Neuregulin 4 (NRG4) is a newly discovered adipokine,which plays crucial roles in many physiological processes such as energy balance,and glucose and lipid metabolism.The transcriptional regulation of NRG4 gene remains largely unknown.Our previous 5'RACE analysis showed that the tran-scription start sites (TSS) of chicken NRG4 gene were dispersed over a region of 200 bp,suggesting that chicken NRG4 gene possesses a dispersed promoter.In the present study,the promoter activity of the proximal exon and intron of chicken NRG4 gene was analyzed.Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstra-ted that the genomic fragment (-122/+452) containing exon 1,intron 1,and exon 2 of chicken NRG4 gene had strong bidirectional promoter activity.Bioinformatics analysis showed that there was a putative binding site of the transcription factor CCAAT enhancer-binding proteinα(C/EBPα) in exon 2 of chick-en NRG4 gene.Reporter gene assay showed that both deletion and site-directed mutagenesis of the C/EBPα binding site abrogated the regulatory effect of C/EBPα on the promoter activity of the-122/+452 fragment of chicken NRG4 gene.Gene expression correlation analysis showed that C/EBPα and NRG4 gene expression were positively correlated in chicken adipose tissues.ChIP-PCR revealed that C/EBPα directly binds to the exon 2 of NRG4 gene in chicken adipose.In conclusion,the proximal exon and intron of chicken NRG4 gene has bidirectional promoter activity,and C/EBPα directly regulates NRG4 gene expression in chicken adipose via binding to its exon 2.

Aim To investigate the effects of menthol, a transient receptor potential melastatin-8 channel activator, on treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in PAH model rats caused by monocrotaline (MCT). Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups randomly (control group, MCT group, MCT + menthol 1 mg • kg

Aim To investigate the effects of CPD1, a novel phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, on lung pathological phenotype and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of alveolar epithelial cells in lung fibrosis model rats caused by paraquat (PQ). Methods Lung fibrosis model was constructed by a single intraperitoneal injection of PQ (30 mg·kg

This study was designed to evaluate the protective effect of CPD1, a novel phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, on renal interstitial fibrosis after unilateral renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (UIRI). Male BALB/c mice were subjected to UIRI, and treated with CPD1 once daily (i.g, 5 mg/kg). Contralateral nephrectomy was performed on day 10 after UIRI, and the UIRI kidneys were harvested on day 11. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE), Masson trichrome and Sirius Red staining methods were used to observe the renal tissue structural lesions and fibrosis. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of proteins related to fibrosis. HE, Sirius Red and Masson trichrome staining showed that CPD1-treated UIRI mice had lower extent of tubular epithelial cell injury and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in renal interstitium compared with those in the fibrotic mouse kidneys. The results from immunohistochemistry and Western blot assay indicated significantly decreased protein expressions of type I collagen, fibronectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) after CPD1 treatment. In addition, CPD1 dose-dependently inhibited the expression of ECM-related proteins induced by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in normal rat kidney interstitial fibroblasts (NRK-49F) and human renal tubular epithelial cell line (HK-2). In summary, the novel PDE inhibitor, CPD1, displays strong protective effects against UIRI and fibrosis by suppressing TGF-β signaling pathway and regulating the balance between ECM synthesis and degradation through PAI-1.
Animals ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; Kidney Diseases ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1

［摘要］ 目的：寻找多发性骨髓瘤（MM）基因芯片数据集中的潜在致病基因、疾病诊断和预后相关因子并阐明其作用机制。 方法：获取基因芯片数据集GSE13591 和Zhan Myeloma，使用R 语言进行基因差异表达分析。对共同高表达基因进行Meta 分 析，得到P 值中位秩次TOP10 基因。CCLE 数据库分析TOP10 基因在各肿瘤细胞系中的mRNA表达情况，筛选出蛋白酶体通路 相关基因8（DCAF8）。cBioPortal 数据库中分析DCAF8 基因在各肿瘤细胞系的突变率。WB检测DCAF8 蛋白在骨髓瘤细胞系中 的表达情况。SPSS 和Graph Pad 软件分析DCAF8 表达量和MM患者临床特征之间的相关性，进行受试者工作特征曲线（ROC曲 线）绘制和生存分析。R语言Custer Profiler Package 和Metascape 数据库对DCAF8 互作蛋白基因和共表达基因进行GO和KEGG 功能富集分析。结果：数据集GSE13591 和Zhan Myeloma 的上调基因取交集得到477 个共同高表达基因。在合并数据集中对上 述基因进行Meta 分析，得到P 值中位秩次TOP10 基因，DCAF8 在MM细胞系中的平均表达水平最高。DCAF8 基因在浆细胞骨 髓瘤中的突变率位于各肿瘤细胞系的第一位。DCAF8 蛋白在多种MM细胞系中的表达量显著升高（P<0.01）。DCAF8 表达量与 MM患者的肿瘤负荷显著正相关，1q21 扩增阳性组的DCAF8 的表达量显著高于1q21 阴性组。ROC曲线显示DCAF8 的表达水平 可以很好地区分MM患者和正常人（P<0.01）。DCAF8 高表达组比DCAF8 低表达组中位生存时间显著缩短。蛋白互作网络显示 DCAF8 可与XPO1 蛋白直接相互作用。GO和KEGG功能富集分析结果表明，DCAF8 与蛋白酶体功能、剪切体活性、组蛋白乙酰 化酶活性、RNA转运等功能相关。结论：DCAF8 在MM中显著高表达，其表达水平可以很好地区分MM患者和正常人；其高表 达与MM患者的生存预后显著负相关，且与1q21 扩增和XPO1 蛋白相关。

To analyze the treatment and prognosis of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(T-ALL)in adults. Method The clinicobiogical and survival data of 68 adult patients with newly diagnosis T-ALL were retrospectively analzyed. Results The median age of these 68 patients was 23 years(14-60 years).T-ALL was more common in men(81%).After the first cycle of treatment,complete remission was achieved in 50 patients(73%).The highest complete remission(CR) rate was in patients with cortex T-ALL(100%),followed by other T-ALL(73%)and early T-cell precursor lymphoblastic leukemia(54%),(=5.712,=0.058).The CR rate for adults aged >35 years was significantly lower than that of patients aged ≤ 35 years(40% 79%,=6.364,=0.012).The overall CR rate after the second treatment course was 93%.For patients treated with chemotherapy,autograft hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(auto-SCT),and allogeneic SCT,the median relapse free survival was 10 months,24 months,and not reached,respectively(=0.002).The 5-year overall survival rate was 25% for all patients;for patients treated with chemotherapy,auto-SCT and allogeneic SCT,the median overall survival was 24 months,34 months,and 30 months,respectively(=0.007),and the 5-year overall survival rate was 9%,33%,and 38%(=0.037).Multivariate analysis showed leukocyte count ≥100×10 /L was a risk factor for decreased relapse free survival(risk ratio 2.540,95%=1.058-6.099,=0.037). Conclusion Adult T-ALL patients have poor prognosis,which may be improved by SCT.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective: To investigate the prognostic significance of detection of minimal residual disease after first induction treatment (MRD(1)) in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients treated with autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT). Methods: The clinical data of 87 ALL patients who underwent auto-HSCT during February 2006 to April 2017 with MRD(1) detection data by flow cytometry were analyzed retrospectively. The relationship between MRD(1) and relapse and survival of ALL patients after auto-HSCT was studied. Results: Of 87 patients, 26 (29.9%) were MRD(1) positive. The proportion of high-risk immunophenotype (pro-B, pro-T, pre-T, mature T) was significantly higher in MRD(1)-positive patients than that in MRD(1) negative patients (34.6% vs 14.5%, P=0.038). There was no significant difference between positive and negative MRD(1) patients at age, sex, lineage (T/B), immunophenotype (standard risk/high risk), high white blood cell count (B-ALL>30×10(9)/L or T-ALL>100×10(9)/L), high-risk chromosome/gene ratio, the time from first complete remission to transplantation and pre-treatment regimen. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) in MRD(1) negative and positive patients were 72.7% vs 47.3% (P=0.004) and 75.7% vs 29.6% (P<0.001), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that positive MRD(1) was an independent risk factor for OS (HR=3.007, 95% CI 1.256-7.200, P=0.013) , and positive MRD(1) and high-risk immunophenotype were risk factors for LFS (HR=3.986, 95% CI 1.813-8.764, P=0.001; HR=2.981, 95% CI 1.373-6.473, P=0.006) . Conclusions: Auto-HSCT could not reverse the poor prognosis of MRD(1) positive patients. Auto-HSCT treatment is optional for patients with MRD(1) negative and maintaining MRD(1) negative status during intensive therapy.
Adult ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Autologous

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy ( LIBS ) was proposed to rapidly discriminate microbe species. Ten species of microbes were prepared in lab. Filter papers were selected as substrate for enriching bacteria and enhancing the quality of LIBS. The images of plasma were collected by ICCD camera and LIBS spectra were obtained by spectrometers. The results displayed that the images and spectra were different from 10 bacteria. It was demonstrated that this method was feasible to discriminate bacteria species by analyzing image and/or spectroscopy. Furthermore, nine smooth and multiple scattering correction ( MSC) were utilized to preprocess the LIBS full-spectrum data in the wavelength range of 200-420 nm and 560-680 nm. And principal component analysis ( PCA) and PCA-RF ( Random forest) were compared to validate the accuracy of discrimination. The investigation showed that the PCA-RF model coupled with suitable methods in preprocessing data could identify bacteria. The accuracy was 99. 6% for ten species of microbes by evaluating LIBS spectra in training set, and 96. 7% in predicting set. This report indicated that it is feasible to differentiate bacteria species by analyzing LIBS spectra.

Objective To compare the effect of laparoscopic and open surgery in treatment of rectal cancer. Methods 80 cases of patients with rectal cancer from May 2008 to May 2013 were selected, they were randomly divided into laparoscopy surgery group (n = 40) and open surgery group (n = 40), the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of incision, lymph node dissection, number for the first time, ventilation time, ambulation time, hospitalization time, cost of hospitalization, postoperative complications, treatment satisfaction of the two groups were statistically analyzed. Results The operation time of the laparoscopic surgery group was significantly longer (P < 0.05), the amount of bleeding was significantly less (P < 0.05), the incision length was significantly shorter (P < 0.05), the first time, ventilation time, ambulation time, hospitalization time were significantly shorter (P < 0.05), the hospitalization cost was significantly higher (P < 0.05), the rate of postoperative complications 15.0% (6/40) was significantly lower than the open surgery group 35.0% (14/40) (P < 0.05) 97.5% (39/40), the treatment satisfaction was significantly higher than the open surgery group 67.5% (27/40)(P < 0.05). Conclusion The effect of laparoscopic and open surgery in treatment of rectal cancer is better than open surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The malignant transformation (MT) of ovarian mature cystic teratoma (MCT) to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is very rare. This study analyzed cases from multiple medical centers in Taiwan to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, and prognostic factors of this disease and reviewed related literature. METHODS: Pathological reports of 16,001 patients with primary ovarian cancer who were treated at Taiwan medical centers from 1990 to 2011 were reviewed. In total, 52 patients with MT of MCT to SCC were identified. RESULTS: Among all ovarian MCTs, the incidence of MT to SCC is 0.2%. The median age of patients was 52 years (range, 29–89 years), and the mean tumor size was 10.5 cm (range, 1–40 cm). We analyzed the patients in our study and those in the literature and determined that early identification and complete surgical resection of the tumor are essential for long-term survival. In addition, adjuvant chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy can be used to treat this malignancy. Old age, large tumor size (≥15.0 cm), and solid components in MCTs are suitable indicators predicting the risk of MT of MCT to SCC. CONCLUSION: Similar to general epithelial ovarian cancers, the early detection of MT of MCT to SCC is critical to long-term survival. Therefore, older patients with a large tumor or those with a tumor containing a solid component in a clinically diagnosed MCT should be evaluated to exclude potential MT to SCC.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Epithelial Cells* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Taiwan ; Teratoma*