Background:Excessive immune cell activation-inflammatory factor theory is one of the most important pathogenic mechanisms of acute pancreatitis(AP). As the release of inflammatory factors is associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome,seeking of serum cytokine markers for severity assessment of AP is of great clinical importance. Aims:To determine the dynamic changes of interleukin-6(IL-6),hepatocyte growth factor(HGF),and angiopoietin-2(Ang-2) in peripheral blood of AP patients in the first week after admission,and investigate preliminarily the clinical significance of these markers in AP. Methods:Seventy-two AP patients were prospectively recruited from Apr. 2014 to Oct. 2014 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and were assigned into three groups:mild AP(MAP,n = 54),moderately severe AP(MSAP,n = 12)and severe AP(SAP,n = 6)according to the Atlanta classification of AP-2012. Thirty healthy subjects were served as controls. Serum levels of IL-6,HGF and Ang-2 were determined by ELISA on the 1st,3rd and 7th day after admission. Results:In the first week after admission,serum levels of IL-6,HGF and Ang-2 were significantly higher in AP patients than in controls(P < 0. 05). In MAP group,all three markers were gradually decreased in the first week;while in MSAP group,IL-6 was gradually increased,Ang-2 was gradually decreased,and HGF decreased after reaching the peak;in SAP group,IL-6 decreased after reaching the peak and HGF and Ang-2 increased again after a decrease. Serum levels of IL-6,HGF and Ang-2 were higher in MSAP group and SAP group than in MAP group at all the time points,but no statistically significant differences were observed between MSAP group and SAP group(P > 0. 05). Conclusions:IL-6,HGF and Ang-2 might play important roles in the pathogenesis of AP,and being the promising serum markers for severity assessment and dynamic monitoring of AP.

Objective To study the prevalence of thyroid diseases in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and to analyze the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) with lupus nephritis (LN).Methods A total of 813 hospitalized SLE patients were retrospectively analyzed.The demographic,clinical and biochemical data were collected.The prevalence of different thyroid diseases was calculated.Among all patients,83 patients with SCH and 562 patients without any thyroid diseases were recruited according to thyroid hormone,thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and anti-thyroid antibodies levels.Case control study was performed to explore the potential risk factors for SCH in SLE.T test,Mann-Whitney U test,x2 test and Logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis.Results Among the 813 patients,13 (1.6％) had clinical hypothyroidism,83(10.2％) had SCH,13 (1.6％) had central hypothyroidism,27(3.3％) had autoimmunethyroid disease (AITD),10 (1.2％) had hyperthyroidism,95 (11.7％) had euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) and 11 (1.4％) had nodules.SCH was more frequent in patients with LN (13.7％,50/366) than those without LN [7.4％(33/447),x2=8.654,P＜0.01].Meanwhile,prevalence of LN was also significantly higher in SCH group in case control study [60.2％(50/83) vs 42.9％(241/562),x2=8.800,P＜0.01].Besides,SLE patients with SCH had more severe proteinuria,hypoalbuminemia,and hyperlipidemia,which were complications of LN.In addition,the SCH group presented significantly higher anti-dsDNA antibody positive rate [50.6％(42/83) vs 33.7％(212/562),x2=5.026,P＜0.01].In Logistic regression models,24-hour urine protein and serum creatinine was retained as independent correlated factors with SCH after adjusted for demographic variables,risk factors,and other potential confounders.The presence of SCH was associated with increased 24-hour urine protein levels,occurring in 10.4％ of subjects with 24-hour urine protein ≤ 150 mg,11.9％ with 24-hour urine protein 150.1-1 500 mg,17.2％ with 24-hour urine protein 1 500.1-3 500 mg,and d24.4％ with 24-hour urine protein ＞3 500 mg (P＜0.05 for trend).In addition,when eGFR ≥30 ml·min-1· 1.73 m-2,the prevalence of SCH was increased as eGFR decreased:occurring in 12.8％ with eGFR ≥90 ml·min-1· 1.73 m-2,12.6％ with eGFR 60-89.9 ml·min-1· 1.73 m-2 and 20.0％ with eGFR 30-59.9 ml ·min-1· 1.73 m-2.Conclusion Thyroid diseases are common in SLE patients,and SCH is closely related with LN and disease activity.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) identified as an effective treatment for ultimate knee joint disease can effectively relieve pain, correct deformity, improve knee function and enhance the quality of life of patients. Patient satisfaction has been increasingly considered as an important factor in evaluating the success of primary TKA. Anterior knee pain that usually appears in the region of the anterior knee is a recognized complaint for primary TKA and has a strong impact on the improvement of knee function and patient satisfaction of primary TKA. Accordingly, the relief of anterior knee pain has become one of the primary goals of primary TKA. At present, soft tissue lesions around the patellar caused by patellar maltracking and the elevation of internal pressure in subchondral bone because of the high contact stress of patellofemoral joint are both considered as the mechanism of anterior knee pain. For the past few years,on increasing number of studies have focused on the prevention of anterior knee pain following primary TKA. However, none of the past treatment such as patellar resurfacing, patellar denervation without patellar resurfacing or a mobile-bearing prosthesis has a good and affirmative effect on it. The prevention and treatment of anterior knee pain following primary TKA still is a difficult solved problem. To address this problem, we need further researches about the cause of anterior knee pain, knee joint prosthesis and biomechanics of patellofemoral joint, as well as lots of randomized controlled trials.
Arthralgia ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; surgery ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Objective To observe the expression of STEAP4 gene(a novel obesity-related gene) during the period of human preadipocyte differentiation and to explore the relationship between the STEAP4 gene expression and adipocytes differentiation,adipogenesis.Methods Human preadipocytes were cultured and differentiated into the matured adipocytes in vitro.Adipocytes morphology and lipid accumulation were observed during this process.Total RNA was extracted from adipocytes at various time points (preadipocyte,Day 0,Day 4,Day 6,Day 8,Day 11,Day 14,and Day 17) and the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression was measured by fluorescent real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polyme-rase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The level of STEAP4 mRNA expression remained high in preadipocytes.In the presence of differentiation medium (Day 4),there was a transient upregulation in the expression of STEAP4 gene.After that,with the human preadipocytes being differentiated into matured adipocytes,the expression of STEAP4 mRNA was downregulated and reached the lowest level in fully differentiated adipocytes.There was a significant difference between any 2 detected phases in the level of STEAP4 mRNA expression (Pa

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Among its various active components, glycyrrhizic acid is believed to be the marker component. Squalene synthase (SQS) and beta-amyrin synthase (beta-AS) are key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of glycyrrhizic acid in G uralensis. To reveal the effects of co-expression of SQS1 and beta-AS genes on this pathway, 7 yeast expression vectors harboring different SQS1 variants and beta-AS were constructed and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as fusion proteins. TLC and GC-MS results showed that co-expression of SQS1 and beta-AS enhanced the accumulation of beta-amyrin. The effects of SQS12 were more obvious than the other two SQS1 variants. This study is significant for further investigations concerned with exploring the biosynthesis of glycyrrhizic acid in vitro and strengthening the efficacy of G. uralensis by means of increasing the content of glycyrrhizic acid.
Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; genetics ; Intramolecular Transferases ; metabolism ; Oleanolic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; metabolism

Aged ; Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of EUS in rectal cancer restaging after neoadjuvant therapy. Methods EUS staging was performed after neoadjuvant therapy in 61 patients who were diagnosed as having local advanced rectal cancer. All patients underwent subsequent surgi-cal resection and complete pathologic staging. Results Compared with pathological staging, the total accura-cy of post-therapy EUS T-staging was 59.0% (36/61). The T-overstaging rate was 36.1% (22/61) and un-derstaging rate was 4.9% (3/61). Accuracy of EUS N-staging was 68.9% (42/61), N-overstaging and un-derstaging rates were 14.7% (9/61) and 16.4% (10/61), respectively. Conclusion The accuracy of EUS restaging for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy is relatively low.

Aim To investigate the role of captopril in insulin resistance of endothelial cells induced by high glucose.Methods 1 .Improvement effect of captopril on insulin resistance in HUVECs was observed.The HUVECs were seeded in a 6-well plate and were ran-domly divided into 5 groups,namely,control group, IR group,IR together with different Cap concentrations (low,medium and high concentration),respectively. 2.Improvement effect of Cap on insulin resistance was mediated by PPARγin HUVECs.HUVECs were ran-domly divided into 6 groups,namely,control group, control +PPARγinhibitor (PI)(1 .0 μmol · L -1 ) group,IR group,IR +PI(1 .0 μmol·L -1 )group,IR +Cap(1 ×1 0 -5 mol·L -1 ) group,and IR +Cap +PI (1 .0 μmol·L -1 )group.All indicators were detected. Results After HUVECs were incubated with media containing 33 mmol·L -1 of glucose for 48 h,the NO levels were significantly decreased while ET-1 levels were significantly elevated,showing a significant differ-ence between IR group and control group (P <0.01 ). The expression levels of PPARγmRNA and its protein were somewhat up-regulated,but there was no signifi-cant difference between IR group and control group (P>0.05).When the HUVECs in IR group were treated with DMEM containing glucose (33 mmol·L -1 )for 48 h and insulin for 30 min,the expression levels of PPARγmRNA and its protein in Cap groups were simi-lar to those in the IR group,and there was no signifi-cant difference between the two groups (P >0.05 );however, the expression levels of phosphorylated PPARγprotein in Cap groups were increased compared with IR group (P <0.05).The levels of NO were sig-nificantly increased whereas the levels of ET-1 were decreased in Cap groups,which had significant differ-ences compared with IR group (P <0.05).Nonethe-less,pre-treating with GW9662,a PPARγinhibitor, the improvement effects of Cap were markedly abol-ished.Conclusions Captopril could improve high glucose-induced insulin resistance of endothelial cells mediated by PPARγ,and the underlying mechanisms are related to the activation of PPARγ,rather than its expression.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Chuanxiong-Chatiao San in treatment hemicrania. Methods All patients were randomly recruited into a control group (75cases) and a treatment group (78 cases). The control group was treated with Gastrodin injection, Ligustrazine injection and Mailuoning injection; on this basis, the treatment group was treated with Chuanxiong-Chatiao powder. Both groups were treated for 14 days with a 7 days interval. Results The excellent rate and effective rate were 91.03% and 96.08% in the treatment group respectively; and 70.66% and 94.67% in the control group respectively. The difference between the two groups was significant (χ2= 12.7143,P<0.01) . Conclusion Chuanxiong-Chatiao powder combined with western medicine is effective in treating hemicrania.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the fungal composition in Massa Medicata Fermentata based on culture dependent method and independent PCR-SSCP technique.

METHODFungi were directly isolated from Massa Medicata Fermentata samples. The obtained strains were identified according to morphology and DNA sequence. Meanwhile the total fungal DNA was extracted from Massa Medicata Fermentata samples, the cultural independent PCR-SSCP technique based on β-tubulin gene were used to identify the mycobiota.

RESULTAccording to cultural method, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus oryzae were present in Massa Medicata Fermentata samples, while A. flavus and A. niger were present in fried Massa Medicata Fermentata samples. In contrast, 5 species were obtained by PCR-SSCP technique, A. flavus was overlapped with fungal taxa derived from culture dependent method; A. ambiguu and A. s ivoriensis were dominant with relative abundance of 57% and 35% respectively, while the relative abundance of A. flavus was as low as 4%. None species was obtained from fried Massa Medicata Fermentata samples.

CONCLUSIONPCR-SSCP based on β-tubulin gene could distinguish fungi into species, culture dependent method combined with culture independent method could better understand the fungal composition associated with Massa Medicata Fermentata fermentation.