Cordless-Microscope

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) inhibits the proliferation of tumors in early stages of cancers, whereas it promotes tumor growth and metastasis in later stages of cancers. To examine the effect of the TGF-β1 polymorphisms on gastric cancer risk, we studied the association between C–509T and T+29C (Leu10Pro) polymorphisms in TGF-β1 and gastric cancer risk in 414 cases and 414 controls in the Chinese population. When the overall gastric cancer cases were compared with the controls, no significant difference was found in genotype distributions for both the polymorphisms examined. However, when stratified by tumor stage, the –509T and +29C allele carriers had a 0.57-fold (95% CI = 0.36–0.90) and a 0.58-fold (95% CI = 0.36–0.91) decreased risk of TNM stage I+II gastric cancer, respectively, as compared with non-carriers. We conclude that TGF-β1–509T and +29C alleles may have a protective role in the development of stage I+II gastric cancer.

Many strategies have been investigated to provide an ideal substitute to treat a nerve gap injury. Initially, silicone conduits were used and more recently conduits fabricated from natural materials such as poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) showed good results but still have their limitations. Surgically, a new concept optimising harvested autologous nerve graft has been introduced as the single fascicle method. It has been shown that a single fascicle repair of nerve grafting is successful. We investigated a new approach using a PHB strip seeded with Schwann cells to mimic a small nerve fascicle. Schwann cells were attached to the PHB strip using diluted fibrin glue and used to bridge a 10-mm sciatic nerve gap in rats. Comparison was made with a group using conventional PHB conduit tubes filled with Schwann cells and fibrin glue. After 2 weeks, the nerve samples were harvested and investigated for axonal and Schwann cell markers. PGP9.5 immunohistochemistry showed a superior nerve regeneration distance in the PHB strip group versus the PHB tube group (> 10 mm, crossed versus 3.17± 0.32 mm respectively, P<0.05) as well as superior Schwann cell intrusion (S100 staining) from proximal (> 10 mm, crossed versus 3.40± 0.36 mm, P<0.01) and distal (> 10 mm, crossed versus 2.91± 0.31 mm, P<0.001) ends. These findings suggest a significant advantage of a strip in rapidly connecting a nerve gap lesion and imply that single fascicle nerve grafting is advantageous for nerve repair in rats.

Low-virulent Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot) were successfully isolated from scrub typhus patients in Shandong, China, and the isolates were similar to the Kawasaki type identified by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To identify the morphological characterization of the low-virulent Ot, and elucidate the pathological changes on host cells, mouse spleen tissue infected with the Ot isolated from Shandong was used for the ultrastructural study. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the Ot parasitized in the spleen were different in size, shape and electron density and many significant changes occurred in cytoplasmic organelles of the inoculated mouse spleen cells. Swollen perinuclear cisterna was observed in the nuclear membranes of mononuclear cells and a multivesicular body was found in the intracytoplasm of the macrophage. In the phagosome of the macrophage, many Ot enveloped with an additional membrane were found to push the phagosomal membrane outward from inside. The results indicated that the low-virulent Ot and the spleen cells suffered various damages.