Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; blood ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant

A large number of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in tumor tissues create a favorable environment for the development of tumor. CAFs inhibit immune cells activation and viability by cytokine secretion, and CAFs prohibit drugs and immune cells infiltration by producing extracellular matrix to weaken cancer treatment efficacy. Regulating CAFs or overcoming CAFs barriers are new strategies for cancer therapy. Hence, designing nano-carriers for regulating CAFs to suppress tumor progression or promoting drug delivery to tumor site by overcoming CAFs barriers has attracted much attention. Therefore, this manuscript reviewed the recent progresses of nano-carriers for CAFs-targeting cancer therapies, in order to provide a reference for clinical cancer treatment.

Asthenia ; physiopathology ; Cyanosis ; physiopathology ; Expert Testimony ; Fatigue ; physiopathology ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Walking

Objective To discuss the diagnostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in differentiating vertebral metastatic tumors from benign deseases after studying the early changes of signal intensity.Methods Twenty patients were scanned by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.The parameters of signal intensity were measured and calculated,and time-intensity cures(TICs)were drawn.Then,they were compared with those of normal verte- braes,the characteristics were analyzed.Results The parameters of vertebral metastatic tumors:peak signal intensi- ty,signal intensity minimum signal intensity of post-peak,peak slope,initial ratio of enhancement,maximum ratio of enhancement was respectively(50.61?11.38),(46.75?10.23),(0.73?0.12),(0.33?0.08),(1.03?0.31); that of normal vertebraes was respectively(40.53?12.12),(34.72?14.06),(0.31?0.11),(-0.25?0.05), (0.69?0.28);and ten normal cases showed negative in initial percent of enhancement,but only two abnormal ver- tebraes showed that.All of the above had significant statistical difference.Four types of TICs were concluded:early rapid rise and early rapid descent followed by steady phase(type A),persistently rise(type B),rise phase followed by steady phase(type C),rise phase followed by rapid descent phase(type D).TICs of abnormal vertebraes were respec- tively 6,5,5,5 cases;types of normal vertebraes were mainly type C,15 cases.Type A and type B and the type with the characteristic of early rapid descent phase were features of abnormal vertebraes;type C was the feature of normal ones.Conclusions Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI could quantitatively show the characteristics of early changes of signal intensity of vertebral metastatic tumors,which were significant statistically different from those of normal ver- tebraes.Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was worth performing in the early diagnosis of vertebral metastatic tu- mors.

Background The fundus autofluorescence (FAF)can reflect the function of retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) cell.As an invasive examination,it has been extensive used in retina disease,but there has not any report in syphilitic posterior uveitis.Objective This study was to characterize and contrast the FAF and fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA),indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) findings in patients with syphilitic posterior uveitis.Methods A retrospective series of cases observational study was designed.The clinical data of 27 eyes from 18 patients with syphilitic posterior uveitis were included in Shanghai First People's Hospital from 2010 May to 2012 October,and all the patients were diagnosed by serologic and ophthalmic tests.The patients were assigned to acute stage group(with the course ＜2 months)and chronic stage group(with the course ≥ 2 months).FFA,ICGA and FAF were performed respectively on all the patients,and the examination results were compared and analyzed.Results In the affected eyes with syphilitic posterior uveitis,the FFA image showed a retinal vasculitis sign and mottle-like fluorescence appearance in posterior pole and equator zone,and some affected eyes exhibited edema of optic disc and macula.Hypoautofluorescence zone was seen in the acute stage group and cystoid macular edema was found in the chronic stage group.ICGA presented with a wider damage of RPE,especially in the later phase of ICGA.A confluent of hyperautofluorescence with hypoautofluorescence in the posterior fundus,punctiform hyperautofluorescence as well as hypoautofluorescence in papillitis and macular edema were found on the FAF image.Conclusions The pathological basis of syphilitic posterior uveitis is retinal vasculitis and papillitis.ICGA indicates the damage of choroid membranes and RPE,and FAF reflects a metabolism disorder of RPE in the acute stage and atrophy and loss of RPE in the chronic stage.FAF is helpful for the diagnosis of syphilitic posterior uveitis as an assistant index.

High resolution melting (HRM), an important technology for genotyping and mutation scanning, has broad prospects in the authentification of traditional Chinese medicine. This paper selected universal trnH-psbA primers and used HRM to establish a new methods for identification of Akebia herbs. PCR was conduct at the annealing temperature of 58 degrees C and 35 cycles. The range of the DNA template concentration, the primer concentration and the Mg2+ ion concentration were further analyzed. The results showed the Tm values of Caulis Akebiae was (81.84 ± 0.16), (85.28 ± 0.16) degrees C and Caulis Clematidis Armandii was (83.22 ± 0.19) degrees C and Caulis Aristolochiae manshuriensis was (81.67 ± 0.14) degrees C, (84.24 ± 0.10) degrees C with 5-125 mg - L-' DNA template, 0.4 μmol x L(-1) primer, 2.0 mmol x L(-1) Mg2+. This method can achieve the authentification of Akebia herbs and is simple, fast, high-throughput, visual.
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; methods ; DNA, Plant ; chemistry ; genetics ; Genotype ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Transition Temperature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) by meta-analysis.

METHODSWe searched Pubmed (until April 1, 2014), Embase (until March 28, 2014), Cochrane Library (until April 17, 2014), CBM (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), CNKI (from January 1, 2001 to February 2, 2014), Wanfang Database (from January 1, 2000 to February 2, 2014), and VIP Database (from January 1, 2000 to Febru ary 2, 2014) for randomized controlled trials of TU for the treatment of LOH. We evaluated the quality of the identified literature and performed meta-analysis on the included studies using the Rveman5. 2 software.

RESULTSTotally, 14 studies were included after screening, which involved 1 686 cases. Compared with the placebo and blank control groups, TU treatment significantly increased the levels of serum total testosterone (SMD = 6.22, 95% CI 3.99 to 8.45, P < 0.05) and serum free testosterone (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.86 to 6. 85, P < 0.05) but decreased the contents of luteinizing hormone (WMD = -2.23, 95% CI -4.03 to -0.42, P < 0.05), sex hormone binding globulin (WMD = 2.00, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.63, P < 0.05). TU also remarkably reduced the scores of Partial Androgen Deficiency of the Aging Males (WMD = -9.49, 95% CI -12.96 to -6.03, P < 0.05) and Aging Males Symptoms rating scale (WMD = -2.76, 95% CI -4.85 to -0.66, P <0.05) but increased the hemoglobin level (SMD = 2.35, 95% CI 0.29 to 4.41, P < 0.05) and packed-cell volume (SMD = 4.35, 95% CI 1.36 to 7.33, P < 0.05). However, no significant changes were shown in aspertate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, prostate-specific antigen, or prostate volume after TU treatment (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTU could significantly increase the serum testosterone level and improve the clinical symptoms of LOH patients without inducing serious adverse reactions. However, due to the limited number and relatively low quality of the included studies, the above conclusion could be cautiously applied to clinical practice.

Androgens ; therapeutic use ; Hemoglobin A ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; blood ; drug therapy ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; pharmacology

Fusion tags are originally developed to facilitate the purification of recombinant protein from crude extracts. In recent years, the discovery of different tags and the development of fusion strategy make the function of fusion tags diversified. However, there was no a cure-all fusion tag for different applications. We here give an overview of fusion tag technology and the different applications of fusion tags, including the purification, detection and oriented immobilization of recombinant protein, the visualization of bioevent in vivo, the enhancement of the yield of protein, the improvement of the solubility and stability of the expressed protein.
Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Solubility

The author introduces the basic concepts of microsatellite and population genetics and its characteristics, expounds the application of these theories for population genetic structure and genetic diversity, gene flow and evolutionary significant unit ESU division research. This paper discuss its applicationin study of genetic causes, origin of cultivation, different regional origins of geoherbs, aiming at providing a new theory and method for geoherbs.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Evolution, Molecular ; Genetic Markers ; genetics ; Genetic Techniques ; Geography ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics

Objective: To study the correlation between angiotensin II type1 receptor autoantibodies (AT1-AAs) and the onset risk in patients with essential hypertension (EH) combiningacute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: Our research included in 4 groups: EH+ACS group,n=28, ACS group, n=29, EH group,n=26 and Control group,n=23 normal subjects. Serum levels of AT1-AAs were examined by ELISA; high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), blood levels of lipids and glucose were also measured and compared among different groups. The correlations between AT1-AAs and blood lipids, glucose, hs-CRP were studied by multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Compared with Control group, ACS group had similar level of AT1-AAs (0.26±0.09) vs (0.21±0.06),P=0.105; while EH+ACS group and HE group had increased AT1-AAs level as (0.40±0.005) and (0.33±0.10),P=0.001 andP=0.02 respectively; AT1-AAs level was higher in EH+ACS group than HE group,P=0.044. In addition, serum AT1-AAs level was positively related to hs-CRP in EH+ACS group, ACS group and EH group (r=0.589,r=0.503 andr=0.273, allP<0.01). Conclusion: Serum AT1-AAs level was positively related to the onset risk in patients with EH combining ACS; AT1-AAs was also related to hs-CRP at certain degree.