Objective To summarize the experience in laparoscopic resection of metastic liver cancer. Methods The clinical data of the patients receiving laparoscopic resection of metastic liver cancer performed in Brisbane hospital from 1999 to 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 28 patients received the laparoscopic resection of metastic liver cancer. Procedures included left lateral segmentectomy in 13 patients, right hemihepatectomy in 9 and segmental or subsegmental resection in 6. Survival rate and disease free survival rate in 12 patients with colorectal metastasis being followed up for 2 years were 75% and 67%. Conclusion Laparoscopic liver resection is safe and feasible in strictly selected patients with malignancy in an appropriate stage. The surgeons should have rich experience of open liver resection and advanced laparoscopic technique.

In June 2013, the first human H6N1 influenza virus infection was confirmed in Taiwan. However, the origin and molecular characterization of this virus, A/Taiwan/2/2013 (H6N1), have not been well studied thus far. In the present report, we performed phylogenetic and coalescent analyses of this virus and compared its molecular profile/characteristics with other closely related strains. Molecular characterization of H6N1 revealed that it is a typical avian influenza virus of low pathogenicity, which might not replicate and propagate well in the upper airway in mammals. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus clusters with A/chicken/Taiwan/A2837/2013 (H6N1) in seven genes, except PB1. For the PB1 gene, A/Taiwan/2/2013 was clustered with a different H6N1 lineage from A/chicken/Taiwan/ A2837/2013. Although a previous study demonstrated that the PB2, PA, and M genes of A/Taiwan/2/2013 might be derived from the H5N2 viruses, coalescent analyses revealed that these H5N2 viruses were derived from more recent strains than that of the ancestor of A/Taiwan/2/2013. Therefore, we propose that A/Taiwan/2/2013 is a reassortant from different H6N1 lineages circulating in chickens in Taiwan. Furthermore, compared to avian isolates, a single P186L (H3 numbering) substitution in the hemagglutinin H6 of the human isolate might increase the mammalian receptor binding and, hence, this strain's pathogenicity in humans. Overall, human infection with this virus seems an accidental event and is unlikely to cause an influenza pandemic. However, its co-circulation and potential reassortment with other influenza subtypes are still worthy of attention.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Animals ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N2 Subtype ; genetics ; physiology ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; virology ; Laboratories ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Poultry ; virology ; Protein Conformation ; Taiwan ; epidemiology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThis research project aimed to evaluate whether a simplified method for identifying high-risk individuals for cardiovascular diseases proposed by the China Rural Health Initiative (CRHI) was feasible in the rural areas in China.

METHODS2 036 adults, aged 20 years or older were stratified-randomly sampled from 12 villages in Luquan county and Anguo county (Hebei province) respectively, to receive physical examination and filling in administered questionnaires. "Gold Standard" was used on high risk in Chinese Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Adults to evaluate the CRHI standards:people with a history of coronary heart disease or stroke, or elderly as men ≥50 years or women ≥60 years with diabetes, or elderly with systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values related to the identification of high-risk individuals for cardiovascular diseases were assessed.

RESULTSThe concordance rate between the CRHI standard and the gold standard was 92.9% , with sensitivity as 77.2%, specificity as 98.5%, Youden's Index as 0.76, positive predictive value as 94.7% and negative predictive value as 92.5%. Under CRHI standard, 21.3% of the adults were identified as high risk. The rate was increasing with age (P < 0.001), reaching 44% among those who were over 60 years old.

CONCLUSIONThe CRHI standard seemed simple and easy and was suitable for identifying high-risk individuals for cardiovascular diseases in the resource-constrained rural areas.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of PsL5F (ent-11alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid, an extract from Pteris semipinnata L) on the expression of nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group D, member 1 (Nr1d1) in highly metastatic ovarian carcinoma HO-8910PM cells, and its mechanisms.

METHODMicroarray Chip was used to examine the level of Nr1d1 mRNA expression on HO-8910PM cells treated with PsL5F. Fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR assay and Western blot were performed to verify the effects of PsL5F on Nr1d1 mRNA and protein expression.

RESULTAfter 24 h treatment of 100 micromol x L(-1) PsL5F, the mRNA and protein levels of Nr1d1 in HO-8910PM cells were 35.34 +/- 1.07 and 7.71 +/- 0.43 times compared to those of control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONPsL5F can up-regulate significantly the expression of Nr1d1 in HO-8910PM cells. Antitumor effects and its mechanisms of PsL5F in HO-8910PM cells may be involved in the up-regulation of Nr1d1 expression.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; Piperidones ; pharmacology ; Pteris ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo identify the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation on cell death induced by Ent-11alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F) in HepG2 cells.

METHODMTT assay was used to determine the effect of 5F on proliferation of HepG2 cells, and apoptotic morphological changes were assessed using Hoechst/PI assay. To evaluate intracellular ROS levels, a GENMED kit was used. HepG2 cells were treated with 5F for 24 h or with 1 mmol x L(-1) GSH for 1 h prior to treatment with 5F for 24 h, then cytoplasmic mono- and oligonucleosomes were assessed with Cell Death Detection ELISA kit.

RESULTThe cytotoxicity of 5F on HepG2 cells was elevated with increasing 5F concentrations, as evidenced by the cell viability assay, and the apoptotic changes such as chromatin condensation were confirmed by Hoechst/PI staining. The decrease in ROS generation was observed in HepG2 cells following treatment with 5F. Cytoplasmic mono- and oligonucleosomes induced by 5F were not changed by decreasing basal level of ROS-mediated signaling with GSH. Further more, induction of ROS production by cisplatinum (CDDP) was canceled by treatment with 5F and 5F revealed a additive effect to cell killing by CDDP.

CONCLUSION5F can not only induce apoptosis through non-ROS-depandent pathway, and can abate oxidant stress.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Death ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Pteris ; chemistry ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

During virus infection, viral RNAs and mRNAs function as blueprints for viral protein synthesis and possibly as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in innate immunity. Here, considering recent research progress in microRNAs (miRNAs) and competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), we speculate that viral RNAs act as sponges and can sequester endogenous miRNAs within infected cells, thus cross-regulating the stability and translational efficiency of host mRNAs with shared miRNA response elements. This cross-talk and these reciprocal interactions between viral RNAs and host mRNAs are termed "competitive viral and host RNAs" (cvhRNAs). We further provide recent experimental evidence for the existence of cvhRNAs networks in hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS), lytic murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections. In addition, the cvhRNA hypothesis also predicts possible cross-regulation between host and other viruses, such as hepatitis C virus (HCV), HIV, influenza virus, human papillomaviruses (HPV). Since the interaction between miRNAs and viral RNAs also inevitably leads to repression of viral RNA function, we speculate that virus may evolve either to employ cvhRNA networks or to avoid miRNA targeting for optimal fitness within the host. CvhRNA networks may therefore play a fundamental role in the regulation of viral replication, infection establishment, and viral pathogenesis.
Animals ; DNA Viruses ; genetics ; physiology ; Host-Pathogen Interactions ; physiology ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; metabolism ; RNA Viruses ; genetics ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; RNA, Viral ; metabolism ; Virus Diseases ; immunology ; physiopathology ; virology ; Virus Replication

Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chickens ; China ; epidemiology ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; genetics ; Influenza in Birds ; transmission ; virology ; Influenza, Human ; ethnology ; transmission ; virology ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections ; metabolism ; mortality ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Seasons ; Survival Rate ; Virulence ; genetics

Objective: To observe the use of clopidogrel and related factors for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in terms of early use, loading dose, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and maintenance dose hospitalized in non-PCI country hospitals in China. Methods: Patients hospitalized for ACS from 101 non-PCI country hospitals across China were recruited prospectively from October 2011 to November 2014. In-hospital clopidogrel use rate, the proportions of early use (within 24 hours), loading dose use (≥300 mg), DAPT (early use combined with aspirin) and maintenance dose use (following dose≥75 mg/d) were analyzed. Generalized estimated equation (GEE) model was used to explore factors associated to in-hospital clopidogrel use and loading dose use in both univariate and multivariate analyses, adjusting for cluster effect. Results: A total of 14 809 ACS patients were included, with an average age of (64.1±11.6) years and 60% (8 888/14 809) were male. The in-hospital clopidogrel use rate was 66.4% (9 828/14 809), which varied across different regions, years and sub-types of ACS (all P<0.05). Among users, the proportions of patients with early use, DAPT and maintenance dose use were 91.3% (8 734/9 562), 89.2% (8 526/9 562) and 95.1% (9 094/9 562), respectively, but the proportion of patients received loading dose was only 41.8% (3 995/9 562). Multivariate analyses showed that patients who admitted to hospital in earlier years and with non-ST elevation ACS, ≥75 years old, female, non-smoking, illiterate, heart rate≥100 beats per minute, atrial fibrillation, not on ECG monitoring, and not using other anti-ACS drugs were less likely to receive clopidogrel (all P<0.05). And those clopidogrel users who with non-ST elevation ACS, ≥75 years old, non-smoking, illiterate, not using other anti-ACS drugs were less likely to receive loading dose (all P<0.05). Conclusion The use rate of clopidogrel and the loading dose among in-hospital ACS patients are both low and remain to be improved in non-PCI county hospitals in China. Special attention should be paid on non-ST elevation ACS, ≥75 years old, female, and illiterate patients to increase the rational use of clopidogrel and the loading dose.

Bacteria ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; secretion ; Bacterial Secretion Systems ; Databases, Factual ; Genes, Bacterial ; Genome, Bacterial

The characterization of the human T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire has made remarkable progress, with most of the work focusing on the TCRβ chains. Here, we analyzed the diversity and complexity of both the TCRα and TCRβ repertoires of three healthy donors. We found that the diversity of the TCRα repertoire is higher than that of the TCRβ repertoire, whereas the usages of the V and J genes tended to be preferential with similar TRAV and TRAJ patterns in all three donors. The V-J pairings, like the V and J gene usages, were slightly preferential. We also found that the TRDV1 gene rearranges with the majority of TRAJ genes, suggesting that TRDV1 is a shared TRAV/DV gene (TRAV42/DV1). Moreover, we uncovered the presence of tandem TRBD (TRB D gene) usage in ~2% of the productive human TCRβ CDR3 sequences.
Complementarity Determining Regions ; genetics ; DNA Primers ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor ; genetics ; Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor ; genetics ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Joining Region ; genetics ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; genetics ; Male ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta ; genetics