneoadjuvant chemotherapy, compared with that before chemotherapy (24.1% vs. 39.7%, P < 0.001). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the changes of Ki-67 in different subtypes of breast cancer were different (P < 0.001), and these changes correlated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001). No significant changes in immunohistochemical expression were observed for ER, PR and Her-2.

CONCLUSIONSNeoadjuvant chemotherapy apparently reduced Ki-67 index in primary breast carcinomas, but profiles for ER, PR and Her-2 were not significantly different before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The change of Ki-67 correlated with molecular subtypes and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting that Ki-67 index was a surrogate marker to predict the treatment response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracyclines ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; therapy ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Taxoids ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult