Objective: To observe the distribution of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in gingival tissues in elderly patients with periodontitis. Methods: Gingival tissue samples were obtained during tooth extraction.The localization of positive expression of iNOS in gingival tissues in 10 patients aged 65-86 years with periodontitis was tested with immunohistochemical method and was compared with that of 10 adult patients(37-54 years old) with periodontitis, 10 juvenile patients (18-29 years old) with periodontitis and 10 healthy elders(65-81 years old),respectively. Results:iNOS expression was mainly found in epithelial cells, inflammatory cells in connective tissues, granuloma tissues, epithelial basement membrane and microvascular endothelial cells in gingiva in the 3 groups of periodontitis. The cases of positive expression of iNOS in microvascular endothelial cells and inflammatory cells in connective tissues in elderly patients with periodontitis were significantly fewer than those in juvenile patients and adult patients ( P

Background and purpose:Bladder cancer is the most common urological tumor, and its pathogen-esis is still not fully understood. The study was aimed to observe the expressions of key genes in many tumor-associated signaling pathways in normal bladder tissue and bladder carcinoma, and to provide further evidence for the subsequent study of bladder cancer recurrence and metastasis.Methods:Twenty-seven cases of bladder cancer specimens were col-lected, and normal bladder tissues and bladder cancer tissues were distinguished by frozen section. Then, the expressions of 84 genes of cancer-related signaling pathways in bladder cancer tissues and normal bladder tissues were screened by Cancer Pathway Finder PCR Array produced by QIAGEN company.Results:Compared with the normal bladder tissues, the bladder carcinoma tissues had 8 up-regulated genes and 19 down-regulated genes. In this study, the impact of epithe-lial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling pathway was selected as a research direction in which theGSC,KRT14,DSP were up-regulated,SNAI2,SNAI3 were down-regulated. ThereforeGSC,KRT14,DSP,SNAI2 andSNAI3 were chosen as target genes, and verified by qRT-PCR in many examples. The result showed that the expressions ofGSC gene in bladder cancer tissues were up-regulated, but with no statistical significance;KRT14,DSP expressions in bladder cancer were higher than those in normal bladder tissues (P<0.05);SNAI2,SNAI3 expressions in bladder cancer were lower than those in normal bladder tissues (P<0.05), andSNAI3 showed the most obvious expression differences.Conclusion:KRT14,DSP andSNAI3 may play an important role in bladder cancer’s occurrence, development and metastasis.

Objective To investigate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on schistosomiasis control in transmission-interrupted areas in order to provide basis for making out intervention strategies of preventing re-epidemic of schistosomiasis. Methods A questionnaire survey was carried out for residents’ KAP on schistosomiasis control in the transmission-interrupted areas. A total of 608 residents were surveyed. Results The residents’ understanding rates of each item of schistosomiasis control were under 25.00% without exception. Residents refusing schistosomiasis examination, never surveying snails and never reporting snails accounted for 52.30%, 95.23% and 97.86% respectively. Conclusions Residents treat schistosomiasis control with indifference in transmission-interrupted areas. Therefore, intervention strategies of pertinent health education should be adopted to improve residents’ compliance to schistosomiasis examination and snail survey and report, and to prevent schistosomiasis re-epidemic.

In this study, we used next-generation sequencing methods to screen 300 individuals for BRCA1 and BRCA2. A novel mutation (c.849dupT) in BRCA2 was identified in a female patient and her unaffected brothers. This mutation leads to the truncation of BRCA2 functional domains. Moreover, BRCA2 mRNA expression levels in mutation carriers are significantly reduced compared to noncarriers. Immunofluorescence and western blot assays showed that this mutation resulted in reduced BRCA2 protein expression. Thus, we identified a novel mutation that damaged the function and expression of BRCA2 in a family with breast cancer history. The pedigree analysis suggested that this mutation is strongly associated with familial breast cancer. Genetic counsellors suggest that mutation carriers in this family undergo routine screening for breast cancer, as well as other malignancies, such as prostate and ovarian cancer. The effects of this BRCA2 mutation on drug resistance should be taken into consideration during treatment.
Blotting, Western ; BRCA2 Protein ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Genes, BRCA2 ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay* ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pedigree ; Prostate ; RNA, Messenger ; Siblings

Objective To correct the counting loss of ³⁷Ar below the activity threshold during the measurement of the absolute activity of the inert radioactive gas ³⁷Ar using the proportional counter filled with gas. Methods Monte Carlo simulation with Geant4 was performed to establish a proportional counter model and output the energy deposition spectrum of ³⁷Ar, which were used to simulate and analyze the causes and correction of counting loss. Results The photon detection efficiency was only 38.7% at 60 kPa. The counting loss was mainly caused by the wall effect produced by the photons, which could be reduced by increasing the gas pressure and corrected by extrapolation. The influence of wall effect at 100 kPa was 4.4%, and the deviation between simulation and experiment was < 0.6%. Conclusion A factor could be calculated by Geant4 simulation for the correction of counting loss, thus achieving the accurate measurement of ³⁷Ar activity by proportional counter.