Continuous exposure to conventional glucose-containing lactate-buffered solutions will ultimately lead to irreversible changes of the structure and function of peritoneum.Therefore,the development of novel peritoneal dialysis(PD) solutions has become the focus in the PD fields in recent years.Icodextrin,which has more adventages than conventional PD solutions,is one of the most important advancements in the past decade.Icodextrin has better biocompatibility,and can reduce the absorption of carbohydrates to decrease the metabolic complications in PD patients.Apart from increasing ultrafiltration,icodextrin can also improve the fluid status and protect the residual renal function of PD patients.However,adverse consequences may result from the pseudo-hyperglycaemia caused by limited measurement of serum glucose.This article reviews the features and applications of the new PD solutions—icodextrin solutions.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma in Situ ; virology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; virology ; Female ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; isolation & purification ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Microarray Analysis ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Papillomaviridae ; isolation & purification ; Papillomavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; Paraffin Embedding ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; virology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of prenatal stress on neurological functions after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in adult offspring rats.

METHODSPregnant rats were randomly assigned to prenatal stress treatment, which was exposed to restraint three times daily in the last week of pregnancy, and no prenatal stress treatment. Adult male offspring rats were subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia by MCAO. They were randomly divided into four groups: sham group, prenatal stress + sham group, MCAO group and prenatal stress + MCAO group (n = 10). After 24 hours of reperfusion, the neurological deficits were evaluated. The infarct size, cell apoptosis and expression of Caspase 3, cleaved Caspase 3 and Bcl-2 were detected.

RESULTSCompared with MCAO group, the neurological deficits, infarct size and apoptotic cells in prenatal stress + MCAO group were increased significantly (all P < 0.05). The expressions of Caspase 3 and cleaved Caspase 3 were much greater in prenatal stress + MCAO group than those of MCAO group, while the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly decreased in prenatal stress + MCAO group compared with MCAO group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPrenatal stress might exacerbate neuroloeical deficits in the offspring rats after MCAO by increasing cell apoptosis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Female ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; physiopathology ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; physiopathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stress, Physiological

BACKGROUNDAlthough video-assisted radical operation for lung cancer has been widely accepted for treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the debate over video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy still remains. This study analyzed the clinical outcomes using VATS segmentectomy for stage I NSCLC patients to explore the safety and efficacy of VATS segmentectomy for Ia NSCLC.

METHODSRetrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent VATS segmentectomy for clinical stage I NSCLC at Shanghai Chest Hospital between November 2009 and May 2012. VATS segmentectomy was performed on 36 patients. Analyses of the patient group were performed on patient demographics and clinical characteristics, intraoperative parameters, complications, and postoperative survival.

RESULTSThirty-five of thirty-six patients underwent VATS segmentectomy with only one conversion to open thoracic surgery. There was one peri-operative mortality from the segmentectomy group and all other patients are alive with a median follow up of 327 days. The mean volume of chest tube drainage after operation for segmentectomy was 1021.4 ml. Among other parameters, the mean blood loss was 162.5 ml (50.0 - 1600.0 ml), the mean operation time 124.8 minutes (75.0 - 271.0 minutes), chest tube duration 4.1 days (2 - 8 days), and the mean length of hospital stay 6.2 days (4 - 11 days). There was one (2.8%) locoregional recurrence after segmentectomy. Two patients successfully underwent bilateral segmentectomies and are still disease free.

CONCLUSIONFor patients with stage I NSCLC, VATS segmentectomy offers a safe and equally effective option and can be applied to complicated operations such as bilateral segmentectomy.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Chinese herbs for stasis removing and collaterals dredging (CHSRCD) upon angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-angiotensin-(1-7)-Mas axis in the renal cortex of diabetic nephropathy rats.

METHODSTotally 89 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the blank control group (C group, n=22), the high-glucose high-fat control group (H group, n=10), and the streptozotocin (STZ)-injecting group (n=57). The diabetes rat model (n=50) was induced by feeding high-glucose high-fat diet in combination with intraperitoneal injection of STZ, which were further divided into the model group (M group, n=24), the irbesartan group (I group, n=13), and the CHSRCD (Z group, n=13). Rats in I and Z groups were intragastrically fed with suspension of irbesartan and CHSRCD, once daily for 16 weeks. Equal volume of drinking water was administrated to rats in the rest groups. Blood glucose and 24 h urine protein quantitation were tested at four time points. And the mRNA expression of ACE2 and Mas at various time points was detected by Real-time PCR, immunohistochemical assay, and Western blot. Quantitative analyses of ACE2 and Mas protein expression were performed at the end of week 16.

RESULTSCompared with the C group, blood glucose increased in the H and M groups (P < 0.01). It was higher in the H group (P < 0. 01). 24 h urine protein quantitation at different time points increased in the M group, and it was higher than that in the H group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, 24 h urine protein quantitation decreased at the end of week 8 in the I group, and at the end of week 8 and 16 in the Z group (P < 0.05). It was lower in the Z group than in the I group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.05). Compared with the C and H groups, the expression of ACE2 mRNA in the renal cortex was lower in the M group at the end of week 16 (P < 0.01). Compared with the M group, it was higher in the Z group (P < 0. 01). There was no statistical difference in the expressions of Mas mRNA at the end of week 16 between the C group and the M group (P > 0.05). It was lower in the M group than in the H group (P < 0.05). It was higher in the Z group than in the M group (P < 0.05), and higher than in the I group (P < 0.05). The expression of ACE2 and Mas protein in the M group decreased as time went by. The expression quantitation of ACE2 and Mas protein at the end of week 16 was lower in the M group than in the C group (P < 0.05). Compared with the M group, ACE2 expression of the Z group and Mas of the I and Z groups increased more significantly (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONCHSRCD could play a role in renal protection for diabetic nephropathy rats by up-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of ACE2 and Mas, promoting the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis, and lowering urinary protein.

Angiotensin I ; metabolism ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Kidney Cortex ; metabolism ; Male ; Peptide Fragments ; metabolism ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the effects of the chronic Keshan disease's self-management in Liangshan Prefecture of Sichuan Province. Methods According to "The Serf Management Program of Chronic Keshan Disease in Liangshen Prefecture of Sichuan Province", 56 chronic Keshan disease patients were selected in the personalized self-manngemant evaluation under the instructions by endemic disease specialists and the rural doctors. Evaluation was based on changes of indexes such as the clinical symptoms, general health conditions, the electrocardiogram, X-ray, the heart function, etc, before treatment and 3 and 6 months following the treatment. Results Clinical signs and symptoms of the patients were significantly improved 3 and 6 months after the treatment, and the improvement was more obvious 6 months than 3 months following the treatment(P<0.05 or< 0.01). After treatment for 3 months, the patients'electrocardingram and heart function did not show obvious change (X2=0.05,039, P0.05); hut obvious improvements Eexcept X ray results(X2=0.61 ,P0.05)] were seen 6 months after treatment (X2=4.36,16.84, P<0.05 or<0.01). Altogether, among the 56 patients evaluated after treatment for 6 months, none achieved the clinical cure standard, 26 cases(46.3%) showed significant improvement, 17 cases (30.4%) were stable, 5 cases (8.9%) were aggravated,one case (1.8%) lost contact, and 6 cases (10.6%) died. Conclusion The project of the chronic Keshan disease's self-management is suitable for the present situati,on of the endemic regions and can he introduced to many places in our country.

OBJECTIVETo assess the functional result of a "Two in One" urethroplasty which combined oral mucosa graft and local flap.

METHODS17 patients with hypospadias underwent a "Two in One" urethroplasty, which combined buccal mucosa and local flap for urethral reconstruction. Uroflowmetry was performed 1 day before and 1 year after operation. The urine flow rate, voided volume and urine flow curves were detected using a rotating sensor. The results of maximum urine flow rate (Qmax) were expressed as percentiles and compared to the Toguri value from normal children.

RESULTSBefore corrective operation, 12 of 17 patients (70.6%) produced a plateau urine flow curve. 5 patients (29.4%) produced a very low flow curve. The average maximum flow rate was (7.89 +/- 2.29) ml/s per second compared to Toguri values, 12 of 17 patients (70.6%) had a Qmax below the normal 5th percentile. After a "Two in One" urethroplasty, a hell-shaped curve was obtained in 10 patients (58.8%). The maximum flow rate was (11.30 +/- 3.01) mL/s per second. 7 of 17 patients (41.2%) had a Qmax above the normal 25th percentile, 8 patients (47.1%) had a Qmax between the normal 25th percentile and 5th percentile, only 2 patients (11.8%) had a Qmax below the 5th percentile.

CONCLUSIONSThe functional result of the "Two in One" urethroplasty is ideal. The maximum urine flow rate of the patients increases after the operation.

Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Hypospadias ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Treatment Outcome ; Urethra ; physiopathology ; surgery

Objective To investigate the effect of p53 protein on the nerve function of rats with acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by electro-acupuncture pretreatment. Methods A total of 72 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group(n=24),model group(n=24) and electroacupuncture pretreatment group(n=24).Each group was equally divided into two hours and 72 hours subgroups. The neurological behavior was assessed with modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS). HE staining and TUNEL assay were used to observe the injury and cell apoptosis in ischemic brain,and Western blot-ting was used to detect the expression of p-p53(ser392),p53 and microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)II in ischemic area. Results Compared with the model group,the mNSS scores,the injury of brain tissue,the number of TUNEL-positive cells, and the level of p-p53 and LC3II decreased (P<0.05) in the electroacupuncture pretreatment group.Two hours after reperfusion,there was no significant difference in the level of p53 between the model group and the electroacupuncture pretreatment group(P>0.05),however,72 hours after reperfusion,the level of p53 decreased in the electroacupuncture pretreatment group(P<0.05). Conclusion Electroacupuncture pretreatment can improve neurological deficit in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury rats,which may be related to the involvement of p53 protein in autophagy and apoptosis.

D-lactonohydrolase is useful in the procedure of resolution of racemic pantolactone to produce D-pantolactone, but the activity and stability under low pH of the wild type enzyme is not satisfactory enough to be applied to industrial production. The expected properties of wild type enzyme were enhanced by directed evolution. According to the formation of products and pH indicators, a screening system was designed. After three sequential error prone PCR and one round DNA shuffling followed by screening, Mut E-861, the best mutant with improved activity and stability under low pH situation was obtained. Gene analysis of the Mut E-861 mutant indicated that the mutant enzyme had A352C, G721A mutations and a silent mutation of position 1038. Moreover, the activity and stability of Mut E-861 were determined. The results showed that the activity of this mutant was 5.5-fold higher than that of wild type, and the stability under low pH was improved at no expense of D-lactonohydrolase activity. After incubated at pH 6.0 and pH 5.0 the activity of D-lactonohydrolase could be retained 75% to 50%, however, compared with 40% to 20% for wild type.
Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; DNA Shuffling ; Directed Molecular Evolution ; Enzyme Stability ; Escherichia coli ; enzymology ; genetics ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Mutant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Protein Engineering ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; enzymology ; genetics

Voltage-dependent potassium channels (Kv) are involved in proliferation and transformation in mammary epithelial cells. In previous studies, several groups have detected various potassium channels in breast cancer cells, and they assumed that potassium channels are related to the development of breast carcinoma, although the precise mechanisms are still unknown. We have previously reported that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), one kind of potassium channel (K(+) channel) blocker, could affect the proliferation of MCF10A cells. The aim of the present study is to explore the expression and properties of K(+) channels in human mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A) and whether Kv channels are required for the proliferation of MCF10A cell. Electrophysiological, MTT analysis, PCR and Western blot methods were used to identify a K(+) conductance which is involved in tumorigenesis and not yet be described in MCF10A cells. A voltage-dependent, outward rectification and 4-AP-sensitive K(+) current was observed in these cells. The perfusion of 5 mmol/L 4-AP significantly decreased the amplitude of Kv current from (912.5+/-0.6) pA to (275+/-0.8) pA (n=5, P<0.01), when cells were recorded using 800 ms voltage steps from a holding potential of -60 mV to voltage ranging from -60 mV to +60 mV. PCR analysis demonstrated that Kv1.1, Kv1.2, Kv1.3, and Kv1.5 were all expressed in MCF10A and MCF7 cells. Furthermore, the expression of Kv1.5 was much higher in MCF10A than that in MCF7. Inhibitory effect of 4-AP on cell proliferation was dosage-dependent. Incubation with 5 mmol/L 4-AP reduced MCF10A cell proliferation to 25.29% in 48 h. Western blot analysis showed the activation of ERK1/2 which related to cell proliferation was enhanced, while p38 activation was decreased by 4-AP treatment for 10 min. These data provided the first evidence of the Kv channels expression in MCF10A cell and 4-AP could inhibit the proliferation of MCF10A through blocking the potassium channels, and the mechanism may be related to regulating the activity of different members of cell proliferation signaling pathway of MEK/ERK.
4-Aminopyridine ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Epithelial Cells ; physiology ; Humans ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated ; physiology