Molecular methods and fluoroscopic techniques suggest that rich microbial diversity exist in the marine environment, but less than 1% of these microbes can be cultured in the laboratory conditions, and that the cultivable dominant species were even less. This limitation has long been a barrier to the development of environmental microbiology and the utilization of marine resources. In the past decade, novel methods for culture and detection of these uncultured marine microbes have successfully applied to obtain several conventionally-uncultured microbes including those from extreme environments. Those progresses have inspired researchers greatly. Developments in the research of marine microbial resources are an important basis for the study of the micro-world and deserve increasing scientific attention.

This study was aimed to compare the proportion of endothelial cells (EC) in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) and human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC), and to investigate the influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on proportion of EC in MSC. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of CD34(+)CD133(+) and vWF(+)CD31(+) double positive cells in MSC. Wright's staining was employed to observe the influence of VEGF on morphology of MSC. The expressions of CD34, CD133, CD31, vWF were detected by immunofluorescence. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the influence of VEGF on EC marker genes' expression of MSC. The results showed that there were a small amount of EC and endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) in obtained BM-MSC and UC-MSC. After exposed to VEGF 10 ng/ml for 24 h, aspect ratio of MSC and the proportion of EC increased, while proportion of EPC decreased. Expression of EC related marker genes such as Tie-2 and ecNOS up-regulated, especially in UC-MSC. It is concluded that small amount of EC and EPC exists in cultured BM-MSC and UC-MSC, VEGF can enhance the proportion and function of EC in MSC.
Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Umbilical Cord ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; pharmacology

Background and purpose:To perform whole mount technique in the diagnosis of the prostate cancer could provide orientation to the specimen. Whole mount technique has great value in pathologic diagnosis and morphological research. However, limited by the specimen-making technique, shortage of equipment and heavy workload, this technique has not been generally accepted in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the signiifcance of whole mount technique in the diagnosis of the prostate cancer by comparing the clinical and pathological variables between whole mount patients and conventional ones after radical prostatectomy (RP).Methods:A total number of 229 patients’ whole mount RP specimens were recruited in the study from Dec. 2012 to Feb. 2014. The control group included 393 patients’ specimens which underwent conventional sampling from Jan. 2010 to Jun. 2012. We compared the clinical and pathological variables between the groups, including age, preoperative PSA level, methods of diagnosis, preliminary diagnostic Gleason score, clinical T stage, postoperative Gleason score, pathological T stage, positive surgical margin, extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle invasion and pelvic lymph node metastasis.Results:Two groups shared similar preoperative parameters. Also there was no signiifcant difference between the whole mount and the conventional sampling groups in postoperative Gleason score, pathological T stage, extraprostatic extension and pelvic lymph node metastasis. However, positive surgical margin and seminal vesicle invasion rates were much higher in the whole mount group than the control one and both of the differences reached statistical signiifcance (26.2%vs 17.6%, 23.1%vs 17.0%;P=0.010, 0.025)Conclusion:After compared the clinical and pathological variables, we could conclude that whole mount technique has prevalence in the diagnosis of the positive surgical margin and seminal vesicle invasion compared with the conventional sampling technique. Thus, whole mount technique should be strongly recommended in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the gene causing diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma in a Chinese pedigree. METHODS: Four normal individuals and 3 patients in a diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma family and 10 unrelated control samples were recruited. The hotspot of the mutations of keratin 9 gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. RESULTS: We found a G485A transition in ke ratin 9 gene, resulting in the substitution of glutamine for arginine at codon 162 in this diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma family. The mutation was not found in the 10 unrelated control samples and 4 normal individuals. CONCLUSION The mutation G485A found in keratin 9 gene is the disease-causing mutation in the diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma family.
Base Sequence ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Keratins ; genetics ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar, Diffuse ; genetics ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Pedigree

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7) expression on overall survival for patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

METHODSThe data of 113 diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer patients from January 2002 to June 2010 were collected retrospectively, including patient's age at diagnosis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis,Gleason score, clinical stage, PSA nadir during hormonal therapy, the time to PSA nadir, vital status, survival time and cause of death. The expression of AR-V7 in prostate cancer tissue was detected by using immunohistochemical staining. The correlation of AR-V7 expression and patient clinicopathological characteristics in all patients were analysed using Student t-test or Chi-square test. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the predictive role of AR-V7 expression and patient characteristics for overall survival.

RESULTSThe median PSA nadir was 0.7 µg/L (ranged from 0.0 to 143.0 µg/L). The median time to PSA nadir was 8.1 months (ranged from 0.9 to 71.0 months). The follow-up was performed until March 12, 2014. During the follow-up period, 67 of 113 metastatic prostate cancer patients (59.3%) died and the median overall survival was 96 months (ranged from 5 to 135 months). The AR-V7 detection rate was 20.4% (23/113). The serum PSA level in patients with positively expression of AR-V7 was significantly higher than that without AR-V7 expression (t = 2.521, P = 0.013). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the expression of AR-V7 (HR = 2.421, P = 0.002) and time to PSA nadir (HR = 1.019, P = 0.022) were independent prognostic factors of overall survival for metastatic prostate cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of AR-V7 in prostate cancer tissues and time to PSA nadir during hormonal therapy are independent prognostic factors of overall survival for metastatic prostate cancer patients. Therapy targeting AR-V7 may improve prognosis of metastatic prostate cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Protein Isoforms ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDInterleukin-13 (IL-13) has been implicated to be responsible for recruitment of inflammatory cells from the blood to the lung, regulation of matrix metalloproteinase and induction of mucin production and secretion in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We determined plasma IL-13 levels in patients with COPD and investigated its association with common polymorphisms of IL-13 gene in a case-control study.

METHODSWe genotyped 160 cases and 175 control subjects in a local hospital using Mass-Array(TM) Technology Platform then tested the association of four SNPs in IL-13 (rs1295685, rs1800925, rs1881457, rs20541) with COPD, and then determined plasma IL-13 levels in patients with COPD and controls.

RESULTSAssociation was found between IL-13 gene SNPs (rs20541 and rs1800925) and an increased risk of COPD. By linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis, two blocks (rs1881457 and rs1800925; rs20541 and rs1295685) were found. The risk of COPD was found associated with the IL-13 gene polymorphism among southern Chinese Han population. Plasma IL-13 level was increased in COPD patients compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONSThe polymorphism of the IL-13 gene is associated with an increased risk of COPD in southern Chinese Han population. Plasma IL-13 levels were found elevated in patients with COPD.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Frequency ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; genetics ; Humans ; Interleukin-13 ; genetics ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; genetics

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation for ulnar olecranon fracture of Mayo type ⅡB.Methods From July 2014 to December 2017,8 patients with ulnar olecranon fracture of Mayo type ⅡB were treated with wedge osteotomy of the ulnar olecranon combined with internal fixation.They were 6 men and 2 women,from 28 to 45 years of age (mean,31.4 years).The wedge osteotomy was planned preoperatively according to the literature data and the osteotomy lengths were measured postoperatively to confirm the safe range for the surgery.Fracture healing was evaluated by regular X-ray follow-up and therapeutic effects were assessed by the range of elbow motion and the Broberg-Morry scoring system.Results On average in this group,the olecranon osteotomy was 6.2 mm in length on the articular sudace and 14.5 mm at the basal part.The olecranon was shortened by 4.6 cm on average after operation.All the 8 patients were followed up for 14 to 20 months (average,16.4 months).The clinical fracture healing time ranged from 12 to 16 weeks,with an average of 14.3 weeks.Follow-ups revealed no fracture displacement,pain or internal fixation failure.No significant differences were found between the affected and the contralateral sides in the flexion,extension or range of motion of the elbow joint at 3 months or at one year after surgery (P ＞ 0.05).According to the Broberg-Morry scoring system,5 cases were rated as excellent,2 as good and one as fair at 3 months after surgery.The final follow-ups found no traumatic arthritis or joint instability.Conclusions As a new treatment alternative,wedge osteotomy combined with internal fixation can obtain satisfactory curative outcomes for ulnar olecranon fractures of Mayo type ⅡB.The wedge osteotomy was performed in a safe range for this group.

In previous study, the 150-ku oxygen-regulated protein(ORP150) was identified as a candidate glycoprotein related to hepatocellular carcinoma.In order to further validate the expression level of ORP150 in hepatocellular carcinoma, protein expression was determined by Western blot and cell immunochemistry, and messenger RNA(mRNA) expression was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.The effect of ORP150 on apoptosis and invasive potential of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was evaluated using the small interference RNA(siRNA) technique.Both the protein and mRNA expression levels of ORP150 were significantly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines compared with a non-tumor human liver cell line.After transfection with the specific siRNA of ORP150, significantly greater apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was induced compared with untransfected cells.However, no significant effect on invasive potential was found.Overexpression of ORP150 was associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, and ORP150 might promote the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inhibiting apoptosis.ORP150 could be a potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) transferred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODSData from patients with ST elevation AMI urgently transferred from first admitted hospitals to our cath-lab to receive primary PCI were analyzed. According to time intervals from symptom onset to transfer, the patients were divided into early transfer (< 6 h, n = 26), delayed transfer (6 - 24 h, n = 39) and late transfer (24 h to 1 week, n = 18) group. The major cardiac events during transfer periods and one month after PCI were obtained and echocardiogram and left ventricular systolic functions were compared among groups.

RESULTSThere was no serious cardiac event during transfer period and all 83 patients received primary PCI with a mean transfer-to-balloon time about 180 minutes. Success rate of PCI was 92.3% in early transfer group, 89.7% in delayed transfer group, and 94.4% in late transfer group (P > 0.05). At one month follow-up after PCI, 0, 10.3% and 16.7% of patients developed heart failure in early, delayed transfer and late transfer group respectively (P > 0.05 vs. early), the LVEF of early transfer group (53.2% +/- 9.7%) was also significantly higher than delayed transfer group (48.6% +/- 8.2%, P < 0.05) and late transfer group (43.1% +/- 10.3%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSTransfer patients with AMI for primary PCI is safe in the observed time intervals during acute phase. Early transferred patients are associated with better outcome at 1 month post PCI compared to delayed and late transferred AMI patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Patient Transfer ; Safety ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To analyze the results of detection on influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus in Beijing from May 2009 to December 2009 and to understand the epidemiologic characteristics during the pandemic period. Methods The study was conducted from the May 1 to December 27,2009. A total of 101 852 throat swab samples were detected with the real-time RT-PCR assay by the Beijing Network Laboratory. Data was statistically analyzed. Results 9843 samples showed influenza A (H1N1) 2009 positive, with an overall positive rate as 9.66%. In terms of the positive rates, they were 2.85% from May to June, 3.32% from July to August and 8.35% from September to October. The peak month fell in November (29.67%) and December (24.33%). The positive rates among the following subpopulations were: 8.40% among the suspected cases, 4.75% among close contact cases, 11.46% among the influenza-like illness cases and 7.33% among the cluster cases with fever. Positive cases mainly fell in age groups 5-14 and 15-24. The ratio of male to female was 1.5:1.Conclusion During the pandemic period of influenza A (H1N1) 2009, positive cases gradually increased during May to November but slowly decreasing in December.