Better understanding of c-reactive protein and leukocytes in psychiatric inpatients with affective disorders:A biopsychosocial approach

BACKGROUND Affective disorders(AD)have been linked to inflammatory processes,although the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still not fully elucidated.It is hypothesized that demographic,somatic,lifestyle,and personality variables predict inflammatory parameters in AD.AIM To identify biopsychosocial factors contributing to inflammation in AD measured with two parameters,C-reactive protein(CRP)and leukocytes.METHODS This observational study investigated 186 hospital inpatients diagnosed with AD using demographic parameters,serum inflammatory markers,somatic variables,psychological questionnaires,and lifestyle parameters.Hierarchical regression analyses were used to predict inflammatory markers from demographic,somatic,lifestyle,and personality variables.RESULTS Analyses showed that 33.8%of the variance of CRP was explained by body mass index and other somatic medication(e.g.anti-diabetics),age and education,and age of affective disorder diagnosis.For leukocytes,20.1%of the variance was explained by smoking,diet,metabolic syndrome(MetS),and anti-inflammatory medication(e.g.non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).Other psychiatric or behavioural variables did not reach significance.CONCLUSION Metabolic components seem important,with mounting evidence for a metabolic affective disorder subtype.Lifestyle modifications and psychoeducation should be employed to prevent or treat MetS in AD.

C-reactive protein to albumin ratio predict responses to programmed cell death-1 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND Over the years,programmed cell death-1(PD-1)inhibitors have been routinely used for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)treatment and yielded improved survival outcomes.Nonetheless,significant heterogeneity surrounds the outcomes of most studies.Therefore,it is critical to search for biomarkers that predict the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with HCC.AIM To investigate the role of the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio(CAR)in evaluating the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors for HCC.METHODS The clinical data of 160 patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors from January 2018 to November 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS The optimal cut-off value for CAR based on progression-free survival(PFS)was determined to be 1.20 using x-tile software.Cox proportional risk model was used to determine the factors affecting prognosis.Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status[hazard ratio(HR)=1.754,95%confidence interval(95%CI)=1.045-2.944,P=0.033],CAR(HR=2.118,95%CI=1.057-4.243,P=0.034)and tumor number(HR=2.932,95%CI=1.246-6.897,P=0.014)were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.CAR(HR=2.730,95%CI=1.502-4.961,P=0.001),tumor number(HR=1.584,95%CI=1.003-2.500,P=0.048)and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(HR=1.120,95%CI=1.022-1.228,P=0.015)were independent prognostic factors for PFS.Two nomograms were constructed based on independent prognostic factors.The C-index index and calibration plots confirmed that the nomogram is a reliable risk prediction tool.The ROC curve and decision curve analysis confirmed that the nomogram has a good predictive effect as well as a net clinical benefit.CONCLUSION Overall,we reveal that the CAR is a potential predictor of short-and long-term prognosis in patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors.If further verified,CAR-based nomogram may increase the number of markers that predict individualized prognosis.

Salivary C-reactive protein and mean platelet volume as possible diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia

BACKGROUND Neonatal sepsis,a formidable threat to newborns,is a leading cause of neonatal mortality,with late-onset sepsis manifesting after 72 hours post-birth being particularly concerning.Pneumonia,a prevalent sepsis presentation,poses a significant risk,especially during the neonatal phase when lung defenses are compromised.Accurate diagnosis of pneumonia is imperative for timely and effective interventions.Saliva,a minimally invasive diagnostic medium,holds great promise for evaluating infections,especially in infants.AIM To investigate the potential of serum C-reactive protein(CRP),salivary CRP(sCRP),and mean platelet volume(MPV)as diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia(LONP).METHODS Eighty full-term neonates were systematically examined,considering anthropometric measurements,clinical manifestations,radiology findings,and essential biomarkers,including serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV.RESULTS The study reveals noteworthy distinctions in serum CRP levels,MPV,and the serum CRP/MPV ratio between neonates with LONP and healthy controls.MPV exhibited a robust discriminatory ability[area under the curve(AUC)=0.87]with high sensitivity and specificity at a cutoff value of>8.8.Correlations between serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV were also identified.Notably,sCRP demonstrated excellent predictive value for serum CRP levels(AUC=0.89),underscoring its potential as a diagnostic tool.CONCLUSION This study underscores the diagnostic promise of salivary and serum biomarkers,specifically MPV and CRP,in identifying and predicting LONP among neonates.These findings advocate for further research to validate their clinical utility in larger neonatal cohorts.

Prognostic role of C-reactive protein in prostate ：ancer： a systematic review and meta-analysis

Several studies have reported that C-reactive protein （CRP）, an inflammation biomarker, may be associated with the prognosis of prostate cancer （PCa）. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the predictive role of CRP for survival in PCa as reported in previous studies. Related studies were identified, and evaluated for quality through multiple search strategies. Data was collected from studies comparing overall and cancer-specific survival （CSS） in patients with elevated CRP levels and those having lower levels. However, for progression-free survival （PFS）, data were collected according to the log of CRP. The hazard ratio （HR） and its 95% confidence interval （Cl） were used to assess the strength of associations. A total of nine studies （n = 1,497） were evaluated in this meta-analysis （five for overall survival （OS）, four for CSS and two for PFS）. For OS and PFS, the pooled HR of CRP was statistically significant at 1.51 （95% Cl, 1.28-1.79） and 1.50 （95% Cl, 1.25-1.81）, respectively. For CSS, the pooled HR was 1.91 （95% CI, 1.36-2.69） with higher CRP expression in PCa, which strongly indicates poorer survival in PCa. This study demonstrates that CRP may have a critical prognostic value in patients with prostatic cancer.

Univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors for severe clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea: Importance of co-morbidity and serum C-reactive protein

AIM: To investigate risk factors for severe clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in hospitalised patients. METHODS: We analysed risk factors for severe CDAD (associated with systemic signs of hypovolemia) in 124 hospitalised patients by retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Severe CDAD was present in 27 patients (22%). Statistical analysis showed a significant association with a higher 30-d mortality (33% vs 4%, P < 0.001) and a higher proportion of longer hospital stay exceeding 14 d (74% vs 52%, P = 0.048). Charlson co-morbidity score (OR 1.29 for 1 point increment, P < 0.05) and serum C-reactive protein at diagnosis (OR 1.15 for 10 mg/L increment, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of severe CDAD. CONCLUSION: Patients with a severe level of co- morbidity and high serum C-reactive protein levels at the time of diagnosis should receive particular attention.

Diagnostic accuracy of C-reactive protein for bacterial infections in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A meta-analysis

Objective:The clinical diagnostic accuracy of C-reactive protein(CRP)for bacterial infections in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is still controversial.This study evaluated its accuracy through Meta-analysis.Methods:Studies on the diagnostic value of CRP for bacterial infections in AECOPD were searched form Web of Science,PubMed,Cochrane library,EMBASE,WANFANG DATA,CNKI and China Biology Medicine disc.The included studies were evaluated according to QUADAS-2 assessment tool.Stata 12.0 software was used for meta analyses to summarize the sensitivity and the specificity of the included studies,and the heterogeneity test was conducted.The symmetric receiver operating characteristic curves(SROC)was drawn and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated,and the funnel plot was drawn to determine publication bias.Results:664 studies were initially identified,20 of which met the inclusion criteria(9 in English and 11 in Chinese).Meta-analysis results showed that the summary sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosing bacterial infections in AECOPD were 0.84,95%CI(0.77-0.90)and 0.76,95%CI(0.67-0.82),respectively.The AUC of SROC was 0.87,95%CI(0.83-0.89).Conclusion:CRP has high accuracy,sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing AECOPD bacterial infections from non-bacterial infection.

Effect of resistance training volume on body adiposity,metabolic risk,and inflammation in postmenopausal and older females:Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Purpose:This meta-analytical study aimed to explore the effects of resistance training(RT) volume on body adiposity,metabolic risk,and inflammation in postmenopausal and older females.Methods:A systematic search was performed for randomized controlled trials in PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and SciELO.Randomized controlled trials with postmenopausal and older females that compared RT effects on body adiposity,metabolic risk,and inflammation with a control group(CG) were included.Independent reviewers selected the studies,extracted the data,and performed the risk of bias and certainty of the evidence(Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)) evaluations.Total body and abdominal adiposity,blood lipids,glucose,and C-reactive protein were included for meta-analysis.A random-effects model,standardized mean difference(Hedges’ g),and 95% confidence interval(95%CI) were used for meta-analysis.Results:Twenty randomized controlled trials(overall risk of bias:some concerns;GRADE:low to very low) with overweight/obese postmenopausal and older females were included.RT groups were divided into low-volume RT(LVRT,~44 sets/week) and high-volume RT(HVRT,~77 sets/week).Both RT groups presented improved body adiposity,metabolic risk,and inflammation when compared to CG.However,HVRT demonstrated higher effect sizes than LVRT for glucose(HVRT=-1.19;95%CI:-1.63 to-0.74;LVRT=-0.78;95%CI:-1.15 to-0.41) and C-reactive protein(HVRT=-1.00;95%CI:-1.32 to-0.67;LVRT=-0.34;95%CI,-0.63 to-0.04)) when compared to CG.Conclusion:Compared to CG,HVRT protocols elicit greater improvements in metabolic risk and inflammation outcomes than LVRT in overweight/obese postmenopausal and older females.

C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Posttraumatic Shock and Outcome of Multiple Trauma Patients

Objective C-reactive protein(CRP)/albumin ratio(CAR)is a new inflammation-based index for predicting the prognosis of various diseases.The CAR determined on admission may help to predict the prognostic value of multiple trauma patients.Methods A total of 264 adult patients with severe multiple trauma were included for the present retrospective study,together with the collection of relevant clinical and laboratory data.CAR,CRP,albumin,shock index and ISS were incorporated into the prognostic model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn.Then,the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR was analyzed.Finally,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Results A total of 36 patients had poor survival outcomes,and the mortality rate reached 13.6%.Furthermore,after analyzing the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR,it was revealed that the shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4,when compared to CAR<2 and 2≤CAR<4,in multiple trauma patients.The multivariate logistic analysis helped to identify the independent association between the variables CAR(P=0.029)and shock index(P=0.019),and the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Conclusion CAR is higher in patients with severe multiple trauma.Furthermore,CAR serves as a risk factor for independently predicting the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.The shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4 in multiple trauma patients.

Molecular Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of sucC Gene of Vibrio alginolyticus Strain HY9901

[Objectives]To clone the sucC gene of Vibrio alginolyticus strain HY9901 and conduct the bioinformatics analysis.[Methods]Based on the sucC gene of V.alginolyticus strain HY9901,specific primers were designed to amplify the full length sequence by PCR and make further analysis.[Results]The theoretical molecular weight of SucC protein was about 41528.45 Da,and the full length was 1167 bp,encoding 388 amino acids.It has no signal peptide and transmembrane region,and has a variety of functional sites.It is predicted that it is mainly located in the cytoplasm,and the ubiquitin and lactate modification sites overlap,and it has high gene homology with Vibrio parahaemolyticus.Theα-helix,random coil and extended strand are the main secondary structures.The similarity between the constructed three-level structure model and the template is high.[Conclusions]This study reveals the structural characteristics and functional potential of SucC protein,and provides a theoretical basis for the study of drug resistance mechanism and prevention strategies.

Association of C-reactive protein and complement factor H gene polymorphisms with risk of lupus nephritis in Chinese population

BACKGROUND Complement overactivation is a major driver of lupus nephritis(LN).Impaired interactions of C-reactive protein(CRP)with complement factor H(CFH)have been shown as a pathogenic mechanism that contributes to the overactivation of complement in LN.However,genetic variations of neither CRP nor CFH show consistent influences on the risk of LN.AIM To examine whether genetic variations of CRP and CFH in combination can improve the risk stratification in Chinese population.METHODS We genotyped six CRP single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)(rs1205,rs3093062,rs2794521,rs1800947,rs3093077,and rs1130864)and three CFH SNPs(rs482934,rs1061170,and rs1061147)in 270 LN patients and 303 healthy subjects.RESULTS No linkage was found among CRP and CFH SNPs,indicating lack of genetic interactions between the two genes.Moreover,CRP and CFH SNPs,neither individually nor in combination,are associated with the risk or clinical manifestations of LN.Given the unambiguous pathogenic roles of the two genes.CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the biological effects of most genetic variations of CRP and CFH on their expressions or activities are not sufficient to influence the disease course of LN.

Relationship of High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein with Cardiovascular, Diabetic, and Hepatic Biomarkers

Biomarkers are early predictors of various disorders, circulating level of C-reactive protein is a sensitive biomarker of systemic inflammation and may also be associated with the development of diabetic, hepatic, and cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between circulating levels of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and various biomarkers for hepatic, diabetic, and cardiovascular health. The retrospective analysis included 438 individuals who were tested for these panels simultaneously at Vibrant America Clinical Laboratory. The study population included free-living individuals without any preexisting clinical conditions. Among the cardiovascular markers, a positive correlation and significant association was found between high levels of hs-CRP and serum levels of triglycerides (r = 0.0964, p −0.1423, p −0.1216, p < 0.0105) with circulating levels of hs-CRP. Among all the diabetic markers, glucose (r = 0.1547, p < 0.0011) and glycated serum protein (r = 0.1725, p < 0.0003) were positively correlated with circulating hs-CRP. In the hepatic panel, AST, a transaminase that plays a vital role in amino acid metabolism, was found to have a strong positive correlation with hs-CRP (r = 0.2139, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, the results clearly show the association of hs-CRP with diabetic, hepatic, and cardiovascular risk factors indicating its central value as a key marker for several lifestyle-associated disorders.

Association between Metabolic Syndrome Components and Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein or Interleukin-6 Levels among Congolese Adults

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components have been linked to elevated serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor alpha. The aim of our study was to address the association between MetS components with serum hs-CRP and IL-6 levels among Congolese adults. A total of 357 participants (aged 30 - 87 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were collected and fasting blood sampled for assessment of fasting blood glycaemia (FBG), lipids and inflammatory parameters using commercially available assays. NCEP-ATPIII criteria were used to define MetS. The Median (IQR) hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were higher in participants with MetS than in those without ([7 (4, 14) versus 6 (4, 8)] mg/L;p = 0.092 and [23.8 (20.9, 27.6) versus 22.3 (19.5, 25.0)] pg/mL;p = 0.002). hs-CRP and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in females with MetS than in those without, but not in males. Among participants, only TG was correlated with hs-CRP (r = 0.149, p = 0.007), and a significant correlation was observed between TG (r = 0.116, p = 0.037), FBG (r = 0.208, p = 0.000), HDL-C (r = −0.119, p = 0.034) and SBP (r = 0.143, p = 0.010) and IL-6. In males, hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with TG (0.316;p = 0.000), negatively with HDL-C (r = −0.290, p = 0.0022), without such correlations in females. In Ames, IL-6 levels were positively correlated with FBG (r = 0.202;p = 0.035), and negatively with HDL-C (r = −0.249, p = 0.009). Significant correlations between IL-6 levels and FBG (r = 0.214;p = 0.000) or SBP (r = 0.227, p = 0.000) were observed in females. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify the relationship between MetS components and hs-CRP or IL-6. Values of area under receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves suggest potential use of serum hs-CRP (AUC = 0.675) and IL-6 (AUC = 0.656) as diagnostic biomarkers of MetS. Combination of hs-CRP and IL-6 improved diagnosis accuracy, yielding a 0.698 ROC curve area. MetS components are associated with hs-CRP and IL-6 levels among adults Congolese. Combining the two biomarkers hs-CRP and IL-6 improves Mets diagnostic accuracy compared to hs-CRP or IL-6 alone.

Value of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide,High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein,and Homocysteine Levels in Predicting Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Heart Failure Patients After Discharge

Objective:To investigate the value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),and homocysteine(Hcy)levels in predicting cardiovascular events(CV)in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:A total of 63 patients with CHF admitted to our hospital between June 2019 and July 2021 were selected.Their NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels were detected at discharge,and a 12-month follow-up was done after their discharge to collect clinical data.The collected data were inclusive of data from 21 CHF patients with cardiovascular disease and 42 CHF patients without cardiovascular disease.The effect of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels on the occurrence of CV was analyzed.Results:The levels of NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy in the group with cardiovascular disease were significantly higher than those in the group without cardiovascular disease(P<0.05);the levels of serum NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy at discharge had certain value in predicting short-term CV in CHF patients(P<0.05).Conclusion:NT-proBNP,hs-CRP,and Hcy levels can be used to predict CV in CHF patients,thus having clinical application value.

Prognostic role of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in lung cancer:An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: C-reactive protein to albumin ratio(CRP/Alb ratio,CAR)has been suggested as a potential prognostic biomarker in lung cancer.This updated systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the association between CAR and lung cancer prognosis in current literature.Methods: A systematic search of databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to April 2023.Pooled hazard ratios(HRs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were calculated to assess the association between CAR and overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)and recurrence-free survival(RF)in lung cancer patients.Results: This meta-analysis includes 16 studies with a total of 5337 patients,indicating a significant association between higher CAR and poorer OS,PFS,and RFS in lung cancer patients,with a pooled HR of 1.78(95%CI=1.60-1.99),1.57(95%CI=1.36-1.80),and 1.97(95%CI=1.40-2.77),respectively.Conclusions: This updated meta-analysis provides evidence for the potential prognostic role of CAR in lung cancer,suggesting its utility as an effective and noninvasive biomarker for identifying high-risk patients and informing treatment decisions in a cost-effective manner.However,further large-scale studies will be necessary to establish the optimal cut-off value for CAR in lung cancer and confirm the present findings.

Cloning and expression analysis of a long type peptidoglycan recognition protein(PGRP-L) from Xenopus tropicalis

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins（PGRPs） are a family of pattern recognition receptors（PRRs） of the immune system,which bind and hydrolyze bacterial peptidoglycan.Here,a long type PGRP（PGRP-L） was first cloned in the lower vertebrate species Xenopus tropicalis（Xt）.The XtPGRP-L possessed a conserved genomic structure with five exons and four introns.The alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that XtPGRP-L might be a type of amidase-like PGRP.The 3-D model showed that XtPGRP-L possessed a conserved structure compared with the Drosophila PGRP-Lb.During embryonic development,XtPGRP-L was not expressed until the 72 h tadpole stage.In adult tissues,it was strongly expressed in the liver,lung,intestine,and stomach.Furthermore,after LPS stimulation,the expression of XtPGRP-L was up-regulated significantly in the liver,intestine and spleen,indicating that XtPGRP-L may play an important role in the innate immunity of Xenopus tropicalis.

Analysis of the Conditional Correlations from Different Genetic Systems Between the Protein Content and the Appearance Quality Traits of Indica Rice

A factorial mating design in two environments was conducted using 7 cytoplasmic male sterile lines （A） and 5 restorer lines （R） along with their F1 （A × R） and F2 populations. The unconditional and conditional analyses of genetic models and the corresponding statistic methods, including endospermic, cytoplasmic, and maternal plant genetic systems, were used to analyze the genetic relationships between protein content （PC） and the appearance quality traits of indica rice （Oryza sativa L.）. The results from unconditional analysis indicated that PC was significantly correlated with the appearance quality traits of rice, except for the brown rice thickness （BRT）. Only the genetic covariance between PC and the brown rice width （BRW） was positively correlative, whereas all the other pairwise traits were negatively correlative. The results from conditional analysis revealed that the weight of brown rice （WBR） or the amylose content （AC） could significantly affect the relationships between PC and the appearance quality traits of indica rice. The conditional analysis showed that WBR might negatively affect the relationships between PC and the brown rice length （BRL）, BRW, or BRT through the geuotype x environmental （GE） interaction effects, but positively affected the relationships between PC and the ratio of brown rice length to width （RLW） or the ratio of brown rice length to thickness （RLT）. The amylase content could positively affect the relationships between PC and BRL, RLW, RLT through the cytoplasmic effects and maternal additive effects, but negatively affected the relationships between PC and BRW.

Cloning and Sequence Analysis of HN and F Protein Genes from a Strain of Goose Paramyxovirus

[ Objective] The study was to clone HN and F genes from GX1 strain of goose paramyxovirus and analyze their sequences. [ Method] According to the full nucleotide sequence of GPV-SF02 strain of goose paramyxovirus, two pairs of pdmers were designed to amplify the HN and F genes from GX1 strain of goose paramyxovirus isolated from diseased goose in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; the amplified products were ligated into pMD18-T vector and sequenced. [ Result ] HN and F genes of this strain tested were 1 716 and 1 662 bp in full nucleotide length, respectively; both showed the homologues of about 97.3% with GPV- SF02 strain, of 80.3% -97.5% with strains LaSota, F48E9 and JS, of just 84.8% with Miyadera strain. [ Conclusion] The results show that isolated strain BX1 matches to virulent APMV-1 strain, belonging to genotype Ⅶ of APMV-1 strain.

Cloning and Expression Analysis of PtFATB Gene Encoding the Acyl-acyl Carrier Protein Thioesterase in Populus tomentosa Carr

Acyl-ACP thioesterases （FATs） terminates the fatty acid synthesis and allow the transport of fatty acids out of the plastids, which are the important determinants of cellular metabolism. FATB is a member of FAT enzymes that has been described previously in most of the plants. In silico cloning is a new method that utilizes the bioinformatics on the complete genome and available EST database. In this study, a full-length cDNA clone of PtFATB gene was isolated from Populus tomentosa using this approach. It is 1,450 bp in length and the open reading frame encodes a peptide of 421 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence shows significant homology with those from other plant species, which contain typical domains owned by FATB proteins. The transcripts of PtFATB were abundant in leaves, and less in roots detected by using semiquantitative RT-PCR. When the shoots were subjected to the stress treatments （cold, dry, NaC1） and ABA （Abscisic acid）, the expression of PtFATB was only slightly reduced under the treatment of low temperature. This suggests that the expression of PtFATB is in a constitutive fashion. This study provides the basis not only for the identification and characterization of this gene but also for the improvement of cold tolerance by controlling the expression of the PtFATB gene in trees in near future.

The Immuno-fluorescence Quantity Analysis of α-Tubulin and γ-Tubulin Protein in Precancerous Lesion and Carcinoma of the Breast and Its Significance

OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes and values of the expression of α-tubulin and γ-tubulin in atypical ductal hyperplasia （ADH）, ductal carcinoma in situ （DCIS） and invasive ductal carcinoma （IDC） of the breast. The relationship between centrosome abnormalities and breast tumor development was further discussed. METHODS There were three groups including ADH, DCIS and IDC with 30 cases in each group. They were analyzed by immuno-fiuorescence quantity analysis. The expression levels of α-tubulin and γ-tubulin protein in these tissues were detected by flow cytometry immuno-fiuorescence analysis and compared with the results from normal tissues. Immunohistochemistry was also performed in this research. RESULTS The results showed significant differences of the average of the positive （FITC labeled） cells （P=0.000） among the four groups. The level of the IDC group was the highest, while normal breast tissue showed the lowest level. The results suggested that the expression levels of α-tubulin and γ-tubulin both increased as the grade of cellular proliferation and differentiation increased. The expressions showed significant differences among all the groups, except between the ADH and DCIS. There were no significant differences between α-tubulin and γ-tubulin expression in each group （P〈0.05）, as there was agreement in the immuno-fluorescence and immunohistochemical analysis for protein expression. CONCLUSION There is abnormal expression of centrosome tubulin as an early event in the development of breast tumor. Furthermore these aberrations may play a key role during oncogenesis and promote cellular transformation to malignancy. The immuno-fiuorescence quantitive analysis and immunohistochemistry can complement each other.

Correlation between C-reactive Protein and Morphology of Aortic Intramural Hematoma on CT Angiography

Objectives To investigate the morphologic characteristics of intramural hematoma(IMH)on CT angiography(CTA),and evaluate the possible correlation of serum C-reactive protein(CRP)with morphologic characteristics of IMH.Material and Methods Forty-two patients who were initially diagnosed as IMH by aortic CTA and also had serum CRP examination on the same day of CTA were enrolled in this retrospective study,including 30 males and 12 females,with the mean age of 61±14 years old.The volumetric CT data were retrospectively processed and analyzed on post-processing workstation.Based on the thickness of IMH and the length-area curve,the crosssectional area of true lumen and total vessel were measured,the hematoma-vessel ratio(HVR)was calculated.Imaging characteristics were compared between patients who had pathological elevated CRP(>0.8 mg/dl)and those did not.Spearman correlation analyses of CRP level and morphological characteristics of IMH were performed,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic validity of CRP.Results Of all 42 IMH patients,the mean serum CRP was 3.94±4.71 mg/dl,and the mean HVR was 46.7%±14.2%.HVR in patients with elevated CRP was significantly higher than those with normal CRP(49.7%±15.0%vs.40.7%±10.5%,P=0.030).HVR was mildly correlated with CRP in all patients(r=0.48,P<0.001).CRP levels differed neither between patients with Stanford type A and B(P=0.207),nor between patients with and without intimal disruption(P=0.230).To discriminate HVR>47%(the mean value),the area under curve(AUC)were 0.700(95%CI:0.535-0.865)for CRP at a cutoff point of 3.55 mg/dl,with a sensitivity of 54.5%and a specificity of 90.0%.Conclusion CRP was mildly correlated with the severity of cross-sectional hematoma area of IMH,but not with Stanford types and the presence of intimal disruption.