In this study, we aimed to investigate the influences of conditioned medium from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) on cancer stem cell phenotype of human hepatoma cells. HUVEC and human hepatoma cells (MHCC97H) were cultured, respectively, and then the MHCC97H cells were co-cultured with conditioned medium from HUVEC (EC-CM) with Transwell system. Anti-cancer drug sensitivity, colony-formation, migration/invasion ability, expression of cancer stem cell marker and sphere formation were performed to determine the cancer stem cell phenotype in MHCC97H cells. We found that MHCC97H cells co-cultured with EC-CM exhibited significantly higher colony-formation ability and lower sensitivity of anti-cancer drugs 5-FU and Cis. Transwell assay showed that treatment with EC-CM obviously increased migration and invasion of MHCC97H cells. Moreover, increased sphere forming capability and expression of CD133 in MHCC97H cells were observed after co-cultured with EC-CM. These results suggested that EC-CM could promote cancer stem cell phenotype of hepatoma cells.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; chemistry ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Phenotype

Both sides of the picornavirus genome have 5'-untranslated region (5'UTR) and 3'- untranslated region (3'UTR). This study demontrated that both the 5'-and 3'-UTR can form complex structures, such as stem-loop, clover and pseudoknot structure, These structures play an important role in the regulaton of the replication and translation of the viruses. This article reviewed the progress of research on the structure and function of picornavirus' 3'-UTR over recent years.
3' Untranslated Regions ; Animals ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; Picornaviridae ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Picornaviridae Infections ; virology ; RNA, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism

China ; Cognition ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ; Humans ; Length of Stay

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of multi-slice CT(MSCT)angiography in the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis.Methods Fourteen patients underwent MSCT angiography with use of 90 ml contrast media at a rate of 3.5 ml/s.Images were generated for vascular assessment with various reconstructional techniques,including multi-planar reformat(MPR),maximum intensity projection(MIP), volume rendering(VR),CT virtual endoscopy(CTVE)and advanced vessel analysis(AVA).Results MSCT angiography findings was consistent with the clinical changes of Takayasu's arteritis in all cases.The integrated information including reconstructional and transverse images clearly presented various luminal abnormalities,such as stenosis,occlusion and dilatation in the affected aorta,as well as its major branches and collateral circulation.Furthermore,it depicted mural abnormities,especially concentric arterial wall thickening.Steno-occlusive type(8/14)was more common than mixed type(6/14).According to Lupi- Herrea's classification,type Ⅰ in 5 cases,type Ⅱ in 2,type Ⅲ in 6 and type Ⅳ in 1 were recorded in the present study.Conclusion MSCT angiography is reliable imaging modality for the detection of Takayasu's arteritis.It is useful for early diagnosis because it allows evaluation of wall thickness rather than merely the luminal diameter,which is especially important for prognosis.It might be used as the first choice in the diagnosis of this disease as a simple,convenient and noninvasive method.

To detect lesions of brain CT automatically, a statistical atlas of attribute vectors (SAAV) was designed and created to describe the multiple features of medical images. By comparing the features of study image with those of SAAV, we successfully detected various kinds of brain lesion. It was demonstrated that the algorithm is effective in detecting various kinds of lesions found on brain CT images. Further studies are needed to make the algorithm more acceptable.
Algorithms ; Brain Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of glypican-3 (GPC3) mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and peripheral blood cells (PBCs), and to determine the values of GPC3 mRNA in the diagnosis of HCC and HCC micrometastasis.

METHODSUsing semi-quantitative and nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR), we detected the expressions of AFP and GPC3 genes in the tissues of 41 HCC, 41 paracancer and 52 non-HCC liver samples (41 far from HCC tissues and 11 normal liver tissues), and in the PBCs of 67 specimens from subjects.

RESULTSThe semi-quantitative RT-PCR displayed GPC3 mRNA was expressed in all samples of tissues and PBCs, and the relative intensities of its expressions in HCC, paracancer, non-HCC liver tissues were 78.9 +/- 35.5, 30.6 +/- 21.6, 23.8 +/- 15.5 respectively. The AFP mRNA expression values were 61.2 +/- 32.6, 31.5 +/- 23.6, and 21.2 +/- 15.9 respectively. The expression of each gene in HCC differed significantly from those in other two kinds of tissue samples (P < 0.01). The expressions of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA, accounting for 80.5% and 63.4% in all the HCC tissues, were higher than their respective peak values in the tissues of non-HCC liver (+1.96s), but the expressions of at least one of the two genes was elevated in 92.7% of all the HCC tissues. There was a significant difference between combined detection of two genes and single AFP mRNA detection in HCC tissues (P < 0.01). Clinicopathologically, AFP mRNA was related with the grade of HCC and serum AFP, while GPC3 mRNA was related with not only the grade of HCC but also the invasion of HCC. The relative intensities of GPC3 mRNA expressions in PBCs of 67 specimens was 15.9 +/- 9.0, and GPC3 mRNA expressed in three kinds of tissue samples were all stronger than its counterparts in PBCs (P < 0.01). The GPC3 mRNA expression values in PBCs of the HCC group and the non-HCC group were respectively 16.1 +/- 8.3, 15.6 +/- 10.2, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Of the HCC metastasis group and the HCC non-metastasis group, the respective GPC3 mRNA expression values in PBCs were 16.0 +/- 9.0 and 16.3 +/- 7.7, there was also no significant difference between the two groups. The nested RT-PCR showed that the positive rates of AFP mRNA expressions in PBCs from the HCC group and the non-HCC group were 56.1% and 23.1%, and the difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.011). The positive rates of AFP mRNA expressions in PBCs from the HCC metastasis group and the HCC non-metastasis group were 80.9% and 30.0%, and there was also a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONSAlthough GPC3 mRNA is expressed broadly, it still may serve as a potential tissue biomarker in the diagnosis of HCC. Detecting the expression of the two genes in the tissues will improve the screening and diagnosis of HCC. GPC3 is prevalently transcribed in the PBCs, but we have not found any relationship between the GPC3 expression in PBCs and the metastasis or recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, thus we can not identify HCC micrometastasis with GPC3 mRNA.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Glypicans ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the feasibility of osteogenic phenotype expression by human skin fibroblasts induced in polyglycolic acid (PGA) foams and the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on the expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptors.

METHODSThe fibroblasts were isolated, purified from human skin. (1) Fibroblasts were seeded onto PGA foams. The cell-PGA complexes were cultured in RCCS for 6 weeks, in the media of TNF-alpha (50 U/ml) and BMP-2 (0.1 microg/ml). 1 d, 3 and 6 weeks later, cells and extracellular matrix were investigated by electron microscopic and histochemistry observation respectively. Secretion of osteogenic markers were analyzed by biochemical methods. (2) Fibroblasts were seeded on the glass fragments or culture flasks and treated with TNF-alpha (50 U/ml) in different usage (one-time, all-time). The RT-PCR method and the immunohistochemistry fluorescence staining were used to examine the influence of TNF-alpha on the mRNA expression and the protein expression of the type I BMP receptors at 2, 4, 6, 8 d after treatment.

RESULTSFibroblasts seeded on the PGA foams formed 3-dimensional matrix 3 weeks after seeding, which was demonstrated as osteo-tissue by tetracycline labeling and ARS staining. Cells secreted much more bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (B-AKP) and osteocalcin (OCN) into supernatant than the cells that were cultured in the media without TNF-a and BMP2. Eight days after all-time usage, the TNF-alpha (50 U/ml) increased the expression of the mRNA and protein of the type IB BMP receptor.

CONCLUSIONSFibroblasts on 3-D cell-foam structures can express osteoblastic phenotype under certain inducing conditions. The numerous fibroblasts in body would be a promising resource for cell seeds candidate of tissue- engineered bone. TNF-alpha provides the essential condition for BMP2's target effect on fibroblasts, and combined use of TNF-alpha and BMP2 is one of the regulating factors.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type II ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; pharmacology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Synergism ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVESTo establish the chronic prostatitis symptom index which more suitable for Chinese to refine and standardize evaluation of current symptoms in men with "chronic prostatitis".

METHODSThe literature of previous work was reviewed to develop a symptom index instrument. There were 18 questions representing three broad categories: pain symptoms, urinary symptoms and other symptoms. To evalute the clinical utility and applicability for Chinese people of this tool, we used it in 100 patients with chronic prostatitis and 100 control patients (40 with benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH; 30 with infertility; 30 with erectile dysfunction).

RESULTSOf the three aspects symptoms, the primary component was pain. But pain in lower back and lower abdomen had less specificity. Pain in the rectal area was not very common but it could well distinguish patients with prostatitis from those BPH, infertility and ED. Urinary symptoms were also common. We used 5 symptom questions in urinary aspect in the last version of this index. In other symptoms, we dropped the question of uncomfortable of waist and back at last. It could not distinguish patients with prostatitis from those infertility and erectile dysfunction. Finally we analyzed the result and modified the new version of chronic prostatitis symptom index. It included 5 pain symptom questions, 5 urinary symptom questions and 2 other symptom questions. There are 12 questions in total.

CONCLUSIONSThe chronic prostatitis symptom index we developed was validated and useful in clinical practice as well as research protocols. Moreover, it was more suitable for Chinese people.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; etiology ; Prostatitis ; ethnology ; physiopathology ; Severity of Illness Index

Since late 2010, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has been re-emerging in central China. To explore the possible reason of the PEDV outbreaks, twelve PEDV field strains were isolated from different swine breeding farms in central China during 2010-2012, and molecular diversity, phylogenetic relationships of these strains with other PEDV reference strains were investigated. Sequence analysis of S, M and ORE3 genes revealed that the central China PEDV isolates had several specific nucleotides and amino acids which were different from PEDV reference strains. In addition, the entire S genes of eleven central China PEDV isolates were found to be nine nucleotides longer in length than CV777 and large number of amino acid variations was accumulated in the N-terminal region of S gene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the central China PEDV isolates had close relationship with Korea strains (2007-2009), Thailand strains (2007-2008), Vietnam strains (2009-2010), Japan strains (2010), and other prevailing strains from other parts of China (2010-2012). However, they differed genetically from European strains (CV777, Brl/87), China strains (2003-2007) and the vaccine strains (CV777) used in China. These results imply that a rapid variation and evolution of central China PEDV strains has occurred in recent years, and a more efficient vaccine strain should be selected to prevent and control outbreaks of PEDV in China.
Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Feces ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; Phylogeny ; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

Based on the deep analysis of existing fingerprint identification algorithms, this article proposes an integrative solution to adopt the fingerprint identification technology into EMRS Electronic Medical Records System. It may improve the security of EMRS and raise the working efficiency of physicians effectively.
Algorithms ; Dermatoglyphics ; Humans ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized