A cross-sectional study of lung volume development in pectus excavatum patients: estimating the total lung volume from chest computed tomograph using 3-dimensional volumetric reconstruction.

Background/purpose: This study quantified the lung volume development of pectus excavatum (PE) patients using chest computed tomography (CT) 3-dimensional volumetric reconstructions. The technique permits current and retrospective analyses of data from different institutions.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the records of PE patients who underwent chest CT preoperatively between 2005 and 2009 at 3 institutions.

Control of cervicovaginal HPV-16 E7-expressing tumors by the combination of therapeutic HPV vaccination and vascular disrupting agents.

Abstract Antigen-specific immunotherapy and vascular disrupting agents, such as 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA), have emerged as attractive approaches for the treatment of cancers. In the current study, we tested the combination of DMXAA treatment with therapeutic human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E7 peptide-based vaccination for their ability to generate E7-specific CD8+ T-cell immune responses, as well as their ability to control E7-expressing tumors in a subcutaneous and a cervicovaginal tumor model. We found that the combination of DMXAA treatment with E7 long peptide (amino acids 43-62) vaccination mixed with polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic generated significantly stronger E7-specific CD8+ T-cell immune responses and antitumor effects compared with treatment with DMXAA alone or HPV peptide vaccination alone in the subcutaneous model.

Phosphatase PRL-3 is a direct regulatory target of TGFbeta in colon cancer metastasis.

Metastasis causes most deaths from cancer yet mechanistic understanding and therapeutic options remain limited. Overexpression of the phosphatase PRL-3 (phosphatase of regenerating liver) is associated with metastasis of colon cancer. Here, we show that PRL-3 is a direct target of signaling by TGFβ, which is broadly implicated in progression and metastasis.

[Study on the differentiation of retinal ganglion cells from rat Müller cells in vitro].

Objective: To certify the ability of retinal Müller cells for producing neural stem cells in vitro and to find a method that can aquire more retinal ganglion cells from these stem cells.

Methods: Müller cells were isolated from rat retina, and proliferating cells were expanded in serum-containing medium. The third or fourth passage of cells were identified by RT-PCR and Immunocytochemistry analysis.

PRL-3 phosphatase and cancer metastasis.

The deregulated expression of members of the phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL) family has been implicated in the metastatic progression of multiple human cancers. Importantly, PRL-1 and PRL-3 both possess the capacity to drive key steps in metastatic progression. Yet, little is known about the regulation and oncogenic mechanisms of this emerging class of dual-specificity phosphatases.

Four new sesquiterpenoids from the roots of Incarvillea arguta and their inhibitory activities against lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production.

Four new sesquiterpenoids, argutosines A-D (1-4), together with two known ones (5, 6), were isolated from the roots of Incarvillea arguta. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of MS, NMR spectroscopic analysis. All the sesquiterpenoids were tested for inhibitory activities against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.

PCBP1 suppresses the translation of metastasis-associated PRL-3 phosphatase.

Overexpression of phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL)-3 is associated with the progression of diverse human cancers. We show that the overexpression of PRL-3 protein is not directly associated with its transcript levels, indicating the existence of an underlying posttranscriptional regulation. The 5' untranslanted region (UTR) of PRL-3 mRNA possesses triple GCCCAG motifs capable of suppressing mRNA translation through interaction with PolyC-RNA-binding protein 1 (PCBP1), which retards PRL-3 mRNA transcript incorporation into polyribosomes.

VHZ is a novel centrosomal phosphatase associated with cell growth and human primary cancers.

Background: VHZ is a VH1-like (member Z) dual specific protein phosphatase encoded by DUSP23 gene. Some of the dual specific protein phosphatases (DSPs) play an important role in cell cycle control and have shown to be associated with carcinogenesis. Here, the expression of VHZ associated with cell growth and human cancers was investigated.

Comparison of the short-term efficacy of two inductive chemotherapy regimens for locally advanced nasopharyngeal caricinoma: docetaxal plus carboplatin versus 5-fluorouracil plus carboplatin.

Background And Objective: The platinum-based chemotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is most frequently used for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the efficacy has been maintained at 50%-60%. Docetaxel is an effective drug for head and neck tumors, its administration is simple, and the administration time is short. This study was to compare the short-term efficacy and toxicity between TC regimen (inductive chemotherapy with docetaxol plus carboplatin) and FC regimen (5-FU plus carboplatin) in local advanced NPC so as to provide a new chemotherapeutic regimen for NPC.

Analysis of changes to the anterior chest wall after the Nuss procedure-an objective measurement of pectus excavatum.

Introduction: We report a noninvasive method for recording the deviation of the anterior chest wall (ACW) in patients with pectus excavatum before and after the insertion and removal of a Nuss bar.

Patients And Method: All patients undergoing the Nuss procedure at our institutions between June 2008 and February 2009 were enrolled in this study. A thermal plastic strip was used to cast the ACW at the skin level along the area corresponding to the tract of the inserted bar.

[Recurrent massive bloody pleural effusion caused by pancreatic pleural fistula in a case].

Objective: To introduce the early clinical features and the main points of diagnosis and treatment of children with pancreatic pleural fistula presenting massive bloody pleural effusion.

Method: The clinical data of symptoms, signs, laboratory examination, diagnosis and treatment methods of pancreatic pleural fistula in a child are presented.

Result: A 4-year-old boy presented with one month history of intermittent fever, cough, chest tightness and chest pain.

Efficacy of mechanical bowel preparation with polyethylene glycol in prevention of postoperative complications in elective colorectal surgery: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate efficacy of mechanical bowel preparation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in prevention of postoperative complications in elective colorectal surgery.

Method: A literature search of MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library was done to identify randomized controlled trials involving comparison of postoperative complications after mechanical bowel preparation with PEG (PEG group) and no preparation (control group). A meta-analysis was set up to distinguish overall difference between the two groups.

A role for VAMP8/endobrevin in surface deployment of the water channel aquaporin 2.

Vesicle-associated-membrane protein 8 (VAMP8) is highly expressed in the kidney, but the exact physiological and molecular functions executed by this v-SNARE protein in nephrons remain elusive. Here, we show that the depletion of VAMP8 in mice resulted in hydronephrosis. Furthermore, the level of the vasopressin-responsive water channel aquaporin 2 (AQP2) was increased by three- to fivefold in VAMP8-null mice.

Hepatoblastoma in adult: review of the literature.

Unlabelled: This study is to review and retrieve data on adult hepatoblastoma (HB) from English literatures in order to gain a better understanding of this disease. We performed Medline, PubMed (from January 1966 to February 2008), and library searches (National Science and Technology Library, Beijing, China, and Wenzhou Medical College Library, from January 1980 to February 2008) using the key words hepatoblastoma in adult, hepatic tumor, hepatoblastoma and adult. Previously reported HB cases were collected and published reviews were also examined.

Seasonal changes in tannin and nitrogen contents of Casuarina equisetifolia branchlets.

Seasonal dynamics of total phenolics (TP), extractable condensed tannins (ECT), protein-bound condensed tannins (PBCT), fiber-bound condensed tannins (FBCT), total condensed tannins (TCT), and protein precipitation capacity (PPC) in young, mature and senescent branchlets of Casuarina equisetifolia were studied at Chishan Forestry Center of Dongshan County, Fujian Province, China. In addition, nitrogen contents of branchlets at the different developmental stages were also determined. The contents of TP and ECT, and PPC in young branchlets were significantly higher than those in mature and senescent branchlets through the season.

A New Disubstituted Polyacetylene for the Detection of α-Amino Acids.

New imidazole-functionalized disubstituted polyacetylene was synthesized by utilizing the postfunctional strategy. In addition, its ability to sense copper ions and α-amino acids by fluorescence quenching has been studied. The quenching of the fluorescence of the imidazole-functionalized disubstituted polyacetylene was observed at a very low level of Cu(2+) (7.

[Classification of the pectus excavatum and minimally invasive Nuss procedure].

Objective: To investigate the improvement of the Nuss procedure with the classification of the pectus excavatum by symmetry and extend the indication of the operation for a better outcome.

Methods: The clinic data of 403 patients who underwent repair of pectus excavatum by Nuss technique and its modifications from July 2002 to September 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 299 male patients and 104 female patients.

Costochondral changes in the chest wall after the Nuss procedure: ultrasonographic findings.

Purpose: The Nuss procedure is one of the most popular surgeries for correcting pectus excavatum. However, little is known regarding stress and strain on the deformed ribs after inserting the pectus bar. We used ultrasonography to investigate costochondral changes before and after the Nuss procedure.

[Study on glutamate substrate-induced regulation on expression of glutamate transporter GLAST of mouse retinal Müller cells].

Objective: To study glutamate substrate-induced regulation on the expression of glutamate transporter L-glutamate/L-aspartate transporter (GLAST) of retinal Müller cells (RMCs) in mice.

Methods: Activity of GLAST was measured through L-3 H-glutamate uptake detection. The expression of GLAST protein in lysates cells was studied using Western blot.

Low-dose radiation enhances therapeutic HPV DNA vaccination in tumor-bearing hosts.

Current therapeutic approaches to treatment of patients with bulky cervical cancer are based on conventional in situ ablative modalities including cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The 5-year survival of patients with nonresectable disease is dismal. Because over 99% of squamous cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with an oncogenic strain of human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly type 16 and viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 are functionally required for disease initiation and persistence, HPV-targeted immune strategies present a compelling opportunity in which to demonstrate proof of principle.

The metastasis-associated gene Prl-3 is a p53 target involved in cell-cycle regulation.

The p53 tumor suppressor restricts tumorigenesis through the transcriptional activation of target genes involved in cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Here, we identify Prl-3 (phosphatase of regenerating liver-3) as a p53-inducible gene. Whereas previous studies implicated Prl-3 in metastasis because of its overexpression in metastatic human colorectal cancer and its ability to promote invasiveness and motility, we demonstrate here that Prl-3 is an important cell-cycle regulator.

A role for TAZ in migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells.

TAZ (WWTR1), identified as a 14-3-3 binding protein with a PDZ binding motif, modulates mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. We now show that TAZ plays a critical role in the migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. TAZ is conspicuously expressed in human breast cancer cell lines in which its expression levels generally correlate with the invasiveness of cancer cells.

Monoclonal antibodies target intracellular PRL phosphatases to inhibit cancer metastases in mice.

PRL-1 (phosphatase of regenerating liver-1), PRL-2 and PRL-3 are protein tyrosine phosphatases with a C-terminal prenylation motif that are localized to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and early endosomes. A variety of metastatic PRL-overexpressing cancers have been reported. Therefore, the three PRL-phosphatases represent an intriguing group of proteins being validated as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer.