The effect of socioeconomic status on health-care delay and treatment of esophageal cancer.

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been focused on as a key determinant of the incidence of cancer, cancer stage at diagnosis as well as treatment choices in western countries. However, to the authors' knowledge, little work has been done concerning the relationship of SES and esophageal cancer in China.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with primary esophageal cancer from January to December 2007 in Qilu hospital were included.

Overexpression of TRIM25 in Lung Cancer Regulates Tumor Cell Progression.

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although great efforts and progressions have been made in the study of the lung cancer in the recent decades, the mechanism of lung cancer formation remains elusive. To establish effective therapeutic methods, new targets implied in lung cancer processes have to be identified.

The role of autoreactive T cell in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and implications for T cell targeted vaccine therapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterised by chronic inflammation of joint synovial tissue and subsequent destruction of associated bone, cartilage and soft tissues. RA is commonly treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), glucocorticoids and biologic inhibitors of TNF, IL-1, IL-6, T cells and B cells. The use of these drugs especially biological agents has greatly improved the treatment of RA.

Expression of long noncoding RNA-HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA in oral squamous cell carcinoma and effect on cell growth.

The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between long noncoding RNA-HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to evaluate the effect on cell growth. HOTAIR expressions in 50 surgically resected samples (including tumor and paracancerous tissues) collected from OSCC patients treated in our hospital from January 2009 to December 2010 were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, and the relationship with clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis was analyzed. The effect of small interfering RNA treatment on cell growth (Tca8113, UM-1, and CAL-27 cells) was evaluated by MTT assay, and those on apoptosis and cell cycle were assessed by flow cytometry.

CD4+ and CD8+ T cells have opposing roles in breast cancer progression and outcome.

The Cancer Immunoediting concept has provided critical insights suggesting dual functions of immune system during the cancer initiation and development. However, the dynamics and roles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the pathogenesis of breast cancer remain unclear. Here we utilized two murine breast cancer models (4T1 and E0771) and demonstrated that both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were increased and involved in immune responses, but with distinct dynamic trends in breast cancer development.

Corneal ectasia 6.5 months after small-incision lenticule extraction.

Our case involves a 19-year-old patient with forme fruste keratoconus. Small-incision lenticule extraction was performed, and 6.5 months after surgery, corneal ectasia was diagnosed.

TGF-β1 related inflammation in the posterior longitudinal ligament of cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients.

Aim: This study aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) hypertrophy.

Methods: Cervical PLL specimens were collected from CSM patients during surgery (n = 30) and during routine autopsy (n = 14), and processed for histological examination (HE staining and Masson's Trichrome staining) and IHC (CD3, CD68, CD31, TGF-β1 and collagen II). In addition, the mRNA expression of collagen I was detected in cervical PLL specimens from 16 CSM patients (n = 16) and from routine autopsy (n = 16) by RT-PCR.

Identification of therapeutic targets for breast cancer using biological informatics methods.

The present study aimed to investigate the modular mechanisms underlying breast cancer and identify potential targets for breast cancer treatment. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between breast cancer and normal cells were assessed using microarray data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed in order to investigate the functions of these DEGs.

Gαq controls rheumatoid arthritis via regulation of Th17 differentiation.

Gαq, the α-subunit of Gq protein, is ubiquitously expressed in mammalian cells. It initially attracted attention for its physiological significance in cardiovascular system. In recent years, studies have also indicated the important roles of Gαq in regulating immunity, supplying us a new insight into the mechanism of immune regulation.

Early expression of mannose-binding lectin 2 during Aspergillus fumigatus infection in human corneal epithelial cells.

Aim: To evaluate the early expression of mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) in human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) infected by Aspergillus fumigatus (AF).

Methods: HCECs cultured in vitro with AF antigens and sampled at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8h.

Replication of association of nine susceptibility loci with Graves' disease in the Chinese Han population.

This study is to evaluate the association of 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with Graves' disease (GD) in different homogenous samples of the Chinese Han population. A total of 2,865 unrelated individuals were enrolled from Linyi City, Shandong Province, China, including 1,139 patients of GD and 1,726 controls. All 9 SNPs showed significant associations with GD (P < 1.

Mediation of smoking abstinence self-efficacy on the association of nicotine dependence with smoking cessation.

Background: The nicotine dependence (ND) has negative and smoking abstinence self-efficacy (SASE) has positive effects on successful smoking cessation, but scant data is now available for what is the mediating role of SASE on the relationship between ND and successful smoking cessation. The aim of this study was to assess the abovementioned mediation.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 642 successful spontaneous quitters as the cases, and 700 failed spontaneous quitters as the controls.

CT angiography in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease: a transformation in cardiovascular CT practice.

Computed tomography (CT) angiography represents the most important technical development in CT imaging and it has challenged invasive angiography in the diagnostic evaluation of cardiovascular abnormalities. Over the last decades, technological evolution in CT imaging has enabled CT angiography to become a first-line imaging modality in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. This review provides an overview of the diagnostic applications of CT angiography (CTA) in cardiovascular disease, with a focus on selected clinical challenges in some common cardiovascular abnormalities, which include abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism (PE) and coronary artery disease.

Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on α-synuclein aggregation and the ubiquitin-proteasome system in dopaminergic neurons.

Dopaminergic neurons (PC12 cells) were treated with different doses of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), to investigate their effects on α-Synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation and their mechanism of action. Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining were performed. Exposure to TiO2-NPs increased α-Syn expression (p < 0.

Long-term survival of non-small-cell lung cancer patients with EGFR inhibitor treatment.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib are effective in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the median survival of patients is short. Here, we describe 2 patients with NSCLC receiving conventional chemotherapy and alternative treatment with gefitinib or erlotinib as second-line therapy. The first patient was alive at 8 years with alternative conventional chemotherapy and gefitinib, and the second patient was alive at long-term follow-up with conventional chemotherapy and gefitinib or erlotinib.

Knock-down of ABCE1 gene induces G1/S arrest in human oral cancer cells.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the clinical characteristics of ATP binding cassette E1 (ABCE1) in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) and its roles in the proliferation, invasiveness, migration and apoptosis of the human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells CAL-27.

Methods: The expression of ABCE1 and its target protein-RNase L, were first studied in tumor tissues of OSCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues. Moreover, CAL-27cells were transfected by ABCE1-specific shRNA, then MTT assay, the transwell and scratch assay were used to study cell proliferation and migration activity; the apoptosis rate and cell cycle distribution were tested by flow cytometry.

Effect of exogenous nitric oxide on sperm motility in vitro.

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be important in sperm function, and the concentration of NO appears to determine these effects. Studies have demonstrated both positive and negative effects of NO on sperm function, but have not been able to provide a clear link between NO concentration and the extent of exposure to NO. To study the relationship between nitric oxide and sperm capacitation in vitro, and to provide a theoretical basis for the use of NO-related preparations in improving sperm motility for in vitro fertilization, we investigated the effects of NO concentration and time duration at these concentrations on in vitro sperm capacitation in both normal and abnormal sperm groups.

Efficacy of aerobic exercise for treatment of chronic low back pain: a meta-analysis.

Objective: A meta-analysis of relevant cohort studies was performed to investigate the efficacy of aerobic exercise for the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Method: A range of electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE (1966-2013), the Cochrane Library Database (issue 12, 2013), EMBASE (1980-2013), CINAHL (1982-2013), Web of Science (1945~2013), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (1982-2013), without language restrictions. The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, the McGill Pain Questionnaire, visual analog scale, and heart rate, sit-and-reach test, and maximum oxygen consumption were used to evaluate the efficacy of aerobic exercise.

BIIB021, a novel Hsp90 inhibitor, sensitizes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to radiation.

BIIB021 is a novel, orally available inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) that is currently in phase I/II clinical trials. BIIB021 induces the apoptosis of various types of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of BIIB021 on the radiosensitivity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

GSTM3 reverses the resistance of hepatoma cells to radiation by regulating the expression of cell cycle/apoptosis-related molecules.

Radiotherapy (RT) is a major modality of hepatoma treatment. However, liver tumors often acquire radioresistance, which contributes to RT failure. The exact mechanisms of the radioresistance in hepatoma cells are largely unknown.

Circulating tumor cells correlate with recurrence in stage III small-cell lung cancer after systemic chemoradiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation.

Objective: We investigated the correlation between circulating tumor cells and the incidence of brain metastases as a first site of recurrence among patients with small-cell lung cancer after systemic chemoradiotherapy and prophylactic cranial irradiation. In addition, we assessed the contribution of circulating tumor cells for planning the appropriate total dose of prophylactic cranial irradiation for small-cell lung cancer.

Methods: Patients (n = 112) with diagnosed Stage III small-cell lung cancer were treated with four cycles of platinum-based regimen and concurrent chest irradiation, and then prophylactic cranial irradiation.

Red and processed meat consumption and the risk of lung cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis of 33 published studies.

This meta-analysis was to summarize the published studies about the association between red/processed meat consumption and the risk of lung cancer. 5 databases were systematically reviewed, and random-effect model was used to pool the study results and to assess dose-response relationships. Results shown that six cohort studies and twenty eight case-control studies were included in this meat-analysis.

Comparison of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion and multiple daily insulin injections in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To investigate prospectively the insulin dose requirements of Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with either multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy during a 2-week therapeutic intervention.

Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned to MDI or CSII therapy. The effects of the two treatment methods were determined based on blood glucose parameters, total daily insulin dose and rates of hypoglycaemia.

The deficiency of Gαq leads to enhanced T-cell survival.

We have previously reported that Gαq, the α subunit of the Gq protein, had important roles in dendritic cell migration, B-cell survival and autoimmunity. In this study, we showed that the deficiency of Gαq led to enhanced T-cell survival. Cultured Gnaq(-/-) T cells exhibited survival advantages both in medium alone and in the presence of anti-CD3 stimulation.

[Evaluation of immunological efficiency induced by Campylobacter jejuni PEB1 DNA combined with PEB1 protein in mice].

Objective: To explore the improved immunological responses induced by an amino acid ABC transporter, permease protein PEB1 DNA vaccine primer-protein boost immunization method against Campylobacter jejuni.

Methods: The DNA vaccine pcDNA3.1(-)-PEB1 and protein vaccine were prepared, respectively.