Objective To assess the effective length of jejunal graft when the 3~(rd) intestinal artery is u- tilized as vascular pedicle and afford a reliable theoretic base for clinical esophageal reconstruction.Methods In 32 formalin preserved and 21 fresh cadaver specimens,the diameter of 1st to 5th intestinal arteries and diameter of arterial arches are measured with linear calibre.Measure the length of jejunum that can be harves- ted as graft when the arches are extended.In the 21 fresh specimens,the 1st,2nd,4th and 5th intestinal ar- teries are ligated,acetic ester stained with red dye were injected into the lumen of 3rd intestinal artery via catheter.Extent of distribution of the arteries to the jejunum was observed.And then red ABS solution was in- jected into the 3rd intestinal artery to make into cast specimen.The blood supply distribution of jejunum through 3rd intestinal artery-arterial arch and communicating system were observed again.Results The di- ameter of the 3rd intestinal artery was the largest among the 1st to 5th intestinal arteries.The length of jejunum vascularized by 3rd intestinal artery can be as long as (142.2?62.3) (69.0～206.60cm) in acetic ester in- filtrated specimens.While in ABS east specimen,the average available extent of donor jejunum was(30.8?7.3) (23.0～37.3cm).Conclusion As observed by this applied anatomy study,the jejunum graft vascu- larized by 3rd intestinal artery alone has sufficient length to meet the need of esophageal reeonstrution.

To obtain peptides mimicking epitope of a protective McAb SSjl4 specific to Schistosoma japonicum and investigate their immuno-protection effects. A phage random 12 peptide library was screened using purified McAb SSj14, 33 clones were picked up for specificity identification by ELISA. The epitope of each positive clones were detected by the sequencing analysis technique. The antigenicity of three positive clones (P1, P2 and P11) and their mixture cock-tail were further confirmed by Western-blotting, and their protective efficiency were evaluated by mice vaccination experiment. IL-12 level between the vaccinated mice and control mice were compared. 30 positive phage clones were obtained, which represented 11 different epitopes respectively, there were a similar sequence "H-N/Q-X-S-P/F-X-X-L-A-T" among all of the epitopes. Western-blotting showed that all of the three tested clones were recognized by McAb SSj14. Significant adult worm reduction (13.84% to approximately 52.83%), liver tissue egg reduction (34.17% to approximately 65.47%) as well as fecal egg reduction (28.89% to approximately 73.78%) were observed in mice vaccinated with phages of P1, P2, P11 and mixture of three clones when compared with those of the blank control group, among them, the mice vaccinated with the mixture of phage clones got higher protection than any of the mice injected with only one kind of clone phages. At the same time, the IL-12 level in serum of vaccinated mice was found higher than those of the blank control one, this suggest that IL-12 may correlate with the protective efficiency induced by the clone phages. The study provides a new way for developing an effective vaccine against S. japonicum.
Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth ; immunology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; immunology ; Antigens, Helminth ; immunology ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Mimicry ; Peptide Library ; Schistosoma japonicum ; immunology ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Vaccination

BACKGROUNDDiabetic gastroparesis is a disabling condition with no consistently effective treatment. In normal animals, both ghrelin and its synthetic peptide, growth hormone releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6), increase gastric emptying. Thus, we investigated the potential therapeutic significance of ghrelin and GHRP-6 in diabetic guinea pigs with gastric motility disorders.

METHODSA diabetic guinea pig model was produced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 280 mg/kg). Diabetic guinea pigs were injected i.p. with ghrelin or GHRP-6 (10 - 100 microg/kg), and the effects on gastric emptying were measured after intragastric application of phenol red. The effect of atropine or a growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) antagonist, D-Lys(3)-GHRP-6, on the gastroprokinetic effects of ghrelin or GHRP-6 (100 microg/kg) was also investigated. Further, the in vitro effects of ghrelin or GHRP-6 (0.01 - 10 micromol/L) on spontaneous or carbachol-induced contractile amplitude in gastric fundic circular strips taken from diabetic guinea pigs were examined. Growth hormone secretagogue receptor transcripts in the fundic strips of diabetic guinea pigs were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSWe established a guinea pig model of delayed gastric emptying. Ghrelin (20, 50, or 100 microg/kg) and GHRP-6 (20, 50, or 100 microg/kg) accelerated gastric emptying in diabetic guinea pigs with gastroparesis (n = 6, P < 0.05). In the presence of atropine, which delayed gastric emptying, ghrelin and GHRP-6 (100 microg/kg) failed to accelerate gastric emptying (n = 6, P < 0.05). D-Lys(3)-GHRP-6 also delayed gastric emptying induced by the GHS-R agonist (n = 6, P < 0.05). Ghrelin and GHRP-6 increased the carbachol-induced contractile amplitude in gastric fundic strips taken from diabetic guinea pigs (n = 6, P < 0.05). RT-PCR confirmed the presence of GHS-R mRNA in the strip preparations.

CONCLUSIONSGhrelin and GHRP-6 increased gastric emptying in diabetic guinea pigs with gastroparesis, potentially, by activating the peripheral cholinergic pathways in the enteric nervous system.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; Female ; Gastric Emptying ; drug effects ; Gastroparesis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Ghrelin ; therapeutic use ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Oligopeptides ; therapeutic use ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; analysis ; Streptozocin

A large amount of evidence has showed that sexually transmitted infection is an important synergistic factor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Therefore, this paper reviews the current situation of sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV infection, introduces HIV prevention and intervention measures and problems for STD patients at home and abroad, and proposes that behavior-psychology-society integrated intervention model should be constructed based on the characteristics of STD patients.

Objective:To develop a questionnaire for compliance with the management standard of nosocomial infection control in hemodialysis rooms (centers), and to evaluate the reliability and validity.Methods:Based on the Knowledge, Attitude/Belief, Practice (KAP) survey model, the initial questionnaire was formed by using literature review, the brainstorming and expert consultation. And the final questionnaire was developed by preliminary investigation and the formal investigation, and the reliability and validity test was carried out.Results:The questionnaire consisted of 3 subscales of knowledge, attitude and practice, totaling 40 items. The S-CVI was 0.953, 0.979, 0.943 respectively and that of each item was above 0.867. In the exploratory factor analysis, 3, 1 and 3 common factors were extracted and the cumulative contribution rate was 47.178%, 68.313% and 62.271% respectively. The Cronbach α coefficient was 0.906 for the total questionnaire and 0.641, 0.958 and 0.864 for 3 subscales. The retest reliability was 0.954 for the total questionnaire and 0.694, 0.893 and 0.708 for 3 subscales.Conclusions:The questionnaire had high reliability and validity, which can be used as an effective evaluation tool for the standard to investigate the compliance of medical staffs in hemodialysis rooms.

OBJECTIVETo study the role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in newly diagnosed childhood immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

METHODSA total of 495 children with newly diagnosed ITP who were hospitalized for the first time between January 2011 and December 2013 were included as the case group. A total of 123 children with common respiratory tract infection (not ITP or other diseases of blood system) were randomly selected as the control group. All patients were divided into four groups by age: <1 year group, 1-3 years group, 3-7 years group, and 7-14 years group. The incidence of H. pylori infection in all age groups and the clinical outcomes of ITP children with or without H. pylori infection were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of H. pylori infection in the case group increased with increasing age. There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of H. pylori infection between the case and the control groups among subjects of the same age (P>0.05). All the ITP patients were not given anti-H. pylori treatment and only received the treatment (glucocorticoid and/or immunoglobulin) for ITP, and their remission rate declined with increasing age. There was no significant difference in the remission rate between the ITP children with H. pylori infection and those without H. pylori infection in the same age group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSH. pylori infection may not be a major cause of ITP in children, and the clinical outcomes of children with acute ITP are not affected by receiving anti-H. pylori treatment or not.

Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections ; complications ; epidemiology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; etiology

Objective To investigate the regulating effect of fire needling on Wnt andβ-catenin genes of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in neural stem cells in spinal cord injury.Methods Sixty female SD rats were randomly allocated, including 5 rats to a blank group, 5 rats to a sham operation group, 25 rats to a model group and 25 rats to a fire needling group. The model and fire needling groups of rats were again separately divided into 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 10 d and 14 d groups. A model was made using modified Allen's method in the model and fire needling groups. The BBB score was recorded and the expressions of Wnt andβ-catenin genes were determined in every group.Results In the model and fire needling groups, the BBB scores were significantly higher at 7 and 10 days than at the previous time point and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The BBB score at every time point after treatment was significantly higher in the fire needling group than in the model group and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Wnt3a gene expressions increased in the model and fire needling groups at 7 and 10 days compare with the previous time point (P<0.05). At 7 and 10 days, Wnt3a gene expression was higher in the fire needling group than in the model group and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The changing tendency ofβ-catenin gene expression levels was basically the same as that of Wnt3a's.Conclusion Fire needling can modulate the expressions of Wnt3a andβ-catenin genes in neural stem cells in spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical outcomes after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) combined with intersphincteric resection (ISR) for ultra-low rectal tumors.

METHODSClinical data of 36 patients with ultra-low rectal tumor undergoing laparoscopic TME combined with ISR were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe median distance from the inferior margin of the tumor to the anal verge was 3.4 (2.0-5.0) cm. There were 33 cases of well/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and 3 rectal malignant villous adenoma. There were 16 patients with stage I disease, 15 with stage II A, 3 with stage III A, and 1 with III B. Postoperatively, one patient developed stenosis at the end ileostomy and 3 anastomotic leakage. After a median follow-up of 16(4-49) months, one patient developed local recurrence at the anastomosis and one case died of liver metastasis. In the 19 patients who had a minimum follow-up of one year, the bowel movements frequency ranged from 1-4 times per day, and these patients were able to withhold defecation for more than 5 minutes.

CONCLUSIONSLaparoscopic TME combined with ISR can achieve oncologic clearance, sphincter preservation, and minimal invasiveness for ultra-lower rectal cancer. However, patients selection should be cautious.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anal Canal ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Mesentery ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Rectum ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESince the proposal of the tumor stem cell hypothesis, considerable interest has been devoted to the isolation and purification of tumor stem cells. Tumor stem cell enrichment from primary tumor derived cell spheres has been demonstrated in specific, serum-free media. This goal of this study is to establish a method of cultivating floating tumor spheres from neuroblastoma cells and to confirm that neuroblastoma spheres are rich in tumor stem cells.

METHODSBone marrow aspirates were obtained from pediatric patients diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma. Primary tumor cells were isolated and cultivated in serum-free, stem cell-selective medium. Single sphere-forming cells were cultivated under serum-free conditions; their cloning efficiency and monoclonal tumor sphere formation rates were calculated. The expression of stem cell marker genes Oct-4 and Bmi-1 was detected by RT-PCR in sphere-forming cells and parental neurolastoma cells. Sphere-forming cells were injected into the armpit of nude mice with subsequent assessment for tumor growth. Sphere-forming cells were cultivated in differentiation medium containing 5 μmol/L 13-cis retinoic acid; changes in cell morphology were observed.

RESULTSNeuroblastoma cells formed non-adherent neurospheres under serum-free, stem cell-selective conditions after a period of 4 to 6 days. A single cell dissociated from a neurosphere could reform a monoclonal sphere; cloning efficiency and monoclonal sphere formation rates were 55.3% and 26.3%, respectively. RT-PCR results revealed heightened tumor sphere expression of Oct-4 and Bmi-1 as compared with parental tumor cells. Fourteen days after injection of 10(4) sphere-forming cells into nude mice, a neuroblastoma xenograft formed. Treatment of sphere-forming cells with 13-cis retinoic acid induced a gradual differentiation to neuronal cell morphology.

CONCLUSIONSNeuroblastoma derived tumor spheres enrich tumor stem cells and the cultivation of primary neuroblastoma cells in serum-free, stem cell-selective medium is an effective method to dissociate and purify tumor stem cells in vitro.

Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Child ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Humans ; Isotretinoin ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neuroblastoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; metabolism ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Repressor Proteins ; metabolism ; Spheroids, Cellular ; pathology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence of Shenfu Injection (SHF) on the quality of life of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving chemotherapy.

METHODSA total of 133 patients with NSCLC receiving at least two cycles of chemotherapy with taxol plus cisplatin (TP)/vinorelbine plus cisplatin (NP) or gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP) were randomized into SHF pre-treatment group (with SHF given only in the first cycle) and SHF post-treatment group (with SHF given only in the second cycle). The Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC) were used to evaluate the quality of life of the patients after the treatments.

RESULTSBoth of the groups showed improved quality of life after the treatments (P<0.01), but the improvements were more obvious in SHF pre-treatment group (P<0.05). SHF showed favorable effects in relieving such adverse effects as fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with the chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONSHF can improve the quality of life in NSCLC patients receiving chemotherapies.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; prevention & control ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Phytotherapy ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vinblastine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Vomiting ; prevention & control