Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)is an atypical serine/threonine protein kinase,which is a key protein kinase regulating cell growth,proliferation,translation,metabolism and autophagy.It's first known beca- nuse inhibited by rapamycin.Research indicated that mTOR plays a key regulating role in physiological and patho- logical process of cardiovascular system.The present article mainly reviewed research progress of mTOR signal path- way effect in cardiovascular system.

Rhamnolipid,an important biosurfactant,is reviewed with respect to chemical strocture,properties,physiological role and their fermentation production,especially focusing on the production with inexpensive raw materials,such as vegetable oils and residues from agro- industrial wastes.This can not only reduce the production costs,but also contribute to the reduction of environmental impact generated by the discard of residues,and the treatment costs.

Stem cells are characterized by self-renewing, multipotent differentiation, and high proliferation and receiving more and more attention for their roles in the development and management of various diseases. There are epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells in the prostate. The markers of the epithelial stem cells include cytokeratin, stem cell antigen-1, and integrins alpha2beta1, CD49f, CD133, CD117, and CD44. The markers of the mesenchymal stem cells include CD30, CD44, CD133, neuron-specific enolase, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1. Prostate stem cells are involved in the development and treatment of prostatic diseases. This review focuses on the latest progress in the studies of prostate stem cells.
Antigens, CD ; Biomarkers ; Cell Differentiation ; Humans ; Integrin alpha2beta1 ; Male ; Prostate ; cytology ; Stem Cells ; chemistry ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Acupuncture ; history ; Acupuncture Points ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Terminology as Topic

Objective To observe the effects of chronic arsenic exposure on estrogen receptor-binding fragment-associated gene 9 (Ebag9) and estrogen-responsive finger protein (efp) mRNA expression in female rat' s myocardium.Methods Fifty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups according to arsenic (As2O3) concentrations in drinking-water:0.00(control),0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups and RT-PCR was used to detect Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression of myocardium at the 32 weeks of experiment.Results Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression levels in 0.00,0.05,0.10,0.20,0.40 mg/L groups were respectively as follows:0.54 ±0.14,0.52 ± 0.10,0.48 ± 0.24,0.58 ± 0.13,0.45 ± 0.19 and 0.85 ± 0.14,0.86 ± 0.12,0.87 ± 0.09,0.99 ±0.10,0.86 ± 0.19.Compared to the control group,Ebag9 mRNA level of the 0.20 mg/L group was increased,and decreased in other groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant(all P ＞ 0.05).Compared to control group,the efp mRNA level of 0.20 mg/L group increased significantly(P ＜ 0.05),and showed increased tendency in other arsenic groups,but the difference between two groups was not significant (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Ebag9 and efp mRNA expression have changed in myocardium of rats exposed to chronic arsenic.Arsenic may has endocrine disruptor effect to female rat's myocardium.

Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Substitutes ; Computer-Aided Design ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microsurgery ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Polyesters ; chemistry ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Starch ; chemistry ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

Objective To investigate the application of high-frequency ultrasound in pre-operative evaluation of brachial artery elasticity in chronic renal failure patients planning arteriovenous fistula formation.Methods A total of 65 patients with chronic renal failure undergoing radial artery-cephalic vein fistula (chronic renal failure group) and 40 healthy adults (control group) were selected.The elastic modulus (EM) of brachial artery was calculated by ultrasound.All subjects were divided into 5 subgroups according to age (≥50 years),hypertension,diabetes and chronic glomerulonephritis.Patients in subgroup 0 (28 cases),subgroup 1 (22 cases),subgroup 2 (24 cases),subgroup 3 (20 cases),subgroup 4 (11 cases) had 0,1,2,3 and 4 risk factors respectively.Results The levels of systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure,serum creatinine,and the EM of brachial artery in chronic renal failure group were higher than those in control group:(20.65 ± 1.32) kPa vs.(16.38 ± 1.08) kPa,(8.64 ±0.51) kPa vs.(7.12 ±0.35) kPa,(637.3 ± 116.5) μ mol/L vs.(84.7 ±31.1) μmol/L,(132.96 ± 11.78) kPa vs.(102.16 ± 10.10) kPa,and there were significant differences (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05).The single factor correlation analysis showed that age in control group,serum creatinine in chronic renal failure group and systolic blood pressure in two groups were significantly positively correlated with the EM of brachial artery(r =0.636,0.548,0.703; P ＜ 0.01).With the increase of risk factors,the EM of brachial artery increased gradually:(96.21 ±9.82),(104.45 ± 10.55),(114.87 ± 11.15),(127.26 ± 12.43),(143.54 ± 12.81) kPa in subgroup 0,subgroup 1,subgroup 2,subgroup 3,subgroup 4,and there were significant differences (F=17.43,P＜ 0.05).The EM of brachial artery increased significantly in subgroup 3 and 4 with multiple risk factors.Conclusions Brachial artery elasticity measured by high-frequency ultrasound can be used as an indicator of vascular function preoperative vascular assessment.Age,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure and serum creatinine levels are the major risk factors for brachial artery elasticity.The coexistence of multiple risk factors of hypertension,diabetes or chronic nephritis could exacerbate the decrease of brachial artery elasticity.

Objective To investigate CT and MRI findings of giant cell tumors of the temporal bone(GCTTB).Methods CT and MRI features of 5 cases pathologically proven GCTTB were retrospectively reviewed.The lesion characteristics,including location, size,shape,margin,attenuation on CT scans,signal intensity on MR images,and enhancement pattern were documented and analyzed.Results In all 5 patients,the lesions were located adj acent to the mandibular fossa.These lesions were round or oval in shape,predominantly demonstrated as expansive lytic bone destruction containing hyperattenuating septa,calcifications,non-sclerotic borders,and discontinuous bony shells,with“boundary angle”sign.No soft tissue masses were found around the lesions.These lesions with different content demonstrated various MRI signal intensity,and the solid component enhanced intensely.Conclusion GCTTB is rare.Features such as expansive growing pattern,discontinuous bony shell,intralesional septa,calcification,and “boundary angle”sign are common,which may help in the radiographic diagnosis of giant cell tumor.

Objective To investigate the illness-related stigma in outpatients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C and its effects on interaction anxiousness and general self-efficacy.Methods Forty-eight patients with chronic hepatitis B ( CHB),41 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 29 healthy volunteers were enrolled.Hepatitis-related Stigma Questionnaire (HRSQ) produced by researchers was used to assess stigma in patients of both CHB and CHC.All patients and healthy volunteers were evaluated by Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS),General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ).Results Hepatitis-related stigma was common in both CHB and CHC.The most common positive items and their percentages of CHB and CHC were rejection in job seeking (81.2％,75.6％ ), keeping conditions about hepatitis secret (72.9％,75.6％ ),feeling discrimination in society (66.7％,56.1％ ) and rejection in mate selection (60.4％,61.0％ ),and the rarest ones and percentages were feeling lowest stress together with patients with the same disease (35.4％,31.7％ ) and being understood only by patients with the same disease (33.3％,26.8％ ).Differences of positive percentages of any items between CHB and CHC were not statistically significant (P ＞0.05 ).One-way ANOVA showed that difference of IAS scores among three groups of participants was not statistically significant ;and GSES score of CHB(2.41 ± 0.45 )was not statistically different from that of CHC (2.49 ±0.60 ),but they both were lower than that of healthy control (2.78 ± 0.52) (F=4.648,P =0.011 ).The multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that the item feeling much different from others of HRSQ entered the formula of CHB IAS score (B =4.861,adjustment R2 =0.106),and the item being understood only by patients with the same disease of HRSQ entered the formula of CHC IAS score (B =6.745,adjustment R2 =0.113);negative coping dimension score of SCSQ ( B =- 0.424),the item feeling discrimination in society ( B =-0.359) and feeling lowest stress together with patients with the same disease ( B =-0.274) entered the formula of CHB GSES score (adjustment R2 =0.280).Conclusion Illness-related stigma is common in outpatients with chronic viral hepatitis,which probably raises patients' interaction anxiousness and weakens the general selfefficacy of patients with hepatitis B and C.

Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Osteogenesis