Renal cell carcinoma is one of the most common urinary tract cancers, accounting for 90% of renal cancer cases, and the clear cell renal cell carcinoma is its most common subtype. Because of poor response to conventional anti-cancer treatment, metastasis may occur in the early stage of renal cell carcinoma. The high degree of metastasis of renal cell carcinoma determines the necessity and importance of early diagnosis. Although a lot of researches about renal cell carcinoma have been carried out, its underlying mechanisms still remain unclear. Recent studies have shown that spot-type POZ protein (SPOP) can perform biological functions in a cancer type-specific way. Based on the latest findings, this article reviewed the current research status and prospectives of SPOP in renal cancer cells.

Objective To evaluate and compare two definitions for metabolic syndrome(MS)issued by International Diabetes Federation(IDF)and by Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch(CDS).Methods An epidemic survey and physical examination were conducted among 481 subjects randomly selected from 3 354 subjects(above 40 years old)by cluster sampling.Results The prevalence rate of MS by IDF or by CDS definition were 40.96% and 38.05%,respectively.Kappa value was 0.51,P0.01).Metabolic disorder ratio for above 3 items by IDF was higher than that of CDS criterion.Conclusion The IDF diagnostic criterion for MS and CDS are in good accordance and applicability.The MS diagnostic criterion of IDF is better at diagnosing centricity obesity than that of CDS.

Objective To explore the difference of serum free fatty acid(FFA) composition between the patients with the metabolic syndrome(MS) and the patients with high risk for MS(HRMS),and the relationship of FFA composition with their serum glucose.Methods The serum fatty acid profile was measured with the gas chromatography and mass spectrometer(GC/MS)in 159 patients with MS or HRMS and 43 control subjects.Results The contents of unsaturated fatty acid(UFA,C18:2 and C20:3),the ratios of UFA/TFA(total fatty acid),PUFA(polyunsaturated fatty acid)/TFA and PUFA/SFA(saturated fatty acid) were significantly increased in patients with MS than those in the normal controls(P0.05).FBG had remarkably positive correlation with UFA/TFA,PUFA/TFA and PUFA/SFA(r=0.229,0.204,0.230,P

Objective To evaluate the value of cholangiography for early diagnosis of ischemic-type biliary lasions(ITBL) after liver transplantation. Methods Two hundred and fifty-three patients with liver transplantaion between Jan 2004 and Oct 2006 were recruited. Initial cholangiography was compared with terminal cholangiography to evaluate the value of initial cholangiography of ITBL. The t test, Chi-square test, sum rank test were used for statistics. Results Based on initial cholangiography, 189 patients were diagnosed with normal appearance, while 64 patients were diagnosed with abnormal appearance. The abnormal initial cholangiography appearances included poor filling in 33 patients and irregularity in 31 patients. Based on terminal cholangiogruphy, 199 patients were diagnosed with normal appearance and 54 patients with ITBL In patients with abnormal initial cholangiography, ITBL was occurred in 39 of 64 patients including 10 of 33 poor frlling patients and 29 of 31 irregularity patients. In patients with normal initial appearance, ITBL was only occurred in 15 of 189 patients. The abnormal initial cholangiography was associated with ITBL significantly (X2 = 79.999, P = 0.000, r = 0.490). Initial cholangiography had an overall sensitivity of 72.22%, and specificity of 87.44%, with positive and negative predictive values of 60.94% and 92.06%, respectively. The abnormal initial cholangiogruphy was a risk factor of ITBL by logistic regression analyses(OR=15.193, P=0.000). Conclusion The abnormal initial cholangiography is associated with ITBL Initial cholangiography, especially minimal irregular of intrabepatic biliary tract, is a sensitive and specific method for the detection of ITBL after liver transplantation.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) level andischemic stroke and its etiological subtypes. Methods The consecutive inpatients with acute ischemic stroke (case group) and age-and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) over the same period were enrolled retrospectively. The demographic and baseline clinical data, as well as fasting blood glucose, fibrinogen,homocysteine, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high-densitylipoprotein cholesterol, low -density lipoprotein cholesterol, and Lp(a) concentration of the case group and the control group were collected. According to TOAST classification criteria, the patients in the case group were divided into large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), small artery occlusion (SAO) and cardioembolism (CE), and the patients with other determined etiology and undetermined etiology were excluded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to make clear the correlation between serum Lp(a) and acute ischemic stroke and its etiological subtypes. Results A total of 214 patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled. Ninety-seven had LAA (45.33%), 64 (29.91%) had SAO, and 53 (24.77%) had CE. There were 118 subjects in the control group. There were significant differences in the proportions of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation and alcohol consumption, as well as systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, low -density lipoprotein cholesterol, Lp(a), fibrinogen, and homocysteine between the case group and the control group (all P <0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for age and sex, Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke (odds ratio [OR] 2.014, 95% confidence interval [CI ] 1.273-3.092, P = 0.036). The independent risk factors for LAA included hypertension (OR 3.353, 95% CI 1.714-6.558, P = 0.001), systolic blood pressure ( OR 2.786, 95% CI 1.136-5.538, P =0.016), homocysteine ( OR 1.108, 95% CI 1.031-2.191, P = 0.005), total cholesterol (OR 2.169, 95% CI 1.599-4.943, P = 0.001), low -density lipoprotein cholesterol ( OR2.782, 95% CI 1.093-5.238, P =0.024), and Lp(a) (OR 3.072, 95% CI 1.907-8.064, P =0.001). Theindependent risk factors for SAO included hypertension ( OR 7.042, 95% CI 3.189-25.55, P =0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR 5.162, 95% CI 2.372-11.23, P =0.001), fibrinogen (OR 1.667, 95% CI 1.434-2.025, P = 0.045), and homocysteine (OR 1.967, 95% CI 1.859-1.995, P =0.036). The independent risk factors for CE included atrial fibrillation (OR 13.340, 95% CI 4.637-39.20, P = 0.001), fibrinogen (OR 2.365, 95% CI 1.147- 4.904, P =0.029), and Lp(a) (OR 1.656, 95% CI 1.996-3.001, P = 0.035). Conclusions Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke, and can be used as a serum biomarker for predicting the risk of the onset of ischemic stroke. There are differences in independent risk factors between the different stroke etiological subtypes. Lp(a) is independently associated with LAA and CE; however, it has no independent correlation with SAO.

Objective To investigate the imbalance of T helper 17 (Th17) / CD4 + CD25 + regulatory cell (Treg) in HAM/TSP patients.Methods Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the levels of interleukin (IL-17) and IL-10 in CSF,and flow cytometry to determine the percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood of patients with HAM/TSP.Results There was a significant increase in the level of IL-17 [(4.58 ± 0.70)pg/ml vs (0.76 ± 0.17)pg/ml,P ＜ 0.01] in CSF and the percentage of Th17 cells [(2.00 ± 0.64) ％ vs (0.41 ± 0.24) ％,P ＜ 0.01],but a decrease in the level of IL-10 in CSF and the percentage of Treg cells in peripheral blood of patients with HAM/TSP compared with the control group.The ratio of Th17/Treg cell (0.55 ±0.10 vs 0.06 ±0.03) in the peripheral blood of patients with HAM/TSP increased significantly compared with control group (t =12.11,P ＜0.01).Conclusions The imbalance between Thl7 and Treg cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the interleukin-17 (IL-17),interleukin23 (IL-23) and carotid artery sclerosis in patients with cerebral infarction.Methods One hundred and twentyfive cerebral infarction patients in the first affiliated hospital of Shantou University medical college from June 2010 to June 2012 were recruited.All the subjects were examined with carotid ultrasonography.According to the results of carotid ultrasonography,all patients were divided into carotid atherosclerosis group(86 cases) and non carotid atherosclerosis group(39 cases).Patients with carotid atherosclerosis were divided into soft plaque group (35 cases),hard plaque group (21 cases),mixed plaque group (30 cases) based on plaque feature.Carotid atherosclerosis patients with cerebral infarction plaque determined by semi-quantitative method were grouped into Ⅰ grade(29 cases),Ⅱ grade (43 cases),Ⅲ grade (14 cases) according to the severity atherosclerosis.Serum levels of IL-17 and IL-23 were measured.Results The levels of IL-17 and IL-23 in patients with carotid atherosclerosis group were (31.42 ± 8.73) μg/L and(21.79 ± 9.34) μg/L,higher than that of non-carotid atherosclerosis group((22.81 ±6.52) μg/L,t =5.15,P ＜0.01 ; (14.33 ±6.21) μg/L,t =4.99,P ＜0.01).The IL-17 and IL-23 levels in patients with soft plaque,hard plaque and mixed plaque group were significant different (F =10.181,3.835,P ＜0.05).Serum IL-17 in soft plaque and mixed plaque expression group was higher than that of hard plaque group (P =0.001,P=0.007).IL-23 level in soft plaque group was higher than mixed plaque and hard plaque groups(P =0.017;P =0.045).The IL-17 and IL-23 levels in Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ level group were markedly different (F =41.046,3.739 ; P ＜ 0.05),and there was significant difference between Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅰ group(P ＜0.01,P ＜0.05).The correlation between IL-17 and IL-23 levels in Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ level group were 0.892 and 0.420 (P =0.000 ; P =0.041).Conclusion IL-17 and IL-23 play important roles in the pathologic progress of artery sclerosis and are helpful for early diagnosis of the disease.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic results of percutaneous transhepatic stent angioplasty for portal vein stenosis following liver transplant.Methods From 2005 to 2007,7 patients developed portal vein stenosis following liver transplant.Percutaneous transhepatic stent angioplasty of the portal vein was performed in all patients.The therapeutic results were monitored by clinical follow-up and imaging examination.Results In seven patients,the percutaneous transhepatic stents were placed successfully.The follow up period ranged from 3 months to 34 months.Portal venous patency Was maintained in six patients(one patient died due to hepatic arterial thrombosis and ischemic insult to bile duct at three months following the stent placement).No complications due to stent angioplasty occurred.Conclusion Percutaneous transhepatic stent angioplasty is an effective and safe method for treatment of portal vein stenosis following liver transplant.

Primary small bowel tumors have low incidence and contain predominantly solid components, and the lesions are similar and difficult to be detected and distinguished with multislice spiral CT (MSCT) plain scans. In this article we describe contrast-enhanced MSCT technique and imaging characteristics for solid small bowel tumors or small bowel tumors containing predominantly solid components, including the type and use of contrast agents. In contrast-enhanced MSCT, small bowel imaging with CT has the advantages of determining the true extent of intestinal wall lesions, the possible extent of wall penetration, the degree of mesenteric involvement, and distant metastases, as well as easiness to detect and identify the blood supply vessels of small bowel tumors and assessment of the corresponding complications. Contrast-enhanced MSCT has become the best noninvasive imaging technique for the diagnosis, evaluation, and staging of solid small bowel tumors or small bowel tumors containing predominantly solid components. CT texture analysis (CTTA) is a new research hotspot and can be useful for the correct diagnosis of primary small bowel tumors containing predominantly solid components.