Esophagus ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is the initiator of RNA interference and inhibits gene expression by targeted degradation of specific messenger RNA. siRNA-mediated gene regulation has high efficiency and specificity and exhibits great significance in the treatment of diseases. However, the naked or unmodified siRNA has poor stability, easy to degrade by nuclease, short half-life, and low intracellular delivery. As an emerging non-viral nucleic acid delivery system, ionizable lipid nanoparticles play an important role in improving the druggability of siRNA. At present, one siRNA drug based on ionizable lipid nanoparticles has been approved for the treatment of rare disease. This review introduces the research progress in ionizable lipid nanoparticles for siRNA delivery, focusing on the effect of each component of lipid nanoparticles on the efficiency of siRNA-mediated gene silencing, which provides new references for the studies on ionizable lipid nanocarriers for siRNA delivery.

OBJECTIVETo construct a cDNA library of osteosarcoma SAOS-2 cells and screen the proteins interacting with the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) to explore the role of BMP-2 in the development of prostate cancer.

METHODSThe total RNA was extracted from SAOS-2 cells, from which poly(A)(+)RNA was purified to generate the cDNA using RT-PCR with primer SMARTIII and primer CDSIIIoligo(dT). The library was constructed and screened by cotransformation of the double-stranded cDNA (dscDNA) and linearized pGADT7-Rec with the bait plasmid to the yeast AH109. The proteins interacting with BMP-2 were screened by AH109 mating with the bait strain Y187, and the interaction was confirmed using far-Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe cDNA library of human osteosarcoma SAOS-2 cells was constructed, which was characterized by high diversity and sufficient capacity. The dscDNA size range was between 250-5000 bp, with a cotransformation efficiency of 4.3 x 10(5) and recombination efficiency of 1.9 x 10(6), and 4.3 x 10(5) clones were screened. The mating efficiency was 32% and 1.0 x 10(6) clones were screened by the bait of BMP-2, and 4 positive clones was obtained and sequenced.

CONCLUSIONThe diversity and capacity of the cDNA library meet the needs for screening genes related to prostate cancer.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Male ; Osteosarcoma ; genetics ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; RNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques

Objective To explore the clinical application of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in gastroin- testinal nutrition among critically ill patients.Methods Twenty-two patients were undertaken percutaneous endo- scopic gastrostomy under the lead of gastroscope.The puncturatio site was located in anterior wall of stomach.Results All the procedures were performed successfully for one time.Intraoperational blood pressure was very steady.At the same time,intraoperational SpO_2 of the patients all exceeced 97%.The bleeding amount and operation time were respectively (3.8?1.9) ml and (15.5?2.3) min.Severe complications such as gastrostoma,gastrocolic fistula, pneumoperitoneum,refluxing or aspiration of gastric juice,inhalant pneumonia didn't occur after the operation.Con- clusion Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was safe and feasible among critically ill patients who needed gastroin- testinal nutrition because of its slight injury,little bleeding and shorter operational time.

Objective To investigate the distribution of blood vessels and the relationship of angiogenesis with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in meningiomas.Methods Fifteen specimens of meningiomas,collected in our hospital during the resection and conformed by pathology from May 2010 to March 2011,were chosen; 4 different tissues from each specimen were taken,including the tail sign,base center,tumor' s center and tumor' s margin; three successive slices were made from each tissue part.Envision immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expressions of CD34,VEGF and HIF-1α and their different distributions were compared.Results CD34 mainly disturbed in the cell membrane and cytoplasm,showing yellow granules in the dyeing; VEGF located at the cytoplasm of the tumor cells,while HIF-1α mainly at the nucleus.The expressions of CD34,VEGF and HIF-1α in the tail sign and tumor's margin were significantly higher than those in the MVD in the base center and tumor's center (P＜0.05).Positive correlations between expressions of VEGF and MVD,expressions of HIF-1α and MVD,as well as expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF were noted (r=0.960,P=0.040; r=0.964,P=0.036; r=0.998,P=0.002).Conclusion The angiogenesis in the periphery ofmeningiomas is much richer than that in the center; H1F-1α and VEGF may induce and promote the angiogenesis of meningiomas.

AIMTo study the effect of curcumin on pulmonary arterial pressure and type I collagen of pulmonary arterioles in pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia.

METHODSThirty six rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC), hypoxic hypercapnic group (HH) and hypoxic hypercapnia + curcumin group (HC). Collagen I in pulmonary arterioles was observed by the technique of immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS(1) The findings from hemodynamics showed that the mPAP in group HH was significantly higher than that in group NC and HC. Differences of mCAP among groups were not significant (P > 0.05). (2) Light microscopy showed the value of WA/TA (vessel wall area/total area), SMC (the density of medial smooth muscle cells) and thickness of pulmonary arterial media smooth cell layer(PAMT) were significantly higher in group HH than group NC (P < 0.01) and group HC (P < 0.01). (3) Electron microscopy showed that structure of the endothelial cells in pulmonary arterioles in group HC was near to normal, and the proliferation of medial smooth muscle cells and collagen fibers in adventitia was much lighter than those of group HH. (4) Expression of collagen I in pulmonary arterioles was significantly higher in group HH than group NC (P < 0.01) and group HC (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin can decrease pulmonary arterial pressure, improve pulmonary vessel remodeling and inhibit the deposition of collagen I in pulmonary arterioles.

Animals ; Arterioles ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Matrix ; metabolism ; Hypercapnia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study the possible relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-238G/A gene polymorphism and the susceptibility to intrauterine HBV infection.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifty-six children, including 130 infants born to HBsAg positive mothers were divided into two groups: forty-five children with intrauterine HBV infection (group I) and 85 children without intrauterine HBV infection (group II), with a control group of 126. TNF-alpha-238G/A gene polymorphism was examined in all 256 children, by means of real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR.

RESULTSA significant difference of TNF-alpha-238A allele frequency was found between group I and group II (x2=6.797, P=0.009), and between group I and the controls group (x2=0.047, P=0.002), but there was no significant difference between group II and the control groups (x2=0.047, p=0.828).

CONCLUSIONThis study found that genetic polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-a was associated with intrauterine HBV infection

Adult ; Child ; Disease Susceptibility ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; transmission ; Humans ; Infant ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Tumor Necrosis Factors ; genetics

Child ; Female ; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis ; complications ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; etiology ; Lupus Nephritis ; complications

This paper reviewed the advances on effective constituents and biological activities of coumarins in recent ten years. Coumarins are a group of important natural compounds, and have been found to have multi-biological activities such as anti-HIV, anti-tumor, anti-hypertension, anti-arrhythmia, anti-osteoporosis, assuaging pain, preventing asthma and antisepsis. Therefore, further investigation should emphasize on improving techniques for extraction and separation, searching the effective precursory compound, and synthesizing and screening out courmarin derivatives with high activity and low toxicity.
Animals ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; pharmacology ; Anti-HIV Agents ; pharmacology ; Antihypertensive Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Coumarins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

ITS2 sequence was used as a barcode to identify herbal tea ingredient Plumeria rubra and its adulterants. Genomic DNAs from forty eight samples were extracted, the ITS2 sequences were amplified and sequenced bi-direstionlly, and then assembled and obtained using CodonCode Aligner. The sequences were aligned using ClustalW, the genetic distances were computed by kimura 2-parameter (K2P) model and the Neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic trees were constructed using MEGA5.0. Results showed that the length of ITS2 sequence of P. rubra were 244 bp. The intra-specific genetic distances (0-0. 016 6) were much smaller than inter-specific ones between P. rubra and its adulterants(0.320 8-0.650 4). The NJ tree indicated that P. rubra and its adulterants could be distinguished clearly. Therefore, Using ITS2 barcode can accurately andeffectively distinguish herbal tea ingredient P. rubra from its adulterants, which providesa new molecular method to identify P. rubra and ensure its safety in use.
Apocynaceae ; classification ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer ; genetics ; Drug Contamination ; prevention & control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; classification ; Flowers ; chemistry ; classification ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Quality Control