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Liver steatosis is becoming increasingly common in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and its effect on liver stiffness measurement (LSM), as assessed by transient elastography, remains controversial. Seven hundred and fifty‐five patients with CHB and normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels, who underwent vibration‐controlled transient elastography and liver biopsy, were included in the study. We examined whether the histological degree of liver steatosis affects the accuracy of transient elastography‐assessed LSM in these patients. Among the 755 CHB patients included in the study, 286 (37.9%) had liver steatosis, of whom 156 had grade S1, 74 had grade S2, and 56 had grade S3 on histology. Presence of liver steatosis was independently associated with greater body mass index (BMI, adjusted‐odds ratio [OR] = 5.786, 95% CI: 3.998–8.373, p = 0.018), and higher serum total cholesterol (adjusted‐OR = 7.944, 95% CI: 4.731–13.339, p < 0.001) and triglyceride levels (adjusted‐OR = 2.777, 95% CI: 2.050–3.761, p < 0.001). There was no significant association between liver steatosis and fibrosis stage (OR = 1.016, 95% CI: 0.905–1.140, p = 0.790). Age (B‐coefficient = 0.020, 95% CI: 0.001–0.040, p = 0.044), BMI (B‐coefficient = 0.060, 95% CI: 0.011–0.127, p = 0.019), serum gamma‐glutamyl‐transpeptidase (GGT, B‐coefficient = 0.015, 95% CI: 0.001–0.029, p = 0.032), positivity for HBeAg (B‐coefficient = −0.816, 95% CI: −1.568 to −0.064, p = 0.034), as well as liver fibrosis stage (B‐coefficient = 2.796, 95% CI: 2.501–3.090, p < 0.001), and inflammation activity grade (B‐coefficient = 0.648, 95% CI: 0.162–1.135, p = 0.009) were all independently associated with higher LSM, while no significant association was found between degree of liver steatosis and LSM. Among patients with the same histological fibrosis stage, LSM values did not show any significant difference among patients with absent, mild, moderate or severe steatosis. We conclude that liver steatosis has no significant effect on transient elastography‐measured LSM in CHB patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common clinical disease with high incidence and low treating proportion, difficult evaluation, and complicated nosogenesis. OSAS can cause systematic impairments. Various treatment methods were applied in clinical setting with the tendency of cross-disciplinary promotion. Oral treatment plays an exceedingly important role in OSAS research and therapy. This study reports the oral treatment involving OSAS therapy.

The recently isolated small-molecule neoalbaconol (NA) from Albatrellus confluens has been suggested to possess the ability to inhibit cell growth of many cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the role of NA in the regulation of cell apoptosis in human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that NA could induce cancer cell death via the AKT pathway by targeting phosphorate and tension homolog detected on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and supported the feasibility of NA being a novel chemotherapeutic treatment for human cholangiocarcinoma.

This study is to estimate the association between polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene and pulmonary tuberculosis susceptibility (pTB). Studies were identified by searching PubMed and ISI web of Knowledge. The strength of association between the TNF-α gene and pTB susceptibility was assessed by odds ratios. Totals of 18 studies including 2, 735 cases and 3, 177 controls were identified referring to four single-nucleotide polymorphisms: -308G>A, -863C>A, -857C>T and -238G>A. The significantly associations were found between -308G>A (Dominant model: OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.81, P=0.004; Homozygote model: OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.33-0.78, P=0.002), -238G>A (Dominant model: OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.18-0.57, P<0.001) and pTB susceptibility. The results showed that the variant genotype of TNF-α -308G>A was protective in pooled groups of patients with pTB in the dominant genetic model (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.06-0.39, P<0.001), the homozygote comparison (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.06-0.36, P<0.001) in African, while that was with -238G>A in the dominant genetic model (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.18-0.56, P<0.001) in Asian. Our meta-analysis suggest TNF-α -308G>A and -238G>A polymorphisms increases the risk of pTB susceptibility regardless of ethnicity and HIV statue. In Asian population, the significantly association with pTB is TNF-α -238G>A, while TNF-α -308G>A is in African population.

Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) that originates in the tonsil is extremely rare and carries a poor prognosis. Only a few cases of this tumor have been reported so far and the standard treatment protocol remains uncertain. Here we describe a 74-year-old woman presented with throat pain for about 2 months. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 3.4×1.8 cm tumor with moderate enhancement in the left tonsil and a 1.3×1.0 cm neck mass in left level II. A biopsy of the tonsillar mass was performed and histologic examination revealed small round to oval tumor cells were arranged in cords or nests, containing hyperchromatic nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Mitotic figures were readily identified. Immunohistochemical staining showed that tumor cells were strongly positive for CD56, focally positive for PCK and negative for LCA. A diagnosis of primary small cell NEC of the left tonsil was obtained. The patient was treated by six cycles of cisplatin combined with etoposide and the masses showed initial complete response. But recurrence in the left neck was found 9 months after initial diagnosis and the patient refused any further treatment. With a review of the literature, the nomenclature, clinicopathological characteristics and treatment modalities of this rare tumor are discussed.

Objective: To investigate effect of interference therapy induced by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-antisense cDNA in signal transduction of Hep-2 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro., Methods: AdEasy Vector System was used to construct the recombinant adenovirus vector sense/antisense-pAdEasy-EGFR. The recombinant adenovirus vector introduced EGFR-sense/antisense cDNA fragment into HEK293 cell. The purified recombinant adenovirus sense/antisense-pAdEasy-EGFR transfected Hep-2 cells in vitro. The inhibition of EGFR protein expression and proliferation of Hep-2 cells, the changes of cell cycle and DNA content in Hep-2 cells were examined by MTT, Western blot analysis, flow cytometry essay, and immunocytochemistry respectively., Results: The higher titre sense and antisense mRNA expression recombinant adenovirus containing 1,032 bp EGFR-cDNA was constructed and prepared successfully. When antisense-pAdEasy-EGFR was transferred into Hep-2 cells the inhibition of cell proliferation and EGFR protein expression in Hep-2 cells were investigated effectively., Conclusion: The antisense-pAdEasy-EGFR effectively interfere the Hep-2 signal transduction pathway and induce apoptosis which results in inhibiting proliferation of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To test the effect of p163 and EGFR-antisense cDNA in signal transduction on Hep-2 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro., Methods: The Hep-2 laryngeal squamous carcinoma cells were transfected by recombinant adenovirus AdEasy-EGFR-antisense and AdEasy-p16beta in vitro. The inhibition of the EGFR expression and cell growth and changes of cell cycle, DNA content, apoptosis and ultramicrostructure of the Hep-2 cells were examined by MTT, Western blotting analysis, Flow cytometry analysis, Immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscope respectively. Results The proliferation of the Hep-2 cells was inhibited significantly by the infection of the Ad- Ad-p16beta or Ad-antisense EGFR. The infection also accelerated the apoptosis of the cancer cells. The proport of of cells in G0/G1 phases increased to more than 77.7%. The Ad-antisense EGFR-infected cells showed lower protein expression of EGFR. The P16beta protein over expression was observed in the Ad-p16beta-infected cells., Conclusion: The transfection of Ad- Ad-p16beta and Adantisense EGFR into Hep-2 cells leads to over-expression of Ad-pl6beta, and under-expression of EGFR, along with G1-phase arrest and apoptotic cell death. Both EGFR and Ad-p16beta play important roles in the genesis, growth and differentiation of the human laryngocarcinoma cells.

Objective: To investigate the effect of p16beta interfering with the signal conduction of Hep-2 cell cycle in Vitro., Methods: AdEasy Vector System was used to construct the recombinant adenovirus vector AdEasy-GFP-p1613. The recombinant adenovirus vector could introduce p16beta gene into HEK 293 cell. Then the purified recombinant adenovirus was used to infect Hep-2 cells in vitro. The protein expression of p16beta, proliferation inhibition, cell cycle arrest, DNA content, apoptosis ratio in Hep-2 cells were examined by MTT, Western blotting analysis, Flow cytometry assay, Immunocytochemistry respectively., Results: The recombinant adenovirus Adeasy-p16beta was constructed successfully and higher titer recombinant adenovirus particle was got. When Adeasy-p16beta was transferred into Hep-2 cells, both the growth inhibition and P14 (ARF) protein overexpression in Hep-2 cells were visible effectively. The most Hep-2 cells were blocked in G1/G0 phase and the cell apoptosis ratio increased., Conclusion: The p16beta in Hep-2 cell infected by recombinant adenovirus, which lead to express P14 (ARF) protein effectively and to inhibit cell proliferative activation, effectively interfere the signal conduction mechanisms of culture Hep-2 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, and the growth of much cultured cells is blocked in G1/G0 phase.

Objective: To recombine the adenovirus vector carrying EGFR sence/antisense cDNA which takes part in control of cell cycle., Methods: The 1032 bp EGFR sence/antisense cDNA fragment was cloned into the shuttle plasmid pAdTrack-CMV. The resultant plasmid and the backbone plasmid pAdEasy-1 were transferred into E. coli BJ5183 for homologous recombination, and the recombinant adenoviruses were generated in cells. The recombinant adenoviruses were packaged and amplified in the 293 cells. Then the viral titer was detected by GFP., Results: The recombinant adenovirus vector carrying EGFR sence/antisense cDNA to control the cell cycle was constructed successfully. The viral titers were 2.2 x 10(9) efu/mL and 2.5 X 10(9) efu/mL respectively., Conclusion: The recombinant adenovirus vector constructed by us could introduce EGFR antisense cDNA into the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma line or tumor tissue, which would provide an experiment basis to study further the interfered mechanism of signal transdution and the therapies of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: The recombinant adenovirus vector carrying p14ARF gene was constructed for using in the interference therapy in signal transduction of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma., Methods: The total cDNA fragment of p14ARF was cloned into the shuttle plasmid pAdTrack-CMV, with the resultant plasmid and the backbone plasmid pAdEasy-1, the homologous recombination took place in the E.Coli BJ5183 and the recombinant adenoviral plasmid was generated. The adenoviruses were packaged and amplified in the 293 cells. Then the viral titer was checked by GFP., Results: The recombinant adenovirus vector carrying p14ARF was constructed successfully. The viral titer was 2.3 x 10(9)., Conclusion: The recombinant adenovirus vector could introduce p14ARF gene into the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma line or tumor tissue effectively, which would provide experimental basis for the mechanisms and further study of the interference therapy in signal transduction of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the DNA content, cell cycle and the clinical stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)., Methods: The DNA content and components of cell cycle in the fresh tissues of 26 cases of NPC and 6 cases of chronic pharyngitis were detected by flow cytometry., Results: All the 6 cases of chronic pharyngitis were DNA diploid, 19(73.08%) cases of 26 NPC were aneuploid. The frequencies of aneuploid in NPC at T2, T3, T4 and II, III, IV stages were 55.56%, 77.78%, 87.50% and 50.00%, 75.00%, 77.78%, respectively. S phase fractions (SPF) were 13.70% and 29.34% in pharyngitis and NPC respectively; 18.45%, 41.83% in diploid and aneuploid NPC respectively. In diploid NPC at T2, T3, T4 and II, III, IV stages, SPF were 7.80%, 12.70%, 32.00% and 13.85%, 31.43%, 35.30%, respectively. In aneuploid NPC at T2, T3, T4 and II, III, IV stages, SPF were 14.04%, 17.59%, 19.57% and 15.10%, 23.33%, 32.08%, respectively. There were significant differences in stastistics between the parameters., Conclusion: Aneuploidy is the main characteristic change and S phase cells may constitute the main proliferating cell population in NPC, which increase with the advance of NPC.