Purpose To investigate the expression of the Cx43 and E-cad protein in esophageal carcinoma and normal esophageal tis-sue and to discuss their relationship. Methods SP immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of Cx43 and E-cad in esophageal carcinoma and normal esophageal tissue. The relation between their expression and esophageal carci-noma was investigated. Results Immunohistochemical assay and Western blot analysis showed the expression levels of Cx43 and E-cad in esophageal carcinoma were significantly lower than that in normal esophageal tissue. The expression of Cx43 had correlation with lymph node metastasis. The expression of E-cad had correlation with degrees of pathological differentiation. There was a positive rela-tionship between the expression of Cx43 and E-cad in same sample. Conclusion Expression of Cx43 and E-cad protein is low in e-sophageal carcinoma, which can be helpful in the prediction of the biological behavior and prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.

Objective To modify gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for determination of plasma sufentanil concentrations.Methods Fentanyl was used as the internal standard.The plasma samples were extracted with ethyl acetate and petroleum ether.An HP-5MS capillary column was used.The initial temperature of the column was set at 130 ℃,and the final temperature was 320 ℃.The injector port temperature was set at 290 ℃,and the interface temperature was 300 ℃.The carrier gas was high purity helium (purity 99.999％) with a constant flow rate of 1 ml/min.The injection volume was 1 μl with splitless injection.The MS conditions were as follows:EI source,ion source temperature 230 ℃,four-pole temperature 150 ℃,electron bombardment energy 70 eV,multiply voltage 2112 V,selective ion monitoring mode,solvent delay 7 min.The characteristic ions of sufentanil and fentanyl were obtained in 8.20-8.40 min and 7.60-7.80 min,respectively,according to the characteristic ion curve of sufentanil and fentanyl.Results The standard curve of sufentanil had good linear relationship in the range of 0.02-10.00 ng/ml and the equation was Y =0.1625X + 0.0316,R2 =0.9987.The extraction recovery was more than 80％,intra-day and inter-day determinations were less than 8％,and the limit of detection was 0.02 ng/ml.Conclusion When modified GC-MS is applied to determine the concentrations of sufentanil in plasma,not only the determination is sensitive and accurate,but also the procedures are simplified,and it is more suitable for the pharmacological research of sufentanil.

Objective To investigate the effect of extracorporeal cjrcuit on the concentration of sufentanil the priming solution.Methods The extracorporeal circuit (ECC) of Xi-jing-90 type (group A) was used in the study,while incontrol group (group B) a glass container was used.The ECC and glass container were filled with priming solution (succinylated Gelatin 1000 ml + lactated Ringer's solution 1000 ml).Sufentanil 15 μg was then added to the priming solution (the final concentration was 7.5 ng/ml).The priming solution was circulated in the closed ECC or stirred in the glass container.The concentration of sufentanil in the priming solution was determined at 3,5,10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80 and 90 min after addition of sufentanil by gas chromatography.Results The sufentanil concentration in.the priming solution decreased in group A at the different time points respectively as compared with group B (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Sufentanil can significantly be absorbed by the extracorporeal circuit.

Objective To investigate the level of nurses′preparedness and influencing factors of nurses with low seniority in Anhui province. Methods Totally 295 nurses with low seniority were recruited by convenience sampling method. They were investigated by a self-designed demographic data questionnaire and the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool. Results The score of the disaster nursing ability of the nursing managers was 163.85 ± 32.41, the mean score was 3.64 ± 0.72. Regression analysis showed that the gender, the experience of disaster rescue,disaster training were the influencing factors of disaster preparedness. Conclusions The capacity of disaster preparedness for nurses is not ideal. There is still room for improvement among nurses in Anhui province to enhance disaster preparedness, and improved disaster nursing training system is needed to achieve this.

Dengue virus (DENV) envelope [E] protein is the major surface protein of the virions that indued neutralizing antibodies. The domain III of envelope protein (EDIII) is an immunogenic region that holds potential for the development of vaccines; however, the epitopes of DENV EDIII, especially neutralizing B-cell linear epitopes, have not been comprehensively mapped. We mapped neutralizing B-cell linear epitopes on DENV-1 EDIII using 27 monoclonal antibodies against DENV-1 EDIII proteins from mice immunized with the DENV-1 EDIII. Epitope recognition analysis was performed using two set of sequential overlapping peptides (16m and 12m) that spanned the entire EDIII protein from DENV-1, respectively. This strategy identified a DENV-1 type- specific and a group-specific neutralizing epitope, which were highly conserved among isolates of DENV-1 and the four DENV serotypes and located at two regions from DENV-1 E, namely amino acid residues 309-320 and 381-392(aa 309-320 and 381-392), respectively. aa310 -319(310KEVAETQHGT319)was similar among the four DENV serotypes and contact residues on aa 309 -320 from E protein were defined and found that substitution of residues E309 , V312, A313 and V320 in DENV-2, -3, -4 isolates were antigenically silent. We also identified a DENV-1 type-specific strain-restricted neutralizing epitope, which was located at the region from DENV-1 E, namely amino acid residues 329-348 . These novel type- and group-specific B-cell epitopes of DENV EDIII may aid help us elucidate the dengue pathogenesis and accelerate vaccine design.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; immunology ; Dengue ; virology ; Dengue Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Epitope Mapping ; Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To construct a recombinant expression vector for expression of the function-al domains of dengue virus serotype 1 ( DENV1 ) envelope ( E ) protein in native soluble form. Methods The genes encoding the functional domains of DENV1-E protein (1-394 aa) were amplified with PCR and then cloned into the Psectag2B-Fc eukaryotic expression vector.The 293T cells were transfected with the recombinant vector by cationic lipid-based delivery.The cell clones expressing the fusion DENV1-E-Fc protein were screened out with 2 mg/ml of Zeocin.Immunofluorescence assay ( IFA) was performed to analyze the antigenicity and integrity of the fusion protein.The fusion proteins were purified from cell lysate with Protein-G and further identified by Western blot assay.Results The soluble form of fusion protein with a molecular weight of about 90×103 was obtained at a yield of about 25 μg per 1×107 cells.The results of IFA indicated that the fusion protein kept its integrity with right conformational epitopes.The fusion protein was successfully expressed with the advantage of good specificity as indicated by IFA and Western blot assay. Conclusion The recombinant fusion protein in soluble form was successfully expressed in eukaryotic ex-pression system, which paved the way for further investigation on the function of DENV1 E protein and its protective epitopes.

Objective To study the application of regional localization method in the thoracoscopic resection of small pulmonary nodule.Methods Sixty-eight cases of small pulmonary nodules were located by applying the small pulmonary nodules regional localization method,and the clinical effect was intraoperatively observed.The ROC curve was used to find the best node for the nodule maximum diameter and minimum distance from the pleural.Results The once successful localization was obtained in 65 cases with the success rate of 95.6％.The best node of the maximum diameter of small pulmonary nodules was 1.0 cm,and the shortest distance from the pleura was 1.3 cm.Conclusion The regional localization method in the thoracoscopic resection of small pulmonary nodule has high accuracy.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinicopathological features, treatment and prognosis of renal mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC).

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of eleven patients of pathologically confirmed renal MTSCC were reviewed retrospectively. Among the 11 patients, there were 4 males and 7 females with a mean age of 51.6 years (range, 24 to 81 years). Two patients presented with hematuria, one presented with lumbago and others were asymptomatic.

RESULTSThe renal MTSCC was of hypovascular tumor in enhanced CT scan. Seven cases were treated with radical nephrectomy, and the other four with partial nephrectomy. The mean diameter of tumors was 4.4 cm. The TNM stages were as follows: pT1aN0M0 in 6, pT1bN0M0 in 3, pT2N0M0 in 2 cases. Histological examination of the tumors showed that they consisted of spindle cells arranged in tubular and trabecular patterns embedded in a myxoid stroma. No recurrence or metastasis was observed during the follow-up (median 41 months).

CONCLUSIONSMTSCC is a rare low-grade renal epithelial carcinoma with a relatively good prognosis. Preoperative CT scan is partly helpful for diagnosis and guiding decision making. Nephron-sparing surgery is recommended in most cases, especially in patients with small tumors.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Nephrectomy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed