AIM: To investigate whether a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of cholestatic sera induces embryonic stem cells (ESC) to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro, and select hepatic stem cells from differentiating embryonic stem cells. METHODS: Mouse ESC, E14 cell line, were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 106 U/L recombinant mouse leukemia inhibitory factor (rmLIF) and 10% FCS. After embryonic bodies formed by the hanging drop culture method, they were exposed to fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) for one week, and then placed to a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera and cultured for 2 weeks. Morphological examination, immunocytochemical staining of albumin and CK8/18 were carried out, and mRNA level of albumin and transthyretin were detected by RT-PCR. Glycogen storage and urea synthesis of the cells were tested with PAS staining and colorimetric assay, respectively. RESULTS: The proliferation of cells was inhibited at the early stage when cultured in a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera, but 2 weeks later, a large number of epithelial-like cell colonies were observed, which exhibited hepatocellular phenotype, expressing albumin and CK8/18, transcribing mRNA of albumin and transthyretin and synthesizing glycogen and urea. CONCLUSION: A pathological micro- environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera could not only induce embryonic stem cells to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells, but select hepatic stem cells from differentiating embryonic stem cells initially induced by FGF-4 and HGF in vitro as well.

ObjectiveTo standardize the service for mental disability in community, and evaluate scientifically the effect of rehabilitation measures and social factors on the prognosis of disease.MethodsIn the communities selected by cluster sampling method, family-social rehabilitation service was established. The observe groups or specified observers were selected by the community committee, and the maintenance treatment and rehabilitation evaluation were made by psychiatrists.ResultsAfter community rehabilitation treatment, schizophrenia could be compliant with maintenance treatment, which led to satisfactory social function evaluation and rehabilitation result.Conclusion Community rehabilitation treatment could increase the compliance with medical treatment and decrease the occurrence of relapse.

OBJECTIVETo study on visible display of Meridian on the dummy human body.

METHODSTube model-building method and computer technique were used, and data came from Voxel-Man dummy human body development platform.

RESULTSThe visual effect of re-building Meridian is very good and it can display the different layers of anatomic structures on the Meridian lines.

CONCLUSIONThe visible display of Meridian on the dummy human body is preliminary realized, which provides data carriers for establishing the platform of Meridian study.

Human Body ; Humans ; Meridians

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Emergency Treatment ; Female ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Trauma ; diagnosis ; therapy

To explore Wu Shiji's academic thought, his external treatment method were arranged and summarized, such as treatment based on triple energizer differentiation, the theory of plaster heals various disease and the combination of the application of acupuncture, moxibustion and plaster etc. It has been proved that Wu's external treatment had compiled all the advantages of each school of Chinese medicine before his era, rich in content and convenient to use. So it values highly in clinical practice and has provided great convenience for the modern clinical research of external treatment.
Acupuncture ; education ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; History, 19th Century ; Humans ; Male ; Moxibustion ; history

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Kurarinone on renal tubular epithelial cell-mesenchyma (ECM) trans-differentiation in rats with renal interstitial fibrosis and to explore its possible mechanisms.

METHODSThe rat model of renal interstitial fibrosis was established by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, the sham-operated group, the UUO group and the Kurarinone treated group (KTG). Rats in the KTG were intraperitoneally injected with Kurarinone 100 mg/kg daily after modeling. Five rats of each group were killed respectively at day 7, 14 and 21 after UUO. The serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB), 24-h urinary protein excretion in rats were measured. Pathological changes of renal tissue were observed by PAS and Masson stain. The expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), Smad3, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen I (Col I) in kidney were determined with immunohistochemistry. And the expressions of TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA mRNA in renal tissue were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe expression of TGF-beta1, Smad3, alpha-SMA and Col I in the KTG was significantly decreased as compared with that in the UUO group respectively, and the degree of tubular damage and renal interstitial fibrosis was also ameliorated more obviously in the KTG. The TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA mRNA expressions in KTG were significantly lower than those in the UUO group determined at the corresponding time points (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONKurarinone could down-regulate the expression of TGF-beta1 and Col I, inhibit EC-M trans-differentiation, suppress the activation and proliferation of myofibroblast. The probable pathway may be by way of down-regulating Smad3 expression to interfere its induction on intercellular signal transduction and consequently ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis.

Animals ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; drug effects ; Collagen Type I ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Fibrosis ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Kidney Tubules ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mesoderm ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of endothelial cell-targeted therapy to cure post-burn hypertrophic scar.

METHODSA hypertrophic scar animal model was made. Intralesional injecting of VEGF monoclonal antibody was performed for three weeks. The changes of scar in volume and morphology were observed.

RESULTS1. The volume of scar decreased. 2. The number of the capillary, the amount of collagen I and collagen III decreased. 3. Transmission electron microscope examinations demonstrated many dead or apoptotic fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Fibrocytes were seen relatively common.

CONCLUSIONVEGF induces the growth and development of hypertrophic scar in that it induces excessive and uncontrollable angiogenesis, which favors excessive collagen synthesis. Endothelial cell-targeted therapy may be a promising method to cure post-burn hypertrophic scar.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Burns ; complications ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen Type III ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelial Cells ; Feasibility Studies ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; etiology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

OBJECTIVE Right ventricular (RV) remodeling is one of the essential pathological features in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). RV hypertrophy or fibrosis are the leading causes of RV remodeling. Magnolol is a com?pound isolated from Magnolia officinalis. It possesses multiple pharmacological activities, such as anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the effects and underlying mechanisms of magnolol on RV remodeling in hypoxia-induced PAH. METHODS ① Male SD rats (220 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10): the normoxia group, the hypoxia group, the hypoxia plus Magnolol (10 and 20 mg·kg-1·d-1) group, and the vehicle group. Rats in the normoxia group were kept in a normoxia environment for 4 weeks, while rats in the hypoxia group were kept in a hypoxic chamber (10％ O2). The rats in the hypoxia plus magnolol groups were administered with magnolol at 10 or 20 mg·kg-1 (ip) once a day for 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks, the heart function was assessed by Doppler echocardiography, and then the rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (30 mg·kg-1, ip). The RVSP was measured by the right heart catheterization method. The heart tissues were collected and dissected to calculate the index of RV remodeling (RV/LV+IVS, RV/tibial length, or RV/body weight). Part of the RV samples was fixed with 4％paraformaldehyde for morphological analysis, while other samples were frozen at-80℃for molecular studies (measurements of ANP, BNP,α-SMA, and col?lagen Ⅰ/Ⅲ mRNA expression as well as p-JAK2/JAK2 and p-STAT3/STAT3 protein levels). ② To evaluate the effect of magnolol on hypoxia-induced myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, H9c2 or cardiac fibroblasts were divided into 7 groups: the control group, cells were cultured under normal conditions; the hypoxia group, cells were cultured under hypoxic condition (3％ O2);the hypoxia plus magnolol 10 mg·kg-1 group, magnolol10μmol·L-1 was added to the culture medium before the hypoxia treatment;the hypoxia plus magnolol 30 mg·kg-1 group, magnolol 20μmol·L-1 was added to the culture medium before the hypoxia treatment;the hypoxia plus TG-101348 group, TG-101348 (a specific inhibitor of JAK2) 1μmol·L-1 was added to the culture medium before the hypoxia treatment;the hypoxia plus JSI-124 group, JSI-124 (a specific inhibitor of JAK2) 1μmol·L-1 was added to the culture medium before the hypoxia treatment;and the hypoxia plus vehicle group, an equal volume of vehicle (DMSO) was added to the culture medium before the hypoxia treatment. At the end of the experiments, the cells were collected for morphological and molecular analysis. RESULTS In vivo, male Sprang-Daley rats were exposed to 10％ O2 for 4 weeks to establish an RV remodeling model, which showed hypertrophic and fibrotic features (increases of RV remodeling index, cellular size, hypertrophic and fibrotic marker expression), accompanied by an elevation in phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3;these changes were attenuated by treating rats with magnolol. In vitro, the cultured H9c2 cells or cardiac fibroblasts were exposed to 3％ O2 for 48 h to induce hypertrophy or fibrosis, which showed hypertrophic (increases in cellular size as well as the expression of ANP and BNP) or fibrotic features (increases in the expression of collagenⅠ, collagenⅢandα-SMA). Administration of mag?nolol and TG-101348 or JSI-124 (JAK2 selective inhibitors) could prevent the process of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, accompanied by the decrease in the phosphorylation level of JAK2 and STAT3. CONCLUSION Magnolol can attenuate RV hypertrophy and fibrosis in hypoxia-induced PAH rats through a mechanism involving inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUNDThe optimal revascularization strategy in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with HFPEF.

METHODSFrom July 2003 through September 2005, a total of 920 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and HFPEF (ejection fraction ≥ 50%) underwent PCI (n = 350) or CABG (n = 570). We compared the groups with respect to the primary outcome of mortality, and the secondary outcomes of main adverse cardiac and cerebral vascular events (MACCE), including death, myocardial infarction, stroke and repeat revascularization, at a median follow-up of 543 days.

RESULTSIn-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the PCI group than in the CABG group (0.3% vs. 2.5%, adjusted P = 0.016). During follow-up, there was no significant difference in the two groups with regard to mortality rates (2.3% vs. 3.5%, adjusted P = 0.423). Patients receiving PCI had higher MACCE rates as compared with patients receiving CABG (13.4% vs. 4.0%, adjusted P < 0.001), mainly due to higher rate of repeat revascularization (adjusted P < 0.001). Independent predictors of mortality were age, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and chronic total occlusion.

CONCLUSIONAmong patients with CAD and HFPEF, PCI was shown to be as good as CABG with respect to the mortality rate, although there was a higher rate of repeat revascularization in patients undergoing PCI.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; mortality ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; mortality ; Female ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo compare the instructive value of the 6th and 7th editions of the UICC-AJCC staging system in prognosis of esophageal cancer (EC) patients.

METHODSThe staging and prognosis of 1397 esophageal carcinoma patients undergoing curative resection from Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2006 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed according to the 6th AJCC staging system and the 7th UICC-AJCC staging system.

RESULTSThe 5-year overall survival (OS) of EC patients with curative resection was 38.5% (481/1250 cases), with a follow-up rate of 89.5% (1250/1397 case). In overall terms, both the editions were statistically significant discriminators of OS (P < 0.05). The 5-year OS of stages I, II and III patients were 64.9%, 43.5%, 25.2% according to the 6th edition, and 63.5%, 44.5%, 23.5% according to the 7th edition, respectively. Distinct differences in survival were present among patients categorized as stage Ia and Ib according to the 7th edition (P < 0.05), with a 5-year OS of 80.0% and 58.3%, respectively. Similarly, according to the 7th edition, the 5-year overall survivals (OS) of the stages IIIa, IIIb and IIIc patients were 28.2%, 18.4% and 16.7%, respectively, showing that the prognoses were significantly different (P < 0.05). In addition, according to the 7th edition, the prognoses of patients in stages N0, N1, N2 and N3 were also significantly different (P < 0.01), and the 5-year OS were 50.0%, 31.5%, 18.7% and 16.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSBoth the 6th and 7th editions of UICC-AJCC staging system are significant discriminators for survival of esophageal cancer patients. The 7th edition is proved to be more accurate in prognosis. The number of lymph node metastases is an important predictor of prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate