To perform a systemic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of PET (CT) and metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) for diagnosing neuroblastoma (NB),electronic databases were searched as well as relevant references and conference proceedings.The diagnostic accuracy of MIBG and PET (CT) was calculated for NB,primary NB,and relapse/metastasis of NB based on their sensitivity,specificity,and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUSROC) in terms of per-lesion and per-patient data.A total of 40 eligible studies comprising 1134 patients with 939 NB lesions were considered for the meta-analysis.For the staging of NB,the per-lesion AUSROC value of MIBG was lower than that of PET (CT) [0.8064±0.0414 vs.0.9366±0.0166 (P＜0.05)].The per-patient AUSROC value of MIBG and PET (CT) for the diagnosis of NB was 0.8771±0.0230 and 0.6851±0.2111,respectively.The summary sensitivity for MIBG and PET (CT) was 0.79 and 0.89,respectively.The summary specificity for MIBG and PET (CT) was 0.84 and 0.71,respectively.PET (CT) showed higher per-lesion accuracy than MIBG and might be the preferred modality for the staging of NB.On the other hand,MIBG has a comparable diagnosing performance with PET (CT) in per-patient analysis but shows a better specificity.

OBJECTIVETo study HIV, HBV and HCV infections in intravenous drug users.

METHODS2025 blood samples from intravenous drug users were collected from Sichuan, Hunan, Guangxi and Xinjiang regions, and tested for anti-HIV, anti-HCV, HBsAg using enzyme-linked immuno-sobent assays (ELISAs).

RESULTSThe positive rates of anti-HIV,anti-HCV and HBsAg were14.7%-30.4%, 60.7%-85.5% and 6.6%-22.4% in the intravenous drug users, respectively. The co-infection rates of HIV/HBV, HIV/HCV, HCV/HBV and HIV/HCV/HBV were 0%-0.4%, 11.6%-27.2%, 2.3%-14.3% and 1.6%-4.8% respectively in this population.

CONCLUSIONThe infection rates of HIV, HBV and HCV were higher in the intravenous drug users than that in general populations in the same regions, and HIV/HCV co-infection appeared most frequent in this population.

China ; epidemiology ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis B ; epidemiology ; Hepatitis C ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value and pitfalls of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of soft tissue tumors.

METHODSOne hundred and six cases of CNB specimens encountered during the period from 2007 to 2012 were enrolled into the study. The pathologic diagnosis using CNB was compared with that using surgical specimens. Diagnostic accuracy was analyzed using Chi-square test, with respect to the histologic pattern (such as spindle cell and myxoid), biologic behavior (benign versus malignant) and immunohistochemical results. The 59 cases of sarcoma were subdivided into three grades according to FNCLCC grading system.

RESULTSHistologic diagnosis could be made in 84.0% (89/106) cases. Thirteen cases were non-diagnostic on CNB. There were 4 cases on CNB showing diagnostic discrepancy with surgical specimens. Four cases of "benign lesions" on CNB found to be myxoid liposarcoma and lipoma-like liposarcoma upon resection. In general, myxoid pattern (9/17) seen on CNB showed less diagnostic correlation with surgical specimens, as compared to spindle cell and other histologic patterns (P < 0.01). The rate of diagnostic correlation was 79.7% (49/59) for the 59 cases of sarcoma studied, with grade 2 and grade 3 sarcoma showing better correlation (in contrast to 7/17 for grade 1 sarcoma) (P < 0.01). Comparative analysis showed no significant difference between benign/borderline tumors and sarcomas. The application of immunohistochemical study did not result in significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy on CNB.

CONCLUSIONSUltrasound-guided CNB is a reliable tool in pathologic diagnosis of soft tissue tumors and shows a high accuracy rate especially for high-grade sarcoma. Tumors with myxoid pattern, lipomatous tumors and grade 1 sarcomas are associated with lower diagnostic accuracy on CNB. Correlation with clinicoradiologic findings would also be helpful in diagnostic evaluation and surgical planning.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; methods ; Diagnostic Errors ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Liposarcoma, Myxoid ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Sarcoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the role of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)/activator protein-1 (AP-1) pathway in benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P)-induced changes of cell cycle in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF).

METHODSAP-1 luciferase activity was determined by the Luciferase reporter gene assay using a luminometer. The expression levels and activity of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 were determined by Western blot. Flow cytometric analysis was employed to detect the distributions of cell cycle. The dominant negative mutant of ERK2, JNK1 and p38 were applied to detect the upstream or downstream relationship of signaling pathways.

RESULTSB(a)P treatment resulted in a marked activation of AP-1 and its upstream MAPK, including ERK, JNK and p38 in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF). B(a)P exposure also led to increase the population of cells at S phase compared to control (P < 0.01) with a concomitant decline of cells at G(1) phase. B(a)P-induced cell cycle alternation was markedly impaired by stable expression of a dominant negative mutant of ERK2 or JNK1, but not p38. B(a)P-induced AP-1 transactivation was inhibited by the overexpression of dominant-negative mutant of ERK2 or JNK1, but not p38. Inhibition of the activation of AP-1 by curcumin, a chemical inhibitor of AP-1, significantly inhibited the cell cycle changes in response to B(a)P treatment.

CONCLUSIONERK and JNK, but not p38, mediated benzo(a)pyrene-induced cell cycle changes by AP-1 transactivation in HELF.

Benzo(a)pyrene ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; embryology ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; physiology ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 ; metabolism ; physiology ; Phosphorylation ; Transcription Factor AP-1 ; metabolism ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of Capsule metadoxine in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.

METHODSA randomized double blind multicenter placebo-controlled clinical study was performed to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of capsule metadoxine. Patients in metadoxine group received capsule metadoxine 500mg tid po. Patients in placebo group received placebo 2 pillows tid po. The treatment duration was 6 weeks. Patients were followed up 2 weeks after the treatment. Patients were visited once every 3 weeks during the treatment period. Clinical symptoms and liver function were evaluated in all the patients before treatment, at week 3, week 6 and 2 weeks after therapy. CT scan was done in some patients before treatment and at the end point of therapy.

RESULTS254 patients were recruited in the study, 126 in metadoxine group and 128 in placebo group. Median ALT, AST, GGT level in metadoxine group were decreased from 80.0 U/L, 59.2 U/L, 123.0 U/L (before treatment) to 41.1 U/L, 36.0 U/L, 57.0 U/L (after 6 weeks therapy). The improvement in liver function was more significant in metadoxine group than in placebo group (P less than 0.05). For the patients who stopped drinking during the study, the total effective rate of improvement in liver function was 82.8% in metadoxine group, much higher than that in placebo group (55.7% , P=0.0000). For the patients who did not stop drinking during the study, the total effective rate of improvement in liver function was 65.4% in metadoxine group, which is not significantly higher than that in placebo group (44.8%, P=0.1767). The CT value ratio of liver to spleen was significantly improved in metadoxine group (P=0.0023), and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.6293). The rate of adverse was 1.6% in both of groups.

CONCLUSIONCapsule metadoxine is an effective and safe treatment for alcoholic liver disease.

Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Alcohol Deterrents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Analysis of Variance ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Capsules ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Combinations ; Fatty Liver, Alcoholic ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pyridoxine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography ; Young Adult ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the reverse effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on Benzo (a) pyrene (B (a) P)-induced cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F-1 and E2F-4 expression and cell cycle progression in human embryo lung fibroblast (HELF).

METHODSAfter HELF cells was treated with ATRA, they were exposed to 2 micromol/L of B (a) P. Western blotting was employed to detect protein expression level; the RNA transfection techniques was used to investigate ATRA-induced signal pathway; flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle progression.

RESULTAfter treatment with 2 micromol/L B (a) P for 24 h, the expression of cyclin D1 and E2F-1 were both increased significantly in HELF; the expression of E2F-4 and CDK4 were not changed markedly; pretreatment with 0.1 micromol/L ATRA for 24 h could efficiently decrease B (a) P-induced overexpression of cyclin D1 and E2F-1; stimulation to antisense cyclin D1 or antisense CDK4 by B (a) P could significantly impair E2F-1 up-regulation; pretreatment with ATRA, cells with antisense cyclin D1 or antisense CDK4 showed a less decrease in B (a) P-induced overexpression of E2F-1 compared to similarly treated control cells; flow cytometry analysis showed B (a) P promoted cell cycle progression from G(1) phase to S phase, while pretreatment with ATRA could inhibit B (a) P-induced cell cycle progression by an accumulation of cells in the G(1) phase.

CONCLUSIONATRA could block B (a) P-induced cell cycle promotion through cyclin D1/E2F-1 pathway in HELF.

Benzo(a)pyrene ; toxicity ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the role of E2F1/4 pathway in vitamin C reversing benzo (a) pyrene [B (a) P]-induced changes of cell cycle in human embryo lung fibroblasts (HELF) and the relationship between E2F1 and cyclin D1/CDK4.

METHODSThe stable transfectants, HELF transfected with antisense cyclin D1 and antisense CDK4, were established to detect the relationship of signaling pathway. Cells were cultured and pretreated with vitamin C before stimulation with B (a) P for 24 hours. The expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F1 and E2F4 were determined by Western blot and the band intensity was analysed as the relative value to control by using the Gel-Pro 3.0 software. Flow Cytometric Analysis was employed to detect the distributions of cell cycle.

RESULTSB (a) P significantly elevated the expression levels of cyclin D1, CDK4, E2F1 and E2F4 in HELF cells. Vitamin C decreased the expression levels of above proteins in B (a) P-stimulated HELF cells. The expression levels of these proteins in B (a) P-treated above transfectants were lower than those in B (a) P-treated HELF cells. The expression levels of above proteins with vitamin C combined with antisense cyclin D1 were decreased as compared to those with antisense cyclin D1 alone. B (a) P increased the percentage of S phase as compared to the controls [(41.1 +/- 0.2)% vs (33.5 +/- 3.2)%, P < 0.05]. Both vitamin C [(33.2 +/- 0.6)% vs (41.1 +/- 0.2)%, P < 0.05] and antisense cyclin D1 [(31.2 +/- 1.3)% vs (41.1 +/- 0.2)%, P < 0.05] suppressed the changes of cell cycle induced by B (a) P. Vitamin C combined with antisense CDK4 markedly suppressed B (a) P-induced changes of cell cycle as compared to those with antisense CDK4 alone.

CONCLUSIONVitamin C might reserve the B (a) P-induced changes of cell cycle via intracellular signaling pathway of cyclin D1-CDK4/E2F-1/4.

Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Benzo(a)pyrene ; antagonists & inhibitors ; toxicity ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cyclin D1 ; metabolism ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; E2F4 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung ; cytology ; embryology ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo observe inhibiting effect of CGE (compound ginseng extract) on increased expression of IL-1beta and c-fos protein following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

METHODThe vascular dementia model was made by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 hours. Expression of IL-1beta and c-fos were determined by immunohistochemistry in the hippocampus regions in brain tissue at the 0.5 h-7 d after reperfusion. CGE was diluted by CMC and poured into the stomach by 0.7 mL x (100 g)(-1) with a high dosage (19.34 x 10(3) g x L(-1) row herbs), a middle dosage (9.67 x 10(3) g x L(-1)), a low dosage (4.83 x 10(3) g x L(-1)). There were an IL-1ra (rhIL-1ra 20 microg injected into the left cerebral ventricle), a sham operation (NaCl 20 microL injected into the left cerebral ventricle) and a model as control.

RESULTCompared with control group, three dose groups (low, middle and high) in CGE showed significant inhibiting effects on the expression of c-fos protein at 2, 3, 4, 12 hours and 3 day following cerebral ischaemic-reperfusion. The level of the inhibiting effects in small and middle groups were lower at all time points than that in IL-1ra group (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01). CGE inhibited the expression of hippocampus IL-1beta protein, taking effect from the 2 h after reperfusion. Both HD group (531 +/- 151.1) and MD group (589.3 +/- 78.6) showed more obvious effect which lasted until the 72 h compared with the model group (687.6 +/- 116.7) (P < 0.01 and 0.05). Large dose group (81.3 +/- 16.1) showed the same level of the inhibiting effect on expression of c-fos protein as IL-1ra group (67.2 +/- 25.7) from 4 hour on following cerebral ischaemic reperfusion (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCGE with function of Yiqi Bushen, Huoxue Huatan has effect of inhibiting up-regulated expression of IL-1beta and c-fos protein following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. However, this effect of CGE starts relatively later than that of IL-1ra. The effect of CGE is associated with its dosage, i.e. a larger dosage has a better effect on expression of c-fos protein in post-stroke dementia.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Cistanche ; chemistry ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; etiology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the constituent expression of PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the effect of PHLPP1 gene transfer on the proliferation of the cells in vitro.

METHODSCultured HUVECs were transfected with pcDNA3-GFP or pcDNA3HA-PHLPP1 via lipofectamine 2000. The cell proliferation ability was determined by cell counting and MTT colorimetric assay, and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of PHLPP1 in the cells.

RESULTSNo PHLPP1 protein was detected in the non-transfected cells or pcDNA3-GFP-transfected cells. pcDNA3HA-PHLPP1 gene transfection significantly increased PHLPP1 expression in the HUVECs (P<0.01), but the cell proliferation status remained unchanged (P>0.05). The absorbance of the cells measured by MTT assay was 0.134-/+0.0152, 0133-/+0.014 and 0.137-/+0.016, with cell counts of (8.293-/+0.962)x10(5), (7.937-/+0.101)x10(5) and (8.127-/+0.112)x10(5), respectively, showing no significant differences between the 3 groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPhosphatase PHLPP1 may not be the most important signal protein in the regulation of HUVEC proliferation.

Cell Proliferation ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases ; genetics ; Transfection

Antigens, CD ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tetraspanin 24