BACKGROUND:Pancreas or islet cel transplantation and stem cel transplantation bring hope to cure diabetes, but pancreas or islet transplantation appears to have a lack of donors as wel as immune rejection problems, limiting their clinical development. Therefore, stem cel transplantation therapy has become the current hotspot.
OBJECTIVE:To study the therapeutic effects of huaman telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s transplantation on diabetes mel itus in SD rats.
METHODS:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s were transfected with PLXSN carrying hTERT. Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n=6), stem cel group (n=10), hTERT transfection group (n=10), diabetes mel itus group (n=10). Except the control group, the rats were injected with stretozotocin (45 mg/kg) to make diabetes mel itus models. After modeling, rats in the stem cel group and hTERT transfection group were respectively intravenously injected with 1 mL of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s (1.5×1010/L) and 1 mL of hTERT-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s (1.5×1010/L).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 24 hours after modeling, the fasting blood-glucose level was significantly increased in the diabetes mel itus group, which was higher than the normal value (6.7 mmol/L). At 15 days after cel transplantation, the fasting blood-glucose levels were signficiantly decreased in the stem cel group and hTERT transfection group as compared with the diabetes mel itus group (P<0.05), but the body mass of rats was increased in these two group (P<0.05), especial y in the hTERT transfection group. At 45 days after cel transplantation, the fasting blood-glucose level and body mass in the stem cel group and hTERT transfection group were close to those in the control group (P>0.05), and moreover, the hTERT group had better outcomes than the stem cel group. Meanwhile, in the diabetes mel itus group, the fasting blood-glucose level was stil at a higher level, and the body mass decreased continously. These findings suggest that hTERT-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation is effective for treatment of diabetes mel itus in rats.

BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that underin vitro experimental environment, antisense endothelin nucleic acid nanometer carrier can express target nucleic acid and produce RNA interference effect after enfolding by 12-alkylated chitosan nanoparticles, which can effectively inhibit the excessive generation of endothelin from inflammatory cytokines induced by alergen. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of 12-alkylated chitosan nanoparticles enfolding antisense endothelin converting enzyme RNA expression plasmid on airway hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic mouse models. METHODS: Forty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, chitosan nanoparticles, normal saline and plasmid groups. Mice in the chitosan nanoparticles, normal saline and plasmid groups were subjected to sensitization by an intraperitoneal injection with ovalbumin (0, 14 days) and motivation by aerosol inhalation of ovalbumin (24, 25, 26 days) to induce asthma models. Mice in the control group were subjected to sensitization and motivation by the perfusion of normal saline. At 24hours before the first excitation, mice in the control, chitosan nanoparticles, normal saline and plasmid groups were perfused with normal salinevia airway, 12-alkylated chitosan nanoparticles, normal saline and antisense endothelin converting enzyme RNA. At 48 hours after the last excitation, the airway reactivity of mice was detected. After 28 days, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology, lung histopathology, cytokines in spleen cel culture supernatant were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, the total number of plasmid cels, the percentage of eosinophils, eosinophil absolute counts, interleukin-4 levels, endothelin levels and airway hyperresponsiveness of mice in chitosan nanoparticles, normal saline and plasmid groups were increased (P < 0.05), and the lung inflammation was more severe. These indicators in the chitosan nanoparticles group were al lower than those in the normal saline and plasmid groups (P < 0.05) and the degree of inflammation was lighter than that in the saline and plasmid groups. These results demonstrate that 12-alkylated chitosan nanoparticles enfolding antisense endothelin converting enzyme RNA expression plasmid can reduce the synthetic amount of asthma endothelin and inhibit airway responsiveness.

Primary liver cancer ( PLC) is one of the most invasive malignant tumors in the clinics .The PLC within Milan criteria can be cured by liver transplantation or liver resection .However,PLC exceeding Milan criteria has been a question for us to overcome all the time .In recent years ,transcatheter arterial chemoemboliza-tion( TACE) and its combination therapy for PLC exceeding Milan criteria have made some breakthrough .A great deal of literatures have confirmed that TACE and its combined therapy for PLC exceeding Milan criteria can im -prove the survival rate obviously,it also contains many advantages,such as low cost,safe,painless,minimally in-vasive,repetitive operation and so on .The progress of TACE for PLC exceeding Milan criteria in recent years is summarized in this paper .

Objective To evaluate the values of diagnosis in anomalies of aortic valve with transesophogeal echocardiography (TEE) before operation. Methods Thirty-seven cases of anomalies of aortic valve which were diagnosed by TEE and treated by operation were analyzed retrospectively, the features of anomalies of aortic valve, pattern of cardiac structure changing and the reference values of diagnosis with TEE in choosing correct operation method were summarized. Results There were different characteristics in the number of valve and juncture, location of juncture, opening and closing shape of aortic valve, aortic valvular stenosis, aortic valvular regurgitation or both of them.Pattern of changes of cardiac structure included ascending aorta dilatation, left ventricle enlarge and left ventricle hypertrophy. Features of aortic valve anomalies and pattern of changes of cardiac structure were the important consulting information for the selection of operation method. Conclusion TEE is an important diagnosis method for anomalies of aortic valve, and it can provide abundant and valuable information for choosing an appropriate operational method.

Long-term use of systemic or topical glucocorticoid can cause posterior subcapsular opacities ( PSO ) , named glucocorticoid-induced cataract ( GIC ) . There are many hypotheses on the pathogenesis of GIC. However, no one has well explained the formation of PSO, which leads to no effective approaches in the prevention and/or treatment. A new opinion is that hormones might affect lens epithelial cells through GR - mediated vimentin changes, which eventually result in the formation of GIC. Therefore, the association between vimentin and lens epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, maybe a new direction for further studies in the pathogenesis of GIC.

Objective To investigate the anti-tumor effects of photodynamie therapy(PDT)on human pancreatic cancer xenograft in nude mice and the time-effect relationship of PDT.Methods The animal model of human pancreatic cancer was developed by suturing small pieces of SW1990 tumors into the dorsum of nude mice.When the size of the tumors increased to 0.8～1.0 cm.36 mice were randomly divided into three groups:control group(no treatment),photosensitizer group(Photosan 2mg/kg,abdominal cavity injection),photodynamic group(Photosan 2 mg/kg injection+laser irradiation).Each group included 12 mice.The tumor sizes were measured twice per week and the weight8 and volumes of the tumors were measured,and the tumor inhibitory rate was calculated three weeks later.Results The tumor volume of photodynamic group was (0.22±0.12)mm3 at the 6th day,which was significantly smaller than(0.43 s0.18)mm3 of control group and(0.39±0.15)mm3 of photosensitizer group(P＜0.05).15 days later,the tumor volumes of PDT groups increased.21 days later.the weight of the tumors in photodynamie group was(0.69±0.23)g,which was significantly lower than(1.65 ±0.21)g of control group and(1.62±0.12)g of photosensitizer group(P＜0.05).The tumor inhibitory rate in photodynamic group was 58.18%,which was significantly higher than that of photoseasitizer group(1.8%,P＜0.05).Conclusions Photodynamie therapy had significant anti-tumor effect on human pancreatic cancer with quick-acting efficacy,but photodynamie therapy alone exeaed efficacy only in the shoa term.

Objective To explore the clinical value of tuberculous infection of T cells spot test (T-SPOT. TB)for diagnosing tuberculous pleurisy in immunocompromised patients. Methods The sensitivities of T-SPOT. TB,ADA, TB-DNA and tuberculosis antibodies to tuberculous pleurisy in 54 immunocompromised patients were compared.Among these patients,22 were retested by T-SPOT. TB after 2 months anti-tuberculosis treatment. Spot forming cells(SFCs) were compared before and after treatment. Results The diagnostic sensitivity of T-SPOT.TB (79.63%)was significantly higher than those of ADA (64.81%),TB-DNA (48.15%)and tuberculosis antibodies (55.56%) (P<0.05).22 patients were retested by the T-SPOT.TB after anti-TB treatment (2 months), the results showed that the positive rate of T-SPOT.TB was 90.91%,not significantly than previous tests (P<0.05).Both ESAT-6 and CFP-10 specific SFCs decreased significantly compared with those before anti-TB treatment (t=2.728 and 2.400,P<0.05 respectively). Conclusions T-SPOT.TB assay has satisfactory sensitivity and could be used in diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy in immunocompromised patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of gemcitabine,a cytotoxic drug,combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treatment of human pancreatic cancer xenograft in nude mice.Methods The animal model of human pancreatic cancer was developed by suturing small pieces of SW1990 tumors into the dorsum of nude mice.Sixty animal models were randomly divided into five groups with 12 each:control group ( without any treatment ), photosensitizer group ( 2 mg/kg of Photosan, without illumination ),chemotherapy group (receiving 50 mg/kg of gemcitabine i.p. on day 0,3,6 and 9 after transplantation),photodynamic group (2 mg/kg photosan combined with laser irradiation) and combination group (50 mg/kg of gemcitabine and 2 mg/kg of photosan combined with laser irradiation). The tumor sizes were measured twice every week.All mice were sacrificed after 21 days.The tumor volume was calculated,and inhibitory effect and changes before and after treatment were analyzed.Results The tumor was grown bigger in control,photosensitizer and chemotherapy groups (all P value ＜0.05).On day 6,9,12,15,18and 21, the tumor size was significantly smaller in photodynamic group than those in control and photosensitize groups.While the tumor size on day 18 and 21 was smaller in combined group than those in photodynamic group(all P value ＜0.05). The tumor mass was (0.29 ± 0.20) g in combined group,which was lower than that in photodynamic,control,photosensitize and chemotherapy groups[(0.69±0.23) g,(1.65±0.21) g,(1.62±0.12) g,(1.37±0.19) g,respectively,P＜0.05].The inhibitory effect were 82.420%00 and 58.18% in combined group and photodynamic group,respectively(P＜0.05),while there was 1.80% and 17.00% in photosensitize and chemotherapy groups,respectively.Conclusions Photodynamic therapy has significant and short anti-tumor effect,but it can be significantly enhanced by combined with small dose of gemcitabine.

Objective To study the changes of mean platelet volume and urinary albumin excretion rate and retinal thickness and relationship among them in diabetes mellitus patients with retinopathy(DR).Methods Mean platelet volume was measured with MEK-6318K automated blood cell counter;retinal thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography(OCT);urinary albumin excretion rate was measured with rate nephelometry in DR,which were compared with those of 30 normal controls.Results The mean platelet volume and retinal thickness and urinary albumin excretion rate in DR were significantly higher than those in normal controls(P

Objective To compare cerebral oximetry(rSO 2 %)and somatosensory evoked potential (N 35 ) in their accuracy in monitoring cerebral perfusion during carotid endarterectomy procedure under general anesthesia. Methods Ten patients (6 males, 4 females), scheduled for selective carotid endarterectomy, were enrolled in the study. Their rSO 2 %and N 35 were also continuously monitored and recorded during perioperative periods. The patients' cognitive function was evaluated at the same time. The MAP, HR, SpO 2 were continuously monitored during operation. Results There was a significant difference in rSO 2 % between that at the period of elamping and that at the period of declamping of the carotid artery. No patients suffered from cognition dysfunction during perioperative period. Conclusion With comparison to the amplitude of N 35 it was rSO 2 % which was earlier to show alteration in cerebral perfusion in case of cerebral oxygen deficit. In monitoring cerebral perfusion, rSO 2 % was better than N 35