AIM: To investigate the expression of Fas/FasL system in human lung carcinoma cell lines (A549, EBC-1, LCSC) and T-lymphocytes (Jurkat), and to search the possibilities of immune escape and counterattack mediated by Fas/FasL pathway in human lung carcinoma cells. METHODS: The protein and mRNA expression of Fas and FasL were detected by FACScan, RT-PCR, respectively. Cell apoptosis was assessed by fluorescent staining. Cell growth was determined by a trypan blue exclusion assay. RESULTS: Fas and FasL were expressed in 3 human lung carcinoma cell lines and T-cells, Jurkat. The lung carcinoma cells inhibited the growth (P

Adolescent ; Asthma ; blood ; drug therapy ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-17 ; blood ; Male

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan, Shandong Province, and to analyze epidemic trend and its cause. Methods Epidemic data of human brucellosis from 2004 to 2007 in Jinan were collected from National Disease Supervision Information Management System. The rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT) were employed to detect brucellosis in the serum samples of high-risk exposure groups involved in livestock transaction, slaughter and raising where brucellosis had been outbreak in the last three years, and epidemiological survey was conducted on the confirmed patients in 2007. Results A total of 32 brucellosis cases occurred in 2004-2007 in Jinan, among which 15 cases in 2007, 3.75 times(15/4) of those in 2004. One hundred and seventy-eight blood samples were collected from high risk population, and positive detective rate was 11.24%(20/178). Most of the patients were found in Zhangqiu and in the months from March to September, accounting for 93.33% (14/15). Farmers accounted for 93.33% (14/15) in all cases. Sixty-six point six seven percent(10/15) of the patients were over 50 years old. Male to female was 2.75: 1(11: 4) in ratio. There was a tendency of family aggregation. Two or three cases occurred in each of 3 families. All cases had a contact history with cattle and sheep, and the diagnosis were confirmed between 17-529 days(median being 70 days), in which 86.67%(13/15) of the cases were confirmed by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic of Jinan is in an upward trend. Zhangqiu is the main epidemic region. Spring and summer are the prevailing periods, most of the patients are old male farmers were the majority of the patients. It is believed that the epidemic is primarily due to potential infection sources, incompetent quarantine of imported livestock and poor awareness of self-protection among high-risk occupational groups.

AIM: To observe effects of shear stress and TNF-? on caveolin-1 expression. METHODS: Cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) of passage 3-5 were used in the experiment. Cells were exposed to a laminar flow (shear stress 1.0 Pa) by using a parallel rectangular flow chamber for different time. Caveolin-1 mRNA and protein expression were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Caveolin-1 expression of the cells stimulated by TNF-? were also studied to elucidate the influence of this inflammatory factor. RESULTS: After 24 h of exposure to 1.0 Pa shear stress, both of caveolin-1 protein and mRNA expression decreased in HAECs, especially caveolin-1 mRNA expression (P

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Jinan city and to identify its cause in order to provide evidence for development of specific preventive strategies in the future.Methods Epidemic information of the disease and survey data of brucellosis cases from 2002 to 2008 in the Infectious and Endemic Disease Control Jinan Centre for Disease Control and Prevention were analyzed statistically.Results From 2002 to 2008, 52 cases were diagnosed as brucellosis, among which 39 cases from Zhangqiu city.The incidence rate ranged from 0.02 to 0.10 hundred thousandth from 2002 to 2006, and 0.25 and 0.26 hundred thousandth in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The disease was found each mouth throughout the year, marked with summer peak[38.46%(20/52)]. Patients increased year after year in summer and spring seasons(r = 0.92, P ＜ 0.01) .The disease was most commonly found in 30 - 59 age group[69.23%(36/52)];men women incidence ratio was 1.67: 1.00;farmers accounting for 94.23%(49/52). There were 5 clusters of family outbreak brucellosis, involving 12 cases. Forty five patients contacted with sheep, accounting for 86.54% (45/52). Conclusions Brucellosis epidemic in Jinan is in an upward trend, mainly in summer and spring, elderly and middle-aged men farmers are the majority of patients. Zhangqiu of Jinan city is a key place for prevention and control of brucellosis;source of infection is not completely eliminated, exotic livestock have not been effectively quarantined, practitioners with weak sense of self-protection is the main reason of the epidemic rise.

Objective To study the changes of the myocardial cell apoptosis in myocardial infarction of rabbits. Methods The model of rabbit with myocardial infarction was established.HE staining,TUNEL staining, immunohistro-chemistry staining, ultrathin section for electron microscope and DNA electronic gel phorensis were performed in samples of ischemia or infarction in different times.The position of apoptotic myocytes in different phases of ischemia were observed by light microscope and electronic microscope. Results After 30 minutes to 4 weeks ischemia.there were a few TUNEL positive nucleus of myocytes in the margin area of myocardial infarction;HE staining-found typical expressions of apoptosis,such as chromosome conglomeration,chromosome gathered at the edge or chromosome aggregation,dark-stained nucleus,cell shrinkage,were obvious in 4-8 hours.A lot of positive nucleus of myocytes stained by TUNEL were found in the early stages of myocardial ischemia in myocardial infarction.gradually ascended and then became hardly visible from 8 hours to 3 days.Nucleus swelling,karyorrhexis and karyolysis were found in the area of myocardial infarction.then cells were broken.DNA agarose electrophoresis found DNA fragment of most myocytes in 30 minutes of ischemia,just a few cardiocytes decomposed to the big segments.At 4hours of ischemia the most cardiocytes decomposed to big segments,and there were a blurry"ladder"in DNA strand breaks from 8 hours to 1 day.It showed that apoptotic cardiocytes existed in the margin area of myocadial infarction. Conclusions There are cardiocytes apoptosis in the margin area of infarction from 30 minutes to 4 weeks after myocardial ischemia.Maybe it relates to the reperfusion caused by collateralization establishment or infiltration from circumference.

Tunnel endoscopy is a new therapeutic technique developed from natural orifice endoscopic transluminal surgery and endoscopic submucosal dissection. With the quick development in the passing 5 years, tunnel endoscopy has been applied in the treatment of clinical diseases. In this article, our aim was to clarify the indication and method, evaluate the efficacy and safety of tunnel endoscopy for the treatment of esophagogastric diseases, including esophageal achalasia and submucosal tumors originating from the muscularis propria layer.
Endoscopy, Digestive System ; adverse effects ; methods ; Esophageal Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Stomach Diseases ; surgery

Objective To investigate effects of volume,distribution and leakage of bone cement in ver- tebroplasty on the adjacent intervertebral bodies using an experimentally calibrated and anatomically accurate fi- nite-element model of elderly L4-L5 vertebral bodies.Methods Computed tomography(CT)scanning was done,at 1 mm intervals,on L4-L5 vertebral bodies of the lumbar spine of an old man cadaver that had no abnormal findings on rnentgenograms.The L4-L5 motion segment data were obtained from the CT scans to establish in computer a three-dimensional finite element model of L4-L5 functional spinal unit(FSU)with the software Ansys 7.0.Compressive load after virtual vertebroplasty on the damaged model,unipedicular and bipedieolar injections and leakage of cement into the intervertebral space,and the resulting endplate and disc stresses of the adjacent vertebral bodies were analyzed in various spatial distributions of the filling material and different loading conditions. An anatomically accurate finite-element model of elderly L4-L5 vertebral bodies was developed.Results The FSU study suggested that changes in stress and strain at adjacent levels were minimal.Furthermore,endplale and disc stresses of the adjacent vertebral bodies were not influenced by bone cement filling volumes or distributions except under bending,whereas asymmetric distribution and leakage of bone cement to the disk increased the stress of adjacent endplates.Conclusion Since asymmetric distribution and significant leakage of cement into the intervertebral space can increase the stresses of endplates of adjacent vertebral bodies and may lead to a fracture, symmetric placement of cement in operation should be achieved and leakage of cement avoided.

Objective To investigate the significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) protein expression and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods Tissue sec- tions from 40 HCC patients were examined immunohistochemically for protein expression of COX-2 and VEGF.Mi- crovessel density(MVD) was counted by endothelial cells immunostained by anti-CD34 antibody.Results The ex- pression of COX-2 protein in well differentiated HCC was stronger than that in moderately differentiated HCC and poorly differentiated HCC(P

ObjectiveTo study the effects on growth characteristics of cells mutated by outer space. Methods5 tumor cell lines and 1 bio-pharmaceutical cell line were carried in the recoverable satellite No.18 and returned after 18 days flying in outer space.The cell living systems were utilized in passive carrying. Some survival cells were monocoloned, and the experimental methods such as cell morphological observation,MTT assay and FACS were used for analysis of cell growth characteristics. ResultsThe survival cell rates of tumor cell lines and bio-pharmaceutical cells were markedly different. Compared with the control group, mutated cells appeared to have multiple cell morphological changes and the cell number of G1 phase was increased markedly (P<0.05). Growth rate in mutated cells were varied without specific discipline. ConclusionEffects of outer space on growth characteristics were complicated and multiplex in mutated cells,which were not all heredity in further passage. The differences of the monoclonal cell lines provide the potential to obtain optimizing cell lines by screen.