The prognostic significance of Omi/HtrA2 expression, and correlation between Omi/HtrA2 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in primary hepatocellular carcinoma cells / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the prognostic significance of Omi/HtrA2 expression, and the correlation between Omi/HtrA2 and Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in primary hepatocellular carcinoma cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of HIF-1α and Omi/HtrA2 in 43 cases of hepatic carcinoma tissues were detected immunohistochemically. Follow-up data were obtained to perform the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The change of Omi/HtrA2 expression in HepG2 cell was measured after HIF-1α expression of HepG2 in vitro was regulated by Tet-on expression system.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Omi/HtrA2 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis and recurring within liver during 2 years. Statistical analysis estimation showed the cumulative survival rate of post-hepatectomy for the patients with the positive expression of Omi/HtrA2 was higher than that for other patients with the negative expression of Omi/HtrA2 (χ(2) = 6.13, P = 0.013). In the common paraffin-embedded specimen of hepatocellular carcinoma, most of the samples showing negative or weak positive HIF-1α immunopositivity showed moderate positive or strong positive Omi/HtrA2 immunopositivity, while most of the samples showing moderate positive or strong positive HIF-1α immunopositivity showed negative or weak positive Omi/HtrA2 immunopositivity. The mRNA expression intensity of Omi/HtrA2 was decreasing with the HIF-1α expression increasing, and the difference was statistically significant(F = 106.766, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Omi/HtrA2 may be an important prognostic marker for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Omi/HtrA2 expression is reversely correlated with HIF-1α expression in hepatocellular carcinoma. During the apoptotic process Omi/HtrA2 participating in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HIF-1α is involved in the controlling and regulating of Omi/HtrA2 expression.</p>

The hyposensitization of oval cell to antiproliferative effect of transforming growth factor β1 by hepatitis B virus X gene / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether hepatitis B virus X (HBX) protein expression affect the oval cells' response to anti-proliferative effect of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) in oval cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Real-time PCR, Western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression of TGFβRII in HBX-transfected oval cells named HBX-EGFP-LE/6, and EGFP-LE/6, LE/6 control cells. In addition, exogenous TGFβ1 was added into all three oval cell lines, MTT assay was preformed to clarify different responses to the anti-proliferative effect of TGFβ1.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The TGFβRII mRNA levels in LE/6 and EGFP-LE/6 cells were (10.2 ± 1.8) and (8.8 ± 0.9) folds of those in HBX-EGFP-LE/6 cells, the difference was significant (P < 0.05). HBX protein expression also reduced the protein levels of TGFβRII in HBX-EGFP-LE/6 oval cells, compared to the control cells. The MTT results exhibited that, after TGFβ1 addition, proliferative inhibition rate in the HBX-EGFP-LE/6 cells was 18.1% ± 1.5% while those in control cells were 42.2% ± 2.8% and 41.9% ± 5.0%, the difference was significant (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HBX protein expression affects TGFβRII transcriptional activity and protein synthesis, and insensitive oval cells to anti-proliferative effect of TGFβ1.</p>

Recovery of aniline from wastewater by nitrobenzene extraction enhanced with salting-out effect / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Nitrobenzene extraction enhanced by salting-out effect was employed to recover aniline from wastewater at 25 degrees C.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Batchwise experiments were conducted to elucidate the influence of various operating variables on the extracting performance, including acidity of wastewater, initial aniline concentration, ratios of solvent to wastewater, extraction stages, concentrations and different types of inorganic salts, such as NaCl, KCl, Na(2)SO(4), CaCl(2) and K(2)SO(4).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nitrobenzene with a concentration of 20% and a pH value of 9.1 at the temperature of 25 degrees C together with NaCl of a concentration of 14 wt.% realized nearly 100% aniline recovery at the fifth stage of wastewater treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>High pH values and volume ratios of nitrobenzene/wastewater are more suitable for recovery of aniline. In addition, recovery of aniline is significantly elevated with increase of the concentration of salts, whose promoting effects are in the following order: NaCl>Na(2)SO(4)>K(2)SO(4)>CaCl(2)>KCl on the weight basis of wastewater. Furthermore, aniline in wastewater can be almost completely recovered by five-stage sequential nitrobenzene extraction, which is promoted continuously by the salting-out effect.</p>

The studies of hepatitis B virus X gene induces oval cell malignant transformation / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find out the mechanisms of HBx gene inducing oval cell malignant transformation into hepatoma carcinoma cell.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The changes of morphology, cell cycle, differentiated markers, c-myc and TGF-alpha in pEGFP-HBx oval cells strain, which stably expressed HBx gene, were studied by inversion phase contrast microscope and transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry, periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining, soft agar growth assay, real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry. pEGFP-oval cells and LE/6 oval cells were used as control groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The pEGFP-HBx oval cells showed bigger in size with malformed nucleus as compared with control groups. (2) Flow cytometry showed that, in contrast with the control groups, the proportion of pEGFP-HBx oval cells arrested in G0/G1 phase decreased but in S or G2/M phase rose. Moreover, the population of aneuploid cells increased obviously. (3) PAS staining showed that there were many glycogen granules in the cytoplasm of pEGFP-HBx oval cell. (4) The pEGFP-HBx oval cell formed colonies in the soft agar. (5) Compared with the control groups, the expression of HNF-4 alpha, AFP, c-myc and TGF-alpha rose obviously, whereas the expression of CK-7 and CK-19 decreased. And the expression of cps1 mRNA was not in the extent of detection.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The HBx gene can provoke abnormal differentiation of oval cell and induce oval cell malignant transformation.</p>

Construction of pEGFP-HBx gene recombinant plasmid and establishment of stable transfected HBx gene liver oval cell strain / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct pEGFP-HBx eukaryotic expression plasmid and establish stable and effective transfected rat oval cell (LE/6) strain expressing EGFP-HBx fusion protein to explore the roles of HBx gene and oval cell in carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HBx gene with EcoRI and Hind III endo-enzyme sites was obtained by using PCR from plasmid pcDNA3.1-HBx. The purified HBx gene fragment was inserted into pEGFP-N1 expression vector, and the recombinant plasmid pEGFP-HBx was identified by restriction endonuclease and DNA sequencing analysis. LE/6 cells were transfected with recombinant pEGFP-HBx by lipofectamine reagent. Resistant to G418 clones were selected, and expression of EGFP-HBx fusion protein in clones were examined directly with fluorescence microscope, and these clones were isolated and proliferated. The expression of HBx was detected by RT-PCR analysis and immunocytochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Plasmid pEGFP-HBx has whole HBx gene base and correct reading frame as indicated by restriction endonuclease and DNA sequencing analysis. After transfecting with pEGFP-HBx plasmid, LE/6 cell clones expressing EGFP-HBx fusion protein were obtained. RT-PCR analysis and immunocytochemistry showed that HBx gene was only expression in transfected pEGFP-HBx cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The pEGFP-HBx recombinant expression vector was successfully constructed, and the stable transfected LE/6 strain expressing EGFP-HBx fusion protein was successfully established. It will be helpful in the further study on the roles of HBx and liver oval cell in carcinogenesis of HCC.</p>

Removal of 5-amino-2-chlorotoluene-4-sulfonic and chlorhydric acids from wastewater by weakly basic resin: equilibrium and kinetics / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the adsorption of 5-Amino-2-chlorotoluene-4-sulfonic (CLT) and chlorhydric (HC1) acids from wastewater by weakly basic resin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The kinetics and isotherm were studied. Thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption of acids were calculated and discussed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The adsorption of CLT and HC1 acids followed Langmuir isotherm and the first-order kinetics model.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The adsorptive affinity of the two acids on D301R is in the order of CLT acid > HCl acid. CLT and HCl acids can be separated.</p>

Expression of Twist gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinicopathological significance / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression and clinicopathological significance of transcription factor Twist in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), paraneoplastic and cirrhotic tissues.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the Twist protein in 26 cases of HCC and paraneoplastic tissue and 10 cases of cirrhotic tissue. Meanwhile, the Twist mRNA and its protein were detected in 10 HCC tissues and 10 paraneoplastic tissues by RT-PCR and Western blot. And the expression differences and clinicopathological significances of the expression of Twist gene and its protein were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of the Twist protein in HCC, paraneoplastic and cirrhotic tissues were 84.6%, 19.2 % and 20.0 %, respectively. The positive rate of Twist in HCC was higher than that in paraneoplastic or cirrhosis tissues (P < 0.05). Compared with in paraneoplastic tissues, the mRNA and protein expression of Twist were up-regulated in HCC by 2.52 and 2.13 times, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Twist has an inappropriate expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and it may play an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC.</p>

Chinese medicine Extractum trametes robiniophila murr augment tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand induced apoptosis in human hepatic cancer cell lines / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) combined with Chinese medicine, Extractum trametes robiniophila murr in human hepatic cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HepG2 cell line resistant to adriamycin (HepG2/ADR) was induced step by step. The effects of TRAIL (100 ng/L) combined with Extractum trametes robiniophila murr (1.0 g/L) promoting apoptosis in HepG2 or HepG2/ADM were analyzed. The proliferation was observed by MTT assay and the apoptosis of cells was also observed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>HepG2/ADM was confirmed resisting to ADM. The treatment of TRAIL (100 ng/L) combined with Extractum trametes robiniophila murr (1.0 g/L) showed significant inhibitory effects on the growth of both HepG2 and HepG2/ADM, and the percentage of apoptosis was increased compared with other groups within 24 to 72 h.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Extractum trametes robiniophila murr dramatically augmented the sensitivity of both HepG2 and HepG2/ADM to TRAIL, but only has slightly killing effects on L02. TRAIL combined with Chinese medicine treatment could be a safe and attractive strategy to drug-resistant/TRAIL-resistant tumor cells.</p>

Animalcule Identification and Drug Susceptivity System Based on Virtual Instruments / 医疗卫生装备

Animalcule Identification and Drug Susceptivity System is designed with virtual instrument technology. The paper introduces main functions and the special feature of the software design. It discusses how to accomplish database operations and serial communication with LabVIEW and achieve remote distribution of data with DataSocket tchnology.