Objective To examine the impact of C-reactive protein (CRP) on the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), inflammatory cytokine, in cultured human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs) in order to find out the cause of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). Method The hPASMCs were cultured and stimulated by different concerntrations of CRP (5 - 200 μg/ml) for different lengths of time. The activity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was evaluated by electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA). The expression of IL-6 mRNA and the level of IL-6 protein were measured by using real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Results CRP increased IL-6 production in hPASMCs in a dose-dependent manner. The increase in IL-6 at concerntration of 200 μg/mL in the CRP group was as high as 2.8times that in the control group. CRP also significantly induced the activation of NF-κB in hPASMCs. The effect of CRP on the inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, was inhibited by the specific FcγⅡa receptor antibody.Conclusions In vitro, CRP increases the production of IL-6 in hPASMCs mediated by FcγⅡa receptor and NF-κB translocation. These data offer important insights into the role of CRP in the pathogenesis of PAH.

Objective To explore the cause and hemostasia for bleeding during endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). Methods Clinical data of 90 patients undergoing EST and suffering from intraoperative bleeding in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between January 2013 and October 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 48 males and 42 females with a mean age of (51±2) years. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The bleeding part, bleeding cause and efficacy of different hemostasia in EST patients were obsesrved. Comparison of rates was conducted by Chi-square test. Results 72 cases were observed with definite bleeding points, including 51 cases' bleeding part was at the papilla 10-2 o'clock direction, 10 cases at 2-6 o'clock direction, and 11 cases 6-10 o'clock direction. 18 cases were observed with diffuse bleeding. The bleeding causes included inaccurate direction, excessively deep knife cut, excessively high knife bow,and excessively large incision. All patients were cured, including 40 cases of titanium clip hemostasis with a success rate 97%(39/40), 31 cases of electric coagulation hemostasis with a success rate 81%(25/31), 14 cases of thermal probe hemostasis with a success rate 71%(10/14), 10 cases of fibrin glue infusion with a success rate 7/10, 10 cases of 1:10 000 epinephrine sub-mucosal injection with a success rate 5/10, 6 cases of local compression with spherical sacculus, with a success rate 3/6, and 1 case receiving operative hemostatis. Endoscopic titanium clip hemostatis, electric coagulation hemostatis and thermal probe hemostatis had definite effects. The success rate of titanium clip hemostatis was obviously higher than electric coagulation hemostatis (χ2=11.813, P=0.008). Titanium clip hemostatis was particularly applicable to patients with exposed bleeding vessel, while electric coagulation and thermal probe hemostatis were applicable to patients with errhysis. Conclusion Duodenal papilla bleeding, as a common postoperative complication of EST, endoscopic titanium clip hemostatis, electric coagulation hemostatis and thermal probe hemostatis had relatively definite effects.