Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma ; pathology ; Parotid Gland ; pathology ; Parotid Neoplasms ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To investigate the relationship of the serum level of IL-23 and MMP-9 with the clinicopathologic features in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods 48 pathologically confirmed ESCC patients and 30 Endoscopic biopsy of benign were included in this study. The serum levels of IL-23 and MMP-9 were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Serum IL-23 level in patients with ESCC was significantly higher than that in controls (t = 26.66, 16.89, P<0.05). Furthermore, Pearson′s correlation analysis revealed that serum IL-23 was positively correlated with the serum MMP-9 level in ESCC patients (r = 0.790, P < 0.05). Statistical analysis showed that enhanced serum IL-23 significantly correlated with the degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Overexpression of IL-23 may involve in the occurrence and development of ESCC. IL-23 may contribute to tumorinvasion and metastasis by stimulating the expression of MMP-9.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mikulicz' Disease ; Salivary Gland Diseases

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum homocysteine (HCY) and chronic heart failure (CHF) hypercoagulable state in patients.Methods A total of 105 cases of patients with CHF was divided into three groups according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification standard functions:heart functional grade Ⅱ group (42cases),cardiac function grade Ⅲ group (35 cases) and,NYHA class Ⅳ group (28cases).At the same time,40 healthy individuals were regard as the control group.HCY,fibrinogen (Fbg),D-dimer (DDI),HCY,N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were detected by fasting venous blood samples which were collected within 24 hours after admission.Results Compared to the control group,the expression of Fbg,DDI,HCY and NT-proBNP increased,whereas,antithrombin Ⅲ (AT-Ⅲ) was reduced.Fbg,DDI,HCY,NT-proBNP,and AT-Ⅲ were found in all patient cases.Four groups were compared with each other,except for cardiac function Ⅱ group and the normal group had no significant difference between them (P ＞ 0.05),the difference between both other groups was significantly different (P ＜ 0.05),HCY had a positive correlation with Fbg,DDI,and NT-proBNP (r =0.268,0.295,and 0.404,P ＜ 0.05),and negative correlation with AT-Ⅲ (r =-0.240,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions HCY might be a reliable indicator as a judge of CHF patients with hypercoagulable state,to detect HCY,FBG,DDI,and AT-Ⅲ in CHF patients.It benefits for judging thrombosis risk and determining the severity of the diseases.Anticoagulant therapy might be beneficial to reduce the long-term adverse events.

Objective: To observe the level of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in young and senile rats. Methods: POMC mRNA was determined with in situ hybridization, the hybridization signals and areas of POMC mRNA-positive cells were measured with computer image analysis system. Results: Compared with young rats, average gray values of POMC mRNA-positive neurons in the hypothalalmic arcuate nucleus and near region in the senile rats decreased, but the numbers of POMC mRNA-positive neurons did not change significantly. Conclusion: The decrease of POMC mRNA expression level in individual neurons in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of senile rats is one of the causes that decrease the expression of peptides-derived from POMC gene.

Objective To explore the influence of obstruction sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) on plasma cystatin C (CC) levels in patients with primary hypertension.Methods A total of 244 cases of primary hypertension patients was chosen.The patients were divided into observation group (with OSAS) and control group (without OSAS) according to apnea hypopnea index (AHI).The observation group was then divided into three subgroups:mild OSAS group,moderate OSAS group,and severe OSAS group.The levels of CC were compared.Results First,the plasma CC levels in patients with primary hypertension had no statistical significance in the differences among different grades of hypertension (P ＞ 0.05).Second,CC levels of observation group were significantly higher than control group (P ＜ 0.05).Third,CC levels of the severe group were higher than the moderate group,and the plasma CC levels of the moderate group were also higher than the mild group and control group.Rank correlation analysis and comparison of CC levels and AHI showed that CC levels were positively correlated with AHI (r =0.585,P ＜ 0.01).However,there were no statistically significant differences between CC levels of the mild OSAS group and control group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The patients with OSAS and primary hypertension had higher levels of CC,and aggravated with the progress of the degree of obstruction.CC may be involved in the progression of the disease,a high level of CC may aggravate the condition,it should be early prevention and treatment.

Adolescent ; Antigens, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytomegalovirus ; immunology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; diagnosis ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Phosphoproteins ; blood ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; blood

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and mechanism of avandia and puerarin used in combination for diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: A total of 180 patients with diabetic nephropathy were randomly divided into 3 groups. The control group (58 patients, group A) were treated with routine therapy including controlling the blood glucose and blood pressure, while 60 patients in group B were treated by avandia besides routine treatment of the control group. Anoter 62 cases in group C were administered with puerarin combined with avandia for 12 weeks. The indexes such as urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, triglyceride, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, mean arterial pressure, fasting blood glucose, 2h plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate were tested before and after the treatment . RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the indexes such as triglyceride, serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein, glycosylated hemoglobin, malonaldehyde, erythrocuprein, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and 24 h urinary albumin excretion rate among the 3 groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in all indexes before and after the treatment in group A (P>0.05) . After the treatment, 24 h urinary albumin excretion, urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, mean arterial pressure, fasting blood glucose, 2 h plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglyceride, serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein decreased significant (P<0 05) while high density lipoprotein increased significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Avandia has better effect on adjusting the blood lipid and decreasing the urinary albumin excretion rate. Puerarin combined with avandia is more effective for improving the renal function and remission of islet function than using avandia alone. Puerarin and avandia have significant synergism.
Adult ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Isoflavones ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rosiglitazone ; Thiazolidinediones ; therapeutic use

Increasing studies have demonstrated that interferon gamma (IFN-γ),which serves as a critical inflammatory cytokine,is essential to induce the immunosuppressive effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).However,the mechanisms underlying the enhanced immunosuppressive effects of IFN-γ-stimulated MSCs (γMSCs) are not fully understood.MSC-derived rnicrovesicles (MSC-MVs) have been viewed as potential pivotal mediators of the immunosuppressive effects of MSCs.Moreover,microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of immunological processes and can be shuttled from cell to cell by MVs.The aim of our study was to analyze the the miRNA expression signature of MVs derived from γMSCs (γMSC-MVs),which may provide better understanding of the immunosuppressive property of their parent cells.Through miRNA microarray and bioinformatics analysis,we found 62 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in γMSC-MVs compared with MSC-MVs.And the potential target genes and signaling pathways regulated by DEMs were predicted and analyzed.Interestingly,many DEMs and predicted signaling pathways had been.demonstrated to be involved in immunoregulation.Furthermore,the network between immunoregulation-related pathways and relevant DEMs was constructed.Collectively,our research on the miRNA repertoires of γMSC-MVs not only provides new perspectives into the mechanisms underlying the enhanced immunosuppressive property of γMSCs,but also paves the way to clinical application of these potent organelles in the future.

AIM:To explore the protective effect of morinda officinalis oligosaccharides monomer HexB on hy -poxia/reoxygenation(H/R)-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelia cells(HUVECs).METHODS:HUVECs were treated with HexB,4-phenylbutyric acid(4-PBA)and thapsigargin(TG),respectively.The cells were divided into control group,HexB group,H/R group,HexB+H/R group,4-PBA+H/R group,TG group and HexB+TG group.The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay.The apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry.Western blot was used to determine the protein levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)related molecules chaperone protein glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP),apoptosis-related protein caspase-12 and phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase(p-JNK).RESULTS: The viability of HUVECs was reduced in H/R group and TG group(P<0.05),increased in HexB+H/R,4-PBA+H/R and HexB+TG group(P<0.05).The apoptotic rate,the protein levels of GRP78,CHOP,caspase-12 and p-JNK were increased in H/R group and TG group(P<0.05),weakened in the HexB+H/R group(P<0.05),4-PBA+H/R group and HexB+TG group(P<0.05).No significant change in the apoptotic rate,cell viability,protein levels of GRP78, CHOP, caspase-12, p-JNK between HexB +H/R group and 4-PBA+H/R group was observed.CONCLUSION:HexB attenuates HUVECs injury caused by H/R through suppressing ERS and ap-optosis.The possible mechanism may be involved in the apoptotic pathways related to GRP 78,CHOP,caspase-12 and p-JNK.