PurposeTo explore the gemstone CT with low tube voltage and low concentration contrast medium in evaluating renal artery imaging of preoperative living renal transplantation donor.Materials and Methods Fifty cases of living kidney donor underwent spiral CT angiography of renal artery before operation. The patients were randomly divided into double-low group (25 patients) with 100 kV and Visipaque (270 mg/ml), and control group (25 patients) with 120 kV and Iopromide (370 mg/ml). Image reconstruction of 40% ASiR was used in both groups. The image quality score, CT values of renal arteries, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), noise, radiation dose and the amount of contrast agent of the two groups were recorded and compared.ResultsKappa coefifcient analysis showed that the consistency in evaluating image quality between two radiologists was excellent (Kappa=0.82). The CT value of the renal arteries and image quality did not show signiifcant difference between the two groups (t=1.05, 0.07 and 1.62,P>0.05). The CNR, noise and average radiation dose were statistical different between the two groups (t=2.92,-6.95 and-2.21,P<0.05). The contrast medium dosage of double-low group was decreased by 27% when compared with that of the control group.Conclusion Satisfied image quality of renal artery CTA can be obtained with low tube voltage (100 kV) and low concentration contrast medium (270 mg/ml) combined with iterative reconstruction algorithm. It can be used as a routine method in preoperative examination of living renal donors.

Objective To explore whether hypermethylation in the promoter of p16 gene and protein of p16 were associated with development and clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer. Methods Methylation-specific PCR ( MSP) and immunohistochemistry SP were used to detected hypermethylation of p16 gene and p16 protein in tumor tissues from 32 patients with colorectal cancer. Results The hypermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 40. 6% of tumor tissues. The protein of p16 promoter was detected in 75% of tumor tissues. The hypermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 63% in Dukes stages of C and D tumors. The protein of p16 promoter was detected in 69% of tumor tissues. The hypermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 25% in the stages of A and B tumors. The protein of p16 promoter was detected in 81% of tumor tissues. The hpermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 100% in low differentiated carcinomas. The protein of p16 promoter was detected in 20% , the hypermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 30% , in the high and mediate differentiated carcinomas, the protein of p16 promoter was detected in 85%. Furthermore, the hypermethylation of p16 gene was detected in 63% in the lymph node metastasis and 25% in without lymph node metastasis. The protein of p16 promoter was detected in 65% in rectum and 100% in colon. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that p16 hypermethylation and protein were associated with the development of colorectal cancer and could be used as a putative prognostic indicator for this malignancy.

Objective To investigate the relationship of vitamin D with the intestinal development and study the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the duodenum of C57BL/6 mice at different developmental stages.Methods Quantitative PCR (qPCR),histology using H&E staining and immunofluorescence staining,and Western blotting (WB) were performed to elucidate the expression of VDR in mice intestine at different growth and developmental stages.Results The peak of VDR mRNA expression reached on 21 d.The pathological result showed that VDR mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells in the mouse duodenum.WB result indicated that there was no nuclear translocation of VDR protein in the mouse duodenum.Conclusions This study demonstrates the regularity of expression of VDR in the mouse duodenum during its development,and contributes to understanding the function of VDR in the intestines.

Objective To construct humanized monoclonal antibodies against CD 20 and check their affinity to CD 20 antigen and their anti-tumor activity.Methods Based on the computer model , human IgG1 candidates closest to rituximab in crystal structure were selected in the Protein Data Bank ( PDB) .With the selected human IgG 1 candidates as the frame , we modified and transplanted the complementarity determining region ( CDR) of rituximab .First,the target gene fragments were obtained by overlapping PCR.Then, the sequences of the light chains(L) and the heavy chains(H) were inserted in-to the pcDNA3.3 and pOptiVEC vectors.Next, the constructed clones were transfected into 293F cells through transient transfection.After a large-scale cell culture, the mAb was purified by affinity chromatography rProtein A column.The puri-ty and expression level of the humanized antibodies was tested by sodium dodecyl sulfate ( SDS)-polyacrylamide gelelectro-phoresis(PAGE).The affinity of the humanized antibodies to CD20 was assessed with Fortebio assay.Finally, the anti-tumor activity of the constructed antibodies was detected by checking the tumor growth inhibition of the nude mice transplan-ted with tumor .Results Three humanized monoclonal antibodies against CD 20 were expressed and purified successfully . In reducing SDS-PAGE, the antibodies exhibited two bands of approximately 25 ×103 and 55 ×103 , respectively.The band size of the antibodies matched the expected value.Fortebio assay revealed that the humanized antibodies could bind to CD20 with high affinity (rituximab:6.48 ×10 -9mol/L, L4H7:1.91 ×10 -9mol/L, L5H5:7.35 ×10 -10mol/L,and L5H7:1.91 ×10 -9mol/L).The tumor growth inhibition experiment showed that the anti-tumor activity of L5H7 mAb was better than that of rituximab .Conclusion Three humanized monoclonal antibodies against CD 20 have been successfully construc-ted and expressed.L5H7 mAb possesses high affinity for CD20 and a good ability to kill tumor cells.

A simple model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has contributed substantially to the fundamental researches in biology. In an era of functional genomics, nematode worm has been developed into a multi-purpose tool that can be exploited to identify disease-causing or disease-associated genes, validate potential drug targets. This, coupled with its genetic amenability, low cost experimental manipulation and compatibility with high throughput screening in an intact physiological condition, makes the model organism into an effective toolbox for drug discovery. This review shows the unique features of C. elegans, how it can play a valuable role in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of human diseases and finding drug leads in drug development process.
Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans ; Drug Discovery ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical

Objective To analyze the characteristics of toxin, the PCR-ribotyping(RT) and the multilocus sequence typing(MLST) of Clostridium difficile strains isolated from China-Japan Friendship Hospital in order to provide a basis for monitoring the outbreak of nosocomial Clostridium difficile infection.Methods A total of 321 samples were collected from the patients with suspected Clostridium difficile infection(CDI) in China-Japan Friendship Hospital(CJFH) during 2012 to 2013.All Clostridium difficile strains were isolated and identified by the standard phenotypic culture method.Cytotoxicity test was performed to detect toxin B.Toxin genes (tcdA and tcdB) and binary toxin genes (cdtA and cdtB) harbored by those strains were analyzed.RT and MLST were used for homologous analysis.Clinical data of the patients were collected to analyze the isolation rate of Clostridium difficile in different populations.Results Forty-eight strains of Clostridium difficile were isolated from 46 patients with diarrhea and three of them were isolated from the same patient.The incidence of CDI among all patients, outpatients and inpatients were 14.3%(46/321), 12.8%(5/39) and 14.5%(41/282), respectively.Toxin B was detected in all of the strains as indicated by the cytotoxicity test.Strains of sequence type 1(ST1) showed the strongest cytotoxicity of all the isolated Clostridium difficile strains.Ten out of the 48 strains (20.8%) were tcdA(-)/tcdB(+) strains, which belonged to either ST37 or ST81.The results of RT and MLST were consistent in assigning the strains into nine types, in which the predominant type was ST1/RT027 accounting for 27.1% (13/48).All of the ST1/RT027 strains presented a toxin gene profile of tcdA(+)/tcdB(+) and cdtA(+)/cdtB(+).Most of the ST1/RT027 strains were isolated from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department of Respiratory, where smallnosocomial outbreaks of ST1/RT027 strain infection might happen.Conclusion CDI diagnosed in CJFH mainly belongs to nosocomial infection.Most of the isolated strains harbor tcdA(+)/tcdB(+) genes.Surveillance for the outbreaks of CDI caused by ST1/RT027 strains over producing toxins A and B should be strengthened in hospitals.

Objective: To investigate the occupational delay of gratification among community healthcare workers and its influencing factors, so as to provide insights into the sustainable development of primary healthcare personnel. Methods: The in-service community healthcare workers from 5-7 community health service centers in 9 cities (prefectures) of Guizhou Province were selected using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. Gender, age, and educational level and other basic information were collected through questionnaire surveys. The status of occupational delay of gratification was investigated using the Occupational Delay of Gratification Scale. Multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of occupational delay of gratification. Results: A total of 2 076 respondents were surveyed, including 367 males (17.68%) and 1 709 females (82.32%). There were 112 respondents (5.39%) with secondary vocational school degree or below, 872 respondents (42.00%) with junior college degree, 1 087 respondents (52.36%) with bachelor's degree, and 5 respondents (0.24%) with master's degree or above. There were 665 respondents (32.03%) with managerial positions. The monthly income of 1 705 respondents (82.13%) was ≤5 000 Yuan. The total score of occupational delay of gratification was (33.22±4.33) points, and the total average score was (2.77±0.36) points. The average scores of work delay, career delay and persistence were (2.67±0.48), (2.96±0.45) and (2.75±0.46) points, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis identified educational level (junior college, β=0.089; bachelor's degree, β=0.088), management position (not have, β=-0.046) and monthly income (>6 000 Yuan, β=0.085) as factors affecting occupational delay of gratification (all P<0.05). Conclusion The community healthcare workers with an education below secondary vocational school, no management position and lower income have relatively lower level of occupational delay of gratification.

To investigate the effects of three classical anti-jaundice formulas Yinchenhao Decoction (YCHD). Yinchen Wuling San (YCWLS) and Zhizi Baipi Decoction (ZZBPD) on liver fibrosis induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in rats and explore the formula-syndrome relationship.

MicroRNA (miRNA or miR) is a class of highly conserved endogenous non-coding RNA of 21~25nt, which is widely existed in organisms. Currently, miRNA has been proven to be associated with cardiovascular diseases in clinical research, but it has not been reported in the field of forensic medicine. This paper highlights recent findings about miRNA and its application in cardiovascular diseases, and the application aspect of miRNA in sudden cardiac death in forensic science.

Objective To investigate the performance of triple rule-out with(M-slice spiral CT in the combined examination of pulmonary artery,thoracic aorta and coronary artery for patients with acute chest pain.Methods Seventy patients who presented with acute chest pain were included in the study.All of the patients underwent retrospective ECG-gated 64-slice computed tomography triple rule-out examination to evaluate the pulmonary arteries,thoracic aorta and coronary arteries.Multi-planar reconstruction(MPR), maximum intensity projection(MIP),curved-planar reconstruction(CPR)and volume rendering(VR) were used to display pulmonary arteries,thoracic aorta and coronary arteries.We evaluated the image quality of coronary artery and the enhancement of the pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta to estimate if the examination can fulfill the clinical demand for the differential diagnosis of acute chest pain.Results The mean scan time was(8.5?1.0)s,and the dose of contrast medium injected was 100 ml.There were 95.7%(67/70)of patients whose CT values detected in the pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta after enhancement were ≥200 HU.The image quality of 85.8%(720/839)coronary segments was classified as excellent,8.6%(72/839)as good,and 5.6%(47/839)as poor.There were 20 cases with coronary stenoses≥50%,2 cases with pulmonary embolism,and 2 cases with aortic dissection.Conclusion The triple ride-out examination with 64-slice spiral CT could depict pulmonary artery,thoracic aorta,and coronary artery in 8 s with good image quality.It has great potential in the etiological diagnosis for the patients with acute chest pain.