Objective:To explore the relationship between periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD)by meas-uring changes of serum inflammatory cytokine levels.Methods:A total of 197 patients from our hospital were en-rolled,including CHD + periodontitis group (123 cases),pure CHD group (CHD group,39 cases)and pure peri-odontitis group (periodontitis group,35 cases).Another 45 healthy subjects were enrolled as healthy control group. Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6 (IL-6),serum amyloid-a (SAA),high sensitive C reactive protein (hsCRP)and plasma fibrinogen (Fg)were measured in all groups,and levels of above inflammatory cytokines were compared among four groups.Results:Compared with healthy control group,there were significant rise in levels of above inflammatory cytokines in CHD + periodontitis group (P<0.01 all),Com-pared with CHD group or periodontitis group,there were significant rise in levels of hsCRP [(6.52±2.03)mg/L, (4.34±1.76)mg/L vs.(9.21±2.65)mg/L],IL-6 [(65.32±21.01)ng/L,(65.12±12.34)ng/L vs.(85.76± 25.96)ng/L]and TNF-α[(9.75±3.74)ng/L,(9.34±4.55)ng/L vs.(13.46±8.12)ng/L],SAA [(2.25±1.2) pg/ml,(2.22 ±1.02)pg/ml vs. (2.85±1.45)pg/ml],P<0.05 all in CHD + periodontitis group;there were no significant difference in all serum inflammatory cytokine levels between CHD group and periodontitis group (P>0.05 all).Conclusion:Serum inflammatory cytokine levels significant rise in palients with periodontitis,it is related with coronary heart disease.

AIM: To explore transdifferentiation potential of Sca-1 + cells from murine fetal liver. METHODS: 2?10 3 of Sca-1 + cells from male murine fetal liver were transfused into female mouse irradiated lethally with ? ray from 60 Co source (10 Gy) via tail vein. Two months later, FISH and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the situation for transdifferentiating of the donor cells (male cells) in tissues of female recipient mouse. RESULTS: The renal tubular epitheliocyte-like and neurocyte-like cells with Y chromosome were found on the sections of renal and brain tissues from female recipient mice. These cells have phenotype characteristics of RCA+/CD - 45 F - 4/80 and NueN +/CD -45 F - 4/80, respectively. CONCLUSION: The evidence is provided for Sca-1 + cells from murine fetal liver to transdifferentiate into both renal and brain tissue cells.

In recent years,the basic research on liver fibrosis has been progressed rapidly.This article briefly reviews the cellular and molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis,including the origin of myofibroblasts,immune regulation,autophagy,and epigenetic regulation,and introduces several new therapeutic targets.More and more evidences show that successful removal of causes is the most important antifibrotic therapy.At present,although the antifibrotic drugs acting on different targets have been emerging,most of them are still in the early stage of research and development,and well-designed clinical trials are needed to confirm their clinical efficacy.

Objective To investigate the changes in serum leptin and adiponectin levels and their significance in patients with chronic hepa-titis B virus (HBV)infection.Methods One hundred and twenty -five patients with chronic HBV infection (44 HBeAg -positive cases, 31 HBeAg -negative cases of chronic hepatitis B,23 chronic HBV carriers,and 27 inactive HBsAg carriers)were recruited in the present study.Fifty -five healthy people served as the control group.Blood samples were collected at 8 to 9 AMof the next morning after overnight fasting.Blood glucose,blood lipids,renal and liver function parameters,fasting insulin,serum HBV markers,and HBV DNA concentration were determined,and HOMA -IR was calculated.Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were measured by ELISA.Continuous data were expressed as mean ±SD,and Student′s t -test,analysis of variance,linear regression analysis,and multiple regression analysis were ap-plied in the analysis of all experimental data.Results There were no significant differences in serum levels of leptin and adiponectin be-tween patients with chronic HBV infection and the control group (P =0.480;P =0.321),even after stratification by gender (males:P =0.210 /0.895;females:P =0.404 /0.066).After patients with chronic HBV infection were divided into subgroups by HBeAg status,HBV DNA,or ALT level,there were no significant differences in serum levels of leptin and adiponectin between groups (leptin:P =0.820 /0.296 /0.212;adiponectin:P =0.268 /0.760 /0.224).Conclusion For patients with chronic HBV infection,infection status and viral replication level are not significantly correlated with serum levels of leptin and adiponectin.

Objective To investigate the change and clinical value of serum procalcitonin (PCT ) in the patients with severe dia‐betic foot .Methods The serum PCT level was detected before treatment and at 1 ,2 weeks of treatment in 86 patients with severe diabetic foot .Results With the infection severity aggravating before treatment ,the elevation of PCT was more significant .The PCT level after 1 week treatment showed a decreasing trend ,but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0 .05);in the patients with Wagner grade 3-5 ,the PCT level after 2 week treatment showed a obvious decreasing trend ,moreover the difference was sta‐tistically significant(P<0 .05) .Conclusion PCT could serve as one of sensitive indexes to judge the outcome in the patients with diabetic foot .

Objective To evaluate the value of left ventricular Tei index for diagnosis of congestive heart failure(CHF)in elderly patients. Methods One hundred and thirty-eight elderly patients suggestive of CHF and 30 healthy middle-aged individuals were enrolled, Tei index, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and early to late diastolic mitral flow velocity ratio (E/A) were echocardiographically detected. Tei index in elderly patients with and without CHF, and healthy middle-aged individuals was determined, and then the diagnostic value of the above 3 parameters for CHF in elderly patients were evaluated. Results Tei index was singnificantly increased in patients with CHF compared with patients without CHF (0.77?0.14 vs 0.45?0.10,P

AIM: To study the effect of acute renal failure (ARF) on the differentiated frequency of Sca-1+ cells from murine fetal liver in irradiated mice. METHODS: The Sca-1+ cells from murine fetal liver were isolated with magnetic cell sorting (MACS) technique, the sex of which was identified by PCR. The 2?104 Sca-1+ cells were transplanted into a lethally irradiated ([ 60Co], 8 Gy) inbred female mouse. After 8 weeks, these recipient mice were divided to A, B, and C groups at random (A group: irradiated; B group: ARF; C group: ARF and Sca-1+). The mice in B and C groups were induced to ARF with 50% (V/V) glycerin (11.6 mL/kg). 72 hours later, the mice in C group were injected with the fresh prepared Sca-1+ cells again. 8 weeks later, mice were sacrificed, and their kidneys were taken out, fixed and slices were prepared. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of renal slices was performed and the pictures of them were taken and analyzed. RESULTS: The cells containing Y chromosome were found in renal slices from the mice in A, B and C groups, which located in epithelial cells of renal tubules, interstitium, glomeruli, and glomerular margin and increased gradually. The double and encircle zone of Y chromosome cells were found in the slices from the mice in B and C groups separately, which was consist of new renal tubules. The differentiation frequency of Sca-1+ cells in kidney in A, B and C groups were (1.65?0.18)%, (8.58?1.34)% and (18.13?1.91)%, respectively, which showed significant difference between former group and later group (P

Objective To study the effects of atorvastatin on expression of lysyl oxidase(LOX) in myocardial tissue of rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and its mechanism.Methods Thirty DCM SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups:DCM group,treatment group (atorvastain 2 mg · kg-1 · d-1 by gastric gavage) and β-aminopropionitrile group(β-aminopropionitrile 80 mg · kg-1 · d-1 by gastric gavage),10 cases in each group.Other 10 SD rats were selected as the control group.At the end of week 8,the rats were killed for extracting the myocardial tissue RNA and protein.Expression levels of LOX,MMP-2 and NF-κB mRNAs and proteins in myocardial tissue of DCM rats were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot.Results The expression levels of LOX,MMP-2 and NF-κB mRNAs and proteins in the DCM group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.01),and compared with the DCM group,the expression of BAPN LOX,MMP-2 and NF-κB mRNA and proteins in the treatment group were significantly deceased (P＜0.01).Conclusion Atorvastatin can reverse the expression of LOX in myocardial tissue of DCM rat,and then may regulate the expression of MMP-2 and NF-κB.

0.05). Conclusion Brachytherapy ,when used to increase the dose effect,may enhance the local effect without any change in the overall survival.

Objective:To explore potential differentiation from antigen-1 positive stem cells (Sca-1 +cells) in murine fetal liver tissue into cardiomyocytes in vivo. Methods: Sca-1 + cells from the murine fetal liver of 14.5 d were separated by Magnetic cell sorting (MACS).The sequence of the sex determination region of the Y chromosome was determined by PCR.Sca-1 + cells (2?10 3) of male mice were transfused to female mice receiving 8-12 weeks irradiation at a lethal dose of ?-ray(10 Gy) from a 60Co source.Two months later,the mice were killed and the hearts were removed to make slices. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) tests with a Y chromosome probe were used to detect sex of the cells.Immunohistochemistry with antibodies of desmin,Flt-1,white blood cell common antigen CD45 and macrophage F 4/80 were used to detect tissue characteristics of cardiomyocytes. Results: Cells with Y chromosome were found in the cardiomyocytes of female mice transplanted with Sca-1 + cells,and showed phenotypic characteristics of Desmin +/Flt-1-/CD45-/F- 4/80 at the same time.Conclusion: Sca-1 + cells from the murine fetal liver are mostly hematopoietic stem cells,having the potential of differentiating into cardiomyocytes.