Objective To study the relationship between the change in serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and endostatin (ES) after trascatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and the prognosis of patients with liver carcinoma. Methods Serum VEGF and endostatin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 120 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma before and a week after TACE.Results Among patients with large (diameter ≥5 cm) tumors , the serum levels of ES and VEGF before and after TACE are 43.35 ( ±9.80),48.35 ( ± 10.89), 310.23 (±64.31) ,and 369.10 ( ±60. 11) ng/ml respectively. Among patients with portal vein tumor thrombus, the corresponding figures are 54.28 (±8.78 ),50.28 (±7.51), 331.26 (±63.38) and 400.29 (±60.98) ng/ml. The levels of VEGF and ES were significantly related to the presence of portal vein tumor thrombus, the clinicopathological grade and size of the tumor(P ＜0.05 ). Patients with a higher grade tumor were more likely to have elevated levels of VEGF and ES.So are patients with more advanced stage tumors. In addition, higher levels of VEGF and ES in serum are associated with worse survival. Conclusion Elevated serum VEGF and endostatin levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are closely correlated with the grade and size of the tumor, and the presence of portal vein tumor thrombus. Serum VEGF and ES level may be used for predicting the biological behavior, invasion, metastasis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective To analyse the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring(ABPM)character-istics and effect of health education in children with orthostatic hypertension (OHT)retrospectively.Methods A total of 19 children[1 1 males and 8 females with mean age of (1 1.26 ±2.16)years]who were outpa-tients or had been hospitalized in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University due to unexplained syncope,presyncope,and finally diagnosed as OHT after head up tilt test(HUTT).HUTT and ABPM were reexamined at 12 ~190(47 ±48 )days after receiving health education (including psychological guidance, avoiding sudden changes in posture,increasing the amount of water,avoiding syncope inducement,etc). Results (1 )ABPM parameters:there were no significant differences of ABPM parameters before and after health education respectively(P ﹥0.05,respectively).(2)After the health education,HUTT 3 min diastolic pressure[(71.89 ±1.60)mmHg vs.(76.47 ±8.49)mmHg,1 mmHg =0.133 kPa,t =2.785,P ﹤0.05]and diastolic blood pressure change[(7.37 ±4.98)mmHg vs.(12.42 ±3.27)mmHg,t =3.560,P ﹤0.05]de-creased than those before health education.(3 )Blood pressure pattern changes:after the health education,“dipper blood pressure”increased and “non-dipper blood pressure”decreased[42.1 %(8 /19)vs.31.6%(6 /19)and 57.9%(1 1 /19)vs.68.4%(13 /19),χ2 =0.452,P ﹥0.05,respectively].(4)OHT cure rate:after health education,to review the HUTT,within 3 minutes in HUTT,blood pressure changes of 14 cases were normal range.The cure rate was 73.7%.Conclusion OHT children's blood type is given priority to with “non-dipper blood pressure”,and the ratio of“dipper blood pressure”increase and the HUTT 3 min di-astolic pressure and diastolic blood pressure change decrease after health education.It suggests that the health education of OHT children has a certain clinical effect.

Objective To apply Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) on the patients injured in Sichuan Earthquake. Methods COPM was applied to evaluate 51 patients in hospital before and 1 months after treatment. The first evaluation confirmed the problems on occupational activities for them. Then the plan was made to solve the problems. The second evaluation was to assess the effect of the treatment.Results The problem of self-care activity is more than that of productive activities and leisure activities(P<0.01). Total scores of performance of occupational activity and satisfaction improved(P<0.01, P<0.01)Conclusion COPM is helpful to confirm the problems of occupational activities and contribute to develope the primary goals for rehabilitation and treatment programs.

Objective To investigate the effect of compound Fufangteng mixture-containing serum on the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) and its mechanism. Methods Rat BMSC were isolated, cultured and purified in vitro by direct adherence method. Cell morphology was observed. Surface markers were identified by flow cytometry. The rats were treated with compound Fufangteng mixture at a dose of 3 mL/(kg·d) by gavage for 14 d, and then the drug-containing serum was collected. BMSC were divided into the blank control group, drug-containing serum group, Notch1 small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) group and Notch1 siRNA+drug-containing serum group. The proliferation rate of BMSC was detected and the relative expression levels of Notch1 signaling pathway-associated messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and proteins were measured in each group. Results Microscopic observation showed that the first generation BMSC were seen in the long spindle shape, and grown in the parallel or spiral pattern. The third generation BMSC positively expressed CD90 and CD44, whereas were negative for CD45. Compared with the blank control group, the proliferation rate of BMSC in the drug-containing serum group and Notch1 siRNA+ drug-containing serum group was significantly increased, whereas that of BMSC was significantly decreased in the Notch1 siRNA group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the Notch1 siRNA group, the proliferation rate of BMSC was significantly increased in the Notch1 siRNA+drug-containing serum group (P < 0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the relative expression levels of Hey1 and Delta-like ligand (DLL)1 mRNA and proteins were significantly up-regulated in the drug-containing serum group, whereas those were significantly down-regulated in the Notch1 siRNA group and Notch1 siRNA+drug-containing serum group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the Notch1 siRNA group, the relative expression levels of Hey1 and DLL1 mRNA and proteins were significantly up-regulated in the Notch1 siRNA+drug-containing serum group (all P < 0.05). Conclusions Compound Fufangteng mixture-containing serum may promote the proliferation of rat BMSC, and its mechanism is probably associated with the activation of Notch1 signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) coated-islets on instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR) after islet transplantation. Methods MSC labeled with tracer and human islets were placed into an ultra-low adsorption cell culture dish, shaken and mixed twice at an interval of 0.5 h, and then incubated at 37 ℃ and 5% CO₂ for 24 h to obtain MSC-coated islets. The coating effect of MSC and in vitro function of the islets were assessed. A blood circulation tube-shaped model was established in vitro. In the blank control group, 0.2 mL of islet culture solution was added. In the islet group, 800 islet equivalent quantity (IEQ) of uncoated islets were supplemented. In the MSC-coated islets group, 800 IEQ of MSC-coated islets were added, and circulated for 60 min at 37 ℃. A portion of 0.5 mL blood sample was taken for routine blood test at 0, 30 and 60 min, respectively. After 60 min circulation, the blood sample was filtered with a 70 μm filter to collect plasma, blood clots and islets. Blood clots and islets were subject to hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical staining. Morphological changes and the aggregation of CD11b-positive cells surrounding the islets were observed. The contents of plasma thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), tissue factor (TF), C3a, C5b-9, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and IL-8 were determined by enzyme-linked immune absorbent assay. Results After 24 h co-incubation, the islets were coated by MSC, with a coating degree of approximately 80%. In the islet and MSC-coated islet group, a large quantity of neutrophils and monocytes were observed surrounding the blood clots and islets, and the quantity of CD11b-positive cells in the MSC-coated islet group was less compared with that in the islet group. After co-incubation with the whole blood for 0, 30 and 60 min, the quantity of platelets, neutrophils and monocytes was declined in the MSC-coated and islet groups, and gradually decreased over time. Compared with the blank control group, the quantity of platelets, monocytes and neutrophils was lower, whereas the TF content was higher in the MSC-coated islet group. Compared with the islet group, the quantity of platelets, monocytes and neutrophils was higher, whereas the TAT and TF contents were less in the MSC-coated islet group, the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the expression levels of C3a, C5b-9, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-8 were up-regulated in the MSC-coated islet group. Compared with the islet group, the expression levels of C3a, C5b-9, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8 and MCP-1 were down-regulated in the MSC-coated islet group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Conclusions MSC-coated islets may reduce the exposure of islet TF in the blood and prevent the incidence of IBMIR during the coagulation response stage, thereby mitigating the injury and loss of islet allograft in the early stage of islet transplantation.

Objective To identify the key genes and targeted protection methods affecting the survival of human islets. Methods Using bioinformatics method, the gene expression profile (GSE53454) was selected through screening and comparison from Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) database. GEO2R tool was employed to screen the differentially expressed gene(DEG) between the human islets exposed (exposure group) and non-exposed (non-exposure group) to interleukin (IL)-1β and interferon (IFN)-γ for 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed by DAVID. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by STRING and Cytoscape apps. Results A total of 69 up-regulated DEGs and 2 down-regulated DEGs were identified. GO analysis showed that during the biological process, DEGs were enriched in the aspects of virus defense and inflammatory response. In cellular components, DEGs were significantly enriched in extracellular space, outside plasma membrane and extracellular regions. Regarding molecular functions, DEGs were significantly enriched in chemokine activity and cytokine activity. KEGG analysis revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in multiple signaling pathways, such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, virus protein-cytokine and cytokine-receptor interaction, etc. Ten key genes (STAT1, CXCL10, IRF1, IL6, CXCL9, CCL5, CXCL11, ISG15, CD274, IFIT3) with high connectivity were selected by STRING analysis, all of which were significantly up-regulated in human islets exposed to IL-1β and IFN-γ. Six genes (STAT1, CXCL10, CXCL9, CXCL11, CCL5, IL6) were screened by KEGG enrichment analysis, mainly in Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Conclusions STAT1, CXCL10, CXCL9, CXCL11, CCL5 and IL6 are the key genes affecting the survival of human islets, which are mainly enriched in Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and act as important targets for islet protection.

Islet transplantation is one of the effective therapies for diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, multiple issues still exist, such as shortage of donors and adverse reactions caused by long-term use of immunosuppressants, which limit the islet survival post-transplantation. Microencapsulated islet transplantation may overcome these difficulties to certain extent, whereas many factors, such as the destruction of immune isolation microenvironment within the microcapsules and insufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients, constrain the application of microencapsulated islet transplantation in clinical practice. In recent years, how to enhance the effect of microencapsulated islet transplantation has been gradually studied. The application of stem cells in microencapsulated islet transplantation has steadily become a research hot spot. Therefore, the optimizing strategies for microencapsulated islet transplantation and the application of stem cells in microencapsulated islet transplantation were reviewed, and the potential improvement techniques of microencapsulated islet transplantation were investigated in this article, aiming to provide reference for further clinical application of microencapsulated islet transplantation.

Objective This study compares a dual-freeze protocol with a triple freeze protocol for hepatic cryoablation in the Tibetan pig model.Method Cryoablation with a dual-(10-5-10-5 min)and triple-freeze (5-5-5-5-10-5 min) protocol for the normal livers of 9 Tibet pigs was performed under exposed operation.Temperature changes of cryoprobes and diameter changes of iceballs were measured during the ablation,and seven days later the pathological changes of cryozones were reviewed and the surface and depth cryolesions were measured.Results Compared with cryoablation with two freeze-thaw cycles,there was a greater iceball diameter for cryoablation by three freeze-thaw cycles.Also,seven days after cryosurgery,there were similar surface and deep cryolesions in dual-and triple-freeze protocols.Pathologically,the triple freezing protocol was associated with a longer zone of complete necrosis.Conclusions With the same freezing time (20 min),the triple-freeze protocol may become a more powerful liver-ablation method in cryosurgical application.

Multi-angle plane-wave beamforming algorithm is the basis of ultra-fast ultrasonic imaging. It can be used to improve the imaging frame rate and resolution of traditional focused ultrasound. However, the existing multi-angle plane-wave technology can not satisfy the real-time imaging requirements due to the huge amount of computation required by CPU. In this paper, We proposed a parallel processing method to reduce the computation time based on compute unified device architecture(CUDA). Simulation analysis and contrast experiment were conducted to verify its performance. Experimental results show that the execution time based on GPU is much less than that based on CPU, thus the computational speed is accelerated significantly to satisfy the demand of ultrafast imaging.