OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ultrasonic wave on extracting Konjac Glucomannan(KGM) in Konjac refined powder.

METHODFree reduced sugar in Konjac refined powder was removed and Konjac refined powder in the aqueous solution was processed by ultrasonic wave and KGM content was measured by spectrophotometry.

RESULTKGM content in the Konjac refined powder aqueous solution by ultrasonic process at fixed 40 kHz, 100 W, 30-45 min was equal to that by routine method at 4 h; whereas, by 1 h of ultrasonic process, KGM content was significantly enhanced than that by 4 h of routine method(P < 0.01), enhancement rate was 6.5%. Linearity of standard glucose was good (r = 0.9996) in range of 0.2-1.6 mg. The average recovery was 97.8%, RSD of repeatability was 1.27%.

CONCLUSIONUltrasonic extraction in aqueous solution is a reliable and rapid method that can enhance extraction efficiency of KGM in Konjac refined powder.

Amorphophallus ; chemistry ; Mannans ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Powders ; Ultrasonics

Objective To investigate the effect of silment information regulator factor related enzymes 1 (SIRT1) on the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in rats with diabetic retinopathy and its downstream molecular mechanisms.Methods Together 60 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were collected and randomly divided into normal group,diabetic group,SIRTI activator-resveratrol treatment group (treatment group),and diabetic rat model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin at 60 mg · kg-1 in the latter two group rats,while the normal group was injected with sodium citrate buffer at 60 mg · kg-1.Then,after 72 h,rats with blood glucose ＞ 16.7 mmol · L-1 were designated as diabetic rats by blood glucose test.Then each rat in the treatment group was treated with SIRT1 activator-resveratrol at 20 g · kg-1 once a day at the 2nd day after the success of the model,and the normal group and diabetic group were given methylene chloride.Finally,after immunohistochemical staining for retina,TUNEL assay was used to evaluate the apoptosis of RGCs,while the expression of SIRTI,p38 MAPK and Caspase-3 protein was detected by Western blot.Results The apoptotic index of RGCs in the normal group,diabetic group and treatment group was (0.848+0.131)％,(19.038 + 1.327)％,(10.461 + 1.089)％ respectively at 8 weeks,and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant (F =670.497,P =0.000),while the differences between each two groups were also statistically significant (all P =0.000).Furthermore,when compared with the normal group (0.132 ± 0.043),the expression of SIRT1 protein in the diabetic group (0.060 ± 0.028) and the treatment group (0.073 ± 0.026) was significantly decreased,and the overall difference among the three groups was statistically significant (F =1 310.663,P =0.000),while the differences between each two groups were also statistically significant (all P =0.000).The expression levels of p38 MAPK and Caspase-3 were increased in diabetic group (1.121 ± 0.082,0.266 ± 0.005) and treatment group (0.574 ± 0.012,0.190 ±0.060) respectively,and the overall difference and pairwise comparison in the three groups approached statistically significance (all P =0.000,0.000).Conelusion Up-regulation of SIRT1,can inhibit the apoptosis of RGCs,and protect RGCs against apoptosis in rat model of diabetic retinopathy,which may be correlated with the downregulation of p38 MAPK signal pathway.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (MiRNA) are a novel class of non-coding RNAs involved in the regulation of gene expression post-transcriptionally by cleavage or translational repression of their specific target miRNAs. Numerous studies have demonstrated that circulating miRNAs are stable and abundant in blood and aberrantly expressed under pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. The implications of circulating miRNAs in acute myocardial infarction have recently been recognized. This review will highlight the potential role of miRNA as a novel class of biomarkers in acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: This systemic review is based on our own work and other related reports. RESULTS: During diseases circulating miRNAs are derived from not only circulating blood cells but also other tissues affected by ongoing diseases. These disease-related miRNAs in the blood can serve as potential biomarkers. CONCLUSION: The circulating miRNAs can be used as novel biomarkers potentially offering more sensitive and specific tests than those currently available for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVETo compare the long-term results of laparoscopic and open radical resection for colorectal carcinoma.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifteen patients with colorectal cancer from January 1996 to September 2000 were non-randomly divided into laparoscopic and open operation groups. Local recurrence, distant metastasis, 5-year survival rate and long-term postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSEighty-seven cases received laparoscopic resection and 128 cases received open operation. There were no statistical differences in age, sex and tumor stage between the two groups (P > 0.05). The 5-year-survival rate was 70% in open operation group, and 78% in laparoscopic group (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidences of local recurrence, distant metastasis, incision seeding, and incision hernia between the two groups (P > 0.05). The complication rate of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction was significantly lower in laparoscopic group than that in open operation group (P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLong-term results of laparoscopic resection are similar to those of open resection for colorectal carcinoma, but laparoscopic surgery has less long-term complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo establish a quantitative method for the content determination and monosaccharide composition analysis of Konjac glucomannan (KGM) in Konjac refined powder by pre-column derivatization high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC).

METHODThe two derivatives combined reducing monosaccharides with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) were separated by reverse-phase HPLC using a developed fragment gradient elution process, and monitored by ultraviolet detector at 250 nm. The broad reagent peak of PMP was separated very well from all the PMP-sugars, and good separation was achieved for derivatives of mannose and glucose. The quantitative methods of two reducing monosaccharides were studied by the method combined internal and external standard; while the KGM content in Konjac refined powder was determined.

RESULTLinearity of glucose was good (r = 0.9990) in range of 1.002-8.016 nmol; while mannose (r = 0.9994) in range of 1.001-8.008 nmol. The average recovery of this method was 98.1%, RSD of repeatability was 1.72%. KGM content in Konjac refined powder was 79.5%, ratio of glucose to mannose in KGM was 1:1.51.

CONCLUSIONThis method is a sample, convenient and rapid method that can determine KGM content and analyze monosaccharide compositions in KGM, which will be helpful to quality assessment of Konjac refined powder.

Amorphophallus ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Glucose ; chemistry ; Mannans ; analysis ; chemistry ; Mannose ; chemistry ; Monosaccharides ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Powders ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of salvaged allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for refractory/recurrent acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

METHODSA total of 45 patients with refractory/recurrent AML were enrolled from September 2006 to April 2010. The median blasts in bone marrow (BM) were 36% (20% to 92%) before conditioning. The donors were identical siblings (6) or unrelated ones (9) or haploidentical family members (30). Conditioning regiments were individualized according to patients' status, the regimen with high-dose cytarabine plus BuCy/CY was mostly used (20). The patients with impaired organ function received above regimen except using fludarabine instead of cyclophosphamide (16). FLAG followed by reduced-intensified BuCy was employed for the recipients with more than 40% blasts in BM (6) to reduce leukemia burden. TBI/CY or TBI/Fludarabine was used for the recipients with extramedullary infiltration of leukemia or multidrug resistant leukemia. G-CSF, MTX, NVT, Vm26, Acla or Thaltipa was added into conditioning regiments according to leukemia character.

RESULTSAll but 2 patients attained durable engraftment. The incidence of grade II to IV aGVHD and cGVHD were 34%, 59.1%, respectively. With median follow-up 30 (0.5 - 57) months, the relapse rate was 29.2%. Twenty-nine of 45 (60.2%) patients remained in complete remission since salvaged HSCT. Three-years disease-free survival and overall survival were 60.2% and 62.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONOur results indicated that the combination of salvaged HSCT with prophylactic immunotherapy might be a promising modality for treatment of refractory/recurrent AML, even with high leukemia burden.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; mortality ; therapy ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation Conditioning ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy of tumor-ablative individualized allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of patients with high risk/refractory leukemia.

METHODSFivety-seven patients with high risk/refractory leukemia were enrolled. Tumor-ablative individualized conditioning regimens included HDAra-C + Bu/Cy, Ara-C + Bu/Fludarabine, G-CSF primed HDAra-C + Bu/Cy, and FLAG followed by reduced-intensified BuCy. Overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS), graft versus host disease, infection and relapse post grafting were analyzed.

RESULTSFifty-six patients attained durable engraftment. The median follow-up duration was 17.5 (2 - 34) months. The 18 months probabilities of OS and DFS were (74.7 ± 6.1)% and (62.4 ± 6.7)%, respectively. In addition, the 18 months probabilities of OS and DFS in patients who attained complete remission (CR) before transplantation were (74.2 ± 7.1)% and (58.8 ± 8.1)%, respectively, while in those not attained CR were (77.0 ± 11.8)% and (72.7 ± 11.7)%, respectively. Twenty nine patients developed acute GVHD (aGVHD) (grade I in 18, grade II in 4, grade III in 2 and grade IV in 5). The probabilities of aGVHD was (50.9 ± 6.6)% by Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. The probabilities of grades 2-4 and grades 3-4 aGVHD were (19.3 ± 5.2)% and (12.3 ± 4.3)% respectively. Extensive chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was observed in 36 patients. The probabilities of cGVHD was (64.3 ± 6.4)% by Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Cytomegaloviremia (CMV) was observed in 39 (68.42%) patients, hemorrhagic cystitis in 13 (22.8%) patients, fungous infection in 16 (28.07%) patients and bacterial infection in 38 (66.67%) patients. Relapse occurred in 14 patients (hematologic relapse in 11 and extramedullary relapse in 3), probabilities of relapse being (24.6 ± 5.7)%. The 17.5-month probability of relapse in patients who attained CR before transplantation was (28.1 ± 7.7)%, while in those not attained CR was (15.6 ± 10.2)%. Fifteen patients died (6 from hematological relapse, 5 from infection of bacterial and fungous, 4 from cGVHD) after 100 days.

CONCLUSIONTumor-ablative individualized allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a promising and safe choice for treatment of high risk/refractory leukemia, even with high leukemia burden.

Cytarabine ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Transplantation Conditioning

OBJECTIVETo study the significance of flow cytometric monitoring minimal residual diseases (MRD) in patients with acute leukemia (AL) after allogeneic hemapoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

METHODSFrom January 2007 and January 2008 MRD were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) in 402 bone marrow (BM) in 102 AL patients without leukemic gene and chromosomal changes at first diagnosis after HSCT (1, 2, 3, 6,12 months after HSCT; adding detection frequency in part of high risk patients), The relationship between the MRD results and clinical prognosis were observed. Patients with significantly higher MRD were treated and the effectiveness was monitored by FCM (MRD > 0.01% considered as positive).

RESULTS(1) 71 cases were persistently negative for MRD after HSCT and all them were in hematologic complete remission (CR). Only 3 cases had extramedullary relapse. The disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 66.2% and 90.1%, respectively. (2) Of 27 MRD(+) cases 11 converted to MRD negativity after chemotherapy plus donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), CIK, NK cells. The DFS and OS were 63.6% and 72.7%, respectively. Other 16 cases had hematologic relapse. The DFS and OS were 11.1% and 25.0%, respectively. The median time from MRD increasing to hematologic relapse was 48 days (7-69 day). (3) Four cases had hematologic relapse after HSCT and died in the end.

CONCLUSIONS(1) The DFS and the OS in MRD(-) cases are significantly higher than those of MRD(+) cases. (2)MRD(+) patients after HSCT coveted to MRD(-) after intervention. Therapy, whose DFS and the OS are still significantly higher than those of MRD(+) cases. (3) Patients with hematologic relapse after HSCT have the worst prognosis and the DFS and OS are significantly low. FCM monitoring of MRD in patients after HSCT is a sensitive, specific, quick and simple method. It can indicate recurrent state in time, facilitates early intervention, reduces the hematologic relapse risk and improves DFS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; diagnosis ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo assess the value of velocity vector imaging (VVI) and quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) in assessing left ventricular diastolic function of the dogs with acute myocardial ischemia.

METHODSSix healthy mongrel dogs were subjected to ligation of the left circumflex artery or left anterior descending artery to induce coronary artery stenosis of varying degrees. The mean peak diastolic velocity (Em) of the ventricular walls around the mitral annulus was recorded with VVI or QTVI in the coronary blood flow. The left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was measured with pigtail catheter in the left ventricle.

RESULTSAs the coronary blood flow decreased, LVEDP was gradually increased, and Em measured by VVI or QTVI were also gradually decreased. A good linear correlation was shown between Em measured by VVI or QTVI and LVEDP (r=-0.834, P<0.001, and r=-0.68, P<0.001, respectively). A significant difference was observed in the correlation coefficient between VVI and QTVI (Z=2.625, P=0.0087).

CONCLUSIONVVI and QTVI both provide good noninvasive means for measuring left ventricular diastolic function. VVI, a new echocardiographic modality without angular dependence, is better than QTVI in evaluating left ventricular diastolic function.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Echocardiography ; methods ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo analyse the clinical features, diagnostic methods and risk factors of cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteritis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSAnalysis was made on 24 cases of CMV enteritis after allo-HSCT in Beijing Daopei Hospital from Aug. 2007 to Jul. 2009, including clinical data, endoscopic diagnosis, histopathological and virological results, and the association between CMV enteritis with viremia and graft-versus-host disease(GVHD).

RESULTS87.5% of the patients were over 18 years old. The median time to diagnosis of CMV enteritis was 63 days after HSCT. The mucosal lesions in enteroscopic examination had no significant differences between CMV enteritis and gastrointestinal GVHD complicated with the enteritis. The methods used in diagnosis included histopathology (32.1%) and virology (92.9%). The copies of CMVDNA in mucosal samples greater than 10(5)/10(6) PBNC was better diagnosis. A number of risk factors were compared between the survival and death groups: type of transplant, conditioning regimen, the time span of ganciclovir prophylaxis therapy, grade II-IV GVHD before enteritis, the time of diagnosis as GVHD, using MP > or = 1 mg/kg to treat GVHD, the time between GVHD and enteritis, CMV viremia before enteritis, the time of diagnosis as enteritis, CMVDNA quantitation, and there were no any statistic differences.

CONCLUSIONCytomegalovirus enteritis should be carefully diagnosed by histopathology and virology through endoscopic examination. It is better to undertake pan-colon endoscopy as well as terminal ileum examination for more accurate diagnosis. PCR can significantly improve the detection rate. CMVDNA detection in patients' stool may be helpful to diagnosis, especially for those patients who can not stand the endoscopy examination.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cytomegalovirus ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; etiology ; DNA, Viral ; isolation & purification ; Enteritis ; etiology ; virology ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult