Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Matriptase and HAI-1 protein in prostate cancer (CaP). Methods Specimens of 46 prostate cancers,20 benign prostate hyperplasias (BPH),10 high-grade intraepithelial neoplasias (PIN),and 10 normal prostates (NP) were used. Expressions of Matriptase and HAI-1 proteins in specimens were detected by SP of immunohistochemistry. The results were analyzed in relation to the clinicopathological data. Results The protein levels of Matriptase in CaP tissues were significantly higher than PIN tissues(Z＝-2.150,P＝0.032),and the expression of matriptase in CaP and PIN was higher than that in BPH and NP (Z＝-3.270,P＝0.001;Z＝-2.817,P＝0.005). No statistically significant difference was observed between BPH and NP group (Z＝-0.895,P＝0.325). A progressive increase in the protein levels of Matriptase was observed with increasing tumor grade (rs＝0.583,P＜0.01) and clinical stages（rs＝0.611,P＜0.01）in CaP specimens. The protein levels of HAI-1 in BPH and NP tissues were significantly higher than CaP and PIN tissues（Z＝-3.277,-3.315,P＜0.01）,the levels of HAI-1 in PIN were higher than CaP (Z＝-2.310,P＝0.020). No statistically significant difference was found between BPH and NP (Z＝-0.872,P＝0.330). A progressive decrease in the protein levels of HAI-1 was observed with increasing tumor grades（rs＝-0.634,P＜0.01） and clinical stages（rs＝-0.521,P＜0.01）. The expressions of Matriptase and HAI-1 in CaP tissues showed negative correlations（rs＝-0.712,-0.560,-0.465,respectively,P＜0.01）. Conclusions The abnormal expressions of Matriptase and HAI-1 proteins may be important events during the progression of CaP in humans. Matriptase and HAI-1 Protein may be used as parameters for assessing the malignancy and prognosis of CaP.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Jiawei Xiaoyao Pills (JWXYP) on immune system of mice exposed to chronic emotional stress, and to compare its effects with blockage of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis (HPAA) by metyrapone. METHODS: Eighty male mice were randomly divided into eight groups: normal saline-treated group, normal saline-treated stress group, JWXYP-treated group, JWXYP-treated stress group, metyrapone-treated group, metyrapone-treated stress group, metyrapone and JWXYP-treated group and metyrapone and JWXYP-treated stress group. A box of electrical shock was used to induce chronic emotional stress in mice. The metyrapone was applied to blocking the HPAA. The JWXYP, a classical formula of traditional Chinese medicine, which can alleviate the damages caused by chronic emotional stress, was also used to compare its effects with that of metyrapone. The body weight, thymus index, rate of apoptosis in thymus, serum concentration of glucocorticoid, activity of natural killer cells, lymphocyte transmission rate of mice were all measured and examined after interventions. The pathological changes of thymus tissue were observed. RESULTS: The thymus index, activity of natural killer cells and lymphocyte transmission rate were lower while the rate of apoptosis in thymus as well as the severity degree of pathological damages in thymus tissue were increased in the different drug-treated stress groups as compared with those in the corresponding drug-treated groups without stress. The activity of natural killer cells and the lymphocyte transmission rate induced by lipopolysaccharide were increased while the serum concentration of glucocorticoid and the severity degree of pathological damages in thymus tissue were decreased in both the metyrapone-treated stress group and JWXYP-treated stress group as compared with those in the normal saline-treated stress group. The combined intervention of metyrapone and JWXYP did not show better effects on immune system in mice exposed to chronic emotional stress than single metyrapone or JWXYP intervention. CONCLUSION: Blockage of HPAA by metyrapone intervention shows a significant protective effect on immune system in mice exposed to chronic emotional stress, and the JWXYP also exerts a similar protective effect against damages induced by chronic emotional stress. The HPAA may be one of the action targets of protective effects of JWXYP.

Objective To investigate the metabolic changes and the metabolites distribution of different hippocampal regions (head,body and tail)in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)using 1 H-MRS for early diagnosis.Methods The hippocampal multivoxel 1H-MRS at 3.0 T was scanned in 30 patients with AD and other 30 normal cognitive elders (NC)as contrast.The data obtained were processed at a workstation.The hippocampus was divided into 3 parts (head,body and tail),and the ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr),myoinositol (MI)/Cr and MI/NAA were calculated respectively.The metabolite ratios and distribution changes were compared between group AD and NC.Results Compared with the group NC,the NAA/Cr in group AD in bilateral hippocampal body and tail was decreased,whereas the MI/Cr and MI/NAA in bilateral body and tail,MI/NAA in left head were opposite (P<0.01).In group NC,the NAA/Cr was gradually decreased from the bilateral hippocampal heads to tails (P<0.01),however,the MI/NAA was opposite (P<0.01).No distribution differences in every metabolic ratios of bilateral hippocam-pus were found in AD group (P>0.05).Conclusion Metabolic changes and disappearance of the normal distribution in different hippocampal regions detected by 1 H-MRS provide helpful clues for early diagnosis of the AD.

Peripheral neuropathies are commonly diagnosed in different clinical department of the hospital. The diagnosis is generated by a set of reasonable process based on the manifestations of patients. According to the age of onset, the speed of disease development and the symptoms of peripheral nerve lesions, the peripheral neuropathy is divided into a definite clinical subtype for a particular patient. On this basis, utility of the nerve conduction studies and electromyography is conducted to confirm the anatomical locations of peripheral neuropathy. The etiologic diagnosis is based on anatomical diagnosis of peripheral nerve with a reasonable choice of auxiliary tests, including serological testing, peripheral nerve imaging and biopsy. Genetic tests are chosen for patients with clinical suspective diagnosis of hereditary disease. Finally, therapy evaluation on the basis of etiologic diagnosis is important for forming a treatment plan.

Objective To retrospectively analyze the geometrical characteristics of abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing endovascular treatment in a single medical center.The long-term effects as well as the strategies for the prevention and treatment of complications have been reviewed.Methods From January 2003 to December 2010,clinical data and geometrical parameters of 344 cases undergoing endoluminal repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms were analyzed retrospectively.Results The diameter and length of proximal neck was (23 ± 3 )mm and ( 26 ± 12) mm respectively.The angle between the neck and the abdominal aortic aneurysm was (25 ± 28) degree.The surgical success rate was 99.7％.The average follow-up time was 32.9 months (3 -84 months) with follow-up rate 81.8％ (279/341).The mortality was 1.1％ (3/279),the re-intervention rate was 10.4％ (29/279) and the overall complication rate was 12.9％ ( 36/279),including endoleak of 5.7％ ( 16/279 ),stent-graft migration of 1.1％ ( 3/279 ),aneurysm expansion or rupture of 5.4％ ( 15/279 ),and other complications like limb occlusion.Severe infrarenal aortic neck angulation ( ＞ 60 degree) was associated with type Ⅰ endoleak ( P =0.010 ).Conclusions A careful preoperative case selection and evaluation is the key for a successful endovascular aneurysm repair.Endoleak continues to be the major long-term complication of the endoluminal grafting technique,and the major cause for re-intervention.Life-long follow-up is extremely important.

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of renal stenosis resulting from fibromuscular dysplasia ( FMD ). Methods 16 cases from 1998 to 2011 were reviewed,the average age was (28 ± 13 ) years old. Among them, all patients suffered refractory hypertension and only one presented renal dysfunction. Aorto-renal bypass was performed in 2 cases.Resection and reconstruction was performed in 2 cases,balloon angioplasty in 10 and stent implantation in 3.Results There was 1 death peri-operatively.13 out of 15 cases were followed-up with no death.Significant decline of blood pressure [ (134 ± 14 )/( 83 ± 8 ) mm Hg vs.( 151 ± 17 )/( 96 ± 16 ) mm H g ( P ＜ 0.01 ) ]and 100％ effective rate were observed.The creatine level were preserved after surgical treatment [ (61 ±22) μmol/L vs.(69 ± 22) μmol/L,(P ＞ 0.05 ) ] with 4 cases improved and the other 9 stable.12 patients received ultrasound surveillance with only one case of 20％ restenosis. Conclusions Renal stenosis due to FMD are most common in children and the youth with hypertension as major presentation. Balloon angioplasty is the first choice of surgical treatment with positive efficacy.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transplantation of purified CD34 + cells (PCCs) in treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI) caused by thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO).Methods From May 2009 to June 2015,34 TAO-induced-CLI cases underwent PCCs transplantation.None of these patients were eligible for surgical or endovascular revascularization.G-CSF was subcutaneously injected for 5 days before peripheral CD34 + cells were isolated,purified and intramuscularly injected in the limbs.Patients were regularly follow-up.Results Technical success was achieved in all cases.The mean number of transplanted cells was (7.5 ± 2.4) × 105/kg.The follow-up was accomplished in 32 cases,ranging from 6 to 79 months (mean 45 ±24 months),and two patients were lost.Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale score significantly decreased from 8.0 ±2.0(4-10)to 2.2 ±3.1 (P ＜0.05) at 1 month.The Peak pain-free walking time improved from (4.0 ± 2.0) min to (13.5 ± 5.3) min (P ＜ 0.05) at 3 months and (19.0 ± 3.1) min (P ＜ 0.05) at 6 months.The ankle-brachial index increased from 0.42 ± 0.20 to 0.50 ± 0.10 (P ＜ 0.05) at 3 months and 0.52 ± 0.11 (P ＜ 0.05) at 6 months,respectively.Transcutaneous partial oxygen pressure rose from (25 ± 11) mmHg to (48 ± 11) mmHg(P ＜ 0.05) at 3 months and (58 ± 10) mmHg (P ＜ 0.001) at 6 months,respectively.Ulcers healed in 21 out of 22 patients at (5 ± 4) months.The overall amputation-free survival rate was 94.1％ at 6 months and 91.2％ at 48 months.No major adverse events were observed perioperatively or postoperatively.Conclusions Transplantation of PCCs could yield safe,satisfactory and durable treatment outcomes in patients with TAO-induced-CLI.

In recent years ,pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine has become essential for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine .Pharmacokinetics is an important means for connecting traditional Chinese medicine with west-ern medicine .Medications exert efficacy only when there is sufficient concentration at the target sites .The drug concentration is not only related to the dosage ,but is also closely correlated to the metabolic processes in human body .Most pharmacokinetic studies of traditional Chinese medicine are based on healthy animals ,which ignore significant changes of pharmacokinetic pa-rameters in the diseased state .In this paper ,the comparative pharmacokinetics of the traditional Chinese medicine based on ani-mal models in their diseased states was reviewed .Developmental trends of pharmacokinetics of traditional Chinese medicine with different animal models were also discussed .

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are novel innate immune cells. Similar to T cells, ILC2s can secrete Th2 cytokines and initiate and maintain type 2 immune responses, which are also named as cross-border immune cells between innate immunity and adaptive immunity. In recent years, infectious diseases caused by pathogenic viruses have become a global healthcare challenge with the outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As a member of the innate lymphocyte family, ILC2s are involved in the development of group 2 inflammatory diseases and can activate immune activity, playing an essential role in the repair of tissue damage and in the body’s defense, which also can participate in the immune response and play an important role in viral immunity when a virus attacks on the body. This study reviews the defensive role of ILC2s in viral infections, providing a theoretical basis for elaborating the role of ILC2s in viral infectious diseases.

PURPOSE: Ferroptosis is a new mode of regulated cell death, which is completely distinct from other cell death modes based on morphological, biochemical, and genetic criteria. This study evaluated the therapeutic role of ferroptosis in classic chemotherapy drugs, including the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viabilitywas detected by using the methylthiazoltetrazlium dye uptake method. RNAiwas used to knockout iron-responsive element binding protein 2, and polymerase chain reaction, western blot was used to evaluate the efficiency. Intracellular reduced glutathione level and glutathione peroxidases activitywere determined by related assay kit. Intracellularreactive oxygen species levelswere determined by flowcytometry. Electron microscopywas used to observe ultrastructure changes in cell. RESULTS: Among five chemotherapeutic drugs screened in this study, cisplatin was found to be an inducer for both ferroptosis and apoptosis in A549 and HCT116 cells. The depletion of reduced glutathione caused by cisplatin and the inactivation of glutathione peroxidase played the vital role in the underlying mechanism. Besides, combination therapy of cisplatin and erastin showed significant synergistic effect on their anti-tumor activity. CONCLUSION: Ferroptosis had great potential to become a new approach in anti-tumor therapies and make up for some classic drugs, which open up a new way for their utility in clinic.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Death ; Cisplatin* ; Drug Therapy ; Glutathione ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; HCT116 Cells ; Methods ; Oxygen ; Peroxidases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction