OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of folic acid on homocysteine (Hcy)-induced chemokine secretion and NADPH oxidase activity in human monocytes.

METHODSHuman monocytes from healthy volunteers were incubated with Hcy (100 micromol/L) with or without folic acid (5 micromol/L) for 24 h; MCP-1 and IL-8 were assessed by ELISA. DCFH-DA was added to monitor intracellular ROS production on confocal microscopy. A cytochrome c reduction assay was used to measure NADPH oxidase activity.

RESULTSThe Hcy-induced secretion of MCP-1 and IL-8 was significantly reduced by folic acid [(1.88 +/- 0.51) ng/ml vs. (4.36 +/- 0.72) ng/ml vs. (2.40 +/- 0.60) ng/ml and (4.9 +/- 1.9) ng/ml vs. (12.7 +/- 1.5) ng/ml vs. (7.2 +/- 1.9) ng/ml, all P < 0.05]. The Hcy-induced production of ROS was also significantly attenuated by folic acid. Moreover, the Hcy-induced NADPH oxidase activity increase was significantly inhibited by cotreatment with folic acid.

CONCLUSIONFolic acid may attenuate oxidative stress induced by Hcy by reducing NADPH oxidase activity in monocytes.

Cells, Cultured ; Chemokines ; secretion ; Folic Acid ; pharmacology ; Homocysteine ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; secretion ; NADPH Oxidases ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Receptors, CCR2 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Telbivudine (LDT) Tablet combined with Jianpi Bushen Recipe (JBR) on serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

METHODSTotally 90 HBeAg-positive and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 positive CHB patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 45 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group took LDT Tablet (600 mg, once per day) combined with JBR granule (twice per day), while those in the control group took LDT Tablet alone. The therapeutic course for all was one year. HBV DNA negative conversion rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, and level of HBV specific CTL were compared after 1 year treatment; liver function, drug resistance mutations, and adverse reactions were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 1 year treatment, HBV DNA negative conversion rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate were 88.89% (40/45) and 40.00% (18/45) in the treatment group, higher than those of the control group [68.89% (31/45) and 20.00% (9/45)], with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Level of HBV specific CTL in the treatment group was 0.78% +/- 0.09% after treatment, higher than that of the control group after 1 year treatment (0.54% +/- 0.11%) and that before treatment (0.36% +/- 0.07%), with statistical difference (P < 0.01). Level of HBV specific CTL in 27 patients with HBeAg seroconversion was 0.81% 0.10%, higher than that of 63 patients without HBeAg seroconversion (0.60% +/- 0.09%), with statistical difference (P < 0.01). ALT returned to normal in 44 cases of the treatment group (97.78%), while it was 42 cases (93.33%) of the control group, with no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Total bilirubin (TBil) in the two groups all turned to normal. rtM204I variation occurred in 1 case (2.22%) of the treatment group and 2 cases (4.44%) in the control group. No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONLDT Tablet combined with JBR could elevate levels of HBV specific CTL and HBeAg seroconversion in CHB patients.

Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Seroconversion ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Tablets ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) in the facial inflammatory pain in relation to thermal hyperalgesia and cold pain sensation.

METHODSFacial inflammatory pain model was developed by subcutaneous injection of turpentine oil (TO) into rat facial area. Head withdrawal thermal latency (HWTL) and head withdrawal cold latency (HWCL) were measured once a day for 21 d after TO treatment using thermal and cold measurement apparatus. The immunohistochemical staining, cell-size frequency analysis and the survey of average optical density (OD) value were used to observe the changes of TRPV1 expression in the neurons of the trigeminal ganglion (TG), peripheral nerve fibers in the vibrissal pad, and central projection processes in the trigeminal sensory nuclei caudalis (Vc) on day 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 after TO injection.

RESULTSHWTL and HWCL decreased significantly from day 1 to day 14 after TO injection with the lowest value on day 5 and day 3, respectively, and both recovered on day 21. The number of TRPV1-labeled neurons increased remarkably from day 1 to day 14 with a peak on day 7, and returned back to the normal level on day 21. In control rats, only small and medium-sized TG neurons were immunoreactive (IR) to TRPV1, and the TRPV1-IR terminals were abundant in both the vibrissal pad and the Vc. Within 2 weeks of inflammation, the expression of TRPV1 in small and medium-sized TG neurons increased obviously. Also the TRPV1 stained terminals and fibers appeared more frequent and denser in both the vibrissal pad skin and throughout laminae I and the outer zone of laminae II (IIo) of Vc.

CONCLUSIONFacial inflammatory pain could induce hyperalgesia to noxious heat and cold stimuli, and result in increase of the numbers of TRPV1 positive TG neurons and the peripheral and central terminals of TG. These results suggest that the phenotypic changes of TRPV1 expression in small and medium-sized TG neurons and terminals might play an important role in the development and maintenance of TO-induced inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia and cold pain sensation.

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; Facial Pain ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hot Temperature ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Pain Threshold ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Thermosensing ; physiology ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; cytology ; metabolism ; Turpentine ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect on the dose distribution of source position displacement with the target region margin in catheter-based 192Ir line source endovascular brachytherapy.

METHODDose rate distribution along longitudinal axes was estimated by the formula recommended by AAPM No.60 and No. 43.

RESULTSIn the two cases of source displacement (1.1 and 5 mm) doses of target region margin was decreased dramatically (at most 53.9% and 565.8% respectively) were compared to that of no source displacement, and the affected range was 6 mm and 9 mm respectively.

CONCLUSIONSource displacement will lead to the decrease of dose in target region margin.

Animals ; Brachytherapy ; methods ; Coronary Restenosis ; radiotherapy ; Coronary Vessels ; radiation effects ; Iridium Radioisotopes ; therapeutic use ; Radiotherapy Dosage

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of familial gastric cancer and to improve the treatment outcome.

METHODSClinical data of 67 patients with familial gastric cancer and 820 patients with sporadic gastric cancer in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from 1995 to 2005 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSCompared to sporadic gastric cancer, the percentage of familial gastric cancer patients less than 45 years old was higher (34.3% vs. 14.6%). Early gastric cancer(23.9% vs. 13.8%), diffuse gastric cancer(79.1% vs. 29.0%), and lymph node metastasis (91.0% vs. 70.9%) were more common in patients with familial cancer(P<0.05). The 5-year survival rate of familial gastric cancer patients was lower than that of patients with sporadic gastric cancer(20.5% vs. 45.1%)(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFamilial gastric cancer has characteristics of younger onset age, advanced disease staging, higher positive lymph node ratio and poorer prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis should be emphasized in the management of familial gastric cancer.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUNDThe autosomal dominant form of retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) can be caused by mutations in 14 genes and further loci remains to be identified. This study was intended to identify mutations in a Chinese pedigree with ADRP.

METHODSA large Chinese family with retinitis pigmentosa was collected. The genetic analysis of the family suggested an autosomal dominant pattern. Microsatellite (STR) markers tightly linked to genes known to be responsible for ADRP were selected for linkage analysis. Exons along with adjacent splice junctions of PRPF31 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and screened by direct sequencing.

RESULTSThe caused gene of ADRP was mapped to 19q13.4 between markers D19S572 and D19S877, with a maximum LOD score of 3.01 at marker D19S418 (recombination fraction = 0).

CONCLUSIONThe affected gene linked to the 19q13.4 in a Chinese family with ADRP, which is different from other mutations at the same loci in other Chinese families.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Chromosome Mapping ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; genetics ; Eye Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; genetics

Objective To analyze the positive conversion rate of negative spouse and the survival analysis on HIV sero－discordant couples． Methods Data were collected from the case report database of the integrated AIDS prevention and control data and information system． HIV sero－discordant couples diagnosed between September 1，1997 and September 1，2018 were recruited into the cohort． The participants were divided into three groups as untreated subgroup，routine treatment subgroup and early treatment subgroup according to the situation when they started HIV treatment． The positive conversion rate of negative spouse and the survival were compared among the three subgroups． Ｒesults 598 HIV sero－discordant couples were recruited and the overall survival time of the three subgroups were 258. 92，4 987．17 and 862．25 person－year． The rate of positive conversion were 6. 18/100，0. 48/100 and 0. 23/100 person－year． Multivariate Cox regression model showed that the hazard ratio of routine treatment subgroup ( HＲ = 0. 052，95% CI: 0. 037－0. 074) and early treatment subgroup ( HＲ=0. 011，95% CI: 0. 003－0. 035) were lower than untreated subgroup． The risk of death of women was lower than that of men( HＲ=0. 667，95% CI: 0. 472－0. 944) ; the older the age，the higher the risk of death ( HＲ=1. 041，95% CI: 1. 026－1. 056) ; and the risk of death of the unemployed is higher than that of farmers ( HＲ=1. 571，95% CI: 1. 037－2. 381) ． Conclusion Targeted interventions methods and early antiviral therapy should be taken urgently for sero－discordant couples．

To analyze the characteristics of the results of serum immunological tests and brain CT image examinations of atypical cerebral cysticercosis patients, so as to provide the reference for improving the diagnosis of the disease.Totally 446 suspected cerebral cysticercosis patients were chosen as the study objects, all of them were given experimental treatment with praziquantel, and then the patients with atypical cerebral cysticercosis were diagnosed according to the treatment effect and review results of brain CT or MRI. Meanwhile, all the 446 patients were tested for serum specific IgG and IgG4 antibodies and cysticercus circulating antigen (CAg) by ELISA, McAb ELISA and PEG-ELISA respectively, and the IHA test was also performed. All the patients received the brain CT examinations. The test results were analyzed statistically and the test performances of the methods above-mentioned were calculated.Among the 446 suspected cerebral cysticercosis patients, after the praziquantel treatment, there were 315 patients whose symptoms were alleviated, and they were diagnosed as atypical cerebral cysticercosis. Among the 446 suspected cerebral cysticercosis patients, the positive rates of specific IgG and IgG4 antibodies, and CAg were 15.47%, 15.02%, and 11.21% respectively, and the positive rate of IHA was 28.47% (χ² = 52.45, P ＜ 0.01). The brain CT examinations showed that there were 79.14% (353/446) of patients with suspected cysticercus foci. The sensitivities of ELISA, McAb-ELISA, PEG-ELISA, IHA test and brain CT examination (suspected cysticercus foci) for the diagnosis of atypical cerebral cysticercosis were 15.36%–96.82%, the specificities were 63.36%–99.24%, the positive predictive values were 86.40%–98.52%, the negative predictive values were 32.83%–98.25%, the positive likelihood ratios were 2.64–27.86, the negative likelihood ratios were 0.05–0.81, and the OR values were 7.16–52.80. The consolidation of the five tests above-mentioned showed the OR value was 108.00, which was 2 times of the OR value of CT examination.Atypical cerebral cysticercosis is definitely diagnosed mainly by means of evaluating the effect of the diagnostic therapy (anti-cysticercus), and the serum immunological examinations and brain CT examination also have important reference values.

OBJECTIVETo validate the 2007 Partin tables externally, which are based on the population of United States, using a cohort of Chinese prostate cancer patients.

METHODSAll of the patients enrolled and underwent radical prostatectomy between January 2006 and February 2010 were reviewed. The cases without preoperative hormone therapy and pelvic lymph node involvement according to radiologic tests were used for the external validation of the 2007 Partin tables. A comparative analysis of the clinical and pathological parameters of this Chinese cohort and Partin tables cohort was performed. Values of areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess predictive accuracy for the Chinese cohort.

RESULTSThe mean age of the whole cohort was 67 years. The serum prostate specific antigen level, Gleason score and clinical stage of this cohort were higher than the Partin tables cohort. The pathological outcomes analysis revealed that the rates of organ confined disease, capsular penetration, seminal vesicle involvement and lymph node involvement were 62.3%, 16.7%, 12.3% and 8.8%, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for organ confined disease, capsular penetration, seminal vesicle involvement and lymph node involvement were 0.735, 0.653, 0.601 and 0.845.

CONCLUSIONSThe Partin tables discriminate well for Chinese patients at risk for positive lymph node. The discrimination of organ confined disease is also acceptable and the discrimination of capsular penetration and seminal vesicle involvement is more limited.

Aged ; Area Under Curve ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Postoperative Period ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the binding effect of the short peptide SY1 to the multidrug-resistant gastric cancer cell line SGC7901/VCR cells and its reversing effect on those cancer cells.

METHODSThe cultured cells were divided into two groups named SGC7901 and SGC7901/VCR. The SGC7901/VCR group was co-cultured with vincristine (VCR). SY1 was obtained from cyclic 7-mer peptide library by differential screening. Immunofluorescence technique was used to detect the capacity of SY1-containing positive phage specifically binding to SGC7901/VCR cells, compared with that of the negative phage and unrelated phage. MTT assay in vitro was performed to analyze the alteration of drug resistance of SGC7901/ VCR cells, using the positive phages and the chemically synthesized SY1 peptide. Flow cytometry assay was performed to detect the accumulation and retention of adriamycin (ADM) in the SGC7901/VCR cells.

RESULTSImmunofluorescence analysis showed that the SY1-containing positive phages could bind to the SGC7901/VCR cell surface but not to its parent cell line SGC7901 cells. The unrelated phage and negative phage did not bind to SGC7901/VCR cells. These results indicated that SY1 could specifically bind to SGC7901/VCR cells. MTT assay in vitro showed that the survival rate of SGC7901/VCR cells was reduced considerably by the positive phages and the chemically synthesized SY1 peptide (P <0. 05), indicating that SY1 enhanced the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells to chemotherapeutic drug VCR. Flow-cytometric detection showed that SY1 enhanced the accumulation of ADM in the SGC7901/VCR cells, compared with that of the negative phages and the unrelated phages (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSY1 not only is able to bind to SGC7901/VCR cells specifically, but also can partly reverse the resistance of SGC7901/VCR cell line to chemotherapeutic drug VCR. Those findings might be important to open a new approach to reverse the gastric cancer MDR.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Bacteriophages ; genetics ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Peptide Library ; Peptides, Cyclic ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vincristine ; pharmacology