Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; methods ; DNA, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Dosage ; Humans ; Prognosis

Our previous work has indicated that mycelium growth and exopolysaccharide accumulation in submerged fermentation by Pholiota squarrosa (Pers. ex Fr.) Quel. AS 5.245 are strongly affected by many internal and external factors, including medium constituents and fermentation conditions. In this study, we use an effective two-phase statistical approach to enhance exopolysaccharide production. In the first phase, Plackett-Burman design was undertaken to evaluate the effects of the twenty factors, i.e., glucose, fructose, maltose, yeast extract, tryptone, K2HPO4, KH2PO4, (NH4)2SO4, NaNO3, FeSO4, MgSO4, MnCl2, ZnCl2, FeCl3, CuSO4.5H2O, vitamin B1, initial pH, the temperature, the medium volume and the duration, to the fermentation. By regression analysis, yeast extract, tryptone, fructose, MgSO4, MnCl2, initial pH and temperature were found to be important for exopolysaccharide production, while glucose, maltose, NaNO3, ZnCl2, vitamin B1, the duration and the volume are important to the mycelium biomass. In the second phase of the optimization process, a response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the above critical internal factors, and to find out the optimal concentration levels and the relationships between these factors. Based on the results of the first phase, a five-level six-factor (yeast extract, fructose, MgSO4, maltose, ZnCl2 and initial pH) central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed. By solving the quadratic regression model equation using appropriate statistic methods, the optimal concentrations for obtaining 876.32 microg exopolysaccharide per milliliter of fermentation liquor were calculated as: 6.0g/L yeast extract, 11.5g/L fructose, 0.5g/L MgSO4, 9.6g/L maltose, 38.6mg/L ZnCl2 and with the initial pH 5.3. The experimental data under various conditions have validated the theoretical values.
Culture Media ; Fermentation ; Fructose ; metabolism ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Maltose ; metabolism ; Pholiota ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Polysaccharides ; analysis ; biosynthesis ; Temperature

Enuresis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Polysomnography ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; diagnosis ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the techniques, advantages and disadvantages, indications and cautions of a surgical approach for the resection of nasopharyngeal tumor.

METHODSTen cases with nasopharyngeal tumors were recruited in this study, of them, 3 cases with residual nasopharyngeal carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy, 2 cases with cavernous angioma, 2 cases with benign mixed tumor, 1 malignant mixed tumor, 1 adenoid cystic carcinoma, and 1 chordoma. All patients underwent endoscopic resection of posteroinferior quarter part of nasal septum, and then the removal of nasopharyngeal tumors through bilateral transnasal approach.

RESULTSTotal resection of the tumor was achieved for all cases without severe surgical complications. All cases with benign tumors, with following-up of 6-18 months, showed no recurrence. Of 6 cases with malignant tumors, with following-up of 12-48 months, 5 cases showed no recurrence, and 1 case was suspected to relapse one year postoperatively, but not with any lesion enlargement after another 6 month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSPosteroinferior quarter part of nasal septectomy is preferred for endoscopic resection of nasopharyngeal tumors because it can provide a panoramic view on nasopharyngeal cavity and tumors, thus, facilitating the removal of nasopharyngeal tumors.

Adult ; Aged ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Septum ; surgery ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDSmall cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive form of lung cancer. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of human small cell lung cancer cell line resistance to etoposide (VP-16), H446/VP.

METHODSThe cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Immunocytochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting methods were used to detect the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1), bcl-2, bax and the topoisomerase II (Topo II) expressions in H446 and H446/VP cells after treated with or without VP-16.

RESULTSThe 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of VP-16 on H446 cells was 49 mg/L, and 836 mg/L was for H446/VP cells. The expressions of MDR1 and bcl-2 were up-regulated, while the amounts of bax and Topo II were reduced in H446/VP cells. After treated with 49 mg/L of VP-16, it showed that the drug could significantly inhibit bcl-2 and Topo II expressions, and increase bax expression in H446 cells compared with that of H446/VP cells.

CONCLUSIONSThe H446/VP cell was stably resistant to VP-16. The decreased expression of Topo II was correlated with the H446/VP multidrug resistance. The elevated expressions of MDR1, and the altered apoptotic pathways also played an important role in VP-16 induced multidrug resistance of SCLC.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Topoisomerases, Type II ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; physiology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ; metabolism

AIM:To explore whether there is synergistic effect of recombinant human endostatin ( rh-Endo ) and paclitaxel (Pac) in the time window of vascular normalization and the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in early assessment of chemotherapy by observing the response of human triple -negative breast cancer ( TNBC) to Pac after vascular normalization in nude mice .METHODS:The human TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells were planted in the subcutaneous region of right lower abdomen of BALB/c-nu female nude mice .These nude mice were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=7).rh-Endo was given for 17 consecutive days in rh-Endo group and rh-Endo+Pac group.Pac was given on the 6th and 12th days in Pac group and rh-Endo+Pac group.The dosage of both drugs was 10 mg· kg-1· d-1(ip).On the day before the treatment and the 5th, 11th and 17th days after treatment, all the transplanted tumors were examined by MRI . All the mice were killed by cervical dislocation and their transplanted tumors were taken down for examinations after the last MRI on the 17th day.The changes of pathology, immunohistochemisty, microvessel density (MVD) and Ki67 expression were measured.RESULTS:On the 17th day, the volume of transplanted tumor in rh-Endo+Pac group was smaller than that in model group and rh-Endo group ( P<0.05 ) , and no difference between rh-Endo+Pac group and Pac group was found.On the 17th day, the tumor inhibitory rates in rh-Endo group, Pac group and rh-Endo+Pac group were 14.61%, 39.08%and 54.79%, respectively.The slow diffusion coefficient in Pac group was increased compared with model group , while it was decreased compared with rh-Endo+Pac group (P<0.05).No distant metastatic lesion in the tumor-bearing mice was observed .The necrotic rates in rh-Endo+Pac group and Pac group were higher than those in model group and rh-Endo group.The MVD in model group was higher than that in the other 3 groups.The MVD in rh-Endo+Pac group was decreased compared with Pac group and rh-Endo group .The Ki67 level in rh-Endo+Pac group was decreased compared with rh-Endo group , and no difference between rh-Endo+Pac group and Pac group was detected .CONCLUSION:In the time window of vascular normalization , the combination of Pac and rh-Endo has a significant antitumor effect on TNBC , but this study did not observe a significant synergistic effect of the 2 drugs.The change of slow diffusion coefficient can predict the therapeutic effect in advance .

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the polymorphisms of DNA repair gene (XRCC1 194, 280 and 399) and the chromosomal damage induced by benzene.

METHODSThe chromosomal damage of the peripheral lymphocytes in 459 workers occupationally exposed to benzene and 88 non-exposed controls were detected with cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. PCR-RFLP technique was used to measure polymorphisms in XRCC1 194, 280 and 399.

RESULTSIt was found that the MN frequency (2.12‰ ± 1.88‰) of the exposed group was significantly higher than that (1.19‰ ± 1.68‰) of the control group (P < 0.05), in the exposed group, the MN frequency (3.00‰ ± 2.76‰) of older workers (> 35 years) was significantly higher than that (2.02‰ ± 1.71‰) of younger workers (≤ 35 years) (P < 0.05). The effect of genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1 on CBMN was not found. The haplotypes AAA/BAA, AAB/AAB, ABA/ABA, ABB/ABB could associated with the increased frequencies of total micronucleus (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONBenzene exposure could result in chromosome damage. Age of workers and diplotypes of XRCC1 could associated with chromosomal damage induced by benzene.

Adult ; Benzene ; adverse effects ; DNA Damage ; drug effects ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective ; Micronucleus Tests ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1 ; Young Adult