Adolescent ; Antigens, CD20 ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prognosis

Objective To determine the relationship of the expression of aquaporin 5 (AQP5)with clinicopathology and prognosis of colorectal cancer.Methods We collected data from 45 patients with primary colorectal cancer without any adjuvant therapy before operation.The expression of AQP5 was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC).Then we analyzed the correlation between AQP5 expression and clinicopathological parameters (including age,tumor size,clinical staging,tumor location,lymph node and pathological type)and the connection between AQP5 expression and prognosis based on follow-up data.Results Of the 45 tumor specimens,14 (31.1%)had a high level of AQP5 expression,29 (64.4%)exhibited a moderate level of staining,and 2 (4.4%)had an absence of AQP5 staining.AQP5 was only occasionally detected in para-neoplastic [3/45 (6.67%)]and normal tissues [3/45 (6.67%)].The overexpression of AQP5 was also positively associated with TNM stage (P =0.002),lymph node metastasis (P =0.01 6),and distant metastasis (P =0.000).However,it had no significant association with age, gender,histologic grade or tumor size (P > 0.05 ).Conclusion AQP5 may be used as a novel biomarker for predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Objective To explore the relationship between the inflammatory reaction and insulin function in children with critically ill.Me-thods Ninty-six children with critical disease in Oct.2003 to Oct.2006 were enrolled in the study.Blood sugar,plasma insulin,C-peptide,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-?,C reactive protein(CRP)were measured in the peak period and convalescence.Results Blood sugar and plasma levels of insulin,C-peptide,TNF-?,CRP were significantly higher in the peak period than those in the convalescence(Pa

OBJECTIVETo investigate effects of zearalenone (ZEA) on the proliferation of SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells in vitro and its possible mechanism.

METHODSSK-N-SH cells were cultured in estrogen-free improved minimum essential medium and divided into 5 groups based on different treatments: group 1, without treatment; group 2, treated with 17beta-estradiol (E(2)); group 3, treated with ZEA; group 4, treated with both E(2) and ICI 182780; group 5, treated with both ZEA and ICI 182780. Absorbance value (AV) was determined at the time point of 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours, and DNA proliferation index (PI) at 72 hours. Flow cytometer, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) were employed to monitor cell apoptosis.

RESULTSAt 24, 48 and 72 hours, the AV of group 3 were 1.39, 1.32, and 1.22 times to those of group 1, respectively. PI in group 3 was 1.43 times of that in group 1 at 72 hours. The results of group 2 were similar to those in group 3. At the same time, the growth of cells was inhibited by ICI 182780 despite the presence of E(2) and ZEA. Apoptosis cells were abundant in group 1 and ICI 182780 groups, but little in E(2) and ZEA groups.

CONCLUSIONZEA might promote the proliferation of SK-N-SH cells to a level similar to that of E(2), which might probably be brought about via estrogen receptor pathways and depressing apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Neuroblastoma ; Receptors, Estrogen ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Zearalenone ; toxicity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of perinatal thyroid hormone deficiency on the expression of androgen receptor (AR) mRNA in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats.

METHODSPerinatal hypothyroidism was induced by the administration of propylthiouracil (PTU) solution to the dams by gavage (50 mg/d) beginning at embryonic d15 throughout the lactational period. In the T(4) injected group hypothyroid rats were injected intraperitoneally with levothroxine (L-T(4)) 2 microg/100 g BW daily, starting from the day of birth. Cerebral cortex and hippocampus specimen were collected from controls,hypothyroid and T(4)-injected hypothyroid rats on postnatal d1, 5, 10, 15 and 20. Quantification of ARmRNA in cerebral cortex and hippocampus was performed with competitive RT-PCR using internal and external standardization.

RESULTAge-related increasing ARmRNA levels were observed in neonatal rats, and those in male animals were significantly higher. AR expression was higher in the hippocampus than in the cerebral cortex. ARmRNA levels in the hypothyroid pups were lower than those in age-matched controls. The mRNA levels in the T(4)-injected hypothyroid pups were significantly higher compared with the age-matched hypothyroid pups, but in hippocampus ARmRNA expression did not reach normal levels in male rats at d10 and d20, in female at d15 and d20.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ARmRNA decreases in brain of rats with perinatal hypothyroidism. Treatment with thyroid hormone can recover ARmRNA expression in cerebral cortex, but not in hippocampus.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Female ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypothyroidism ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Androgen ; biosynthesis ; genetics

AlM: To observe the effect of anterior chamber depth and angle change after pterygium excision.METHODS:Thirty cases (30 eyes) of primary pterygium were underwent pterygium excision. Central anterior chamber depth, four direction angle open distance ( AOD ) and open angle ( AA ) were measured preoperatively and postoperatively by ultrasound biomicroscopy ( UBM ) and the intraocular pressure was observed.RESULTS:Preoperative and Postoperative intraocular pressure were 15. 17±10. 6 and 16. 23±2. 61mmHg, and the central anterior chamber depth were 2. 28±0. 39 and 2. 33± 0. 24mm. The four directions of AOD and AA were no statistical difference.CONCLUSlON:The anterior chamber depth and the angle change is not obvious after pterygium excision.

Red in vivo recombination is a new kind of genetic engineering technique based on homologous recombination. In this work, plasmid pKD46 which expresses Red recombination proteins is transferred into Escherichia coli strain DH5?.The kanamycine resistant gene is generated by PCR by using primers with homology to hisDCB gene of E.coli chromosome. Thus, the hisDCB gene was replaced with kanamycine resistant gene by the plasmid recombination system, then the resistant gene was eliminated by a helper plasmid encoding the FLP recombinase. At last, a E.coli histidine auxotroph which is sensitive to kanamycine was got. The results indicate that Red in vivo recombination is a convenient method to construct auxotrophs.

The present study was designed to observe the protection of Grateloupia filicina polysaccharide (GFP) against hepatotoxicity induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L in mice and its underlying mechanism. GFP was intragastrically (ig) given to mice at various doses. After 6 days, the mice were treated with ethyl acetate extract of Dioscorea bulbifera L (EF, ig). Serum levels of alanine/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TB) were measured, and liver histological evaluation was conducted. Furthermore, reductions of liver glutathione (GSH) amount and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL) activity were tested. The expressions of GCL-c, GCL-m, and HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) in liver were observed by Western-blot. The results showed that GFP (600 mg x kg(-1)) decreased EF-induced the increase of serum ALT, AST and TB, and GFP (400, 600 mg x kg(-1)) inhibited EF-induced the increase of serum ALP. Liver histological evaluation showed that the liver injury induced by EF was relieved after treated with GFP. GFP further increased liver GSH amount and reversed EF-induced the decrease of GCL activity. The Western-blot result showed that GFP augmented EF-induced the increase of HO-1, and reversed EF-induced the decrease of GCL-c. In conclusion, GFP can act against the oxidative stress liver injury induced by Dioscorea bulbifera L in mice.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; metabolism ; Dioscorea ; toxicity ; Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase ; metabolism ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; metabolism ; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings ; antagonists & inhibitors ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rhodophyta ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo analyze the frequency of thyroid dysfunction and determine its influencing factors in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with pegylated-interferon alpha (peg-IFNa)-2a and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy.

METHODSA total of 194 CHC patients were treated with peg-IFNa-2a and RBV for 48 weeks. Development of thyroid dysfunction was recorded. Clinical and biological factors from pre-treatment (baseline) to post-treatment were statistically analyzed to determine correlation with thyroid dysfunction in this patient population.

RESULTSFifty-two (26.80%) of 194 peg-IFNa-2a/RBV-treated patients developed thyroid dysfunction. Dysfunction severity ranged from hyperthyroidism (n = 1, 0.52%) and hypothyroidism (n = 10, 5.15%) to subclinical hyperthyroidism (n = 4, 2.06%) and subclinical hypothyroidism (n = 37, 19.07%). The dysfunction rate was significantly higher after peg-IFNa-2a/RBV treatment (26.80% vs. 12.37% at baseline, x2 = 12.829, P less than 0.05, odds ratio (OR) = 0.386, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.226-0.657), in females (33.00% vs. 20.21% in males, P less than 0.05, 95% CI: 1.016-3.040), and in thyroid auto-antibody positive patients (64.29% vs. 23.89% in negative patients, P less than 0.05, 95% CI: 1.681-36.183). Early virological response did not have any significant effect on dysfunction rate (23.00% vs. 30.85% no early virological response, x2 = 1.522, P more than 0.05) nor did end of treatment response (27.19% vs. 26.25% no response at end of treatment, x2 = 0.021, P more than 0.05). Patients who developed thyroid dysfunction had higher interleukin (IL)-6 at baseline (i.e. before peg-IFNa-2a/RBV treatment) (27.08+/-14.90 vs. 11.65+/-5.46 in patients who maintained normal thyroid function, t = 3.127, P less than 0.05, 95% CI: 5.28-25.58). IL-6 levels were not significantly different between the two groups at 24 weeks (6.30+/-2.47 vs. 6.81+/-2.80, t = 0.352, P more than 0.05). IL-6 levels before and after 48 weeks of treatment in normal thyroid function patients were 27.08+/-14.90 and 6.30+/-2.47, t = 3.632, P less than 0.05, and in thyroid dysfunction patients were 11.65+/-5.46 and 6.81+/-2.80, t = 1.997, P more than 0.05.

CONCLUSIONPeg-IFNa-2a/RBV combination therapy may cause thyroid dysfunction, especially hypothyroidism, in CHC patients. Female sex and thyroid auto-antibody positivity may put CHC patients at higher risk of developing thyroid dysfunction during peg-IFNa-2a/RBV therapy. Elevated IL-6 may be a predictive marker of peg-IFNa-2a/RBV-induced thyroid dysfunction.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Thyroid Diseases ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Thyroid Gland ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo analyze the correlations between clinical features in paediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) and viral load of human bocavirus.

METHODSA prospective study was conducted on 956 children < 5 years admitted with an acute respiratory tract infection from November 2009 to December 2010, and 251 healthy children conclused as control group in the corresponding period. Human bocavirus was investigated in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) and throat swab by PCR, and viral load was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in HBoV positive sample. Clinical data were also prospectively recorded.

RESULTSA significant difference was found in HBoV positive rate between children with ARTI and control group at enrollment. There was a significant difference in HBoV viral load between children with upper respiratory tract infection and lower respiratory tract infection. HBoV viral load did not differ significantly between children with upper respiratory tract infection and control group. Among children with lower respiratory tract infection, no significant difference were detected between common and severe cases in HBoV viral load. HBoV viral load did not differ significantly whether the children were with or without co-infection.

CONCLUSIONSHBoV could be detected perennial and considered as a major pathogen associated with acute respiratory tract infection in children. However, HBoV may not be a independent factor in children with ARTI and the HBoV viral load was not associated with the severity of respiratory illness.

Case-Control Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Human bocavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Parvoviridae Infections ; virology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; virology ; Viral Load