Objective:To investigate the possibility of miR-125b in serum as a novel tumor marker for primary hepatocellular car-cinoma (HCC) and the diagnosis value of combined detection of miR-125b and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for HCC. Methods:We detected serum miR-125b expression of 65 cases of HCC patients and 30 cases of healthy controls by real-time quantitative PCR. Moreover, we analyzed the significance of miR-125b and explored the relationship between miR-125b and clinical pathological factors. Results:The level of miRNA-125b was down regulated in serum of HCC patients compared with healthy controls which showed significant differences (P<0.05). Furthermore, the expression of miRNA-125b has no distinct correlation with sex, age, HbsAg, AFP, ALT andα-GGT, which had no significant differences (P>0.05). The expression level of miRNA-125b correlated the difference with liver Cirrhosis, tumor size and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages, which were considered significant differences (P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of serum miR-125b for the diagnosis of HCC yielded AUC of 0.917(95%CI:0.851~0.960, P<0.001)with 85.9%sensitivity and 93.5%specificity. The ROC curve analysis of combined miR-125b and AFP for HCC detection yielded AUC of 0.951(95%CI:0.894~0.982, P<0.001)with 92.9%sensitivity and 93.5%specificity. The ROC curve analysis of serum miR-125b as biomarkers for the group (AFP<20μg/L) of HCC yielded AUC of 0.889(95%CI:0.776~0.957, P<0.001)with 84.0%sensitivity and 87.1%specificity. Conclusion:Serum miRNA-125b combined with AFP has considerable clinical value for the early diagnosis of primary HCC.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of an intelligent three-dimensional ultrasound technique (Smart mid-sagittal planes,Smart MSP) in automatically detecting the fetal cranial mid-sagittal view.Methods Two hundred and forty pregnant women with singleton pregnancies were imaged to display the mid-sagittal view of fetal head using the Smart MSP by six doctors divided into three groups according the different experiences.Another two doctors were then invited to score the images acquired and to compare the successful rates of 6 doctors for acquiring fetal cranial mild-sagittal view according to the doctors' experience.Results The overall successful rate of acquiring the mid-sagittal view was 97.08％ (233/240) with the bipartial diameter plane (BPD plane) as the starting plane and 98.33(237/240) with the trans-cerebellum plane as the starting plane by using Smart MSP program.The successful rates in three groups were similar but the consumed times were different(P ＜0.05).The experienced doctors consumed less time than non-experienced doctors.The scores were also different in three groups.The scores of experienced doctors (group B and C) were significantly higher than that of non-experienced doctors (Group A) (P ＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the scores between experienced doctors (group B and C) (P＞0.05).Conclusions Smart MSP is a novel and feasible method for the automatic visualization of fetal cranial mid-sagittal plane,which may become an effective tool to screen the fetal midline anomalies in future.

Objective To predict the binding sites of transforming growth factor-βreceptor Ⅱ (TβRⅡ ) ectodomain and the aptamer S58 specifically targeted TβRⅡ ,and to confirm the structure stability of the aptamer S 58 in vitro .Methods We created three-dimensional structure by utilizing ssDNA aptamer sequences ,the crystal structure of the TβRⅡ was searched by protein data bank database .According to the results of the molecular docking experiments on aptamer S 58 and TβRⅡ ectodomain ,we sheared the aptamer sequences ,then verified its affinity respectively by biosensor technology and Western blot .Results Binding sites of aptamers S58 and TRβⅡ ectodomain included site Ⅰ(T4 ,T5 ,G6 ,C7) ,site Ⅱ(G13 ,A14 ,T15 ,C16 ,G17 ,C18 ) ,site Ⅲ (T31 ,G32 , T33 ,C34) and site Ⅳ(G40 ,A41 ,T42 ,T43 ,T44 ,G45 ,G46) .We validated the high affinity between aptamer S58 and TRβⅡ ectodo-main .The expression of α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) protein in the human tenon′s capsule fibroblasts was descended obviously after the experiment of the aptamer S58 in comparing with the control of DMEM (P< 0 .05) .But the new ssDNA by shear the aptamer ssDNA S58 according to the results were poor than aptamers S58 .Conclusion The aptamer S58 targeted TβRⅡ was high-ly specific with a certain stability ,any changing of structure will reduce the affinity of TβRⅡ .Computer-aided molecular docking technology has become an important means of an exploratory intermolecular interaction ,and can provides a good theoretical basis on medical research .

0.05). After dividing the patients into early-onset and late-onset subgroups, there were significant differences of DRD4 genotype and allele frequency between early-onset patients and controls (P0.05). Conclusion The results suggested that the polymorphism of DRD4 receptor gene may be associated with early-onset OCD. The 3/4 genetype may be the risk factor of early-onset OCD. Early-onset and late-onset OCD may have different etiology.

Background In China,esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) share susceptibility loci,but different rates of multiple primary cancer and male/female ratio suggest the proportion of familial cancer is not equal.Methods The percent of cases with a positive family history,median onset age,rate of multiple primary cancer,and male/female ratio associated with upper,middle,lower third ESCC and GCA were compared to reveal the proportion of familial cancer.The 7267 subjects analyzed constituted all ESCC and GCA cases in whom the cancer was resected with cure intention between 1970 and 1994 at the 4th Hospital of Hebei Medical University.Results A positive family history for cancer was most often associated with the multiple primary ESCC and/or GCA cases,e.g.with 42％ of the males and 59％ of the females.For upper,middle,lower third ESCC and GCA,the percent of cases with a positive family history decreased by 38.5％,26.3％,26.5％,and 11.2％ in males (P ＜0.000) and 25.0％,22.3％,23.9％,and 9.8％ in females (P ＜0.0001).Median onset age increased from 49,52,55,to 56 years old in males and from 50,53,55,to 56 years old in females (both P ＜0.0001) for upper,middle,lower third ESCC and GCA.Male/female ratio increased from 2.2,2.1,2.2,to 6.2:1 for upper,middle,lower third ESCC and GCA (P＜0.0001).For upper,middle,lower third ESCC and GCA,the percent of multiple primary cancers decreased from 21.2％,2.3％,2.2％,to 1.5％ in males and from 14.3％,2.4％,3.4％,to 3.1％ in females.The preponderance of males,smoking,drinking,or onset-age ≥50 years was significantly higher in GCA than in ESCC,and the difference in the rates of multiple primary cancers between the preponderant and the non-preponderant cases was significant in GCA,but not in ESCC,suggesting non-equal requirement for genetic susceptibility when environmental hazards did not exist.Conclusions The proportion of familial cancer in upper gastrointestinal carcinomas decreases by the priamry site of upper,middle,lower third esophagus and gastric cardia.Considering familial and sporadic cancers differ in preventability,screening strategy and recurrence,our findings have basic and clinical implications.

OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of tonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines contained in Yiqi Qingwen Jiedu mixture on mRNA expression of lung inflammatory cytokines and pulmonary pathological injury of mice infected by influenza virus, in order to discuss the mechanism of tonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines against pulmonary immune inflammatory injury of infected mice.

METHODIn different time phases after mice were infected with influenza virus FM1, the RT-PCR method was adopted to observe the impact of tonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines contained in Yiqi Qingwen Jiedu mixture on five inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-γ, and the changes in pulmonary pathological injury of mice with viral pneumonia after intervention with tonifying qi traditional Chinese medicines.

RESULT(1) Tonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines significantly reduced the mRNA expression of TNF-α at 1-5 d and IL-1 mRNA expression at 7 d, may increase IL-1 mRNA expression in mouse lung at 3 d, significantly reduced IL-6 mRNA expression in mouse lung and increased IL-10 mRNA expression at 3-7 d, and significantly increased IFN-γ mRNA expression at 1 d. (2) Tonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines could significantly inhibited and repaired pulmonary immune inflammatory injury of mice infected by FM1, which was most remarkable at 3-7 d after the infection with influenza virus FM1.

CONCLUSIONTonifying Qi traditional Chinese medicines contained in Yiqi Qingwen Jiedu mixture could resist pulmonary immune inflammatory injury and repair inflammatory injury by regulating the mRNA expression of imbalance inflammatory cytokines of organisms infected with influenza virus.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Influenza, Human ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Interferon-gamma ; genetics ; immunology ; Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; immunology ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; immunology ; Interleukin-6 ; genetics ; immunology ; Lung ; immunology ; virology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; physiology ; Bacteriophages ; chemistry ; Humans ; Receptors, Virus ; chemistry ; Vibrio cholerae ; virology

BRAP (BRCA1 associated protein) is one of BRCA1 (Breast cancer suppressor protein) associated cytoplasmic proteins. BRAP gene has been found to be associated with the risk of some cancers, and the associations between BRAP and cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome is gradually attracting much attention. However, the explicit mechanisms involved remain to be fully elucidated. We reviewed the association between BRAP gene and cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndromes and the biologic mechanisms in the regulation of metabolism, hoping to provide clues on our future researches.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; Humans ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of cervical settling method on marginal accuracy of wax patters.

METHODS24 wax patterns were made on the standard cast specimens and round capsules of which twelve patters were made with the method of cervical settling (experiment group), twelve patters were made with the method of wax dripping (control group). Marginal accuracy of patterns were measured before sublation, sublation half an hour and twenty-four hours.

RESULTSThe results revealed that marginal accuracy had significant difference between the cervical settling methods and wax dripping methods (P < 0.05). There was significant difference between the cervical settling methods measured after half an hour and twenty-four hours (P < 0.01). There was also significant difference between the wax dripping methods measured after half an hour and twenty-four hours (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONWax patterns with the method of cervical settling can improve marginal accuracy of patterns. The marginal accuracy of wax patters are influenced by the existing time.

Dental Casting Technique ; Dental Marginal Adaptation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of HLA class I and II alleles with generalized vitiligo in ethnic Han Chinese in north China.

METHODSBy employing polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) procedure 34 generalized vitiligo patients in north China were studied for HLA I and II alleles and were compared with 102 healthy controls.

RESULTSThe allelic frequencies of HLA-A*30, Cw*06, DRB1*07, and DQB1*0201 were increased significantly in generalized vitiligo and especially in the patients without family history compared with the controls.

CONCLUSIONThese alleles positively associated with generalized vitiligo in Chinese Han patients in north China, might provide clues to reveal the susceptibility gene(s) of vitiligo in Chinese and as well as the immunnogenetic mechanisms of disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genes, MHC Class I ; genetics ; Genes, MHC Class II ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vitiligo ; ethnology ; genetics