Background c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 were defined to modulate the behavior of prostate cancer with pro-tumoral or anti-tumoral effects and had ability in predicting prostate cancer progression,but the research of their co-expression value of prognosis is rarely.This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of combining tri-marker together in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.Methods Expression levels of c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 in 129 patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer were assessed using immunohistochemistry in a semi-quantitative manner.The expression profiles of these three markers were analyzed and investigated for association with biochemical recurrence.Results In all,fifty of 129 cases experienced biochemical recurrence during a median follow-up time of 31 months (range,6-60 months).Of these relapse patients,one case without and 10 cases with any single positive marker were observed; 39 cases were detected with any two or all three positive markers (22 cases with any two and 17 cases with all three positive markers).Survival analysis showed that patients with over-expression of c-Myc or EZH2,and lower expression of p27 manifested significantly higher biochemical recurrence rates.Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that c-Myc,EZH2 and p27 expression statuses showed potential in predicting relapse,respectively.Notably,combining three markers together as a "composite index" (0 or 1,vs.2 or 3 positive markers) provided powerful prognostic value (HR 6.57,95％ CI 3.02-14.31,P ＜0.001).There was a significant difference between the patient subgroups with 0 or 1 and those with 2 or 3 positive markers expression statuses,and tri-marker composite index was an independent risk factor for predicting relapse in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.Conclusion Composite index of c-Myc,EZH2,and p27 can be valued as powerful prognosis parameter for intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients after the surgery,and postoperative adjuvant therapy can be adopted accordingly.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for the evaluation of trabecular bone structure in mandibular condyle and to investigate the distribution of the trabecular bone structure within mandibular condyle.

METHODSEighty condyles from 40 healthy young volunteers (aged 20-32) were scanned by CBCT. A coronoid image was acquired of each condyle and divided into 8 regions where regions of interest were specified. After CBCT images were binarized, four morphological parameters including bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, trabecular number and trabecular separation were computed.

RESULTSAll parameters were significantly different between the superior zone and middle/inferior zone of the condyle (P < 0.05). Superior zone showed the largest bone volume fraction (52.2%), the highest trabecular number (1.33 mm(-1)), the thinnest trabecular thickness (393.48 microm), and the smallest trabecular separation (361.59 microm). Inferior zone showed the smallest bone volume fraction (49.64%). These results were not significantly different between bilateral sides of the condyles (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTrabecular bone structure was inhomogeneous within the condyle, but symmetrical between bilateral sides of the condyles. CBCT combined with image processing is a feasible tool in evaluating trabecular bone structure of human mandibular condyle.

Adult ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Mandibular Condyle ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate effect of connective tissue growth factors (CTGF) on secretion of extracellular matrix synthesis of meniscal fibrochondrocytes, expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), and angiogenesis during the repair of meniscal tearing damage.

METHODSMeniscal fibrochondrocytes were isolated from the inner--1/2 of rabbits' meniscus by collagenase enzymatic digestion, centrifugal separation, and treated with 100 ng/ml CTGF in vitro. Characterization of fibrochondrocytes was identified by flow cytometry analysising CD31, CD44, CD45 and CD105, and was further tested by type II collagen immunocytochemistry. Changes in gene expression of meniscal fibrochondrocytes were monitored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vitro, the sections of the 3 mm of the longitudinal teared in the middle of the rabbit's meniscus, and then the defects were dealed with simple suture, suture and implanting with PBS-fibrin glue, sutured and implanting with 1.5 microg CTGF respectively. Expression and distribution of type I and II collagen and VEGF, the tearing healing were observed by fluorescence-immunohistochemisty analysis on the 1st week, the 4th week and the 10th week.

RESULTSQuantitative RT-PCR assays showed that type I and type II collagen,and VEGF mRNA expression in the 100 ng/ml CTGF group had been remarkably enhanced than in the PBS group on the 14th day. Consistent with these effects in vitro, fluorescence-immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in the group implanted with CTGF-fibrin glue, type I collagen, type I collagen and capillaries completely filled the defect on the 10th week postoperatively. In contrast, only soft tissue repair occurred after the PBS-fibrin glue was implanted.

CONCLUSIONCTGF can significantly promote extracellular matrix (I collagen, II collagen) of the meniscal avascular zone synthesis, and CTGF can greatly heighten the expression of VEGF activity at the same time in vitro, so that it can further enhance the repair of meniscal tearing damage in the avascular zone.

Animals ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; Collagen Type II ; genetics ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; surgery ; Rabbits ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

Objective:To investigate effect of connective tissue growth factors (CTGF) on secretion of extracellular matrix synthesis of meniscal fibrochondrocytes,expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF),and angiogenesis during the repair of meniscal tearing damage. Methods:Meniscal fibrochondrocytes were isolated from the inner-1/2 of rabbits'meniscus by collagenase enzymatic digestion,centrifugal separation,and treated with 100 ng/ml CTGF in vitro. Characteriza-tion of fibrochondrocytes was identified by flow cytometry analysising CD31 ,CD44,CD45 and CD105,and was further tested by typeⅡcollagen immunocytochemistry. Changes in gene expression of meniscal fibrochondrocytes were monitored by quanti-tative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vitro ,the sections of the 3 mm of the longitudinal teared in the middle of the rab-bit's meniscus,and then the defects were dealed with simple suture,suture and implanting with PBS-fibrin glue,sutured and implanting with 1.5μg CTGF respectively. Expression and distribution of typeⅠandⅡcollagen and VEGF,the tearing healing were observed by fluorescence-immunohistochemisty analysis on the 1st week ,the 4th week and the 10th week. Results:Quantitative RT-PCR assays showed that typeⅠand typeⅡcollagen,and VEGF mRNA expression in the 100 ng/ml CTGF group had been remarkably enhanced than in the PBS group on the 14th day. Consistent with these effects in vitro ,fluores-cence-immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in the group implanted with CTGF-fibrin glue ,typeⅠcollagen,typeⅡcol-lagen and capillaries completely filled the defect on the 10th week postoperatively. In contrast ,only soft tissue repair occurred after the PBS-fibrin glue was implanted. Conclusion:CTGF can significantly promote extracellular matrix (Ⅰcollagen,Ⅱcol-lagen) of the meniscal avascular zone synthesis,and CTGF can greatly heighten the expression of VEGF activity at the same time in vitro,so that it can further enhance the repair of meniscal tearing damage in the avascular zone.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin combined with 5 -fluorouracil ( 5 -FU ) in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer.Methods Sixty -five patients with advanced esophageal cancer were randomly divided into control group (n=32) and treatment group(n=33).The patients in two groups were treated with conventional fractionated radiotherapy at 2.0 Gy, with a total dose of 56-66 Gy.Chemotherapy was delivered on the first day of radio-therapy.Control group was received 52.5 mg · m-2 · d -1 cisplatin on day 1 +500 mg · m-2 · d -1 5 -Fu on day 1 -5 through intravenous drip.Treatment group was received 85-100 mg · m-2 · d-1 oxaliplatin through intravenous infusion two hours on day 1 +500 mg · m -2 · d -1 5-FU on day 1 -5 through intravenous drip.Every 4 weeks was a cycle, all received two cycles of chemotherapy.The clinical efficacy and incidence of adverse drug reactions between two groups were compared.Results After treatment, total effective rates were 81.80% and 75.00%in treatment group and control group, disease control rates were 96.97% and 93.75% in treatment group and control group, one year survival rates were 77.30%and 68.20%in treatment group and control group, with no statistical difference between the two groups( P>0.05).After treatment, the occurrence rate of nausea and vomiting in treatment group was signifi-cantly lower than that in control group(34.60%vs 62.50%, P<0.05) .The occurrence rate of sensory neuropathy in treatment group was significantly higher than that in control group(24.00%vs 0, P<0.05).Conclusion Concurrent chemoradiation with oxaliplatin and 5-FU for the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer exhibited a definitive clini-cal efficacy with clinical manageable adverse drug reactions.

OBJECTIVETo found new interface of human hepatocyte/poly propylene with good cytocompatibility for made polypropylene hollow fibers bioreactor of bioartificial liver in future.

METHODSUsing the macromolecular hydroperoxide groups on the polypropylene membrane surface as initiators, acrylamides were polymerized on the polypropylene membranes, under induction by both UV irradiation and Fe2+ reduction. Growth characteristics of human hepatocyte L-02 were detected when it was cultured on polystyrene, polypropylene and modified polypropylene membrane surface.

RESULTSWater contact angle measurement of the polypropylene and the modified polypropylene membranes decreased from (72 +/- 5) degrees to (30 +/- 4) degrees , which indicated that the hydrophilicity of the membrane was improved obviously after the grafting modification. Human hepatocyte L-02 could not adhere and spread on modified polypropylene membrane surface, and grown in spheroidal aggregate with higher density and higher proliferation ratio measured by MTT method.

CONCLUSIONSAcrylamide polymerized on the polypropylene membranes is a good method which not only improved human hepatocytes cytocompatibility but also found a new simple culture method with spheroidal aggregate culture of human hepatocyte.

Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans ; Liver, Artificial ; Membranes, Artificial ; Polypropylenes ; chemistry ; Surface Properties ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

BACKGROUNDc-Myc, EZH2 and p27 were defined to modulate the behavior of prostate cancer with pro-tumoral or anti-tumoral effects and had ability in predicting prostate cancer progression, but the research of their co-expression value of prognosis is rarely. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of combining tri-marker together in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.

METHODSExpression levels of c-Myc, EZH2 and p27 in 129 patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer were assessed using immunohistochemistry in a semi-quantitative manner. The expression profiles of these three markers were analyzed and investigated for association with biochemical recurrence.

RESULTSIn all, fifty of 129 cases experienced biochemical recurrence during a median follow-up time of 31 months (range, 6 - 60 months). Of these relapse patients, one case without and 10 cases with any single positive marker were observed; 39 cases were detected with any two or all three positive markers (22 cases with any two and 17 cases with all three positive markers). Survival analysis showed that patients with over-expression of c-Myc or EZH2, and lower expression of p27 manifested significantly higher biochemical recurrence rates. Subsequent multivariate analysis revealed that c-Myc, EZH2 and p27 expression statuses showed potential in predicting relapse, respectively. Notably, combining three markers together as a "composite index" (0 or 1, vs. 2 or 3 positive markers) provided powerful prognostic value (HR 6.57, 95% CI 3.02 - 14.31, P < 0.001). There was a significant difference between the patient subgroups with 0 or 1 and those with 2 or 3 positive markers expression statuses, and tri-marker composite index was an independent risk factor for predicting relapse in patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer after surgery.

CONCLUSIONComposite index of c-Myc, EZH2, and p27 can be valued as powerful prognosis parameter for intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients after the surgery, and postoperative adjuvant therapy can be adopted accordingly.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 ; analysis ; Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; epidemiology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 ; analysis ; Prognosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; chemistry ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the synthetical index for diagnosing schistosomiasis with ultrasound and to assess the prevalence rate with the index.

METHODSUltrasound indexes of schistosomiasis Japonicum were analyzed by principal component analysis, and the synthetical indexes were assessed by ROC curve.

RESULTSAmong the abnormal rates of the 6 indexes, the lowest was 1.6% comparing with the highest of 59.5%. Significant difference was noficed among the abnormal rates (chi(2) = 631.1, P < 0.01). The individual correlation of the six indexes to each other as will as with age distribution was significant (P < 0.05). The three principal components reflected the degree of pathological changes on liver and spleen. The first principal component was the factor reflecting the degree of liver pathological changes, and the second and third principal components reflected the degree of pathological changes on spleen. The synthetical index D(1) = 0.047X(1) + 0.428X(2) + 1.247X(3) + 0.095X(4) + 0.002X(5) + 0.213X(6) - 12.837 was found by adding the three weight principal components, and it's area under the ROC curve was 0.957. When -1.70 was taken as the critical value, the abnormal rate of population was 66.3%, close to the resident's actual prevalence rate 66.9%.

CONCLUSIONUltrasonography was considered as a method which could rapidly assessing the resident's prevalence rate in the endemic areas of schisitosomiasis Japonicum, and could also provide powerful information for development of strategy on chemotherapy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Principal Component Analysis ; ROC Curve ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) may increase oxidative stress in women with PIH, and to explore the mechanisms by which PIH may increase oxidative stress and potential free radical damage.

METHODSSeventy women with PIH and seventy women with uncomplicated normotensive pregnancy (UNP) whose age, nutritional conditions, levels of hemoglobin and albumin were all matched, were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Their plasma concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE), and beta-carotene (beta-CAR) as well as their erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were determined by spectrophotometry.

RESULTSCompared with average values of the above experimental parameters in the women with UNP, the average value of erythrocyte MDA in the women with PIH significantly increased (P<0.0001), while the average values of plasma NO, VC, VE, and beta-CAR as well as those of erythrocyte SOD, CAT, and GPX in the women with PIH significantly decreased (P<0.0005-0.0001). The findings from partial correlation analysis (controlling for age) for 70 women with PIH showed that with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), MDA value gradually increased (P<0.001), and NO, VC, VE, beta-CAR, SOD, CAT, and GPX values gradually decreased (P<0.02-0.001). The findings from reliability analysis for NO, VC, VE, beta-CAR, SOD, CAT, GPX, and MDA values used to reflect increased oxidative stress and potential free radical damage in women with PIH showed that the reliability coefficients (alpha, 8 items) = 0.7062, P<0.0001, and the standardized item alpha = 0.9116, P<0.0001.

CONCLUSIONThe findings in the present research suggest that pregnancy-induced hypertension can increase oxidative stress and potential free radical damage in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular ; metabolism

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by the accu-mulation of immature myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow,compromising of normal hematopoi-esis and ultimately resulting in bone marrow failure. Chemotherapy is the mainstay treatment for all AML patients,however,drug resistance and clinical relapse limits its efficacy.The 5-year survival rate of AML patients is only 26.6%.Survival rates are even lower among patients ages 65 to 74 years (5.3%)and 75 years or older(1.6%).Therefore,exploring novel therapeutic agents is urgent for improving the outcome of patients with AML. Saponins are amphipathic glycosides found in traditional Chinese medicines. In the present study, we isolated a panel of saponins from Paris forrestii (Takht.) H. Li, a unique plant found in Tibet and Yunnan provinces, China. By examining their activities in suppressing acute myeloid leukemia cell proliferation, total saponins from Paris forrestii (TSPf) displayed more potent activity than individual ones.TSPf induced more than 40% AML cell apoptosis within 24 h and decreased the viability of all leukemia cell lines. TSPf-induced apoptosis was confirmed by both Annexin V staining and caspase-3 activation.TSPf downregulated pro-survival proteins Mcl-1,Bcl-xL and Bcl-2,but upreg-ulated the expression of tumor suppressor proteins p53,p27,Bax and Beclin 1.The AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is frequently over activated in various AML cells,and TSPf was found to suppress the activa-tion of both AKT and mTOR,but had no effects on their total protein expression.This was further con-firmed by the inactivation of 4EBP-1 and p70S6K,two typical downstream signal molecules in the AKT/mTOR pathway. More specifically, TSPf-inactivated AKT/mTOR signaling was found to be associated with downregulated RNF6, a recently identified oncogene in AML. RNF6 activated AKT/mTOR, and consistently, knockdown of RNF6 led to inactivation of the AKT/mTOR pathway. Furthermore, TSPf suppressed the growth of AML xenografts in nude mice models. Oral administration of 100 mg·kg-1 body weight almost fully suppressed tumor growth within 14 d, without gross toxicity. This study thus demonstrated that TSPf displays potent anti-AML activity by suppressing the RNF6/AKT/mTOR pathway. Given its low toxicity,TSPf could be developed for the treatment of AML.