Antimicrobial peptides, a cluster of small peptides secreted by the majority of creatures, have been demonstrated with activity against a wide range of microorganisms including bacteria, protozoa, yeast, fungi, viruses and even tumor cells. These peptides have some features such as broad spectrum , high effi-cacy and stability, little drug resistance. A lack of new antibiotics combined with emerging multi-drug resis-tance issues demands that new antimicrobial strategies be explored for treating these infections. It has been proposed that the antimicrobial peptides might form the foundation for a new class of clinically useful an-timicrobials. We review the advantages of these molecules in construction features and bioactivity, with the focus on the mechanism and clinical applications.

Cardiac Catheterization ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; therapy ; Humans ; Prosthesis Implantation ; instrumentation ; Septal Occluder Device

OBJECTIVETo study the risk factors of male infertility.

METHODCase control study including 94 cases and control group with a ratio of 1 to 1.

RESULTSThe risk factors of male infertility were long time heavy smoking habit (OR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.95 - 6.10), illegal sexual intercourse (OR = 7.29, 95% CI: 2.54 - 20.89), growing vegetable under plastic in higher temperature (OR = 6.73, 95% CI: 1.91 - 23.69), contact with benzene chemicals (OR = 20.53, 95% CI: 4.67 - 90.25) and having Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection (OR = 5.55, 95% CI: 2.28 - 13.53).

CONCLUSIONMale infertility was resulted from many factors repeatedly acting on men for long time. In order to prevent male infertility, issues as environmental pollution, occupational protection need to be improved while bad working condition and risky behavior should be changed.

Adult ; Benzene ; toxicity ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Environmental Pollution ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; Ureaplasma urealyticum

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of SOX9 expression and clinicopathologic factors and prognosis of gastric cancer.

METHODSA retrospective cohort study including 112 gastric cancer patients admitted to the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from 2004 to 2006 was performed. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to evaluate the expression of SOX9 in the 112 specimens of gastric cancer tissues and 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor.

RESULTSLow expression of SOX9 was seen in 5(7.1%) tissues out of 70 non-cancerous tissues adjacent to the tumor. A total of 94(83.9%) patients had varying expression of SOX9, of whom 51(45.4%) had overexpression. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the expression of SOX9 was significantly associated with Lauren classification (P<0.05), tumor invasion(P<0.01), lymph node metastasis(P<0.05), distant metastasis(P<0.05) and tumor stage(P<0.05), however there was no significant association between SOX9 expression and sex, age, histological type, histology differentiation or tumor size. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 5-year survival rate of patients with SOX9 over-expression was significantly lower than that of patients with low expression(29.4% vs. 49.2%, P=0.031). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that histology differentiation(P=0.046), tumor invasion(P=0.001), and distant metastasis(P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer, however the over-expression of SOX9 was not significant(P=0.948).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression SOX9 is associated with the growth, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer, as well as the prognosis. However, SOX9 expression is not an independent factor for the prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; SOX9 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To evaluate the value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of ventricular septal defect(VSD).Methods A total of 164 cases of VSD were recruited as candidates to receive transthoracic minimally invasive device closure between January 2007 and October 2010,including 138 perimembranous VSDs,3 muscular VSDs and 23 supracristal VSDs.Among these groups,85 male patients were included.Four-champer view,five-champer view,left ventricular long-axis view,short-axis view and right ventricular inflow view were detected to evaluate the availability of device closure.Results A total of 152 cases(92.7%)were successfully closed with a device.All the patients were followed up more than 3 months arranged with a standard protocol.No complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) or associated valvular complications were observed.Three of the five cases with traced residual shunt after device closure closed spontaneously.Conclusion TEE plays an important role in transthoracic minimally invasive device closure of ventricular septal defect,which has been proved by the good follow-up results without CAVB and associated valvular complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Angina, Unstable ; blood ; diagnostic imaging ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Endoglin ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; blood ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and short-term efficacy of laparoscopic resection of primary localized gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) by comparing with open surgery.

METHODSClinicopathological data of 167 gastric GIST patients undergoing operation in Zhongshan Hospital from June 2008 to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed, among whom 55 received laparoscopic surgery and 112 underwent open surgery for primary local gastric GIST. Efficacy of different size and different location of GIST was compared between laparoscopic and open groups.

RESULTSThere was no conversion to open surgery in laparoscopy group. Compared with open surgery, laparoscopic resection for gastric GIST smaller than 5 cm or located at anterior wall, greater curvature, lesser curvature, was associated with similar operation time(P>0.05), but less blood loss, shorter post-hospital stay or flatus time(all P<0.05). The operative outcomes were similar between laparoscopic and open resection for gastric GIST bigger than or equal to 5 cm or located at posterior wall(all P>0.05), except the longer operation time in laparoscopy group(P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complication did not differ between two groups. Laparoscopic group had 2 patients with gastroparesis and open group had 2 gastroparesis, 2 pulmonary infection, and 1 poor wound healing(all P>0.05), which all recovered after conservative treatment. During 7 to 84 months(median 35) of follow-up, no recurrence or hepatic metastasis was found in laparoscopy group, and 3 hepatic metastases in open group. There was no significant difference of recurrence-free survival between two groups(P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONLaparoscopic resection for gastric GIST is safe and effective in selected patients, especially for those with tumors smaller than 5 cm, or located at anterior wall, greater curvature, lesser curvature, whose short-term outcomes are better than open resection.

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinicopathological characteristics, efficacy, and prognostic factors for patients with duodenum gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST).

METHODSClinicopathological and follow-up data of 80 patients with duodenum GIST in the Zhongshan Hospital from January 2000 to December 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThere were 38 male and 42 female patients with a median age of 54 years. The major symptoms were upper alimentary tract hemorrhage and abdominal pain. Thirty-nine patients received local tumor excision, 18 patients underwent segmental duodenectomy, 23 patients were subjected to pancreaticoduodenectomy, all these operations were R0 resection. Thirty patients received imatinib treatment after operation, and 11 among them had metastasis relapse. Recurrence-free survival rates of 1-, 3-, and 5-years were 96.2%, 90.6%and 78.6% retrospectively. Overall survival rates of 1-, 3-, and 5-years were 100%, 98.3% and 96.1%. Multivariate Cox analysis showed tumor size >5 cm, mitotic count >5 mitosis/50 HPF and intermediate/high NIH risk classification were associated with an increased risk of recurrence. The significant difference was not detected between the limited resection group and pancreaticoduodenectomy group in OS and RFS.

CONCLUSIONSSurgery is still the main treatment for duodenum GIST. The surgical program is mainly determined by the location and size of tumor. Imatinib therapy should be used if necessary.

Abdominal Pain ; Benzamides ; Duodenal Neoplasms ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Piperazines ; Prognosis ; Pyrimidines ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features of small gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs) and to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic therapy for GISTs.

METHODSClinicopathological and follow-up data of 418 patients with GISTs undergoing endoscopic therapy in the Zhongshan Hospital between January 2009 and July 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. All the cases were evaluated by the NIH risk classification and AIFP classification, and were grouped according to the tumor size and location. Nuclear atypia and mitotic count were used to evaluate the biological behavior of small GIST. Efficacy of endoscopic therapy was analyzed with follow-up data.

RESULTSOut of 418 patients, GISTs located in the esophagus was 14(3.3%), in the stomach 389(93.1%), in the duodenum 5(1.2%), in the rectum 10(2.4%). A total of 412(98.6%) patients were mainly spindle cells, and mitosis was not found in 320(76.5%) patients. In 389 small stomach GIST, 245(58.6%) were in fundic region. Cases were divided into four groups according to the size and the result revealed the bigger the size, the more the mitotic count. Nuclear atypia in the 1.5-1.9 cm group was significantly higher compared to other groups. Cases were divided into four groups according to the location and the result revealed the mitotic count was not associated to the location. While the nuclear atypia of stomach GIST was significantly higher than that of esophageal GIST and the nuclear atypia of rectum GIST was significantly higher than that of other positions. The median follow-up was 32(4-69) months. One case(gastric fundus GIST, >1.5 cm) presented local recurrence 23 months after operation and underwent endoscopic resection again. No recurrence or metastasis was found in other patients.

CONCLUSIONSEndoscopic resection technique is effective for small GISTs patients. The small GISTs with 0.4 cm diameter or less are often benign and should be followed up for long time. The small GISTs with 0.5 cm diameter or more possess the risk of malignancy, then surgical resection should be performed. Rectum small GISTs (except for 0.4 cm diameter or less) have worse biological behavior and should be removed.

Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Retrospective Studies

The major capsid protein of lymphocystis disease virus isolated from Rachycentron canadum (LCDV-rc) was amplified and analysed. The 457bp DNA core fragment was amplified with the degenerate primers designed according to the conserved sequences of MCP gene of iridoviruses, then the flaking sequences adjacent to the core region were amplified by inverse PCR, and the complete sequence was obtained by combining all of them. The open reading frame of the gene is 1380bp in length, encoding a putative protein of 459 aa with molecular weight 51.12 kD and pI 6.87. Constructing the phylogenetic tree for comparing the MCP amino acid of iridoviruses, the results indicated that LCDV-rc is most homologous to the other Lymphocystis viruses and all of them constitute a branch. Accordingly LCDV-rc is identified as Lymphocystivirus.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; Iridoviridae ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Perciformes ; microbiology ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods