Objective To investigate the reliability and feasibility of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in papillary thyroid carcinoma ( PTC ) using methylene blue staining techniques.Methods Nineteen patients,older than 45,with PTC were included in the study.No case had clinical evidence of cervical lymph node involvement(cNO).Methylene blue was injected around the tumor during surgery.The stained lymph nodes were dissected.Subtotal thyroidectomy and modified radical neck dissection were performed.Both the bulk specimen and SLN were submitted for routine histology.Results The sentinel lymph nodes( SLN )were identified in 18 cases,with SLN positive in 13 cases.The sensitivity and specificity of SLNB were 86.6％ and 94.4％ respectively.There was 1 case with SLN metastasis in the lateral neck,and 1 case with positive lymph node and negative SLN.Conclusion SLNB is sensitive in detecting cervical lymph node metastasis and has clinical significance in making operative plans for cN0 PTC.

Background and purpose: DNA methylation is an important mechanism for regulating gene expression, and plays an important role in the tumorigenesis. Study shows that DNA methylation is a potentially promising biomarker in tumor diagnosis, prognosis as well as treatment selection. This study aimed to analyze the methylation status and assessed possible clinical value of 3 DNA repair genes BRCA1, GSTP1 and MGMT in breast cancer samples of Chinese women. Methods:Using methylation speciifc PCR (MSP), we analyzed the methylation status of 3 DNA repair genes BRCA1, GSTP1 and MGMT in 106 paired breast tumors and corresponding normal tissues. Results: The methylation rates of BRCA1, GSTP1 and MGMT were 24.5% (26/106), 29.2% (31/106) and 18.9%(20/106) in breast cancer tissues, which were higher than those (7.5%, 11.3%and 4.7%) in paired normal breast tissues, respectively (P<0.01). Methylation in at least one of the genes was found in 50.9%(54/106) of the breast cancer and 19.8%(21/106) in paired normal breast tissues. And the mean number of genes hypermethylated in each tumor and paired normal breast tissues were 0.73 and 0.24, respectively (P<0.000 1). The methylation status of BRCA1 was more frequent in the younger patients than in the older patients (P=0.007) and most BRCA1 methylated patients were ER negative (P=0.020). Methylation status of GSTP1 was signiifcantly correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis (P=0.028 and 0.033, respectively). MGMT methylation was significantly correlated with tumor stage, higher tumor grade and lymph node metastasis (P=0.016, 0.025 and 0.030, respectively). High frequency simultaneous methylation of these 3 genes was more often in those with higher tumor stage and lymph node metastasis (P=0.028 and 0.007, respectively). Conclusion:Hypermethylation of BRCA1, GSTP1 and MGMT genes may be linked to various known clinicopathological features of breast cancer in Chinese women, and the increasing multiple gene methylation in tumors may indicate an aggressive phenotype for breast cancer. Detection of the methylation status of these genes may be useful for identifying patients at high risk for breast cancer.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the value of 24 h dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG) and treadmill exercise testing(TET) in diagnosing coronary heart disease(CHD),and analyze relevant index between coronary arteriography(CAG) and treadmill exercise testing.MethodsOne hundred and forty-nine borderline cases of coronary heart disease were enrolled.Every patient was examined by DCG,TET,and CAG,compared the diagnostic value of TET combined with DCG and TET or DCG alone,and record the increased heart rate during the first minute( △ HRl min) of TET and systolic blood pressure(SBP) recovery.The patients were divided into a CHD group and a non-CHD group according to the results of coronary angiography.ResultsThe sensitivity rate was 78.57％ and specific rate was 70.77％ by means of TET.The sensitivity rate was 61.90％ and specific rate was 66.15％ by means of DCG.The sensitivity rate was 95.23％ ,specific rate was 55.38％,positive predictive value was 73.39％ and negative predictive value was 90.00％ by parallel way of DCG and TET,its sensitivity rate (95.23％) and negative predictive value (90.00％ ) were more than those of DCG or TET alone.The sensitivity rate was 52.38％,specific rate was 95.38％,positive predictive value was 93.62％ and negative predictive value was 60.78％ by serial way of DCG and TET,its specific rate (95.38％) and positive predictive value (93.62％ ) were more than those of DCG or TET alone.The number of men in the CHD group was higher than the number of women.Ratio of systolic blood pressure recovery(rSBPR) in the CHD group was significantly higher than that in the non-CHD group ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion It can obviously enhance the sensitivity rate and specific rate if combined TET with DCG.Patients with CHD have a delayed decline in SBP during recovery which can be one of the indexes to estimate the extent of myocardial ischemia and coronary artery lesion.

Long non-coding RNAs are RNA transcripts longer than 200 nt without any function of coding protein,and gradually become a new focus of cancer research because of their important roles in regulating genes expression at the epigenetic,transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.Recently,more researches show that are closely related to the occurrence of breast cancer and other tumors.Therefore,in this review,we summarize the developing understanding of LncRNAs associated with breast cancer.

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of nardosinone (Nar) on neuronal injury induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in primary cortical cultures isolated from embryos at gestational day 14. MTT method was used to determine the dosage regimen of Nar in primary neuronal cultures and observe the influence of Nar on the neurons suffering OGD; Western blotting analysis was used to detect expressions of protein kinase A (PKA), Ras related protein 1 (Rap1), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) of OGD-injured or uninjured primary cultured neurons after Nar treatment. Results showed that Nar (50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) improved the cell viability during OGD damage (P < 0.01) and increased the expression of PKA, Rap1, MEK1 and p-ERK1/2 in injured neurons. Additionally, elevations of PKA, Rapl, MEK1 and p-ERK1/2 in uninjured neurons were caused by Nar (50, 100 and 200 micromol x L(-1)) with a dose-dependent tenclency as well (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Nar could protect against the neuronal injury exposed to OGD, which may be relevant to the promotion of PKA and ERK signaling pathway.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of adult patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) receiving haploidentical donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID HSCT).Method We retrospectively reviewed 20 adult patients with HLH from August 2009 to August 2014.The clinical features and outcome were analyzed.Results Conditioning regimens consisted of total body irradiation/etoposide/cyclophosphamide (TBI/VP-16/CTX) and busulfan (Bu)/VP-16/CTX in HLH with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) 8 mg/kg.The stem cells were mobilized from donors' peripheral blood.Median time to white blood cell engraftment was 13 (9-27) days.Median time to platelet engraftment was 14 (10-28) days.Mixed chimerism after transplantation developed in 4 patients and no patient presented graft failure.Eight patients developed grade Ⅱ to Ⅲ acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD),while as chronic GVHD occurred in 9 patients.Among 12 patients with EB virus (EBV) reactivation,2 patients developed post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD),7 were suspected as PTLD and 3 were considered as relapse of primary disease.With a median follow-up of 20 months (range:0.5-108 months) after transplantation,the estimated 2-year overall survival (OS) rate was (60.0 ± 11.0) ％ in all patients.During the follow-up,12 patients survived,8 died including 5 within 100 days after HSCT.Among 5 non-remission patients before HSCT,4 patients died within 100 days after HCT.Conclusions HID HSCT is an effective treatment for adult patients with HLH to achieve remission and long-term survival.High proportion of mixed chimerism has been seen at early stage after transplantation.EBV reactivation and early transplant-related mortality are common.

OBJECTIVE:To research the mechanism of in vitro permeation of phillyrin through blood-brain barrier. METH-ODS:After Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells transfected with colorectal cancer MDR1 gene (MDCK-MDR1) were cul-tured with phillyrin solution of 0(negative control),10,25,50,75 and 100μg/ml for 24 h,cell viability was determined by resa-zurin method and cell survival rate was calculated. After MDCK-MDR1 cells were cultured with phillyrin solution of 10,25,50, 75 and 100 μg/ml for 10 min,the content of phillyrin in the cells was determined,and concentration-uptake rate curve was drawn. Following 3 h culture of MDCK-MDR1 cells with phillyrin solution of 0 (negative control),50 and 100 μg/ml,the structure of cell tight junction protein was observed under the inverted microscope. RESULTS:Compared to the negative control group,after 24 h cell culture with phillyrin solution of 10-100 μg/ml,no obvious change in cell survival rate occurred. MDCK-MDR1 cells cultured with the phillyrin at a mass concentration of 10-100 μg/ml demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with concentration of phillyrin and a gradual saturation trend. After the cells were cultured with phillyrin of 50 and 100 μg/ml for 3 h,cell tight junction protein was intact. CONCLUSIONS:The absorption of phillyrin through the simulated blood-brain barrier may be in the form of passive transportation combined with active transportation,the concertration has effect on cell tight junction protein.

Background and purpose:Aberrant DNA methylation that leads to the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes plays important roles in development and progression of breast cancer. Clinically, related gene methylation is considered to be a promising biomarker for tumor diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the methylation status ofSox17 gene in breast cancer tissue and its corresponding plasma circulating DNA, as well as to investigate its value in breast cancer early diagnosis and prognosis.Methods:TheSox17 gene promoter methylation status was detected by MSP in 86 cases of breast cancer, 36 normal breast tissues and its paired plasma DNA, the results were analyzed with corresponding clinical and pathological features.Results:The frequency ofSox17 gene methylation rate among 86 breast cancer tissues was 77.9%(67/86), and was 61.6%(53/86)in plasma circulating DNA, however, noSox17 gene methylation was found in normal breast tissues.Sox17 gene promoter methylation in plasma circulating DNA was signiifcantly associated with the methylation status in tumor tissues (r=0.502,P=0.000). In breast cancer tissue specimens,Sox17 methylation status was significantly correlated with tumor stage (χ2=6.18,P=0.041) and lymph node metastasis (χ2=13.54,P=0.001);Sox17 gene methylation rate was signiifcantly correlated with tumor stage (χ2=27.06,P=0.000), tumor size (χ2=9.65,P=0.007) and lymph node metastasis (χ2=20.80,P=0.000) in plasma samples, and there was no signiifcant difference ofSox17 gene methylation between patient age, histological grade and ER, PR, HER-2/neu status.Conclusion:Sox17 gene promoter methylation plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and development of breast cancer, and may be associated with the prognosis of breast cancer. Furthermore, methylatedSox17 gene may be a useful tumor biomarker in plasma circulating DNA for breast cancer detection and disease monitoring.

Objective To evaluate the safety and tolerance of tumor necrosis factor-or (TNF-α)antagonists in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. Methods The incidence of adverse events and their ultimate outcomes based on the clinical symptoms, signs and laboratory parameters of patients treated with etanereept or infliximab during January 2007 to October 2008 were analyzed. Results Severty eight patients were included. Most were rheumatoid arthritis (35%) and ankylosing spondylitis (41%) patients. Few of them were psoriasis arthritis (17%) patients and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (6%) patients. Among those patients, 59 patients were treated with etanercept, 7 patients (12%) had adverse events in which the majority were injection reactions, upper respiratory tract infection and tuberculosis. Nineteen patients were treated with infliximab, in which 3 patients (16%) had adverse events. One patient (AS) had upper respiratory tract infection. One case (AS) had red papules all over the body and palpitations in the first 24 hours after two infusions. One patient (RA) had fever without identifiable causes after the 4th infusion. Some of the adverse reactions might subside without intervention, while others were controlled after proper treatment. Conclusion Both etanercept and infliximab have good safety and tolerance in treating rheumatic diseases, the adverse reactions are generally mild and can be controlled by appropriate treatment.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of autoantibodies to cell membrane associated with DNA (mDNA) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the combination with other autoantibodies in the diagnosis of SLE. Method The anti-mDNA antibody had the characteristic pattern of perip-heral membrane fluorescence on cultured HL60. The same serum samples were detected for other antibo-dies of SLE. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results This pattern was observed in 145 of 205 serum samples of SLE patients , but in 5 of 55 the serum samples of rheumatoid arthritis , in 10 of 45 primary Sjogren syndrome's patients and in 4 of 35 PM/DM and absent in 50 blood donors. The sensitivity and specificity of anti-mDNA antibody to SLE was 70.7% and 86.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and ANA was 94.6% and 76.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-dsDNA antibody was 76.8% and 95.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody was 79.6% and 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and AnuA was 93.0% and 100%. Conclusion This novel rapid immunofluorescence method can be a useful diagnostic test for SLE patients. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, it is better than other diagnostic tests such as anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody for the diagnosis of SLE.