OBJECTIVETo screen human stem cell factor (hSCF) mimetic peptides in vitro with a phage-display random peptide library.

METHODSPhage clones with high hSCF receptor (rc-kit/Ig 1-3)-binding activity was screened from phage-displayed random hepta/dodecapeptide library by phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Phage single DNA was extracted and sequenced. Four kinds of peptide with higher c-Kit/Ig 1-3 binding activity were chosen for synthesis and characterized by using cell proliferation assay with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method in UT-7 cells.

RESULTSEleven Ph.D.-C7C clones and eight Ph.D-12 phage clones with high hSCF receptor-binding activity were selected from phage-displayed random hepta/dodecapeptide library, respectively. Sequence analysis showed there were no homologous sequence between hSCF and these screened mimetic peptides except one homologous sequence DPSPHTH found in heptapeptide library. All these four synthesized peptides (CE3, CE16, LE4, and LE20), particularly CE16 and LE20, stimulated UT-7 cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONFour hSCF mimetic peptides were successfully isolated from phage-displayed random peptide library..

Humans ; Peptide Library ; Peptides ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Stem Cell Factor ; genetics ; isolation & purification

Health Care Costs ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; economics ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; economics ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the incidence regularity in populations with different fluctuation modes of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibody levels.

METHODSBased on the data of a NPC mass screening for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Jianggu town and Didou town of Sihui city, Guangdong province from 1992 to 1998, 586 subjects who were positive and retested for twice or above were divided into ascending group (114 subjects), stable or fluctuating group (313 subjects), and descending group (159 subjects) according to the fluctuation of immunoglobulin A antibody against EBV capsid antigen (VCA-IgA) level; 9889 subjects who were negative in the first test of VCA-IgA were set as control group. All the participants were followed-up till December 31, 2007. The incidence, onset time and clinical characteristics of NPC were compared among groups.

RESULTSThe 5-year cumulative detection rates of ascending, stable or fluctuating, and descending group were 3.51% (4/114), 0.64% (2/313) and 0.00% (0/159), respectively; the 5-year cumulative detection proportions were 4/4, 2/6 and 0/2, respectively. Comparing to the control group, the hazard ratio (HR) for the incidence of NPC in ascending group was highest (HR = 10.96, 95%CI: 3.91 - 30.74), followed by stable or fluctuating group (HR = 5.79, 95%CI: 2.45 - 13.69), and descending group (HR = 3.84, 95%CI: 0.92 - 16.01) which had the lowest HR.

CONCLUSIONIndividuals with stable, fluctuating or ascending VCA-IgA level showed higher risk and earlier onset of NPC was found in ascending group.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; Capsid Proteins ; immunology ; Carcinoma ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; epidemiology

Objective: Conventional open spinal surgery of adult scoliosis can be performed from anterior, posterior, or combined approach. Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) was developed for the purpose of reducing the undesirable effects and complications. This review aimed to make a brief summary of recent studies of the approach and clinical outcomes of MISS in adult scoliosis. Data Sources: We conducted a systematic search from PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and other literature databases to collect reports of surgical methods and clinical outcomes of MISS in treatment of adult scoliosis. Those reports were published up to March 2017 with the following key terms: "minimally invasive," "spine," "surgery," and "scoliosis."Study Selection: The inclusion criteria of the articles were as followings: diagnosed with adult degenerative scoliosis (DS) or adult idiopathic scoliosis; underwent MISS or open surgery; with follow?up data. The articles involving patients with congenital scoliosis or unknown type were excluded and those without any follow?up data were also excluded from the study. The initial search yielded 233 articles. After title and abstract extraction, 29 English articles were selected for full?text review. Of those, 20 studies with 831 patients diagnosed with adult DS or adult idiopathic scoliosis were reviewed. Seventeen were retrospective studies, and three were prospective studies. Results: The surgical technique reported in these articles was direct or extreme lateral interbody fusion, axial lumbar interbody fusion, and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Among the clinical outcomes of these studies, the operated levels was 3–7, operative time was 2.3–8.5 h. Both the Cobb angle of coronal major curve and evaluation of Oswestry Disability Index and Visual Analog Scale decreased after surgery. There were 323 complications reported in the 831 (38.9%) patients, including 150 (18.1%) motor or sensory deficits, and 111 (13.4%) implant?related complications. Conclusions: MISS can provide good radiological and self?evaluation improvement in treatment of adult scoliosis. More prospective studies will be needed before it is widely used.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment effects of children with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia without down syndrome (non-DS-AMKL). METHODS: The clinical data of 19 children with non-DS-AMKL treated in the Pediatric Hematology Ward in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from May 2008 to April 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical characteristics, laboratory test and treatment methods of the children were concluded. All patients were followed up to evaluate the effect of treatment. RESULTS: The 19 cases of children included nine male and ten female, the median age of onset was 2 years old. The clinical manifestations showed nonspecific. The median white blood cell of peripheral blood was 15.88×10 CONCLUSION Non-DS-AMKL was rare in children and difficult to be diagnosed. Determination of MICM classification as early as possible was helpful for diagnosis, and genetic testing played an important role for diagnosis and prognosis evaluation. Early hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with CR after chemotherapy might be an effective way to cure AMKL.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases ; DNA Helicases ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute/genetics* ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Trisomy

BACKGROUNDBladder recurrent disease is still a challenge in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This controlled study aims to investigate the efficacy of early clipping of the distal ureter prior to nephroureterectomy (NU) to prevent bladder recurrence after UTUC.

METHODSPatients with clinical diagnosis of UTUC were subjected to open trans-peritoneal NU and were randomly divided into two groups. One group received modified NU: clipping the distal ureter prior to NU; while the other group underwent traditional standard NU. Subsequent bladder recurrence was the primary endpoint.

RESULTSFrom January 2007 to December 2009, 85 eligible cases were enrolled in this study. Modified NU and standard NU were performed on 42 and 43 patients, respectively. Operation time ((215.73 ± 21.26) minutes vs. (220.19 ± 15.35) minutes), blood loss ((105.15 ± 11.32) ml vs. (110.12 ± 9.07) ml), transfusion event (11.20% vs. 9.78%), and the in-patient time (10.0 days vs 9.5 days) were not significant between the two groups. After a median follow-up of 28 months (5 - 60), six (14.3%) cases who received modified NU had bladder recurrence, which was significantly lower compared with 15 (34.9%) patients from the group that underwent standard NU (P = 0.026). In univariate and multivariate analysis, tumor grade (HR 4.33, 95%CI 2.66 - 6.30, P = 0.01) and operation type (HR 2.35, 95%CI 1.53 - 3.48, P = 0.041) were independent risk factors for subsequent bladder recurrence after UTUC.

CONCLUSIONSClipping the distal ureter at the beginning of NU significantly reduces bladder recurrence after UTUC. It is reasonable to conclude that clipping the distal portion of ureter trans-peritoneal is an effective surgical procedure for the treatment of UTUC.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Nephrectomy ; methods ; Ureter ; surgery ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes in serum levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and their relation to hepatic parenchyma cell volume (hepatic cell quantity) at different grades of liver inflammation and stages of hepatic fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSSerum HBsAg levels were detected by electrochemilumineseence. Serum HBsAg levels were apportioned according to the hepatic parenchyma cell volume and compared among liver histological inflammation grade (1, 2, 3 and 4) and hepatic fibrosis stage ( I, II, III and IV), respectively.

RESULTSThe levels of serum HBsAg among the four liver histological inflammation grades were:1:6,036.4+/-2,729.4 COI/ml; 2:6,704.6+/-2,457.5 COI/ml; 3:6,332.2+/-2,409.0 COI/ml; 4:6,226.2+/-2,716.0 COI/ml. There were no differences among the groups before apportion (Fbefore apportion=0.564, P=0.640).Serum HBsAg levels apportioned by the hepatic parenchyma cell volume among liver histological inflammation grades were:1:9,174.8+/-4,142.0 COI/ml; 2:10,743.1+/-3,950.3 COI/ml; 3:11,078.0+/-4 230.0COI/ml; 4:11,540.5+/-5,058.8 COI/ml. There were significant differences among the groups after apportion (Fafter apportion =27.354, P<0.001). Serum HBsAg levels among hepatic fibrosis stages were: I: 6,222.1+/-2,665.4 COI/mL; II: 6,706.8+/-2,623.8 COI/ml; III:6 004.5+/-2,625.5 COI/ml; IV:6,455.6+/-2,344.4 COI/ml. There were no differences among groups before apportion (Fbefore apportion=0.768, P=0.513).Serum HBsAg levels apportioned by the hepatic parenchyma cell volume (hepatic cell quantity) among hepatic fibrosis stages were: I :9 417.5+/-4,034.2 COI/ml; II :10,093.3+/-4,183.4 COI/ml; III:10,177.1+/-4,445.0 COI/ml; IV:12,166.6+/-4,418.5 COI/ml. There were significant differences among the groups after apportion (Fafter apportion=57.077, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSerum HBsAg levels apportioned by the same hepatic parenchyma cell volume (hepatic cell quantity), rather than serum HBsAg levels, increased with hepatic pathological progress.

Hepatitis B ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Liver Cirrhosis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of Sini decoction (SND) on intestinal mucosa in rats with intestinal ischemia reperfusion (I/R) and the mechanism relating to oxygen radical and Bcl-2 protein expression.

METHODThirty-two SD rats of both sexes were randomly divided into 4 equal groups: (1) control group in which sham operation was performed; (2) model group in which intestinal I/R was produced by clamping super mesenteric artery(SMA) for 1 hour and declamping SMA for 3 hours; (3) SND low dose group in which SND(3 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) was given via stomach tube for 3 days before operation; (4) SND high dose group in which SND(6 g x kg(-1) x d(1)) was given via stomach tube, for 3 days before operation. A strip of small intestine was taken from distal end of ileum for light microscopic examination, Chiu's score and the detection of intestinal water content (IWC). Apoptosis of intestinal mucosa cell was examined by TUNEL method. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondisldehyde (MDA) concentration of intestinal mucosa were detected. The protein express of Bcl-2 of intestinal mucosa was analyzed by immunochemistory.

RESULTIntestinal /R resulted in histopathological changes in intestinal mucosa, increased Chiu's scores, apoptosis index, IWC and MDA content, and reduced SOD activity and the protein expression of Bcl-2 significantly (P < 0.01). The pretreatment of SND could attenuate the above changes significantly (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference for the above variables between SND low dose group and SND high dose group (P > 0.05). Apoptosis index was significantly negatively correlative to SOD activity in model group and two SND groups. There were significantly negative correlation between apoptosis index and protein expression of Bcl-2 in model group and SND low dose group.

CONCLUSIONSND can attenuate intestinal mucosa injury following intestinal U/R, which is related to reducing intestinal mucosa cell apoptosis by removing oxygen free radical and upregulating the protein expression of Bcl-2.

Aconitum ; chemistry ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Ginger ; chemistry ; Glycyrrhiza uralensis ; chemistry ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of different shape of lower jaw on stress distribution at bone interface in the mandibular molar region of implant restoration models.

METHODSSix models with different lower jaw shapes were constructed by using three-dimensional finite element method. Implant-bone interface stresses in these models were studied under vertical and lateral loads.

RESULTSNo matter in the condition of vertical loading of lateral loading, stress distribution patterns were similar in variant models and differences of stress values were not statistically significant. The maximal differences in Von-Mises stress, compressive stress and tensile stress among the six models were 6.4%, 2.8% and 6.2%respectively.

CONCLUSIONIt is rational to simplify the lower jaw shape in finite element analysis.

Dental Implantation ; Dental Models ; Dental Prosthesis Design ; methods ; Dental Stress Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; anatomy & histology

Forecasting ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; trends