OBJECTIVETo study the the relationship between lymphatic vessel density (LVD) and distal intramural spread (DIS), and evaluate the value of LVD in determining the length of distal resection in low rectal cancer.

METHODSNinety-two samples from patients undergone curative resection of low rectal cancer were studied. DIS was detected by HE stain. LVD was examined by immunohisto-chemical LYVE-1 (lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor). The association of LVD with DIS and other clinicopathological factors were examined.

RESULTSDIS (range 0.1-2.4 cm, mean 0.31 cm) was present in 44(47.8%) patients with low rectal cancer, including 23(52.3%) cases with cancer emboli in lymphatic vessels. LVD of peritumoral lesion was significantly higher than that of intratumoral lesion. LVD of DIS subgroup was significantly higher than that of non-DIS subgroup. Positive correlation was found by rank correlation test between the length of DIS and the LVD at peritumor tissue in DIS group (n=44, r=0.755, P<0.01). LVD was also positively correlated with the infiltration extent, lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONSLymphangiogenesis plays an important role in rectal cancer metastasis and cancer emboli in lymphatic vessels is the most common modality of DIS. The LVD is positively correlated with DIS, which may be helpful to determine the distal clearance length of rectal cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphangiogenesis ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Lymphatic Vessels ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of the compound of Dan-shen root and azone for scar treatment.

METHODSThe rat skin in vitro and the human skin in vitro and vivo were separately examined their permeability of the mixture of the Dan-shen root and azone. The 301 patients with hypertrophic scar were randomly divided into two groups: one treated with elastic cloth paste (including silicone) contained in Dan-shen root with azone, and the another treated with only elastic cloth paste (including silicone).

RESULTSThe permeability of Dan-shen root with azone, passing through the rat skin in vitro and the human skin in vitro and vivo was significantly higher than both the distilled water and the normal saline (P < 0.05). In the clinical study for treatment of the hypertrophic scars, the efficient rate of the group with the Dan-shen root with azone was significantly higher than the control (91.4% vs. 71.3%) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Dan-shen root with azone could be easier to permeate the skin and more effective to treat the hypertrophic scar.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Azepines ; pharmacology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cicatrix ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenanthrolines ; pharmacology ; Phytotherapy ; Rats ; Skin ; drug effects ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To study the epidemiologic characters of influenza in Shanghai from 2013 to 2015 . Methods Data of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness ( ILI ) were collected through influenza surveillance hospitals .Pathogenic surveillance to part of ILI samples was conducted . Results From 2013 to 2015, the ILI consultation rate ranged from 0.68%~3.73%, with an average rate of 1 .46%.In total 51 445 samples were collected , and 12673 samples were positive , with the positive rate of 24 .63%.The ratio of the patient visited for ILI aged from 25 to 60 was higher than other groups . Conclusion The peak of epidemic of influenza in Shanghai was in winter and summer .The ratio of the patients visited for ILI aged over 60 increased with years .More measures should be taken to protect the elder people .

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced acute lung injury (ALI) and its anti-inflammatory mechanism in mice. All male ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups: LPS group; control group; MAG 3, 10, and 30 mg x kg(-1) groups; and dexamethasone (DXM) 5 mg x kg(-1) group. Lung dry weight and wet weight percentage and permeability were detected. Neutrophil infiltration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues was detected by cell count and morphological analysis. The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-10 in lung were detected by ELISA. MPO activity was determined followed the specification. MAG induced a decrease in lung wet weight/dry weight ratio, and significantly decreased in total leucocyte number and neutrophil percentage in the BALF, and MPO activity of lung in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, It could up-regulate the IL-10 level and down-regulate the TNF-alpha level in the lung tissue of ALI mice. These results suggested that the protective effect of MAG in mice on LPS induced ALI was associated with the regulation of TNF-alpha/IL-10 balance, and MAG maybe a potentially treatment for ALI/ARDS.
Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; cytology ; Glycyrrhizic Acid ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Leukocyte Count ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Neutrophils ; pathology ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a disorder characterized by degeneration of lower motor neurons and occasionally bulbar motor neurons leading to progressive limb and trunk paralysis as well as muscular atrophy. Three types of SMA are recognized depending on the age of onset, the maximum muscular activity achieved, and survivorship: SMA1, SMA2, and SMA3. The survival of motor neuron (SMN) gene has been identified as an SMA determining gene, whereas the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) gene is considered to be a modifying factor of the severity of SMA. The main objective of this study was to analyze the deletion of SMN1 and NAIP genes in southern Chinese children with SMA. Here, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was performed to detect the deletion of both exon 7 and exon 8 of SMN1 and exon 5 of NAIP in 62 southern Chinese children with strongly suspected clinical symptoms of SMA. All the 32 SMA1 patients and 76% (13/17) of SMA2 patients showed homozygous deletions for exon 7 and exon 8, and all the 13 SMA3 patients showed single deletion of SMN1 exon 7 along with 24% (4/17) of SMA2 patients. Eleven out of 32 (34%) SMA1 patients showed NAIP deletion, and none of SMA2 and SMA3 patients was found to have NAIP deletion. The findings of homozygous deletions of exon 7 and/or exon 8 of SMN1 gene confirmed the diagnosis of SMA, and suggested that the deletion of SMN1 exon 7 is a major cause of SMA in southern Chinese children, and that the NAIP gene may be a modifying factor for disease severity of SMA1. The molecular diagnosis system based on PCR-RFLP analysis can conveniently be applied in the clinical testing, genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis of SMA.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Male ; Neuronal Apoptosis-Inhibitory Protein ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of short-term forest bathing on human health.

METHODSTwenty healthy male university students participated as subjects and were randomly divided into two groups of 10. One group was sent on a two-night trip to a broad-leaved evergreen forest, and the other was sent to a city area. Serum cytokine levels reflecting inflammatory and stress response, indicators reflecting oxidative stress, the distribution of leukocyte subsets, and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations were measured before and after the experiment to evaluate the positive health effects of forest environments. A profile of mood states (POMS) evaluation was used to assess changes in mood states.

RESULTSNo significant differences in the baseline values of the indicators were observed between the two groups before the experiment. Subjects exposed to the forest environment showed reduced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory level, as evidenced by decreased malondialdehyde, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor a levels compared with the urban group. Serum cortisol levels were also lower than in the urban group. Notably, the concentration of plasma ET-1 was much lower in subjects exposed to the forest environment. The POMS evaluation showed that after exposure to the forest environment, subjects had lower scores in the negative subscales, and the score for vigor was increased.

CONCLUSIONForest bathing is beneficial to human health, perhaps through preventive effects related to several pathological factors.

Baths ; China ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; blood ; Life Style ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Male ; Nature ; Recreation ; Stress, Physiological ; Testosterone ; blood ; Trees ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value of serum angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) level in pancreatic cancer patients.

METHODSSerum Ang-2 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in samples from 116 patients with pancreatic cancer, 50 patients with chronic pancreatitis, and 50 normal control subjects.

RESULTSThe serum Ang-2 level in patients with pancreatic cancer [(1539.0 ± 449.3) ng/L] was significantly higher than those in patients with pancreatitis [(1044.6 ± 246.1) ng/L, P < 0.01] and normal control subjects [(1075.6 ± 228.2) ng/L, P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference of serum Ang-2 levels between patients with pancreatitis and normal controls. Pancreatic caner patients with lymph node metastasis had a significantly higher serum Ang-2 level [(1890.1 ± 354.9) ng/L] than those without metastasis [(1212.1 ± 224.2) ng/L, P < 0.01]. The area under ROC curve of serum Ang-2 level for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 0.819.

CONCLUSIONThe serum Ang-2 level can be a useful indicator for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiopoietin-2 ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Pancreatitis ; blood ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of combined determination of neutrophil CD64 and procalcitonin (PCT) in the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection.

METHODSAccording to discharge diagnosis, 37 neonates with bacterial infection were divided into sepsis (n=15) and ordinary infection (non-sepsis) groups (n=22). Twenty-one neonates without infection who were hospitalized during the same period of time were enrolled as the control group. Venous blood samples were collected immediately after admission. Flow cytometry was used to measure the serum level of neutrophil CD64. Chemiluminescence and immune transmission turbidimetry were used to measure the serum levels of PCT and CRP respectively.

RESULTSThe sepsis group had higher serum levels of neutrophil CD64, PCT, and CRP than the control group (P<0.01), the ordinary infection group had a higher serum level of neutrophil CD64 than the control group (P<0.01), and the sepsis group had higher serum levels of PCT and CRP than the ordinary infection group (P<0.01). The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of neutrophil CD64, PCT, and CRP in diagnosing bacterial infection were 0.818, 0.818, and 0.704 respectively, and the AUC of combined neutrophil CD64 and PCT was 0.926. A combination of neutrophil CD64 and PCT had a sensitivity of 97.29% and an accuracy of 89.65% in the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection.The sensitivity and accuracy were higher than those of a combination of CRP and neutrophil CD64 or PCT as well as neutrophil CD64, PCT, or CRP alone for the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection.

CONCLUSIONSThe combined determination of neutrophil CD64 and PCT can improve the sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection, which helps with early identification of bacterial infection.

Bacterial Infections ; blood ; diagnosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neutrophils ; chemistry ; ROC Curve ; Receptors, IgG ; blood

OBJECTIVESTo observe the role of PPARgamma during the activation process of hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

METHODSBy morphology and RT-PCR, we study the changes of expression of PPARgamma in culture-activated HSC or in vivo activated HSC induced by dimethylnitrosamine (DMN).

RESULTSIn vitro, the expression level of PPARgamma in freshly isolated HSC (0.72+/-0.01) significantly reduced to 0.48+/-0.03 on the third day of culture (t = 19.8372, P<0.01), and reduced 70% on the seventh culture-day and could not be detected after the second passage. In vivo, HSC freshly isolated from normal control rats expressed PPARgamma (0.76+/-0.01). During the development of rat liver fibrosis induced by DMN, the expression level significantly reduced to 0.46+/-0.02 after the third injection of DMN (t = 29.5318, P<0.01), and reduced 66% on the end of first week and could not be detected on the end of second and third week.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of PPARgamma might play an important role on the maintenance of resting-form of HSC, and the reduction of expression of PPARgamma might be an early event during the activation process of HSC.

Animals ; Liver ; cytology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; physiology ; Transcription Factors ; physiology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the proliferation and oxidative stress of rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

METHODSThe effect of various concentrations of maganesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the proliferation of primary rat HSCs and HSCs strains were measured by making cell growth curves and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphennylterazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay. Morphological changes of the rat HSCs were also studied. After rat HSCs were incubated with various concentrations of maganesium isoglycyrrhizinate and ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) for 24 hours, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in supernates were measured to observe the effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on the oxidative stress of rat HSCs.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the proliferation of rat HSCs was significantly inhibited when the concentration of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate in the medium reached a certain level range. In the oxidative stress induced by Fe-NTA, magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate, within a certain strength range, obviously enhanced the activity of SOD and decreased the contents of MDA in supernates of rat HSCs culture media.

CONCLUSIONSMagnesium isoglycyrrhizinate could significantly inhibit the proliferation of rat HSCs and it, within a certain strength range, exert protective effects in the oxidative stress induced by Fe-NTA.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; pharmacology