Objective: To investigate the effects of Interlukin- 4(IL-4) on the invasiveness and the expression of several cell surface antigens related to invasive and metastatic potentials of human hepatocellular carcinoma QGY-7701 cell line in vitro. Methods: QGY-7701 cells were incubated with high concentration of IL-4 or low concentration of IL-4 in different time. The expression of ICAM-1, CD44 and HLA-I was determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis, the tumor cell binding affinity to extracellular matrix (ECM) components was measured by cell attachment assay, the degree of homotypic aggregation was quantified by cell aggregation assay. Results: IL-4 pretreatment can enhance the expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-I, suppress the expression of CD44 on hepatocellular carcinoma cell line and decrease the binding affinity to ECM components and the degree of homotypic aggregation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Conclusoin: IL-4 can inhibit the invasive and metastatic potentials of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Objective To assess the value of combined assays of anti Saccharomyces cerevisia antibody (ASCA) and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) in differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods Nineteen patients with IBD, including 9 patients with Crohn's disease(CD) and 10 patients with ulcerative colitis(UC), and 18 healthy subjects were enrolled into study. Serum levels of pANCA and ASCA (IgG and IgA) were measured by indirect immunofluorescence technique and a standardized ELISA, respectively. Results The serum levels of ASCA IgG and ASCA IgA in CD patients (18.51? 6.38 and 11.74 ? 5.46 ) were significantly higher than those in UC patients ( 6.98 ? 5.24 and 3.88 ? 3.52 ) and healthy subjects( 5.90 ? 4.12 and 4.62 ? 3.21 )respectively (P

Objective To investigate the expression of CRKL in thyroid papillary micro-carcinoma and its clinical significance.Methods 120 patients with thyroid tissue specimens were collected,in which 30 cases of diam-eter >1 cm of papillary thyroid carcinoma,30 cases of thyroid papillary micro-carcinoma,30 cases of nodular goiter, 30 cases for specimen of thyroid disease patients without diabetes.Immunohistochemical(SP)method was used to de-tect samples in CRKL expression.Results In thyroid papillary micro-carcinoma and thyroid papillary cancer group, CRKL expression positive rates were 30.12% and 29.87% respectively,which were higher than that of nodular goiter and normal thyroid group 30.03% and 28.57%(χ2 =52.102,P <0.05);The average absorbance(A)value in thy-roid papillary micro-carcinoma and thyroid papillary carcinoma group which were respectively (0.516 ±0.100)and (0.496 ±0.201),were higher than that in nodular goiter and normal thyroid group (0.246 ±0.050)and (0.117 ±0.015),the difference was statistically significant(F =149.105,P <0.05).Conclusion CRKL is highly expressed in papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma and the clinical detection of CRKL is helpful to determine the surgical plan for papillary thyroid micro-carcinoma.

Objective: To study the apoptosis and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in colorec-tal neoplasms and their relationship with neoplasm biological behavior. Methods: Apoptotic index (AI) and proliferative index (PI) were determined in paraffin-embedded tissues from 62 cases of colorectal carcinomas, 15 cases of colon adenomas and 10 cases of normal colon mucosa with immunohistochemistry S-P method and TUNEL technique. Results: The difference of PI and AI was significant in normal colon mucosa, colon adenomas and colorectal carcinomas (P

Objective　To investigate the effect of type II dengue virus infection on the survival rate of Aedes albopictus, to provide basic data for the prevention and control of dengue fever. Methods　The Aedes albopictus C6/36 cells were cultured to amplify and harvest type Ⅱ dengue virus. After emergence, the lab-domesticated Aedes albopictus was fed daily with freshly prepared 10% glucose water under 28℃ and humidity ≥70%, and used for infection experiment at 3-5 days of age. The day before infection, male mosquitoes were selected out, and the female mosquitoes were divided into infected and uninfected groups, deprived of food and water. When infected, they respectively were fed blood meals containing or without dengue virus typeⅡ(the blood meal of the uninfected group was the same as the infected group's, minus the presence of TypeⅡ dengue virus), and the saturated blood mosquitoes were fed with 10% glucose water. The survival of mosquitoes in two groups was observed and recorded daily. On the 14th day after blood feeding, the nucleic acid of dengue virus typeⅡof Aedes albopictus was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the infection rate was calculated. The survival rates of infected and uninfected Aedes albopictus were calculated and compared. The survival curves of the two groups were plotted using survival analysis and the log-rank test was performed. Results　A total of 99 infected saturated blood Aedes albopictus were reared in the infected group, and 83 in the uninfected group. By the 14th day after infection, 31 and 15 mosquitoes had died in the infected and uninfected groups respectively, with mortality rates of 31.31% (31/99) and 18.07% (15/83), respectively, indicating a higher mortality rate in the infected group. The log-rank test showed that the survival curve of the infected group of Aedes albopictus was lower than that of the uninfected group (χ2=4.121 9, P<0.05). The infection rate of Aedes albopictus detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR was 77.94% (53/68). Conclusion　TypeⅡdengue virus infection can reduce the survival rate of Aedes albopictus.

OBJECTIVEThe glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) can induce palatal cleft; however, the mechanism involved remains unclear. E-cadherin is an important cell adhesion molecule, and it can significantly affect cell fate and embryonic development. Recent studies have indicated that E-cadherin expression in palatal epithelial cells is suppressed in normal palate fusion. This study aimed to determine whether the change in E-cadherin expression is related to the incidence of cleft palate in DEX-induced mice.

METHODSMice were divided into the experimental group and the control group. Pregnant mice were injected with DEX on E10.0-E12.0, whereas mice in the control group were injected with normal saline. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were employed to evaluate the effect of DEX on fetal mouse palatal processes, particularly the changes in E-cadherin and β-catenin expression levels in the phases of the experimental and control groups.

RESULTSData indicated that the incidence of cleft palate in the DEX group was 43.59% (17/39), whereas that in the control group was only 3.03% (1/33). The results of HE staining showed that the obviously shortened palatal processes could not contact and fuse with one another in the DEX-treated mice model compared with those in the control group. The ectopic expression of E-cadherin in embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells was also analyzed. The expression levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group.

CONCLUSIONThese findings indicated that DEX could induce E-cadherin gene upregulation and ectopic expression, as well as high β-catenin expression, thereby inhibiting the growth of mesenchyme cells and cleft palate.

Animals ; Cadherins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cleft Palate ; chemically induced ; embryology ; Dexamethasone ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Epithelial Cells ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mice ; Pregnancy ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of the concentration of plasma circulation microRNA155 (miRNA155) in ulcerative cilitis (UC) and its correlation with clinical characteristic of UC.Methods From October 2010 to August 2012,a total of 136 patients diagnosed as UC were enrolled,and at same time,170 healthy individuals were set as healthy control.The blood samples of all participants were obtained and plasma was isolated.The adsorption column was used for RNA extraction according to miRNeasy kit instruction.RNA was reverse-transcribed into cDNA with miScript reverse transcription kit.cDNA was a template and miRNA155 real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed with miScript SYBR Green PCR kit.The relative quantity of miRNA155 expression was calculated with 2-△△Ct method.Analysis of variance were performed for comparison between groups.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used for the diagnostic value of miRNA155 concentration in UC.Multiple linear regression analysis was used for the correlation between miRNA155 concentration and clinical characteristics of UC.Results The concentration of plasma circulation miRNA155 of patients with UC ((1357.43±326.15) fmol/L)was higher than that of healthy controls ((1140.70 ± 312.47) fmol/L) and the differences were statistically significant (F=35.56,P＜0.01).The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of the concentration of plasma circulation miRNA155 of patients with UC was 0.847,and the 95 ％CI was 0.806 to 0.888 (P＜0.01).When the concentration of plasma circulation miRNA155 was 1404.51 fmol/L,its specificity in the diagnosis of UC was 94.7％,and sensitivity was 40.4％.There was correlation between the concentration of plasma circulation miRNA155 and the disease activity in patients with UC (F=12.91,P＜0.05).However there was no correlation with the severity and location of the disease (both P＞0.05).Conclusion Plasma circulation miRNA155 highly expressed in patients with UC,and its concentration is correlated with the disease activity.

Objective: To assess the relationships between nutritional risks, nutritional support, and doctors' knowledge related to nutritional risks. Methods: 217 pre-operative patients and 41 doctors in the same general surgical wards were surveyed by using NRS2002 and self-developed questionnaires in a Beijing hospital. Results: The overall prevalence of pre-operative nutritional risks was 15.7%. Patients with gastrointestinal and/or malignant diseases had higher risks than others(P values were both less than 0.001). The nutritional support rates were 14.7% among patients with nutritional risks, and 2.2% among those without risks. The EN: PN ratio was 1∶ 2. A majority of doctors had misconceptions in nutritional risk screening and the effectiveness of nutritional supports. Their clinical practices were not consistent with their knowledge. Related trainings were required. Conclusions: Patients with gastrointestinal and/or malignant diseases have higher possibilities of nutritional risks. The nutritional supports rates are generally low. Doctors' knowledge related to nutritional risk screening is insufficient. More training opportunities are suggested to enhance the application of NRS2002 and appropriate nutritional supports.

Objective To eveluate the pancreatic injury induced by smoking alone or combined with alcohol consumption,and its possible mechanism.Methods The Wistar rats were divided into control group (n=10),smoking group (n=30),drinking group (n=42) and smoking combined with drinking group (combination group,n=48).Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6,superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities,monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and hydroxyproline were determined at 4th-,8th- and 12th- week.The pathohistological changes of the pancreas were examined using HE staining and the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were measured by immunohistochemistry.ResultsIn contrast to control group,pancreatic changes including cytoplasmic vacuolation and increased levels of α-SMA and hydroxyproline were found in both smoking and drinking groups at the 8th-week (P<0.01).Whereas these changes were aggravated in combination group (P<0.05).Serum level of IL-6 and MCP-1 expression in pancreatic tissue were significantly increased in smoking group when compared with control group.But MCP-1 expression was lower in drinking group than control group.Moreover,the SOD activity in pancreatic tissue decreased in smoking and drinking groups,especially in combination group.Conclusions Long-term smoking can induce cytoplasmic vacuolation in pancreatic acinar cells,enhance inflammatory factors and chemokine expression and aggravate oxidative stress response in pancreas.These changes are aggravated when smoking and drinking coexisted.The mechanism behind it may be associated with increased oxidative stress response in pancreas.