OBJECTIVETo assess the value of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in monitoring vascular complications following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

METHODSSeven hundred ninety-two patients who received OLT from April 2002 to December 2006 in the Organ Transplantation Center, General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Beijing, and underwent CDFI examinations in different periods after OLT were enrolled in this study. Their vascular complications were monitored by CDFI and confirmed by angiography or spiral CT.

RESULTSOf the 792 patients, 54 were diagnosed with vascular complications that occurred 1-360 days after their OLT operations. These complications occurred within 1-30 days, 31-60 days, 61-90 days, 91-180 days, 181-360 days, with the proportions of 46.30%, 22.22%, 14.81%, 9.26% and 7.41% respectively. The proportion of hepatic artery and portal vein complications and outflow occlusions were 61.11%, 35.19% and 3.70% respectively.

CONCLUSIONMost vascular complications occurred within six months after the OLT operation. The continuous and careful monitoring by CDFI is beneficial in an early diagnosis of vascular complications after OLT.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; methods ; Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the potential genetic mode of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) in Chinese Han nationality.

METHODSA total of 233 subjects from 73 nuclear families were recruited. All probands were diagnosed according to the criteria of AgP in 1999 classification of periodontal diseases. Ninety parents, 35 siblings and three grandparents and two offspring were examined based on full-mouth periodontal chartings (including parameter of probing depths, attachment loss, bleeding on probing at six sites per tooth) and full-mouth periapical radiographs. The genetic ratio was calculated and analyzed by the methods of Edwards and simple segregation.

RESULTSThe prevalence of AgP in probands' siblings was close to the square root of the prevalence of general population. The segregation ratio was 0.2419, which was close to the theoretical ratio for autosomal recessive inheritance. However, autosomal dominant inheritance could not be rejected in families whose parent(s) suffered from severe chronic periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONSThe genetic heterogeneity of AgP existed in Chinese Han nationality. The genetic mode was autosomal recessive inheritance in general, and autosomal dominant inheritance could not be excluded in families whose parent(s) suffered from severe chronical periodontitis. The results imply the genetic heterogeneity of AgP, and further demonstrate that AgP was a multifactorial disease with major genetic component in the disease etiology.

Aggressive Periodontitis ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Chronic Periodontitis ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, Dominant ; Genes, Recessive ; Genetic Heterogeneity ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVESTo establish a primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) model by AMAM2 autoantigen injection into C57BL/6 mice.

METHODSMice of the model group were immunized intraperitonealy with 200 microl of purified recombinant AMAM2 autoantigen in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Mice immunized with bovine serum albumin and CFA in the same way were used as negative controls. Sixty-six weeks later, mice were sacrificed and their sera were collected. Sera samples were assayed for AMAM2 autoantibody, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), ALT and total bilirubin (TBil). Their liver, stomach, muscle and kidney tissues were sectioned and stained using HE to observe the pathological changes.

RESULTSAntibodies to AMAM2 autoantigen were readily induced in the model group. The mice in the model group had no significant changes in the level of serum ALT and TBil but had an obvious increase of ALP (P<0.05). The stomach, muscle and kidney tissues showed no evident damage while the livers had obvious pathological changes, including bile duct degeneration or proliferation, and mononuclear cell infiltration.

CONCLUSIONThe AMAM2 autoantigen-induced PBC animal model was successfully established in C57BL/6 mice in our experiment and its characteristic biochemical and pathology are quite similar to that in the early stage of human PBC. This model may provide a useful experimental approach for further study of the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of human PBC.

Animals ; Autoantigens ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; etiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria ; immunology

China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infusions, Intravenous ; statistics & numerical data ; Male

AIMTo report the preliminary result of the HIV inhibitor screening based on cheminformatics tools and the traditional Chinese medicine database.

METHODSDatabase search was carried out with saquinavir molecule as a template, further screening was made with docking. Detailed studies using molecular dynamics simulation of 50 ps and 200 ps were made with respect to a potential leading compound, leucovorin.

RESULTSThe leucovorin molecule distinguished from other molecules as a potential drug candidate and is subject to extensive studies. The bonding profile and energy were calculated with MD simulations.

CONCLUSIONOur results could be very helpful when we modify leucovorin or design new inhibitors against HIV.

Anti-HIV Agents ; chemistry ; Databases, Factual ; Drug Design ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; HIV Protease ; chemistry ; HIV Protease Inhibitors ; chemistry ; Leucovorin ; chemistry ; Ligands ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Conformation ; Saquinavir ; chemistry

OBJECTIVESTo explore the diagnostic value of color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) in monitoring portal vein complications (PVC) following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

METHODSFive hundred and four patients received OLT and had CDFI examinations before and after their transplantations. CDFI monitoring parameters before the operation included portal vein diameter, blood flow velocity and the presence of thrombi within the portal vein. Monitoring parameters after the operation included portal vein diameters of donor and receiver sides, and the diameter of the mouth of anastomosis, inner side of blood vessel echo, the direction of blood flow and its speed.

RESULTSOf the 504 patients examined, the median velocity of the portal blood flow was 46.27 cm/s (range: 15.8 to 110.8) on the day of the operation. The blood flow speed of 358 cases (71.03%) was higher than 40 cm/s. Of the 358 patients, 347 (68.85%) had a blood flow speed lower than 40 cm/s one month after the operation. Sixty-four patients (12.70%) showed hepatofugal blood flow once, and only one case had a total hepatofugal blood flow. Thirteen patients (2.58%) had portal vein complications, including 4 cases with portal vein thrombosis and 9 with portal vein stenosis.

CONCLUSIONNot all abnormal portal vein blood flow signals will lead to complications. It is worthwhile to monitor the portal blood flows. CDFI plays an important role in the diagnosis of portal vein complications after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Flow Velocity ; physiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Liver Cirrhosis ; surgery ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex ; methods ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Venous Thrombosis ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology

BACKGROUNDPapillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents one of the most frequent endocrine malignancies. Several factors have been found to be involved in determining the outcome of treatment for patients with PTC. Large tumor size, diagnosis at an early age, extra-thyroidal invasion, aggressive histological variants, and distant metastases are the most important determinants of a poor outcome. BRAF(V600E) mutation has been found to be a major genetic alteration in PTC. This study aimed to evaluate progression in patients with multifocal and solitary PTC.

METHODSWe performed a retrospective study to analyze 368 patients with PTC who underwent surgery, including 282 patients with solitary PTC and 86 patients with multifocal PTC. The status of BRAF(V600E) mutation in all tumor foci from multifocal PTC was detected.

RESULTSOur study suggested that multifocal PTC was more related to lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion than solitary PTC. However, the distant metastasis rate and 10-year survival rate showed no difference between these two groups. The number of tumor foci did not affect progression of disease in multifocal PTC patients. Lymph node metastasis in multifocal PTC patients was associated with larger tumors, diagnosis at early stage, and extra-thyroidal invasion.

CONCLUSIONThe status of BRAF(V600E) mutation was more frequent in multifocal PTC patients with lymph node metastasis and diagnosis at later age.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antibiotics use in inpatients with hospitals under different scales.

METHODSOn the day of August 7, 2003, antibiotics use among inpatients were investigated, medical order to each inpatient was checked and forms were filled.

RESULTSData showed that 54.86% of the 89,539 inpatients from 151 hospitals were using antibiotics, out of which 48.98% were used for therapeutic purposes while 35.44% for prophylaxis, and 15.58% for both therapy and prophylaxis. Among those who had received antibiotics, 61.43% received one, 33.65% received two and 4.92% received 3 or more agents. In patients who were on antibiotics for therapy, only 23.92% of the samples were sent for pathogens detection. The prevalence of antibiotics use was different among different hospitals, with teaching hospitals having the lowest and hospitals with less than 300 beds were higher than those with more than 300 beds. Departments of respiratory diseases, intensive care unit, and pediatrics had the higher use of antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONInpatients in 151 hospitals had high prevalence of antibiotics use, especially for prophylaxis use but pathogen detection was seldomly done. It is necessary to strengthen the rational use and management of antibiotics use in the hospitals.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; Costs and Cost Analysis ; Data Collection ; Drug Utilization Review ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires

In this study, the molecular marker technology of SRAP and ISSR were applied in rapid identification of seeds from eight species of Brassica oleracea L. Firstly, using the genomic DNA of cabbage as template, SRAP and ISSR reaction systems were optimized through testing every factor, respectively, that affects PCR amplification. Then, using the optimized reaction systems, 30 SRAP primer pairs and 15 ISSR primers were applied to amplify genomic DNA of cabbage, savoy, purple cabbage, borecole, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi The results showed that high polymorphisms were exhibited among the eight species of Brassica oleracea L. by SRAP primer pairs of M3-E5 and M4-E5, as well as ISSR primers of 844 and 888, especially primer 844 which can identify all eight materials efficiently.
Brassica ; genetics ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; Seeds ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relation between different therapy and survival rate of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (LMCC).

METHODSClinical data of 669 LMCC patients,collected from Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital from January 2000 to July 2008, were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSOf the 669 cases, 379 cases were synchronous liver metastases(SLM) and 290 cases were metachronous liver metastases(MLM). There were no significant differences in age, gender and position of primary tumor between SLM and MLM groups(P>0.05), but as to liver metastasis characteristics(liver lobe involved, focus number and maximal focus diameter) and CEA, CA19-9 before therapy,there were significant differences(P<0.05). Two hundred and fifty-three cases underwent curative hepatic resection, including 123 cases in SLM and 130 cases in MLM. Until October 31, 2008, all the cases were followed up. The median survival time of SLM was(11+/-1) months and of MLM(23+/-2) months(P<0.01). Five-year survival rate of SLM was 6.4% and of MLM 11.4%(P<0.01). As to different treatments, median survival time and 5-year survival rate of curative hepatic resection group were 37 months and 35.6%, and of non-operation groups(i.e. intervention, chemotherapy, radiofrequency therapy and percutaneous ethanol injection) were 5 to 26 months and 0 to 3.6% respectively(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCurative hepatic resection is the first choice of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer, which can improve the survival rate. Resection rate and survival of MLM are better than those of SLM.

Adult ; Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate