Serum levels of endocan and endoglin are associated with large-artery atherosclerotic stroke.

Background: Accumulating evidence has suggested that endocan and endoglin may play important roles in cardiovascular disease. However, no previous study has focused on these circulating levels in patients with large-artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke.

Methods: Serum levels of endocan and endoglin in 114 patients with LAA stroke and 114 age- and sex-matched controls were measured by ELISA.

Effects of RNA silencing of matrix metalloproteinase-2 on the growth of esophageal carcinoma cells .

Esophageal carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies in China. Previous studies reported that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have important roles in the progression and invasion of numerous types of solid tumors. Among the MMPs, MMP-2 has been closely associated with tumor growth and invasion.

Serum levels of galectin-1, galectin-3, and galectin-9 are associated with large artery atherosclerotic stroke.

The aim of this study was to assess the expression patterns of serum galectin-1 (Gal-1), galectin-3 (Gal-3), galectin-9 (Gal-9), and galectin-3 binding protein (Gal-3BP) and their associations with stroke outcome in large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke. The serum levels of Gal-1, Gal-3, Gal-9, and Gal-3BP were measured by ELISA in 130 patients with LAA stroke and 130 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum samples were collected from the patients on day 1, day 6, and in the 4th week after ischaemic stroke (IS).

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for adult Bochdalek hernia: a case report.

Background: Bochdalek hernia is a type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia that typically presents in childhood, while this diseases is extremely rare in adults.

Case Presentation: We review a case of a 63-year-old man with a left-sided Bochdalek hernia who was experiencing occasional pain at the left side of his chest for 8 months. The diagnosis of Bochdalek hernia was made by chest computed tomography.

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 serum levels and gene polymorphisms are associated with large artery atherosclerotic stroke.

Background: Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) is a central player in lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis and may thus be involved in ischaemic stroke. However, no study in humans has investigated the association of ANGPTL4 gene polymorphisms or serum levels with ischaemic stroke.

Methods: We investigated the influence of the tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) rs4076317 (c.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: assessing tumor angiogenesis using multi-slice CT perfusion imaging.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between multi-slice computed tomographic perfusion imaging (CTPI) parameters and immunohistologic markers of angiogenesis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: Fifty patients with histologically proven esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent multi-slice CT perfusion scan.

Effects of RNAi-mediated matrix metalloproteinase-2 gene silencing on the invasiveness and adhesion of esophageal carcinoma cells, KYSE150.

Background: Esophageal carcinoma is one of the main malignancies in China. Previous studies indicated that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in the process of tumor invasion and metastasis in several types of solid tumors. Among all of the MMPs, MMP-2 is one of the MMPs closely associated with tumor invasion.