We have been investigating the effects of preventing oxidative stress on pathogenesis and complications of type 1 diabetes in the NOD mouse model. Our studies have shown that damage caused by oxidative stress is higher in islets and vascular tissue of NOD mice than in nonautoimmune controls or a diabetes-resistant NOD mouse. In addition, phagocytic function and cytokine production by macrophages are aberrant in the NOD. We have demonstrated that treatment of prediabetic NOD mice for 2 weeks with a metalloporphyrin superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic results in marked reduction of oxidative stress in islets and vascular tissue and a reversal of macrophage defects.

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Chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with higher incidence of pulmonary complications including hypertension, vasculopathy, lymphocytic alveolitis, and interstitial pneumonitis not attributed to either opportunistic infections or presence of the virus. The Tat (TransActivator of Transcription) protein, a required transactivator for expression of full-length viral genes, is pleiotropic and influences expression of cellular inflammatory genes. Tat-dependent transactivation of cellular genes requires specific mediators, including NF-κB, widely recognized as sensitive to changes in cellular oxidant burden. We hypothesized that overproduction of Tat leads to increased oxidant burden and to alterations of basal inflammatory status as measured by NF-κB activation. We engineered transgenic mouse lines that express Tat (86-amino acid isoform) in the lung under the control of the surfactant protein C promoter (SP-C). Tat-transgenic mice exhibit increased pulmonary cellular infiltration, increased nitrotyrosine and carbonyl protein modifications, increased levels of NF-κB, MnSOD and thioredoxin interacting protein (TxNIP). These data indicate that Tat increases oxidant burden and resets the threshold for inflammation, which may increase susceptibility to secondary injuries.

FTIR spectroscopy is a novel technique for detection of metastatic lymph nodes and may prove useful in surgery for papillary thyroid cancer.

Background Primary choledocholithiasis (PC) is a common disease in biliary surgery. The treatment is always challenging due to its high recurrence. A systemic review is undertaken to determine the risk factors for recurrence and provide with the individualized management strategy. Methods Electronic databases PubMed (Medline), Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Studies were searched for relevant articles on risk factors for PC recurrence. Its therapeutic intervention was also collected and analysed. Results A total of 36 articles were eligible for inclusion. The recurrent risk factors include abnormalities of biliary anatomy (peripapillary diverticulum), dynamics (choledochal dilation, sharp angulation and stone number), metabolism (advanced age and hypothyroidism) and bacterial infection (Enterobacter and Helicobacter pylori). These factors eventually induce cholestasis and stone formation. At present, there is no guideline and expertise consensus for PC management. The treatment mainly consists of stone retrieval approaches and internal drainage surgeries. The former are minimally invasive methods: endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST), papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). The latter include choledochoduodenostomy (CDS) and choledochojejunostomy (CJS) with Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction. By far, the internal drainage surgeries have significantly lower recurrence than stone retrieval approaches. Conclusion Abnormal biliary anatomy, dynamics, metabolism and bacterial infection are the risk factors for PC. Both EST/EPBD and LCBDE can be performed as initial treatment. For recurrent PC, CDS is more suitable to the elderly, while Roux‐en‐Y CJS reserves for young patients or those in good conditions.

An experimental study on phase equilibria at 288 K in the quinary system Li + + Na + + K + + SO 4 2-+ B 4 O 7 2-+ H 2 O was performed using the isothermal evaporation method. Equilibrium solubility and density of the solution were measured. The equilibrium phase diagram for the solution saturated with the salt Li 2 B 2 O 4 ‚16H 2 O was constructed. The phase diagram of this system consists of 7 invariant points, 14 univariant curves, and 8 crystallization fields corresponding to potassium tetraborate pentahydrate (K 2 B 4 O 7 ‚5H 2 O), borax (Na 2 B 4 O 7 ‚10H 2 O), potassium sulfate, lithium sulfate monohydrate (Li 2 SO 4 ‚H 2 O), sodium sulfate, lithium-potassium sulfate double salt (Li 2 SO 4 ‚K 2 SO 4 ), lithium-sodium sulfate double salt (Li 2 SO 4 ‚Na 2 SO 4 ), and potassium-sodium sulfate double salt (3K 2 SO 4 ‚Na 2 SO 4 ). There are three kinds of double salts formed in the system. The crystallization forms of lithium and potassium borate were K 2 B 4 O 7 ‚5H 2 O and Li 2 B 2 O 4 ‚16H 2 O, respectively, which are different from the usual forms of K 2 B 4 O 7 ‚4H 2 O and Li 2 B 4 O 7 ‚3H 2 O that occur at stable equilibrium.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignancy with increasing incidence in recent years. CCA patients are usually diagnosed at advanced stage due to lack of apparent symptoms and specifically diagnostic markers. Nowadays, surgical removal is the only effective method for CCA whereas overall 5-year-survival rate keeps around 10%. Long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA), a subtype of noncoding RNA, is widely studied to be abnormally expressed in multiple cancers including CCA. LncRNA can promote proliferation, migration, invasion and inhibit apoptosis of CCA. Moreover, lncRNA is negatively correlated with the prognosis of CCA. LncRNA may contribute to the development of CCA via modulating gene transcription, sponging microRNA, regulating CCA-related signaling pathways or protein expression. LncRNA is thought to be potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for CCA.

Fourier transform (FT) Raman studies of 40 tissue samples from the human stomach, including 22 normal and 18 malignant tissue samples, were performed. These stomach tissue samples had been classified as normal or malignant on the basis of pathological studies and biopsy detection. The results indicate that a series of major bands in the FT-Raman spectrum can be used to distinguish the malignant tissue from the normal tissue. Subtraction spectra support the result of the spectroscopic identification. Statistical analysis is also in agreement with the FT-Raman measurements.