Animal Feed ; Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Cadmium ; analysis ; DNA ; analysis ; Hepatocytes ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Selenium ; analysis

Objective To evaluate the effect of heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF)on liver regeneration after partial orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods Fourty SD rats were used to establish the model of partial orthotopic liver transplantation with ameliorated two-cuff technique.Then all the rats were divided into 2 groups:experiment group and control group.Twenty rats of experiment group were adminis- tered 500?g/kg HB-EGF via vena caudalis immediately after operation twice a day,while the same volume of saline was administered to the rats in control group.Five rats in each group were selected randomly and killed at the 6th hour,day 2,4 and 7 after operation,respectively.The serum levels of albumin(Alb)and alanine aminotransferase (ALT)in the blood sample were detected.Every liver was removed and weighed.The expression of Ki-67 was de- tected by using immunohistochemistry assay.The regeneration activity of hepatocytes was evaluated by flow cytom- etry.Results The wet weights of liver in experiment group were all significantly higher than that in control group at the 6th hour,day 2 and 4 after transplantation(P

Objective:To investigate the expression of Fas、FasL and the apoptosis of liver cancer cell line HepG2 transfected with LIGHT and IFN-? gene mediated by Cationic liposome.Methods:HepG2 cells were divided into two groups(the solo transfection of LIGHT gene and the combined transfection of LIGHT and IFN-? genes) and the control groups(no transfection).HepG2 cells were cellected at 12h,24h and 48h after transfection.The apoptosis of HepG2 cells and the expression of Fas and FasL of the HepG2 cells were investigated with flow cytometry.Results:After transfection,the apoptosis of HepG2 cells increased,and the apoptosis of combined transfection group was higher than the solo transfection of LIGHT(P

CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; biosynthesis ; Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of mRNA transcriptional and protein expressions of protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) on the development of arsenic liver injury caused by coal-burning.

METHODSPopulation study:133 arsenic exposures were selected as arsenic exposure groups including the ward non-patient group (25 cases) , no obvious hepatopathy group (38 cases) , mild (43 cases) and moderate to severe hepatopathy group (27 cases) from the area with endemic arsenism in Guizhou province. Another 34 healthy residents were selected as the control group in non-arsenic pollution village. The urine and peripheral blood were collected from the subjects. The arsenic contents in urine and mRNA expressions of PKCδ in peripheral blood were detected. Animal experiment study:thirty wistar rats were randomly by random number table divided into control group, drinking water arsenic poisoning group and coal-burning arsenic poisoning group (i.e., low, medium and high arsenic contaminated grain group) by random number table method, including 6 rats in each group. The control group was fed normally for 3 months, drinking water arsenic poisoning group and coal-burning arsenic poisoning groups were fed respectively with 10 mg/kg As2O3 solution and different concentrations (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) of arsenic-containing feed which was persisted 3 months. The arsenic contents in urine, mRNA expression levels of PKCδ in peripheral blood and liver tissue and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated protein kinase Cδ(pPKCδ) in liver tissue were detected.

RESULTSThe median(quartile) of arsenic contents in urine were 25.58 (18.62-40.73), 56.66 (38.93-76.77), 64.90 (39.55- 98.37) and 75.47 (41.30-109.70) µg/g Cr respectively for the non-patient group, no obvious hepatopathy group, mild and moderate to severe hepatopathy group. The levels were higher than that in the control group (23.34 (17.84-37.45) µg/g Cr) (P < 0.05), except for the ward non-patient group. The arsenic contents in rat urine were 2223.61 (472.98-3976.73), 701.16 (194.01-1300.27), 1060.94 (246.33-2585.47) and 3101.11 (1919.97-5407.07) µg/g Cr, respectively for the drinking water arsenic poisoning group, the low, medium and high dosage arsenic grain contamination groups, all higher than that in the control group (94.32 (22.65-195.25) µg/g Cr) (P < 0.05) . The protein expressions of pPKCδ in liver tissue were 324.83 ± 25.06, 278.50 ± 30.57, 308.83 ± 34.67 and 326.33 ± 35.09, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (240.17 ± 28.07) (P < 0.05) . The protein expression levels of pPKCδ in liver cell membrane were 0.49 ± 0.06,0.33 ± 0.05,0.37 ± 0.06 and 0.50 ± 0.08, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (0.28 ± 0.04) (P < 0.05) . The protein expression levels of pPKCδ in liver cell cytoplasm were 0.38 ± 0.06,0.31 ± 0.05, 0.35 ± 0.05 and 0.36 ± 0.05, which were significantly higher than that in the control group (0.24 ± 0.05) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe arsenic may regulate protein expressions of pPKCδ and induce its membrane translocation, and cause the development of arsenic liver injury caused by coal-burning.

Animals ; Arsenic ; urine ; Arsenic Poisoning ; epidemiology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Coal ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; enzymology ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; enzymology ; etiology ; Male ; Protein Kinase C-delta ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

AIMTo detect the expression of VASA in human ejaculated spermatozoa, and to compare the expression of VASA between normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia.

METHODSEjaculated spermatozoa were collected from normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia by masturbation, and subsequently segregated through a discontinuous gradient of Percoll to obtain the spermatozoa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative RT-PCR (QRT-PCR), immunoflurescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of VASA in mRNA and protein levels.

RESULTSVASA mRNA was expressed in the ejaculated spermatozoa. QRT-PCR analysis showed that VASA mRNA level was approximately 5-fold higher in normozoospermic men than that in oligozoospermic men. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis showed that VASA protein was located on the cytoplasmic membrane of heads and tails of spermatozoa, and its expression was significantly decreased in oligozoospermic men, which is similar to the result of QRT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of VASA mRNA and protein was significantly decreased in the sperm of oligozoospermic men, which suggested the lower expression of the VASA gene might be associated with pathogenesis in some subtypes of male infertility and VASA could be used as a molecular marker for the diagnosis of male infertility.

Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Male ; Oligospermia ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; metabolism

Objective To summarize the prevention and control of endemic arsenism in Qianxinan state of Guizhou Province in 30 years,so as to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of arsenic poisoning. Methods According to the documentary information of endemic arsenism in Qianxinan state of Guizhou Province of 1976-2005.and the data from samples monitoring of published article,to discuss the general situation of prevention and control by time sequence.Results There were 3 large outbreaks in Xingren County in 1976.in Jiaole District in 1991,in Xingyi City and Anlong County in 1992-1994 with 877,1548 and 594 patients respcctively.The arsenic quantities of various areas of burning-coal were 3361,2130,352 and 2150 mg/kg,which were obviouslv above national standards(1 00 mg/kg).The arsenic quantities of samples were 1.34,1.34,0.71 and 0.39 mg/L in urine,and 53.50,53.50,58.60 and 12.60 mg/kg in hair.The national standards of the two samples were 0.17 mg/L and 0.28 mg/kg.The dead causes of 236 arsenism decedent were 45.3%(107/236)cancer,26.3% (62/236)hepatocirrhosis ascites,5.9%(14/230)lung-cardiopathy in 1992-2000.Other systemic damages were found.Conclusions Reducing the use of high-arsenic coal is crucial in prevention of endemic arsenism.Only the long-term mechanism is established and the strong prevention and control measures are formulated,the occurrence of endemic arsenism can be effectively controlled.

OBJECTIVETo analyze and evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus and low-dose steroids in the treatment of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in children.

METHODTwenty-one children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome enrolled from October 2008 to July 2010 into this retrospective longitudinal study received oral tacrolimus treatment, 0.1 to 0.15 mg/kg per day and once every 12 hours, and prednisone 0.2 to 0.75 mg/kg per day simultaneously. During the treatment, the plasma concentration of tacrolimus, urine volume, urine, serum creatinine and liver function were regularly monitored.

RESULTAfter 1 to 3 months treatment, 14 cases showed complete remission and 7 cases had partial remission. Sixteen patients received renal biopsy, of whom 6 revealed minimal change nephropathy with complete remission in 3 cases, 3 cases had partial remission;4 cases revealed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with 2 complete remission and 2 partial remission; other 5 children with IgM nephropathy and 1 mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis achieved complete remission. Within treatment period, 6 patients presented transient adverse reactions, without altering the principle treatment strategy, but only taking the symptomatic treatment. During follow-up, 1 case was lost to follow-up and the remaining 20 cases were followed up from 2 months to 21 months. In 4 patients the disease relapsed within 1st-year follow-up, while at 2nd-year follow-up, 4 cases had (6 times) recurrence.

CONCLUSIONTacrolimus showed a reliable effect in children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Less adverse reactions were seen, and most of them could be tolerated. Nevertheless, the patients had a higher relapse rate after 1 to 2 years treatment. Therefore, the long-term effects of tacrolimus for steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome remains to be further evaluated.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Prednisone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Tacrolimus ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the perioperative clinical outcome and predictive factors for perioperative complication morbidity and mortality.

METHODSFrom August 2003 to August 2008, the data of 338 cases of hepatectomy performed in the liver transplant center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University was collected in a prospective manner. The patients' perioperative clinical risk factors and results were analyzed.

RESULTSIn the 338 hepatectomy cases, 255 patients (75.4%) underwent precise anatomical hepatectomy. The overall perioperative complication morbidity was 18.1%, while the perioperative mortality was 0.6%. In a total of 211 (62.4%) cases, the operation was carried out without blood transfusion. Univariate analysis revealed that cirrhotic liver, thrombocytopenia, blood loss in operation > 1000 ml, blood transfusion in operation and several other factors were closely related with the incidence rate of complication. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that thrombocytopenia and perioperative blood transfusion were important independently predictive factors for the occurrence of perioperative complications in hepatectomy.

CONCLUSIONSPrecise hepatectomy enables patients to obtain better clinical outcome with low complication morbidity and perioperative mortality. Reducing hemorrhage is an important factor that lead to good clinical results.

Blood Loss, Surgical ; prevention & control ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; mortality ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Logistic Models ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thrombocytopenia

OBJECTIVETo develop quality of life questionnaire of Chinese medicine for postoperative patients with colorectal cancer (QLQ-CMPPCC), thus comprehensively and objectively evaluating the clinical efficacy of Chinese medicine and pharmacy in treating postoperative patients with colorectal cancer (CC).

METHODSThe theoretical structure model of the questionnaire was addressed in combined with basic theories of Chinese medicine according to the principle of WHO quality of life (QOL). The primary questionnaire was developed using methods of structuralization policy making after we extensively retrieve various universal and specific questionnaires for CC cancer patients at home and abroad. The 205 CC patients were tested by questionnaire. The items were screened using experts grading method, item selection analysis, dispersion trends of standard deviation, t-test, correlation coefficient method, factor analysis,and Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTSThe QLQ-CMPPCC was developed containing four domains of physical, psychological, independence, and social functions, involving 20 aspects and 54 items. Of them, non-fistula patients answered 43 items and fistula patients answered 46 items. One item covered the general QOL evaluation.

CONCLUSIONSQLQ-CMPPCC showed Chinese medical features. It comprehensively reflected the connotation of QOL for postoperative CC patients. It could be taken as a tool for evaluating Chinese medical efficacy for postoperative CC patients.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Postoperative Period ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome