Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a leading cause of cancer?related death, and new prognostic biomarkers are urgently needed. Apoptosis?stimulating P53?binding protein 1 (ASPP1) and 2 (ASPP2) have been reported to play important roles in the development, progression, metastasis, and prognosis of cancers, but their roles in ESCC have not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the expression of ASPP1 and ASPP2 in ESCC to evaluate their prognostic values. Methods: The protein expression of ASPP1, ASPP2, and P53 in 175 specimens of ESCC was detected using immuno?histochemical staining; their expression in cancerous and noncancerous tissues was scored according to the stain?ing intensity and the percentage of stained cells. The associations of ASPP1, ASPP2, and P53 with clinicopathologic parameters, overall survival (OS), and disease?free survival (DFS) were analyzed. Results: The protein expression levels of ASPP2 and P53 were significantly higher in cancerous tissues than in paired noncancerous tissues (P < 0.001), whereas the expression levels of ASPP1 in the two groups were similar. In ESCCs, ASPP1 expression was significantly associated with histological differentiation (P = 0.002) and invasive depth (P = 0.014); ASPP2 expression was associated with age (P = 0.029) and histological differentiation (P < 0.001); and P53expression was associated with age (P= 0.021) and tumor size (P = 0.040). No correlations were found between ASPP1, ASPP2, and P53 expression. Survival analysis revealed that high ASPP2 expression was significantly associated with increased 5?year OS (P = 0.001) and DFS rates (P = 0.010) and that high P53 expression was significantly associatedwith a reduced 5?year DFS rate of ESCC patients (P= 0.015). Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that ASPP2 was an inde?pendent predictor of OS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.541, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.363–0.804] and DFS (HR: 0.599, 95% CI 0.404–0.888) of ESCC patients and that P53 was an independent predictor of DFS (HR: 2.161, 95% CI 1.100–4.245). Conclusions: ASPP1 might be involved in the progression of ESCC, and ASPP2 was a potential prognostic biomarker of ESCC and should be evaluated in future studies.

Objective To assess the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog on glucose and lipid metabolism in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty(ICPP).Methods A total of 26 girls (aged 6-8 years,breast stage B2) with ICPP were followed up in Department of Endocrinology,Shenzhen Children's Hospital from Jan.2008 to Jun.2011.Those girls received triptorelin therapy for 12 months.Before and the end of the 6th month,the 12th month of the treatment,body mass index(BMI) was calculated,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),fasting plasma insulin(FPI),total cholesterol,triacylglycerols,high density lipoprotein cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol,apolipoprotein A,apolipoprotein B and estradiol(E2) were measured.Insulin sensitivity was estimated by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR).Twenty age-matched prepuberty girls were set as controls.Results 1.Before treatment,BMI,FPG,FPI and HOMA-IR in ICPP girls had no significant difference compared with the controls.2.After 6 months treatment of triptrolin,serum E2 concentration in ICPP girls declined from(30.5 ± 9.8) ng/L at the beginning of treatment to (11.2 ± 4.6) ng/L at the end of 6th month (P ＜ 0.01) ; The end of 12 th month of the treatment,FPG and FPI had no significant difference compared with that before of the treatment,but BMI increased from(16.46 ± 1.10) kg/m2 to(18.35 ± 1.30) kg/m2,the difference was significant(P ＜0.05),HOMA-IR increased from 1.24 ±0.30 to 2.08 ±0.40,the difference was significant(P ＜0.05).3.Lipid metabolism parameters remained unchangeable after 12 months of triptrolin treatment.Conclusion Triptorelin may lead to raise of BMI and HOMA-IR in girls with ICPP at 12 months after treatment.

Bone Density ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

Animals ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19 ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; metabolism ; Cytochromes ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; enzymology ; Rats

This study was to investigate the chemical constituents of the aerial part of Zygophyllumfabago, by phytochemical methods. The compounds were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies from the EtOAc extract. Their structures were characterized by various spectroscopic data (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, MS) and comparison with the literature. As a result, thirteen compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as 1-hydroxyhinesol(1), hinesol(2), atractylenolactam(3), beta-eudesmol (4), 5alpha-hydroperoxy-beta-eudesmol(5), 12-hydroxy-valenc-1(10)-en-2-one(6), pubinernoid A(7), (6S,7E)-6-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-3,9-dione(8), 3-hydroxy-5alpha, 6alpha-epoxy-beta-ionone (9), (3S,5R, 6S, 7E)-3, 5, 6-trihydroxy-7-megastigmen-9-one(10), (6R,7E,9R)-9-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-3-one(11), (S)-3-hydroxy-beta-ionone(12), and blumenol A(13). Compounds 1-7 were sesquiterpenoids and 8-13 were megastigmane type norsesquiterpenoids. All the compounds were obtained from Z. fabago for the first time, and compound 1 was a new natural product.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Terpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Zygophyllum ; chemistry

Human Activities ; Humans ; Public Health Practice

OBJECTIVETo study the pathogenesis of abnormal bone metabolism in patients with HBV liver cirrhosis.

METHODSNM-300 signal-energy X-ray absorptiometry system was used to measure the bone mineral density (BMD) in 61 liver cirrhosis patients and 30 age-matched healthy controls. The serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D3, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin (CT), bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein (BGP), IL-1beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and urine crosslaps were also detected in these patients.

RESULTSBMD in patients with HBV liver cirrhosis was lower than those of the controls. The serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 and BGP in cirrhosis patients were lower than those in the controls, and they were much lower in the osteoporosis (OP) group than in the non-osteoporosis (NOP) group. The PTH and CT were higher significantly in the patients than in the controls. The changes of serum 1,25(OH)2D3 and BGP were correlated with the changes of BMD. The serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha and urine crosslaps in cirrhosis patients were higher than those of the controls, and they were much higher in the OP group than in the NOP group. We also found that the serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha and urine crosslaps had a negative correlation with BMD.

CONCLUSIONSThese data suggest that bone formation is weakened and bone resorption is increased in patients with HBV liver cirrhosis, 1,25(OH)2D3 plays an important role in abnormal bone formation. Elevation of serum IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha can accelerate bone resorption and cause hepatic bone disease (HBD). Taking 1,25(OH)2D3 and reducing the level of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha may be very important in preventing and treating HBD.

Adult ; Bone Density ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Calcitriol ; pharmacology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; etiology

BACKGROUNDA quantitative and accurate measurement of the range of hip joint flexion (RHF) is necessarily required in the evaluation of disordered or artificial hip joint function. This study aimed to assess a novel method to measure RHF more accurately and objectively.

METHODSLateral radiographs were taken of 31 supine men with hip joints extended or flexed. Relevant angles were measured directly from the radiographs. The change in the sacrofemoral angle (SFA) (the angle formed between the axis of the femur and the line tangent to the upper endplate of S1) from hip joint extension to hip joint flexion, was proposed as the RHF. The validity of this method was assessed via concomitant measurements of changes in the femur-horizontal angle (between the axis of the femur and the horizontal line) and the sacrum-horizontal angle (SHA) (between the line tangent to the upper endplate of S1 and the horizontal line), the difference of which should equal the change in the SFA.

RESULTSThe mean change in the SFA was 112.5 ± 7.4°, and was independent of participant age, height, weight, or body mass index. The mean changes in the femur-horizontal and SHAs were 123.0 ± 6.4° and 11.4 ± 3.0°, respectively. This confirmed that the change of SFA between hip joint extension and hip joint flexion was equal to the difference between the changes in the femur-horizontal and SHAs.

CONCLUSIONSUsing the SFA, to evaluate RHF could prevent compromised measurements due to the movements of pelvis and lumbar spine during hip flexion, and is, therefore, a more accurate and objective method with reasonable reliability and validity.

Adult ; Hip Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography ; Range of Motion, Articular ; physiology ; Sacrum ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Young Adult

Accidents, Occupational ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Compound Qingqin Liquid (CQL) on the expression level of angiotensin II (Ang II) and COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression in the renal tissue of rats with uric acid nephropathy.

METHODSSD rats were randomly divided into the blank control group, the model group, the positive drug group, the high, moderate, and low dose CQL group according to number randomization principle. The model was established by gastrogavage of adenine, accompanied with yeast feeding. Distilled water was given by gastrogavage to rats in the blank control group and the model group. Allopurinol at the daily dose of 9.33 mg/kg was given by gastrogavage to rats of the positive control group. CQL at the daily dose of 3.77 g/kg, 1.89 g/kg, and 0.09 g/kg was respectively given by gastrogavage to rats in the high, moderate, and low dose CQL groups. All treatment lasted for 6 weeks. Rats were randomly divided at week 4 (3 in the blank control group, and 6 in the rest groups), and the rest rats were killed at week 6. The renal tissue was extracted. The expression level of Ang II and COX-2 mRNA transcription were detected by RT-PCR. The expression level of Ang II was detected by ELISA. The expression level of COX-2 protein was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical assay.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, except the mRNA expression of Ang II at week 4, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II and COX-2 obviously increased at week 4 and 6 in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The COX-2 protein expression at week 4 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05); the average integral of optical density value was obviously lower in the positive control group than in the model group. Except the mRNA expression of Ang II in the high dose CQL group at week 6, the mRNA and protein expression of Ang II obviously decreased in the positive control group and each dose CQL group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Of them, the effects were better in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the positive control group and the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides, the mRNA expression of COX-2, the average integral of optical density value were obviously lower in the positive control group and each dose CQL group than in the model group (P < 0.05). The protein expression of COX-2 was obviously lower in the high and moderate dose CQL groups than in the model group (P < 0.05). Of them, the mRNA expression of COX-2 was better in the moderate dose CQL group than in the positive control group (P < 0.05); the protein expression of COX-2 was better in the high dose CQL group than in the low dose CQL group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCQL was capable of lowering the expression level of Ang II, COX-2 mRNA transcription and protein expression, thus suppressing the inflammatory pathological injury of the renal tissue.

Angiotensin II ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uric Acid