Objective To detect genetic alterations in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA), and to investigate the mechanism of development of this neoplasm. Methods Three patients with PXA were studied. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was performed to study chromosomal imbalances in PXA. Using immunohistochemical analysis, the expression of EGFR was detected in PXA. Results Using CGH analysis, genetic imbalance was detected on at least one chromosome for each case. One patient revealed multiple genetic alterations, including gains of 2p14-pter, 4p15-pter, 7p21-qter, 11q24-qter, 12 and 15q14-qter,as well as losses of 8p11.2-pter, 9p11-p23, 10p12-pter, and 13q14-qter. This patient experienced tumor recurrence and died one year later. Gain on Chromosome 7 and loss on Chromosome 8p were demonstrated in 2 of the 3 patients. Immunohistochemically, no EGFR positive reaction was found in all cases. Conclusion Detection of genetic alterations is very important in understanding the pathogenesis of PXA.

Objective To explore the effect of nicotinaide nucleotide transhydrogenase(NNT) mutation on glucose homeostasis in C57BL/6 mice with mix background. Methods We generated wild type NNT homozygous, mutant NNT homozygous and heterozygous by mating the C57BL/6J (with NNT mutation) and 6N (without NNT mutation). At the age of 4 weeks, those mice were randomly assigned to normal control diet(NCD) or high-fat diet(HFD) for 4 weeks. The body weight was measured every week. At the age of 8 weeks, an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT) and an intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (ITT) were performed. Results The body weight growth was not affected by NNT mutation during an HFD fed. NNT mutant mice showed significant glucose intolerance. After 4 weeks of high fat diet, the NNT mutant mice showed a decreased insulin sensitivity, while the glucose excursion curve was not elevated in the heterozygous mice. Conclusion NNT mutation had a significant influence on the phenotype of glucose metabolism and insulin resistance of mice, in particular under a metabolic stress. The phenotypes of heterozygous and homozygous mutant ones differed from each other. When using mice with C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mixed background in research, NNT mutation should be carefully screened in all metabolic studies.

Objective To investigate the regulatory effects of tuberculin on growth and apoptosis of liver cancer and lung cancer cell lines. Methods HePG2(liver cancer) and A549(lung cancer) cell lines were treated with TB supernatant(TB-SN) with different concentrations. Cell viability was detected by using LIVE/DEAD Viability/Cytotoxicity cell kits including specific fluorescence primer,and cell apoptosis was detected by Vybrant apoptosis assay. Results After treatment with 5% TB-SN for 5 d,cell apoptosis was significantly increased in HePG2 and A549 cell lines.Cell growth of HePG2 and A549 cell lines was inhibited after treatment with TB-SN. Conclusion Tuberculin can induce cell apoptosis and inhibit cell growth of liver cancer and lung cancer cell lines.

Aflatoxins produced primarily by two closely related fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, are mutagenic and carcinogenic in animals and humans. Of many approaches investigated to manage aflatoxin contamination, biological control method has shown great promise. Numerous organisms, including bacteria, yeasts and nontoxigenic fungal strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, have been tested for their ability in controlling aflatoxin contamination. Great successes in reducing aflatoxin contamination have been achieved by application of nontoxigenic strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus in fields of cotton, peanut, maize and pistachio. The nontoxigenic strains applied to soil occupy the same niches as the natural occurring toxigenic strains. They, therefore, are capable of competing and displacing toxigenic strains. In this paper, we review recent development in biological control of aflatoxin contamination.
Aflatoxins ; biosynthesis ; toxicity ; Animals ; Aspergillus ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Aspergillus flavus ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Food Contamination ; prevention & control ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Pest Control, Biological ; methods ; Soil Microbiology ; Species Specificity

Objective To elucidate the association of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)with coronary artery calcification in patients with moderate and advanced stage chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Methods Serum intact FGF23 levels in 150 patients with CKD stage 3 to 5 and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were measured by ELISA.The association between FGF23 and coronary artery calcification was studied. Results Serum FGF23 levels in CKD patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls [196.46 (83.09,355.02) ng/L vs 27.17 (21.63,51.20) ng/L,P＜0.01].The levels of FGF23 were significantly higher in dialyzed patients than those in non-dialyzed patients (P＜0.01),and hemodialysis patients had higher levels as compared to peritoneal dialysis ones [6048.29 (1129.08,34807.45) ng/L vs 1625.80 (602.83,7521.78) ng/L,P＜0.01].The incidence of coronary artery calcification was relatively high in patients with moderate and advanced stage CKD (74/130,56.9％ ).Serum FGF23 level was positively correlated with coronary artery calcification score (CaS) (r=0.177,P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that age (β=0.091,OR=1.095,P＜0.01),duration of dialysis (β=2.013,OR=7.483,P＜0.05) and FGF23 level (β=0.838,OR=2.311,P＜0.05) were independent risk factors for coronary artery calcification in patients with moderate and advanced stage CKD.ROC curve of coronary artery calcification revealed that area under curve (AUC) of FGF23 was 0.705 (P＜0.01).With the cut-off value of FGF23 as 786.73 ng/L,the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in coronary artery calcification were 62.5％ and 75.9％.ROC curve of coronary artery calcification showed that AUC of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) was 0.626 (P=0.017).With the cutoff value of AKP as 79.75 U/L,the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in coronary artery calcification were 84.5％ and 41.5％.There was no diagnostic value of serum phosphorus in coronary artery calcification. Conclusions Serum FGF23 level is correlated with coronary artery.calcification in patients with moderate and advanced stage CKD.The sensitivity of FGF23 is lower and the specificity is higher than those of AKP for the diagnosis of coronary artery calcification.

Objective: To study and design a software system of filling out and submitting on line for the utilization rate of medical equipment so as to realize automatic analysis for the utilization rate of medical equipment in accordance with the time slot. Methods: SQL Server2000 was used as backend database, and Visual Studi2005 that was object-oriented language was adopted as procedure software to research this system. The filled data of client-side were saved in internal storage array of client, and the array of internal storage could be visited through Socket C of client, and then all of these data were disposably send to server. The Socket of server saved these received data in array of internal storage through the link of Socket C at client-side. And server was used as bridge between client and database through to link active data object of Sql serve2000 database, and it saved these received data of client and visited these data of database, and then returned to client and displayed them at client. Results: The software system realized submission on line for the service situation of medical equipment and saved the times of department that used medical equipment and statistic staff who count utilization rate. Through statistic analysis of computer, the system tremendously reduced the error rate and enhanced the accuracy and work efficiency of statistic work for the utilization rate of medical equipment. Conclusion: The software system can effectively replace the manual filling and calculate the utilization situation of medical equipment, and it can enhance timeliness and accuracy of statistic analysis for the utilization of medical equipment.

Objective To investigate the effects of different bolus and swallow patterns on esophageal manometry in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease by high resolution manometry .Methods Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire score of more than 8 points and positive 24-hour pH monitoring were included in the study .All the patients were detected by liquid swallow ,solid swallow and continuous swallow .The parameters and comprehensive diagnosis were in accordance with the Chicago Standard .Results A total of 42 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease were enrolled . Compared with the dynamic parameters of liquid swallow ,the residual pressure of upper esophageal sphincter [(11 .07 ± 3 .97 ,5 .29 ± 3 .36)mmHg] decreased ,the distal latency [(6 .28 ± 1 .87 ,8 .98 ± 2 .25)s] ,and lower esophageal sphincter relaxation time [(7 .79 ± 0 .98 ,10 .69 ± 13 .04)s] prolonged significantly (all P<0 .05) .In the comprehensive diagnosis of esophageal motility ,compared with liquid swallow (38 .1% ) , continuous liquid swallow showed a more sensitive positive diagnostic rate of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) (63 .2% ) ,with a significant difference (P=0 .008) .Compared with that of liquid swallow ,the diagnostic rate (45 .2% ) of IEM by the solid swallow did not differ significantly (P=0 .581) . Among the ineffective contraction ,the rate of failed contraction (44.3% ) of solid swallow was higher than that of liquid swallow (22 .6% ) .Conclusion Solid swallow is more likely to induce severe esophageal hypomotility disorders than liquid swallow.Continuous swallow has more sensitivity in the diagnosis of IEM.Therefore.it can be used as a supplement to routine manometry in patients with eastroesophageal reflux disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D) and metastasis of lymphatic vessel in gastric carcinoma.

METHODSThe human VEGF-D cDNA was amplified from total RNA isolated from human normal gastric tissue, then it was inserted into T-A clone plasmid and subcloned into pEGFP eukaryotic expression vector. After the full-length sequence expected was confirmed by enzymatic digestion and sequencing,the human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC7901, which expressed a low level of VEGF-D, was transfected with the pEGFP/VEGF-D expression vector. Stable SGC7901 clones with high expression of VEGF-D were selected in vitro with G418, which were then combined and subcutaneously injected into nude mice to observe the density and morphology of lymphatic vessel. The outcomes were later compared with those of SGC7901 cells transfected with null vector(pEGFP) by immunostaining with a specific antibody LYVE-1.

RESULTSThe average weight of tumors in the pEGFP group (1.13+/-0.40) g at day 35, was significantly lower than that in the pEGFP/VEGF-D group (2.24+/-0.82)g (P<0.05). The lymphatic vessel density (LVD) in the pEGFP group (2.89+/-1.32) was significantly lower than that in the pEGFP/VEGF-D group (5.74+/-1.30)(P<0.01). There were dilated functional lymphatic vessels around the tumor margin.

CONCLUSIONVEGF-D may promote the growth and metastasis of tumor in gastric carcinoma by increasing the growth of lymphatic vessels.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Lymphatic Vessels ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Transfection ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D ; genetics

In order to investigate the influence of cytokine combinations on proliferation and differentiation of human umbilical cord blood CD34(+) cells into megakaryocytes/platelets in vitro, the CD34(+) cells from human umbilical cord blood were amplified in serum-free medium StemSpan(SFEM) supplemented with several cytokine combinations by three-phase culture system. The effects of the cytokine combinations were compared. The results showed that at day 14 of the first culture phase, the CD34(+) cells cultured with cytokine combinations SCF + TPO + FL + IL-3 were amplified (11 000 ± 1 000) times, which were significantly higher than that of cells cultured with SCF + TPO + FL, but were not significantly different from that of cells cultured with SCF + TPO + IL-3 or SCF + TPO + FL + IL-3+ hydroxyl-corticosteroids. At day 7 of the second culture phase, the CD34(+) cells cultured with cytokine combination SCF + TPO + FL + IL-11 were amplified by (204666.7 ± 11718.9) times, which were significantly higher than that of cells cultured with SCF + TPO + FL + IL-3, but were not significantly different from that of cells cultured with SCF + TPO + FL + IL-11 + BMP4 + VEGF. At day 3 and day 6, the CD34(+) platelet-like cells accounted for about (39.8 ± 1.9)%, (39.7 ± 2.6)% and (25.5 ± 1.4)%, (23.1 ± 3.5)% cultured with SCF + TPO + FL + IL-11 and SCF + TPO + FL + IL-11 + BMP4 + VEGF, and significantly higher than that of the cells cultured with SCF + TPO + FL + IL-3. It is concluded that the cytokine combination of SCF + TPO + FL + IL-3 is most suitable cytokines combination for the amplification of CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells. The cytokine combination of SCF + TPO + FL + IL-11 is preferred for the proliferation and differentiation of megakaryocytes, this study lays an experimental basis for investigating the proliferation and differentiation of CD34(+) into megakaryocytes/platelets in vitro.
Antigens, CD34 ; immunology ; Blood Platelets ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-11 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-3 ; pharmacology ; Megakaryocytes ; cytology ; Stem Cell Factor ; pharmacology ; Thrombopoietin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo identify a novel HLA-DRB1 allele in Chinese.

METHODSA novel HLA-DR allele was detected by PCR-SSP and SBT in a patient with leukemia.

RESULTSThe sequence of the novel allele was different from all other known alleles. The novel allele differed from the closet matching allele HLA-DRB1*1404 by one nucleotide substitution in exon 2, at position 33 T>C, this resulted in an amino acid change from Tyr to His at codon 17.

CONCLUSIONThe novel allele is confirmed as a new HLA allele and it was officially named HLA-DRB1*1461 by WHO Nomenclature Committee in May, 2006.

Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA