Objective To investigate the effect of astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on the differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to neurones, adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes, and provide basis for the development of effective and low toxic differentiation inducing agents. Methods BMSCs were isolated from SPF Wistar rats, purified, expanded and cultured to family 3. The appropriate concentration of APS was filtered out by MTT assay. The F3 cells were randomly divided into control group and induced group (neural induction, adipogenic induction, osteogenic induction, cartilage induction). The effects of APS and classical chemical drugs on differentiation were measured by toluidine blue, oil red o and alizarin red staining. The protein expression of NSE, LPL, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅱ were examined by Western Blot. Results MTT assay showed that 1 g/L APS promoted the proliferation better than other concentrations especially in 48 hours. The morphologic change of the cell from BMSCs was uniformly positive to toluidine blue staining, and was negative to oil red o and alizarin red staining. Western blot showed that the protein expression of the cell from BMSCs was positive for NSE but negative for LPL, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅱ. Conclusion BMSCs induced by APS can differentiate to neurone and fail to differentiate to adipocytes, osteoblasts and chondrocytes in vitro.

Aortic Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; diagnosis ; Carotid Body Tumor ; diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety of double-lumen balloon catheter applied in patients with achalasia of cricopharyngeal muscle. Method Fifty patients with achalasia of cricopharyngeal muscle were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. All the patients received routine drug treatment,swallowing function training,feeding training and low frequency VitalStim electric stimulation. In addition,double-lumen balloon catheter and #14 urinary catheters were applied to patients in the experimental group and control group,respectively. The swallow water tests and video fluoroscopy swallowing study(VFSS) were used to evaluate the treatment effects,the electron-nasopharyngolaryngoscope was used to assess bleeding and swelling of mucous membrane,and VRS-5 was used to assess pain. Result After treatment,the scores of swallow water tests and VFSS were significantly better than those before treatment in both groups(P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05). However,the incidence of complications was significantly higher in the control group than that of experimental group(P<0.05). Conclusion Both treatment methods can effectively relieve the achalasia of cricopharyngeal muscle,but modified double-lumen balloon catheter can reduce the incidence of complications.

Objective To study the feasibility of the acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) classification standard for evaluation of gastrointestinal function in intensive care unit (ICU) patients,and to discuss its value in administration of early enteral nutrition (EN).Methods A perspective study was conducted.85 patients with AGI admitted to ICU of Tianjin First Center Hospital from January 2013 to June 2013 were enrolled.EN was conducted after ICU admission or within 12-24 hours after high catabolic state.The patients were divided into four groups according to the AGI classification,i.e.grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ,and they were treated according to the treatment procedure for AGI.The primary end points were 7-day rate of intake of standard EN,the degree of disease and nutrition,and their correlation with AGI classification.Secondary endpoint was rate of giving EN within 48 hours.Results Gastrointestinal dysfunction patients accounted for 49.42％ (85/172) of the ICU patients,and number of patients in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ were 29,28,19,9 respectively.On the first day of ICU stay,there were no statistical differences in age,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score,serum albumin (ALB) and prealbumin (PA) among four groups,and it was demonstrated that the baseline data were comparable.APACHE Ⅱ score on the seventh day of ICU stay was significantly lower than that on the first day in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ patients (grade Ⅰ:20.48 ± 2.45 vs.22.59 ± 2.06,t=-3.120,P=0.031 ; grade Ⅱ:19.34 ± 1.80 vs.21.65 ± 2.22,t=-4.316,P=0.012; grade Ⅲ:20.63 ± 1.34 vs.23.31 ± 1.70,t=-5.640,P=0.000),and serum PA (g/L) was significantly increased (grade Ⅰ:24.37 ± 6.54 vs.10.62 ± 7.24,t=-4.866,P=0.000; grade Ⅱ:19.79± 12.48 vs.11.57±8.94,t=-2.116,P=0.031; grade Ⅲ:19.15±8.43 vs.13.78 ± 6.59,t=-3.601,P=0.000).On the seventh day ofICU stay,the APACHE Ⅱ score was higher in grade Ⅳ than that in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ patients (22.87 ± 3.31 vs.20.48 ± 2.45,19.34 ± 1.80,20.63 ± 1.34,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and PA was obviously lower in grade Ⅳ than that in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ and Ⅲ patients (g/L:14.02 ± 8.70 vs.24.37 ± 6.54,19.79 ±12.48,19.15 ± 8.43,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).There was no statistically significant difference among four groups in respect of serum ALB (F=0.454,P=0.722).The rate of giving EN in 24 hours in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ patients was 95.4％,72.1％,52.0％ and 0,respectively (x2=8.310,P=0.016),and in 48 hours it was 100.0％,83.0％,76.0％,and 0 (x2=5.470,P=0.025).7-day standard EN intake rate was 100.0％,88.7％,84.0％ and 34.0％ respectively in grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ patients (x2 =0.720,P=0.017).Correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between AGI classification and rate of giving EN in 1 day (r=-0.62,P=0.04) and 7-day standard EN intake rate (r=-0.76,P=0.02).Conclusions AGI classification can be used to estimate the gastrointestinal function of patients with critical illness,and it has a significant correlation with early EN support.An early goal achieving intervention based on the AGI classification can improve the nutritional status and the general state of the patients.

Objective To study the changes of plasma growth hormone releasing peptide(Ghrelin)level and its influencing factors in patients with hyperthyroidism.Methods 55 patients with hyperthyroidism (observation group)and 55 healthy persons (control group)were selected.ELISA was used to detect plasma indicators before and after treatment.The level of body fat percentage,Ghrelin,S -TSH and FT3 ,FT4 of the two groups before and after treatment were compared,and the relationship between Ghrelin and FT3 ,FT4 ,percentage of body fat,plasma S -TSH was analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,the percentage of body fat,Ghrelin and S -TSH level in the observation group were lower,and FT3 ,FT4 levels were higher,there were significant differences between the two groups(t1 =5.021,t2 =9.628,t3 =23.054,t4 =29.325,t5 =28.967,P <0.05).Compared with before treatment,the body fat percentage,Ghrelin and S -TSH level of the observation group were higher after treatment,and FT3 ,FT4 levels were lower after treatment,the differences were statistically significant(t6 =5.282,t7 =8.651,t8 =21.835,t9 =27.126,t10 =26.855,P <0.05).The correlation analysis showed that FT3 and FT4 were negatively correlated with plasma Ghrelin level(r =-0.44,-0.39,P <0.05),the percentage body fat and S -TSH had positive relationship with plasma Ghrelin level (r =0.31,0.33,P <0.05).Conclusion The plasma Ghrelin level in the patients with hyperthyroidism is lower than healthy subjects,and its level is related with FT3 ,FT4 ,percentage of body fat and S -TSH,the detection of the above indicators has important value for the assessment of hyperthyroidism.

Adult ; Cranial Nerve Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Facial Nerve ; pathology ; Hemangioma ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male

Objective To observe the effect of Astragalus injection on the expressions of inflammatory cytokines in human primary macrophages stimulated by lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS),and investigate its effects on inflammatory reactions of Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacteria sepsis and its mechanisms.Methods Percoll density gradient centrifugation was used to isolate the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells,then they were purified by immune Anti-Biotin Microbeads with magnetic character and under the induction of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF),the cells were cultivated for 12 days in vitro,eventually the human monocyte-derived macrophage was formed.The cultured human macrophages were inoculated in 96-well plates (each group 3 wells) and 6-well plates (each group 3 wells).The cells were divided into control group (200 μL DMEM added in each well),LTA 1 mg/L group,LPS 0.1 mg/L group and low astragalus injection (0.1 mg/L) and high astragalus injection (0.2 mg/L) dose groups.After the incubator plates were put in an incubator for 24 hours,the protein content of IL-8 and IL-10 in supernatant were detected by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),and the mRNA expression levels of IL-8 and IL-10 were detected by real time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).Results LTA and LPS all can obviously up-regulate the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factor IL-8 and anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 of macrophage.The expressions of IL-8 and IL-10 protein and mRNA in LTA group and LPS group were significantly higher than those in control group after cuhure for 8 hours and 24 hours,the degrees of increment were more significantly at 24 hours [LTA stimute group:IL-8 protein (ng/L,× 103):41.57± 1.90 vs.1.58 ±0.24,IL-8 mRNA (A value):21.49±8.05 vs.1.00±0.16;IL-10 protein (ng/L):5.90±3.02 vs.2.91 ± 1.54,IL-10 mRNA (A value):1.35±0.34 vs.0.95±0.14;LPS stimute group:IL-8 protein (ng/L,× 103):345.00±22.80 vs.5.60±0.31,IL-8 mRNA (A value):29.84 ± 8.93 vs.1.00 ± 0.16,IL-10 protein (ng/L):122.37 ± 39.26 vs.44.79 ± 3.67,IL-10 mRNA (A value):7.38 ± 1.58 vs.1.35 ± 0.34,all P ＜ 0.05].The Astragalus injection could regulate LTA and LPS to stimulate the macrophage to decrease the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factor IL-8 protein and mRNA and increase the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 protein and mRNA in the macrophage;the changes of regulatory effect in the 24 hour-culture of Astragalus injection high dose group was the most significant [LTA stimute group:IL-8 protein (ng/L,×103):22.63±1.91 vs.41.57±1.90,IL-8 mRNA (A value):12.10±1.93 vs.21.49±8.05,IL-10 protein (ng/L):14.03±2.22 vs.5.90±3.02,IL-10 mRNA (A value):10.37±6.08 vs.1.35±0.34;LPS stimute group:IL-8 protein (ng/L,× 103):167.75 ± 19.90 vs.345.01 ±22.80,IL-8 mRNA (A value):15.61 ± 3.63 vs.29.84±8.93;IL-10 protein (ng/L):243.22±14.41 vs.122.37±39.26,IL-10 mRNA (A value):16.14±4.10 vs.7.38± 1.58,all P ＜ 0.05].Conclusions In the process of inflammatory response,the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors co-exist simultaneously.Astragalus injection can inhibit the expression levels of pro-inflammatory factor gene and protein in the inflammatory response of G+ and G-bacteria sepsis and in the mean time,it can promote the expression levels of anti-inflammatory factor gene and protein,thus the immune mechanism of sepsis is affected,achieving the balance between pro-inflammation and anti-inflammation.

Objective To assess the impact of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) on the incidence of graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors.Methods A total of 92 patients with hematological malignancies including leukemia,myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and lymphoma who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors from January 1999 to December 2011 were included in this retrospective analysis.Patients were classified into ATG group (n =66)and non-ATG group (n =26) according to the GVHD prophylaxis regimen.The incidence of acute GVHD (aGVHD) and chronic GVHD (cGVHD),risk factors of aGVHD and cGVHD and impact of ATG on the overall survival (OS),treatment related mortality (TRM) and relapse rate were analyzed.Results Grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD (26.7 ％ vs 44.0 ％,P=0.12) or grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ aGVHD (13.3 ％ vs 8.0 ％,P =0.74) were not significantly different between ATG and non-ATG group.However,the incidence of cGVHD in the ATG group was significantly lower (34.0 ％ vs 72.2 ％,P =0.005) than non-ATG group.The incidence of extensive cGVHD was also significantly reduced (10.0 ％ vs 44.4 ％,P =0.005) compared to non-ATG group.In multivariate analysis,the use of ATG prophylaxis significantly decreased the cGVHD (RR =0.22,95 ％CI 0.081-0.599,P =0.003) while one allele mismatch of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) was associated with increased risk of cGVHD (RR =3.25,95 ％ CI 1.39-7.61,P =0.007).As to the extensive cGVHD,the use of ATG was the only independent factor (RR =0.05,95 ％ CI 0.009-0.240,P ＜ 0.001).With a median follow-up of 12 months (1-84 months),ATG prophylaxis had no impact on OS rate (60.4 ％ vs 43.1％,P =0.41),TRM rate (19.8 ％ vs 34.3 ％,P =0.43) and relapse rate (40.6 ％ vs 33.6 ％,P=0.54).Conclusion In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from unrelated donors,ATG prophylaxis total dose of 6 mg/kg may significantly decrease the incidence of cGVHD and extensive cGVHD without increase of TRMand relapse rate and impairment of OS.

Reflex tests are ordered when a particular test result indicates that additional testing should be performed according to the guidelines or the feedback process formulated by clinical consultation. The application scope of the reflex tests involves various subspecialties of laboratory medicine. The clinical application needs the support of qualified laboratory doctors, comprehensive information and financial system, clinical guidelines, and so on. Active application of reflex tests can promote the standardization of evidence-based medicine in clinical practice, save medical resources, and shorten the diagnosis and treatment time of patients.

Objective To investigate the correlation between Bispectral index (BIS) value and the prognosis of patients with coma in ICU.Methods A total of 208 patients with coma in ICU were divided into 4 groups according to the BIS value.In group I,BIS value was 0 to 20; groupⅡ,BIS value 21 to 40; group Ⅲ,BIS value 41 to 60; and group Ⅳ,BIS value greater than 60.Comparison of the difference in BIS value with the differences in prognosis of patients with coma was carried out between four groups,and the prognosis of patients with coma was stratified into consciousness,coma,vegetative state,and brain death.Subsequently,the best cutoff score of BIS value calculated for determining the correlation between BIS and mental state was proposed.Results There are no significant differences in the age and APACHE Ⅱ scores between four groups (P ＞ 0.05).It was inverse correlation between BIS value and mental state (r =-0.749,P =0.00).According to the ROC curve,as BIS value was greater than 42.5,there were higher sensitivity and specificity in Conscious-Coma patients.Conclusions BIS value is correlated with the prognosis of patients with coma in ICU,and BIS value can be a useful marker for estimating the prognosis of comatose patients.