OBJECTIVETo determine the expression of Skp2 in different prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and tissues, and explore its influence on the androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway and development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODSThe expression levels of Skp2 and AR in different PCa cell lines were detected by Western blot. After knockdown of Skp2 in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells transfected with shRNA, the expressions of AR and P27 were determined and the activity of ARR3-Luc measured by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay following treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The expressions of AR and Skp2 in human naïve PCa or CRPC specimens were detected by immunohistochemical staining followed by analysis of their differences and correlation.

RESULTSThe Skp2 protein expression level was significantly higher in the C4-2 or 22RV1 cells than in the LNCaP cells. DHT treatment increased the expression of Skp2 in the C4-2 cells, but knock-down of Skp2 significantly up-regulated the expression of the well-known downstream protein P27 and down-regulated that of AR. Consistently, DHT treatment increased the activity of ARR3-Luc, while knockdown of Skp2 remarkably decreased it in the C4-2 and 22RV1 cells (P < 0.05). In addition, significantly higher expressions of Skp2 and AR were observed in the CRPC than in the naïve specimens (P < 0.05), with a positive correlation between the two proteins (r = 0.658 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSkp2 can enhance the expression and transcription activity of the AR protein in CRPC cells or tissues and is promising to be a critical molecular therapeutic target.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Dihydrotestosterone ; pharmacology ; Disease Progression ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; genetics ; metabolism ; S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins ; physiology ; Transcriptional Activation ; Up-Regulation

Objective To explore the relationship between size,shape and function of the left atrium appendage (LAA) and its thrombosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to provide evidence for clinical risk assessment,prognosis evaluation and treatment guidance.Method Length,diameter,end-diastolic volume (EDV) and ejection velocity (PEV) of LAA were measured in 41 patients with AF,and thrombus in LAA was detected by TEE.Results Thrombus in LAA was detected in seven of 41 patients of AF (17%).No significant difference in size and EDV was found between the patients with and without thrombus,but there was significant difference in PEV between them (P

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of seroresistance of syphilis and analyze its relevant factors.

METHODSThe clinical data of 131 patients with syphilis were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of seroresistance was investigated and the correlation between seroresistance and factors including age, gender, original titer, disease course, and medications were analyzed.

RESULTSThe incidence of seroresistance was not significantly different among patients with different ages and genders, but was significantly different among patients with different disease courses, antibody titers, and medications. Patients with a baseline serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titer of greater than 1: 8, a latent course, or a macrolide therapy history had higher incidences of seroresistance (i. e., 61%, 45.6%, and 72.7% respectively) than those who had a lower RPR titer, a primary course, or a benzathine penicillin therapy history.

CONCLUSIONSyphilis patients with a high baseline RPR titer, a latent course, and a macrolides therapy are prone to be seroresistant.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Macrolides ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reagins ; blood ; Syphilis ; blood ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo summarize the epidemiological, clinical and serological features of syphilis.

METHODThe clinical data of 1125 patients with syphilis were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSNon-marital sexual intercourse is the main route of infection. The 129 cases of primary syphilis were featured by extragenital chancres and the 357 cases of secondary syphilis were featured by scaling macules on the palms and soles and condylomata lata. Early latent syphilis were detected in 178 cases, late latent syphilis in 174 cases, and latent syphilis of unknown duration in 285 cases. Concurrent infection with other sexually transmitted diseases were noted in 107 cases (9.51%). Most patients were treated with benzathine penicillin, and only 31 patients (2.75%) were allergic to this therapy. Except for the primary syphilis, the sensitivity of syphilis serological tests (including rapid plasma regain test, treponema pallidum particle agglutination, treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay, and fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption) were higher than 97%.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of latent syphilis is high, while the incidence of late syphilis is low. Penicillin remains the treatment of choice for syphilis.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Syphilis ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Young Adult

Objective: To understand current situation of the awareness of tobacco hazards among middle school personnel in Shanghai and to explore its influencing factors,and to provide reference for making targeted measures to control tobacco hazards in schools. Methods: A total of 30 middle schools in Shanghai were selected by stratified cluster sampling method. The questionnaires were used to investigate the smoking prevalence and tobacco hazard awareness of 3 007 faculty members. Results: The total smoking rate of school personnel in Shanghai was 8.25%; the complete correct rate on the harm of smoking and second-hand smoke was only 19.72% and 23.74%, respectively. The correct awareness rate of harm caused by tobacco, such as stroke, osteoporosis and heart disease, was less than 50%. Gender, education level, smoking behavior and tobacco control training were related with tobacco hazards perception level. Conclusion The smoking rate among middle school personnel in Shanghai has been generally improved, but the faculty and staff have an unbalanced understanding of tobacco hazards. The school's tobacco control education should be targeted. Smoking, men and personnel with relatively low education levels are the key groups in school tobacco control education.

Objective To investigate the effects of over-expression ofhypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) on apoptosis of PC12 cells under hypoxic injury condition mimicked by CoCl2. Methods To obtain the neural cell line over-expressing HIF-1α, the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector of pEGFPC1-HIF-1α△ODD was transfected into the differentiated PC12 cells, and pEGFPC1 was transfected into the PC12 cells as control group. PC12 cells under simulative hypoxic injury condition was constructed by CoCl2 treatment. The expression of HIF-1α was analyzed under normal and hypoxia conditions, respectively, using the method of Western blotting. Then Hoechst33342 staining, flow cytometer and caspase-3 activity detection were employed to measure and compare the cell apoptosis rates between the over-expressing HIF-1α cell line and the controls. Results We successfully constructed the model with simulative hypoxic injury to the PC12 cell line via the treatment of 50 μ mol/L or 100 μ mol/L CoCl2 for 12-24 h. The results from Western blotting illustrated that cells transfected by pEGFPC1-HIF-1α△ODD highly expressed HIF-1α under both normal and hypoxic conditions as compared with the control cells. Furthermore, Hoechst33342 staining indicated that the apoptosis rate in those transfected by pEGFPC1-HIF-1α△ODD was significantly decreased as compared with that in the control cells; the apoptosis rate in those transfected by pEGFPC1-HIF-1α△ODD (5.41±3.29)% and the control cells (8.35±2.59)% was obviously different 24 h after treatment with 50 μ mol/L CoCl2 (P＜0.05).The caspase-3 activities were significantly different between those transfected by pEGFPC1-HIF-1α△ODD (2.152±0.384) and control cells (0.921 ±0.287) 12 h after treatment with 50μmol/L CoCl2 (P＜0.05). Conclusion In the model of neural cells undergoing simulative hypoxic injury by the treatment of CoCl2, over-expression of HIF-1α can inhibit the cell apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of hypobaric hypoxia and cold exposure on brown adipose tissue in mice. Methods Twenty-four 6-week old SPF C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 mice in each group: normal atmospheric pressure and temperature group ( 18~22℃, 20~60 m ) ( NTNP ) , low atmospheric pressure and normal temperature group ( 18~22℃, altitude of 5000 m ) ( NTLP ) , normal atmospheric pressure and cold exposure group(0~6℃, altitude of 20 ~60 m)(LTNP), low atmospheric pressure and cold exposure group(0 ~6℃, altitude of 5,000 m)(LTLP). The experimental period was 4 weeks. The body weight was measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. By the end of the four-week trial, the back and inguinal fat were dissected and observed by histology using HE staining. The expression of UCP-1 as the marker of brown adipose tissue in the back fat was detected by qPCR and western blot. Results The body weight gain of NTNP group was higher ( P< 0. 05 ) than the other three groups. Meanwhile, the color of the back and groin fat tissue of mice of LTNP and LTLP groups were darker, the blood supply in mice of these two groups was richer than the NTLP group. The volume of adipose tissue of NTNP group was higher than others. The histology showed that the back adipose cells of the mice were smaller and darker and full of multilocular lipid droplets, exhibiting a typical morphology of brown fat cells. Compared with the NTNP and NTLP groups, the mRNA and protein levels of UCP-1 were higher under cold exposure, while low atmospheric pressure had a tendency to reduce the mRNA expression of UCP-1. Conclusions The formation of brown fat is affected by the imitated conditions of low atmospheric pressure and cold exposure, and is more closely related to the decresed temperature.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of maternal exposure to nano-alumina during pregnancy on the neurodevelopment in offspring mice.

METHODSFemale ICR mice began to be exposed to nano-alumina 10 d before mating, and the nano-alumina exposure lasted till offspring mice were born. All the female mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: solvent control group (saline), nano-carbon group (11.76 mg/ml), micro-alumina group (50 mg/ml), 50 nm alumina group (50 mg/ml), and 13 nm alumina group (50 mg/ml). All the mice were treated by nasal drip (10 µl/time) 3 times daily till offspring mice were born. Physiological indices, reflex and sensory function test, endurance test, Morris water maze test, positioning and navigation test, and open field test were used to evaluate the neurodevelopment of newborn mice.

RESULTSOn day 28, the body weight of 13 nm alumina group (16.73±4.04 g) was significantly lower than that of solvent control group (20.45±2.50 g) (P<0.01); the 13 nm alumina group had significantly delayed time to ear opening compared with the solvent control group (4.91±0.78 d vs 4.45±0.50 d, P<0.01); compared with the solvent control group, the nano-carbon group, micro-alumina group, 50 nm alumina group, and 13 nm alumina group had significantly delayed time to eruption of teeth (10.05±0.23 d vs 10.32±0.48 d, 10.75±0.45 d, 10.32±0.47 d, and 10.79±0.49 d, P<0.05 or P<0.01). On days 4 and 7 after birth, compared with the solvent control group, other groups had significantly decreased proportions of mice which passed the cliff avoidance test (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). On days 12 and 14 after birth, compared with the solvent control group, the nano-carbon group, 50 nm alumina group, and 13 nm alumina group had significantly reduced pre-suspension time in the endurance test (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The Morris water maze and positioning and navigation tests showed that the 13 nm alumina group had a significantly increased 5 d incubation period compared with the solvent control group (P < 0.05); compared with the solvent control group, other groups had significantly reduced numbers of platform crossings (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The open field test showed that the nano-carbon group and 13 nm alumina group had reduced numbers of rearings compared with the solvent control group (P < 0.05); compared with the solvent control group, other groups had significantly reduced numbers of modifications (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMaternal exposure to nano-alumina (13 nm) during pregnancy has inhibitory effects on the physical development and early behavioral development in newborn mice and can also inhibit the learning and memory abilities and adaptability to new environment in offspring mice. The neurodevelopmental toxicity of nano-alumina to newborn mice increases as the particle sizes of nano-alumina decrease, which has been demonstrated by the endurance test and number of rearings.

Aluminum Oxide ; toxicity ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Behavior, Animal ; Body Weight ; Female ; Maternal Exposure ; Maze Learning ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Motor Activity ; Nanostructures ; toxicity ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of mesenteric lymph reperfusion (MLR) aggravates multiple organs injury in superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO) shock and its mechanism.

METHODSTwenty four Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6): Sham group (only anesthetized and operated), MLR group rats performed 1 h occlusion of mesenteric lymph duct (MLD), then followed by 2 h of reperfusion, SMAO group (rats performed 1 h occlusion of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and then followed by 2 h of reperfusion), SMAO + MLR group (rats performed 1 h occlusion of SMA and MLD and then followed by 2 h of reperfusion). The blood sample was taken out from abdominal aortic for plasma and the liver, kidney, myocardium, lung tissues in fixed position were prepared for making homogenate after reperfusion of 2 h respectively. And the levels of endotoxin (ET) in plasma and homogenates were determined with kinetic turbidimetric technique of tachypleus amebocyte lysate, the contents of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), lipopolysaccharide receptor (CD14) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in homogenates were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

RESULTSThe indices have no statistics difference between sham group and MLR group. The ET levels of the plasma and hepatic, renal, myocardial, pulmonary homogenates in SMAO and SMAO + MLR groups were significant higher than that of sham and MLR groups, and these indices in SMAO + MLR were increased significantly than those in SMAO group. The CD14, LBP and TNF-alpha contents of the hepatic, renal, myocardial and pulmonary homogenates in SMAO and SMAO + MLR groups were significant higher than those in sham and MLR groups, and these indices in SMAO+ MLR were higher than SMAO group significantly.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanism of MLR aggravates multiple organs injury in SMAO shock may be associated with enterogenous ET through intestinal lymphatic pathway to translocate, activate the LBP/CD14 as endotoxin sensitizing system and promote inflammatory response.

Animals ; Endotoxins ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Lymphatic Vessels ; pathology ; Male ; Mesenteric Artery, Superior ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology ; Shock, Septic ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo elevate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis levels of epididymal mass by sonography.

METHODSThis was a retrospective study of 179 cases of epididymal mass treated by surgery in our hospital between 1990 and 2005. The analysis was focused on pathological and sonographic features.

RESULTS179 patients with mean age of 51.4 +/- 14.7 were enrolled. The epididymal mass was classified into four groups: epididymal cyst (n = 98), nonspecific epididymitis (n = 27), tuberculous epididymitis (n = 33) , and epididymal tumor (n = 21). Epididymal cyst could be easily diagnosed by ultrasound, the diagnostic rate was 93.8%, but nonspecific epididymitis and tuberculous epididymitis were hard to differentiate, complicating with multiple organs lesions may distinguish tuberculous from nonspecific epididymitis. Tuberculous epididymitis could be easily diagnosed when cold abscess, calcification and sinus tract emerged. The majority epididymal tumors were benign, and malignant cases were rarely seen. Patient's history, physical examination and sonographic features were all essential to make a right diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONUltrasound features may be helpful to the differential diagnosis of epididymal mass and ultrasound should be the first choice of image detection in epididymal lesions.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epididymis ; Epididymitis ; diagnostic imaging ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis, Male Genital ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography