Objective To examine the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α,HIF-1α),tumor cell proliferation antigen Ki67 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in breast cancer tissues,adjacent tissues and normal breast tissues.Methods Immunohistochemistry HRP method was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α,Ki67 and VEGF in 70 cases of breast cancer tissues and their adjacent tissues and 10 cases of normal breast tissues.Difference of the positive rate was assessed viax2 test,and the correlation between the 3 were analyzed in a disorderly classified manner.Results The positive expression rate of HIF-1α,Ki67 and VEGF in 70 cases of breast cancer tissues was 78.6％ (55/70),88.6％ (62/70) and 65.7％ (46/70) respectively,significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues and normal breast tissues (P ＜ 0.01).The positive expression rate of HIF-1 α,Ki67 and VEGF was closely related with clinical stage,lymph node metastasis and histological grade (P ＜0.05).The expression intensity of HIF-1α was positively correlated with Ki67 and VEGF in breast cancer (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Detection of HIF-1 α,Ki67,VEGF may be an important indicator to predict the development,invasion,metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer.Tissue hypoxia may promote the proliferation of breast cancer cell and angiogenesis.A presumption is that HIF-1αmay be a new t()get of breast cancer,thus it deserves further study.

Objective To investigate the related risk factors for small artery occlusion (SAO) and its 2 subtypes. Methods The clinical and imaging data in 291 patients with first-ever stroke who met the TOAST criteria of large artery atherosclerotic stroke (LAA) or SAO were collected from the Nanjing Stroke Registry Prog-am from December 2009 to November 2010. All the patients were divided into a LAA group (n = 120) and a SAO group (n = 171). The latter was redivided into either a lacunar infarction with ischemic leukoaraiosis (ILA) subgroup (n = 84)or an isolated lacunar infarction (ILI) subgroup (n = 87). The risk factors of the LAA group and SAO group and its subgroups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted and the independent risk factors were screened. Results The mean age in the SAO group was larger than that in the LAA group. The proportion of the patients with hypertension and the serum homocysteine (Hcy) level were significantly higher than those in the LAA group (all P ＜0. 05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the advanced age (odds ratio, [OR] = 1.041,95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.06, P = 0.045), hypertension (OR = 2. 912,95% CI 1. 11-6. 46, P =0. 031) and increased plasma Hcy (OR = 1. 109, 95% CI 1. 11-1. 32, P =0. 001) were the independent risk factors for SAO. The advanced age (OR = 1. 047,95% CI 1.00-1.09, P = 0.043), hypertension (OR = 2. 632, 95% CI 1.08-6.41, P= 0.033) and increased plasma Hcy (OR = 1. 211, 95% CI 1. 11-1. 32, P ＜0. 001) were the independent risk factors for ILA, while the hypercholesterolemia (OR =0. 136, 95% CI 0. 05-0. 37, P ＜0. 001) was the independent risk factor for ILI. Conclusions The advanced age, hypertension and increased plasma Hcy level may play important roles in the pathogenesis of SAO. The hypercholesterolemia is an independent risk factor for ILI, while advanced age, hypertension and increased plasma Hcy level are the independent risk factors for ILA.

BACKGROUND:The obesity has led to a plenty of diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of adipocyte differentiation is of far-reaching significance to the prevention and treatment of obesity. For the current studies of the mechanism of adipocyte differentiation pay more attention to microRNA, rather than long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). OBJECTIVE:To obtain the lncRNAs whose fold change was apparent during adipogenic differentiation, and to further screen the lncRNAs that possibly play a crucial role in adipogenic differentiation for verification. METHODS:Subcutaneous fat was obtained from human abdomen. Adipose-derived stem cells were col ected using tissue culture method. The third passage of adipose-derived stem cells was used for adipogenic differentiation. Through microarray technology, the expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNA were analyzed at 0, 5 and 12 days in adipogenic differentiation. Combining with bioinformatics report, lncRNAs apparently presented fold change were screened and verified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Fold change 1.5 (P<0.05) was considered as a criterion during adipogenic differentiation. The number of up-regulated lncRNAs was 748 for 5 days versus 0 day, 847 for 12 days versus 0 days, 593 for 12 days versus 5 days. At the same time, the down-regulated number was 828 for 5 days versus 0 day, 1 113 for 12 days versus 0 day, 750 for 12 days versus 5 days during adipogenic differentiation. In combination with bioinformatics analysis results, 3 of 28 lncRNAs were related to lipid metabolism:AK304548, BP216319 and DA852857, according to the standard that fold change in 0, 5 and 12 days was higher, and the target genes were known to be associated with adipogenesis-related genes. PCR results showed that the expression of AK304548 and BP216319 and its target gene presented an up-down trend, which is consistent with the microarray sequencing results. These results indicated that lncRNA plays a critical regulatory role in the adipogenic differentiation.

Objective:To investigate the effects of methylprednisolone(MP)on pneumocyte apoptosis during lung ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats and to study the possible role of MP in pneumocyte apoptosis.Methods:Forty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats used for unilateral lung ischemia/reperfusion model were randomly divided into three groups:sham operation group(Sh group),ischemia/reperfusion group(I/R group),and methylprednisolone group(MP group).Each group has two subgroups of three hours and six hours.Apoptosis rate in lung tissue was detected by the way of Annexin-V-PI in flow cytometer.Expression of I?B-? in lung was observed by immunohistochemical stain.The index of quantitative assessment of histological lung injury(IQA),the wet to dry weight ratio(W/D),the pathological and ultrastructure changes of lung tissue were measured.Results:Apoptosis rate,W/D,IQA of lung tissue were significantly higher in I/R group than which in Sh group(P

Objective To analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)and histologic features of the synchronous bilateral primary breast cancer (sBPBC).Methods MRI findings and pathologic types of sBPBC in 20 patients in our institute were reviewed retrospectively. The MRI features of sBPBC were compared with the pathologic types,respectively.Results 20 sBPBC patients with 41 lesions were found with the most common pathological type of invasive ductal carcinoma in 26 (26/41 ).Bilateral lesions had the same pathological types in 1 1 patients(1 1/20),and different types in 9(9/20).The MRI features of invasive breast cancer were more characteristic than that of early breast cancer.In 20 patients,the first and second primary breast cancers with similar MRI findings were found in 6(6/20).In 10 patients with sBPBC,the first cancer was advanced breast cancer,and the second was early or low grade breast cancer.Conclusion (1)The most common pathological type of sBPBC is invasive ductal carcinoma,and the pathological types of bilateral lesions are not similar. (2)The MRI features of the first and the second lesions in bilateral primary breast cancer showed lower similarity,and the bilateral lesions should be diagnosed independently.(3)In patients with sBPBC,some cancers are advanced breast cancers,and the second ones are early cancers,suggesting the lesion should be followed up if the contralateral one is diagnosed as breast cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of the cardiac hemodynamics after acute high altitude exposure in healthy young males and the relationship with acute mountain sickness(AMS).

METHODSLeft ventricular function and oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO2), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) were measured in 218 healthy young males before and after high altitude exposure within 24 h respectively. According to the lake louise score criteria, the subjects were divided into two groups: acute mountain sickness group (AMS group) and non acute mountain sickness group (non-AMS group).

RESULTSHR, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), stroke volume (SV), stroke index (SI) cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI) were significantly increased upon acute high altitude exposure (P < 0.05). Whereas SaO2 and end-systolic volume (ESV) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). In addition, HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and MAP in AMS group were significantly higher than those in non-AMS group (P < 0.05). But stroke index (SI) and end-diastolic volume (EDV) in AMS group were significantly lower than those in non-AMS group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCardiac function in healthy young males upon acute high altitude exposure was enhanced. EDV, HR and SI might become the indexes of predicting the acute mountain sickness in the future.

BACKGROUND: The dynamic changes of pneumocyte apoptosis and aspartate-specific cysteine proteases-3 (caspase-3) expression in lung tissue of rats during the process of lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the possible action mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE: This study was to observe the dynamic changes of pneumocyte apoptosis and caspase-3 expression in the rat lung tissue during the process of lung I/R injury, and to analyze the role of pneumocyte apoptosis and the possible action mechanism.DESIGN: A randomized controlled animal experiment.SETTING: Emergency Center, First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University.MATERIALS: This study was carried out in the Animal Laboratory of the First Hospital of Nanjing Medcial University and Nanjing Center for Radioimmunity between April 2006 and September 2006. Twenty-eight male healthy SD rats of clean grade, with body weight of 250 to 350 g, aged 49 to 76 days, were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Nanjing Medical University. The involved rats were randomized into experimental group and control group, with 14 rats in each.METHODS: ①Experimental intervention: Rats in the experimental group were created into models of lung I/R injury according to the method of Eppinger et al. They were occluded for 45 minutes at the porta of lung (no systolic and diastolic reactions in lung tissue being considered as successful occlusion), and then they were reperfused (recovery of systolic and diastolic function being considered as successful reperfusion); After that, lung tissues were harvested at 3 and 6 hours after lung I/R injury, 7 rats at each time point. Each rat in the control group was subjected to a thoracotony only, but lung tissues were isolated at the same time point by the same method. ②Experimental evaluation: Apoptotic cells in the lung tissue were detected with a flow cytometer by Annexin-V-PI staining, and apoptosis rate was calculated. Caspase-3 expression in the lung tissue was observed by immunohistochemical method and image analysis. Wet to dry weight ratio(W/D) of lung tissue of rats in the two groups was calculated; the number of injured pulmonary alveoli at I/R 3 hours/that at I/R 6 hours was calculated for quantitative evaluation of injured lung tissue; Patho-morphological changes of lung tissue were observed by haematoxylin & eosin staining under an optical microscope.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①Pneumocyte apoptosis rate and caspase-3 expression in the lung tissue. ②W/D of lung tissue and quantitative evaluation of injured lung tissue. ③Patho-morphological changes of lung tissue.RESULTS: Twenty-eight rats were involved in the final analysis, without deletion. ①Pneumocyte apoptosis rates in the experimental group at I/R 3 and 6 hours were significantly increased as compared with control group (P＜0.01). In the experimental group, pneumocyte apoptosis rate was decreased a little at I/R 6 hours than at I/R 3 hours (P＜0.05). ②Caspase-3 expression in the lung tissue of rats of experimental group reached its top at I/R 3 hours, and was decreased a little at I/R 6 hours. At each time point, caspase-3 expression in the experimental group was increased as compared with control group (P＜0.01). ③In the experimental group, the number of injured pulmonary alveoli at I/R 3 hours/that at I/R 6 hours and W/D ratios of lung tissues were significantly increased as compared with control group (P＜0.01). In the experimental group, two ratios at I/R 6 hours were higher than those at I/R 3 hours (P＜0.05).④In the experimental group, the structure of pulmonary alveoli was destructed, collapsed and disappeared; lots of inflammatory cell infiltration was found; Patho-morphological changes of injured lung tissue at I/R 6 hours were severer than those at I/R 3 hours. No obvious changes were found in the control group.CONCLUSION: At the early stage of lung I/R injury, the alteration of caspase-3 maybe activate pneumocyte apoptosis and induce the apoptosis of lung tissue, and thereby leads to lung injury.

Many reports have documented a role of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as growth factors in many cancers. The sequence and structure of insulin receptor (IR) and IGF receptor (IGF-1R) are highly similar. Both receptors are overexpressed in leukemia cells.Studies indicate that insulin can enhance the signal of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathways by activating IR or IGF-1R or hybrid IR/IGF-IR receptors, resulting in the proliferation of leukemia cells. High concentration of insulin may inhibit the growth of leukemia cells, the mechanism of which remains to be unclear. Inhibiting IR and IGF-IR can diminish the proliferation of leukemia cells. Therefore, the assumption of IR/IGF-1R as a potential therapeutic target in leukemia appears reasonable. This article summarizes the recent advancement associated with the signaling pathway of insulin effecting the proliferation of leukemia cells.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptor, Insulin ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Data quality management system is essential to ensure accurate, complete, consistent, and reliable data collection in clinical research. This paper is devoted to various choices of data quality metrics. They are categorized by study status, e.g. study start up, conduct, and close-out. In each category, metrics for different purposes are listed according to ALCOA+ principles such us completeness, accuracy, timeliness, traceability, etc. Some general quality metrics frequently used are also introduced. This paper contains detail information as much as possible to each metric by providing definition, purpose, evaluation, referenced benchmark, and recommended targets in favor of real practice. It is important that sponsors and data management service providers establish a robust integrated clinical trial data quality management system to ensure sustainable high quality of clinical trial deliverables. It will also support enterprise level of data evaluation and bench marking the quality of data across projects, sponsors, data management service providers by using objective metrics from the real clinical trials. We hope this will be a significant input to accelerate the improvement of clinical trial data quality in the industry.

A rare strain of actinomycetes, with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, was isolated from the soil samples from the farmland in the area of Yaohu lake in Nanchang. The information about the taxonomic identification, such as the morphology, physiological properties, cell components and 16S rRNA gene se-quences, suggested that the rare strain of actinomycetes was identified as Micromonospora carbonacea.