Risk of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Patients with Coal Workers'Pneumoconiosis: A Case-control Study in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between occupational, environmental, behavioral risk factors, and active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients. A matched case-control study was conducted in 86 CWP patients with active PTB and 86 CWP controls without TB. A standardized questionnaire was used for risk factors assessment. Conditioned logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between the risk factors and active PTB among CWP patients. The results showed that the stage of CWP, poor workplace ventilation, family history of TB, and exposure to TB were independent risk factors for active PTB in patients with CWP with which recommendations for improving work environments, and for case finding activities in patients with CWP could be made.

Expression of Momordica charantia MAP30 and its antitumor effect on bladder cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Momordica charantia (MC) is an edible medicinal plant that is known for its diversified biological functions. Momordica Antiviral Protein 30kD (MAP30) is a type I single chain ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) isolated from the mature fruit and seeds of MC. Since MAP30 content in MC is limited, the study aim was to generate the recombinant MAP30 protein using prokaryotic expression system and determine its apoptotic/growth inhibitory effects on bladder cancer 5637 cells. METHODS: MAP30 gene was amplified by PCR from MC genomic DNA and identified by sequencing. The target gene was inserted into pET-28a (+) vector and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells. Positive clones were selected by PCR. Recombinant protein was efficiently expressed under induction with 1.0 mM Isopropylthio-ß-D-galactoside (IPTG) at 30° C for 4 hours. Cytotoxicity studies were performed using MTT assay by treating 5637 bladder cancer cells with 100 µg/mL, 200 µg/mL, and 400 µg/mL concentrations of MAP30 for 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to measure the apoptosis of MAP30-treatedcells in time course experiments. RESULTS: Full-length MAP30 gene was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21 strain and MAP30 recombinant protein inhibited the growth of bladder cancer 5637 cells at 200 µg/mL and 400 µg/mL concentrations by inducing apoptosis of target cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: It was, therefore, concluded that the MAP30 recombinant protein displayed potent antitumor activity in vitro.

Effect of xunxi no.1 intervention and radiotherapy on Ia-IIb stage cervical cancer with high-risk human papilloma virus infection / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical value of Chinese medical intervention and treatment of high-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) infection in patients of cervical cancer (CC) during radiotherapy (RT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty CC patients of the Ia-IIb stage receiving primary RT were assigned to two groups. RT and local intervention by Xunxi No. 1 was given to patients in the test group for 20 days, while patients in the control group were treated with RT alone. Expression of high-risk HPV (HR-HPV, HPV16/18 infection) was detected by in-situ hybridization (ISH) before and after treatment. The 5-year disease free survival rate and pelvic lymph node metastasis rate (with the lymph node diameter >0.9 cm shown by CT) in patients were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the HR-HPV positive rate was lowered from 67.5% (27/40) to 37.5% (15/40) in the test group (P<0.05), while it was lowered from 72.5% (29/40) to 65.0% (26/40) in the control group (P>0.05). By follow-ups, the 3-year disease free survival rate in the test group was better than that in the control group (33/40 vs 27/40), showing insignificant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Significant difference was shown in the 5-year disease free survival rate and the pelvic lymph node metastasis rate (65.0% vs 42.5%, 7.5% vs 25.0%) between the two groups (both P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In early RT of CC, combined application of Xunxi No. 1 could obviously lower the HPV positive rate. The 5-year disease free survival rate was superior to that in the control group, with lower pelvic lymph node metastasis rate. Xunxi No. 1 had better clinical value in clinical application.</p>