AIM: To investigate the changes of serum angiogenic factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor ( bFGF) in Mongolia patients with diabetic retinopathy ( DR) and to explore their roles in the progress of DR.
METHODS: Eighty - three patients with diabetes were divided into three groups according to the retinopathy, no DR group ( NDR, 25 cases), background DR ( NPDR, 31 cases) and proliferative DR group (PDR, 27 cases), and 36 age - matched healthy people ( control group) were selected. Serum concentrations of VEGF and bFGF were measured using ELISA method.
RESULTS: In Mongolia patients with diabetes, the serum concentrations of VEGF and bFGF were higher than those in control group; the serum concentrations of VEGF and bFGF in PDR group was higher than those of NDR and NPDR group (P< 0. 05); the concentrations of VEGF and bFGF in NPDR group was higher than that of NDR group (P<0. 05).
CONCLUSION: High level of VEGF and bFGF may be the important pathogenic factors for DR in Mongolia patients.

Objective To explore predictive value of baseline red cell distribution width (RDW) determined in a routine blood count for severity of chronic heart failure (CHF) and mortality during hospitalization.Methods The study group comprised 135 patients hospitalized in the our hospital with CHF in the Ⅱ ～ Ⅳ class according to New York Heart Association (NYHA).The control group included 44 patients in class Ⅰ.Hematological and biochemical parameters were obtained and compared among groups.Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used for assessing predictive values.Results RDW increased significantly in class Ⅲ and Ⅳ compared to class Ⅰ [(14.3 ±2.3)％ and (14.3 ± 1.7)％ vs (12.9 ±0.8)％,P ＜0.01].Areas under ROCs (AUCs) of RDW,N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for class Ⅳ HF was 0.817 and 0.840,respectively.RDW was significantly elevated in mortality group compared to survival group [(15.8 ± 1.8)％ vs (13.7 ± 1.7) ％,P ＜ 0.01],predictive value of RDW was lower than that of NT-proBNP but was comparable to white blood cell (WBC),neutrophil (NEU),lymphocyte (L),and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) for mortality during hospitalization with AUCs (0.837,0.939,0.858,0.891,0.885,and 0.885,respectively).RDW and NT-proBNP showed low predictive values for repeated admission (≥3).RDW was an independent risk factor for mortality (OR =2.531,95％ CI:1.371 ～4.671).Conclusions RDW increased significantly in class Ⅲ and Ⅳ patients and death group.The predictive value of RDW is comparable to NT-proBNP for class Ⅳ and lower than that of NT-proBNP for mortality.Elevated RDW is an independent risk factor for mortality.

Objective To explore the value of ectopic gastic mucosa imaging in diagnosis of Meckel′s diverticulum.Methods Twenty-five cases suspected of gastrointestinal bleeding underwent conventional ectopic gastic mucosa imaging with 99mT_cO_4-.The diagnostic criteria Meckel′s diverticulum was that abnormal radio active accumulation in the abdomen observed.Results Three cases of ectopic gastic mucosa imaging was positive,and the diagnosis was all confirmed by surgery and pathology examination.The rest 22 cases were caused by other reasons confirmed by affirmative examinations.Conclusions Ectopic gastic mucosa imaging is easy to conduct,safe with no injury to the patients.It can be the first choice of examination in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding in children.

Adenocarcinoma/surgery* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Esophagogastric Junction/surgery* ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Margins of Excision ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms/surgery*

Objective To discuss the effectiveness of the second surgical procedure of adjacent segment degeneration after the first spinal fusion.Method 35 patients who had been performed spinal fusion in our hospital or had symptoms recurred or aggravated after 12 ～ 114 (42 ±35) months of the prior surgery were enrolled in this study.A second surgery was performed and intraoperative the intradiscal pressure of adjacent segments of degeneration and normal segments was measured.The VAS score systems were compared among prior surgery,3 months later and 2 years after the second surgery.Result The intradiscal pressure of adjacent segments after the cervical vertebra and lumbar vertebra fusion were [ (15 ± 4.6)cmH2O,(23 ±5.2)cmH2O],much higher than normal segments [ (3 ±2.3)cmH2O,(8 ±4.1)cmH2O](P ＜0.01).The VAS score systems of 3 months later and 2 years after the second surgery were [ (2.9 ±0.7),(2.0 ± 0.6) ],which were dramatically lower than the prior (7.8 ± 1.2) (P ＜ 0.01).In 12 ～ 46(31 ± 12) months of follow-up after the second procedure,X-ray and MRI showed that fusion segments reached nearly bone fusion,well decompressed and without nerve compression or other complications.Conclusion If recurrence of symptoms after spinal fusion were caused by adjacent segment degeneration,reoperation would guarantee good clinical outcome.

Objective Gastrointestinal rehydration is a simple and effective method in treatment of burn shock during war-time, fire disaster and other harsh conditions , and practice has proved the exact curative effect of HCO 3 salt sugar liquid .This article was to investigate the effect of pyruvate-enriched oral rehydration solution ( Pyr-ORS ) on intestinal mucosal blood flow ( IMBF ) , activity of Na +-K+-ATPase and intestinal absorption rate during en-teral resuscitation of a 35% TBSA third-degree scald in rats . Methods 90 male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: scald without fluid resuscitation ( S group ); sham scald resuscitated with HCO3 salt sugar liquid ( SS HCO3 group ); sham scald resuscitated with Pyr-ORS ( SS Pyr-ORS group ); scald resuscitated with HCO 3 salt sugar liquid (S HCO3 group); scald resuscitated with Pyr-ORS (S Pyr-ORS group) (n=18).Each group was divided into 2 subgroups of 1.5 and 4.5 h after scald injury.Intestinal absorption rate of water and Na +, IMBF and activity of Na +-K+-ATPase were detected on each group . Results Compared with shame scald groups , the intestinal absorption rates of water and Na +decreased ob-viously in scald groups with fluid resuscitation (P<0.05);at 1 h after scald injury, the intestinal absorption rates of water and Na +in S Pyr-ORS groups were both higher than those in S HCO 3 groups(P<0.05).Compared with shame scald groups , IMBF and activity of Na+-K+-ATPase at 1.5 and 4.5 h after scald injury decreased obviously in scald groups with fluid resuscitation (P<0.05); at 1.5 and 4.5 h after scald injury, IMBF in S Pyr-ORS groups (95.250 ±5.096/112.765 ±7.215) were greater than those in S HCO3 group (80.764 ±7.852/94.671 ±8.469), which was of statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion Pyr-ORS is a simple and effec-tive method in treatment of burn shock during wartime , fire disaster and other harsh conditions .

Recent research based on various animal models has shown the neuroprotective effects of erythropoietin (EPO). However, few studies have examined such effects of EPO in the clinic. In this study we enrolled patients with spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury to investigate the clinical application of EPO and methylprednisolone (MP) for the neuroprotection against spinal cord I-R injury. Retrospective analysis of 63 cases of spinal cord I-R injury was performed. The Frankel neurological performance scale was used to evaluate the neurological function after spinal cord injury (SCI), including 12 cases of scale B, 30 cases of scale C, and 21 cases of scale D. These cases were divided into 2 groups: group A (27 cases) got treatment with both EPO and MP; group B (36 cases) got treatment with MP only. The neurological function of patients after treatment was evaluated by American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) index score, and activity of daily living (ADL) of the patients was also recorded. All patients got follow-up and the follow-up period ranged from 24 to 39 months (mean 26 months). There was no significance difference in neurological function between groups A and B before the treatment (P>0.05). However, the neurological function and ADL scores were significantly improved 1 week, 1 year or 2 years after the treatment compared to those before the treatment (P<0.05), and the improvement was more significant in group A than in group B (P<0.05). It is suggested that the clinical application of EPO and MP provides the neuroprotection against spinal cord I-R injury.

Objective：Rat UREB1 protein coded by the gene UREB1 can specially bind to URE (upstream regulatory element) which is in the upstream of the promoter. It′ s reported that the protein of UREB1 promote the transcription of Dynorphin gene and inhibits p53 transactivation. This study was designed to clone human UREB1 gene and explore the relationship between UREB1 and the development of tumor. Methods： The artificial synthetic oligonucleotide was used as the probe to screen human brain cDNA library and human UREB1 gene was cloned. The antibody, which was produced using the recombinant UREB1 from E.coli as the antigen and immunizing the animals, was utilized for detecting the distribution of UREB1 in different tumor tissues. Results： The human UREB1 gene was cloned by using in situ hybridization for screening human brain cDNA library, and the nucleotide sequences and the deduced amino acid sequence of human UREB1 has 91％ homology with that of rat UREB1 identified previously. Western blot analysis revealed that the human UREB1 was present in all tumor tissues but the quantity of UREB1 in different tissues was not the same. Immunohistochemistry results shown that the human UREB1 distributes primarily in the cytoplasm and nuclear of tumor cells and nuclear UREB1 in carcinosarcoma is much more than that in adenoma. After analyzing the level of tyrosine phosphorylated UREB1 in a few tumor tissues, the result shown that the more malignant the tumor tissue was, the higher level the tyrosine phosphorylated of UREB1 was in that tumor tissues. Conclusion： Human UREB1 may be involved in the development of tumor and its tyrosine phosphorylation may affect the degree of tumor malignant.

OBJECTIVETo characterize the biological function of calmodulin (CaM) from Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis, Cs) and investigate its role in clonorchiasis-associated hepatic fibrosis.

METHODSThe full-length sequence of CsCaM gene was isolated from Cs cDNA library and its homologues were searched using BLASTx for comparison. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to compare the homologues and predict the physiochemical characteristics and functional domains. The gene was cloned in a prokaryotic plasmid and expressed in E. coli, and the recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography for immunizing rats to produce polyclonal antibodies, whose titer was determined using ELISA analysis. Immunoblotting analysis was carried out to determine of the purity and antibody recognition of CsCaM. Immunofluorescence assay was employed to analyze the tissue location of the protein. A rat model of liver fibrosis was established by introperitoneal injection of the recombinant protein.

RESULTSThe recombinant CsCaM protein obtained contained 150 amino acids with a theoretical molecular mass of 23.4 kD. CsCaM homologue had EF hand motifs. The recombinant pET-30a-CsCaM plasmid expressed in BL21 E. coli was about 23.4 kD. The total IgG antibody titer in the immunized mice reached the peak level (over 1: 51200) 2 to 4 weeks after the first injection. Immunohistochemistry showed that CsCaM located in the testis of adult C. sinensis. The rats receiving intraperitoneal injection of CsCaM showed severe liver inflammation with mild to moderate liver fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONThe pro-inflammation and pro-fibrosis effects of CsCaM in rat liver suggest its involvement in clonorchiasis- associated hepatic fibrosis.

Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth ; blood ; Antigens, Helminth ; immunology ; Calmodulin ; immunology ; Clonorchiasis ; immunology ; Clonorchis sinensis ; immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Library ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Inflammation ; Liver Cirrhosis ; parasitology ; Male ; Mice ; Rats ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology

Objective To study the CT and MRI findings of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus and evaluate their clinical value.Methods All 9 cases of osteosarcoma were verified by histopathology.Imaging data were analyzed retrospectively.Results The lesion occurred in maxillary sinus in 5 cases,in ethmoid sinus in 3 cases and in sphenoid sinus in one case.Primary osteosarcoma was found in 7 cases.Secondary osteosarcoma occurred from fibrous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma each in one case.On CT,the involved areas revealed bony destruction associated with ill-defined and irregular soft tissue mass.The lesion showed heterogeneous density with minimal or massive tumor bone formation,cloud-like in 3 cases,ivory-like in 2 cases,spicule-like in 2 cases,cloud- and spicule -like in one case and spicule- and ivory-like in one case.Postcontrast CT showed mild to moderate inhomogeneous enhancement in 3 cases.On MR T_1 WI,the lesions showed hypointensity compared to brain in 5 cases and iso-intensity in 2 cases.On T_2WI,the lesions showed heterogeneous hyperintensity in 4 cases and isointensity in 3 cases with marked hypointense foci which corresponded to tumor bone on CT.Postcontrast MR imaging demonstrated moderate to marked inhomogeneous enhancement in these cases.MRI showed accurately the extent and associated changes of the lesions.The lesions invaded the orbit,pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossae,skull base and extensive craniofacial structures in 5,4,3 cases and 1 case,respectively.Conclusion CT is the optimal modality in showing tumor bone of osteosareoma in paranasal sinus.MRI can demonstrate optimally the invading extent of the lesions.Combined imaging modalities can provide more comprehensive information for diagnosis and therapy of osteosarcoma in paranasal sinus.