Objective To study the correlation of p53,ki-67 and bcl-2 expression in breast cancer with the clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and search for biological markers to guide therapy and predict prognosis.Methods The expression of the p53,ki67 and bcl-2 was examined by immunohistochemical(assay) in samples of breast cancer tissue which taken from 118 cases of operable breast cancer patients.The relationship between p53,ki-67 and bcl-2 and the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was analyzed by(chi-square) test.Results The overall response rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 68.6%.Patients with expression of ki-67 were more likely to respond to treatment.The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a significantly negative correlation with p53 expression.There was no significant difference between the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bcl-2 expression.Expression of p53 protein was correlated with low(expression) of bet-2.Expression of p53 and ki-67 protein was significantly related.Conclusions The(results) indicated that p53 and Ki-67 expressions are strong prognostic molecular markers that can be a guide for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and prediction of prognosis for patients with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy differences between acupoint catgut embedding at cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) points combined with electroacupuncture (EA) at acupoints near ear and simple EA for the treatment of nervous tinnitus.

METHODSSixty-three patients were randomly divided into an observation group (31 cases) and a control group (32 cases). The observation group was treated with acupoint catgut embedding at C4-C7 Jiaji (EXB 2) points on the affected side combined with EA at acupoints near ears, including Ermen (TE 21). Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2), etc.; the control group was treated with EA at regular acupoints near ears alone. The EA treatment was given five times per week, and the acupoint catgut embedding was given once every two weeks. All the treatment was given for 6 weeks. The Tinnitus severity score (TSS)was applied to assess the severity of tinnitus before the treatment, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks into treatment and one month after treat ment. Also the efficacy of two groups was compared.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, the severity of tinnitus was both improved in two groups at each time point (all P<0.05). which was more significant in the observation group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The cured and markedly effective rate was 77.4% (24/31) in the observation group, which was superior to 50.0% (16/32) in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe short-term and long-term efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding at cervical Jiaji (EX-B 2) points combined with electroacupuncture are both superior to those of simple electroacupuncture for treatment of nervous tinnitus.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Catgut ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tinnitus ; therapy

The deep analysis has been done on the cases of adverse events and common injury of cupping therapy encountered in recent years in terms of manipulation and patient's constitution. The adverse events of cupping therapy are commonly caused by improper manipulation of medical practitioners, ignoring contraindication and patient's constitution. Clinical practitioners should use cupping therapy cautiously, follow strictly the rules of standard manipulation and medical core system, pay attention to the contraindication and take strict precautions against the occurrence of adverse events.
Hospitals ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the semen quality and its influencing factors in preconception males in Nanjing area so as to provide some evidence for working out effective intervention measures.

METHODSTotally 687 men receiving preconceptional physical examination were enrolled in this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the subjects along with an analysis of their semen quality.

RESULTSThe median of sperm concentration was 63.3 x 10(6)/ml (95% CI [19.88-119] x 10(6)/ml). The median of grade a sperm was 33.03% (95% CI [19.38-55.05]%), that of grade a + b sperm was 52.08% (95% CI [39.53-69.37]%), and that of teratosperm was 91.75% (95% CI [69-100]%). The median concentration of seminal plasma PMN-elastase was 195.55 ng/ml (95% CI [76.16-3330.38] ng/ml) and that of seminal plasma zinc was 7.62 μmol/L (95% CI [1.5-23, 45] μmol/L). The positive rates of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) were 42.4%, 0.3%, and 2.4%, respectively. The median of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) of those whose wives had a history of adverse pregnancy was 20.25% (95% CI [2.15-68.25]%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that mental stress (OR 1.567, 95% CI [1.081-2.27]) and sedentariness (OR 1.772, 95% CI [1.211-2.592]) were independent risk factors for asthenospermia.

CONCLUSIONThe sperm quality of preconception males in Nanjing area is not encouraging, and it can be improved by changing undesirable lifestyle and reducing mental stress.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; etiology ; China ; Chlamydia trachomatis ; isolation & purification ; DNA Fragmentation ; Gardnerella vaginalis ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Leukocyte Elastase ; analysis ; Male ; Preconception Care ; Semen ; microbiology ; Semen Analysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Sperm Count ; statistics & numerical data ; Spermatozoa ; Ureaplasma urealyticum ; isolation & purification

Objective To explore the impact of broad antigen HLA-Bw4 on disease progression in HIV-1 infected subjects. Methods Three hundred and forty subjects chronically infected with HIV-1 and 69 HIV-1 negative subjects were recruited and HLA-B alleles were typed with sequence-based high resolution typing assay. HLA-Bw genotypes of these HIV-1 infected subjects were determined and their association with CD4+ T cell counts and viral loads were analyzed. Results Sixty-five HLA-B alleles were detected in HIV-1 positive subjects. Subjects with Bw4 (Bw4 homozygotes and Bw4Bw6 heterozygotes ) had higher CD4+ T cell counts ( P = 0. 004 ) and lower plasma viral load ( P = 0.003 ) than subjects without Bw4 ( Bw6 homozygotes). When compared with HIV-1 postive subjects with CD4+ T cell counts above 500 celis/μl, those with CD4+ T cell counts below 500 cells/μl were observed with decreased percentage of Bw4Bw6 heterozygote ( P =0.0002) and increased percentage of Bw6 homozygotes ( P < 0. 0001 ). There is no significant difference in CD4+ T cell counts between Bw4 homozygotes and Bw4Bw6 heterozygote, but lower viral loads were observed in Bw4Bw6 heterozygotes( P = 0. 037 ). Conclusion HLA-Bw4 can confer pretective effects on H1V-1 infected subjects by maintaining higher CD4+ T cell counts and lower viral load, the mechanism behind this effect need further exploration.

Spider silk is a natural protein fibroin with excellent character as it is light and tenacious. It has a wild potential applications in the biomedical field due to its good biocompatibility and degradation. Arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) is a highly conserved amino acid sequence of many adhesion protein. Biological materials binding with RGD peptide in the surface can promote cells adhesion, migration and proliferation. Our lab had constructed the 16 muhimers with the introduced RGD peptide codons which involve cell adhesion for the first time. It was found that the mechanical capability of the 16 mulimer protein was very limited because of the big gap in molecular weight with nature spider proteins when it was used to made biomaterial scaffold.In this paper,based on the 16 multimers of the highly, repetitive sequence of spider dragline silk and with RGD peptide condons which has been constructed by our lab forestall, it was used to construct the 32 and 64 multimers sequence of spider dragline silk by the strategy of "head to tail". The 32 and 64 multimers were ligated into prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a, and then the B121 (DE3) pLysS. The fragments were in agreement with the desired through digestion, agarose gel electrophoresis respectively. By registration into the GenBank data-base, the serial numbers of DQ469929 and DQ837297 were gained respectively. The expression of recombinant protein was introduced by the addition of IPTG. SDS-PAGE analysis shows that the molecular weight of products expressed here are 102 kD and 196.6kD in agreement with the desired respectively. It was the first time for the high polymer spider dragline silk protein expressed in prokaryotic biology. Furthermore, a larger quantity of synthetical proteins with high density fermentation were searched after, and a suit of high efficient purification methods for 32 multimers protein were established.
Animals ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Fibroins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oligopeptides ; biosynthesis ; chemistry ; genetics ; Polymers ; metabolism ; Protein Engineering ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Transformation, Bacterial

Objective: To analyze the relationship between inflammatory factors and relevant risk factors in patients of essential hypertension (EH) combining acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with its clinical significance. Methods: Our research included 3 groups: EH group, n=79 patients with standard criteria, EH+ACS group, n=85 and Control group, n=48 normal subjects. Blood levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), tryptase (TPS) and relevant clinical, biochemical parameters were measured; risk factors for cardiovascular disease were examined and the relationship between above parameters, risk factors and ACS occurrence in EH patients was studied by Logistic regression analysis. Results: The OR values were all greater than 1 in fibrinogen (Fbg), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), TPS, atherosclerotic plaque, Lp-PLA2 and EH grading. Fbg was the most significant independent risk factor (OR=22.242, 95% CI 6.458-76.609, P<0.0001), the standardized partial regression coefficient b'as absolute value (b') was 1.079 which was the highestone in above 6 variables with the strongest impact for ACS occurrence in EH patients. Conclusion: Fbg, hs-CRP, TPS, atherosclerotic plaque and EH grading were the independent risk factors for ACS occurrence in EH patients; Fbg was the highest risk factor for ACS occurrence with the strongest impact, which provided a new direction for ACS prevention and treatment.

OBJECTIVETo investigate suitable biomarkers for workers exposure to trimethyltin chloride (TMT-cl).

METHODSUrinary samples of 44 male workers from five TMT-cl occupational poisoning incidents were collected. Methyltin mercaptide stabilizers and waste plastics used in the incidents were also collected. The levels of TMT-cl in all the samples were determined by gas chromatography. The concentration of blood potassium for each poisonings was determined compared to control group (50 male workers of a food company), and the correlation between blood potassium and urinary TMT-cl were also determined.

RESULTSTMT-cl was detected in urine of all the poisonings. The results were (0.869 +/- 0.392) microg/L (severe poisoning), (0.963 +/- 0.482) microg/L (moderate poisoning), (0.716 +/- 0.384) microg/L (mild poisoning) respectively and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). But the severity of the clinical status did not seem to be closely correlated to the level of urinary TMT-cl (F = 1.88, P > 0.05). In the severe poisonings, there were no differences in urinary TMT-cl on day 4 after poisoning from day 1 (P > 0.05). In contrast, urinary TMT-cl was decreased significantly on day 4 than on day 1 in mild and moderate poisonings (P < 0.01). On day 21, levels of urinary TMT-cl of all the poisonings were higher than those of the workers exposed to TMT-cl who had no clinical status (P < 0.01). Blood potassium levels of exposed group was 77.3% which was significantly lower than normal value (P < 0.01). The concentration of blood potassium was lower than normal value (3.5 mmol/L) and was correlated with the severity of the clinical status (F = 4.45, P < 0.05). Level of urinary TMT-cl of exposed group was negatively correlated with blood potassium (r = -0.4456, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLevel of urinary TMT-cl can be used as exposure biomarker of TMT-cl poisoning. Blood potassium is an early biomarker of effect for TMT-cl poisoning so as to find poisoning population early.

Adult ; Biomarkers ; blood ; urine ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Potassium ; blood ; Trimethyltin Compounds ; poisoning ; urine ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene Fok I polymorphisms and BPH complicated by histological prostatitis (BPH + HP).

METHODSWe detected Fok I polymorphisms in the peripheral blood of 79 patients with BPH + HP and 81 controls with BPH only using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and analyzed the frequency distribution of the genotypes and alleles of the two groups of patients.

RESULTSObvious differences were found in the distribution of genotypes and alleles between the BPH + HP patients (FF: 27% [21/79], Ff: 30% [24/79], ff: 43% [34/79]) and the controls (FF: 33% [27/81], Ff: 36% [29/81], ff: 31% [25/81]), with statistical significance in the distribution of the genotype ff (P < 0.05). The histological prostatitis group showed a significant difference from the controls in the frequency of the f allele (58% [196/338] vs 49% [153/312], P < 0.05), but not in that of the F allele (42% [142/338] vs 51% [159/312] , P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONVDR Fok I polymorphisms may be correlated with BPH complicated by histological prostatitis.

Aged ; Alleles ; Case-Control Studies ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; complications ; genetics ; Prostatitis ; complications ; genetics ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the liver-toxic fraction in Rhigoma of Dioscorea bulbifera.

METHODThe rats were randomized into four groups: control group (20% PVP-water), T001(10% total methanol extraction), F002(5% chloroform fraction) and F003(5% methanol fraction). Direct bilirubin (DBil) and Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were examined, and liver index was measured. The histological and morphological observations were performed with optical and electrical microscope.

RESULTT001 and F002 showed significant liver toxicity.

CONCLUSIONThe chloroform fraction was the liver-toxic fraction of D. bulbifera.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; blood ; etiology ; pathology ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; toxicity ; Female ; Liver ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley