OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between UNC5b gene expression and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSIn situ hybridization was performed to detect the expression of UNC5b mRNA in HCC samples, paracarcinomatous liver tissues samples and normal liver samples. The relationship between UNC5b mRNA expression and the HCC clinicopathological features were also analyzed. Human umbilical artery endothelial cells were isolated and stimulated with HCC tissues homogenate, vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. Then RT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of UNC5b mRNA in normal HUAEC as well as activated HUAEC.

RESULTSIn situ hybridization results showed that UNC5b mRNA expression was detected majorly in endothelial cells of all normal liver tissues, and partial PCLTs but was weak or even undetectable in endothelial cells of the corresponding HCC tissues. The expression levels of UNC5b gene in PCLTs were significantly correlated with capsular formation of HCC. Furthermore, RT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of UNC5b mRNA in activated HUAEC were significantly higher than those in normal HUAEC.

CONCLUSIONSDown-regulation of UNC5b gene expression is related to angiogenesis of HCC, which may be associated with the progression of HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood supply ; genetics ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood supply ; genetics ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; genetics

Objective To investigate the inhibition effect of Minocycline on hippocampal microglia in epileptic rats. Methods Forty male SD rats were equally randomized into normal saline control group (NS), penicillin inducement group, Minocycline post-treatment group and Minocycline pre-treatment group (n=10). Rat epilepsy models in the later 3 groups were induced by intraperitoneal injection of penicillin G at a dosage of 740 million to 7.6 million units/kg. The level of hippocampal microglia in rats of the 4 groups on the 1st and 3rd d of inducement was detected by immunofluorescence and the tumor growth factor-α (TNF-α) protein level was detected by Western blotting on the 1st and 3rd d of inducement. Results Seizure could activate microglia. As compared with those in rats of the penicillin inducement group, the activation and hyperplasia of microglia in the hippoeampus in rats of the minoeyeline post- and pre-treatment groups were obviously inhibited on the 1st and 3rd d of inducement (P≤0.05), and the effects were much obvious in the pretreatment group. The level of TNF-α protein in the penicillin inducement group, minoeycline post- and pre-treatment groups was significantly higher than that in the NS group on the 1st and 3rd d of inducement (P≤0.05); as compared with that in the penicillin inducement group, the level of TNF-α protein in the minocycline post- and pre-treatment groups decreased significantly on the 1st and 3rd of inducement (P≤0.05), especially that in the pretreatment group. Conclusion Minocycline can effectively inhibit the activation and hyperplasia of hippocampal microglia and the releasing of inflammatory factor TNF-αt in epileptic rats.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Abi1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the correlation between its expression level and clinical pathological characteristics as well as prognosis of HCC.

METHODSAbi1 expression was determined at both mRNA and protein levels in 40 HCC tissues and their corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissues by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The correlations between Abi1 expression levels and pathological characteristics as well as prognosis were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe expression level of Abi1 mRNA in HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissue (P < 0.05), and the expression level of Abi1 mRNA in nodular HCC tissues were also significantly higher than those in solitary large HCC tissues. Immunohistochemistry results showed that Abi1 protein located in cytoplasm of HCC cells and the expression level of Abi1 protein were significant positive correlated with the number of HCC, capsular formation, venous invasion and Edmondson-Steiner grade (P < 0.05). Combined with follow-up data, the results also showed that HCC patients with high Abi1 protein expression had a higher risk of invasion/metastasis and a shorter survival than those with low Abi1 protein expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSExpression level of Abi1 is up-regulated in HCC tissues compared with corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissue and the expression level of Abi1 is significantly correlated with the number of tumor, capsular formation, venous invasion, Edmondson-Steiner grade and prognosis of HCC.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of anticoagulation protein defect in the pathogenesis of unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

METHODSFifty-seven patients with a history of unexplained abortion were enrolled as the investigation group for tests of protein C, protein S, antithrombin III (AT-III), as well as activated protein C resistance (APC-R). The control group consisted of fifty healthy women with a history of normal pregnancy and delivery. Blood samples were obtained for, measuring serum activity of protein C, protein S, AT-III, and APC-R. Patients with positive APC-R were tested for factor V (FV) Leiden gene mutation by PCR-RFLP method.

RESULTSOf the 57 patients, 12 (21.1%), 1 (1.8%), and 5 (8.8%) cases were found with protein S, protein C, and AT-III deficiency respectively, and 13 (22.8%) cases with positive results of APC-R. Of the control group, no protein C or AT-III deficiency was ever found, whereas 2 (4.0%) volunteers were presented with protein S deficiency and 3 (6.0%) with positive results of APC-R. No FV Leiden gene mutation was identified in all the patients with positive APC-R results. Late spontaneous abortion cases had higher incidence of anticoagulation protein defect than the early cases.

CONCLUSIONAnticoagulation protein defect may play a role in the pathogenesis of fetal loss, especially for those occurring in late stage of pregnancy.

Abortion, Habitual ; blood ; etiology ; Activated Protein C Resistance ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Adult ; Antithrombin III ; metabolism ; Antithrombin III Deficiency ; blood ; complications ; Factor V ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Point Mutation ; Protein C ; metabolism ; Protein C Deficiency ; blood ; complications ; Protein S ; metabolism ; Protein S Deficiency ; blood ; complications

OBJECTIVEViral hepatitis remains a major public health problem and the most common type of liver disease worldwide. There are an increasing number of patients with chronic hepatitis B who develop acute hepatitis on chronic condition (AOC) and die of acute hepatic failure both as a result of lack of understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and lack of effective treatment. The hallmark of AOC is the extreme rapidity of the necromicroinflammatory process resulting in widespread or total hepatocellular necrosis in weeks or even days. Our previous studies have shown in an experimental animal model of fulminant viral hepatitis caused by murine hepatitis virus strain 3, the importance of macrophage activation, and expression of a unique gene mfgl 2 which encodes a serine protease capable of directly cleaving prothrombin to thrombin, resulting in widespread fibrin deposition within the liver and hepatocyte necrosis. The undergoing study in this report is designed to identify the role of hfgl 2 (human fibrinogen like protein 2) /fibroleukin in patients with viral hepatitis.

METHODSLiver tissues were obtained from 23 patients with AOC hepatitis B, and from 13 patients with inactive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 14 patients with chronic hepatitis B with cirrhosis during the year of 1995 to the end of 2001. Liver biopsies were performed within 30 min after the patients were diagnosed with death as a result of acute hepatic failure. Liver samples were also obtained from 4 liver donors as normal controls. In addition, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from 30 patients (unpaired) with AOC hepatitis B and 10 patients with CHB during the May of 2001 to March of 2002 and 10 healthy volunteer as negative control. PBMCs were freshly isolated and smeared on slides and kept at -80 degree C for further use. Histological sections were stained with hemotoxylin and eosin. A 169 bp of hfgl 2 cDNA probe and a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody against hfgl 2 were used to detect the expression of hfgl 2 mRNA and protein in liver samples as well as PBMC by immune histochemistry separately.

RESULTSLiver tissues from the patients with acute on chronic hepatitis had classical pathological features of acute necroinflammation. Hfgl 2 was detected by immune histochemistry in 21 of 23 patients (91.3%) in liver sections from patients with acute on CHB, while only 1 of 13 patients (7.7%) with CHB and cirrhosis and no evidence of active disease had hfgl 2 mRNA or protein expression. 28 of 30 patients (93.3%) with acute on CHB and 1 of 10 with CHB were detected with hfgl 2 expression in PBMC. There was no hfgl 2 expression in either the liver tissue or the PBMC from the normal donors. There was positive correlation of hfgl 2 expression and the severity of the disease displayed by the value of bilirubin and PT.

CONCLUSIONThe molecular and cellular results reported here in patients with acute on chronic hepatitis and who died of acute hepatic failure correlates with previous report in 8 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and mimic closely the changes observed in the murine model of fulminant viral hepatitis in which the pathogenesis of the disease has been studied in a stepwise fashion. This study further suggests that virus induced hfgl 2 prothrombinase/fibroleukin expression and the potent function of the protein it encodes plays a pivotal role in initiating acute severe hepatitis on the baseline of chronic hepatitis. The measurement of hfgl 2/fibroleukin expression in PBMC may serve as a useful marker to monitor the severity of disease in patients with the AOC hepatitis B and a target for therapeutic intervention.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; metabolism ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Severity of Illness Index ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism

Adult ; Aneurysm, False ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans

This study is to report the tissue distribution of arsenic after giving different doses of realgar and Liushen pills to Beagle dogs, in order to provide basis for the safety evaluation of Liushen pills. ICP-MS was used to measure arsenic concentration, and HPLC-ICP-MS was used to analyze arsenic speciation. The concentration of total arsenic and As(III) + DMA (arsenite + dimethylarsenic acid) increased with dosing of realgar. Total arsenic concentration in most tissues and As(III) + DMA concentration in all tissues of Liushen pills group are lower than that of realgar group, but AsB concentration in liver, spleen and kidney of Liushen pills group increased. The concentration of total arsenic showed a dose-dependent manner with dosage administered. It was indicated that components in Liushen pills can reduce solubility of arsenic in realgar, which may decrease toxicity of realgar.
Animals ; Arsenic ; pharmacokinetics ; Arsenicals ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dogs ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Female ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Random Allocation ; Sulfides ; pharmacokinetics ; toxicity ; Tissue Distribution

Objective To study the outcomes of AIDS intervention programs and to provide scientific evidence for developing pertinent strategy on intervention among men who have sex with men (MSM).Methods MSM were recruited through snowballing and investigated by face to face interview in 2006 and 2007 respectively.SPSS 12.0 was used to compare the change of cognition about AIDS,sexual behavior,prevalence rates of HIV and Syphilis before and after the intervention program among the population under study.Results The cognition about AIDS among MSM was obviously improved after the intervention with the rate increased from 74.3% to 82.4% (P=0.01).The rate of last time condom use among MSM increased from 56.4% to 65.5% (P=0.00).The rate of consistent condom use during six months among MSM increased from 31.8% to 41.9% (P=0.00).The rates of both condom use during commercial sex with men and with women did not change much among MSM.The prevalence rates of HIV in 2006 and 2007 were 10.4% and 10.8% and of syphilis in 2006 and 2007 were 9.3% and 7.3% respectively which were not significantly different between before and after the intervention.Conclusion The cognition about AIDS among MSM was improved obviously.However,the rate of consistent condom use was still low,reflecting the segregation phenomenon between their behavior and cognition.All our findings implied that it was crucial to carry out AIDS prevention and control programs.

Foramen Magnum ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Melanocytes ; pathology ; Melanoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Skull Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology

BACKGROUNDRathke's cleft cyst (RCC) is one of the most common incidentally discovered sellar lesions, while symptomatic cases are relatively rare. Surgical treatment is recommended for symptomatic patients to drain the cyst content and to remove the capsule safely. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical features, surgery considerations and therapy outcomes of symptomatic RCCs.

METHODSTotally 42 patients (19 males and 23 females) were retrospectively reviewed with the diagnosis of RCCs under surgery resection at the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University between January 2005 and December 2010.

RESULTSPatients' age ranged from 6 to 67 years (mean of 41.6 years). The duration of symptoms ranged from 4 days to 10 years. Headache (69%), visual impairment (36%), and pituitary dysfunction (10%) were the most common presenting symptoms. The maximum diameter of cysts ranged from 6.0 to 46.7 mm (mean of 20.07 mm). Of the 42 patients, 36 underwent endonasal transsphenoidal approach and the others underwent transcranial approach. Thirty patients had a subtotal resection and decompression, while 12 patients had a total cyst resection. Cysts of 28 patients were lined by simple cubical or columnar epithelium, and cysts of 34 patients were filled by amorphous colloid material, that was the characteristic of RCCs. The majority of patients presented with a simple headache, and 93% of this group experienced a complete improvement after surgery. Twelve of 15 patients (80%) with preoperative visual deficits experienced an improvement in their vision after surgery. All of those patients with pituitary dysfunction experienced an improved endocrine status. The endocrinological complication usually was diabetes insipidus, and postoperative transient diabetes insipidus occurred in 13 (31%) patients without any permanent diabetes insipidus. The overall recurrence rate was 7% at a mean follow-up of 22 months (range 12 - 60 months).

CONCLUSIONSSurgical treatment is to drain the contents of the cyst and to remove the capsule as much as possible under the precondition that does not increase the complications. Biopsy and decompression procedures are recommended for most cases.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Central Nervous System Cysts ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult