Emerging data indicated that HCV subverts the antiviral activity of interferon (IF); however,whether HCV core protein contributes to the process remains controversial. In the present study, we examined the effect of HCV core protein on interferon-induced antiviral gene expression and whether the effect is involved in the activation and negative regulation of the Jak/STAT signaling pathway. Our results showed that, following treatment with IFN-α, the transcription of PKR, MxA and 2'-5'OAS were down-regulated in HepG2 cells expressing the core protein. In the presence of HCV core protein,ISRE-dependent luciferase activity also decreased. Further study indicated that the core protein could inhibit the tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, whereas the level of STAT1 expression was unchanged.Accordingly, SOCS3, the negative regulator of the Jak/STAT pathway, was induced by HCV core protein. These results suggests that HCV core protein may interfere with the expression of some interferon-induced antiviral genes by inhibiting STAT1 phosphorylation and induction of SOCS3.

Abstract?AIM: To investigate the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate ( EGCG ) against oxidative stress induced by high glucose in human lens epithelium ( HLE) cells.? METHODS: The HLE cell oxidative damage model induced by high concentration glucose was established, and was intervented with different concentrations of EGCG. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay, cell morphology was investigated by convert microscope, cells apoptosis was assayed by flow cytometry with Hoechst-PI staining. Moreover, the levels of super oxide dismutase ( SOD) , glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde ( MDA) in supernatant were also tested after different treatment either with high concentration glucose or with different concentrations of EGCG.?RESULTS: MTT results showed that HLE cells activity increased to 50. 33%± 3. 52% and 63. 33%± 4. 63% after treated with 10 μmol/L and 100 μmol/L EGCG respectively, the difference was statistically significant compared with oxidative injury group(32. 67%±3. 10%)(P<0. 05 ); HLE cells maintained better morphology intervented with EGCG under high glucose conditions, the number of apoptotic cells reduced, SOD and GSH-Px level within HLE cells increased and MDA levels decreased.?CONCLUSION:EGCG plays its strong antioxidant effect by increasing SOD, GSH-Px content and decreasing MDA content in cells, therefore provides a reliable experimental basis for the search for effective prevention and treatment of cataract drug.

Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA-224 in HepG2 cells and analyze its target genes to reveal its role in the carcinogenesis of hepatoma. Methods The genes with differential expression in HepG2 cells and LO2 cells were obtained by gene expression microarray analysis. The up-regulated target genes of microRNA-224 were predicted by bioinformatics method, and their functions were analyzed. Results Compared with LO2 cells, microRNA-224 was highly expressed in HepG2 cells. A total of 264 target genes of microRNA-224 were predicted, including genes involved in cell cycle, signal transduction, cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Conclusions MicroRNA-224 is highly expressed in HepG2 cells. MicroRNA-224 plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of hepatoma via regulating the expression of its target genes directly or indirectly.

Objective:To investigate the incidence trends and clinicopathologic characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducting using the following data:3,766 cases with thyroid disease in the People's Hospital of Wuhan University between January 2001 and July 2013;and 977 cases with thyroid cancer in the Hubei Cancer Hospital between Janu-ary 2006 and July 2013. Results:The incidence of thyroid cancer increased significantly since 2008, ranging from 14.94%to 18.10%(P<0.05). In particular, the PTC cases ranged from 85.33%to 90.89%(P<0.05). A total of 1,416 cases were diagnosed as PTC with a male to female ratio of 1:3.75. The positive rate of neck lymph node metastasis (NLNM) was significantly different in terms of gender and age (P<0.05). Significant differences were also found between the unifocal group and the multifocal group;the positive rate of NL-NM was 77.94%in the latter group. The rate of NLNM in PTC was 72.29%, which had higher significance compared with Hashimoto's thyroiditis or with nodular goiter. Conclusion: The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing. Cases involving males aged below 45 years old and with>1 cm tumor diameter and multifocal PTC are more likely to be complicated with NLNM.

Objective To analyze the gonadal hormone and seminal plasma of patients with abnormal semen liquefaction and investigate the influence mechanism in order to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment. Methods 152 men of childbearing age were divided into two groups according to the liquefaction time (cut?off point: 60 minutes). Routine semen parameters,gonadal hormone and seminal plasma were tested and compared between the above groups. T?test was applied to compare individual gland function (pH value,neutralα?glycosidase,fructopyranose,seminal plasma zinc and citric acid) and gonadal hormone (FSH,LH,PRL,T and E2). Logistic regression analysis was adopted to probe the influencing factors for abnormal semen liquefaction. Results Seminal pH value (7.47 ± 0.13 vs. 7.32 ± 0.18),citric acid(51.12 ± 12.95 vs. 83.11 ± 33.46)and FSH (4.40 ± 1.03 vs. 4.85 ± 1.50)levels were significant different between the two groups (P < 0.05),but the other indexes showed no significant difference. Correlation regression analysis showed that semen liquefaction capacity has correlative relationship with seminal plasma fructose (OR=2.644),citric acid (OR=0.922),serum T (OR=1.029) and E2,while no correlative relationship with other indexes. Conclusions Correlation between two glands (seminal vesicle and prostate) and balance in the two hormones (T and E2) influence the liquefaction time. Specific causes should be distinguished before diagnosis.

T2DM+LIRA group and T2DM+LIRA+UC-MSCs group (P<0. 05). The ratio of insulin positive area in pancreas tissue was obviously rised, while the ratio of glucagon positive area in pancreas tissue was clearly descended in T2DM+LIRA+UC-MSCs group. And the same difference in valuating islet cells apoptosis by TUNEL could be observed ( P<0. 05). The expression of NF-κB and TLR4 protein in pancreas tissue of T2DM+LIRA+UC-MSCs group were the least amongthefourgroups[(0.75±0.10)vs(0.60±0.08),(0.47±0.08),(0.31±0.04),P<0.05]and[(1.24± 0. 12) vs (0. 93 ± 0. 10), (0. 95 ± 0. 09), (0. 74 ± 0. 07), P<0. 05 ]. Conclusion The combined treatment of liraglutide with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells is superior over a single treatment of liraglutide or umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in improving the islet function in type 2 diabetes mellitus models, which may be related to the down modulating the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to investigate the value of child oral health for Chengdu parents, their intentions, and factors influencing their decision to acquire oral insurance coverage for their childrens.

METHODSA total of 562 Chengdu parents were interviewed using questionnaires by convenient sampling, and the results were analyzed using SPSS 20.0.

RESULTSThe age of children (B = -1.741, P = 0.004), age of parents (B = 2.031, P = 0.003), level of oral discomfort (B = 0.569, P = 0.000), incurring/not incurring oral care expenses in the previous year (B = 1.897, P = 0.014), the last time parents' had teeth cleaned (B = 0.777, P = 0.006), and acquiring/not acquiring commercial insurance coverage (B = 1.632, P = 0.031) significantly influenced the intention of acquiring child oral insurance.

CONCLUSIONChild oral health, health and insurance awareness of parents, and other factors influenced the intention of parents to purchase oral insurance coverage for their children, which were significant to establish pediatric dental insurance.

Child ; China ; Dental Care ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance, Dental ; economics ; Oral Health ; economics ; Parents ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective To evaluate the value of serum E2 levels during COH in predicting IVF-ET outcome. Method Data from 311 IVF-ET cycles received long protocol were collected and analyzed according to E 2 levels 5 days after stimulation:Group A (E2≤500 pmol/L), Group B (500 2 000 pmol/L). Results In groups with E2>1 000 pmol/L, the conditions of oocyte and embryo are higher than E2<1 000 pmol/L. With the increase of E2 levels, period cancellation rate increases. When E2> 2 000 pmol/L, the pregnancy rate become lowest. Conclusion E2 levels among 1 000~1 500 pmol/L during early COH predicts a better pregnancy outcome.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the short-term effectiveness of tension-free vaginal tapeobturator system(TVT-O) on the type Ⅰ,Ⅱ stress urinary incontinence(SUI) in the elderly female patients. Methods Elderly female patients (73 cases) with SUI type Ⅰ and Ⅱ were selected in 0.5-3.0 years after TVT-O surgical treatment,and they reached the age over 60 years before TVT-O.Difference of daily life and lower urinary tract symptoms before and after surgery were compared by the incontinence impact questionnaire ( Ⅱ Q-7) and the urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6) through telephone survey.Results Totally 73 patients were followed up successfully,aged 60 to 72 years (mean 64.0±4.5).Preoperative patients' daily life quality such as making housework,activities,entertainment,go-out,social contact and emotion had obviously been affected with a score of 9 to 25 by their own scoring (mean 17.0±6.7).Lower urinary tract symptoms including urgency,frequent urination,movement,leakage of urine volume,odynuria and dysuria were from 8 to 21 (mean 14.0±4.7) scores.Mild urinary frequency was 8.2％ (6 cases).Urinal pad usage was in 71 cases (97.3％)After TVT-O,patients' symptoms improved by their own scoring.The Ⅱ Q-7 scores were ranging from 2 to 13 (mean 6.4±3.2),and lower urinary tract symptoms scores from 1 to 9 (mean 5.4±3.2).Mild urinary frequency after surgery was 1.4 ％ (1 case).The urinary incontinence in 39 cases completely disappeared (53.4 ％ ),urinal pad usage were in 34 cases (46.6 ％ ).18 cases (24.7 ％ ) had suprapubic area pain or discomfort postoperatively.Conclusions TVT-O is an ideal choice for type Ⅰ and Ⅱ SUI in elderly female patients.

Objective To investigate the anti-apoptotic effect of gene A20 in treatment of trau-matic brain injury (TBI). Methods Thirty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were made severe TBI models and assigned randomly to experimental group and control group (35 rats in each group). After severe TBI, the rats in experimental group were injected with liposome-pcDNA3.1-A20 and those in control group injected with liposome pcDNA3.1-A20 at 30 minutes after severe TBI. The animals in both groups were sacrificed to remove the brain of five rats from each group at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours for sec-tioning. The expression of A20 and neurocyte apoptosis were defined by immunohistological method and TUNEL accordingly. The other ten rats were testified for neurological function at 1,2, 3 and 4 weeks af-ter TBI. Results The expression of A20 in experimental group was higher than that in control group, with statistical differences (P < 0. 01). The peak neurocyte apoptosis was found at 72 hours after TBI. The number of apoptosis cells in experimental group was lower than that in control group at 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours afte TBI (P < 0.01 or 0.05). At the 4th week after TBI, the neurological function in exper-imental group was better than that in control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion Gene therapy with A20 may have anti-apoptosis effect and exert neuroprotective effect on severe TBI.