β-联蛋白在恶性胸膜间皮瘤组织的表达及其对肿瘤的抑制作用

目的：探讨β-联蛋白在恶性胸膜间皮瘤组织的表达及其对肿瘤抑制作用。方法：应用AnnexinV和TUNEL法分别检测转染野生型β-联蛋白（β-CAT-V5-FP）和突变型β-联蛋白 （β-CAT-S37C-V5-FP）诱导恶性胸膜间皮瘤NCI-H28细胞凋亡;采用体外细胞培养法,研究β-联蛋白基因对肿瘤的抑制作用。结果：转染野生型β-联蛋白和突变型β-联蛋白的细胞凋亡率与转染空白载体组比较均有明显的增高。转染羧基端缺失的β-联蛋白基因也可导致细胞凋亡,但与转染野生型β-联蛋白（β-CAT-V5-FP）和突变型β-联蛋白（β-CAT-S37C-V5-FP）的细胞相比明显减少。结论：β-联蛋白基因在非上皮性肿瘤——恶性胸膜间皮瘤中也可诱导细胞凋亡。     

Upgrading and upstaging of low-risk prostate cancer among Korean patients: a multicenter study

Only 54% of prostate cancer cases in Korea are localized compared with 82% of cases in the US. Furthermore, half of Korean patients are upgraded after radical prostatectomy (41.6%–50.6%). We investigated the risk factors for upgrading and/or upstaging of low-risk prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1159 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy at five hospitals in Honam Province. Preoperative data on standard clinicopathological parameters were collected. The radical prostatectomy specimens were graded and staged and we defined a “worsening prognosis” as a Gleason score ≥ 7 or upstaging to ≥ pT3. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with postoperative pathological upstaging. Among the 1159 patients, 324 were classified into the clinically low-risk group, and 154 (47.5%) patients were either upgraded or upstaged. The multivariable analysis revealed that the preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen level (odds ratio [OR], 1.131; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.007–1.271; P= 0.037), percent positive biopsy core (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.002–1.035; P= 0.032), and small prostate volume (≤30 ml) (OR: 2.280; 95% CI: 1.351–3.848; P= 0.002) were predictive of a worsening prognosis. Overall, 47.5% of patients with low-risk disease were upstaged postoperatively. The current risk stratification criteria may be too relaxed for our study cohort.     

Multiple Genes of the Renin-Angiotensin System Are Novel Targets of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of CKD and cardiovascular disease. However, current anti-RAS therapy only has limited efficacy, partly because of compensatory upregulation of renin expression. Therefore, a treatment strategy to simultaneously target multiple RAS genes is necessary to achieve greater efficacy. By bioinformatics analyses, we discovered that the promoter regions of all RAS genes contained putative T-cell factor (TCF)/lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF)-binding sites, and β-catenin induced the binding of LEF-1 to these sites in kidney tubular cells. Overexpression of either β-catenin or different Wnt ligands induced the expression of all RAS genes. Conversely, a small-molecule β-catenin inhibitor ICG-001 abolished RAS induction. In a mouse model of nephropathy induced by adriamycin, either transient therapy or late administration of ICG-001 abolished established proteinuria and kidney lesions. ICG-001 inhibited renal expression of multiple RAS genes in vivo and abolished the expression of other Wnt/β-catenin target genes. Moreover, ICG-001 therapy restored expression of nephrin, podocin, and Wilms’ tumor 1, attenuated interstitial myofibroblast activation, repressed matrix expression, and inhibited renal inflammation and fibrosis. Collectively, these studies identify all RAS genes as novel downstream targets of Wnt/β-catenin. Our results indicate that blockade of Wnt/β-catenin signaling can simultaneously repress multiple RAS genes, thereby leading to the reversal of established proteinuria and kidney injury.     

不同剂量右美托咪定镇静程度及顺行性遗忘作用研究

目的 观察不同剂量右美托咪定(dexmedetomidine,Dex)对下腹部手术患者术中镇静程度及顺行性遗忘作用的影响. 方法 选择美国麻醉医师协会(ASA)分级Ⅰ～Ⅱ级,年龄20岁～60岁,在腰麻硬脊膜外联合阻滞麻醉下复合Dex行下腹部手术(剖宫产术除外)的患者200例,其中男101例,女99例.采用随机数字表法进行分组,根据给予生理盐水或Dex维持剂量的不同分为4组(每组50例):生理盐水组(De0组)、0.2 μg·kg1·h-1组(De1组)、0.4 μg· kf-1·h-1组(De2组)、0.6 μg· kg-1·h-1组(De3组).采用改良警觉/镇静观察评分(observer's assessment of alertness/sedation,OAA/S)法,观察Dex泵入后5 min(T1)、10 min(T2)、15 min (T3)、20 min(T4)、25 min(T5)、30 min(T6)、40 min(T7)和50 min(T8)各时间点患者镇静程度及术后24 h顺行性遗忘情况. 结果 De0组各时间点的OAMS法评分均为(5.00±0)分,De1组、De2组、De3组随着时间的延长,泵入Dex剂量的逐渐增大,OAMS评分逐渐减小(P＜0.05):De1组T2～T8评分依次为(3.15±0.37)、(3.26±0.44)、(2.70±0.66)、(2.55±0.60)、(2.40±0.60)、(2.05±0.76)、(2.02±0.73)分;De2组T2～T8评分依次为(3.10±0.64)、(2.95±0.51)、(2.35±0.67)、(2.25±0.55)、(2.10±0.45)、(1.60±0.50)、(1.65±0.49)分;De3组T2～Ts评分依次为(3.10±0.31)、(2.65±0.49)、(1.95±0.39)、(1.90±0.45)、(1.75±0.44)、(1.20±0.62)、(1.25±0.64)分.De0组无遗忘病例为50例;De1组、De2组、De3组无遗忘病例明显减少(P＜0.05):De1组完全遗忘4例,部分遗忘35例,无遗忘11例;De2组完全遗忘15例,部分遗忘29例,无遗忘6例;De3组完全遗忘29例,部分遗忘19例,无遗忘2例. 结论 Dex具有良好的镇静以及一定的顺行性遗忘作用,且呈剂量依赖性.     

Detection of Gallibacterium anatis by TaqMan fluorescent quantitative PCR

To better understand the prevalence of Gallibacterium anatis in different poultry species, a rapid and accurate method was developed to detect G. anatis using a TaqMan fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Specific primers and a TaqMan probe were designed based on the reference gtxA gene sequence. The qPCR standard curve showed a good linear relationship, and the method showed good reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity, indicating its suitability for G. anatis identification and quantitative analysis. A comparison of the detection results in 160 clinical swab samples showed that the detection rate (54.4%) of the qPCR for G. anatis was better than that of two conventional methods: gyrB gene-based qPCR for G. anatis (51.9%) and culture-based identification (34.4%). G. anatis was detected in layer chicken (77.3%), Silkie chicken (72.7%), and duck (27.1%) with relatively high detection rates, whereas dove (8.8%) and quail (3.0%) showed lower detection rates, indicating the different prevalence of G. anatis in different fowl species.