Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a differentiation process of epithelial cells into mesenchymals,which is widespread in the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor.Studies show that EMT is influenced by a variety of factors such as cytokines,signaling pathways and transcription factors.Studies also show that intracellular and extracellular signal transmission could induce EMT.Signal transduction is a process which involves ligand-receptor binding in the extracellular,going into the cell and activating different nuclear transduction factor through intracellular signal transduction pathway.

Objective To study effects of diabetic nephropathy on plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods Serum BNP levels and suspected influential factors(including age,sex,blood pressure,body mass index,HbA1c,blood lipid,renal function)were investigated in 77 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Results Serum BNP was significantly different[(6.7?8.5)ng/L,(13.2?13.1)ng/L,(62.7?71.6)ng/L,P

Objective To evaluate the occurrence of antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome in patients with advanced prostate cancer treated with combined androgen blockade. Methods 24 cases of advanced prostate cancer (10 in stage C and 14 in stage D) were retrospectively studied. All the patients have been treated with combined androgen blockade (bilateral orchiectomy and flutamide). After initial beneficial response to hormonal therapy (duration 7 to 36 months), the disease became progressing.Flutamide was then discontinued. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and symptoms alterations were observed. Results Following withdrawal of flutamide, 8 patients showed a decline in PSA (mean 75%).In 6 the PSA declined more than 50%. Clinical symptoms improved in 4 patients and the prostate mass became smaller in 2. The mean duration of improvement was 4.3 months. Conclusions In patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer after initial combined androgen blockade, a trial of "antiandrogen withdrawal" is a reasonable therapeutic management prior to other more toxic therapies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the protective effects of nourishing spleen yin recipe (Zibu Piyin Recipe, ZBPYR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in neuronal cells responding to the stress by using sero-pharmacological method. METHODS: The mouse neuroblastoma cell line Neuro2a cells were treated with tunicamycin (Tm, an inhibitor of N-glycosylation). The ZBPYR-treated cell group was established by incubating cells with ZBPYR serum for one hour and treated with Tm. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) was utilized to detect the mRNA expressions from two genes after treatments, ER molecular chaperone glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and transcriptional factor CCAAT/ enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay was also carried out to determine the LDH leakage from Neuro2a cells after treated with Tm and staurosporine (STS). RESULTS: The ZBPYR-treated cell group at all tested ZBPYR dosages showed significantly reduced expressions of both genes compared with Tm (5 microg/ml) treated control group (P<0.05). Therefore, ZBPYR serum inhibited the expressions of GRP78 and CHOP in mRNA level under ER stress induced by Tm. Different concentrations of ZBPYR serum pretreatment reduced the LDH leakage compared with the Tm and STS groups (P<0.05). Therefore, ZBPYR serum may inhibit the LDH leakage induced by Tm and STS. CONCLUSION: ZBPYR has neuroprotective effects. The mechanisms may be associated with inhibition of ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.

To observe the relationship among amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta)-induced neurotoxicity, serum-inducible kinase (SNK)-spine-associated Rap guanosine triphosphatase activating protein (SPAR) pathway and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), and to explore the mechanism of the protective effect of spleen-yin nourishing recipe (Zibu Piyin Recipe, ZBPYR) in hippocampal neurons against Abeta-induced neurotoxicity.

Objective To explore the inhibitory effects of Zibu Piyin Recipe(ZBPYR)serum on neuron apoptosis induced by tunieamyein(Tm,5 μg/ml)and its mechamsm in vitro by using sero-pharmacological method.Method Totally 12 healthy adult male SD rats(220～250 g)(SPF)were divided randomly into control group and ZBPYR group,6 in each group,then the blank and ZBPYR serum were prepared.The mouse.neuroblastoma cell line Neum2a cells were treated with Tunicamycin(Tin,an inhibitor of N-glycoslytion)to establish the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress model.The cells treated by ZBPYR aerum of different concentrations were interventional groups,and the cells treated by blank serum were control group.The viability of Neuro2a cells was meusurcdd by MTT assay.Flow cytometry wus applied to observe the apoptosis of Neuro2a cells.Western blotting was utilized to detect the protein expressions of two molecules,ER molecular chaperone-ucose regulated protein 78(CRP78)and transcriptional factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein(CHOP).The results were analyzed by sNK-q test.Results Compared to Tm group(cell viability 0.1673±0.0213,apoptotic rate 62.7050±1.4056),The cell viability of interventional groups(5%0.5295±0.0373,10%0.5843±0.0428,15%0.6274±0.0324)increased significantly(P<0.05);and the apoptotic rate(5%47.8733±2.8166,10%46.3366±1.2748,15%39.8833±1.0524)reduced significantly(P<0.05).The protein expressions of GRP 78(5%2.1228±0.2251,10%1.3293±0.9443,15%;15%0.0931±0.1168)and CHOP(5%1.1776±0.2927,10%0.7290±0.1708,15%0.6577±0.1883)of interventional groups reduced significantly compared with Tm group(GRP78 2.9149±0.5355;CHOP 1.6611±0.2913)P<0.05.Condusions ZBPYR serurn could increase the cell viability of Neuro2a cells treated with Tm and inhibit cell apoptosis.Thereby it may have neuroprotective effects,and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of ER stress and apoptosis pathway.

Objective To explore the changes of gene and protein expressions of nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in immature rats with pilocarpine-induced epilepsy treated with ghrelin. Methods The pllocarpine-induced epilepsy model in immatured rats were built, then the rats were divided into three groups: Ghrelin-treated group, saline-treated group and model group, meanwhile the normal control group was set. The NF-κB and TNF-α levels of gene and protein in the cerebral cortex of immature rats were detected. Results The expression levels of gene and protein of NF-κB and TNF-α were increased in model group,but decreased in the normal control group;NF-κB and TNF-α levels in Ghrelin treated group were obviously lower than those of saline-treated group and model group(P < 0. 05). Conclusion The protective mechanism of Ghrelin for nerve cell is cutting down the expressions of NF-κB and TNF-α in the cerebral cortex of immature rats with epilepsy and lessening inflammatory reaction in neurocytes.

Objective To investigate the distribution status of cytochrome CYP2C19 polymorphisms among patients with cardio-vascular diseases in Dongguan area .Methods A total of 1662 patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in our hospital were se-lected .The peripheral blood was collected for extracting genomic DNA .The CYP2C19 genotype was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with gene chip technology .The allele frequency and metabolic phenotype of CYP2C19 were com-pared between the CVD patients aged lower than 45 years and aged higher than 45 years old .Results Among 1662 cases ,713 cases (42 .90% ) were CYP2C19 extensive metabolizer ,740 cases(44 .52% ) were moderate metabolizer and 209 cases (12 .58% ) were poor metabolizer .The allele frequencies of CYP2C19﹡1 ,CYP2C19﹡2 and CYP2C19﹡3 were 65 .16% ,30 .08% and 4 .75% re-spectively .One hundred and four cases (40 .00% ) of extensive metabolisms were detected in the lower than 45 years old group ,104 cases(45 .38% ) of moderate metabolisms and 38 cases (14 .62% ) were detected .In the higher than 45 years old group ,609 cases (43 .44% ) of extensive metabolisms ,622 cases of moderate metabolisms and 171 cases(12 .20% ) of poor metabolism were detec-ted .The proportion of various genotypes had no statistical difference between the lower than 45 year old group and higher than 45 year old group(P>0 .05) .Conclusion Detecting CYP2C19 genotype for determining the genetic characteristics can evaluate the clopidogrel resistance risk and formulate the personalized anti-platelet therapeutic scheme .

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan city and to identify its cause in order to provide evidence for development of specific preventive strategies in the future.Methods Epidemic information of the disease and survey data of brucellosis cases from 2002 to 2008 in the Infectious and Endemic Disease Control Jinan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention were analyzed statistically.Results From 2002 to 2008, 52 cases were diagnosed as brucellosis, among which 39 cases from Zhangqiu city.The incidence rate ranged from 0.02 to 0.10 hundred thousandth from 2002 to 2006, and 0.25 and 0.26 hundred thousandth in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The disease was found each mouth throughout the year, marked with summer peak[38.46%(20/52)]. Patients increased year after year in summer and spring seasons(r = 0.92, P ＜ 0.01) .The disease was most commonly found in 30 - 59 age group[69.23%(36/52)];men women incidence ratio was 1.67: 1.00;farmers accounting for 94.23%(49/52). There were 5 clusters of family outbreak brucellosis, involving 12 cases. Forty five patients contacted with sheep, accounting for 86.54% (45/52). Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic in Jinan is in an upward trend, mainly in summer and spring, elderly and middle-aged men farmers are the majority of patients. Zhangqiu of Jinan city is a key place for prevention and control of brucellosis;source of infection is not completely eliminated, exotic livestock have not been effectively quarantined, practitioners with weak sense of self-protection is the main reason of the epidemic rise.

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan, Shandong Province, and to analyze epidemic trend and its cause. Methods Epidemic data of human brucellosis from 2004 to 2007 in Jinan were collected from National Disease Supervision Information Management System. The rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT) were employed to detect brucellosis in the serum samples of high-risk exposure groups involved in livestock transaction, slaughter and raising where brucellosis had been outbreak in the last three years, and epidemiological survey was conducted on the confirmed patients in 2007. Results A total of 32 brucellosis cases occurred in 2004-2007 in Jinan, among which 15 cases in 2007, 3.75 times(15/4) of those in 2004. One hundred and seventy-eight blood samples were collected from high risk population, and positive detective rate was 11.24%(20/178). Most of the patients were found in Zhangqiu and in the months from March to September, accounting for 93.33% (14/15). Farmers accounted for 93.33% (14/15) in all cases. Sixty-six point six seven percent(10/15) of the patients were over 50 years old. Male to female was 2.75: 1(11: 4) in ratio. There was a tendency of family aggregation. Two or three cases occurred in each of 3 families. All cases had a contact history with cattle and sheep, and the diagnosis were confirmed between 17-529 days(median being 70 days), in which 86.67%(13/15) of the cases were confirmed by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic of Jinan is in an upward trend. Zhangqiu is the main epidemic region. Spring and summer are the prevailing periods, most of the patients are old male farmers were the majority of the patients. It is believed that the epidemic is primarily due to potential infection sources, incompetent quarantine of imported livestock and poor awareness of self-protection among high-risk occupational groups.