An experimental study of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and its interventional treatments in hepatic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis is still not fully understood. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK, on the cell cycle, cell proliferation, secretion of type I collagen and expression of cyclin D1 mRNA, CDK4 mRNA and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) mRNA in rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) stimulated by acetaldehyde. METHODS: Rat HSCs stimulated by acetaldehyde were incubated with PD98059 at different concentrations. The cell cycle was analysed by flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was assessed by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium colorimetric assay. The mRNA expression of cyclin D1, CDK4 and TGF-beta 1 was examined using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Type I collagen in the culture medium was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: 20, 50 and 100 mu mol/L PD98059 significantly inhibited the proliferation and provoked a G0/G1-phase arrest of acetaldehyde-induced HSCs in a dose-dependent manner. The secretion of type I collagen and the expression of cyclin D1, CDK4 and TGF-beta 1 mRNA in acetaldehyde-induced HSCs were markedly inhibited by 50 and 100 mu mol/L PD98059, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ERK pathway regulates the cell proliferation, secretion of type I collagen and the expression of TGF-beta 1 mRNA in rat HSCs stimulated by acetaldehyde, which is likely related to its regulative effect on the cell cycle.

Giant mucinous biliary cystadenoma:a case report

BACKGROUND: Biliary cystadenoma is a very rare cystic neoplasm of the liver. Its clinical features, diagnosis, pathologic characteristics, and optimal surgical management have not been defined clearly. In this article we describe the details of this rare disease. METHODS: A 40-year-old woman with a mass of the liver was verified by ultrasonography and LT. Ultrasonography showed a mixed echo of 18.4 cmx14.72 cmx 15.54 cm in the left lobe of the liver. CT showed a vesicula of 19.9 cmx 13.5 cm in the right epigastrium, with a low density, clear edge, uneven density, and calcified shadow. The patient received successfully a left hepatectomy. Laboratory examination showed an elevation of CA125 to 62.62 U/ml and CA199>1000 U/ml. RESULTS: After the left hepatectomy, the patient was fully recovered. Her biliary cystadenoma was characterized by specific histological findings. During operation, a large cystic lesion was seen in the left hepatic lobe; its surface was dark red with abundant blood supply. Gross examination showed that the tumor almost occupied. The whole left lobe with a small amount of normal liver tissue close to the deltoid ligament. Pathologically, additional lobulated spaces were seen in the tumor with a lot of mucusa. The interior wall was lined with bile duct tissue, indicating a benign mucinous biliary cystadenoma. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography and CT are the major methods for the diagnosis of mucinous biliary cystadenoma liver. Operation is the best way of treatment.

MRI shows clodronate-liposomes attenuating liver injury in rats with severe acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND: Studies have revealed that macrophages play an important role in the development of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Activated macrophages can lead to a systemic inflammatory response, induce lipid peroxidation, impair membrane structure, result in injury to the liver and the other extrahepatic organs, and eventually result in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome by promoting excessive secretion of cytokines. Liver injury can further aggravate the systemic inflammatory response and increase mortality by affecting the metabolism of toxins and the release of excessive inflammatory mediators. Clodronate is a synthetic bisphosphonate, which is often used for treating bone changes caused by osteoporosis and other factors. In the current study, we created liposomes containing superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIOs) for macrophage labeling and magnetic resonance imaging, using a novel method that can bind the clodronate to induce apoptosis and deplete macrophages. METHODS: Superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles were prepared by chemical coprecipitation. SPIO-containing liposomes and SPIO-clodronate-containing liposomes were prepared by the thin film method. SAP models were prepared by injection of sodium taurocholate (2 ml/kg body weight) into the subcapsular space of the pancreas. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group, a SAP plus SPIO-liposome group, and a SAP plus SPIO-clodronate-containing group. Two and six hours after SAP models were available, T2-weighted MRI scans (in the same plane) of the livers of rats in each group were performed. At the end of the scans, 2 ml of blood was taken from the superior mesenteric vein to measure the levels of serum amylase, ALT, AST, TNF-alpha, and IL-6. Pathological changes in the liver and pancreas were assessed. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy showed that the liposomes had a uniform size. No pathological changes in the pancreata of rats in the control group were noted. The pathological changes in the pancreata and livers of rats in the SAP plus SPIO-clodronate-containing liposome group were milder than those in the SAP plus SPIO-liposome group. The MRI signal intensity of the livers in the SAP plus SPIO-liposome and SAP plus SPIO-clodronate-containing groups was significantly lower than that in the control group. There were significant changes in the two experimental groups (P<0.01). In addition, the levels of serum amylase, ALT, AST, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 in rats in the SAP plus SPIO-liposome group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01), while the corresponding levels in the SPIO-clodronate-containing liposome group were significantly lower than those in the SAP plus SPIO-liposome group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Clodronate-containing liposomes protect against liver injury in SAP rats, and SPIO can be used as a tracer for MRI examination following liver injury in SAP rats. (Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 2010; 9: 192-200)

Metal nanoparticle-enhanced room temperature phosphorescence of diiodofluorescein on the filter paper substrate

Metal-enhanced room temperature phosphorescence of diiodofluorescein was first observed on filter paper surface.The phosphorescence intensity is 2.5-fold brighter from diiodofluorescein on silver nanoparticles-deposited filter paper as compared with an identical control sample without silver nanoparticles.Furthermore,enhanced absorption was also observed for the same system.Our findings suggest that both singlet and triplet states can couple to surface plasmons and enhance phosphorescence quantum yields at ...

Suspended Sediment Regression Model On Mud Coasts

Two statistical models of the concentration of suspended sediment on mud coasts have been developed by using the stepwise regression method. The statistical analysis in this paper is based on the field data of the mud coast of Lianyungang, China. The regression models provide an essentially complete statistical description of the processes of fine-grained sediment on open mud coasts.

A Single Transcript CRISPR-Cas9 System for Efficient Genome Editing in Plants

The Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR-Cas9 system effectively mediates RNA-guided DNA double-strand breaks and is used for genome editing in many different organisms, including plants （Puchta, 2016）. CRISPR-Cas9 is a two-component system in which the Cas9 protein is expressed from a Pol II promoter （Lowder et al., 2015）. In contrast, the sgRNAs are typically expressed from Pol III promoters, such as U6 and U3.

Synthesis of Novel Binuclear Samarium Thiolate Complexes [（THF）3I2Sm（μ-SAr）]2 （Ar=Ph, 4-Me2NC6H4） and Crystal Structure of [（THF）3I2Sm（μ-S-4-Me2NC6H4）]2

在有 ArSSAr 的 THF 的 SmI2 的反应生产了二 binuclear 钐 thiolate 建筑群[(THF )3I2- Sm (-SAr)]2 [Ar=Ph (1 ) ， 4-Me2NC6H4 (2 )] 在高收益。2 的结构被单个水晶 X 光检查晶体学描绘。2 的水晶与空格组和 a=0.95705 (13 ) 一起属于三斜晶系的系统 nm， b=1.22287 (14 ) nm， c=1.26450 (14 ) nm， =64.194 (11 )??匭 吗？？v？？