ObjectiveTo analyze the change in the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) in the past 27 years and to probe the relationship between iodine and these carcinomas. MethodsStatistical analysis was performed on data of thyroid diseases, thyroid malignant tumors, PTC , FTC and their complications in Department of Pathology from 1978 to 2004 in General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University with Run test、Cox-Stuart test, ANOVA, t or t′ test and Chi-square test. ResultsIn 27 years there were 231837 cases of biopsies (average 8587cases/year). The biopsies were performed in the thyroid diseases as a whole 6276 cases (2.70%),thyroidmalignanttumors644cases(0.28%), PTCs 465 cases (0.20%), and FTCs 80 cases (0.03%) in 27 years. Biopsies in thyroid diseases as a whole showed a descending tendency since 1982 but an ascending tendency after 1995. Biopsy in malignant thyroid tumor did not show a significant change, and biopsy in PTC showed an ascending tendency and that in FTC showed a descending tendency after 1995. The average age, both in male and female patients, at the time of diagnosis of PTC and FTC showed no significant change during 27 years, but the mean age of male at the time of diagnosis was older than that of female. The ratios of male to female in PTC and FTC were 1:3.31、1:2.81 respectively,and showed no significant change either. There were more biopsies with lymph node metastasis in PTC (33.76%) than those in FTC (10.00%) and more biopsies with blood vessel involved or nodular goiter in FTC (11.25% and 13.75%) than those in PTC (0.65% and 4.52%). Mean age of patients with PTC and nodular goiter (44.3 years old) was older than those without goiter (38.1 years old). The ratios of male to female with PTC and FTC with lymph node metastasis were higher than those without lymph node metastasis. ConclusionThe incidence of thyroid malignant tumors in 27 years has no significant change. The contrary tendency of PTC and FTC suggests that the decreasing malignant degree of carcinoma. It suggests that this area is not in high iodine condition and the change have no relationship with the iodine intake.

Hidden Markov model (HMM) used in the research of protein is a new field of bioinformatics. Nowadays large amount of data about protein sequences and structures have been obtained. Traditional methods of protein analysis are no longer used. Biologists have updated their research methods with computer technology and statistics, which can deal with large amount of data. HMM can be used to distinguish protein sequence with the same characteristics. A family of protein from SCOP database was selected, through which a HMM model representing the family was obtained, and then the model was utilized to analyze protein sequences. Results indicate that HMM can express particular family of protein, and recognize the given protein sequences of the family from many sequences.
Algorithms ; Linear Models ; Proteins ; classification ; Sequence Analysis, Protein ; methods

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque and multiple risk factors of angiocardiopathy,and to evaluate the injuries caused by different risk factors to subclinical target organ to control the general risk factors of angiocardiopathy.Methods Four hundred and twenty six outpatients and impatients,treated in our hospital from May 2007 to May 2009 with the results of color ultrasonic examination,were divided into carotid atherosclerotic plaque group(284 cases) and no carotid atherosclerotic plaque group( 142 cases).The clinical information including their age,body mass index,smoking condition,past medical history such as hypertension,diabetes mellitus and hyperlipoidemia were recorded,and the levels of total cholesterol(T C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol( HDL-C),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),triglyceride (TG),lipoprotein ( a ) ( LP (a) ),apolipoprotein A - 1 ( Apo A 1 ),apolipoprotein B ( Apo B ),highsensitivity C-reactive protein( hs-CRP),homocysteine ( HCY),microalbuminuria( MAU ) and uricacid(UA) were determined by lab tests.The independent variable and univariable data were processed and analyzed statistically to find out the risk factors of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.Results Age and drinking were significantly correlated with the carotid intima-media wall thickening(IMT) (P ＜ 0.001 ).Overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,age,increased MAU and HCY could independently predict carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation ( x2 =71.35,38.45,t =3.26,x2 =37.23,t =118.51,6.723 and 3.17respectively,Ps ＜ 0.05 ).The aggregated number of the risk factors was correlated to IMT and carotid atherosclerotic plaque ( P =0.0001 ).Conclusion Age,drinking,overweight,diabetes mellitus,increased LP (a),hyperlipoidemia,MAU and HCY are risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque formation,and the contribution of each factor can multiply and overlap,more risk factors means greater risk.

In addition to visual field defects, occipital lobe injury can also cause fundus changes, such as retinal nerve fiber layer atrophy, ganglion cell complex atrophy and even optic nerve atrophy, and these fundus changes have a good correlation with the visual field defect site. It is considered to be caused by transneuronal retrograde degeneration (TRD) of retinal ganglion cells secondary to occipital lobe injury. These changes can be detected by means of optical coherence tomography, fundus examination, magnetic resonance imaging, etc. Among them, optical coherence tomography is more sensitive than other examinations. Here, the anatomical basis of TRD, case reports, pathogenesis, auxiliary examination, treatment and prognosis of TRD secondary to occipital lobe injury are reviewd.

Objective:To explore the protective role and possible mechanism of neural stem cells combined with edaravone in cortical neurons after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD-R).Methods:(1) Neural stem cells from brain tissues of SD fetal rats aged 14-16 d were cultured in vitro, and identified with Nestin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) immunofluorescent staining. Expressions of neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) and β-Tubulin were detected by immunofluorescent staining in primary cortical neurons from SD rats born within 24 h. (2) Primary cortical neurons were divided into normal group (normal culture), OGD-R model group (re-oxygenated culture for 24 h after hypoxia for 1.5 h), OGD-R+neural stem cells group (re-oxygenated co-culture with cortical neurons and neural stem cells for 24 h after hypoxia for 1.5 h), OGD-R+edaravone group (re-oxygenated culture for 24 h after hypoxia for 1.5 h; 100 μmol/L edaravone before hypoxia), OGD-R+neural stem cells+edaravone group (re-oxygenated co-culture with cortical neurons and neural stem cells for 24 h after hypoxia for 1.5 h; 100 μmol/L edaravone before hypoxia); 24 h after each treatment, neuron proliferation in each group was detected by cell counting Kit 8 (CCK8), apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry, contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in neuronal supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and real-time quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of Notch1, Hes1 and Hes5, respectively. Results:(1) Immunofluorescent staining results showed that neural stem cells were positive for Nestin, GFAP and MAP2, and cortical neurons were positive for NeuN and β-Tubulin; all of them were successfully identified. (2) Compared with normal group, OGD-R model group, OGD-R+neural stem cell group and OGD-R+edaravone group had decreased neuron viability, increased apoptosis, increased supernatant IL-1β and TNF-α contents, and increased Notch1 mRNA and protein expressions, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with OGD-R model group, OGD-R+neural stem cells+edaravone group had increased neuron viability, decreased apoptosis, decreased supernatant IL-1β and TNF-α contents, and decreased mRNA and protein expressions of Hes1 and Hes5, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the OGD-R model group, OGD-R+edaravone group and OGD-R+neural stem cell+edaravone group had significantly decreased Notch1 mRNA and protein expressions ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Combination of edaravone and neural stem cell therapy can reverse the neuronal damage caused by OGD-R, whose mechanism may be by inhibiting the expressions of inflammatory factors and key signaling molecules in Notch signaling pathway, such as Notch1, Hes1, and Hes5.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of five diarylheptanoids (1-5) isolated from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale.

METHODVarious models such as scavenging superoxide anions and 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, as well as protecting of rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were employed to assay the antioxidative effects of the diarylheptanoids. The cytotoxicities of compounds 1-5 were measured with MTT assays.

RESULTThe test compounds (1-5) showed promising DPPH inhibitory activities, and compound 5 exhibited the strongest DPPH scavenging activity with an IC50 value of (22.6+/-2.4) micromol x L(-1). Compounds 1, 3 and 4 showed potential anti-peroxidative effects with inhibitory rates of (66.3+/-15.4)%, (68.7+/-15.8)% and (72.2+/-10.6)%, respectively, at 100 microg x mL(-1). It could be observed that compounds 1, 3 and 4 demonstrated significant neuroprotective activities in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compound 3 exhibited certain cytotoxicities against human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells (K562) and its adriamycin-resistant cells (K562/ADR) with IC50 values of (34.9+/-0.6), (50.6+/-23.5) micromol x L(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONIn vitro results demonstrated that five diarylheptanoids (1-5) isolated from the roots of Z. officinale were capable of scavenging radicals, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and protecting PC12 cells against the insult by H2O2. Additionally, compound 3 could inhibit the growth of K562 and K562/ADR cells.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; toxicity ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytotoxins ; toxicity ; Diarylheptanoids ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; toxicity ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; metabolism ; K562 Cells ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; PC12 Cells ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley