OBJECTIVEThis article reports a population genetic study on six short tandem repeat(STR) loci, D7S820, D19S253, D12S391, D5S818, D16S539 and D8S1179, in a sample of unrelated Chinese Han individuals(n=122-173) living in Hebei province.

METHODSDNA extraction from blood samples (200 in number) and multiplex amplification of the above six loci were carried out. Using denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver stain, the authors investigated the distribution of allele frequencies of the six loci in Han population in Hebei province.

RESULTSThe STR polymorphisms at all of the six loci were observed in Chinese Han population in Hebei province. The observed heterozygosities of D7S820, D19S253, D12S391, D5S818, D16S539 and D8S1179 were 0.828, 0.757, 0.769, 0.837, 0.785 and 0.852, respectively. The measured values of the power of discrimination (PD) were 0.914, 0.919, 0.940, 0.909, 0.917, 0.944; of the mean exclusion chance(MEC) 0.618, 0.740, 0.801, 0.557, 0.655, 0.696 and of the polymorphism information content (PIC) in Chinese 0.771, 0.760, 0.762, 0.708, 0.776 and 0.794, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe genotype distributions of the six STR were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The numerical values of the PD and MEC are relatively high in Hebei province, and thus can be of significant application in population genetics and forensic medicine.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; DNA ; analysis ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetics, Population ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Population Groups ; Tandem Repeat Sequences ; genetics ; physiology

BACKGROUNDIn China, patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease are getting older, and thus the number of deaths due to such disease is increasing. The efficacy of combination therapy with ribavirin and interferon for chronic HCV infection in elderly patients has not been fully clarified. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the combination therapy in the elderly patients.

METHODSSixty-eight chronic hepatitis C patients, who received the combination therapy, were classified into two age groups: elderly group ((3)60 years, n = 25) and non-elderly group (< 60 years, n = 43). Rapid virological response, complete early virological response, sustained virological response, relapse, non-response rate, and safety were compared between the elderly group and non-elderly group.

RESULTSOverall sustained virological response was lower in the elderly group than non-elderly group (44% vs. 75%, P = 0.012, OR = 0.270, and 95%CI 0.095 - 0.768). Among patients with HCV genotype 1, sustained virological response was lower in the elderly group than non-elderly group (45% vs. 77%, P = 0.015, OR = 0.247, 95%CI 0.078 - 0.781). The proportions of dose reduction due to laboratory abnormalities were significantly higher in the elderly group than non-elderly group (60.0% vs. 32.6%, P = 0.027). Multiple binary Logistic regression analysis confirmed that patient age was an associated factor for sustained virological response.

CONCLUSIONAmong patients with HCV genotype 1, the elderly patients had lower sustained virological response than non-elderly patients during pegylated interferon-alpha-2a plus ribavirin combination therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of clinical and pathomorphological parameters on the prognosis of colon carcinoma and rectal carcinoma.

METHODSUnivariate and multivariate COX proportional hazard models were used to study the effects of the clinical and pathomorphological factors on the prognosis in 101 cases of colon carcinoma, 219 of rectal carcinoma and 137 of rectal carcinoma under curative resections.

RESULTBy using univariate analysis, we identified that lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were the common prognostic factors for both colon carcinoma and rectal carcinoma. Smoking, deep infiltration, chemotherapy and serum albumin concentration were the uncertain prognostic factors for colon carcinoma. Signet-ring cell carcinoma, larger tumor size (>6 cm), deep infiltration, lack of radical surgery, and advanced TNM stage were the exclusive adverse prognostic factors for rectal carcinoma. Further studies showed that the adverse prognostic factors for the rectal carcinoma under curative resection included deep infiltration, lymph node metastasis, vessel invasion, less of peritumoral lymphocyte infiltration, lack of Crohn's like reactivity, high level of tumor budding, advanced TNM stage and positive urine glucose. By using multivariate analysis based on a COX proportional hazard model, it was identified that smoking, lymph node metastasis and serum albumin concentration were independent prognostic factors for colon carcinoma; advanced TNM stage, distant metastasis and palliative surgery for rectal carcinoma; and vessel invasion, lymph node metastasis and urine glucose for rectal carcinoma under curative resections.

CONCLUSIONThe various clinical and pathomorphological parameters show different prognostic value for colon carcinoma, rectal carcinoma and rectal carcinoma under curative resections.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Colonic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

Objective To investigate the expression of αB-Crystallin in non-small cell lung cancer and adjacent tissues (NSCLC) and analyze the associations between its expression and clinicopathological features as well as proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells.Methods We down-regulated the expression of αB-Crystallin in NSCLC cell line A549 with specific siRNA,and assessed the role of αB-Crystallin in the proliferation and migration of NSCLC cell line with CCK-8 and Transwell.Then,we examined αB-Crystallin expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in tissue microarray (TMA) consisting of 208 cases of NSCLC who were treated in the Department of Thoracic Surgery,Zhongshan Hospital in 2005.Associations between αB-Crystallin expression and clinical characteristics were assessed and the prognostic role of αB-Crystallin in NSCLC was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis.Results Loss of αB-Crystallin expression suppressed the proliferation and migration potential of A549 cells (P＜0.05).Furthermore,immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray revealed that αB-Crystallin was overexpressed in NSCLC compared with adjacent normal tissues,αB-Crystallin expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate analysis indicated that αB-Crystallin expression was an independent prognostic factor in patients' overall survival.Conclusions Our finding indicated that αB-Crystallin was overexpressed in NSCLC and promotes proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells.Its expression was associated with poor prognosis of NSCLC patients.αB-Crystallin may represent a potential therapeutic target and a novel prognostic marker of NSCLC.

BACKGROUNDBlepharophimosis ptosis epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare congenital ophthalmic disorder, characterized by congenital eyelid malformation including bilateral ptosis, shortening of the horizontal eyelid fissure, epicanthus inversus, and increased distance between the inner canthi. In this research, we studied the histological structure and ultrastructure of medial canthal ligament of patients with BPES.

METHODSThirty patients with BPES who received plastic surgery at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from March 2006 to January 2008 were studied. There were 17 males and 13 females with an average age of (8.73 +/- 3.37) years (3 - 31 years). The medial canthal ligaments of patients were collected during the plastic surgery to analyze the histological structure by hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Congo red, van Gieson's (VG), Masson trichrome and aldehyde-fuchsin staining. The ultrastructures of the medial canthal ligaments were also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fifteen samples of medial canthal ligament from healthy persons with an average age of (9.02 +/- 3.12) years (6 - 30 years) were collected as a control group.

RESULTSMorphological and histological study showed that the medial canthal ligaments of BPES patients were composed of collagen fibers, a few elastic fibers and striated muscles. The collagen fibers assemblies were disorganized and the fibrous connective tissues were undergoing hyaline degeneration. The karyopycnosis of fibroblasts was located among the collagen fibrils and the numbers of fibroblasts were decreased. Ultrastructural study with SEM showed that the collagen fibers were larger than normal, irregular and loose. Parts of the collagen fibers were broken and had a coarse surface. Ultrastructural study with TEM showed that the fibroblasts had less cytoplasm, fewer organelles and the nucleus displayed pyknosis.

CONCLUSIONSThe medial canthal ligament in BPES patients is composed chiefly of collagen fibers. The collagen fibers of medial canthal ligaments in BPES patients are disorganized and hyaline degeneration is present. The study revealed that the medial canthal ligament of BPES patients might have congenital dysplasia.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blepharophimosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Blepharoptosis ; genetics ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Eyelids ; abnormalities ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze and compare the clinical effects of transvaginal cervical cerclage during pregnancy with different surgical indications.METHODS: A total of 39 patients who underwent transvaginal cervical cerclage during pregnancy in the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University from July 2012 to June 2018 were enrolled.The patients were grouped according to the indications of surgery:those with the history of late abortion or preterm labor being the indication of surgery were the indication of the history of the cerclage group（group H,20）,and those with the length of the cervix being shortened or the shape of the cervix being changed in vaginal ultrasound indication cerclage group（group U,20）.The patients whose hysical examination revealed dilated cervix with or without amniocentesis were included as emergency cerclage group（group E,7）.The clinical effects of vaginal cervical cerclage during pregnancy were compared among the 3 groups.RESULTS: The gestational week of cerclage in the H group[（15.64 ± 2.96）w] was shorter than that in the U group[（22.04±5.01）w]and the E group[（22.08±2.96）w],and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）,but the gestational age of cerclage was of no significant difference between the E group and the U group（P>0.05）.The extended days[（29.43±47.24）d],gestational age of delivery[（26.39±6.52）w],full-term birth rate（14.29%）and live birth rate（28.57%）in group E were all lower than those in group H[（136.45±53.70）d,（35.60±7.07）w,69.57%,86.36%]and group U[（103.40±36.15）d,（36.81±3.45）w,70.00%,100.00% ],with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）.No statistically significant differences were observed between group H and group U（P>0.05）.The abortion rate（71.42%）in group E was higher than that in group H（13.04%）and group U（00.00%）（P<0.05）,but there was no statistically significant difference between group H and group U（P>0.05）.There was no significant difference in preterm birth rate among the three groups（P>0.05）.CONCLUSION: Cervical cerclage with three different surgical indications can effectively improve the pregnancy outcome of patients with cervical insufficiency.The pregnancy outcomes are similar between the indication of the history of the cerclage and the vaginal ultrasound indication cerclage,but better than the emergency cerclage.

"Haima" (Hippocampus) has a long history in China as an important traditional animal medicine, but many closely-related members of the Hippocampus genus are also used as Haima in particular regions. To investigate the real origin of "Haima", a herbalogical studies, particularly inpictures and photographs of the ancient literature are corroborated with seahorse specimens in museum, we confirm Chinese material medica "Haima" in China Pharmacopoeia is origin from H. kelloggi, 1901, H.spinosissimus, 1913, H. kuda, 1852, H. trimaculatus, 1814, or H. mohnikei, 1853. The so-called "Ci Haima" is H. spinosissimus, instead of H. histrix, 1856. The paper also suggests to revise of "macroscopical identification" item and add identification methods of "Haima" in China Pharmacopoeia, which may improve quality controls tandards of "Haima".

BACKGROUNDThe Notch-regulated ankyrin repeat protein (NRARP) is recently found to promote proliferation of breast cancer cells. The role of NRARP in carcinogenesis deserves extensive investigations. This study attempted to investigate the expression of NRARP in thyroid cancer tissues and assess the influence of NRARP on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and invasion in thyroid cancer.

METHODSThirty-four cases with thyroid cancer were collected from the Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between 2011 and 2012. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the level of NRARP in cancer tissues. Lentivirus carrying NRARP-shRNA (Lenti-NRARP-shRNA) was applied to down-regulate NRARP expression. Cell viability was tested after treatment with Lenti-NRARP-shRNA using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were determined by flow cytometry. Cell invasion was tested using Transwell invasion assay. In addition, expressions of several cell cycle-associated and apoptosis-associated proteins were examined using Western blotting after transfection. Student's t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), or Kaplan-Meier were used to analyze the differences between two group or three groups.

RESULTSNRARP was highly expressed in thyroid cancer tissues. Lenti-NRARP-shRNA showed significantly inhibitory activities against cell growth at a multiplicity of infection of 10 or higher (P < 0.05). Lenti-NRARP-shRNA-induced G1 arrest (BHT101: 72.57% ± 5.32%; 8305C: 75.45% ± 5.26%) by promoting p21 expression, induced apoptosis by promoting bax expression and suppressing bcl-2 expression, and inhibited cell invasion by suppressing matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

CONCLUSIONDownregulation of NRARP expression exerts significant antitumor activities against cell growth and invasion of thyroid cancer, that suggests a potential role of NRARP in thyroid cancer targeted therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Cycle ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Survival ; genetics ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; mortality ; pathology

Background:Entecavir (ETV) has been shown to be effective in randomized controlled trials in highly selected patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ETV in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in the real-world setting.

Methods:A total of 233 treatment-naïve, CHB patients who received at least 12 months of ETV treatment were included in this retrospective study. Rates of virological response (VR), hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) loss, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) clearance/seroconversion, virological breakthrough, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma were evaluated.

Results:Of 233 patients, 175 patients were male, with mean age of 43 years old, and 135 patients were HBeAg positive. The mean baseline levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and HBV DNA in all patients were 230 U/L and 6.6 log 10 IU/ml, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 28 months. The cumulative rates of achieving VR increased from 3.4% at 3 months to 94.4% at 60 months. Primary nonresponse occurred in 3 (1.3%) patients. Partial VR (PVR) occurred in 61 (26.2%) patients at 12 months. The baseline serum HBV DNA level (hazard ratio [HR], 2.054; P < 0.001) was an independent risk factor for PVR. HBsAg loss did not occur. The cumulative rates of HBeAg clearance increased from 2.2% at 3 months to 28.2% at 60 months. PVR was the significant determinant of HBeAg clearance (HR, 0.341; P = 0.026). Age (HR, 1.072; P = 0.013) and PVR (HR, 5.131; P = 0.017) were the significant determinants of cirrhosis.

Conclusions:ETV treatment was effective for HBV DNA suppression in this study, but HBsAg loss and HBeAg clearance/seroconversion rates were lower compared with previous clinical trials. PVR was associated with HBeAg clearance and cirrhosis.

The historical evolution， fermentation technology and key links of Sojae Semen Praeparatum （SSP） were sorted out by consulting ancient books and modern literature， and the influencing factors and control methods of quality were analyzed and summarized in order to provide reference for the quality control of SSP. After analysis， it was found that in the fermentation process of SSP， fermentation strains， miscellaneous bacteria， temperature and humidity were all important factors affecting the quality of SSP. The condition control of "post fermentation" process has been paid more attention to in the past dynasties. In addition， the delicious SSP recognized in ancient times should be made from mold fermentation， and the breeding and application of fermented mold may be the key point to solve the quality problem of SSP. Therefore， based on the evaluation indexes of SSP in the past dynasties， it is of great significance to study and optimize the technological conditions such as strain， temperature and humidity in depth to improve the quality of SSP.