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Biomedical subjects

Hui Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Hui Liu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Clinical analysis of bronchopulmonary infection with hypermastigotes: a report of two cases and review of the Chinese literature].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features of bronchopulmonary infection with hypermastigotes. METHODS: Two cases of bronchopulmonary infection with hypermastigotes were reported. The clinical features of another six cases from the Chinese literature were reviewed. RESULTS: Bronchopulmonary infection with hypermastigotes mostly occurs in the hot and humid southern area. The symptoms are severe, with different manifestations such as chronic cough, asthma, pneumonia, and even lung abscess. Final diagnosis is made by the presence of hypermastigotes in smears of secretions from the respiratory tract. An antiprotozoal such as metronidazole is always effective. CONCLUSION: In patients with unexplained cough, asthma, and pneumonia or lung abscess which do not respond to ordinary therapy, rare pathogens such as hypermastigotes need to be considered.

Bronchopneumonia↗
PubMed2006

[Effect of overdose fluoride on expression of bone sialoprotein in developing dental tissues of rats].

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes of bone sialoprotein (BSP) in developing dental tissues of rats exposed to fluoride. METHODS: Twenty rats were randomly divided into two groups, one was with distilled water (control group), the other was with distilled water treated by fluoride (experimental group). When the fluorosis model was established, the changes of the expression of BSP were investigated and compared between the two groups. HE staining was used to observe the morphology of the cell, and immunohistochemisty assay was used to determine the expression of BSP in rat incisor. Student's t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The ameloblasts had normal morphology and arranged orderly. Immunoreactivitis of BSP was present in matured ameloblasts, dentinoblasts, cementoblasts, and the matrix in the control group. But in the experimental group the ameloblasts arranged in multiple layers, the enamel matrix was confused and the expression of BSP was significantly lower than that of the control group. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the two groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Fluoride can inhibit the expression of BSP in developing dental tissues of rats, and then inhibit differentiation of the tooth epithelial cells and secretion of matrix. This is a probable intracellular mechanism of dental fluorosis.

Ameloblasts↗
PubMed2006

Chinese medicine Angelica sinensis suppresses radiation-induced expression of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in mice.

Radiotherapy of thoracic cancer often causes pulmonary inflammation leading to pneumonitis and fibrosis. We favor the hypothesis that cytokine-mediated multicellular interactions may result in the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1, which promotes progressive radiation-induced lung injury. The root of Angelica sinensis, known as 'Danggui' in Chinese medicine, is widely used to treat radiation-induced pneumonitis in humans and shows clinical efficacy and low/no toxicity with an unclear mechanism. Using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods, we investigated radiation-induced lung injury in a mouse model. C57BL/6 mice were assigned to 4 groups: no treatment (NT), Angelica Sinensis treatment only (AS), X-ray irradiation only (XRT, single fraction of 12 Gy irradiation to the thoraces) and AS treatment plus XRT (AS/XRT). Mice in NT and AS groups exhibited low TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 mRNA levels and few positive cell counts for TNF-alpha (8-17 cells per field, x400 magnification) and TGF-beta1 (9-31 cells per field), respectively. In XRT mice, there were increased inflammatory cells positive for TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in lung tissue compared with NT mice (P<0.01). However, when XRT mice received AS treatment (AS/XRT), the number of inflammatory cells in lung tissue positive for both TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 was decreased compared with XRT-only mice (P<0.01) accompanied by moderately decreased mRNA levels of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1. We conclude that radiation induces expression of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in the inflammatory cells of irradiated lung tissue during the pneumonic phase. The predominant localization of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in inflammatory cell infiltrates suggests these cytokines' involvement in the process of radiation-induced pneumonitis. Moreover, effective down-regulation of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta1 in irradiated lung tissue by Angelica Sinensis is, at least in part, indicative of its clinical efficacy in treating radiation-induced pneumonitis.

Angelica sinensis↗
PubMed2006

In vitro release performance and analgesic activity of endomorphin-1 loaded nanoparticles.

Endomorphin-1 normally has a short half-live in blood and brain and has difficulty in penetrating the blood-brain barrier when given intravenously. To transport endomorphin-1 across the blood-brain barrier, the peptide was adsorbed onto the surface of butylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles and coated with polysorbate 80. The release properties of the drug in vitro were demonstrated. The central analgesic effect of the drug was measured by tail flick test. The results of the in vitro release study show that there is a burst release effect at first and a slow and continuous release then followed. A longer analgesic effect was shown when the nanoparticles coated with polysorbate 80 were intravenously injected into mice than with the other groups including endomorphin-1, nanoparticles uncoated with polysorbate 80, and a simple mixture of the three components (drug, nanoparticles, and surfactant) mixed directly. The results showed that the way we used to promote endomorphin-1 penetration of the blood-brain barrier was useful. These results suggested that nanoparticles coated with polysorbate 80 were useful for delivery of EM-1 loaded nanoparticles to target the brain.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed2006

[Clinical features and prognosis of nasal type NK/T cell lymphoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features, treatment modalities and the prognosis of nasal type NK/T cell lymphoma. METHODS: The data of 39 such patients treated from June 2000 to December 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty three patients were treated by combined chemoradiotherapy, basing on anthracycline-containing CHOP or similar regimens (median 5 cycles). Eleven patients by chemotherapy alone, 2 by radiotherapy alone and 2 aged patients by palliative chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Radiotherapy was given by high energy photon ray combined with electron beam with a median curative dose of 56 Gy in conventional fractionation. Bivariate correlations and univariate prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Median follow-up time for the 21 patients who were still alive was 22.5 months. The overall remission rate (RR) after initial treatment was 66.7% (21 CR, 3 PR). Chemotherapy alone got a CR rate of only 37.5%. The overall local control rate was 59.4%. Local relapse rate after curative radiotherapy was 25.0%. Radiotherapy was positively correlated with local control (P = 0.000) and time to disease progression (TTP, P = 0.002). Skin and intestine were among the extranodal relapse sites. Fifteen patients had highly aggressive tumors with a median survival time of only 5 months. Univariate analysis showed that significant favorable survival prognostic factors were: radiotherapy (P = 0.001); lower risk International Prognostic Index (IPI, P = 0.001); complete remission after primary treatment (P = 0.000); pre-diagnostic history > 2 months (P = 0.024); and free of skin involvement (P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Most of nasal type NK/T cell lymphoma are in early stage when diagnosed. Radiotherapy remains to be the mainstay of treatment. Combined chemoradiotherapy needs further improvement for the progressive disease type. Some patients may have highly aggressive tumors with poor prognosis. Optimal prognostic factors and individualized treatment regimens need to be investigated.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Clinical value of barium swallow in observing esophageal tumor regression during radiotherapy].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Barium swallow is widely used to observe the treatment response of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and as a routine examination for long-term follow-up in China because of its convenience and inexpensiveness. This study was to observe esophageal tumor regression by barium swallow during radiotherapy, analyze the correlations of tumor regression speed to short-term response and long-term survival, and evaluate the clinical value of barium swallow during radiotherapy for ESCC. METHODS: Clinical data from 94 patients with ESCC, treated with radiotherapy (39 patients) or chemoradiotherapy (55 patients) from Jan. 2001 to Jun. 2003 at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 94 patients, 18 (19.1%) were at stage II, 36 (36.3%) at stage III, and 42 (44.6%) at stage IV. Barium swallow was performed at the radiation dose of 40 Gy and the radiation end, and the X-ray appearance was classified according to Zhengzhou Meeting criteria. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their tumor regression speed: Group A had rapid regression, with the X-ray appearance classified as grade I or II at 40 Gy, Group B had slow regression, with the X-ray appearance classified as grade III or IV at 40 Gy, but as grade I or II at the radiation end, Group C had obvious residual tumors, with the X-ray appearance kept being classified as grade III or IV till radiation end. The correlations of tumor regression speed to short-term response and long-term survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The complete response (CR) rates were 100.0% in Group A, 65.2% in Group B, and 28.3% in Group C (P<0.001), the 3-year survival rates were 44.0%, 24.2%, and 17.3%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that short-term response and M stage were independent prognostic factors. The 3-year survival rates of CR patients were 44.0% in Group A, 32.6% in Group B, and 42.2% in Group C (P=0.814). The locoregional failure rates were 50% in Group A, 88% in Group B, and 81% in Group C, and the occurrence rates of severe radiation-related complications were 19%, 0%, and 6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Barium swallow during radiotherapy for ESCC could be used to judge tumor regression speed, which is closely related to short-term response. Short-term response is an important prognostic factor of ESCC.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Effects of overdosed fluoride on rat's incisor expression of matrixmetalloproteinase-20 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of overdosed fluoride on the expression of MMP-20 and TIMP-2 in rat incisor. METHODS: 20 Wistar rats were randomly divided into experiment group and control group. The distilled water was given in control group. 100 mg/L fluoride- was given in experiment group. After 8 weeks treatment, the rats were killed. Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of MMP-20 and TIMP-2 in rat incisors. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical results demonstrated the presence of MMP-20 and TIMP-2 protein in ameloblasts, odontoblasts, stratum intermedium and the stellate reticulum of rat incisor. The imagination analysis results showed that the expression of MMP-20 was reduesed in experiment group (P<0.01), and the expression of TIMP-2 had no significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The overdosed fluoride inhibits the secretion of MMP-20 and leads to the disturbed balance between MMP-20, TIMP-2 in rat incisor, which leads to the delay of the amelogenin removal and the enamel demineralization.

Ameloblasts↗
PubMed2006

[Analysis of the found age and way for children age 0 to 6 with hearing loss].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the children with hearing loss from the age 0 to 6, and discuss the found age, found way and audiological characteristics. METHODS: General information of found age and found way of 265 children, were investigated with self-made questionnaire and routine audiological evaluations, and then made statistical analysis. RESULTS: The average (x +/- s) found age for the children with hearing loss was (23.21 +/- 10.02) months, and the first average coming age was (28.01 +/- 13.41) months. The found age of girls [(27.11 +/- 13.13) months] was 6.1 months later than the boys' [(21.03 +/- 12.32) months] and the countryside children [(28.27 +/- 11.09) months] later than the city's [(19.52 +/- 13.05) months] 8.65 months in the average found age. The found age of children who were found with speech disability was later than others. As the hearing loss degree of children went milder, the found age might later. CONCLUSIONS: The popularization of knowledge in preventing from hearing loss must be strengthened. It is also necessary to popularize newborn hearing screening and early intervention while to enhance the parents' consciousness.

Child↗
PubMed2006

KRAB-containing zinc finger gene ZNF268 encodes multiple alternatively spliced isoforms that contain transcription regulatory domains.

The ZNF268 gene was originally isolated from an early human embryo cDNA library. Several different transcripts have been isolated for the ZNF268 gene and developmental expression studies suggest that ZNF268 plays a role in the development of human fetal liver and the differentiation of blood cells. In our effort to study the functions of ZNF268 in different organs during development and in pathogenesis, we have now identified 3 novel splicing isoforms, ZNF268e, ZNF268f and ZNF268g, in human fetal tissues and human tumor derived cell lines. The 8 alternatively spliced mRNAs discovered so for are predicted to encode 3 protein isoforms. Expression analysis showed that different mRNA isoforms have different expression profiles. In particular, ZNF268c mRNA was detected only in tumor cells, and ZNF268f appeared to be tissue-specific. By Western blot analysis, all 3 ZNF268 protein isoforms, ZNF268a, ZNF268b1 and ZNF268b2, were expressed in tumor cell lines, while only two protein products, ZNF268b1 and ZNF268b2, were detected in human fetal tissues. Subcellular localization analysis showed that ZNF268a and ZNF268b2 distributed diffusely throughout the cell, while ZNF268b1 mainly localized in the cytoplasm. Moreover, using a CAT reporter system fused to the Gal4 DNA binding domain of the ZNF268 gene, the ZNF268a and b2 activated the CAT reporter gene expression, while the KRAB domain, corresponding to the ZNF268b1 repressed the reporter gene expression. Taken together, our results showed that multiple ZNF268 splicing products encode multiple ZNF268 protein isoforms with different subcellular localization, and that the ZNF268 gene may function as a transcriptional activator in the growth and differentiation of cells in development and/or pathogenesis.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed2006

[Study on the prevalence of depression and its risk factors among high school students in Nanjing].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of depression and its major risk factors among high school students in Nanjing, China. METHODS: A population-based cross sectional study was conducted between October 2004 and December 2004. 168 classes from 56 schools were randomly selected in thirteen administrative districts/counties of Nanjing, China. Data from a total number of 7161 eligible students including 71.0% from junior high school and 29.0% from senior high school students with 49.4% boys and 50.6% girls. Among them 47.6% from urban and 52.4% from rural area. The response rate was 92.5%. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of depression was 14.8% in this sample which was higher in boys (16.4%) than in girls (13.0%). There was no significant difference between junior and senior high school students (14.6% vs. 15.4%) or between age groups and urban rural residence. The identified major risk factors would include: lack of interest on learning, unmet academic achievements, lack of self-estimated capability of competence, too much burden on learning, lack of close friends, badving relation with friends/relatives, indifferent attitude towards friends/relatives, status of parents employment, and family structure. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression was 14.8%, which was close to the figure in Asian-American high school students. More attention should be paid on the issue of mental health in high school students under the rapid transition of society, economy, life style and ideas in China.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

[Production of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against citrus tristeza virus and their efficiency for the detection of the virus].

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) was purified from a citrus sample by a modified protocol, and the yield was about 1 mg from 100 g citrus tissues. Polyclonal antibody was prepared by immunizing rabbits with the purified CTV preparation with a titer 1:25600 in indirect ELISA test. Eighteen hybridoma-cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against CTV were screened after the fusion of mouse myeloma cells (SP2/0) with spleen cells from BALB/c immunized with the virus preparation. Four hybridoma-cell lines were selected randomly for later analysis. The results indicated that the titers of ascetic fluids against these hybridoma cell lines ranged from 1:51200 to 1:204800 in indirect ELISA, and their isotypes and subclasses were IgG2a for 2G and 3H and IgG2b for IE and 4H. These four Mabs were used to detect CTV in citrus samples in different sources. Results showed that TAS-ELISA with polyclonal antibody as trapping antibody and monoclonal antibody as testing antibody had a higher specificity and sensitivity than PAS-ELISA. Four Mabs showed different intensities of serological reaction with different CTV isolates. However, much work remains for realizing the characteristics and the serological relationships among these isolates.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Expression of Smad4 in leukemia cells].

Loss of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling has been implicated in malignant transformation of various tissues. Smad4 plays a central role in the signal transduction of TGF-beta. Deletion or mutation of Smad4 has been described in a number of cancers. This study was aimed to investigate a potential role of Smad4 in leukemia including its expression and location in blast cells. The mononuclear cells were separated from bone marrow of leukemia patients. The samples, blast cells of which were more than 90% in mononuclear cells, were selected. The expression and location of Smad4 protein were analyzed by immunohistochemistry methods. The results showed that the Smad4 protein located mainly in nucleus, part of this protein located in cytoplasma, the expressions of Smad4 were not detected in 6 out of 9 ALL patients, in 7 out of 24 AML patients and in 1 out of 2 CML patients; these leukemia patients, in whose cells the expression of Smad4 was not detected, included one L1 and one L3, four L2, one M0, one M1, two M2a, one M3a, one M4b, one M6 and one CML. In conclusion, the Smad4 protein was mainly in nucleus, the deletion or functional change of Smad4 may related with the pathogenesis of human AML.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

[Construction of a regional information system based on standardization and middleware platform].

In this article, based on the analysis on the regional information system's development background and its applications, the construction of the regional medical information system through creating the electronic medical record and the medicine image data centers is proposed, for information resource sharing. And then, the system's software construction and various subsystems functions are mainly introduced. Standardization and the middleware platform are suggested as the effective way of constructing these two data centers in the present situation in our country.

Computer Security↗
PubMed2006

[Serum levels and clinical significance of soluble CD40 in liver disease].

AIM: To measure the level of serum soluble CD40 (sCD40) in patients with acute hepatitis, hepatitis gravis and primary carcinoma of the liver, and to evaluate the relationship of sCD40 with biochemical marks and disease prognosis. METHODS: Patients with acute hepatitis (n=49) hepatitis gravis (n=22) and primary carcinoma of the liver (n=13) were studied, and serum sCD40 was determined in these patients and compared with that of healthy controls (n=44) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The binding capacity of serum sCD40 to its ligand CD40L was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) in vitro. RESULTS: Concentration of sCD40 was significantly higher in patients with liver disease than that in healthy controls (P<0.001), but no significant difference was found between the three types of liver disease (P=0.475). In the hepatitis gravis group, sCD40 concentration in dead patients was higher compared with that in the survivals (P<0.05). Level of sCD40 in patients with acute hepatitis was correlated with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartic transaminase (AST). The serum sCD40 could bind CD40L in vitro. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that sCD40 is an important serological marker in liver disease to evaluate acute injury of hepatocytes, and it shows a relevance with the prognosis of hepatitis gravis. The highly elevated level of sCD40 suggest the involvement of CD40 and its ligand CD40L in liver disease.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed2006

[Effects of grape procyanidins on the concentration of intracellular calcium and the proliferation activity of the hepatoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of grape procyanidins (GPC) on concentration of intracellular calcium and the proliferation activity of normal hepatic cells and the hepatic cell injuried by alcohol. METHODS: Rat hepatic cells and the cell injuried by alcohol were cultured with different concentration of GPC. The proliferation activity and concentration of intracellular calcium of the hepatic cells were measured by MTT assay and Fura-2 fluorescence methods. RESULTS: (1) The concentration of intracellular calcium of the normal control group and alcohol injury group were (108.26 +/- 14.17) and (651.24 +/- 47.95) nmol/L respectively, and that of both the high and the medium dose GPC groups were lower than the alcohol injury group, all differences are significant (P < 0.05). (2) The concentration of intracellular calcium in the normal hepatic cells treated with GPC is the group with calcium of extracellular fluid > the group free from calcium of extracellular fluid > the normal control group. (3) The proliferation activity of the high and the medium dose GPC group of normal hepatic cell and the cell injuried by alcohol were higher than the normal control group and alcohol injury group, all differences are significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: GPC can raise the intracellular calcium concentration of normal hepatic cell by increasing extracellular fluidca introaffluxion and release from calcium pool, and enhance the proliferation activity of hepatic cells. It also can inhibit the abnormal rise (overload) of intracellular calcium concentration and the proliferation activity injury of hepatic cell induced by alcohol.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Effects of ferrous sulfate supplementation on bone marrow hemopoiesis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influences of different dosage ferrous sulfate supplements on bone marrow hemopoiesis in rats. METHODS: Female weaning Wistar rats were fed with an iron deficient diet (< 10 mg/kg diet) until the level of hemoglobin of rats was lower than 100 g/L. Rats (n = 50) were randomly divided into five groups according to the levels of hemoglobin and body weight, iron deficiency control (ID), daily low iron diet supplement (LDs), daily high iron diet supplement (HDs), weekly low iron supplement (LWs), and weekly high iron supplement (HWs). RESULTS: After 12 weeks, bone marrow stainable iron was seldom in ID group, and ample in supplement groups. The proportions of iron staining of bone marrow smear in supplement groups were more than 30%. Bone marrow cells in all rats were hyperplastic or active hyperplastic. CONCLUSIONS: Daily high iron supplement or once weekly high iron supplement were safe to bone marrow hemopoiesis in rats.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency↗
PubMed2006

[Construction of fusion gene between IgGHV and IL-2 as IgHV nucleic acid vaccine against lymphoma].

The purpose of this study was to construct the IgHV and IL-2 coexpressed vector. The IgHV gene fragments were obtained from the peripheral blood of patients with lymphoma, and were cloned into eukaryotic expression vector. Meanwhile, the gene fragments of IgHV linked with gene of IL-2 were inserted into pcDNA3.0 to form a fusion gene of IgHV-IL-2. Then fusion genes were transfected into COS cells by Lipofectin and the expression of IL-2 was detected by ELISA. The results showed that the IgHV/pcDNA3.0 expression vector was successfully constructed. The 3' end of IgHV was linked to IL-2 gene, and IL-2 could be correctly expressed. In conclusion, the expression vector of IgHV-IL-2 can express IL-2 correctly in COS cells.

Cancer Vaccines↗