Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects of overexpression of PTEN on renal epithelial-mesenchymal trans-differentiation induced by TGF-β1,and the signaling transduction mechanism.Methods HKC cells were transfected with GFP-PTEN via lipofectAMINE2000.The efficiency of transfection was detected by fluorescence microscope.The expression of PTEN protein and mRNA in the translected cells was detected by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively.The experiment was divided into four groups:normal group,TGF-β1 stimulation group,GFP-PTEN+TGF-β1 group and empty vector+TGF-β1 group.The expression of E-cadherin,a-SMA,Akt and p-Akt was detected by Western blot.Results Most ceils transfected with GFP-PTEN expressed GFP.The expression of PTEN protein and mRNA was strongly increased when HKC cells were transfected with GFP-PTEN(all P<0.05).In both TGF-β1 stimulation group and empty vector+TGF-β1 group,the expression level of E-cadherin was lower(all P<0.05),while that of p-Akt and a-SMA was higher than in normal group(both P<0.05).The expression level of p-Akt and a-SMA in GFP-PTEN+TGF-β1 group was Iower(both P<0.05),while that of E-cadherin was higher than in TGF-β1 stimulation group and empty vector+TGF-β1 group(both P<0.05).The expression of Akt was similar in the four groups.Conclusion Overexpression of PTEN can inhibit renal epithelial-mesenehymal trans-differentiation induced by TGF-β1 through suppressing the activation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

Objective Using the Chinese anthropomorphic chest phantom to measure the absorbed dose of various tissues and organs under different noise index, and to assess the radiation dose of MSCT chest scanning with the effective dose(ED). Methods The equivalence of the Chinese anthropomorphic chest phantom(CDP-1C) and the adult chest on CT sectional anatomy and X-ray attenuation was demonstrated. The absorbed doses of various tissues and organs under different noise index were measured by laying thermoluminescent dosimeters(TLD) inside the phantom, and the corresponding dose-length products(DLP) were recorded. Both of them were later converted into ED and comparison was conducted to analyze the dose levels of chest CT scanning with automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) under different noise index. Student t-test was applied using SPSS 12.0 statistical software. Results The Phantom was similar to the human body on CT sectional anatomy. The average CT value of phantom are -788.04 HU in lung,45.64 HU in heart,65.84 HU in liver,254.32 HU in spine and the deviations are 0.10%,3.04%, 4.49% and 4.36% respectively compared to humans. The difference of average CT value of liver was statistically significant(t=-8.705,P＜0.05),while the differences of average CT values of lung, heart and spine were not significant(t value were -0.752,-1.219,-1.138,respectively and P＞0.05).As the noise index increased from 8.5 to 22.5, the DLP decreased from 393.57 mGy·cm to 78.75 mGy·cm and the organs dose declined. For example, the average absorbed dose decreased from 22.38 mGy to 3.66 mGy in lung. Compared to ED calculating by absorbed dose, the ED calculating by DLP was lower. The ED values of the two methods were 6.69 mSv and 8.77 mSv when the noise index was set at 8.5. Conclusions Application of the Chinese anthropomorphic chest phantom to carry out CT dose assessment is more accurate. The noise index should be set more than 8.5 during the chest CT scanning based on ATCM technique.

Objective To investigate the values of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),magnetic resonance angiography (MRA),and high-resolution MRI for diagnosing intracranial arterial dissection (IAD)caused ischemic stroke. Methods From August 2008 to April 2015,59 consecu-tive patients (age 45 ±15years,41males)with IAD caused ischemic stroke admitted to the First Affiliated Hos-pital of Sun Yat-Sen University were enrolled prospectively. All patients underwent conventional cranial MRI/MRA examination,25 of them underwent whole brain DSA examination,and 10 underwent high-resolution MRI. The findings of conventional MRI/ MRA and high-resolution MRI of IAD were analyzed. For patients undergoing DSA,the proportions of detection and compliance of IAD were compared between DSA and conventional MRI / MRA. Results (1)Conventional MRI / MRA revealed typical sign of artery dissection in 42 patients (71. 2%),among them,the intramural hematoma (n = 22,52. 4%)was most common. Other common signs included intimal flap/ double lumen sign (n = 13,31. 0%)and long irregular or thread-like stenosis (n = 9,21. 4%);while dissecting aneurysm (n = 7,16. 7%)and rat tail-shaped occlusion (n = 3, 7. 1%)were relatively rare. In 17 patients (28. 8%)with IAD that conventional MRI/ MRA did not detect the typical dissection sign,the dissections were involved in the middle cerebral artery (11 / 17,64. 7%), they were more common than the 42 patients with IAD (10 / 42,23. 8%)detected the typical dissection sign by conventional MRI/ MRA. There was significant difference (P = 0. 006). (2)Among the 25 patients undergoing DSA,DSA revealed that 15 patients (60%)had the typical dissection sign,and conventional MRI/ MRA only revealed 8 of them (32%)with the typical dissection sign,but there was no significant difference (P = 0. 088). In 15 patients with IAD that DSA detected the typical dissection sign;conventional MRI / MRA detected the typical dissection sign in 8 of them. The diagnostic coincidence rate was 8 / 15. (3)Both conventional MRI/ MRA and DSA revealed non-specific limitation stenosis or cut-off occlusion in 10 patients (16. 9%)with IAD,while the high-resolution MRI revealed intimal flap in 5 of them,intramural hematoma in 4,and intimal flap and intramural hematoma in 1. Conclusion Conventional cranial MRI/MRA is an effective technique for revealing IAD,whereas high-resolution MRI has the unique advantages for diagnosing IAD without typical dissection in other vascular imaging.

BACKGROUND:RACK1 is strongly associated with the occurrence and development of oral squamous cel carcinoma. However, the occurrence and development of tumor do not depend on a gene or protein, but a long-term complex process of a network structure of multiple genes and multiple molecules, multi-step, multi-stage joint action. Synergism between tumor genes promotes the formation and development of tumor cel s. Therefore, we cannot limit on a single gene or protein to discover the action mechanism of oral squamous cel carcinoma, but should pay attention on signaling network path related to differential protein or gene, investigate the alterations in related protein or gene expression in the whole signaling pathway, and analyze the action mechanism of the interaction of these molecules.
OBJECTIVE:To screen differential genes related to oral squamous cel carcinoma, construct an interaction network through bioinformatics using STRING database, and provide clues for future tests.
METHODS:In accordance with our previous classic proteomics results and microarray results of oral squamous cel carcinoma, genes with consistent expression and big differences were selected as differential genes. The differential genes were inputted into the database of STRING to find the possible relationship among the protein subunits and to construct network structure of their interaction.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The 19 differential proteins of oral squamous cel carcinoma construct a complicated net work, and the differential proteins interact through these networks. GNB2L1-encoded RACK1 is a node protein and interacts with other differential proteins via WD40 repeated protein (number COG2319) andβ-G protein subunit (number KOG0279). WD40 repeated protein (number COG2319) interacts with 5 differential proteins directly and constructs 10 interacting pathways.β-G protein subunit (number KOG0279) interacts with 8 differential proteins directly, which has 11 interacting pathways. We make a network structure picture based on the interaction of these 19 differential genes by the analysis of the STRING database. The results show that the two subunits of RACK1 protein have direct interaction with 8 differential proteins and have 18 interaction pathways on the picture. As a result, RACK1 is the core protein of the network, suggesting RACK1 is the key node protein in oral squamous cel carcinoma.

Objective To explore prognosis and remission-related factors in lupus nephritis (LN) patients.Methods Patients diagnosed as LN by renal biopsy in Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology between Jan 1,2011 and July 31,2016 were enrolled.All related baseline clinical data was recorded and regular follow-up was performed.Kaplan-Meier curves was used to analyze partial remission and complete remission rates.Log-rank test was performed to compare remission rates of patients with nephrotic-range proteinuria (24-hour proteinuria≥3.5 g) and without nephrotic-range proteinuria (24-hour proteinuria＜3.5 g).Univariate and muhivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the remission-related factors in different periods.Results A total of 115 patients,with 88.7％ female and (31.5±9.5)years mean age,were followed up for up to 5 years.During follow-up period 2 patients died and 1 dialyzed.The 6-,12-,24-and 36-and 48-month renal partial remission and complete remission rates were 33.3％,58.2％,71.5％,84.0％,89.6％,and 18.9％,40.5％,67.3％,79.4％,87.0％,respectively.Patients without nephrotic-range proteinuria had higher complete remission than patients with nephrotic -range proteinuria (HR=2.01,95％CI 1.15-3.34,P=0.014),but there was no difference in their partial remission (HR=1.33,95％ CI 0.74-2.43,P=0.341).Multivariate Cox regression model indicated that every 1 g/L increase in baseline level of serum albumin was associated with increased 8％ and 9％ risk,respectively,in partial remission (HR=1.08,95％CI 1.01-1.15,P=0.024) and complete remission (HR=1.09,95％CI 1.01-1.07,P=0.038).Conclusions Around half of LN patients reach remission during 1 year.Patients without nephrotic-range proteinuria have higher complete remission,and serum albumin is a remission-related factors.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of modified Huanglian Wendan Decoction (HWD) in treating senile mild cognitive impairment (MCI) of turbid-phlegm blocking orifice syndrome.

METHODSWith a block randomized, double-blinded and controlled design adopted, the 64 patients of MCI selected from December 2007 to February 2009 were randomly and equally assigned to two groups. The treatment group was treated with HWD in dose of 200 mL, twice a day; the control group was given Aniracetam 0.2 g (for patients over 70-years-old, 0.1 g) three times a day. And the illusive medicine in dosage-form of capsule/decoction simulated to that used in the opposite group was applied. The medication and observation lasted for three months. Chinese medicine syndrome, cognition capacity (by MMSE), laboratory indexes [acetylcholine (Ach), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA)] and safety related indexes in patients were observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment, MMSE score increased in both groups, but the increment in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.01); Chinese medicine syndrome estimated by scoring showed that after treatment, all scores of syndromes, excepting the expectoration, were improved in the treatment group with the post-treatment scores significantly lower than those in the control group respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01); while in the control group, lowering of scores only showed in some symptoms such as poor memory, heavy head or dizziness, and heavy sensation in limbs and body. Serum levels of Ach and SOD decreased and MDA increased in both groups after treatment, but the change of Ach was more significant in the treatment group (P<0.01). No obvious adverse reactions were found during the treatment.

CONCLUSIONFor treatment of MCI, HWD shows effects in improving patients' symptoms, cognition capacity and elevating serum Ach content better than that of Aniracetam; and with effects for raising SOD activity and reducing MDA level similar to those of Aniracetam.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Pyrrolidinones ; therapeutic use

Adolescent ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; immunology ; Male ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Students, Medical ; Vietnam ; epidemiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of modified bone morphogenetic protein-2 polylactic acid nanospheres (BMP-2-PLA-Ns) sustained-release system on rabbit mandibular defect repair.

METHODSThe polylactic acid s nanospheres (PLA-Ns) and BMP-2-PLA-Ns were prepared by ultrasonic emulsification after graft polymerization. Forty-five rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: Blank group, PLA-Ns gel group(control group), and BMP-2-PLA-Ns gel group (experimental group). The rabbit mandibular defect models were established. The defect area of control group was implanted with PLA-Ns gel, meanwhile, the experimental group was implanted with BMP-2-PLA-Ns gel, the blank group experienced no special handling. Rabbits were killed in 1, 2, 4 weeks after operation and the iconography, hematine eosin(HE) staining and PCNA immunohistochemistry were used to detect the reparative effect on rabbit mandible defects.

RESULTSImage observation showed that bone defect repair in the experimental group was well and the shadow was not obvious. Better repair effect was seen compared with the control group and blank group. HE staining showed that the experimental group and the control group had a large number of neovascularization and secondary callus formation, callus in experimental group was obviously higher than that of control group and blank group. Immunohistochemical observation showed that the experimental group's PCNA positive chondrocytes were more than those in the control group and the blank group in the first 2 weeks; all groups of PCNA positive cells were rare in the fourth week, PCNA positive expression rate of the fourth week was lower than that of the first 2 weeks.

CONCLUSIONThe modified BMP-2-PLA-Ns sustained-release system promotes mandibular defect repair obviously.

Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Lactic Acid ; Mandible ; Nanospheres ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; Rabbits ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

Wumei Pills is a prescription for the treatment of ascariasis of biliary tract and chronic diarrhea. It can be widely used in the treatment of many diseases with the basic pathogenesis "simultaneous occurrence of cold and heat" because of its features of cold-heat combination and tonifying-purgation combination. What should be noticed is that it is necessary to use large dose of Mume Fructus, which is also can be applied to the treatment of chronic diseases. Carefully sticking to pathogenesis in clinical treatment can obtain good efficacy.

Recently, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is suggested as a new agent in the fighting against fibrogenesis. In tumor, DJ-1 is identified as a negative regulator of PTEN. But the expression of DJ-1 and the regulation of PTEN in fibrosis are unclear. Renal fibrosis was induced in 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy rat model. Human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HKC) were treated with transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), or transfected with DJ-1 or PTEN. Confocal microscope was used to investigate the localization of DJ-1 and PTEN. The selective phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002, was administered to inhibit PI3K pathway. The DJ-1 and PTEN expression, markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Akt phosphorylation were measured by RT-PCR, Western blotting or immunocytochemistry. In vitro, after HKC cells were stimulated with 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 for 72 h, the expression of DJ-1 was increased, and that of PTEN was decreased. In vivo, the same results were identified in 5/6-nephrectomized rats. In normal HKC cells, most of DJ-1 protein localized in cytoplasm, and little in nucleus. TGF-β1 upregulated DJ-1 expression in both cytoplasma and nuclei. In contrary, TGF-β1 emptied cytoplasmic PTEN protein into nucleus. Overexpression of DJ-1 decreased the expression of PTEN, promoted the activation of Akt and the expression of vimentin, and also led to the loss of cytoplasmic PTEN. Contrarily, overexpression of PTEN protected HKC cells from TGF-β1-induced EMT. In conclusion, DJ-1 is upregulated in renal fibrosis and DJ-1 mediates EMT by suppressing cytoplasmic PTEN expression and Akt activation.