OBJECTIVE To investigate the distribution of bacteria in general ICU then discuss the susceptible factors and the treatment.METHODS A retrospective analysis of clinical information was performed on 123 patients diagnosed infection who stayed in ICU from May 2002 to May 2004.RESULTS Most of bacteria resulted in infection of general ICU were Gram-negative(62.88%) and then Gram-positive(19.65%). Fungal infection accounted for 17.47%.Pseudomonas aeruginosa occupied the highest percentage among Gram-negative bacteria.Most of Gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus and all of them were MRS.The infection site in ICU focused on lower respiratory tract(89.09%).The second was urinary tract(11.79%).CONCLUSIONS Most of the bacteria causing infection in general ICU locate in respiratory tract.They are mainly Gram-negative.All of the Gram-positive bacteria are MRS.The risk factors of hospital-acquired infection are related with patient′s age,underlying disease,intensive care time,ventilation time and invasive operation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the characteristic of Gram-positive bacteria in general ICU then discuss the susceptible factors and the treatment.METHODS A retrospective analysis of clinical information was performed on patients with Gram-positive infection in ICU from May 2002 to May 2004.RESULTS Most of Gram-positive bacteria resulted in infection in general ICU were Staphylococcus aureus and all of them were MRSA.The infective site focused on lower respiratory tract(84.44%).The second was catheter(8.89%).CONCLUSIONS The risk factors of hospital-acquired infection are relative with patient's age,underlying diseases,stay time in ICU,ventilated time and invasive operation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) on the proliferation of hepatocytes and hepatic tumor cells and the expression of ALR in herpatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSPrimary rat hepatocytes, QGY and HepG2 cells were cultured separately with ALR from different species. Cell proliferation was detected by their 3H-TdR uptake. The expression of ALR was examined in 9 normal hepatic tissues and 21 HCC cases using immunohistochemistry method.

RESULTSDifferent ALRs could stimulate the proliferation of HepG2 and QGY cells in a dose-dependent way in vitro, but all ALR had no influence in the proliferation of primary rat hepatocytes. The expression of ALR was absent in normal hepatic tissues, but present in all HCC hepatic tissues. However, the expression of ALR had no relationship with the differentiation and size of the carcinomas.

CONCLUSIONALR might play an important role in the occurrence and development of HCC.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; Hepatocytes ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Liver Regeneration ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of magnetic resonance dynamic contrast-enhanced (MR-DCE) and magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (MR-DWI) in the differentiation of benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors.

METHODSSixty-three patients with pathologically confirmed musculoskeletal tumors were examined with MR-DCE and MR-DWI. Using single shot spin echo planar imaging sequence and different b values of 400, 600, 800 and 1000 s/mm(2), we obtained the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the lesions. ADC values were measured before and after MR-DCE, with a b value of 600 s/mm(2). The 3D fast acquired multiple phase enhanced fast spoiled gradient recalled echo sequence was obtained for multi-slice of the entire lesion. The time-signal intensity curve (TIC), dynamic contrast-enhanced parameters, maximum slope of increase (MSI), positive enhancement integral, signal enhancement ratio, and time to peak (T(peak)) were also recorded.

RESULTSADC showed no significant difference between benign and malignant tumors when the b value was 400, 600, 800, or 1000 s/mm(2), and it was not significantly different between benign and malignant tumors in both pre-MR-DCE and post-MR-DCE with b value of 600 s/mm(2). TIC were classified into four types type1 showed rapid progression and gradual drainage; type2 showed rapid progression but had no or slight progression; type 3 showed gradual progression; and type 4 had no or slight progression. Most lesions of type1 or type2 were malignant, whereas most lesions of type 3 or type 4 were benign. When using type1 and type 2 as the standards of malignancy, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 87.23% and 50.00%, respectively. The types of TIC showed significant difference between benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors(χ(2)=17.009,P=0.001). When using MSI 366.62 ± 174.84 as the standard of malignancy, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 86.78% and 78.67%, respectively. When using T(peak)≤70s as the standard of malignancy, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 82.89%and 85.78%, respectively. Positive enhancement integral and signal enhancement ratio showed no significant difference between benign and malignant musculoskeletal tumors.

CONCLUSIONSTIC, MSI and T(peak) of MR-DCE are valuable in differentiating benign from malignant musculoskeletal tumors. T(peak) has the highest diagnostic specificity, and TIC has the highest diagnostic sensitivity. The mean ADC value are no significant difference between benign and malignant tumors.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESTo detect whether there is an expression of human augmenter of liver regeneration (hALR) in HepG2 cells. To develop a kind of RNAi that specifically targets human augmenter of liver regeneration by synthesizing small interfering RNA (siRNA) in vivo, and to assess the inhibitory effect of this siRNA on hALR expression.

METHODSThe expression of hALR in HepG2 cells was observed with immunocytochemistry. The RNAi plasmid pSIALR-A and the unrelated control plasmid pSIALR-B were transfected into HepG2 cells. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the protein level of hALR was measured with immunocytochemistry; meanwhile, the reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of hALR mRNA.

RESULTShALR was expressed by HepG2 cells. siRNA plasmid pSIALR-A, which targets the cDNA of hALR and the unrelated control plasmid pSIALR-B, was successfully constructed. Both immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR showed that pSIALR-A inhibited the expression of hALR in HepG2 cells significantly, compared with that of pSIALR-B.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that the small interfering RNA targeting hALR suppresses the expression of hALR in a sequence-specific manner

Base Sequence ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Proteins ; genetics ; pharmacology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVESTo examine the activities of transcription factors (TFs) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with different metastatic potentials, so as to identify the TFs associated with HCC metastasis.

METHODSTranscription factor activity profile of Hep3B, MHCC97L and MHCC97H, three HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials, were examined using protein/DNA array. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and Western blot were used to confirm the results obtained by protein/DNA array.

RESULTSFrom a total of 345 screened TFs, 7 activity differential TFs were found, of which 5 showed increased activity, including p53, hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and Sp1, and 2 showed decreased activity including Rb and Smad3.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal functioning of transcription factors is closely associated with HCC metastasis. Our present findings could be of help in expanding our understanding of the mechanism of HCC metastasis and identify new predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Protein Array Analysis ; Transcription Factors ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo identify the impact of age and gender on cardiac structure and left ventricular function in normal Chinese by echocardiography.

METHODSCardiac structure, valve flow velocity and cardiac function were measured by echocardiography in 15,692 healthy volunteers. Subjects were grouped by age at 5 years interval in population older than 5 years. Children under 5 years were divided into 3 age groups (< 1 years, 1 - 3 years, 4 - 5 years). Hierarchical cluster analyses were performed for ages, based on indexes of cardiac structure and function respectively.

RESULTSSix groups (< 1 years, 1 - 3 years, 4 - 5 years, 6 - 10 years, 11 - 20 years, > or = 21 years) were generated after the age hierarchical cluster analyses based on index of cardiac structure. Four groups (< or = 30 years, 31 - 50 years, 51 - 80 years, > or = 81 years) were generated based on spectral current flow. Six groups (< 1 years, 1 - 3 years, 4 - 5 years, 6 - 10 years, 11 - 15 years, > or = 16 years) were generated based on left ventricular systolic function and five groups (< or = 15 years, 16 - 30 years, 31 - 50 years, 51 - 80 years, > or = 81 years) were generated based on left ventricular diastolic function. Cardiac structure index were similar between male and female in age groups < or = 10 years and significantly lower in females than males in age groups > or = 11 years (P < 0.05). Valve flow velocity was similar between male and female in various age groups (P > 0.05). Left ventricular systolic function was similar between male and female in age groups < or = 10 years but was significantly higher in males than females in age groups > or = 11 years (all P < 0.05). Left ventricular diastolic function was similar between female and male in various age groups (P > 0.05) and equally decreased with aging in both female and male subjects.

CONCLUSIONSThe cardiac development in Chinese population can be divided in 6 phases and becomes stable in subjects older than 21 years, left ventricular systolic function becomes stable in subjects older than 16 years and the left ventricular diastolic function declines physiologically with aging.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cluster Analysis ; Echocardiography ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Factors ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Young Adult

Monitoring engraftment of donor cells after allogeneic transplantation is the key of assessing successful establishment of animal transplantation model. The purpose of this study was to establish a method for analysis of chimerism in rhesus transplantation model. Y-specific sequence in rhesus was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), method for analysis of chimerism in rhesus after sex-mismatched transplantation was established; the feasibility and sensitivity of the approach were tested by using serial DNA mixtures of sex-mismatched individuals; the accuracy of results was confirmed by chromosome karyotype analysis simultaneously; Chimerisms of one rhesus received allogeneic stem cell transplantation and the other received mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transfusion were detected by this method. The results showed that a 176 bp long sequence of PCR product was gained in male rhesus, while no product was gained in female rhesus. The sensitivity of this method was up to 0.05% (male/female DNA ratio). Male donor chimerism were found on day 7 and 14 after allogeneic stem cell transplantation by Y-specific sequence and chromosome karyotype analysis. Otherwise, male donor chimerism was found in peripheral blood at 1 hour and in bone marrow on day 30 after MSC transfusion by this method, but no male donor chimerism was found after MSC transfusion using chromosome karyotype analysis. In conclusion, this rapid, sensitive approach can used to assess chimerism in experiments of rhesus alloorgan transplantation and cell transfusion.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Female ; Macaca mulatta ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Models, Animal ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Transplantation Chimera ; blood ; genetics ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Y Chromosome ; genetics

This study was aimed to analyze the mRNA expression of cytokines (TGF-beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, FAS-L) in five rhesus treated with haploidentical peripheral blood stem cell transplantation after nonmyeloablative preparative regimens and to explore the role of these cytokines in the development and pathology of acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD). Five rhesus monkeys received nonmyeloablative haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells transplantation. Semi-quantitative reversed transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze the kinetics of cytokine mRNA expression in the transplantation and aGVHD. The results showed that five rhesus monkeys acquired hematopoietic reconstitution successfully. The graft was rejected in one monkey which survived without disease, the other four achieved mixed chimerism and full donor chimerism. Chimerism of low centigrade in one monkey achieved high centigrade at 35 days after donor stem cell infusion. Intestinal aGVHD grade III developed in one monkey. Cytokines of Th1 and Th2 changed after transplantation. In period of aGVHD, expression of TGF-beta decreased but all others increased in various levels. When donor chimerism decreased, the cytokines decreased accordingly. It is concluded that the decrease of TGF-beta mRNA may be an indicator to predict aGVHD, and can be used as a differential diagnostic indicator for intestinal GVHD.
Animals ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Graft vs Host Disease ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Haploidy ; Macaca mulatta ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo establish rhesus haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation model by nonmyeloablative conditioning, and examine the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in haploidentical transplantation.

METHODSThe recipient haploidentical rhesus monkeys were conditioned with a nonmyeloablative regimen consisted of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, 200 cGy total body irradiation, and rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin. Cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and anti CD25 antibody were used for graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Rhesus monkeys in one group were given hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) only, while in the other group HSC combined with MSC. The differences in hematopoiesis recovery, chimerism level, and GVHD between the two groups were evaluated.

RESULTSStable chimerism could be achieved in recipient monkeys. Hematopoiesis recovery was mainly related with chimerism level. MSC seemed capable of facilitating HSC engraftment, as there were more mixed chimerism and less GVHD occurrence in the HSC combined with MSC recipient group.

CONCLUSIONA rhesus haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation model is successfully established by nonmyeloablative conditioning. MSC was of great benefit to haploidentical transplantation.

Animals ; Chimerism ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Haploidy ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Macaca mulatta ; genetics ; surgery ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Models, Animal ; Transplantation Conditioning