Objective To investigate the effect of taurine on proliferation / apoptosis of rat hepatic stellate cells in culture and the possible mechanism involved. Methods Rat hepatic stellate cells were incubated with different concentration of taurine. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT colorimetric assay, cell cycle and apoptosis were analysed by flow cytometry, apoptotic morphology was examined by vital staining of acridine orange, c-jun and c-fos expression was determined by immunocytochemistry and computer video text analysis system. Results Administration of 5-50 mmol/L taurine into culture medium had no toxicity to hepatic stellate cells, but could significantly inhibit hepatic stellate cell proliferation in dose-dependent manner, increase the number of cell in G 0/G 1 phase and decrease the numbers in S phase. Taurine could also markedly inhibit c-jun and c-fos expressions ( P

600kU/L group,10%(2/20) of patients suffering from tuberculous peritonitis were positive in the serum test,while 25%(5/20)in ascites,while in liver cirrhosis,the positive rate was 10%(2/20)in serum and 15%(3/20)in ascites.In CA 125

Objective To improve the diagnosis and management of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Methods Clincal data of 78 cases of PBC patients were reviewed. The clinical manifestations,the results of laboratory tests,and response to therapy in all the PBC patients were analysed retrospectively. Results Among 78 patients 68 were female. The mean age was 50.4?9.3years at the time when definite diagnosis was made. The major symptoms in these patients were pruritus,fatigability,and jaundice. The major signs included hepatomegaly,splenomegaly,and ascites. Very high levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT),hyperbilirubinemia,and hypergammaglobulinemia were also detected in most of the patients. The aminotransferase levels were only slightly elevated,but the AST/ALT ratio was reversed. It took 12 months (ranging from 2 months to 10 years) to confirm the diagnosis after the onset of clinical manifestations. Ursodeoxycholic acid reduced the serum levels of ALP and bilirubin in 80% of patients and improved the symptom of pruritus and fatigability in 73.4% of patients. Conclusion PBC mainly affects middle-aged women with hepatosplenomegaly, jaundice,pruritus and fatigability as presenting features. Liver function tests typically revealed a cholestatic pattern accompanied by hypergammaglobulinemia and a positive antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) including M2 subtype (AMA-M2). Ursodeoxycholic acid could improve the abnormal liver function tests and clinical symptoms in PBC patients.

Objective:To determine the expression level of bone morphogenetic proteins-4 (BMP-4) and the relationship between the expression of BMP-4 and the clinical/pathological parameters in patients with gastric cancer. Methods:Using im-munohistochemical staining technique ,expressions of BMP-4 were investigated in different tissues from 90 gastric cancer specimens and 30 specimens from normal gastric mucosa as control. ResultS:The positive rate of BMP-4 was 23. 3% (21/90) in gastric cancer and 3. 3% (1/30) in normal gastric mucosa. The expression of BMP-4 in gastric cancer was closely related with locus, serosa infiltration,cell differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P

The thymic cortex is the important site for thymocyte differentiation, maturation and selection. Direct cell-cell interactions between thymocytes and distinct stromal cells are an important pattern to demonstrate the essential role in T-cell development. In order to approach the mechanism of their interactions, ultrastructural cytochemical localization of 5'-nucleotidase activity in the thymic cortex of BALB/c mice were investigated by means of Robinson and Karnovsky method using 5'-AMP or 5'-IMP as the substrate, cerium as the capture agent, and levamisol (an inhibitor of nonspecific alkaline phosphatase) was also used. The cytochemical distribution of the reaction products from both the 5'-AMPase and 5'-IMPase activity was essentially similar. The enzyme activity was localized on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane of the epithelial reticular cells and some thymocytes, especially on their contact faces with each other. 5'-nucleotidase activity was also found in the lysosomes of macrophages and in the vacuoles, and vesicles near the plasma membrane and some lysosomes of epithelial reticular cells. The biological significance of the 5'-nucleotidase in thymic cortex was discussed.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of tumour markers and serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) in diagnosis of malignant ascites. Methods One hundred and fourteen patients with ascites, who were admitted to the hospital between Jan. 2005 and Jan. 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into malignant (n = 39) or benign (12 with tuberculosis and 93 with aseptic liver cirrhosis) ascites groups according to the etiology. The distribution of tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9 and CA125) and SAAG in both groups were analyzed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was constructed. Results The tumor markers and SAAG were found both in malignant ascites group and benign ascites group. The concentrations of CEA and CA19-9 in serum and ascites were higher in malignant ascites group than in benign ascites group. The SAAG in malignant ascites group was significantly lower than that in patients with liver cirrhosis (P<0.05), but had no difference in comparison with tuberculosis patients (P>0. 05). There was no difference in level of CA125 in serum or ascites between malignant ascites group and benign ascites group (P>0.05). The area under the curve of ascitic fluid CEA, CA19-9 and SAAG were 0.79, 0.82 and 0.85, respectively. The cutoff values of ascitic fluid CEA, CA19-9 and SAAG were optimally chosen at 1.45 μ/L, 19.50 μ/L and 13. 50 g/L, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 78.1% in CEA, 74.4% and 84.8% in CA19-9, as well as 82.9% and 84.6% in SAAG.The combination of ascitic fluid CA19-9 with SAAG could increase the specificity to 97.14%, but decrease the sensitivity to 61.54%. Conclusion It is feasible to achieve optimum combination of biochemical indicators using ROC in differential diagnosis of malignant ascites from benign ascites.

Objective To observe the effect of hot compress with medicinal salt pack in preventing PICC-associated mechanical phlebitis.Method Totally 200 inpatients undergone PICC intubation were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 100 cases in each group. After PICC intubation, the treatment group was intervened by hot compress with medicinal salt pack, while the control group was by hot compress with warm wet towel. The occurrence of mechanical phlebitis was observed at different time points and compared between the two groups. Result The occurrence rate of mechanical phlebitis was 9.0% in the treatment group versus 26.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In the treatment group, the occurrence rate of mechanical phlebitis was respectively 6.0% and 3.0% when treatment≤72 h and>72 h, versus 16.0% and 10.0% in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Hot compress with medicinal salt pack can effectively reduce the occurrence of PICC-associated mechanical phlebitis.

Objective: To study the inhibition effect of agaro-oligosaccharide (AOS) on neovascularization and its mechamism. Method: The anti-angiogenic effect in vivo was evaluated on chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Cytotoxic activity of AOS was demonstrated by inhibition of several human cell lines by MTT assay. The apoptosis of HUVECs induced by AOS was examined by Hoechst staining assay and quantified by flowcytometry. Results: In CAM, AOS caused dose-dependent decrease on the vascular density and adversely affected capillary plexus formation. Different cytotoxic sensitivities were observed for AOS towards several kinds of cell lines, and HUVECs were more sensitive. Moreover, the growth inhibitory activity was correlated with induction of apoptosis. Flowcytometric analysis also revealed that AOS arrested the cell cycle progression at S phase. Conclusion: Agaro-oligosaccharide possesses the anti-angiogenic effects, which are associated with apoptosis induction of endothelial cells.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects of taurine combined with silybin meglumine in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Methods One hundred patients with NASH were divided into two groups with 50 for each. The patients in the control group received polyene phosphatidyl choline (456 mg) combined with silybin meglumine (100 mg) 3 times daily for 24 weeks. While those in the treatment group received taurine (2 g) combined with silybin meglumine (100 mg) 3 times daily for 24 weeks. All patients were asked to take up basic therapy including drinking without alcohol, restricting sugary and fatty intake, improving food structure, carrying moderate aerobics and lightening body weight. Results At the end of 24 weeks, the clinical symptoms and the liver function ameliorated in two groups. Ultrasonic or CT examination showed that the steatohepatitits was improved significantly in two groups. Additionally, the levels of blood glucose, serum triglyceride and cholesterol as well as BMI decreased simultaneously (all P value <0. 05). Whereas the treatment group was superior to control group in aspect of amelioration of inappetite, nausea and vomiting as well as lever of serum triglyceride (all P value <0. 05). There was no side effect in the treatment group. Conclusion Based on the basic therapy, taurine combined with silybin meglumine can mitigate the degree of NASH, improve the metabolism of blood glucose and lipid with few side-effects.

Objective To study the effect of exogenous non secreted human urokinase type plasminogen activator(uPA) gene on the production of collagen in activated hepatic stellate cells(HSC) after delivery by replication deficient recombinant adenovirus vector. Methods Non secreted human uPA was inserted into the replication deficient recombinant adenoviruses AduPA in bacteria. After infected by AduPA, the expression of uPA in HSC cell line HSC T6 was detected by Northern blot and immunocytochemical staining, and the level of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) in the supernatant of cultured HSC T6 cells was measured by ELISA. In addition, immunocytofluorescent staining was carried out to evaluate the effect of AduPA on the production of collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ in HSC after exogenous uPA gene delivery. Results 5?10 11 efu/ml titer of AduPA was obtained in the HSC infected with the recombinated virus. Northern blot and immunocytochemical staining showed that the expression of uPA in HSC increased significantly on the third day after infection with the AduPA. The level of MMP 2 in the supernatant of the cultured HSC was (274.45?7.63) pg/ml, which was higher than that in the control [(145.85?6.58) pg/ml, P