Objective Leucine -rich repeat (LRR) -containing G protein -coupled receptor 6 (Lgr6) is glycoprotein hormone receptor and a part of G protein -coupled receptors (GPCRs).Lgr6 is composed of 977 amino acid residues of a polypeptide chain.Having 17 leucine -rich repeats and seven transmembrane domain.In the N -and C -termini are connected with cysteine -rich sequences.It is highest homologous to Lgr4 and Lgr5,but less relationship with thyroid stimulating hormone receptor,progesterone receptor,and follicle -stimulating hormone recep-tor.Research found out that Lgr6 marks in the hair follicles of stem cells can differentiate into all cells in the skin and Lgr6 expression in tumor also has important biological significance.

?A great number of miRNAs have been shown to play critical roles in pathological angiogenesis, the oxidative stress response, immune response and inflammation, all of which have been shown to have important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of age- related macular degeneration ( AMD) . Here we reviewed the pathological processes involved in AMD and the roles of miRNAs in these processes, and discussed potential miRNAs-based therapeutics for AMD.

ObjectiveTo study the personality traits,interpersonal trust and coping style of juveniles in criminal gangs and their relationship. Methods 15 male juveniles who committed crimes without gangs ( group1 ),52 male juveniles who committed crimes by gangs( group2 ) and 40 male lawful freshmen( group3 ) were tested with Eysenck Personality Questionnaire ( EPQ),Trust Scale and Coping Style Questionnaire.The data were statistically analyzed by covariance analysis or Pearson relation analysis.ResultsAfter the covariant effect of education levels was removed,the levels of P and N in EPQ of group1 ( P:57.49 ± 2.62,N:59.35 ± 3.55 ) and group2 ( P:57.83 ± 1.24,N:59.60 ± 1.68 ) were higher than those of group3 ( P:43.88 ± 4.72,N:39.07 ±6.40) with statistical difference (P＜0.05).The level of E of group1 (63.41 ±3.86) was higher than that of group2 (53.01 ± 1.83 ) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.05 ).The levels of P,D and F in Trust Scale of greup1 (P:24.68 ± 1.51,D:14.36 ±2.19,F:15.49 ±2.21) and group2(P:22.95 ±0.71,D:22.48 ± 1.04,F:23.09 ±1.05 ) were lower than those of group3 ( P:33.14 ± 2.72,D:40.22 ± 3.95,F:38.44 ± 3.99) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.01 ).The levels of self-accusation and fantasy in Coping Style Questionnaire of group1 ( 0.80 ±0.08,0.83 ± 0.06 respectively) and group2 (group2:0.59 ± 0.04,0.68 ± 0.03,respectively) were higher than those of group3 (0.39 ± 0.14,0.44 ± 0.11,respectively) with statistical difference (P＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ),while the levels of problem-solving of group1 ( 0.76 ± 0.06 ) and group2 ( 0.70 ± 0.03 ) were lower than that of group3 ( 0.95 ± 0.11 ) with statistical difference (P ＜ 0.05 ).For the male juveniles who committed crimes by gangs,the P of personality traits had a statistical linkage with the problem-resolving and self-accusation of coping style ( r =- 0.389,- 0.395,P ＜ 0.05 ),the N of personality traits had a statiseical linkage with the F of interpersonal trust and the self-accusation of coping style ( r=-0.473,0454,P ＜ 0.05 ),and the E of personality traits had a statistical linkage with the help-seeking of coping style ( r=0.400,P＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionThe personality traits,interpersonal trust and coping styles of male juveniles who committed crimes with or without gangs and the lawful men are different.These psychological factors may have certain effect on juvenile gang crimes.

Objective To find a indicator in urine to assist diagnosis of cerebral infarction,we investigated the changes of urine ferritin in patients with cerebral infarction.Methods Collected serum from 30 healthy volunteers and 53 patients with cerebral infarction(CI),with ratio of males to females 19∶11 vs.30∶ 23,and average age was (56 ± 11) vs.(63 ± 11) respectively.Collected urine from 39 heathy volunteers and 33 patients with CI,with ratio of males to females 25∶14 vs.20∶ 13,and average age was (57 ± 10) vs.(64 ± 11) respectively.Ferritin concentration in all samples was detected with the chemical luminescence method,and the urine ferritin/urine cretinin (uFer/uCr) ratio was calculated.Differences of serum ferritin and uFer/uCr between healthy volunteers and CI patients were analyzed with the statistical software under Wilcoxon test.Urinary proteins were extracted with absolute ethanol.The extracted ferritin was displayed with Western blot for light chains and heavy chains to investigate the difference between healthy volunteers and CI patients.Results uFer/uCr was higher than that from healthy volunteers (U =292.00,P ＜0.05),and the median was (14.86 vs.6.22) μg/g.Moreover,after extraction of urinary proteins with alcohol,both light chains and heavy chains of ferritin in urine from CI patients were much more obvious than that from healthy volunteers.Conclusion The uFer/uCr ratio could provide a new proof to assist the diagnosis of cerebral infarction.

Objective To observe the expression of DR5 in the ocular tissues of uveitis rats induced by endotoxin,and study the relationship between the apoptosis of inflammatory cells and expression of TRAIL / DR5.Methods SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:Blank control group,normal saline injection group and endotoxin injection group.The endotoxin injection group was injected with lipopolysaccharide into the rat posterior foot pad to make endotoxin-induced uveitis animal model.There were no operations in the blank control group,and the subgroups were divided into 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours and 48 hours groups according to the time of injection.The ultrastructural changes of inflammatory cells and endothelial cells in iris capillaries were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The expression of DtR5 protein on inflammatory cells at different time after endotoxin induction was detected by SABC method.Results TEM showed that the microvilli of the capillary endothelial cells in the iris tissue of the blank control group and saline injection group had more obvious vesicles with no obvious abnormal structure and shape.The number of swallowed vesicles in the capillary endothelial cells injected with endotoxin was decreased at 6 hours group,and the number of vesicles in the infiltrating neutrophils and lymphocytes decreased.Neutrophils and lymphocytes appear chromatin condensation,vacuolar changes in the expression of apoptosis.Immunohistochemistry showed that the DR5 protein was negative in the iridocular epithelium of the blank control group and saline injection group.In the endotoxin injection group,the DR5 protein was weakly colored in the iris pigment epithelium and appeared on the inflammatory cells.The number of staining and the intensity of coloring in the 24 hours group were significantly higher than those in the 6 hours group,and the color density was 0.085 9 ± 0.019 6,there were statistical differences compared with 6 hours group,12 hours group and 48 hours group (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion TRAIL and its receptor DR5 may be involved in the apoptosis of inflammatory cells in endotoxin-induced uveitis.

Aim The changes and characteristics of liver drug-metabolizing and antioxiditive functions in different status of hepatic injury was investigated to provide support for clinical drug treatments in hepatic fibrosis. Methods Carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) and other mixture factors were used to make animal model of acute hepatic injury, hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, respectively. Subcelluar fractions of liver were prepared by differential centrifugation. Activities of drug-metabolizing and antioxidative enzymes were monitored. Results Levels of phase I enzymes-cytochrome P450 (CYP), CYP1A1 (7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation), CYP2E1 (aniline hydroxylation), CYP3A1/2 (erythromycin N-demethylation), and phase Ⅱ enzymes-glutathione S-transferase (GST) were reduced remarkably in hepatic microsomes in different hepatic injury status in a time-dependent manner. However, the activity of CYP2E1 came to be the lowest in acute hepatic injury and recovered gradually when injury time was prolonged. In hepatic fibrosis, the activities of CYP1A,CYP2E1,CYP3A and GST reached 68%,56%,81% and 59%, respectively, of the control, and the functions of antioxidative enzymes in cytosol GST,catalase(Cat) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) declined to 85%,76% and 54%, respectively, of the control. Conclusion The xenobiotic-metabolizing abilities in liver with hepatic fibrosis were distinctly decreased, which constantly relates with the degrees and the lengths of hepatic injury.

Objective To study the expression of GPC3 mRNA and GPC3 protein in ovarian carcinoma, and to investigate the clinical significance of their expression. Methods 35 specimens of ovarian carcinomas and 23 specimens of normal ovarian tissues were obtained from the patients undergoing operation during Jan. 2004 to Oct. 2005. The expressions of GPC3 mRNA in ovarian carcinomas and normal ovarian tissues were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-PCR). The clinical and pathological characteristics of ovarian carcinomas were analyzed. The expression of GPC3 protein was detected in 4 specimens of ovarian carcinomas and 3 specimens of normal ovarian tissues by Western bloting. Results The expression level of GPC3 mRNA in ovarian carcinomatous was down-regulated compared with that in normal ovarian tissues (P0.05). The expression of GPC3 protein was consistent with the expression of GPC3 mRNA. GPC3 protein was doubly or trebly expressed in normal ovarian tissues compared with ovarian carcinomas. Conclusion The present study suggests that GPC3 may be related to the occurrence and development of the ovarian carcinoma. The simultaneous determination of GPC3 and CA125 may increase the sensitivity of diagnosis for ovarian carcinoma.

SWNTs are a mixture of 1/3 metallic SWNTs (m-SWNTs) and 2/3 semiconducting SWNTs (s-SWNTs). It is desirable to separate the metallic SWNTs from the semi-conducting ones. In this study m-SWNTs was separated by using a poly[(m-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(p-phenylenevinylene)] (PmPV) derivative and used as photo-thermal media instead of SWNTs. The separation effects of m-SWNTs were evaluated by Raman spectra, molecular modeling and TEM images. The effects of m-SWNTs on MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated with MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. m-SWNTs were separated with high purity. A strong inhibition of MCF-7 cell growth was observed with the m-SWNTs under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Our results will be helpful for the potential applications of m-SWNTs in clinical photothermal cancer therapy.
Apoptosis ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Light ; MCF-7 Cells ; drug effects ; Models, Molecular ; Nanotubes, Carbon

Objective To study the expression of human giant larvae-1 (Hugl-1) in ovarian carcinoma and its clinical significance.Methods Hugl-1 mRNA expression in 31 ovarian cancer and the corresponding adjacent tissues was examined by real time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization.Moreover,analysis was done while taking into consideration of the clinicopathologic parameters of ovarian cancer.Results The expression of Hugl-1 mRNA in ovarian cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in the corresponding adjacent tissues ([0.051 ? 0.029]vs [0.026 ? 0.043],P

Objective:To analyze bone strength index, osteoporosis and fracture in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with radiologic hip involvement and explore the characteristics of bone strength in these patients.Methods:According to bath ankylosing spondylitis radiology hip index (BASRI-hip) score, 339 AS patients were divided into two groups. The differences of bone strength in each group were analyzed by t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 test. Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of bone strength index. The correlation between quantitative ultrasound and dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (total hip, g/cm 2) was analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis was used. Results:①Bone strength index of quantitative ultrasound was positively correlated with bone mineral density of DXA (total hip, g/cm 2), r=0.553, P<0.01. ② The age of 27(23, 37) years old in radiographic hip involvement was lower than 37(28, 48) years old in non-radiographic hip involvement, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-5.986, P<0.01). There were no differences in gender and course of disease between the two groups ( P>0.05).③ The radiographic hip involvement in AS patients whose ages were younger than 50, when compared with non-radiographic hip involvement patients, the bone strength index was lower (78±18 vs 84±16), while bone strength was lower than patients at the same age (41.0% vs 18.4%), however, the incidences of osteoporosis (42.7% vs 28.8%) and fragility fracture (3.7% vs 0%) were significantly higher ( t=3.028, P<0.01; χ2=16.758, P<0.01; χ2=5.886, P=0.019; χ2=4.67, P=0.038). For AS patients whose ages were ≥50, there were no significant differences between the two groups ( P>0.05). ④ Multivariate analysis showed that radiographic hip involvement [ OR (95% CI)=1.912(1.05, 3.48)], age [ OR (95% CI)=0.94(0.911, 0.97)] and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2) [ OR (95% CI) =0.875(0.807, 0.948)] were associated with lower bone strength. Conclusion:There is positive correlation between the bone strength index of quantitative ultrasound and bone mineral density of DXA. AS patients with radiographic hip involvement are characterized by decreased bone strength and are more likely to develop osteoporosis and fragile fractures. The risk factors of low bone strength are radiographic hip involvement, age and BMI.