ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between HIF-1αt and VEGF expression and the clinicopathological characteristics in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods The expression status of HIF-1α and VEGF were examined by immunohistochemistric method (IHC) in 62 tumor tissue and 19 paracancerous normal tissue.The relationships between the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF and clinicopathological characteristic were analyzed. Results HIF-1αt and VEGF expression were higher in hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues than those in paracancerous normal tissues (66. 1％:26. 3％ ;x2 =18. 02,P ＜0. 05 ;67. 7％ : 31.6％ ; x2 =19.22, P ＜ 0. 05 ). The expression intensity of HIF-1 α was related to T stage, N stage and TNM stage ( x2 =4. 23,5.83,9.94,all P ＜0. 05). The expression intensity of VEGF was related to metastasis, T stage, N stage and TNM stage (x2 =5.62,7. 38,15.75,4. 29 ,all P ＜0. 05 ). There was minus relationship between overall survival and expression level of HIF-1 α and/or VEGF (x2 =29. 25, P＜0.01; x2 =24.88, P＜ 0.01 ).On multivariate analysis,HIF-1α expression and T stage were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (x2 =4.80,5.74, all P＜0. 05).ConclusionsHIF-1α and VEGF may be considered as a parameter in evaluation of progression, metastasis and prognosis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and also may be a direction of molecular target therapy.

OBJECTIVE To explore the role of P38MAPK inhibitor on the soft palate reconstruction of the rats with chronic intermittent hypoxia. METHODS The animals were divided into normal control group, hypoxia control group and SB203580+hypoxia group (every group 20 rats). After 5 weeks, the expressions of p38MAPK and p-p38MAPK protein on the soft palate of the rats were detected with immunohistochemical techniques and western blot. RESULTS Compared with the normal control group, the soft palate tissue thickness of the hypoxia group were increased most obviously; Levels of p38MAPK were increased in hypoxia control group; Compared with the hypoxia control group, the levels of p-p38MAPK group were decreased in SB203580+hypoxia group. CONCLUSION p38MAPK may play important roles in the soft palate reconstruction of the rats with chronic intermittent hypoxia.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of yiqi huoxue formula (YHF) on healing and recurrence of peptic ulcer.

METHODSAdopting randomized and controlled principle, the 46 patients with active peptic ulcer were randomly allocated into the treated group and the control group, they received respectively the treatment of YHF + Omeprazole and Omeprazole alone for 5 weeks. If exhibiting positive Hp, the Trigeminy one-week eradicating treatment, using Omeprazole, Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin, was applied firstly, after then, followed with the prescriptive treatment. Gastroscopy was performed before and after treatment to assess the status of Hp eradicating and the endoscopic and histological maturity of regenerated mucosa. Meanwhile, the changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels were detected with ELISA. Patients with ulcer healed were followed up for 6 months to observe the condition of recurrence.

RESULTSThe percentage of Sc phase maturity and excellent histological maturity of regenerated mucosa obtained in the treated group were more than those in the control group respectively (P < 0.05), and levels of VEGF and bFGF increased significantly in the treated group after treatment (P < 0.05). But the difference of ulcer recurrence rate between the two groups in the 6-month follow-up study showed no statistically significance. However, the recurrence rate in patients with excellent histological maturity of regenerated mucosa was lower than that with good histological maturity (P < 0.05); and it was decreasing along with the progressing of regenerated mucosa endoscopic maturity, i.e., Sc < Sb < Sa (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONYHF can improve the quality of ulcer healing, and its mechanism is possibly related to the increase of VEGF and bFGF expressions. The higher the quality of ulcer healing, the lower the recurrence rate.

Adult ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole ; therapeutic use ; Peptic Ulcer ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Phytotherapy ; Recurrence ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

To investigate whether VacA (vacuolating toxin) produced by Helicobacter pylori Korean stain 99 induces intestinal secretion, purified VacA was added to T84 cell monolayers mounted in Ussing chambers, and electrical parameters were monitored. Mucosal addition of low pH-pretreated VacA increased short circuit current (Isc). The effect was time- and dose-dependent and saturable. The time-to-peak Isc was concentration-dependent. Chloride channel inhibitors, niflumic acid or 5- nitro-2- (3-phenylpropylamino) -benzoate (NPPB), inhibited VacA-stimulated Isc. Carbachol (CCh) -induced increase of Isc was prolonged by the addition of VacA to the mucosal side only. The effect was unaltered by the addition of niflumic acid. VacA did not show cytopathic effects. These studies indicate that VacA is a nonlethal toxin that acts in a polar manner on T84 monolayers to potentiate Cl secretion and the response to CCh secretion without decrease in monolayer resistance. VacA may contribute to diarrhea diseases in human intestinal epithelial cells.
Carbachol* ; Chloride Channels ; Diarrhea ; Epithelial Cells ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Intestinal Secretions ; Niflumic Acid

Objective To analyse the prognosis of 117 newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients underwent intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods From Jan to Nov 2005, 117 NPC patients who were treated by IMRT were enrolled. There were 81 males and 36 females with a median age of 42 years (range 18-76 years). According to Chinese Fuzhou Staging system(1992), 11 cases were Stage I , 15 Stage Ⅱ, 54 Stage Ⅲ and 37 Stage ⅣA. IMRT was carried out with Peacock plan. The prescription dose to the gross target volume(GTVnx) of nasopharyngeal tumor was 68 Gy, that of positive neck lymph nodes (GTVnd) was 60-66 Gy, clinical target volume 1 (CTV1) was 60 Gy, and CTV2 was 54 Gy. Results After a median follow-up time of 48 months (range 10.5-59.5 months), the 3-and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 95.7 % and 89.7 %, the disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.5 % and 87.2%, and the local-regional control rates were 94.0 % and 91.5 %. Univariate analysis showed the KPS, stage, Fuzhou clinical stage, status of blood platelet before treatment and uric acid after treatment were correlated with OS rate. T stage was the only independent factor of prognosis in the COX stepwise regression model. Conclusion Radical IMRT significantly prolongs the survival of NPC patients. T stage is the only independent prognostic factor for NPC patients.

To obtain oleaginous yeast mutants with improved lipid production and growth rates, an atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) jet was used with a 96-well plate for high throughput screening. Mutants with changes in growth rates and lipid contents were obtained. At a lethality rate of 99%, the positive mutation rate of the yeast cells was 27.2% evaluated by the growth rates of the mutants and the comparison with the wild strain. The fermentation in a medium composed of yeast extract (10 g/L), peptone (10 g/L) and D-glucose (20 g/L) resulted in the lipid yield of the mutant (C4) with 4.07% (W/W) compared with that of the wild strain (1.87%).
Atmosphere ; Biofuels ; Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Glucose ; pharmacology ; Lipids ; biosynthesis ; Mutation ; Peptones ; pharmacology ; Temperature ; Yeasts ; genetics ; growth & development ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence and risk factors of prehypertension among adults in mainland China and identify the high-risk population.

METHODSSix databases including Chinese Biological Medical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database (WF), PubMed and Web of Knowledge were searched for publications documenting the incidence and risk factors of prehypertension among general population in Chinese adults. Eligible studies were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria for meta-analysis using Stata software and RevMan software.

RESULTSTwenty-one published studies were finally included. The results showed that the incidence of prehypertension was 37% in Chinese adults. The pooled SMD (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 0.37 (0.29-0.46) for body mass index, 0.20 (0.12-0.27) for fasting blood glucose (FPG), 0.17 (0.15-0.19) for total cholesterol (TC), 0.22 (0.17-0.27) for triglyceride (TG), 0.13 (0.10-0.15) for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and -0.07 (-0.16-0.02) for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). For smoking, drinking and family history of hypertension, the pooled OR (95% CI) were 1.44 (1.40-1.47), 1.60 (1.44-1.79), and 1.19 (1.04-1.35), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of prehypertension among adults in mainland China is relatively high, especially in males. BMI, FBG, TC, TG, LDL-C, smoking, drinking and family history of hypertension are positively related to prehypertension, and early intervention is recommended to reverse these modifiable risk factors.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Male ; Prehypertension ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Triglycerides

Objective To investigate the detection situation of prehypertension among the permanent residents aged more than 15 years old in partial districts and counties of Chongqing City,and to analyze its influencing factors.Methods The stratified 4-stage random sampling method was used to conduct the questionnaire survey and physical examination on the permanent residents aged &ge;15 years old in the districts of Qianjiang and Yongchuan and counties of Liangping and Bishan.Results The detection rate of prehypertension in these districts and counties was 42.72 ％,the detection rate of rural area was higher than that in city (47.85 ％vs.37.53 ％,P＜0.01),and male was higher than female (48.30 ％ vs.37.31％).The prehypertension detection rate in male and female was decreased after the age of 55 years old (x2=27.14,20.29,P＜0.01).The multivariate unconditional Logistic regression results suggested that the risk factors of prehypertension included the rural area,age (＞ 25 years old),male,overweight/obesity and alcohol consumption.The prehypertension protective factors were Tujia nationality(OR=0.83,P＜0.01).Conclusion The detection rate of prehypertension is relatively high among the residents aged &ge; 15 years old in partial districts and counties of Chongqing City.Therefore the intervention on the living style and behaviors among the population in prehypertension should be strengthened.

BACKGROUNDThe production of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells was usually very low according to previous studies, which was a major obstacle for meeting the needs of clinical application. This study aimed at investigating whether astrocytes could promote production of NSCs derived from ES cells in vitro.

METHODSMouse ES cells line-D3 was used to differentiate into NSCs with astrocytes as inducing stromal cells by means of three-stage differentiation procedure. Another group without astrocytes served as control. The totipotency of ES cells was identified by observation of cells' morphology and formation of teratoma in severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) mice. The quantity and purity of NSCs derived from ES cells were analyzed using clonogenic assay, immunohistochemical staining and flow cytometry assay. The plasticity of NSCs was detected by differentiating test. Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4) and nestin, the specific marker genes of ES cells and NSCs respectively, were detected continuously using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method to monitor the process of cell differentiation.

RESULTSThe ES cells of D3 line could maintain the ability of differentiating into cellular derivations of all three primary germ layers after continuous passage culture. At the end of two-stage of inducing process, 23.2 +/- 3.5 neurospheres per plate formed in astrocyte-induced group and only 0.8 +/- 0.3 per plate in the control group (clonogenic assay, P < 0.01), and the ratio of nestin positive cells was (50.2 +/- 2.8)% in astrocyte-induced group and only (1.4 +/- 0.5)% in the control group (flow cytometry, P < 0.01). With the induction undergoing, the expression of Oct-4 gradually decreased and then disappeared, while the expression of nestin was increased step by step, and the ratio of nestin positive cells was up to 91.4% by the three-stage differentiation. The nestin positive cells could be further induced into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes in differentiating medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. The results of differentiating test showed that the ratio of NF-200 and NSE positive cells was (42.7 +/- 2.6)% in astrocyte-induced group and only (11.2 +/- 1.8)% in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAstrocytes can not only increase the production of NSCs derived from ES cells but also promote the differentiation of NSCs toward neuronal lineage.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; physiology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Lineage ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; Mice ; Neurons ; cytology ; Stem Cells ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo explore whether transplantation of autologous bone marrow stem cells might augment angiogenesis and collateral vessel formation in a canine model of hindlimb ischemia.

METHODSCD34(+) stem cells were centrifugation through Ficoll and an immune magnetic cell sorting system from bone marrow (20 ml) of canine (n = 5) and induced into endothelial cells with VEGF in vitro, and expression of von Willebrand factor. Bilateral hindlimb ischemia was surgically induced in canines and Dil fluorescence labeled autologous stem cells were transplanted into the ischemic tissues.

RESULTSFour weeks after transplantation, fluorescence microscopy revealed that transplanted cells were incorporated into the capillary network among preserved skeletal myocytes. The stem cells transplanted group had more angiographically detectable collateral vessels, a higher capillary density (12.0 +/- 2.8 vs. 5.0 +/- 1.6 per field; t = 4.17 P < 0.05) and a higher ABI (0.58 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.32 +/- 0.11; t = 2.95, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDirect local transplantation of autologous bone marrow CD34(+) stem cells seems to be a useful strategy for therapeutic neovascularization in ischemic tissues in adults, consistent with "therapeutic vasculogenesis."

Animals ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Cell Differentiation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; chemistry ; cytology ; physiology ; Hindlimb ; blood supply ; Ischemia ; therapy ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic