Insulin-like growth factors (IGF), regulated by their receptors and binding proteins, play a pivotal role in human cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Increasing evidence has revealed that IGF system is involved in the genesis and progress of various malignancies including lung cancer. Recent studies in regard to IGF axis expression in the lung cancer cell lines, pulmonary tissue samples and blood circulation of lung cancer patients have shown that the IGF axis may contribute to the transformation and progression of lung cancer. Several researches have shown that a number of drugs targeting the IGF receptor are being investigated in clinical trials and suggest a potential therapeutic efficacy. This article reviews the updates and progress in the research of IGF axis in lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of hair dermal papilla and its regulatory role in the growth cycle of the hair follicles.

METHODSSingle hair follicles were isolated from surgical specimens of human scalp and cultured in Williams E medium. The growth of the hair follicle was measured and the morphology and structure of the dermal papilla in the different growth cycles were observed continuously.

RESULTSThe hair follicle could grow in the medium for 12 days at the average growth rate of 0.2-0.3 mm/day. The flat and round dermal papilla lay at the bottom of the hair bulb in the telogen and anagen stages. In the hair follicle with accelerated growth, the dermal papilla became elongated, loosened, and closely adhered to the hair matrix. In the catagen stage the dermal papilla shrunk, and became separated from the hair matrix. A new hair bulb was regenerated when the hair follicle was transected at a low level. The hair follicle stopped growing after transection at a higher position.

CONCLUSIONThe hair dermal papilla is the essential for hair follicle growth, and plays an important role in regulating the hair growth cycle.

Dermis ; cytology ; growth & development ; Hair ; growth & development ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; growth & development ; Humans ; Tissue Culture Techniques

OBJECTIVETo improve the mini-modified semi solid rappaport vassiliadis most probable number (mini-MSRV MPN) method for Salmonella detection.

METHODSBased on the mini-MSRV MPN method,Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) was modified as one step enrichment medium and Modified Semi Solid Rappaport Vassiliadis (MSRV) medium was ameliorated as modified MSRV for Salmonella detection under standard Salmonella addition recovery. A total of 154 raw chicken samples, 48 swabs of pheasantry and 48 poultry dung samples were collected to compare the detection results of Salmonella by using improved mini-MSRV MPN, mini-MSRV MPN and regular most probable number (MPN) method.

RESULTSSalmonella recovery was < 2.7 MPN/g when the standard Salmonella addition was at the concentration of 0.9 CFU/g when the mini-MSRV MPN method was employed. If the standard Salmonella addition were at 9.0 and 90.0 CFU/g, the recoveries of bacteria were 10.1 and 94.0 MPN/g, and the average recovery rate was 112% and 104%, respectively. Salmonella detection rate of modified mini-MSRV MPN, mini-MSRV MPN and regular MPN method was 18.4% (46/250), 5.2% (13/250) and 6.0% (15/250), respectively. The detection rate was higher for modified mini-MSRV MPN method than of the other two methods (χ(2) values were 19.68 and 17.82, respectively, all P values < 0.05). The detection quantity of Salmonella (medians were 21.0, < 2.7 and < 3.0 MPN/g, respectively). The quantity detected by modified mini-MSRV MPN method was higher than that of the other two methods (both Z values were 5.71, both P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONModified mini-MSRV MPN method is an accurate method for foodborne Salmonella detection.

Animals ; Chickens ; microbiology ; Culture Media ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Food Inspection ; methods ; Salmonella ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between auto-immune antibodies and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of Shen deficiency syndrome (SDS), thus providing clinical evidence for further researches on molecular biological mechanisms of RA patients of SDS.

METHODSTotally 451 RA patients were assigned to the SDS group and the non-SDS group. Their general conditions (including gender, age, duration, and age of onset), C reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), platelet (PLT), disease activities (DAS28), auto-antibodies [rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-CCP antibodies, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA)] were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS(1) The scores for EST, PLT, and DAS28 were obviously higher in the SDS group than in the non-SDS group (P < 0.05, P <0. 01). (2) The level of average RF was (697.32 +/-1 061.38 IU/mL) in the SDS group, higher than that in the non-SDS group (439.91 +/- 672.24 IU/mL, P <0.01). There was no statistical difference in anti-CCP antibody between the two groups (P >0.05).(3) The ANA positive rate of RA patients was 29. 63% (120/405). It was 37.19% (74/199) in RA patients of SDS and 22. 33% (46/206) in RA patients of non-SDS, showing statistical difference between the two groups (P <0.01). (4) The odds ratio for high level RF positive and ANA positive was 1. 574 and 2. 059 folds in RA patients of SDS as high as that in RA patients of non-SDS.

CONCLUSIONSRA patients of SDS would have higher risk of having auto-immune antibodies, fastened development, more worsen joint damage, and more poor prognosis. Its mechanisms might be closely associated with autoimmune tolerance.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; diagnosis ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between the expression of Fcgamma receptor II b (FcgammaRII b) on B cells and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of Shen deficiency syndrome (SDS).

METHODSThere were 43 RA patients, including 26 of SDS and 17 of non-SDS. The expression levels of FcgammaRII b on naive B cells, memory B cells, and plasma blasts in the peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry. The numbers of tender joints, numbers of swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), and disease activity score (DAS28), the correlation between the distribution of B cells and the expression level of FcgammaRII b in RA patients were analyzed. Besides, another 21 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group.

RESULTSThe expression level of FcgammaRII b was 49.65% +/- 15.86% on memory B cells and 43.69% +/- 22.57% on plasma blasts in RA patients of SDS, significantly down-regulated when compared with those of the control group (64.03% +/- 6.01%, 66.59% +/- 10.18%, P < 0.01). The expression level of FcgammaRII b on memory B cells of RA patients of non-SDS was down-regulated more obviously when compared with that of the control group (52.70% +/- 9.52% versus 64.03% +/- 6.01%, P < 0.01). The expression level of FcgammaRII b on plasma blasts was obviously lower in RA patients of SDS than in RA patients of non-SDS (56.10% +/- 17.05%, P < 0.05). The expression level of FcgammaRII b on memory B cells was not correlated with numbers of tender joints, numbers of swollen joints, ESR, RF, or DAS28.

CONCLUSIONSThe defective immunological tolerance of B cells in RA patients of SDS might be closely correlated with down-regulation of FcgammaRII b on memory B cells and plasma blasts. There might exist genetic abnormality of FcgammaRII b gene in RA patients of SDS, thus inducing loss of autoimmunity tolerance.

Adult ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; diagnosis ; immunology ; B-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, IgG ; immunology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of different subtypes of spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) in the Han nationality of Hunan province in China. METHODS: The mutations of SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, SCA17, and dentatorulral-pallidoluysian (DRPLA) were detected with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing polyacrylamide gel and DNA sequencing techniques in 139 autosomal dominant SCA families and 61 sporadic SCA patients. RESULTS: Of the 139 families, 11 (7.9%) were positive for SCA1, 9(6.5%) were positive for SCA2, 71 (51.1%) were positive for SCA3, 4 (2.9%) were positive for SCA6, 2 (1.4%) were positive for SCA7, and none was positive for SCA17 and DRPLA. There was 1 SCA2 patient, 3 SCA3 patients, 1 SCA6 patient in the 61 sporadic SCA patients. CONCLUSION The frequency of SCA3 is substantially higher than that of SCA1 and SCA2 in the autosomal dominant SCA patients in the Han nationality of Hunan province. SCA6 and SCA7 are rare subtypes.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Ataxin-1 ; Ataxin-3 ; Ataxin-7 ; Ataxins ; Child ; China ; ethnology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; classification ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Trinucleotide Repeats ; genetics

To determine cancer pathway activities in nine types of primary tumors and NCI60 cell lines, we applied an in silico approach by examining gene signatures reflective of consequent pathway activation using gene expression data. Supervised learning approaches predicted that the Ras pathway is active in ～70% of lung adenocarcinomas but inactive in most squamous cell carcinomas, pulmonary carcinoids, and small cell lung carcinomas. In contrast, the TGF-β, TNF-α, Src, Myc, E2F3, and β-catenin pathways are inactive in lung adenocarcinomas. We predicted an active Ras, Myc, Src, and/or E2F3 pathway in significant percentages of breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma, and gliomas. Our results also suggest that Ras may be the most prevailing oncogenic pathway. Additionally, many NCI60 cell lines exhibited a gene signature indicative of an active Ras, Myc, and/or Src, but not E2F3, β-catenin, TNF-α, or TGF-β pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive survey of cancer pathway activities in nine major tumor types and the most widely used NCI60 cell lines. The "gene expression pathway signatures" we have defined could facilitate the understanding of molecular mechanisms in cancer development and provide guidance to the selection of appropriate cell lines for cancer research and pharmaceutical compound screening.

Objective The leptin receptor,encoded by the LEPR gene,is involved in tumorigenesis.A potential functional variant of LEPR,rs1137101(Gln223Arg),has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system(DS)cancers,but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive.Here,we performed a case-control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk. Methods A total of 1,727 patients with cancer(gastric/liver/colorectal:460/480/787)and 800 healthy controls were recruited.Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing.Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results After Bonferroni correction,the case-control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population.The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS,gastric,and liver cancer in the Chinese population. Conclusion The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers(especially liver and gastric cancer)in the Chinese population.

Objective To investigate the HIV drug resistance among HIV/AIDS patients who had received highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAATR) in Liangshan prefecture and related factors.Methods This investigation was conducted from August to October 2010.Data on epidemiology,treatment,CD4 + T cell,viral load and drug resistance tests were collected.Results 233 (73.50％) had a viral load of ＜ 1000 copy/ml,with the median CD4+T cell count as 329 cell/μl.26 samples appeared to be drug resistant,with the rate as 8.20％.Among 84 patients with antiviral therapy failure,the overall drug resistance rate was 30.95％(26/84).While 24 (28.57％) were resistant to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) drugs.Among nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI),7 (8.33％) were resistant.1 (1.19％) had protease inhibitor (PI)resistance mutations identified.Factors that significantly associated with drug resistance would include:being injecting drug users (A OR =3.37,95 ％ CI:1.06-10.66,P =0.0390),having had chronic diarrhea ＞1 month (AOR=8.38,95％ CI:1.87-37.69,P=0.0055),having had CD4+T cell＜200(AOR=3.48,95％CI:1.29-9.39,P=0.0139),being residents from Butuo area (AOR=17.68,95％ CI:4.97-62.86,P＜0.0001 ).When comparing with other areas,data from Butuo showed that people who carried Yi ethnicity (AOR=17.35,95％ CI:2.01-149.73,P=0.0095) and were literate (having had primary or higher levels of education) (AOR=0.18,95％ CI:0.08-0.42,P＜0.0001 ),being married or having cohabited relations (AOR=8.17,95％ CI:2.35-28.39,P=0.001 ) were found to be less adherent (AOR=0.05,95％ CI:0.02-0.13,P＜0.0001) to the treatment.Conclusion Successful antiviral outcomes were seen among those AIDS patients under treatment,in Liangshan prefecture.Resistance rates were significantly different in regions.For IDUs,enforcement on subjects including prevention on drug resistance,adherence to HAART and treatment for drug addiction should be strengthened and programs being integrated.