Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasound (US) in assessment knee joint inflammation in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis(JRA).Methods US scans of the knees obtained in 30 children at clinically active stage; JRA was compared with those obtained in 30 healthy children and 10 JRA patients in clinical remission.Results Changes in synovial membrane thickness and presence of fluid in suprapatellar bursa showed statistically significant differences between JRA patients with active disease and the other subjects.Alterations in contour of the articular cartilage were demonstrated in 10 knees of patients with JRA.Conclusion US is a simple sensitive and reliable methods for the assessment and monitoring of knee joint involvement in JRA.

BACKGROUNDCervical cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. This study was designed to explore the expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs and the gene regulation network in cervical tumorigenesis and to find candidate molecular markers and key tumorigenic genes in cervical cancer.

METHODSmiRNAs and mRNAs expression microarrays were used to detect the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs in normal and cancer cervical tissues. TargetScan 5.0 database (UK) was used to predict the target genes of the miRNAs, analyze their intersection with differentially expressed mRNAs and negatively correlate the intersection with miRNAs. Bioinformatic approaches were used to analyze functions and pathways of the target genes and establish miRNA-gene network.

RESULTSTwenty-nine miRNAs and 2036 mRNAs were differentially expressed in normal and cervical tumor tissues. Among them, 13 miRNAs and 754 mRNAs were up-regulated in cervical tumor tissues and 16 miRNAs and 1282 RNA were down-regulated. The 327 target genes negatively related to miRNAs in the intersection were involved in functions and signal pathways. Down-regulated miRNAs targeted genes and up-regulated miRNAs targeted genes were involved in 415 and 163 functions, respectively, and in 37 and 17 significant pathways, respectively (P < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05). We constructed the miRNAs-gene network and found that hsa-miR-15a, hsa-miR-106b and hsa-miR-20b were key nodes in the network.

CONCLUSIONSThe differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in cervical cancer and related miRNA-gene network have been identified. They play important roles in cervical tumorigenesis and are involved in many important biological functions and signal transduction pathways. These findings lay a foundation for research on the molecular mechanism of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer.

Adult ; Computational Biology ; Female ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; genetics

Objective:To investigate the effect of miR-143 on the invasion and migration of B cell lymphoma cells .Methods:The expression of miR-143 in normal bone marrow and lymphoma was detected by qPCR .The expression levels of miR-143 in different cell lines were examined by qPCR .qPCR was used to detect the ability of miR-143 on PAN3.The relationship between miR-143 and PAN3 was detected by double luciferase assay .The effect of miR-143 expression on the migration ability of B cell lymphoma E 6-1 cells was examined by scratch test .The effect of miR-143 expression on the invasion ability of B cell lymphoma E 6-1 cells was exa mined by transwell test.Results:Compared with normal bone marrow ,miR-143 was down-regulated in B-cell lymphoma.Double luciferase assay showed that miR-143 could regulate the expression of PAN 3.Overexpression of miR-143 ,E6-1 cells significantly reduced the ability to attack and migrate.Conclusion:miR-143 can regulate the migration and invasion of B cell lymphoma cells by regulating the expression of PAN3.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of quercetin on the proliferation of neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of rats after focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODSAn adult rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established by placement of an intraluminal filament at the origin of the MCA. Quercetin was administered intraperitoneally in the rats at a dose of 50 mg/kg every 3 days starting at 6 h after MCAO, and BrdU (50 mg/kg daily) was also injected intraperitoneally starting at 4 h after MCAO. BrdU-positive cells in the SVZ were counted at 7, 14 and 21 days after MCAO.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operated group, the rats in the ischemic model group showed significantly increased BrdU-positive cells in the ipsilateral SVZ 7 days after MCAO, reaching the peak level on day 14 and beginning to decrease on day 21 (P<0.05). The number of ipsilateral BrdU-positive cells in quercetin group was significantly greater than that in the model group on days 7, 14 and 21 (P<0.05), and maintained the high level on day 21.

CONCLUSIONQuercetin can maintain a high level of neural stem cell proliferation in the SVZ after focal cerebral ischemia in adult rats.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cerebral Ventricles ; pathology ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neural Stem Cells ; cytology ; Quercetin ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnostic value of serum CEACAM1 in patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODSFifty patients with pancreatic cancer and 50 with chronic pancreatitis were examine for serum levels of CEACAM1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cut-off values and area under curve (AUC) of CEACAM1 was obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The diagnostic efficiency of the tumor markers for pancreatic cancer was assessed by the fourfold table.

RESULTSThe serum level and positivity rate of CEACAM1 in pancreatic cancer patients were higher than those in chronic pancreatitis patients (P<0.05). Based on the ROC curve, the cut-off values and AUC of CEACAM1 were 13.835 ng/ml and 0.780, respectively (P<0.05). In pancreatic cancer patients, the diagnostic sensitivities of the tumor markers decreased in the order of CEACAM1 < CA242 < CA19-9 (P<0.05), and the specificity in the order of CA242 < CA19-9 < CEACAM1 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCEACAM1 shows a higher diagnostic sensitivity than CA19-9 and CA242 for pancreatic cancer, but due to its low specificity this marker alone is not sufficient for diagnostic purposes.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; ROC Curve

Computer Graphics ; Computer-Assisted Instruction ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Pathology ; education ; Pathology, Clinical ; Specimen Handling ; methods

Objective To study the effect of quercetin on gene expression in glucose-oxygen deprived astrocytes using large-scale oligo microarray technology.Methods Astrocytes were primarily cultured in vitro and divided into ischemia and hypoxia group and ischemia and hypoxia plus quercetin treatment(50 μmol/L)group; ischemia and hypoxia cells from these 2 groups were induced by anaerobic culture for 4 h,and then,the nutrient solutions were added into each group,respectively.Twenty-four h after that,cDNA microarray was employed to select the differentially expressed genes in the 2 groups,and these genes were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR.Results The cDNA microarray indicated that the expressions of 180 genes had significant changes at the mRNA level between ischernia and hypoxia group and ischemia and hypoxia plus quercetin treatment group,of which 49 genes were up-regulated and 131 were down-regulated.One hundred and forty-eight differentially expressed genes were confirmed by RT-PCR,including 34 up-regulated genes and 114 down-regulated genes,which showed that 82.2％(148/180)genes that matched with the results of cDNA microarray.Conclusion Gene expression profiling by large-scale oligo microarray provides good understanding of the molecular mechanism of quercetin in glucose-oxygen deprived astrocytes,and laids the foundation for investigating the influence of quercetin and astrocytes in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

To study the effect of HCV core protein on the interferon-induced antiviral genes expression and its mechanisms. Methods HepG2 cells were transiently transfected with HCV core protein expression plasmid and the blank plasmid respectively. RT-PCR was used to analyze the effect of HCV core protein on PKR and 2'-5'OAS expression. The effect of HCV core protein on ISRE-medicated gene expression was detected by luciferase activity assay. Western-blot assay was performed to observe the change of mRNA and protein levels of SOCS3, STAT1 and p-STAT1 following HCV core expression. In the presence of HCV core protein, the transcription of PKR and 2'-5' OAS are down-regulated. ISRE-medicated reporter gene expression and STAT1 phosphorylation were inhibited. The transcription and expression of SOCS3 were induced compared with blank plasmid-transfected group. In HepG2 cells, HCV core protein can down-regulate the expression of some interferon-induced antiviral genes, which involves the induction of SOCS3 and the inhibition of STAT1 phosphorylation.
2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interferon-alpha ; genetics ; immunology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Protein Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; STAT1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; STAT2 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transcription, Genetic ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the reversal effect of gene MDR1 and MRP with combinational antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide on Drug-resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721/ADM.

METHODSSMMC-7721/ADM was transfected with synthetic antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides complementary to gene MDR1 and MRP mediated by Lipofectamine. Drug sensitivity was measured by MTT assay, Fluorescence intensity of cells was determined by flow cytometric analysis, RH123 and DNR retention was assayed by confocal scanning laser microscopy.

RESULTSASODN of MDR1+MRP increased the sensitivity of SMMC-7721/ADM to chemotherapeutic drug more significantly than that any of MDR1 and MRP did separately. But they did not enhance the inhibition expression of protein of p190 or p170.

CONCLUSIONDrug-resistance could be reversed significantly when antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide of MDR1+MRP were transfected into drug-resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cells SMMC-7721/ADM together.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Daunorubicin ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Doxorubicin ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Genes, MDR ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; genetics ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Rhodamine 123 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the prevalence rates of triglyceride,total cholesterol,high density lipoprotein cholesterol,low density lipoprotein cholesterol in Han,Uygur and Kazakh populations aged over 35 years,in Xinjiang area.Methods A four-stage randomly selected samples were used to analyze the prevalence rates of lipid levels in different nationalities,ages,sexes based on data from 7 areas in Xinjiang.Results ( 1 ) TG levels in Xinjiang appeared to be the highest in Han and lowest in Kazakh ethnicities with the means as (1.72 ± 1.45 )mmol/L,(1.21 ± 0.93 )mmol/L (F=209.272,P=0.000) respectively.The highest TC levels were seen in Kazakh with the lowest seen in Uygur,with means as (4.78 ± 1.16) mmol/L,(4.37 ± 1.13) mmol/L (F=168.796,P=0.000)respectively.Both HDL-C and LDL-C levels in Kazakh were the highest but remained the same level in Han and Uygur.(2) The value of TG reached the peak at age 45 to 54 in Han and Uygur,and then descending along with ageing.The overall TC level increased along with age but the HDL-C level generally declined with ageing.The LDL-C level showed a waving distribution along with the increase of age.(3) The TG levels were seen higher in men than in women among Han,Uygur and Kazakh but the TC levels of Han and Uygur were lower in men than in women.Both HDL-C and LDL-C levels were also lower in Han and Kazakh males than in females.(4) The prevalence rates of abnormalities were 35.12％,32.57％ and 16.44％ on TG; 27.83％,17.05％ and 33.43％ on TC; 32.68％,31.73％ and 28.72％ HDL-C;36.95％,37.02％ and 38.00％ on LDL-C,respectively.Conclusion People with Han and Uygur ethnicities in Xinjiang region had high TG,but low HDL-C distribution of blood lipids while the Kazakh had low TG,high TC,high HDL-C,high LDL-C blood lipids distribution.The distributions of TG levels were different in age,nationality and sex,except the distribution of LDL-C levels.More attention should be paid to the young men of Han and Uygur on prevention of dyslipidemia,in Xinjiang.