Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of autoantibodies to cell membrane associated with DNA (mDNA) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the combination with other autoantibodies in the diagnosis of SLE. Method The anti-mDNA antibody had the characteristic pattern of perip-heral membrane fluorescence on cultured HL60. The same serum samples were detected for other antibo-dies of SLE. Pearson's Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results This pattern was observed in 145 of 205 serum samples of SLE patients , but in 5 of 55 the serum samples of rheumatoid arthritis , in 10 of 45 primary Sjogren syndrome's patients and in 4 of 35 PM/DM and absent in 50 blood donors. The sensitivity and specificity of anti-mDNA antibody to SLE was 70.7% and 86.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and ANA was 94.6% and 76.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-dsDNA antibody was 76.8% and 95.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody was 79.6% and 100%. The sensitivity and specificity of combined anti-mDNA antibody and AnuA was 93.0% and 100%. Conclusion This novel rapid immunofluorescence method can be a useful diagnostic test for SLE patients. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, it is better than other diagnostic tests such as anti-dsDNA antibody and anti-Sm antibody for the diagnosis of SLE.

Animals ; Aorta ; pathology ; Apolipoproteins E ; deficiency ; Atherosclerosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Glycosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonum ; chemistry ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

Objective:To establish an experimental model for intracellular antibacteria and endotoxin neutralization in vitro to detect the antibacterial and endotoxin neutralization activity of the muBPI_(25) protein.Methods: RAW264.7 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)muBPI_(36-259), and then were infected with intracellular bacterial of either G ~+/G~-to establish the experimental model of intracellalar antibacteria.The RAW264.7 cells were co-transfected with the pSecTag2B-muBPI_(36-259) and dual-luciferase reporter gene plasmids for establishment of the experimental model of endotoxin neutralization.Results:The experimental model of intracellular antibacteria confirmed that the muBPI_(25) protein could inhibit/kill Salmonella typhi.The experimental model of endotoxin neutralization indicated that the muBPI_(25) protein could neutralize endotoxin.Conelusion: We firstly demonstrate that murine BPI N-terminal functional fragment(muBPI_(25) protein)can inhibit/kill Salmonella typhi,and can neutralize, its lysating product, endotoxin.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphism in exon 12 C1236T, exon 21 G2677T/A and exon 26 C3435T of the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene and the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

METHODA total of 176 patients with ALL and a cohort of 170 matched healthy subjects were included. SNaPshot SNP typing was used to determine the genotypes of MDR1 C1236T, G2677T/A, C3435T. Based on the clinical data, the relationship between genetic polymorphism of MDR1 and the risk of childhood ALL was analyzed.

RESULTThere was significant difference in the distribution of genotype of MDR1 C3435T between the group of controls and cases. The mutant homozygous TT genotype was found to be associated with occurrence of ALL (P = 0.000; OR = 4.504). The data show evidence of pairwise linkage disequilibrium between the three common SNPs (C1236T-G2677T/A-C3435T). The haplotypes of TTT, TGC, CGC and CAC were predominant. The haplotype CGT distributed significantly differently between the groups of controls and cases (P = 0.034). The frequency of the haplotype TTT/TTT in the high risk group was higher than the other groups (P = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONThe present findings suggest that 3435C→T polymorphism in MDR1 gene may be a genetic susceptibility factor for ALL. The haplotype of MDR1 (C1236T-G2677T/A-C3435T) could be the clinical parameter at diagnosis.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; Acute Disease ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Infant ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo compare the predictive values of eight staging systems for primary liver cancer in the prognosis of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma (cHCC-CC) patients after surgery.

METHODSThe clinical data of 54 cHCC-CC patients who underwent hepatectomy or liver transplantation from May 2005 to Augest 2013 in Chinese PLA General Hospital were collected. We evaluated the prognostic value of the Okuda staging system, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score, French staging system, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system, 7th edition of tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system for hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) score, and Chinese University Prognostic Index. The distribution, Kaplan-Meier method, Log-rank test, and area under a receiver operating characteristic curve were used to compare the prognosis-predicting ability of these different staging systems in 54 cHCC-CC patients after surgery.

RESULTSThe TNM staging system for ICC and JIS score had a better distribution of cases. The 12-and 24-month survivals of the entire cohort were 65.5% and 56.3%, respectively. A Log-rank test showed that there was a significant difference existing in the cumulative survival rates of different stage patients when using TNM staging system for ICC (stage 1 vs. stage 2, P=0.012; stage 2 vs. stage 3-4, P=0.002), Okuda staging system (stage 1 vs. stage 2, P=0.025), and French staging system (stage A and stage B, P=0.045). The 12-and 24-month area under curve of TNM staging system for ICC, BCLC staging system, JIS score, and CLIP score were 0.836 and 0.847, 0.744 and 0.780, 0.723 and 0.764, and 0.710 and 0.786, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe 7th edition of TNM staging system for ICC has superior prognostic value to other seven staging systems in cHCC-CC patients undergoing surgical treatment.

Bile Duct Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the time trends of cancer mortality among residents in Kaifeng county, Henan province.

METHODSData on cancer mortality from the vital registration system in Kaifeng county from 1988 to 2005 was analyzed. A total of 9543 death records (5974 males and 3567 females) due to malignant tumors were studied. A two-year-period age-specified standardized mortality rates were directly adjusted by the world standard population, and the annual percentage change (APC) of mortality were estimated by a linear logarithm regression.

RESULTSThe crude cancer death rate for male was 95.09/100,000 and its age-standardized death rate was 117.41/100,000. While, the crude cancer death rate for female was 59.13/100,000 and the age-standardized death rate was 57.15/100,000. There was a significant growth tread for lung cancer (APC: 6.54%), liver cancer (5.07%) in males and breast cancer (7.04%) in females in the groups aged over 18. On the contrary, the decreasing treads for esophageal cancer in both of sexes (-7.09%, -13.53%) were also observed in this study. Meanwhile, there was no other significant changes in the trend, either in the tumor sites or mortality, was observed.

CONCLUSIONIn the past two decades, there has been a significant increasing trend for cancer mortality in Kaifeng county, of Henan Province. Hence, it is necessary to enhance epidemiological survey to identify risk factors at the earlier stages.

China ; epidemiology ; Death Certificates ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mortality ; trends ; Neoplasms ; mortality ; Rural Population

BACKGROUNDY-27632 is a specific inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled kinase (ROCK) and has been shown to promote the survival and induce the differentiation of a variety of cells types. However, the effects of Y-27632 on adult human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Y-27632 on the neuronal-like differentiation of ADSCs.

METHODSADSCs were isolated from women undergoing plastic surgery and cultured. ADSCs were treated with different doses of Y-27632 and observed morphological changes under microscope. The expression of nestin, neuron specific enolase (NSE) and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in ADSCs treated with Y-27632 was detected by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSY-27632 had the potency to induce neuronal-like differentiation in ADSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the differentiation induced by Y-27632 was recovered upon drug withdraw. ADSCs treated with Y-27632 expressed neuronal markers such as NSE, MAP-2 and nestin while untreated ADSCs did not express these markers.

CONCLUSIONSelective ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 could potentiate the neuronal-like differentiation of ADSCs, suggesting that Y-27632 could be utilized to induce the differentiation of ADSCs to neurons and facilitate the clinical application of ADSCs in tissue engineering.

Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; Adult ; Amides ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Humans ; Neurons ; cytology ; Pyridines ; pharmacology ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo analyze occurrence, prevention and treatment of the complications of thoracoscopic assisted spine surgery.

METHODSRetrospective review of 182 patients who underwent standard thoracoscopic technique or video-assisted thoracic surgical procedure from October 1998 to August 2004. The treatment of thoracic diseases included debridement, decompression with (or) reconstruction. The total number of complications were recorded, and its mechanism, prevention and treatment were analyzed.

RESULTSComplications occurred in 16 patients, 12 cases of perioperative complications included 3 patients suffered from pneumonia, 3 pulmonary atelectasis, 2 patients' lung injured by trocar, 1 patient obtained transient monoplegia, 2 suffered from transient intercostal nerve pain and 1 had superficial incision infection. Long-term complications occurred in 4 cases: spinal tuberculosis relapsed 2 cases (one who had diabetes obtained relapse in 8 months of post-operation and another relapsed with complex spinal tuberculosis in 4 weeks postoperation), 2 patients suffered from kyphosis deformity and pain.

CONCLUSIONSThe type and incidence of complications with thoracoscopic spine surgery mainly depend on indication, operation procedures and anesthesia, only by limit surgical indication, ameliorate technique, obey surgical principle and consummate perioperative treatment can we obtain mini-invasive effect by thoracoscopic assisted spine surgery.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; adverse effects ; methods ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; surgery ; Thoracoscopy ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to explore the possibility of creating a toxin, C-CPE-ETA', by fusing C-terminal high affinity binding domain of CPE (C-CPE) with a truncated form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (ETA') and to examine whether C-CPE-ETA' could specifically target CLDN-3, 4 molecule and the targeted toxin was cytotoxic against CLDN-3,4-overexpressing ovarian cancer.

METHODSCLDN-3 and CLDN-4 expressions were analyzed at the mRNA level in three ovarian cancer cell lines and epithelial ovarian cancer tissues from 20 patients. After transforming an expression plasmid of C-CPE-ETA' into E. coli BL21 (DE3) plysS strain, the recombinant protein was purified using His-Bind resin chromatography column and analyzed by Western blot and Coomassie blue staining. The specific binding, proapoptotic and cytolytic activities were evaluated by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy with the JC-1 probe and MTT assay in CLDN-3,4-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells.

RESULTSQuantitive RT-PCR results showed there existed high levels of CLDN-3 and CLDN-4 in ovarian cancer cells, CAOV3, OVCAR3 and SKOV3. Moreover, high expressions of CLDN-3 and CLDN-4 were observed in 90.0% (18/20) and 60.0% (12/20) of ovarian cancer tissues, with an expression level 10-fold higher than that in the normal ovarian tissue. A 58 000 recombinant protein C-CPE-ETA' was demonstrated by Western blot and Coomassie blue staining. Purified and recombinant C-CPE-ETA' was bound with high affinity to CLDN-3,4-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells, CAOV3, OVCAR3 and SKOV3 cells. C-CPE-ETA' was strongly proapoptotic and cytotoxic towards the CLDN-3,4-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells. The concentration of IC(50) was 7.364 ng/ml for CAOV3 cells, 8.110 ng/ml for OVCAR3 cells and 22.340 ng/ml for SKOV3 cells, respectively. However, control CLDN-3,4-deficient cell line HUVEC was not susceptible to the recombinant C-CPE-ETA' at a concentration up to 10 µg/ml.

CONCLUSIONSThe C-CPE-ETA' protein exhibits remarkably specific cytotoxicity for CLDN-3,4-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells. Its therapeutic potential warrants further development for ovarian cancer molecular targeted therapy.

ADP Ribose Transferases ; metabolism ; physiology ; Apoptosis ; Bacterial Toxins ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Claudin-3 ; Claudin-4 ; Claudins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Enterotoxins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Exotoxins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunotoxins ; metabolism ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Virulence Factors ; metabolism ; physiology

BACKGROUNDIn recent years, the incidence of unexplained sudden death has risen significantly across the world. However, it occurred suddenly, often in young apparently healthy individuals and almost 50% of the patients did not have any warning signals or symptoms. Therefore, the prodromal symptoms before the incident are extremely important for early prediction of sudden death. In this article, we aimed to explore the value of prodromal symptoms for unexplained sudden death and whether the prodromal symptoms have a predictive function to unexplained sudden death (USD) without underlying diseases.

METHODSA total of 208 sudden death cases were selected for the survey in the Emergency Department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2006 to December 2009 and their medical records were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups, 65 patients had underlying diseases while 143 had not underlying diseases. In the meantime, their prodromal symptoms were collected and compared, prodromal symptoms including chest distress, dyspnea, syncope, fever, headache, vomiting, etc.

RESULTSPatients with underlying diseases were compared to those without underlying diseases associated with sudden death; there was no significant difference in gender and age distribution. Among the 208 cases, 39 cases (18.75%) had prodromal symptoms, patients with underlying diseases had prodromal symptoms in 12 cases (18.46%), while patients without underlying diseases had prodromal symptoms in 27 cases (18.88%). The difference between the two groups with prodromal symptoms was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSProdromal symptoms are extremely important warning signals in the occurrence of USD. It has equally important predictive value for patients both with and without underlying diseases, especially in predicting sudden death caused by cardiopulmonary and neurological diseases.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Death, Sudden ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prodromal Symptoms