Using four Uncariae Cum Uncis materials including Uncaria sinensis (HGT), U. hirsutea (MGT), Jianhe U. rhynchophylla (JHGT) and U. rhynchophylla(GT) as the research objects, the correlations between medicinal materials' yield and photosynthetic ecophysiology-factors in the plant exuberant growth period were studied. Results showed that the Uncaria plants net photosynthetic rate (Pn) changed by unimodal curve. There was not "midday depression" phenomenon. There was a different relationship among the photosynthetic ecophysiology-factors and between photosynthetic ecophysiology-factors and medicinal materials' yield. Pn,Tl,Gs had a significant correlation with medicinal materials' yield（M）and were the most important factors of growth.

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ability and mechanism by which grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) relieves arsenic trioxide (As2O3)-induced renal inflammatory injury. Therefore, male Kunming mice were treated with As2O3 and/or GSPE by gavage for 5 weeks. Mice were then sacrificed and inflammatory cytokines of kidneys were examined by ELISA, whereas the expression levels of molecules involved in the nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway were evaluated by both qRT-PCR and Western blot. Our results indicate that GSPE prevents As2O3-mediated renal inflammatory injury by inhibiting activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokine production, while promoting expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Animals ; Arsenic ; toxicity ; Grape Seed Extract ; therapeutic use ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Proanthocyanidins ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL) developed during imatinib therapy for gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GIST).

METHODSA 49-year-old woman was hospitalized for abdominal pain. The abdominal CT revealed a gastric mass. Laparoscopic resection of the tumor was performed. The histopathologic analysis showed poorly differentiated malignant cell infiltration with epithelioid features. Immunohistochemistry staining of these cells was positive for CD117 and CD34. GIST was confirmed and imatinib treatment was given.

RESULTSAfter 1 year,the patient developed progressive pancytopenia. Bone marrow aspirate showed marked hyperplasia of bone marrow cells with 92.5% promyelocyte, consistent with APL. Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated t(15;17)(q22;q21) as the sole abnormality. PML/RARα fusion gene was positive and Kit mutation was negative. After combined treatment with ATRA, arsenic trioxide and idarubicin, patient achieved cytogenetic and molecular remission.

CONCLUSIONThe metachronous coexistence of GIST with APL is uncommon. The potential nonrandom association and causal relationship between these malignancies remained to be investigated. Further studies would be necessary to clarify the relationship between imatinib and secondary malignancies in GIST patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical, morphologic and immunophenotypic properties of the patients with small cell variant of T-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia(T-PLL).

METHODSPeripheral blood and bone marrow cytomorphologic and immunophenotypic examination, and T-cell receptor(TCR) gene rearrangement detection were used to verify the diagnosis for 2 patients with lymphocytosis. Two patients were treated with combined chemotherapeutic protocol based on fludarabine.

RESULTSAt diagnosis of case 1, the main lymphocytes of peripheral blood smear were the small mature lymphocytes without nucleoli. The immunophenotype of the cells was CD3CD5CD7CD4CD8TCRα/β. The patient achieved complete remission after treatment with combined with CTX of fludarabine. The disease relapsed at 32 months after diagnosis. The abnormal lymphocytes were medium-sized ones with a visible nucleolus. Immunophenotyping showed that the leukemic cells were predominantly CD8 positive(CD3CD5CD7CD4CD8TCRα/β). Both the peripheral blood and bone marrow cells of case 2 were predominanthy the mature lymphocytes, and their immunophenotype was HLA-DRCD7CD5CD4CD3CD2CD56cCD3TCRα/β. The combined fludarabine therapy was ineffective.

CONCLUSIONImmunophenotypical switch from CD4CD8to CD4CD8may be associated with a poor response to chemotherapy. CD56 expression is an independent poor prognostic factor for primary refractory disease in T-PLL and may be considered for implementing risked-adapted therapeutic strategies.

Carbon monoxide (CO), as a vital small molecule in signaling pathways, is found to be involved in ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in renal transplantation. CO-releasing molecule-2 (CORM-2), a CO-releasing molecule, is a type of metal carbonyl complexes which can quickly release CO in vivo. In this study, an in vitro oxidative stress injury model was established to examine the effect of CORM-2 pretreatment on the nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation of high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) in mouse primary renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs). Immunofluorescence staining showed that HMGB1 in the medium- and CORM-2-treated groups was predominantly localized in the nucleus of the cells, whereas higher amounts of HMGB1 translocated to the cytoplasm in the HO- and inactive CORM-2 (iCORM-2)-treated groups. Western blotting of HMGB1 showed that the total amounts of cytoplasmic HMGB1 in the HO-treated (0.59±0.27) and iCORM-2-treated (0.57±0.22) groups were markedly higher than those in the medium-treated (0.19±0.05) and CORM-2-treated (0.21±0.10) groups (P<0.05). Co-immunoprecipitation showed that the levels of acetylated HMGB1 in the HO-treated (642.98±57.25) and iCORM-2-treated (342.11±131.25) groups were markedly increased as compared with the medium-treated (78.72±74.17) and CORM-2-treated (71.42±53.35) groups (P<0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the medium-treated and CORM-2-treated groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, our study demonstrated that in the in vitro oxidative stress injury model of primary RPTECs, CORM-2 can significantly inhibit the nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation of HMGB1, which is probably associated with the prevention of HMGB1 acetylation.
Active Transport, Cell Nucleus ; drug effects ; Animals ; Carbon Monoxide ; pharmacology ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; HMGB1 Protein ; metabolism ; Kidney Tubules ; cytology ; Mice ; Organometallic Compounds ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation of c-met protein with the clinical staging and cell differentiation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODSA total of 100 patients with ESCC were enrolled were examined for expression of c-met protein using immunohistochemistry, and the patients in negative and positive c-met expression groups were compared for clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival.

RESULTSs The 100 ESCC patients included 67 male and 33 female patients with a median age of 59 years; 49 of the patients were negative and 51 were positive for c-met expression. Positive c-met expression was significantly correlated with advanced TMN stages and lower tumor differentiation. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the median survival time of c-met-positive patients was significantly reduced compared with that of c-met-negative patients (30.9 vs 48.2 months, P<0.05). COX regression analysis showed that c-met was a independent risk factor for the overall survival of the patients (HR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.63-4.54, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONA positive expression of c-met protein is significantly correlated with an advanced TMN stage, lower tumor differentiation and a poor prognosis, and may serve as a indicator for predicting the prognosis of ESCC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met ; metabolism ; Risk Factors

Case reports of indium-related lung disease in workers have raised public concern to the human toxicity of indium (In) and its compounds. However, studies evaluating the exposure or health of workers in In smelting plants are rare. Therefore, in this study, we focused on four In smelting plants, with the main objective of characterizing In in smelter plants in China and discussing the potential exposure biomarkers of In exposure. We recruited 494 subjectsat four In smelting plants in China. Personal air samples, first morning urine and spot blood samples were collected. In concentrations in samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In concentrations in air samples did not exceed the permissible concentration-time weighed average, but the smelter workers had a higher internal exposure to In. Positive correlations were observed between the air In and urine In concentrations, and between the air In and blood In concentrations. This study provides basic data for the following In exposure and health risk assessment.
Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; blood ; urine ; Biomarkers ; blood ; urine ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Indium ; blood ; urine ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Metallurgy ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of adult patients with atypical infectious mononucleosis(IM).

METHODSFrom January 2003 to December 2013, a total of 5 cases of atypical IM misdiagnosed as lymphoma were selected, and the clinico-pathological characteristics and efficacy of treatment were analyzed. Biopsy of lymph node or tonsil was performed to evaluate the possibility of lymphoma. Peripheral blood EBV antibody and EBV-DNA were examined by ELISA and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, respectively.

RESULTSAll the cases were considered as lymphoma on the basis of morphological features in initial evaluation before relapse. These features included a florid immunoblastic proliferation, distortion of the underlying nodal or tonsillar architecture and the presence of necrosis. The immunophenotypic features, EBV encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization and the gene rearrangement of immunoglobulin or T cell receptor may be helpful for the distinction of atypical IM from lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONIM as EBV-related lymphoproliferative process shows marked clinical and histological diversity. Atypical case of IM may mimic many different type of lymphoma in clinical and pathologic features, and the misdiagnosis should be avoided by using molecular and pathological examination.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of isolated ovarian relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL).

METHODSA 16-year-old girl presented with complaints of bone and joint pain. The peripheral blood and bone marrow(BM) smears showed 32% and 72% blasts, respectively, which were myeloperoxidase-negative. The blasts were positive for HLA-DR, TdT, CD10, CD19, CD22 and cCD79a and negative for CD34, CD5, CD7, CD13, CD33, CD56 and MPO detected by flow cytometry. BM cytogenetic analysis and fusion gene screening revealed t(1;19)(q23;p13) and E2A/PBX1. She was diagnosed as B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and was treated with CALGB8811 protocol. She presented lower abdominal pain with intermittent colick at 7 months after complete remission. The pelvic ultrasound showed a lobulated mixed echogenic mass in the right ovary, and an exploratory laparotomy was performed.

RESULTSPathologic examination and immunohistochemistry of resected ovarian tumor revealed extensive infiltration by lymphoblasts with positive for TdT, CD20, CD43 and CD79a. Further investigations failed to reveal any other extramedullary involvement. Hemogram, peripheral blood and bone marrow smear examination were unremarkable at the same time. The isolated extramedullary ovarian relapse of ALL was confirmed. Simultaneous, the detection of minimal residual disease by multiparametric flow cytometry showed positive with 5.0×10. The reinduction chemotherapy including a high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine was given to the patients. She experienced the second ovarian relapse after 1 year and refused further treatment.

CONCLUSIONAlthough uncommon, ovarian recurrence after chemotherapy for ALL should be considered in the patients with suggestive symptoms. Screening by pelvic ultrasonography may be valuble for early detection of pelvic disease in ALL.