As a functionally unique subset of T cells, regulatory T cells (Treg) suppress tumor immune responses effectively through a variety of mechanisms and play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. There is growing evidence to suggest that Treg participates in the formation and development of hepatic tumor, especially the HCC. Elucidation of the mechanisms for involvement of Treg in HCC progression may provide new ideas for liver cancer therapy through a point of view regarding immunology.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of social support and coping style on the stress and mental health in relatives of patients with traumatic brain injury. METHODS: The stress, mental health, social support and coping style were investigated in 300 relatives of patients with traumatic brain injury by Relative Stress Scale, Symptom Checklist-90, Social Support Rating Scale and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire in Changsha City. RESULTS: The mental health problems in relatives of patients with traumatic brain injury were closely related to the levels of stress, the ways of coping and the social support. In addition to the direct eff ect of stress on mental health in relatives of patients, the ways of coping and social support functioned as a mediator in this regard. The value of mesomeric eff ect for coping styles and social support ranged from 23.6% to 43.0%, and social support had an advantage over the coping styles. CONCLUSION Social support and coping styles should be considered in psychological nursing program to prevent and adjust the mental distress in relatives of patients with traumatic brain injury, which is beneficial to the treatment and recovery for patients.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Brain Injuries ; Family ; psychology ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: To explore association of the expression levels of adenylate cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) in gastric cancer tissues with the histopathology and long-term prognosis of the malignancy. METHODS: This study was conducted among a total of 105 patients with gastric cancer undergoing radical gastrectomy in our hospital between January, 2010 and October, 2013. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantitatively assess the expression of CAP2 in gastric cancer tissues and the adjacent tissues. Based on the median relative expression level of CAP2 of 3.5, the patients were divided into low CAP2 expression group (=52) and high CAP2 expression group (=53). The Cox regression model was used to analyze the effect of CAP2 expression on the 5-year survival rate of the patients, and ROC curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of CAP2 expression for the patients' long-term survival. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression levels of CAP2 ( < 0.01) and Ki67 ( < 0.01) were significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in the adjacent tissues, and the expression level of CAP2 was positively correlated with Ki67 ( < 0.01), peripheral blood CEA ( < 0.01) and CA19-9 ( < 0.01). The percentages of patients with CEA≥5 μg/L, CA19-9≥37 kU/L, pathological grade of G3-G4, T stage of 3-4, and N stage of 2-3 were significantly higher in patients with high CAP2 expression than in those with low CAP2 expression ( < 0.05). Kaplan- Meier survival analysis showed that the 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in patients with a high CAP2 expression ( < 0.01). A high expression level of CAP2, CEA≥5μg/L, CA19-9≥37 and pathological grades G3-G4 were all independent risk factors for shortened 5-year survival after radical gastrectomy ( < 0.01). With the relative expression level of 3.45 as the cut-off value, the sensitivity of CAP2 was 70.15% for predicting death 5 years after the surgery, with a specificity of 71.05% and an area under the curve of 0.779 ( < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS CAP2 is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues in close relation with the tumor progression. CAP2 is an independent risk factor for 5-year survival rate after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and can be of clinical value in prognostic evaluation of the patients.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; metabolism ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate