Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Genes, Viral ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Viral Load ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the protective and anti-apoptosis effects of Rannasangpei (RNSP) on brain ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established and the groups were divided as sham group, MCAO group, vehicle + MCAO group and RNSP + MCAO group. Neuronal deficient signs, brain infarct area, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and the expression of caspase-3 were evaluated by neuronal deficient score, TTC (2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride) staining and Western blot respectively. Results Compared with those parameters in sham group, the neuronal deficient signs, infarct area and caspase-3 expression increased evidently while the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax decreased markedly in MCAO group. But in RNSP+MCAO group, the neuronal deficient signs, infarct area and cas?pase-3 expression decreased greatly while the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax increased markedly compared with those parameters in MCAO group. Conclusion RNSP may have protective effects on brain ischemia and reperfusion, which is related to its an?ti-apoptosis role indicated by upregulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratios and downregulation of caspase-3.

Objective To study the characteristics of dynamic susceptibility-contrast(DSC)MR perfusion curves,color images and perfusion values in pre-operative brain metastasis.Methods Twenty- eight brain metastases underwent DSC MR perfusion imaging by using a first-pass T_2~* echo-planar sequence. The patients' data were transferred to on-line workstation.Time-signal intensity curves,color perfusion maps and rCBV,rMTT values in both tumor parenchyma and peri-tumor edema were analyzed,and independent t- test was used and P0.05).Conclusion Different originated brain metastases have nearly same characteristics in DSC MR perfusion imaging.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology ; physiopathology ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively study medium-term follow-up outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) for patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODSFrom January 2000 to December 2008, 67 patients (88 hip joints) with AS were treated with all ceramic interface THA. And 55 patients (74 hips) were finally followed up. Among them, there were 30 males and 25 females, with an average age of 32.6 (ranged 19 to 58) years old. Sixty-one hips were treated with biological prosthesis and 13 hips were treated with hybrid prosthesis. Fifty-five patients were followed up at least 5 years, with an average of (75.2 +/- 8.6) months. Clinical symptoms and radiography information were evaluated after follow-up.

RESULTSHarris hip score were significantly improved from 30.8 +/- 7.0 preoperatively to 85.2 +/- 5.5 at the last follow-up (P<0.01). The hip movement range increased from (21.2 +/- 8.5) degrees preoperatively to (142.0 +/- 10.2) degrees postoperatively (P<0.01). The 5-year survival of prosthesis was 95.9%. One patient were renovated because of internal wall broken caused by injury, 1 was renovated for infection, 1 was renovated for fracture arround femoral stem prostheses, and 1 was treated with conservative treatment by dislocation. Three cases with abnormal sound were cured with non-operation. 7 cases with heterotopic ossification were not treated, 2 cases with thigh pain received conservative treatment. Bone dissolve around prosthesis, loose and sink of femur and acetabulum prosthesis were occurred in other cases.

CONCLUSIONTHA for the treatment of AS is a reliable method, which has a satisfied medium-term follow-up outcomes.

Adult ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of procyanidins on proliferation and apoptosis of a hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line LNCaP in vitro.

METHODSLNCaP cells were cultured in the presence of procyanidin (at 100, 200 and 300 microg/ml, respectively). After 24, 48 and 72 h of culture, the morphological changes of LNCaP cells were examined, and the inhibition of cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay and cell apoptosis evaluated by flow cytometry.

RESULTSAfter procyanidins treatment, some LNCaP cells presented characteristic morphological changes. Procyanidins inhibited the growth of LNCaP cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis showed that procyanidins induced apoptosis of LNCaP cells and the percentage of apoptotic cells increased with the concentration of procyanidins administered and also the elongation of treatment time.

CONCLUSIONProcyanidins inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of prostate cancer cells.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Proanthocyanidins ; pharmacology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the genetic variation and molecular characteristics of HA gene of influenza A (H1N1) virus isolated in Suzhou during from2009 to 2011.

METHODSViral RNA of 5 Suzhou isolates was isolated and their HA gene were amplified and sequenced by the primers and protocol recommended by WHO, and the sequences together with other sequences downloaded from GenBank were analyzed by several bioinformatics software.

RESULTSCompared with vaccine strain, the average homogeneity of nucleotide and amino acids of 5 Suzhou isolates were between 98.8-99.4% and 98.8-99.4% respectively. All of the 5 strains have 1 amino acids replacement in Sb region and 2 strains have 2 amino acids replacement in Ca region. Strains from and outside Suzhou both showed a trend of clustering by collection year.

CONCLUSIONThe Suzhou strains are still in stable condition although 1-2 amino acids replacement had happened in antigenic sites.

Amino Acid Sequence ; China ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genetic Variation ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

This study aims to analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of HIV-1 strains prevailing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Beijing, China. The pol gene fragments from 250 newly diagnosed HIV-1-infected MSM individuals during 2006-2010 in Beijing were amplified by RT-nested PCR, sequenced, and phylogenetically analyzed. HIV-1 pol gene from 189 individuals were amplified and analyzed; 81 (42. 9%), 3 (1. 6%), 2 (1.0%), 88 (46. 6%), and 15 (7.9%) individuals were infected with HIV-1 subtypes B, B', C, CRF01_AE, and CRF07_BC, respectively. The subtypes B and CRF01_AE could both be grouped into two clusters, and CRFO7_BC strains shared high homology and were presumed to originate from a common ancestor. The HIV-1 circulating in MSM in Beijing had a lower genetic diversity than in heterosexuals. The HIV-1 epidemic (2006-2010) in MSM in Beijing was actually a rapid spread of HIV-1 CRF01 AE and B, or rather native strains of the two viruses.
Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Epidemics ; Genetic Variation ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; HIV-1 ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Homosexuality, Male ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between catecholamine-beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR)-adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) system and long-term prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSThe study population comprised 73 patients with CHF (EF: 23% +/- 10%) with a mean follow-up of 3.8 +/- 1.9 years. Plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) were measured using high performance lipid chromatography, beta-adrenergic receptor density (Bmax) and the content of cAMP in peripheral lymphocytes were calculated using 3H-dihydroalpneolo as ligand and competitive immunoassay, respectively. Deaths due to cardiovascular events within the follow-up period were registered.

RESULTSThe total mortality was 64.7%, 57.4% of which was for cardiogenic (worsening heart failure: 32.4%; sudden death: 25.0%). In the cardiogenic death group, plasma levels of NE and epinephrine (E) (3.74 nmol/L +/- 0.09 nmol/L and 3.17 nmol/L +/- 1.0 nmol/L) and the contents of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP (3.64 pmol/mg protein +/- 1.4 pmol/mg protein) were significantly increased as compared with the survival group (2.68 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L, 2.41 nmol/L +/- 0.24 nmol/L and 2.73 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.9 pmol/mg protein, respectively, all P < 0.01). In the sudden death group, plasma levels of NE and E (5.01 nmol/L +/- 0.06 nmol/L and 4.13 nmol/L +/- 0.08 nmol/L) were significantly increased as compared with the worsening heart failure group (2.49 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L and 2.33 nmol/L +/- 0.8 nmol/L, all P < 0.001) and to the survival group (2.68 nmol/L +/- 0.07 nmol/L and 2.41 nmol/L +/- 0.14 nmol/L, all P < 0.01). The incidences of sudden death were 0%, 75%, and 100% (chi(2) = 16.018, P < 0.01) in patients with plasma NE < 2.5 nmol/L, NE 2.5 nmol/L - 4.5 nmol/L, and NE > 4.5 nmol/L, respectively. In the worsening heart failure group, the content of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP (4.46 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.18 pmol/mg protein) was significantly increased compared with the sudden death group (2.39 pmol/mg protein +/- 0.9 pmol/mg protein, P < 0.001) and to the survival group (2.73 pmol/mg protein +/- 1.1 pmol/mg protein, P < 0.001). The worsening heart failure death occurences were 5.0%, 72.2%, and 100% (chi(2) = 14.26, P < 0.01) in patients with a content of peripheral lymphocyte cAMP < 2.5 nmol/L, cAMP 2.5 nmol/L - 4.5 nmol/L, and cAMP > 4.5 nmol/L, respectively. Bmax in peripheral lymphocyte was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the sudden death, worsening heart failure, and survival groups in CHF patients.

CONCLUSIONSPlasma levels of catecholamine increase significantly, and Bmax and the contents of cAMP in peripheral lymphocytes decrease significantly in patients with CHF. High plasma catecholamine levels may be associated with sudden death, and high intralymphocyte cAMP content may be associated with worsening heart failure in CHF patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Catecholamines ; blood ; Cyclic AMP ; blood ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Heart Failure ; blood ; mortality ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta ; blood

The aim of this study was to investigate apoptotic effect of 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME2) on K562 cells and its mechanism. K562 cells were treated with different concentrations of 2-ME2. MTT assay was used to examine the effect inducing growth inhibition. DNA fragmentation assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining were used to detect the effect of apoptosis. The change of mitochondrial transmembrane potential was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expressions of related gene mRNA and/or proteins were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. The results indicated that the 2-ME2 inhibited proliferation of K562 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manners and the concentration of 50% growth inhibition (IC(50)) was 2 micromol/L at 48 hours. 2-ME2 induced DNA ladder and significantly increased apoptosis in K562 cells when exposed to 2 micromol/L of 2-ME2 for 24, 48 and 72 hours, the result of Annexin-V/PI staining showed that rates of the apoptotic cells were 13.78%, 22.32% and 29.43% respectively, which was remarkably higher than that of control (1.78%) (p < 0.05). The FCM analysis showed that the mitochondrial transmembrane potential in K562 cells lowered after exposed to 1, 2 and 4 micromol/L of 2-ME2 for 24 hours. 2-ME2 down-regulated the expression of bcr/abl and bcl-2, up-regulated the expression of bax mRNA, and down-regulated protein expressions of bcl-2, procaspase-3, procaspase-9, PARP (116 kD) and p-Akt, and up-regulated expression of cytoplasmic Cyto-C and PARP 85 kD apoptosis-related cleavage fragment protein, but had no effect on total Akt protein in K562 cells after treated with 2 micromol/L of 2-ME2 for 24, 48 and 72 hours. It is concluded that the 2-ME2 can induce the apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells by increasing the ratio of bax/bcl-2, reducing the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, releasing cytochrome C to cytoplasm, initiating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and leading in turn to caspase-3 activation. These findings suggest that interfere PI3K/Akt signal pathway via down-regulating the expression of bcr/abl mRNA is implicated in the effect of 2-ME2 on K562 cells.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Estradiol ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics