Objective To explore the difference of gene sequence between the yeast- and the hyphal-form of Candida albicans. Methods The genomic DNA of both the yeast-form and the hyphal-form of seven isolates were extracted. The isolates were obtained from the same patient infected with HIV, but their sensitivities to fluconazole were different. These isolates were derived from the same C.albican strain as identified by chromosomal analysis and DNA subtype analysis. DNA fragments (310 bp) of ERG11 were amplified by PCR and the difference of DNA sequence between the two forms of each isolates was compared by DNA sequencing. Results Three isolates were found to have sequence difference between the yeast- and the hyphal-form of C. albicans at the position of 1 547 bp, 1 587 bp and 1 617 bp. Conclusion The sequence difference of ERG11 gene exists between the yeast- and the hyphal-form of C. albicans.

To explore the clinical value of the color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI))in diagnosis of vascular disease in the lower extremities of patients with type 2 diabetic mellitus(2DM), 102 patients with 2DM and 20 normal controls were included in this study. The values of vessel intimal-media thickness(IMT), the size of plaque, vessel diameter, percentage of diameter stenosis, percentage of the peak systolic velocity acceleration at stenosis orifice, and velocity wave pattern were obtained with CDFI. The study indicated that the incidence of vasculer disease in the lower extremities as shown by CDFI was higher than that as assessed by clinical manifestations only. By CDFI,the severity of the stenosis or the obstructive lesions of blood wessels in lower extremities was better evaluated,moreover quantitative indexes for clinical diagnosis were provided.

Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis C ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; virology

Objective To study the pathological features and clinical significance of sarcomatoid change of renal cell carcinoma. Methods The specimens of 16 cases of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma admitted to our hospital were reviewed, and stress of observation was put on the the morphology and the number of the sarcomatoid components, and then their relation with clinical course, staging, and prognosis was retrospectively analyzed. Results Among the 16 cases of renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid transformation, 9 cases were conventional clear cell carcinoma, 3 cases were papillary renal cell carcinoma, 2 cases were chromophobic cell carcinoma, and 2 cases were collecting tubule carcinoma. In 9 cases the sarcomatoid elements were over 50% of total tumor area, while in the other 7 cases the sarcomatoid elements were less than 50%. The TNM stage among the 9 cases with more than 50% sarcomatoid elements were T2 (1/9), T3 and T4 (8/9). The TNM stage among the 7 with less than 50% sarcomatoid elements were T2 (4/7), T3 and T4 (3/7). The sarcomatoid area resembled malignant fibrous histiocytoma or fibrosarcoma. The average survival period of the patients was 19 months (8-154). Cases with over 50% sarcomatoid elements survived for 14 months in average, while the cases with less than 50% sarcomatoid area survived for 27 months in average. The difference was significant (P

Objective To investigate the histological features of papillary renal cell carcinoma, and to explore the relationship between nuclear grading and prognosis. Methods The pathological slides and clinical data of 13 cases of papillary renal cell carcinoma were reviewed. The pathological features were scrutinized and nuclear grading was conducted according to Fuhrman grading system. Immunohistochemical staining for CK7, EMA, and vimentin was also respectively done. The correlation between nuclear grade and prognosis was analysed. Results The age range of the patients was from 35 to 67 (average 53) years. 10 were male and 3 were female. Most of the tumors were located in the upper pole (5cases) or lower pole (5cases). Three were located in the middle part of the kidney, with some inclination to either pole. All the tumors were well circumscribed with a size ranged from 2cm to 6.3cm (average 3.5cm) in diameter. Hemorrage and cystic change were obviously seen in large tumors. Microscopically, the tumors were composed of papillary or tubular structures, with hemorrhage, foamy macrophages and cystic change as prominent features. 6 cases were multifocal. Fuhrman nuclear grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ was made in 6 cases, and Ⅲ or Ⅳ in 7 cases. All the tumors were positive for CK7, EMA and vimentin. The patients were followed up for 28 to 102 months (average 52 months). 3 patients died of tumor recurrence or metastasis after the operation at 36, 41 and 50 months, respectively, while others survived without tumor up to now. The three dead patients were graded Ⅲ or Ⅳ by Fuhrman nuclear grading system. Conclusion Papillary renal cell carcinoma was different from other renal carcinoma variants in that they, usually have a better prognosis.

Objective To investigate the expressions and significance of cyclinD1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods The published studies were searched in the Cochrane Library,Embase,PubMed,CNKI,VIP,Wanfang and CBM databas-es,the quality of the included studies was assessed.Revman5.0.1 software was adopted to test for heterogeneity of the selected re-search literature and analyze the correlation of cyclinD1 and OSCC by calculating OR and 95%CI .Results A total of 31 case-con-trol studies were included in the study,the case group (OSCC group)was 1 604 cases and the control group was 864 cases (inclu-ding normal oral mucosa tissue 452 cases and precancerous lesions 412 cases).The Meta analysis of results showed that the expres-sion of CyclinD1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than normal tissue[OR (95%CI )at 11.92 (6.71 -21.18)].CyclinD1 was related to differentiated degree,lymph node metastasis and clinical stage of OSCC positively(P <0.05),but was not related to age and gender (P >0.05).Conclusion According to the current relevant research,the over expression of cy-clinD1 is closely related to occurrence and development of OSCC,which might be valuable for the early diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of OSCC.

Interleukin 24 ( IL-24) has a good prospect in tumor therapy because it can specifically inhibit proliferation in a variety of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo and induce apoptosis of tumor cells without affecting normal cells .Gene therapies which use recombinant adenovirus as a vector have some limitations that restrict the clinical application of IL-24. In comparison, protein drugs have tremendous advantages .In this paper, the progress in research on IL-24 gene engineering protein is elaborated .

AIM: To investigate the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), membrane type MMPs (MT-MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) in human primary cultured prostatic cells and malignant prostate cell lines.METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-based measurements of the mRNA levels of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, MT3-MMP, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in relation to the house-keeping gene glyceraldehydes phosphate dehydrogenase were performed in cancerous and non-cancerous prostatic tissue samples, in primary cell cultures of epithelial cells, in both fibroblasts and smooth-muscle cells as stromal cells, and in the human malignant prostatic cell lines DU-145, LNCaP and PC-3.RESULTS: MMP-2 was mainly expressed in stromal cells. MMP-7 and MMP-9 showed their highest values in epithelial cells. MT1-MMP, MT3-MMP, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were found both in stromal and in epithelial cells, but there were some differences between the expression in fibroblasts and smooth-muscle cells. Different expression was also observed between the cells deriving from the primary cell cultures, the benign cell line BPH-1, and the malignant cell lines LNCaP, DU-145, and PC-3.CONCLUSION: These results concerning different expression of MMPs and TIMPs in cells from prostatic tissue suggest that a better insight into changes observed in prostatic tissue needs studies on cells cultured from the tissue.

Objective To investigate whether velocity vector imaging (VVI) combined with stress echocardiography could detect potential myocardial impairment of the left ventricle(LV) in diabetic rats.Methods DM rats ( n = 18,administered by STZ at 65 mg/kg) and control rats( n = 12) were performed with VVI and M-mode echocardiography both at rest and after dipyridamole stress 12 weeks later. Twodimensional echocardiographic cine loops and M-mode images of three consecutive beats were obtained from the short-axis views at the mid-LV level. The means of segmental peak systolic velocity(Vs), circumferential strain(εc) ,radial strain(εr), systolic circumferential and radial strain rate (SRc, SRr) and the percent wall thickening (WT% ,derived from M-mode) were obtained. After echocardiograms were performed,the hearts were excised and prepared for HE staining and ultrastructural observations under electron microscopy.Results At rest,only SRc in the DM group was significantly lower than that in the control group( P ＜0.05), the other parameters were statistically comparable between the two groups. After dipyridamole stress,all VVI values in the DM group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P ＜0.05).However,there was no significant difference in WT% between the two groups either at rest or after dipyridamole stress ( P ＞0.05). Conclusions The VVI parameters combined with dipyridamole stress are more effective in evaluating potential myocardial impairment of the LV walls in diabetic rats. SRc might be more sensitive indices that can be used to detect myocardial impairment at rest.

To investigate the synergistic effect of tetrandrine (TET) to the anti-Trichophyton mentagrophytes activity of econazole (ECZ) in vivo,animal model of dermatophytosis in guinea pig was established by inoculating Trichophyton mentagrophytes conidia.These 40 infected animals were divided into 4 groups randomly and from Day 5 after inoculation,they were treated with the following formulations once per day for successive 14 days: 1% econazole and 1% tetrandrine compound cream (1%ECZ+1%TET group),1% econazole cream (1%ECZ group),1%TET cream (1%TET group) and matrix cream (matrix group).The alterations in the skin lesions and the pathological changes were observed.From the 4~(th) day of drugs applying,the tendency of lesion score about 1%ECZ+1%TET group continued to decline.On the 14~(th) day of drugs applying,the lesion score decreased to 0.75.There was a similarity between 1%ECZ+1%TET group and 1%ECZ group in tendency of lesion score,but more reduction was appeared in 1%ECZ+1%TET group than in 1%ECZ group (mean 0.75 VS 2.00) with obviously statistical difference (P=0.037).The culture results of skin sections and the pathological changes in 1%ECZ+1%TET group were less than those of other 3 groups.It's predicted that there is a synergistic effect of tetrandrine to the anti-Trichophyton mentagrophytes of econazole in animal model of dermatophytosis in guinea pig.