Objective To evaluate the effect of the serum of rats with hepato-pulmonary syndrome (HPS) on the expression of caveolin-1 and VE-cadherin in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs).Methods Among the 40 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 3-4 months,weighing 220-250 g,20 rats were taken randomly for establishment the model of HPS which was produced by chronic ligation of the common bile duct,and the left 20 rats served as sham operation group.Primary PMVECs were harvested from healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats and inoculated in ECM culture medium or on 96-well culture plate.The PMVECs of 4th-9th generation were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =36 each):control group (group C) and HPS group.In group C,the serum obtained from normal rats in sham operation group was added to PMVECs,while the serum obtained from rats with HPS was added in HPS group.The final concentration of serum was 10％.After being incubated for 12,24 and 36 h (T1-3),the expression of caveolin-1 and VE-cadherin in PMVECs was detected by Western blot,and the PMVEC adhesion rate and proliferation were determined by CKK-8 method.Results Compared with group C,the expression of caveolin-1 and VE-cadherin was significantly down-regulated,the cell adhesion rate was decreased,and the proliferation of PMVECs was enhanced in HPS group.Conclusion The serum of rats with HPS induces weakened PMVEC contact inhibition through down-regulating caveolin-1 and VE-cadherin expression.

We expressed B cell epitopes of dengue virus envelope protein and NS1 protein in prokaryotic cells,and purified and evaluated for its serological activities.A recombinant multi-epitope chimeric gene named rE including eight B cell epitopes was connected by linker peptide (EAAAK)2 and cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a(+),and transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) cells for expression under induction of IPTG.The expressed recombinant protein was purified with 6× His purification media,and identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot,and its antigenicity was analyzed by using an indirect ELISA assay.The recombinant expression vector pET28a-rE was constructed and expressed in BL21 (DE3) successfully,but the recombinant proteins mainly appeared as inclusion bodies.The target protein was obtained with high purity through the purification of affinity chromatography.SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis showed that the molecular weight of fusion protein was in the expected line.The established indirect ELISA has high accuracy.This recombinant peptide antigen expressed in E.coli has good potential for serum testing.

Objective To investigate the correlation of spinal mechanical imbalance and thoraco-dorsal pain of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods The clinical data of 90 patients with AS were collected. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of thoracodorsal pain: the AS with thoraco-dorsal pain group (30 cases) and the AS without thoraco-dorsal pain group (60 cases). Clinical symptoms, Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis function index (BASFI), Bath ankylosing spondylitis measurement index (BASMI), ankylosing spondylitis disease activity (ASDAS), and spinal mechanical function and nuclear myocardial force test were compared using t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. Results ① There were differences between thoraco-dorsal pain group and patients without thoracodorsal pain group at the time of back muscle strength [(0.82±0.41) min vs (1.33±0.74) min, F=12.372, P=0.001]; ②Thoraco-dorsal pain in the AS group was mainly the middle and lower thoracic vertebrae, such as the inflammation of rib head and rib transverse process, facial arthritis, and spinous ligaments, etc. And the missed diagnosis rate of magnetic resonance imagin (MRI) was high. ③ In healthy control group, the anterior flexion strength of thoracodorsal pain group was signific-antly different from that of patients without thoracodorsal pain [(92.1 ±46.3) Nm vs (126.6±35.7) Nm, F=6.440, P=0.002]. ④ There was significant difference in spinal strength as well as left and right rotation strength between the thoracodorsal pain group and patients without thoracodorsal pain [(1.18 ±0.22) vs (1.05 ±0.17), F=10.044, P<0.01];⑤In the thoraco-dorsal pain group, the right/left index was related to BASDAI (r=-0.522, P=0.004). For spinal mobility, the right/left index was related to cross cutting faces to right ( r=0.435, P=0.021), cross cutting faces to left (r=0.528, P=0.004). In spinal strength, the right/left index was related to left turn (r=0.57, P=0.001); right lateral flexion (r=0.368, P=0.049) and left lateral flexion (r=0.369, P=0.049). Conclusion The thoracodorsal pain of AS is dominated by the middle and lower thoracic vertebrae, and the missed diagnosis rate of MRI is high. The imbalance of the left and right side of the spine is one of the factors of the thoracic back pain in AS.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the erectile function of male patients treated by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone for mid-low rectal cancer.

METHODSThe clinical data of 66 patients with rectal cancer from March 2011 to March 2013 were prospectively analyzed. Of all the patients, 56 cases were finally included in the study and were randomly allocated to two groups. Thirty patients were treated by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery (RCS group), and 26 were treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NCS group). The five-item version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) questionnaire were used to determine erectile function before therapy and at least 12 months after surgery. The impacts of age, location, size of tumor, and body mass index on erectile function were analyzed.

RESULTSTotal score was decreased significantly at follow-up compared to initial assessment in both RCS and NCS groups (23.4 ± 1.30 vs. 11.7 ± 5.8, t = 10.748, P < 0.01; 23.1 ± 1.3 vs. 15.2 ± 6.7, t = 5.910, P < 0.01, respectively). Score difference was statistically higher in RCS group compared with NCS group (11.7 ± 5.6 vs. 8.0 ± 6.0, t = 2.394, P = 0.020). In terms of tumor location for RCS group, difference was statistically higher in the patients with low rectal cancer compared with those with middle rectal cancer (14.5 ± 3.5 vs. 9.5 ± 6.0, t = 2.894, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONSThe erectile functions of patients treated by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery are more affected than that of patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery in mid-low rectal cancer. Also low rectal cancer are significantly associated with erectile dysfunction in the patients treated by neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy followed by surgery.

Chemoradiotherapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Prospective Studies ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome