Effect of atorvastatin therapy on borderline vulnerable lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Introduction: It is still controversial whether borderline lesions with a vulnerable plaque should be stented early or simply treated pharmacologically. No data exist concerning the potential effects of statin therapy on borderline vulnerable lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Material And Methods: Fifty patients with ACS whose culprit lesions were classified as "borderline lesions" were enrolled.

Overexpression of FOXM1 is associated with poor prognosis and clinicopathologic stage of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: Oncogenic transcription factor forkhead box M1 (FoxM1)-related clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) have not been identified. Our aim of studying FoxM1 expression level and survival rate of PDA is to determine whether FoxM1 is a valuable prognostic predictor for PDA patients.

Methods: Expressional levels of FoxM1 mRNA and protein in paired pancreatic cancer lesions and adjacent noncancerous tissues were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.

Population pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of tacrolimus in healthy Chinese volunteers.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish population pharmacokinetic models of tacrolimus in healthy Chinese volunteers.

Methods: A total of 956 tacrolimus whole blood concentrations from 73 healthy volunteers were determined using ultraperformance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Population pharmacokinetic analyses were performed using NONMEM.

Alternating-current induced thermal fatigue of gold interconnects with nanometer-scale thickness and width.

With dramatic reduction in sizes of microelectronic devices, the characteristic width and thickness of interconnects in large-scale integrated circuits have reached nanometer scale. Thermal fatigue damage of so small interconnects has attracted more and more attentions. In this work, thermal fatigue of Au interconnects, 35 nm thick and 0.

[Mutations in mitochondrial DNA associated with hypertension].

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are one of the molecular bases of hypertension. Among these, the tRNAMet A4435G, tRNAMet/tRNAGln A4401G, tRNAIle A4263G, T4291C and A4295G mutations have been reported to be associated with essential hypertension. These mutations alter the structure of the corresponding mitochondrial tRNAs and cause failures in tRNA metabolism.

[Nondestructive analysis of some ancient glass in Jin and Yuan dynasty, by EDXRF probe].

The chemical composition of some glass samples in Jin and Yuan Dynasty were analyzed by EDXRF, to discuss the technological character of these glass samples. The result shows that the chemical composition of these glass samples is very complex. According to the chemical composition, these glass samples include K2-O-CaO-SiO2, Na2O-CaO-SiO2 and K2O-CaO-PbO-SiO2 glass, and a crystal SiO2 sample which was once considered a glass sample.

[The study on the beclin1 expression and change in diabetic rats].

Objective: To study the expression of beclin1 in renal tissue of diabetic rats, and its role in diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: Diabetic rat model was produced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg), it was considered to be diabetic nephropathy that 72 h blood glucose after modeling was higher than 16 mmol/L. The positive urine protein was detected by paper method at the end of 1 week.

Histopathological and immunophenotypic features of testicular tumour of the adrenogenital syndrome.

Aims: Testicular tumour of the adrenogenital syndrome (TTAGS) is a rare neoplasm histologically resembling Leydig cell tumour (LCT). We report six cases of TTAGS and analyse histopathological and immunophenotypical features that distinguish TTAGS from LCT.

Methods And Results: Six cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia with bilateral TTAGS were examined histologically and immunohistochemically and compared to seven cases of testicular LCT.

The tRNAMet 4435A>G mutation in the mitochondrial haplogroup G2a1 is responsible for maternally inherited hypertension in a Chinese pedigree.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been associated with hypertension in several pedigrees with maternal inheritance. However, the pathophysiology of maternally inherited hypertension remains poorly understood. We reported here clinical, genetic evaluations and molecular analysis of mtDNA in a three-generation Han Chinese family with essential hypertension.

Totally percutaneous thoracic endovascular aortic repair with the preclosing technique: a case-control study.

Background: The conventional thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) involves groin incisions under general or epidural anesthesia. As technology moves towards less invasive procedures, a total percutaneous approach is desirable. In this study, we describe a Preclosing technique and investigate its safety and efficacy for femoral access sites management, and evaluate its advantages as compared to those of traditional surgical cutdown approaches.

Strong association between HLA-B*1502 and carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in mainland Han Chinese patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the association of HLA-B*1502 allele with CBZ-induced SJS/TEN in the mainland Han Chinese population.

Methods: HLA-B*1502 genotyping with sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (PCR-SSP) and PCR-sequencing based typing (PCR-SBT) was performed on 17 CBZ-induced SJS/TEN patients, 21 CBZ-tolerant controls, and 185 healthy controls recruited during 2008-2010.

Results: HLA-B*1502 allele was present in 94.

Association between the TGFB1 -509C/T and TGFBR2 -875A/G polymorphisms and gastric cancer: a case-control study.

The transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) pathway plays an important role in various types of human cancer. However, the role of TGFB1 -509C/T and TGFBR2 -875A/G polymorphisms in gastric cancer is controversial. We aimed to investigate the associations between these polymorphisms and gastric cancer susceptibility, clinicopathological parameters and survival.

Polymorphisms in prostate stem cell antigen gene rs2294008 increase gastric cancer risk in Chinese.

A recent genome-wide study identified a strong association between polymorphisms in the prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) gene and the risk of diffuse-type of gastric cancer in Japanese and Korean population. In this case-control study, we aimed to investigate the possible association between PSCA rs2294008 C/T with clinicopathological features and the prognosis of gastric cancer in a Southern Chinese population. Genotypes of 460 gastric cancer patients and 549 controls were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and DNA sequencing.

GABAA receptor open-state conformation determines non-competitive antagonist binding.

The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor (GABA(A)R) is one of the most important targets for insecticide action. The human recombinant β3 homomer is the best available model for this binding site and 4-n-[(3)H]propyl-4'-ethynylbicycloorthobenzoate ([(3)H]EBOB) is the preferred non-competitive antagonist (NCA) radioligand. The uniquely high sensitivity of the β3 homomer relative to the much-less-active but structurally very-similar β1 homomer provides an ideal comparison to elucidate structural and functional features important for NCA binding.

[In-vitro amplification of oval cells with preservation of stem cell phenotype].

Objective: To explore cell culture techniques for amplification of oval cells with preservation simultaneously of the stem cell characteristics.

Methods: Oval cell line OC3 was cultured in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum and 20 µg/L EGF. Cells were harvested every 5 passages and were examined with biomarkers including OV-6, c-kit, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, placental form of glutathione-S-transferase (GST-P), pyruvate kinase M₂, pyruvate kinase L and albumin using techniques including RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and enzymo-cytochemistry.

IL23R +2199A/C polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of certain subtypes of gastric cancer in Chinese: a case-control study.

Unlabelled: Today, the causal relationship between inflammation and gastric cancer is more widely accepted. Genetic variations in inflammation-related genes especially cytokines and their receptors, were thought to partly determine the outcome of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and progression of gastric lesions.

Fas-associated death domain (FADD) is a negative regulator of T-cell receptor-mediated necroptosis.

Cell death is an important mechanism to limit uncontrolled T-cell expansion during immune responses. Given the role of death-receptor adapter protein Fas-associated death domain (FADD) in apoptosis, it is intriguing that T-cell receptor (TCR)-induced proliferation is blocked in FADD-defective T cells. Necroptosis is an alternate form of death that can be induced by death receptors and is linked to autophagy.

B-type natriuretic peptide for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with heart failure undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired renal failure and increase in the mortality and length of hospital stay after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Purpose: To evaluate the protective effect of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) on CIN in patients with heart failure undergoing PCI.

Material And Methods: In the prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, 149 consecutive acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with heart failure undergoing primary PCI received recombinant human BNP (rhBNP) or placebo from the time of admission to 24 h after PCI.

Prevalence and risk factors of Barrett's esophagus in patients undergoing endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and its risk factors in patients undergoing endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms in a Chinese tertiary referral medical center.

Methods: All consecutive patients receiving an endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms in our medical center from September to December 2007 were recruited. BE was explored for at endoscopy when a suspected columnar-lined esophagus was found.

FoxM1, a forkhead transcription factor is a master cell cycle regulator for mouse mature T cells but not double positive thymocytes.

FoxM1 is a forkhead box transcription factor and a known master regulator required for different phases of the cell cycle. In cell lines, FoxM1 deficient cells exhibit delayed S phase entry, aneuploidy, polyploidy and can't complete mitosis. In vivo, FoxM1 is expressed mostly in proliferating cells but is surprisingly also found in non-proliferating CD4(+)CD8(+) double positive thymocytes.

Maternally inherited hearing loss is associated with the novel mitochondrial tRNA Ser(UCN) 7505T>C mutation in a Han Chinese family.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been found to be one of the most important causes of sensorineural hearing loss. We report here a clinical, genetic, molecular and biochemical characterization of a Han Chinese pedigree with maternally transmitted nonsyndromic hearing impairment. Seven of nine matrilineal relatives exhibited a variable severity and age-at-onset (8 years old) of hearing loss.

Mitochondrial 12S rRNA variants in 1642 Han Chinese pediatric subjects with aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss.

In this report, we investigated the frequency and spectrum of mitochondrial 12S rRNA variants in a large cohort of 1642 Han Chinese pediatric subjects with aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss. Mutational analysis of 12S rRNA gene in these subjects identified 68 (54 known and 14 novel) variants. The frequencies of known 1555A>G and 1494C>T mutations were 3.

Coupling of the cell cycle and apoptotic machineries in developing T cells.

Proliferation and apoptosis are diametrically opposite processes. Expression of certain genes like c-Myc, however, can induce both, pointing to a possible linkage between them. Developing CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes are intrinsically sensitive to apoptosis, but the molecular basis is not known.

[Population pharmacokinetic study of tacrolimus in patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplant].

The present study is to establish the population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of tacrolimus and to estimate PPK parameters of tacrolimus for the individualization of tacrolimus administration in patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplant. A total of 671 blood samples were collected from 68 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients and clinical data were retrospectively collected from the medical records of these patients. Population pharmacokinetical analysis was performed using the nonlinear mixed-effect model (NONMEM) program.