Objective:To evaluate the expression of CXCR4 and the migration rate of bone marrow stromal CD34+cells in differ-ent risk groups with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) using correlation analysis. Methods: Forty MDS patients were divided into low-and high-risk groups based on the International Prognosis Scoring System (IPSS). The former was composed of 20 patients with IPSS<1.5, whereas the latter was composed of 20 patients with IPSS≥1.5. Bone marrow (BM) samples of these patients and 10 nor-mal controls were collected. CD34+cells were separated and purified. The expression of CXCR4 was determined by flow cytometry. The migration rate of CD34+cells on the chemotactic effect of SDF-1αand on the effect of bone marrow stromal cells were measured. Results:The expression rate of CXCR4 was higher in the high-risk MDS group than in the low-risk and control groups (P<0.000 1). No significant differences existed between the low-risk and the control groups (P>0.05). The migration rate of CD34+cells on the ef-fects of SDF-1αand marrow stromal cells were significantly increased in the high-risk MDS group compared with those in the low-risk and control groups (P<0.000 1). Migration rate of CD34+cells on the effect of marrow stromal cells was positively correlated with CX-CR4 expression (P=0.000 1). Conclusion:The CXCR4 expression and migration rates of CD34+cells on the effect of marrow stromal cells are significantly higher in the high-risk MDS group than in the low-risk group. Migration rate has a positive correlation with the CXCR4 expression, which further indicates that MDS is a heterogeneous group of hematopoietic stem cell malignancies. The expres-sion and function of SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 differ within each group with various risks. SDF-1 and CXCR4 may be involved in MDS pathogenesis.

AIM To study the secondary metabolites from symbiotic fungi Talaromyces amestolkiae of Syngnathus acus Linnaeus.METHODS The methanol extract from Talaromyces amestolkiae fermentation was isolated and purified by silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,TLC and preparative HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Ten compounds were isolated and identified as 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)benzeneethanol(1),aspergillumarins A(2),peniciisocoumarins H(3),2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-5-methyl-7-hydroxychromone(4),6-demethylvermistatin(5),penicimarin B(6),penicimarin C(7),8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methylisocoumarin(8),polygonolide(9),ganoderpurine(10).CONCLUSION Compound 1 is a new natural product.Compounds 3-5,8-10 are isolated from this fungi for the first time.

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) serum level in the Guangxi BA-MA minipigs whose carotid arteries were injured by balloon denudation and in the patients with carotid stent assisted angioplasty.

METHODSTwelve Guangxi BA-MA minipigs were chosen. High fat/cholesterol feeding and endovascular balloon denudation were used to create a carotid artery atherosclerotic stenosis animal model. Blood samples were collected from peripheral veins before starting the procedure, and again, at 2 and 3 weeks after the procedure, respectively. Serum NO and ET concentrations of blood samples were tested. Nineteen patients with carotid artery stenosis who underwent stent assisted angioplasty were randomly selected, and their serum NO and ET were tested using the same methods as above.

RESULTSIn the animal group, there was a significant decrease of mean NO concentration at 2 weeks after carotid injury (t-test, P < 0.05), however, no significant change of ET was observed. A very significant increase of ET was observed at 3 weeks after the procedure (t-test, P < 0.01). In the patient group, there were no significant differences among serum NO or ET concentration of peripheral vein blood before, immediately after, and 6 h after the endovascular treatment.

CONCLUSIONSIn this study, a decrease of NO concentration and an increase of ET concentration of peripheral vein blood are found in BA-MA minipigs after carotid arteries are injured by balloon denudation, which might be a cue for the formation of atherosclerosis. However, no significant changes are observed in this group of patients who underwent carotid angioplasty treatment. Therefore, further studies are needed.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Animals ; Carotid Arteries ; surgery ; Carotid Stenosis ; blood ; surgery ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Postoperative Period ; Random Allocation ; Stents ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) for the treatment of congenital long QT syndrome.

METHODSUnder general anaesthesia, pleural cavity was entered via two or three small incisions in the left intercostal space. The left thoracic sympathetic chain was identified and resected from T2 approximately T5. The lower one at the third of the left stellate ganglion was also resected.

RESULTSVATS resulted in a significant shortening in corrected QT intervals in three patients. The average QT interval of the four patients was 537.5 ms before VATS and 512.5 ms after VATS. The heart rate of the patients remained unchanged. There were no major peri-operative complications apart from mild ptosis of the left upper eyelid in one patient who recovered in the following days. The syndrome recurred in one patient in syncopal events in four months after VATS.

CONCLUSIONVATS is a safe as well as an effective technique for the treatment of congenital long QT syndromes.

Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Long QT Syndrome ; congenital ; surgery ; Male ; Sympathectomy ; methods ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; methods

OBJECTIVETo screen and compare the specific transcription factors that repress the epithelial phenotype in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in two different human prostate cancer models LNCaP/HIF1alpha and ARCaP.

METHODSWe established two different prostate cancer EMT models, LNCaP/HIF1alpha and ARCaP, cultured LNCaP, LNCaP/HIF1alpha, IF11 and IA8 cells in vitro, and detected the five transcription factors Snail, Slug, ZEB1, SIP1 and Twist1 in these cells by RT-PCR.

RESULTSDifferent levels of Snail, Slug, ZEB1, SIP1 and Twist1 were detected in both LNCaP and LNCaP/HIF1alpha cells, with significant differences only in the expressions of Slug and Twist1 between the two cells. The expression of Slug was increased, but that of Twist1 decreased in the LNCaP/HIF1alpha cells. All the five transcription factors but Twist1 were expressed in both the IF11 and IA8 cells, but only the express- sions of ZEB1 and Slug were increased significantly in the IA8 cells.

CONCLUSIONThere are different mechanisms underlying transcriptional regulation in different prostate cancer EMT models. Slug may be one of the key transcription factors involved in the HIF1alpha-induced EMT of LNCaP cells, while ZEB1 and Slug may play an important role in repressing the epithelial phenotype of the ARCaP model.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Phenotype ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Transcription Factors ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role and significance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its transcriptional regulator Twist1 in the development of the human fetal prostate.

METHODSTwenty-five human fetal prostate specimens at various developmental stages (16-39 weeks) were included in this study. EMT markers, such as E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin, and EMT transcriptional regulator Twist1 were determined by immunohistochemistry, and their relationship with the development of the human fetal prostate was analyzed.

RESULTSE-Cadherin was expressed in the fetal prostate epithelium only, while Vimentin, N-Cadherin and Twist1 in both the epithelium and the stroma. The expression of E-Cadherin gradually increased, but those of Vimentin, N-Cadherin and Twist1 gradually decreased with the gestation stages. No significant changes were observed in the staining patterns of Vimentin, N-Cadherin and Twist1 in the stroma during the whole developmental process.

CONCLUSIONEMT is involved in the development of the human fetal prostate, which may promote epithelial cell motility to form prostatic bud tubules in early gestation stages and boost the differentiation of prostate epithelia in later stages.

Cadherins ; metabolism ; Cell Dedifferentiation ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Fetal Development ; Humans ; Male ; Mesoderm ; metabolism ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Prostate ; embryology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Twist-Related Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Biomarkers ; blood ; Cell-Derived Microparticles ; metabolism ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; Humans ; Inflammation ; blood

OBJECTIVETo discuss the significance of testing hepatitis B virus (HBV) from saliva in HBV patients.

METHODSHBV DNA content in serum and saliva of 200 HBV patients and 20 healthy subjects were detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. According to the serum level of HBV content, four groups were divided: control group A, group B negative, low virus C (1 x 10(3) - 1 x 10(5) copies/ml) and high-group D ( > 1 x 10(5) copies/ml). The relationship of serum and virus content in saliva was analysed.

RESULTSOf 200 HBV cases, 180 were found HBV DNA in serum with positive rate of 90.0%; while 145 were found HBV DNA in saliva with positive rate of 72.5%, and there was no significant difference (chi2 = 1.35, P > 0.05). The significant difference was observed in testing serum and saliva in Group C (100.0% vs. 38.5%; Z = 14.11, P < 0.01). In group D, there was no significant difference found either (100.0% vs. 83.8%; chi2 = 1.05, P > 0.05). Group D virus serum had a high average level of (6.63 +/- 1.55) log copies/ml virus and in the saliva had an average level of (5.21 +/- 1.85) log copies/ml; saliva had serum viral load lower than an order of magnitude average. No HBV DNA was found in serum or saliva from 20 health subjects.

CONCLUSIONWhen the serum contains a high content of HBV DNA virus, the content of saliva HBV DNA virus should be likely high, which might pose a threat of source of infection. A precise quantitative detection of HBV DNA in saliva might be used as evaluation of the level of virus in the body copy for judgment of infection.

Case-Control Studies ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; blood ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; diagnosis ; transmission ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Saliva ; virology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of circumferential mucosectomy procedure for treatment of prolapsed hemorrhoids (PPH).

METHODSFrom June 2001 to June 2003, 74 patients (27 men and 47 women) with an average age of 57 years (ranging from 31 to 80 years), with prolapsed hemorrhoids III - IV degree underwent PPH using a circular stapler.

RESULTS69 (93.2%) patients were fully satisfied with results. Two patients underwent simultaneous rectal polypectomy along with PPH hence required analgesic treatment for 5 days. Three patients experienced bleeding during or after operation, 1 case bleeding was due to ulcerative hemorrhoid, while the bleeding the remaining 2 cases was (bleeding about 300 ml) caused by insufficient anastomosis, thus extending operating time to 1 hour. The average operation time (70 patients) was 13 minutes (range 10 - 15 minutes). The mean hospitalization was 3.5 days (2 - 4 days), with exception of 2 patients lasting 1 week.

CONCLUSIONPPH is a safe, effective and rapid method for treatment of prolapsed hemorrhoids, The procedure causes minimal pain with decreased complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Digestive System Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; Female ; Hemorrhoids ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Staplers

BACKGROUNDThe clinical outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is poorer in women than that in men. This study aimed at comparing the impact of gender difference on the strategy of primary PCI in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODSTwo hundred and fifty-nine patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI within 12 hours of symptom onset were enrolled. The male group consisted of 143 men aged > 55 years, and a female group included 116 women without age limitation. Procedural success was defined as residual stenosis < 20% with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade > 2 and without death, emergency bypass surgery or disabling cerebral events during the hospitalization. The rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization during follow-up, was recorded.

RESULTSFemale patients were more hypertensive and diabetic and with fewer cigarette smokers than male counterparts. The prevalence of angiographic 3-vessel disease was higher in the female group, but the procedural success rate was comparable between the two groups (94.4% vs 92.2%). The occurrence rate of MACE did not differ during the hospitalization (4.2% vs 6.0%, P = 0.50), but was significantly higher in the female group during follow-up (mean (16.0 +/- 11.2) months) than that in the male group (5.4% vs 0.7%, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONDespite a similar success rate of primary PCI and in-hospital outcomes in both genders, female patients with acute STEMI still have a worse prognosis during the long-term follow-up.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; therapy ; Sex Factors ; Treatment Outcome