Objective To investigate the sensitivity of different methods in the diagnosis of portal hypertension associated with liver cirrhosis. Methods 99 patients with portal hypertension associated liver cirrhosis, and 49 healthy subjects as control were enrolled in this study. Their portal and splenic vein widths, and the conditions of varicose vein in esophagus and gastric fundus were determined, and portal pressures were measured by radionuclide method. The positive percentage of different methods for the diagnosis of portal hypertension were analysed. Results Most of the patients with portal hypertension had the extension of portal and splenic vein in the fifferent areas and in various degrees. There were no significant differences in the degrees of portal and splenic vein extension among the patients with mild, moderate or severe esophageal varicose vein. The width of portal and splenic vein was not related with portal pressure. Radionuclide method was the most sensitive in diagnosing portal hypertension. Conclusion Portal hypertension can be diagnosed according to the conditions of vessels and spleen. The sensitivity of different methods in diagnosing portal hypertension were different, and that of radionuclide method was the highest. The width of portal and splenic vein had no close relation with portal pressure and the degree of esophageal varicose vein.

Objective To clarify the role of a cell cycle regulator, cyclin D1 and CDK6 in patients with gastric carcinoma. Method Tissue samples from 48 patients with gastric carcinoma were included in the current study. Expression levels of cyclin Dl and CDK6 in samples of normal mucosa and tumor tissue were analyzed by Western blot. Result Overexpression of cyclin Dl and CDK6 protein were demonstrated in 58% and 69% of gastric cancer tissues, respectively. Several clinicopathologic parameters, including depth of tumor invasion, pathologic lymph node status and tumor stage ( P

Objective To explore the expression of N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) in gastric carcinoma and the relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Methods The expression of NDRGI was detected by immunohisto chemistry in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections with a total of 220 specimens including 110 gastric carcinoma and 110 corresponding paraneoplastic tissue. The correlation between clinicopathological parameters and the expression of NDRG1 in gastric carcinoma were also analyzed. Results Low expression of NDRG1 was detected in most gastric carcinoma sections. Among the gastric cancer tissues, NDRG1 protein expression was significantly lower in tumors with more advanced pathological stage, local tumor invasion and lymphatic metastases. There was no significant difference in sex, age, tumor differentiation and gross types of the tumor. The 1-, 3- and 5 year survival and disease free survival in patients with low NDRG1 protein expression was 84.2%, 53.9%, 21.1%, and 60.5%, 31.6%, 19.7%, respectively, which was signifivantly poorer when compared with patients with high NDRG1 protein expression. Conclusion The expression of NDRG1 is low in the majority of patients with gastric carcinoma, which was in a close relationship with advanced stage, local invasion and lymphatic metastases of gastric carcinoma. NDRG1 may be a candidate metastasis suppressor gene.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the anti-post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)effect of sertraline and nitric oxide in fear conditioning rats. METHODS Conditioned fear stress was established by electric shock with a cue tone,and fear extinction training was carried out by giving the rats only tone signals the next day. The rats were treated with sertraline(15 mg · kg-1) intragastrically within 1 h before the experiment for 8 d. Freezing time was tested at the 1st,4th and 7th day after the extinction training in rats. The NO contents were detected by Griess method and the nNOS and iNOS level on amygdala was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS The behavior tests showed that compared with normal control group ,the freezing time was significantly increased in extinction control group and extinction training group(P<0.01),indicating that the conditioned fear model of rats was successfully established. At the 1st and 4th day after conditioned fear extinction training in the rats,freezing time in sertraline(15 mg·kg-1)group was decreased compared with extinction training group (P<0.05). At the 7th day,the freezing time was significantly decreased(P<0.01),indicating that ser?traline reversed the fear response. At the same time,the contents of NO,nNOS and iNOS on amygdala of rats in sertraline group were lower than that in extinction training group(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Sertraline can promote extinction of conditioned fear memory,suggesting that sertraline has anti-PTSD effects on the model of fear condition in rats. The underlying mechanisms may be connected with NO.

Objective To explore the mechanism of HPV infection in carcinogenesis and progression of colon cancer. Methods Human colon cancer cells, HCT116 (with wild-type p53) and SW480 (with mutant-type p53), were transfected by HPV16 E6E7 oncogenes using a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector system. The transfection efficiency was determined by flow cytometry. The expression of HPV16 E6 genes was determined by Western blot. The cell proliferation and cell cycle was studied by MTT method and flow cytometry. Results Western blot confirmed the expression of E6 gene in colon cells that were infected by rAAV-E6E7. The population doubling time of HCT116 cell, which was more than 48 hours at control group, decreased to 33 hours. HPV16 E6E7 increased cell percentage of S phase and decreased cell percentage of G0/G1. The population doubling time of SW480 cell was 77.06% decreased and the OD540 was 47.18% increased with interference of HPV16 E6E7 gene. Conclusion HPV16 E6E7 oncogene precipitates the proliferation and positively controls cell cycle of HCT116 and SW480 human colon cancer cells. HPV infection may closely relate to the carcinogenesis and progression of colon cancer.

Objective To investigate the relationship between HPV infection and human colorectal carcinogenesis. Methods Colorectal carcinoma specimens from 72 Chinese patients were studied. DNA extracted from colorectal tissue was screened for HPV L1 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HPV subtype 6,11, 16, and 18 were detected by PCR using specific primers and in situ hybridization using specific probe. Results Twenty-four specimens out of 72 (33%) colorectal cancer were HPV L1 positive. The normal colorectal mucosa was HPV L1 negative. The location, infiltration and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma were all significantly related with HPV infection. The predominant HPV subtype was HPV 16,which was found in 58% of all HPV-positive colorectal carcinoma. Conclusion The presence of HPV DNA suggests that HPV may be involved in the carcinogenesis of colorectal carcinoma. HPV infection is closely related with the malignant potential of colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect of selective 18 ku translocator protein (TSPO) ligand YL-IPA08 on corticosterone(CORT)-induced apoptosis of BV-2 cells and its potential mecha?nisms. METHODS BV-2 Cells were pretreated with selective TSPO ligand YL-IPA08 1-100 nmol · L-1 and(or) TSPO antagonist PK11195 100 nmol · L-1 for 2 h,and then co-incubated with CORT for another 24 h. The apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry. CCK-8 kit was used to test BV-2 cell viability. The protein expression of TSPO was determined by Western blotting. The level of allopreg?nanolone was detected by ELISA kit. RESULTS In line with positive drug-AC-5216, the cell apoptosis rate decreased in YL-IPA08 1-100 nmol · L-1 and CORT co-treatment groups(P<0.01), which was antago?nized by PK11195 100 nmol · L-1 treatment(P<0.05). Cell viability increased in YL-IPA08 100 nmol · L-1and CORT co-treatment groups (P<0.01), which was blocked by PK11195 100 nmol·L-1 treatment(P<0.01). The expression of TSPO and the level of allopregnanolone(P<0.01) were enhanced by YL-IPA08 100 nmol · L-1 pretreatment followed by CORT treatment. The enhancement of allopregnanolone level was blocked by PK11195 100 nmol·L-1 treatment(P<0.05). CONCLUSION YL-IPA08 can protect BV-2 cells from CORT induced apoptosis. The protective effect of YL-IPA08 may be conferred by the increasing level of TSPO expression and allopregnanolone.

Background: Arctic-like (AL) lineages of rabies viruses (RABVs) remains endemic in some Arctic and Asia countries. However, their evolutionary dynamics are largely unappreciated. Objectives: We attempted to estimate the evolutionary history, geographic origin and spread of the Arctic-related RABVs. Methods: Full length or partial sequences of the N and G genes were used to infer the evolutionary aspects of AL RABVs by Bayesian evolutionary analysis. Results: The most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of the current Arctic and AL RABVs emerged in the 1830s and evolved independently after diversification. Population demographic analysis indicated that the viruses experienced gradual growth followed by a sudden decrease in its population size from the mid-1980s to approximately 2000.Genetic flow patterns among the regions reveal a high geographic correlation in AL RABVs transmission. Discrete phylogeography suggests that the geographic origin of the AL RABVs was in east Russia in approximately the 1830s. The ancestral AL RABV then diversified and immigrated to the countries in Northeast Asia, while the viruses in South Asia were dispersed to the neighboring regions from India. The N and G genes of RABVs in both clades sustained high levels of purifying selection, and the positive selection sites were mainly found on the C-terminus of the G gene. Conclusions The current AL RABVs circulating in South and North Asia evolved and dispersed independently.

Background: High concentrations of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) in poultry houses is an important cause of respiratory disease in animals and humans. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can induce severe respiratory disease in animals under stress or with abnormal immune functions. When excessively high concentrations of PM2.5 in poultry houses damage the respiratory system and impair host immunity, secondary infections with P. aeruginosa can occur and produce a more intense inflammatory response, resulting in more severe lung injury. Objectives: In this study, we focused on the synergistic induction of inflammatory injury in the respiratory system and the related molecular mechanisms induced by PM2.5 and P. aeruginosa in poultry houses. Methods: High-throughput 16S rDNA sequence analysis was used for characterizing the bacterial diversity and relative abundance of the PM2.5 samples, and the effects of PM2.5 and P. aeruginosa stimulation on inflammation were detected by in vitro and in vivo. Results: Sequencing results indicated that the PM2.5 in poultry houses contained a high abundance of potentially pathogenic genera, such as Pseudomonas (2.94%). The lung tissues of mice had more significant pathological damage when co-stimulated by PM2.5 and P. aeruginosa, and it can increase the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α through nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions The results confirmed that poultry house PM2.5 in combination with P. aeruginosa could aggravate the inflammatory response and cause more severe respiratory system injuries through a process closely related to the activation of the NF-κB pathway.

Herpesvirus infections in Cervidae are a serious threat affecting some deer species worldwide. In our attempt to identify malignant catarrhal fever-associated herpesviruses in deer herds, ten gammaherpesviral DNA fragments were identified in five species of deer in herds in China by using a pan-herpesvirus polymerase chain reaction assay targeting viral DNA polymerase. Notably, in sambar (Rusa unicolor), a novel gamma-2 herpesvirus was identified that showed a close relationship with fallow deer lymphotropic herpesvirus (LHV), while the other fragments were phylogenetically grouped together with Elk-LHV. Determination of whether these viruses have any clinical implication in these deer species should be undertaken urgently.
Animals ; Cattle ; China ; Deer ; DNA ; DNA, Viral ; Herpesviridae Infections ; Herpesviridae ; Malignant Catarrh ; Polymerase Chain Reaction