Adult ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; Dimethylformamide ; adverse effects ; Formamides ; analysis ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; urine ; Kidney Function Tests ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; physiopathology ; urine ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure

Emotion regulation is an important ability for individuals which can help them adapt to society better.The characteristics of patients with bipolar disorder are characterized by extremely unstable mood,associated with impaired emotion processing and mood dysregulation.This article reviews emotion regulation strategies of patients with bipolar disorder and their neural mechanisms.During the emotion regulation process,patients often use maladaptive regulation strategies.Their activation of the prefrontal cortex is abnormal,and the functional connectivity between prefrontal cortical regions and the amygdala is attenuated.This could also be the physiological basis of patients'difficulty in regulating emotions.

OBJECTIVETo compare mini-probe endoscopic ultrasonography (MCUS) with computed tomography (CT) in preoperative T and N staging of esophageal cancer, and to find out the MCUS parameters to judge lymph node metastasis for esophageal cancer.

METHODSThirty-five patients received both MCUS and CT preoperatively, on both of which the T and N stages were determined. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predicting value and negative predicting value were compared with the postoperative pathological results.

RESULTSThe accuracy of MCUS was 85.7% in T staging and 85.7% and 80.0% in N staging by the two different methods, which were 45.7% and 74.3%, respectively, by CT.

CONCLUSIONMCUS is better than CT in preoperative staging for esophageal cancer. The ratio of short to long axis (S/L) combined with short axis is a useful way to determine lymph node metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Endosonography ; instrumentation ; methods ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagus ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Preoperative Care ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm and little is known about its radiological features. We present here four cases of follicular dendritic cell sarcomas and we provide the image characteristics of these tumors to help radiologists recognize this entity when making a diagnosis.
Adult ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular/pathology/*radiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/radiography ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/radiography ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We found previously that ACh can significantly inhibit the proliferation of cultured human pituitary adenoma cells. In order to make a further investigation of the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, we observed the levels of protein kinase C (PKC), [Ca(2+)](i) and cAMP/cGMP in cultured pituitary adenoma cells after treatment with ACh. The results demonstrate that (1) compared with control, PMA, a PKC activator, increased the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells. However, after a 15-min treatment with ACh (10 micromol/L), a significant reduction of the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells was observed, and the reduction effect could be blocked by atropine. (2) The level of [Ca(2+)](i) of single adenoma cells was found to decrease immediately on the addition of ACh (10 micromol/L), which could also be blocked by atropine. (3) ACh increased the amount of cAMP in the cytoplasm of human pituitary adenoma cells, but had no effect on that of cGMP. These data provide an important clue to explore the molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, and suggest that the modulating effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells results from the interactions of several cellular signaling pathways.
Acetylcholine ; physiology ; Adenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cyclic AMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Humans ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Protein Kinase C ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

BACKGROUNDProprioception plays an important role in knee movements. Since there are controversies surrounding the overall recovery time of proprioception following surgery, it is necessary to define the factors affecting proprioceptive recovery after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and to investigate the relationship between proprioception and muscle strength.

METHODSA total of 36 patients who had their ACL reconstructed with a semitendinosus/gracilis graft (reconstructed group: 6 months post-surgery) and 13 healthy adults without any knee injury (control group) were included in the study. Knee proprioception was evaluated with a passive reproduction test. Isokinetic strength was measured using the Biodex System. Statistical analysis was used to compare proprioception of the reconstructed group versus the control group, and to define causal factors, including sex, hamstring/quadriceps ratio, and the course of injury before reconstruction. We also investigated the correlation between the passive reproduction error and quadriceps index.

RESULTSThere was a significant difference in proprioception between the reconstructed and control groups (P < 0.05). When the course of injury before reconstruction was less than 4 months, there was a linear correlation with proprioception 6 months after the operation (r = 0.713, P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between post-surgery proprioception and the quadriceps index at 6 months post-surgery.

CONCLUSIONSImpaired knee proprioception is observed 6 months after ACL reconstruction. Within 4 months of injury, early undertaking of reconstruction is associated with better proprioception outcome. Patients with enhanced proprioception have a better quadriceps index.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Proprioception ; physiology ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Recovery of Function ; Young Adult

Aspergillus fumigatus wild-type phytase has many favorable properties, such as a good thermorstability and a broad pH optimum. However, the specific activity of the enzyme is relative low. A. fumigatus Q23L phytase resulted in a remarkable increase in specific activity around pH4.5 - 7.0, but the pH stability of Q23L was lower than A. fumigatus wild-type phytase. To increase the pH stability of Q23L, the mutant Q23LG272E was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis with PCR. The gene of A. fumigatus wild-type phytase and the mutant genes encoding the Q23LG272E and the Q23L were correctly expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. Enzymes were purified and their enzymatic properties were determined. The results revealed that the specific activity of the Q23L improved remarkably, which increased from 51 u/mg of the wild type to 109 u/mg at pH5.5. Meanwhile, the pH stability of Q23L, decreased evidently, especially from pH3.0 to pH4.0.The pH stability of Q23LG272E in pH3.0 - 4.5 and pH6.5 - 7.0 has been improved compared with Q23L. The specific activity of Q23LG272E basically maintained at the level of Q23L. Analysis of 3-D structure and sequence similarity were used to reveal the presumable factors influencing the enzymatic properties of Q23LG272E, and discussion for the relationship between structure and function of phytase was given.
6-Phytase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; enzymology ; genetics ; Biocatalysis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Fungal Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Models, Molecular ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mutation ; Pichia ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Conformation ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Substrate Specificity

A gene appA encoding a novel phytase was firstly cloned from Hafnia alvei by PCR and sequenced. The gene was consisted of 1335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids. The calculated molecular weight of the mature APPA was about 45.2 kD. The gene appA was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant APPA was purified and its enzymatic properties were determined. The optimum pH for the enzyme was 4.5 and the optimum temperature was 60 degrees C. The pH stability of r-APPA is good, the relative phytase activity was above 80% after treated in buffers of pH 2.0-10.0. The specific activity of r-APPA is 356.7 U/mg, and the Km value was 0.49 mmol/L and Vmax of 238 U/mg. The enzyme showed resistance to pepsin and trypsin treatment.
6-Phytase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Hafnia ; enzymology ; genetics ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Temperature

BACKGROUNDGenetic modification of dendritic cells (DCs) has been used as an effective approach to enhance anti-tumor immunity. RNA interference (RNAi), which can cause the degradation of any RNA in a sequence-specific manner, is a post-transcriptional gene silencing mechanism. In this study, small-interfering RNA (siRNA) specific for the Ii gene was transfected into DCs, and the anti-tumor immunity of Ii-silenced DCs was assessed.

METHODSThe silencing effect of siRNA was evaluated by Western blotting and real-time PCR analyses. In vitro cytotoxic activity of T cells was evaluated using a Cytotox 96(®) non-radioactive cytotoxicity assay kit. The time to tumor onset and the tumor volumes were used as reliable indices to assess the anti-tumor immunity in vivo. To further examine the mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor immunity, flow cytometry analysis was used.

RESULTSThe Ii expression of DCs was significantly reduced after Ii siRNA transfection. Significant in vitro anti-tumor ability was exhibited when DCs were co-transfected with Ii siRNA plus endogenous tumor antigen (P < 0.05). Furthermore, tumor growth was greatly inhibited when mice were immunized with DCs transfected with Ii siRNA plus tumor antigen prior to or subsequent to tumor implantation. Flow cytometry analysis in vitro and in vivo indicated that both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were significantly activated in the Ii siRNA group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSilencing of the Ii gene of DCs may offer a potential approach to enhance DC-based anti-tumor immunity.

Animals ; Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; metabolism ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Silencing ; physiology ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; RNA Interference ; physiology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUNDBcl-2, the anti-apoptotic protein is overexpressed in the majority of gastric cancers and associated with its pathogenesis. To better understanding of the role of Bcl-2, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to inhibit Bcl-2 expression in the human gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSBcl-2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected into human gastric cancer cells SGC-7901, and Bcl-2 expression was monitored by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and telomerase activity were examined by MTT, flow cytometry, and TRAP assay, respectively. Gastric cancer cells treated with 100 nmol/L Bcl-2 siRNA were subcutaneously transplanted into nude mice and tumor growth was assessed.

RESULTSBcl-2 siRNA significantly inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 in human gastric cancer cells at both mRNA and protein levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Bcl-2 siRNA also decreased telomerase activity (by 78.76%) and increased the rate of apoptosis (by 37.47%). SGC-7901 cell growth was also significantly suppressed in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSIONSBcl-2 expression knockdown suppressed the growth of gastric cancer cells. Thus, Bcl-2 may play a very important role in carcinogenesis of gastric cancer and its knockdown may offer a new potential gene therapy approach for human gastric cancer in future.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Transfection