Objective To investigate the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in Chinese Han polymyositis/dennatomyositis (PM/DM) patients. Methods A casecontrol study of three TNF-α SNPs were undertaken and comparison between cases of PM/DM (n=69) and DM patients ( n=52 ) with normal subjects ( n=57 ) was performed. The genotype of every subject was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results There was no significant difference in the genotypes and alleles frequencies of the three TNF-α SNPs(-238,-308, and -1031)between PM/DM or DM and normal subjects. The haplotype AGT (-238, -308, -1031 ) significantly increased in controls vs PM/DM and DM (PM/DM, P=0.01; DM, P=0.02) subjects. The haplotype AGC was a significant risk factor for DM (P=0.04, 0R=9.84, 95%CI 1.39～69.57 ). The haplotype AGC increased in PM/DM (4.3%)vs controls(0.6% ), but the difference was not significant (P=0.09, OR 7.22, 95%CI 1.02～50.90). The haplotype GGC was significantly decreased in the DM subgroup vs healthy control subjects (P=0.04, OR=0.47,95%CI 0.23～0.99). Conclusion The TNF gene (-238,-308,-1031) haplotype AGC is a risk factor for DM.

CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) refers to a set of multiple gene promoter CpG island methylation phenotype which exists in tumor at the same time.Many studies show that CIMP is ubiquitous in gastric cancer,which is related to the pathogenesis,diagnosis,patient's condition,prognosis and curative effect of gastric cancer.

Objective: To optimize the formula and the preparation technique of orally disintegrating tablets of scopolamine hydrobromide(SH). Methods: The wet granule compressing method and the direct compressing method were compared to choose the suitable preparation method. The orthogonal design was used to optimize the formula of SH tablets while taking the hardness, disintegrating time and dissolution rate of the tablets as indices, and the optimization was verified. Results: The wet granule compressing method was chosen for preparation. The optimized formula was composed of mannitol 40%, MCC 35%, lactose 0, and CMS-Na 10%. And the hardness, disintegrating time and T50 of the optimized tablets were 3.8 kg, 54 s, and 2.47 min, respectively. Conclusion: The obtained formula and preparation technique for orally disintegrating tablets of SH is satisfactory; the quality of the prepared tablets can be well controlled.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of cyclopamine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LNCaP cells and the expression of the PCA3 gene in human prostate cancer in vitro.

METHODSLNCaP cells were treated with cyclopamine at the concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 15 micromol/L for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The inhibitory effects of cyclopamine on the proliferation and apoptosis of the LNCaP cells were detected by MTT and flow cytometry respectively, the morphological changes of the cells observed by Hoechst 33258 staining, and the expression of the PCA3 gene determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR).

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, cyclopamine significantly inhibited the proliferation of the LNCaP cells at 5, 10 and 15 micromol/L (P <0.01), reaching IC50 at 10 micro mol/L at 48 hours. The apoptosis rates of the LNCaP cells at 24, 48 and 72 hours were 37.21%, 57.38% and 57.98% in the 10 micromol/L group and 21. 16% , 71.31% and 72.90% in the 15 micro.mol/L group, significantly different from those in the control (P <0. 01). The cell apoptosis showed a rising trend with the increase of cyclopamine concentration and acting-time, while the expression of the PCA3 gene was decreasing with the increased concentration of cyclopamine, significantly lower than that of the blank control group (P <0.01) , and extremely low in the 10 micromo/L group

CONCLUSIONCyclopamine intervention at 10 and 15 micromol/L for 48 and 72 hours could significantly inhibit the at all time points. Proliferation and induce the apoptosis of LNCaP cells and reduce the expression level of PCA3.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Veratrum Alkaloids ; pharmacology

Maternal-fetal ABO blood type incompatibility is an autoimmune disease.This disease can lead to miscarriage,stillbirth,children edema,early-onset neonatal jaundice,hemolytic anemia,kemicterus and neonatal death,etc.The author overviewed the etiology and pathogenesis of Matemal-fetal ABO blood type incompatibility,as well as the TCM therapeutic methods and effects in treating this disease at pre-pregnancy period and pregnancy.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of combining real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound for the patients with small ovarian masses.Methods One hundred and seven patients with small ovarian masses were examined with real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography and three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound.The images and the relationship between benign and malignant small ovarian masses were analyzed.Results Benign and malignant small ovarian tumors had statistical differences in these three parameters:the envelope,inner wall and whether there being central vessels.The sensitivity and specificity of combining real-time threedimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound to diagnose malignant small ovarian tumors were 92.9% and 97.3% respectively.Conclusions Combining real-time three-dimensional ultrasonography with three-dimensional color Doppler energy can be used to diagnose the small ovarian masses and provide valuable information to identify malignant ovarian tumors.A small ovarian tumor with incomplete envelope,irregular inner wall and there being central vessels indicated the possibility of being malignant.

One hundred and thirty-six adult patients with type 2 diabetes ( ≥40 years, body mass index > 24) were assigned to the low-dose Mefformin, high-dose Mefformin, and control groups. Plasma lactic acid level was detected with ultraviolet enzyme kinetics assay. Our data showed that plasma lactic acid of the low-dose or high-dose mefformin group was significantly higher than the control group (2.314 vs. 2.511, P<0.05 ), although there was no significant difference between the low-dose and the high-dose Mefformin group. In all the 3 groups, increased lactic acid ( > 2. 2 mmol/L) was found in some patients ( Mefformin group vs. Control group: X2 = 7.43, P < 0.05 ), and no lactic acid > 5.0 mmol/L was found. Insulin resistance index and hemoglobin Alc were similar between the 3 groups. Thus, mefformin may not increase the risk of lactic acidosis in diabetic patients with normal cardiorespiratory and renal function.

Antigens ; immunology ; Child ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Exposure ; Milk Hypersensitivity ; etiology ; Milk, Human ; immunology ; Pregnancy

Objective To detect the expression of CD133 in hepatic cell lines SMMC7721 and bcl-7402, and to investigate the possibility of CD133 as the surface marker of liver cancer stem cells. Methods The cell cycle and expression of CD133 in hepatic cell lines SMMC7721 and bcl-7402 were detected by flow eytometry. Magnetic cell sorting was used to isolate CD133-positive and CD133-negative cells. The differences in morphology, proliferation and differentiation between CD133-positive and CD133-negative cells were observed and analyzed by one-way ANOVA and u test. Results The percentages of CD133-positive cells in SMMC7721 and bcl-7402 cell lines were 0.7% -1.0% and 1.7% -8.9%, respectively. The percentages of CD133-positive cells in G0>/G1> phase in the 2 cell lines were 85.3% and 89.4%, which were significantly higher than CD133-negative cells and unsorted cells (F = 14.49, 38.84, P <0.05). The in vitro proliferation capability of CD133-positive cells was greater than that of CD133-negative cells and unsorted cells, especially during day 1-3 and day 5-7 (F =49.32,784.04, 89.91, 152.83, P < 0. 05). During the cultivation, the proportion of the CD133-positive cells decreased as time passed by, and the proportion of CD133-positive cells was nearly the same as unsorted cells on day 15 (u =O. 271, P <0.05). Conclusions CD133-positive ceils have strong capability of proliferation and differentiation in SMMC7721 and bcl-7402 cell lines in vitro. CD133 is one of the surface markers of liver cancer stem cells.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of NF-κB on cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin(Dox) in rats and the effect of melatonin(MT). METHODS Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group; Dox model group; Dox+MT group. The content of nitric oxide (NO) and the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cardiac tissues were examined by spectrophotography method; the activity of NF-κB in myocardial cell was observed by immunohistochemistry method; the apoptosis information of myocardial cell was detected by TUNEL method. RESULTS There was significant difference in activity of NF-κB between normal control and the Dox model group. MT could inhibit the activation of NF-κB(P＜0.05). There was significant difference in the content of NO and the activity of iNOS between normal control and Dox model group, MT could decrease content of NO and the activity of iNOS(P＜0.05); apoptotic rate in Dox model group was significantly increased compared with that in normal control group, MT could significantly decrease myocardial cell apoptosis (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION The activation of NF-κB plays an important role in cardiomyopathy induced by Dox, NF-κB seems to increase the activity of iNOS, and then significantly increase the content of NO in cardiac muscle; NF-κB possibly enhances myocardial cell apoptosis in cardiomyopathy induced by Dox. MT may inhibit the activation of NF-κB, and prevent excessive oxidative stress and suppress myocardial cell apoptosis, MT has protective effect against cardiomyopathy induced by Dox.