This article introduces ethical problems emerging in the imaging trials in clinical practice,and stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of volunteers and patients,and their legal rights of informed consent.This article also stresses the importance of the respect for the basic human right of volunteers and patients,and puts forward some countermeasures to promote the efficiency and reasonable supervision system in the clinical trials.Last but not least,it also emphasizes the significance of a personalized-style of care for volunteers and patients.

Objective To establish a magnetic nanoparticles separation-based quantitative real-time PCR(RT-PCR)assay for fast and accurate detection of Plasmodium falciparum and providing a technical support for improving the control and preven-tion of imported malaria. Methods According to the conserved sequences of the P. falciparum genome 18SrRNA,the species-specific primers and probe were designed and synthetized. The RT-PCR was established by constructing the plasmid standard , fitting the standard curve and using magnetic nanoparticles separation. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluat-ed. Results The relationship between the threshold cycle(Ct)and logarithm of initial templates copies was linear over a range of 2.5×101 to 2.5×108 copies/μl(R2=0.999). Among 13 subjects of entry frontier,a P. falciparum carrier with low load was de-tected by using the assay and none was detected with the conventional examinations(microscopic examinations and rapid tests). Conclusion This assay shows a high sensitivity in detection of P. falciparum,with rapid and accurate characteristics,and is especially useful in diagnosis of P. falciparum infectors with low parasitaemia at entry-exit frontier ports.

Objective To construct eukaryotic Flag (DYKDDDDK) expressing recombinant plasmids, pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2, which contain the coding sequence of human SND1-No1(from 1st AUG)or SND1-No2 (from 2nd AUG), and perform the cellular localization analysis of Flag-tagged SND1-No1/2 under stress condition to study the function of the two AUG in the SND1 containing stress granules formation. Methods The gene fragments of SND1-No1/2 were amplified by PCR from the whole SND1 transcript and inserted into pCMV-N-Flag expressing vector through BamHI/EcoRI double en-zyme digestion and T4 DNA Ligase connection. The recombinant pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 plasmids were transfected in-to HeLa cells and the expression of Flag-SND1-No1/2 fusion proteins was examined by Western blotting assay. Immunofluo-rescence assay was performed to detect the co-localization of Flag-SND1-No1/2 with endogenous SND1 granule. Results The pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 were sequenced and digested correctly by restriction single/double enzyme. The Flag-tagged SND1-No1/2 fusion proteins were also detected in transfected HeLa cell by Western blotting assay. Both of them showed the co-localization with endogenous SND1 granule. Conclusion The recombinant eukaryotic plasmids of pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 were constructed successfully and expressed effectively. The depletion of 1st AUG failed to af-fect the formation of SND1 containing stress granules.

Anti-HIV-1 gp120 single chain antibody(scFv) gene and staphylococcus extoxin A(SEA) gene were inserted into vector pPIC9K. The recombinant plasmid was integrated into Pichia pastoris by electroporation. High level expression was performed by determining the Muts phenotype and screening muti-copy integrants. The recombinant protein was about 57kD and the production was 50.1 mg/L. It was shown that the two kinds of protein affected the conformation of each other by antibody affinity assay, but the recombinant targeting toxins could highly mediate CTLs to kill HIV-1 target cells.
Enterotoxins ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; HIV Envelope Protein gp120 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of enhancement of the CTL activity in mice co-expressing of CD80, CD86 and CD137L genes.

METHODSThe mice were randomly divided into five groups, named A, B, C, D and E. The group A and B were control groups (CG). H22-BAL B/c HCC mouse model was established by subcutaneous injection with hepatocellular carcinoma cells of cell line H22-Wt (group A), H22-neo (group B), H22-CD80/CD86(+) (group C), H22-CD137L(+) (group D) and H22-CD80/CD86/CD137L(+) (group E), respectively. On the 14th, 35th, 56th and 84th day after the first inoculation of tumor cells, TUNEL staining and DNA ladder examination were used to detect apoptosis of splenic T lymphocytes in all groups at each post-inoculation time point. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA) method was used to detect the activity of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) in splenic T lymphocytes in each group at each time point post-inoculation.

RESULTSApoptosis was found in a great number of T lymphocytes in CG on the 14th day, much more than that in group C and E. The number of apoptotic T cells in group C had a significant difference compared with that in the group E from 14th to 84th day (P = 0.003). DNA ladder analysis showed typical positive results in group C and E. The significant apoptosis fragments were found in group C on 21st, 35th and 84th days. NF-kappaB activity of T cells in groups C and E was remarkably higher than that of groups CG and D, with higher in group D than that of CG (P = 0.002), and with no significant difference between group C and E on 14th day. The activity in group E was stable and remarkably higher than that of group C on 56th and 84th days after the first inoculation.

CONCLUSIONH22-CD80/CD86/CD137L(+) induces higher NF-kappaB activity of the host T cells by synergistic action of CD28 and CD137, which may be one of the mechanisms of enhancement of the host CTL activity induced by co-expression of CD80, CD86 and CD137L genes.

4-1BB Ligand ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; B7-1 Antigen ; metabolism ; B7-2 Antigen ; metabolism ; CD28 Antigens ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; immunology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Spleen ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) in the digestive system.

METHODSClinical data of 29 patients with NEN from January 2000 to December 2012 in The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were analyzed retrospectively and the prognosis was evaluated according to the new WHO classification.

RESULTSThere were 19 males and 10 females and the average age was 46.5 years. All the patients had no clinical manifestations of carcinoid syndrome, and they all received surgical treatment. Two cases were gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC), who received radical total gastrectomy and distal gastric resection respectively. Three cases had neoplasm in the duodenum, including 2 NEC and 1 neuroendocrine tumor(NET), and they all underwent Whipple's procedure. Two cases were small intestine NEC, who received partial small intestine resection. Three cases had neoplasm in the appendix, including 1 NEC treated with right hemicolectomy and 2 NET with appendectomy. One case was ascending colon NEC, who received right hemicolectomy. Eighteen cases had neoplasm in the rectum, including 4 NEC treated with low anterior resection and abdominoperineal resection respectively, and 14 cases of NET underwent low anterior resection, local resection, and endoscopic resection respectively. The 1- and 3- year survival rates of 13 NEC cases were 38.4% and 7.7% respectively. The 5-year survival rate of 16 NET cases was 81.3%.

CONCLUSIONSNEN of digestive system is located mainly in the rectum and the clinical symptom is unspecific. Radical resection of NEN is the preferred treatment. The prognosis of NEC is poor, and that of NET is better.

Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo analyze the therapeutic effect of excision of hypomere esophagus and proximal stomach (Phemister operation) on portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

METHODSRetrospectively analyze the clinical data of 136 cases treated with the Phemister operation for portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding from August 1999 to May 2005.

RESULTSVarication of the patients improved markedly, 50.8% of the varication disappeared completely, incidence of complications was 5.0%, rebleeding rate was 4.4%, mortality rate was 0.7%.

CONCLUSIONSThe Phemister operation could treat the upper gastrointestinal bleeding and prevent rebleeding effectively in portal hypertension, it is a radical, precise and secure disconnection for portal hypertension with varication in fundus of stomach and esophagus.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the morphological changes of prostate cancer PC-3 cells induced by grape seed extract (GSE).

METHODSPC-3 cells were incubated with different concentrations of GSE (100, 200 and 300 microg/ml) for 24, 48 and 72 hours, and then observed for morphological changes by invert microscopy, HE staining and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSThe incubated PC-3 cells appeared round, small, wrinkled and broken under the invert microscope and exhibited the classical morphological characteristics of cell death under the electron microscope, including cell atrophy, increased vacuoles, crumpled nuclear membrane, and chromosome aggregation.

CONCLUSIONGSE can cause morphological changes and induce necrosis and apoptosis of PC-3 cells.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Vitis

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy between micro invasive occlusion procedure and extracorporeal circulation procedure for treating patients with simple ventricular septal defect.

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty patients with simple ventricular septal defect (except subarterial ventricular septal defect) were randomly divided into micro invasive group (n = 116) and traditional cardiopulmonary bypass surgery group (n = 104). Clinical data were collected and compared at baseline and at 3, 30 and 180 days after surgery.

RESULTSAge, gender, body weight and ventricular septal defect type were similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Operation time and hospitalization duration were significantly shorter in the micro invasive group than the traditional cardiopulmonary bypass surgery group (all P < 0.05). The proportion of blood transfusion was less in micro invasive group than the traditional cardiopulmonary bypass surgery group [2.59% (3/116) vs. 72.12% (75/104), P < 0.01]. Three days after surgery, incidence of mild and above tricuspid insufficiency was less in micro invasive group than the traditional cardiopulmonary bypass surgery group [0.86% (1/116) vs. 2.88% (3/104), P < 0.05]. There was one patient developed mild pericardial effusion at 30 days post surgery in micro invasive group. There was no intracardiac infection in the two groups during follow-up. At 30 and 180 days post surgery, incidence of residual shunt was also less in micro invasive group than the traditional cardiopulmonary bypass surgery group [1.72% (2/116) vs. 7.69 (8/104) and 0(0/116) vs. 7.69(8/104), all P < 0.05]. After surgery for 3, 30 and 180 days, transthoracic echocardiography derived chamber size, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index and left ventricular ejection fraction were similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe efficacy is similar for patients with simple ventricular septal defect (except subarterial ventricular septal defect) using micro invasive occlusion therapy or extracorporeal circulation surgery. Micro invasive occlusion procedure can shorten operation and hospitalization time, and reduce the need for blood transfusion and risk of developing procedural-related tricuspid insufficiency and post-procedural residual shunt.

Cardiac Catheterization ; methods ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Extracorporeal Circulation ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Treatment Outcome

AIM:We investigated how AT 1-R stimulated by mechanical stresses induces cardiac fibrosis .METHODS:We produced in vivo cardiac pressure overload model in angiotensinogen knockout ( ATG-/-) mice and in vitro mechanically-stretched cell model in cultured neonatal cardiac cells of ATG-/-mice both lack the participation of Ang II .RESULTS: Pressure overload for 4 weeks in ATG-/-mice induced myocardial hypertrophy accompanied by the significant interstitial fibrosis , however , the TGF-β, a key regulatory factor of fibrosis, was not significantly increased in these ATG-/-mice.Meanwhile, the inhibitor for AT1-R significantly inhibited mechani-cal stress-induced cardiac fibrosis in these ATG-/-models whereas inhibition of TGF-βdid not.CONCLUSION:The results showed that mechanical stress-induced fibrotic responses through AT 1-R required the phosphorylation of Smad 2 but not the involvement of TGF-β.