Breath Tests ; methods ; Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Lung Volume Measurements ; Maximal Voluntary Ventilation ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Tidal Volume

Objective To evaluate the effect of pulmonary function test on infants with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods Forty-eight patients were divided into two groups based on physical examination. Pulmonary function were measured in 48 patients. Age-matched healthy infants were enrolled as controls. The parameters included ratio of volume to PEF to total expiratory volume(VPTEF/VE,tPTEF/tE),inspiratory time/expiratory time(TI/tE),inspiratory time/total respiratory time(TI/Ttot),ratio of 50% of the tital inspiratory flow to tital volume(TIF_ 50 /V_T),mean inspiratory flow(V_T/TI),function capacity(FRCp),resistance effective(Reff).Results TI/Ttot,ratio of 50% of the tital expiratory flow to 50% of the tital inspiratory flow(TEF_ 50 /TIF_ 50 ),FRCp,Reff were significantly higher in patients compared with controls(P

BACKGROUND: Although Becker's nevus (BN) is a relatively common disease, the systematic studies of clinicopathological and immunohistochemical results are poorly reported. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical alterations of keratinocyte proliferation, melanocyte density, smooth muscle hyperplasia and nerve fiber distribution in BN. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data were collected in 60 newly-diagnosed BN cases. Immunohistochemical stain of Ki-67, Melan-A, keratin 15, smooth muscle actin and protein gene product 9.5 was performed in 21 cases. RESULTS: The median diagnostic and onset age was 17 and 12 years, respectively. Skin lesions usually appeared on the upper trunk and upper limbs. The pathological features included the rete ridge elongation and fusion and basal hyperpigmentation. Epidermal Ki-67, Melan-A and keratin 15 expression and dermal nerve fiber length were significantly higher in lesional and perilesional skin than in normal skin (p<0.05~0.01), while smooth muscle actin expression was upregulated only in skin lesion (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Although the clinical diagnosis of BN is often straightforward, histopathology is helpful to differentiate from other pigmentary disorders. The hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, melanocytes, arrector pili muscle and dermal nerve fibers could be involved in the pathogenesis of BN.
Actins ; Age of Onset ; Diagnosis ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hyperplasia* ; Keratin-15 ; Keratinocytes* ; MART-1 Antigen ; Melanocytes* ; Muscle, Smooth* ; Nerve Fibers* ; Nevus* ; Skin ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and its clinical significance of estrogen receptor (ERα) and phosphorylated estrogen receptor (p-ERα) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The associations between ERα, p-ERα and IL-6 were also analyzed.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of ERα, p-ERα and IL-6 in tumor tissues from 77 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma. The relations between ERα and the clinical pathological parameters and prognosis were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe positive rates of ERα, p-ERα and IL-6 in hepatocellular carcinoma were 39.0% (30/77), 45.4% (35/77) and 72.7% (56/77), respectively. The expression of ERα and p-ERα were negatively correlated with the expression of IL-6 (r=-0.468, P<0.01; r=-0.370, P<0.01, respectively). The positive rate of ERα in patients with tumor size≤5 cm, serum level of alpha-fetoprotein<400 µg/L, with complete encapsulation and non-microvascular invasion was significantly higher than those with tumor size>5 cm, serum level of alpha-fetoprotein&ge;400 µg/L, non-complete encapsulation and with microvascular invasion (all P<0.05). The overall survival rates of ERα-positive and ERα-negative patients were 66.7% and 23.4% (P<0.05). And the disease-free survival rates of ERα-positive and ERα-negative patients were 83.3% and 57.4% (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe tumor biological features of ERα-positive patients are better than that of ERα-negative patients. The role of ERα in hepatocellular carcinoma may be related to IL-6 level.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphorylation ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo construct a stable nm23-H1-knock-down cell model with K562 cell line and study its differentiation toward megakaryocyte.

METHODSEukaryotic expression vector pSilencer 4.1-CMV-sinm23 expressing siRNA targeting nm23-H1 was transfected into K562 cells with lipofectamine2000. Cells with stably nm23-H1 silence were screened out by G418. Real-time quantitative PCR, immunocytochemistry, western blot were used to confirm the nm23-H1-knock-down K562 model. Cell differentiation capacity was detected by NBT reduction assay. Surface antigen Gp IIb-IIIa (CD41) of knock-down cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the ERK1/2 signal pathway after the stimulation of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate.

RESULTSEndogenous nm23-H1 was silenced by pSilencer 4.1-CMV-sinm23 and the silence efficiency was up to 75% and 70% in mRNA and protein levels respectively compared with the mock cells. Under phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment, the knock-down cells displayed a significantly increased differentiation ability toward megakaryocyte compared with control. The NBT reduction values were (0.31 +/- 0.07) and (0.23 +/- 0.05) respectively. Further results revealed that nm23-H1 gene regulating the megakaryocytic differentiation was due in part to the increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation.

CONCLUSIONSA stable nm23-H1-knock-down K562 cell model is successfully constructed. nm23-H1 involves in regulating the megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cell line.

Cell Differentiation ; genetics ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Megakaryocytes ; cytology ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases ; genetics ; RNA Interference

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of postoperative adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with residual tumor.

METHODSThe patients were classified into intervention group (with adjuvant TACE) and control group (without adjuvant TACE) who were further stratified to those with high risk (patients with single tumor > 5 cm in diameter, or with multiple tumors, invasion to blood vessels), and low risk factors. Univariate analysis and Cox model were used to analyse prognostic factors.

RESULTSIn low risk patients with residual tumor, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-year survival rate was 97.2%, 78.0%, 66.5% and 66.5% in the intervention group, and 91.2%, 81.4%, 70.3% and 54.4% in the control group, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in survival (log-rank P = 0.7667). Comparing with the control group, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-year survival rate was 89.5%, 73.4%, 59.2% and 53.8% in the intervention group, and 70.5%, 61.9%, 46.8% and 46.8% in the control group, respectively. Postoperative adjuvant TACE significantly prolonged the survival in high risk patients with residual tumor (P = 0.0029). Cox model revealed that the benefit of adjuvant TACE was significantly increased by the high risk factors in HCC patients with residual tumor.

CONCLUSIONThe beneficial effect of postoperative TACE was only observed in high risk patients with residual tumor but not in the low risk patients with residual tumor.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; mortality ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Hepatic Artery ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Survival Rate

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Benzylisoquinolines ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; SARS Virus ; drug effects ; Vero Cells

To compare the expansion efficiency and function of dendritic cells derived from CB-CD34+ cells and MPB-CD34+ cells by using two-step culture method, enriched CB-CD34+ cells or MPB-CD34+ cells with immunoadsorption were primarily cultured in the presence of FL, SCF, TPO, GM-CSF for 10 days, and then further cultured with a combination of GM-CSF, IL-4, TNF-alpha, CD40Ab and PGE2 to induce DC. The DC phenotypes were detected by flow cytometry, the expansion efficiency and cell function were evaluated by mix-lymphocyte reaction (MLR), IL-12 level was detected by using ELISA and the chemotactic function mediated by secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC) was determined with Transwell plate. The results indicated that after 10 days of expansion, there were no significant difference in the percentage of CD14+CD1a- cells between CB and MPB [(40.48 +/- 16.85)% vs (28.07 +/- 23.19)%, P > 0.05], but the expansion of total cells in CB was higher than that in MPB (388.88 +/- 84.63-fold vs 79.67 +/- 10.32-fold, P < 0.01), so the yield of CD14+CD1a- cells from CB was significantly higher than that from MPB too (189.42 +/- 25.02-fold vs 28.74 +/- 23.27-fold, P < 0.01). The percentage of CD83+ DCs cultured with CD40Ab/PGE2 derived from CB were higher than those cultured with TNF-alpha derived from MPB respectively [(34.52 +/- 11.22)% vs (3.70 +/- 2.27)% and (36.69 +/- 13.36)% vs (7.34 +/- 3.364)% respectively, P < 0.01]. In the same circumstance, the yield of CD83+ DCs derived from CB was much more than that from MPB (198.72 +/- 117.53 times vs 33.95 +/- 6.19 times, P < 0.01). There were no difference in stimulating capacity, IL-12 secretion and migration capacity between DCs derived from CB and MPB. It is concluded that DCs induced from CB-CD34+ cells by two-step culture possess similar functions with that from MPB-CD34+ cells, but the yield of DCs from CB CD34+ cells is much more than that from MPB CD34+ cells.
Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; Humans

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disease with many complications (eg, cardiovascular disease and acidosis and anemia) and high morbidity and mortality occurs in the population. There is no cure for this disease, current treatments including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathway inhibitors and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors can only delay the progression to end-stage renal disease. With the identification of more key factors and mechanisms in CKD development, new potential therapeutic approaches for CKD can be developed. This review summarizes the mainstays of therapy and strategies for CKD and related comorbidities to support the development of novel treatments.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome