Objective To investigate the role of nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) in preterm birth with subclinical chorioamnionitis.Methods From October 2005 to October 2006,111 cases including 36 cases of preterm birth in labor,37 cases of full term gravida with spontaneous labor and 38 cases of full term gravida without threatened labor in the Hunan Province People's Hospital,third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and Changsha Maternal and Child Care Service Center were enrolled in the study.After delivery,by pathology results of fetal membrane they were divided into two groups:subclinical chorioamnionitis group(subclinical infectious group ) and non-infectious group. Immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR were used to observe the change of the p65 subunit of NF-κB family in maternal blood and fetal membrane in subclinical infectious group and non-infectious group.Results (1) The incidence of subclinical chorioamnionitis:there were 24 cases of subclinical chofioamnionitis in the 36 cases of preterm birth in labor(67% ),7 cases in the 37 cases of full term gravida with spontaneous labor group (19%)and 3 cases in the 38 cases of full term gravida without threatened labor group(8%).There was a significant difference among the three groups (P＜0.01). In the totally 111 cases,34 eases were classified as subclinical infectious group and 77 cases as non-infectious group.(2) In fetal membrane,the median of the average staining intensity of NF-κB p65 protein was higher in the subclinical chorioamnionitis group (8.0)than those in non-infectious group(4.0).Similarly,the average staining intensity of NF-κB p65 mRNA was higher in the subclinical infectious group (47.5±17.2) than those in non-infectious group(31.3±13.6).There was a significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01).(3)In maternal blood,the expression of NF-KB p65 protein and mRNA was higher in subclinical chorioamnionitis group (8.0 and 42.6) than these in non-infectious group(4.0 and 23.6).There was a significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01).(4) The concentration of NF-κB p65 protein in fetal membrane was positively correlated with that of maternal blood(r=0.581,P＜0.01 ) and the concentration of NF-KB p65 mRNA in fetal membrane was positively correlated with that of maternal blood (r=0.571,P＜0.01 ).Condusion The expression of NF-KB in maternal blood and fetal membrane in preterm birth with subclinical chorioamnionitis is higher and the two are correlated with each other.NF-KB p65 could be an accurate biochemical marker in predicting subclinical chorioamnionitis in preterm birth. NF-KB p65 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of subclinical chorioamnionitis in preterm birth.

Objective Ultrasonongraphy and mammography were employed to estimate the pathological response of patients with breast cancer ,who had been accepted neoadjuvant chemotherapy .According to the pres-ent study ,we can provide additional evidence on therapeutic effect on evaluation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and better selection of regime for breast cancer .Methods One hundred Thirty-six patients who were previously dia-gosed diagnosed with primary breast cancer were included in this study .All subjects were female with clearly pathological detection and accepted neoadjuvant chemotherapy about 4 to 6 cycles regardless of regime .The resid-ual tumor size was evaluated by mammography and /or ultrasonography before operation .Tumor size measured by image were compared with pathological size to predicting the accuracy of two types of imaging .Results Forty one of 116 records were undetectable imaging by mammogram and 19 of 106 records were undetectable by ultrasound which were considered a pathologic complete response .Sixty one(62.24%)of 98 patients who were accepted de-tection of mammogram and ultrasound would be predicted the tumor size by mammogram .Eighty three(84.69%) of 98 patients would be predicted the residual tumor by ultrasound .31 and 59 were accurately evaluated by mam-mogram and ultrasound , respectively .The result indicated that ultrasound was more accurate than mammogram (60.20%vs.31.63%,χ2 =16.11,P<0.001).The correctly rate was 92.85%(91/98)for ultrasound and 68. 37%(67/98) for mammogram.The diagnosis efficiency of ultrasound was more higher than mammogram ,even though there was no different significance between the two methods (χ2 =2.028,P=0.164).Conclusion Ultra-sonongraphy in estimating the residual tumor size after neoadjuvant chemotherapy of patients with breast cancer displays more accurately than mammography .

Radiotherapy not only acts as an important local treatment of cancer, but also plays a key role in regulation of immune function. Radiotherapy regulates anti?tumor immune responses by promoting the generation of neoantigens, regulating the release of cytokine, and enhancing the sensitivity of tumor to cell?mediated immunity. Recently, several studies and clinical practice reported the abscopal effect in some patients undergoing radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy, which showed partial or complete response of metastases outside the irradiation field, suggesting the combination therapy as a promising strategy. However, further studies are needed for the understanding of the mechanism and influencing factors for immunity such as radiation dose and fractionation scheme. This paper reviews the research advances in the mechanism of radiotherapy?immunotherapy interaction and the combination therapy for cancer.

Objective To detect the methylation status of the promoter of BNIP3 gene in gastric cancer cell lines MKN1,and to explore the mecha?nism of DNA methylation regulating the expression of BNIP3 in gastric cancer cells. Methods The methylation status of BNIP3 promoter was de?tected by bisulfate sequencing PCR. Reverse transcription PCR was used to evaluate BNIP3 mRNA expression. MKN1 cells were treated with 5?Aza?2′?deoxycytidine(5?Aza?CdR),and after the treatment,the methylation status and BNIP3 mRNA expression were observed. Chromatin immuno?precipitation(ChIP)was used to determine the combination of BNIP3 with DNA methyltransferase 1(DNMT1). Results The promoter DNA of BNIP3 in MKN1 cells was in state of hypermethylation. Compared to the control group,methylation status and mRNA expression of BNIP3 in the drug treatment group(the 5?Aza?CdR concentration was 10μmol/L)were reversed,which showed statistical differences(P<0.05). 5?Aza?CdR inhibited the combination of BNIP3 with DNMT1. Conclusion CpG island methylation regulates BNIP3 gene expression in MKN1 cells. DNA methylation is related with the binding between the promoter of BNIP3 and DNMT1.

OBJECTIVE:To prepare Puerarin polymeric micelles and establish a method to determine its entrapment efficiency. METHODS:Puerarin polymeric micelles were prepared by film dispersion method. The polymeric micelles and free drug were sepa-rated by centrifugal-millipore filter filtration method. The entrapment efficiency of puerarin polymeric micelles was determined by HPLC. Diamonsil C18(2)column was used with 1% citric acid solution-methanol(65∶35)at the flow rate of 1 ml/min. The detec-tion wavelength was set at 250 nm,and column temperature was room temperature. RESULTS:The prepared polymeric micelles were spherical and spherical-like in shape with a mean particle size of 54.12 nm,polydispersity index of 0.122,Zeta potential of -13.60 mV;the linear range of puerarin was 2-10μg/ml(R2=0.999 4)with average recovery rate of 99.2%(RSD=0.9%,n=3). The re-covery rate of free drug was 95.3%(RSD=1.7%,n=3). The mean entrapment efficiency and drug-loading amount of puerarin were(35.5±2.12)% and(0.3±0.07)%,respectively(n=3). CONCLUSIONS:Film dispersion method is suitable for the prepara-tion of Puerarin polymeric micelles. Established method is convenient,accurate and reliable for the content and entrapment efficien-cy determination of Puerarin polymeric micelles.

Objective Hypoalbuminemia is a typical symptom of nephrotic syndrome ( NS) , which may result from the loss of much protein with urine.Hyperbilirubinemia is also a common symptom in patients with NS.This study is intended to reveal the relationship between hypoalbuminemia and hyperbilirubinemia in patients with NS by investigating urine bilirubin, albumin( ALB ) and 24-hour urine protein in the NS group, chronic glomerulonephritis ( CGN ) group and postoperative gastroparesis syndrome ( PGS) group ( ALB<35 g/L) .Methods Totally 187 patients with NS, 70 patients with CGN and 64 patients with PGS ( ALB <35 g/L ) were recruited before ALB, urinary protein ( UPR ) , urinary microalbuminuria/creatinine(Umalb/cr) and total bilirubin(TBIL) were detected.SPSS 17.0 Software was used to analyze the difference between the three groups and to reveal the correlations between TBIL and UPR, ALB.Results TBIL, ALB, UPR and Umalb/Cr levels were significantly different between NS, CGN and PGS groups ( one-way ANOVA test, P <0.05), and TBIL was positively correlated with ALB but negatively correlated UPR and Umalb/Cr in both NS and CGN groups (Spearman′s rho test,P<0.05);but no correlation was found between these items in PGS group (Spearman′s rho test,P>0.05) .Conclusion Serum bilirubin of patients with NS is at a low level and shows significant correlations with serum albumin and urinary protein levels.No similar association is found with the other two groups.The results in this study show that the causes of low serum bilirubin in patients with NS may related to the large amount of protein lost in urine.

Multiple primary carcinomas(MPC),also known as multiple cancer,refers to single or multi-ple organ tissues occur more than two primary cancer in the same patient.In this case,it has been found multiple simultaneous cancers within 6 months.It is called metachronous cancer,which multiple cancers come from differ-ent original cancers more than 6 months.It is reported that there is a low incidence rate of multiple primary carci-nomas,which is largely influenced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.Multiple primary cancers are easy to be confused with metastatic tumors in clinical practice,both of them are quite different in terms of treatment and prognosis.Therefore,it is helpful to improve the survival of patients by timely diagnosis and treatment.This article reported a case of multiple primary carcinomas.

To further uncover the scientific significance and molecular mechanism of the Chinese herbs with pungent hot or warm natures, endogenous and exogenous expression systems were established by isolation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and transfection of HEK293 cells with TRPV1 channel gene separately. On this basis, the regulation action of capsaicin, one main ingredient from chili pepper, on TRPV1 channel was further explored by using confocal microscope. Besides, the three-sites one-unit technique and method were constructed based on the brown adipose tissue (BAT), anal and tail skin temperatures. Then the effect of capsaicin on mouse energy metabolism was evaluated. Both endogenous and exogenous TRPV1 channel could be activated and this action could be specifically blocked by the TRPV1 channel inhibitor capsazepine. Simultaneously, the mice's core body temperature and BAT temperature fall down and then go up, accompanied by the increase of temperature of the mice's tail skin. Promotion of the energy metabolism by activation of TRPV1 channel might be the common way for the pungent-hot (warm) herbs to demonstrate their natures.
Adipose Tissue, Brown ; drug effects ; physiology ; Animals ; Capsaicin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Energy Metabolism ; Ganglia, Spinal ; cytology ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Mice ; Neurons ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; TRPV Cation Channels ; physiology ; Temperature ; Thermogenesis

Background mental imagery is a multi-componential process involving different mental operations. Objective The present study investigated the subsystems of visual mental imagery processing and their interactions. Methods: Four experimental tasks were done: (1) object, the ability to generate global mental images; (2) resolution, the ability to generate vivid,high-resolution mental images; (3) transformation,the ability to mentally rotate patterns in images, and (4) spatial imagery,spatial cognition. 91 university students (77 males, 14 females) participated in this study. Results: Object task was highly correlated with resolution task, and the same the tendency was found between transformation task and spatial task. Conclusion: The results indicate there are different subsystems of visual mental imagery and corresponding operative strategies, but with strong correlation among these processes and abilities.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and amplification of steroid receptor coactivator- 3(SRC- 3) gene in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and its clinicopathological significance.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to detect the expression and amplification of SRC- 3 gene in CRC, and its association with patient's clinical pathological features was analyzed.

RESULTSA total of 60 patients with CRC were studied. SAR- 3 proteins were overexpressed in 23 cases (38% ). There was a significant association between SAR- 3 overexpression and neoplasm staging (P< 0.01). SRC- 3 protein was overexpressed in 62% of patients with Dukes C or D stage, whereas SRC- 3 protein was normally expressed in 74% of patients with Dukes A or B stage. As for FISH study, 47 cases were informative. High- level amplification of SRC- 3 gene was detected in 6 cases(13% ) and all showed overexpression of SRC- 3 protein. Low- level amplification of SRC- 3 was observed in 9 cases (19% ). Overexpression of SRC- 3 was detected in 6 cases. The remaining 9 of 32 patients(28% ) without amplification of SRC- 3 gene were observed with overexpression of SRC- 3 protein. In addition, 91% patients with CRC were found overexpression of SRC- 3 as well as overexpression of P53.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal expression of SRC- 3 gene might impact on the function of P53 and development of CRC. There might exist some unknown mechanisms other than gene amplification of SRC- 3 to regulate its encoded protein expression in CRC.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Histone Acetyltransferases ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nuclear Receptor Coactivator 3 ; Trans-Activators ; genetics