Prenatal diagnosis of bilateral congenital microphthalmia in two fetuses from the same parents

Congenital microphthalmia (CM) is a rare anomaly of the fetal orbit, results from developmental defects of the primary optic vesicle, and is characterized by a reduced eyeball volume and axial diameter. Fetal CM cases have rarely been reported. Herein, we present a case of two fetuses with bilateral CM from the same parents, diagnosed using ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We found that the antepartum US and MRI measurements were smaller than the postpartum ones. Genetic testing of the parents and fetuses revealed that GL12 gene mutation may be associated with CM.

[RETRACTED ARTICLE] Characteristics of liver fibrosis with different etiologies using a fully quantitative fibrosis assessment tool

This study aimed to test the diagnostic performance of a fully quantitative fibrosis assessment tool for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A total of 117 patients with liver fibrosis were included in this study, including 50 patients with CHB, 49 patients with PBC and 18 patients with NASH. All patients underwent liver biopsy (LB). Fibrosis stages were assessed by two experienced pathologists. Histopathological images of LB slices were processed by second harmonic generation (SHG)/two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) microscopy without staining, a system called qFibrosis (quantitative fibrosis) system. Altogether 101 quantitative features of the SHG/TPEF images were acquired. The parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas increased significantly with stages of liver fibrosis in PBC and CHB (P<0.05), but the same was not found for parameters of distributed collagen (P>0.05). There was a significant correlation between parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas and stages of liver fibrosis from CHB and PBC (P<0.05), but no correlation was found between the distributed collagen parameters and the stages of liver fibrosis from those patients (P>0.05). There was no significant correlation between NASH parameters and stages of fibrosis (P>0.05). For CHB and PBC patients, the highest correlation was between septal parameters and fibrosis stages, the second highest was between portal parameters and fibrosis stages and the lowest correlation was between fibrillar parameters and fibrosis stages. The correlation between the septal parameters of the PBC and stages is significantly higher than the parameters of the other two areas (P<0.05). The qFibrosis candidate parameters based on CHB were also applicable for quantitative analysis of liver fibrosis in PBC patients. Different parameters should be selected for liver fibrosis assessment in different stages of PBC compared with CHB.

Characteristics of liver fibrosis with different etiologies using a fully quantitative fibrosis assessment tool

This study aimed to test the diagnostic performance of a fully quantitative fibrosis assessment tool for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A total of 117 patients with liver fibrosis were included in this study, including 50 patients with CHB, 49 patients with PBC and 18 patients with NASH. All patients underwent liver biopsy (LB). Fibrosis stages were assessed by two experienced pathologists. Histopathological images of LB slices were processed by second harmonic generation (SHG)/two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) microscopy without staining, a system called qFibrosis (quantitative fibrosis) system. Altogether 101 quantitative features of the SHG/TPEF images were acquired. The parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas increased significantly with stages of liver fibrosis in PBC and CHB (P<0.05), but the same was not found for parameters of distributed collagen (P>0.05). There was a significant correlation between parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas and stages of liver fibrosis from CHB and PBC (P<0.05), but no correlation was found between the distributed collagen parameters and the stages of liver fibrosis from those patients (P>0.05). There was no significant correlation between NASH parameters and stages of fibrosis (P>0.05). For CHB and PBC patients, the highest correlation was between septal parameters and fibrosis stages, the second highest was between portal parameters and fibrosis stages and the lowest correlation was between fibrillar parameters and fibrosis stages. The correlation between the septal parameters of the PBC and stages is significantly higher than the parameters of the other two areas (P<0.05). The qFibrosis candidate parameters based on CHB were also applicable for quantitative analysis of liver fibrosis in PBC patients. Different parameters should be selected for liver fibrosis assessment in different stages of PBC compared with CHB.

RNAi-mediated knockdown of pituitary tumor- transforming gene-1 (PTTG1) suppresses the proliferation and invasive potential of PC3 human prostate cancer cells

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene-1 (PTTG1) is a proto-oncogene that promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis in numerous cell types and is overexpressed in a variety of human tumors. We have demonstrated that PTTG1 expression was up-regulated in both human prostate cancer specimens and prostate cancer cell lines. For a more direct assessment of the function of PTTG1 in prostate tumorigenesis, RNAi-mediated knockdown was used to selectively decrease PTTG1 expression in PC3 human prostate tumor cells. After three weeks of selection, colonies stably transfected with PTTG1-targeted RNAi (the knockdown PC3 cell line) or empty vector (the control PC3 cell line) were selected and expanded to investigate the role of PTTG1 expression in PC3 cell growth and invasion. Cell proliferation rate was significantly slower (28%) in the PTTG1 knockdown line after 6 days of growth as indicated by an MTT cell viability assay (P < 0.05). Similarly, a soft agar colony formation assay revealed significantly fewer (66.7%) PTTG1 knockdown PC3 cell colonies than control colonies after three weeks of growth. In addition, PTTG1 knockdown resulted in cell cycle arrest at G1 as indicated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The PTTG1 knockdown PC3 cell line also exhibited significantly reduced migration through Matrigel in a transwell assay of invasive potential, and down-regulation of PTTG1 could lead to increased sensitivity of these prostate cancer cells to a commonly used anticancer drug, taxol. Thus, PTTG1 expression is crucial for PC3 cell proliferation and invasion, and could be a promising new target for prostate cancer therapy.

Effect of increased levels of adiponectin by administration of the adenovector rAAV2/1-Acrp30 on glucose, lipid metabolism and ultrastructure of the aorta in Goto–Kakizaki rats with arteriosclerosis.

Background. We used recombinant adeno-associated virus vector of adiponectin (AAV2/1-Acrp30) to study the effects of increased levels of adioponectin (by the administration of rAAV2/1-Acrp30) on arteriosclerosis, glucose and lipid metabolism in Goto–Kakizaki (GK) rats with arteriosclerosis. Methods. Thirty GK rats with arteriosclerosis were divided into 3 equal groups: control group 1, control group 2 and the rAAV2/1-Acrp30-administered group. Saline, virus vector or rAAV2/1-Acrp30 (1012 ng/ml) vector genomes administered to the rats in the corresponding group by intramuscular injection to the posterior limb by single administration, respectively. After 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum insulin, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein were measured in each group, and the ultrastructure of the aorta was seen by light and electron microscopy. Results. Compared with control groups 1 and 2, in the rAAV2/1-Acrp30 group, there was a decrease in urine volume, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, and an increase in body weight and high-density lipoprotein (p<0.05), while the level of serum insulin was not changed (p>0.05). Ultrastructure studies of the aorta showed that aortosclerosis in the rAAV2/1-Acrp30-administered group was less, and fewer lipid droplet vacuoles were seen in the vascular endothelial cytoplasm. Also various cell organelles and internal elastic lamina were seen, and there was no formation of lipid droplet and foam cells in the cytoplasm of the media of the smooth muscle. Conclusion. Adiponectin could improve blood glucose and lipid parameters and decrease atherosclerosis in the aorta of GK rats.

Yields from blood cultures of patients with suspected paratyphoid fever A

The yield and speed of detection of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi A from the blood of patients with suspected paratyphoid fever A in 13 500 paired aerobic and anaerobic bottles (AEB, ANB) that were each filled with 5 ml of blood by the BacT/ALERT 3D system were compared, and the blood bacterial counts of 1 000 probable patients were estimated by pour plate method. A total of 4 060 isolates were recovered, of these, 3 149 were recovered from both AEB and ANB, 461 from the AEB only, and 450 from the ANB only. The estimating median bacterial count in blood from 400 patients was 0.5 CFU/ml. The research findings demonstrate that the blood volume drawn is an important factor determining the yields from blood cultures. Growth of significantly more isolates was detected earlier in AEB.

Significance of mutation in the D-loop region in cervical cancer / Importancia de la mutación en la región D-loop en el cáncer cervical

AIM: To investigate the mutation in the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA in cervical cancer and its influence on the changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell cycle. METHODS: The D-loop region was amplified by PCR and sequenced. Reactive oxygen species and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry in 40 specimens from cervical cancer and adjacent normal tissues. According to the sequence results, gastric cancer tissue was divided into mutation group and control group. Reactive oxygen species, apoptosis and proliferation in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Among the 40 cervical cancer specimens, 21 mutations were identified in 12 patients, the mutation rate being 30%. There were four microsatellite instabilities in the mutations. No mutation was found in the adjacent tissues. Reactive oxygen species, apoptosis and proliferation in the mutation group were all significantly higher than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Mutation in the D-loop region plays a role in the genesis and development of cervical cancer.

OBJETIVO: Investigar la mutación en la región D-loop del ADN mitocondrial en el cáncer cervical y su influencia en los cambios de las especies reactivas de oxígeno (ROS) y el ciclo celular. MÉTODOS: La región D-loop fue amplificada mediante PCR y secuenciada. Las especies reactivas de oxígeno y el ciclo celular fueron descubiertos mediante citometría de flujo en 40 espécimenes de cáncer cervical y los tejidos normales adyacentes. Según los resultados de la secuencia, el tejido canceroso gástrico fue dividido en un grupo de mutación y un grupo control. Se compararon las especies reactivas de oxígeno reactivo, la apoptosis y la proliferación en los dos grupos. RESULTADOS: Entre los 40 especimenes de cáncer cervical, se identificaron 21 mutaciones en 12 pacientes, para una tasa de mutación del 30%. En las mutaciones se presentaron cuatro inestabilidades de microsatélite. No se encontró mutación alguna en los tejidos adyacentes. Las especies reactivas de oxígeno, la apoptosis y la proliferación en el grupo de mutación fueron todas significativamente mayores a las del grupo de control. CONCLUSIÓN: La mutación en la región D-loop desempeña un papel en la génesis y desarrollo del cáncer cervical.