Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet drived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) and their influence on the clinicopathological characteristics and the prognosis in aged patients with gastric carcinoma. Methods The expression of VEGF and PD-ECGF were examined with immnunohistochemical technique through preoperative biopsied specimens in 92 cases. Results The expression of VEGF and PD-ECGF were significantly higher in gastric carinoma than in chronic atrophic gastritis. VEGF and PD-ECGF levels in advanced carcinoma were higher compared with early carcinoma( P

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of total flavonoids of Oldenlendia difflusa (FOD) on NF-kappaB and IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10 expressions of ulcerative colitis (UC) model rats, and explore its immunological mechanism of anti-UC.

METHODSixty Kunming male mice with the average weight of (20 +/- 2) g were randomly divided into six groups. The control group (cont) was orally administered with distilled water. Whereas the remaining five groups were fed with 4% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) solution for seven days to induce acute UC, and orally administered with the following drugs: distilled water (for the DSS group), SASP at dose of 500 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) for the DSS + SASP group, FOD at dose of 60 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) for the DSS + FOD-H group, FOD at dose of 40 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) for the DSS + FOD-M group, and FOD at dose of 26.7 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) for the DSS + FOD-L group. During the modeling and drug administration, the mice were scored for DAI. Seven days later, the mice were put to death, and their colonic tissue samples were collected to evaluate colonic mucosal lesions. The NF-kappaB p65, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10 expressions were tested by immunohistochemical staining and ELISA.

RESULTSeven-day feeding with 4% DSS solution could successfully induce acute UC in mice. Compared with the cont group, the DSS group showed significantly higher DAI and colonic mucosal lesions, remarkable increase in NF-kappaB p65, IL-8, TNF-alpha expression in colonic tissues, and notable decrease in IL-10 expression (P < 0.05). FOD could prevent acute UC in mice included by DSS. Seven-day administration of 60 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) or 40 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) FOD could completely or partially resist the above mentioned changes caused by DSS. Compared with the DSS group, the DSS + FOD-H group and the DSS + FOD-M group showed reduction in colonic mucosal lesions, down-regulation in IL-8, TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB p65 expressions and up-regulation in IL-10 expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFOD could significantly resist UC in mice. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-kappaB p65 activation, the reduction of IL-8 and TNF-alpha expressions and the increase in the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; immunology ; Oldenlandia ; chemistry ; Transcription Factor RelA ; genetics ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

Objective:To evaluate the value of Cook MOB-15 system in guiding wire insertion during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Methods: The clinical data of 51 patients who received Cook MOB-15 system-guided wire insertion during ERCP between Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Forty patients who received conventional ERCP catheter for malignant jaundice between Jan. 2002 and Dec. 2004 were taken as control. The successful insertion rates were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The successful insertion rate was 90.2% (46/51) in the Cook MOB-15 system group and 72.5% (29/40) in the conventional group; there was significant difference between the 2 groups (P

OBJECTIVE To analyze risk factors in order to provide scientific gist in diagnosis and treatment of central venous catheter related sepsis(CRS) in patients with total parenteral nutrition(TPN). METHODS To make comparison of the 57 cases of CRS with 423 cases of non-CRS during 1998-2002.First,monovariable chi-square test and then non-condition Logistic regression analysis of the markedly different factors in SPSS10.0 were conducted. RESULTS The major risk factors might be infectious disease,duration of central venous catheter in,location of catheter, type of catheter and material of catheter,and serum protein

OBJECTIVE To investigate the transcription level of gene hld of Staphylococcus epidermidis in the biofilm forming and detaching under MIC antibiotic and explore the relationship between biofilm-related drug resistance and persistant infection.METHODS The transcription level of gene hld of S.epidermidis under MIC concentration of 4 antibiotics was compared with those of the control group without antibiotics by SYBR real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR at the different time point of biofilm formation and detachment.RESULTS The transcription of gene hld decreased rapidly from initial adherence,and droped continuously for few hours.There was an increase from 24 hours to 72 hours in groups without antibiotics but not in antibiotics groups,the differenet was significant.CONCLUSIONS Antibiotics improve adherence at first and then prevent matrix decomposition water-conducting tube and detachment of cells by impact of transcription of gene hld,it can protect cells from killing by inhibiting the penetration of biotics and prevent them become planktonic cells after detachment from biofilm.

Objective The aim of this study is to summarize preverbal communication skills in children with cochlear implants,and to provide a clinical baseline of assessment in early stage after cochlear implantation.Methods 23 prelingually deaf children with homebred cochlear implants participated in this study.The age at cochlear im-plantation ranged from 12 to 66 months with a mean of 35 months.The evaluation was performed at switch-on ses-sion and 1,3,6,9 and 12 months after the first programming session.Tait video analysis was used to assess the preverbal communication skills including turn-taking,autonomy,eye contact and auditory awareness.CAP and SIR were used to evaluate the auditory and speech abilities.ResuIts The skills of turn-taking and auditory aware-ness increased significantly,especially in the first six months after switch-on session (P<0.05).The scores of autonomy and eye contact were relative low and there were no significant differences during the first year after surgery (P>0. 05).There was a correlation between the score of CAP/SIR and turn-taking or auditory awareness.ConcIusion Children with cochlear implants established vocal-auditory mode of early communicative behavior over time.Pre-verbal communication skills CAP and SIR have relativity and can comprehensively evaluate the auditory,speech and communication skills of children with cochlear implants.

Objective To measure and define the distribution of left gastric lymph nodes.Meth- ods From Jan.2004 to Apr.2005,silver clips were set around the root of the left gastric artery in 124 pa- tients with esophageal and gastric cardia carcinoma,X-ray films at 0?and 90?simulator gantry in the radio- therapeutic position were taken.Then,the data of the superior,lower,left,right,anterior and posterior bor- der in each patient was recorded.With SAS 8.02 software,data of minimum area which covered the left gas- tric lymph node in different incidences were obtained.Results According to the analysis of Shapiro- Wilk,Kolmogorov-Smimov,Cramer-von Mises and Anderson-Darling tests,each border was of normal distri- bution,with equal frequency in the male and female,despite the actual results in different genders.Pearson Correlation Coefficients analysis did not suggest a significant relationship between the border and height, weight and size of vertebrae,which formed the minimum area covering the left gastric area at frequency of 100%,95%,90% and 85%,which were drawn out through the calculation.Conclusions Aiming at completely identifying the normal distribution of the left gastric lymph node,more patients are required to be in the pool.For the time being,location in the left gastric area can be obtained from details of the results in the present study.

OBJECTIVETo explore the inhibitory effect of migration-inducing gene 7 (Mig-7) gene silencing induced by retroviral-mediated small hairpin RNA (shRNA) on vasculogenic mimicry (VM), invasion and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro.

METHODSTwo target sequences (Mig-7 shRNA-1 and Mig-7 shRNA-2) and one negative control sequence (Mig-7 shRNA-N) were synthesized. The recombinant retroviral vectors carrying Mig-7 shRNA were constructed, and HCC cell line MHCC-97H were transfected with Mig-7 shRNA-1, Mig-7 shRNA-2, Mig-7 shRNA-N, or the empty vector, or treated with 125 µg/mL recombinant human endostatin (ES). Mig-7 expression in the treated cells was detected using semi-quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The inhibitory effect of Mig-7 silencing on VM formation was investigated in a 3-dimensional cell culture system; the changes in cell adhesion, invasion and migration were assessed with intercellular adhesion assay, Transwell invasion assay and Transwell migration assay, respectively.

RESULTSThe expression of Mig-7 at both mRNA and protein levels decreased significantly, VM formation, invasion and metastasis were suppressed, while intercellular adhesion increased significantly in MHCC-97H cells in Mig-7 shRNA-1 and Mig-7 shRNA-2 groups (P<0.05); such changes were not observed in cells transfected with Mig-7 shRNA-N or the empty vector, nor in cells treated with ES.

CONCLUSIONSMig-7 silencing by retroviral-mediated shRNA significantly inhibits VM formation, invasion and metastasis and increases the intercellular adhesion of the HCC cells, while ES does not have such inhibitory effects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of glucocorticoid on the expression levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) mRNAs in rat femoral head and the antagonistic effect of Epimedium, and explore the mechanism of Epimedium in preventing glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis.

METHODSForty-eight adult SD rats were randomized into glucocorticoid group, Epimedium group and control group. In the former two groups, the rats received intramuscular injection of 12.5 mg prednisolone twice a week, and in Epimedium group, additional 1 ml/100 g aqueous Epimedium extract (equivalent to 0.1 g/ml of the crude drug) was administered intragastrically once daily. The control group received only intramuscular saline injection. After 4 weeks of treatment, osteonecrosis of the left femoral head was detected by HE staining, and the right femoral head was sampled for detection of OPG and RANKL mRNA expressions using real-time quantitative PCR.

RESULTSIn glucocorticoid, Epimedium and control groups, the mortality rate of the rats was 12.5% (2/16), 6.25% (1/16), 0 (0/16), and femoral head necrosis occurred at a rate of 71.43% (10/14), 26.67% (4/15), and 0 (0/16), respectively. In glucocorticoid group, the expression level of OPG mRNA was significantly lower, RANKL expression significantly higher, and OPG/RANKL ratio significantly lower than those in Epimedium and control groups (P<0.05). OPG, RANKL and their ratios showed no significant differences between Epimedium group and the control group.

CONCLUSIONEpimedium can prevent glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis probably by antagonizing glucocorticiod-induced abnormal expressions of OPG and RANKL mRNA.

Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Epimedium ; chemistry ; Female ; Femur Head Necrosis ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Glucocorticoids ; Male ; Osteoprotegerin ; genetics ; metabolism ; RANK Ligand ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of silver nitrate ointment on partial-thickness burn wounds, and observe its side-effects.

METHODSMulti-center, randomized, positive drug paralleled self-controlled trial was carried out. Eighty patients with superficial partial-thickness burns, and 40 with deep-partial thickness burns were randomized into AgNO3 group and SD-Ag group according to drug topically applied to the wounds. The wound healing time, wound healing rate and bacterial culture of the wound, the effect and safety of the drug, as well as drug irritation to the wounds were studied in these two groups.

RESULTSFor the patients with superficial partial-thickness burn wounds, the wound healing time in silver nitrate group was (9.5 +/- 2.7) days, which was obviously shorter than that in SD-Ag group [(10.8 +/- 3.4) days, P <0.01]. The wound healing rate in silver nitrate group on 7 post-burn day ( PBD) was (77.9 +/- 20.5)%, which was obviously higher than that in SD-Ag group [(67.3 +/- 22.6) %, P < 0.01]. For those with deep-partial thickness burn wounds, the wound healing time in silver nitrate group was (21.5 +/- 4.8) days, which was evidently shorter than that in SD-Ag group [(23.3 +/- 6.4) days, P <0.01]. The wound healing rate in silver nitrate group on 20 PBD was (86.6 +/- 15.9)%, which was evidently higher than that in SD-Ag group [(78.5 +/- 17.7)%, P < 0.01]. Silver nitrate ointment has the same antibacterial effect as 1% SD-Ag cream, but it was less painful when applied to the open wounds.

CONCLUSIONSilver nitrate ointment is an effective and safe medicament for the clinical management of partial-thickness burn wounds.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents, Local ; therapeutic use ; Burns ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ointments ; Silver Nitrate ; therapeutic use ; Silver Sulfadiazine ; therapeutic use ; Wound Healing