Objective To estimate the relationship of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1),mitogen activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK-1) and CD34 expressions with clinicopathological findings in lesions of psoriasis vulgaris.Methods Skin specimens were collected from 30 patients with psoriasis vulgaris,whose general information and clinical findings were recorded.The protein expressions of FGF-1,MAPK-1 and CD34 in these specimens were detected by tissue chip technology and immunohistochemistry,and the mRNA expression of FGF-1 by reverse transcription-PCR.The correlations of FGF-1 protein expression with patients' gender,age,clinical stage,psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score,angiogenesis and abnormal epidermal proliferation were statistically analyzed.Results The protein and mRNA expressions of FGF-1 were significantly higher in the lesions than in the control skin (both P ＜ 0.05).The protein expressions of CD34 and MAPK-1 were significantly increased,and positively associated with the protein expression of FGF-1 in psoriatic lesions.The up-regulation of FGF-1 protein was unrelated to the age or gender of patients,but associated with clinical stage and PASI score.The proportion of patients with increased FGF-1 expression was significantly larger in patients at active stage and with high PSAI score than in those at quiescent stage and with low PSAI score (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions In psoriasis vulgaris,FGF-1 may participate in the abnormal epidermal proliferation and vascular dysplasia in dermal papilla,and the upregulation of FGF-1 appears to be associated with the progression of disease and aggravation of lesions.

One hundred and thirty-six adult patients with type 2 diabetes ( ≥40 years, body mass index > 24) were assigned to the low-dose Mefformin, high-dose Mefformin, and control groups. Plasma lactic acid level was detected with ultraviolet enzyme kinetics assay. Our data showed that plasma lactic acid of the low-dose or high-dose mefformin group was significantly higher than the control group (2.314 vs. 2.511, P<0.05 ), although there was no significant difference between the low-dose and the high-dose Mefformin group. In all the 3 groups, increased lactic acid ( > 2. 2 mmol/L) was found in some patients ( Mefformin group vs. Control group: X2 = 7.43, P < 0.05 ), and no lactic acid > 5.0 mmol/L was found. Insulin resistance index and hemoglobin Alc were similar between the 3 groups. Thus, mefformin may not increase the risk of lactic acidosis in diabetic patients with normal cardiorespiratory and renal function.

Objective To investigate the intra-and postoperative course of patients undergoing laparoscopic liver resections under intermittent total pedicle occlusion (IPO),hemihepatic vascular occlusion (HVO),and selective vascular occlusion(SVO).Methods Retrospective analysis the data of 41 cases of laparoscopic liver resection were conducted in three groups of patients under different occlusion methods,including 15 cases of intermittent total pedicle occlusion (IPO),12 cases of hemihepatic vascular occlusion (HVO) and 14 cases of selective vascular occlusion (SVO).Intraoperation blood loss,operation time,conversion to open operation,changes in postoperative liver function,hospital stays and complications were compared among the three methods.Results There was no operative death in any of the 41 patients.There was no conversion to open surgery.Generally,there was no significant difference among the three groups in blood loss,clamping time or operative time.Ten patients had postoperative complication and all were cured.The effect on liver function for Gro-HVO and Gro-SVO was significantly less severe than that for Gro-IPO (P ＜ 0.05) after operation.Conclusions Both HVO and SVO are feasible and safe in laparoscopic hepatectomy(LH),and have advantage in reducing liver remnant ischemia injury and modality rate over IPO.HVO is easy to do for left lateral lobe or resection of the left half of the liver.SVO is suitable for right lobe resection.

This study is to investigate the influence and mechanism of action of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the induced oxidative stress level on Alzheimer's disease (AD) incidence. ADMA concentration, nitric oxide, Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio, inducible NO synthase (iNOS) activity and the concentrations of the induced free radicals including malondialdehyde (MDA), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 34 neurologically normal controls and 37 AD patients were quantitatively determined and statistically compared. The results showed that the ADMA concentration significantly decreased in AD patients, and it showed negative correlation with the NO, iNOS activity, and showed positive correlation with MMSE score. ADMA concentration was negatively correlated with Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio (P<0.01) with the observation that Abeta(40)/Abeta(42) ratio increased while ADMA level decreased in CSF in AD patients. The concentration levels of MDA, 3-NT and ROS significantly increased compared with the control with all the P values less than 0.05. These findings suggested that the ADMA disorder and the oxidative damage effect of the induced free radicals in CSF of AD patients are an important mechanism of AD incidence, and their joint regulation may provide new idea for the prevention and clinical treatment of AD.

Objective To study the effect of radiotherapy and prognostic factors for patients with post-operative loco-regional recurrence of esophageal carcinoma. Methods From 2000 to 2005,91 patients with esophageal carcinoma who developed post-operative loco-regional recurrence were analyzed retrospectively. The interval between surgery and recurrence was 1 -35 months, with a median interval of 11.1 months. There were 4 patients with anastomosis relapse, 6 with anastomosis and mediastinal lymph nodes relapse,4 with abdominal lymph node relapse, 20 with supra-clavicular lymph node relapse, 34 with mediastinal lymph node relapse, and 23 with mediastinal and supra-clavicular lynph node relapse. There were 56 and 35 patients who received conventional and three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy respectively, with a total radiation dose of 50 -70 Gy. Sixty-eight patients received adjuvant chemotherapy.Results The follow-up rate was 95%. The 1-,2-and 3-year overall survival rates were 52%, 20% and 14%, respectively. In univariate analysis, the recurrence time (P = 0. 001), postoperative stage (P =0. 000), radiation dose (P =0. 001) ,overall response rate (P =0. 000) ,T stage (P =0. 028), and N stage (P = 0. 003) were related with prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that the recurrence time (P =0. 014), postoperative stage (P = 0. 006), radiation dose (P = 0. 009), overall response rate (P = 0. 000)were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions Radiotherapy may improve the survival of esophageal carcinoma patients with postoperative recurrence. Patients with long recurrence-free time, early stage, high response rates, and radiation dose of higher than 60 Gy have better prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the preparation technology of baicalin glycosides liposomes. METHODS: Baicalin liposomes modified by vitamin E and Tween 80 were prepared by reverse phase evaporation method. The free drug was separated by ultracentrifugation and the encapsulation rate was determined by UV spectrophotometry. Based on the results from single factor tests, orthogonal experimental design was used to investigate the factors influencing the envelopment rate of liposomes. The baicalin liposomes prepared by the optimized process were characterized for particle size, Zeta potential, and morphology. RESULTS: The optimum conditions for the preparation of liposomes were as follows: the ratio of water phase to organic phase 1∶3, the concentration of baicalin 3 mg•mL-1, the ratio of cholesterol to soy lecithin 1∶6, dosage of vitamin E 2 mg,dosage of Tween 80 120 μL. The mean diameter was 52.2 nm, Zeta potential was -51.9 mV, the encapsulation rate was 70.22% and drug loading capacity was 3.18%. Transmission Electr Microscope(TEM) results showed that the shape of the liposomes was good, the particle size was relatively uniform and consistent with the results of laser granulometry. CONCLUSION: The stability of baicalin liposomes can be improved by the addition of vitamin E and Tween 80.

Objective • To explore the clinical characteristics of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients with hoarding symptoms and analyze the risk factors related to hoarding symptoms. Methods • A total of 247 OCD patients and 137 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. The OCD patients were divided into hoarding group and non-hoarding group according to hoarding symptoms. Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory and Obsessive Belief Questionnaire-44 were used to measure the severity of OCD, levels of depression and anxiety, personality characteristics and obsessive-compulsive beliefs of the three groups. The differences among the groups were compared, and Logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of hoarding symptoms. Results • Regardless of hoarding symptoms, the scores of depression, anxiety, neuroticism and obsessive beliefs in the patients with OCD were significantly higher than those in the healthy controls (all P=0.000). Compared with OCD/non-hoarding group, OCD/hoarding group had a significantly lower level of extroversion (P=0.000), a significantly higher level of perfectionism/certainty (P=0.037), and higher scores in indecisiveness (P=0.003), pathological responsibility (P=0.006) and pathological slowness (P=0.000). There was statistical significance in age (OR=0.94), extraversion score (OR=0.89) and pathological retardation score (OR=2.50) in Logistic regression model (all P<0.05). Conclusion • The risk of hoarding symptoms in the OCD patients decreases with the increase of age and extroversion level, and increases with the increase of pathological retardation level.

Objective • To screen for a bacteriophage of a drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain and assess its eligibility to be incorporated into the Klebsiella bacteriophage library. Methods • A drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain isolated from a patient with urinary infection was used as the host strain. Phage screening was carried out in environmental sewage, and the bacteriophage was isolated, purified, characterized and sequenced. Safety evaluation was also conducted based on the genome sequence. Results • A drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriophage was isolated and designated as JD902, which belonged to Caudovirales. The burst size was 88 pfu/cell, and it could maintain good activity in pH range 4.0-11.0. Genomic analysis demonstrated that it did not carry any antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes. Conclusion • JD902 is a virulent phage with high stability and safety in vitro. It can be incorporated into bacteriophage library for clinical treatment.

Neurosteroids are the key molecules in the central nervous system that modulate neural functions. They can influence human mood and behavior in various physiological and pathophysiological situations. Neurosteroids have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive episodes, providing innovative therapies for psychiatric disorders such as depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. This paper reviewed the research progress on the role of neurosteroids in the treatment of depressive episodes.

Objective To investigate the correlation between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and glucose fluctuation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods Sixty-eight T2DM patients admitted to Beijing Military General Hospital from March to August 2012 were enrolled in the study,including 32 cases with CIMT thickening (CIMT ≥ 0.9 mm) and 32 cases with normal CIMT (CIMT ＜0.9 mm).The 72 h continuous blood glucose levels were monitored from the day of admission.Results There were no significant differences in the gender,age,body mass index (BMI),systolic and diastolic blood pressure,HDL-C,LDL-C,CHO,TG,glycosylate hemoglobin (HbA1c),fasting blood glucose(FBG) and postprandial average blood glucose (MPBG) between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).The atherosclerosis (AS) score and mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE),glucose standard deviation,frequency of glycemic excursion (FGE) and absolute mean of daily differences (MODD) in patients with thickening CIMT were (11 ± 7) years,(6.9 ± 3.0) mmol/L,(2.8 ± 1.2) mmol/L,(3.4 ± 1.5) times/d,(2.8 ± 1.3) mmol/L,(4.5 ± 1.0) score,respectively ; while those in patients with normal CIMT were (8 ±6) years,(4.2 ± 1.1) mmol/L,(1.6 ± 0.5) mmol/L,(2.2 ± 0.8) times/d,(2.0 ± 1.0) mmol/L,(3.3 ±0.6) score,respectively.There were significant differences between two groups (all P ＜ 0.05).Pearson correlation showed that CIMT was positively correlated with MAGE,FGE,MODD,course of disease,diastolic blood pressure,LDL-C,MPBG and AS score (P ＜ 0.05).Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that MAGE,MBPG were the influencing factors of CIMT.Conclusions The CIMT of patients with T2DM is closely correlated with glucose fluctuation,indicating that reduction of blood glucose fluctuation and MAGE,MPBG levels may delay the occurrence of diabetic macroangiopathy.