Objective:To analyze the relationship between hepatitis B virus(HBV)gene mutation at 1896 in precore region with genotype and replication of HBV and the liver function of patients.Methods:HBV precore 1896 site mutation,the genotype of HBV and serum content of HBV DNA were determined by PCR in 60 patients positive of HBV DNA.Chemiluminescence miacropaticle immunoassay(CMIA)was used for detection of serum HBeAg and HBeAb.Liver function parameters were ob- tained by routine biochemistry method.Results:The alanine aminotransferase(ALT)level in HBV with 1896 site mutation was significantly higher than that in the wildtype virus.Site mutation at 1896 had no correlation with HBeAg,HBV genotype and HBV DNA content.HBV DNA content in patient with genotype C was significantly higher than that with genotype B(P

Objective To determine the value and the optimal cutoff point of waist circumference (WC) in screening diabetes mellitus (DM) and to provide evidence for DM prevention and identifying population at risk in mid-western rural areas of Shandong province.Methods A sample consisting 16 341 rural residents was selected and studied.All participants were physically examined on height,weight,WC and fasting plasma glucose (FPG).Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed for subjects with FPG valued from 6.1 to 7.0 mmol/L.DM was defined according to the criteria set by WHO in 1999.Area under the curve (AUC),sensitivity,specificity and Youden index were computed based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Optimal cutoff point was determined by the maximum of Youden index.Results The prevalence rates of DM for males and females increased along with the rise of WC (trend test X2=72.01,122.65,P＜0.01 ).It appeared significantly higher in those with WC 85 cm in females and≥80 cm in males,with those WC ＜85 cm for females and ＜80 cm for males,in particular.AUCs were 0.639 and 0.655 for males and females respectively and both had significant differences (t=7.22,11.07,P ＜0.01 ).However,the AUCs did not show significant difference (t=0.70,P ＞ 0.05) between males and females.The Youden index reached maximum when WC approached 85 cm for females (24.90%) and 80 cm for males (24.39%).The sensitivity and specificity were 58.04%and 66.86%for males,and 67.08%and 57.31%for females.Conclusion WC seemed to be an effective indicator for screening the DM.The optimal cutoff point of WC would be 85 cm for females and 80 cm for males in screening DM and defining the population at risk in this area.

BACKGROUNDAlthough the early clinical outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using minimally invasive surgery techniques have been widely described, data on the mid- to long-term outcomes are limited. We designed a retrospective study to compare the two most common TKA techniques - The modified quadriceps-sparing (m-QS) approach and the mini-medial parapatellar (MMP) approach - In terms of the clinical and radiographic parameters, over a minimum follow-up period of 5 years.

METHODSThe m-QS approach was used in 31 knees and the MMP approach, in 36 knees. Knees in both groups were compared for component position and alignment, knee alignment, length of the skin incision, range of motion, Visual Analog Scale score, muscle torques, Knee Society Score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and number of complications.

RESULTSThere were no major intergroup differences in any of the clinical and radiographic outcomes assessed at the final follow-up examination.

CONCLUSIONSOn the basis of numbers studied, the m-QS group, which requires more technique, showed equivalent results with the MMP group in the postoperative 5 years. Preservation of the extensor mechanism in the m-QS approach could not ensure any improvement in the clinical outcomes during the mid-term follow-up duration.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods ; Quadriceps Muscle ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo study the diagnostic value and pitfalls of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of soft tissue tumors.

METHODSOne hundred and six cases of CNB specimens encountered during the period from 2007 to 2012 were enrolled into the study. The pathologic diagnosis using CNB was compared with that using surgical specimens. Diagnostic accuracy was analyzed using Chi-square test, with respect to the histologic pattern (such as spindle cell and myxoid), biologic behavior (benign versus malignant) and immunohistochemical results. The 59 cases of sarcoma were subdivided into three grades according to FNCLCC grading system.

RESULTSHistologic diagnosis could be made in 84.0% (89/106) cases. Thirteen cases were non-diagnostic on CNB. There were 4 cases on CNB showing diagnostic discrepancy with surgical specimens. Four cases of "benign lesions" on CNB found to be myxoid liposarcoma and lipoma-like liposarcoma upon resection. In general, myxoid pattern (9/17) seen on CNB showed less diagnostic correlation with surgical specimens, as compared to spindle cell and other histologic patterns (P < 0.01). The rate of diagnostic correlation was 79.7% (49/59) for the 59 cases of sarcoma studied, with grade 2 and grade 3 sarcoma showing better correlation (in contrast to 7/17 for grade 1 sarcoma) (P < 0.01). Comparative analysis showed no significant difference between benign/borderline tumors and sarcomas. The application of immunohistochemical study did not result in significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy on CNB.

CONCLUSIONSUltrasound-guided CNB is a reliable tool in pathologic diagnosis of soft tissue tumors and shows a high accuracy rate especially for high-grade sarcoma. Tumors with myxoid pattern, lipomatous tumors and grade 1 sarcomas are associated with lower diagnostic accuracy on CNB. Correlation with clinicoradiologic findings would also be helpful in diagnostic evaluation and surgical planning.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; methods ; Diagnostic Errors ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Liposarcoma, Myxoid ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Sarcoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods ; Young Adult

Gastric remnant cancer (GRC) is defined as cancer in the remnant stomach after partial gastrectomy. The incidence of GRC is rising in recent years. The carcinogenesis, development, and metastasis of GRC are different from primary gastric cancer. The early detection of GRC should be based on rational surveillance of patients following gastrectomy. For early stage GRC, endoscopic resection is one of the safe and effective methods. For advanced GRC, the primary treatment alternative is surgical resection. Minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic exploration, laparoscopic-assisted resection of GRC are still safe choices for experienced surgeons.
Gastrectomy ; methods ; Gastric Stump ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; methods ; Bone Malalignment ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quadriceps Muscle ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

The medicinal fungi, which are of great importance in traditional medicine, are facing the problems of wild resources scarcity and low concentration of bioactive compounds. Velvet family and LaeA global regulator play a vital role in secondary metabolism and developmental programs, which are found in a wide variety of fungi ranging from Chytridiomycota to Basidiomycota. This review elaborates the structures and functions between Velvet family and LaeA protein. The Velvet family which shares the Velvet protein domain, including VeA (Velvet), VelB (Velvet like B), VosA (viability of spores A) and VelC (Velvet like C), acts on the regulation function is secondary metabolism and developmental programs such as asexual and sexual development. Furthermore, the function is affected by environmental factors such as light and temperature. LaeA protein which owns S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferase domain, coordinately regulates development and secondary metabolism by regulating and modifying the Velvet proteins. The regulation of LaeA is mediated by light receptor proteins. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of Velvet and LaeA proteins in medicinal fungi will pave the way for nurturing medicinal fungi and improving production of bioactive compounds.
Fungal Proteins ; metabolism ; Fungi ; chemistry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal ; Genes, Regulator ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Secondary Metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo elucidate the clinicopathological features of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas.

METHODSEight patients with SPT of the pancreas admitted from August 1996 to March 2005 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAll the 8 patients were female with an average age of 25.3 (13-41) years. The primary clinical manifestations included abdominal mass (n = 3), vague abdominal pain (n = 3), and duodenal obstruction (n = 1). SPT was occasionally found in one patient during physical examination. Six tumors located at the head and the other two in the body and tail of the pancreas. Pancreaticoduodenectomies were performed in 4 patients, tumor enucleations in 2, distal pancreatectomies in 1, and palliative internal drainage with a cystoenterotomy in the other one with an unresectable huge cystic lesion. All patients were alive on an average follow-up of 37.8 (8-103) months.

CONCLUSIONSPT occurs mainly in adolescent and young females, and satisfactory outcome may be achieved with active and appropriate surgeries.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the incidence of low birth weight and identify the influencing factors in China in 2006.

METHODSThe national survey was performed by stratified random cluster sampling method in 43 cities and counties in 14 provinces. The subjects were all live neonates during May to October in 2006. Their body weight was measured according to the standardization conducted by the national research team, while the information of all infants was investigated by questionnaires. Non-conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors.

RESULTSAmong 18 554 infants investigated, the incidence of low birth weight was 4.6% in 2006 in China, being 3.2%, 4.4%, and 6.3% in eastern middle and western areas respectively. The incidence of low birth weight were 3.9% in urban and 4.8% in rural. The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that maternal education (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.181 approximately 1.861), body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.229 - 1.876), body weight gain in gestation period (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.246 - 1.965), gestational weeks (OR = 20.16; 95% CI: 15.456 - 26.297), multiple birth (OR = 12.11; 95% CI: 9.229 - 15.893), gestation syndrome, and nutrition instruction (OR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.550 - 0.798) were associated with low birth weight significantly.

CONCLUSIONThe main factors resulting in low birth weight in neonates are maternal education, BMI before pregnancy, body weight gain in gestation period, pregnancy age, multiple birth, gestation syndrome, and nutrition instruction.

Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

High-yield production of HLA-A*0201 heavy chain is a prerequisite to the preparation of HLA-A2 tetramer. The present study was aimed to construct the expression vector of recombinant HLA-A*0201-BSP fusion gene for preparing HLA-A2 tetramers. The extracellular region HLA*0201 was cloned by RT-PCR from HLA-A2(+) donor, and a 15-amino acid biotin-protein ligase (BirA) substrate peptide (BSP) for BirA-dependent biotinylation was added to the COOH-terminus of HLA-A*0201 heavy chain. Then the fusion gene was cloned into pBV220 vector at EcoRI and Bam HI sites and its sequence was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis. The recombinant plasmid pBV220-HLA-A*0201-BSP was transformed to the competent cells of E.coli DH5alpha. The results showed that the HLA-A*0201-BSP fusion protein was successfully expressed in the form of inclusion body and amounted to over 28% of total cell proteins via induction at 42 degrees C. After washed with triton X-100 and urea, the inclusion body was dissolved with 8 mol/L urea and then purified with Sepharcyl S-300 HR, and the final purity reached above 90%. It is concluded that the HLA-A*0201-BSP fusion gene was cloned successfully and expressed efficiently in E.coli DH5alpha. This work establishes a convenient approach for purification of large quantity of recombinant HLA-A*0201-BSP. This provides the basis for the preparation of HLA-A2 tetramers.
Biotin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; HLA-A Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; HLA-A2 Antigen ; Humans ; Ligases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Repressor Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Substrate Specificity ; Transcription Factors ; biosynthesis ; genetics