Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are non-hematopoietic, multipotent progenitor cells which can be isolated from various human adult tissues. In recent years, MSC have been shown to possess broad immunoregulatory function and tissue regeneration. This review discusses mesenchymal stem cells in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, including disorders as diverse as acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, graft failure, pure red cell aplasia, autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, hemorrhagic cystitis.

Objective To investigate the value of low positive AFP level for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)when a space occuping lesion was already identified in the liver.Methods The AFP level of 401 HCC cases from January 1999 to October 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.Results 22 cases of small liver cancer underwent reducing surgical resection in our hospital,increasing the quality of life and prolonging survival rate.Con- clusion(1)The AFP level between 20 and 200?g/L is of diagnostic for HCC when a SOL is identified.(2)The clinical reference diagnostic criteria using AFP level more than 20?g/L,instead of more than 200?g/L is helpful for the diagnosis.(3)Combined diagnosis of AFP level more than 20?g/L and ultrasonography or CT scanning yields higher sensitivity and specificity th.an traditional,diagnostic criteria.

0.1). Conclusion This method is simple, rapid and accurate for determining formaldehyde in indoor air.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of pneumocystoscopy for congenital malformation of the vesicoureteral junction. Methods A total of 18 children (male 11 and female 7, aged from 3 months to 7 years with a mean of 3.6 years) with congenital malformation of the vesicoureteral junction (22 ureters) were enrolled in this study. Among the patients, 9 had vesicoureteral reflux (4 of them had bilateral reflux), 2 had bladder diverticulum complicated with urethral stenosis, and 7 had urethral stenosis and ipsilateral hydronephrosis. After the bladder was insufflated with CO2 through a Foley catheter (16 mm Hg), three trocars were inserted into the bladder, and the bladder was fixed on the abdominal wall using silk thread. By pneumocystoscopy, the Cohen procedure was done through the trocars. A Foley catheter was indwelled at the end of the procedure. Results The procedure was completed in all but one patient, who was converted to open surgery because the contraction of the urethra. The mean operation time was 130 min (110 to 145 min) for unilateral cases (13), and 242 min (225 to 250 min) for bilateral cases. The patients were discharged form hospital 9 to 12 days after the operation, and were followed up fro 6 months to 5 years with a mean of 3.8 years. During this period, MUC showed no ureteral reflux. One of the cases developed mild infection of the urethra, and was cured by circumcision. Conclusion Pneumocystoscopy is effective for congenital malformation of the vesicoureteral junction.

Objective To compare the clinical effect of needle knife therapy and traction for treatment of cervical spondylosis .Methods 156 patients with nerve root type of cervical spondylosis patients definitely diag -nosed,randomly divided into two groups ,the treatment group of 78 cases,with small needle knife therapy;the control group of 78 cases,the cervical traction therapy ,combined with traditional Chinese medicine .The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups .Results The treatment group 70 cases were cured(89.6%),the total efficiency of 96.9%;control group 44 cases were cured(56.7%),the total efficiency of 83.3%.The cure rate and total effective rate was significantly better than the control group (χ2 =22.02,11.57,all P<0.05).Conclusion The needle knife therapy to treat cervical vertebra disease is better than that of cervical traction ,has good clinical curative effect .

AIM:To establish a kind of simple and efficient method for cell-free fetal DNA ( cff-DNA) enrich-ment and to investigate its range of applications and the advantages and disadvantages.METHODS:(1) The single nucleo-tide polymorphisms( SNPs) , which linked to paternalβ-thalassemia mutations, were screened.We analyzed the contact be-tween the SNPs inβ-thalassemia gene ( HBB gene) and haploid type by the Haploview software, and then selected these close SNPs which have higher heterozygosity with the HBB gene.(2) We selected 4 cases of different β-thalassemia muta-tions with their husband, and then we used TT-FAST-COLD-PCR to enrich the IVS-II-654 mutations in maternal plasma.If the IVS-II-654 mutation was not detected, we detected the SNP which linked to the IVS-II-654 mutation.Similarly, we used TT-FULL-COLD-PCR to enrich the CD41-42 mutations in the maternal plasma.At the same time, we used the conventional PCR to enrich CD41-42 mutation and IVS-II-654 mutation in the maternal plasma.RESULTS:(1) Nine cases of the SNP ( rs7480526) linked to the mutation at IVS-II-654 in HBB gene, and 11 cases of the SNP ( rs10768683) linked to the muta-tion at CD41-42 in HBB gene were detected.( 2 ) We detected 1 case who inherited the paternal β-thalassemia mutation (IVS-II-654).We did not directly detect patermal IVS-II-654 mutation in maternal plasma, but detected the SNP linked to the IVS-II-654 mutation in the other case and had 100%detection, and 2 cases inherited the paternal β-thalassemia muta-tions (CD41-42) in the maternal plasma by TT-FULL-COLD-PCR and had 100%detection.However, we detected nothing by conventional PCR.CONCLUSION:TT-COLD-PCR is applicable to enrich cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma and is a method in the field of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic outcome and its influencing factors after laparoscopic conservative surgery in treatment of tubal pregnancy. Methods From January 2003 to December 2008, 226 cases with tubal pregnancy were treated by laparoscopic conservative surgery. The tubal pateacy was evaluated in 152 cases given by hysterosalpingography (HSG) and 6 cases given by second laparoscopic exploration at 3-6 months after surgery. In their first laparoscopic surgeries, 209 got successful treatment and 19 underwent fail treatment. At 3-6 months after surgery, 89 cases with tubal patency among 207 cases with successful treatment were enrolled in group A. Nineteen cases who were failed in their first laparoscopic conservative surgery and treated by salpingectomy and 63 cases with tubal obstruction were enrolled in group B. The rate of tubal patency was calculated on patients with characteristics of gestational sac less or more than 5 era, the level serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) less than 2000 IU/L,2000 IU/L to 5000 IU/L, and more than 5000 IU/L Results There was no significant difference in age,parity, amenorrhea, location of tubal pregnancy, rupture, pelvic adhesion between group A and group B.Two hundred and seven cases (91.6%, 207/226) were successfully treated at initial laparescopy. One hundred and fifty-two cases got follow up and 55 cases lost follow up at 3 to 6 months after surgery. There was statistical difference in preoperative hCG value which median were 980 (55-12 000) IU/L in group A,3150 (570-40 000) IU/L in group B(P<0.01); the diameter of tubal gestational sac were (3.4±1.3)cm in group A and (5.0±1.7) cm in group B(P<0.01); respectively, the volume of peritoneal bleeding were 200 (0-1500) ml and 300 (0-1600) ml, the rate of live tubal embryo was 2% (2/89) in group A and 11% (9/82) in group B, which all reached statistical difference (P<0. 05). Among 171 cases in both group A and 8, the rate of tubal patency were 65% (67/103) in 103 cases with maximal diameter of tubal gestational sac less than 5 cm and 32% (22/68) in 68 cases with maximal diameter of tubal gestational sac more than 5 cm, which reached statistical difference (P < 0.01). The rate were 72% (73/102) in patients with serum level of hCG less than 2000 IU/L, 29% (12/42)in patients with 2000 IU/L to 5000 IU/L and 15% (4/27)in patients with more than 5000 IU/L, which also showed statistical difference (P <0.05). It was observed that preoperative serum hCG level (OR=0.277, P<0.01), the maximal diameter of gestational sac (OR=0.577, P<0.01) and the volume of peritoneal bleeding (OR=0.999, P < 0.05) were significant factors influencing successful laparoscopy treatment by logistical regression analysis.Conclusion In order to preserve fertility, laparoscopic conservative surgery was a safe and feasible approach in treatment of tubal pregnancy. Preoperative serum hCG levels, size of tube gestational sac were significant factors influencing successful laparoscopic surgery.

Objective To analyze the imaging characteristics and to evaluate the application value of color doppler ultrasonography (CDUS)combined with CT angiography (CTA)and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA)in patients with cervical vertigo.Methods 62 patients diagnosed with cervical vertigo clinically were enrolled.Neck CDUS and neck CTA were per-formed on 39 patients.Neck CDUS and neck CE-MRA were performed on 23 patients.Neck CDUS and CTA/MRA were performed on 30 normal volunteers,which were chosen as control group.Neck CDUS and neck CTA were performed on 18 normal volunteers. Neck CDUS and neck CE-MRA were performed on 12 normal volunteers.Hemodynamics and morphology were evaluated and com-pared between the two groups.Results In aspect of morphology:The incidence of vertebral artery (VA)stenosis (46.77%)and VA variation (29.03%)in cervical vertigo group were higher than VA stenosis (23.33%)and VA variation (6.67%)in control group with significant difference (all P <0.05).The incidence of tortuous VA showed no statistics difference between cervical vertigo group (1 1.29%)and control group (13.33%)(P >0.05).In aspect of hemodynamics:The decline incidence of peak systolic velocity de-tected by CDUS in cervical vertigo group (66.13%)was higher than that in control group (10.00%)with statistically significant difference (P <0.05).The peak systolic velocity decline incidence of VA stenosis (86.21% )and VA variation (72.22%)were high-er than that of VA tortuous (28.57%)and VA normal (12.50%)patients in cervical vertigo group.Conclusion The application of CDUS combined with CTA or CE-MRA could provide valuable diagnostic and therapeutic information for cervical vertigo in the as-pects of change in vascular morphology and cerebral hemodynamics,which could further provide objective basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective To investigate the dose distribution and radiation risk of Varian thoracic cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with default parameters with reference to Monte Carlo simulation and International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) report 110.Methods EGSnrc/BEAMnrc code was used to simulate the material, thickness, and geometry of the kV CBCT source (kVS) to establish the kVS model.A benchmarked MCSIM code was applied to calculate the dose distribution in the ICRP phantom after the scan with the standard thoracic parameters (110 kV, 20 mA, and 262 mAs), and the conversion coefficient of absolute dose was obtained in a spherical phantom following the TG-61 protocol.The results of Monte Carlo simulation were validated by PDD and Profile in a water phantom and the measurement of the absolute dose in the computed tomography dose index (CTDI) phantom and Alderson phantom.The models including BEIR VⅡ were used to evaluate the radiation risks.Results With reference to the criterion of 3%/1 mm, the uncertainties of PDD and Profile were less than 2%.The difference between the measured and calculated values was<2.9% in the CTDI phantom and ≤0.05 cGy in the Alderson phantom.In the ICRP110 phantom, the doses to the left lung, right lung, left breast, right breast, heart, thyroid, trachea, cancellous bone, and cortical bone were 1.28, 1.39, 1.74, 1.80, 1.46, 0.48, 0.88, 0.85, and 1.84 cGy, respectively.The relative risks of ischemic heart disease, breast cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, and tracheal cancer in a standard scan were1.001 , 1.009, 1.019, 1.000, and 1.008, respectively. Conclusions The accumulated dose and long-term risks of CBCT during image-guided thoracic radiotherapy cannot be neglected and should be effectively controlled.

Objective To identify the expression pattern of IGF-1 and IGF-1R in NK/T-cell lymphoma (NK/TCL) cell lines and to investigate the role of IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling in regulation of cell migration and invasion.Methods RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were performed to detect the expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1R.Transwell assay was applied to observe the effects of IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling and downstream kinases activities on cell migration and invasion.Concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were quantified by ELISA.Results Co-expression of IGF-1 and its receptor IGF-1R were identified in two NK/TCL cell lines,SNK-1 and SNK-6,while normal NK cells lack the IGF-1R expression.IGF-1R inhibitors significantly reduced SNK-1 and SNK-6 cells migration and invasion rates.Exogenous IGF-1 promoted both cell lines migration and invasion,but these effects were both blocked by IGF-1R inhibitors.Inhibition of AKT,p38 and JNK,the possible IGF-1R downstream kinases,reduced cell migration rates.Further more,exogenous IGF-1 significantly increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion,while decreased secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed when IGF-1R inhibitors were applied.Conclusion An autocrine IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling loop is aberrantly expressed on NK/TCL cells and the autocrine loop significantly promotes cell migration and invasion through activation of p38,PI3K and JNK signaling and enhances secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9.