Adult ; Brain Abscess ; Cholesteatoma ; surgery ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; surgery

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cluster Analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; classification ; epidemiology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Yang Deficiency ; classification ; epidemiology ; Yin Deficiency ; classification ; epidemiology

Asthenopia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Fatigue ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; epidemiology ; Railroads ; Sampling Studies

Objective To investigate the value of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy in assessing the preoperative chemotherapy response and multidrug resistance of osteosarcoma.Methods From January 2007 to October 2008, 12 patients (female:4, male:8; mean age:16.3 years,range:8-27 years) underwent early (10min) and delayed (120 min) 99Tcm-MIBI scintigraphy before and after preoperative chemotherapy.Seven cases had osteosarcoma at the distal femurs, 2 at the proximal tibias, 2 at the upper end of humerus and 1 at the fibula.The tumor-to-background ratio (T/B) and washout rate (WR) were calculated.Tumor necrosis was classified according to Huvos criterion after limb salvage surgery.Immunohistochemical staining for P-glycoprotein(gp) was examined.Spearman correlation analysis and t-test were performed.Results According to Huvos criterion, 7 patients were classified as good responders with more than 90% of tumor cell necrosis and 5 as poor responders with less than 90% of tumor cell necrosis.R value (ratio of early phase T/B after and before chemotherapy) was significantly lower in good responders than that in poor responders (0.473 ± 0.21 vs 0.998 ± 0.06, t= 5.342, P= 0.000 ).R value was significantly correlated with the degree of tumor cell necrosis ( rs=- 0.87, P= 0.000 ).WR was significantly higher in patients with positive P-gp expression than that in patients with negative P-gp expression ((38.36 ±18.64)% vs (6.40±5.87)%, t= -3.278, P=0.008).There was significant correlation between the WR and P-gp expression (rs = 0.91, P= 0.001 ).Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI scintigraphy is a feasible non-invasive technique to assess the chemotherapy response and to detect P-gp expression of osteosarcoma.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a swine herpesvirus of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily and a pathogen of swine resulting in devastating disease and economic losses worldwide. Cre/loxP site-specific system has the character of site specific, time specific, tissue specific and high efficiency in recombination, which makes this system universal in vivo and in vitro recombination of bacteria, fungus, plants, insects and mammals. A recombinant PRV which contain a loxP site in TK locus by using Cre/LoxP recombinant system was construsted. A pair of primers were synthesized according to the pEGFP-C1 sequence published on GenBank, and were used to amplify the EGFP gene expression cassette with two loxP sites flanking each side. This target gene was cloned into pSKLR, the resulting transfer vector pSKLR-GFP-loxP was then cotransfected into 293T cells with PRV SH strain genomic DNA. The recombinant virus rPRV1 was selected and purified in TK-143 cells by choosing fluorescent expressing plaques. Cre expression vector pOG231 was cotransfected into 293T cells with rPRV1 genomic DNA. The second recombinant virus rPRV2 was obtained, which contains only one loxP site in TK locus. Sequencing results of rPRV2 TK gene indicated that 34bp loxP site was inserted into rPRV2 genome and there were 270bp deletion in TK gene. PCR amplifying different generations of rPRV2 TK gene showed that the mutant was stable when passages in RK-13 cells. TCID_ 50 assay indicated that rPRV2 grows well on RK-13 cells. The LD_ 50 test results on BALB/C mice suggested that the virulence of rPRV2 was reduced. As a conclusion, the report gene GFP expression cassette was removed successfully from rPRV1 genome and only one LoxP site was leaved in rPRV2 genome by using Cre/LoxP recombinant system.

Objective To study the expression of p53,p16,PCNA protein in esophageal carcinoma and its relationship to sexual distinction,the location of disease,the biological level,the depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis.Methods 118 patients with esophageal carcinoma were included in the study,all of them were treated for the first time.p53,p16 and PCNA protein in the 118 cases of esophageal carcinoma were detected by immunohistochemical assay(SP technique). Results The positive expression of p53, p16, PCNA protein in 118 patients was 80 %(92/118),42%(50/118)and 97%(115/118),respectively.The positive expression of p53,PCNA protein were irrelated to the sexual distinction,the location of disease,the biological level,the depth of invasion and the lymph node metastasis.The loss of p16 was significantly related to the depth of invasion and the lymph node metastasis(P

The chemical consitituents from cytotoxic fraction of the Callicarpa nudiflora extract were isolated and purified by a combination of HP-20 macroporous resin, silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies. The structures were elucidated on the basis of the spectroscopic data and comparison of their spectroscopic data with reported data. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by the MTT assay. The 50% and 70% EtOH elutions of EtOH-extract showed significant cytotoxic activities, leading to the isolation of twelve compounds, which were identified as luteoloside(1), lutedin-4'-O-β-D-glucoside(2), 6-hydroxyluteolin-7-O-β-glucoside(3), lutedin-7-O-neohesperidoside(4), rhoifolin (5), luteolin-7, 4'-di-O-glucoside (6), forsythoside B (7), acteoside (8), alyssonoside (9), catalpol(10), nudifloside(11), and leonuride(12). Compounds 3-6, 10 and 12 were isolated from this genus for the first time, and compound 9 was isolated from this plant for the first time. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that flavonoids 1-6, in various concentrations, showed monolithic proliferation inhibitory activities against Hela, A549 and MCF-7 cell lines. Compounds 3, 5 and iridoid glycoside 11 possessed higher cytotoxicacivities. In short, flavonoids are the main components of cytotoxic extract from C. nudiflora, while phenylethanoid glycosides are the predominant ingredient but inactive to cancer cell lines. In addition, the minor iridoid glycoside expressed weak cytotoxic activity.
Callicarpa ; chemistry ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytotoxins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo investigate the pro-apoptotic effect of Her-2 targeted recombinant caspase-6 fusion protein on osteosarcoma SOSP-9607 cells.

METHODSRecombinant immunocasp-6 was generated by sequential fusion of the genes of a signal peptide, a single-chain Her-2 antibody (e23sFv), a PEA translocation domain (PEA aa253-364) and an active caspase-6. The immunocasp-6 gene was cloned into pCMV plasmid to construct a kind of eukaryotic expression vector, i.e. pCMV-e23sfv-PE II-caspase-6 (abbr. pCMV-6) and transfected into SOSP-9607 cells. Murine xenograft models were randomly divided into two groups that received i.m. injections of liposome encapsulated pCMV-6 or pCMV alone. The tumor volume and weight of the nude mice and the tumor weight of the cured mice were observed and statistically analyzed. The morphological changes of the tumors were examined with HE staining, apoptotic morphology of the tumor was observed by TUNEL staining and the gene expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTSThe tumor growth of the mice in the treatment group was significantly slower than that of the control group (P = 0.001). The weight of the nude mice in the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P = 0.0002). The tumor weight of the mice in the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P = 0.0006). HE and TUNEL staining of the tumor of nude mice in the treatment groups showed typical characteristics of apoptosis, while normal structure was found in the control group. Furthermore, caspase-6 was not found in the tumor and muscle tissues in the control group, but only in the treatment group by immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSIONImmunocasp-6 can selectively recognize and bind to and kill HER-2 positive osteosarcoma cells, therefore, to offer some foundation for the clinical treatment of osteosarcoma.

ADP Ribose Transferases ; genetics ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Bacterial Toxins ; genetics ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Caspase 6 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Exotoxins ; genetics ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Plasmids ; Random Allocation ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Burden ; Virulence Factors ; genetics

Objective To explore the present condition of endemic arsenism, the implementation of control measures and the effect of the monitored county (Tongyu County) and the monitoring spot (Baiyintuhai Village) in 2006 and 2007. Methods According to the National Survey Scheme of Endemic Arsenism, the progress of anti-arsenic water in Tongyu, and the management and running of all engineering projects and the arsenic content in water were surveyed. The patients with endemic arsenism in Tongyu were generally surveyed. The arsenic content of the improved drinking water in Tongyu and the arsenic in urine of children aged 8-12 and adults over 18 years of age were determinted. The causes of resident death in the monitoring spot from the year of 2006 and 2007 were investigated. Arsenic content of drinking water and the urine of local residents was examined with "Model AFS-930 Double-Channel Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometer". Results There were 30 endemic arsenism areas, 157 areas with high arsenic content and all population of 57 576 in Tongyu. Six areas had improved water till 2006, where 20.0% of water had improved, and six water-improving projects were all running normally, benefiting a population of 1670. Eight high arsenic areas changed water, in a rate of 5.09%. Eight water-improving projects were functioning well, benefiting a population of 4350. Until 2007, 28 areas had improved water in Tongyu, accounting for 93.33%. These 28 projects were well running, covering a population of 7980. One hundred and fouty-eight high arsenic areas had changed water, reaching a rate of 94.27%. One hundred and fouty-eight projects changedg water were running normally, benefiting a population of 46 214. In the surveyed spots, arsenic content was between 0.004 mg/L and 0.005 mg/L in 2006 and between 0.010 mg/L and 0.021 mg/L in 2007, all in the normal range to the time being. The arsenic contents in urine of the children aged 8-12 in the monitoring spots were determinted, averaging at 0.024 mg/L in 15 samples, fluctuating between 0.005 mg/L and 0.048 mg/L in 2006. The average content in urine from adults was 0.019 mg/L in 53 samples, fluctuating between 0.005 mg/L and 0.087 mg/L in 2007. The arsenic contents in urine were all in the normal range in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 14 endemic arsenism patients, all in light symptoms, had been checked out, the morbidity being 6.19%. In 2007, 17 patients who were all in light symptoms were identified in a rate of 6.94%. There was no significant difference of morbidity between the two years(χ2=0.1059, P>0.05). Two patients died, unrelating with drinking high arsenic water in 2006 and 2007. Conclusions The prevention and control measures are well implemented in Tongyu. The water-improving projects are functioning well. The condition of endemic arsenism is slight and hasn't changed so much in these two years. The arsenic contents in urine of children and adults within the normal range, showing that improving water can control the occurrence and the development of endemic arsenism.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is not only the most active component of green tea, but the main object in green tea research. Numerous studies have shown that EGCG has cellular protec-tion functions, such as antioxidization, scavenging free radical , anti-cancer and antiapoptotic proper-ties. It has also been proved that EGCG could activate several signaling pathways. Nuclear factor erythroid-2p45 related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) pathway is a key way to main-tain the redox homeostasis by regulating phase Ⅱ detoxification enzymes, and anti-inflammatory proteins. Recent studies have shown that EGCG plays an inportant role in the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway in urinary, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive systems. This review summarizes the research progress in EGCG as an activator of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway, and provides reference for further research and exploitation of EGCG as potential medicine.