italic>Ardisia crispa (Thunb.) A. DC. is a traditional Miao medicinal herb with significant therapeutic effects in the treatment of sore throat, tonsillitis, edema of nephritis and bruising and rheumatism, etc. Ardisia crispa var. amplifolia and Ardisia crispa var. dielsii are varieties of A. crispa. A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii are controversial in terms of species evolutionary relationships and taxonomic identification. In this study, we sequenced the whole genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii chloroplasts using Illumina platform, assembled, annotated and characterized them, compared the structural features and degree of variation among chloroplast genomes using bioinformatics methods, and also downloaded constructing phylogenetic trees to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of chloroplasts in Primulaceae and Myrsinaceae using whole genome sequence information. The results showed that the complete chloroplast genome sequences of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were 156 749 bp and 156 748 bp in length, with 132 genes annotated, including 87 protein-coding genes; the codon preference of A/U was greater than that of G/C; The differences in the coding regions of rps15 and rpoB genes in the comparative genome analysis can be used as loci for molecular identification of the two species; the differences in the coding regions of ycf1, ycf2, rpoC1, ycf3, petD and rpl16 genes in the chloroplast genome compared with those of the same genus can be used as loci for identification of the genus. In the phylogenetic results, A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii were clustered together with 100% support, indicating that they are closely related. In this research, we analyzed the chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic relationships of A. crispa var. amplifolia and A. crispa var. dielsii, providing an important theoretical basis for their molecular identification, genetic variation, breeding and phylogenetic analysis.

Objective To investigate the level and influencing factors for self-efficacy among elders with hypertension in Zhoushan and to provide the reference for improving the self-efficacy of elders with hypertension. Methods The stratified sampling method was used to select elders with hypertension from 4 streets (townships) in urban and rural of Zhoushan in 2016. Four communities were selected from each street (townships) as sample units and using the random sampling to select 50 patients from every community. The investigation was performed with unified questionnaire. The influencing factors for self-efficacy were analyzed with logistic regression. Results The average score of the self-efficacy was 34.13±5.17. Among the investigated 738 elders with hypertension, more than half of them were scored 1ess than 2 in two items, which were blood pressure monitoring (86.99％) and persistent physical exercise (50.95％) . Scoring index of compliance behavior of hypertension was the lowest, only 63.93％ . By multivariate logistic regression analysis, those patients who were female (OR=2.34, 95％ CI: 1.55-3.53) , educated (ORprimary=1.72, 95％ CI: 1.09-2.69; ORjunior =2.25, 95％ CI: 1.13-4.46;ORsenior and above=2.46, 95％ CI: 1.06-5.71), with high level of drug compliance (ORmedium=1.72, 95％CI: 1.09-2.69; ORhigh=2.12, 95％ CI: 1.38-3.26) were more likely to get high level of self-efficacy. Patients who monitored blood pressure only uncomfortable were more likely to get low level of self-efficacy (OR=0.22, 95％ CI: 0.08-0.68) . Conclusion More than half of community-dwelling elders with hypertension had a middle level self-efficacy in Zhoushan, who need further improvement. Corresponding interventions should be developed to strengthen the self-efficacy, which can help patients improve self-management of hypertension and establish a healthy life style.

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-myeloma activity of interleukin-2 activated bone marrow (ABM).

METHODSBone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) from multiple myeloma and iron-deficiency anemia patients were cultured in the presence of rIL-2. The anti-myeloma activity of ABM against U266 cells, cells expressing surface CD45, CD38, CD138, the levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in ABM culture supernatant were measured with MTT method, flow cytometry and ELISA method respectively after bone marrow was activated with rIL-2 for 24 and 72 hours.

RESULTSThe tumor-killing activities against U266 cells of ABM were significantly increased compared with that of non-activated bone marrow (NBM) at 72 hours [(69.70 +/- 26.57)% vs (43.20 +/- 12.39)%, P < 0.05] and 24 hours [(34.25 +/- 11.93)% vs (26.53 +/- 5.48)%]. The CD45(-)CD38(+)CD138(+) cells of ABM from myeloma group at 72 hours were decreased from (8.46 +/- 3.66)% to (4.79 +/- 1.56)% (P < 0.05). TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were detectable after cultured for 24 hours in both normal control group and myeloma group and went higher at 72 hours. The level of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were significantly increased in ABM compared with that in NBM (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was a positive relationship between the level of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and cytotoxicity of ABM from normal control group at 24 hours and 72 hours (P < 0.05), and was a negative relationship between TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels and the CD45(-)CD38(+)CD138(+) cells in myeloma group at 72 hours (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNormal BMMNCs activated with rIL-2 have tumor-killing activities against U266 cells. Myeloma cells and tumor burden were decreased in myeloma bone marrow after the marrow was activated with rIL-2. Production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma from bone marrow cells including T cells, monocyte-macrophages and NK cells activated with rIL-2 might be involved in anti-myeloma activity of ABM.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-2 ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; immunology ; pathology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis

ObjectiveTo investigate the CT and MRI characteristic features of neuroendocrine carcinoma in paranasal sinuses.MethodsCT and MRI findings of 10 patients with proved neuroendocrine carcinoma by pathology were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent plain and enhanced MRI scanning,and 9 patients also underwent CT manning.ResultsThere were 5 males and 5 females with mean age of (48 ± 9 ) years old,ranging from 27 to 57 years.The treatment time after symptoms onset ranged from 1 to 4 months,with the median of 2 months.Clinical symptoms were headache and vision loss,hyposmia and yellow nasal discharge,and exophthalmos.The lesions were located in the ethmoidal sinus ( n =6 ),maxillary sinus ( n =2),and bilateral sphenoid sinus ( n =5 ).The lesions were symmetrical in the sphenoid sinus.Pathology type included typical carcinoid tumor ( n =1 ),atypical carcinoid ( n =1 ),and neuroendocrine carcinoma not otherwise specified ( n =8 ). Immunohistochemical staining showed that neurospecific enolase,synaptophysin,cytokeratin and P53 were all positive.On CT images,lesions showed isointensity (n =1 ),iso- to hypointense (n =4 ),and iso- to hyperintense (n =4 ) with hypointense or hyperintense spots.Bone changes included bony absorption and sclerosis ( n =1 ) with a clear margin in typical carcinoid tumor,and moth-eaten bone destruction in other 8 cases( n =8).The lesions were isointense on T1-weighted images,and isointense (n =4) or mixed iso- to hyperintense on T2-weighted images (n =6).Lesions showed mild to medium heterogeneous enhancement ( n =7 ) or marked enhancement ( n =3 )on gadolinium-enhanced images.Time-signal intensity curve ( TIC ) showed plateau type in 2 cases.The aggressive nature of the tumors was demonstrated by invasion of adjacent structures,involvement of nasal cavity( n =9 ),orbits ( n =7 ),pterygopalatine fossa ( n =4 ),ethmoidalsinus and sphenoid ( n =3 ),clivus ossis occipitalis(n =2),cavernous sinus and internal carotid canal(n =2),optic canal(n =2),jugular fossa ( n =1 ),anterior fossa ( n =1 ),apex partis petrosae ossis temporalis ( n =1 ),meninges ( n =1 ),temporal fossa and infratemporal fossa ( n =1 ),pharyngonasal cavity and parapharyngeal space ( n =1 ).ConclusionsThere are different CT features in different pathological types of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses,and MRI can demonstrate the invasive extent accurately. CT combined MRI can provide more comprehensive information in the diagnosis and therapy.

Heart Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; surgery ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography

Background Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a monogenic inheritance and blinding disease of fundus oculi.There is not an effective therapeutic method now.Objective This work was to identify the mutations of RP1 gene in Chinese RP patients in Ningxia area and to explore the potential interactions in the pathogenesis of RP.Methods The periphery blood of 3-5 ml was collected from 110 individuals with RP(35 ADRP and 75SRP)and 100 normal controls in Ningxia area.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequencing were used to screening the sequence alterations in the entire coding region and splice sites of RP1 gene.Multivariate analysis and two web-based programs( PolyPhen and SIFT) were used to analyze the results.Results Eleven mutation locus were detected in the exon 4 of RP1 gene including two novel sequence variants:p.Lys1152Lys without a higher mutation rate in comparison with normal control group(x2 =9.12 P＜0.01 ),but c.* 247A＞C with a higher mutation rate in comparison with normal control group(x2 =12.77,P＜0.01 ) and c.* 247A＞C mutation was thought to be correlated with RP( r=1.11,P＜0.05 ).The other ten mutation locus were reported as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP).The mutation rate of p.Gln1725Gln was found to be higher in the RP patients than the normal controls (x2 =42.09,P＜0.01 ),but no the significant correlation was seen between the pathogenesis of RP and mutation of p.Gln1725Gln(r=1.74,P＞0.05).p.Lys1152Lys mutation was found in only 1 patient.Three SNPs( p.Arg872His,Ala1670Thr,Ser1691Pro) were always occurred in the same 83 RP patient and the relevance ratio was higher than controls ( P＜0.01 ).The age of night blindness on patients with concurrent three mutations was (30.54± 13.68 ) years,and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.50 ± 0.38.The age of night blindness on patients without concurrent three mutations was(21.06± 16.24) years,and the BCVA was 0.40 ±0.33 and were higher than controls ( t =2.11,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions In this study,the prevalence of RP1 mutations among the RP patients in Ningxia population was lower than other populations (＜ 1％ ).The alliance of SNPs (p.Arg872His、p.Ala1670Thr、p.Ser1691Pro) may play a protective role on RP patients and reduce the frequency of mutatiaon in RP1 gene.

Objective： There were variations of EBV genome from different areas and they may affect the biologic function of EBV (such as LMP1). EBV-BARF0 was highly detected in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) and it s variations have not been reported. This study was designed to determine the sequence and variation of EBV-BARF0 gene in the patieats with NPC from Guangdong area. Methods： PCR was used to amplify the EBV-BARF0 gene in 20 patients with NPC and the productions were sequenced on the ABI377. Results： Comparing with standard B95-8, there were four loci with variances including： 160473 （ G→ T） , 160545 （ C→ T） , 160701 （ C→ A） , 160707 （ G→ C） of sequences and 2 （ Ala→ Ser） , 26 （ Leu→ Phe） , 78 （ Arg→ Ser） , 80 （ Ala→ Pro） of amino acid in 20 patients with NPC. Conclusion： Since the BARF0 gene of EBV is expressed in all nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line and biopsies, but it is not expressed or less frequenly in lymphoma tissues and cell lines,the authors firstly reported the variation of EBV-BARF0 which compared with B95-8 in the patieats with NPC from Guangdong area. These suggest that the gene may play an important role in the carcinogenesis and development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVESTo detect the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of circulating DNA in the plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to assess its potential as a clinical predictive marker.

METHODSThree high-polymorphic microsatellite markers D8S277, D8S298 and D8S1771 located at chromosome 8p were selected to detect LOH in plasma DNA of 62 HCC patients. The associations between LOH and its clinicopathological features, including HBsAg, liver cirrhosis, serum AFP level, tumor size, tumor cell differentiation, and intrahepatic metastasis were also examined.

RESULTSIn plasma DNA of the 62 HCC patients, LOH was found at one or several loci in 36 (58.1%), and heterozygosity at D8S277, D8S298, and D8S1771 loci was 74.2% (46/62), 75.8% (47/62), and 69.4% (43/62), respectively. LOH frequency at D8S277, D8S298 and D8S1771 was 32.6% (15/46), 44.7% (21/47), and 46.5% (20/43), respectively. LOH in plasma DNA was more frequently detected in the patients with intrahepatic cancer metastasis than those without metastasis (62.5 percent vs. 26.1 percent, P < 0.05); however, no statistically significant correlations were observed between LOH at these loci and other clinicopathological features analyzed in this study.

CONCLUSIONSLOH at D8S298 in plasma DNA may be a potential predictive marker of intrahepatic metastatic recurrence after surgical resection of the HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; DNA ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular mechanisms of nm23-H1 for regulating PKC signal pathway before and after transfection with nm23-H1 gene.

METHODSUsing Western-blot, Boyden-chamber, MTT and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) techniques to detect the distribution of PKC in cytosol and plasma membrane, changes of invasion and proliferation activity, PKC translocation status and changes of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration among different human pulmonary carcinoma cells with transfected or untransfected nm23-H1 gene, and changes of the three cell lines after treatment with Calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor.

RESULTS(1) The expression of PKCalpha, PKCbeta II on L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell membrane, which was in activated status, was remarkably higher than those in L9981-nm23-H1 cell line (P < 0.001). The expression of PKCalpha, PKCbeta II in cytosol in L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell lines, which was in inactivated status, was lower than those in L9981-nm23-H1 cell line (P < 0.001). It means that the PKC signal pathway was activated in L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell lines. (2) PKCalpha and PKCbeta II mainly located in nuclei and perinuclear area in L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cells, which were in active status, and the Ca(2+) concentration in these cells was obviously higher than that in L9981-nm23-H1 cell line (P < 0.01). In L9981-nm23-H1 cell line, which was transfected with nm23-H1 gene, PKCalpha and PKCbeta II mainly located in soluble cytosolic section, in an inactive status. (3) The invasion and proliferation ability of L9981 and L9981-pLXSN lung cancer cells was higher than that of L9981-nm23-H1 cell line (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell lines (P > 0.05). (4) After treated with PKC inhibitor Calphstin C, the expression of PKC and PKCbeta II in membrane in L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell lines was down-regulated (P < 0.001), PKCalpha and PKCbeta II were mainly located in cytosolic area, mainly in an inactive status, and the Ca(2+) concentration was found to be decreased in all the three cell lines. The invasion and proliferation ability of the three lung cancer cell lines were obviously decreasing (P < 0.001). However, the invasion and proliferation ability of L9981-nm23-H1 lung cancer cell line was still lower than that of L9981 and L9981-pLXSN lung cancer cell lines (P < 0.001). There was also no significant difference between L9981 and L9981-pLXSN cell lines (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study suggest that nm23-H1 gene might inhibit the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer cells by down-regulating PKC signaling pathway. The Ca(2+) in cells might be involved in this process.

Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytosol ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; genetics ; Naphthalenes ; pharmacology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Protein Kinase C ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Protein Kinase C beta ; Protein Kinase C-alpha ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo establish rabbit model of scoliosis induced with stable asymmetric lumbar loads.

METHODSScoliosis was induced in 10 two-month-old New Zealand rabbits using 316L stainless steel springs placed between the unilateral transverse processes of L2 and L5. Serial radiographs were documented before and at 1, 4, 8, 9 and 12 weeks after the operation. At weeks, the rabbits were randomly divided into SR group (n=5) with the spring removed and SK group (n=5) without spring removal.

RESULTSAll the rabbits survived the experiment with Cobb angle all greater than 10 degree at the end of the experiment. Significant changes were found in the Cobb angles and kyphotic angles at 1, 4 and 8 weeks after the operation (P<0.05). At 8 weeks, the Cobb angle, the kyphotic angle and the length of the spring were similar between SR and SK groups (P>0.05), and in the 4 weeks following spring removal in SR group, the Cobb angle and the kyphosis decreased significantly compared with those in SK group (P<0.05). Micro-CT showed that the BV/TV of the concave side was greater than that of the convex side. The length of the spring did not show obvious changes during the experiment (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAsymmetric lumbar loading is a convenient, time-saving, and highly reproducible approach for establishing rabbit models of scoliosis.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Rabbits ; Scoliosis ; physiopathology ; Spine ; pathology