Objective To investigate the expression o f telomerase activity in pheochromacytoma and to assess its utility as a prognos tic marker. Methods Telomerase activity was estimated in 23 samples of pheohromocytoma tissue and 6 samples of normal adrenal medullae by autoradiography-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol. The reaults w ere analized with follow-up findings. Results Of the 2 3 pheochromocytoma samples, 2 had telomerase activity and both the telomerase-p ositive pheochromocytomas apparently arose from extraadrenal tissues. All normal adrenal medullae samples were negative for telomerase activity. During follow- up, we found both of the telomerase positive patients developed mutiple metastat ic lesions after surgery. Only one of 21 telomerase negative patients clinically developed bilateral lung metastases and a local recurrence after surgery. Conclusions Telomerase activity may be used as an important i ndicator of potentially malignant pheochromocytoma and may serve as a prognosti c marker.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Feixianping (FXP) on collagen type I and II in rats with pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

METHODSSixty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, the normal group (A), the model group (B), the positive control group (C) and the two FXP groups (D and E) treated respectively with high and low dose of FXP. Except those in Group A (they were not modeled and administered with normal saline), all rats were established into PF model by intra-tracheal instillation of bleomycin and administered with respective medicines starting from the 1st day after modeling. Rats were sacrificed in batches at 3 time points, the 7th, 14th, and 28th day for observing the pathological changes of lung under light microscope with HE staining and to identify collagen type I and III in lung tissue by immunohistochemical stain and image quantitative analysis.

RESULTSLight-dyeing proliferative collagen fiber was presented in the slightly thickened alveolar wall in lung of modeled rats from the 14th day on, and the pathological changes became more distinct on the 28th day. The highest amount of collagen appeared in the group B, correspondingly, that in all the other groups was much lower (P < 0.05). Reduction of collagen type I and III revealed in both FXP treated groups, but better effect was shown in the high dose FXP group. The effect of FXP was superior to that of positive control on the 14 th day (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONFXP can effectively reduce the abnormal proliferation of collagen in experimental rats with PF.

Animals ; Bleomycin ; Collagen Type I ; analysis ; Collagen Type III ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective: To screen for the differentially expressed genes in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and normal laryngeal tissue using cDNA microarray. Methods: The PCR products of 4 096 genes were spotted on a chemical material coated glass plates in array. The DNAs were then fixed on the glass plate by a serial of treatments. The total RNAs were isolated from the tissues, and then were purified to mRNAs by Oligotex. Both the mRNAs from the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and normal tissue were reversely transcribed to cDNAs with the incorporations of fluorescent dUTP, for preparing the hybridization probes. The mixed probes were then hybridized to the cDNA microarray. After high stringent washing, the cDNA microarray was scanned for the fluorescent signals and showed the differences between 2 tissues. Results: Among the 4 096 target genes, there were 36(0.88%) genes whose expression levels differed between the carcinoma and normal tissues in all 4 cases. Bioinformatical analysis of those genes had been performed. Conclusion: DNA microarray technology is an effective technique in screening for differentially expressed genes between 2 different kinds of tissue. Further analysis of the obtained genes will help to understand the molecular mechanism of malignant carcinoma. [

This paper is to illustrate the infestation and related ecological characteristics of chigger mites on the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi). A total of 17,221 chigger mites were collected from 2,761 R. tanezumi rats, and then identified as 131 species and 19 genera in 2 families. Leptotrombidium deliense, the most powerful vector of scrub typhus in China, was the first major dominant species on R. tanezumi. All the dominant mite species were of an aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. tanezumi. The species composition and infestations of chiggers on R. tanezumi varied along different geographical regions, habitats and altitudes. The species-abundance distribution of the chigger mite community was successfully fitted and the theoretical curve equation was Ŝ (R)=37e–(0.28R)2. The total chigger species on R. tanezumi were estimated to be 199 species or 234 species, and this further suggested that R. tanezumi has a great potential to harbor abundant species of chigger mites. The results of the species-plot relationship indicated that the chigger mite community on R. tanezumi in Yunnan was an uneven community with very high heterogeneity. Wide geographical regions with large host samples are recommended in the investigations of chigger mites.

This paper is to illustrate the infestation and related ecological characteristics of chigger mites on the Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi). A total of 17,221 chigger mites were collected from 2,761 R. tanezumi rats, and then identified as 131 species and 19 genera in 2 families. Leptotrombidium deliense, the most powerful vector of scrub typhus in China, was the first major dominant species on R. tanezumi. All the dominant mite species were of an aggregated distribution among different individuals of R. tanezumi. The species composition and infestations of chiggers on R. tanezumi varied along different geographical regions, habitats and altitudes. The species-abundance distribution of the chigger mite community was successfully fitted and the theoretical curve equation was Ŝ (R)=37e–(0.28R)2. The total chigger species on R. tanezumi were estimated to be 199 species or 234 species, and this further suggested that R. tanezumi has a great potential to harbor abundant species of chigger mites. The results of the species-plot relationship indicated that the chigger mite community on R. tanezumi in Yunnan was an uneven community with very high heterogeneity. Wide geographical regions with large host samples are recommended in the investigations of chigger mites.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy and the change of airway responsiveness to Chinese medicine (CM) in treating cough variant asthma (CVA).

METHODSNinety-four patients who had confirmed the diagnosis of CVA were selected and randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group by the blocked randomization method. The ratio of the two groups was 2:1. The treatment group had 63 patients that were treated by CM, lost in 10 cases, 53 patients had finished the trial. The control group had 31 patients that were treated by montelukast tablets and theophylline, lost in 5 cases, 26 patients had finished the trial, two weeks as one therapeutic course. The syndrome efficacy, cough efficacy, symptom score and the airway responsiveness between two groups were observed.

RESULTSThe comparison of the syndrome efficacy: the total effective rate of the treatment group was 90.57% and the control group was 76.92%, and the two groups were significantly different (P<0.05). The comparison of the cough efficacy: the total effective rate of the treatment group was 98.11% and the control group was 80.77%, and the two groups were also significantly different (P<0.05). Syndrome scoring and cough scoring were all significantly lowered, but the airway responsiveness was not significantly lowered.

CONCLUSIONSThe treatment of CM could ease the cough, improve the syndrome, and shows obvious advantages compared with the control group, which is worthy of extensive clinical application.

Adult ; Cough ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Respiratory System ; pathology ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To understand the molecular pat hophysiology of hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer.Methods: We studied novel gene expression by cDNA microarray method. The PCR pro ducts of 4 096 genes and 12 800 gene were spotted onto a kind of chemical-mater ial-coated-glass slide in array. Both the mRNAs from 5 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 3 cases of pancreatic cancer were reversely transcribed to cDNAs with the incorporation of fluorescent-labeled dUTP to prepare the hybridization probes. After hybridization, BioDoor4096 and BioDoor12800 cDNA microarray were scanned for the fluorescent intensity. Tumor invasion-related gene expression w as screened through the analysis of difference in gene expression profile.Results:Among 4 096 and 12 800 target genes, there were 15 genes who se expression level differed from normal and carcinoma tissues. Therefore, they might be associated with metastasis.Conclusion:Further analysis of these differentially expressed metastasis-associated genes will be helpful for understanding the molecular mechanism of malignant carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of telomerase in various lesions of adrenal cortex.

METHODSBy autoradiography-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol, telomerase expression was detected in 36 samples of adrenocortical lesions, including 29 cases adrenocortical adenoma (8 Cushing's syndrome, 17 aldosteronism and 4 nonfunctional adenomas), 5 cases of hyperplasia of adrenal cortex (presented with Chushing' syndrome), 2 cases adrenocortical carcinoma, and 4 samples of normal adrenal cortex.

RESULTSOf the 40 samples, 2 cases of adrenocortical carcinomas had telomerase expression, and the others had no telomerase expression detected.

CONCLUSIONSNo significant telomerase expression was found among different endocrine functional benign adrenocortical lesions. Telomerase expression may be used as an important marker of malignant adrenocortical tumor.

Adrenal Cortex ; enzymology ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; enzymology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Cushing Syndrome ; enzymology ; Humans ; Telomerase ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Adult ; Foreign Bodies ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Ureter

OBJECTIVESTo observe the role of PPARgamma during the activation process of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSBy morphology and RT-PCR, we study the changes of expression of PPARgamma in culture-activated HSC or in vivo activated HSC induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN).

RESULTSIn vitro, the expression level of PPARgamma in freshly isolated HSC (0.72+/-0.01) significantly reduced to 0.48+/-0.03 on the third day of culture (t = 19.8372, P<0.01), and reduced 70% on the seventh culture-day and could not be detected after the second passage. In vivo, HSC freshly isolated from normal control rats expressed PPARgamma (0.76+/-0.01). During the development of rat liver fibrosis induced by DMN, the expression level significantly reduced to 0.46+/-0.02 after the third injection of DMN (t = 29.5318, P<0.01), and reduced 66% on the end of first week and could not be detected on the end of second and third week.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of PPARgamma might play an important role on the maintenance of resting-form of HSC, and the reduction of expression of PPARgamma might be an early event during the activation process of HSC.

Animals ; Liver ; cytology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; physiology ; Transcription Factors ; physiology