OBJECTIVETo investigate the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the effects of BMSCs on the proliferation of cirrhotic fat-storing cells (CFSC) and hepatocytes in vitro.

METHODSBMSCs and hepatocytes were isolated and harvested from the bone marrow and livers of rats. A co-culture system was set up by transwell inserts in which the two chambers were separated by a semipermeable membrane. BMSCs labeled with PKH26 were cultured with hepatocytes/CFSC in the co-culture system and also in a cell-cell direct contact culture system. Anti-albumin and anti-smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA) antibodies were tested by using fluorescence immunocytochemistry. BMSCs and hepatocytes/CFSC cultured alone served as controls. The proliferation level of hepatocytes in the co-culture system was measured. CFSC were cultured with the conditional medium of BMSCs, and their quantities were measured microscopically.

RESULTSExpression of albumin was observed in the hepatocytes of the two culture systems after they were cultured for 72 h but the albumin levels were higher in the cell-cell direct contact culture system (P<0.01). As compared to the controls, the number of hepatocytes was larger in the co-culture system (P<0.01). No expression of alpha-SMA in CFSC was observed in either culture system. The proliferation of CFSC was inhibited by the conditional medium of BMSCs. The longer the time of the co-culturing the more significant was the CFSC growth suppression (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSBMSCs can be induced into hepatocytes by a local micro-environment formed by hepatocytes. BMSCs may promote proliferation of hepatocytes and inhibit proliferation of CFSC.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Pregnancy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To investigate the bacteriological distribution of nosocomial pneumonia induced by acute stroke, and to improve the preventative and therapeutic measures. Methods The clinical data of 192 patients with nosocomial pneumonia induced by acute stroke were analyzed respectively. Results Among the 192 cases, 13 pathogenic microorganisms and 116 strains were cultivated, and the first 4 strains were Escherichia coli, Psendomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aurens. Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem, and Gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion The main pathogens of nosocomial pneumonia in acute stroke patients may be Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The measures improving the therapeutic outcome of acute stroke include the enhancement of nursing quality, prevention of cross infection in hospital, increasing predictability of the occurrence of pneumonia induced by acute stroke, and the control of pneumonia.

BACKGROUNDAquaporin-1 (AQP1) has involved in fluid transport in diverse pulmonary edema diseases. Our study aimed to explore the dynamic changes of AQP1 in pulmonary water metabolism in rats following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the protective effect provided by shenmai injection.

METHODSSixty male Sprague Dawley rats weighting 280 - 300 g were randomly divided into three groups: the normal control group, the model group and the shenmai injection (SMI) group. One piece skull was taken away without injuring cerebral tissue in normal control group, while rats in model group and SMI group were subject to free fall injury in the cerebral hemisphere. Rats in model group received intraperitoneal normal sodium (15 ml/kg) at one hour post-injury and the same dose of shenmai injection instead in SMI group, respectively. The expression of AQP1 was detected by immunohistochemical analysis and semi-quantitative RT-PCR at 0 hour, 10 hours, 72 hours and 120 hours after TBI. Arterial blood gas analysis and lung wet to dry were also measured.

RESULTSAQP1 was mainly presented in the capillary endothelium and slightly alveolar epithelial cells in three groups, but the expression of AQP1 in the normal control group was positive and tenuous, weakly positive in the model and SMI groups, respectively. Compared with normal control group, AQP1 mRNA levels were down regulated in the model and SMI groups at 10 hours, 72 hours and 120 hours (P < 0.05). While AQP1 mRNA levels in the SMI group was up-regulated than that in the model group (P < 0.05). Lung wet to dry weight ratio (W/D) in the model and SMI groups at 10 hours were higher than that in normal control group (P < 0.05). Compared with normal control group, PaO2 was markedly lower in the model and SMI groups (P < 0.05), but there were no statistically significant differences between model and SMI groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe decreased AQP1 expression may be involved in the increased lung water content and dysfunction of pulmonary water metabolism following TBI. The treatment with SMI could improve water metabolism by promoting AQP1 expression.

Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Brain Injuries ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and efficacy of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass(LRYGB) for super obesity(BMI≥50 kg/m(2)).

METHODClinical data of 42 patients undergoing LRYGB in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University between 2004 and 2008 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSAll the LRYGB procedures were successfully performed with no conversion to open surgery. Average operation time was 145.1 minutes, volume of blood loss during the surgery was 25.0 ml, and length of postoperative hospital stay was 9.9 days. The cases were followed up for 1 month to 30 months. Body weight and BMI decreased significantly 1 month after the operation and reached a minimum level after 2 years then became stable while excess body weight loss rate(EWL) increased(P<0.05). All the obese-related symptoms were relieved significantly. Four cases(9.5%) showed complications during perioperative period including 1 case of respiratory failure, 2 cases of gastrojejunal anastomotic bleeding, 1 case of umbilical wound infection, and 11 developed long-term complications. All of them were cured by conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONSTreatment of super obesity by LRYGB is feasible with significant short-term results. But due to the difficulty of the operation and postoperative complications, comprehensive treatment from experienced bariatric surgical team is needed. The long-term outcome needs for further observation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Gastric Bypass ; methods ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity, Morbid ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis is a common type of cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical vertigo. In recent years, with the increase of people's life pace and the number of office staff, the incidence rate has been rising year by year, with a trend of younger age. Because traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in treating cervical vertigo, it is necessary to study the regularity of the Chinese medicine for cervical vertigo. But at present, the research is mainly based on the statistics for frequency and proportion of herbs. In addition, in the process of diagnosis and treatment of Chinese medicine, personal experience also caused differences in prescription compatibility and drug dosage, which makes difficult guarantee for the safety and effectiveness of drug treatment. So, this paper is based on literatures about the traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of cervical vertigo in the past 5 years, by using association rules algorithm, complex system entropy clustering and other non supervised data mining methods. Analysis was made for the use of various drugs in the frequency, the association rules, the core drug combination and the new prescriptions. The traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system(TCMISS) was utilized to analyze 154 drugs from the 101 prescriptions, determine the use frequency of drugs, analyze the characteristics and the compatibility of core drugs, and dig out 14 core drug combinations and 7 new prescription combinations. The prescription and medication regularities illustrates the drugs for treatment of cervical vertigo, including those for flating liver and suppressing yang, invigorating the circulation of blood to remove blood stasis, reducing water and permeating dampness, increasing qi and activating blood, and nourishing the liver and kidney mainly. Treatment rules are nourishing liver and kidney, invigorating the circulation of blood stasis Tongqiao, reducing phlegm and dampness, flating liver and suppressing yan, dredging collaterals, supplementing qi and nourishing blood. This study aims to summarize frequently used single herbs for vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, combinations of frequently used herbs and dosage of frequently used herbs with significant efficacy, define the current prescription and medication regularities for treating cervical vertigo and give guidances for clinical mediation.

This study determined the effects of selenium on the growth of Fusarium strains and the effects of products extracted from the fungal cultures on relevant indicators of chondrocytes injury. The results showed that selenium supplementation resulted in differential effects on the mycelial growth of the strains. Levels of the chondrocyte injury indicators, including cell viability, proteoglycan and type II collagen contents and their mRNA expressions, were all reduced to varying degrees when the chondrocytes were incubated with fermentation extracts, the inhibitory effect varied depending on selenium content supplemented to fungal culture media. The results indicated that certain chain relations existed between the content of selenium in the environment, the production of some metabolites by fungi, and the occurrence of chondrocyte damage. The extent of this relationship and the role it plays in Kaschin-Beck disease pathogenesis merit further study.
Animals ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; pathology ; Fermentation ; Fusarium ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Selenium ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDCoronary intervention therapy is the main treatment for uremic patients with coronary heart disease. The studies on whether dialysis reduces the efficacy of dual antiplatelet drugs are limited. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of dialysis on antiplatelet drugs in uremic patients with coronary heart disease.

METHODSThis study included 26 uremic patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention in China-Japan Friendship Hospital from November 2015 to May 2017. We examined their thromboelastography results before and after hemodialysis. Self-paired t-tests were employed to analyze changes in the inhibition rate of platelet aggregation.

RESULTSThe mean inhibition rates of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation before and after hemodialysis were 82.56 ± 2.79% and 86.42 ± 3.32%, respectively (t= -1.278, P= 0.213). The mean inhibition rates of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation before and after hemodialysis were 67.87 ± 5.10% and 61.94 ± 5.90%, respectively (t = 1.425, P= 0.167). There was no significant difference in the inhibition rates of platelet aggregation before or after hemodialysis. These results also applied to patients with different sensitivity to aspirin and clopidogrel.

CONCLUSIONDialysis did not affect the antiplatelet effects of aspirin and clopidogrel in uremic patients with coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Albuvirtide is a once-weekly injectable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 fusion inhibitor. We present interim data for a phase 3 trial assessing the safety and efficacy of albuvirtide plus lopinavir-ritonavir in HIV-1-infected adults already treated with antiretroviral drugs. METHODS: We carried out a 48-week, randomized, controlled, open-label non-inferiority trial at 12 sites in China. Adults on the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended first-line treatment for >6 months with a plasma viral load >1000 copies/mL were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive albuvirtide (once weekly) plus ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (ABT group) or the WHO-recommended second-line treatment (NRTI group). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a plasma viral load below 50 copies/mL at 48 weeks. Non-inferiority was prespecified with a margin of 12%. RESULTS: At the time of analysis, week 24 data were available for 83 and 92 patients, and week 48 data were available for 46 and 50 patients in the albuvirtide and NRTI groups, respectively. At 48 weeks, 80.4% of patients in the ABT group and 66.0% of those in the NRTI group had HIV-1 RNA levels below 50 copies/mL, meeting the criteria for non-inferiority. For the per-protocol population, the superiority of albuvirtide over NRTI was demonstrated. The frequency of grade 3 to 4 adverse events was similar in the two groups; the most common adverse events were diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infections, and grade 3 to 4 increases in triglyceride concentration. Renal function was significantly more impaired at 12 weeks in the patients of the NRTI group who received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate than in those of the ABT group. CONCLUSIONS: The TALENT study is the first phase 3 trial of an injectable long-acting HIV drug. This interim analysis indicates that once-weekly albuvirtide in combination with ritonavir-boosted lopinavir is well tolerated and non-inferior to the WHO-recommended second-line regimen in patients with first-line treatment failure. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02369965; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.Chinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR-TRC-14004276; http://www.chictr.org.cn/enindex.aspx.
Adult ; Anti-HIV Agents/adverse effects* ; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active ; China ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; HIV Infections/drug therapy* ; HIV-1 ; Humans ; Maleimides ; Peptides ; Ritonavir/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome ; Viral Load

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors related to renal impairment in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) from the perspective of integrated Chinese and Western medicine. METHODS: Totally 492 patients with DKD in 8 Chinese hospitals from October 2017 to July 2019 were included. According to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) staging guidelines, patients were divided into a chronic kidney disease (CKD) 1-3 group and a CKD 4-5 group. Clinical data were collected, and logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to different CKD stages in DKD patients. RESULTS: Demographically, male was a factor related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD (OR=3.100, P=0.002). In clinical characteristics, course of diabetes >60 months (OR=3.562, P=0.010), anemia (OR=4.176, P<0.001), hyperuricemia (OR=3.352, P<0.001), massive albuminuria (OR=4.058, P=0.002), atherosclerosis (OR=2.153, P=0.007) and blood deficiency syndrome (OR=1.945, P=0.020) were factors related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD. CONCLUSIONS Male, course of diabetes >60 months, anemia, hyperuricemia, massive proteinuria, atherosclerosis, and blood deficiency syndrome might indicate more severe degree of renal function damage in patients with DKD. (Registration No. NCT03865914).
Humans ; Male ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Hyperuricemia ; Kidney ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications*