Analysis of Differential Gene Expression under Acute Lead or Mercury Exposure in Larval Zebrafish Using RNA-Seq.

This study was first conducted to investigate the effects of acute lead exposure on developing zebrafish embryos or larvae from 24 to 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). Our data showed that treatment with 50-200 μM lead significantly affected larval survivability and morphology compared to the respective control. Second, we chose 120 hpf larvae treated with 12.

Isolation and Identification of Naphthalene-Degrading Bacteria and its Application in a Two-phase Partitioning Bioreactor.

Naphthalene is a persistent environmental pollutant for its potential teratogenic, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. In this study, 10 strains of bacteria capable of degrading naphthalene were isolated from crude-oil contaminated soil. Among them, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida 2P exhibited prominent growth with 1000 mg/L naphthalene as the sole carbon source and degraded 94.

Imaging misdiagnosis and clinical analysis of significant hepatic atrophy after bilioenteric anastomosis: A case report.

Background: The occurrence of long-term bilioenteric anastomotic stenosis can readily induce liver atrophy and hyperplasia, thereby causing significant alterations in the anatomical and morphological aspects of the liver. This condition significantly hampers the accuracy of preoperative imaging diagnosis, while also exacerbating the complexity of surgical procedures and the likelihood of complications.

Case Summary: A 60-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital presenting with recurring epigastric pain accompanied by a high fever.

GDF11 knockdown downregulates SMURF1 to inhibit breast cancer progression by activation of p53 and inactivation of ERα signaling.

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent neoplasm that occurs in women all over the world. Growth and differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) plays an essential role in cancer progression. This study focused on investigating the biological role and underlying mechanisms of GDF11 in BC.

Splenectomy improves liver fibrosis via tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14 (LIGHT) through the JNK/TGF-β1 signaling pathway.

Splenectomy has been reported to improve liver fibrosis in patients with cirrhosis and hypersplenism. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. Tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14 (TNFSF14; also known as LIGHT) is highly expressed in the context of fibrosis and promotes disease progression in patients with fibrotic diseases such as pulmonary and skin fibrosis.

[Diversity of bryophytes in urban area of Nanjing, China].

Bryophytes are morphologically special higher plants, with unique ornamental values and a wide application prospect. Its species richness was just secondary to angiosperms. To more effectively utilize bryophytes for greening and landscape construction, 77 plots in 10 green spaces were investigated in urban area of Nanjing.

The complete mitochondrial genome of .

The complete mitochondrial genome of was 16,569 bp; it contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a D-loop. It is a circular molecule with a typical gene arrangement of vertebrate mitochondrial DNA. This study could be provided insights into the evolution of mitochondrial genomes.

MicroRNA-506 inhibits esophageal cancer cell proliferation via targeting CREB1.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as key regulators of multiple cancers. MicroRNA-506 (miR-506) functions as a tumor suppressor in various types of cancers. However, its role in esophageal cancer remains unclear.

Downregulation of microRNA-382 is associated with poor outcome of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To study the potential prognostic role of microRNA-382 (miR-382) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: Forty six patients were divided into 2 groups according to postoperative survival time: the poor outcome group (28 patients), who showed early metastasis but no recurrence, and died within 1 year after surgery, 12 patients of the group received postoperative chemotherapy treatment that was given after early metastasis happening; the good outcome group (18 patients), who had no clinical metastasis and recurrence, and survived 5 years or more after surgery, all patients did not receive any postoperative treatment. Total RNA was extracted from the patients' formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded esophageal cancer tissues.

Mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of Ili marinka (Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis).

Ili marinka (Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis) belongs to the family Cyprinidae, which is found only in Ili River in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In this study, we reported the complete sequence of mitochondrial genome of S. pseudoaksaiensis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Coregonus usssruensis Berg.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Coregonus usssruens is was determined in this study. The mitogenome is 16,738 bp in length and contains 1D-loop region, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 13 protein-coding genes. The overall base composition of the heavy strand is 26.

Two surgical procedures for esophagogastric variceal bleeding in patients with portal hypertension.

Aim: To determine the clinical value of a splenorenal shunt plus pericardial devascularization (PCVD) in portal hypertension (PHT) patients with variceal bleeding.

Methods: From January 2008 to November 2012, 290 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension were treated surgically in our department for the prevention of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding: 207 patients received a routine PCVD procedure (PCVD group), and 83 patients received a PCVD plus a splenorenal shunt procedure (combined group). Changes in hemodynamic parameters, rebleeding, encephalopathy, portal vein thrombosis, and mortality were analyzed.

Colorectal cancer screening with fecal occult blood test: A 22-year cohort study.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening with a three-tier fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the Chinese population. The study was performed between 1987 and 2008 at the Beijing Military General Hospital, in a cohort of army service males and females aged >50 years. Between 1987 and 2005, a three-tier screening program, comprising guaiac-based FOBTs (gFOBTs), followed by immunochemical FOBTs for positive guaiac test samples and then colonoscopy for positive immunochemical test subjects, was performed annually.

Polymorphisms of tumor-related genes IL-10, PSCA, MTRR and NOC3L are associated with the risk of gastric cancer in the Chinese Han population.

Background: Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world. Environmental and genetic factors both play critical roles in the etiology of gastric cancer. Hundreds of SNPs have been identified to have association with the risk of gastric cancer in many races.

[Effects of nuclear factor of activated T cells on the promoter activity of constitutively activated SV40].

Aim: To check if the common used constitutively promoters, such as CMV, TK and SV40 could be responded to the nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT), and to explore the strategies to choose rational internal control in the dual luciferase reporter assay.

Methods: pCMV-luc vector, in which luciferase activity is driven by CMV promoter, was cloned by amplifying the CMV promoter fragment from the pCDNA3.1 vector and then inserting the CMV promoter region into the pGL3-basic vector using the standard protocol.

Increased immunohistochemical expression of YKL-40 in the spleen of patients with portal hypertension.

YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration factor in vascular smooth muscle cells. To a large extent, the increase of serum YKL-40 is attributed to liver fibrosis and asthma. However, the relationship of the expression and clinical/prognostic significance of YKL-40 to the splenomegaly of patients with portal hypertension is unclear.

Multi-step process of human breast carcinogenesis: a role for BRCA1, BECN1, CCND1, PTEN and UVRAG.

In the female population in Asia, systematic investigation concerning alterations in cancer-related genes in breast carcinoma is rare, and the correlation among oncogene or suppressor gene expression with tumor cell apoptosis, cell cycle regulation and tumor cell autophagy remains to be clarified. In this study, a tissue microarray consisting of 360 individual samples from three different breast tissues was generated. By comparing the expression of the tumor-suppressor genes (BRCA1, BECN1, CCND1, PTEN and UVRAG) in ductal breast cancer and normal breast tissues, respectively, we were able to assign changes in the expression of these mRNAs to specific stages and allocate them to define the roles in the multi‑step process of breast carcinogenesis.

Effect of mycophenolate mofetil plus adriamycin on HepG-2 cells.

Aim: To investigate the influence of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) plus adriamycin (ADM) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

Methods: HCC cells were treated with 100 μg/ml of MMF alone (MMF group), 1 μg/mL of adriamycin (ADM group) alone, or a combination of the drugs (MMF + ADM group). We performed an 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to measure the growth inhibition rate of HCC cells.

Treatment of hepatic cysts by B-ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation.

Background: The traditional therapy for hepatic cysts has limited success because of recrudescence. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has become popular because of its advantages including little damage, therapeutic effect and reduced suffering. This report describes the effects and reliability of RFA in the treatment of 29 patients with hepatic cysts.

Fusion protein containing SH3 domain of c-Abl induces hepatocarcinoma cells to apoptosis.

Aim: Through a preliminary test on a novel protein containing an HIV1-TAT domain and a SH3 domain of oncoprotein P210(BCR-ABL) (we named it after PTD-BCR/ABL SH3), we found that this protein shows inhibition activity of hepatocarcinoma cell HepG-2. The purpose of the present study is to explore the biological behavior of PTD-BCR/ABL SH3 fusion protein in hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: HepG-2 cells were cocultured with the fusion protein for the indicated time and studied in vitro by immunocytochemistry staining to demonstrate the localization of the protein, light and electron microscope observation in morphology research, MTT assay to draw a growth curve and to analyze inhibition ratio, DNA ladder and TUNEL staining to study apoptosis.

Significance of alpha-fetoprotein mRNA level in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Many methods are used to treat liver cancer. Among them, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a hot topic because of its advantages. This study was designed to determine the significance of blood alpha-fetoprotein mRNA (AFPmRNA) changes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with RFA.

Stabilization of Snail by HuR in the process of hydrogen peroxide induced cell migration.

Snail functions as a key regulator in the induction of a phenotypic change called epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Aberrant expression of Snail prevails in the onset and development of tumor. Here, we have observed increased expression of Snail under the treatment of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)).

[Protective effect of ischemic postconditioning on ischemic reperfusion injury of rat liver graft].

Objective: To observe the protective effect of ischemic postconditioning on ischemic reperfusion injury of rat liver graft and to investigate the possible mechanism.

Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were used as donors and recipients of orthotopic liver transplantation, and the period of cold preservation and anhepatic phase were 100 min and 18 min, respectively. Sixty rats were randomly divided into three groups, twelve rats in control group, twenty-four rats in ischemic reperfusion injury group and ischemic postconditioning group respectively.

[The causes and prevention of complications of radio frequency ablation treatment of primary and secondary liver cancers].

Objective: To sum up causes and the prevention of complications after using the radio frequency ablation (RFA) to treat of primary and secondary liver cancers.

Methods: The clinical courses of 735 patients, undergoing percutaneous RFA treatment for a total of 1780 times were reviewed. The causes of the complications occurring after the RFA treatment, and their prevention and treatment were evaluated.