OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homebox 1 (ZEB1) in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its relationship to the incidence of hypospadias.

METHODSPrepuce tissues were collected from 37 children aged 6-15 months undergoing hypospadias repair and 11 age-matched controls receiving circumcision. Based on the position of the urethral meatus, the hypospadias cases were classified as severe (n = 13) and mild-moderate (n = 24). The mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe expression of the ZEB1 protein was remarkably higher in the severe (100% [13/13]) and mild-moderate hypospadias patients (75.0% [18/24]) than in the controls (9.1% [1/11]), with statistically significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). RT-PCR showed the integrated density value (IDV) of the ZEB1 mRNA expression to be (0.67 ± 0.21), (0.81 ± 0.24), and (1.55 ± 0.29) in the control, mild-moderate, and severe hypospadias patients, respectively, significantly higher in the severe hypospadias than in the control and mild-moderate hypospadias groups (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two (P = 0.64).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of ZEB1 is significantly increased in hypospadias patients, and its upregulation is positively correlated with the severity of hypospadias, which suggests that the overexpression of ZEB1 may contribute to the development of hypospadias.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Circumcision, Male ; Foreskin ; metabolism ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; classification ; etiology ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Male ; Penis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Urethra ; Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1

Objective To assess the clinical value of serum uric acid levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods A total of 502 consecutive patients with STEMI were enrolled from January 2005 to December 2010 for retrospective study.The level of serum lipid,echocardiographic data and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in patients with hyperuricemia(n =119)were compared with those in patients without hyperuricemia(n =383).The relationship between the level of serum uric acid and the degree of diseased coronary artery was analyzed.All data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0 software to make t test and x2 test and Pearson correlation analysis.Results Serum uric acid level was positively correlated with serum triglyceride level.Compared with non-hyperuricemia patients,hyperlipidemia was more commonly found among hyperuricemia patients (43.7％ vs.33.7％,P =0.047),and serum triglyceride level was significantly higher in hyperuricemia patients[(2.11 ± 1.24)mmol/L vs.(1.78 ± 1.38)mmol/L,P =0.014].But a significant association between serum uric acid level and one or more diseased vessels was not observed(P ≥ 0.05).Leftventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd)was found to be larger in hyperuricemia patients than non-hyperuricemia patients[(53.52 ±6.19)mm vs.(52.18 ±4.89)mm,P =0.041].Higher incidence in left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction was discovered in hyperuricemia patients(36.4％ vs.15.1％,P ＜0.01; 68.2％ vs.55.8％,P =0.023).Also,hyp-eruricemia patients had more in-hospital MACE(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Serum uric acid level is positively correlated with serum triglyceride level,but not with the severity of coronary artery disease.Hyperuricemia patients after STEMI tended to have higher incidence in left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction,and have more in-hospital MACE.

OBJECTIVE:To improve the quality standard of Jianpi zhixiening granules. METHODS:TLC was applied for qual-itative identification of Scutellaria baicalensis,Crategi Fructus,Lonicerae japonicae,Codonopsis Radix,Nelumbo nucifera,Copti-dis Rhizoma. The contents of berberine hydrochloride and baicalin were determined by HPLC. The determination was performed on Shimadzu VP-ODS column with mobile phase consisted of methanol-acetonitrile-water (46:30:42,V/V/V,berberine hydrochlo-ride))(0.1% sodium dodecylsulphate,0.1% phosphoric acid,methanol-0.4% phosphoric acid(50:50,V/V,baicalin)at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelengths were set at 265 nm (berberine hydrochloride) and 280 nm (baicalin). The column temperature was 30 ℃,and sample size was 10 μL. RESULTS:TLC spots of S. baicalensis,Crategi Fructus,L. Japonicae,Co-donopsis Radix,N. nucifera,Coptidis Rhizoma were clear and well-separated without negative interference. The linear ranges of berberine hydrochloride and baicalin were 6.67-33.34 μg/mL(r=0.9998)and 7.7-38.7 μg/mL(r=0.9999). RSDs of precision,sta-bility and reproducibility tests were all lower than 1.0% . The recoveries were 96.5% -99.9%(RSD=1.2% ,n=6)and 101.1%-102.9%(RSD=0.6%,n=6). CONCLUSIONS:Improved standard can be used for quality control of Jianpi zhixiening granules.

Objective To study the correlation between microRNA (miRNA) polymorphism and the risk and clinical prognosis of acute radiation esophagitis in patients with esophageal neoplasms. Methods 256 patients with acute radiation esophagitis during radiotherapy were chosen as the experimental group, and 256 patients matched by age and sex without acute radiation esophagitis during radiotherapy were chosen as the control group. The polymorphism types of miRNA-146a (rs2910164) were determined by Taqman gene typing technology of ABI7900HT. The genotype distribution of miRNA-146a rs2910164 polymorphism in the experimental and control groups was analyzed. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95%confidence interval (95%CI ). Results The genotype frequencies of CC, GG and CG at miRNA-146a polymorphic site rs2910164 in the experiment and control group were 20.70 % (53/256) and 33.20 % (85/256), 45.32 % (116/256) and 40.63 % (104/256), 33.98 % (87/256) and 26.17 % (67/256), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between two groups (all P< 0.05). Compared with gene type CC, the OR values of acute radiation esophagitis in patients with gene type GC and GG were 0.654 and 0.627, respectively (P< 0.05), indicating that they had a low risk. The negative effect rates in patients with gene type GG, CG and CC were 7.69 % (8/104), 19.40 % (13/67) and 41.18 % (35/85), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the clinical prognosis among these genotypes (P< 0.05). Conclusion Gene type CC at miRNA-146a polymorphic site rs2910164 can increase the risk of acute radiation esophagitis and decrease the clinical prognosis in patients with esophageal neoplasms.

AIM To develop a pharmacological network screening method in predicting the potential target,active ingredients and pathway of Salicornia europaea L.for the treatment of diabetes,and to uncover its underlying multi-component,multi-target,multi-pathway mechanism.METHODS Information about fifteen kinds of bioactive chemical constituents of Salicornia europaea L.acquired from a large amount of literature were used to predict the targets according to PharmMapper Server,and such a prediction was also subjected to the screening of the antidiabetes drug targets approved by FDA in the DrugBank database.The relevant information of potential target and pathway was obtained by MAS 3.0 biomolecule function software.Cytoscape software was used to construct the Salicornia europaea L.ingredients-targets-pathways network.RESULTS Fifteen major active ingredients of Salicornia europaea L.affecting in a total of 86 pathways (VEGF signaling pathway,Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway,T cell receptor signaling pathway,etc),including the 30 particular diabetes-related pathways of MAP2K1,MAPK,GSK3B,AKT,etc.,fully demonstrated the multi-component,multi-target,multi-pathway mechanism of Salicornia europaea L.in the treatment of diabetes and its complications,through regulating immune,lipid metabolism,inflammation,apoptosis and other processes.CONCLUSION Given the new understanding in analyzing the scientific connotation of anti-diabetes effect,and the complex system of Salicornia europaea L.,this paper highlights the direction for the next step in the validation experiment of its target and mechanism.

Objective To discuss the diagnostic value of peritoneal effusion detection by emergency-ultrasound in patients with closed abdominal injury. Method From August 2006 to June 2009,212 patients with closed abdominal injury were studied to evaluate peritoneal effusion detection by emergency ultrasound. Results of 212 patients,peritoneal effusion frequency rate was 78.8%( 167/212), meanwhile,abdominal paracentesis confirmation ratio was only 46.2%(98/212). In the follow-up, 13 patients with injuried hollow viscera and 1 patient with rupture of kidney showed peritoneal effusion. The volume of abdominal fluid was increasing in 17 patients,which needed to be managed by surgery. The accuracy rates were respectively 78.3%( 112/143) and 36.1%(13/36) in the solid organs and the hollow organs. Conclusion During the course of diagnosis and treatment in closed abdominal injury,peritoneal effusion monitoring by ultrasound should be used routinely, which can help to decrease the rate of misdiagnosis and avoid delayed treatment.

AIMTo design and synthesize new arylsubstituted imidazolin-2-one analogues as antitumor compounds.

METHODSArylsubstituted imidazolin-2-ones were prepared by condensation the appropriate omega-amino-acetophenone hydrochloride with arylisocyanate in toluene. The target compounds prepared in this study were tested for cytotoxicity against PC-3, A549, HO-8910, Hela, HL60, K562 and HL60R cancer cell lines, and mechanism of one of the products 4y was further evaluated with its mechanium.

RESULTSThirty-six new compounds were synthesized and confirmed by 1H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. One of the synthesized products, compound 4y, displayed an encouraging selective activity against HL60 cells, and it was partlydue to the cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONCompound 4y is worthy to be intensively studied.

Amides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Imidazolines ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo study the expression levels of ERCC2, UDG, and PCNA in cisplatin-treated A549 cell line.

METHODComet assay, RT-PCR, and western blot were used to study the mRNA and protein expression levels of ERCC2, UDG, and PCNA.

RESULTSWhen treated with IC(20) cisplatin, the DNA damage level increased as the cisplatin treated time increased within 24 h of cisplatin treatment. The tail state 12 h and 24 h after treatment was 5.02 +/- 0.68 and 7.22 +/- 0.53 respectively, which was significantly higher than those of the controls (2.73 +/- 0.29). The tail state 24 h after treatment was not significantly different from that of the controls. The DNA damage level decreased to normal after cisplatin treatment in 24 h (tail state 3.64 +/- 0.7). The expression levels of ERCC2, UDG, PCNA protein (4.37 +/- 0.57, 5.47 +/- 0.46, 2.21 +/- 0.47 respectively) and mRNA (0.71 +/- 0.08, 0.74 +/- 0.06, 0.82 +/- 0.09) were increased significantly within 24 h exposure and decreased to normal 24 h after cisplatin treatment. The 3 enzymes' mRNA and protein expression increased when treated with cisplatin, but the changes of protein level were slower than those of mRNA levels.

CONCLUSIONSThe DNA repair capability in A549 cells increases after cisplatin treatment. Cisplatin was a positive regulation of ERCC2, UDG, PCNA expression levels, which causes the increase of mRNA, and protein. The positive regulation only works in a short time and returns normal after 24 h of cisplatin treatment.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Comet Assay ; DNA Glycosylases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; DNA Helicases ; DNA Repair ; drug effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Protein Biosynthesis ; Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Transcription Factors ; Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group D Protein

objective To understand the baseline data of mortality from malignant tumor from 2006 to 2009 around Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant in Wafangdian City,Liaoning Province,so as to provide scientific basis for evaluating the impact of normal operation of nuclear power plant on the health of the residents nearby.Methods Thirty small towns near Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant were divided into 5 investigated areas according to the distances away therefrom(0.,10.,20-,30-,and 40-km).The data about from malignant tumor were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Wafangdian.The mortality distribution of difierent malignant tumors was analyzed,including the radiosensitive malignant tumors,especially leukemia,breast cancer,and thyroid gland cancer in different area,gender,and age groups.Results The mortality from malignant tumor was 151.97/105,and the standardized mortality rate(SMR)was 97.76/105.The mortality from malignant tumor among the males was 188.28/105(with the SMR of 116.76/105),and that among the females was 113.47/105(with the SMR of 75.89/105).with a sex ratio of 1.71.The first five cancers in the rank of death causes were lung,liver,stomach,colorectal,and esophageal cancers with mortality of 46.19/105,23.51/105,20.30/105,8.06/105 and 5.45/105,respectively.The mortality from mal.ignant tumor in the areas around the nuclear power plant from the near to the distant were 99.85/105, 137.40/105,138.73/105,156.30/105,and 154.16/105,respectively.The mortality from radiosensitive malignant tumors,leukemia,breast cancer,and thyroid gland cancer were 4.57/105,4.06/105,and 0.26/105,respectively.Conclusions Lung cancer and digestive tract malignant tumors are the main causes of death from malignant tumors in Wafangdian area before the nuclear power plant began to operate.There are no significant differences in the mortality distribution of malignant tumors among different areas,genders,and age groups.There are not significant differences in the mortality distribution of leukemia and breast cancer among different areas and age groups.