Pendrin, an anion exchanger on lung epithelial cells, could be a novel target for lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury mice.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of pendrin in acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and to explore whether pendrin expression existing on alveolar cells.

Methods: ALI C57BL/6 mice model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was established. The expression of pendrin in lung was analyzed by RT-PCR and western blotting methods, the changes of lung inflammatory parameters and pathology were observed, the cellular distribution of pendrin in the lung was determined using immunofluorescence.

Voxel-Wise Meta-Analysis of Gray Matter Changes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Background: Increasing neuroimaging studies have revealed gray matter (GM) anomalies of several brain regions by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A voxel-wise meta-analysis was conducted to integrate the reported studies to determine the consistent GM alterations in ALS based on VBM methods.

Methods: Ovid Medline, Pubmed, Emabase, and BrainMap database were searched for relevant studies.

Latent transforming growth factor-beta binding protein-1 in circulating plasma as a novel biomarker for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of the latent transforming growth factor-beta binding protein-1 (LTBP-1) in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from patients with hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. The protein levels of LTBP-1 or AFP in circulating plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or chemiluminescence in four cohorts: HCC (n = 167), liver cirrhosis (n = 50), chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n = 50), and healthy individuals (n = 104). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and area under the curves (AUC) of the proteins were calculated.

Novel autosomal recessive gene mutations in aquaporin-2 in two Chinese congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus pedigrees.

Recent evidence has linked novel mutations in the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 gene (AVPR2) and aquaporin-2 gene (AQP2) present in Southeast Asian populations to congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). To investigate mutations in 2 distinct Chinese pedigrees with NDI patients, clinical data, laboratory findings, and genomic DNA sequences from peripheral blood leukocytes were analyzed in two 5.5- and 8-year-old boys (proband 1 and 2, respectively) and their first-degree relatives.

Identification of genetic variants or genes that are associated with Homoharringtonine (HHT) response through a genome-wide association study in human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs).

Homoharringtonine (HHT) has been widely used in China to treat patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia for decades. Since response to HHT varies among patients, our study aimed to identify biomarkers that might influence the response to HHT using a panel of various human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Genome-wide association (GWA) analysis using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and mRNA expression data was assessed for association with cytotoxicity to HHT in LCLs.

[Changes of renal hemodynamics in dogs with endotoxemic shock].

Objective: To explore the changes of renal hemodynamic in dogs with endotoxemic shock (ES) and their potential roles in acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods: Canine endotoxic shock model was induced by an infusion of lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli through pulmonary artery catheter (PAC). Systemic hemodynamics and left renal blood flow (RBF) was monitored by PAC, pulse index continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) and ultrasonic blood flow meter.

Development and validation of clinical diagnostic models for the probability of malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules.

Background: It is critical to develop a non-invasive and accurate method for differentiating between malignant and benign solitary pulmonary nodules. In large sample studies, the effectiveness of the diagnostic prediction model as a tool of assessment of the probability of malignancy is still unclear. The establishment of a diagnostic model based on large samples is needed.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of hepatocellular carcinoma: Correlation of washout time and angiogenesis.

Background: The use of the pure blood pool ultrasound contrast agent SonoVue (Bracco, Italy) with specific ultrasound imaging software has enabled the dynamic visualization of tumor microcirculation.

Aim: The present study was designed to investigate the washout time of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and correlate it with angiogenesis parameters.

Methods: Thirty-one surgically confirmed HCC cases were prospectively evaluated with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and parameters such as wash-in time, peak enhancement time and washout time were determined offline.

[Detection of anti-SSA/Ro antibody by ELISA, double immunodiffusion, and immunoblotting: a comparative study].

Objectives: To compare the specificity and sensitivity of ELISA, double immunodiffusion (ID), and immunoblotting (IB) in detection of anti-SSA/Ro antibodies in the sera of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD).

Methods: ELISA, double ID, and IB were used to detect the serum levels of anti-SSA/Ro antibodies in 7736 patients undergoing screening of CTD, 122 healthy blood donors, and 166 CTD patients positive in antinuclear antibody (ANA) and/or anti-extractable nuclear antigen (ENA).

Results: (1) The sera of the 122 healthy blood donors were all negative in anti-SSA/Ro antibodies by these three methods.