Objective To investigate the immune response of the fusions of ovarian carcinoma cells to dendritic cell(DC) transfected with interleukin(IL)-12 gene in vitro. Methods Recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor ? were used to generate DC from cord blood in vitro. IL-12 fusion gene was cloned into a eukaryotic vector-pcDNA3.1(+). DC were transfected with IL-12-pcDNA3.1(+) using lipofectamine transfection method and electric transfection method respectively. Then polyethylene glycol mediated the fusion of transfected DC and ovarian carcinoma cells, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test was carried out to observe the immune response. Results DC were generated in vitro from cord blood and expressed high levels of costimulatory(50%) and MHC Ⅱ molecules(99%). RT-PCR showed that IL-12-pcDNA3.1(+) had been successfully transfected into DC. RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analysis showed that DC were fused with ovarian carcinoma cells successfully. Then the fusion cells of ovarian carcinoma cells to transfected DC, and the fusions of ovarian carcinoma cells to DC were cocultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cell respectively. MTT test showed that both fusions could induce cytolytic T cell activity and lysis of ovarian carcinoma cells,and the former effect was stronger. Conclusion The cytolytic T cell activity induced by the fusions of ovarian carcinoma cells to transfected DC is enhanced.

BACKGROUNDSome studies found that cholinesterase (ChE) can be an independent risk factor for patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. To assess aged patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) early and predict their prognosis, the predictive value of ChE for the prognosis of aged patients with SIRS was analyzed.

METHODSFrom September 2009 to September 2010, all aged patients with SIRS in the ICU of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were retrospectively analyzed if they met inclusion criteria: patients aged ≥ 65 years and met American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference criteria for SIRS. Serum ChE, albumin, D-dimer, lactic acid and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured, and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were evaluated within the first 24 hours in the ICU. Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of the primary disease between the deceased group and surviving group. For comparison of study variables between the two groups, the Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used. Multivariate significance was tested with binary Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThe clinical data of 124 aged patients with SIRS were collected and analyzed. Sixty-six patients (46 male, 20 female, mean age (78.70 ± 8.08) years) who died were included in the deceased group and 58 patients (34 male, 24 female, mean age (76.02 ± 6.57) years) who survived were included in the surviving group. There were no significant differences in age, gender, APACHE II score and GCS score between the deceased group and surviving group (all P > 0.05), but there were significant differences in lactic acid (P = 0.011), D-dimer (P = 0.011), albumin (P = 0.007), CRP (P = 0.008), and ChE (P < 0.0001). The correlation analysis showed that the APACHE II score and CRP were not correlated with ChE (both P < 0.05). D-dimer and albumin were correlated with ChE (Spearman's rho correlation coefficients were -0.206 and 0.324, the corresponding P values were 0.022 and < 0.0001). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, lactic acid, D-dimer, albumin, CRP, APACHE II score, and GCS score were not independent risk factors for prognosis of aged patients with SIRS, but that ChE was (P < 0.0001). The receiver operating characteristic curve of ChE had an area under the curve of 0.797 (standard error = 0.04; P < 0.0001), and a ChE of 103.00 U/L was the cut-off value with sensitivity = 0.793, specificity = 0.742.

CONCLUSIONSerum ChE might be a predictive marker for the prognosis of aged patients with SIRS, with low serum ChE levels indicating poor prognosis.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholinesterases ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; blood ; enzymology ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo observe the promoting consciousness effect of electroacupuncture combined with routine western medicine therapy on the patient with coma caused by craniocerebral trauma.

METHODSThirty-two cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture-medication group treated with electroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Quze (PC 3) and routine western medicine, and a control group treated with routine western medicine, 16 cases in each group. Glasgow (GCS) scores were assessed after treatment for 7 sessions and 30 sessions respectively and the promoting consciousness rate was observed.

RESULTSAfter treatment of 7 sessions, GCS score was 6.88 +/- 1.63 in the acupuncture-medication group and 5.25-1.65 in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05); after treatment of 7 sessions, the promoting consciousness rate was 25.0% in the acupuncture-medication group and 0 in the western medicine group, and after treatment for 30 sessions, the promoting conscious ness rate was 81. 3% in the acupuncture-medication group and 43.8% in the western medicine group with a signifi cant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Quze (PC 3) combined with western medicine has a good promoting consciousness effect in the patient with coma caused by craniocerebral trauma, which is better than that of simple western medicine.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Coma ; drug therapy ; etiology ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; complications ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early colorectal (CR) neoplasm can be cured by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), but clinical experience and factors associated with complications from ESD for CR neoplasms in China have not been reported. METHODS: Seventy-eight cases of early CR neoplasm treated with endoscopic resection performed between December 2012 and December 2013 at Beijing Military General Hospital were included. Factors associated with ESD complications and procedure times were evaluated. RESULTS: The en bloc resection rate was 88.5% (69/78), tumor size was 32.1+/-10.7 mm, and procedure time was 71.8+/-49.5 minutes. The major complication was perforation, which occurred in 8.97% of the ESD procedures. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that only tumor size (p=0.022) was associated with ESD perforation. Tumor size (p<0.001) and the non-lifting sign (p=0.017) were independent factors for procedure time, and procedure time (p=0.016) was a key factor for en bloc resection. After a median 10 months (range, 4 to 16) of follow-up, no patients had local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that ESD is an applicable method for large early CR neoplasm in the colon and rectum. Tumor size and the non-lifting sign might be considerable factors for increased complication rate and procedural time of ESD.
China* ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Military Personnel ; Rectum ; Recurrence

BACKGROUNDPlasma galectin-3, a mediator of fibrogenesis and inflammation, its potential to associate with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is poorly investigated. Here, we explored its interaction with the serum galectin-3 and vascular complications.

METHODSWe conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey in Zhejiang, China involving 165 men and 119 women (age range, 43 - 84 years), investigating the relationship between serum galectin-3 and vascular disease in patients with T2DM.

RESULTSSerum galectin-3 was higher in subjects with T2DM than that in control participants (27.4 vs. 17.6 ng/ml, P < 0.001). Compared with subjects with galectin-3 values in the lowest quartile, those with values in the highest quartile had an increased likelihood of vascular complications (4th quartile odds ratio (OR) 2.52, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25 - 4.07). Increased risk of micro- or macrovascular complications correlated with serum galectin-3 concentration (ORs 11.4 and 8.5, respectively). An increased number of vascular complications was associated with high serum galectin-3 levels (P < 0.05). Patients with serum galectin-3 levels > 25 ng/ml had an elevated risk of diabetes relative to patients with levels < 10 ng/ml (OR for any vascular complication 2.64, for heart failure 3.97, for nephropathy 4.09, for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) 4.18; all P < 0.05). Complication risk was higher in patients with neurogenic, stroke, or retinopathy complications, but this difference was not significant after risk factor adjustment. Serum galectin-3 levels correlated with diabetes duration, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and albuminuria.

CONCLUSIONHigh galectin-3 values were associated with increased odds of developing heart failure, nephropathy, and peripheral arterial disease in patients with T2DM.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Angiopathies ; blood ; etiology ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily investigate the long-term structural and functional injuries of mitochondria in rat brain caused by sepsis.

METHODSWistar rats were randomly assigned into sepsis and control groups. A rat model of sepsis was prepared by an intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of gram-negative bacteria, and the survival assay was performed. Eight rats in the sepsis group were sacrificed at 12, 24, 48, or 72 hours after LPS injection, while rats in the control group were sacrificed after an intraperitoneal injection of an equal volume of normal saline. Mitochondria were extracted from rat brain tissue. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial swelling level were determined by flow cytometry, and the activities of electron transport chain complexes (I-V) were measured using enzyme assay kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and electron microscopy were used to observe morphological changes in brain tissue and mitochondria.

RESULTSThe sepsis group had a significantly lower survival rate than the control group (P<0.01). The MMP and activities of electron transport chain complexes (I-V) in the sepsis group, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), were reduced to the lowest levels at 48 hours and partially recovered at 72 hours. The mitochondrial swelling level in the sepsis group, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05), increased to the peak level at 48 hours and partially recovered at 72 hours. Hematoxylin and Eosin staining revealed substantial damages in the structure of brain tissue, and electron microscopy showed mitochondrial swelling, and vacuolization in a few mitochondria.

CONCLUSIONSIn the rat model of LPS-induced sepsis, both structural and functional injuries are found in cerebral mitochondria, and achieve the peak levels probably at around 48 hours.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; physiopathology ; ultrastructure ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Male ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Mitochondria ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sepsis ; chemically induced ; mortality ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical significance of genetic detection and changes of red cell enzyme activities of pyrimidine 5' nucleotidase (P5'N), pyruvate kinase (PK) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) in patients with α-thalassaemia (α-thal).

METHODSThree α-thal patients were further processed to gene detection by PCR-trans-dot blot and gap-PCR, and red cell enzymes activities by absorbance at 260 and 280 nm (A) for P5'N and fluorescence spot test for PK and G-6-PD.

RESULTSRed cells in 3 α-thal cases were microcytic hypochromic with obvious augmented target cells and basophilic stippling erythrocytes. Two patients had anemia, splenomegaly, hyperbilirubinemia and augmented LDH. HbH was positively identified by hemoglobin electrophoresis and hemoglobin cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis; the other patient had no such abnormalities. Genotypes of 3 patients were of (-α(3.7)/--(SEA)), (αα(QS)/--(SEA))and (--(SEA)), respectively. The activity of P5'N (but not for PK and G-6-PD) in red cell reduced.

CONCLUSIONSThis is the first documented α-thal with P5'N deficiency. Genetic detection might be clinical significant for the diagnosis and pedigree screening of α-thal.

5'-Nucleotidase ; deficiency ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Erythrocytes ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; alpha-Thalassemia ; enzymology ; genetics

In order to reveal the accumulation trend of polysaccharides in Dendrobium catenatum and determine the effect of sampling time on polysaccharides, D. Catenatum D21 clone was harvested from January to December after culturing for 2 to 5 months in the growth chamber with constant temperature. Polysaccharides were determined by phenol-sulfuric acid method and the monosaccharide compositions were analyzed by pre-column derivative-UPLC. The results showed that the content of polysaccharide and its key component mannose was positively correlated with the culture time, but the contents of polysaccharides in all kinds of culture peaked from 5 to 6 months, which were consistent with the trend of field planting. The results suggested that the trend of polysaccharide accumulation in the plant could be related to the life rhythm of the sensory seasons of D. catenatum, which was significantly affected by the harvesting season, even under the constant condition of the culture chamber.

Aneurysm, False ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Humans ; Paracentesis ; Peritonsillar Abscess

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; methods ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Paclitaxel ; therapeutic use