The mitogen activated protein kinases-extracellular signal regulated kinases (MAPK-ERK) pathway is involved in regulation of multiple cellular processes including the cell cycle.In the present study using a Huh7 cell line Con1 with an HCV replicon,we have shown that the MAPK-ERK pathway plays a significant role in the modulation of HCV replication and protein expression and might influence IFN-α signalling.Epithelial growth factor (EGF) was able to stimulate ERK activation and decreased HCV RNA load while a MAPK-ERK pathway inhibitor U0126 led to an elevated HCV RNA load and higher NS5A protein amounts in Con1 cells.It could be further demonstrated that the inhibition of the MAPK-ERK pathway facilitated the translation directed by the HCV internal ribosome entry site.Consistently,a U0126 treatment enhanced activity of the HCV reporter replicon in transient transfection assays.Thus,the MAPK-ERK pathway plays an important role in the regulation of HCV gene expression and replication.In addition,cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) downstream of ERK may also be involved in the modulation of HCV replication since roscovitine,an inhibitor of CDKs had a similar effect to that of U0126.Modulation of the cell cycle progression by cell cycle inhibitor or RNAi resulted consistently in changes of HCV RNA levels.Further,the replication of HCV replicon in Conl cells was inhibited by IFN-α.The inhibitory effect of IFN-α could be partly reversed by pre-incubation of Con-1 cells with inhibitors of the MAPK-ERK pathway and CDKs.It could be shown that the MAPK-ERK inhibitors are able to partially modulate the expression of interferon-stimulated genes.

This study sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of intracavity microwave thermotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The temperature images of the heating range were attained immediately after heating by LCP. The aim temperature (equal or over 40 degrees C) was achieved and then uniform thermal distribution in these areas was seen. Either phantoms or animal tests suggest that the temperature of all detected points are ranged from top to low: para-radiator, ipsilateral, parietal and contralateral wall of the simulated nasopharygeal cavity. Intracavity microwave thermotherapy is effective and safe for NPC by either phantoms or animal tests.
Animals ; Diathermy ; instrumentation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Humans ; Microwaves ; therapeutic use ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; therapy ; Rabbits ; Thigh

Alanine Transaminase ; Amikacin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Aztreonam ; Bilirubin ; Carbapenems ; Ceftazidime ; China ; Creatinine ; Cross Infection ; Escherichia coli ; Fibrosis ; Fungi ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; Gram-Positive Bacteria ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Length of Stay ; Leukocyte Count ; Linezolid ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vancomycin

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is considered as a multifactorial disease including genetic, physiological, and environmental factors, in which different factors overlap in various pathways, leading to metabolic impairment and liver damage. The main risk factors for MAFLD are overweight/obesity, insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia and related dietary behaviors, mainly the intake of fructose beverages. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is an important predictor of changes in liver fat content in patients with MAFLD. There is increasing evidence that prescribing specific supplements or nutraceuticals that have been proven to have hepatoprotective effects for MAFLD patients can accelerate the improvement of liver enzymes and liver steatosis or might prevent or delay the progression of MAFLD disease.