Animals ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; metabolism ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hypericum ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Objective To analyze the clinical pathological characteristics of achalasia patients complicated by esophageal cancer.Methods From January 2005 to May 2013,among 658 patients with achalasia,the clinical data,pathological characteristics of tumor and the treatment of those complicated by esophageal cancer were collected and analyzed.At the same time,receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between the course of achalasia and esophageal cancer.Results Among the 658 patients with achalasia,297(45.1％) cases were male and 361(54.9％) cases were female.A total of 62 cases (9.4％) were lost to follow-up and of 596 cases who completed the follow-up,26 cases (4.4 ％) were complicated with esophageal cancer.Among the 26 patients complicated with esophageal cancer,69.2％ (18/26) were male;the course from achalasia diagnosed to esophageal cancer was (16.5±8.2) years.The patients with a disease duration more than 10 years accounted for 88.5％(23/26),and 80.8％ (21/26) underwent previous balloon dilatation or Heller surgery.The predilection site of esophageal cancer was in the middle esophagus of patients complicated by esophageal cancer (69.2％,18/26),the main type was squamous carcinoma (88.5％,23/26),65.4％(17/26) of the lesions invaded to muscular layer (stage T3 to T4),61.5％(16/26) had the late stage tumor (stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ),and 23.1％(6/26) had distant metastasis.The results of ROC curve analysis showed that when the duration was 10.5 years,the Youden index reached the maximum value (0.71).And 38.5％ (10/26) of patients with esophageal cancer could not be treated with esophageal cancer radical surgery,and their average survival time was (11.4±6.6) months.Conclusion The patients with the duration of achalasia over 10.5 years are required for regular endoscopic examination to improve the prognosis.

Humans ; Accidents, Traffic ; Automobile Driving ; Risk Factors

Objective To investigate immunophenotypic characteristics of uterine natural killer (uNK)cells and helper T cell 1/helper T cell 2(Th1/Th2)immunity in third trimester decidua in preeclampsia.Methods The proportions of uNK cell subsets,expression of CD_(69)and CD_(94)on uNK cells and Th1/Th2 immunity in decidua were determined in 20 cases of preeclampsia patients and 11 cases of normal term pregnancies by flow cytometric analysis.Results The percentage of CD_(56)~(bright)CD_(16)~-uNK cell subset in preeclampsia patients and the controls was(17.3?11.1)% vs(17.9?16.8)%,that of CD_(56)~(dim) CD_(16)~+uNK cell subset was(16.3?8.7)% vs(16.2?8.8)%;that of CD_(56)~+CD_(69)~+uNK cells was(37.9 ?18.9)% vs(36.8?19.7)%,that of CD_(56)~+CD_(94)~+uNK cells was(34.9?15.2)% vs(32.7?16.2)% and the ratio of CD_(56)~+CD_(69)~+/CD_(56)~+CD_(94)~+was 1.1?0.2,1.2?0.6.No statistical difference was shown in the above values between the preeclampsia patients and controls.The percentage of cytoto xic T cell(Tc)2 cells was significantly lower in the decidua of preeclampsia patients [(3.0?1.0)% vs(4.3?0.9)%,P= 0.001 ],and the ratio of Tc1/Tc2 in preeclampsia patients was significantly higher than that of normal term pregnancies(17.8?3.4 vs 11.8?4.6;P=0.001);the ratio of Th1/Th2 was increased(15.1?2.4 vs 13.2?3.1;P=0.06).Conclusions The immunophenotypie characteristics of uNK cells do not present any significant change in preeclampsia patients.Owing to Tc2 cell decrease,the Th1/Th2 immunity shifts to Th1 type immunity in the decidua,which might contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Among its various active components, glycyrrhizic acid is believed to be the marker component. Squalene synthase (SQS) and beta-amyrin synthase (beta-AS) are key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of glycyrrhizic acid in G uralensis. To reveal the effects of co-expression of SQS1 and beta-AS genes on this pathway, 7 yeast expression vectors harboring different SQS1 variants and beta-AS were constructed and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as fusion proteins. TLC and GC-MS results showed that co-expression of SQS1 and beta-AS enhanced the accumulation of beta-amyrin. The effects of SQS12 were more obvious than the other two SQS1 variants. This study is significant for further investigations concerned with exploring the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in vitro and strengthening the efficacy of G. uralensis by means of increasing the content of glycyrrhizic acid.
Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; genetics ; Intramolecular Transferases ; metabolism ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; metabolism

Objective To explore the feasibility of imaging and treatment of cervical cancer xenograft model using 131I mediated by hNIS gene transfection. Methods The cervical cancer xenograft models were established with Hela-NIS( +) cells and Hela cells, respectively. Five Hela-NIS( +) xenograft models and five Hela xenograft models were dynamically imaged at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 20 h postinjection of 131I(7.4 MBq). Five Hela-NIS( +) xenograft models were imaged at 0. 5,1,2,4,8,16, 20 and 25 h postinjection of 99TcmO4-(11.1 MBq). Twenty Hela-NIS( +) cervical cancer xenograft models were randomly divided into four groups: Three 131I treating groups and one control group. The therapeutic effects of 131I at threelevels (74,111,148 MBq) were investigated following intraperitoneal injection. Results Hela-NIS( +)human cervical cancer xenografts were established successfully in nude mice. The Hela-NIS( +) xenografts significantly accumulated radioactivity after intraperitoneal injection of 131I, and the radioactivity was persistently present until 20 h postinjection, but Hela xenografts had no radioactive accumulation. The T/B value of the Hela-NIS( +) xenografts reached 17.34 at 8 h postinjection. The imaging with 99TcmO4- showed that the radioactivity was persistently present in Hela-NIS( +) xenografts for almost 25 h. The Hela-NIS( +)xenografts shrinked after 131I treatment. The inhibition ratios of tumor growth in 111 MBq and 148 MBq groups were both significantly higher than that of 74 MBq group (t: 2.74-5.75, P ＜0.05). Conclusions Hela-NIS( +) cervical cancer xenografts in nude mice could persistently accumulate 131I and 99TcmO4- and could be treated successfully with 131 I. 131 I treatment mediated by hNIS gene transfection could be a promising cancer treatment method.

To establish a new method for identifying genus of Lilium by DNA barcoding technology, ITS, ITS2, psbA-trnH, matK and rbcL sequences were analyzed in term of variation of inter- and intra-species, barcoding gap, neighbor-joining tree to distinguish genus of Lilium based on 978 sequences from experimental and GenBank database, and identification efficiency was evaluated by Nearest distance and BLAST1 methods. The results showed that DNA barcoding could identify different species in genus of Lilium. ITS sequence performed higher identification efficiency, and had significant difference between intra- and inter-species. And NJ tree could also divide species into different clades. Results indicate that DNA barcoding can identify genus of Lilium accurately. ITS sequence can be the optimal barcode to identify species of Lilium.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Lilium ; classification

Objective To probe into the effects of fluoride on metal elements in the testis tissue of male rats, and provide experimental basis to further research for reproductive toxicity of fluoride. Methods Thirty-two healthy male Wistar rats, weighting 150 - 180 g, were randomly divided into 4 groups, normal sodium(control) by intragastrie administration for 90 days, and body weight was observed daily. After the last intragastric administration, all rats were killed by cervical dislocation. The contents of calcium(Ca), ferri(Fe), zincum(Zn),cuprum(Cu ) and magnesium(Mg) in the testis tissue were measured by atomic absorption speetrophotometry.Results After 30 days exposure, the difference of body weight between groups was statistically significant(F=3.884, P < 0.05). The body weight in low- and medium-dose groups[(235.00 :t: 14.56), (235.44 ± 24.99)g] were significant increased than high-dose group[(206.00 ± 18.16)g, all P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference of body weight between the groups at 0, 60 and 90 days(F = 0.501, 0.578, 1.893, all P > 0.05). The difference of Ca, Zn and Mg levels among four groups was statistically significant(F = 6.630, 6.844, 5.333, all P < 0.05). The content of Ca of the low-dose group[(56.15 + 4.21 )mg/kg] decreased than that of the control group[(77.57 ± 6.66)mg/kg, P < 0.05];the content of Zn of the low-, medium- and high-dose groups[(4.80 ± 0.55), (4.56 ± 0.33),(5.46 ± 0.79 )mg/kg] deceased than that of the control group [(7.16 ± 0.28 )mg/kg, all P < 0.05];the content of Mg of the high-dose group [(32.44 ± 1.53 ) mg/kg] decreased than that of the control group [(42.54 ± 8.07 ) mg/kg,all P < 0.05]. The difference of testis Fe and Cu between four groups was not statistically significant(F = 1.324,0.207, all P > 0.05). Conclusion Chronic fluorosis can affect the levels of metal elements in rat testis and damage the reproductive system.

Objective To explore the efficacy of ultra-early stent-assisted coil (SAC) in the treatment of intracranial rupture of wide- necked aneurysms. Methods The angiographic and clinical data of 24 patients (including 8 male, 16 female, age ranged from 29 to 86 years, with a median age 59) with acutely ruptured wide-necked intracranial aneurysms treated with SAC were retrospectively analyzed. The postoperative complications and clinical results were observed. The postoperative embolization was assessed according to the Raymond grading standard. The assessment of the follow-up results from 6 to 12 months after procedure was observed according to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Results Procedure-related complications occurred in 3 patients (12.5%). All of them were hemorrhagic events, of which 2 cases died. Perioperative death was found in 3 cases. Of the 19 surviving patients, 17 showed good recovery (mRS 0-2). After 6 to 12 months of DSA, no recurrence of aneurysm was found in 10 follow-up patients. Conclusion Ultra-early stent-assisted coil treatment for intracranial wide-neck rupture aneurysm can improve the success rate of embolization and reduce the recurrence.

Objective To analysis the quality of life of patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods The quality of life was assessed in 52 patients with active AS using SF-36 and was compared with the general population.The correlation between the quality of life and the clinical measures of disease,in- cluding the Bath AS disease activity index(BASDAI),Bath AS functional index(BASFI),Bath AS metrology index(BASMI),patient's global assessment(PGA),spinal inflammation,total back pain,nocturnal back pain, and enthesis index(EI),were determined.Results The patients with active AS reported significant decreased scores on all dimensions of SF-36.The score of physical health components was poorer than that of mental health components.BASFI was the strongest factor correlated with the score of SF-36,followed by BASDAI and PGA.BASMI and total back pain were correlated with three dimensions only.In multivariate regression analysis,BASFI showed relative closer relationship to the qulity of life with active AS than other clinical mea- sures of disease and it accounted for 50.3%,35.2% and 47.9% of the variance in the physical health compo- nents,the mental health components and the overall score of SF-36,respectively.Conclusion The quality of life in patients with active AS is significantly declined compared with general population.The physical aspects seem to be more severely affected.Functional status of the patients with active AS are correlated with the quality of life closely.