Objective To explore the effects of dichloroacetate (DCA) combined with cisplatin on the apoptosis of HCT116 and possible mechanisms.Methods The inhibitory effects of DCA and cisplatin alone or in combination on colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT116 were examined by MTT and Hoechst 33342 staining,the mitochondrial membrane potential changes were measured by Rodanmine123 staining under fluorescent microscope.The expression of bcl-2 was checked by qPCR.The activity of caspase-3 was assayed.Results DCA or cisplatin alone could inhibit the growth of HCT116 in a time and dose dependent manner.Compared with single drug treatment,there was significantly synergistic effect after treatment of DCA combined with cisplatin for 48 hours.Compared with the single drug treatment,the nuclear morphological changes such as chromatin condensation and fragmentation were more severe,and the mitochondrial transmembrane potential declines were markedly apparent for DCA + cisplatin group.The expression of bcl-2 gene in combination group was inhibited (P ＜ 0.05),and the activity of caspase-3 significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions DCA could inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of HCT116 cells in a time and dose dependent manner.The combination use of DCA and cisplatin has a synergistic effect on the biological action of HCT116.This may be attributed to lowering of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and the suppressed expression of bcl-2 gene.

The abnormal glucose metabolism of tumor cells is associated with a variety of mechanisms.Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is able to activate the glycolytic enzymes,which is conducive to getting energy through glycolysis.The dysfunction or the depletion in numbers of mitochondria can inhibit the oxidative phosphorylation pathway of glucose to some extent.The activation of oncogenes and the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes are also involved in the regulation of mitochondrial respiratory chain and glycolytic enzymes,thus affecting the process of glucose metabolism.Compared with normal cells,the synthesis of oxidative phosphorylation enzymes is inhibited in cancer cells.In addition,the abnormal glucose metabolism plays an important role in the growth,invasion and metastasis of tumor cells.

Objective To investigate the capabilities of Plasmodium microscopic examinations of professional staff in medi-cal institutions in Wuxi City,so as to provide evidences for improving malaria control and elimination work in the future. Meth-ods The data of questionnaires for laboratorial staff in charge of Plasmodium microscopic examinations were collected and ana-lyzed in the medical institutions in Wuxi City in 2016,and the influencing factors related to the capabilities of Plasmodium mi-croscopic examinations were analyzed by the method of logistic regression. Results Totally 54 laboratorial workers in 54 medi-cal institutions in Wuxi City were investigated,16 of them were male,and 38 were female,and the ratio of male to female was 0.42:1. Among the 54 laboratorial workers,12 persons(22.22％)had the experience of detecting Plasmodium in the work. The multivariable analysis showed the ability to detect Plasmodium was associated with male laboratorial workers(adjusted OR =0.11,95％CI:0.02-0.53),laboratorial workers with intermediate or higher professional titles(adjusted OR=5.31,95％CI:1.04-27.19)and laboratorial workers from county and township medical institutions(adjusted OR=0.04,95％CI:0.01-0.98). Conclusions All of the medical institutions in Wuxi City have the capability of microscopic examinations of Plasmodium. How-ever,the ability of laboratorial staff in primary hospitals still should be improved.

The tumor metastasis is the major cause of the death of cancer patients.S-100A4 is a member of the S100 family of calcium-binding proteins and has been categorized as a metastasis-associated protein.S-100A4 is a candidate as a molecular marker for metastatic potential with high prognostic significance.An increase in S-100A4 protein expression has been correlated with poor prognosis of patients with breast,colorectal,gallbladder,bladder,esophageal,nonsmall-cell lung,gastric,medulloblastoma,pancreatic and hepatocellular cancers.The overexpression of S-100A4 protein can induce the increase of invasion and mobility of the tumor cells.It has been considered that S-100A4 is secreted by the tumor and stroma cells as a regulator of tumor metastasis.S-100A4 can regulate the progress of cell cycle,change cell adhesion,cell mobility and increase the survival ability of the tumor cells.

The pharmaceutical ethynylestradiol (EE) is a potent endocrine modulator. Application enlargement of ethynylestradiol in clinics and abuse in livestock farming and fishing make it important to explore ethynylestradiol toxicological action on vertebrate embryonic development and to establish an in vivo method for EE toxicity detection efficiently and conveniently. In the present study, using a model animal zebrafish and 17alpha-ethynylestradiol as a representative compound, we have investigated EE2 teratogenicity, target tissues and target genes on zebrafish embryo. The results show that median teratogenesis concentration (TC50) of EE2 is 0.8 microg x mL(-1), and median lethal dose (LD50) is 3.3 microg x mL(-1). Targets of EE2 action were implicated in brain, eyes, heart, muscle, skeleton, pigment and viscera. Embryonic cardiac arrhythmia caused by EE2 is probably resulted from heart abnormal structure. The embryonic stage sensitive to EE2 mainly started at cleavage and last up to the organogenesis with time-accumulating effect. RT-PCR results indicate that EE2 treatment disturbed gene expression pattern at the early period of zebrafish embryonic development by suppressing transcription of gene boz that promotes brain development, upregulating genes for trunk and tail, such as ntl, spt, shh, and perturbing Nodal signal expression of TGFbeta superfamily, for example, cyc, sqt and oep. Using zebrafish, an efficient in vivo method for quick evaluation of EE toxicity on embryonic development has been developed.

Objective To determine the characterization of mucA gene mutation in clinically isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa), and the relation between mucA mutation and the mucoid phenotype.Methods A total of 58 strains of P.aeruginosa were collected. Of them,8 were nonmucoid phenotype and 50 were mucoid phenotype.We detected mucA mutations with PCR-SSCP and sequencing analysis. Alginate was examined by colorimetry. Results All strrains had mucA mutations (100%), 16 of the 50 (32%) isolates contained mucA mutations that could alter the encoding sequence of amino acids, and the rate in nonmucoid isolates was 0. Fourteen mutation sites were found, 5 of which could alter the encoding sequence of amino acids, and the others were silent mutations. The alginate concentration of mucoid P.aeruginosa was higher than the nonmucoid P.aeruginos(P＜0.01). The alginate concentration of the isolates which contained mucA mutations that could alter the encoding sequence of amino acid was higher than the strains only with silent mutations (P＜0.01).Conclusion mucA mutation correlates with the alginate production and phenotype of bacterial colonies.

Objective:To determine the characteristics and differences in bleomycin-induced lung ifbrosis model by repeated low-dose intravenous injection and single dose intratracheal instillation of bleomycin.
Methods:Forty male ICR (Institute for Cancer Research) mice were randomly divided into a model group I, a model group II, and 2 control groups (10 mice in each group). In model group I, bleomycin was injected intravenously at 10 mg/(kg·d) for 14 consecutive days;and in model group II, bleomycin was instilled intratracheally at 5 mg/kg. The 2 control groups were given isotonic saline solution. At the 28th day, the mice were sacrificed and the bronchoalveolar lavage lfuid (BALF) was collected. The total cells and proteins in the BALF, pulmonary coeffcient, and hydroxyproline (HYP) content were determined. The pathological changes were observed by the eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining.
Results:1) Both intravenous injection and intratracheal instillation of bleomycin resulted in severe and extensive inlfammation and ifbrosis in the lungs. The total cells and proteins in the BALF, HYP content, pulmonary coeffcient and the pathological score of pulmonary ifbrosis were all signiifcantly increased in the 2 model groups (P<0.01). 2) Fibrosis was mainly under the pleura or around the vessel in model group I, and it was located near the bronehia and bronchioles in model group II. 3) The death rate was higher in the model group II than that in the model group I. 4) Proteins in the BALF were significantly higher in model group II than that in model group I (P<0.05). There was no difference in the total cells in the BALF, the pulmonary coefficient, the HYP content, and the pathological score of pulmonary ifbrosis between the 2 groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion:The pulmonary fibrosis model can be successfully established by intravenous injection or intratracheal instillation of bleomycin, but the sites of pulmonary ifbrosis are different. The histological changes caused by the repeated low-dose intravenous injection of bleomycin is more similar to idiopathic pulmonary ifbrosis than that by the single dose intratracheal instillation.

Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Cell Movement ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; pathology ; Humans ; Macrophages ; cytology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Synovial Membrane ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To observe the clinical effect and safety of propranololand imiquimod therapy for infantile hemangiomas of proliferative phase.Methods A total of 53 infantile patients with hemangiomas of proliferative phase that were treated in our department were collected.According to patient's condition,the patients were classified into treatment group and observation group.The treatment group consisted of 34 patients received propranolol and imiquimod treatment,and 19 cases belonged to the observation group.The changes of tumor were compared between the treatment group and the observation group.Pre-therapeutic and post-therapeutic heart rate,blood pressure,blood glucose were monitored in the treatment group,so were in post-treatment.Results After 6 months,the effective rate was 97.1％ (33/34) in treatment group,and the effective rate was 57.9％ (11/19)in observation group.There was significant difference between treatment group and observation group in effective rate (P＜0.05),and so did blood pressure and heart rate after medication in the treatment group,but not in blood glucose,heart rate six hours after medication (P＞0.05).Conclusions Propranolol and imiquimod therapy has a certain inhibitory effect on infantile hemangiomas of proliferative phase.Propranolol and imiquimod are safe in patients with infantile hemangioma,and adverse reactions are mild.

The clinical characteristics, therapeutic effects and complications of 32 incipient patients with acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada ( VKH) syndrome admitted in Wuxi Second Hospital during October 2010 to September 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 15 males and 17 females with a mean age of (41.3 ±14.1) years (22 -71 years), the time from the disease onset to treatment ranged from 3 to 20 days.Among 32 cases, 30 ( 94%) had premonitory symptoms. The multifocal bullous neurosensory detachment, optic disk hyperemia and edema in posterior pole of fundus were found in all cases, and exudative retinal detachment was found in 4 cases (6 eyes).The results of optical coherence tomography ( OCT) showed the macula neurosensory detachment, thick retinal neuroepithelial layer and wavy RPE layer in all patients.Fundus fluorescein angiography ( FFA) showed that scattered hyperfluorescence dots and cystic fluorescein reservoir was observed in early phase and later period respectively.Patients received intravenous methylprednisolone with the onset dose of 80 mg per day for 3-7 days and oral administration followed, which would gradually decrease later;the average treatment duration was (52.9 ±14.6) weeks. The visual acuity of 40 eyes (22 cases) was recovered to more than 0.8, and no blindness occurred after the treatment.During the treatment hair loss, depigmentation of skin and hair were found in 12 cases (38%) , and 2 cases showed short-term elevated intraocular pressure.These symptoms disappeared after drug therapy ceased.And no recurrence was found during the follow-up of 6 months.However, sunset glow fundus was found in 13 patients (26 eyes).The study shows that the diagnosis of VKH syndrome is based on the typical signs of the fundus presented on OCT and FFA.Early and systemic administration of glucocorticoids is important treatment for patients with VHK syndrome, which could decrease systemic and local complications effectively.